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Sandro Tonali has covered more ground than any other Tottenham Hotspur player in the Premier League this season, while Archie Gray leads the squad when it comes to sprints per 90 minutes.

The latest running statistics from FotMob offer an interesting insight into the demands Roberto De Zerbi places on his players, with Tottenham’s full-backs particularly prominent in the sprinting rankings.

Spurs have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, although the defeat to Leeds was a setback after their recent run of victories. The running numbers provide another way of assessing the squad, revealing which players are covering the most ground and making the most sprints.

There are some interesting differences between the three rankings, with the players covering the greatest total distance not necessarily the ones who run the furthest or sprint the most per 90 minutes.

Sandro Tonali has covered more ground than any Tottenham player

According to FotMob’s Premier League statistics, Tonali has covered 113.6km across Tottenham’s opening ten league matches, putting him comfortably ahead of the rest of the squad.

The Italian has covered 11.4km more than Jan Paul van Hecke, who sits second on 102.2km. Archie Gray is third with 91.8km, while Micky van de Ven and Andrew Robertson complete the top five.

Tonali’s position at the top is perhaps not surprising given his role in the middle of the park, where he is regularly involved in both attacking and defensive phases. However, Van Hecke’s position in second is worth highlighting, with the centre-back having covered more ground than several of Tottenham’s midfielders.

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These are cumulative figures, so playing time is an important factor. Players who have featured regularly will naturally have more opportunities to build up their totals than those who have been in and out of the side.

Mateus Fernandes and Dominic Solanke lead Tottenham’s distance per 90

The picture changes when looking at distance covered per 90 minutes, with Mateus Fernandes and Dominic Solanke both averaging 12km.

Fernandes’ numbers stand out given the amount of ground midfielders are required to cover in De Zerbi’s system. Solanke’s figure is also impressive, although the striker’s more limited playing time means his average should be treated with some caution when comparing him with regular starters.

Tonali and Gray are not far behind, both averaging 11.6km per 90 minutes. The figures underline how much running the pair get through, even though their roles in the side are quite different.

One interesting detail is that Van Hecke, who sits second for total distance covered, drops to fifth when the figures are adjusted for playing time. It shows why the two measurements need to be considered separately rather than treating the total-distance rankings as a definitive measure of work rate.

Fernandes also provides an interesting contrast with Tonali. The Italian has accumulated more kilometres across the season, but Fernandes’ average suggests he is covering slightly more ground during the minutes he spends on the pitch.

Archie Gray leads Tottenham’s sprinting statistics

Perhaps the most revealing figures come from FotMob’s sprints-per-90 rankings, where Tottenham’s full-backs dominate the top three.

Gray leads the way with 17.5 sprints per 90 minutes, ahead of Destiny Udogie on 15 and Robertson on 13.9. The Leeds academy graduate is averaging 2.5 more sprints per 90 than his nearest teammate, which is a considerable difference.

It is also notable that Pedro Porro features sixth on the list, meaning four Tottenham full-backs are among the squad’s six highest-ranked players for sprint frequency.

Gray’s position at the top is particularly impressive given that he also ranks third for total distance covered and joint third for distance per 90 among the players in our earlier table. The youngster is featuring prominently across different physical measures rather than excelling in just one area.

Why De Zerbi’s full-backs feature so prominently

The sprinting figures are interesting when considering the responsibilities De Zerbi gives his full-backs, particularly when Tottenham are building attacks.

Rather than simply asking them to overlap on the outside, the Spurs head coach also uses movements into central areas, with his full-backs making underlapping runs to offer another attacking option.

Those movements can require repeated bursts of acceleration, while the players also have to recover their defensive positions when Tottenham lose possession. That could help explain why Gray, Udogie and Robertson feature so prominently in the rankings, although the sprinting figures alone cannot tell us where or why those runs occurred.

The demands of De Zerbi’s approach were recently explored by tactical analyst Harrison TO on The Overlap Breakdown, which examines the movements of Tottenham’s full-backs and how they contribute to the team’s attacking structure.

What Tottenham’s running stats tell us about the squad

There are three players who stand out from the figures for different reasons. Tonali leads the way for total distance, Fernandes shares the highest distance-per-90 average among the selected players, and Gray is Tottenham’s most frequent sprinter.

Gray arguably deserves particular credit for appearing so high across the different categories. His running numbers suggest he is handling a physically demanding role, and his ability to cover ground as well as make repeated sprints is clearly useful to De Zerbi.

However, there is an important distinction between running a lot and running effectively. Distance and sprint totals do not measure the quality of a player’s positioning, the timing of their movements or how often their runs help Tottenham create or prevent chances.

What the figures do show is that different positions are being asked to make different physical contributions. As Spurs continue adapting to De Zerbi’s methods, it will be interesting to see whether those patterns remain consistent and, more importantly, whether the work being put in translates into better performances.

Dion Beljo, who is being tracked by Tottenham Hotspur, has demonstrated that he is good enough to deliver against Premier League opposition, but that may not be entirely good news for the Lilywhites.

A whole host of centre-forwards around Europe are reportedly being watched by Spurs, who have prioritised signing a number nine to their squad in January.

It first emerged at the start of last month that Tottenham had been impressed by Dinamo Zagreb striker Dion Beljo, who has made an exceptional start to the new season.

The centre-forward has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in just 20 games this term, and several sources had named Spurs as one of the leading contenders to land the Croat.

If Roberto De Zerbi’s side had any doubts over the 24-year-old’s ability to translate his goalscoring prowess to Premier League level, those doubts were put to rest recently.

Tottenham target Dion Beljo scores in Dinamo Zagreb’s win over Sunderland

The centre-forward showcased his quality at the highest level when his side travelled to the Stadium of Light last week for a Europa League fixture.

Beljo found the back of the net in the first half as Dinamo secured a famous 2-0 win against the Premier League outfit.

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TEAMtalk have revealed that Spurs, Everton, and Man Utd have all shown strong interest in the Croat, who is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after strikers around the continent.

In addition, the report claims that Brighton, Brentford, Newcastle and Leeds have also been tracking the Dinamo star’s performances closely this season.

His performance in the North East last week would not have gone unnoticed at those clubs.

Two Premier League clubs watched Beljo at the Stadium of Light

According to TEAMtalk, both Newcastle and Leeds sent representatives to Wearside to watch the 24-year-old in action last Thursday and gather informationa bout him.

Additionally, the website claims that Sunderland have also joined the growing list of Premier League clubs looking to bring Beljo to England, having watched him pose problems to their backline first-hand.

It is suggested that a big move in January now looks ‘increasingly likely’ for the striker, who is showing no signs of slowing down in front of goal.

A reputed Italian journalist has come down hard on Tottenham’s summer business, particularly the club’s decision to let Djed Spence leave.

Spurs completed a full overhaul of the squad during the summer window after two successive 17th-placed finishes, and spent huge sums doing so.

The Lilywhites are already being criticised for many of the players they let go this year, particularly two youngsters who had barely been given a chance in the first team yet.

Spurs have been accused of downgrading by swapping Luka Vuskovic for Jan Paul van Hecke, while an increasing number of voices are now suggesting that Tottenham made a big blunder by selling Will Lankshear to Middlesbrough.

Tottenham told they should have kept Djed Spence

Djed Spence is now starting to make his mark at Inter Milan after an injury-hit start to the season, with the full-back continuing from where he left off for England at the World Cup.

Journalist Massimo Marianella is far from surprised by how well the 26-year-old is now doing at the San Siro, insisting that the Lilywhites made an error by selling the player to the Nerazzurri for just £30m.

Marianella told Sky Italia (as relayed by FCInter1908): “Of the English trio, I said some time ago that Spence was the player Inter would have enjoyed the most. It took him a while because he arrived with problems and got injured. Given his qualities, on both flanks, defensively, but also when he pushes forward, he can make a huge difference in Italy.”

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“In my opinion, Inter have signed a great player. I was very surprised that Tottenham let him go for money in a summer when Tottenham wasted money everywhere. I would have kept this guy. A mistake from Tottenham, a great decision by Inter, who are giving themselves and our league an excellent player.”

Roberto De Zerbi has clarified why Spurs had to sell Spence

We know that Tottenham would have kept Spence at the club if they could have, and were forced into the decision to sell him due to the player’s demands.

Roberto De Zerbi admitted that the full-back was seeking guarantees of regular starts, which he could not promise to any player in the squad.

When the defender completed his move to Inter back in August, the Spurs boss said: “First of all, I’m really disappointed with Djed, because I love him, we have a great relationship, he’s a very good guy, he’s a very important player, but in the end I have to respect, if he wants to play 38 games.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s January wishlists contain significant overlaps, and we could see the two clubs battling it out for several of the same players.

Spurs saw off competition from United to land Mateus Fernandes for £85m from West Ham in the summer, and the two clubs could go head-to-head for several players again in the upcoming transfer window.

Both teams are prioritising adding a number nine to their squad, and it emerged last month that the Red Devils and the Lilywhites are both keeping an eye on three strikers.

Both teams were named as fans of Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic, Dinamo Zagreb’s Dion Beljo and Crystal Palace’s experienced star Jean-Philippe Mateta.

It has now emerged that Michael Carrick’s and Roberto De Zerbi’s sides also have another La Liga centre-forward on their wishlist.

Tottenham could battle Man United for Real Sociedad’s Orri Oskarsson

CalcioMercato report that Real Sociedad forward Orri Oskarsson is attracting a lot of interest from the Premier League, including from the two clubs mentioned above.

The Icelandic international has a modest goal record since joining the Spanish side from Copenhagen in the summer of 2024, but he has been on fire over recent weeks.

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Oskarsson has scored five times in his last six matches for Sociedad across La Liga and the Europa League, and this has made him ‘highly sought-after’ by both Spurs and United.

The report claims that the 22-year-old is seen as a good fit for Roberto De Zerbi’s style of play, and suggests that the Italian wants to add another versatile forward to his squad as Omar Marmoush has not made the expected impact since his summer switch.

Oskarsson available at a discount due to Sociedad’s financial situation

Tottenham and Man Utd are not the only English clubs looking at the striker, with Everton, Brentford and Sunderland also keeping an eye on his progress.

While Oskarsson is contracted to Sociedad until 2030, it is revealed that the club may be forced to sell players in January in order to balance their books.

The Icelandic international, who has 12 international goals in 22 appearances for his country, could thus be allowed to leave the Basque Country for around €20m (£16.7m) in January.

Tottenham fans are understandably having major regrets over the club’s decision to sell Will Lankshear, but Oliver Boast could soften the blow.

Lankshear has surpassed most expectations since his move to Middlesbrough despite being highly thought of at the Hotspur Way academy.

The 21-year-old has scored 15 goals in 16 matches for Boro across all competitions, and it appears just a matter of time before he is playing in the Premier League.

In fact, reports indicate that Thomas Tuchel has even considered picking Lankshear for the England squad, and the fee that Boro paid for him is already looking like a massive bargain.

What makes matters particularly painful for the Lilywhites is that Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush are struggling to find the back of the net, but Spurs may soon have another academy starlet knocking on the door.

Tottenham starlet Oliver Boast is posting incredible numbers for U18s

The player being referred to is Oliver Boast, who has been phenomenal in front of goal for Spurs’ U18s so far this term.

The 17-year-old netted a brace for the academy two weeks ago to help them overcome Bournemouth 3-1. He followed that up with another brace away at Newcastle in the U18 Premier League Cup over the weekend.

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The teenager has netted an unbelievable 15 goals in just nine appearances in the U18 Premier League this season, while also setting up four goals for his teammates.

Boast’s incredible goalscoring is the reason why Lee Carsley’s men currently sit second in the U18 PL table, just one point behind Chelsea.

The Spurs forward, who arrived at Tottenham 18 months ago from Leeds, has now been picked for England’s U18s for the first time, having also played for the three age groups below.

Boast is about to break an impressive record

Following his brace against the Cherries, the Spurs youngster is now just one goal away from becoming the all-time top goalscorer in U18 Premier League history.

He has 38 goals in 54 appearances at that level so far, putting him in a three-way tie at the top with former Arsenal starlet Chido Obi and Southampton’s Nicholas Oyekunle.

Boast will have an opportunity to claim the record when Tottenham face Southampton on Saturday, November 21, and given his hot streak in front of goal over recent months, it almost looks certain to happen against the Saints.

Tottenham are continuing to show interest in Antonio Nusa, but two factors would make the deal very hard for the Lilywhites to pull off.

Spurs are waiting for confirmation on the severity of Mathys Tel’s injury against Leeds, and it would be a big blow for the Lilywhites if he is ruled out for an extended period, with Mykhailo Mudryk and Wilson Odobert already on the treatment table.

A new left-winger could thus become a priority for the club in January, and we know that Tottenham have been showing keen interest in Nusa since the summer.

However, a January deal for the winger could prove difficult on the back of his exceptional start to the new campaign.

Spurs Web has relayed multiple reports over recent weeks suggesting that Arsenal hold a serious interest in Nusa, and it appears that the Gunners may have already started doing the groundwork on the deal.

Arsenal watched Tottenham target Antonio Nusa last week

According to a report from BILD (as relayed by CaughtOffside), Arsenal representatives were in attendance at the Red Bull Arena last week to watch the 21-year-old in action in Leipzig’s Champions League clash against Manchester City.

While City emerged 3-2 winners, Nusa delivered an electric display in attack, scoring with a brilliant left-footed strike and creating four chances for his side in 73 minutes.

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Mikel Arteta’s is said to be seeking a ‘game-changing’ signing at left wing, with the Leipzig man now thought to have emerged as the top target for the Premier League giants.

It is revealed that Tottenham have also shown ‘strong interest’ in Nusa, while Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have also been watching the pacy wide man ahead of January.

Nusa may not be available in January

Bild reveals that Leipzig are fully aware of the mounting Premier League interest in their star winger, and they plan to drive a hard bargain.

With Nusa having a long-term contract at the East German club, the expectation is that his valuation would be set at €80m (£66.8m), which the Bundesliga outfit believes reflects his elite potential.

However, it is made clear that Martin Demichelis’ men have no intention of cashing in on Nusa mid-season. The former Club Brugge man’s suitors may have to wait until next summer to have a shot at landing him.

A former Tottenham senior scout believes that some Spurs fans are getting carried away with their assessments of one of the club’s big summer signings.

After struggling defensively at times at the start of the campaign, Roberto De Zerbi’s men have tightened things up at the back in a big way over recent weeks.

In fact, Tottenham have only conceded one goal across their last three matches and three in their last five.

Jan Paul van Hecke’s impressive displays at the back are now being recognised after the Dutchman was heavily criticised at the start of the season. However, the North London club’s former talent spotter is not convinced about the 26-year-old’s qualities just yet.

Former Tottenham scout calls to hold back on Jan Paul van Hecke praise

The Tottenham summer signing has been exceptional in producing line-breaking passes from the back, which is critical to De Zerbi’s system, which relies on centre-backs to be key playmakers.

However, former senior Spurs scout Bryan King believes that the Netherlands international is no Bobby Moore or Stuart Pearce, questioning whether the newcomer is good enough defensively.

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King told Football Insider: “I thought they [Leeds] looked a far better side than what Tottenham did. They should definitely have won by at least three goals.

“Everybody’s raving over the boy Van Heck. I’m seeing people saying that he’s in the same mould as Bobby Moore and Stuart Pearce. Yeah, alright. I think we’ll leave that where it is.

“The pair of them [Van Hecke and Van de Ven] haven’t got nowhere near the kind of steel that they had. The boy, [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin, he could have had a hat-trick. They were only fortunate that he never hit the target.”

Spurs’ control of the game helps limit chances

There have been questions raised about the Van Hecke-Van de Ven pairing’s aerial prowess, while their penalty box defending has not always been great either.

However, Spurs have hardly given away many chances to the opposition over their last few games, simply because they dominate the ball when they are at their best.

That is where Van Hecke’s skillset comes in handy, with the centre-back’s ability to produce line-breaking passes and recycle possession allowing Tottenham to have greater control of games.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has not minced his words when talking about the decision to not send off Jayden Bogle in Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Leeds United.

While Roberto De Zerbi will be leading an inquest into Tottenham’s poor second-half display at Elland Road, the topic that has dominated the headlines over the past few days is Bogle’s first-half challenge on Tel.

While the on-field referee, John Brooks, did not produce any card, what surprised many was that the VAR, Tony Harrington, did not ask Brooks to re-watch the incident despite watching replays of the tackle from various angles for four minutes.

It was clear in the replays that the Leeds defender had accidentally trodden on the back of Tel’s ankle with his studs, which meant that the Spurs forward could not continue.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean was adamant during the game that it was a clear red card, stating: “It is 100 per cent a red, he has caught him right down the back of the Achilles. It is not a good tackle at all. I would be astounded if John Brooks is not sent to the screen.”

Dermot Gallagher agrees Tottenham were unlucky not to be playing against 10 men

The verdict from former officials has been unanimous, with former assistant referee Darren Cann stating that Bogle was lucky to not be sent off.

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Cann said: “Jayden Bogle was, in my opinion, very fortunate to escape a red card for a challenge on Mathys Tel. Bogle stood on the back of Tel’s Achilles and the challenge was similar to Ryan Sessegnon’s red card challenge for Fulham against Hull a few weeks ago.

“Bogle’s challenge meets the criteria for serious foul play as he endangers the safety of an opponent, and he can consider himself lucky to still be on the pitch.”

Now, Sky Sports’ resident referee pundit, Dermot Gallagher, has seconded Cann’s opinion, making it clear that the challenge met the threshold for a straight red.

Gallagher said on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch about Bogle’s tackle: “I think it is a red card, he is extremely lucky, he catches him across the Achilles, high, we have this directive of ‘above the ankle, or Achilles’ and that falls under that line. We saw it with Ryan Sessegnon a few weeks ago with a similar tackle and Mateta last week.”

Tim Sherwood and Jay Bothroyd give their take on VAR’s decision

Former Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd believes that the Leeds defender’s tackle on Tel was not intentional, with the right-back simply trying to push off from the ground with the standing foot.

However, he agreed that given the precedent set in the Premier League for challenges such as the one by Bogle, the 26-year-old should have received his marching orders.

Bothroyd said: “I do not want to see red cards for those kind of challenges, they are accidental, they are trying to put their foot somewhere and players are tricky. They have moved, then shifted the ball and players have to try and put their foot down and push off.

“Here he has put his foot down and it has landed on Tel’s Achilles, but going by the consistency of the law, they have to give that as a red card.”

Graham Potter reveals how he plans to use Dejan Kulusevski during Sweden’s international break after recalling the Tottenham man.

Kulusevski has shown tremendous strength of character to battle back from a serious patella injury, which required multiple surgeries.

The Tottenham man even admitted that he had doubts over whether he would be able to play football again, but he has successfully returned to the pitch over recent weeks.

After missing a year and a half of football, Kulusevski has managed to play 46 minutes of Premier League football over the last four games.

For the first time in two years, the Spurs star has been named in Sweden’s squad for their upcoming Nations League clashes against Bosnia and Poland.

Graham Potter hints Tottenham will have a big say in Dejan Kulusevski’s international minutes

While Spurs fans will be happy for the 26-year-old that he has managed to fight his way back into the international setup, there are also some concerns over his usage.

Tottenham have been gradually managing his minutes since his return, with the attacking midfielder yet to start a game for the club this season.

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Graham Potter has now confirmed that Sweden are in close contact with Spurs’ medical staff, who will have a say in the player’s game time over the upcoming two fixtures.

The Swede boss told Sportbladet (as relayed by Sport Witness): “We are of course in contact with Tottenham and it is logical that we work closely with them. They have worked with Dejan for so long to get him back to the level he is at now.

“Therefore, it is reasonable that we have a close dialogue. We have a pretty good idea of ​​how we can use him. But the most important thing for us is that he is here.”

Potter pays tribute to Kulusevski’s hard work and belief

Last month, Roberto De Zerbi remarked that Kulusevski’s courage serves as an inspiration for everyone at Tottenham, hailing the former Juventus man for the character he showed through his rehabilitation.

The Italian said about the midfielder: “He’s an inspiration. He reacted very well, with character, with courage, with passion. We have to take inspiration from Deki. I said the same in the meeting to the players.

“He is an example for everyone, Dejan Kulusevski. Forget the player, but the example of how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, was an example, a reference for everyone.”

Potter, who has also closely followed the Tottenham star’s trials and tribulations over the last month, has now followed suit, lavishing praise on his senior man.

When asked about Sweden missing Kulusevski for so long, the 51-year-old responded: “It was of course a difficult time. But when I say it was tough, it was of course nowhere near how tough it was for him himself,” he said.

“Above all, I want to pay tribute to him for how he has gotten through the dark periods because I’m pretty sure there have been those. Everyone knows how important he is to us, of course. We have had to try to do what we can from a distance to support him and be there.”

Tottenham Hotspur are showing interest in a young Argentine defender who will cost around £20.8m in the January transfer window.

Back in January of this year, Spurs raided Brazilian football for a talented young full-back, securing the services of Souza from Santos.

The left-back started only twice for Tottenham last season before being loaned out to Porto in the summer, and game time has been hard to come by for the 20-year-old at the Portuguese club too.

It emerged a couple of days ago that Spurs could look to raid the Brazilian top flight for another full-back in the upcoming transfer window, this time for a right-back.

Tottenham told how much they have to pay for Agustin Giay

The player in question is Palmeiras defender Agustin Giay, whose fine form in the Brasileirao Serie A has even seen him break into the Argentine national team.

A new report in Diário Palmeirense (as relayed by Sport Witness) has now backed up Spurs’ interest in Giay, suggesting that a move to Europe could be in the offing for the 22-year-old in January.

The report points out that the defender has seen his stock rise rapidly over recent months after starting three consecutive matches for the World Cup runners-up during the November international break.

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Spurs could thus face competition from Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Napoli for Giay, while Chelsea are also thought to be admirers of the player.

The report adds that Palmeiras are expected to demand €25m (£20.8m) for their prized asset in January.

A right-back not likely to be a priority for Spurs in January

Even though Tottenham did not replace Djed Spence after selling him to Inter Milan in the summer, a new right-back is not likely to be at the top of De Zerbi’s wishlist for January.

Archie Gray has grown into the role with more minutes and has demonstrated that he is a capable backup for Pedro Porro.

Tottenham could thus revisit the right-back situation next summer, but the only possible concern for Spurs fans may be the fact that Porro continues to be linked heavily with a move to Barcelona.

The Lilywhites may also be forced to move for Giay in January if they fear being beaten to his signature by other clubs.