Spurs Web

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.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to make it two wins from two in the Premier League, but that will require defeating a Manchester City team who ran riot against Wolves last weekend.

A long week has been endured and Tottenham Hotspur are back in action. Finally, Spurs supporters can turn their attention from the club’s shambolic failings in the transfer market to what could be a thrilling Premier League encounter.

Tottenham’s trip to the Etihad Stadium delivered on every level as Ange Postecoglou’s men ran riot. However, James Maddison was twice the goalscorer that night, but he remains out with a lengthy injury.

Spurs will instead look to new boy Mohammed Kudus for inspiration. His clever dribbling and pinpoint crossing has been almost mesmerising, while Richarlison will be hoping to continue his sensational start to the season.

How Tottenham line up against Manchester City

The big decision required of Thomas Frank today was how defensively to set up his team. His utilisation of a back three worked well for the best part of 80 minutes against PSG, but Spurs invited too much pressure towards the end of the game.

Finding the balance between constant defending and overcommitment in attack will be essential if his team are to come away from the Etihad Stadium with anything to show for.

There are no new injuries or players returning from injury to report on since the victory over Burnley last weekend, as confirmed by Thomas Frank during yesterday’s press conference with Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma still not ready to return.

MORE SPURS STORIES

This is the Spurs team which will face off against Manchester City this afternoon:

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur, Sarr; Kudus, Richarlison, Johnson.

Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Vuskovic, Davies, Bergvall, Gray, Odobert, Tel, Solanke

Man City: Trafford, Stones, Dias, Aït-Nouri, Doku, Bernardo, Bobb, Reijnders, González, Lewis, Haaland.

Subs: Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Ake, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Foden, Doku

For those wondering how to watch Manchester City v Tottenham, the game will be televised in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.

Tottenham have a run of winnable Premier League fixtures

Spurs are already having to undergo what is probably one of the most difficult fixtures of the season. However, of their following nine opponents, only one won their opening match. That was Leeds United and to be fair, their win was the result of a very harsh penalty.

This does not mean any of the games will be straightforward for Tottenham, although West Ham away should be after their dreadful start to the season, but it should provide Frank with some belief and optimism.

Also, if Spurs are able to get a couple of deals completed before the transfer window ends, that will provide them with an even greater chance of picking up as many points as possible.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Tottenham Hotspur have not given up hope of landing a Barcelona youngster and are currently waiting to see if the player has a change of heart about his future.

Tottenham have added Joao Palhinha to their midfield, with the Portuguese star joining Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, and Archie Gray as Thomas Frank’s options in the middle of the park.

Yves Bissouma is expected to leave Spurs before the end of the month, and it remains to be seen if the Dane would want to replace the Mali international.

It was reported at the start of this month that Tottenham were eyeing a move for Barcelona’s Marc Casado, and it turns out that the Lilywhites have not abandoned their pursuit of the 21-year-old.

Tottenham waiting in the wings despite Marc Casado’s snub

The 21-year-old got a decent amount of game time at Camp Nou last season due to Frenkie de Jong’s injury, and according to Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness), the youngster has attracted a lot of interest this summer.

The report says that Spurs were one of the clubs that explored a move for him while Chelsea and Atletico Madrid also made approaches earlier in the window.

However, Casado turned down those moves and made it clear that he has his heart set on establishing himself as a key player at Barca.

MORE SPURS STORIES

This has not put off last season’s Europa League winners, who remain interested in the Spain international. Real Betis are also showing late interest in the midfielder, but the deal is expected to prove too expensive for the La Liga side.

Tottenham are hoping Casado changes his mind

Sport say that the Catalan club and the player’s entourage are well aware of Tottenham’s interest in the defensive midfielder.

The publication asserts that Tottenham and others are now waiting to see if there will be any development over the coming days, with Casado aware that he is not likely to have a prominent role under Hansi Flick this season.

If the Spain international changes his mind and decides to pursue a new challenge, Barca would be ready to sell him for €30m (£26m).

A Tottenham man, who has missed the entirety of pre-season and has been linked with a move away from the club, has started training with Thomas Frank’s squad for the first time.

Thomas Frank faces a crunch test early into his time as Tottenham head coach, with the Lilywhites set to make the trip to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City.

Tottenham will be without Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma against Man City, along with long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin.

However, one forgotten Spurs man has confirmed that he trained on Friday ahead of the trip to Manchester.

Manor Solomon has returned to first-team training

Manor Solomon had not kicked a ball in competitive action for Tottenham since returning from his impressive loan spell at Leeds United last season.

Reports indicate that the Israeli international is likely to be sold by Spurs this summer, but when asked about him last week, Thomas Frank said that Solomon could be involved once he is back from injury.

The 25-year-old has now taken to Instagram stories to confirm that he is back in training.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Manor Solomon is attracting plenty of transfer interest

A return to Leeds United has not been ruled out for Solomon, but Daniel Farke’s men are thought to be prioritising other targets at the moment.

Last week, Fabrizio Romano revealed that a number of Spanish and English clubs are showing interest in Solomon.

It was suggested earlier in the summer that Scott Parker was exploring the idea of taking Solomon to Burnley.

The winger’s next destination appears unclear, but it looks overwhelmingly likely that he will leave N17 before September 1.

Tottenham Hotspur may just regret one piece of business they did last summer for just £6.7m, especially with how the current transfer window is going.

Parrott was thought of very highly while coming through the ranks at Spurs, with the youngster making his senior debut for the Lilywhites aged just 17, back in 2019.

However, the Republic of Ireland international never managed to establish himself in the first-team in North London and following an impressive campaign on loan at Excelsior Rotterdam in 2023-24, he was bought by Alkmaar for £6.7m last summer.

The centre-forward had a superb first season at the AFAS stadium, ending last campaign with 20 goals and five assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, including one against Tottenham in the Europa League.

How Tottenham could benefit from Troy Parrott’s impressive development

Troy Parrott has been on fire at the start of the new campaign, with the former Tottenham Hotspur man having already almost reached half of his goal tally from last season from just six matches.

The 23-year-old has scored six goals and provided an assist in four Europa Conference League Qualifiers, and he has also found the back of the net thrice in Alkmaar’s first two Eredivisie games.

There is no doubt that clubs from across Europe will be keeping an eye on the youngster’s ridiculous output, and with around 10 days of the transfer window left, a move away from AZ cannot be ruled out just yet.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Football.London have revealed that Tottenham added a 20 per cent sell-on clause to the deal when they sold Parrott last summer, which means that the Lilywhites will stand to benefit if someone swoops for the striker before the window slams shut.

Parrott is already on the radar of Premier League clubs

At the start of the summer, it was reported that Wolves were considering making a move for Parrott on the back of his impressive debut season at Alkmaar.

The Midlands club have not substantiated their interest in the Irishman, but his recent form would have certainly not gone unnoticed at the Molineux Stadium and other Premier League sides.

With Parrott considered homegrown in the Premier League, there is no doubt that a return to England is on the cards for the centre-forward sooner rather than later if he can continue developing in the same vein in the Eredivisie.

Paul Merson has made his prediction as Tottenham Hotspur make their first Premier League away trip to Man City this season, and he does not expect it to be an easy outing for Thomas Frank’s men.

Tottenham Hotspur will go again this Saturday, against Premier League leaders Manchester City. There is growing confidence in their defensive line, despite last season’s concerns. Cristian Romero has signed a new Tottenham contract and Thomas Frank appears to have made his team more balanced.

However, the problems Spurs encountered last season were not limited to their defending. They were unable to break down Manchester City’s defence when the sides last met in February and only scored once in their final three league matches of the campaign. Frank himself has already overseen a 0-0 draw against Luton Town in pre-season.

To make things worse, Thomas Frank has been left without a number 10. He actually wanted two attacking midfielders before the transfer window slammed shut, but as things stand, there is still a possibility he will not have any.

Paul Merson predicts no goals for Tottenham against Manchester City

Paul Merson has noted that a lot has changed since Ange Postecoglou brought his Tottenham team to the Etihad last season and recorded an incredible 4-0 victory. Frank is still early on in his journey to improve Spurs and one straightforward win against Burnley does not mean they are ready for this test.

Merson told Sportskeeda: “This is the first real test of the new season for Manchester City and Tottenham. I remember Spurs went to the Etihad last season and destroyed City! A lot has changed at both clubs since then, and this game will be a good watch.

“I still think Tottenham are a work-in-progress. You can’t get carried away by the win against Burnley. I don’t see them getting well beaten by City though; that’s not happening under Thomas Frank. Spurs will be disappointed about losing Eberechi Eze to Arsenal. Now they have to go put all their eggs in some other basket!

MORE SPURS STORIES

“Erling Haaland looked sharp in the win over Wolves and as long as he’s fit, City will always be in the title race. But I don’t fancy the wingers at Pep Guardiola’s disposal. I’m not a big fan of Jeremy Doku. I just think he does not make things happen often enough. When Phil Foden is ready, I expect him to come back into the team and City’s front-three will look a lot stronger.

“I’m not as bullish as I was with my predictions in the past about this fixture. Frank will go there with a plan to stop City. I’m still backing Manchester City to win, but Spurs could have their moments.”

Merson’s Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Who are Spurs looking to sign before the transfer window closes?

Ending their transfer business without another signing is simply not an option for Tottenham if they wish to compete with teams who are likely to finish near the top of the Premier League table.

One name currently doing the rounds is Morgan Rogers, an excellent attacking midfielder who would be the club’s signing of the summer.

However, Spurs would have to pay a fee in excess of £80m for Rogers, which seems unlikely to happen after they failed to land Eberechi Eze. In fact, it was recently revealed that Nico Paz is Tottenham’s most achievable transfer target.

Whoever Tottenham attempt to sign, they must move swiftly to give Frank the players he needs. The fixtures will be coming in thick and fast soon enough and there has to be good quality across every position in the Tottenham first-team squad.