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Tottenham Player Reaches 'Agreement' to Join New Club, De Zerbi Doesn't Rate Him

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Big changes are expected at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, whichever division they find themselves in next season.

Tottenham know that four points from their final two matches should be enough to preserve their Premier League status, but they could find themselves under huge pressure to get a result against arch-rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night depending on what happens at St James' Park on Sunday.

West Ham United are the only team, along with Spurs, who can now be relegated to the Championship alongside Burnley and Wolves, and Nuno Espirito Santo's men know that they will leapfrog Roberto De Zerbi's side if they pick up all three points at Newcastle.

Tottenham would then need to avoid defeat at a stadium that hasn't been a happy hunting ground for them in recent years in midweek, otherwise they would go into the final day in the relegation zone and in serious danger of slipping into England's second tier.

Should the north London outfit remain in the top flight, work will begin on strengthening the squad to ensure they don't find themselves in this position again in the 2026-27 campaign.

Randal Kolo Muani 'Reaches Agreement' to Join Juventus

As well as incomings at Tottenham this summer to begin the De Zerbi era, players will be leaving the club too.

According to Corriere dello Sport, via Le 10 Sport, Kolo Muani has already reached an agreement in principle to join Serie A giants Juventus this summer.

The France international joined Juve on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances for the Old Lady.

It had been expected that he would move to Turin on a permanent basis that summer, but a deal failed to materialise, and he joined Spurs on a season-long loan deal instead.

Despite having a decent record for the north Londoners in the Champions League, the 27-year-old has struggled domestically with just one goal and one assist in 28 Premier League appearances.

De Zerbi Doesn't Rate Kolo Muani

De Zerbi has already publicly confirmed his desire to sign another Tottenham loanee in Joao Palhinha on a permanent basis, but there has been no such message for Kolo Muani - yet.

The Frenchman has actually started all five matches under the Italian to date, although he was hooked at half-time of the 46-year-old's first win in charge against Wolves at Molineux.

We certainly saw a better version of Kolo Muani during the victory against Aston Villa, with the visiting supporters showing their appreciation for his display with high fives when he was substituted off.

But overall, given his ability, he hasn't shown enough consistently to warrant Tottenham signing him on a full-time deal this summer.

The other thing you have to consider is whether the France international actually would have started had the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons all been fit and available since De Zerbi took charge.

While De Zerbi has waxed lyrical over the likes of Kudus, Simons, Maddison and Gallagher since arriving at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, we haven't heard those similar words for Kolo Muani.

It appears as though the Italian doesn't rate him enough to sign him permanently, with a move to Juventus looking likely if reports are to be believed.

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Tottenham Interest In Bournemouth's 'Complete' Star Confirmed

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The work is not going to stop for Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi.

The Italian has two games to save Spurs from relegation to the Championship, with the Lilywhites two points clear of West Ham with two games of the season to go in the race to avoid becoming the third team to slip through the Premier League trap door.

If he does manage to rescue the club from a first demotion since 1977 - and even if he doesn't - attention will immediately turn to what he can do in the summer transfer window to transform the ailing squad that he inherited when he arrived at the end of March.

Six Spurs players set to depart this summer

Big changes are likely to be made with regard to the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with club captain Cristian Romero set to depart, whether they remain a Premier League club or not.

Guglielmo Vicario is another who could depart, with Inter Milan interested in signing the Italian keeper, while Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma are out of contract this summer. Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani will return to parent clubs Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, although De Zerbi wants to bring Palhinha back to N17 permanently.

There are question marks over a number of other members of the first team squad too, as GIVEMESPORT senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs revealed in a chat this week.

He said: "Cristian Romero, I'm still told will leave either way, or there's a high likelihood of it anyway, and that makes it a bit more clear cut that Tottenham need to agree something there if it suits all parties, and then go out and get a starting defence.

"Micky van der Ven is really enjoying playing under Roberto De Zerbi, so if Tottenham do secure their place in the Premier League, despite growing interest, I think there's a fair chance that he engages over talks to sign a new deal, because obviously Tottenham in the Premier League don't want a scenario where they lose both van der Ven and Romero.

"Richarlison has had an excellent season, but is drawing interest from Saudi Arabia, and Dom Solanke even has some formative interest too, and regardless of what happens with either of them, I expect Tottenham to attack the market for a number 9, and a new winger is possible too.

"And then central midfield could still be an area where Tottenham look to improve. They'll have to make a decision over Joao Palhinha and there is a willingness to potentially engage to keep him permanently and he would like to stay."

Given Bissouma's departure and the uncertainty around Palhinha, a new central midfielder will be imperative when the summer transfer window opens and Spurs could challenge Manchester United and newly-linked Chelsea for Bournemouth star Alex Scott.

And Spurs would have an advantage in any negotiations - with the price set at around £50million - in that Scott was a boyhood Tottenham supporter.

Speaking after scoring against Arsenal, he said: "Yes, I support Tottenham, though that doesn't have much to do with today. But growing up as a kid, it was definitely a dream for me [to score against Arsenal]. Bournemouth are my team at the minute but I was a Tottenham fan growing up, so as a kid growing up, I would have been really happy with that."

Tottenham plot move to sign Alex Scott

Chelsea have emerged as suitors for his signature, with a report from Teamtalk suggesting Blues chiefs are considering a move for the 22-year-old this summer.

Manchester United have also been linked, given their desire to sign two central midfielders this summer, but Spurs are also in the market, although Bournemouth are confident of tying him down to a new deal at the Vitality Stadium.

Jacobs added: "Tottenham are one of the clubs also looking at Bournemouth's Alex Scott.

"He's on Manchester United's radar too, but once again, as I've said many times, Bournemouth are calm about that situation and are hoping to offer Scott a new deal."

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Contact Made: De Zerbi Wants Tottenham to Sign 'The Best Italian Midfielder'

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Tottenham Hotspur's interest in signing Fiorentina midfielder Nicolo Fagioli this summer is growing, with Corriere dello Sport issuing the latest update on their pursuit.

On the pitch, Tottenham missed the opportunity to move four points clear of the relegation zone with two matches to play, following their draw with Leeds United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night.

We now know that it will be either West Ham United or Spurs taking the final relegation spot alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, with the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Crystal Palace now all confirmed to be safe.

Tottenham's advantage over West Ham is effectively three points as things stand due to their superior goal difference, but they will know that if the Irons beat Newcastle on Sunday, and they follow it up by losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, they will be in the drop zone going into the final day.

Nevertheless, the north Londoners need to start making transfer plans if they do remain in the Premier League, with Roberto De Zerbi needing a stronger squad next term to lift the club back up the table.

Roberto De Zerbi Wants Tottenham to Sign Fagioli

According to Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Tottenham are ready to get serious in their bid to sign Fagioli from Fiorentina.

The outlet has revealed previously that Spurs have made initial contact over a potential summer deal, and now they say their interest in the Italy international is growing.

De Zerbi is said to want to add quality to his midfield ahead of next season, and he sees Fagioli as a player who can help him do that.

While no official offer has been made yet, the report says that ENIC are now preparing to convince the player and club about a move to England.

Fiorentina are said to see the 25-year-old as a key player, but also know they won't be in a position to reject bids if they receive a 'mind-blowing' offer.

Because Fagioli only earns €1.8m per season, the report suggests he could be a player who is easy to tempt with a bigger salary offer.

The Italy international is a versatile operator who can play across the midfield, and he was previously described by Max Allegri as 'the best Italian midfielder'.

Tottenham Set for Midfield Summer Exodus?

Should Tottenham preserve their Premier League status, then De Zerbi has to make some big decisions with his midfield.

He is hardly short of options in that area, amid links to players like Fagioli.

His current preferred starters during the Premier League run-in appear to be Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher and Rodrigo Bentancur.

The latter duo are likely to be at Spurs next season, with Gallagher only signing in January, while De Zerbi has publicly declared that he wants to sign Palhinha on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich.

Beyond that trio, he also has Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to pick from, although Bissouma's contract expires at the end of June and you would assume he will be on his way out.

With James Maddison, Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski also part of the midfield setup, Bissouma surely can't be the only departee if De Zerbi wants to bring in at least one new midfielder.

There are some big decisions to be made then.

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Thomas Frank Lands New Job 3 Months After Being Sacked by Tottenham

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Thomas Frank has landed a new job in football, just three months after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

Frank did a remarkable job at Brentford, taking them from Championship relegation candidates to an established Premier League side.

His great work at the Bees convinced Tottenham to hire him in the summer of 2025, with Spurs paying £10m in compensation for his services.

Big things were expected of Spurs going into the 2025/26 campaign with Frank at the helm given his success at Brentford.

However, after enjoying a decent start to the season, Spurs' form dropped off a cliff, and they plummeted down the Premier League.

In February, following a home defeat to Newcastle United, their eighth match without a win, Frank was relieved of his duties. He departed with the club 16th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation places.

He won just 13 of his 38 matches in charge, giving him a dismal 34.2 per cent win ratio.

Thomas Frank Lands World Cup Role

Frank has not rushed back into management, biding his time as he waits for the perfect opportunity. The 52-year-old has now landed a role at the BBC amid his search for a new club.

According to the Guardian, Frank has signed a deal with BBC Sport as one of their main analysts for this summer's World Cup. It has been reported that the BBC have also added Olivier Giroud to their regular punditry panel that includes Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Alan Shearer.

Frank's predecessor at Spurs, Ange Postecoglou, has agreed to cover the tournament as a pundit for ITV. He will work alongside the likes of Andros Townsend, Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane.

Michael Gray Reacts to Thomas Frank to Sunderland Rumours

Shock reports have emerged in recent weeks suggesting Regis Le Bris' position at Sunderland is under threat and Frank could replace him.

Former Sunderland defender Michael Gray has addressed those reports, saying that if Sunderland were to replace Le Bris with Frank, it could be a wise decision. He told Goal:

“I was really shocked when I saw that, when those rumours started a couple of weeks ago about Regis maybe losing his job in the summer, when in my head I was probably thinking, are they going to offer him a new contract and give him the chance to take Sunderland to that next level?

“There's certain games this season, and maybe this is something that the owners at Sunderland have had a look at, where they've looked out of place, they've looked for that leader when Granit Xhaka's not been in the starting XI, and they fell short, which was a bit of a surprise.

“I don't know, football's a crazy world, isn't it? I mean, if they make the change, I think everybody in Sunderland will be a little bit disappointed. But if it is somebody like Thomas Frank that they're talking about replacing him, he's got Premier League experience, so he would certainly fit in and settle into that club very well.

“They seem to know best - sometimes change is not the right thing, but if you want to move to that next level, then change is imperative.”

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Tottenham Prepare 'Lucrative' Offer to Convince 'Exceptional' Star to Sign Contract

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Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to pull out all the stops to convince one star to stay at the club beyond this summer, according to Football Insider.

Spurs are battling against relegation from the top-flight with just two games remaining of the campaign, sitting two points above West Ham United ahead of their final games against Chelsea and Everton, after a four-game unbeaten run under Roberto De Zerbi.

The club are looking to make plans for the new season, regardless of what division they are playing in, and club owners are now pushing to secure the future of one of their brightest stars by handing him a major pay rise.

Tottenham Prepare Lucrative Offer for Vuskovic

According to a report, Tottenham are now preparing to make a 'lucrative' offer to extend defender Luka Vuskovic's contract at the club and fend off transfer interest from elsewhere.

Vuskovic, described as 'exceptional', has enjoyed a sensational campaign while on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga, and as a result is attracting the interest of some of the top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The club are expecting to see Cristian Romero depart this summer amid interest from Spain, while Micky Van de Ven has also been heavily linked with a move away amid interest from Manchester United and Liverpool.

Now Spurs see the 19-year-old as a long-term player in their first-team picture, and feel he could become a key player in their squad as soon as next season. As a result, the club are ready to hand him a new contract to reward his progress and development, with a club source stating that they are ready to 'pull out all the stops'.

But their chances of convincing Vuskovic to sign a new deal hinge heavily on staying in the Premier League.

Tottenham Must Keep Vuskovic By Any Means

Vuskovic is one of the brightest young talents in Europe, and there is no doubt that he is ready to step into the Tottenham first team next season and make an immediate impact.

But that works as a double-edged sword for Spurs in their current situation, because everyone knows how good he is and with their current struggles it means they could see him as an easy target for a transfer.

Spurs would be really smart to seal a deal to tie his long-term future to north London, and keeping him for next season would give them a really good chance of climbing up the table again and getting back to where they feel they belong.

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James Maddison Reveals What Referee Ignored in Tottenham vs Leeds Penalty Decision

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James Maddison has unleashed on Premier League referees and VAR after Tottenham Hotspur's 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Monday night.

The clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could've seen the hosts move four points clear of the relegation zone. Instead, they are just two points above West Ham with as many games left to go.

Mathys Tel scored a stunning opener before the visitors were awarded a second-half penalty for a high boot on Ethan Ampadu. Dominic Calvert-Lewin smashed home from the spot, but Spurs feel they should've had a penalty of their own in the dying stages.

James Maddison Claims Penalty Decision Was Wrong

It was an emotional night for James Maddison, who stepped onto the pitch for the first time this season after going through injury hell. The England international had been absent since picking up a long-term knock in pre-season.

He's returned just in time to try and rescue the north London club from the prospect of playing Championship football next term. He thought he'd made a telling contribution when he appeared to be tripped by Leeds forward Lukas Nmecha inside the 18-yard box in stoppage time.

However, a VAR check confirmed the on-field decision of no penalty and Spurs had to settle for a draw. Now, Maddison has taken to social media in a furious rant to explain why that was wrong.

He posted on Instagram, revealing he told the referee that the Leeds player didn't touch the ball, saying: "For clarity... the small tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha. I told the ref that but the check was over in about 20 seconds."

"Officials are petrified to make decisions on the pitch now because of VAR," he added. It's not the only controversial VAR decision of the weekend as relegation rivals West Ham were denied a late point against Arsenal the day before.

Premier League Explain Maddison's Non-Penalty

Shortly after the final whistle blew, an explanation was provided by the Premier League. They judged that Nmecha got the telling touch on the ball, and therefore didn't commit a foul on Maddison. The statement read:

"The referee’s call of no penalty to Tottenham Hotspur was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Nmecha played the ball."

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De Zerbi Loves Him: Tottenham Star Wants to Leave and Return to Home Country

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Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi is now starting to learn who he can rely on, but one of his favourites has decided he would prefer to leave the club in the summer.

Spurs have received a boost in their battle to remain in the Premier League over the last few weeks, seeing an upturn in performances since De Zerbi arrived at the club.

Tottenham are currently two points above the relegation zone with just two games remaining, following their 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Monday night.

If they seal their place in next season's Premier League, attention will then quickly turn to the summer transfer window, where a host of players are likely to want to leave.

With Spurs not playing in Europe next time, we could see some of their key stars head for the exit door.

De Zerbi Favourite Wants to Leave Tottenham

According to a report from Football Insider, Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha, who has become a favourite under De Zerbi in recent weeks, could now snub a permanent move to the north London club.

It's claimed that the Portuguese international would prefer to return to his home country for personal reasons, with a move to Sporting CP mooted.

The report suggests that Palhinha will be sold by Bayern Munich this summer, but his next move will be up to him, despite Tottenham having an option to buy him.

De Zerbi is believed to be a big admirer of the midfielder, but his future is now out of Spurs' hands.

De Zerbi Wants Palhinha to Stay

De Zerbi spoke before Spurs' game against Leeds on Monday, and he was asked about the future of Palhinha, who is only at Tottenham on loan at the moment.

The former Marseille manager confirmed that he wants the 30-year-old to stay at the club, suggesting that Palhinha is one of their best players.

“One hundred per cent [he wants Palhinha to stay]. We have to start from this type of people. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players. Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure, but as a guy. I want to see the players with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit, the same personality, and we are lucky to have Palhinha with us.”

Spurs have the option to buy Palhinha from Bayern Munich for a fee in the region of 26 million, but the Portuguese star will have the final say as to whether he joins the club.

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De Zerbi Favourite To Be Axed After Unexpected Tottenham Boost

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It was a case of two points dropped in the fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League for Tottenham on Monday night.

Spurs could only draw 1-1 with a Leeds United side who were already safe from relegation and with little to play for at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Victory would have taken Spurs four points clear of West Ham at the bottom of the table and all-but safe from the threat of relegation to the Championship.

As it was, Roberto De Zerbi's side were indebted to an incredible fingertip reaction save from Antonin Kinsky deep into injury-time at the end of the match to preserve the point.

Late drama at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

That means Spurs are just two points ahead of the Hammers in the battle to avoid the drop, with the two teams having just two games left to play.

The performance against the Whites was quite the come down from the one they produced in beating Aston Villa, although Spurs did create enough chances to win the game before that wonder save.

They also felt they should have had a penalty even deeper into injury-time when substitute James Maddison went down in the box under the challenge of Lukas Nmecha, with the Leeds star getting the faintest touch on the ball.

Maddison was making his first appearance of the season, having suffered an ACL injury during pre-season, and his cameo will come as a huge boost to De Zerbi ahead of the final two weeks of the campaign.

What will be an even bigger boost than that, however, is the fact that Maddison got more minutes in his legs than he was initially preparing for.

The England man has been on the bench for the last few games, although not taking any part in the action. Against Leeds, however, with Spurs needing a goal, De Zerbi felt the time was right to give him a few minutes at the end of the match to see if he could make any impact.

Maddison was introduced to a roaring crowd with 82 minutes already on the clock, expecting to get 10 to 15 minutes in the tank.

However, upon the end of the 90 minutes, the fourth official revealed that a whopping 13 minutes would be added on at the end of the match.

And because of the penalty incident and other substitutions, play actually went on until 106 minutes were on the clock.

That meant Maddison did not get the eight minutes he was planning, nor the 10 or 15 minutes he would have got with a normal amount of injury-time. Instead, he got 24 minutes into his legs.

Maddison was not supposed to play as much

De Zerbi said afterwards: "Great news for us. He is a different player as a quality, as a guy and he will be I hope crucial for us. Yesterday I spoke with him about his physical condition and about how many minutes he could play. He played more than what he said yesterday. We are happy for him."

That will prove to be a huge boost for De Zerbi, who would have been planning on building up his minutes as the games go along. Having amassed 24 minutes in the first game, Maddison could look to have at least a half in the next game against Chelsea, or potentially go to an hour, with a look at getting closer to the full 90 minutes against Everton on the final day of the season.

If Maddison is trusted to get a half or an hour under his belt, De Zerbi could shake up his forward line to give him more creativity against the Blues at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday, which could see Conor Gallagher dropped to the bench.

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Tottenham Eye Deal For Brazil Wonderkid

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Tottenham may have little choice but to fill their squad with young up and coming players in the summer transfer window if they are relegated from the Premier League.

A 1-1 draw with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night, left them just two points above the relegation zone with two games to play. It is going to be a nail-biting last couple of weeks between Spurs and West Ham for that final relegation spot.

Roberto De Zerbi will want to put his stamp on the Tottenham squad, having only arrived as Spurs' third manager of the 2025/26 season at the end of March.

Summer transfer plans at Spurs will change if they are relegated

But the Italian may be hamstrung when it comes to finances if Tottenham are no longer a Premier League club come the summer.

Spurs already have to agreements in place, to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, but only if they maintain their top-flight status. Neither player wants to play in the Championship.

And that may be the case when Spurs go chasing other targets when the summer transfer window opens next month.

That is why Spurs could tap into the younger market, although chances are the club would be scouring the world for the best youth players to bring into the club anyway.

One such player being linked is Brazilian wonderkid Lucas Ronier. Tottenham are tracking the Coritiba right winger ahead of a potential summer move.

SportWitness report that Spurs, alongside Fulham, have been scouting the 21-year-old, who has three goals and three assists to his name for the Brazilian outfit this season.

The SportWitness report states: "The Brazilian fits a profile Premier League recruitment teams love right now. He is left-footed, technically sharp and very comfortable in one-against-one situations. His low stature and quick changes of direction make him difficult to stop in tight spaces."

Bid rejected already for Ronier transfer

Coritiba have already rejected an offer for the young forward, although not from Spurs or Fulham. The offer came from emerging Saudi Pro League side Neom, who tabled a £9.4million bid to sign Ronier two summers ago.

Coritiba are aware that Ronier's preference is to make the move to Europe and there is a feeling that they can demand more than that £9.4million figure to sell him this summer.

Ronier is understood to have a fiery personality and former Athletico Paranaense coach Odair Hellman described him as a show-off, but also praised his ability.

He said: "He thinks too much of himself. If he lowers the ball, he is a good player with quality. If he doesn't, he will be just another promise that gets left behind."

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De Zerbi Doesn't Trust Him: Tottenham Star Unlikely to Start Again This Season

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Tottenham Hotspur can take a huge step towards Premier League survival when they host Leeds United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night.

Tottenham moved out of the relegation zone last weekend following their 2-1 win at Aston Villa, leapfrogging West Ham United following their 3-0 defeat to Brentford earlier in the matchday.

The Irons had the opportunity to move out of the bottom three and usurp Spurs when they hosted title-chasing Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday, but they fell to a 1-0 defeat with late VAR heartbreak after Callum Wilson's last-gasp equaliser was ruled out following a foul on Gunners goalkeeper David Raya.

West Ham's failure to win, coupled with a draw for Nottingham Forest against Newcastle United, means that it can now only be the Hammers or Tottenham who will be playing Championship football next term.

Roberto De Zerbi's men will move four points clear of Nuno Espirito Santo's side on Monday if they can record their third successive Premier League victory, although it will essentially be five points given their much superior goal difference.

With two games to go, that could be an insurmountable total for West Ham to reach.

Roberto De Zerbi Doesn't Trust Archie Gray

It was no surprise when De Zerbi selected Gray in his first starting XI for the trip to Sunderland last month, with the 20-year-old being one of Tottenham's best players this season up to that point.

The youngster was consistently showing up his senior teammates with his attitude and work-rate, but things haven't been as easy for him in recent weeks.

Following the loss at the Stadium of Light, Gray was dropped to the substitutes' bench for the draw against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

De Zerbi selected a midfield trio of Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma against the Seagulls, with the trio all keeping their spot against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the following fixture.

Gray was an unused substitute at Molineux and it was the same story for the former Leeds player at Villa Park, as Wolves match winner Joao Palhinha replaced Bissouma in the XI against Unai Emery's men.

Gray Unlikely to Start Again This Season for Tottenham

De Zerbi will surely name an unchanged XI for the visit of Leeds on Monday night, as he places faith in the starting side that was so impressive at Villa Park.

Gray appears unlikely to get a start against his one-time employers, and potentially even again this season.

De Zerbi is clearly favouring experience right now in Tottenham's bid to avoid relegation, but the most worrying thing for Gray might be the Italian's lack of trust in him in general.

Three midfielders came on against Villa ahead of Gray, in Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall.

That would suggest that in Spurs' current situation, the 46-year-old coach sees Gray as his seventh-best midfield option during this run-in.

The positive for Gray is that it appears this could be a short-term situation, with De Zerbi saying that he sees the 20-year-old as a future captain of the club.

The former Brighton boss also said he thinks Gray needs to nail down one position, having played in a few different ones during his Spurs career.

Gray may be set for short-term misery in terms of minutes on the pitch, but a full pre-season under De Zerbi could transform his fortunes.

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