Football London

Tottenham Hotspur's club-trained and foreign player issues have long been an issue at the club but they have only got worse for the coming season.

One of the key areas Spurs fall down on when it comes to European competition is 'locally-trained' players, those senior players who have been on the club's books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. Tottenham have sold such players like Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp in recent seasons, but it will be some time before the current crop of younger players make it into that category.

Goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman and midfielder Max Robson have left the club at the expiry of their contracts in recent days which means Brandon Austin is the only senior non-Under-21s player to fit the 'locally-trained' category.

Here's what the squad numbers mean for Tottenham and their squads for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Premier League

For a start, let's take Fraser Forster, Timo Werner, Whiteman, Sergio Reguilon out of the squad. However, there is another issue because four players must come out of the Under-21s list and into the main lists, namely Antonin Kinsky, Alejo Veliz, Josh Keeley and Matthew Craig.

There is still plenty of space here though, especially when you look at players who are unlikely to be at the club next season. That's mainly because a club's Under-21 players do not need to be included on their 25-man squad list yet are eligible to play in the Premier League.

To be considered an Under-21 player for this current Premier League season, players must have been born on or after January 1, 2004. That means Mathys Tel, if he remains at the club, does not have to be registered in the main squad and neither will the incoming Luka Vuskovic, nor the returning Yang Min-hyeok.

It also appears that Danso qualifies as a homegrown player in Premier League terms because he was in the youth academies at Reading and MK Dons for years before leaving England at the age of 16 and later returning for a season at Southampton.

The Premier League rules state that "a 'Home Grown Player' means a player who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21)."

With that in mind, here's how the club's Premier League squad looks right now, including players returning from loan and before anyone else leaves.

Premier League non-homegrown players (16 currently, 17 maximum allowed): Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son Heung-min, Pape Matar Sarr, Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Alejo Veliz, Josh Keeley.

Premier League homegrown players (7 currently and eight minimum required): Dominic Solanke, Kevin Danso, Brandon Austin, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence.

Notable Under-21s players: Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Dane Scarlett, Yang-min Hyeok, Luka Vuskovic, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Devine, Jamie Donley, Alfie Dorrington.

Champions League

Now here's where things become an utter pain in the backside. This area has been a constant problem for Spurs and will continue to be for a while longer until the recent batch of 18-year-old signings eventually become club-trained players three years down the line from when they joined.

The problem in the Champions League, as it did in the Europa League, lies in the fact that UEFA's rules state that no club can have more than 25 players on their A-List during the season, of whom at least two must be goalkeepers. The rules then say that "as a minimum, eight of those 25 places are reserved exclusively for 'locally trained players' and no club may have more than four 'association-trained players' listed among those eight places. If a club have fewer than eight locally trained players in their squad, then the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly".

What is a locally-trained player? Well, there are two different kinds. One is 'club-trained players', those on a club's books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. The other is 'association-trained players', who were on another club's books in the same association for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. Danso will not fit into that latter category because he left England at the age of 16.

Then there is a B-List for players born on, or after, January 1, 2004 and who have been eligible to play for the club for any uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday – or for a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year. Players aged 16 may be submitted if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years without interruption.

So with all that in mind, Spurs' Champions League squad in its current state pre-window is overstuffed in both non-locally trained spots and association trained ones.

That they only have one club-trained player in goalkeeper Brandon Austin when they need to register four, means Tottenham would have to leave three spots open in what should be a 25-man squad, but instead becomes a 22-man one.

Players like Dane Scarlett, Jamie Donley and Alfie Devine could go on the B list if required as they meet those requirements. There's no point putting them in the club-trained players spots really because they don't need to.

So if Mathys Tel were to stay then Spurs have 24 players to fit into 17 non-locally trained spots and six association-trained players for four other spots. Any association-trained players over those four spots would then need to be crowbarred into the main group.

In essence, the easiest way to look at it is that Spurs currently have 30 senior players to fit into 22 spots and that's before they even try to sign new players this window.

So once again plenty of work is going to be need to be done on that squad during this summer window with the knowledge that players are still likely to be left out of the Champions League squad because you need a bigger squad to compete in all four competitions but Tottenham don't have the club-trained numbers to make that work in Europe.

European non-locally trained players (24 currently, 17 maximum): Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son Heung-min, Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Mathys Tel, Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Alejo Veliz, Yang-min Hyeok, Luka Vuskovic, Ashley Phillips, Josh Keeley.

Association trained players (6 currently, four can be used in exclusive slots): Dominic Solanke, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence, Archie Gray.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is still believed to be weighing up the future of Ange Postecoglou as he faces a crunch decision over the direction of the club.

football.london reported on Friday that Levy is planning to implement huge changes within the club this summer, which will begin with the arrival of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham this week. Venkatesham drew widespread praise for his work at north London rivals Arsenal and had been coveted by the Spurs chairman for some time with his arrival expected to spark change within the hierarchy at Spurs.

Many inside Tottenham are also expecting the return at some point of former managing director of football Fabio Paratici, although the Italian may need to remain in a consultancy capacity for the time being owing to the civil trial into irregularities during his time at Juventus. The trial for the 52-year-old and other members of the hierarchy back then, including ex-president Andrea Agnelli and vice-president Pavel Nedved, began a fortnight ago after a request to annul proceedings was rejected by a Rome tribunal judge in April.

The potential return of the charismatic Paratici, if it does eventually happen officially, would also cause issues for Spurs' technical director Johan Lange with the Italian a hands-on operator in the transfer market.

Amid the sweeping changes to come behind the scenes at the club, Postecoglou looked set to head out of the door until he led Tottenham to their first trophy in 17 years with the Europa League triumph, the club's first European triumph in 41 years. In doing so, the Australian not only ended that silverware drought but he also landed Spurs a lucrative place in the Champions League next season along with a spot in the UEFA Super Cup against PSG in August. In his eyes, the head coach has delivered all of the targets asked of him.

That victory in Bilbao has muddied the waters somewhat as has the strong support Postecoglou has in the dressing room. Unlike many of the previous managers that Levy has removed over the decades, the 59-year-old remains heavily backed by his players. It did not go unnoticed amongst the squad how he tried to protect them with the media during the tough times in the Premier League this season, particularly during the three-month injury crisis, and since then he has led them to winners' medals.

Some within the club did not understand Postecoglou's decision to prioritise the Europa League once he felt his injury-ravaged Spurs squad could neither achieve anything in the Premier League nor get relegated, with a feeling that he was putting all of his eggs into one basket. However, the players never lost belief in his assertion that they would create history at the end of this campaign and the Australian was ultimately proved right.

The structure within the club around the players is also believed to have been greatly improved since the head coach arrived after the somewhat chaotic end to Antonio Conte's tenure.

Ahead of the final in Bilbao, Postecoglou organised for the players' families to record video messages for them, a move kept secret amongst a handful of people before the Australian showed the videos to the squad at an emotional meeting in the team hotel before the trip to the stadium.

There are some fears within Spurs of a dressing room backlash if Postecoglou was to be sacked after finally bringing tangible success to the north London club and it would also spark a reaction from the majority of the fanbase as well with most believing the head coach has earned the opportunity to deliver on his promise that season three will be better than season two - a declaration that brought a huge roar from the estimated 220,000 supporters at the trophy parade last month.

The scrutiny from the media would also only increase after years of mocking Spurs for bottling their chances to win silverware only to sack the manager who finally put an end to that. The club itself has been pumping out social media content in recent days of Postecoglou's dressing room speech to rouse the players ahead of the final in Bilbao as well as his emotional moments with them after the game on the pitch and inside the dressing room.

Many of the domestic candidates tipped to replace Postecoglou finished in mid-table this season in the Premier League without the burden of European football, albeit at smaller clubs with lower expectations, while those names from abroad failed to win silverware during this campaign as the Australian did. Many of the replacements could be a tough sell to a fanbase that has finally been given something to brag about.

While it could be seen as a gamble in keeping Postecoglou after such a poor Premier League season despite that trophy win, it is also an expensive gamble to replace him with no guarantee of someone coming in and delivering the regular Champions League football that Tottenham crave.

It was always thought that Levy, who has been seeking investment into the club, craved a trophy and the decision that lies ahead for the Spurs chairman could go some way towards giving a more definitive answer on that.

It remains to be seen exactly when clarity will come over the Australian's future with most of the key figures involved currently still on their post-season holidays after a packed 60-game season. A mini first transfer window has already opened on Sunday and all eyes remain on the chairman and whether Spurs will once again go back to the drawing board.

Max Robson has said farewell to Tottenham Hotspur after 15 years at the club with an emotional goodbye and his team-mates have responded in kind.

The 22-year-old versatile midfielder, who can also play as a full-back, has been one of the often unseen stalwarts as an older player within the development squad and he did take one chance to impress under Ange Postecoglou for the first team last summer when brought off the bench in the pre-season victory at Hearts.

Robson replaced Jamie Donley at left-back in the seconds half and produced a bright cameo in the 5-1 victory in Scotland. However, aside from plenty of training sessions with the club's stars, first team match opportunities were few and far between for the young midfielder and he never ended up making a competitive senior appearance for Spurs.

Robson made almost 100 appearances though across the U21s and U18s and many more during his years coming through the academy's younger age groups. He posted photos from across that decade and a half on Instagram along with his farewell message.

"After 15 incredible years at this football club, the time has come for me to say goodbye and move on to the next chapter in my career," he said on Saturday.

"This club has been my home, my family, and a place that has shaped me in ways I will always be grateful for. I want to thank the staff, my teammates, and everyone behind the scenes who has supported me every step of the way. Your dedication and belief in me has meant everything to me.

"Although I’m moving on, I’ll carry Spurs with me always. Thank you for the memories, the lessons, and the love. Forever grateful. Thank you."

Tottenham Hotspur have still yet to communicate whether or not Ange Postecoglou will be in charge for the 2025/26 season.

The Greek-Australian oversaw a disastrous Premier League campaign with 22 defeats suffered, but in their penultimate game of the season, he won silverware when Spurs beat Manchester United in Bilbao to win the Europa League.

Prior to that, Tottenham had not won a trophy in 17 years and therefore it seems bizarre to part ways with the man who delivered something that had been craved for so long. Seemingly using that logic, Postecoglou made his confusion regarding that topic very clear.

"I will be honest I have been finding it really weird talking about my future when we have done something unprecedented. I have had to answer the questions because no one else at the club is in the position to do so I guess," he said in a press conference after the 4-1 defeat to Brighton.

"But I can’t answer that question about me and my future. Like I said, part of me is thinking ‘why am I even being asked that question?’ But it is what it is.

"I have got no doubt though that this could be a real defining moment for this club because wherever I have been I have made an impact where I have brought success to a club that hasn’t had it for a while. You just have to look at those clubs' trajectory even after I left, they are still competing for things.

"I really think this is a moment in time where this club could push on and be a real contender for honours on a yearly basis."

Nonetheless, the 37 games prior to that look set to be taken into account with the club needing to soon make a final manager decision as they are being left behind in the transfer market.

In terms of replacements, Fulham's Marco Silva, Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glaser and Thomas Frank of Brentford have all been linked and unsurprisingly those three names feature high up on Bet365's market for the names that could be Tottenham manager come August 16, 2025.

Considering what was achieved, Postecoglou staying is the shortest odds at 4/6 while Frank is 5/4 and Glasner is 16/1. Also at that price is Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi with the 49-year-old having already answered questions on his future amid interest from Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal.

"We are lucky to work in a wonderful club with guys who are great footballers and great men," he told reporters when asked directly about those links. "In these four years, they have given me everything they had. We have won, we have lost, but there is this strong attachment that is what I like and makes me feel calm.

"The senior management are here [in Munich for the Champions League final], but we'll have a chat next week in a relaxed manner. We will always have the best interest of Inter at heart."

After the humbling 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, which now means Spurs will face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup, he was again asked about a potential Middle East switch. "As I was saying before to your colleague, I cannot answer this question now," he said.

"I came here out of respect for you, for politeness, because I am hurting from a sporting point of view. It's not the right time to talk about the future. We are extremely disappointed, and since July of last year we've played 58 or 59 games, we got to this final match, so it's awkward to talk about my future now.

"Again, we are extremely disappointed. We will be talking about the fact that we won no silverware this year, but these players deserve great credit because they gave it their very best shot, and we suffered a lot of injuries. I wouldn't change these players for anyone else."

Despite all the talk surrounding Inzaghi, former Barcelona head coach Xavi and Valencia boss Carlos Corberan are also seemingly in the running at lower odds of 8/1 and 10/1, respectively.

Tottenham have the chance to win a second European trophy in a matter of months when they take on PSG in the UEFA Super Cup, and it's fair to say some Spurs fans might be slightly worried after seeing the Champions League final.

PSG demolished Inter in Saturday night's final in Munich with Desire Doue the star man in a 5-0 victory that brought 23 shots from the expensively-assembled French side and the bulk of the possession as they ran the show at the Allianz Arena. Luis Enrique's side will provide a huge challenge to Spurs on August 13 at Udinese's Stadio Friuli in the UEFA Super Cup.

Tottenham, who earned their place in that final with their 15-game run to win the Europa League against Manchester United in Bilbao, will be a better team by then, with injured players back and fit as well as new signings hopefully in place and bedded in as the club must build a squad capable of handling the Champions League next season as well as the domestic campaign.

However, Spurs fans are understandably concerned about facing an all-conquering, attacking PSG side that have blown away Europe's best this campaign and have looked unstoppable with their gallery of star names and talents.

There is one other thing to take into account though ahead of the UEFA Super Cup that might play some small part on the night in Udine.

It's that PSG's long 2024/25 season is not about to finish any time soon for any of their players thanks to a ridiculous fixture schedule that consumes this summer.

First up there is international duty for their countries in the next fortnight with World Cup qualifiers for some before the controversial Club World Cup begins in the USA, a competition that will see 32 teams from across the world compete to be named the best side on the planet.

FIFA have ensured it is a lucrative competition for clubs to use their best players at with £775million in prize money split across the 32 teams and the winner taking home just under £100million.

PSG are in Group B alongside Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders and will start their fixtures by taking on Atletico on June 15. It is a month-long competition with the round of 16 taking place in late June and early July, the quarter-finals and semi-finals squeezed into the following week, then the semi-finals on July 8 and 9 before a final that takes place at the MetLife Stadium in New York on July 13.

But why does all of that have anything to do with Tottenham? The answer lies within the break afterwards, for all players must by FIFA regulations get a minimum of three weeks off as holiday to rest after any competition.

So if PSG were to reach the final, then their players would need to finally be handed their summer break which should last until at least Sunday August 3. After such a long season with a potential 66 matches to be played - Spurs have had 60 - Luis Enrique could even give some of those over-used players a longer period off.

Either way, at the least those PSG players would only be returning to pre-season training just over a week before the UEFA Super Cup match against Tottenham. By that point Tottenham will have already been back in training for more than a month and have played friendlies against Arsenal, Newcastle and Bayern Munich with another game or two expected to be added to the schedule.

Spurs will be as sharp as they possibly can for the Premier League season begins just a couple of days after the match against PSG, although the French side are going to have an issue because the Ligue 1 campaign kicks off that same weekend. That's because the woeful timing of the new-look Club World Cup means it arrives in the summer before the World Cup in 2026 and that in turn will ensure that a number of star players will be playing almost non-stop for three seasons that merge into one.

So exactly what kind of PSG side turns up on August 13 at the Stadio Friuli remains to be seen and exactly what physical condition they will arrive in. Enrique will have to be very careful with the game time for many of them during the match. Tottenham must improve their squad this summer but either way the north London side should be the sharper team going into the contest as they look to add another European trophy to the freshly-dusted cabinet.

Tottenham have already confirmed some changes to their first-team squad as they get their plans in place for the 2025/26 season. In a club statement released on Saturday morning, the north London club revealed that Fraser Forster, Alfie Whiteman and Sergio Reguilon will be departing at the end of their contracts.

Timo Werner's loan deal will also not be extended, meaning he will return to RB Leipzig come July 1. The statement also mentioned that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's Marseille loan move will become permanent and the same goes for Kevin Danso after initially joining Spurs on loan from RC Lens at the end of the January transfer window.

Danso was one of the changes to Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham squad for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign as he made the move along with Mathys Tel and Antonin Kinsky in the winter market. Danso is classed as homegrown in the Premier League due to his time in England as a youngster and that meant Spurs avoided adding him to their non-homegrown numbers in the league.

Due to the different rules between the Premier League and UEFA club competitions when it comes to homegrown and non-homegrown players, it has been a balancing act for the club in recent years to ensure they comply with the regulations. It will once again be the case next season when it comes to submitting their 25-man squad to the Premier League in September.

Back in February, Tottenham had 24 players (ten homegrown, 14 non-homegrown) in their 25-man squad and then they had 62 to choose from on their Under-21 list. The Under-21 list has proved extremely useful to Tottenham in recent seasons due to the amount of options in their main squad.

For the 2024/25 season, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Kinsky were just some of the options on there as they were born on or after January 1, 2003 to be classed as an Under-21 player.

From next campaign, four players will step up from the Under-21 list to the 25-man squad as the rules will change slightly. Players will have had to be born on or after January 1, 2004 to be eligible for the Under-21 list.

Tottenham will have four new names to add to their Premier League squad next season due to the change of date for Under-21 players. Kinsky is one of them as he was born in March 2003, with Josh Keeley and Alejo Veliz also born the same year.

The trio will have to be included as non-homegrown players, with Keeley, who joined from St Patrick's Athletic in 2022, missing out on homegrown status as he has not been registered with a club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, before his 21st birthday.

Matthew Craig will also make the step up from the Under-21 list to the main squad as he was born in April 2003. However, players such as Craig, Keeley and Veliz may not even end up making the 25-man Premier League squad for the 2025/26 campaign as loan or permanent moves could be in the offing.

The upcoming departures of Forster, Whiteman, Reguilon and Werner generates space on Tottenham's main squad list as they took up two homegrown and two non-homegrown spots.

Tottenham will face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup after Luis Enrique's side beat Inter Milan to win the Champions League on Saturday.

Ange Postecoglou's side were crowned as Europa League winners last Wednesday following a 1-0 success over Manchester United, with Brennan Johnson netting a first-half winner. Since, Spurs have since been waiting to find out their Super Cup opponents.

Now, it has been confirmed that Tottenham will entertain PSG in the Super Cup on Wednesday, August 13 at Stadio Fruili in Udine, Italy. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 8pm BST - 9pm local time.

PSG thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League for the first time and secure their Super Cup spot. The French side were dominant throughout at the Allianz Arena to lift Europe's elite club competition.

Enrique's team started on the front foot and took the lead within the first quarter of an hour. Achraf Hakimi was the man that put the finishing touch on an excellent move, tapping home from close-range after Desire Doue showed composure to pass the ball across the face of goal.

Doue then turned from provider to goalscorer as he doubled PSG's advantage in the 20th minute. Ousmane Dembele drove at the Inter back-line before feeding the ball into Doue's path and he took a touch before burying a shot into the back of the net via a wicked deflection.

PSG continued to dominate and they scored a third in the 63rd minute to put the result beyond doubt, with Doue adding his second of the game after running through on goal before slotting past Yann Sommer.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it four for PSG in the 73rd minute with a ruthless finish, getting on the end of a inch-perfect pass from Dembele before steadying himself and slamming beyond Sommer.

Four minutes to go, substitute Senny Mayulu put the icing on the cake for PSG, as he played a one-two with Bradley Barcola and slammed the ball in off the post.

Wild celebrations followed after the final whistle as PSG toasted their first-ever Champions League success, having lost the final to Bayern Munich five years ago.

PSG are next in action when they head to the United States for the Club World Cup next month. They face Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders in the group stage of that competition.

Tottenham will be looking to add strength in depth to their squad this summer as they prepare for the 2025/26 season.

After winning the Europa League and ending their 17-year trophy drought, Spurs will play in the UEFA Champions League next season as well as working to improve their dismal 17th-place finish in the Premier League this year.

Who will be in charge of the team for the start of the new campaign is anyone's guess right now, however, with continued confusion over Ange Postecoglou's place at the helm.

The Australian went on holiday straight after the season ended, with no meeting with chairman Daniel Levy over his future until he returns.

Behind the scenes, however, Tottenham will be keen to get moving with their transfer business. The summer transfer window opens on Sunday, although it is only open for ten days, ebfore then opening fully on June 16.

The extra time is to alllow clubs taking part in the Club World Cup to bring new players in ahead of the tournament starting.

Spurs have been linked with a number of players already this summer and chief among them is Eberechi Eze. The Crystal Palace star has been on Spurs' radar for some time and Tottenham were keen to sign him last summer but could not get a deal done, with the Eagles loathe to lose him and Michael Olise, who ended up making the move to Bayern Munich.

Eze showed Spurs exactly what they would be getting with a masterclass against the Lilywhites towards the end of the season. Palace won 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Eze bagging both of the goals on the day.

He ended the season in style, scoring the only goal at Wembley that won Palace the FA Cup against Manchester City - their first ever piece of silverware.

He would be an excellent addition to the Spurs squad and there are suggestions he would be open to a move. And the player himself dropped something of a wordless hint ahead of that game with Spurs in May.

Signing autographs outside the stadium, a Spurs fan asked Eze "can you come to Spurs" as he signed a programme. Eze gave a wry smile before looking at the woman out of the corner of his eye, saying nothing before walking away.

It could be construed as a bit of a hint, particularly after Eze could be seen laughing after scoring the opener against Tottenham later on that day too.

The 2024/25 season may have just come to a conclusion for Tottenham but it will not be too long until the players return for pre-season training. As Sunday marks the start of June, Ange Postecoglou's squad will have a month off before returning to Hotspur Way in early July.

It remains to be seen if Postecoglou will be the man overseeing pre-season training amid so much speculation regarding his future at present. After winning their first piece of silverware in 17 years, it is a big summer for the football club as they look to take the next step and compete for major honours on a regular basis.

New signings are required and some members of the current first-team squad will head for pastures new. Tottenham confirmed on Saturday morning that Fraser Forster, Alfie Whiteman and Sergio Reguilon will all exit at the end of their contracts, with Timo Werner returning to parent club RB Leipzig.

Tottenham's Premier League schedule for the 2025/26 season will all become clear at 9am on Wednesday, June 18 when next campaign's fixtures are released. Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland will be new opponents for Tottenham next term following their promotion from the Championship.

Before the new league season commences on Friday, August 15, Spurs will play a number of friendly games as part of their pre-season training. Tottenham have three friendlies in the calendar already and there is also the UEFA Super Cup to look forward to on Wednesday, August 13 as a result of the team winning the Europa League.

So what does Tottenham's pre-season schedule look like right now? football.london takes a look below.

Thursday, July 31 - Tottenham vs Arsenal (Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong)

First up for Tottenham in pre-season is a North London Derby showdown against Arsenal in Hong Kong. It is the first clash between the sides to take place outside of the UK.

On the announcement of the game, Ryan Norys, Tottenham's chief revenue officer, told the club's official website: “There are few bigger occasions in English football than a North London Derby and to play this fixture in Hong Kong will be a huge occasion for our passionate fanbase across Asia, as well as providing ideal preparation for the team ahead of the new season

“As is tour tradition, the club will be involved in so much more than the match itself when we visit, supporting charitable causes, celebrating local culture, delivering football clinics for young people and engaging with fans and partners. We cannot wait to visit such a beautiful place once again.”

Tottenham do have plenty of space in the calendar before departing for their pre-season tour of Asia, meaning a friendly game or two could possibly be added to their schedule before the Arsenal showdown in Hong Kong. Last season, Spurs played Hearts and QPR before taking on Vissel Kobe in Tokyo.

TBC - Tottenham vs Newcastle (South Korea)

Tottenham will take on fellow Premier League side Newcastle United in South Korea as part of the 2025 Coupang Play Series. A date, time and venue still need to be confirmed for the friendly match.

Newcastle's first friendly of the summer comes against Arsenal in Singapore on Sunday, July 27.

Thursday, August 7 - Bayern Munich vs Tottenham (Allianz Arena, Munich)

Tottenham will face Harry Kane and Bayern Munich once again in pre-season after coming up against the German side twice last summer. The first match took place in South Korea before the sides met again at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later.

This time the 2025 Telekom Cup game will be at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Kick-off at the Allianz Arena is 6.30pm on Thursday, August 7.

Wednesday, August 13 - Inter Milan/PSG vs Tottenham (Stadio Friuli, Udine)

Tottenham's final match ahead of the new Premier League season sees them face either Inter Milan or PSG in the UEFA Super Cup final. Spurs' opponents will become clear on Saturday evening as they will play the winner of this year's Champions League final.

The game gives the Lilywhites the chance to quickly win another piece of silverware following their Europa League triumph. Stadio Friuli - home of Serie A side Udinese - in Udine, Italy is the venue for this year's final.

Is it the end of the Big Six era in the Premier League?

Tottenham and Manchester United may have battled it out in the UEFA Europa League final, with Spurs coming out on top to end their 17-year trophy drought, but the two sides endured woefully bad Premier League seasons.

Tottenham finished 17th in the end, just outside the relegation zone as they focused on the Europa League, with United finishing just two places above them in 15th.

And the duo may well find it difficult to make it back into the top echelons of the Premier League, given how things have gone in the past few seasons.

In a summary of the season on the Premier League official website, the era of the big six was confirmed as over.

The story read: "In five of the eight Premier League seasons between 2014 and 2022, the "Big Six" clubs filled every top-six spot in the table.

"In the three years since 2022, not once have those six clubs occupied all of the positions from one to six. In fact, the same number of top-six places have gone to clubs not in the "Big Six" in the last three years as in the previous eight years combined (five).

"The historically bad campaigns for both Man Utd and Spurs signal the end of the "Big Six" era, as does Chelsea’s ongoing battle to retain their status alongside the disruptors Newcastle and Aston Villa. "

Chelsea did make it in the end, winning 1-0 against Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season to finish fourth. Newcastle and Villa did make up the other two positions, just one point ahead of Forest and only a few ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Things are certainly more competitive than ever in England's top flight and Spurs and United have a task on their hands to regain their statuses.