London Evening Standard

Tottenham's owners insist that the club is still "not for sale" despite reports that a US consortium is preparing a £4.5billion takeover bid.

Spurs’ majority owners ENIC, run by the Lewis Family Trust, "unequivocally rejected" two preliminary expressions of interest in the club earlier this month, including one from Amanda Staveley's PCP International Finance Limited.

As Spurs follow the UK Takeover Code, any expressions of interest or official bids must be made public. PCP confirmed that it does not intend to make an offer and cannot return to do so for the next six months.

Reports from The Sun have since claimed that a consortium led by American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick has launched a £4.5bn takeover move.

It is suggested that £3.3bn of that would be to buy the club, with the remaining £1.2bn set aside for investment in the team. A £250m stadium naming rights deal is also reportedly being lined up.

Earick is said to want to be in place for the start of the January transfer window as he looks to quickly kickstart an ambitious project.

NFL and NBA investors are reportedly part of the 12-man consortium with Earick, who earlier this year was involved in a failed attempt to acquire Formula E team Maserati.

Despite those latest reports, a source close to the Lewis family told Standard Sport that the club is "not for sale".

It is understood that no expression of interest or bid has currently been received by the family from Earick's consortium.

The Lewis family's stance applies both to a full sale, which is not being considered at this time, and also minority investment. The owners are believed to have no desire to part with any of ENIC's 87 per cent share in Spurs.

Speaking earlier this month, Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham said: "There's been a lot of newspaper articles and a lot of media speculation around a takeover, so I can be really clear on this. So the Lewis family are really clear.

"They see their involvement in Tottenham Hotspur being long-term and they see their involvement continuing through the generations.

Tottenham fans have outlined where they want the club to improve, as the Lewis family embark on a new era at Spurs.

The departure of Daniel Levy signalled a fresh start for Spurs and the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) have published the results of their annual survey.

The results show 69 per cent of fans are unhappy the club’s transfer policy last season and 54 per cent are dissatisfied with team performance, despite Europa League success last season.

Despite the signings of promising young midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, as well as striker Dominic Solanke, Tottenham were left short in defence last season and struggled to cope with a growing injury list.

The loan signing of centre-back Kevin Danso, a move that has since been made permanent, in January eased some of the pressure on Tottenham’s backline, but regardless Sours struggled to name a settled defence for much of the season.

Publishing the result of the survey, THST said: “Thank you to every Tottenham Hotspur fan who took part in our recent surveys - your voices have been heard.

“Your feedback has given us a clear picture of how Spurs supporters view the key issues facing the club.

“We use this vital insight to highlight to the club what fans are thinking and where improvements are needed.

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Thomas Frank warned Luca Williams-Barnett he has a “very tough” next step to take in his development after making his Tottenham debut.

The 16-year-old came on for the final minutes of Spurs’ 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Doncaster, becoming the 900th player to represent the club.

Williams-Barnett was one of three academy stars on the bench and got the nod for his first-team bow after registering six goals and four assists in four appearances for the Under-21 side this season.

“I think it's always a pleasure to be part of a young player's debut. So, yeah, happy with that.”

This is Williams-Barnett’s first season with the U21s but he has already looked a cut above, scoring and assisting in the UEFA Youth League against Villarreal earlier this month.

He also scored a hat-trick against Leicester last week to take his PL2 tally to four goals and two assists in four matches.

Spurs are not alone in giving minutes to young talents, with 15-year-old Max Dowman making his Arsenal debut earlier this season and Rio Ngumoha featuring for Liverpool having only just turned 17.

Frank praised Williams-Barnett for making the first step on his journey to becoming a first-team regular, but made it clear there is still a long way to go for the teenager.

“I think that definitely over the last many years the focus on the talent development and academies across the world is so big,” Frank said.

“But one thing is the debut when you're 16. The next step, and much more important, is how Luca or other players take those steps forward. It's very tough to keep going and then get into the first team as a really regular player. But the first step is very important.”

Tottenham barely broke into a sweat as they eased into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win over Doncaster.

Boss Thomas Frank had promised to have a decent crack at the competition this season and he was as good as his word as Joao Palhinha's improvised strike, a Jay McGrath own goal and Brennan Johnson's stoppage-time breakaway disposed of League One Rovers.

Mathys Tel only needed to get a touch on Johnson's low cross six yards out but the French forward missed the ball completely.

That act of generosity almost backfired when the teenager hooked the ball across goal, only for Toyosi Olusanya to fluff his header at the far post.

Instead Spurs went ahead in the 14th minute after Rovers goalkeeper Ian Lawlor missed his punch at a corner.

Sean Grehan headed the loose ball off the line but only as far as Palhinha, who hooked an overhead kick back over the defender and into an empty net.

Spurs doubled their lead three minutes later when Wilson Odobert raided down the left and sent in another low cross.

Doncaster defender McGrath was unable to sort his feet out in time and succeeded only in bundling the ball into his own net.

The Premier League side sensed they could end the tie as a contest before half-time, but Lawlor made good saves to deny Tel and Gray while Bentancur's header from a corner floated just wide.

And Rovers almost pulled one back before the break when Owen Bailey's Paolo Di Canio-style volley was tipped onto a post by Spurs keeper Antonin Kinsky.

That was the only moment of mild peril Spurs faced, however, and Frank was able to shuffle his pack by sending on Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison for the final 30 minutes as well as handing a late debut to 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett.

They should have had a third when Bergvall drilled in a low cross from the right, but Tel knew it was not his night when he came up with another air shot from six yards.

A home tie against League One opposition appeared on paper to be a generous start to the competition and so it proved, with Spurs firmly in control inside 20 minutes.

Joao Palhinha opened the scoring with a clever overhead kick and almost immediately the lead was doubled when Jay McGrath turned into his own net.

There was little to get the fans going after the break until the closing stages, when 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett came on for his debut, and Brennan Johnson then sealed victory with a nice dinked finish deep into stoppage-time.

Spent most of the first half stretching, trying to stay warm, but then produced a brilliant save to tip Owen Bailey’s volley onto the post.

Handed the captain’s armband and was keen to mark it with a goal, trying his luck from distance on several occasions. Booked for diving late in the match.

Yet another classy performance, even in a more unfamiliar position. Composed in defence and finished brilliantly with an overhead kick to make it 1-0. Always delivers for Frank.

Impact came more in attack, where his long throws were a real threat and Doncaster struggled to deal with him from set-pieces. Nasty cut early in first half but played on with bandaged head.

Read play brilliantly to stop a Doncaster counter in the first half but otherwise largely untroubled in defence. Did not offer much in attack.

Thrived in more attacking midfield role in first half, making runs beyond Brennan Johnson and forcing Ian Lawlor into a smart save. Assured when dropping deeper after the break.

Solid enough as the deepest midfielder and played the full 90 minutes, despite tiring as the second half went on. Vocal presence in midfield, barking orders.

Particularly bright early on when driving from deep into space and looked like he was in for a fun night. Didn’t quite materialise though, as he faded before being replaced on the hour mark.

Brighter on the right wing. Clipped a couple of lovely crosses into the box and deserved at least one assist on the night, and took his goal cooly as ever when played in with the final kick of the match.

Another frustrating night. Got into good positions but no calmness when his chances came, twice swinging at thin air when picked out in the box by Johnson.

More encouraging display from the Frenchman. Direct and purposeful when he had the ball, his cross forced McGrath’s own goal.

Hardly had a kick after coming on. Spurs could do with him rediscovering early-season form.

Added a bit more energy to midfield. Denied late goal by offside flag but picked out Johnson through the middle for third goal.

Spurs set up with a handful of players out of position but still produced a composed performance

Comfortable: Archie Gray impressed on return to his natural position

Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

Matt Verri

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Thomas Frank has vowed to get Tottenham competing on all fronts and the bid for domestic honours is off to a positive start.

Spurs cruised to a 3-0 win over Doncaster to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and the result was never in doubt against League One opposition.

Even with seven changes and a lengthening injury list, this was a strong Spurs side as Frank freshened things up amid a busy run.

Two quickfire goals early in the first half sent the hosts on their way, as Joao Palhinha scored an overhead kick and Jay McGrath doubled the lead with an own goal.

The third did not come until the final kick of the match, Brennan Johnson streaking away and dinking over the goalkeeper, but this was a stress-free night and another job well done for Frank and his players.

Sign Palhinha up

Midfield destroyer, effective centre-back and, seemingly, acrobatic goalscorer.

Joao Palhinha has been one of Spurs' best players this season and that continued here with another assured showing.

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The 30-year-old was confident with the ball at his feet at centre-back but also did his defensive work well, showing good pace to track Toyosi Olusanya and make a good challenge when the Doncaster man got in behind.

Having scored against Manchester City last month, Palhinha added another goal to his Spurs tally, producing a lovely overhead kick to find the empty net after Ian Lawlor had made a mess of a corner.

Spurs have the option to make Palhinha's loan move from Bayern Munich permanent for a fee of around £27million. That already feels like a no-brainer.

Gray makes his mark

When the teamsheet came out, it looked like Archie Gray was set for a stint at centre-back alongside Kevin Danso. Instead, it was Palhinha who dropped back and Gray got his chance to impress in his more natural position.

Even in the opening minutes it was noticeable how advanced he was, pushing right up onto the Doncaster defence when Spurs had the ball.

Gray regularly made runs in behind and got to the byline, and Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro should have picked him out more regularly.

He was strong on the ball, too. One powerful run in the first half saw him fouled two or three times but Gray stayed on his feet and pinged a lovely ball out wide, drawing applause from Lucas Bergvall who was warming up on the touchline.

Gray was not quite as effective after the break but there were still bright moments, including one run and cross out wide that led to Bergvall heading just wide.

Minutes have been hard to come by this season for Gray, but on this showing his deserves more opportunities.

Top of his game: Palhinha marked a smart performance with a memorable goal

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Williams-Barnett becomes Spurs' No900

Three academy stars made the bench, as Frank handed places in the squad to Luca Williams-Barnett, Juna'ai Byfield and Tynan Thompson.

It is Williams-Barnett who attracted most excitement in the build-up to this match after a remarkable start to the season for the Under-21s. In six appearances, the 16-year-old has registered six goals and four assists.

When Spurs went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, it felt inevitable that at least one of the teenagers would get on. However, with the lead remaining at only two goals and the match not quite put to bed, Frank first turned to Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie off the bench.

Williams-Barnett eventually got the call to stop warming up and with three minutes remaining, his moment came. A huge roar went around the stadium as he replaced Mathys Tel to become the 900th player to represent Spurs.

There was real anticipation whenever Williams-Barnett picked up the ball. Playing on the left, he drifted inside and had one pass through to Bergvall cut out. He then bundled his way through another challenge and played it wide to Udogie for a move that led to Bergvall finding the net, but the offside flag was up.

There will surely be plenty more Spurs appearances to come for the teenager, but this is one he will never forget.

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Guglielmo Vicario has been in goal for all of Spurs’ matches under Frank and has kept four clean sheets in six matches.

Kinsky has barely featured since having a run in the side after arriving in January, but Frank has confirmed the 22-year-old will be one of the changes as he rotates his Spurs side.

“Antonin will start tomorrow, so I'm very happy with him as a goalkeeper,” Frank said at his pre-match press conference.

“I think he's a very good goalkeeper and I think he's got very good potential. For any player that is not starting, they're not happy. Some probably understand it a bit more, or outfielder sometimes.

“The easy thing for Antonin was to stay at his former club and now it's a bigger stage, a bigger challenge. I think he's got a great future here at Tottenham. I like what I see from him. He just needs to keep training well and doing well.”

With Dominic Solanke out with an ankle issue and Randal Kolo Muani yet to recover from a dead leg, Mathys Tel starts up front as he looks to kick his Spurs career into gear.

“I think it would be a great opportunity to have some of the younger players on the bench and I always think it's a privileged position to be in if you can give anyone a debut, especially a young player,” Frank said.

Thomas Frank will get his first taste of domestic cup action with Tottenham this evening as Spurs host Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup. In a season where the Dane has made clear that he is targeting silverware, this competition could be his best chance of getting his hands on a trophy. He has his work cut out for him to better Spurs’ performance in the competition last season, though, after they were knocked out in the semi-finals by Liverpool.

Spurs will hope to open their campaign with a statement defeat of League One’s Rovers, who sit seventh in the third tier after nine matches. They head to north London on a two-match losing run, though, having been beaten by AFC Wimbledon and Wigan by an aggregate score of 5-1.

It could be a tricky selection for Spurs, though, as Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies can now be counted among the injured. Frank has promised to name a strong squad. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Creativity, goals and a ‘go-for-it mindset’, why 16-year-old starlet is generating enormous excitement at Spurs

Luca Williams-Barnett is set to be in the Spurs squad for their Carabao Cup clash with Doncaster on Wednesday

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Matt Verri

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Asked what his targets were for the weeks ahead, there was no lack of confidence in Luca Williams-Barnett's answer.

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"Win every game and score in every game," he declared.

On current evidence, the latter part of that equation does not feel particularly implausible. The 16-year-old has enjoyed a stunning start to the season for Tottenham's academy in his first campaign with the Under-21 side, and the club already face a decision of how quickly to progress him.

Williams-Barnett scored a hat-trick and provided an assist in a 6-3 win over Leicester last week, taking his PL2 tally to four goals and two assists in four appearances.

He also scored and assisted in the UEFA Youth League against Villarreal, as he did when Spurs faced Bristol Rovers in the EFL trophy.

Luca Williams-Barnett has made a brilliant start to the season for Spurs Under-21s

Getty Images

There have been international returns, too. Called up for the England U18s side at the start of the month, Williams-Barnett was on the scoresheet against both Canada and Uzbekistan.

He was left out of the Spurs U21 squad on Tuesday in a potential hint that he will be involved in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Frank also suggested as much.

"He's a player that we like a lot," Frank said. "Let's see tomorrow, but that could be an opportunity."

Williams-Barnett has trained with the first team already this season and has caught the eye of the Spurs boss.

"I'm well aware of Luca's talent and I like what I see," Frank said. "He's young, obviously, but his composure and technique and vision is very good."

The teenager, capable of playing in attacking midfield or up front, has been one of the stars of the club's academy as he has gone through the age ranks. His U18 boss Stuart Lewis made some lofty comparisons last season.

"He loves football. He's such an exciting, creative player," Lewis said.

"I spoke in the week about Tottenham players and having that creativity and that go-for-it mindset. We've loved Ginola over the years, we've loved Berbatov, those players.

Luca Williams-Barnett was called up to the England Under-18s side this month

The FA via Getty Images

“Luca's still got a lot of work to do. He's an Under-16 player but throughout the season there's been some unbelievable moments."

It is not hard to see why Spurs fans are incredibly excited about Williams-Barnett, who has already had a taste of the first-team squad.

Ange Postecoglou named him on the bench for the Europa League trip to Galatasaray last season, just a few weeks after he had turned 16. That was a last-minute decision, with U21s boss Wayne Burnett putting in calls to get him excused from school and academy goalkeeping coach Dean Brill driving to the family home overnight to pick up his passport.

Williams-Barnett was in the squad for three consecutive European matches and was also on the bench in December last year against Fulham in the Premier League.

He is yet to make his first-team debut but his form has raised the prospect of some involvement against Doncaster on Wednesday.

Whether Thomas Frank decides Williams-Barnett is ready to get on the pitch remains to be seen, but a home tie against League One opposition does present the chance for rotation and opportunities for academy prospects.

Regardless of if it comes this week or not, Williams-Barnett appears to be on an inevitable march first-team minutes in the not so distant future. That much is obvious to fans, coaches and, of course, the teenager himself.

"I can't wait until I'm in the Premier League, scoring for Tottenham, making the fans happy," Williams-Barnett said last season. "I just can't wait."