Football London

Tottenham are in big trouble down at the bottom of the Premier League table and face a huge six games to save their top flight status

Tottenham's Premier League future is not in their own hands but they must at least remember how to win games of football if they are to stand a chance.

It is now 14 matches without a Tottenham victory in the competition and the north London side have won only seven games all season in the Premier League. That wretched form leaves them 18th in the table and two points from safety behind West Ham, three points from Nottingham Forest and now six points behind Leeds after Daniel Farke's side's victory at Manchester United.

So let's look at the six fixtures ahead for Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs side and what their relegation rivals are all doing in the same Premier League rounds.

Tottenham vs Brighton - April 18

Tottenham need to remember how to play Premier League football inside their own stadium. Their form is bad enough but their results at home are quite simply pathetic. They have won just two of their 16 league matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, with fewer points gained at home than any other team in the competition.

Now they need to pick up a result against De Zerbi's old side Brighton, who currently sit at the complete opposite end of the form table, nestled on top for the past six games. Tottenham's only hope is that the Seagulls' away form is a bit patchy and worse than their own, but it has improved in the past month.

This was Ange Postecoglou's final game for the club and all these months on it will be a far more important encounter than the dead rubber it was that day last May.

Spurs need to win to put some pressure on the others as Leeds welcome bottom side Wolves earlier in the day, Forest face second from bottom Burnley at home on the Sunday afternoon and then West Ham travel to Crystal Palace two days later.

Wolves vs Tottenham - April 25

This will certainly not be the fixture it might have been a couple of months ago and on top of that Spurs have often had a mental block when it comes to visiting Molineux.

Wolves were reenergised under Rob Edwards with back-to-back wins at home against Aston Villa and Liverpool, following a draw against Arsenal at Molineux. They then drew at Brentford before getting hammered by the Hammers, which Spurs really did not want.

However, when looking at the three away fixtures remaining this is the one that on paper Spurs just have to do something positive in. Wolves having the third worst home record in the Premier League with just three wins and two more points than Tottenham so De Zerbi's men have to win a way back to London with more than zero points.

Leeds play in midweek at Bournemouth on the Wednesday night, Forest then travel to Sunderland on Friday night, before West Ham host Everton that same Saturday at 3pm as Tottenham play.

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Aston Villa vs Tottenham - May 2

Just what Spurs don't need right now is a lunchtime trip to Unai Emery's top four side at Villa Park but there it is in the run-in.

The positives to cling to are that right now Villa aren't on the greatest run - they've only picked up five points to Tottenham's one in the past six matches - and if they progress as expected past Bologna this week to the Europa League semi-finals, then the two legs of that important tie will sandwich the Spurs match.

On the Friday, the previous night, Leeds host Burnley and then after Spurs' 12.30pm kick-off, West Ham make the short trip across London to Brentford. Nottingham Forest travel to Chelsea on the Monday bank holiday afternoon.

Tottenham vs Leeds - May 11

Another huge home game and this one has been moved to the Monday night under the lights against Farke's side. Spurs will be hoping that Leeds have been sucked back into the mix again by this point and this becomes a six-pointer again.

Spurs won 2-1 at Elland Road in October with goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, a game that feels like a lifetime ago right now. Former Tottenham defender Joe Rodon will be back in N17 looking for revenge but this is a game that the hosts just have to walk away with three points from against the promoted side.

Before that victory at United, Leeds had won just once away from home and still have the third-worst away form in the Premier League and Spurs will be hoping that continues well into May.

That weekend, Forest host Newcastle on the Sunday and on the same day the Hammers host Arsenal with the Spurs fans facing that horrible situation of needing their north London rivals to win.

Chelsea vs Tottenham - May 17

What could be the worst fixture to insert into the final two games of a relegation battle? A trip to Stamford Bridge where Tottenham have only won once in the Premier League era.

Yes Chelsea are a bit of a mess themselves at the moment and they have some tough fixtures coming up in the weeks ahead but if there's one guarantee in football life it seems that Spurs will struggle to get a positive result at Stamford Bridge.

The times of those penultimate weekend's games are yet to be finalised but nothing can be played on May 16 as it's FA Cup final day.

Leeds host Brighton, West Ham travel to Newcastle and Forest make the trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

Tottenham vs Everton - May 24

Could this final game of the Premier League season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium be a decider? We hope Spurs have pulled away from them or that it's not already too late, but if it's a deciding game then that ground will need to be noisier than it ever has before.

Everton may well have European football to fight for at that point and David Moyes' side currently have the fourth best away form in the Premier League, having lost just five games on the road, so this is not the ideal final game of the season, coming a week after the trip to Stamford Bridge.

The final day of the season also sees West Ham take on Leeds at the London Stadium while Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth.

All will become clear at the close of play on May 24 and what division Spurs will be playing in next season, a situation that never ever should have got to this point.

Lucas Bergvall could leave Tottenham this summer with ex-Spurs chief Fabio Paratici tracking the midfielder ahead of a potential move to Serie A

Former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is plotting a move to bring Lucas Bergvall to Fiorentina this summer, it has been claimed. The Sweden international has endured a challenging second season in north London following his move from Djurgarden in February 2024.

Indeed, Bergvall, 20, has made just 19 Premier League appearances during an injury-hit campaign, totalling 916 minutes. He returned to the Tottenham squad for the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the March international break before starting the 1-0 loss at Sunderland last Sunday.

While Bergvall hasn't quite had the impact he would have been hoping for this season, he is thought to have a number of potential suitors should he decide to leave Tottenham. Aston Villa and Chelsea tried to lure the Swede from Spurs in January, but he opted to remain at the club until at least the summer.

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Now, according to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Fiorentina is a summer "option" for Bergvall. He has claimed that the ex-Brommapojkarna man could reunite with Paratici, who left Tottenham for a second time in February, at La Viola. The Serie A side are expected to attempt to sign the midfielder at the end of the season.

Speaking on a potential move to Fiorentina for Bergvall, Di Marzio said: "To be honest, Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham are currently only focused on staying in the Premier League.

"They are not listening to offers, and they have not even decided which players they want to keep or sell. If I were to name a club that I think could potentially sign Lucas Bergvall if Tottenham were to let him leave, I think Fiorentina is an option.

"Their sports director Fabio Paratici likes young players, and especially Bergvall. So, they could try to sign him if his future does not lie in Tottenham. If he is on the market, Fiorentina will try."

Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Yves Bissouma are among the other players that could leave Tottenham this summer, regardless of whether the club remain in the Premier League.

Paratici left Spurs at the end of the January transfer window, after spending time as the club's joint-sporting director with Johan Lange. His exit came soon after he was brought back to Spurs following a 30-month FIFA ban for financial irregularities.

His return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was seen as a surprise, with the announcement coming midway through January when the club were looking to strengthen their squad. But Paratici departed Spurs upon the end of the winter window and has since joined Serie A side Fiorentina.

Bergvall, meanwhile, will be hoping to help maintain Tottenham's top-flight status, with the club fighting to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Spurs sit 18th in the table, two points behind 17th-place West Ham with six matches remaining.

Roberto De Zerbi took charge of his first game as the new Tottenham head coach on Sunday, but he couldn't turn the tide with Spurs losing 1-0 at Sunderland. It extended the club's 13-game winless streak, a run that has stretched back until December.

Next up for Tottenham is a home game against De Zerbi's former club Brighton on Saturday. A win against the Seagulls would take Spurs out of the bottom three ahead of West Ham's trip to Crystal Palace on Monday.

Tottenham will be wary of losing their big stars this summer if the worst happens and they get relegated from the Premier League

Dejan Kulusevski will remain at Tottenham next season even if they get relegated, believes Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

Kulusevski has missed the entire campaign so far following a complicated patella injury suffered in May last year. The Swede's return date has been pushed back and back after he kept returning to the grass and feeling discomfort in his knee. The 25-year-old was spotted limping recently after a minor procedure to clean out his knee but assured the Swedish media that it was part of the process.

The attacker has been hugely missed by relegation-threatened Spurs and he stated that he hopes to be back in time for the World Cup this summer.

football.london reported this week that Kulusevski's knee issues and lack of football would likely make it risky for any potential suitor this summer to offer big money for him, even if 18th-placed Tottenham did go down. The talented playmaker would be a huge boost to Spurs in either division as he works his way back to sharpness and there could also be a sense of giving back on his part to the club's supporters after missing so much of a difficult season.

Now Italian journalist Di Marzio has also stated that he thinks Kulusevski will be at Tottenham next season regardless of what happens in the coming six matches.

“I definitely think Kulusevski will stay at Tottenham, even if they get relegated. He is a good example for other players and Roberto De Zerbi likes him. He has the right mentality, so I think Kulusevski can be one of the most important players for their project, regardless if they are in the Premier League or the Championship.

"De Zerbi will really try to keep him. He loves players like him who have a strong identity and personality. He will definitely try to keep him," he told bettingsidor.se.

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Di Marzio also believes that former Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici could try to snap up Kulusevski's compatriot Lucas Bergvall if Spurs were to go down. The 20-year-old has a long contract at the north London club until 2031, but Di Marzio thinks Paratici will make a move if Tottenham did decide to sell one of their best young players.

"To be honest, at the moment De Zerbi and the club are only focusing on staying in the Premier League. They are not really listening to offers, and they haven't even decided on which players they want to keep and sell," he said. "But De Zerbi knows Lucas Bergvall very well as a player and he likes him as a player. He likes working with young, talented players. So, I think he really wants to watch him closely to get an understanding of whether he can play in his system. De Zerbi still thinks it is too early to make a decision on Lucas Bergvall."

He added: "Obviously, a lot of clubs wanted Bergvall before he joined Tottenham and some of them could still be interested, but we are not speaking of top clubs here. Udinese wanted him, Atalanta wanted him, but Tottenham were just extremely quick to make the deal.

"If I should mention one club that I think could potentially get Lucas Bergvall if Tottenham gets relegated, then I think Fiorentina is an option. Their sporting director Fabio Paratici likes him and likes young players. So, they could decide to get him, if his future doesn't lie at Tottenham. If he is in the market, Fiorentina will try to get him. Barcelona wanted him before he joined Tottenham, but they are not in for him at the moment."

The Tottenham boss has got one of his key players back in full training ahead of a crucial final run of fixtures in the Premier League

Roberto De Zerbi has Rodrigo Bentancur back in training with the Tottenham squad in a big boost for their Premier League relegation battle ahead.

The Uruguayan midfielder has been out of action since suffering a serious hamstring injury against Bournemouth in January and the new Spurs head coach said last week that he had begun to put the final touches on his return. "Bentancur is working with us but not completely," he said on Friday ahead of his debut defeat at Sunderland.

Now Bentancur appears to be back in full training with the squad as shown by Sky Sports footage from Hotspur Way on Wednesday. De Zerbi will know the three-time Serie A title winner well and will be keen to get him involved in some capacity in Saturday's game against his old club Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

James Maddison was also shown during the training session but caution is being urged over the England international who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season. The 29-year-old is believed to be involved in sessions at this stage purely as part of his rehabilitation and is not expected to be in a matchday squad any time soon.

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Radu Dragusin, who suffered an ACL injury last year, was in training for almost two months before he made his Premier League return as the knee had to be strengthen first.

One missing face, aside from injured captain Cristian Romero who is out for the remainder of the season, was goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after his hernia surgery last month. De Zerbi had said last week ahead of the trip to Sunderland: "Vicario is not ready for this game. I hope he can come back earlier next week, but I don't know yet."

However, the Italy international was not spotted in training on Wednesday which would suggest Antonin Kinsky will get another chance between the sticks against Brighton after a solid showing at the Stadium of Light. There were believed to be no other fresh injury concerns apart from Romero's medial collateral ligament injury.

The Dane left Tottenham Hotspur in February and has not been heard from since but his agent has spoken about the former Brentford man

Thomas Frank's agent says the former Tottenham manager has " decided to pull the plug and relax" following his exit from the north London club.

Frank was sacked by Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange in February with the team spluttering in the Premier League and his relationship with the fans fractured due to the brand of football on display and the results.

Tottenham are yet to win in the league since his departure though, with interim boss Igor Tudor unable to get more than a point in his brief spell at the helm while new permanent head coach Roberto De Zerbi lost his first game in charge at Sunderland on Sunday.

Frank has not spoken since his exit from the north London club despite repeated requests from Danish broadcast and written media, including newspaper Ekstra Bladet, leading that outlet to speculate whether a specific clause prohibits him from speaking.

While the outlet points out that Danish managers often take part in interviews after leaving clubs, citing recent examples, football.london understands it is common practice for many Premier League clubs to insert a non-disclosure period after agreeing exit terms with a manager.

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Ekstra Bladet asked Frank's agent Allan Bak about the former Brentford head coach's current situation and lack of interviews.

"He is going to relax a bit and visit friends and family. Still a little too early for interviews," said Bak in quotes published by Sport Witness.

"He is enjoying himself with family and friends right now. Has decided to pull the plug and relax."

When Frank does reach a point where he takes part in interviews, all eyes are going to be on what he says about a club that is currently in danger of relegation.

One manager linked with the vacant Tottenham Hotspur job before Roberto De Zerbi arrived has explained why it was not for him

Before Tottenham got their man in Roberto De Zerbi they were heavily linked with former Monaco coach Adi Hutter and the Austrian has explained why it was not for him.

De Zerbi was Spurs' top choice for the role to replace Igor Tudor permanently but the Italian was initially resistant to stepping into the job before the summer. The north London club were heavily linked with 56-year-old Hutter as one of many alternative temporary options but eventually managed to convince De Zerbi to make the move during the international break.

Now Hutter has spoken in an interview with Austrian media outlet 90 Minuten about a range of topics, including the interest from Tottenham and why he had no interest in taking any managerial job until the summer.

"It's true that you have to process being dismissed. You have to reflect on why it happened and what you could have done better. That takes time. What I absolutely dislike is playing firefighter," he said.

"Before I went to Monaco, I could have stepped in as a firefighter in England, but I declined. In my entire 18 years of coaching before Monaco, I only took over a club mid-season once, and that was in 2015 with Young Boys Bern. But there were still 29 rounds to play then, so it felt like a full season.

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"But when you arrive somewhere where things are in crisis, you never have the opportunity to develop your playing philosophy in 10 or 12 games. You have to adopt a completely different approach to coaching and management. I never wanted that. That's why I communicated quickly and clearly that I only want to return in the summer."

He added: "I've been linked with Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur. Of course, I could say it's an honour to be a topic of discussion with those clubs. But I'm not the type to broadcast every inquiry or discussion. That's not my style, and I don't think it's fair to the clubs.

"It's clear that there are always talks and contacts. But I understand that every club doesn't want to have to moderate a coaching discussion. That's why such matters are always discussed internally."

Tottenham are in a battle for Premier League survival and their final position and points in the division as been predicted following their defeat to Sunderland

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to be relegated, according to football data giants Opta. Spurs are predicted to finish in 17th position despite the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi following their defeat to Sunderland.

Tottenham, currently on 30 points, are expected to earn seven points in the final six matches of the season. The Lilywhites are given a 49.5 per cent chance of heading down as the favourite after Burnley and Wolves.

Opta's supercomputer predicts Spurs to miss out on survival by around a single point. The north London side's expected points tally sits at 37.11, while rivals West Ham are expected to have a total of 38.34.

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The Irons are currently on 32 points after dispatching Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 at the weekend. Nuno Espirito Santo's side are given a 38.78 per cent of being relegated.

Only Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are also judged to be in contention to finish in the bottom three. Forest are expected to hit the magic 40-point mark to secure their safety, while Leeds are down to reach 44 following their impressive win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Noah Okafor's brace earned Leeds three points on Monday night and propelled the club six points clear of Tottenham. The Yorkshire side are now judged to have just a 1.61 per cent chance of going down.

Spurs boss De Zerbi has taken charge of just one match since being appointed as head coach and has six games remaining to help the Lilywhites to survival. The Italian coach was asked about his team's mentality after entering the relegation zone.

"You can see it during the game," he said after defeat to Sunerland. "First of all, the players of Tottenham are all good guys, and they are suffering for this moment.

"They are not happy when we lose the game or they are not happy to see Tottenham at the bottom of the table, for sure. But we have to find the energy, we have to find the right spirit to be positive, to think during the week when they stay with me. For sure, they will see a positive coach because I believe in their qualities.

"Because we are Tottenham, but we have not (got the right) to win the game just because we are Tottenham. You can't win the game with the paper.

"You have to win the game showing the quality on the pitch, the fighting on the pitch. You have to score the goal, and you have not to concede the goal, for sure.

"But they are human, and they are suffering maybe too much and altogether we have to stay close, to be positive, to work, to improve in the details, in the football, but to be better as a mentality."

It's time for our latest catch-up with the large group of Tottenham Hotspur players out on loan around the country, continent and globe

Tottenham Hotspur's huge army of loan players have been taking to pitches across the world but a few prominent ones have been dealing with injuries.

With Roberto De Zerbi now in charge at Tottenham, many of those out on loan will be looking to edge themselves into the mix to get an opportunity under the new Italian head coach and if the worst happens and the club manage to get relegated then the door would open for many of the younger players to play for them.

The north London outfit have 18 players out on loan and developing across different levels of the Football League as well as playing in Scotland, Germany, Italy and South America. It is the job of Spurs' Head of Loans and Pathways Andy Scoulding to keep a close eye on all of them and check in on their various performances and we do exactly the same each week.

Here's how every single one of Tottenham's big loan army got on across the globe in the past seven days.

Mikey Moore (Rangers)

Mikey Moore was a doubt ahead of Rangers' 6-3 victory at Falkirk on Sunday and was duly taken off at half-time in the match.

The 18-year-old is understood to have been playing through a bit of hip pain in recent weeks and he admitted after the game on social media that he needs to get fully fit for the run-in.

"Unreal character to come back today! Time to get myself 100% to be able to give everything in these last five games. Rangers fans, the support was class until the very end - thank you! Keep believing," wrote the teenager on his Instagram account.

Moore has played 42 games in a big loan season at Rangers, getting 2,398 minutes of football, with eight goal involvements in 28 Scottish Premiership appearances.

Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg)

Luka Vuskovic remains a doubt for Hamburg's big derby against Werder Bremen after a knock to the knee kept the 19-year-old centre-back out of the 4-0 defeat at Stuttgart.

HSV boss Merlin Polzin had said that he expected the Spurs youngster to be ready to face Bremen this weekend but struck a more cautious tone this week.

"Luka is receiving very intensive treatment and is being closely examined. Of course, it will be tight," he told Hamburger Abendblatt. "I can't assess it yet at the moment.

The Croatian has made 27 appearances and played 2,460 minutes so far for the Bundesliga outfit and has attracted links from big clubs aplenty.

Manor Solomon (Fiorentina)

Manor Solomon returned at the weekend after missing Fiorentina's climb up the Serie A table over the past six weeks with a grade 1-2 hip flexor strain in his right thigh suffered in the Conference League win against Jagiellonia.

The 26-year-old winger was back on Sunday to come off the bench for the final six minutes of the 1-0 win against Lazio. The Israel international had become a regular starter with two goals in his previous 11 matches for the Italian side as a regular fixture on either wing.

Alejo Veliz (Rosario Central)

Alejo Veliz played twice in recent days for Rosario Central with first a 90 minute stint in the goalless Copa Libertadores draw against Independiente on Thursday.

Then the 22-year-old striker came off the bench for 13 minutes in the league on Sunday in the 3-1 defeat at Huracan.

Veliz has scored four goals in 14 appearances so far this campaign and is expected to head to Bahia at the end of the season after Tottenham agreed a deal with the Brazilian side to sell Veliz once his current loan at Rosario ends. A £7.8m (9m euros) deal was agreed with £871k in add-ons (1m euros) plus a 20% sell-on clause.

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Kota Takai (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Kota Takai was back on the bench for Borussia Monchengladbach's 1-0 defeat at Leipzig on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Japan international has made just six appearances after months out when he first joined Spurs as he then picked up a muscle strain which kept him out of the past six weeks n at the Bundesliga club.

Monchengladbach had been keen to extend the centre-back's stay in Germany, according to the local media last month, but whether his injury issues change that remains to be seen.

Dane Scarlett (Hibernian)

Dane Scarlett was taken off at half-time for Hibernian in their 2-0 Scottish Premiership defeat at Aberdeen on Saturday.

The 21-year-old striker has made 10 appearances now up north of the border with one assist and 463 minutes to his name. Scarlett has just a year left on his contract at Tottenham and a decision will likely be made this summer about what comes next for him after he failed to build on his 27 senior appearances for the club.

Will Lankshear & Jamie Donley (Oxford United)

Will Lankshear and Jamie Donley both played their part in Oxford United's huge 2-0 victory against Watford on Saturday that gives them a real chance of escaping relegation.

Lankshear played 90 minutes of the game and Donley 87 for a result that takes 23rd-placed United to within a point of Portsmouth, who have a game in hand, and two points off West Brom.

BBC Radio Oxford commentator Jerome Sale said last week of Lankshear, who has scored 10 goals for struggling United, "Will Lankshear has been impressive from the moment he walked into Oxford United. It's hard not to forget, when you watch him play, that he is only 20. The same is true when you hear him speak.

"His weekday work ethic, I am told, is second to none. On match days perhaps he can manage his output touch more selectively, but doing things less than wholeheartedly doesn't appear to be in his DNA.

"A strong, physically imposing forward with 10 goals to his name in a Championship side that's struggled to create chances - it's no wonder bigger clubs than Oxford are queuing up to take him off Spurs' hands. They will expect to pay handsomely. His obvious commitment to the U's this season, despite being on-loan, is so refreshing and infectious, that he will be fondly and proudly remembered and supported from afar wherever he lands next."

Alfie Devine (Preston North End)

Alfie Devine has made it clear that nobody will decide his future but him ahead of a big summer in the Tottenham midfielder's career.

The 21-year-old midfielder started once again and played the full match as Preston won 2-1 at Charlton Saturday to make it 41 Championship appearances, with eight goals and four assists from midfield with another two appearances in the Carabao Cup, plus an assist, and a substitute appearance in the FA Cup to make it 2,865 minutes in total so far in a great season for him.

Preston have an option to buy Devine this summer, thought to be around £4.5million, which is believed to be steep for the Championship side

On his future, Devine told BBC Lancashire at the weekend: “I don't really spend that much time thinking about it, to be honest. I think, obviously, keeping an eye on [Tottenham’s] results and everything to do with that.

"But while I'm here, I'm just focused on everything that's going on here and then I think football sort of takes care of itself. So, what next season will look like, I can't really tell you. But, I know that I'll be pushing for the thing that probably will be the best for me and what I want for myself, not what other people will want for me.

"There's obviously the buy option in the loan and stuff. It's hard to say whether that'll happen or that won't happen, because in football things change so fast. I'll be sure to pick something that's right for me and if that takes time, then it takes time. I'll definitely make sure that the one I pick is obviously picked by myself."

He: "Everyone's obviously different as footballers. I think the thing that I've noticed as a person in football, not a player, is that you have to always do what's best for you on the pitch, definitely. You never know what goes on in football. Stuff changes very quickly and it's just about taking your time."

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips had a mixed few days on loan at Stoke City. First the 20-year-old centre-back found out he was on the shortlist for the EFL Championship's Young Player of the Season award.

Then Phillips picked up a second yellow card and the subsequent sending off in the 87th minute of Stoke's 1-1 draw at home with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday in the league.

The Spurs youngsters got a five in Stoke-on-Trent Live's player ratings with the write-up: " None-too-subtle revenge on Ohashi at start of second half and seemed needled amid some stick from the away end. Looked devastated as he saw red."

Ahead of the game, Stoke boss Mark Robins made his prediction about the career that lies in front of Phillips.

"When I came in I thought he did really, really well to the back end of last season which prompted us to bring him back in this season. He was patient, had to be patient, until Bosun (Lawal) got injured and then he’s really been an ever-present apart from missing a game through suspension," he said.

“He’s done pretty well and there’s still got a lot of development in him. He’s got a lot of developing to do but he’s got a lot of development in him and he’s regularly finding himself in the [England] under-21s so he’s in a really good position.

“He will have played 70-odd games for us and just short of one hundred games in the Championship, which for his age is some doing.

“He’s got a really good career ahead of him. It will depend how much more development he can achieve where he ends up but he’ll have a good career.

Yang Min-hyeok (Coventry)

Yang Min-hyeok continues to not make Coventry matchday squads and has not been in one since the beginning of February.

The 19-year-old winger had made 16 appearances for Portsmouth, scoring three goals and laying on one assist, before switching to Frank Lampard's table-toppers. However, it's been a dreadful loan move for the South Korean with just 29 minutes of football in the Championship for them.

Speaking to Coventry Live previously, Lampard said of Yang: "We’re competing to try and do well this season. I have to make decisions with what I see. And that’s not to disrespect Mini. If I feel like it’s Mini’s time to come in, he’ll come in, absolutely. That goes with all the players.

"I don’t have a preference of loan or players that are ours, as such, because at the minute we want to win. I can’t add those kind of emotions into it. I have to try to pick the best 11 and the best bench, and at the moment we don’t have any injuries."

Oliver Irow & George Abbott (Mansfield Town)

Mansfield's unbeaten streak in League One came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at Wigan on Saturday.

Oliver Irow came on for the final three minutes of normal time while George Abbott was not involved with the squad after a little run of starts for Town.

Abbott was again not in the squad on Tuesday night as Mansfield travelled to Leyton Orient, with Irow on the bench.

Yusuf Akhamrich (Bristol Rovers)

Yusuf Akhamrich came off the bench to score another superb individual goal as he raced up the pitch and chipped an exquisite shot over the onrushing goalkeeper in Bristol Rovers' 3-1 victory against Crawley Town in League Two.

The 20-year-old winger now has five goals and two assists in 16 matches during his first loan move..

The Bristol Post's Will Murray handed Akhamrich a seven in his player ratings with the write-up: "What a player. He might feel hard done by that he didn't start this one, but he always makes an impact when he comes on. His finish to kill the game was so calm, highlighting that he's a level above the fourth tier. He'll be missed when he departs in the summer."

Tyrese Hall (Notts County)

Tyrese Hall came off the bench for Notts County for the final 20 minutes of Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Cambridge United in League Two.

The 20-year-old Jamaica international has scored eight goals and provided two assists across 1,803 minutes in 37 appearances since heading out of Tottenham on his first loan.

Alfie Dorrington (Salford City)

Alfie Dorrington was on the bench for Salford as they drew 0-0 at home against Gillingham on Saturday in League Two.

The 20-year-old centre-back has had to make do with a bench role in the past five matches but has managed nine appearances so far for City after switching from Aberdeen during the winter window.

Damola Ajayi (Bromley)

Damola Ajayi was taken off at half-time in a triple change as League Two leaders Bromley lost 2-1 at MK Dons on Saturday afternoon but had made it three consecutive starts for the club in a more central position.

The 20-year-old winger has registered 29 appearances across his spells at Bromley and Doncaster Rovers in a season of development across League One and Two.

Aaron Maguire (Hampton & Richmond Borough)

Aaron Maguire played every minute of his first three matches for National League South side Hampton & Richmond Borough but the 21-year-old goalkeeper has not been in their matchday squads since February.

Tottenham Hotspur star Richarlison has discussed his mental health battles

Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has revealed he contemplated driving into a wall while struggling with depression. The striker was profoundly impacted by the intense scrutiny following Brazil's elimination from the World Cup 2022.

On the surface, the World Cup proved a successful tournament for the 28-year-old, whose overhead kick against Serbia was the goal of the tournament. The Spurs star had been entrusted with spearheading the attack for the five-time world champions.

He scored three times overall but was unable to stop his nation from being knocked out by Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals. However, the setback severely affected his mental well-being, with Richarlison now opening up about how his mindset worsened.

"One day, while driving, I thought about crashing into a wall," Richarlison told France Football. "Today, when I think about it, I tell myself it's pointless."

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He added: "After the 2022 World Cup, I fell into a depression. Every possible misfortune befell me: the elimination, my agent's betrayal, family problems, physical setbacks... For a year and a half, I suffered blow after blow every single day."

Having completed his move to Spurs from Everton in the summer of 2022, the forward finished his debut campaign with merely one top-flight goal. However, through sessions with a psychologist, Richarlison managed to regain a more optimistic outlook.

"It was the first time I had to deal with so many problems," he said. "In all that chaos, I met an honest lawyer who put my affairs and assets in order. I worked with a psychologist and, most importantly, I met my wife."

With World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the former Everton star intends to follow Manchester United midfielder Casemiro's guidance and avoid social media should he be selected in Carlo Ancelotti's squad. This isn't the first occasion that Richarlison has opened up about his battles with depression.

During a candid conversation with ESPN Brasil in March 2024, the Spurs forward admitted: "I was reaching my limit, you know? I don't know, I'm not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up."

He continued: "Today I can say, look for a psychologist, if you need a psychologist, look for one because it's nice for you to open up like that, for you to be talking to the person.

"Today a (psychologist) came to thank me for taking this to the world of football, to the world, outside the pitch too, because it is very important and, whether we like it or not, it saves lives.

"I had this prejudice before, I thought it was nonsense, I thought I was crazy. In my family, there are people who think that anyone who goes to a psychologist thinks they are crazy, they think they are insane. But I discovered this and thought it was wonderful. The best thing, really the best discovery I've ever had in my life."

Richarlison has netted 10 goals in 38 outings for Spurs this season. He most recently featured for Brazil in October 2025.

Let's stare into the abyss if the worst happened and Tottenham's horrendous season ended with them plunging into the Championship

There would be a fire sale if Tottenham were to end this miserable season with their first relegation in almost half a century and then they would have to decide who they build a team around to battle back into the Premier League.

Spurs have had a disastrous campaign, without a win in 14 games in the top flight and just seven victories in the competition all season to their name. They sit 18th in the Premier League table and two points from safety with only six games remaining as Roberto De Zerbi tries to lift his downbeat squad before it's too late.

We want Tottenham to stay up and hope they wake up in time to save themselves but for the first time in decades relegation is a very real possibility if they don't. De Zerbi has promised on a couple of occasions now that he will remain in charge next season if the worst were to happen.

So what would a Spurs team look like in the Championship under the Italian? Who would stay? Who would have to be sold? Who would be loaned out temporarily in the hope that a year later Tottenham might be back in the Premier League? That's no guarantee in itself because the Championship is a notoriously difficult league and sometimes clubs just keep on sliding down.

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The Lilywhites would suffer reported losses of anywhere between £250million and £275million if they went down, regardless of the parachute payments, not to mention the job losses and sponsorship loss relegation would prompt within the company.

Most of the players have relegation wage cut clauses but many of the big names would still need to be sold to cover the huge losses and allow Spurs to buy players who could help them get back up to the top flight.

We're going to assume that the entire back four of captain Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie depart because of the prices they would fetch. Guglielmo Vicario, Rodrigo Bentancur, Djed Spence, Radu Dragusin and Pape Matar Sarr would also have suitors for reasonable fees.

Strikers also fetch a good price so Dominic Solanke and Richarlison would attract plenty of interest even if both would score plenty in the Championship. Decisions would have to be made over recent signings Conor Gallagher and Xavi Simons as well with both big earners even with any potential wage cuts and likely to have interest from elsewhere.

Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani's loans would end and both would return to Bayern and PSG respectively, while decisions over Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma's expiring contracts would have to be made, with the latter containing an extension year.

Then there's the loaned out players. It could be the perfect time to bring back Luka Vuskovic to make him a mainstay of the defence for years to come but the flipside is that he's beyond this level now and is being eyed up by the biggest clubs in the world.

The teenager would like to play with his brother Mario next season at Hamburg. In a relegation scenario, perhaps Tottenham put off his return for a year to keep him happy. Or will they simply have to think of themselves and either bring him back or accept a huge bid for someone they haven't even played yet? It would be lucrative but crazy to develop a star player for someone else.

Vuskovic would be in our list but here are 11 other players Spurs might build a squad around. It's not a starting XI and you cannot predict what offers might come in for most of them or whether any might kick up a fuss and put in a transfer request. We'll explain as much as we can as we go along.

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Archie Gray

Let's start with Archie Gray. He only turned 20 last month yet has played 79 times already for Spurs. On Sunday he became the second youngest Tottenham player to make 50 Premier League appearances for the club, just 19 days older than Aaron Lennon was.

There will be a huge amount of interest in Gray from the top clubs because he's going to become a big player. That's why the north London club must keep hold of him. The midfielder has Championship experience, reaching the play-off final with Leeds, and has added to that with what he's gone through over recent seasons in the Premier League and in the Europa League and Champions League.

Tottenham would be absolutely mad to let him go as with a contract until 2030 he could be a future captain for them and would be a cut above in the Championship if they did go down.

Lucas Bergvall

The same again. Lucas Bergvall will have a long line of top level suitors across Europe looking to snap him up and benefit from the player he is going to become.

Tottenham though have the 20-year-old Swede on a very long contract until 2031 and he will not be one of their big earners. With players like Gray and Bergvall there would be a strong logic to the north London club handing them new deals, if they would accept them, to bolster their wages back up above any relegation clause cut levels to keep them happy as stars of the long-term.

Antonin Kinsky

With Vicario seemingly set for a return to Italy this summer, Antonin Kinsky showed on Sunday that he has plenty to offer and at just 23 would have the chance to stake a long term claim for the job between the sticks.

Whether they stay up or not, Spurs will likely want to bring an experienced goalkeeper in to compete with Kinsky but the step down might hand the young Czech, who also has a contract until 2031, more of a chance to come out on top depending on the level of the new arrival.

Kevin Danso

With the likely exodus of defenders any potential relegation would bring, Kevin Danso steps forward as a potential player to remain. His physical style would work in the Championship, even though he's better than that, and his character would be important to a rebuilt squad.

The Austria international would have the chance to make the spot his own and if Vuskovic were to stay then he would be an experienced guiding hand for the youngster as he would for someone like academy product Jun'ai Byfield.

Mikey Moore

This should happen regardless of what comes next for Tottenham but they have to get Mikey Moore back and involved again in the first team set-up.

He's still just 18-years-old but has had a hugely important loan move at Rangers with 42 matches under his belt in a season in which he had to overcome early hurdles with the fans unhappy with him in Russell Martin's struggling team. Then Danny Rohl came along and unlocked Moore and now the Rangers supporters adore the attacker and want him to stay next season.

As with Vuskovic, there could be some sense to sending Moore out again to continue developing at a higher level, but as a Tottenham academy product he's exactly the type of player who should be brought through if the worst happens.

James Maddison

James Maddison is nearing his return from eight months out with a cruciate ligament injury and De Zerbi will be hoping he might be able to play a couple of games before the Premier League season comes to a close.

But what about next season? Maddison will of course have his sights set higher than the Championship but in a season when he turns 30 and is going to be feeling his way back into football again he probably won't get a move to a club bigger than Spurs, even if they are in the league below. So it might not be the worst thing for him to stay and lead the north London outfit back up as captain.

Some clubs might be wary of signing a player so soon after a cruciate ligament injury as well so Maddison could end up being a star again for Spurs and if it must be in the Championship then it's a division he's played almost 50 games in so knows well.

Mathys Tel

There will be interest in Mathys Tel from across Europe, especially back in the Bundesliga, but the 20-year-old French attacker has taken Tottenham to his heart and is known to genuinely care about the people working inside the club and the consequences relegation would have.

If Spurs were to go down then he might be the kind of player who sticks around and really finds his feet in English football by taking a step down before flying into the Premier League the next time out.

Dejan Kulusevski

A bit like Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski has missed an entire season of his career so making a move this summer looks less likely than for others because of concerned suitors and also a need to gradually build back into the game.

The Swede's patella injury has been a complicated one and his return date has been pushed back and back. He still hopes to be back in time for the World Cup after a recent small procedure to clean out his knee and his potential involvement in that would help De Zerbi going into pre-season.

Kulusevski, still just 25 until later this month, would be a level above most Championship players if he could get anywhere back to where he was with Tottenham and that would help them in any potential quest to get back up.

Will Lankshear

Another academy player shining on loan who could get his big chance if Tottenham were to go down. Like Moore, Will Lankshear has enjoyed a big season of development and has done so in the Championship with struggling Oxford United.

The 20-year-old has scored 10 goals for the relegation battlers despite their struggles and has registered five goal involvements in United's past eight matches and is giving them a chance of avoiding the drop. If Spurs were to go down then Lankshear would be perfectly placed to benefit from any striker sales at the club.

Mohammed Kudus

There's always at least one big star player who stays after a relegation and Mohammed Kudus might be the one for Tottenham if they do go down, depending on when he returns from his injury.

The 25-year-old suffered a setback last week as he returned to training following his quad injury suffered in January. Spurs confirmed that the Ghana international will require further specialist review and, potentially, surgery, which means it could be months out again.

If Kudus misses the World Cup and does not return until closer to next season then any summer suitors might be concerned. Also Tottenham spent £55million on Kudus and they would have to recoup or better that to consider selling him.

Wilson Odobert

Spurs' injury list is so long that a number of long-term absentees might end up returning to a club in a different division. That could be the case for Wilson Odobert who is unlikely to be back in action after his cruciate ligament injury until towards the end of this year.

The 21-year-old was just starting to find his feet for Tottenham before that injury in February and he did play one game in the Championship for Burnley before signing for the north London club.

The others

Let's make it clear. We're not saying the players who aren't in this list are desperate to go or the ones above will be desperate to stay. Others mentioned before the list may well end up staying at Spurs next season regardless of what the next six matches bring and some above may depart. It being a World Cup summer also makes sales (and signings) that little bit trickier.

There are also others out on loan or in the academy who could become big players for the club if they were to go down. Alfie Devine, Ashley Phillips and Jamie Donley are experienced and talented Championship players, while Manor Solomon starred in the league for Leeds.

Kota Takai and Yang Min-hyeok could also break through for Tottenham, although their struggles in Germany and the Championship have not helped their cause. Dane Scarlett will be hoping his time is still to come although it feels like his future may lay elsewhere after another tough season.

Mason Melia, James Wilson, Luca Williams-Barnett, Tynan Thompson and Byfield will all be looking to break through from the academy, while George Abbott, Tyrese Hall and Yusuf Akhamrich have all shone lower down the Football League.

Hopefully Spurs do not get relegated but one thing is for certain, it will be a very different looking Tottenham Hotspur if they do.