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Jan Vertonghen has reflected on his time at Tottenham Hotspur and has made an admission about his former Spurs teammates.

The Belgian international is widely viewed as one of the best centre-halves in Tottenham’s recent history, being part of the Mauricio Pochettino side that came close to winning the biggest trophies in the game.

Vertonghen, who announced his retirement from professional football last year, formed a formidable partnership at the back with Toby Alderweireld, which arguably remains the most fearsome centre-back pairing the club has had in the Premier League era.

It turns out that Spurs continue to hold a very special place in the 38-year-old’s heart.

Jan Vertonghen loved going down memory lane on Tottenham return

The former Tottenham man was the special guest during the club’s 2-2 draw against Man City a couple of weeks ago.

Vertonghen, who had a chance to address the fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at half-time, admitted that memories came flooding back on his return to N17.

When asked how it feels to be back, he told the club’s official website: “Yes, very, very good, I’m so happy to be here, so many memories – everything that I see, every street I drive into. I’ve done a nostalgic tour this morning and yesterday. So, very happy I can share these moments with my wife and my kids.”

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When asked about the club being such a big part of his life, Vertonghen said: “Eight years… we had probably the best times of our lives here. I had a very good time. I made lots of friends who I still speak to, which is not very common in football. I still speak to Mousa, Eric Dier, and Christian. I forgot, guys. Ben Davies, obviously. I made some very precious friends over the years.”

Vertonghen admits ‘special group’ at Spurs was unique

The Belgian, who has played around Europe and has been in several dressing rooms, admitted that the relationship he had with his Tottenham teammates was unlike any other.

He confessed that the group at Spurs was the best bunch of guys he played with across his long and illustrious career.

When asked about his comments about it not being common in football to remain in touch with teammates and if he thought it was a special group at Tottenham, Vertonghen responded: “I don’t think that – I know that. It was very special. We even had our breakfast club. We always sat with a big group of guys, just sharing life experiences and thoughts. It was a great group. Honestly, it’s the best group of guys I’ve ever played with, without a doubt.

“I forget Michel Vorm! He’s a very close friend of mine. This is why I shouldn’t drop any names! We said it loads at the time, we’re complaining about small stuff, but when we retire, we will think about these times. It is true. It’s the best group of guys I’ve ever played with, and probably the best team I’ve ever been part of. We had some great, great times. Obviously, ups and downs, but I’m almost just positive about everything.”

Igor Tudor has begun outlining his footballing vision at Tottenham Hotspur, offering supporters an early glimpse into how his side could look on the pitch.

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping that new interim boss Igor Tudor can bring about some stability to the club as they look to push on in the final stretch of the season.

The Croatian comes into the club after being sacked from Juventus following a 24-game run, but has a record of improving results in the early moments at clubs he has managed.

Tudor is known for deploying a 3-4-2-1 system in the past, which is something we could see again in North London. However, that doesn’t mean defensive football, according to the man himself.

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor outlines tactical style plans

No doubt, Spurs fans are eager to know what to expect from the 47-year-old, whose first game comes this weekend against Arsenal.

Tottenham fans have struggled to get behind their team in the past months due to the lack of a front-footed approach from Thomas Frank.

Getting a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against their rivals will be a good start for Tudor, and he has now revealed to supporters the type of football he would love to implement in north London.

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Speaking to the club’s official channels, he outlined his attacking intentions, the need for structure, and the importance of adapting to player availability.

He said: “I like to be positive. I like to play offensive football. That is my first goal. I like to score goals, but in the same way, for sure, you need to give organisation in defence, give the clear structure of what you want to play.

“The situation is not easy because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so, we need first to find the best system that suits the players that are available at this moment. So, a very particular moment.

“Maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that is the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training. So, that needs to be focused.

“The coach needs to show the path; where is the way we want to go, how we want to go, and the players need to accept this and together we, in this way, preparing during the week is the best thing for Sunday.

“Yeah, I know some players. I have also been coaching with Dejan and Rodrigo. Unfortunately, they are not now available to play immediately, but they are here in the Tottenham dressing room for sure. But I find all players are available to react.

“I believe in style – style is more important than the system, of course. As I said, it is a very particular moment. So, every club has its particularity. Can I say this word? That is first as a culture of the club, which kind of football they like. So, it is always important to think about that, but in the same way, not to forget who I am, what I want the team to achieve, but thinking, ‘this player can do this’.

“So, I need to be with my staff, very intelligent, to find the best possible way to get out in a very short time.”

Spurs fitness demands key to Igor Tudor approach

Tudor then expanded on the physical and tactical demands he expects from his Tottenham side, stressing the balance between athletic output and technical quality.

The new Tottenham coach added: “I believe that in football, in 2026, it has changed a lot. It is changing year by year – more physical… players… let us say, it is crucial. If you can run 115 kilometres as a team, it is better than 105. It does not mean that you have one player extra, so there is nothing strange to choose that direction, of course.

“It is always about motivated players that understand this thing about running, about the physical aspect of football which is sometimes not easy, but that without quality – you can do nothing. So, technical skills, intelligence to see, to recognise the situations on the pitch is always above everything.

“So, you need to find a mix about both things and about winning or drawing, the truth is I never saw the coach who said that he can play for a draw. It is not possible.

“Offensive football, yes, but smart. So, that is the key.”

Igor Tudor has given an exciting update on how Tottenham Hotspur will look to approach the upcoming North London derby, and it could have fans on the edge of their seats.

Excitement is beginning to build at Tottenham Hotspur following Igor Tudor’s first interview since he arrived in North London.

The new manager has impressed fans with his words, and they will be keen to see whether he is able to back up what he says on the pitch.

Tudor certainly has a huge task ahead of him, but the Croatian is already putting plans in place ready for Sunday’s derby fixture against Arsenal.

Igor Tudor delivers exciting message to Tottenham fans

Thomas Frank did not win any popularity contests with his uninspiring style of play, but Tudor is seeking to take a different approach.

According to the man himself, the aim is to secure victory while playing in a way which delights the club’s supporters.

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Tudor said: “It was a good first session. We started to know each other. One hour, because we had five days free, so first training is not too much, and tomorrow we start to work seriously.”

Speaking on what is to come, he continued: “Big week, yes. Big week, important games. This derby is a fantastic game to play. We want to play this game in a way that our fans will like.

“So, I’m going to give everything what we have, in the right way, brave, but in the same way intelligent and smart to achieve what we want, and that’s the victory.”

Tudor could earn favour at Spurs very quickly

Tottenham have not won a Premier League match since December, so a win in Tudor’s first game would definitely get him in the fans’ good books from the off.

Better still, three points could take Spurs a good few points clear of relegation, while seeing Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League table destabilise.

However, a triumph of this magnitude will not be easy, and Tudor should not be judged after a single fixture if he fails to make the start Tottenham fans are hoping for.

Igor Tudor has wasted no time addressing his new Tottenham Hotspur squad, delivering a clear and direct message as he begins work in north London.

The Tottenham Hotspur first-team players were handed a five-day break following the sacking of former boss Thomas Frank.

However, they have now returned to first-team training ahead of this weekend’s clash with north London rivals Arsenal.

Tottenham have since completed the appointment of former Juventus manager Igor Tudor, who is set to take charge of the game this weekend.

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor reveals first message to players

Tudor has now met with the Tottenham squad as he aims to bring some stability to north London.

Speaking to the club’s official channels, the Croatian revealed the message he delivered to his players on his first day of training, outlining the scale of the challenge, the need for unity, and the demand for immediate improvement.

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Addressing the honour of taking the role and the responsibility that comes with it, Tudor explained how his focus is firmly on the work ahead rather than himself.

“Big challenge for me, a big honour to be here. I am very happy. In the same way, I do not think too much about myself, because I am focused on work to do.

“So wherever you go, it is always about your relationship with the players, with the team, with the town. There are a lot of similarities. Even if this is like the NBA of European football, this is the best of the best. So, it is a real privilege to be here.”

He then moved on to the immediate priorities – stressing confidence, courage and accountability – while acknowledging the severity of the club’s current position.

“The first priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team needs, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things on the pitch. Of course, I am coming here knowing the situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses.

“What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players, need to give something, something more, something extra because the position of the club in this moment is not one that anybody can accept. Every fan of Tottenham cannot accept the situation, we are aware of that, but it is not enough to just be aware of that.”

Spurs relegation pressure heightens Igor Tudor challenge

Of course, there is no time to get used to each other for either the boss or the players, with the season now deep into its decisive stretch.

Spurs are in a relegation scrap, with just five points separating them from 18th-placed West Ham United, making it vital that they begin to pick up points.

The task at hand for Tudor is very difficult, especially with his first game coming against table-toppers Arsenal, but that could well present the perfect opportunity to rally his squad.

Tottenham Hotspur have their sight on a Juventus defender who has Premier League experience as they consider defensive options ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur might well be in for a busy summer transfer window, not only in terms of incomings but also on the outgoing side.

Rumours have it that both first-choice centre-backs, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, could be on their way out, as they are attracting interest from sides across Europe.

Spurs could also lose a few other stars should they fail to secure UCL football, which is increasingly likely given they are 16th and will have to win the competition to book a spot in it next season.

Tottenham eye Lloyd Kelly transfer as Juventus valuation rises

Securing a centre-back could well be on the agenda for Tottenham this summer. Journalist Mirko Di Natale has now reported that Spurs are one of the Premier League ‘big guns’ who will be looking for a new defender, with Juventus’ Lloyd Kelly in sight.

The Juventus centre-back is no stranger to the Premier League, having had spells with Newcastle United and Bournemouth, where he featured 64 times in the competition.

However, Kelly will not come cheaply, with the journalist revealing that his valuation tops out at €50million (£43.5m), ‘more than double’ what it was a year ago. That is even more than the £42.5m Tottenham paid for Cristian Romero in 2022.

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Chelsea and Liverpool are also in the race for the former Bournemouth man heading into the summer window.

Spurs defensive plans hinge on managerial situation

Of course, while there continue to be links, incomings and outgoings could pretty much be on the manager in the dugout next season.

Spurs have only hired Igor Tudor on an interim basis, and he could well depart from north London during the summer window.

As such, transfer plans and the futures of players remain unclear until a permanent manager is in place to assess their options.

Tottenham Hotspur have just hit a major snag in their efforts to secure the services of their top managerial target, Mauricio Pochettino.

Even before Thomas Frank’s sacking, Spurs fans were chanting Mauricio Pochettino’s name, making it clear who their preferred candidate is.

According to reports, the Tottenham hierarchy has already made multiple contacts with Pochettino since the start of the year over returning to N17.

In fact, it was even reported by GiveMeSport a few days ago that Spurs are working around the clock to tie up a deal for the Argentine coach, five and a half years on from his exit from Spurs.

Mauricio Pochettino is waiting on Real Madrid job amidst Tottenham interest

According to Defensa Central, Pochettino has now emerged as a ‘dark horse candidate’ to take over at Real Madrid at the end of the season.

It is revealed that Los Blancos will pursue another manager in the summer if the current interim manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, does not win either La Liga or the Champions League.

The report says that Pochettino has ‘always been one of the favourites’ for Madrid supremo Florentino Perez, who is now assessing his options.

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It is claimed that the Argentine is waiting to see if there is an offer from Santiago Bernabeu before deciding on a potential return to Tottenham.

Pochettino has made clear demands to the Madrid hierarchy

Defensa Central claim that the current manager of the USA national side has told the La Liga giants that the club need at least three signings in the summer.

He has given them an ‘ideal shopping list’ of two centre-backs and a midfielder as a demand ahead of a potential move to the Spanish capital.

The report adds that for now, Madrid are ‘simply contacting’ a list of candidates to gauge their interest, and have not made a concrete move for any coach yet as they wait to see what Arbeloa can achieve.

Sam Allardyce has now questioned Cristian Romero’s leadership at Tottenham calling for drastic measures to be taken.

Tottenham Hotspur are currently not in the best of places as they find themselves in 16th place in the Premier League table with 12 games left to go.

A full-on relegation scrap cannot be ruled out at this stage, especially with five points the difference between Tottenham and West Ham United in 18th place.

The senior players in this squad need to step up, but Cristian Romero’s last sending-off against Manchester United was far from what Spurs needed, as they are in desperate need of wins.

The Tottenham captain has since been handed a four-match ban and will now miss the north London derby this weekend, but should return against Liverpool at Anfield on March 15.

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero blasted by Sam Allardyce

Speaking to Footy Accumulators, Sam Allardyce criticised Romero’s temperament, questioned his development, and suggested drastic measures like stripping the Argentine of the Spurs captaincy if his behaviour does not improve.

He said: “Cristian Romero is one of those typical players who just does not learn. He has got so much talent, but so many flaws which he has not eradicated. He is still making the same mistakes as when he first signed for Tottenham.

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“Either he gets stripped of the captaincy, or someone says to him, ‘stay on your feet, I do not want you to go to ground when you tackle anymore’, and if he continues to do it, then take him out of the side. He is giving his managers a bad reputation for not being able to control him.

“If you are a centre-half, your first priority is being a defender, not how good you are with the ball – that is only an added bonus.

“Romero is just so irrational, which is alright when you first join a club, but he should have been nailed by Thomas Frank for it and he was not.”

Spurs’ relegation fears highlighted amid Romero criticism

Tottenham have since parted ways with Thomas Frank and will be hoping new interim manager Igor Tudor can steady the ship for the remainder of the season.

However, while the higher-ups at Spurs often fail to acknowledge the north London club’s relegation struggles, Allardyce also explained why he believes Tottenham are firmly in a relegation battle this season.

“I would consider Spurs to be in a relegation battle now, and it is partly because you will need more points to stay up this year than you have done for the past few seasons,” he said.

“It will be in the mid to high thirties this season and sometimes you wonder where those points are going to come from. You have to make sure your best performances come against the teams you are capable of beating.

“If they do get relegated, I do not even think they would be the best team to go down. The West Ham team with Jermain Defoe, Paulo Di Canio, Glen Johnson and David James were better!”

Tottenham Hotspur may face a substantial financial hit due to their on-pitch performances this season, even if they avoid relegation.

While Spurs finished 17th last season, relegation was never a realistic possibility, with the three teams who went down being a long way adrift of other sides in the Premier League.

However, that is certainly not the case this campaign, with the Lilywhites now at the risk of going down for the first time in Premier League history.

Tottenham are currently just five points off West Ham in 18th, and it has now been revealed that their bottom line would take a blow even if they stay up.

Tottenham may lose out on ‘tens of millions’ even if they avoid relegation

The Telegraph have now revealed that Spurs are facing a financial hit to the club’s sponsorship deals that could run into tens of millions even if they manage to stay up.

This is because the club’s commercial partners are already reviewing the contracts they signed with the North Londoners.

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The report claims that at least one of Spurs’ most prominent sponsorship deals is due to expire in the summer and there are now doubts over whether the company would want to renew their deal.

Finally, several of Tottenham’s deals are thought to include major bonuses for European qualification, which the Lilywhites now look set to miss out on unless they win the Champions League.

Relegation would prove ‘catastrophic’ for Spurs’ balance sheet

The Telegraph also explain that some of Tottenham’s sponsorship agreements include relegation termination and renegotiation clauses, which would see the deal entirely disappear or seriously diminished if the club were to go down.

It is asserted that relegation would thus leave ‘a massive financial hole’ in Spurs’ balance sheet.

One source with knowledge of the sponsorship situation told the outlet: “The penalties for missing Europe alone run into tens of millions. That would be even bigger and potentially catastrophic if the club were relegated.”

Another anonymous expert is quoted as saying: “Some companies are seeing relegation as a realistic possibility and are already reviewing their contracts. It already seems clear that some deliverables, such as European qualification, will not be feasible, but the biggest fear is relegation.”

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) have met with the club’s hierarchy, but expressed their disappointment with what Spurs have had to say about the meeting.

Many Tottenham fans have been left frustrated with the club’s January transfer window, which they felt did not live up to the ambitious rhetoric coming out from N17.

Just ahead of Thomas Frank’s sacking, THST released the findings of Five Principles Survey, which judges the Tottenham ownership against five tests, which the Trust agreed with the board of the club itself.

The result showed that in all five tests, the fans gave the owners the lowest scores ever recorded since the survey began.

THST accuse Tottenham of leaving out key points from meeting

The Trust met with the Spurs hierarchy on February 3, following which the minutes of the meeting were released.

However, the Trust have now expressed frustration that key discussions held during the meeting were not included in the final version.

THST’s latest statement reads: “There were a number of specific points raised during the meeting which the club did not agree to include in the final published version, despite our request. As a democratic supporters’ organisation elected to represent fans’ views, we believe it is vital that supporters can see what issues are being raised with the club, how those issues are being discussed and what responses are being given.

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“Publishing a full record of the points raised helps ensure accountability and allows members, and the wider fan base, to understand how the Trust is fulfilling its role on their behalf. Transparency is integral to our role and in our dealings with the club. For that reason, we are also publishing below the paragraphs which THST asked to be included in the Minutes but which were not accepted by the Club for inclusion in the final version.

“Points omitted from the Minutes – Under THST’s Five Principles of Ownership survey. Lines not included – The Club declined to include the descriptions of our Five Principles of Ownership.

“Paragraph not included – Fans are concerned at the current position and the direction of the club. The team is not winning, and change is not visible. Having watched just four home league wins in a year, this anxiety and pessimism is not surprising. Fans are genuinely concerned at the risk of relegation. The belief generated by the Europa League win has now been lost. Fans are concerned at a perceived lack of ambition and at results, performances and the failure to strengthen the team despite injuries to key first team players.

“Paragraph not included – The club had not filed financial statements demonstrating that it was able to generate profit since 2018 and needed the cash generated by the share issue for cashflow purposes (this point was discussed later in the meeting under the heading “Finance”).

“Under Future-proof success & Young player development – Paragraph not included – THST observed that young players were not coming through from the Academy to the first team. Players are on loan repeatedly. Despite injuries and the current shortage of players, Luka Vuskovic had not been recalled from loan and nor had other players.

“Paragraph not included – THST said fans want to see authenticity to stick to Spurs’ DNA and a style of play that transcended as a ‘golden thread’ from the youth system right through to the men’s first team.

“Paragraph not included – THST noted a slightly higher sentiment from supporters towards sustainability, which may reflect the underlying infrastructure possessed by the club. However, this alone will not make the club successful which explains why the score remains low overall.

“Fans First and relationship between the club and supporters. Line not included – The club welcomed the input of THST.

“Paragraph not included – THST asked to see the underlying KPIs behind each of the strategic principles – these had not yet been agreed by the club internally. THST stated that the detail of these KPIs were important. If the strategic objectives were geared towards winning trophies, this should be directly referenced in the KPIs.

“If, however, the KPIs referenced “European qualification” (a stated desire of the previous leadership), this could suggest that the club was prioritising financial performance over football performance.”

THST questions the timing of Thomas Frank’s sack decision

Tottenham finally decided to call time on Thomas Frank’s stint at the club last week following the defeat to Newcastle.

While THST welcomed the decision to sack Frank, they questioned the timing of it, suggesting that it could have been done before.

The Trust posited that if the club had acted decisively earlier and strengthened in the January window, they could have avoided being dragged into a relegation battle.

A new report has revealed the circumstances that led to John Heitinga’s exit from Tottenham Hotspur just a month after his appointment.

Heintinga was appointed as Tottenham’s assistant first-team coach last month, replacing Matt Wells, who left Spurs to take over as the head coach of the Colorado Rapids.

When Thomas Frank was sacked last week, many wondered if Heintinga could be made the interim head coach until the end of the season, given his previous experience in charge of Ajax.

However, the Lilywhites have decided to appoint the experienced Igor Tudor, who has brought three of his assistant coaches with him to Hotspur Way.

John Heitinga asked to leave Tottenham after Igor Tudor’s arrival

Amidst the arrival of new coaches under Tudor, it emerged on Monday that Heintinga had left his role at the North London club, which came as a surprise to some people.

The Daily Mail have now revealed that the 42-year-old himself made the decision not to continue at Spurs.

The report claims that the Dutchman, who was appointed under Frank, did not wish to remain as part of the new coaching structure under Tudor.

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Who has Tudor bought with him to Spurs?

Ivan Javorcic has been appointed as Tottenham’s assistant coach, Riccardo Raganacci as the physical coach, and Tomislav Rogic as the goalkeeping coach until the end of the season.

All three of them have worked with Tudor in his previous stint at Juventus, which started impressively but poorly at the start of this campaign.