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Ben Foster has praised one Tottenham Hotspur star after his strong start to the season, but he has also aimed a dig which will not impress the Spurs player.

The new season is only just getting started, but if a Tottenham Hotspur surprise package were to be selected, it would be Richarlison. It was unknown whether he would still be a Spurs player by this point in the transfer window and he is not only still at the club, but thriving in the centre forward role.

Many have already expressed their adoration of the Brazilian goal machine after an impressive start to the new Premier League campaign. Harry Redknapp selected Richarlison in his team of the week, branding the star ‘underrated’.

Troy Deeney also chose Richarlison in his team of the week, while Gary Lineker revealed Richarlison intrigued him. The former Tottenham forward even said Spurs had a ‘real player’ on their hands if the 28-year-old was able to remain free from injuries.

Ben Foster offers mixed assessment of Richarlison at Tottenham

Ben Foster has had his say, and he has been most complimentary, describing Richarlison as ‘world class’. However, the retired goalkeeper did not stop there, as he also accused the £60m man of being lazy.

Foster told The Cycling Goalie podcast: “Yeah, he [Richarlison] seems to me to get bored. He smashes it for a little bit and then thinks, ‘I’ve done enough now’.

“But he’s a very, very good player. He’s a Brazilian international. He’s a world-class player, right? But I just think sometimes he goes, ‘Right, I’ve probably done enough for a little while now. Now I’ll settle down’.

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“He’ll come in and out of the team, and I think that’s probably the frustration for Spurs fans in general. My brother’s a Spurs fan, and he’s constantly moaning about it, to be honest with you.

“But when he’s fit, and when he’s motivated, and when he wants it, you get this sort of performance [Against Burnley].”

Foster’s criticism of Richarlison is unfair on the Spurs forward

Of all the players at Tottenham, Richarlison is one of the ones who always seems to try his hardest, whether he is good enough or not. He is passionate and usually shows good energy when he is on the pitch.

The reason he is constantly in and out of the team is due to injuries, an issue which is largely out of his hands. Richarlison missed a staggering 37 matches last season due to four separate injuries, including problems with his hamstring, groin and calf.

Pundits ought to be mindful of this, but another thing to be wary of is not to overreact to Richarlison’s form. He may have put Burnley to the sword, but do his career achievements make him world-class?

Considering he has been linked with moves to Turkey and Saudi Arabia over the past year, as a result of his Tottenham struggles, probably not. But perhaps that gives the Brazilian something to prove this season. It would be interesting to see a fit and determined Richarlison get a real run in the side.

Tottenham Hotspur have suffered yet another setback in the transfer market, but there remains a small window of time to identify and sign a quality number 10.

Thomas Frank must have known what he was getting himself into by agreeing to become the Tottenham Hotspur manager. However, he could be forgiven for failing to anticipate their inability to complete three major transfers in his first summer at the club, despite lengthy negotiations.

Eberechi Eze is the latest player Spurs look to have missed out on. A deal for Tottenham to sign Eze was said to be nearing completion, but shortly afterwards, it was reported that Spurs had lost out to Arsenal on Eze.

With the 27-year-old heading to the other side of North London, here are five players Tottenham could sign instead.

Morgan Rogers would be as good a signing for Tottenham as Eberechi Eze

It has already been reported this summer that Tottenham were keen on Morgan Rogers. However, the rumours soon went quiet, with Spurs turning their attention to Eze.

Aston Villa’s asking price likely played a role in this, a fee believed to be around £100m. It is hard to see an offer anywhere near that figure being placed, but Rogers would definitely improve the Tottenham first-team squad.

He has succeeded in every competition, with eight goals and 11 assists in the Premier League last season. In the Champions League, the 23-year-old registered four goals and three assists and he managed two goals and two assists in the FA Cup. Rogers would be just as good a signing as Eze or Morgan Gibbs-White.

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Bilal El Khannouss is a strong younger option for Spurs

If Tottenham are looking to spend less money, but still want a player who could one day reach Eze’s level, Bilal El Khannouss of Leicester City is a good choice. He already has two assists in the Championship this season and would only cost in the region of £30m. This would leave Spurs with the finances to invest in a quality left winger too.

The Morocco international achieved a modest two goals and three assists in the top flight last season, but his performances were good enough to attract interest from Crystal Palace and Leeds United.

Tottenham would have to act quickly, as Crystal Palace see El Khannouss as a potential replacement for Eze. However, Spurs have been linked with El Khannouss on more than one occasion, so the foundations are there for Daniel Levy to initiate contact.

Spurs and Leicester have exchanged James Maddison, Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks in recent years, so the clubs ought to have a good relationship when it comes to negotiating.

Tottenham could attempt to hijack Chelsea’s move for Xavi Simons

Xavi Simons could be an even better signing for Tottenham than Eze. Arsenal supporters could see this as a statement of bitterness, but they can read all about how in June, we said Tottenham should prioritise a move for Simons over Eze.

The RB Leipzig midfielder is both a creator and a goal threat and he has age on his side, being just 22 years old.

The issue with Simons is that he has been strongly linked with Chelsea and is believed to be in favour of the move. Tottenham have made contact with Simons, but it will take some convincing to persuade him to join Spurs instead of the Club World Cup winners.

Harvey Elliott would count as a homegrown midfielder for Spurs

It has already been detailed that Tottenham need to address their massive homegrown problem in the summer transfer window. Both Gibbs-White and Eze are from England, which indicates that Spurs would prefer their next attacking midfielder to be a homegrown player.

Harvey Elliott fits the bill and he was highly impressive for Liverpool during the 2023/24 season. While he saw less game time during their most recent campaign, Elliott showed what he is capable of at the UEFA Euro U21s tournament. He helped England win the competition with five goals, including one each in the quarter-final and final, as well as a semi-final brace.

Again, Spurs will have to act quickly if they want Elliott because RB Leipzig could wrap up a deal if Simons departs for Chelsea.

Maghnes Akliouche has already been linked with Tottenham

Tottenham were plotting a move for Maghnes Akliouche after missing out on Savinho. The expectation was that he would play on the left wing, but the Monaco man traditionally plays as an attacking midfielder. This makes him a viable alternative to Eze and like the other players listed, he is younger too.

Akilouche lacks experience outside of Ligue 1, but his stats are still impressive. His 10 assists last season showed he knows how to help his team score more goals. He has the potential to form a good relationship with Richarlison and even help Dominic Solanke find his form in front of goal.

The Frenchman would not be as cheap as Elliott or El Khannouss, but Spurs would not have to splash as much cash as they would have done on Eze or Gibbs-White.

Our top picks for who Tottenham should sign

Rogers would be an incredible signing for Spurs and while he would cost a sum which could be considered too high, he would take their attack to the next level. Simons is the next best option, but it is difficult to see what Tottenham would be able to do to stop him from joining Chelsea.

Should Spurs miss out on both those players, Elliott should be the one they turn to. He helps out on the homegrown front, is only 22 and has already shown he is good enough for the Premier League.

Chris Sutton has made his score prediction for this weekend, but he highlighted a problem in the Tottenham first-team squad which could have an effect when they take on Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for their first Premier League away trip this season against a team in fine form. Manchester City may have suffered a shock exit to Al Hilal at the Club World Cup, but Pep Guardiola’s team destroyed Wolves 4-0 in their opening league fixture.

Spurs come into this match at the end of a week full of frustrations. Last week’s 3-0 victory over Burnley might feel like ancient history, due to everything that has since happened off the pitch.

Manchester City are trying to prevent Tottenham from signing Savinho in a blow which leaves the team lacking quality on the left wing.

Worse still, Spurs lost out to Arsenal on Eberechi Eze, despite days of negotiations between Daniel Levy and Steve Parish. This means it has now been 19 days since Tottenham have signed a player. Their most recent addition is Joao Paulinha, who joined on loan from Bayern Munich.

Chris Sutton submits Manchester City vs Tottenham score prediction

Chris Sutton has made his prediction on BBC Sport for the weekend’s clashes and he has highlighted a problem Tottenham have not been able to overcome. The player-turned-pundit cannot see Thomas Frank and his players competing with the league’s elite teams, because they lack quality players.

He said: “Manchester City really impressed me last week and everyone is rightly talking about Tijjani Reijnders. Statman Dave told me to get him into my Fantasy team, I didn’t take that advice and I should’ve done. He was brilliant against Wolves.

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“I do think Tottenham will be a level above under Thomas Frank. It’ll be interesting how they set up. They played a back three in the Super Cup final against Paris St-Germain.

“Cristian Romero has signed a new contract for Tottenham, that’s a big deal. But how did they not get a deal for Eberechi Eze over the line? It had been going on for weeks and now Arsenal have come in and embarrassed them!

“Tottenham are still a few players short from properly challenging the really big teams and in this game I think City at home will be too strong for them.”

Chris Sutton’s prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs must rely on a Thomas Frank masterclass

Our prediction for Tottenham against Burnley was correct and like Sutton, we have also predicted Spurs to suffer a 2-1 defeat this weekend. Man City are off to a flying start and are the stronger team on paper.

However, Thomas Frank will do his best to give Tottenham a chance in this fixture. He almost masterminded a victory against PSG and had that been a league game, Spurs would have still picked up a draw.

The emphasis is likely to be on a strong defensive foundation, which then allows moments to get the ball forward to Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison.

Amidst reports linking Tottenham Hotspur with an audacious move for Morgan Rogers, Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has revealed whether there is any truth to the transfer rumours.

After missing out on Eberechi Eze in embarrassing fashion, there is no doubt that Daniel Levy and the Spurs hierarchy need to make some statement signings before the window closes to appease the Tottenham fan base.

Some reports indicate that they are now attempting to do just that by trying to poach Aston Villa’s best player.

A number of outlets have now reported that Tottenham view Morgan Rogers as their ‘dream signing’ and have made contact over a deal for the 23-year-old.

It has been claimed by several sources that Spurs would have to shatter their transfer record to bring Rogers through the door.

However, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, there is no chance of that happening before the window slams shut on September 1.

In fact, the journalist took to social media to claim that there is no truth to suggestions that Spurs have initiated contact over a move for Rogers.

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Bridge has solid sources at Tottenham and is usually reliable when it comes to news related to the North London club.

However, The Independent’s Miguel Delaney is convinced that Spurs have made a move through intermediaries to explore a move for Rogers.

When it was pointed out to Delaney that Bridge had contradictory information on the matter, he insisted that he was confident in his own sources.

Thomas Frank has provided his thoughts on how many players he expects Tottenham Hotspur to sign before the transfer window ends, and it is clear he feels the squad is not currently strong enough.

Most football supporters would surely be able to sympathise with Thomas Frank. He likely came to Tottenham Hotspur with the expectation that they would have the pull to bring big names to the club.

Spurs did complete the signing of Mohammed Kudus, a player who looks the real deal so far. However, Tottenham have recently missed out on two players who would have seen the club spend more than £100m.

Manchester City are trying to block Tottenham from signing Savinho and just a couple of days later, Arsenal rekindled their interest in Eze, which led to Spurs missing out on the attacking midfielder. This came after days of negotiations, in a move which looked almost certain to take place.

Thomas Frank is confident Tottenham will secure another transfer

Despite these discouragements, Frank has a good feeling that the Tottenham first-team squad will be strengthened before the transfer window concludes.

The Spurs boss made sure to praise his players, who are readying themselves to take on Manchester City, but he is still eager for one or two new faces.

He said in his pre-match press conference (Tottenham Official): “We are in the market and we will look to strengthen the team. We have a good squad and good players. I see 23 players working hard on a game plan for Manchester City tomorrow.

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“We need to do everything we can to be as competitive as possible. I am confident we will sign a player before the end of the window.”

On whether his squad is stronger now than it was at the start of the window, he added: “Two players in, two players out so probably a bit similar. It’s the same level but that’s good. It’s my job and that of my staff to make sure we can compete.

“Every club wants to sign players as early as possible, but it’s not that easy. I’m a positive guy, I’m not that fearful. I believe something will happen.”

What positions do Spurs still need to fill?

The lack of options in the striker position were often talked about earlier in the window, but Tottenham do not appear to be targeting a centre forward.

Spurs are still monitoring Yoane Wissa, but Frank’s former player is set to join Newcastle United. Still, if Richarlison has another injury-ridden season, failing to sign a striker could come back to bite Tottenham.

The other positions which clearly need strengthening are the left wing and the attacking midfield. On the left, Mathys Tel has not yet had his Spurs breakthrough, while it would be quite the turnaround if Manor Solomon is able to establish himself in the Tottenham first-team.

Tottenham’s lack of options in attacking midfield are even more concerning. They have lost out at the last minute on two players in this position now and their options are very limited. The only available player who looks capable of filling the role is Pape Matar Sarr.

Frank can only hope his confidence in Tottenham getting business done is not in vain. His club now find themselves in a weaker position, with little left to go in the transfer window. Other teams could attempt to take advantage of their desperation. Whatever the case, adding at least one player in both these positions is a must.

Journalist Greame Bailey has now revealed what Aston Villa are now feeling amidst reports that Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Morgan Rogers, and it is not good news for Spurs fans.

After being gazumped by Arsenal in their pursuit of Eberechi Eze, Tottenham need to pull some big deals out of the bag, and they do not have much time to do it, with the transfer window slamming shut in a little over a week.

It was reported by Fabrizio Romano on Thursday Morgan Rogers is Tottenham’s dream target, with the Lilywhites seeing the Villa star as a perfect fit for their setup.

However, the journalist explained that industry sources believe that it would be next to impossible to get the 23-year-old out of Villa Park this summer.

Romano is not the only journalist to credit the Lilywhites with an interest in Rogers, with journalist Miguel Delaney also revealing on Thursday that Spurs have reached out to Rogers through intermediaries.

Greame Bailey has now revealed that the Midlands club have denied any approaches from Spurs for the England international.

The journalist says that Unai Emery’s men fully expect Rogers to remain at Villa Park, and asserts that when he eventually does depart the club, Chelsea is likely to be his destination.

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Reacting to the speculation linking Rogers with a move to Spurs, Bailey told TBR Football: “They’ve (Villa) denied any approaches, any knowledge of the situation. I’ve been told by people who know the Villa situation that even if there was a fire sale tomorrow, the last player out the door at Villa would be Morgan Rogers.

“He’s not going anywhere this month. Villa do know of interest from elsewhere, but my understanding is that if and when Rogers does leave Villa, the chances are very high it’s going to be Chelsea.

“We know about the Joel Shields relationship, etc. I’d be very surprised if his next club wasn’t Chelsea purely because of that relationship, and we know they like him.

“Arsenal always had an interest in him, but it was never that strong. And obviously, in terms of a fee, if you’re going to get Morgan Rogers, I think you’re looking at Florian Wirtz territory-type money.”

How much will Rogers cost this summer?

Despite Bailey’s and Romaono’s assertion, it turns out that the North London club believe that a deal for the Villa star may not be out of reach.

According to a recent update by The Independent, Tottenham believe Villa will sell Rogers for the right fee, given their PSR issues.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to push to land Savinho at the behest of their manager Thomas Frank, who is a big fan of the Manchester City star.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Man City had decided to keep hold of Savinho despite Tottenham’s willingness to spend a club-record fee for the Brazilian.

However, after Arsenal hijacked Tottenham’s move for Eberechi Eze, it has been suggested that the Lilywhites’ resolve to land the Brazilian has increased.

According to a recent report from Globo Esporte, Spurs are now ready to offer €80m (£70m) for Savinho, with the North London club vowing to ‘spare no effort’ in their attempts to bring the 21-year-old through the door.

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed on his YouTube channel that Spurs made new contact with Man City on Thursday regarding the pacy winger.

The journalist explained that someone in the Manchester club’s hierarchy is continuing to push hard to keep Savinho at the Etihad Stadium.

However, this has now put off Tottenham, who are continuing to push hard for the winger and insisting that they want to do a deal before the window slams shut.

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The Lilywhites believe that the former Girona man would be a ‘perfect signing’ for them. Thomas Frank is ‘in love’ with Savinho and is extremely keen to bring him through the door.

Savinho wants Spurs but he is not burning Bridges at Man City

Romano adds in his update that the winger continues to remain keen on completing a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, it was reported by the Manchester Evening News a couple of days ago that while Savinho wants to join Tottenham, he is refusing to burn his bridges at City.

The outlet concluded that City hold all the cards in the negotiations and suggested that Spurs would have to pay an astronomical fee to get the deal over the line.

A new report on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Morgan Rogers has revealed the one factor which could prevent the move from taking place.

Yesterday, Arsenal hijacked Tottenham’s Eberechi Eze transfer, with the Crystal Palace attacking midfielder set to move to the other side of North London instead. The news came as both a shock and a disappointment, as Tottenham were close to agreeing a deal.

Since then, rumours have been flying around about various alternatives Tottenham Hotspur may be looking to sign. Spurs have made an advance towards Maghnes Akliouche, while Xavi Simons has been discussed internally at the club.

Another report suggests Tottenham are plotting a move for Bilal El Khannouss. The Leicester City midfielder has been linked with Crystal Palace as a replacement for Eberechi Eze, so bringing the youngster to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be seen as an act of vengeance.

Tottenham have made Morgan Rogers a top priority

Most Spurs supporters would be happy with Simons joining the club, but the other options may be considered underwhelming in comparison with Eze. However, this will not be the case with the player who has emerged as Tottenham’s new number one transfer target.

The Independent report that Spurs have made Morgan Rogers a priority target after missing out on Eze. In fact, the club have already been in touch with intermediaries to weigh up the possibility of a deal.

Aston Villa are against selling the 23-year-old, but a proper bid could change their minds. This is because the club are facing PSR restraints, which recently resulted in UEFA handing them a £9.5m fine after they breached financial rules.

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However, Rogers has five years remaining on his Villa contract and an £80m figure has been mentioned in Spurs circles. It is possible that even this would not be enough to bring the England international to North London.

Rogers ticks all the boxes for Spurs

Rogers would cost Tottenham a lot of money, but he is a homegrown player. This is useful as a practical point and it could also see more representation of Spurs in future England squads, something which has failed to be the case recently.

As a player, Rogers is the ideal attacking midfielder. He can score goals, set up his teammates and has excellent movement. If Spurs were able to get this deal over the line, it might just be enough to forget the Eze ordeal ever happened.

There has now been an update on Dejan Kulusevski’s rehabilitation, and it comes as a bitter blow to Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur.

James Maddison has already been ruled out for the majority of the upcoming season after suffering an ACL injury during Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle in pre-season.

Kulusevski has been out of action since suffering a knee injury at the start of May, with the attacking midfielder missing the Europa League final as well as the entirety of pre-season under Thomas Frank.

It was initially reported that Kulusevski is expected to miss the first month of the Premier League season, but we are now hearing that the injury could be a lot worse than initially thought.

Dejan Kulusevski may not be back for Tottenham until 2026

Two weeks ago, Physio Scout claimed that Kulusevski’s injury could keep him out of action for a total of eight to 10 months.

They suggested that the 25-year-old may have suffered a patella fracture after his knee-to-knee collision with Marc Guehi, and those can take a long time to heal.

This news has now been backed up by The Guardian, who reveal that the former Juventus man is now expected to be sidelined until the turn of the year after undergoing surgery earlier this summer.

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This comes as a huge blow to the Lilywhites, who currently lack a recognised creative midfielder in their squad.

Spurs hierarchy have failed to deliver Thomas Frank’s request

According to a report from The Times, Thomas Frank has asked Tottenham to sign two number tens this summer, not just one.

Now that we have heard about the severity of Kulusevski’s injury, one can understand why the Dane made that request.

Spurs Web can exclusively reveal what sources close to Richarlison have said about reports of the striker being offered to Crystal Palace and his chances of leaving Tottenham before the end of the month.

At the start of the summer, Richarlison was being backed to leave Tottenham, with a return to Brazil mooted as a possibility for the striker.

However, the centre-forward has started the new season with two outstanding performances against PSG and Burnley, netting an impressive brace against the Clarets.

Thomas Frank has raved about Richarlison’s work rate, holdup play and pressing, but there continue to be rumours linking him with an exit from N17.

Did Tottenham offer Richarlison to Crystal Palace?

A few days ago, it was reported that Tottenham had offered Richarlison to Crystal Palace as a makeweight in a deal for Eberechi Eze.

The outlet claimed that Spurs were ready to move on the former Everton man and replace him with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

However, Spurs Web has now spoken with sources close to Richarlison, who have denied that the 28-year-old was ever offered to the Eagles as part of the Eze deal.

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We have been informed that the Brazilian international will stay put at the club this summer and that the 28-year-old is fully focused on Tottenham Hotspur and working hard for Thomas Frank.

Rumours of a Richarlison sale are not true

The Crystal Palace rumours were not the first to circulate regarding a potential Richarlison exit. According to a recent update by UOL, Spurs were ready to sell Richarlison for €40m (£34m) at the start of the transfer window.

Clubs from Italy, Saudi Arabia and the Premier League allegedly expressed an interest in signing the Tottenham striker.

However, Richarlison ultimately decided after conversations with trusted advisors that staying at Spurs would give him the best chance of being part of the Brazil squad for next year’s World Cup.

Whatever the case, it appears Richarlison never intended to leave Spurs this summer and remains fully committed to the Thomas Frank project at the start of the 2025/26 campaign.