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Kudus has been sidelined since the beginning of January because of a quad injury he sustained very early in the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

Kulusevski, meanwhile has not played for Spurs since May 2025, missing the Europa League final win over Manchester United and the 2025/26 campaign in its entirety after suffering a patella injury.

Both players have taken a positive step towards full fitness, with Tottenham uploading footage of training from Wednesday and the pair are on the road to recovery.

Standard Sport understands that Kulusevski is not yet back training with the first-team and the plan for the attacking midfielder, when ready, is to be phased back in slowly, given the length of time he has been out for.

Furthermore, the 26-year-old is still some way from a return to action.

“Kulusevski, we have to see in the next couple of weeks. He's another important player,” Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi said ahead of the pre-season friendly against Auckland FC.

“After one season, one complete season, without a game, we have to analyse better and better, don't take risks, first of all for him and then for us.”

Kudus, though, is in the final stages of his rehabilitation and De Zerbi has been hopeful of welcoming the attacking midfielder back to full training now the squad has returned from their summer tour of New Zealand and Australia.

“Kudus is very close. I think when we come back to London he will be available to start working with us,” the Spurs head coach said last month.

After three months on the sidelines, the Ghana international was on course to make his comeback and hand De Zerbi a major boost for the relegation run-in after returning to full training.

Standard Sport understands that talks are progressing over an agreement between the two clubs after the deal had previously been described as difficult to negotiate.

Phillips is the latest Spurs player on Middlesbrough’s radar after they completed the signing of striker Will Lankshear last month for a fee that could rise to a club-record £20million.

The England Under-21 international has significant Championship experience after loan spells at Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City, where he has spent the last two seasons.

With first-team opportunities limited at Spurs following the arrivals of centre-backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, Phillips is set to leave the north London club permanently in search of regular minutes.

Spurs hope to pocket a significant profit on the £2m they paid for him in 2022.

Middlesbrough want Phillips, who has over 100 Championship appearances, to help aid their push for promotion to the Premier League after their play-off final defeat to Hull City last season.

The 21-year-old would become the seventh signing of the summer for Kim Hellberg’s side.

Spurs have been keen to maximise player sales this summer and believe that if they cannot offer regular first-team minutes to their academy players, then they will look to negotiate their permanent exits.

Phillips would become the third academy graduate to leave Spurs this summer after Lankshear, Alfie Devine and Tynan Thompson, who joined Manchester United for a fee that could reach up to £8m.

Spurs also negotiated the exit of highly rated centre-half Luka Vuskovic to Brighton for a fee in the region of £46m despite the Croatian having failed to make a senior appearance for the club.

Roberto De Zerbi wants to revamp his forward line

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Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Roberto De Zerbi wants to sign at least two more players before the end of the transfer window, with attacking reinforcements a priority for the Tottenham manager.

Despite already spending £237million this summer, De Zerbi has said that Spurs have only completed 60 per cent of their transfer business, as the focus turns towards adding depth and quality to their frontline.

Spurs are in the market for a winger, and potentially another striker before the window closes next month.

They have been heavily linked with a move for Manchester City winger Savinho, while they are also interested in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo.

Standard Sport understands that the Reds do not currently want to sell Gakpo and have yet to enter talks with Spurs over a potential deal.

Gakpo has four years left on his contract, and Liverpool would need to sign a replacement before they even considered negotiating the 27-year-old’s departure.

A deal for Savinho is expected to be more straightforward, with the Brazilian having expressed his desire to leave City in search of more minutes.

That said, the 22-year-old will not come cheap, having also recently signed a long-term contract at City until 2031.

Spurs are ambitious, and would ideally like to sign both Gakpo and Savinho this summer to bolster their forward options.

It remains to be seen, though, whether Spurs can build on their early momentum in the transfer window to overhaul their attack.

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Here, Standard Sport looked at three ways Spurs could line up with Savinho and Gakpo in their team…

Cody Gakpo

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Gakpo to operate as a No9

Despite Gakpo and Savinho predominantly playing on the left wing, De Zerbi reportedly views Gakpo as a centre-forward and would be prepared to use the Dutchman through the middle.

De Zerbi wants his striker to drop deep and link play, operating at times as a false nine to allow his wingers to race in behind and stretch the opposition defence.

Gakpo’s physicality and close control make him well suited to playing this role within De Zerbi’s system, while he does not possess the raw pace in wide areas that Savinho would provide.

Last season, Gakpo drew the ire of Liverpool supporters due to his predictability off the left flank as he constantly looked to cut inside and find an angle for a shot.

De Zerbi wants his wingers to be more direct and dynamic than that, so moving Gakpo through the middle to allow Savinho to run the opposition full-back into the ground makes a lot of sense for Spurs.

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Udogie, Fernandes, Tonali, Kudus, Maddison, Savinho, Gakpo

Savinho

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Savinho to solve right-wing headache

While his attacking output is at times frustratingly inconsistent, Savinho’s energy and versatility make him a difficult player to pick up, and his movement causes all sorts of issues for opposition defences.

Savinho can play across the frontline, and he could help solve Spurs’ selection issues on the right wing.

It is unclear yet whether Mohammed Kudus will be fit for the start of the season, having been left out of Spurs’ 36-man pre-season tour squad to continue his rehabilitation from a serious quad injury.

Wilson Odobert, meanwhile, is still in the early stages of his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last season.

Were Spurs to get a deal over the line for Savinho, he could come in and fill the void left by Kudus and Odobert, allowing the former to get back to full fitness without feeling that he needs to rush to return.

Savinho’s propensity to cut in from the right means De Zerbi would not be able to use his pace in behind as effectively, but paired with Gakpo on the left, they could drift inside, allowing Spurs’ full-backs to operate on the overlap.

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Udogie, Fernandes, Tonali, Savinho, Maddison, Gakpo, Solanke

Cody Gakpo and Savinho

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Gakpo and Savinho to create midfield overload

A big part of Tottenham’s issues last season was their inability to dictate games from midfield.

Tiring out-of-possession performances were often left unrewarded as they struggled to progress the ball through the lines.

There was a distinct disconnect between Spurs’ midfield and their attack, which typically led to attacking moves breaking down and putting them on the back foot.

Midfield reinforcements have been bought, and it is hoped that Sandro Tonali’s ability not only to play through the lines but also to provide third-man runs will complement Mateus Fernandes’ composure.

The success of the Tonali-Fernandes midfield pivot relies, though, on being able to play off an attacking midfielder like James Maddison, who can keep the ball and bring others into play.

Similar to Kudus, it is unclear whether Maddison will be ready for the start of the season, and De Zerbi may have to get creative to ensure Spurs can dominate the ball centrally.

One solution would be to play Savinho as the attacking midfielder, while deploying Gakpo through the middle.

With Gakpo dropping into the midfield, Spurs would be able to create a box midfield to circulate possession before getting the likes of Tonali and Fernandes to spring balls in behind for the wingers.

The success of the box midfield would be predicated on the fluid movement of each player, and there is no doubt it would be an energy-sapping tactic.

With several fitness concerns heading into the start of the season, though, it could be a useful solution to help Spurs control games, particularly away from home.

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Udogie, Fernandes, Tonali, Kudus, Savinho, Tel, Gakpo

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Standard Sport understands that Liverpool have yet to receive a bid or enter into any talks over a deal for the Dutch international, despite interest from Spurs.

Targeting a replacement for Mohamed Salah, Liverpool are focusing on signing rather than selling another attacking player before the end of the transfer window next month.

Spurs are also in the market for attacking reinforcements, with manager Roberto De Zerbi stating last week that the club were close to sealing a “bomba” new addition for their frontline.

Despite spending £237million already this summer and recruiting six new players, De Zerbi wants to sign two to three more before the close of the window and insisted that the club’s transfer business is only 60 per cent done.

A winger and potentially another striker are on the cards for Spurs, and they have identified Gakpo as an option on the left wing.

Spurs also hold a long-standing interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, who has expressed his desire to leave the Etihad Stadium in search of more regular starts.

Getting Gakpo out of Liverpool will not come cheap, with the 27-year-old having four years left on his contract at Anfield and the Reds keen to get a replacement through the door before entertaining the possibility of any talks.

Liverpool are said to still be exploring a blockbuster move for Paris Saint-Germain and France winger Bradley Barcola.

Standard Sport understands that Spurs are interested in the Dutch star but have not initiated talks with the Reds over a possible summer deal.

Liverpool currently have no plans to sell Gakpo as they look to sign a replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Paris Saint-Germain and France winger Bradley Barcola is top of their wish list, who is reportedly valued at £145million.

However, Caught Offside report that Gakpo is open to joining Spurs should a fee be agreed with Liverpool.

An asking price of around £70m has been reported by Football Insider, but it remains to be seen if the Reds will continue to stand firm on their current stance.

Despite spending £237m already this summer and recruiting six new players, De Zerbi wants to sign two to three more before the close of the window and insisted that the club’s transfer business is only 60 per cent done.

A winger and potentially another striker are on the cards for Spurs, and they have identified Gakpo as an option on the left wing who could also play as a no9.

Sport | Football

Three things Roberto De Zerbi learned from Tottenham tour as Chelsea left stunned

Spurs boss has plenty to ponder as unbeaten pre-season run continues

Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham rounded off their pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over London rivals Chelsea.

Richarlison scored with virtually the last kick of the game at Accor Stadium to seal an impressive win for 10-man Spurs as their unbeaten start to the summer continued.

After defeating MK Dons 1-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Hotspur Way last month, Spurs began their tour with a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Auckland FC at Eden Park.

A frustrating 1-1 draw with Sydney FC, after which Roberto De Zerbi’s side won a penalty shootout 4-2, provided a few lessons before Tottenham then stunned Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea despite Kevin Danso’s quick-fire dismissal.

Spurs will now return to north London as they prepare to host LaLiga side Getafe this weekend before a double-header of friendlies against Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim.

After a week Down Under, De Zerbi will have learned a great deal about his squad heading into a first full season in charge.

Kinsky underlines his No1 credentials

Stepping up: Antonin Kinsky is rising to the challenge of being Tottenham’s new No1

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Tottenham decided to put their faith in goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky earlier this summer when they offered him a new long-term contract.

Kinsky’s performances towards the end of last season proved integral to keeping Spurs in the Premier League.

With first-choice ‘keeper Guglielmo Vicario set to move on, De Zerbi decided to promote from within by handing Kinsky an opportunity to be Spurs’ No1 heading into the new campaign.

The Czech international, who displayed remarkable resilience to bounce back after a mistake-ridden performance away to Atletico Madrid in March, has taken great confidence from De Zerbi’s decision, and he underlined his credentials with an impressive display against Chelsea.

Down to 10 men, Tottenham were on the back foot as Chelsea pressed for a second goal after the break.

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Chance after chance fell Chelsea’s way, but Kinsky pulled off several excellent stops - including one to tip Estevao’s effort on to the crossbar - as Spurs kept themselves in the game before striking late.

While many of Spurs’ senior stars are still getting up to speed, Kinsky looks poised to hit the ground running when the Premier League returns later this month.

New-look defence needs time

Work to do: Andy Robertson looked rusty on his first Tottenham start against Chelsea

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Despite taking a 36-man squad on tour, De Zerbi will have been left frustrated at the number of players who were unable to feature regularly.

While there were some invaluable opportunities for the club’s youngsters, it was not really until the final game of the trip that De Zerbi was able to name a starting lineup that in some way resembled the team which will likely play against Brentford on the opening weekend.

Nowhere was the squad’s staggered returns, owing to injury risk and the World Cup, felt more than in defence, where De Zerbi was constantly left needing to chop and change.

Without Djed Spence or Pedro Porro, De Zerbi filtered through a number of different solutions at right-back, while new signing Jan Paul van Hecke played just 46 minutes across the tour.

Destiny Udogie’s fitness issues meant he did not feature at all, while Andy Robertson looked rusty as he started for the first time in a Spurs shirt against Chelsea.

There were also no minutes for Micky van de Ven, and De Zerbi will be concerned that he does not have much time to try to build a defensive unit that he can rely on.

Tel could offer solution amid winger search

Proving his worth: Mathys Tel celebrates scoring for Tottenham against Sydney FC

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Spurs are in the market for attacking reinforcements before the close of the transfer window, with De Zerbi teasing last week that a deal for an unnamed attacker was nearing completion.

It seems unlikely that Spurs won’t add another winger to their ranks before the summer is out, but Mathys Tel’s performances on tour will at least have given his manager something to think about.

Despite struggling for minutes last season, Tel remained one of Spurs’ most effective attacking threats.

His four league strikes ranked him joint-third in an admittedly goal-shy Spurs team, but he proved himself capable of taking on the onus in attack.

This season, Tel will be aiming to kick on and showcase his talents. De Zerbi likes him, as evidenced by the fact that he tried to sign him while manager of Marseille, and after a couple of promising pre-season displays, the Frenchman will hope to have caught the attention.

An impressive cameo off the bench against Auckland was backed up by a superb free-kick to give Spurs the lead against Sydney, and it was notable how much the team suffered once he was taken off.

Tel has the ability to really develop his attacking output if De Zerbi wants to work with him on arriving more frequently into goal-scoring positions.

Spurs have mainly looked to the transfer market to solve the issues in their squad, but in Tel they have a player who has so much more to give if De Zerbi is willing to be patient.

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Spurs are looking for a new striker this summer as Roberto De Zerbi aims to improve his forward line and Richarlison ponders a possible exit.

Osimhen has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and was most notably tracked by Chelsea two years ago before transfer talks broke down in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Now at Galatasaray, Osimhen is said to be keen on a move to the Premier League and Caught Offside report that personal terms would not be an issue with the player open to join Spurs.

Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur claims Tottenham have made their first move to sign Osimhen by making an opening offer worth between £50million and £55m.

It remains to be seen if Spurs are interested in Osimhen, but a new striker is expected to be on De Zerbi agenda for the final weeks of the transfer window.

"I like him as a player, as a guy," De Zerbi said of the Brazilian, who scored a late winner against Chelsea in Sydney.

"It's unbelievable the attitude and behaviour, but at the end we have to respect what he wants to do. And we know, every one of us knows what he wants to do.

"But, for me, he's still an important player, because it's not so easy to find another striker like Richarlison, because he scores goals ... he scored 12 goals last season, not through luck, because he feels the way to score.

"I don't know [if he wants to leave] ... there is not any problem, he's a lovely guy. All of us love him, the team-mates, the club, the staff, because he works hard every day, seriously every day."

Sport | Football

Chelsea player ratings vs Tottenham: Joao Pedro electric but Cole Palmer subdued in defeat

Blues defeated by last-gasp winner in Sydney Super Cup

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Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

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Chelsea were beaten 2-1 late on by ten-man Tottenham at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.

The Blues took on their London rivals in the last game of their pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand, taking part in the Sydney Super Cup.

Xabi Alonso’s side found themselves a goal down when £100million man Sandro Tonali stroked home via a hefty deflection off Levi Colwill to open the scoring on 17 minutes.

But Chelsea were level just four minutes later as Estevao Willian ghosted in behind Andy Robertson to nod home from Jamie Gittens’ deflected cross.

Kevin Danso, a half-time substitute from Roberto De Zerbi, was given his marching orders just four minutes into his cameo as he miscontrolled a backpass from Archie Gray and hauled down Joao Pedro, who had converged on the centre-back quickly.

Antonin Kinsky was forced into a fine save by Estevao, tipping onto the crossbar acrobatically as the west Londoners sought an elusive second that did not come.

Instead, it was Spurs that snatched a late winner, as Jamie Donley’s daisy-cutter struck the post, and Richarlison was Johnny-on-the-spot to notch home the rebound.

Oli Gent was on hand to rate the Chelsea players...

Energetic: Marco Palestra

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Teddy Sharman-Lowe 6: Could do nothing about Tonali and Richarlison’s goals and was otherwise untroubled as he benefitted from Robert Sanchez’s injury.

Marco Palestra 7: Aggressive and front-footed in his marshalling of Mathys Tel and in attack. A strong showing in Reece James’ absence.

Wesley Fofana 6: Fortunate not to give away a penalty on the stroke of half time after a clumsy challenge on Andy Robertson.

Levi Colwill 6: Unlucky to see Sandro Tonali’s strike cannon off him and wrongfoot Sharman-Lowe for the opener. Otherwise neat and tidy.

Jorrel Hato 6: Shifted inside as Chelsea moved to a 3-2-5 shape in possession, allowing Palestra to be more advanced down the opposite flank. Dealt with Manor Solomon comfortably.

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Romeo Lavia 7: Bustling and full of energy in the engine room, robbing Lucas Bergvall to start the move that led to the Blues’ equaliser.

Dario Essugo 6: A rare start after a season plagued by injuries. Kept play ticking under the radar.

Estevao 8: A thorn in the side of Robertson down the Chelsea left, and ghosted in behind the Spurs left-back for the equaliser with a thumping header. Forced a brilliant save from Kinsky as he was denied a second.

Goalscorer: Estevao

AFP/Getty

Cole Palmer 6: A more subdued performance from the star man. Grew into the game after the red card, but his best moment was firing an effort into Ben Davies’ midriff.

Jamie Gittens 7: Impressive off the left flank, and waited until just the right moment to deliver for Estevao’s equaliser.

Joao Pedro 8: Dropped deep, span in behind, and was a tricky customer for the Spurs defence. Alive to Kevin Danso’s mistake which saw the Austrian sent off.

Substitutes:

Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli 6: Young star was given a full half alongside the stars.

Aaron Anselmino 6: Replaced Hato at left-back and was steady in possession, playing it simple as he helped form another central defensive trio in possession.

Dastan Satpayev 6: Shifted to the right flank in place of Estevao but couldn’t get going with the stop-start nature of the second half thanks to the substitutions.

Josh Acheampong 6: Operating at right-back but not threatened by Luca Williams-Barnett.

Omari Kellyman 6: Still looking for his breakthrough moment since his £19million move back in 2024. Didn’t have ample time to find it here.

Liam Delap 6: Plenty of offering for the ball as the Blues chased a late winner, but no service was provided.

Reggie Walsh 6: Young star looked to weave his magic in the tight spaces, but Spurs remained resolute in defence.

Tosin Adarabioyo 6: Took the captain’s armband, waving his team-mates up the pitch as Chelsea threw the kitchen sink at their opponents. Caught out in the end by Richarlison’s willingness to get to the rebound first.

Mamadou Sarr 5: Largely untroubled by Richarlison as the Frenchman tussled with the Brazilian alongside Tosin, until he was caught napping in the dying embers as the striker had the last laugh.

Reggie Watson 6: Limited in what he could do as Spurs shut up shop.

Unused subs: Curd, Emenalo, Subuloye, Kavuma-McQueen

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Richarlison scored with almost the final kick of the game as 10-man Tottenham claimed a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in an entertaining pre-season London derby in Sydney. The Brazilian tapped home from close range after Jamie Donley's effort struck the post, sealing victory for Spurs after Kevin Danso had been sent off just four minutes into the second half for bringing down Joao Pedro when through on goal.

Tottenham had taken an early lead through Sandro Tonali, whose deflected effort brought up his first goal for the club following his £100m move from Newcastle. Chelsea responded quickly as Estevao headed in Jamie Gittens' cross at the back post, and the Blues looked the more likely winners after Danso's dismissal as they controlled much of the second half.

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky proved the difference, producing a string of impressive saves to frustrate Chelsea. His standout moment came when he somehow turned Estevao's close-range effort onto the crossbar, before reacting sharply to deny Joao Pedro after a misplaced Andy Robertson backpass. Those interventions ensured Spurs stayed level long enough for Richarlison to snatch victory in stoppage time.