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Roberto De Zerbi wants to make wholesale changes to the Tottenham Hotspur squad this summer, and Johan Lange has already lined up a few deals ahead of the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have already begun preparations for next season, with Roberto De Zerbi eager to build a new team from scratch. As soon as it was confirmed that the Lilywhites had avoided relegation from the Premier League, the 47-year-old immediately turned his attention to the transfer window.

Speaking to reporters following the nervy win over Everton on the final day of the campaign, De Zerbi raised eyebrows when he suggested that half of the squad could be axed this summer. The Italian said: "From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team.

"I think we have now to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough. Like players. Especially like people. And then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players."

Then, in an interview with club media once the dust had settled, De Zerbi doubled down. He said: "I'm looking forward to build a new team. I'm looking forward to call these players, to speak with them and to introduce the new season and to speak with the new players we have to bring.

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"We are lucky to stay here, and we have to compete in the best way we can," added De Zerbi. "We have to organise the next season, we have to build a stronger team. Now we have to move on and to prepare the future of our club."

So, with that being said, football.london has looked at what business Tottenham have already done ahead of the summer transfer window.

De Zerbi signs Premier League-proven stars

The Lilywhites have already welcomed a couple of new faces to Hotspur Way this summer, and De Zerbi seems determined to bolster his squad with Premier League-proven talent. Tottenham began by signing Andrew Robertson on a free transfer from Liverpool.

The Spurs boss described him as a 'proven winner', who will add 'technical quality, experience, leadership and mentality' to the team. Johan Lange also pointed out that Robertson's 'professionalism and commitment' will be 'invaluable to the development of the squad'.

Then, before Senesi earned a late call-up to the Argentina squad at the World Cup, the Lilywhites wrapped up another deal. Tottenham signed the 29-year-old centre-back on a free transfer from Bournemouth.

Singing from the same hymn sheet, the Tottenham sporting director noted Senesi's 'combination of quality, intelligence and leadership' as a factor behind his arrival. Meanwhile, among his many attractive traits, De Zerbi expressed fondness for his 'personality to thrive in a demanding environment'.

To arrive: Andrew Robertson and Marco Senesi.

Bissouma leads mass Tottenham exodus

Yves Bissouma headlined the waves of departures from Hotspur Way earlier this month. The 29-year-old midfielder, whom Tottenham signed from Brighton for £30m during the summer of 2022, didn't have the desired impact in north London, and his final season was plagued with injury problems.

He was followed out the back door by a handful of under-21 and under-18 players, who had enjoyed varying levels of success in the academy over the years. An official statement from the club reads: "We extend our grateful thanks to all departing players and their families for their contributions to the club and wish them every success in the future."

football.london's writers debate whether Tottenham Hotspur should keep or sell Luka Vuskovic, who has been heavily linked with a move away this summer

Tottenham Hotspur have a huge decision to make over the future of talented defender Luka Vuskovic.

The 19-year-old signed for Spurs when he was just 16 years old, joining from Hajduk Split in a deal believed to be worth around £12million. But the Croatian did not officially join the north Londoners until last year after he had turned 18.

Vuskovic, who is part of Croatia's World Cup 2026 squad, is regarded as one of the best emerging defenders in world football and impressed on loan at Hamburg last season. It's believed a number of clubs are tracking the teenager ahead of the summer transfer window, with it being reported on Friday that Brighton & Hove Albion have made a £30million offer.

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With Roberto De Zerbi now at the helm, Vuskovic's future at the club is unclear. Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away but Spurs have been pursuing Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke, and have already signed Marcos Senesi.

So, should Tottenham keep Vuskovic? Or should they look to cash in on the defender? football.london's writers have their say, below!

Sam Truelove

Luka Vuskovic is certainly a decent player who could, one day, develop into a world class talent. Micky van de Ven will be Spurs' left-sided centre-back next season and it's just a matter of who will partner the Dutchman.

Cristian Romero looks likely to leave but Roberto De Zerbi seems intent on signing Jan Paul van Hecke, which would probably make Vuskovic the third-choice centre-back at the club. Vuskovic needs to play and I see his situation extremely similar to that of William Saliba a few years ago.

Despite Arsenal fans crying out for Saliba to play, Mikel Arteta sent the Frenchman (then aged 19) on loan to Nice and then to Marseille. Those minutes proved invaluable and the defender came back to Emirates Stadium a different beast.

Vuskovic should follow a similar path, I believe. Tottenham should not sell the defender this summer but instead look to loan him out. Whether that is to a Premier League side like Brighton is another question, but the Seagulls certainly do have a knack of improving players.

Verdict: Loan move

Jake Stokes

Luka Vuskovic should go out on loan next season. The 19-year-old defender would be a brilliant addition to the Tottenham Hotspur squad next season, but Roberto De Zerbi needs to steady the ship before he, or the club, begin to integrate any exciting young players.

Next season, the Lilywhites will no doubt be heavily scrutinised as they look to qualify for one of UEFA's three club competitions. The Spurs boss and his players will be under immense pressure to deliver results and, ultimately, avoid another relegation battle.

Although Vuskovic would bolster De Zerbi's options at the back, he wouldn't be afforded the freedom to continue his development at the same rate while learning from his mistakes. Back at Hamburg, for example, the teenager, who was a fan favourite, could pick up from where he left off and relish his somewhat talismanic role.

Meanwhile, Tottenham could bring in Jan Paul van Hecke, as well as a few other Premier League-proven players, and steady the ship. In an ideal world, De Zerbi will still be in charge with European football under his belt; Vuskovic can then hit the ground running in a settled team that doesn't feel like it's in a constant state of emergency or panic.

Verdict: Loan move

Alasdair Gold

Spurs have made some utterly daft transfer decisions over the years but selling Luka Vuskovic might just sit at the top of the tree.

After the season he's had, £30million is a drop in the ocean compared to what the teenage Croatian's value has soared to after a year in which he finished in the Bundesliga Team of the Year with the likes of Harry Kane.

One can only hope it's part of Brighton's gameplan to get more money out of Tottenham for Van Hecke, because even contemplating selling one of the top young defensive talents in the game right now before he's even pulled on the shirt for the club would be remarkable.

If Spurs get Van Hecke then Vuskovic will not play enough football so a loan move makes far more sense, even if there's an argument for getting him involved now rather than signing the Dutchman. However, the 26-year-old was arguably De Zerbi's most successful project at Brighton with the rapid improvements he made so the Italian knows what he can bring while the Croatian is yet to work with him.

That doesn't mean Spurs should jettison Vuskovic now for someone else to gain. Brighton could flip him within a year at that price and double their money.

Arsenal showed with William Saliba's three loans that you can be patient with centre-backs and now they are reaping the rewards. Tottenham must do the same.

The World Cup is on but it's also time to start looking forward to next season and Tottenham Hotspur already have a string of fixtures lined up

Tottenham must start looking to pre-season which is probably a good thing as nobody wants to keep looking back at that previous miserable campaign.

The summer brings with it fresh hope under Roberto De Zerbi and the Italian already has four Spurs fixtures ahead in the diary before the Premier League fixtures are released next Friday to fill out what comes next. There's a World Cup to get out of the way first but it won't be too long until the Spurs players start filing through the doors of Hotspur Way again.

With that big competition taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the start of the Premier League season has been pushed back a couple of weeks to August 22. That means De Zerbi's first team players are not expected back to their Enfield training ground to begin pre-season work until the end of the second week of July. Those early days will be about medical and physical work before getting on to the pitches fully at the beginning of the week starting July 13.

Of course various Spurs players will have different staggered return times depending on their international involvements, with some having played in friendlies well into this month and others doing their duty at that World Cup thing.

So what's the first summer game for Tottenham? The club confirmed on Friday that they will be hosting League One side MK Dons at Hotspur Way on Wednesday July 22. Unless another training ground friendly is arranged in the preceding weekend, that could be the first chance for De Zerbi to look over his Spurs squad in a match situation and their early physical status.

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That could mean catch up with those who have had long-term injuries such as James Maddison and potentially Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski. It will also allow De Zerbi to make some transfer and loan decisions as he will be able to look more closely at many of the U21s players and those first teamers who have come back from loan.

Very quickly after the game against the Dons next month, Spurs will jet off across to other side of the world to New Zealand to take on Auckland FC on Sunday, July 26 at Eden Park. The following day, De Zerbi's men will head across on a shorter journey to Australia to start their preparations for a fixture against A-League side Sydney FC on Wednesday, July 29 at the Allianz Stadium.

Then to close out their summer tour Tottenham will meet some very familiar Premier League opposition in the Australian city as part of the 2026 Sydney Super Cup. It will be the first match played outside the UK against local rivals Chelsea on Saturday, August 1 at the 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium.

With 21 days remaining of pre-season after that, more friendly fixtures are expected and there's the potential for a game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the new Premier League campaign begins.

Tottenham's defensive rebuild is taking shape as Roberto De Zerbi looks to add to his two summer signings

Tottenham can finally look to the future after a nervy finale to the Premier League season saw Roberto De Zerbi steer them to safety on the last day of the season. The Italian head coach has already marked his stamp in north London with two statement signings, capturing Champions League winner Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth on free transfers. But more arrivals are expected during the summer transfer window to help De Zerbi finalise his ideal defence.

Robertson, 32, spent eight trophy-laden years at Anfield and his experience will be pivotal in helping reset the culture in north London, while Senesi has proved to be one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League. De Zerbi is far from finished in terms of assembling his backline for next term, however, making his intention clear to reunite with Jan Paul van Hecke.

Football.london understands the Lewis family, who own Spurs, have pledged further funds to push through the required changes this summer. That's reflected in Spurs' pursuit of Van Hecke after seeing two bids rejected for the Dutchman, as Brighton hold out for a £70 million fee.

The Netherlands international is part of the Oranje's World Cup squad in the United States and Spurs' attempts to agree a deal before the tournament kicks off have so far proved unsuccessful. Still, the numbers involved are an indication of the club's ambition to improve following dismal back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the league.

The Lilywhites are planning a rebuild which could involve an entirely new centre-back pairing. With doubts emerging over the future of captain Cristian Romero and star defender Micky van de Ven, De Zerbi is preparing himself by pursuing a deal for Van Hecke to partner Luka Vuskovic.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a sensational loan spell with Hamburg in the Bundesliga last season, scoring six goals in 28 appearances despite playing primarily as a centre-back. The German outfit were keen to extend his stay for another 12 months, but Spurs' desire to retain the Serbian for next season suggests he is set for a more involved role in the squad.

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Vuskovic has already hinted that he won't be returning to Hamburg or going out on loan again. When asked about his future plans, the teenager told Nova TV: “Playing with my brother [Mario] at HSV would be a dream and a dream come true for me, but it’s hardly possible. I don’t know what else to say except... impossible.”

He also gave a glowing review of his new coach De Zerbi, adding: "I think he's a top-class coach. He likes attacking football, he likes build-up play, and I really like that. I hope we'll work well together in the future."

It could prove to be a match made in heaven. De Zerbi is keen to hand first-team opportunities to young players and Spurs will be eager to ensure Vuskovic gets playing time to continue his development.

Senesi's arrival coupled with the chase for Van Hecke might limit Vuskovic to a bench role in the Premier League, especially if Romero or Van de Ven remain at the club. But there is scope for him to get minutes under his belt in domestic cup competitions.

Adding Van Hecke to Robertson and Senesi, a duo with a wealth of Premier League experience, is only to going to strengthen them with Pedro Porro entrenched as their first-choice right-back and Djed Spence providing competition.

In terms of departures, Kevin Danso could leave if Van Hecke is signed this summer, while Radu Dragusin is expected to return to Italy on a permanent deal and young left-back Souza may head out on loan. Whether they can hang onto Romero and Van de Ven is another matter entirely, and losing two of their senior leaders would represent a hammer blow ahead of the new season.

With a deal for Manchester City winger Savinho also advancing, the dreadful memories from the 2025/26 campaign under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor are gradually fading into the distance. Add an exciting talent like Vuskovic into the mix and the future looks a lot brighter for Spurs under their innovative new leader De Zerbi.

Right-back: Pedro Porro, Djed Spence

Centre-back: Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Luka Vuskovic

Tottenham have a big contingent of players out on duty at the World Cup and here's how you can watch every single one of them in action

Tottenham's group of World Cup players has risen to 11 after their recent transfer activity with the club hoping to take it to 12.

Spurs ' latest signings Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi will be playing their part at the huge global competition being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Senesi only found out on Thursday that he was a late call-up to the Argentina squad as injury cover by boss Lionel Scaloni. That completed a whirlwind few days for the Bournemouth centre-back after he tied up his free transfer to Tottenham.

The arrival of the two new signings bumped up the north London club's participants at the World Cup to 11, while the Lilywhites are trying to tie up a deal for Netherlands centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke before his country kick off their tournament on Sunday against Japan, which would give the Spurs fans 12 players to keep a special eye on over the coming month of football.

In case you wanted to know exactly when Roberto De Zerbi's players are in action during the group stages and also how you can watch them (if you live in the UK), here's how you can do just that.

It all kicks off with Robertson's Scotland in the early hours this weekend and some of the Tottenham players come up against each other in the early rounds. If you do want to keep an eye on Van Hecke then just look out for Micky van de Ven below and the Netherlands fixtures:

Sunday June 14

Andy Robertson - Scotland vs Haiti (Kick-off 2am on BBC)

Micky van de Ven – Netherlands vs Japan (Kick-off 9pm on ITV)

Monday June 15

Lucas Bergvall – Sweden vs Tunisia (Kick-off 3am on ITV)

Pedro Porro – Spain vs Cape Verde (Kick-off 5pm on ITV)

Rodrigo Bentancur – Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Kick-off 11pm on ITV)

Tuesday June 16

Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal vs France (Kick-off 8pm on BBC)

Wednesday June 17

Cristian Romero and Marcos Senesi – Argentina vs Algeria (Kick-off 2am on ITV)

Kevin Danso – Austria vs Jordan (Kick-off 5am on BBC)

Djed Spence vs Luka Vuskovic – England vs Croatia (Kick-off 9pm on ITV)

Friday June 19

Andy Robertson - Scotland vs Morocco (Kick-off 11pm on ITV)

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Saturday June 20

Micky van de Ven vs Lucas Bergvall – Netherlands vs Sweden (Kick-off 6pm on BBC)

Sunday June 21

Pedro Porro – Spain vs Saudi Arabia (Kick-off 5pm on BBC)

Rodrigo Bentancur – Uruguay vs Cape Verde (Kick-off 11pm on BBC)

Monday June 22

Cristian Romero and Marcos Senesi vs Kevin Danso – Argentina vs Austria (Kick-off 6pm on BBC)

Tuesday June 23

Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal vs Norway (Kick-off 1am on ITV)

Djed Spence – England vs Ghana (Kick-off 9pm on BBC)

Wednesday June 24

Luka Vuskovic – Croatia vs Panama (Kick-off 12am on BBC)

Andy Robertson - Scotland vs Brazil (Kick-off 11pm on BBC)

Friday June 26

Lucas Bergvall – Sweden vs Japan (Kick-off 12am on BBC)

Micky van de Ven – Netherlands vs Tunisia (Kick-off 12am on BBC)

Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal vs Iraq (Kick-off 8pm on ITV)

Saturday June 27

Rodrigo Bentancur vs Pedro Porro – Uruguay vs Spain (Kick-off 1am on ITV)

Djed Spence – England vs Panama (Kick-off 10pm on ITV)

Luka Vuskovic – Croatia vs Ghana (Kick-off 10pm on ITV)

Sunday June 28

Kevin Danso – Austria vs Algeria (Kick-off 3am on BBC)

Tottenham Hotspur's pre-season plans under Roberto De Zerbi are continuing to be formalised with a new match confirmed for late July

Tottenham are set to play a behind-closed-doors friendly next month as Roberto De Zerbi gets to work and continues to analyse his squad during the transfer window.

Spurs have confirmed that they will welcome League One side MK Dons to Hotspur Way on Wednesday July 22 as part of their pre-season preparations. With the World Cup pushing the start of the Premier League season back to August 22, De Zerbi's first team players are not expected back to pre-season work until the end of the second week of July for early medical and physical work before getting on to the pitches fully at the beginning of the week starting July 13.

Unless another training ground friendly is arranged that following weekend, the MK Dons game could be the first chance for De Zerbi to look over his Spurs squad and their early physical status. That will mean those players not at the World Cup and hopefully those who have had long-term injuries such as James Maddison and potentially Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski.

It will also allow De Zerbi to make some transfer and loan decisions as he will be able to look more closely at many of the U21s players and those first teamers who have come back from loan such as Mikey Moore, Will Lankshear, Jamie Donley, Manor Solomon, Ashley Phillips and various others that the Italian has not worked with yet.

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MK Dons finished second in League Two last season, meaning they achieved automatic promotion back to League One under head coach Paul Warne. Spurs have faced the Buckinghamshire side before in pre-season, five years ago, with a 3-1 victory at Stadium MK, featuring goals from Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura.

Soon after the game against the Dons next month, Spurs will fly off to New Zealand to take on Auckland FC on Sunday, July 26 at Eden Park. The following day, they move on to Australia for a fixture against A-League side Sydney FC on Wednesday, July 29 at the Allianz Stadium.

Then Tottenham will meet Premier League opposition in the Australian city as part of the 2026 Sydney Super Cup, with a first match outside the UK against local rivals Chelsea on Saturday, August 1 at the 83,500-capacity Accor Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur have started the transfer window well but a wrong decision over one of their most prized young assets could upset the fanbase

After a bright start to the transfer window for Tottenham, the prospect of selling one of Europe's top young talents in Luka Vuskovic to Brighton before he's even played for the club would be taking a huge step backwards for the future.

Spurs have moved swiftly in the summer window with the addition of both Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi to Roberto De Zerbi's back line on free transfers. Both experienced defenders will be playing at the World Cup and so will 19-year-old Vuskovic, who has been getting Europe's biggest clubs talking this season.

The Croatian starred in Germany for struggling Hamburg and played a huge role, despite his age, in keeping them in the top flight. His eye-catching performances earned him a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Year and a spot in his country's World Cup squad.

With his value shooting up from the £12million Spurs signed him for back in 2023 ahead of Manchester City, to north of £50million, clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich began to circle.

"Fantastic! That’s quality. At 18, he plays as if he’s already played in three World Cups," said German legend and former Bayern midfielder Lothar Matthaus. "When I was 30, I didn’t see what he saw at 18. This player is so intelligent. You rarely find that. How cleverly he played. He’s doing everything right. Something really, really great could come of this."

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said of Vuskovic: "He's a great talent. The Bundesliga is a very difficult league to develop as a young central defender. You have to be physically strong. Having a key role at HSV is ideal."

Former Spurs and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, one of the most decorated players in the game, said of his namesake: "He has a great future ahead of him, he just has to keep going like this."

When Vuskovic finally arrived at Spurs last summer - as he had to be 18-years-old by EU rules - he played a couple of friendly matches but there was an acceptance from him and the club that he was not ready yet for the Premier League. One concern was his acceleration and pace, which the teenager has been addressing this season by working with former Croatian decathlete Josko Vlasic.

"[Spurs] offered me an option to stay, to play in case of injury or cup matches, but I wanted continuous minutes," the defender admitted soon after his loan to HSV. "They have Romero and Van de Ven playing there, two of the best centre-backs in the world at the moment.

"I believe in myself, but it's really difficult to play next to them. I've faced them and I realised that I still have to work harder. A lot of work and a little luck, so I'll be back."

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The question now is whether Vuskovic will be back? His development this season has been remarkable and the Spurs fans are excited about seeing him finally play for their club. If Barcelona and Bayern want a defender then surely they're good enough for Tottenham?

Well that depends on De Zerbi and those at the club who have placed so much power in the Italian's hands. To immediately improve a defence that has conceded 183 goals in the Premier League in the past three seasons alone, the new head coach needs ready-made defenders.

The left-footed Senesi will compete with Micky van de Ven on the left of the centre-back pairing and De Zerbi wants one of his most successful Brighton projects, Jan Paul van Hecke, to bolster the right-hand side. Even with mooted departures for Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin, that would leave Van Hecke and Kevin Danso on the right, with Ben Davies also able to cover the left after signing a 12-month extension to his contract.

That does not leave much in the way of minutes for Vuskovic in a season without European football. So loaning the teenager out again would, while being disappointing for the player, make sense with De Zerbi desperate to bring in Van Hecke.

Arsenal played the long game with William Saliba's three loans after they beat their north London rivals to sign the Frenchman in 2019 and Vuskovic, who has a deal until 2030, could follow a similar path, especially if Tottenham offer him a much better contract along with promises about the future.

From Tottenham's perspective, a loan to Brighton makes perfect sense to get him acclimatised to the Premier League but the Seagulls' £30million bid for Vuskovic makes no such sense for the north London club other than getting some money off the Van Hecke deal.

It could be seen as a huge mistake down the line. The 26-year-old Dutchman is an excellent Premier League defender but those in the game believe Vuskovic has a higher ceiling and is as important in the opposition box as he is at defending in his own.

Brighton may not want to develop Tottenham's player for just a season, while including Vuskovic in the deal would mean they would have to pay less money to NAC Breda, who are due 7.5 per cent of any transfer fee for Van Hecke. Bidding for the Croatian could simply be part of the game in trying to get Spurs to increase their bid for Van Hecke. Brighton are a club known for getting huge sums for their players and they're very good at selling at the right price point.

For Tottenham this would be the complete opposite. Other than making some quick cash at way below the market valuation, there's little logic to selling one of Europe's top young talents before he's even pulled on the club shirt.

A buy-back clause would be useless if Vuskovic decided against returning to a club that had no interest in playing him. This is not like Real Madrid inserting a buy-back clause where the pull to come back to the Bernabeu is always there.

Spurs are determined to get better money from their sales after years of losing players for very little or often nothing, as with Yves Bissouma's exit this month. However, that does not mean they should entertain this low offer for Vuskovic, especially with the teenager's value only expected to rise after this World Cup. There is no indication yet of how Tottenham reacted to Brighton's bid for Vuskovic.

Fixing the north London club for the present is the right way to go this summer but it should not be done through risking the future. One can be done alongside the other.

Jermaine Jenas is coming up to the two-year anniversary of his sacking from the BBC, which seemingly ended his television career

Jermaine Jenas has revealed his dismissal from the BBC for 'inappropriate behaviour' led him to "lose everything".

Jenas, 43, faced questioning over the conduct that resulted in his BBC departure during a heated exchange with Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh on Good Morning Britain. In August 2024, the broadcaster terminated Jenas's positions as a presenter on the One Show and as a pundit on Match of the Day, following complaints regarding his behaviour.

Shortly afterwards, Jenas and his wife Ellie went through a divorce after spending 16 years together. Two years on from his BBC exit, Jenas confronted the allegations live on GMB.

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He said: "Well, I think that I've reached a point recently where there was a lot of uncertainty in my life, a lot of fear in terms of direction, in terms of where it was going. It's been a tough two-year period, in particular, what my family has been through.

"And I don't know, I just got to this point where I was like, I feel like I need to just start speaking to, whether it was my own personal community or my social media, just to see if there was anybody else out there that felt how I felt.

"I don't know whether it was the level of vulnerability that I'd shown or just the honesty that I'd shown in the post, because it was true. I was in a place where I was like, I don't know what's next, currently. And then there was this kind of flourish of people saying that's exactly how I feel. And it was interesting.

"I think my feelings kind of aside, because I think with a lot of the criticism that I perceived, the punishment, I've lost everything, essentially. My job, my family, everything was kind of taken away from me. It's not for me to decide the punishments, but that's exactly what happened.

"But my feelings aside, I was more thinking about my children. I was more thinking about Ellie and what I put her through, what I put my mother through. It was so hard.

"It was hard for them and it has been hard for them, and it continues to be hard for them. And I think that that's where I had to put most of my attention at that particular time, to try and do what I could to help protect them."

A tense exchange subsequently unfolded between him and Kate Garraway, who observed that he had failed to reference the women he contacted prior to his dismissal in his initial remarks. When pressed on whether he wished to apologise to the women he messaged, he responded: "I've always apologised.

"I don't think that's something that I've never done. I've always apologised to everybody that was involved in it, whether it was the women who I was messaging and who were messaging me.

"I don't think in terms of, you know, to sit in front of them, I wasn't given the opportunity to sit in front of anybody. I really apologise to anybody and that's fine, you know, but there's a duty of care around the whole situation."

Tottenham have reportedly received an offer for defender Luka Vuskovic as the summer transfer window approaches

Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly made a bid to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic, with the defender apparently preferring a move to the Amex Stadium.

The summer transfer window is fast approaching and Spurs will be busy preparing for the start of next season, where a host of players are already being linked with moves to north London.

Tottenham are also seeing some of their players linked with moves away this summer, with Vuskovic’s name now emerging on the rumour mill.

The Athletic have reported that Brighton have offered £30million to try and sign Vuskovic this summer, while Spurs are also braced for interest from other clubs across Europe.

The report claims that Vuskovic himself favours a move to Brighton, believing that it would prove to be the right step to continue his development.

It has not been stated which other clubs could have an interest in signing the 19-year-old centre-back, who spent last season on loan at Bundesliga club Hamburg.

The defender made 30 appearances during his loan spell in Germany, and has been widely tipped to be one of the most talented young defenders in Europe.

Vuskovic is also reportedly in favour of a move to Brighton to work with the club’s manager, Fabian Hurzeler, where there is “mutual trust” that a deal would be suitable for all parties.

It remains to be seen what the future will hold for Vuskovic, who was signed by Tottenham in 2023 from Hajduk Split, when the centre-back was 16 years old at the time.

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Vuskovic is yet to make a competitive appearance for Tottenham since joining the club, and is currently part of the Croatia squad for this summer’s World Cup, where they will face England in their Group L opener on Wednesday night.

Spurs have already been busy in the transfer market this summer, with two new additions already made to strengthen their defence.

Andy Robertson has been signed on a free transfer following his departure from Liverpool, while Spurs also confirmed the signing of Marcos Senesi, whose deal at Bournemouth also expires this summer.

Tottenham also have an interest in signing Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, and it remains to be seen whether the Seagulls’ offer for Vuskovic will have an impact.

It has been a whirlwind few days for Marcos Senesi, who has signed for Tottenham and been called up for the World Cup

Marcos Senesi's footballer girlfriend is firmly behind her partner's move to Tottenham.

It has been a remarkable start to the summer for Senesi, who has secured a move to Spurs following the expiration of his contract at Bournemouth and has subsequently received a call-up to Argentina's World Cup squad as a replacement for the injured Leonardo Balerdi. The two developments mean Senesi and his partner, Kelci-Rose Bowers, who recently featured for Bournemouth's women's side, will be apart for longer periods.

Senesi, 29, joined the Cherries from Feyenoord in 2022 and is understood to have begun his relationship with Bowers shortly after she signed for the Dorset club, initially on a loan deal, in March 2024. Since then, the couple's romance has flourished, with the pair championing one another's professional endeavours.

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Following confirmation of Senesi's transfer to Spurs, Bowers took to her Instagram story to write: "A new chapter that I'm so happy to be part of."

Subsequently, upon Senesi being drafted in to join Lionel Messi and co at the World Cup, she posted: "OMGGGGGGGGG, it's happening," accompanied by a heart emoji. Bowers even captured the moment he received the call to head to North America.

She said on the video: "We just came back from being in Miami on holiday. We came back to Ibiza just to enjoy a bit and relax, but this whole time neither of us have switched off.

"We are both aware of the situation so we've not been able to fully enjoy, do you know what I mean? And now, Marcos, he's just been called up!

"Are you joking? This is literally what both of us have just been praying for, every day he's been thinking about this. This is crazy."

Following the call, the pair embraced and screamed with joy. Bowers has carved out an impressive career in her own right.

She balanced playing for Bournemouth in the Women's National League alongside a thriving modelling career. It was confirmed earlier this month that she had departed the Cherries, with her future destination yet to be revealed.

Bowers, who is represented by modelling agency FORTE, regularly enjoys luxurious trips across Europe, documenting them for her 225,000 Instagram followers. Last summer, the 22-year-old travelled to Senesi's native country and has been a regular presence at his fixtures, including away matches.

Next season, when her schedule permits, she will be travelling to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch Senesi, who has become the latest addition to Spurs' reconstruction under Roberto De Zerbi.

Senesi said: "It's a very special feeling to be a Tottenham Hotspur player. From the first moment, the club has shown why they want me and how much they want me to be a part of what they are building. It's exciting and something I can't wait to be involved in."