Football London

Mauricio Pochettino has firmly refuted any suggestions that he was approached by Brentford for their managerial vacancy. Despite widespread speculation linking him with a move back to the Premier League, Pochettino made it clear that no discussions took place.

Speaking to FOX Sports, Pochettino revealed: "This club never contacted me. I never talked to them."

He also discussed rumours associating him with a second spell at Tottenham, downplaying such talk as mere media conjecture. Earlier this month, Pochettino asserted: "Since I left in 2019, for the position of the manager or the head coach, my name has been appearing on every list! If you are seeing the rumors I've seen, there are 100 coaches on their list! Don't be worried about that. If something happened, you will see, but we cannot talk about this type of thing."

Further addressing the speculation, he reiterated: "If something happened, for sure you will see, but we cannot talk about this type of thing, because I think today, it's not real. It's not realistic. Look at where I am, where we are. And the thing is, the answer is so clear, no? But we're talking about it because it's my club, like Newells or Espanyol."

Mauricio Pochettino has never been coy about his ambitions for a return to Tottenham Hotspur. He shared back in March: "I am going to repeat. In the bottom of my heart I still feel the same.", reports the Mirror.

"I would like one day to come back. Not because of my ego it's because my feeling is I would like one day to win with Tottenham."

Could Pochettino still make a comeback at Spurs?

Drop your views in the comments section below.

"I think now Tottenham is a club with an expectation to win because if you see the facilities – training ground or stadium – now you can see it is about winning trophies. That is why I would like one day to come back.

"But if that doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. With all the possibilities again to build something special, that is my feeling and it didn't change. It's six years since we left and it's always going to be a special club for me."

Kota Takai will need time to settle at Tottenham Hotspur as he gets to grip with the game and the language but he has the composure and potential to become a star, a Japanese football expert has told football.london.

Spurs are attempting to complete a £5million deal for the 20-year-old Japan international to arrive from J.League side Kawasaki Frontale next month. The 6ft 3ins defender has played 78 times already for Kawasaki, with 57 of those games coming in the J.League and he played a big role in his club winning the Japanese Super Cup last year and was duly named the J.League's Young Player of the Year.

Takai has also got plenty of experience in the AFC Champions League as an integral part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month. He made his Japan senior debut just after his 20th birthday and has appeared in four World Cup qualifiers so far. It would have been more but for an adductor injury suffered in October last year and it's worth noting that many in the Japan squad ply their trade in European football.

We asked freelance football editor and former Goal.com Japan chief editor and DAZN news Japan chief editor Tasuku Okawa a range of questions about Takai and he gave us plenty of insight into the player Spurs will get when they wrap up the move for the young centre-back.

Here's what he had to tell us about the defender and how he will fit into Thomas Frank's squad.

What has been the reaction in Japan to Takai's imminent move to Tottenham?

As the transfer has not been officially announced yet, it remains at the level of a 'strong rumour', but everyone assumes it is a done deal. There is a high level of anticipation among football fans, and excitement.

On the other hand, because Takai is still young and hasn’t had much experience with the national team, his name is not yet widely recognised by the general public — especially those who don’t closely follow football. So it’s not making huge headlines or causing a major stir at this point.

Media coverage has also been relatively limited so far. However, once the move is officially confirmed, we expect a significant increase in exposure. One point that has been positively received, even at this early stage, is the reported transfer fee around 1 billion yen (approx. £5 million), which would be the highest in J.League history. The fact that Tottenham are willing to pay a record-breaking fee has been viewed favourably, especially from the perspective of the Japanese club benefiting financially.

Have Takai or his manager spoken about the reports?

No, nothing concrete has been made public yet. In fact, Takai himself has been evasive when asked. Everything will likely be revealed once an official announcement is made.

How would you describe him as a player? What are his strengths and weaknesses?

His strengths are that he is tall and dominant in the air. He notably matched up well against Cristiano Ronaldo in the recent AFC Champions League match and held his own. However, most of the reputation in the air largely comes from his play in J.League where the players are generally smaller, so we will need to see how he can adapt in Premier League.

He has good pace and strong defensive awareness and is technically solid on the ball. He’s capable of carrying the ball forward and delivering line-breaking passes. He has grown through the Kawasaki youth team, as did Kaoru Mitoma, which is famous for technique.

Takai's weaknesses are that he is still young and needs more experience to refine his defensive moves, including the strengths I mentioned above. When it comes to language, his English is limited, so how quickly he can grasp tactical instructions is uncertain.

Personality-wise, he’s calm and perhaps a bit unconventional. He might need time to adjust to a very different environment. He’s not very talkative and doesn’t speak to the media much. He has a laid-back demeanour, which could make integrating into a new team a bit of a challenge — though with a young Spurs squad including players like Archie Gray and Lukas Bergvall, there may be a smoother path for connection.

Is he comfortable on the left in a centre-back pairing, and can he also play as a right-back?

Although he's right-footed, he has played on the left side of a centre-back pairing when partnered with Jesiel [at Kawasaki] and has said he doesn’t see it as a problem.

He has also been used as a full-back for the Japan under-20s. Thanks to his speed, he could be a decent option there if needed. He also covers a lot of ground even as a centre-back, and he has shown he can handle playing in a back three — as he has done for the senior national team.

What's the view on him as an international player for Japan?

He’s seen as a potential future starter of the national team. With Takehiro Tomiyasu often side-lined due to injuries, there’s hope that Takai can step into a more central and reliable role.

How long do you think he will need to adapt to the Premier League?

Honestly, it's hard to say. The J.League and Premier League are entirely different, especially when it comes to the physical demands. The Premier League is arguably the toughest in the world in that respect.

Typically, Japanese players step up gradually, moving through leagues like the Eredivisie, Belgian Pro League, Bundesliga, or Scottish Premiership, Championship — before reaching the Premier League. Takai would likely perform well immediately in those stepping-stone leagues, but Premier League might require a longer adaptation period. He may begin as a backup option at Spurs.

Even Tomiyasu, who was a standout centre-back in Japan, has often been used at full-back in the Premier League, and the same could happen with Takai depending on team needs.

Takai has played AFC Champions League matches but may now face Champions League competition. How will he handle the step up?

There's a huge gap in quality between the AFC Champions League and the UEFA Champions League, so it’s difficult to predict how he will adapt. That said, Takai has a calm, almost nonchalant personality. He doesn't get overly tense or emotional, which might actually help him on the mental side. He gives off the impression of someone who won't be overwhelmed by the big stage and could handle it with composure.

Things have gone quiet in the transfer market for Tottenham Hotspur but this week will start to bring natural changes to Thomas Frank's squad.

Spurs technical director Johan Lange has been attempting to secure signings for the new head coach but is yet to bring new faces through the door at Hotspur Way to put pen to paper. There will, however, be a string of signings that naturally take place on Tuesday this week to mark the start of July as player contracts, both incoming and outgoing, reach their final day on June 30.

That means Mathys Tel's transfer from Bayern Munich will become official, costing Spurs £29.8million (€35million), plus a potential further £4.2million (€5million) in add-ons. Kevin Danso's £21million move to Tottenham from Lens will also officially go through on Tuesday once his loan deal from the French club concludes at the end of Monday.

There is also the arrival finally of Luka Vuskovic, who was signed from Hajduk Split back in 2023 but has had to wait two years and turning 18 before he could officially make the move to north London following loans in Poland and Belgium. Reports at the time put the overall package for the young Croatian centre-back at around £12million.

That means Tuesday marks roughly that start of a £63million outlay for the three new players for Frank. Of course in today's market, some Tottenham supporters will no doubt point out that some clubs have already paid out that amount on single players, let alone across three of them.

Spurs are yet to conclude the final details of a £5million deal for 20-year-old Japan international Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale and a seven-figure sum for Leeds United 16-year-old Oliver Boast could result in the teenager being announced within the latest academy intake this summer, as other such signings over the years have been.

It's not just players coming into the club, as Tuesday will mark the conclusion of various players' time in N17. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will officially join Marseille in a move that overall will have netted Spurs around £17million (€20million). Then there are players like Sergio Reguilon, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman who no longer are employees of Tottenham once Tuesday ticks around. Timo Werner's loan deal also officially comes to an end and he will return to RB Leipzig.

So if we're taking Hojbjerg's £17million off the outlay then Tuesday brings the start of £46million in transfer funding for Tottenham, but far more is expected at a club that has Champions League football to contend with this coming season and a chairman in Daniel Levy who has made it clear that he expects Frank to compete on all fronts across this campaign.

All eyes are on what comes next at Spurs as the big clubs they expect to compete with, like their defeated Europa League opponents Manchester United as well as Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all moved forcefully and decisively in the transfer market already to ensure they have not sat still after last season.

Thomas Frank will get his Tottenham career up and running with a pre-season friendly against Reading. With space in the calendar ahead of their friendly away at Luton Town on Saturday, July 26, Spurs will now travel to Berkshire seven days earlier to take on the Royals at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

All eyes will be on the match against the League One side as fans will be desperate to get a glimpse of what a Frank Tottenham side will look like heading into the 2025/26 campaign. The Tottenham squad will very soon meet the Dane for the first time as pre-season training will commence at Hotspur Way at the beginning of July.

That will give everyone the opportunity to catch Frank's eye and hopefully force their way into his starting XI for the Premier League opener against Burnley. As ever, pre-season will be a time where the vast majority of the squad are used and some of the club's talented youngsters are given a chance in the starting XI.

Jamie Donley and Alfie Devine will be looking to do that after successful loan spells last season, with Luka Vuskovic another player who could wow in pre-season as he finally links up with Tottenham for the first time.

Jamie Donley well and truly made his mark in the 2024/25 season and Tottenham fans are desperate to see more of him come July. Heading across the capital to join League One side Leyton Orient on loan last August, the youngster finished the campaign with eight goals and 11 assists to his name from 52 appearances in all competitions.

There was a period early in the season where the attacking midfielder found himself out of the Orient squad but that did not deter him and he instead fought his way back into the side. Donley really kicked on from that point on and was a real driving force in their rise up the League One table all the way to May's play-off final which they unfortunately lost.

The 20-year-old's performances duly wowed all connected with Tottenham and fans want to see him get his opportunity under new boss Thomas Frank in pre-season. Whether or not he does remain a Spurs player beyond the summer transfer window will become clear over the next two months.

football.london understands that Spurs are currently rebuffing loan advances for Donley, who has four years left on his contract and can play in midfield or attack. The north London club will reassess his situation later in the summer after Frank has worked with him on the training pitches in pre-season.

As is always the case in pre-season, a number of youngsters will be part of the squad for the tour of Asia and pitch time is up for grabs. In terms of Donley, he may have a golden opportunity to wow Frank and the coaching staff prior to the team departing for Hong Kong in late July.

Ahead of their match against Arsenal at Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday, July 31, Tottenham will play friendlies away at League One sides Reading and Luton Town. Donley did in fact play against Reading during his time with Leyton Orient last season, registering an assist in a 2-0 win over the Royals in late January.

As Frank could be set to utilise the 4-2-3-1 formation he used regularly at Brentford last season, Donley has intense competition from players such as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Wilson Odobert and Alfie Devine for a place in the team. However, it may only be Devine and possibly Odobert who he is competing against by the time the Reading friendly on Saturday, July 19 comes around.

Kulusevski and Maddison unfortunately missed the end of Tottenham's season and didn't play in the Europa League final win over Manchester United as both sustained knee injuries in the final few weeks of the term. Return dates for both are not clear yet and they may possibly miss a good chunk of pre-season under Frank as a result.

That in turn could open the door for Donley to get his chance in the No.10 role, with Devine also in a similar boat to him as he looks to impress after his time in Belgium with Westerlo. Odobert will be one of the last to return pre-season training at Hotspur Way due to his participation at this summer's UEFA European U21 Championship for France.

The youngster, as well as fellow countryman Mathys Tel and England Under-21 ace Archie Gray, will finally get to enjoy a bit of time off and it will not be until later in July when he returns, meaning his participation in the Reading game could be in doubt. For that reason, it may be a straight shootout between Donley and Devine for the No.10 role against Reading, providing of course that Frank does deploy that formation at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

With further friendlies to come against Arsenal, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich prior to taking on Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the UEFA Super Cup, the Reading game does look the ideal one to give Donley his chance in the Tottenham starting XI. It certainly makes perfect sense as well considering he came up against them and impressed last season.

Mikey Moore has revealed 'Someone Like You' by Adele was his pick for his Tottenham initiation song. A daunting moment for some who are new to the first team as they have to sing in front of their teammates and staff, Moore's big moment came last summer in South Korea.

After making his senior bow for Tottenham with appearances against Manchester City and Sheffield United only two months before, the 17-year-old was part of Ange Postecoglou's squad for the pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea. It was in a restaurant in South Korea where he had to sing in front of everybody, with new boys Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall also having to do likewise.

Admitting that his choice "ended up working" as the players could join in with his song, Moore confessed that Bergvall's attempt was "terrible".

"So it was in a restaurant in Korea I think and all of a sudden you know you're about to sing when you hear the glass get tapped," he outlined in a video on Spurs' YouTube channel where he and Dane Scarlett were questioned by Junior One Hotspur members in a press conference. "It might have been Sonny and then I was thinking 'oh no' and he said 'Mikey, Archie, all the new boys' and you have to go up and sing.

"We had to stand at the front of the restaurant with all the staff, all the players and I chose Adele 'Someone Like You' to sing. I went a bit out there but it ended up working because they could join in with that song. It ended up going all right to be fair. Lucas Bergvall was terrible!"

Speaking back in September, Bergvall admitted his initiation was that bad that he was "booed afterwards".

"I sang Abba's 'Dancing Queen'. It was really, really bad. I was booed afterwards," admitted the teenager in an interview with Swedish media outlet Aftonbladet.

Moore may have dubbed Bergvall's song as "terrible" but that is in fact a word Son has also used to describe the youngster's hairstyle.

When asked if they had to swap hairstyles with a Tottenham teammate both Moore and Scarlett were in agreement over Radu Dragusin. "Radu. He's gone that long, big bun," said Moore. "If I could grow hair like that I would choose him. He's scary as well!"

He added: "Sonny hates my hair, he thinks it's terrible."

Tottenham's brand new Nike away kit for the 2025/26 campaign has proved incredibly popular since its unveiling on Thursday morning. Thomas Frank's Spurs side will be playing in an all-black change strip next season that features a simple square pattern across the shirt.

A closer look at the jersey also shows the word 'SPURS' running along the lines of the squares. The new away kit has gone down incredibly well with supporters and it looks set to be a huge seller over the course of the season.

The away kit reveal comes after the home strip was released at the start of June. Fans may not have to wait long at all to see Tottenham players wearing the away strip for the first time as there's a very good chance it will be worn in their first pre-season game away at Reading.

As ever, Tottenham will have three kits for the 2025/26 campaign but supporters may have to wait a bit longer to see the third shirt. Nike tend to unveil their third shirts in August, with Tottenham's green kit from last season released in the final few days of the month.

Again, it was another shirt that proved rather popular due to the colour, design and the use of a retro badge. It would appear that there will once again be a nod to the past with Nike's latest third kit design for the 2025/26 season.

According to Footy Headlines, yellow is set to make a return when it comes to Tottenham's third kit. The latest rumours and kit leaks suggest that Nike will be bringing back their iconic Total 90 template in 2025/26, with the design set to be used on Spurs' third shirt.

Not only that, the jersey will have a retro feel about it as Tottenham's old crest that was used between 1999 and 2006 is set to make a comeback. As is the case with the home shirt, the Spurs logo will sit in a centralised position above the AIA sponsor but the Nike logo will feature towards the top right of the shirt.

'Dynamic Yellow' is the main colour of the shirt but it will be complemented by navy blue (Blue Void) and light blue (Pacific Blue) down the side of the shirt. 'Blue Void' will be used on the cuffs of the shirt, the round neck collar and also down the side of the shorts.

Footy Headlines have stressed that the images on their website are not of the final design as is it merely based on early leaks and predictions. However, if it is indeed the final version then it will undoubtedly go down well with Tottenham fans.

Thomas Frank's Tottenham pre-season plans are starting to take shape following the confirmation of another summer friendly. Already set to take on Luton Town, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich prior to their UEFA Super Cup final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, Spurs will now play League One side Reading in their first summer game.

The fixture will take place at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday, July 19, with a 3pm kick-off in Berkshire. It will indeed be Frank's first game in charge of Tottenham after replacing Ange Postecoglou in the hotseat earlier this month.

Some of the Spurs squad will get to work under the Dane very soon as the start of pre-season training is edging ever closer. football.london understands the first group of Tottenham players will return to the training ground towards the back end of the first week of July to start going through their various tests, blood work and then begin training with Frank and his new-look coaching staff.

Tottenham once again face a very busy pre-season as they head to Hong Kong and South Korea for their summer tour. It will certainly be different to what Frank is used to, with Brentford having a training camp in Portugal 12 months ago before playing a couple of games in the country prior to returning home.

But what exactly can Tottenham players expect from a Frank pre-season? Speaking in a club interview last July, the ex-Brondby boss opened up on Brentford's preparations and outlined the importance of having more time to either have longer sessions, double sessions or more team meetings.

“This pre-season has been up there among the best - last year [in America] was amazing because of all the culture and all the other stuff around it, because I think that's a big part of it as well. But the main thing and the most important thing is that we train well," he said.

“Here, the lads have a top training pitch, gym facilities, recovery and all of that; in that sense, this is the best. These are fantastic training facilities here, we are using the Portuguese Football Federation’s training ground and it’s just top in every area.

“It’s closely connected with the day rooms inside when we're out here for a whole day, with the restaurant for lunch as well, so this has been super in many ways, I would say. It's fantastic, I love [being out on the grass]. We have a similar time at home, but it's just a different location and you just have a bit more time - you can have longer sessions or even double sessions - that's good.

“Another big part of getting out here is that you have the whole day for maybe more meetings or exploring things or team building, all of that. All in all, it’s very good.”

He added: “There's a couple of things: in the UK, the weather can be a little bit unstable, let's put it that way! So there can be days in July where it's still pretty cold but, here, we have more time, it’s no problem, we can stand, we can train hard, break, talk about things - all that I think is very good.

“And, also, the heat has not been too bad because the humidity is quite good, so you then also have that change of scenery, we’re close to the sea - personally, I like that and I go every morning for a swim!”

Swimming wasn't the only thing Frank did in the sea as he also participated in a spot of surfing. As important as the work the players put in on the training pitch in pre-season is, team bonding is just as vital when it comes to forming a togetherness ahead of a Premier League campaign.

Frank's Brentford players all had the chance to do different activities and then they were also split into small groups alongside a couple of staff members to try different food than what they are used to.

"It's good. You know, like with everything, you need to keep building, keep making sure it's there," he admitted. "Like in any relationship, you can't just stop talking or stop doing things together because then you'll drop a little bit over time.

"So the culture and the togetherness the players have and then I would say the staff, and the staff and the players, are very good and we try and to keep it at a very high level.

"I think it's it's a good thing when you are together for, it's not a long period, but it's still like 24/7 so it's good to do things on your own. In the past I used to either do something where everyone does something together, which also is a lot of value in that, but I also like that we are individuals, so people could do what they wanted to do.

"Some did golf, some did go-karting, some did surfing, some did a tour in Lisbon and some did some a little bit different. That's important.

"And then we went out in groups. The players were divided into four or five groups with two staff members in each and that just kept them talking in a different way and try a little bit more different food that they normally are used to, so try to educate them a bit. Some of them. Some of them are very good at them."

Bryan Mbeumo is hot property this summer and that should come as no surprise after his best ever season in the Premier League.

The Cameroon international plundered 20 goals for Brentford in 2024/25 - a figure only bettered by Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland - adding eight assists as well.

He has attracted interest from a number of top Premier League clubs, with Manchester United his likely destination given the Red Devils have pursued him heavily so far this summer.

But Tottenham Hotspur are also interested, with Thomas Frank's move from Brentford to N17 giving them something of an advantage having spent the last six seasons as the frontman's manager.

Mbeumo wants to make the next step in his career and is understood to favour a move to Old Trafford, with The Athletic reporting that he has already informed Brentford - and Tottenham and Thomas Frank - of his desire to move to Manchester United, should a deal be agreed.

Spurs have moved on to other targets, with the likes of Eberechi Eze strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Crystal Palace.

Manchester United have already had a £55 million bid rejected by the Bees, which comprised an initial £45m with £10m in add-ons.

United have since gone back and offered a fee of around £60m, according to The Times, but it is understood that Brentford are looking for a figure in the region of £62.5m that United shelled out to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolves.

Tottenham once had an 'agreed' deal for Fulham’s Moussa Dembele scrapped at the last minute, despite the striker completing a medical.

Back in January 2016, Spurs were chasing rivals Arsenal and surprise package Leicester City in an effort to lift their first Premier League trophy. Chairman Daniel Levy already had Harry Kane at his disposal after his incredible breakthrough 18 months prior.

But Levy recognised the need to bolster his attacking options and provide a back-up for the Englishman in order to challenge in the second half of the season. He pursued Fulham’s promising forward, Dembele - not to be mistaken for Spurs’ own central midfielder at the time - as his key January target.

Levy managed to negotiate a bargain £6million deal with Fulham for the then-19-year-old, whose contract was set to expire that summer. Dembele even underwent a Spurs medical two days before January deadline day, with the transfer seemingly confirmed.

But the west Londoners were keen for their talented youngster to return to Craven Cottage until the end of the 2015/16 season, due to their attempts to battle relegation and a transfer embargo leaving them unable to sign any replacements in January.

They wanted to strike a deal which would have seen them still receive a fee for Dembele despite him becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Spurs were not impressed by Fulham’s demands and pushed for him to be allowed to join their ranks straight away.

That led to a breaking point between the two clubs, with The Guardian claiming Fulham subsequently 'angrily' cancelled the deal. Negotiations were not revived, and the forward was said to be left bitterly disappointed.

The Lilywhites didn’t end up buying a player in January and finished third that season, with Leicester extraordinarily winning the league by a ten-point margin.

Levy would bring in Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen the following summer, while Dembele signed for Scottish giants Celtic on a four-year contract. Two impressive seasons followed for Dembele, who netted 51 goals in 94 appearances while clinching two Scottish Premiership winners’ medals, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups.

He made his long-awaited return to France in 2018, signing for Lyon. Between 2018 and 2023, Dembele scored 70 goals in 172 appearances.

He would later follow the horde of former big names moving to the Saudi Pro League in July 2023, when he signed for Al-Ettifaq as a free agent. As one of Steven Gerrard’s first signings, the forward scored 14 goals in 26 appearances in an otherwise disappointing season for the team.

Still just 28 years old, he went on to register seven goals and four assists in 21 games for Al-Ettifaq in 2024/25. They finished seventh in the Saudi Pro League, with the ship steadying following Gerrard’s departure after the side had been left just five points clear of the relegation zone.