Football London

Tottenham have been dealt a blow ahead of their Europa League semi-final clash against Bodo/Glimt with Son Heung-min absent from training on Wednesday morning. The Spurs captain has not featured for Ange Postecoglou's team since the quarter-final first leg win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the beginning of April due to a foot issue.

With Postecoglou speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon to preview the Bodo/Glimt semi-final, football.london were in place at the club's training base to watch the first 15 minutes of training. However, there was to be no sign of Son with the rest of the squad.

Postecoglou will provide a further update on the experienced attacker when he holds his pre-match press conference. The boss did issue the latest on his star man when speaking to BBC Sport after Sunday's 5-1 defeat at Liverpool.

"It’ll be touch and go for Thursday," he said on Son. "He’ll try hard. If [he’s not ready] for the first game we think he’ll be ready for the second game.”

Amid question marks over when exactly Son will return to action, Mathys Tel could be in line to start again on the left flank in Tottenham's front three. The January loan signing has started Spurs' last four games and now appears to be showing glimpses of his quality as he is benefiting from an increase in playing time.

Following Spurs' semi-final first leg showdown against Bodo/Glimt, the Lilywhites travel to West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday before the decisive second leg in Norway next Thursday. Crystal Palace at home are to follow after that.

Tottenham's biggest match of the 2024/25 season is almost upon us. Thursday night will see Ange Postecoglou's side take on Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals of the Europa League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs have endured such a dismal Premier League campaign but they do have the opportunity to finish the term on a positive note at least by reaching the final in Bilbao and getting their hands on the trophy. Bodo/Glimt should not be underestimated, however, after recording some notable results in Europe this campaign.

The Norwegian side do have some injury and suspension issues going into the game and that could potentially work in Spurs' favour. The Lilywhites have an injury worry themselves as it's not clear yet whether Son Heung-min will be able to play a part going on the latest update Postecoglou provided after the Liverpool defeat.

So how exactly will Tottenham line up come Thursday evening? Here are the Spurs teams our writers would select for the European encounter:

Alasdair Gold - Tottenham correspondent

It all boils down to this. Postecoglou has kept most of his players fresh for this game and those who did start on Sunday were mostly looked after with substitutions either at half-time or around the hour mark, Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall aside.

Spurs need to go for it in this leg and really grab the tie by the scruff of the neck with the visitors missing a number of regular starters. The north London outfit tried to do that against Frankfurt but just couldn't get the ball into the net on more than the one occasion they managed it.

Postecoglou needs all of his creative players on the pitch and that means getting both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski into the starting line-up. I would go with his original first choice back four, with Udogie having starred in both legs against Frankfurt and Lucas Bergvall, fresh from his new contract news, will bring the energy in the centre of the park alongside the completely rested Rodrigo Bentancur.

Up front, if Son Heung-min is available it's likely to be for a bench role after those recent weeks out. I'd go for Mathys Tel on the left again after his bright displays against Frankfurt and Kulusevski will need to be fitted back in his original right wing role.

Gold's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Tel.

Rob Guest - Football writer

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham team should certainly have a refreshed look about it after resting a number of players for Sunday's defeat at Liverpool. The head coach elected against using Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven on Merseyside but the trio will return to the team to face Bodo/Glimt.

Destiny Udogie, who was excellent over two legs against Eintracht Frankfurt in the previous round, will likely get the nod to join the aforementioned trio in defence despite his woes at Liverpool. In midfield, Postecoglou will go with his preferred three of Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison.

That means Dejan Kulusevski is likely to shift into the front three, joining Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel in attack. Amid question marks over Son Heung-min, Tel should get the nod as the Spurs captain is unlikely to be at full fitness after last featuring at the start of the month because of a foot injury.

Guest's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Tel.

Lee Wilmot - Head of Football

Once again, the season comes down to the next two midweeks. Will it be a semi-successful season or will it be an utter disgrace?

There is very little question about who plays in the starting lineup for me. Guglielmo Vicario, despite some mistakes of late, gets the nod in goal, more down to the fact there is no other option really.

Pedro Porro returns at right-back, with Destiny Udogie my pick at left-back following a good few performances. The central defensive pair of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero make up the back five.

In midfield, Lucas Bergvall must start, alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison, who is the best creative outlet we have.mIt's on the flanks where the big questions come.

If fit, Son Heung-min comes in for me. The captain is hugely important and his absence has been felt. Then, on the other side, I'm playing Dejan Kulusevski, with Dominic Solanke through the middle.

We have to play our strongest side and there is plenty to come off the bench if Kulusevski or Son are not fully for 90 minutes.

Wilmot's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.

Former Tottenham star Harry Kane, who has been rumoured to make a Premier League comeback, is reportedly set to remain at Bayern Munich for another season, putting an end to any speculation.

Manchester United, one of the clubs linked with a move for the 31-year-old, are in dire need of a new striker this summer after managing only 39 goals in 34 games this season. Both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have had lacklustre seasons, scoring a mere 16 times combined across all competitions.

In contrast, Kane has netted an impressive 36 goals in 44 appearances for Bayern Munich so far.

In his debut season, the 31-year-old found the back of the net 44 times in 45 matches.

Earlier this year, German publication BILD reported that Kane's contract at the Allianz Arena included a release clause, potentially allowing him to depart for £67million in January.

That figure is expected to drop to £54m this summer, drawing United's attention to the situation.

However, talkSPORT now reports that sources close to the England international have indicated he is content in Germany and wants to aid Bayern in securing the Bundesliga and Champions League titles before contemplating a move.

Bayern's upcoming match against RB Leipzig could see Vincent Kompany's side clinch the Bundesliga title, providing Kane with the first silverware of his career.

However, he will not participate after receiving a fifth yellow card against Mainz.

"Crazy, crazy decision," the England striker said.

"It's kind of my story that I'll miss the Leipzig game but no worries, I'll celebrate more than anyone else."

He also expressed his frustration, noting, "I'm very disappointed that I got the yellow card. Because I also knew I already had four yellow cards. It's crazy to be suspended with five yellow cards in 34 matches.

"It's just a crazy rule. There should be a reset of yellow cards halfway through the season, like in the Premier League."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here! I n depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Former Tottenham star Eric Dier is set to make a shock move from Bayern Munich to Monaco at the end of the season, according to the latest reports.

The 31-year-old left Spurs after ten years in the summer of 2024, to join the Bundesliga giants following an initial stint on loan.

He initially spent six months at the Allianz Arena before making the move a permanent one. Dier was one of four players to leave the club last summer, alongside Ivan Perisic, Japhet Tanganga, and Ryan Sessegnon.

However, his debut season at Bayern has not gone as planned, with only 18 Bundesliga appearances so far - 13 of which have been starts.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that an agreement between Dier and Monaco has been reached and a deal is in place.

Monaco are said to have offered Dier a contract until June 2027, with the option to extend. After starting out at Sporting Clube de Portugal, the defender will move to the fifth club of his career.

Dier moved to Spurs in 2014, making an immediate impact in north London and establishing himself as a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino's squad.

He played a crucial role in helping Tottenham mount Premier League title challenges in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons, although Pochettino’s side ultimately fell short both times.

Dier also shone for England at Euro 2016, scoring a memorable free-kick against Russia in the group stage, despite the Three Lions exiting in the last 16.

He remained a key player for Tottenham over the years, reaching 300 appearances against Southampton in December 2021.

The Cheltenham-born star made at least 25 appearances in each of his first nine seasons with Spurs, but Ange Postecoglou's arrival saw him fall down the pecking order, and he subsequently joined Bayern on a six-month loan.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here! I n depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Bodo/Glimt are going to be without a number of key players for Thursday evening's Europa League semi-final first leg clash against Tottenham. A combination of injury and suspension has limited Kjetil Knutsen's options for the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it may prove vital when it comes to the outcome of the tie.

Centre-back Odin Bjørtuft was forced off with a groin issue in the second half of Bodo/Glimt's 3-0 win against KFUM in the Eliteserien on Sunday. There are also question marks over Ole Blomberg's participation in the match as the winger picked up an injury this month and is now a doubt for the Tottenham encounter.

On top of that, influential captain Patrick Berg is suspended for the first leg due to an accumulation of Europa League yellow cards, with midfield partner Hakon Evjen also ruled out for the same reason. Finally, Andreas Helmersen, who scored a vital goal in extra time against Lazio in the quarter-finals, is also banned after he was sent off at the Stadio Olimpico.

On the subject of yellow cards in the Europa League and the one-match ban that follows after three cautions and every odd-numbered booking after that, Bodo/Glimt weren't fully aware of UEFA regulations due to an administrative error. As the rules do change on completion of the quarter-finals with all yellow cards wiped out unless you have received a third yellow (fifth, seventh, etc) of the competition, the Norwegian side were wrongly of the belief that their players could receive bookings in Rome and duly get away with it.

Speaking on the An Echo of Glory podcast, Jonas Bergh-Johnsen, sports reporter of Viaplay, went into detail on Bodo/Glimt's absences and the big mistake that changed the atmosphere inside the dressing room after a triumphant quarter-final win over Lazio.

"Massively, and they're really worried about that for the first match," said Bergh-Johnsen on the absence of Berg and other players. "I think they were thinking maybe a 2-0, 3-1 defeat would be okay to go to Bodo/Glimt but now they are worried that it may be even worse.

"Patrick Berg is so instrumental to everything they do and they don't really have any proper backups. A few years back they had a young talent who was really good and could play there, but Patrick Berg is an ever-present in the team so it's really hard to get in there and hard to get any practice of playing that very vital role for the team.

"That's the biggest loss and then we have Hakon Evjen as well, which means two out of the three midfielders are out. After that big mistake they made, I cannot understand how that is possible, because they thought they were allowed to have yellow cards in Rome [vs Lazio].

"They were told by my colleague who was doing interviews post-match in the Stadio Olimpico and she told one of the players how would it be going to Tottenham without Patrick and Hakon being suspended and he was like: 'No, no, it's not like that. After the quarter-finals, we have rules where all yellow cards disappear'.

"The suspension does not disappear, that was the mistake that someone in the administration in Bodo made. You cannot get your head around that because in such a big club with a lot of people involved in all parts in sports and administration, someone should say 'hey, this does not look right'.

"If you just read the UEFA.com preview on the match you can see five players from Lazio and four players from Bodo/Glimt being in danger of missing the semi-finals if they get the yellow card. It's incredible. The atmosphere in the dressing room kind of changed after the news from Viaplay that you're going to miss a couple of your absolute key players in the first leg."

The Premier League faces a huge decision over Tottenham's fixture at Aston Villa next month as they run the risk of failing to appease all parties.

The match between Unai Emery's side and Spurs is currently set for Sunday, May 18 and if the north London outfit were to overcome Bodo/Glimt in their semi-final then that would give them just three days to recover and prepare for the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.

Spurs are in discussions with the Premier League about a number of alternative dates in order to allow for a larger block of days to mentally and physically prepare for a potential showpiece final. Villa are said to have opposed such a schedule change with it being their final home game of the season and a number of pre-planned family activities for their supporters which will not be possible if it was to be an evening fixture.

There are problems for the integrity of the league if the fixture remains as it is, as Ange Postecoglou is likely to name a complete shadow XI of fringe players and young players, in order to protect the team he wants to play in any potential final. While that would benefit the home side at Villa Park, it's not going to go down well with the other clubs in the top five chase.

There's a further issue if Manchester United win their semi-final against Athletic Club and Spurs progress because Ruben Amorim's side are currently set to travel to Chelsea on Friday, May 16 rather than having a weekend game. That would mean a two-day advantage over Tottenham should both teams make it to the final, meaning the Premier League would have allowed one of their teams to have an advantage over another in a major European final, which would open them up to plenty of criticism.

Our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Rob Guest discussed the decision to be made by the Premier League as well as diving into the defeat at Liverpool in the latest episode of their podcast Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham.

You can listen to the podcast by heading right here or you can watch it on YouTube by going right here.

Tottenham will be hoping for a quick resolution when it comes to their game at Aston Villa that is set for the penultimate weekend of the campaign. In the calendar to be played on Sunday, May 18, Spurs will be on course for a fixture nightmare if they are to reach the Europa League final the following week.

The game in Bilbao is set for Wednesday, May 21, meaning Spurs would have next to no time at all to prepare for what would be their biggest game in years providing of course that they beat Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals. Keen to avoid that potential scenario playing out, Tottenham have submitted a request to the Premier League regarding the Aston Villa match.

"We should like to inform supporters that we are in discussions with the Premier League regarding a change in date to our away Premier League match against Aston Villa, currently scheduled for Sunday 18 May," read a club statement on Sunday morning. "Further information surrounding this fixture will be announced in due course."

Tottenham are understood to have suggested a number of alternative dates in order to allow for more time to prepare for a potential showpiece final. Aston Villa are said to have opposed a move, having played matches every three to four days in April due to their Champions League and FA Cup games.

Unai Emery's side are also firmly in the mix for a Champions League spot via the Premier League's top five and they will want adequate time to fully prepare for the visit of Spurs. It leaves the Premier League with a huge call to make over the fixture.

Amid the possibility of Tottenham and Manchester United possibly meeting in the Europa League final, the Red Devils could have two extra days on Ange Postecoglou's men if the fixtures remain on the same date. United's visit to Chelsea is now set to be played on Friday, May 16 as both clubs are taking part in the Women's FA Cup final on the Sunday.

If Tottenham's game remains on the date it is currently set for then all eyes will be on Postecoglou's team at Villa Park if they have a Europa League final to look forward to three days later. The Australian is already playing it safe with a number of key players ahead of their semi-final clash and his XI in the Midlands may well compromise of fringe players and youngsters in that scenario.

In December 2019, Aston Villa were involved in a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie that saw them brush aside a very young Liverpool side 5-0. As Jurgen Klopp's side were competing in the Club World Cup in Qatar at the same time, Under-23s boss Neil Critchley took charge of a side which had the average age of 19 years, six months and three days.

Current Liverpool players Caoimhin Kelleher and Harvey Elliott were part of the Liverpool starting XI that day. The Premier League would not want to see Tottenham do something similar at such a crucial point in the season because that in turn would raise questions about integrity and other things.

Teams such as Newcastle United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest would also have something to say if Spurs were to field a weakened team that resulted in Aston Villa picking up three crucial points that could change the complexion of the race for Champions League football. One thing for certain regarding the Villa match is that Postecoglou will do whatever he thinks is best for the club if they have an opportunity to win silverware for the first time in 17 years three days later.

Ultimately it is down to the Premier League to decide on a date for the Aston Villa vs Tottenham match and common sense must prevail. If not, it could open a whole can of worms in the process.

Tottenham Hotspur don’t have any concerns when it comes to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) this summer, but they still will likely have to sell players to recruit.

Spurs, who despite a dismal domestic season under head coach Ange Postecoglou, with the 5-1 loss to Premier League champions Liverpool keeping them 16th but with the very real chance of finishing the campaign one spot above the drop zone, can still make next season’s UEFA Champions League if they win the Europa League this season.

Spurs face a two-legged semi-final with Norwegian side FK Bodø/Glimt, with the prize on offer for the victors, and then the winners overall, being a spot in European club football’s most lucrative knockout club competition.

Success would be a major boon for Spurs and would allow them to invest more than they otherwise would this coming summer thanks to the guaranteed sums that will come their way thanks to the expanded and revamped competition. Aston Villa, for example, with all things taken into account such as participation fees, prize money and additional matchday revenue, bagged some £90m this season.

But for all the good that could do, Spurs know they will have to make some plans for a season without those kind of funds, with two different kinds of shortlist likely drawn up when it comes to transfers.

But why, when the club are one of the Premier League sides with the most PSR headroom, which is around £200m, do they face the prospect of a transfer policy of having to offload before recruiting this summer?

Much of Spurs’ transfer debt has been on credit in recent years, and as of the 2023/24 accounts, published last month, the transfer payables, which is the money the club owes to other clubs still for transfer fees, stood at £337m, an increase of around £250m from the £88m it stood at back in 2019, the year they moved into their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium home. Sitting behind only Chelsea’s £479m, Spurs’ transfer debt is the second largest in the Premier League.

In terms of what is coming the other way, Spurs are owed £58m in transfer receivables from clubs, meaning that there is a £279m difference between the two, and that is not insignificant.

Given the way that PSR looks at allowable losses of £105m with permitted deductions for investment into infrastructure, the women’s team, the academy and community initiatives, Spurs’ heavy debt, much of it attributable to the new stadium, means that they are still in a good PSR spot, especially given their significant commercial and matchday revenue, and the low wages to revenue ratio that they have.

But cash in the bank as of March 31, 2024, stood at £79m, down from £198m the previous financial year. Spurs have been eating into the cash reserve in the past 18 months, and with the potential of another lean year if they miss out on the Champions League through failure to win the Europa League, that could have to continue.

Owners, ENIC, have not regularly pumped in cash. In fact, as per the Telegraph, only £122.1m has arrived in owner funding since they acquired the club in 2001, the majority coming from a £97.5m share issue in May of 2022. If they don’t step in to bridge the gap then sales will be likely if the plan is to refresh the team.

That is because, like all football clubs, Spurs are a business, and businesses have to be cashflowed. With such heavy transfer debt, even with the £79m being the second highest cash balance in the bank among Premier League clubs, Spurs have a large amount of transfer payables to meet in the coming seasons, with instalments due to various clubs at different stages of the calendar year.

Rather than continuing to add to that transfer debt, and especially given the low amount of transfer receivables due in comparison, focusing on moving on some high-earning players that still carry healthy market value will be impactful.

The club can spend, but with transfer debt hanging over them, they won’t want to increase that yet again without starting to recoup more in the other direction. If that trend were to continue, and with the very real threat of some time away from European football if they don’t succeed in the Europa League this season, that would start to challenge chairman Daniel Levy’s assertions that the club are operating on a sustainable level.

There will also be the not-so-insignificant matter of who will be the head coach come the start of next season, and whether or not severance pay will be required.

With Tottenham's loan players almost at the end of this season, attention has turned to what comes next for them, where their future lies and whether they will return to north London with something to celebrate.

Spurs have got 13 players out on loan, or 14 if you want to count Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who is set to join Marseille permanently. There is also teenager Luka Vuskovic, who will join Tottenham this summer after his loan at Westerlo in Belgium from Hajduk Split, alongside Tottenham midfielder Alfie Devine, so we've been including him in our loan round-ups throughout this campaign.

football.london has taken a look at how all of the Tottenham loan players got on this week across England, Spain and Belgium.

Bryan Gil (Girona)

Bryan Gil has been talking about his future and has made it clear that he thinks it's best to leave Spurs after four years. The winger looks to have played the last game of his Girona loan spell after undergoing knee surgery last month and it could be the same for his Tottenham career.

Speaking with the channel ‘El After de Post United’, and reported this week by Estadio Deportivo, the Spaniard explained what comes next for him.

"I haven’t given it much thought because I’m focused on recovering as best as possible and being back. That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Tottenham] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham, but there’s no problem or bad feeling, quite the opposite," he said.

"They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional, without playing. I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year."

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic (Westerlo)

Alfie Devine returned to action after illness in a double bill for Westerlo against KV Mechelen this week in the Jupiler Pro League Europe Play-offs to decide who plays in the UEFA Conference League next season.

The 20-year-old came off the bench to play the final 25 minutes of a good 3-2 win away from home on Tuesday night against their 10-man hosts following a first half red card. Then on Saturday the midfielder came off the bench for the second half of a game that brought a dramatic 2-2 with a 97th minute Westerlo penalty saved but the rebound was bundled home to cancel out what Mechelen thought was a 77th minute winner.

In the first game, Luka Vuskovic had played his part in the visitors' first equaliser with a flick of the heel that sent a Mechelen effort into his own net. However, he made up for it with a great ball to pick out Isa Sakamoto to score in the second half for Westerlo.

The 18-year-old played the full 90 minutes plus in the second game and now has a remarkable seven goals and three assists as a teenage centre-back.

Manor Solomon (Leeds United)

Manor Solomon will be hoping to feature on Monday night as Leeds welcome fifth-placed Bristol City in their quest to jump back over Burnley to the top of the Championship table before the final weekend of the season. City are chasing a play-off spot themselves so will be going all out for the points.

Solomon has racked up 12 assists and nine goals in 39 matches so far for Leeds and the club's promotion will give them a stronger chance of securing his permanent future, although there is expected to be plenty of interest in the winger's services this summer.

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley both played the full 90 minutes as Leyton Orient kept their League One play-off hopes very much alive with a vital 1-0 win against third-placed Wycombe on Saturday afternoon.

The victory keeps injury-hit Orient in the final play-off spot with one game remaining at 10th-placed Huddersfield on Saturday, while their rivals for the remaining place, Reading, host 12th-placed Barnsley.

It was another clean sheet for Keeley to make it 16 in 35 league games this season while Donley has 10 goals and six assists 48 appearances in all competitions.

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips and Stoke have been on the wrong end of back-to-back defeats to the teams fighting at the top of the Championship. They followed up the heavy 6-0 defeat at Leeds with a 2-0 loss at home against Sheffield United on Friday evening.

The 19-year-old received a five in Stoke-on-Trent Live's player ratings with the review: "Struggled against Moore, as Stoke defenders always have in the Championship."

Stoke are in peril ahead of the final game as they sit 18th in the table and just two points above the drop zone. The teams from 18th to 22nd are all separated by those two points and Phillips and Stoke must travel to 19th-placed Derby on Saturday looking to avoid defeat at the least.

Alfie Dorrington (Aberdeen)

Alfie Dorrington helped Aberdeen keep a clean sheet on Saturday as they beat Hibernian 1-0 in the Scottish Premiership.

The victory kept the good feeling going after the Dons and Dorrington won their Scottish Cup semi-final last week against Heart of Midlothian thanks to an extra-time victory.

The 20-year-old has now made 13 appearances for Aberdeen, getting 892 minutes of senior football under his belt north of the border.

Yang Min-hyeok (QPR)

Yang Min-hyeok was an unused substitute for QPR as they found themselves on the end of a heavy 5-0 hammering at home by promoted Burnley.

The 19-year-old missed out on the home humbling and has made 14 appearance during this half-season loan in the Championship, scoring twice and laying on one assist.

Will Lankshear (West Bromwich Albion)

Will Lankshear was also an unused substitute as West Brom drew 0-0 at Cardiff in the Championship on Saturday.

With Tony Mowbray sacked last week, former Albion midfielder James Morrison was in interim charge but did not introduce the 20-year-old Tottenham striker into the game.

Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)

Alejo Veliz's run of watching on from the bench at Espanyol took a worse turn as he wasn't even named in the squad that lost 1-0 at Villarreal on Sunday.

The 21-year-old striker has made 24 appearances for the La Liga side this season but has only played 46 minutes since mid-February.

Matthew Craig (Mansfield Town)

Matthew Craig was back from illness to play 44 minutes as Mansfield Town were beaten 4-0 at League One champions Birmingham on Sunday.

The Spurs man limped off just before the half-time break. Despite the defeat, Nigel Clough's Mansfield side were saved from the drop after Reading won at Bristol Rovers.

The 22-year-old had only just got back into action after a hamstring injury and will be hoping that's not his season over.

George Abbott (Notts County)

George Abbott's terrific season at Notts County has brought some individual silverware as he won the EFL Goal of the Season award this week in League Two.

He bagged the prize for his brilliant volley at Accrington, beating competition from Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass and Oxford United’s Mark Harris. The 19-year-old was also shortlisted for League Two’s Young Player of the Year award, missing out to Walsall’s Nathan Lowe.

There was also joy on the pitch for Abbott as he scored another goal in his brilliant first loan move in helping County secure their play-off spot with a 3-1 win at Harrogate Town. The Spurs man followed up a saved shot with an instinctive volley to open the scoring on the day.

The 19-year-old has now made 42 appearances for County, with 13 goal involvements and will be looking to continue to impress in the play-offs.

Luca Gunter (Wealdstone)

Luca Gunter remained on the bench for National League strugglers Wealdstone as they lost 3-0 at Southend on Saturday. Wealdstone need to win their final game this weekend at home against sixth-placed Halifax Town otherwise they face relegation.

There is interest from various clubs in the 20-year-old goalkeeper Gunter for another loan move next season if Tottenham decide to send him out again.

Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister must be relishing their decision to join Liverpool, having recently celebrated the team's Premier League title win. Both players had garnered interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, respectively, before deciding to join the Merseyside club.

Arne Slot's squad needed a draw against Tottenham Hotspur to secure Liverpool's 20th league title. On Sunday, Anfield cheered the team on to a resounding 5-1 victory over Spurs, with both Diaz and Mac Allister finding the back of the net.

The duo have featured in all but one of Liverpool's league matches during their title run and have more than earned their Premier League winners' medals. However, their careers could have easily taken a different turn, having drawn attention from rival teams before completing their respective moves to Liverpool.

In January 2022, Liverpool secured Diaz's signature from Porto for a cool £49million. It was widely reported that Liverpool had fast-tracked their summer transfer plans after learning of Spurs' interest in the wide forward. The deal was also said to have been expedited by the Portuguese club's readiness to accept offers below Diaz's €80m release clause.

Diaz enjoyed a successful start at Liverpool, winning both the League Cup and FA Cup in his debut season, despite ending it with a defeat in the 2022 Champions League final. Last season, he added another League Cup winners' medal to his collection and has been instrumental in Slot's title-winning team this term.

Diaz, who was on the brink of signing for Spurs, would have had a significantly less successful stint in north London. Tottenham secured a fourth-place finish in 2022 but failed to qualify for European football the following year.

Under current boss Ange Postecoglou, the club narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season and have since plummeted to 16th in the Premier League table, with their remaining aspirations pinned on Europa League success.

In a similar vein, Liverpool had to fend off competition to secure the signature of Mac Allister from Brighton in 2023. Chelsea were among the clubs rumoured to be interested in the midfielder before his move to Anfield was finalised for an initial £35m.

While Mac Allister has lifted trophies in both of his seasons at Liverpool, he could have been part of the significant squad revamp at Chelsea. The west London club ended up sixth last year and are currently battling for a Champions League spot this season after implementing a frenzied transfer strategy in recent years.

Mac Allister was one of four midfielders brought in by Jurgen Klopp in his final year as Liverpool manager. However, the Argentine's father, Carlos Mac Allister, revealed to the Liverpool ECHO that the club's keenness to sign his son and talks with Klopp saw Liverpool prevail over the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in the race to snap up the Brighton star.

In an interview with the ECHO in October 2023, Mac Allister Snr explained why his son chose Liverpool: "The reason why Alexis went to Liverpool is because they showed so much interest in having him on their team," he said. "They showed a desire to count on him and we wanted Alexis to go to a team where he could be settled for the start of pre-season; move on the first day of the transfer window - all that stuff. This was so important because we wanted him to have a good preparation with the team he decided to sign with.

"Jurgen Klopp was crucial a figure in the transfer. He was talking with Alexis. When he received the phone call from Jurgen it was important in deciding which team he should choose to play for."

Fast forward to the present day, and the Liverpool squad are still savouring their Premier League title win. "Champions! A dream come true. History written with passion, hard work, and heart," Diaz shared on Instagram.

In the meantime, Mac Allister marked another career milestone with a touching post. "I never forget where I come from. From a family that taught me the value of hard work, from dreams born with an Irish surname and a truly Argentine heart," he wrote on social media.. "And today, from Liverpool, it writes an unforgettable chapter.

"When I joined this club, I knew it was a special place. But what I've experienced this year has gone beyond anything I ever imagined."

Mac Allister expressed his delight at winning the title with the Merseyside club, adding: "Today, lifting the Premier League trophy with Liverpool is the dream come true. One that began many years ago, and today becomes reality."