Football London

The appointment of a new head coach will represent a fresh start for many Tottenham players. For some who maybe struggled to make their mark and play regularly during Ange Postecoglou's tenure, an opportunity could be there to do so under Thomas Frank.

Key to that will be strong pre-season campaigns, with Tottenham set to return to training at Hotspur Way very soon. football.london understands the first group of players will return 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.

It will be a staggered return for some of the squad as a handful of players were involved in international football immediately after the season came to a close. Then there are those taking part at the Under-21 and Under-19 European Championships such as Archie Gray, Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert in the former and Mikey Moore and development squad player Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny in the latter.

Due to the sheer size of the Tottenham squad, it could be a crucial summer for some of the players when it comes to ensuring they have a long-term future in N17. football.london takes a look at five players who have to make their mark in pre-season:

Dane Scarlett

It could be a make-or-break season for Dane Scarlett when it comes to his Tottenham career. Making his Premier League debut for the club back in February 2021, it just hasn't quite happened for the striker in a Spurs shirt just yet.

The 21-year-old did score four goals during his time on loan at Oxford United last season but the regular starts he wanted weren't always there for him. He returned to Tottenham in January and chipped in with one goal and two assists as he finished the campaign with a Europa League winners' medal around his neck.

It's going to be extremely hard for him to play regularly at Tottenham but he can be a very good third-choice striker for the club due to the amount of games they will have to deal with in 2025/26. A strong pre-season under Frank could lead to him remaining with the club unless they feel a loan deal is best for his development.

If it doesn't quite happen for the player this season, a permanent move away could be on the agenda come 2026.

Alfie Devine

Alfie Devine is another player who seems to have been around a very long time despite his tender years. The midfielder, who turns 21 at the start of August, made his Spurs debut as a 16-year-old and notably scored in the 5-0 FA Cup win over Marine.

The ex-Wigan Athletic youngster enjoyed a very productive season on loan at Belgian side Westerlo and he will return to Hotspur Way a much better player for his experience. Devine has caught the eye for Tottenham in the last two pre-season campaigns and he will be intent on making it a third.

If he does that then Frank may want to keep him part of his Tottenham squad for the new season. If it is to be a third successive season out on loan for Devine then you have to wonder if his Spurs chance will ever actually arrive.

Ashley Phillips

Two years on from his transfer from Blackburn Rovers, Ashley Phillips is still waiting to make his competitive debut for Tottenham. The youngster just wasn't used by Postecoglou in the first half of the 2023/24 season even though the team were going through a big crisis at centre-back.

Duly heading to Plymouth Argyle on loan in January and then Stoke City last season, Phillips may be in line for a third successive season out on loan. Due to the amount of options ahead of him at centre-back, with highly-rated Luka Vuskovic adding to the numbers this summer, it's hard to see where he gets first-team opportunities at Tottenham.

Even though he's only 19 years of age, this season could be big in terms of his Tottenham career and what comes next.

Alejo Veliz

Alejo Veliz has struggled to make his mark in the European game since joining Tottenham from Rosario Central two years ago. Amid his lack of playing time in north London, the Argentine has spent time on loan with Sevilla and Espanyol but the goals and regular minutes he requires have unfortunately alluded him.

Frank will take a look at Veliz and the rest of the Tottenham squad in pre-season when they return and the striker has to take his opportunity with both hands. That wasn't the case last summer as he failed to make his mark in his playing time and subsequently saw Will Lankshear and Scarlett jump ahead of him.

Manor Solomon

The appointment of a new head coach could change things for Manor Solomon at Tottenham. Restricted to only six appearances in his debut season at the club and heading on loan to Leeds United last season as he needed to play week in, week out after his previous injury woes, the winger's time at Elland Road was a major success.

Solomon finished the season with ten goals and 13 assists to his name, including the goal that won Leeds the Championship title in the final minute of the campaign. Set to return to Tottenham a player full of confidence, Solomon could well be part of Frank's squad for 2025/26 if he catches the Dane's eye.

After all, Tottenham do need options out wide at present and that is something Solomon can offer. If he is not to be part of Frank's plans and can move on, Spurs will not be short on options and could bring in a decent fee for him.

Thomas Frank will have the opportunity to manage in the Champions League for the very first time after taking on the Tottenham job. The Dane has replaced Ange Postecoglou in the hotseat, signing a three-year contract in north London.

Before Frank and his Tottenham players take part in their first Champions League match of the 2025/26 campaign, they have a UEFA Super Cup final to look forward to as a result of their Europa League triumph. Spurs will play Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, August 13 at Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy.

The qualifying stages for next season's Champions League are due to commence the second week in July ahead of the league phase starting on Tuesday, September 16. Tottenham enter at the league phase and will be drawn against two teams from each of the four points to determine their eight opponents.

The league phase draw is due to take place on Thursday, August 28, with the dates and times for Tottenham's eight games likely to be confirmed a day or two after the draw. This season's Champions League final will be played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday, May 30.

As we are now a few weeks on since the league season came to a close for the vast majority of European leagues, we know 29 of the 36 teams who have already qualified for the 2025/26 edition of the Champions League. The pots for August's draw are starting to take shape and six potential Pot 1 opponents are already clear to see as Tottenham cannot come up against fellow Premier League teams Manchester City, Liverpool or Chelsea.

The final seven Champions League places will be determined by who progresses through qualifying and the crucial play-off round in late August. So, now that Tottenham have their Premier League schedule in hand, we have decided to take a look at the 2025/26 Champions League calendar, pots for the league phase draw, their potential opponents and all the key dates fans need to know. You can find all that below:

Teams already qualified and likely pots

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.

Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt.

Pot 2/3: Tottenham, PSV.

Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille.

Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club. Newcastle United.

Champions League 2025/26 schedule

League phase

Matchday 1: 16-18 September

Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October

Matchday 3: 21-22 October

Matchday 4: 4-5 November

Matchday 5: 25-26 November

Matchday 6: 9-10 December

Matchday 7: 20-21 January

Matchday 8: 28 January

Knockout phase play-offs

First leg: 17-18 February

Second leg: 24-25 February

Round of 16

First leg: 10-11 March

Second leg: 17-18 March

Quarter-finals

First leg: 7-8 April

Second leg: 14-15 April

Semi-finals

First leg: 28-29 April

Second leg: 5-6 May

Final

Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Puskas Arena, Budapest.

Champions League draw dates

League phase: 28 August

Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January

Round of 16/quarter-finals/semi-finals/final: 27 February

Tottenham supporters are waiting for the club's summer transfer window to kick off to back their new head coach Thomas Frank.

Spurs have upped the expectations on the Dane in not only replacing a trophy-winning manager in Ange Postecoglou but also chairman Daniel Levy publicly stating that winning the Europa League was not enough and that he wants the club to win the Premier League and Champions League.

The Tottenham fans are now expecting such statements to be backed up with a squad capable of achieving those lofty aims. The north London club have made the loan deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel permanent in the early weeks of the transfer window but are yet to sign a new player for the Frank era.

There is still a fortnight until pre-season begins and a little while longer until the first friendly of the summer but the new boss will be hoping to get to work with any new players sooner rather than later.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold answered plenty of questions from our readers on the current goings-on at the club and here's a full transcript with everything he was asked and how he responded.

nickteff: "Have you got any names that Spurs are looking at for the No.6 role?"

Alasdair says: "The problem with that role in particular is the arrival of Thomas Frank brings a reset of sorts in that the number six has to be someone who fits his system compared to Ange Postecoglou's. Spurs were already looking for a number six but some on the list may well have changed in recent days as Frank and Johan Lange decide in their key recruitment chats that would have taken place at Hotspur Way last week as well as subsequent and previous conversations about the best fitting names for his system that are gettable.

"It's a shame (for Frank anyway) that Christian Norgaard signed a new deal towards the end of last season because I would not have been shocked if Spurs had made a move for him as he was one of the more underrated midfielders in the Premier League last season.

"Frank absolutely loves the experienced Dane and thinks he's a special leader and no doubt would have wanted that at Spurs as someone who knows his demands inside out being in the centre of the team. Perhaps they might still test the water with Brentford.

"Timing is also a funny thing when it comes to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg because he's heading to Marseille thanks to that obligation in his loan move when he might have fitted Frank perfectly. The former Brentford boss used to coach Hojbjerg at youth level in the Danish international set-up.

"We'll find out in the next week or two which number sixes are on the radar as Frank's needs get pushed out within the game to agents and clubs. It's always the way it works under a new manager. It takes a little time and various meetings before details start to emerge."

Jack00: "Do you think Marc Guehi would be high on the list of Romero replacements if he was to leave the club this summer?"

Alasdair says: "Spurs have been long-time admirers of Guehi and made an approach in January that was rebuffed by Palace, who also had no time to get in a replacement at that point even if anything had advanced.

"The problem for Spurs is that the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are also among the many clubs interested in Guehi. It's not expected to be easy for anyone to agree a price with Palace, even with just a year left on the England international's contract.

"Guehi's priority is believed to be regular playing time wherever he goes and while Spurs can offer Champions League football as well this season, they are currently packed with central defenders in Romero, Van de Ven, Danso, Dragusin, Davies as well as younger players like Vuskovic, Phillips and Dorrington.

"Of course Guehi likely starts if Romero goes and maybe if he doesn't, and there is the potential that Frank would maybe play with a back three if he didn't, but you would imagine Romero's future would need to be sorted out first and by that time others may have made their move."

Annie27: "Just as a change from the men's team news, are you hearing anything about candidates for the women's team manager? Or what the new CEO's plans are for the women's team?"

Alasdair says: "From what I understand the process is ongoing at the moment so it shouldn't be too long before we find out who will replace Robert Vilahamn. The WSL season obviously starts a month after the men's campaign so there's a bit more time to play with but I don't think Spurs will wait around that long because they need to get moving on building that team for a better season this time around.

"Vinai Venkatesham had plenty to do with Arsenal's women's team and he will continue that down the road at Tottenham. The 44-year-old will be keen to push them on to the kind of levels seen at their local rivals."

macro spurs: "Have you got any information on how many attackers the club will look to sign over the coming weeks? Surely we still need two attackers on top of Tel. We can't go into the new season with the same attack as last season?"

Alasdair says: "One of the priorities is clearly a wide player who can also play through the middle. Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Antoine Semenyo all tick that box with the former and latter both expected to be pushing towards the £70million price mark and Wissa less because he's got just a year left on his contract.

"Lange is likely to have plenty of non-Premier League talent on his list for Frank to sift through as well and whether they need to go for more than one new attacker depends on what happens with those at the club.

"Timo Werner has left while Tel has remained. Then the future of Son and Richarlison needs to be sorted and a lot could depend on what happens next with them. Then there's Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, while Spurs will want a pathway for Mikey Moore's development. Dejan Kulusevski can also play on the right or left of Frank's 4-2-3-1.

"Spurs' attacking players did actually rack up some decent goal involvement numbers across the side when you total it all up. They just couldn't keep the ball out at the other end.

"Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon are likely to move on this summer, with Yang Min-hyeok likely to get another loan because we mustn't forget that frustrating club-trained problem with the European squad which means a big squad will have plenty who can't play in the Champions League.

"So I think due to numbers Spurs may well wait to see what happens with some players before committing to a second attacking signing, not including Tel."

mo_coys: "How many players will be signed before the first pre-season game? Currently July 26."

Alasdair says: "The club moved pretty quickly when Postecoglou was appointed two years ago so hopefully they spring into action soon. I'd expect two or three signings by that point but that might depend on some outgoings as well to ensure there's the space more than anything. Technically I think the first friendly though will be around July 19."

tomkcoys: "What are your expectations of whether Romero, Vicario, and Porro are on their way out this summer? Romero seems the most likeliest but there have been some surprising references to Porro and Vicario leaving too."

Alasdair says: "I'd be very surprised if Vicario or Porro exited the club this summer, unless something major happens behind the scenes. With Romero, I remain to be convinced that any club will pay the sort of money required to prise him away from Tottenham. We'll see."

rogon: "When do you think the decision to change the manager was made, did the trophy win make any difference to the outcome? It felt before the final all the noise and even from Ange it felt a foregone conclusion."

Alasdair says: "It felt like it was always in the pipeline and Postecoglou's manner reflected that in the press conferences in the weeks before the final but the trophy and reaction from the supporters and players clearly threw the cat among the pigeons.

Ultimately, Spurs' hierarchy stuck to their original plan and time will show us whether it was the right move or whether we'll always be stuck with the 'what if'. I really like Frank as a coach and as a person so I hope he can break the two-year sacking cycle at Tottenham. Someone has to."

MattSpurs79: "Any more word on whether Paratici is returning formally when his ban expires or not? Or just continuing as a consultant?"

Alasdair says: "The consultancy element is certainly continuing for now. He's involved in that trial in Italy which is currently ongoing and I'd be surprised if Spurs don't wait until the outcome of that is clearer before committing to anything more formal again, but you never know. Levy has a lot of time for Paratici and many within the club are expecting the Italian's eventual return. It wouldn't be a great move for Johan Lange certainly."

mir00: " How likely do you think it is that Son will leave this summer?"

Alasdair says: "Ultimately Son's future should be decided by Son. He's earned that right as a trophy-winning legend of the club with 10 years of service under his belt. I would say there's more chance of him leaving this summer than ever before, but he and Frank need to have a conversation first to decide what the Dane's plans for him are as well, if that hasn't already happened."

Craigyb35: "As soon as Spurs hit a bad patch how big do you think the protests against Levy will get compared to last season?"

Alasdair says: "I think Levy has only increased the scrutiny in this coming season with the decision to sack the first trophy winner the club has had in 17 years and also the chairman's comments about that trophy not being enough as he wants to win the Premier League and Champions League. He and the club hierarchy need to be able to show that they did everything possible to help Frank succeed because the supporters are going to be watching closer than ever."

skolcoys: "How are we going to fix the homegrown problem headed to the champions League?

Alasdair says: "Only time can fix that really with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall available for the B list in the 26/27 season after two years at the club. The other option is to sign former academy players to fill the three vacant club-trained spots and Kyle Walker-Peters is certainly someone the club have considered as a versatile free agent this summer who would be club trained and doesn't take up anyone else's spot in the Champions League squad."

There's a tongue-in-cheek saying which goes something like this: 'How do you become a millionaire? Be a billionaire and then buy a football club.' Well, that old adage seems to have been written for Vincent Tan, the Cardiff City owner, who has seen his fortunes dwindle in the harsh world of football finance.

The Malaysian businessman has invested over £250m into the Bluebirds over the past decade or so, yet finds himself at the helm of a League One outfit rather than a Premier League powerhouse.

It's crunch time for Tan at Cardiff City, with questions looming over whether he possesses the zeal to drive the club through two promotions back to the English top-flight – a clear ambition of his ownership.

Recent years haven't been kind to Cardiff City, with the club veering off course and now facing a hefty debt pile and the impending legal proceedings in France concerning the tragic Emiliano Sala case.

Despite the turmoil, the Cardiff City chairman, Mehmet Dalman, claimed that Tan acknowledges 'everything is for sale at the right price'. In the meantime, the Malaysian businessman remains dedicated to the Bluebirds' quest for Championship football.

As quoted by the Wales Online, Dalman said: "He has injected a substantial amount of funds in the club. In his statement, it was clear to me he wants to bounce back. On the other hand, he has always said, 'Everything is for sale at the right price - except for family.'

"As far as I am concerned, and I am having this discussion after a dialogue with him, I don't see anything else but his commitment to make sure we bounce back."

Dalman's words were shared amid news that a consortium linked to Gareth Bale had made an offer for Cardiff City. According to Wales Online, the group had been in touch with Tan directly in May regarding a major stake acquisition, but their proposal was knocked back.

Whether Bale and his associates will mount another takeover bid for the League One outfit remains to be seen, although the timing of these revelations, one month after the initial approach, could hint at ongoing interest.

Cardiff City's stature means they routinely field queries about ownership and valuation; this instance gained prominence due largely to Bale's status, sparking considerable chatter among supporters. The Spurs legend, who reportedly earned £600,000-a-week during his spell at Real Madrid, boasts a net worth estimated at a whopping £120m.

Off the pitch, the Welshman has ventured into various businesses, launching two bars in his hometown and another in Bristol. He's also a minority shareholder in Penderyn Distillery, and he's invested in Tiger Woods and McIlroy's TGL golf league.

Of course, the Malaysian tycoon's wealth far surpasses that, with Forbes estimating his net worth to be around £580m. However, this figure represents a significant decrease from his previously listed £1.19bn in 2010 – a drop of over £600m in 14 years.

I refer you back to the joke at the start of this article. While Tan's fortune blows Bale's out of the water, Wales Online have reported that the Tottenham legend's involvement would be similar to Luka Modric at Swansea and Tom Brady at Birmingham City, where the majority of the funding would come from other consortium members.

The real advantage of having Bale involved, naturally, would be his ability to offer guidance on player recruitment and commercial development, as well as leveraging his global reach to potentially boost the club's profile worldwide.

As for the club's valuation? It's nearly impossible to put a price tag on it, should Tan decide to sell. Five years ago, Wales Online claim that a valuation of £75m was suggested for Cardiff City, but today that figure is likely to be somewhere between £50m and £75m.

This estimate aligns with Championship clubs who typically value themselves at approximately two or three times their annual revenue – last year Cardiff reported a turnover of £23.2m. However, the old saying rings true – a club's worth is ultimately determined by what a buyer is prepared to pay.

The Bluebirds' recent relegation also plays a significant role in this valuation. According to Transfermarkt, Cardiff City's squad is estimated to be worth around £41.8m, but with players valued at a combined £11.75m either on loan or out of contract in June, this figure immediately drops to £30m.

Player values can plummet by 20 to 40 per cent following relegation. The significant decrease in television revenue, coupled with a drop in player market values and potential loss of commercial and matchday income, could see the club's valuation fall dramatically – potentially by as much as 30 or 40 per cent.

However, there are silver linings. The new training ground currently under construction and the impressive new academy site in Llanrumney are, or will be, valuable assets.

Cardiff is also a capital city with enormous potential and a large, untapped fan base. While it may sound clichéd, it doesn't make it any less accurate.

The club has a high ceiling and is commercially well-managed compared to other clubs of its size. Additionally, there is a core group of young players whose values, the club hopes, will only skyrocket in the coming years, thereby increasing the club's overall value.

One suspects that the new manager, Brian Barry-Murphy, might aim to add value by targeting younger signings this summer and beyond.

James Maddison revealed that Pedro Porro offered him his shirt number when he first joined Tottenham before Harry Kane left the club.

When Maddison arrived at Spurs in the summer of 2023, his favoured No.10 was taken by the England captain and in a YouTube clip of him and Porro taking part in a club Q&A this week, Maddison revealed that the right-back had offered up his squad number. While trying to guess the date of Maddison's birthday, November 23, the Tottenham midfielder kept giving hints to the right-back but forgot the most obvious hint of all that it is Porro's shirt number.

"Ah, I should have said that. Remember when I first joined? Before Harry left, you were going to let me have 23, because it was my birthday. That's how I knew he was such a nice guy straight away. It didn't happen because Harry Kane left and then 10 became available," said Maddison with a glum face.

Porro and Maddison quickly struck up a bond that summer with the midfielder calling the defender "Peter" around the training ground from then on. The bubbly Spaniard is a popular player in the squad and also one its more durable, having played far more minutes than anyone else last season on the way to Tottenham winning the Europa League.

The right-back's character comes from his grandfather. The young Pedro grew up with his grandparents, Antonio and Maria, in the small town of Don Benito in the west of Spain because his parents were always busy working to put food on the table.

Earlier this year Porro told football.london about Antonio, who still calls him after matches to dissect his performances.

"For me, he's the most important person in my life. At six-years-old, I went to my first club and my grandfather asked me, 'you want to play football, with everything, the people, the stadiums? You have the character?'," the Spaniard remembered. "I said 'yes'. I didn't care, I just wanted to play football, only football.

"So 10 years later, again he asked the same question 'you have character?', I said 'yes'. This is 10 years on! 'Yes grandfather'.

"I then had my first trial as a right-back at Rayo Vallecano. I came back to the hotel one night because the trial was only for one week. My grandfather told me: 'In one week you go to Madrid and play and after this, I'll talk to you'.

"So I go to the training ground, we train and then played this one game and we came back from the trip. After that he said to me: 'I'm going back to Don Benito and you stay here alone. You go, go, go and remember what I said, you have character, you have a winning mentality and everyday this will be easy for you'.

"'Ok grandfather' I said and in this moment, he is everything to me, the most important person in my life. This is my grandfather Antonio."

It is once again a time of change at Tottenham Hotspur with new faces at the top of the organisation and big aims for the seasons ahead.

Spurs have a new head coach in Thomas Frank, who arrived from Brentford this month to replace Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian signing off by ending the club's 17-year trophy drought with that Europa League triumph in Bilbao. Frank had his first day at Hotspur Way this week and set about starting to build relationships with the staff within the north London club.

One relationship he already has built is the one with Tottenham's technical director Johan Lange, with the duo having shared an office together at Lyngby, a club that sits in the suburbs of Copenhagen. Now the pair of Danes must work together to shape a Spurs squad to fit Frank's needs while also ensuring it can compete on all fronts as chairman Daniel Levy has made it clear is compulsory.

They will also be working with the club's new CEO Vinai Venkatesham and plans in the transfer window will have to start getting underway with pre-season training under the Dane beginning in just a fortnight's time. He will also have to work out exactly what is happening with key players such as captain Son Heung-min and vice-captain Cristian Romero.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold will be answering as many of your questions on the club as possible. He will be discussing all of the above and all things Tottenham Hotspur in the chatroom below in the comments section. You can take part and ask about any topics that cross your mind about the club.

For the Q&A session you can begin submitting your questions in the comments section below, with Alasdair then answering as many of your queries about what's happening at the club as possible.

All you have to do is sign up is submit your question, register your details and you can then take part in the discussion. (You can also sign up by clicking on the silhouette on the top right-hand corner of the screen). While you wait for yours and others' answers, be sure to check out all of the latest content around the latest Spurs news on the site .

Tottenham Hotspur have submitted a new planning application for the four residential towers that will be built on the south end of their stadium.

The club, through their Tottenham Hotspur Property Company arm, submitted the latest set of three applications to Haringey Council last week to mainly tie up the final reserved matters approval to allow them to commence development work on the four buildings that will transform the currently near empty south end of the stadium complex.

The four buildings, plus a set of town houses, will stand on what is known as plot five, alongside a still-to-be-built extreme sports building and a 180-bedroom hotel, with additional apartments, that has been granted approval and is expected to completed in time for the European Championships in 2028, with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium one of the host grounds.

Currently the south end of the complex holds the far end of the club megastore within the Tottenham Experience and the plaza outside the stadium entrance. Once work is completed on the blade-like hotel, extreme sports building and the four residential towers the view when coming down that end of the High Road in N17 is going to look very different with the huge stadium barely visible between the towers.

The buildings will provide 564 new homes for the area, with 290 two-bed, 243 one-bed, 30 three-bed residences and one studio apartment in Tower D. The tallest of the buildings is Tower C which contains 228 of the properties.

The four new towers were originally part of plans submitted 10 years ago so the designs have been updated accordingly in recent years with 21 less residences and various changes throughout to meet new rules and guidelines.

They will look distinctive on the Tottenham landscape thanks to a boxed frame-shading system, with sliding panels, around them. The entrances to the five town houses and parts of the towers have been developed to incorporate more brick work, in a nod to the local buildings and the area's historical past of brick and tile manufacture.

The end of the consultation period for the group of applications is July 11 with a target decision date for Haringey Council of September 12.

The club, through their property arm, have various other construction developments ongoing around their ground, including, among others, a new six-storey complex of homes and a cinema opposite their stadium as well as approved plans for the 'Northumberland Terrace', which will transform the space behind the High Road to the north west of the stadium, in the area between the club's Lilywhite House offices, Sainsbury's and the road.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to the future with the appointment of head coach Thomas Frank and they are also looking that way with their new Nike away kit.

What appears to be official images of the new Spurs change kit for the 2025/26 season have leaked online through Sneaker Market RO and not only show off an all-black kit but also come with a reportedly official description that explains that the kit is made with a twist - that it's actually a kit from 57 years in the future, to be exact.

For apparently the official Nike description for the new kit states: "Tottenham Hotspur's 2025-26 away shirt welcomes you to match day in the year 2082. This London-inspired battle armour uses tonal blacks and cutting-edge trims to create an innovative, stealthy look that the enemy won't see coming."

While the new kit looks quite plain on the surface, if you look closely you realise there's another little twist as the shirt is made up of a criss-cross pattern of squares and on every vertical line is the word 'Spurs' in capital letters. It has a round neck with grey piping around its trim with the shorts and socks both black.

While this new kit aims to look towards the future, it is also a nod to the past because it is the first time in more than a decade that Tottenham have had a black away kit. In the 2014/15 season, Spurs wore a popular Under Armour effort with bright fluorescent yellow stripes down the middle of its front and that colour along the sleeves and trim of the sides. The club did also have a black and grey third shirt in the 2012/13 season.

The new kit is expected to be released in the very near future, with the away kit released around this time last year. Spurs unveiled their new home shirt earlier this month with the motto 'Take a vow' with the club saying: "The kit features a subtle tweak to the navy sleeves of last season, with a new grey and ashen slate pattern under the arm and the traditional lilywhite base forming the outer part of the sleeve." It has been suggested that this coming season's third kit will be a yellow and navy affair.

Spurs signed their deal with Nike back in 2017 and extended it the following year to a 15-year contract which will last until at least 2033, meaning it is one of the longest football club deals in the sportswear giant's history. Reports back at the time suggested the agreement was worth around £30million a season for the north London club.

Former Spurs star Gareth Bale is reportedly leading a consortium that is in talks to buy League One club Cardiff City.

That's according to The Atheltic, who claim the ex-Wales international made contact with current Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan last month, sending a letter of intent to the current owner expressing his desire to buy the club along with financial figures.

However, Bale's approach was reportedly rejected, though that hasn't dampened any enthusiasm for a takeover at his hometown club having also been linked with fellow League One side Plymouth Argyle. The report from the Athletic states that, despite recent reports, Bale is not in the frame to buy the Pilgrims.

Cardiff were tipped to be a destination for Bale when the Wales superstar left Real Madrid in 2022, but would sign for LAFC and make 14 appearances before retiring after the World Cup in Qatar.

Bale is the latest high profile former player to have been tipped for a career in football ownership after former Spurs and Real star Luke Modric became a co-owner at Swansea City earlier this month.

If 35-year-old Bale were to acquire a majority sharehold at Cardiff City, it would see him take on his former teammate and battle for south Wales bragging rights between two of Wales' biggest clubs.

Bale is yet to speak about potential takeover plans, but is the latest high profile star to attach himself to an ownership group. NFL legend Tom Brady bought minority shares in Birmingham City in 2023, while 49ers Enterprises has a whole host of stars involved in their takeover at Leeds United, with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas part of the group that helped the Whites win promotion.

Unlike Bale, Modrid has spoken about his involvement at Swansea City and believes his expertise at the highest level will stand the Championship side in good stead.

"This is an exciting opportunity," the Croatian said. "Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase, and the ambition to compete at the highest level.

"Playing at the highest level, I believe I can provide my experience to the club. My goal is to support the club’s growth in a positive way and to help to build an exciting future."

Tom Gorringe, Swansea CEO, also added, "I am excited that Luka has come on board as an investor and co-owner. There is no better role model in the game for our players, from the academy right through to the first team.

"His endorsement of our ambition and willingness to support us on our journey will be instrumental as we aim to continue to improve our results on and off the pitch.

"In our conversations, he has demonstrated his passion for the club, his knowledge of how we are performing, and a genuine passion to help us improve. I am really looking forward to working with him more closely to drive us forward."

Thomas Frank is a newcomer to Champions League football and Tottenham and he is about to discover one of the most frustrating situations the club have allowed themselves to fall into.

Many of the Dane's predecessors have fallen into the black hole that is the north London club's lack of club-trained players and how that affects the squad they can select for European competition and each transfer window. Every head coach in recent years, stretching back to Mauricio Pochettino, has needed to make difficult decisions over which Tottenham players must be told they will not be registered for huge continental games.

Last season, Ange Postecoglou had to make similar decisions with new signing Antonin Kinsky unable to be registered for the Europa League and Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin removed from the final squad as well along with Sergio Reguilon.

It all comes down to Spurs allowing so many of their senior club-trained players to leave in recent years and now only having one remaining in goalkeeper Brandon Austin. Frank faces another year of this issue before some of the younger players at the club become old enough to fit into that category so do not need to be registered in the main group.

Our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Rob Guest discussed the perennial issue and exactly what it means, the UEFA rule behind it all and why it will affect this summer's transfer window and how the club can get around it with a clever signing or two in the latest episode of their podcast Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham.

You can listen to the show by heading right here or watch the latest episode on YouTube by going right here.