Football London

The young Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had an incredible night to remember for Sweden at the World Cup this week

Tottenham starlet Lucas Bergvall has gone down in the Swedish record books after a dream World Cup debut this week.

The 20-year-old midfielder is playing at the showpiece tournament for the first time and played his part in Sweden's opening win against Tunisia as Graham Potter's side raced to a 5-1 victory in Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe. The Scandinavian side were already 3-1 up in the match in the early hours of Monday UK time when Bergvall was introduced into the action in the 65th minute.

In that moment the Tottenham midfielder became the youngest player in Sweden's history to play at a World Cup but Bergvall was not there simply for the experience.

The Spurs starlet brought his trademark energy to the encounter with 14 touches of the ball, while taking one shot at goal, completing one dribble, one tackle, one interception and one clearance.

With one early run down the right he put in a looping cross that Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres was inches away from connecting with in the Tunisia box.

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It was Bergvall's energy and pressing though that earned him another huge moment on his World Cup debut as he nipped in to win the ball off a Tunisian defender and he poked it towards Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari to rifle home his second goal of the night.

That meant Bergvall also became the youngest Swedish player to get an assist at a World Cup and ensured a Tottenham connection clicked together on the night as Ayari is the future brother-in-law of none other than Dejan Kulusevski. The Brighton player is engaged to Kulusevski's sister Sandra and the couple have a daughter, Leonie, together.

Veteran Croatian coach Ilija Loncarevic recently claimed it would be too much of a risk to start teenage Tottenham centre-back Luka Vuskovic against England at the World Cup

Tottenham youngster Luka Vuskovic will be "ready to wrestle" with Harry Kane on his World Cup debut.

That's according to Croatian journalist Tomislav Gabelic of Sata2024, who expects the talented 19-year-old to start against England at the AT&T Stadium on Wednesday.

He told football.london: "I remember when Josko Gvardiol played during COVID at the European Championships against England, he made mistakes, we were all angry with him and judging Zlatko Dalic.

"Then in the game against Spain, he drank water at the side of the pitch when Spain launched a counter-attack and scored. It was a disaster.

"If the national team coach sees potential in this kind of guy, he's worth the risk.

"I don't think Vuskovic is too much of a risk though because of his ability, his strengths are high balls, he's strong and he can wrestle with Harry Kane and guys like this. He can defend corners and score too, all of that."

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Vuskovic, who scored six times while on loan at Hamburg last term, already has experience up against Kane. Both were on target in January when Hamburg held Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw.

Brighton recently saw a £30million approach rebuffed for Vuskovic, whose agents have also fielded enquiries from Barcelona in the past few months.

For Gabelic, it's no surprise to see the Croatia international on the cusp of his World Cup debut at such a young age.

He continued: "I've been following Luka Vuskovic pretty much since he was born.

"I'm from Split and he started to play for Hajduk and was the fourth generation of player at the club.

"His grandfather, father and brother Mario so he was destined to be a great player.

"When he was 14 he was given the chance to make a speech in the opening of the new structured Hajduk academy.

"He started to play with the first-team at 16, he made the greatest transfer in the club's history so he's making big steps in his career but he stays humble.

"He's a good guy, I remember maybe six months ago I had an opportunity to interview him

"We exchanged messages about when he was going to call me, he surprised me as I had a video call on my phone and he said 'I'd like you to see my face, it will be a better interview.'"

A busy summer for Tottenham in the transfer market will continue in the weeks and months ahead as Roberto De Zerbi builds his squad

It's another summer, another head coach and another rebuild for Tottenham Hotspur as Roberto De Zerbi wants a squad that can operate far higher up the Premier League table.

Back-to-back 17th place finishes mean Spurs must act this summer and fix an often injury-ravaged squad that has not been fit for purpose. De Zerbi made it clear after he helped the north London club save their Premier League status on the final day of the season that he only had "10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay".

With a first team squad containing 36 senior players, including those on loan but not some of the young players looking to break through, De Zerbi has plenty of decisions to make and Spurs have some major work to do in the transfer market.

They moved quickly with a couple of free transfers but need far more both in and out of the club with the World Cup set to play its usual havoc on the transfer window dominoes. Tottenham also have no European football to offer prospective signings, so will have to get more creative and use some money, with the Lewis family expected to inject more cash into the club in the weeks ahead.

The transfer window officially opened for Premier League clubs on Monday, so let's work through De Zerbi's squad and see what Tottenham need and want to do in the weeks and months ahead.

Goalkeepers

In the goalkeeping department all eyes are on whether Guglielmo Vicario heads out of the door. The Italian has two years left on his contract at Spurs and has been heavily tipped to make the move back to Italy with various Serie A clubs said to be weighing up a move for the 29-year-old.

With Antonin Kinsky impressing and Brandon Austin the homegrown third choice, Tottenham would want another first choice goalkeeper to battle with Kinsky if Vicario does head home.

Dutch stopper Bart Verbruggen is on the club's and De Zerbi's radar as a former player of his, coming through in the Italian's final season at Brighton after joining from Anderlecht. At just 23-years-old, the Netherlands international knows the Italian's style of football and fits the profile for a Spurs signing for the now and the long-term.

With two years left on his contract, the Seagulls would expect big money if he were to leave - as they do with all of their players - and Verbruggen has the World Cup to deal with first anyway.

Also aged 23 is Manchester City's James Trafford, who had to be content with games here and there last season after his previous loan at Burnley.

It's also worth noting though that De Zerbi might want some experience to replace Vicario if his compatriot departs. Kinsky is also only 23 and the head coach might want an experienced head at the back to guide the young Czech and compete with him.

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Full-backs

This now seems the most settled department of the squad, barring any unexpected bids for Spurs' full-backs.

Andy Robertson has arrived to boost the experience in the group with some winning mentality and the Scotland captain strengthens an area of the pitch in which Destiny Udogie has missed too many games in recent seasons. With Ben Davies' contract being extended by another 12 months and Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven also able to play on the left, there's scope to loan Souza out to allow the Brazilian, who turns 20 on Tuesday, to adapt to European football.

On the right, Pedro Porro is now one of the club's best-paid players with his new deal until 2031, with an option for a further 12 months, and he and Spence can both have a good battle for that spot in the coming campaign.

Centre-backs

Spurs have already made one new addition in this department with the free transfer move for Bournemouth's player of the season Marcos Senesi before he was added to Argentina's World Cup squad. The left-footed 29-year-old can compete with Van de Ven for the left centre-back spot while also playing alongside him in a back three.

All eyes are now on the right side of central defence. Tottenham are trying to sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton to reunite him with De Zerbi but have so far had a couple of bids rejected by the Seagulls. The World Cup has now begun and that might slow down the process, with the player hinting at such ahead of Sunday's draw with Japan.

The move for the 26-year-old will have a couple of knock-on effects within the Spurs squad and how the club deal with the next move for a couple of players.

The widely-held assumption is that captain Cristian Romero will leave N17 this summer but the eventual price tag for Van Hecke has an impact on his departure. That's because if Spurs have to sign Van Hecke for more than £50million with Brighton said to value him at £70million, despite him having only a year left on his contract, then the 28-year-old World Cup-winning Romero, with a longer contract signed last summer, must surely be sold for a higher sum.

It makes no real sense if the Argentine departs for less and that valuation could make it difficult for some European clubs to afford him unless some kind of release clause built into that new contract has yet to emerge.

The other defender affected by Van Hecke's potential arrival is Luka Vuskovic. Brighton made a £30million bid for the 19-year-old Croatian starlet which was based in real interest but also served as a measuring stick for their Van Hecke valuation amid the negotiating.

If Van Hecke arrives then Vuskovic will not get the required minutes at Tottenham this season in a campaign without European football and will need another loan move. Spurs would want far bigger money for a permanent transfer than £30million and that would seem a very short-term solution anyway for a player with so much long-term potential.

De Zerbi said that Kevin Danso will be part of his squad next season but Radu Dragusin is expected to move on this summer as he seeks regular football. Ashley Phillips and Kota Takai are the other first team centre-backs at the club and both are unlikely to be playing in a Spurs shirt next season, despite another impressive loan for the former.

Midfielders

Yves Bissouma will depart from this department at the end of this month and Tottenham must decide what they are willing to spend on Joao Palhinha, who turns 31 next month, with efforts to knock down that now expired £26million option Bayern in his loan contract.

Spurs are expected to sign another midfielder this summer regardless of Palhinha staying or not, as De Zerbi looks to increase the quality and ball playing ability in a midfield that he and his predecessors struggled to find the right blend in throughout the season.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Conor Gallagher both have admirers in the new head coach while Lucas Bergvall, currently at the World Cup, and Archie Gray are stars for the long term, even if one of them might find themselves getting a loan out if the midfield department becomes too squashed with bodies.

James Maddison will be fit enough by the time pre-season comes around to play a more active central role after his long absence while a decision will need to be made on Pape Matar Sarr, who was unable to make the same impact as he did in previous seasons, although that could be levelled at all of the Spurs players.

Xavi Simons will not return to the pitch until early next year and Tottenham will have to decide in the meantime whether to get involved in the transfer battle for Alex Scott this summer. The 22-year-old has never hidden the fact that he is a big supporter of the north London club but he will also have some big sides knocking on his door this summer, not least Liverpool now Andoni Iraola has made the move to Anfield, if Bournemouth decide to sell.

Scott, who Thomas Tuchel took to the USA to experience life with England in the build-up to the World Cup, only has two years left on his contract with the Cherries but is still rated by his club as being an £80million player.

Spurs have long been admirers of Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton but with talk of a £100million price tag on the 21-year-old and the Premier League's top clubs interested in him, that might be a battle too far for a club with no European football. Likewise Carlos Baleba will be of interest to De Zerbi but the Cameroon international will fetch a similarly huge sum for Brighton.

Morgan Gibbs-White will continue to be linked with Tottenham after last summer's near miss but how realistic would it be for Nottingham Forest and the north London club to deal with each other after those shambles 12 months ago?

In terms of outgoings among the young players considered to be in the first team squad, Alfie Devine looks set to depart this summer with plenty of interest in the 21-year-old after another strong season out on loan in the Championship.

Attackers

This is a department packed with injury doubts. De Zerbi will have to wait to see how and when Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski return to Tottenham life and he also knows that Wilson Odobert will not be at his disposal until the end of this year.

De Zerbi would like Spurs to sign another striker this summer. The Italian has made it clear publicly that he is a fan of Dominic Solanke and sees him as one of his big players. He will be looking to get the former Bournemouth man fit and firing again next season with better service from the wings and in behind into the England international. Through balls were an alien term at Tottenham last season.

Richarlison's goals were crucial to Spurs staying up last season but with 12 months left on his contract the Lilywhites may decide to take the last opportunity to cash in on the Brazilian this summer.

Randal Kolo Muani will leave N17 at the end of his loan contract this month while another departing striker is Alejo Veliz, who will join Bahia when his loan at Rosario Central comes to its end this month.

Will Lankshear had a big season on loan in the Championship with struggling Oxford United and De Zerbi should take a look at the 21-year-old before deciding what comes next for the striker. With a year left on his contract, Dane Scarlett's future will also need to be decide after another season without a breakthrough or many goals for the 22-year-old.

There is also 18-year-old Republic of Ireland international Mason Melia who will either be working with the first team squad this season or sent out to get more senior experience at a good level.

The transfer market is not exactly rammed with available strikers of the required quality this summer and Tottenham will need to get creative and use their data to claim the next rising star as others do, unless they fall back on one of the well known names offered around to everyone.

Dusan Vlahovic has been linked with plenty of European clubs this summer with the 26-year-old available on a free transfer unless Juventus can convince him otherwise in the next fortnight. The Serbian's wage demands are reportedly on the huge side but those could drop if there are no willing takers. Would Tottenham stand a chance without European football on the table though?

Chelsea's Liam Delap has been linked, although his season at Chelsea will hardly have inspired much confidence in a goal-laden campaign across London and Spence might not be delighted to see him elbowing his way through the door.

Former Spurs striker Troy Parrott has a queue of clubs lining up for him, with a number in Germany and the Premier League, after another season full of goals with AZ and his old side can get a 20 per cent discount with their sell-on clause. The 24-year-old was always desperate to make it at Tottenham but it seems unlikely they could offer him the minutes he could get elsewhere.

On the wings, Spurs want to sign Savinho this summer after failing to get him in the winter window and the Brazilian will be able to play on either flank. His arrival will mean decisions must be made on Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore, although with those injury doubts mentioned above it might mean a January switch is more sensible for one of those two young attackers.

Crysencio Summerville has also been on Tottenham's radar in recent seasons although there are doubts in the Netherlands over such a move happening. Lyon's 21-year-old winger Malick Fofana is another who has been linked with Spurs in the past year.

De Zerbi must also decide what to do with Manor Solomon, if Fiorentina do not take up the option to sign him, while Yang Min-hyeok will require another loan move.

Tottenham have been linked with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo as well as Algeria star Ibrahim Maza. Expect plenty of links this summer to any player who impress at the World Cup.

Ultimately De Zerbi needs more quality and options in his squad across all departments while also balancing it for a season in which there will be fewer games to go around. It's going to be a juggling act but one that Spurs must come out the other end in a far better position than they were.

All eyes were on the Netherlands defender at the World Cup as Tottenham Hotspur attempt to sign him from Brighton & Hove Albion

Jan Paul van Hecke made his World Cup debut for the Netherlands amid Tottenham's attempts to sign him from Brighton in this transfer window.

The Premier League transfer window officially opened on Monday but Spurs have already had a couple of bids rejected for the 26-year-old centre-back who is well known to Roberto De Zerbi after rising to prominence under the Italian during his time at the Seagulls.

Van Hecke only has 12 months remaining on his contract but Brighton are renowned for getting high transfer fees for their players. There have been suggestions that the south coast club value the Dutchman at as much as £70million despite his deal with them running into its final year.

The defender has said while on international duty that he has had clarity over his future and appeared to hint towards a move to north London but any attempt to sign him before his World Cup kicked off has now passed after Van Hecke played the full 90-plus minutes in the 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday evening.

The centre-back had a mixed night on his tournament debut with some strong passes and challenges, but was also unfortunate when Keito Nakamura took a deflection off him into the net for the first of Japan's two equalisers. He also took a boot to the face, just beneath his right eye, while making one header which grew more swollen as the game wore on.

With plenty of eyes on Van Hecke, who was playing in a Dutch backline that featured Spurs defender Micky van de Ven at left-back, here's how the media rated both the man Tottenham want to sign and the rapid one they already have.

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Goal

JPVH: "Solid showing from the Brighton centre-back. Unfortunate to deflect Nakamura's drive into the bottom corner." 6

MVDV: "Used his pace effectively to make a couple of recovery challenges, but doesn't look wholly comfortable at full-back." 5

LiveScore

JPVH: "Involved in ball circulation and made headed clearances. Deflection off him for Nakamura's equaliser may have wrong-footed Verbruggen." 6.5

MVDV: "Pace useful in recovery situations but positional discipline tested. Booked in stoppage time for fouling Junya Ito." 6.2

Sports Illustrated (with Fotmob ratings)

JPVH: "Won in the air seemingly every time Japan dared float crosses into the penalty area. A dominant performance in the heart of defence." 7.2

MVDV: "Constantly made runs down the left to bypass Japan’s press and did well containing the dangerous Ritsu Doan. Things got dark for him late when Junya Ito entered the game." 6.4

Algemeen Dagblad

JPVH: "De Zeeuw stole some hearts again with his tenacity. Van Hecke even walked off the pitch with a black eye. In doing so, he shows himself to be a versatile man-marker. One who does not shy away from duels and is also comfortable on the ball, although he could have taken quite a few more risks at times. A frustrated Gravenberch felt the same way just before half-time. Nevertheless, Van Hecke gave Brighton even more reason to continue demanding a huge price tag for Tottenham Hotspur." 6.5

MVDV: "An identical performance to the one against Uzbekistan. Van de Ven was very valuable with his speed. Correcting occasionally, breaking through occasionally. However, just like against the Uzbeks, he should have done more to prevent the late equalizer. The Spurs defender allowed his direct opponent Kamada to escape to the near post far too easily." 5

Vavel

JPVH: "Very defensively solid against a tricky Japan forward line. The majority of attacks the Japanese forward line tried to muster, the Brighton defender was calm and composed on every occasion, winning duels and comfortable spreading play into forward areas." 7

MVDV: "Not his natural position playing at full-back, but the Spurs defender was solid for the most part, especially in aerial duels and using his pace to cover ground. Did all the basics right for the most part but slightly out of his comfort zone." 6

Chase Your Sport

JPVH: "Was decent in defence but played a part in Japan's equaliser." 6.5

MVDV: "His pace was really impressive, but nothing much more than that in terms of performance." 6.5

ESPN NL's two pundits

JPVH: 6 and 6.5

MVDV: 6 and 6.5

Sofascore

JPVH: 7.4

MVDV: 6.4

Athlon Sports

JPVH: 7

MVDV: 7

Yahoo Sports

JPVH: 7

The right-back pledged his long-term future to Tottenham Hotspur with a bumper pay day that puts him among the club's highest earners

Pedro Porro has expressed his delight at signing his new contract with Tottenham Hotspur and has made it clear that he is "here to stay".

With Real Madrid and Porro's former side Manchester City expressing interest in the right-back this summer, Spurs made sure they tied the Spaniard down to a long new contract. In doing so they have pushed the 26-year-old up among their best paid players in a deal believed to last until 2031 with a club option for another 12 months on top of that.

The stats show that Porro was once again one of the most creative defenders in the Premier League despite Tottenham's struggles in recent seasons. The full-back has played 152 times for the north London club since arriving in early 2023, contributing 26 assists and 13 goals from defence, and was an important player on and off the pitch for Roberto De Zerbi in helping the Lilywhites avoid relegation last season.

Porro is currently away at the World Cup with Spain ahead of their match against Cape Verde on Monday and he recorded a short video message for the Tottenham supporters.

"Hi Spurs fans, I'm so happy to sign the new contract. Can't wait to see you next season. Come on you Spurs!" he said.

In an Instagram story after the contract announcement, he also made his feelings clear with three words that summed up his decision to sign on the dotted line, along with a white heart to signify Spurs: "Here to stay."

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De Zerbi said of the defender's new contract: "Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.

"As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level.

"He understands football in a very intelligent way, and brings energy, intensity and personality to the team. This new contract is good news for everyone at the club. We believe in Pedro, and I am excited to continue working with him and helping him achieve even more in the coming years."

Spurs sporting director Johan Lange added: "Securing Pedro's future was an important priority for us this summer. During the past three-and-half years, he has made huge progress to become one of the best full-backs in the game, and the fact he is about to play in the World Cup for Spain is testament to that.

"Pedro is at an age where he can provide leadership and experience, while still having room for further development. His character, work ethic and quality are exactly what we look for when building a squad capable of competing at the highest level and we are delighted that he has chosen to continue his journey with the club."

Tottenham Hotspur are set for a hectic summer as Roberto De Zerbi looks to reshape his squad in the transfer window

Tottenham Hotspur will expect to be busy as the summer transfer window officially opens on Monday. Manager Roberto De Zerbi will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last season’s relegation scrap after steering Spurs to 17th place.

Deals have already been struck with Liverpool icon Andy Robertson and Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi after both reached the end of their respective contracts. However, the Spurs boss made it clear that not all of his squad would be remaining at the club beyond the end of the season.

"We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay,” De Zerbi said after the last match of the campaign. “Good enough. Like players. Especially like people. And then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players.”

While attention will be paid to who Tottenham can sign to improve their team, several players will be heading for the exit door. football.london looks at the possible moves Spurs could complete at the start of the transfer window.

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Jan Paul van Hecke - In

Spurs have already seen two bids rejected for the Brighton defender. Jan Paul van Hecke previously played under De Zerbi during his time with the Seagulls and the Italian coach has identified him as a crucial part of his revamped backline.

Notably, Van Hecke has been ahead of Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven in the Netherlands pecking order. The 26-year-old recently claimed he is clear about where his future lies but is currently focused on the World Cup.

“I have also said very clearly that I would like to have clarity for myself before the World Cup. And I have that too,” he explained. “But then for now for myself it’s just clear. I just want to play the World Cup as well as possible. That clarity will probably come after the World Cup when I make that step, then it’s clear to everyone."

Cristian Romero - Out

A deal for Van Hecke would have a knock-on effect for Tottenham’s other transfer plans. The centre-back occupies the same side as Cristian Romero, who looks increasingly likely to seal a move away this summer.

The 28-year-old made 32 appearances but was sidelined with a knee injury at the end of the season. Romero was the subject of fan backlash after being scheduled not to attend the club’s final game after travelling to Argentina, but later returned to England for the match.

The potential arrival of Van Hecke suggests that Romero’s time at Spurs could be coming to an end. The World Cup winner would still command considerable interest, though links with Manchester United have been dismissed.

Luka Vuskovic - Out

Tottenham’s decision to sign Van Hecke and Senesi could also lead to a difficult decision regarding Luka Vuskovic. The Croatian defender earned many plaudits for his loan spell at Hamburg, where he scored six goals in 28 Bundesliga games.

The 19-year-old is primed to play a pivotal role for his country at the World Cup, which will only increase the attention surrounding Vuskovic. The Athletic reported that Brighton recently offered £30m for the centre-back, which is claimed to fit his plan for the next step of his career.

Vuskovic is considered one of the most promising defenders in European football but the arrivals of Van Hecke and Senesi, alongside Van de Ven, are likely to limit his game time at Spurs. In an ideal world, Tottenham would send the teenager out on loan but an impressive World Cup could lead the club to get an offer that is too good to turn down.

Joao Palhinha - In

A relatively simple move if both parties want to get a deal over the line. Joao Palhinha spent last season on loan at Spurs from Bayern Munich and was a regular in midfield.

The Portugal international’s loan deal included a £25.8million buy option. While it remains to be seen if a deal is done at that price, the 30-year-old was eager to remain a Spurs player at the end of last season.

"I always shared my thoughts. Since the first day I arrived I feel at home. From the supporters, the crowd. Top club. Who doesn’t want to play for Tottenham and stay here? I have everything here," Palhinha said. "But this is like a marriage. What I can say to you is I would really like to be here and I enjoy it a lot this season with this club even being a tough season."

Savinho - In

This isn't the first window in which Savinho has been linked with a Tottenham switch. A move for the Manchester City winger didn't come to fruition last summer but his status within the squad at the Etihad Stadium hasn't solidified in the meantime.

The Brazilian, signed from Troyes in 2024, scored just one Premier League goal last term. Pep Guardiola's City exit could leave him waiting to see if a new manager likes him better but he may prefer a change of surroundings.

Despite the 22-year-old missing the cut for Carlo Ancelotti's World Cup squad, a £60m fee has been floated. That doesn't appear to have deterred Spurs, despite him not yet hitting top gear in English football.

Tottenham are trying to sign the Netherlands centre-back but one of the club's former stars believes the price tag is far too high

Tottenham icon Rafael van der Vaart believes that the price tag being quoted for Jan Paul van Hecke is far too high.

Spurs are trying to reunite head coach Roberto De Zerbi with his former Brighton centre-back and have had a couple of bids rejected by the Seagulls, who reportedly value Van Hecke at around £70million, despite the Dutchman having only 12 months left on his contract.

The south coast side have attempted to get Tottenham's young defensive star Luka Vuskovic with a £30million bid of their own for the 19-year-old Croatian.

Van Hecke is away with the Netherlands at the World Cup and said ahead of his country's 2-2 draw against Japan on Sunday: "First of all, I just want to focus on the Dutch national team on Sunday.

"That is a very important match for us, for me. So that’s my focus until now. Of course, things are also playing, and I know that myself too. But that’s not for now, that’s more after the World Cup. I will then see where I play.

"I have also said very clearly that I would like to have clarity for myself before the World Cup. And I have that too. But then for now for myself it’s just clear. I just want to play the World Cup as well as possible. That clarity will probably come after the World Cup when I make that step, then it’s clear to everyone."

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Van der Vaart, who was a popular figure for Spurs fans after 46 goal involvements in 77 matches for the north London club, has weighed in with his opinion on the move for his compatriot.

"I have to be honest, I am a fan of Van Hecke, but when I hear about 80m euros for Van Hecke, my football heart cries," the 43-year-old he said on the Ziggo Sport podcast Wes & Raf, as translated by Sport Witness.

"Those are amounts that don’t belong with this type of player. That nearly relegated Tottenham Hotspur is willing to pay that, I find that to be a very large sum of money. But you don’t look surprised. It is the times, I know that. But anyway…"

Tottenham transfer target Jan Paul van Hecke has revealed he's struggling to see properly out of his right eye after suffering a blow to the face during Holland's World Cup opener vs Japan

Holland national team staff will assess Tottenham transfer target Jan Paul van Hecke on Monday after he suffered a nasty eye injury in Sunday's 2-2 World Cup draw against Japan.

The 26-year-old, who started alongside Virgil van Dijk, was able to complete the full game despite suffering a kick to the face.

The issue rapidly worsened during the second half and images of Van Hecke's eye, snapped as he greeted family and friends in the stands post-match, show the extent of the damage.

He did speak to the media after the game when he clarified what happened, stating: "He kicked me in the eye with all his might. I was heading for the ball, so I thought something might happen.

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"At some point, it definitely affected my vision. I can't see very well on that side right now. I hope it will get a little better in a few days. I think it will swell up a bit more later, but that's also part of the game."

Said incident is believed to have happened during the second half, when all four of the game's goals took place.

Holland were ahead through captain Virgil van Dijk before Keito Nakamura equalised for Samurai Blue.

West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville then steered Tottenham back ahead before Daichi Kamada's late equaliser for Japan in Dallas.

Van Hecke was frustrated that his side threw away the lead on two separate occasions, adding: "We scored two fantastic goals, but personally, I think we dropped back a little too much. If we had kept putting pressure on the opponent, we could have made the game easier for ourselves.

"It happens naturally. A goal changes the flow of the game. When you take the lead, you start to defend it. But you have to keep defending high up the pitch. Sometimes it's difficult, but I think we could have done better."

Spurs are striving to wrap up a deal for Van Hecke, who is keen to move to north London and reunite with the boss that gave him his big breakthrough at Brighton in Roberto De Zerbi.

It's not clear how much Tottenham are willing to pay but the no-nonsense defender is now quickly approaching the last year of his contract with Brighton.

While the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle have tracked Van Hecke, Tottenham are firmly in the box-seat for his signature.

Tottenham have already wrapped up the signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi but more new arrivals could follow soon for Roberto De Zerbi this summer

Soon Liverpool might not be the only Premier League side heavily associated with the Dutch national team - Tottenham could well follow suit.

Sunday's Group F opener against Japan in Dallas potentially offered a glimpse into an exciting future under Roberto De Zerbi.

Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke, who suffered a nasty eye injury, both started in defence while two Tottenham-linked wingers threatened from the flanks for Oranje.

Crysencio Summerville scored while Liverpool's Cody Gakpo came close on several occasions as Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada snatched a late leveller in Texas.

Speaking ahead of the game, Van Hecke made it clear - without actually naming Tottenham - that a switch to north London, where he will reunite with De Zerbi, appears a formality.

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He has just one year remaining on his contract with Brighton and he's ready to join Spurs, where he could well partner compatriot Van de Ven at the heart of defence.

For too long now, Tottenham have been short of options, particularly amid a ridiculous injury record. Now - under a top boss - they've got options galore and that will help drive them up the Premier League table next term. Van de Ven was excellent at left-back, using his athleticism to get up the pitch and deliver low balls across the box while Van Hecke, for spells, looked comfortable next to Virgil van Dijk.

He is not blessed with pace, however, so he struggles to turn and sprint when up against speedy attackers, though Van de Ven's pace should offer extra protection.

What's good for Spurs is that despite signing Andy Robertson, Van de Ven can also be a serious option at left-back next season now that Marcos Senesi, a left-sided centre-back, has arrived in N17.

It also provides them with the option of switching to a back-three with Van Hecke (providing he joins), Senesi, and Van de Ven with Robertson and Pedro Porro as wing-backs. That is a very credible defensive line.

Van Hecke is also a good passer and can brush the ball through the lines - just like Cuti Romero. He completed 87 of his 95 passes and won all five of his duels.

Additionally, up the other end, Summerville showcased that he could be worth a punt. Signing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham was sweet enough but raiding their bitter rivals again for the Dutchman following their relegation to the Championship would be sheer brutality.

Summerville played from the right for Holland and was still effective, even though he is far for dangerous from the opposition flank. Cody Gakpo has been linked with Spurs in recent weeks, too.

At 27, he still has more to give and De Zerbi is the kind of coach that could get the best from him, however, if you were watching this game with no clue about any players, Summerville is undoubtedly the one you'd jump at to sign out of the two.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven started Holland's opening World Cup match against Japan in Dallas, which ended in a frustrating draw for Oranje

Micky van de Ven has made it clear he rates international team-mate Crysencio Summerville very highly as Tottenham weigh up a potential transfer.

Spurs considered raiding their Premier League relegation rivals West Ham for the flying winger in January but the Hammers were not willing to listen to offers for the former Leeds United starlet.

However, West Ham's relegation changes the picture and Summerville is thought to be up for grabs before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Netting on his World Cup debut will have done his chances of earning a big transfer no harm as Van de Ven talked up his compatriot.

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The versatile Tottenham defender said: "We all see that he’s a really good player. He’s shown his quality also at West Ham and did really well the last couple of months.

"He just came into the team, but we all welcomed him in with open arms. We know his qualities, we know what he can do, and I think he showed it today as well."

While Summerville was born in Rotterdam, he is of Surinamese descent. It wasn't even guaranteed he made the plane to North America due to fierce competition for places in attack but he has already justified his inclusion.

He said after curling home in the second half on his weaker foot: "It’s a very proud moment for myself and my family.

"I’m very, very happy with a goal on my debut, but a bit unlucky with the result.

"I was very close to playing for Suriname, and I'm very close with my motherland but I always had one dream and that was to play for the Netherlands at the World Cup."

Summerville mustered seven goals and five assists for the Irons last term but couldn't fire Nuno Espirito Santo's men to Premier League safety.

Tottenham have also been linked with Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo as they seek to strengthen Roberto De Zerbi's wide options.

Manchester City forward Savinho remains a key target of interest and Spurs have been trying to bring the Brazilian through the door since last summer when he decided to remain at the Etihad Stadium for another season.