Football Insider

Tottenham’s players may face wage reductions due to a clause in their contract if they are relegated from the Premier League.

This is according to former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that, despite reports to the contrary, Spurs may still have inserted this into their players’ contracts.

Currently, Tottenham are in a relegation battle in the Premier League, and sit just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Stefan Borson: I’m not convinced Tottenham don’t have relegation wage reduction clauses

While Thomas Frank has since been relieved of his duties at Spurs, this has not extinguished the threat of relegation.

The appointment of Igor Tudor has not impressed fans, given his mixed CV.

This, combined with West Ham’s recent surge in form, has made a dip into the second tier a real possibility.

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Given that most of Tottenham’s players are on high wages, relegation to the Championship could be financially disastrous.

However, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson has not ruled out Spurs’ players having wage deductions due to a clause in their contract if they are to go down.

He said: “It’s very hard if you’re Spurs, and you start a negotiation for a new player, and then you say, ‘we’re so confident in Spurs being in Champions League competition, or contention every year that we’re going to put in a relegation clause into the contract.’

“It’s just a very, very difficult thing to argue as part of the negotiation, and it’s pretty unlikely that the other clubs at the top of the table try and do that just because it’s so unlikely.

“Now, I’m still not totally convinced that they don’t have some of those clauses.

“It’s quite a big deal if they don’t, to be honest, because if they do end up getting relegated, they are going to be in severe trouble.”

What are the odds of Tottenham getting relegated?

According to Opta on 19 February, the odds of Tottenham going down this season are slim.

The supercomputer believes that they have a 3.36 per cent chance of being in the Championship next season, with their predicted final position being 16th.

West Ham remain the overwhelming favourites to join Wolves and Burnley in the second-tier at 71.16 per cent.

Relegation for Nottingham Forest is also not ruled out at 19.90 per cent as the Reds look to find more fortune under Vítor Pereira.

Mauricio Pochettino odds slashed to manage giants after Tottenham ‘open talks’, Jurgen Klopp is favourite

Mauricio Pochettino has seen his odds slashed in the race to become the next Real Madrid manager.

The Spanish giants sacked Xabi Alonso after defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa final in January, with Alvaro Arbeloa set to lead the team until the summer.

Jurgen Klopp has been named the favourite for the job, but the German is yet to indicate that he may return to management.

Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank last week and have since appointed Igor Tudor on an interim deal until the summer.

Decision-makers are then expected to propose a deal that would see Pochettino return to North London after the World Cup.

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Mauricio Pochettino in Real Madrid running

There have been suggestions made that talks between Pochettino and Tottenham have already started to take place.

The Argentine spent over five years with the Lilywhites, but left the club without ever having lifted a trophy.

The job he will have on his hands to rebuild his former club will be far more daunting than it was when he arrived from Southampton in 2014, but he retains the belief of the fanbase.

First, Pochettino will go to the World Cup with the United States, where he hopes to represent one of the host nations well.

The 53-year-old’s team have gone close to glory – losing the final of the Gold Cup and losing the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League – but they won’t be expected to win the World Cup.

Pochettino will hope to end his journey into international management on a high in front of their own fans, however.

His return to Tottenham is not yet a given, with several clubs set to be looking for a new manager this summer.

Real Madrid are among them, and Pochettino’s odds of becoming their next manager have been slashed to 12/1 by one major bookmaker.

Pochettino has already given his answer on Tottenham return

Pochettino is a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite his time at Chelsea, and would undoubtedly be welcomed back.

The Argentine delivered Tottenham’s record Premier League points tally, oversaw the move to the new stadium, and worked under tight budgets to constantly deliver European football.

Speaking to Sky Sports in 2025, Pochettino said: “When I left the club, I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham.”

“I am in the USA, so I am not going to talk about that now – but what I said then I still, after six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back.”

Tottenham have got to stick by a manager if they want to progress on the pitch after they decided to sack Thomas Frank.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who states there are “deep-rooted issues” at Spurs.

Frank was sacked after eight months in charge of the club, with Igor Tudor taking over until the end of the season before the search for a permanent successor begins.

It has been a dismal season for Spurs, with the club just five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Tottenham must get next managerial appointment right

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – states the Spurs hierarchy need to begin showing “strong leadership.”

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness says that Daniel Levy’s departure at Spurs earlier in the season has not changed anything at the club.

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He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “There are some deep-rooted issues with the way that Spurs have been run over the years, as we all know. Particularly, we saw it last season. We’ve seen it for much longer before that.

“With or without Daniel Levy, those problems still seem to persist even more now. So I think that to pick the manager as a sacrificial lamb, I think is the wrong thing for Spurs. They’ve got to start backing people and sticking with it.

“My own experience is that there was a time when David Moyes was at Everton, we had a slight wobble, but we stuck by him, and he was there in the end for, was it now, 10, 11, 12 years almost.

“So you’ve got to stick with managers, and I think it does take time, particularly with Spurs. And as I say, the issues to me go beyond him to the hierarchy, and they’ve got to show some strong leadership at the top now and really back somebody and get this right.”

Tottenham keen to secure Mauricio Pochettino return

Spurs could look at bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a second spell as manager.

The 53-year-old is currently set to take charge of the USA national team at this summer’s World Cup, with his contract ending after the tournament.

Pochettino had five years as Spurs manager between 2014 and 2019, including leading them to a Champions League final in his final full season in charge.

Tottenham backed to make Morgan Rogers move by top source, summer spending spree on the cards

Tottenham have been backed to spend big in the summer, with a potential move for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers not ruled out.

That is according to former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, who exclusively told Football Insider that Daniel Levy’s departure at Spurs will likely see them be more aggressive in the transfer market.

Tottenham are in dire need of reinforcements in the summer and are in serious danger of being relegated to the Championship this season.

Keith Wyness: Tottenham need to bring in marquee players

In recent times, the number of quality players Tottenham possess has been drastically reduced.

Stars such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have departed the North London club, leaving them short on top players in their front line.

Tottenham have long been linked to Rogers, who has continued his sensational form at Aston Villa this season.

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Now, speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained that the 23-year-old is the type of player Spurs need to be looking at in the summer.

He said: “I think they have to spend in the summer. I think this is something they’ve really got to do. I think that Spurs, the whole reason I think of the shift away from Daniel Levy was that they now feel they’ve got to get more aggressive.

“I don’t think Daniel [Levy] had been seen as being that aggressive in terms of getting it right on the pitch. So they’re going to have to show that they can do a better job. That means spending big bucks.

“And they’ve always been spending in the sort of mid-level with players, never really pushed the boat out. And now I think we’re going to have to see some marquee signings.

“We talked about Morgan Rogers. That’s the sort of quality that we’re talking about Spurs having to go for now to really get going.

“Ever since the days of Harry Kane, there’s been no real marquee Spurs player that’s come in, and they’ve got to get one or two at least of those sorts of quality players in

there.

“There’s been talk of Harry [Kane] coming back to White Hart Lane even, but I don’t

think that’s going to happen. But I do think they’re going to have to push the boat out,

certainly. And we’ll see how Spurs handle that search.”

How much will Aston Villa want for Morgan Rogers?

Currently, it is unknown how much Aston Villa would want if they were to part ways with Rogers.

The winger has been one of their key players for years, and currently has 13 goal contributions in 26 Premier League matches this season.

On top of this, if Villa qualify for the Champions League this season, it would no doubt strengthen the Birmingham outfit’s hold on Rogers.

Previously speaking to Football Insider, Wyness believes that Villa could demand £100million for Rogers if he is selected in the England squad for the World Cup this summer.

“Well, if he does make the squad, which we believe he will do for the World Cup and he has a good World Cup, then he’s a £100m player straight away,” said Wyness.

“There will be a lot of interest in Morgan Rogers. He’s got the right attitude, the skills, he’s the right age, everything works.

“If he has that sort of World Cup notoriety with it as well, it’s £100m all day long.”

Tottenham have enough to stay in the Premier League as the relegation battle continues to open up.

That is according to former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that he believes Spurs will gather enough results to stay in the division, even if they have to reach 42 points.

West Ham’s recent surge in form has pulled multiple sides into the battle to stay up, with the likes of Tottenham and Crystal Palace now nervously looking over their shoulder.

Stefan Borson: Tottenham should have enough to stay in the Premier League

Tottenham finally sacked Thomas Frank last week, with Spurs now just five points above the relegation zone.

Now, with the underwhelming appointment of Igor Tudor, relegation fears have only increased for Tottenham fans.

However, they are not the only team who have suddenly been dragged into a battle for survival.

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Crystal Palace are now just eight points clear, with the Croydon side losing 3-2 to Burnley last week, despite taking a quick 2-0 lead.

Now, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson has not ruled out Palace winning the Europa Conference League and getting relegated to the Championship.

He said: “Someone’s got to go down. I don’t know what the points total is going to be

for the team that’s relegated. Clearly, as you get higher and higher, as you get to 42

points, let’s say, maybe it could end up being Spurs.

“I can’t see it because I just can’t see how they can’t get 12 points. But you know, maybe.

“Even if it’s not Spurs, what if it’s Crystal Palace? You go from the heights of last

season, European football, and then all of a sudden, you’re in the championship.

“I mean, it’s unbelievable. And it’s not impossible that they win the conference, get into

the Europa League, and also get relegated. Crazier things have happened.”

Who is currently tipped to be relegated from the Premier League?

According to Opta on 16 February, the current bottom three are the most likely to go down in the Premier League this season.

Wolves have a 99.99 per cent chance of being relegated after their dire campaign, whereas Burnley have a 98.56 per cent chance.

West Ham remain heavy favourites to follow them at 72.04 per cent despite their recent good form.

Nottingham Forest are not ruled out of the race at 19.47 per cent, while Tottenham have just a 3.67 per cent chance of a shock drop into the Championship.

For Palace, their odds of going down are tiny at just 1.2 per cent.

Tim Sherwood has sensationally called on Igor Tudor to both win the Champions League and win 90 per cent of his Premier League games to be appointed permanently by Tottenham.

Tottenham have appointed the former Juventus and Marseille boss on a deal until the end of the season, when a more permanent solution will be found.

Sherwood would have been among those hoping to be called by his former club about stepping in after Thomas Frank was sacked last week, but decision-makers have sought a more established option.

Tudor was dismissed by Juventus in October, and will be chiefly tasked with keeping Tottenham well away from the relegation zone.

The Lilywhites are just five points ahead of 17th-placed West Ham, and will kick off Tudor’s tenure when they welcome Arsenal for the North London derby on Sunday.

Tottenham fans unimpressed by ‘bitter’ Tim Sherwood comments

Sherwood took over Tottenham on a permanent basis in 2013, signing an 18-month contract and replacing Andre Villas-Boas.

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The Englishman would ultimately end up only managing 26 games and leading the Lilywhites to the end of the 2013-14 season before he was sacked, however.

Sherwood’s tenure was littered by several embarrassing results, including losses to Arsenal and Man City at White Hart Lane.

He had spent four years at the club as a player, making 117 appearances and scoring 16 goals from central midfield, but his time as a manager was not so successful.

It was apparently good enough to persuade Aston Villa to make him their manager in 2015, though.

And, in fairness, Sherwood kept the Villans in the Premier League and led them to the FA Cup final, where they were thumped 4-0 by Arsenal.

Speaking about Tudor on Monday, Sherwood told Sky Sports News: “The upside is for him, very little upside. Upside is managing a wonderful football club in Tottenham Hotspur, and I think he’s come out and said he’s proud to get the opportunity to do that, as every other manager would.

“But he needs to win the Champions League and win every game in the Premier League, or 90 per cent of the games in the Premier League for him to have any chance of taking that job on the long-term.”

Tottenham fans reacted angrily on social media, with many calling Sherwood “bitter” that he had not received the call.

“Sherwood just been throwing he’s toys out the pram because he’s somehow shocked he didn’t get the call, so bitter”, wrote one fan.

Another wrote: “Sherwood talking nonsense again. Tudor does well, he’ll get another Premier League job. That simple”.

One X user took a harsher approach, and wrote: “Why do they keep giving this cretin air time. Failed manager, crap pundit.”

What Igor Tudor said after Tottenham appointment

Tudor’s main aim will be to impress at Tottenham, so he could be targeted by another Premier League club in the summer.

Several are expected to be on the lookout for a new figurehead, and if the Croatian can turn the situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium around, he will feature high up the list.

I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear,” he said after his appointment last week. “To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.”

“Our objective is straightforward – to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League,” he added.

Mauricio Pochettino is emerging as one of the front-runners to become the next Tottenham manager after Thomas Frank was sacked.

The 53-year-old has not been shy about his desire to one day return to North London and remains a huge fans favourite despite his dismissal in 2019.

However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, it will be “impossible” for Spurs to appoint Pochettino immediately.

The boss is set to lead the host nation U.S.A at the World Cup in the summer and will not consider leaving his role until after the tournament is over.

As a result, Tottenham may be forced to hire an interim boss until the end of the season if they decide they want to push forward with Pochettino’s return.

Mauricio Pochettino appointment delayed at Tottenham

Football Insider exclusively revealed on 12 February that Pochettino is keen to return to Tottenham and feels he still has unfinished business at the club.

His potential availability after the World Cup will likely be of interest to Spurs, but given their precarious league position, there are concerns they may not be able to wait.

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A number of alternatives are being assessed as potential interim managers or even an immediate permanent hire, with the club refusing to rule out options.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “It all depends on what Tottenham want to do. Do they want to bring in an interim manager until the end of the season to see them secure survival and then maybe go for a big name in the summer?

“Obviously, Mauricio Pochettino would be a popular choice to come back to Tottenham. Sections of the fans have been calling for his return singing his name at games in recent weeks.

“But I think it’s almost impossible for him to join the club right now because he’s obviously focusing on the World Cup with the USA.

“His contract expires with the United States after the World Cup so maybe that could pave the way for a return to Tottenham.

“Tottenham have got to make a decision on what they want to do.

“It wouldn’t be possible for Pochettino to come in at this stage of the season because as I said he’s focusing on the World Cup of the USA.

“But when his contract expires then maybe there could be a possibility that he does return to Tottenham as he feels he has unfinished business there.”

Who else could become the next Tottenham manager?

Pochettino is not the only big name on Tottenham’s radar as they accelerate plans to replace Frank after getting dragged into a relegation battle.

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is on their radar after he left Marseille following their elimination from the Champions League in the league stage.

His availability as a free agent makes him an interesting proposition as he would be able to step straight into the role with no delay unlike some other candidates.

Meanwhile, the likes of Gareth Southgate, Marco Rose and Brendan Rodgers have all been linked with the role and there are no shortage of options for Spurs.

However, they are determined to get this decision right as just five points are separating them from West Ham in the relegation zone and they remain in danger.

Tottenham’s owners are in a “surprising” situation after it’s emerged they don’t have first refusal to buy Daniel Levy’s shares.

That is according to former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, who exclusively told Football Insider he expected that to have been included in the shareholder agreement.

Despite leaving his role as executive chairman in September, Levy still has an indirect investment in Tottenham due to his 29.88 per cent share in ENIC, which owns 86.91 per cent of the club.

The Telegraph reported on 5 February the Lewis family, who own the remaining 70.12 per cent of the British investment company, don’t have matching rights or first refusal on Levy’s stake.

However, it is understood the shares hold no voting rights, place on the board or influence on matters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

How Tottenham’s owners could agree deal with new investors

Levy has been in talks to sell his stake in ENIC to a consortium that includes Hong Kong businessman Ng Wing Fai, with the discussions revolving around a £1billion deal.

However, question marks have been raised around the suitability of that group to come in alongside the Lewis family.

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Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness provided his reaction to the reports the Lewis family has no matching rights and Levy’s stake comes with no voting rights.

“I’m slightly surprised at that, but then again you would have thought there would have been first right of refusal at least on that sort of situation,” said Wyness.

“However, that’s not to say that if the Lewis family found a friendly group that they prefer to work with, they could offer them again some voting rights, a seat on the board and also first right of refusal.

“Those things can be changed provided Daniel gets the price he’s looking for and, if he’s happy with the price, then there’s nothing to stop the Lewis family saying to a new group coming in if they believe they can add value and if they are the right friendly group they want to work with, that they could have a say in things, so those things can be changed and it’s not necessarily dead.”

Who do Tottenham’s owners want to buy Daniel Levy’s stake?

Wyness insisted the Lewis family may have to offer voting rights to bring in the right sort of partner.

“They may have to do that to attract the right sort of friendly group they want,” said Wyness.

“Now, that could be people either with or without football experience. I’m not sure what the Lewis group would want, but it could be that they like people who’ve been involved in football before, understand it more and give more breadth across the background.

“Or they move for a silent investor. It’s hard to know exactly what they want. But I think all those things could be altered and changed as needed.”

However, Football Insider revealed on Tuesday (10 February) Tottenham’s on-field performances are impacting Levy’s chances of selling his stake in ENIC.

Thomas Frank has now been sacked by Spurs, who currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, just five points above the relegation zone.

Mauricio Pochettino is keen on returning to Tottenham as their new manager, sources have told Football Insider.

The 53-year-old United States manager has privately made it clear he would jump at the chance to manage his old club for a second time.

But he will not be available until after the World Cup finishes, which means Tottenham could only appoint them if they are willing to wait until the summer or if they name an interim manager for the rest of the season.

Pochettino is on Spurs’ next permanent manager shortlist along with the likes of Roberto De Zerbi, Robbie Keane and John Heitinga.

One solution is for Spurs to appoint an interim manager; Keane is one strong option for that position, with Pochettino then returning in the summer.

Pochettino’s name was sung loudly by fans during Thomas Frank’s final game in charge against Newcastle United on Tuesday night, and the club hierarchy are aware of the strength of feeling towards the former manager.

What has Mauricio Pochettino said about returning to Tottenham?

While Pochettino has had numerous jobs since he left Tottenham in 2019, he has made it no secret that he plans to return to the North London club one day.

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During his five-year spell, he oversaw Spurs’ rise to one of the top teams in the Premier League.

Tottenham reached the Champions League final in 2018, and were in two Premier League title fights before missing out to Chelsea and Leicester City.

While a trophy never came Pochettino’s way at Spurs, he has expressed his desire to return to the North London club one day.

He told Sky Sports via The Standard on 18 March 2025: “Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham … what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back.”

How does Pochettino’s record rank compared to Tottenham’s other managers?

Overall, in the Premier League era, Pochettino has the third-best win rate at Spurs, showing why many of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful still have a high opinion of the former Chelsea boss.

Perhaps surprisingly, Tim Sherwood is top at 59 per cent, followed by Antonio Conte at 57 per cent.

Pochettino has a 56 per cent win rate, putting him higher than the likes of Harry Redknapp and Jose Mourinho.

In comparison, Thomas Frank had the worst win rate out of any permanent manager in Spurs’ Premier League history, at just 27 per cent.

The Dane won just seven of his 26 matches, and if Pochettino is appointed, he will have a big task undoing this mess in the summer.

Tottenham were relatively quiet in the January transfer window despite their squad being decimated with injuries.

Tottenham were without 11 first-team players against Manchester City on Sunday (1 February), where they came back from two goals down at half-time to draw 2-2.

Spurs signed midfielder Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for around £35million and Brazilian left-back Souza from Santos for £13m last month.

It was believed Thomas Frank’s side could bring in more new faces before the window closed on Monday (2 February), but there was little activity in north London.

James Wilson joined on loan from Hearts in their only deadline-day signing, with Tottenham holding an option to buy the 18-year-old striker at the end of the season.

How Tottenham plan to strengthen in summer transfer window

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero, who was withdrawn at half-time against Man City through illness, took to social media on Monday to vent his frustrations around the issues his side are facing.

The Argentina international labelled it “disgraceful” Spurs only had 11 senior players available for the weekend’s clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.

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The north London giants sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35m in the January window, limiting their attacking options further for the rest of the season.

In an interview posted on Tottenham’s YouTube channel on Wednesday (4 February), sporting director Johan Lange insisted there will be more transfer business taking place this summer.

“The summer market is where eight or nine out of 10 players, they move clubs, so we will go into the summer window with big ambitions of strengthening the team,” said Lange.

“We know there’ll be more movements, we know there’ll be more opportunities, so the plans are already, can you see, drawn up. We have a clear picture of which position and also which profiles.

“Could we have brought one or two more in this January window? We would have been delighted to do so, but that was not a possibility.”

How Tottenham’s owners plan to increase spending

Lange is now spearheading Tottenham’s recruitment strategy after Fabio Paratici has left to join Fiorentina.

The Dane is supported by chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, while the Lewis family – who own a majority stake in the club – are now taking a more active role.

Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Tottenham’s owners plan to spend an extra £250m a year in a “new world” without former executive chairman Daniel Levy, who left the club last September.

“I think we know more about Spurs because of Daniel Levy leaving,” said Borson.

“I think that will dictate what happens next at Spurs, and I think you’ll see a new world. The only thing you can read into what’s been said about that era is that they’re going to spend more money.

“I think what that looks like is £50-100m per annum more on the wage bill, and probably £100m on transfers per annum extra.”

Whether that kind of spending arrives this summer is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear Tottenham’s hierarchy is planning to be more ambitious once the window opens again.