Spurs Web

Tottenham may have found an unexpected advantage within their defensive ranks, as one centre-back proves his versatility.

Cristian Romero is regarded as one of the best defenders in world football by many of his peers, but the Argentine centre-back is not the only one with immense quality at the back for Spurs.

Defensive partner Micky van de Ven is equally a top centre-back and one of the most composed in the Premier League, and it is no surprise Tottenham already boast one of the strongest defensive records this season.

Keeping their defensive stalwarts fit will be Tottenham’s main priority, but van de Ven is adding another feather to his cap while on international break, showing versatility that could prove valuable for Thomas Frank later in the campaign.

Micky van de Ven earns solid ratings for Netherlands vs Finland

Van de Ven is primarily a centre-back for Tottenham, but with the Netherlands, he has been deployed as a left-back under Ronald Koeman.

He recently earned solid ratings from the Dutch media following a strong performance in the Netherlands’ 4-0 victory over Finland.

VoetbalPrimeur rated his display 6/10, noting how he played within himself but remained defensively sharp, writing: “Not a particularly impressive performance from Van de Ven, who abandoned his trademark rushes. Defensively, his speed rarely gets him into trouble. Fortunately, there’s no speed camera in the Johan Cruijff Arena.”

MORE SPURS STORIES

Meanwhile, Football Oranje handed him a 6.5 and remarked: “Strong but unremarkable performance again from the left back, who was comfortable throughout.”

Van de Ven’s versatility could benefit Tottenham

Van de Ven is known for his immense pace, which often helps him recover quickly and deal with defensive threats.

However, his injury record could make it difficult for Tottenham to deploy him as an overlapping full-back who frequently joins the attack and defence, as that role could risk aggravating his hamstring issues.

Even so, van de Ven could provide a solution to Thomas Frank’s full-back depth concerns. Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie currently vie for the left-back spot, while Pedro Porro is unchallenged on the right.

Spurs are set to get back to Premier League action this weekend, as they welcome Aston Villa to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will be hoping to make it two league wins on the bounce, following their narrow but deserved 2-1 victory over Leeds United just before the international break.

Aston Villa, on the other hand, will be chasing a third consecutive league win, after a sluggish start to the season that saw them collect only three points from their opening five league fixtures.

Despite their recent upturn, Unai Emery’s side could be facing an untimely setback ahead of their trip to north London.

Ollie Watkins injury casts doubt over Tottenham involvement

Tottenham Hotspur could very much have been handed a major injury boost, with Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins nursing a knock following a nasty-looking collision with the goalpost while attempting to get on the end of a cross.

According to The Athletic, Watkins has been forced to withdraw from the England camp due to the injury and has since returned to Aston Villa for assessment.

The 29-year-old picked up the knock during England’s 3-0 win over Wales on Thursday and was substituted just before half-time, despite having grabbed a goal earlier in the game.

MORE SPURS STORIES

After the match, Watkins told reporters, “I’m fine,” yet he was seen limping through the mix zone rather gingerly and did not appear entirely comfortable.

Tottenham handed potential boost as Randal Kolo Muani nears return

Watkins has now scored two goals in his last four appearances for club and country, and his potential absence would undoubtedly be a major blow for Villa ahead of Sunday’s clash.

While Unai Emery may be sweating on his star striker’s fitness, Tottenham have been handed a timely boost of their own, with Randal Kolo Muani stepping up his recovery from a dead leg.

Muani, who has featured for only 13 minutes since joining Spurs, was recently involved in a behind-closed-doors match against Championship side Watford, where he played 45 minutes as he continues to build sharpness.

Tottenham Hotspur have now taken extra measures to avoid a club-versus-country row after Cristian Romero made complaints last season.

The October international break is now nearing its end, with a few players set to play their final games for their countries in the coming days.

As such, focus is soon to turn back to club competition, and for Tottenham Hotspur, a home league fixture against Aston Villa is up next.

It is now understood that Tottenham are doing what they can to give themselves the best possible chance against Unai Emery’s Villa this weekend.

Tottenham cover Cristian Romero’s private flight from Argentina

The Telegraph is now reporting that Spurs have avoided the threat of a club-versus-country backlash over captain Cristian Romero after paying for him to return from international duty with Argentina on a private charter flight.

Romero is with the World Cup winners and is set to play his final game for Argentina in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Given the long journey from South America to the UK, Tottenham have decided to split the cost of a private charter for their defensive stalwart, particularly as he faces a lengthy trip back to north London.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Romero was vocal last season when Tottenham refused to organise a swift return from his break ahead of their clash with Arsenal, with a belief that the club’s decision handed the Gunners an advantage as they brought their own players back early.

However, Spurs have now looked to avoid any such accusations this time around, with Emiliano Martinez of Villa also set to make a long journey back.

Romero key for Tottenham as Villa find form

Romero, Tottenham’s captain, is set to play a crucial role for Thomas Frank’s side and will be a key figure when they take on a Villa team who are beginning to find some rhythm.

Unai Emery’s men picked up just three points from a possible fifteen in their opening five league fixtures, but they have since turned a new leaf, claiming six in their last two.

Spurs will want to build on their recent win against Leeds United before the break, and as such, they will need their top players to return in the best possible condition.

The international break has delivered some notable moments both on and off the pitch and an incident involving a Tottenham Hotspur player has definitely been the craziest.

A lot of Tottenham Hotspur players have been involved during the international break, including those from the home nations. Djed Spence made his first England start during a 3-0 victory over Wales, in a match which was far less enjoyable for Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson.

The Welsh duo were in action again on Monday night as Wales hosted Belgium in World Cup qualifying. Former Spurs defender Joe Rodon opened the scoring for the hosts, but in the end, it was the Belgians who left Cardiff with all three points.

To make things worse, Davies was forced off the field after 72 minutes due to an injury. It is not yet known how long he will be out for.

Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson involved in strange rat incident

Davies and Johnson will be frustrated to have suffered a setback in their World Cup qualification bid, but there was one moment during the game which almost overshadowed the result.

The referee paused the match during the 66th minute because a rat entered the pitch. It was Johnson who chased it off in order to allow the match to resume.

There were plenty of twists and turns after the bizarre incident, as Belgium took a two-goal lead before Wales pulled one back in the 89th minute. However, Belgium extended their lead again almost immediately and claimed a 4-2 victory.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Wales badly miss Spurs legend

Wales are struggling at the moment and one look at their squad tells you everything you need to know. Johnson has never been a nailed-on starter since joining Spurs, while Davies is yet to make an appearance for the club this season.

However, both are important players to Wales, who lack the quality they once possessed. Spurs legend Gareth Bale is certainly missed. The retired winger quit international football after the last World Cup and Wales lack a player with his star quality.

The Welsh team now sit third in their group, trailing North Macedonia in second by three points. However, they do have a game in hand, so there is still some hope that Davies and Johnson will compete at next year’s World Cup.

Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert will return to Tottenham high on confidence after the pair both got on the scoresheet and registered assists for France Under-21s in their win over Estonia.

Tel netted his first goal of the season for Tottenham at Elland Road ahead of the international break, and the Spurs forward has been praised for the attitude he has shown despite his setbacks this season.

The 20-year-old continued his good form into the international break, with both Tel and Odobert finding the back of the net in France U21s’ win over the Faroe Islands last week.

The pair were once again nearly unplayable as they put Estonia to the sword on Monday night.

Video: Tottenham duo Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert score and assist for France U21s

In the UEFA Euro U21S qualification clash against Estonia, both players had field days, as the Baltic side were on the receiving end of a 6-1 loss.

In the ninth minute, the Tottenham Hotspur pair combined to open the scoring, with Odobert pouncing on a loose pass by the goalkeeper to play it to Tel, who converted with ease from close range.

Tel then turned provider three minutes later, playing the ball to Djaoui Cisse, who showed quick feet to evade a tackle and stroked the ball into the top corner.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Odobert then got on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute, arriving at the far post to tap in a low cross played across the box.

The Spurs winger then scored what was arguably the goal of the game, chesting down a loose ball at the edge of the box before rifling a half-volley into the bottom corner with his left foot.

Watch the full highlights of the game below

Tel deserves to keep his place in the Spurs side against Aston Villa

Speaking after the win over Leeds, Frank was very complimentary of Tel’s performance and admitted that his goal made him emotional.

One would expect the Dane to persist with the former Bayern Munich man, who is now clearly high on confidence. However, with Odobert and Tel both showing fine form for France U21, the eventual battle for that open Tottenham left-wing position could become very interesting.

Tottenham Hotspur will be without one of their players for a second spell this season after he was injured whilst playing a fixture for his national team.

Tottenham Hotspur had greater struggles than any other team in the Premier League last season when it came to injuries. It was the weakened state of the Tottenham first-team squad which began a terrible run of form, resulting in the club finishing 17th in the Premier League table.

Spurs are doing better on the injury front this season, but there are still players waiting to return to action. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have been injured since the previous campaign and remain out with long-term injuries.

Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke have both been unavailable, while at the other end of the pitch, Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai are still injured.

Ben Davies suffers injury setback during international break

Tottenham can now add Ben Davies to the injury list because the defender was forced off after 72 minutes during Belgium’s 4-2 victory over Wales.

The match ought to have been a jubilant occasion for Davies, who was celebrating his 100th appearance for the Welsh national team, but it ended in disappointment.

Hayters report that the severity of Davies’ injury is currently unknown. He has already been injured this season and missed the Carabao Cup match against Doncaster. Joao Palhinha started at centre-back as a result of this and would go on to score a stunning overhead kick.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Thomas Frank made a strange decision with his leadership group

Thomas Frank named Davies and Maddison in his leadership group, but neither player has made a single Spurs appearance this season.

However, Maddison will play once he returns from injury, but this might not be the case with Davies. Thomas Frank’s decision to name the 32-year-old in his leadership group is therefore a strange one.

Davies may have no choice but to offer instruction from the sidelines if he keeps getting injured. Then again, this might have been the case even if he was fit.

Tottenham find themselves in elite company after a recent valuation ranking placed them among the top ten most valuable squads in world football.

It sure was a busy summer transfer window for Tottenham Hotspur, who spent well over £150 million on new recruits.

Spurs finished 17th last term, with injuries very much derailing their domestic campaign, making it clear that significant investment was needed in Thomas Frank’s squad.

Six new additions were made, with Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange completing different sorts of deals, including loan signings and the acquisition of players with Premier League experience.

Tottenham rank eighth in most valuable squads list

With the transfer window now behind us, CIES Football Observatory has released its ranking of the world’s most valuable squads, and Tottenham find themselves in the top ten.

The Premier League continues to dominate financially, with five English clubs featuring in the top ten of the list.

Chelsea, who continue to spend astonishing amounts, sit first, with Real Madrid in second place, followed by Manchester City, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain completing the top five.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Liverpool and Barcelona occupy sixth and seventh, with Tottenham coming in eighth, interestingly ahead of both Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

Chelsea (£1.57b)

Real Madrid (£1.46b)

Manchester City (£1.29b)

Arsenal (£1.28b)

Paris Saint-Germain (£1.25b)

Liverpool (£1.22b)

Barcelona (£1.17b)

Tottenham Hotspur (£911m)

Bayern Munich (£812m)

Inter Milan (£753m)

Spurs valuation backed by key stars and high potential

Tottenham possess several top players who could command significant fees if sold. Cristian Romero remains one of the best defenders in the world, and any move away from north London would likely come with a sizeable valuation attached.

Spurs also boast exciting young talents who are steadily coming of age and could command high transfer values in the near future.

The presence of players such as Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, both signed for a combined fee of over £100 million, underlines why the Lilywhites are ranked so highly.

In fact, Simons has been ranked 13th among the most valuable players in the world at present, with a market value between £81 million and £94 million (€96–112 million).

Manchester United may have missed a trick this summer, as one agent believes a recent Tottenham Hotspur signing was exactly what Ruben Amorim’s side needed.

Tottenham Hotspur were shrewd in their summer dealings and, although they did not spend as heavily as some of their rivals, they made sure to strengthen their squad in key areas.

Importantly for Thomas Frank, several of his new additions have wasted little time adapting to both his system and the Premier League, with Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha emerging as early standouts.

It comes as little surprise that the pair have hit the ground running, considering their prior Premier League experience and familiarity with the league’s tempo and physicality.

Agent names Joao Palhinha as player Manchester United should have signed

In an annual survey of 20 agents conducted by The Athletic, one agent has singled out Tottenham’s summer signing Joao Palhinha as a player he believes Manchester United should have moved for.

When asked which under-the-radar signing might prove to be surprisingly successful, the unnamed agent responded: “Joao Palhinha to Tottenha I think he is top-drawer. Manchester United should have been signing him. But he is probably not fashionable enough.”

Palhinha has already scored three goals this season, including crucial strikes against Manchester City and Wolves, while also recording the most tackles of any Tottenham player.

MORE SPURS STORIES

His influence in midfield has been undeniable, and he has provided Frank with both control and bite in the middle of the park.

Spurs could make Palhinha loan move permanent

The Portuguese midfielder joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with an option for the move to become permanent.

Reports suggest that Bayern are open to allowing Palhinha leave permanently, while Spurs are equally keen to make the deal official.

A fee of around £26 million is understood to be enough for the Bavarian side to sanction his sale, and given his performances so far, it would be no surprise if Tottenham triggered that option.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on adding a new creative force to their ranks, but fierce North London rivals Arsenal have joined the race for one of Real Madrid’s brightest young talents.

Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid are no strangers to doing business together, with Gareth Bale and Luka Modric both having made the switch from north London to the Spanish giants.

However, most of those deals took place under the leadership of former chairman Daniel Levy, and with the 63-year-old now having departed the club, it remains to be seen how the current relationship between the two sides stands.

Reports now claim that Tottenham are showing interest in a Real Madrid star who has already made ten appearances this season, scored three goals and assisted as many.

Tottenham and Arsenal eye Real Madrid’s Arda Guler

According to reports from Grada3, Tottenham are understood to be targeting Real Madrid talent Arda Guler.

The Turkish attacking midfielder endured a difficult spell last season, struggling for consistent minutes, but that situation has changed under new boss Xabi Alonso, who has already handed him ten appearances.

Spurs, however, are not alone in their pursuit of the midfielder, as bitter rivals Arsenal are also said to be in the race for the former Fenerbahce man.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Newcastle United, AC Milan, and Bundesliga sides Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are also closely monitoring Guler’s situation, with Alonso continuing to deploy the 20-year-old out of his preferred attacking midfield position.

Arsenal and Spurs are prepared to go all in for Guler

It is claimed that despite the strong competition, both Spurs and Arsenal are willing to do “whatever it takes” to bring the highly-rated Madrid star to the Premier League.

Arsenal’s interest in the Turkish midfielder is not new, with reports suggesting that the Gunners attempted to convince him to join them last season when he struggled for gametime.

The youngster is understood to be open to a Premier League switch, with his eyes reportedly set on a Champions League club.

While Arsenal and Tottenham have gone head-to-head for several transfer targets in recent windows, it is often the Gunners who have prevailed.

However, should Real Madrid decide to cash in, both North London sides are expected to be at the front of the queue for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur are in a good position in the Premier League, but is this down to a full squad effort, or the hard work of a few individuals?

As good as the Europa League campaign was for Tottenham Hotspur, last season was difficult to endure. No Spurs player or fan would ever dream of finishing as low as 17th in the Premier League.

Whether the club will have success this time around remains to be seen, but Thomas Frank is off to a positive start. Tottenham sit third in the Premier League Table and have only suffered one defeat in all competitions.

We have taken the time to rate on a scale of 1-10 how each player who has spent 90 minutes or more on the pitch has performed across the season so far.

Tottenham Hotspur player ratings

Guglielmo Vicario – Coming to a verdict on Vicario is tricky because he has made some obvious errors this season. However, Vicario tops the Premier League charts for most goals prevented, along with a few other stats. Despite this, Spurs are reportedly looking to sign a new goalkeeper in January. The Italian does come up with some good moments, but he has performed poorly at times too. 6

Antonin Kinsky – The second choice shot-stopper has only made one start, which was against Doncaster. He made a very good save during the match and kept a clean sheet. 7

Pedro Porro – Despite Tottenham having only played 11 matches in all competitions, it already feels like it has been a season of two halves for Porro. He was very good near the start of the campaign, but has suffered from a dip in form recently. The Spaniard’s creativity is of great importance to Spurs, but his defending has looked a bit shaky during the club’s past few matches. 7

MORE SPURS STORIES

Djed Spence – The man who now plays on the left is not as creative as Porro, but he probably has the edge in defence. Spence is yet to register a goal contribution this season, although he has played well on the whole and will be happy with the match time he has been handed by Frank. 7

Destiny Udogie – It has not been an ideal season for Udogie up to this point. He has missed matches through injury and has only been used as a sub in some of the others due to Spence being given the nod. He had his best display by some distance against Leeds United and will look to build on this after the international break. It would not be surprising to see Udogie reclaim his spot in the first-team if he can build a run of consistency. 6

Cristian Romero – Spurs would have badly missed Romero if he had left during the summer transfer window. He has only missed one match this season and Tottenham ended up scraping a 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt, a team they defeated twice earlier this year in the Europa League. Not every one of Romero’s displays has been perfect, but the club captain is a solid defender and has looked a threat at set pieces too with his heading. 7.5

Micky van de Ven – Like Romero, the Dutchman has looked firm at the back. However, he has not yet had a standout moment such as his goal-line clearance in Bilbao. The most impressive thing about van de Ven this season has been his goalscoring. He has already scored in three different competitions, which is pretty good going for a centre-back. 8

Kevin Danso – The Austrian defender had plenty to smile about during his national team’s 10-0 win over San Marino. Danso even got himself an assist and played the full 90 minutes. However, he has only started three matches for Tottenham. One of these was the 3-0 victory over Doncaster, but Spurs conceded four goals in his other two starts. Unless one of Romero or van de Ven gets injured, Danso’s role in the first-team looks like it will continue to be limited. 5

Joao Palhinha – Make the loan permanent! Palhinha might not be the most forward-thinking midfielder, but he is one of the best at what he does. There is arguably no better tackler in the Premier League than the 30-year-old and he has found the back of the net three times too. Pair him in the middle with Xavi Simons and one of Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr and watch what they can do. This would strike a great balance between defensive strength, game management and creativity. 9

Rodrigo Bentancur – When Tottenham signed Bentancur, he was a midfielder with real quality. These days, he is less influential on the pitch, even when he is having a good game. The Uruguayan’s key ability the past couple of seasons has been controlling matches. He has fulfilled this role well in some matches and slipped up in others. Bentancur’s position in the first-team does not appear to be at risk, but it would be good for him to add some variation to the way he plays and offer a bit more in attack. 6

Lucas Bergvall – The young Swede had a positive first season at Spurs under Ange Postecoglou, but there were doubts about how he would fit into Frank’s team. Bergvall is not a defensive-minded midfielder, but his goal contribution stats last season were poor. However, he has looked so much more dangerous this season in the forward-thinking midfield role. Bergvall is obviously very talented and full of energy and he is still only 19 years old. 8

Pape Matar Sarr – Sarr’s fantastic pre-season form continued into the new season. Simons was a necessary signing, but it did look like the Senegalese was a strong option who would get regular goals and assists in the midfield. The 23-year-old has gone a bit quiet over the past few games, but at his best, he is a useful player for Frank to have at his disposal. 7.5

Archie Gray – Many Spurs supporters were unimpressed by Gray’s display when he started against Burnley. He has barely played since, although he did start against Doncaster. Gray played well in that match and took up more of a number 8 role, rather than playing as the pivot midfielder. That looked to be a role more suited to his game and hopefully he will be given another chance. 6

Xavi Simons – It has not been a great start for Simons at Tottenham, but hardly anyone is blaming him for that. Frank has made the decision to play him on the left wing and that has ultimately been his biggest issue. The Netherlands international looked far more comfortable when he was played through the middle and he could go on to be one of the team’s most important players this season. 6

Wilson Odobert – Unfortunately, the French winger has not done enough to warrant a spot in Frank’s starting lineup. He had some good moments in pre-season and definitely has talent, but Spurs are no better off when he plays. This is not to say Odobert will not come good in time. He is 20 and has time to work on becoming a more threatening attacker. 5.5

Brennan Johnson – The Welshman divides opinions more than most players in the Tottenham team. He goes through most matches offering very little, but often makes runs to the backpost and gets himself on the scoresheet. Johnson has scored three goals in the five matches he has started this season, which is a good record. However, he has to stop going missing during games, otherwise he will not regain his spot in the first-team. 6.5

Mohammed Kudus – When Kudus had one bad game, West Ham fans were all over it. This was because they had been lying in wait for weeks while the brilliant winger balled out every week. He is excellent on the ball, dribbling like it is glued to his boots and he fends off defenders with his strength. Kudus already has four Premier League assists and he has found his shooting boots now as well. There is certainly no one complaining about his £55m price tag. 9

Mathys Tel – The jury was out on Tel after his disastrous UEFA Super Cup cameo. In fairness, many viewed it as a continuation of his underwhelming displays last season. Tel looked no better when he started against West Ham and Doncaster, but he improved against Leeds and scored his first goal of the season. It has been a really slow start for Tel at Tottenham, but perhaps he will become useful if he is shown some trust and patience. 5.5

Richarlison – Every member of the British press has seemed desperate to convince Richarlison that he should move to either Saudi Arabia or Turkey, but he defied the odds and remained at Spurs. He then managed to get Frank to start him ahead of Dominic Solanke and played well against PSG before having an absolute blinder against Burnley. Richarlison had another good game at Manchester City, but since then his only notable contribution has been a goal against Brighton. Will the striker revive his early-season form, or was it just an anomaly? It feels too early to say right now. 6.5

How has the Spurs manager fared?