Football London

Tottenham face yet another huge Premier League match this weekend as they travel to Wolverhampton looking to get out of the bottom three

Tottenham's performance at Wolves this Saturday will go a long way to deciding their Premier League status as they look to put pressure on West Ham.

Despite a much-improved performance from Spurs against in-form Brighton, it is now 15 matches without a victory in the Premier League and the north London side have won only seven games all season in the competition. That leaves them 18th in the table and two points from safety behind West Ham, five points from Nottingham Forest and now nine points behind Leeds with a game in hand after Daniel Farke's side's draw at Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Forest travel to Sunderland on Friday night, before West Ham host Everton at the same time as Tottenham play at bottom side Wolves, who had their relegation confirmed last weekend. Manchester City's win at Burnley on Wednesday evening rubberstamped their drop back into the Championship.

Spurs will be desperate to avoid that same fate and Roberto De Zerbi will need to get his team selection spot on if the north London side are to win their first Premier League game of 2026. Working on the assumption that Destiny Udogie will miss the game through injury, which appears to be a strong suggestion from in and around the club, here are five different ways De Zerbi could line up Spurs.

Use Spence

A simple first line-up would be for the Italian to keep the same side that started and performed well against top of the form table Brighton but with just the one change at left-back.

If Udogie is, as expected, out of the game at Molineux then the next in line for the left-back spot in terms of seniority is Djed Spence. The England international is yet to start under De Zerbi and this could be his chance to show what he can do.

The issue of course is that Spence provides less width than Udogie because he is not left-footed, so more often than not will cut inside on to his right foot.

Elsewhere the team would remain the same with Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in the middle and Conor Gallagher in the more advanced number 10 role with Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani either side behind Dominic Solanke.

Souza time

If De Zerbi does want some balance down that flank then he could turn to 19-year-old Souza to come in at left-back to replace Udogie.

It's a big ask to bring the teenager in for such a crucial relegation battle game but the Brazilian had plenty of experience last season in a relegation fight with Santos.

The main issue for Souza is that he has not played a minute of football in more than a month and was not even included in the past two matchday squads under De Zerbi so he is going to be rusty as anything for a massive clash where any mistake will be seized upon.

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Xavi in the 10

Xavi came to life on Saturday with that great assist against Brighton for Pedro Porro's goal and then his spectacular curling strike which looked to have won the game for Spurs before the late heartbreak.

The question for De Zerbi is whether he impacted the game better from the left or whether he could have even more involvement in a central position behind the striker.

One danger with Xavi on the flank is that the full-back does not get much cover unless a midfielder comes across to help out but De Zerbi is also a big fan of Gallagher and the former Chelsea midfielder played his best game so far in a Spurs shirt with his all-action pressing display against Brighton.

If Xavi were to come into the 10 role then Gallagher would either have to drop out for Mathys Tel, come into a deeper role or be shoved out awkwardly on the flank.

Gray or Bergvall return

Another option is to bring one or both of the 20-year-old midfielders in, with Archie Gray one of Spurs' most in-form players in recent months and Lucas Bergvall making a major impact when he came on and won the ball back before assisting Xavi's strike.

The problem with bringing either in would be disrupting the experienced midfield of Bentancur and Bissouma who looked bright and were back together in the engine room for the first time since the Europa League Final win against Manchester United in Bilbao 11 months ago.

"[Bentancur] had a great game. Like Bissouma, both are very important for us as personalities, as experience. They know, they have a great connection between them," said De Zerbi.

"We have also Archie Gray, Joao Palhinha, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall. Lucas played 10 minutes, but he changed the game. We have a lot of good players."

Tel comes in

There are a couple of attacking changes that De Zerbi could make. One is to swap Solanke out for Richarlison and another is to bring in Tel for Kolo Muani.

De Zerbi holds Solanke in very high regard though and the way he spoke after the game suggested that Kolo Muani is the most at risk of the front players who started against Brighton.

"I would like all attackers to play like Solanke and Xavi today. They are not arrogant, but they believed in themselves and were clear," he said.

"I have to work with Kolo Muani. He is a big talent. I want to help him not only to win a game, but just for him to show what he is able to do on the pitch."

The Premier League club have received a fine and warnings from UEFA after something that happened in their Champions League game

Tottenham Hotspur have been fined £10,000 and given a warning by UEFA, as has former interim head coach Igor Tudor, following events at their Champions League game at Atletico Madrid.

Spurs' match in Spain last month caught the eye mainly for the north London side's nightmare start to proceeding which saw them 4-0 down within 22 minutes and goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky hauled off after just 17 minutes following a couple of gaffes.

However, the club have also found themselves charged and sanctioned for incidents within the Champions League last 16 clash.

UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body decided that Tottenham, who received five yellow cards to their starting XI in the match, should receive a warning for "improper conduct of the team" for picking up five or more bookings in the encounter in Madrid. The body also decided that the London club should be fined 10,000 euros (£8,656) for causing a late kick-off and their ex-boss Tudor was also handed a warning for the delayed kick-off.

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Spurs lost the first leg 5-2 to Diego Simeone's men and despite a rallying 3-2 win eight days later it was not enough for them to progress to the quarter-finals and Tudor would later leave his post, to be replaced by Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi's task now, after signing a big five-year contract with the club, is to keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League as they currently sit 18th in the table and two points from safety.

This Saturday they make the trip to already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers, knowing that they must finally win a league match in 2026.

Roberto De Zerbi has struggled for form since signing a long-term deal with Tottenham Hotspur at the end of March, as the club stare down the barrel of relegation

Facundo Medina has explained that he was "furious" with Roberto De Zerbi's decision to leave Marseille in February.

The 46-year-old was in charge of the Ligue 1 giants for just two years before he left via mutual consent following a torrid run of form and the club's early exit from the Champions League. After a brief break in managerial duties, the Italian was appointed as the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur in late March.

It marked the club's third manager this season, following the dismissal of Thomas Frank in February and Igor Tudor's departure after just 44 days and seven games in charge.

However, Marseille defender Medina has now opened up about his former coach's decision to part ways with the French outfit. Speaking with RMC Sport, he said: " For me, it deeply annoyed me, I was furious."

The Argentine also explained how he had brought up his frustration with De Zerbi in the aftermath, adding: "It bothered me a lot, I told Roberto.

"He and I have a very sincere relationship because we have somewhat similar backgrounds. We share a similar childhood and this fire or this passion that lives within us.

"That's why it hurts me so much when I know that some people make sacrifices to support us, and we can't reciprocate that investment."

He continued: "His departure hurt, it was disruptive, but it's our responsibility to continue our mission. We couldn't control it, we have to take responsibility for our mistakes.

"I came here to be part of a project. Six months later the coach left, then the president, and soon (sporting director) Medhi Benatia...

"These are blows that hurt, and we're human beings, we can be affected. But personally, it will never stop me from stepping onto the pitch with the desire, the hunger, the will, and the right attitude."

De Zerbi has failed to secure victory in his first two matches at the helm of Spurs, suffering a 1-0 loss to Sunderland AFC on his debut before being held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton at the weekend.

Up next for the head coach is a trip to Molineux to face a rock-bottom Wolves side come Saturday, April 25, where he will hope for his first win.

Chelsea have parted company with another head coach and that could have a knock-on effect for their London rivals and their relegation battle

Tottenham and Chelsea appear to be in a fight this season to be the more chaotic of the London clubs although Spurs have a more perilous battle on their hands.

Spurs currently sit 18th in the Premier League table and just two points behind West Ham with only five games remaining of the season. Nottingham Forest lie in 16th, with five points more than Tottenham and three more than the Hammers. Above them all are Chelsea in eight place who sacked their head coach Liam Rosenior on Wednesday, just three months and 106 days after he replaced Enzo Maresca at the helm.

The former Strasbourg boss recorded just 11 wins in 23 matches and Tuesday's 3-0 loss at Brighton was Chelsea's fifth consecutive Premier League defeat without scoring, their worst scoreless run in 114 years.

But what does that have to do with Tottenham, who have gone through four head coaches themselves in the past nine months or so?

Well, Chelsea are set to have a big say in the relegation battle in the next five games. They host Nottingham Forest on Monday, May 4 at Stamford Bridge and while Forest might seem out of the relegation battle right now, it's worth remembering that aside from a tricky run-in, they also have two big Europa League semi-final legs against Aston Villa to fit around that Chelsea game with a squad that is starting to pick up some injuries to key players.

So having a potential new manager bounce at Chelsea with their expensively-assembled squad getting a new leading voice could kick them back into life. It's not a particularly fresh voice of sorts as Rosenior's assistant Calum McFarlane has taken over as interim manager until the end of the season, but the players will no doubt want to prove it wasn't their fault on the new man's home debut.

The mixed blessing though to any uptick in form is that Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham must also travel to Stamford Bridge, a place where victories are near non-existent for them. With Rosenior's scoreless struggles, there might have been more hope of a win finally arriving there, but a change in the dugout might dampen those hopes.

The Lilywhites are currently scheduled to travel the short journey across London to Chelsea on May 17, set with a standard 3pm kick-off. However, that could yet be moved if the Blues overcome Leeds in their FA Cup semi-final, McFarlane's first match, this coming Sunday. That is because the final at Wembley would be played on Saturday May 16. So the new Chelsea interim boss could immediately have an impact on Tottenham with his first game at the helm.

Johan Lange already has a 'clear picture of which positions and profiles' to target in the summer, but the Tottenham sporting director could be forced to scrap his plan.

Tottenham Hotspur appear keen to appoint a co-sporting director. Earlier this year, the Lilywhites announced the departure of Fabio Paratici, leaving Johan Lange in charge of recruitment ahead of the summer.

In an interview with the club website a few weeks later, shortly after the January transfer window had slammed shut, the Spurs chief announced his 'big ambitions of strengthening the team'. Lange claimed he already had a 'clear picture of which positions and profiles' to target.

However, the Dane could be forced to rethink his plans if Vinai Venkatesham drafts in a new director to assist him. According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany, Sebastian Kehl has emerged as a leading candidate for such a role.

The report claims that Tottenham want the 46-year-old to rebuild the team alongside Lange. It's said that the Lilywhites 'highly value' his playing career, management skills, and 'extensive international network'.

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Kehl only parted ways with Borussia Dortmund last month after four years as a sporting director. The German was tasked with restoring the Bundesliga outfit to its former glory when he replaced the long-standing Michael Zorc in 2022.

But, during his four years at the helm, Dortmund never lifted a piece of silverware. They did, however, almost win the German top-flight in Kehl's debut campaign, missing out on goal difference on the final day of the season.

So, with that being said, football.london have looked at some of Kehl's best and worst signings at the Signal Iduna Park.

Kehl's best signings

Niklas Sule

Sule was the first addition of the Kehl era at the Signal Iduna Park, arriving on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Bayern Munich. The Germany international was an excellent addition to the backline, chalking up over 100 appearances for Dortmund.

Unfortunately for Sule, whose deal will run out in the summer, his time at the club was plagued with injury. The centre-back will become a free agent again at the end of the season, unless he decides to extend his stay.

Nico Schlotterbeck

Shortly after getting his hands on Sule, Kehl signed Schlotterbeck from Freiburg for just €25m (£21.7m). He, too, became, and remains, a stalwart in the Dortmund backline, tallying over 150 appearances for the club.

Despite his injury problems as well, the defender has also established himself as a regular for Germany ahead of the World Cup. Shortly after it was announced that Kehl would step down as sporting director, Schlotterbeck signed a contract extension, keeping him at the Signal Iduna Park until June 2031.

Serhou Guirassy

Kehl didn't get his hands on another genuine ceiling-raiser until July 2024 when he signed Guirassy from Stuttgart for just €17.5m (£14.7m). After an incredible breakout campaign in the Bundesliga, the former Dortmund chief wasted no time in signing the striker, who has since scored 57 goals and counting in just 92 appearances across all competitions.

Kehl's worst signings

Jadon Sancho

Dortmund operated on a hamstrung budget during the early days of Kehl's spell as a sporting director, so, naturally, he was very picky, and therefore had very few signings which could be classed as mistakes. The 46-year-old did, however, re-sign Jadon Sancho on loan in January 2024.

Although the Manchester United winger started and ended his second spell at the Signal Iduna Park fairly well, he didn't have the desired impact. Sancho returned to Old Trafford at the end of the season, and is now on loan at Aston Villa.

Carney Chukwuemeka

Chukwuemeka was one of a few pretty disappointing arrivals last summer, which marked the beginning of the end for Kehl at Dortmund. After what was a pretty tame season-long loan from Chelsea, the German giants forked out £24m for the midfielder.

The 22-year-old has since struggled to establish himself as a key player, making most of his appearances from off the bench. To put Chukwuemeka's time at Dortmund into perspective, he's only ever completed 90 minutes for the club once and it was last weekend.

Fabio Silva

Jobe Bellingham could very well have featured on this list, but Fabio Silva claims the third and final spot. Dortmund signed the 23-year-old striker from Wolves for €27m (£23.4m) last summer after a pretty average season in La Liga.

While out on loan at Las Palmas, Silva scored 10 goals in 24 Spanish top-flight appearances. Despite having performed well below expectations since the Premier League outfit paid Porto about £35m for his signature in September 2020, Dortmund became the next club to take a punt.

Although Silva hasn't featured much this term, playing just over 1,000 minutes, he only has two goals to his name across all competitions. Fortunately for Kehl, Guirassy, who he signed a couple of years ago, hasn't missed a beat.

Tottenham Hotspur are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League and are now looking to hire a sports psychologist to help the squad out

Tottenham Hotspur are searching for a new club psychologist to help the players in their squad who are mentally drained.

Spurs find themselves in an unexpected relegation battle, with Roberto De Zerbi's side currently rooted to 18th place in the Premier League, following the new head coach's appointment in the aftermath of the departures of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

Tottenham have lost to Sunderland draw with Brighton in the club's two Premier League fixtures since De Zerbi was appointed on a long-term deal.

The club are now taking extraordinary steps in their bid to avoid the drop to the Championship.

Xavi Simons appeared to have helped steer Tottenham away from the danger zone against Brighton with a long-range strike at the weekend, only for a stoppage-time leveller from Seagulls star Georginio Rutter to see them drop two precious points in the battle to avoid relegation to the Championship.

The club are now actively seeking a sports psychologist in a bid to address the mental fragility gripping their underperforming squad.

In a job listing, Spurs stated: "Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is committed to building a world-class performance environment for our Men’s First Team.

"As part of this ambition, we are seeking an outstanding Performance Psychologist to join our Performance Team. This is a high-impact role embedded within the Men’s First Team environment at Hotspur Way.

“Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team you will lead the delivery of evidence-based psychological support to elite professional players.

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"The role encompasses individual player support, systemic work across the coaching and performance staff, and the ongoing development of a psychologically informed performance culture throughout the team.

“This role demands a practitioner who is credible, discreet, and highly effective in a Premier League environment, capable of building trust with players and coaches while operating with the professional rigor expected at the highest level of the game.”

An identical position has also been advertised for their women's side.

The job post comes days after De Zerbi emphasised the importance of the "mentality" of the players in the battle to avoid relegation.

"My job is not now to change the style of play. I did two or three things with the ball, two or three things without the ball, but the crucial part is not with the ball or without the ball. It's in our mentality to be positive," De Zerbi said after the defeat to Sunderland earlier this month.

"We have to find the right energy, the right spirit. When they stay with me during the week, they will find a positive coach because I believe in them. They are human and ‌maybe they are suffering too much.

"We have to stay all together and close and improve in the details of the football, but to be better as a mentality."

Tottenham return to action on Saturday against an already-relegated Wolves outfit. More dropped points in the trip to Molineux could see Spurs move even closer to being relegated to the Championship

De Zerbi's squad then travel to Aston Villa before welcoming Leeds United, followed by fixtures against Chelsea and Everton before the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur will be closely monitoring Luka Vuskovic, who suffered a knee injury in training earlier this month.

Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa has provided an update on Luka Vuskovic. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee suffered a knee injury in training earlier this month, and he's missed each of the German outfit's last two games.

Hamburg had only conceded seven goals in their previous five Bundesliga matches with Vuskovic in the backline. But since the Croatia international has been sidelined with a slight ligament strain, they've let in just as many in only two games.

Speaking to German outlet Bild ahead of Hamburg's clash against Hoffenheim on Saturday, April 25, Claus Costa outlined the challenges of managing the teenager's injury. The sporting director said: "A knee sprain or contusion causes internal bleeding.

"This makes it difficult to control the knee precisely and correctly. That’s something that takes time. Of course, we miss Luka. Because he’s not on the pitch, he’s somewhat sidelined."

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The Hamburg chief continued: "We have to be patient and wait until he’s available again. I’m optimistic that he’ll be able to play again this season.

"If he’s fit to play, nothing can stop him. He’s extremely ambitious and desperately wants to play for us again. That’s why we’re confident."

According to Bild, the joint in Vuskovic's knee was 'more severely damaged' than originally thought, preventing him from beginning any individual rehabilitation work on the grass. However, Sportske Novosti, a newspaper in Croatia, later downplayed concerns, claiming the centre-back was due a break, having clocked well over 2,000 minutes this season.

Then, local outlet Hamburger Abendblatt reported that the final decision on a return to action would rest with the Lilywhites due to a clause in the loan agreement. Ultimately, football.london understands that Spurs will make the final call.

Vuskovic has featured 25 times in the German top flight this season, scoring five goals from centre-back. The Croatian has helped the newly promoted outfit distance themselves from a relegation scrap, with seven points separating them from the bottom two.

Since joining Hamburg, Vuskovic has established himself as one of the most promising young players in Europe, earning great praise from the likes of Lothar Matthaus, Vincent Kompany, and Luka Modric. Naturally, the 19-year-old defender has been linked with moves to several top clubs, but he's under contract with Tottenham until June 2030.

In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung earlier this month, Vuskovic provided an update on his future. On one day playing with his brother, Mario, who was given a four-year ban from football in November 2022 for a doping offence, he said: "In football, you never know.

Ange Postecoglou made a claim about Spurs' Europa League triumph after attending a Champions League match

Ange Postecoglou mentioned Tottenham after returning to England to run the rule over Liverpool as part of his new job.

It has been a tough 12 months for the Australian since he guided Spurs to Europa League glory last season. Postecoglou paid the price for Spurs' 17th-place Premier League finish, being relieved of his duties just weeks after that famous victory over Manchester United in Bilbao.

He subsequently departed Nottingham Forest after just 39 days in charge. However, the former Celtic manager has returned to work following his appointment as a UEFA technical observer.

Among his earliest assignments, he was tasked with assessing Arsenal's Champions League performance in January, while his most recent brief took him to Anfield to observe Liverpool's second-leg encounter with Paris Saint-Germain.

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Postecoglou's assessment of the match, which PSG won 2-0 to seal a 4-0 aggregate victory, has been made available on the UEFA website. The 60-year-old opens his piece by commending Liverpool's pressing style, noting: "Ryan Gravenberch and Dominic Szoboszlai did a really good job of closing down the midfield space. They denied PSG that central area they like to play in."

He went on to applaud the way Luis Enrique's side adjusted, adopting a more direct approach. Postecoglou said: "Liverpool's approach really made it difficult for them and if they'd just persisted in trying to play like they normally do, they may have got unstuck."

During his time at Spurs, Postecoglou frequently faced criticism for refusing to temper his attacking philosophy when circumstances called for it. Yet, while reflecting on PSG's victory, he acknowledged that Tottenham showed flexibility when necessary throughout their Europa League campaign.

He explained: "A key thing is to understand that, rather than having a predetermined idea about how things could transpire, you need to understand the game in front of you and the immediate task at hand. For coaches, experience teaches you that.

"The reality of it is, whether it's pragmatism or simply understanding what the actual challenge is on the day, the paramount thing is being successful, particularly in Champions League knockout football because the margins are so fine.

"You can't abandon your foundations, and if you look at Luis Enrique's approach, there were still the elements you always see. But there was also a recognition that there was a different challenge to overcome.

"There's a difference to knockout football in Europe, and the approach you take and recognising that, at certain stages, it's not an abandonment of philosophy, it's an acknowledgement of the challenge that's before you and doing what's required.

"And that certainly was our approach with Tottenham in the Europa League final last year, and it wasn't saying that everything we've done up till now doesn't matter."

Tottenham have had a creativity problem this season and right now only one man can fix it for new boss Roberto De Zerbi

Just for one moment on Saturday, Tottenham's problematic season was forgotten. At the centre of it all, amid the flailing limbs of delirious supporters stood Xavi Simons.

Spurs have always had a playmaker at the heart of their team, whether it be Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, David Ginola, Luka Modric, Christian Eriksen or more recently James Maddison.

Tottenham's double-winning legend Danny Blanchflower once said that football is about "doing things in style and with a flourish," and there has always been that little bit of magic that made the north London outfit fun to watch.

This season the magic has been sadly lacking in N17. The pragmatic Thomas Frank offered no fun, Igor Tudor had no idea what he was walking into and now Roberto De Zerbi has marched through the door in a last-gasp attempt to keep Tottenham in the Premier League.

It is entirely fitting that the Italian was a number 10 in his playing days. If anyone understands that football is meant to be a beautiful game rather than littered with the long throws and kicks of today's Premier League, it is the former Brighton boss.

So against his old team on Saturday, he turned to the little Dutch magician Xavi - the man born in the Netherlands but who quickly moved with his family to Alicante in Spain at the age of three where he would become one of the brightest academy stars at Barcelona.

The midfielder, who turned 23 on Tuesday, has already gone through a variety of clubs: from the Catalan giants to PSG, then to RB Leipzig and now Tottenham. He is a prodigious talent, a driven individual who had one million followers on social media while just 14-years-old.

As with all young players he has plenty he needs to improve on, but that is why he has assembled his own team around him. He has his own data and video analysts, as well as a strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer and even a mindset coach. He has been spotted at Hotspur Way on days off, looking to train and improve himself physically for the Premier League.

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Yet Frank, Tudor and De Zerbi - in his first game - did not trust him. Something about Xavi made them all worry about taking the risk. The Dutchman wears his emotions on his face. Some take it as sulking but those around him claim that with his Barcelona and PSG upbringing it has been drilled into him to be ambitious and never accept failure.

Defensively in his own half he will not offer managers much, but he does fight and tackle from the front and there's no doubting his creativity. He has fashioned more chances at Spurs this season than any other player. On Saturday, he set up Pedro Porro's opening goal with a clever reverse chipped pass, hit the post moments later himself and created a chance for Joao Palhinha in the second half after a mazy dribble.

Then came his goal. It would have reminded the Tottenham fans longingly of Son Heung-min in the way Xavi cut inside from the left flank and curled a right-footed effort in off the right-hand post.

The stadium went wild, his team-mates ran from all directions, including the subs on the bench, and for one moment everything about this sorry mess of a season was put to one side.

Brighton would eventually leave Xavi and Spurs heartbroken thanks to Georginio Rutter's 95th minute leveller but it was clear that Xavi is the man De Zerbi needs to spark a failing team back to life.

"I think I'm lucky to have this player on my team, but also he's lucky because with me as a number 10, I can understand him better than other coaches," said De Zerbi.

Frank and Tudor both overlooked Xavi and paid the price. If De Zerbi builds his team around the gifted Dutchman, with Maddison marching towards a return as well, then it might not be too late for Spurs.

As Tottenham continue their quest to avoid relegation from the Premier League, one Spurs star has since been linked with an exit this summer

The agent of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is understood to be in talks with Fenerbahce. The 23-year-old is reportedly on a shortlist of midfield targets the Turkish club are pursuing.

The Senegalese international was recruited by Spurs from French outfit FC Metz during the 2021-22 campaign, as part of a busy transfer window under Nuno Espirito-Santo that also brought Bryan Gil, Cristian Romero and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini to North London. Since his arrival, Sarr has contributed 11 goals and 10 assists across 138 outings for Spurs.

Yet his future at the club is now in doubt, with reports from Turkey claiming his agent is in talks with the club, in the middle of Spurs' battle against relegation. This news is not ideal for Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, who recently issued a rallying cry to his players, stating players "have to be stronger, focused and come to training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile otherwise they go home."

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Turkish publication Fotomaç has reported negotiations are already under way to lure the midfielder to the Turkish Super Lig. According to the report, the Istanbul giants, who are managed by former Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco, are also looking to move on ex-Manchester United midfielder Fred, who made his name during a five-season spell at Old Trafford between 2018 and 2023.

The Brazilian arrived at United in the summer of 2018 from Shakhtar Donetsk for £49m, before being offloaded to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in 2023 for £8.62m. His future in Turkey now looks uncertain, with the club casting their net wide in search of midfield reinforcements.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi will have little appetite for transfer speculation at present, with Spurs having squandered a chance to climb above the relegation zone last weekend.

What would have been Tottenham's first Premier League victory of 2026 appeared to be within reach against De Zerbi's former side Brighton and Hove Albion, with Xavi Simons finding the top corner to put Spurs 2-1 ahead.

However, Georginio Rutter's 95th-minute equaliser cruelly denied them all three points. A visibly disappointed De Zerbi spoke candidly after the final whistle, saying: "I am proud of their performance.

"They have to be stronger, focused and come to training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile otherwise they go home. I have no time to see negative people or to see sad players or sad assistants.

"We are lucky because we are working at a big club, a big stadium, we are working in Premier League and we have the qualities, the right qualities to win the game, so we have to be positive. I don't like the people who cry and who thinks in negative way."

Tottenham now face a crucial trip to already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend, a fixture they simply cannot afford to drop points in. The north London side will then round off their campaign with matches against Aston Villa (away), Leeds United (home), Chelsea (away) and Everton (home).