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Tottenham’s former chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini has now given an extraordinary interview in which he has criticised the club for hiring Ange Postecoglou as well as for the recruitment decisions they made last summer.

Gabbanini joined as Tottenham Hotspur’s chief scout in 2022 – one of Fabio Paratici’s hires – and he left the club at the start of the 2023-24 season, just as Ange Postecoglou, Scott Munn and Johan Lange were arriving through the door.

However, according to reports, Gabbanini continued working as a consultant for Spurs until earlier this year, helping the Lilywhites identify targets who are undervalued by the market.

Now that the Italian has cut ties with the Premier League side, he has given a candid interview in which he has criticised some of the big decisions the Spurs hierarchy made.

Leonardo Gabbanini makes an admission about Ange Postecoglou’s appointment

The 45-year-old has admitted that he was involved in the decision to hire Postecoglou two years ago, explaining that the Tottenham hierarchy wanted someone who could deliver attractive football. However, Gabbanini hints that the Australians’ lack of experience at the highest level was an issue.

He told FirenzeViola about Tottenham’s march to the Europa League final: “The final is the completion of an unfinished journey in the sense that it began two years ago, which coincided with my departure, but in which we chose the coach.

“First, there was Conte, who maximised the results, but then the owners decided to take a coach who would make people play and have fun, and we chose him, and a team was created for him, but in the Premier League, he was a rookie.”

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Gabbanini says Postecoglou did not get the right players

The former Spurs chief scout suggested that recruitment under Postecoglou was initially very effective, but suggested that the Lilywhites made some errors in the transfer market last summer.

Gabbanini claimed that Tottenham signed players who were not particularly well suited to the 59-year-old’s system.

He added: “Very good young players were taken (signed by Spurs). Then last year, they started well, but then they took players who were not suited to his game.

An experienced player who Tottenham Hotspur let go last season is now making the North London club rue their decision, with the player now having an astonishing 26 goal contributions so far across 2024-25.

Many of Tottenham’s forwards have failed to hit the expected heights this season, which has been one of the main reasons for the Lilywhites’ struggles in the Premier League.

Heung-min Son has failed to live up to his own high standards this season, while many of Tottenham’s other wide players and forwards have blown hot and cold through much of the campaign.

However, it turns out that one man who Ange Postecoglou’s men let go last year is winding back the clock with his brilliant showing in the Eredivisie.

Ivan Perisic’s outstanding stats for PSV Eindhoven this season

Perisic was brought into Tottenham by Antonio Conte in the summer of 2022, but his time at the North London club did not go according to plan.

After a hit-and-miss first season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Croat picked up an ACL injury at the start of his second season, which ended his Spurs career prematurely, with the Lilywhites allowing him to join Hajduk Split on a free transfer in January of last year.

However, his stay at Hajduk was short-lived as the 36-year-old signed for PSV Eindhoven last summer, and he has had an outstanding season for the Dutch giants so far.

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Perisic was the star of the show for PSV the umpteenth time this season in their clash at Feyenoord on Sunday, helping the away side emerge 3-2 winners with a goal and an assist.

That takes the former Tottenham man’s overall season tally to 15 goals and 11 assists so far, which shows that he still has very much got it.

Did Tottenham make a mistake by letting Perisic go?

It is easy to look back in hindsight and suggest that Spurs should have hung onto Perisic and given him a chance to show what he can do under Postecoglou.

However, it is worth keeping in mind that his contract was about to run out last summer. When a player in his late thirties picks up a long-term injury, it may not be the most prudent move to hand him a new contract.

Tottenham’s summer transfer target, Liam Delap, has just admitted that he is a huge fan of a Spurs teenager who has been making waves at the North London club this season.

Delap has had an excellent debut Premier League season following his switch to Portman Road Stadium last summer, and there is no doubt that he will remain in the top flight despite Ipswich Town’s relegation, with the 22-year-old thought to be on the radar of several big clubs.

It has been widely reported over the past few months that Tottenham are big admirers of Delap and are expected to battle the likes of Chelsea for his signature this summer.

According to various sources, Delap can leave Ipswich for just £30m as a release clause in his contract has become active after Kieran McKenna’s men went down.

Liam Delap is in awe of Archie Gray at Tottenham

Delap is yet to break into the senior England set-up but has been a regular for the Young Lions of late, having scored thrice in 12 appearances for them so far.

During his time in the Under-21s, the striker has played alongside Tottenham’s Archie Gray, and it appears that the teenager has made a big impression on the Ipswich man.

Delap made an appearance on Sky Sports’ Sticker Book show, and he was asked to pick the top player out of several four-man shortlists. One of those was Academy Ace, in which he discussed the best players he has played alongside at the club or international level.

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The list involved Gray as well as the likes of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

Delap said about the Tottenham Hotspur man: “Archie, recently, obviously, just played with him a few times for England. He’s still so young, so much potential. I played against him a few times this season, and he’s so good.”

How well placed are Tottenham to land Delap?

There is no doubt that Spurs are going to face intense competition for Delap, given the potential he has demonstrated this season and his low release clause.

However, it was reported by GiveMeSport last week that Tottenham are confident of winning the race for Delap ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Man United, West Ham and Everton.

Based on what the striker has just said, perhaps Spurs can get Gray to put in a word to the Ipswich man about a potential switch to N17.

Manchester United have just been handed a major boost ahead of their Europa League showdown with Tottenham Hotspur next week, with one of the key men now having a chance of featuring in the showpiece game at Bilbao.

With just over a week to go until the final, the attention of both Spurs and United fans has now shifted firmly towards the clash at San Mames, even though both sides still have one more Premier League clash before their trip to Spain.

Tottenham will be without James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall, who have joined long-term absentee Radu Dragusin on the treatment table.

However, Spurs have been boosted by the return of their captain, Heung-min Son, who returned to the action as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace after being sidelined for nearly a month with a foot injury.

Now, Tottenham’s opponents could be in line to receive a major injury boost of their own.

Man United striker may be fit to face Tottenham in Europa League final

Joshua Zirkzee was initially ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring injury during the Red Devils’ Premier League defeat to Newcastle on Sunday, April 13.

At the time, Rubem Amorim confirmed that the Dutchman will play no further part in the season: “He is out for the season. He will not play again this season. Let’s prepare him for the next one. It is tough, he was improving in every aspect of the game. It is tough for any player, but he has to be ready to recover.”

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However, Manchester Evening News and other outlets now report that the 22-year-old himself has admitted that he has an outside chance of being fit for the final.

It is revealed that the Man United striker told Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies on his Twitch stream that there is a chance that he could be ready to face Spurs.

When asked about his recovery, the former Bologna man allegedly said it would be “difficult but not impossible” for him to feature in Bilbao.

How much of a boost is this to Man United?

Zirkzee’s numbers are distinctly poor this season, with the forward having scored just seven goals across all competitions in 48 appearances.

However, he does add another dimension to Man United’s attack with the work he does off the ball and his ability to hold up possession, which is going to be crucial for Rubem Amorim’s side, as one would expect Tottenham to have more of the ball.

Paul Robinson is confident that Tottenham will not be signing Mathys Tel permanently, and he expects two senior players to follow the on-loan Bayern Munich man out of the door this summer.

After a difficult start to life at Tottenham Hotspur, Tel has shown a significant improvement over recent weeks, but the forward is yet to deliver the kind of statement performance that many expected of him.

There has been a lot said and written about the 20-year-old’s future, which appears to be up in the air ahead of the summer.

Most outlets have claimed that Tottenham do not plan on activating the £45m option to buy Tel and instead want to renegotiate a discounted deal with Bayern.

Ange Postecoglou has said that he is very happy with the way Tel has adapted, but the Australian’s opinion might not hold much water as there is expected to be a new manager at Spurs this summer.

Paul Robinson makes a confident prediction on Mathys Tel’s future

Robinson is sure that Tottenham will not make an attempt to sign the Frenchman permanently, even for a discounted fee.

The former Spurs number one insisted that the wide-forward has simply not shown enough during his loan spell and backed Tel to join Cristian Romero and Richarlison out of the door this summer.

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The pundit told Football Insider: “Mathys Tel will be going back to Bayern. He’ll definitely be going back because he’s not pulled up any trees since being at Tottenham.

“There are a lot of links with Romero and Atletico Madrid. He’s not been able to stay fit, not played regularly, he’s been injured and suspended a lot, so Romero is one they may look at leaving.

“Richarlison is an obvious one, there are links with him moving away all the time. For Tottenham, regardless of whether it’s FFP, PSR, cash flow issues or whatever it is, nobody will know what the budget looks like until they know if they’re playing in the Champions League.”

What Tottenham have told Tel about their plans

Just a few days ago, it was revealed by TBR Football that Tottenham have already informed Tel that they want him to stay.

The publication claimed that while Spurs do not want to pay £45m for the 20-year-old, they are keen on signing him permanently as they believe he has the potential to evolve into a top player.

Interestingly, the update revealed that the forward is also settled in London and his enjoying his time at Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou has said that James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, and Radu Dragusin have big roles to play in the lead-up to and during the Europa League final, revealing what he has told the Tottenham trio about their responsibilities.

Maddison admitted that he was heartbroken to miss out on the showpiece final, but the attacking midfielder has backed his teammates to get the job done against Manchester United.

The injury would have been even more devastating for Bergvall as the final would have been the biggest game of his career by far, and the setback came for the midfielder just a day after he signed a new long-term contract with the club.

Dragusin has been out for several months with an ACL injury, but the Romanian has regularly been seen beside the bench at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, cheering on his teammates.

Ange Postecoglou wants injured Tottenham players to be part of the group

Postecoglou has now admitted that Tottenham are making an effort to keep the injured players as close to the group as possible in the lead up to the final.

The Tottenham boss insisted that he had encouraged those on the treatment table to contribute to the group and support their teammates.

When asked what he is doing to keep the likes of Maddison and Bergvall involved, the Australian said (via Football.London): “There is always a role to play. It’s a funny one when you are injured. You don’t want to be hanging around either because you want to give the guys space to prepare and train. I have encouraged both of them, Radu the same, to make sure they stay around the group.

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“I think it is important because it can be pretty lonely when you are trying to rehab. Particularly when it is the end of the season and you know you are not playing for the rest of the season. It’s almost easier when the season ends because everyone is on a break, and you are not missing out on anything.

“The idea is to keep them around the group as much as possible over the next couple of weeks, making sure they are engaging with their teammates and a part of everything we do. For sure, they will stay involved, and I think it’s good for them and it’s also good for the group.”

Postecoglou pleased with Spurs midfield pair

Without Bergvall’s and Maddison’s injury, it is very unlikely that we would have seen Yves Bissouma come back into the side.

However, the Mali international’s return to the team appears to have been a blessing in disguise for Spurs, giving them solidity, and Postecoglou confessed that the experience of him and Rodrigo Bentancur has proven very valuable in the latter stages of the competition.

When asked about his experienced Tottenham midfield duo, he said: “With both these guys, [they bring] experience which we haven’t had a lot of this year in crucial stages. Real good game understanding.

“Both are, with and without the ball, really disciplined in terms of understanding their roles. I think particularly in Europe, it’s a different beast, and you need that real tactical understanding of what is required in that midfield role.

“They have complemented each other with the way they have both played and adapted to the roles we have needed them to in the last period. It has worked really well for us.”

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for a Manchester City starlet this summer, but they could face a battle with Nottingham Forest, who are also ready to make a move for the youngster.

The Man City academy has produced some exceptional talents over recent years, who have gone on to become stars at the highest level.

The Manchester club now have another gem on their hands in James McAtee, who has been extremely impressive whenever he has been handed an opportunity by Pep Guardiola’s side this campaign.

Tottenham reportedly made a late enquiry for McAtee in January, and they could try again to sign the attacking midfielder this summer, whose future is now up in the air.

In fact, the latest reports go as far as to say that Man City have given the green light to a McAtee sale, which could come as a huge boost to Spurs.

Tottenham could battle Nottingham Forest for James McAtee

This report comes from TBR Football, who say that Tottenham Hotspur are fans of the City youngster and confirm that they did make an approach for him in the previous transfer window.

However, the outlet says that the Lilywhites could face competition for McAtee this summer as Forest are now ready to make a move for the 21-year-old.

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The outlet claims that the midfielder is ready to leave the Etihad Stadium in search of regular first-team football, having seen how Cole Palmer has thrived since his switch to Chelsea.

Forest are expected to lose Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, and Nuno Espirito Santo’s men see McAtee as the ideal replacement for the England international.

McAtte is also attracting interest from Germany

TBR Football claim that an opportunity to move to the Bundesliga might also present itself for the City midfielder this summer.

This is because Bayer Leverkusen are big fans of McAtee and want to bring him in to replace Florian Wirtz, who is set to depart this summer.

Additionally, RB Leipzig are also closely monitoring the English midfielder’s situation as they consider a potential approach.

Paul Scholes has named his Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur combined XI ahead of the Europa League final, and he has made a few big omissions.

A lot has been said ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s Europa League showdown on May 21.

Glenn Hoddle has stated that it would be no easy feat for Tottenham to beat Manchester United four times in a single season, but the former Spurs boss would love for the Lilywhites to get over the line.

Owen Hargreaves has mentioned that Manchester United are the ones with momentum coming into the final, despite the Red Devils’ form mirroring that of Spurs, with both sides struggling domestically.

Paul Scholes picks a Manchester United-heavy combined XI over Tottenham players

Paul Scholes stated that Tottenham are favourites going into the Europa League final, but believes that United’s European pedigree gives them an edge.

Ahead of the Europa League final, the former Manchester United midfielder has now picked a combined XI for TNT Sports from Manchester United and Tottenham players.

Scholes’ combined XI features seven players from Manchester United and four from Tottenham.

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In goal, Scholes chose Guglielmo Vicario over United’s Andre Onana. In his back four, the Man United legend opted for Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu as his full-back pair over Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, while giving the nod to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in central defence.

In midfield, Scholes picked Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, leaving out James Maddison.

While the front three included Alejandro Garnacho over Heung-min Son, Dominic Solanke instead of Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo over Dejan Kulusevski.

The full XI was as follows: Vicario; Dalot, Romero, Van de Ven, Dorgu; Ugarte, Casemiro, Fernandes; Diallo, Solanke, Garnacho.

Spurs must block out the noise before the San Mames showdown

Ange Postecoglou has urged his players to remain focused ahead of the final at San Mames.

The Australian boss has made it clear that every match leading up to the Europa League final against Manchester United should be seen as an avenue for his players to prepare for the big tie.

The media’s coverage might be in favour of the Red Devils, but the Tottenham players cannot allow that to distract them from what they are to do come Wednesday.

Postecoglou still has a few players sidelined, with James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall set to miss the final, but Heung-min Son is back fit and should be in contention to start on Wednesday, May 21.

Jamie O’Hara and Jermaine Pennant do not see eye-to-eye when it comes to choosing their Europa League winner between Tottenham and Man United.

As we build up to the final, many pundits appear to be siding with Man United only because of the weight of their history.

Jamie Carragher has said Tottenham have “no chance” of lifting the Europa League, given their recent history of struggling in the finals.

Gary Neville pointed to Man Utd’s habit of winning trophies even during poor seasons, insisting that he is confident Rubem Amorim’s side will get the job done against Tottenham (BBC Sport).

Jamie O’Hara and Jermaine Pennant disagree on Europa League final

Jermaine Pennant agrees with the consensus that United will up their game in the final, as they have done throughout their history.

However, O’Hara pointed to the fact that Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Man United three times already this campaign, and believes we will see them do it for the fourth time in Bilbao.

Here is the transcript of the pair’s conversation on talkSPORT:

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O’Hara: “I think we’re going to give you a whupping. We’ve pumped you three times this season, let’s just put it out there. I know it’s a final, it’s different, it’s a final, but we’ve pumped you, three times, destroyed you!”

Pennant: “In all fairness, I think Man United will topple Spurs. I think United now are a lot better than when Spurs played them.”

O’Hara: “Yeah (we’ve got their number), but I do worry about Man United in the final. It’s just something about Man United in finals. You know what, though, Ruben Amorim, I thought Man United played brilliantly (vs Athletic Club).

Pennant: “That just goes to show you how strong the Premier League is – 16th and 17th beating the top five in their own leagues. But, I think Man United are going to do Spurs. I just can’t see anything else, unfortunately.

O’Hara wasn’t having that and said: “You’re an idiot.”

Tottenham fans will not be confident ahead of the final

Given all the heartbreak that Tottenham have put their supporters through over the last two decades, one either has to be an extreme optimist or delusional as a Spurs fan to be bullish about their side’s chances in the final.

On paper, Tottenham are arguably a better side than United, and we have already beaten them three times this season.

While that should fill the Tottenham players with confidence, the fans will undoubtedly get increasingly nervous as the match draws closer, and many of them will feel that O’Hara is tempting fate by making such a confident prediction.

An England international, who has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, is also on Man United’s radar, with the Red Devils potentially set for a transfer battle against the Lilywhites for the midfielder.

Free transfers always tend to attract the most interest ahead of the transfer window, and unsurprisingly, one top-class Ligue 1 star, who is out of contract next month, appears to be on the radar of several big clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur.

Those who follow Spurs Web’s coverage would be aware that Tottenham have been installed as the favourites to land Angel Gomes on a free transfer.

It was reported by TBR Football last month that the Lille midfielder has been approached by around a dozen clubs, but Spurs are confident of winning the race for Gomes’s signature.

Man United considering entering race to sign Angel Gomes

CaughtOffside have now revealed that Man United are now contemplating putting themselves right in the thick of the race to land Angel Gomes.

The midfielder came through United’s academy, and with Rubem Amorim’s side looking to make reinforcements in the middle of the park, they are thought to be keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old’s situation.

However, the outlet confirms that Spurs are still the frontrunners to land Gomes, with Ange Postecoglou said to be pushing for the England international to be signed.

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However, a return to Old Trafford cannot be ruled out for the midfielder at this stage, according to this update.

Tottenham and two Italian clubs also keen on Angel Gomes

CaughtOffside reveal that apart from Tottenham and Man United, Gomes has two other serious suitors in the Premier League.

It is claimed that Everton and Crystal Palace are both plotting the signing of the Lille man, but neither club have contacted the player’s representatives so far.

Additionally, Napoli and Juventus are also said to be keen on landing Gomes and are trying to tempt him to Italy.

Finally, the publication says that there is also a chance that Marseille could make a late move for the midfielder and try to persuade him to remain in France.