Spurs Web

After missing out on Eberechi Eze, Tottenham Hotspur could turn their attention back to an England international midfielder, whom they explored a move earlier this summer.

It remains to be seen how Spurs will respond after seeing their move for Eze being hijacked by their North London rivals.

Some outlets have claimed over the last 24 hours that Tottenham are setting their sights on audacious signings such as Morgan Rogers, but a new report has suggested another young English midfielder is also on the Lilywhites’ sights.

Earlier this summer, Spurs were credited with an interest in Man United starlet Kobbie Mainoo, and it has now been alleged that a deal for the 20-year-old will be within the North London club’s reach.

Tottenham prepared to make a late move for Kobbie Mainoo

According to GiveMeSport, Kobbie Mainoo will be sacrificed by Man United this summer to offset their huge summer outlay, and Tottenham are interested.

The Red Devils have spent around £200m on revamping their frontline, securing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko, and they are thus ready to cash in on Mainoo for £60m.

The outlet claims that Spurs are waiting to take the bait, with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium emerging as a potential late destination for the United academy graduate.

MORE SPURS STORIES

It is explained that Mainoo fits the brief of a young, dynamic midfielder wanted by Thomas Frank, and the fact that he is homegrown is another point of attraction for Spurs, who need more homegrown options for their Champions League squad.

Will Kobbie Mainoo solve Spurs’ creativity issues?

With James Maddison out with an ACL injury and with Dejan Kulusevski not close to a return, Spurs are in desperate need of creativity.

While Mainoo can play as a number eight/ten, he is a midfielder more in the mould of Pape Sarr than a Maddison or a Kulusevski. His arrival will certainly not solve Tottenham’s issues in the middle of the park.

The club’s attempts to sign Morgan Gibbs-White and Eze are an indication that Frank wants a player who can create some magic on the ball, which is not something the United youngster can provide.

—

Manchester United are hoping that Tottenham Hotspur re-enter the race to sign one of their attackers after the North London club missed out on Eberechi Eze.

Since missing out on Eze in an embarrassing fashion, it has been reported that Spurs have made advances towards several attackers across Europe.

The Lilywhites are in a race against time, particularly amidst reports that Thomas Frank wants two offensive players through the door before the transfer deadline.

It has now been revealed that the hope at Old Trafford is that the London side will come back in for one of their players.

Man United want Tottenham to bid for Alejandro Garnacho

Some sources previously revealed that Spurs decided against making a move for Alejandro Garnacho despite conducting checks on the winger this summer.

According to a report in GiveMeSport, Man United are hoping Spurs will now re-enter the race for the Argentina international and offer competition to their London rivals, Chelsea.

The Red Devils have already given the green light for Tottenham to bid for Garnacho, with the Manchester club eager for Thomas Frank’s men to get involved.

MORE SPURS STORIES

This is because there are fears at Man United that if Tottenham do not enter the race for the versatile attacker, Chelsea will have the upper hand in the negotiations.

Alejoando Garnacho could be signed for a cut-price fee

Earlier this summer, it was reported that Man United were demanding £70m for Garnacho, but according to this latest update from GiveMeSport, Chelsea want to sign him for less than half that fee.

The publication claims that the Blues believe a deal can be done for just £30m, given that the winger has already been frozen out by Ruben Amorim and has no way back at Man United.

Additionally, the West London club know that no other club has put cash on the table for Garnacho and that the player wants to complete a move to Stamford Bridge.

A transfer battle is expected to erupt between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce over an experienced Tottenham man in the final days of the transfer window.

With just 10 days left until the window slams shut, Spurs have plenty of work to do, with reports indicating that the Lilywhites want to add three new signings to their squad.

There is also work to be done in offloading players to make space for potential new signings, and one of those who is expected to leave is Yves Bissouma.

It has emerged over recent days that Bissouma would prefer to stay in the Premier League if he is forced out the door by Spurs, but the midfielder is seemingly generating plenty of interest from Turkey.

Turkish giants want to sign Yves Bissouma from Tottenham

It has now been reported by Takvim that Galatasaray have entered the race to sign the Mali international.

The Super Lig side are keen to bolster their options in the middle of the park and are expected to make initial contact over a deal for the Tottenham man soon.

Gala, who also have CSKA Moscow’s Matvey Kislyak on their wishlist, expect their local rivals Fenerbahce to challenge them in the race for Bissouma.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur are looking for offers in the region of €25m (£21.6m) for the 28-year-old, even though he has just a year left on his contract.

Bissouma is also on the radar of European giants

It has also been reported that Bissouma is on the wishlist of Juventus, who want to add a new number six to their squad.

However, some sources have suggested that the Bianconeri may be discouraged from signing Bissouma as he would take up a non-EU spot in their squad.

According to reports from Italy, Tottenham Hotspur are expected to present another offer for a highly-rated attacking midfielder after their first bid for the player was sent back.

The big question on the mind of Spurs fans is which number ten Tottenham will turn to next after being snubbed by Eberechi Eze.

Over the last few days, a number of outlets have suggested that the Lilywhites may make a move for a former Real Madrid star, who had an impressive debut season in Serie A with Como last term.

According to The Independent, Nico Paz is now viewed as Tottenham’s most achievable target in the final week of the transfer window.

Tottenham expected to launch a second offer for Nico Paz

It has now been revealed by Gianluca Di Marzio that Spurs had already submitted an offer for Paz at the start of this month.

The journalist claims that the Lilywhites made a bid of €40m (£34.6m) for the Argentina international, which was sent back by Como.

The Serie A club allegedly informed the North London side that they would have to pay €70m (£60.6m) to land the 21-year-old.

MORE SPURS STORIES

However, this has reportedly not deterred Tottenham Hotspur, who are now ready to return with a bigger offer than the one they made a couple of weeks ago.

One major stumbling block for Spurs in Paz deal

However, Di Marzio also confirms that Real Madrid have a buy-back option for Paz and adds that Los Blancos will thus have the final say on the attacking midfielder’s future.

This poses an issue for Spurs, with some sources claiming that Real Madrid have informed Paz that he has a future at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Tottenham may thus have their work cut out in convincing the young attacker to forgo the opportunity to return to the Spanish capital in the future.

Morgan Gibbs-White has revealed that his decision to forgo a move to Tottenham Hotspur and sign a new contract at Nottingham Forest was down to personal and familial reasons.

The expectation at Spurs was that they would get Morgan Gibbs-White after the Lilywhites had met his release clause.

However, Nottingham Forest managed to block the move, accusing Spurs of illegally approaching the player to discover the midfielder’s confidential release clause.

Eventually, Gibbs-White decided to put pen to paper on a new contract at Forest, which came as a huge blow to the North London club.

Morgan Gibbs-White opens up on his decision to snub Tottenham

The England international has now revealed that he was dealing with a stressful situation in his personal life as his fiancée had given birth to their second child during the summer.

The 25-year-old explained that he did not want to give any additional stress to his fiancée, and insisted that he is delighted with his decision to remain at the City Ground.

Gibbs-White told talkSPORT: “Every footballer has personal goals and personal ambitions that they want to achieve. Mine is winning trophies, playing in the World Cup, playing in the Euros, playing Champions League football, just to be able to reach the maximum that I’m able to reach.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“Obviously, in the summer, everybody’s seen what was going on and whatever. But away from that, it was a really difficult period for me and my fiancée.

“Having my second child, but there were a few complications with all of that. I believed in being professional, showing up every day and letting everything else take care of what it needs to do. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I’m delighted with my decision, more than happy. I think my fiancée is even more happy because she didn’t get to carry on with all the stress.”

“With everything that happened this summer, it was like it hit home a bit. I’ve been through a lot with this club these past three years, and to feel like I was going to miss out on what we achieved last season sort of broke me a little bit.

“And I wanted to go through this next stage with Forest and play Europa League football with them, because me and a few others were the ones that, three years ago we came in, this was our goal to stay in the league and try and push up. It’s a home from home, so I sort of had that broken-hearted feeling, like when you split with your first childhood girlfriend.”

“I’ve got to look at what’s best for myself and my family. And I feel like every decision I’ve made, I’ve made it on my own back and the help of my family. I’ve not once regretted any decision that I’ve made in my career so far, so I’m going to stick to what I believe and everything happens for a reason.”

Evangelos Marinakis had the last laugh over Daniel Levy

According to various sources, Gibbs-White remained keen to complete a move to Tottenham.

When the move was being held up amidst Forest’s accusation of an illegal approach, it was claimed that Spurs remained confident that they would get the Gibbs-White deal over the line.

However, according to reports, the Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis convinced Gibbs-White of the Midlands club’s ambitions and to remain as the star of Nuno Espirito Santo’s project.

Kevin Danso is going to great lengths to improve at Tottenham Hotspur, and his latest action shows just how dedicated he is to this cause.

Kevin Danso has made a fairly quiet start to his Tottenham Hotspur career, but this is not due to a lack of quality. The former Lens man looks like a solid defender, but being selected ahead of Cristian Romero was always going to be a big ask.

Danso has so far made 10 Premier League appearances since his initial loan move in January. His only competitive start this season came in the UEFA Super Cup. Interestingly, he was the only Spurs centre-back who failed to score a goal on the night.

However, Danso did assist Brennan Johnson against Newcastle United in pre-season. It is always nice for a centre-back to contribute in the attack, but Danso’s main objective will be to help Tottenham improve defensively, particularly after how much they struggled at the back last season.

Kevin Danso is learning Spanish to communicate with Tottenham captain Cristian Romero

Danso has already played alongside Romero in a back three and this could become a regular partnership whenever Tottenham face strong opposition.

The 26-year-old is certainly doing everything in his power to work with his captain, which includes learning his language. Danso himself already speaks English, German, French and Ghanaian.

He told The Sun: “I’m trying to learn Spanish.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“If you speak the language that someone comprehends a lot more then it’s easier to communicate in that language and give them a better understanding of what’s going on.

“I’m just learning from being around the Spanish speakers, listening to their conversations. That’s how I learnt French in France. Sometimes they’ll say stuff to me in Spanish and I’ll just try to figure out what it means.

“Romero’s an amazing guy. In the dressing room, he’s really calm and easy-going. But on the pitch is where you see that warrior side, so if you see him get stuck into a tackle. It gives you confidence.

“I love that. As a defender, sometimes you need that aggression. That’s a leading [trait], if you think back to old centre-backs, the John Terrys, the Vidics.”

Danso may have seen his fair share of the Tottenham bench since making his move to North London, but he has no problem playing most weeks. He made 38 appearances for RC Lens during the 2023/24 season, which included six Champions League fixtures.

However, he is unlikely to start many Premier League matches unless Romero gets injured. Still, Spurs will be competing in four different competitions, so Danso should get the opportunity to show Thomas Frank what he can do.

He may even start alongside Romero if Frank decides to implement a back three again, meaning his Spanish will come in handy.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to miss out on yet another attacker from their wishlist, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that one long-standing target is on his way to another Premier League club.

Tyler Dibling was one of the best young attackers on show in the Premier League last term, and it was always clear that he would be on the move this summer after Southampton’s relegation.

It was reported that after being snubbed by Eberechi Eze earlier this week, discussions were held at Spurs over a move for Tyler Dibling.

A couple of days ago, The Independent even claimed that Tottenham made an approach for Dibling, but the report added that Everton were also locked in talks over the teenager.

Tyler Dibling is set to join Everton, not Tottenham

The Merseyside club appear to have emerged victorious in the race for the winger, who is now headed to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

This is according to Fabrizio Romano, who claimed that Everton have agreed a deal worth £42m with Southampton, and have offered the Saints a sell-on clause.

The journalist explained that the Toffees have been locked in negotiations with the South Coast club for a long time and gave his ‘here we go’ seal of approval to the move.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs have not given up hope of signing their top winger target

According to various reports, Tottenham are continuing to push to land Savinho from Manchester City, despite the Manchester club’s reluctance to sell.

The fact that Spurs do not appear to have got involved in a serious way in the Dibling race suggests that there is some optimism at Hotspur Way over signing the Brazilian.

Tottenham Hotspur have walked away from the Etihad with yet another win, putting two goals past Man City and earning a valuable Premier League clean sheet.

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from the match:

The power of family and friendship

Who needs new signings? Who needs Eberechi Eze or Morgan Gibbs-White? The current crop of Tottenham Hotspur stars are standing up and saying: “Hey, what about us?!” In all seriousness, Spurs need new signings to reinforce the quality of the starting XI and the depth of the squad as a whole, but Thomas Frank is showing that the foundations are strong. This is a together Tottenham, all fighting for the same cause.

Fans might criticise Daniel Levy and the transfer team, but the playing squad looks so well-balanced and well-structured under the new boss. There is not a hint of disjointedness in this team. Of course, that makes it all the more frustrating from a transfer point of view. Because just how good could Spurs be if Levy and co actually managed to add a couple of world-class additions? Whatever the case, it looks like Frank’s Tottenham will be hard-working, press from the front, but will be very difficult to beat.

Bayern Munich are crazy for letting Joao Palhinha go

Why on Earth is Joao Palhinha not currently playing over in Germany? Bayern Munich got a gem when they signed the Portuguese midfielder from Fulham, yet left him on the bench all season and then allowed him to leave on loan. Oh well. Vincent Kompany’s loss is Thomas Frank’s gain. The former Sporting Lisbon star covered every blade of grass at the Etihad in one of the most well-rounded midfield performances Tottenham fans have seen since Joao Palhinha in the Super Cup against PSG.

While Palhinha is predominantly known for the defensive side of his game, there is far more to him than just blocks and tackles – even if Tottenham saw an abundance of that against Man City this afternoon. His calmness on the ball, quality at playing between the lines, and winning mentality will come in handy for Tottenham this season.

The perfect demonstration of that fact came when Spurs were 2-0 up and looking to hold on to their win in the dying stages. When the ball rolled across to Palhinha, instead of passing it backwards, hoofing it long, or crumbling under the pressure, he slammed a perfect crossfield ball over to Brennan Johnson in an attempt to start another break. You get a sense that he is going to be both a key player and an absolute bargain for the Lilywhites this season.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Pape Matar Sarr makes an interesting number 10 debate

All the talk has been about Tottenham signing a number 10. James Maddison is out injured. Dejan Kulusevski is out injured. Morgan Gibbs-White signed a new contract. Eberechi Eze snubbed Spurs in favour of Arsenal. Yet Pape Matar Sarr is proving that he is the man for the big games when it comes to that number 10 slot. It’s true, he may not have the creativity to unlock a low block, but what Sarr does have is impeccable fitness and tenacity to press from the front all day long.

The Senegal midfielder must have been an absolute nightmare to play against today. Remember, Man City have some of the best ball-playing defenders on the planet, but even they weren’t immune to Sarr’s pressure. Pape is always available for his teammates when Spurs are on the ball, whether it’s to create a passing angle or tirelessly run the channel. Off the ball, he is the first one to press and the last one to stop. Yes, Tottenham need to sign a number 10, but this is far from the last time you will see Pape Matar Sarr playing there.

Richarlison vs Dominic Solanke at Tottenham

If there is one thing we know from the opening two games of the season, it’s that Dominic Solanke is going to have a hard time getting his starting spot back from Richarlison. In very similar ways to Pape Sarr, Richarlison encapsulates everything Thomas Frank wants and needs for a number nine. He presses all day long, he never stops running for the team, he’s great in the air, he holds the ball up well, and he is an absolute nuisance for defenders to play against.

Operation Richarlison is now all about keeping the Brazil number nine fit. Having a good squad is also about Richarlison and Solanke pushing each other to get the absolute best out of their games. For so long, Tottenham have been without a top-class pair of strikers, due to Richarlison’s injuries or Harry Kane’s sheer dominance. If Frank can find a good blend between Richy and Dom, while protecting the former from playing too many minutes, Tottenham could be on to a winner.

Mohammed Kudus shows his one big weakness at Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur have done it again at the Etihad, putting two goals past Pep Guardiola’s Man City without reply, and the player ratings are in.

Tottenham player ratings vs Man City at the Etihad

Guglielmo Vicario: The Tottenham number one came up with a couple of big, smothering saves to keep the scores at 0-0 before his teammates went on to score. It will likely be forgotten, but he built the foundations of that result before Johnson even opened the scoring. 8.

Pedro Porro: Really struggled defensively against Marmoush today. Unfortunately, he looked shaky at the back, and was often pushed back into his own half, so couldn’t be a threat going forward either. Almost gave away a chance with a nervy back pass at 0-0. 7.

Cristian Romero: Tottenham had a clear game plan for Romero – mark Erling Haaland no matter what. At times, the Spurs captain was 20 yards deeper than the rest of his defenders to ensure there was no space for Haaland to run into. It was unconventional, but hard to argue with. 8.

Micky Van de Ven: Despite Spurs playing a back four, Van de Ven still pressed the Man City midfield up close to the halfway line. It was a really brave tactic from Thomas Frank, but set the tone for Tottenham’s high press. Perhaps the logic is that Spence and Van de Ven both have very good recovery pace. The Dutchman made a goal-saving block to deny Phil Foden in the closing stages of the game. 8.5.

Djed Spence: Spence is developing into one of the best one-v-one defenders in the Premier League. He may not offer as much going forward down the left side, but there are few wingers who managed to get past him thanks to his strength and pace. We barely heard a peep out of Oscar Bobb. 8.

Joao Palhinha masterminds Spurs win vs Man City

Joao Palhinha: Opened his scoring account for Tottenham to put the Lilywhites 2-0 up. However, it will be his defensive work and calmness on the ball that impressed Frank. Palhinha kept Tottenham ticking at the Etihad, and freed up Bentancur to have more of a roaming role. Why on Earth have Bayern let his man go? He covered every blade of grass at the Etihad! 9.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Rodrigo Bentancur: The Uruguayan seems to suit Thomas Frank’s system down to the ground. Today, he was tasked with starting moves from deep, but also had the license to carry the ball and press high up the pitch. He has such a well-rounded game, so it’s nice to see Spurs getting the most out of it. 8.5.

Mohammed Kudus: Less electric than he was against Burnley, against much tougher opposition, but just as vital on the break as he was against PSG. Kudus is deceptively strong and Spurs used that to their advantage, both with chips down the right channel and in the press. He also worked so hard to track back and defend that lead in the second half. 7.5.

Pape Matar Sarr: All the talk has been about Tottenham signing a number 10, but Pape Sarr has proven time and time again that he is invaluable to this Spurs set-up. He may not ooze creativity, but he turns the ball over for fun and must be a nightmare for centre-backs to play against. Any blade of grass Palhinha missed, Sarr definitely covered it. No idea how he maintains such high energy for 90 minutes every single week. 9.

Brennan Johnson: It’s just what he does! He could be having the game of his life or not touch the ball for 45 minutes, Brennan Johnson seems to pop up with a vital goal no matter what. He has to be one of the best wingers in the Premier League at making those late backpost runs. Should have played Sarr in to make it three, but opted for a shot from outside the box instead. 8.

Richarlison: Once again, the Brazil number nine was a real handful for the Man City defence. He just refuses to give the defenders a moment’s rest, and Tottenham profit from that time and time again. He put Brennan Johnson’s goal on a plate, and pressured James Trafford into gifting Spurs their second. 8.

Substitutes:

Wilson Odobert: Came on and immediately skinned Rodri. Looked a real outlet down the left side. 7.

Dominic Solanke: Came on for the final 20 minutes. Has a lot of work to do to win his place back from Richarlison. Went close to scoring a goal of his own on the break though. 6.

The half time whistle has blown following the first half of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Both sides come into the second match of the new campaign unbeaten with Tottenham beating Burnley 3-0 last weekend, while City swept Wolves aside by a 4-0 scoreline.

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest score achievable for an outstanding display at the Etihad Stadium.

Here’s how the players rated –

Tottenham player ratings vs Manchester City

Guglielmo Vicario – 7

Called into action on a couple of occasions early on, came out well to deny Marmoush just before half-time.

Pedro Porro – 6

Nearly a moment of disaster for Porro after his header failed to reach Vicario and almost gifted City a goal. Settled into the game and played the long-ball which ended up with Tottenham taking the lead.

Micky van de Ven – 6

Made the wrong decision just after half hour when he should he cleared it long rather than put Spence under pressure. His pace has not been called into action to bail his side out.

Cristian Romero – 6

A solid half from the captain, has not had the sort of physical battle with Haaland many would have expected.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Djed Spence – 7

Found himself in Thomas Frank’s bad books when he took a quick-throw in, rather than the opportunity of a long throw into City’s box. Looks so comfortable defensively and did well to cover in injury time to snuff out a City attack, another good shift on the left.

Joao Palhinha – 7

Has helped with the press in defensive phases and gets forward on every occasion, a really smart addition to the side. Scored his first goal for Spurs in added time.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Has seen plenty of the ball to try to get things moving, typically sitting in front of the back four.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7

Playing in the more advanced role of the midfield three, most of his work has been limited to off the ball up until his flick on to release Richarlison. Deserves huge credit for winning the ball for Tottenham’s second.

Brennan Johnson – 6

Picked up an unnecessary booking but made amends soon after when he put his side ahead.

Mohammed Kudus – 7

Has tried to get in behind the City defensive line but has not been found by his team-mates. Looks dangerous every time he gets the ball and his physicality is causing issues.

Richarlison – 8

Has once again worked hard to press from the front, causing the defenders problems. Played a key role in Johnson’s goal with the assist back across goal and involved once again with the second.