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Daniel Levy’s departure has seen Venkatesham become a key character at the club
In charge: Vinai Venkatesham hopes to keep Spurs sustainably run
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Matt Verri
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Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has insisted Tottenham will have the "financial backing" of their owners in upcoming transfer windows.
It has been a period of significant change off the pitch for Spurs, with Venkatesham only beginning work at the start of the summer but now responsible for the day-to-day running of the club.
That increased responsibility comes after Daniel Levy's departure last week, bringing an end to almost 25 years as executive chairman.
It was a decision made by the Lewis family, who own a majority share in Spurs and remain committed long-term to the club, despite recent interest from two groups in a takeover.
A lack of success on the pitch was the driving factor behind Levy's removal, with the Lewis family hoping a new era brings "more wins, more often".
In an interview with Spurs' in-house media team, Venkatesham was asked whether supporters can expect increased investment from the owners as a result of the boardroom changes.
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"So I need to try and answer your question without leading to a whole load of transfer war chest stories tomorrow," Venkatesham joked.
“It’s very fair to say that we have firm backing from the Lewis family against our ambitions to be successful on the pitch, both on the men’s and women’s side.
"They know that’s going to require investment, and we have their firm backing.”
Ousted: Daniel Levy
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According to research from football finance expert Kieran Maguire, Spurs were the most profitable club in the Premier League during Levy's tenure.
While Venkatesham spoke of the club being backed in the transfer market, he also made it clear that there will not be a complete departure from the sustainable approach that Levy oversaw.
"I would also say, like all other 20 Premier League clubs, we also need to make sure that we're also cognisant and aware of the financial fair play rules," Venkatesham said.
"That means we need to continue to grow our revenues. We need to continue to develop players both from the academy and young players that we buy. We need to make sure that we're selling players at the right time.
"And we also need to make sure that every time we're recruiting a player we're making smart decisions, both from a sporting perspective and a financial perspective.
"If you don't do that, because of how the financial regulations work, you can find yourself in a position where you've got money to spend but the regulations don't allow you to spend it.
"To summarise, absolutely, there's financial backing against the ambitions we have. Like every other club in the Premier League, we need to do that in line with the financial fair play rules."
Xavi Simons was among Spurs' new signings as the club invested heavily ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign
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Levy's departure, viewed as the final step in the boardroom restructure, came just a few months on from the Europa League triumph in Bilbao.
That, however, was only the second trophy of his tenure and Venkatesham has targeted more consistent success as he plots a path towards competing with the domestic and continental elite.
"We saw in May in Bilbao what that next step is," Venkatesham continued.
"That next step is competing and ultimately winning major trophies. We've had a taste of that, it's even better than you imagined. You realise the club is even bigger than you thought it was and you're hungry for more.
"That's what everybody associated with this football club is hungry for - more nights like that."
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The investment vehicle led by Amanda Staveley has confirmed that it does not intend to make an offer for Tottenham.
A statement from Spurs late on Sunday night declared that the club had received two "separate preliminary expressions of interest".
One of those was from a Chinese consortium led by Dr Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng, while the other came from Staveley's PCP International Finance.
Spurs said in a statement: "The Board of the club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the club."
As expected, PCP stated on Monday that it “does not intend to make an offer for Tottenham”.
Takeover rules state that the company cannot now make an offer for the club within the next six months.
Staveley and her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, took a 10 per cent stake in Newcastle when they played a key role in the takeover of the club in 2021. That share became diluted and the pair left the club last summer.
Reports in recent months have suggested that Staveley has been talking to potential backers about a bid for Spurs.
Joe Lewis, the majority owner of ENIC, transferred control of his stake in Spurs to a family trust in 2022.
Sources close to the Lewis family insist that there are no plans to sell the club, despite speculation intensifying after Daniel Levy's departure as executive chairman after almost 25 years.
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Tube strike is ON - but TfL says there is still time to avert chaos and pleads with RMT to back down
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Spurs Supporters’ Trust reflect on almost 25 years under former chairman, whose reign was subject to protests last season
End of an era: Daniel Levy has left his role as Tottenham chairman after almost 25 years
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George Flood
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The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) have called for “deeper engagement with fan groups on the future direction of the club” as they responded to the news of Daniel Levy’s shock exit.
On Thursday came confirmation that Levy was departing his role as Spurs’ executive chairman after almost 25 years in post, with ENIC director and former Citi Private Bank CEO Peter Charrington becoming non-executive chairman moving forward.
The bombshell news came as a huge surprise to fans, a number of whom had protested against Levy’s leadership of Tottenham on several occasions last season.
The THST have now released a full statement reacting to his departure, urging Spurs to grab an “ideal opportunity” to foster a closer relationship with fans on the club’s future.
They thanked Levy for his “vision and drive” in delivering the world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though criticised his engagement with supporters and transfer approach, describing the latter as “too cautious and too focussed on extracting monetary value”.
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“The surprising departure of Daniel Levy after 24 years as Executive Chairman of the Club provides the new leadership with the ideal opportunity for deepened engagement with fan groups on the future direction of the Club. They should take it,” read the THST’s statement.
“Daniel’s legacy is self-evidently the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, widely regarded as one of the finest football stadia in the world, as well as related infrastructure such as the training ground. Building such a stadium in the dense, urban heart of our home, Tottenham, is no mean feat.
“While some may still hanker after the more intimate White Hart Lane, it is clear that THS was needed to allow Tottenham Hotspur to compete on an equal footing with Europe’s football elite. Our thanks go to Daniel for his vision and drive in delivering the stadium.
“And yet, the laser focus on cost and value for money necessary for completing the stadium didn’t serve the Club so well on the pitch. Our members and other respondents to our annual surveys consistently over many years valued the Club’s development off the pitch but wanted greater focus on the football.
“As welcome as the Europa League win was, it was only the second trophy during Daniel’s 24 year reign. The failure to kick on under Mauricio Pochettino and after the opening of THS was a missed opportunity and seemed to reflect an approach, particularly in the transfer market, that was too cautious and too focussed on extracting monetary value rather than addressing weaknesses that were obvious to all.
“Genuine fan engagement didn’t come naturally to Daniel. While on paper there was commitment, in practice this often meant telling us what the Club planned to do at short notice. Earlier engagement may have avoided missteps such as the proposed move to Stratford, the ESL, furloughing staff in the pandemic and curtailing senior season ticket concessions.
“Legally, there is no change in ownership, but there is no doubt Daniel’s departure represents a switch in leadership to that of the Lewis family interests. There is talk of outside investment and we would remind the Club of its support for the Trust’s 5 Principles upon which we will judge any owner of the Club.
“It also provides an opportunity for more meaningful engagement with fans; there has already been an encouraging start under new CEO, Vinai Venkatesham.
“The Trust will continue to play a constructive role in the engagement process and fulfil its role as a critical friend to the Club. The change in leadership provokes questions about future strategy, the timing of the change, plans for outside investment and reassurance that the Club is in good hands.
“The Trust will be asking those questions both directly and via its participation in the FAB. We’d like to thank Daniel Levy for his achievements during his 24 years of service to the Club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
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The longest-serving Premier League chairman has been branded “the most astute” in English football
Goodbye: Daniel Levy
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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri
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David Pleat has described Daniel Levy's achievements at Tottenham as "incredible", insisting the departing chairman was the "most astute" in English football.
A shock announcement from Spurs on Thursday confirmed that Levy, the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League, was leaving with immediate effect.
It marks the start of a new era for Spurs, with board member Peter Charrington, who is a director of Spurs' owners ENIC, taking on the newly created role of non-executive chairman.
Pleat was Spurs' sporting director upon Levy’s appointment in early 2001, having previously served as manager, and went on to hold several other positions with the club during Levy’s tenure.
"I would judge a club on both its sustainability and its results, and it's very difficult to marry the two," Pleat told BBC 5Live when asked for a verdict on Levy’s time at the club.
"To achieve success in the modern game without mega, mega money, as has been proved, is very, very difficult. To do what Tottenham have done in the last two decades is quite incredible, because the stadium is magnificent, no one can rival the training ground, and the club is on a good footing.
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"[Levy] has always been sensible ... and has run the club sensibly."
He added: "There is no question [fans will in time give Levy credit] ... This training ground is magnificent. The stadium is there forever, and now they've got to start winning more, and challenging the biggest clubs.
"Who knows what the future may hold. Maybe Tottenham will be sold before too long. We shouldn't draw conclusions."
Legacy: Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium
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Levy has long been considered a tough negotiator and shrewd operator. Sir Alex Ferguson described dealing with Levy during Manchester United’s successful pursuit of Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 as “more painful than my hip replacement”.
In an exclusive interview with Standard Sport in 2019, Levy dismissed suggestions he was the "best negotiator" in the Premier League. "All I am doing is trying to become a bigger club and I am just protecting my assets," he said.
The same suggestion was put to Pleat on Thursday night, who also refuted the reputation. He said: "[Levy was] no more tough than any other chairman who protects his club and looks after his club's finances.
"He's got a reputation as being tough, but I can assure you, I've known tougher chairman. He's very sensible. As far as being the custodian of the club, I don't think there's a more astute chairman in the Football League."
"He has looked after the club well. It's not easy to run a club, a massive club. See the problems at some of the biggest clubs, like Manchester United. Supporters are never happy, they want winning, winning, winning [but] it's not that easy."
Tottenham in May won just their second trophy of Daniel Levy reign
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Levy had been instrumental in bringing in new Spurs head coach Thomas Frank, following the departure of Ange Postecoglou despite the club's success in the Europa League last season after finishing 17th in the Premier League on the back of a club-record 22 defeats.
There were, though, growing frustrations within some of the Spurs fanbase over a perceived lack of progress under Levy's long tenure, after a string of managers had come and gone without being able to deliver silverware.
Tottenham said when announcing Levy's departure that there would be "no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure of the club”, and Pleat feels a period of calm is now needed amid talk of a possible sale of the club.
He continued: “Some of the talk I hear, about ENIC and about shares and this type of thing., I think it's very presumptuous at this stage for anyone to draw conclusions they don't know.
“The real reason [for Levy’s exit] very few people know, and I certainly don't. So it's very unwise to speculate. A decision has been made, and the club's in good hands. They've got some good people there, I can assure you."
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Simons joined Spurs last week from RB Leipzig as part of a deal worth just over £50million.
Prior to that, the attacking midfielder had been on the radar of both Bayern Munich and Chelsea earlier in the transfer window.
Neither side firmed up their interest, however, and instead it was Tottenham that pushed to sign Simons in the final days of the window.
And the Dutchman has now lifted the lid on why he was so delighted to put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Spurs.
“I’m happy to be a Tottenham player,” Simons told German newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung. “Since I was a child, it’s been my dream to play in the Premier League.
“The club’s vision, the magnificent stadium, the fans, the quality of the team, the coach - it’s a fantastic environment.
“I want to settle in quickly in my new home and show why Tottenham signed me.”
At one stage earlier in the summer, Bayern had looked favourites to sign Simons due to their director of sport, Max Eberl.
Eberl used to work at RB Leipzig and was their director of sport there when they signed Simons in 2023.
“In football, there are always discussions,” said Simons, when asked about Bayern’s interest. “But I don’t want to name names. Max was one of those who brought me to RB Leipzig, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
“The most important thing was to find a place where I could develop and express my playing style. That’s the way it is at Spurs.
“My first impressions of the club are great; I felt the energy and ambition when I was introduced to the fans.
“Expectations are high, both for the team and for me. I’m looking forward to duels against the best players in the world.”
Simons has also revealed how he spoke to Timo Werner, his former team-mate at Leipzig, before joining Spurs.
Werner spent 18 months on loan at Tottenham and told Simons that he would enjoy his time in north London.
“He told me a lot about the club’s greatness and the fantastic fans,” said Simons. “And he said he thought it was the right place for me to learn and improve. Thanks for your trust, Timo!”
The Ravens revamped their training facility this year as part of a five-and-a-half-month project believed to be worth in the region of £15million.
The 20,000-square-foot Under Armour Performance Center, also known as ‘The Castle’, has been turned into a premium performance and wellness space.
At the heart of it is a hydrotherapy suite which has a 50-foot, two-lane lap pool, a therapy pool, and hot and cold plunge pools - each large enough to accommodate up to 20 players. The suite also features an array of custom-built infrared saunas and Cryotherm plunge pools.
The Ravens took inspiration from other facilities for the renovations - one of which was understood to be Tottenham’s training ground.
The NFL side stayed at Tottenham’s base two years ago, before playing the Tennessee Titans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Ravens were impressed with the facilities and their head coach, John Harbaugh, made a point of thanking Spurs at the time.
“I really enjoyed Tottenham, when we practised over there,” he said. “Just look at the facilities.”
Ravens President Sashi Brown added: “Over 20 years ago, Steve Bisciotti’s vision for ‘The Castle’ established a new standard for training facilities across global sport and reflected his commitment to the pursuit of championships and giving players the very best.
“The sole focus of this renovation and investment was our players. The result is absolutely transformative for our ability to provide our players first-class healthcare and an incredible overall experience.
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