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Tottenham have finished 17th in the last two Premier League seasons, and their 2026/27 season has started in nightmare fashion, with two consecutive defeats against Brentford and Newcastle.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi has been given full control of the club since coming in during the relegation scrap last season and steering them clear of the drop, and that saw him bring in ten new faces to bolster the squad and replace deadwood that he felt couldn't contribute to the team any more.

Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Savio, Omar Marmoush, Tosin, and Mykhailo Mudryk are all now Spurs players, while the likes of Cristian Romero, Luka Vuskovic, Pape Matar Sarr, Djed Spence, Guglielmo Vicario, Kevin Danso, and Radu Dragusin have all departed.

So what is their strongest starting lineup now, with the squad set until at least January? GIVEMESPORT takes a look at what the XI should look like when everyone is fit...

Two New Signings Start, Three on the Bench?

The goalkeeper situation has been an interesting one at Tottenham this summer, but De Zerbi has seemingly settled on Antonin Kinsky being his number one for the new season, replacing Vicario.

In defence, Pedro Porro won the World Cup with Spain during the summer and has returned to the club after signing a new long-term contract in north London. He has also seen off competition for his starting spot from Djed Spence and Archie Gray, and he will undoubtedly be the starting player once more.

Left-back has seen Andy Robertson come in to provide competition for Destiny Udogie, and the former Liverpool man looks to have the nod ahead of the Italian. His experience and leadership are important factors too, while he is much better defensively.

De Zerbi brought in three new centre-backs during the window, but Micky Van de Ven has stayed and signed a new contract too, meaning there is only space for one of the new signings to start. Senesi and Tosin are likely to have to settle for a place on the bench, with Van Hecke someone who has worked under the manager before and he is the best option.

No Space for Gallagher in Midfield

The midfield was a key part of the team that needed reinforcements in the summer, and Spurs went big by breaking their transfer record twice to bring in Fernandes and then Tonali for a combined £185m.

Despite the likes of Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, and Archie Gray being part of the squad and pushing for a spot, it's clear that when everyone is fit, the two new boys will be handed the keys to the heart of the team.

Tottenham full list of transfers 2026/27

Ins: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United, £100m), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United, £85m), Sávio (Manchester City, £85m), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion, £52m), Andy Robertson (Liverpool, free), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth, free), Martin Dúbravka (Burnley, free), Omar Marmoush (Manchester City, loan), Tosin Adarabioyo (Chelsea, £12m), Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea, loan)

Outs: Luka Vuskovic (Brighton & Hove Albion, £48m), Cristian Romero (Atlético Madrid, £34m), Djed Spence (Inter Milan, £30m), Will Lankshear (Middlesbrough, £20m), Ashley Phillips (Middlesbrough, £20m), Alejo Veliz (Bahia, £8m), Manor Solomon (West Ham United, £5m), Alfie Devine (Preston North End, £6m), Radu Dragusin (Fiorentina, loan), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus, loan), Min-hyeok Yang (Westerlo, loan), Yves Bissouma (released), Pape Matar Sarr (Juventus, loan), Kevin Danso (Sunderland, loan), Souza (Porto, loan), Dane Scarlett (Leyton Orient, free)

Xavi Simons or James Maddison?

Tottenham went big to bring in Xavi Simons last summer to bolster the number ten position after long-term injuries for James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, only for the Netherlands star to rupture his ACL in April.

But when everyone is fit, the former PSG and Leipzig star is still their best option in that position, and is likely considered to be the top dog when he returns. Maddison is back and can stake his claim until then though, while Kulusevski has finally returned to training after 15 months out.

On the wings, Spurs are hoping to welcome Mohammed Kudus back from injury soon, and when fit there is a strong argument that he is the club's best left winger. On the opposite flank, it's clear that Savio will be the number one option after the club splashed £85m to take him out of Man City. That means that Mudryk's arrival on loan is likely to see him sit on the bench more often than not, barring anything unexepcted.

Marmoush to Start Over Solanke?

Another key signing for De Zerbi was the arrival of Omar Marmoush on loan from Man City, and he looks set to compete with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison for a starting spot as the central striker.

His performances at Frankfurt, and even Man City, have shown his level is high, and his ability to drop deep, dribble, and drift wide will suit the way the manager wants to play more than Solanke, who is more of a traditional striker.

The Egyptian is the better player, and considering the investment in him despite Solanke being at the club, he is likely to be their top man.

Tottenham forward Richarlison has agreed to join Turkish side Trabzonspor, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Richarlison appeared close to leaving the club in the summer transfer window, with Everton agreeing a deal to secure his signature.

The move to Everton fell through, with Spurs missing out on signing Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City.

Richarlison even went public in announcing that he wants to join Everton, but he remained with the club beyond the deadline.

Due to Turkish windows remaining open, there could still be opportunities for Richarlison to depart in the coming days.

It certainly feels like Richarlison's time at Spurs is now over, given the fact that he went public with his disappointment about a move stalling, so a departure to Turkey feels like the best option for him.

According to Romano, Richarlison has now agreed to join Turkish outfit Trabzonspor on a deal that would see him triple his salary.

Romano also confirms that Tottenham have rejected two bids up to the value of £20 million, but a new offer is expected soon.

Trabzonspor are prioritising a move to sign the Brazilian forward in the summer transfer window, and they could get a fairly easy run at him because the English window is closed.

Richarlison's situation at Tottenham untenable

Whenever you go public against the club that pays your wages, you are always going to leave yourself in a difficult situation.

Of course, the solution Richarlison always wanted was to leave the club anyway, but after the English transfer window closed, it does feel like there's no way back for him at Spurs.

The Brazilian forward is now left with limited options in terms of where he can go due to the lack of transfer windows that are currently open.

Turkey is one of the very few, and he's left himself with little choice but to join Trabzonspor if he wants to find a new club.

Tottenham Hotspur have a new look about them in the 2026/27 season.

Now the summer transfer window has closed, we can evaluate what has happened behind the scenes - it's best not to evaluate what's going on on the pitch too much after back-to-back defeats to start the season.

And, looking at it, there has been a major overhaul of the playing squad under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

After saving the club from relegation on the final day of the 2025/26 season, De Zerbi has set to work in the off-season putting his own stamp on the squad he inherited from the dismal reigns of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

Seventeen players have departed - some only temporarily - with ten new signings coming through the door. The corridors of Hotspur Way and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will look very different when it comes to the personnel walking them now.

After adding eight new signings before deadline day, Spurs rounded off the transfer window with two more, bringing in Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea, with an option to buy for £75million, and Tosin Adarabioyo, also from Chelsea for around £10million.

Mudryk was the final forward deal, with Spurs having tried and failed to prise Cody Gakpo away from Liverpool and then seeing Iliman Ndiaye make the move to Manchester City instead.

Everton and Spurs swap deal did not come off

Ndiaye had looked set to make the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Richarlison going the other way to Everton in a separate deal after moves were agreed. But it never materialised after the Brazilian could not agree terms on a move back to his former club.

Spurs moved for Mudryk instead and it remains to be seen whether or not that miss will hurt the Lilywhites in the long-term.

For De Zerbi, however, there is already a player in N17 who can do what Ndiaye does and probably even more, he just hasn't been able to call upon him yet.

That player, who will be like a new signing for the Italian when he is available, is Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swede had only just turned 25 when he last played for Tottenham on May 11, 2025. Now 26, he is finally back in first-team training with his teammates, posting an emotional statement on his Instagram page upon his return.

After 477 days I came back to full team training. Everything is impossible until is not. Want to see a miracle. Be one. See u soon.

De Zerbi will have to be careful when it comes to reintegrating the Swedish international back into his squad, following 16 months sidelines with a knee injury that was initially diagnosed simply as a knock, but when he is back to full match fitness and sharpness, he will be a huge asset in the Italian's forward line.

Kulusevski has pace, power and incredible close control, with the ability to make and score goals. Former Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou once called him a "monster", saying: "He’s got an unbelievable engine. The sheer amount of ground he covers in games while still maintaining his technical quality. He’s so adaptable. Whether he’s playing out wide or through the middle, he brings incredible energy, works relentlessly off the ball, and creates so much for the team."

As Postecolgou said, Kulusevski can play wide or can be deployed in the No.10 role, behind the main striker, showing his versatility and importance to the team.

Tottenham may feel like they missed out when it comes to Ndiaye, but Kulusevski can do everything Ndiaye can do and more, given his adaptability.

The transfer window officially closed at 11pm on Tuesday night, with well over £2.5bn spent across the Premier League over the course of the summer.

But, as usual, Deadline Day was hectic, and some deals spilled over past that 11pm deadline, meaning there were a number of deal sheets handed in and a number of deals confirmed after the window officially closed.

GIVEMESPORT has compiled a list of all the Premier League deals that were completed late around the deadline, or after it, in case you decided to have an early night on Tuesday...

Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea to Manchester City - £125m (British record)

Chelsea and Man City agreed a stunning joint-British record £125m deal for Argentina international Enzo Fernandez on Tuesday afternoon, after a summer of speculation surrounding his future.

A deal wasn't quite done before the 11pm deadline, but after a deal sheet was submitted, everything went through, and the midfielder has been reunited with Enzo Maresca at the Etihad Stadium.

Tosin Adarabioyo

Chelsea to Tottenham Hotspur - £12m

Tottenham Hotspur were in the market to add another defender to their squad after Kevin Danso departed for Sunderland on loan with an obligation to buy, and that led them to Stamford Bridge.

Tosin has joined the club, alongside Blues teammate Mykhailo Mudryk, in a deal worth an initial £10m with add-ons taking the price up to around £12m. He will now compete with Micky Van de Ven, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke for a starting spot in north London.

Malick Fofana

Lyon to Sunderland - £30.8m

One of the craziest transfer sagas in Deadline Day history, Fofana has finally completed a move to Sunderland after a day of U-turns.

The Black Cats agreed a deal to sign him early on Tuesday morning, before Crystal Palace entered the race and hijacked the deal, convincing the player to move to London instead. Sunderland then worked hard to convince him and managed to change his mind, before the player underwent medicals for both clubs at the same time while he made a decision.

Ultimately, the Belgian gave the green light to Sunderland, and has completed a move to the Stadium of Light on a long-term contract.

Ben Chilwell

Strasbourg to Crystal Palace - Free

Crystal Palace were one of the busiest clubs of the day, and they have completed a deal for former left-back Ben Chilwell to return to Selhurst Park on a free transfer.

The ex-Chelsea star was part of the FA Cup-winning squad, and now returns to compete with Tyrick Mitchell for a starting spot on the left of Pierre Sage's side once again.

Jack Grealish

Man City to Everton - Loan

After a summer of speculation, Jack Grealish has completed a return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City.

The England international spent last season on loan with Everton, but his campaign ended early due to a foot injury in January. Now, he has returned despite interest from other Premier League clubs.

Jean-Matteo Bahoya

Eintracht Frankfurt to Leeds United - Loan

Leeds United made a late move to bring in Jean-Matteo Bahoya from Eintracht Frankfurt on Deadline Day to replace Wilfried Gnonto, who has joined Fiorentina, and agreed a loan with an obligation to buy for around £25m next summer.

A deal sheet was submitted for the French forward as a result of the late nature of the deal, but he has now completed his move to Elland Road, and will be part of Daniel Farke's squad for the season.

Dario Osorio

FC Midtjylland to Crystal Palace - Loan

Palace were keen to strengthen their attacking options, and after missing out on a move for Fofana, the Eagles instead made a move for Chilean forward Dario Osorio.

A loan deal with an obligation to buy worth £27.4m was agreed, and the 22-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a contract at Selhurst Park, in a deal that makes him the most expensive sale in Danish football history.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Lyon to Everton - £5m

Everton have been looking for a new right-back all summer after allowing Seamus Coleman to leave at the end of his contract, and after assessing a number of options throughout the window, they have settled on a long-term target.

Maitland-Niles has joined from French side Lyon in a deal worth around £5m, with the former Arsenal star's ability to play in both full-back positions and in midfield a huge plus point for the Toffees.

Femi Azeez

Millwall to Brighton - £12.5m

After having several bids rejected by Millwall, Brighton were finally able to agree a deal worth an initial £12.5m for playmaker Femi Azeez on Deadline Day, and completed a move for the Nigeria international.

Chema Andres

VFB Stuttgart to Brighton - £15.5m

One of the most exciting defensive midfielders around, Brighton have pulled the trigger to bring Chema Andres to the Premier League in a bargain £15.5m deal.

Described as 'baby Rodri', the Spaniard has joined as a replacement for Carlos Baleba, and will compete to be part of Fabian Hurzeler's squad for the upcoming season, as the 21-year-old looks to make a name for himself in England's top-flight.

Quentin Timber

Marseille to Crystal Palace - £17m

Palace were looking to strengthen their midfield positions for much of the window, and the club were finally able to secure a deal for a long-term target in Quentin Timber.

Timber, who is the brother of Arsenal star Jurrien, was allowed to leave Marseille as the French club looked to raise funds before the deadline, and the Eagles secured a £17m deal to bring him in for Pierre Sage.

Juan Riquelme Angulo

Independiente del Valle to Sunderland - £5m

Sunderland announced very late in the day - the early hours of the next morning to be fair, that they had completed the signing of the highly-rated 18-year-old Ecuadorian striker.

The Black Cats beat off intense competition to sign the frontman, who stands at 6ft 4ins tall. The teenager put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the club.

It may feel like nothing has changed on the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur, following an ignominious start to the new Premier League season, but off it there has been a sea change in how the club operates.

Spurs have followed up a second consecutive 17th-placed finish in the Premier League - only just staving off relegation to the Championship on the final day of the 2025/26 season - with back-to-back defeats to start the 2026/27 campaign.

For anyone who checks league tables at this stage of the season, Spurs are bottom of the pile, with no goals scored and five conceded after two matches.

Talk about picking up where you left off.

But there has been a massive overhaul behind the scenes, with the Tottenham hierarchy finally backing a manager and putting their money with their mouths are.

It may not have amounted to much on the pitch, yet, but it surely will as the weeks, months and years move on. It has really been a case of 'out with the old and in with the new' in N17, and some Spurs fans will argue that it was long overdue.

Mauricio Pochettino, one of the club's most successful managers of the past few decades, despite winning nothing, called for a "painful rebuild" shortly before he was sacked in 2019. He knew what was required, but did not really get it, nor was he really given the time to achieve it.

Pochettino called for it and Spurs have now followed through

Now, seven years later, it's finally happened.

De Zerbi was initially reluctant to take the Spurs job, but eventually relented and needed all his nous to rescue the club from relegation. What has happened this summer has all been in his image.

Seventeen players have left the club - some only temporarily, although you do wonder if any of the seven loan exits actually have a future with the club, with three of them having either an option or an obligation to make their departure permanent next summer.

Ten players have come into the club, with the final two arriving on deadline day - Mykhailo Mudryk and Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea. It should come as little surprise that it might take them time to gel and work out De Zerbi's playing style, as well as how all their new teammates operate.

Spurs have spent in the region of £389million on those new recruits, but crucially, have recouped around £255million, if all of those loan deals are made permanent come the end of the season.

That's not bad business overall and should put a stop to all the questions over how they can spend so much money when others can't - even though some of those teams' fans that were complaining also ended up spending big money this summer too.

It has been an incredible summer of backing the manager in the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, something the supporters are not used to seeing. They are used to seeing loads of rumours and links with this player and that player and eventually failing to get them, or getting a different, slightly suspect alternative instead.

Times are changing in N17 and De Zerbi is at the front and centre of that rebuild Pochettino told everyone was required. Now all he has to do is get the players singing from the same hymn sheet to get Spurs up the table and challenging at the very top once more.

There may be some pain still to come on the pitch, but when De Zerbi gets it right, things should be much rosier in the white north London garden.

Chelsea have made late calls about trying to sign Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall on Deadline Day, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues are looking to strengthen their midfield in the final hours of the window after agreeing a British-record transfer for Enzo Fernandez to depart Stamford Bridge and join Manchester City for £125m.

Xabi Alonso's side have already brought in ten new signings this summer, but with just hours remaining of the window, the club are still looking at doing another deal if the opportunity presents itself to strengthen further.

After agreeing a move for the World Cup winner to leave, it's now understood that Chelsea made calls to Tottenham about a deal to sign Sweden international Bergvall before the 11pm deadline.

Bergvall started the opening Premier League game of the season before being substituted at half-time by Roberto De Zerbi, while he was an unused substitute for the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle this past weekend. But according to Romano, speaking in his latest YouTube video, a deal is highly unlikely because Spurs are determined to keep him.

"They [Chelsea] made some calls to understand the situation of Lucas Bergvall at Tottenham, so it's true that there were some conversations to understand if Bergvall could be available," he said.

"But my understanding is that Tottenham now want to keep the player, so it's not an easy one."

Bergvall has heavily linked with an exit from the north London side earlier in the window after the arrivals of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, even asking the club to let him leave. But Spurs rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United, and De Zerbi convinced the player to stay and reassess the situation in January, as he saw him as an important part of his squad.

Camara and Kone Deals Off

Chelsea have been looking at options to come into their midfield this summer with Fernandez's future up in the air for the entire window, and in recent days there have been talks for AS Monaco star Lamine Camara and Roma's Manu Kone.

Despite talks progressing well for the France international, Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has blocked the move and the Serie A side have now confirmed that he will not be leaving before tonight's deadline, while a deal for Camara now looks unlikely too.

Alonso already has Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Reecce James, Jordan Henderson, and Valentin Barco available for the position, while Malo Gusto also played there in the 4-3 win over Brighton, so the Blues believe they are well stocked until January at least.

Tottenham Hotspur will complete the signing of Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk in the next few hours, Fabrizio Romano has told GIVEMESPORT's Market Madness podcast.

Mudryk hasn't played football for well over a year after being suspended following a positive doping test. The Ukrainian has featured in no capacity for the Blues since December 2024, but has now been cleared to play after the charges against him were dropped.

However, there is no room for him at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca deeming the pacey wide man surplus to requirements.

Spurs have swooped in to land Mudryk on an initial loan deal with an option to buy for in the region of £75 million.

The player's medical was conducted on Tuesday morning, ahead of an official announcement later on transfer deadline day.

Tottenham Hotspur Close in on Shock Loan Deal

Tottenham have been in the market for a left-sided attacker throughout the summer. While new signing Savinho can be deployed off this side, the Brazilian is expected to be primarily used on the opposite flank due to a paucity of options on that side.

Cody Gakpo had been Spurs' primary target for this position, but Liverpool ultimately opted to keep the Dutchman. The Lilywhites then turned their attention to Iliman Ndiaye, but the Senegalese wide man is instead set to join Manchester City.

Out of nowhere on Monday evening, Mudryk emerged as Tottenham's man to fill this position, and the move is now imminent. Speaking on the Market Madness podcast on Tuesday lunchtime, Fabrizio Romano told GIVEMESPORT that the 25-year-old will sign his Spurs contract this afternoon..

"Yes, Mykhailo Mudryk will be a Tottenham player, he will sign his contract at Tottenham in the next two hours," the transfer guru said.

"Loan deal with an option to buy clause at £75million. He did his medical in the morning, so everything okay.

"Mudryk is going to be new winger for Tottenham, and as you said, a big change of plans because they wanted to sign Cody Gakpo at the beginning, then they considered the possibility of a deal with Iliman Ndiaye joining Tottenham and Richarlison going to Everton, but there was no agreement between Richarlison and Everton on personal terms.

"So there were some complications, and that's why Tottenham decided to go for the easiest option in Mykhailo Mudryk. It's a loan deal with an option to buy set at £75million that Tottenham would pay the salary of the player, and there is also a loan fee involved in the deal."

Mudryk could be in line for his Spurs debut away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, although it's likely he'll need to be eased back into the action having not played for such a long time.

Chelsea are considering late moves for Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall and Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi ahead of the summer transfer deadline, GIVEMESPORT understands.

It it expected to be a very busy day at Stamford Bridge with incomings and outgoings taking place as the club look to finalise Xabi Alonso's squad for the first part of the 2026/27 campaign.

The Blues have been very active in the transfer window all summer and, once again, they are expected to play a big part on the final day of the summer window.

Enzo Fernandez's potential move to Manchester City is the main outgoing that could take place at Stamford Bridge before the 11pm cut-off point as Enzo Maresca looks to be reunited with his former midfielder in Manchester.

City are going to have to increase their offer for the Argentina international, though, with talkSPORT reporting that the club have seen an offer in excess of £120m for the midfielder rejected by Chelsea.

The west London club will be looking to secure the signing of a new midfielder to replace Fernandez if indeed he does depart, with Monaco's midfielder Lamine Camara subject of a £38.5million bid.

Chelsea actually have three Premier League midfielders on wishlist

Amid the need to strengthen in midfield, talkSPORT claim that Chelsea could turn to the Premier League in order to add to their options in the middle of the park.

They report that Bergvall of Tottenham, Arsenal's Zubimendi and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White are all also being considered by Chelsea.

GIVEMESPORT's senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs said: "They would love Morgan Gibbs-White...it's not viewed as possible.

"But there are at least two other names I can tell you.

"The first name, Martin Zubimendi, the second Lucas Bergvall.

"Chelsea, as it stands, have not made a bid for these players, but they're on the list, as they seek a replacement that will unlock Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City."

What next for Zubimendi and Bergvall?

When it comes to Zubimendi, the Spaniard has lost his place in Mikel Arteta's Arsenal midfield.

The ex-Real Sociedad man has featured in all three of the Gunners' games so far this term, with the player restricted to a five-minute cameo appearance in Monday evening's 1-0 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

A potential move across the capital would see Arsenal strengthen a potential title rival, however, if the north London club were to green light it in the final hours of the window.

Staying in north London, Bergvall has been linked with a move away from Tottenham all summer but head coach Roberto De Zerbi recently stated that the Swede will remain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will see their numbers in midfield reduce by one on deadline day with Pape Matar Sarr joining Juventus, thus meaning Bergvall may well remain with the club beyond the closure of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur are huge admirers of full-back Neco Williams, but Nottingham Forest are holding firm in their stance that the player won't be sold on deadline day, according to journalist Alasdair Gold.

Williams was a key part of Forest's side that reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season, scoring twice and providing four assists across his 53 appearances. His versatility and offensive threat have sparked interest from a number of clubs, with Spurs the side most regularly mooted as potential suitors.

The Lilywhites are weighing up whether to make a deadline-day move for Williams, who is said to be open to plying his trade in North London.

Lucas Bergvall has been on Forest's radar throughout the summer, although Gold insists that a potential deal involving the two players is unlikely to materialise this late in the window.

Tottenham Face Race Against Time to Land Neco Williams

Spurs sanctioned Djed Spence's departure to Inter Milan earlier in the window. Despite impressing at the World Cup, Roberto De Zerbi couldn't promise the England international regular minutes in N17 due to the other options he has at his disposal, making cashing in on the player the sensible move.

This has, however, left Tottenham with a shortage of options at right-back. Pedro Porro's deputy is currently Archie Gray, and while the 20-year-old has shown signs of promise over the last two years, many would argue he's not ready to provide serious cover and competition for the World Cup winner.

Gray isn't expected to leave before the window closes, despite interest from multiple Premier League sides, but this might not prevent Spurs from making a move on another full-back.

Gold claims that the North Londoners 'really like' Williams, who was described as a 'winner' by Steven Gerrard at the weekend, and would like to enact a deal for the Welshman if they can.

However, Forest maintain that the full-back isn't for sale at this stage of the window. While the East Midlanders are interested in Bergvall, a swap deal isn't deemed likely as both clubs aren't keen on losing the players in question.

Tottenham may ultimately be forced to make do and mend with what they have in the full-back areas, before potentially re-addressing the situation in January. Gray has shown just about enough in the first two matches of the season to convince De Zerbi that he can be an adequate back-up option, while the Italian head coach can always move one of his right-footed centre-backs out wide if needed.

Several Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in Archie Gray, but Tottenham Hotspur aren't willing to sell the youngster before Tuesday night's transfer deadline, according to Alasdair Gold.

Gray has started each of Spurs' first two Premier League matches of the season at right-back after Pedro Porro returned to North London late this summer, following his World Cup exploits. The 20-year-old has shown glimpses of talent in his two seasons in the English top flight since joining Tottenham, prompting interest from other clubs in the division.

However, after selling Djed Spence to Inter Milan, Roberto De Zerbi's squad is light on right-back options, shown by the fact that Gray has stood in for Porro at the start of this season.

Gold insists that for this reason, Gray's exit won't be sanctioned before Tuesday's deadline, even on loan.

Tottenham to Hold on to Gray

Selling Spence to Inter was a risky move for Spurs to make, particularly given the England international is capable of playing on either side. However, the player wanted more regular minutes elsewhere, with the presence of Porro, Andy Robertson and Destiny Udogie in Tottenham's squad making it difficult for De Zerbi to promise this.

The Lilywhites therefore sanctioned his exit, promoting Gray to the second-choice right-back role. This has made the youngster an extremely valuable member of De Zerbi's squad, explaining why the Italian isn't willing to let go of the player at the eleventh hour.

Gold reports that multiple Premier League clubs have enquired about Gray's availability in the last day or so, and have been met with a firm response: they won't let him leave before the window is up.

Given the drop-off from Porro to Gray, the fact that Spurs are willing to potentially rely on the former Leeds man to play valuable minutes this season might set alarm bells ringing. However, the North London club still view the prospect as a developmental player who has the potential to become an exceptional player and can play a deputy role during a season with no European football.

Had Spurs not spent such a significant amount on incomings this summer, they might've been willing to allow Gray to leave on loan and to find an upgrade on him as Porro's back-up. However, given the extensive list of issues they needed to address that were deemed more important than sourcing a second choice right-back, the North Londoners are content with sticking what they have for now in this position.