Football London

The Tottenham Hotspur captain is back home in Argentina and the club's supporters are angry that he will miss Sunday's crunch game against Everton

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has returned to Argentina as part of pre-planned rehabilitation scheduled weeks ago and is not set to watch his boyhood team there, football.london understands.

Spurs fans have been in uproar over reports that the centre-back would not be present at the do-or-die match against Everton on Sunday which will decide whether the north London club remain in the Premier League next season. There had also been suggestions that Romero would instead be at his first club Belgrano's Primera Division final against River Plate on Sunday.

However, it is understood that the defender will not be attending that game in Argentina and instead is going through a set rehabilitation plan that has been in place for weeks for his knee injury suffered against Sunderland last month.

Romero had the option to return immediately to his homeland and begin his rehabilitation under the supervision of the Argentina national team medical staff, who are recognised among the leading specialists in the world for this type of recovery, but initially turned that down.

The 28-year-old chose to remain in London for as long as possible in order to stay close to his team-mates and continue supporting the club throughout a crucial period of the season and was often in team meetings and speaking daily with boss Roberto De Zerbi about the situation.

In the meantime, members of the Argentina national team medical staff instead travelled to London to work closely with him on a daily basis, alongside Spurs' medical department, to oversee the first phase of his rehabilitation. The second phase, which has involved his trip to Argentina this week, is understood to have always been part of the recovery plan with Romero to complete the final stage of his rehabilitation there before continuing his work at the AFA training centre.

Romero's agent Ciro Palermo told football.london: "Any suggestion that the trip was made for the purpose of attending football matches is entirely inaccurate. More than that, it is a completely fabricated narrative being circulated by people who are unaware of the facts and have no knowledge of the rehabilitation plan that has been in place for weeks.

"Cristian's focus is, and has always been, on recovering as strongly as possible, preparing for the World Cup, and supporting Tottenham Hotspur in every way he can. His commitment to the club, his team-mates and the supporters has been evident throughout his time at Tottenham and remains unchanged."

Here's every word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said at his press conference ahead of Sunday's crunch Premier League finale against Everton

The subject of Cristian Romero dominated Roberto De Zerbi's final pre-match press conference of the season as Tottenham host Everton with their Premier League status at stake.

Spurs take on David Moyes' Toffees at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as West Ham host Leeds at the London Stadium. The north London club are two points above the Hammers and, with their better goal difference, can draw with or beat Everton to stay up while Nuno Espirito Santo's side must beat Daniel Farke's outfit 12 miles across the capital regardless.

An added subject for De Zerbi is his captain Romero, who has angered the Tottenham fans. The centre-back is back in Argentina, training with his boyhood club Belgrano and is expected to be in attendance at their Primera Division final against River Plate on Sunday rather than returning home for Tottenham's huge match.

De Zerbi also discussed the latest injury news on Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario and if Dejan Kulusevski will be back to watch Spurs in their final game as well as Djed Spence's broken jaw and England World Cup call-up.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

With injury news, is Solanke able to play and how many minutes can Maddison play?

Solanke is available. We have to decide if he starts in the first 11 or not, and Maddison is available. It is always tough to decide before the game how many minutes he can play. Of course, he is a different player, a top player for us. But we have to analyse the physical condition, the Italian weather and a lot of things. But both are available.

What did you make of James Maddison's words after the game?

In football there are different games and this type of game (is) like a final. For us, for West Ham, it will be two finals, and we have to adapt, we have to change the habits.

I think it's a great thing to have the chance to play as a player. If I think as a player, for me this type of games are good to play, to prepare, to suffer the pressure. The pressure is good, it depends on if you are able to think, to stay strong with you, first of all, to stay positive, and I think you can become…I said after the Chelsea game, this type of game you can become better as a coach, as a player, as a man, because you can become better going through the tough moments. If everything is good in life, you can improve, but not in this way.

What do you make of Romero’s decision to travel to Argentina this week?

He spoke with the medical staff, together they decided to go to Argentina to complete the rehab with the Argentinian medical staff. We spoke last week. With me, he showed always that he wanted to stay with us, the injury is already an injury and we have to accept it.

I am not stupid. I want to be clear. I am not stupid. If I understand there is any player, or some player, who thinks for himself before the club, I can't be the same Roberto. But with Cuti Romero, I can't say nothing, because with me, in my time, he has been correct in the beginning, until now.

Sunday is the biggest day this club has had, and your captain is not going to be there?

I will answer you. The decision was with the medical staff, and I think he can't change nothing if Romero tomorrow is in the stadium or not. And finally, I have no time to lose energy, to lose thinking other things. We have to be focused just on the game, and I think we have the players good enough to achieve our target.

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Some reports this week have said that Djed Spence has a broken jaw, following that challenge from Liam Delap on Tuesday, how is he doing?

He is available, he is available, I think it was another situation, bad for us, because I think it was a red card for Delap, but we have to repeat, I have no time to lose, no energy to lose, thinking about the referees or other things, red card, yellow card, and we move on thinking just on the game.

Under you so far, Djed has only made one Premier League start. He will be part of the England squad for the World Cup, why haven't we seen more of Djed in your team?

He is a great guy, I love Djed as a guy, after the game I spoke with his mum, outside of the stadium, his family, and I said the same, he has a big heart, he is a big player and a big guy, and all of us we are happy that he can go to play in the World Cup.

On Sunday it is a final for Spurs, it is a big game obviously for West Ham as well, do you play for the win from the start or look to protect the draw?

We can't change our style, our mentality, we have to play with order, with the right behaviour with the ball and without the ball, but we can't change ourselves, because if we change ourselves or what we have done in my time, because I can't speak before I came here, normally we have to be focused on the counter attack because we are very good in this part of football.

We have to be focused on their qualities because they have very good players, especially wingers and strikers, but I think also we have the qualities and the players good enough to play a good game and to stay up.

Just going back to your captain, I just wondered if you think it shows commitment from him and if it was his decision to stay in Argentina or to come back and give moral support to his team-mates because he is the leader of this football club?

Sometimes the leader, not all leaders are the same. Ben Davies spoke with me and he asked to stay today to work with us and tomorrow we sleep in The Lodge, the hotel, and he wants to stay with the team, the team-mates, but Romero is preparing for the World Cup, he has an injury and for me nothing has changed. And then we have to think after tomorrow, we have to think everything is for the future, the best future of Tottenham.

How much do your team need to concentrate and ignore noises from the crowd and maybe other cheers from the crowd, how much do you need to ignore what's going on at West Ham or do you want to know what's going on?

No, I want to stay focused on ourselves, on our performance, on what we can do on the pitch because it's in our hands.

This club hasn't been relegated since 1977, it's their biggest game for so long, how nervous are you and is it your biggest game as a manager?

Listen, I've lived the last 50 days just for Tottenham and for my players. I burn, I burn nervous and for me nothing changes if we play a great game or not. I usually live football giving all of myself, I'm looking forward to playing tomorrow's game and for me it's tough to arrive but not the game because if you are good with yourself, if you think you have given everything you can, you have to stay calm and stay positive.

In football you can win, you can lose but I usually think what I can give more for my players, what I have to give in these last two days to help my players to show all their qualities, what I can do to help them to play following their qualities but not for the game because I'm 47-years-old and I'm used to playing this type of games.

You spoke a couple of weeks back about Dejan Kulusevski and you had a message exchange about him maybe coming over to support the team, will he be there on Sunday?

I don't know but I think he can't play so I have to stay focused on the players available to play.

On the players that are available, Vicario has had another week to get sharper, do you see yourself sticking with Antonin Kinsky or is he now in the frame?

You want to know too much.

But he's in your thinking?

You want to know too much.

Last one from me on Romero...

(Turns to press officer) It's a good answer 'you want to know too much' because I can answer every question like this, in good English.

It's just that when you talk about Kulusevski coming back to be at the game, you spoke about Ben Davies making the effort to actually stay with the team at the hotel, can you understand why the fans are so angry about this, that the captain is not going to be there and he could be at another match?

Do you think Cristian Romero has played his last game for Tottenham?

I don't know. I think Cristian is a top player and with me, he was a top guy. And when I say top guy, it's because I'm sure of what I'm saying. For the future? I don't know. Tomorrow is a crucial game for us, for our future, for our fans, for our club. We have to stay together and I don't want to answer about Romero, about Kulusevski, but not [only] Romero, and Kulusevski, [it's] because they can't play, they don't play and they are not here.

And my focus is on Djed Spence, on Kolo Muani, on Richarlison to give hunger. To take their balls because we have to play and to play with blood, with character and with spirit because it's a final. They played a great final last season and they won a trophy. Maybe there was a bonus, no? After tomorrow, there is not a trophy, there is not a bonus, there is something more important than trophy and a bonus, there is the future of the club, there is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the family of the players, there is the dignity of every one of us, and for that, I can't lose energy thinking about the next season.

I repeat, I'm not stupid, I have clear everything we have to do in the future, but to arrive in the future, we have to go through another two tough, tough days together because we play not in Everton stadium, we play with our fans. 60,000, no? I think great stadium. I played two games as a Tottenham coach and there were two amazing atmospheres. I'm looking forward to sit on my bench, to sit two seconds (smiles), but to stay in our stadium on Sunday at four o'clock.

Are you amazed the club is in this position after winning a European trophy last year?

No, I think no one could imagine this situation, but we are inside and we have to fight without excuses, without nothing and to play.

Can I ask about your captain on the pitch on Sunday, Micky van de Ven, how important has he been and how much have you built a relationship with him?

Great. I think he is the best centre back in the Premier League. We talk a lot of time because I think he suffered maybe too much for the situation of Tottenham this season. He's a sensitive guy, he's a good guy and in my time, I think he played amazing. And for that, I'd answer he's the best central back, left centre in the Premier League.

In terms of the team selection, you have stuck with a winning team, at right midfield, who are your options?

Right wing can play Kolo Muani, can play Bergvall, can play Souza like Liverpool game, can play Djed Spence, can play Mathys Tel in the right side and Maddison on the left side, or Pape Sarr in the left side and Mathys Tel in the right side. Kolo Muani can play striker, can play winger and we have to find the solution because we are not too many players. When you are not as a number too many, you have to find different solutions for sure.

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach is speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of their final game of the Premier League of the season against Everton

Roberto De Zerbi is holding his final pre-match press conference of the season as Tottenham prepare to take on Everton with their Premier League status at stake.

Seventeeth-placed Spurs welcome David Moyes' Toffees to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the same time that afternoon as West Ham play host to Leeds United at the London Stadium. The north London club are currently two points above the Hammers going into the final day so know that, with their better goal difference, a point or three against Everton will keep them up while Nuno Espirito Santo's side must beat Daniel Farke's outfit 12 miles across the capital.

If there was not enough for De Zerbi to think about, his captain Cristian Romero has also been caught up in a situation which has angered the Tottenham fans. The centre-back is back in Argentina, training with his boyhood club Belgrano and reports there suggest he will be in attendance at their Primera Division final against River Plate on Sunday rather than returning home for Tottenham's huge do-or-die clash.

De Zerbi will discuss that as well as the latest injury news regarding Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario's fitness and whether Dejan Kulusevski will be coming back to watch Spurs in their final game as well as Djed Spence's broken jaw and England World Cup call-up.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

Is Vicario ready to play over Kinsky?

You want to know too much!

Will Kulusevski be there?

I don’t know but I think he can’t play. I have to stay focused on the players that can play.

Has Romero played his last game for Spurs?

I don't know......After tomorrow there is no trophy, no bonus. There is more than that. There is the history of the club, the pride of the players and their families, the dignity of everyone. I can't lose energy on the future. I'm not stupid. I have clear ideas of what I want but there is a process.

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More on Romero

Roberto De Zerbi if he understands why Spurs fans are so unhappy with Cristian Romero and he said "100%."

He also said on the Spurs skipper: "Not all leaders are the same. Ben Davies spoke with me and he asked to stay today with us and he wants to stay with the team in the Lodge in the hotel with his team-mates, but Romero is preparing for the World Cup."

De Zerbi on Romero

He spoke with the medical staff. Together they decided to go to Argentina to complete the rehab with the Argentinean medical staff. We spoke last week. With me he showed always his desire to stay with us. He is injured. I'm not stupid. If I understand there is any player who thinks for himself before the club, I can't be the same Roberto. But with Cuti Romero I can't say nothing because with me he has been correct from when I started until now.

Team news from the Spurs boss

Solanke is available for selection. We have to decide if he starts in the first XI or not. Maddison is available. It's always tough to decide before the game how many minutes he can play. Of course he's a different player, a top player for us, but we have to analyse the physical condition with this Italian weather.

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Here's the Spurs loan latest

We've got the Spurs loan latest with a big night for Alejo Veliz, Luka Vuskovic and Mikey Moore talking about their Spurs future, how Kota Takai and Dane Scarlett got on out on loan, Manor Solomon latest from Italy and two youngsters in the play-offs. You can read that by clicking right here.

James Maddison has been speaking

Strong stuff from James Maddison on how many minutes he can play on Sunday and the problems Spurs have got themselves into, which you can find by going right here.

Here are our Tottenham talking points

You can find our Tottenham talking points including James Maddison's 'embarrassing' statement, what Spurs have forgotten, the odd thing that happens when the club make subs, the weird moment at the end of the game at Stamford Bridge and more by heading right here.

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Cristian Romero is in the headlines

There's been another Cristian Romero update today which you can find by reading this right here. De Zerbi will give us the very latest shortly.

Welcome to Hotspur Way

The last press conference here of the season and plenty for Roberto De Zerbi to talk about.

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Roberto De Zerbi has given the latest injury update on his Spurs squad ahead of the final Premier League game of the season

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that striker Dominic Solanke will be available for the crucial Premier League game against Everton.

Spurs go into the game knowing that a win or draw will see them secure Premier League survival. But if they lose, they will be keeping a close eye on West Ham United, who could be ready to pounce if that's the case.

The Hammers host Leeds United at the London Stadium, and know that nothing but a win will give them a chance of leapfrogging Spurs in the Premier League table, and condemn them to Championship football next season.

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Spurs have been hit with several injury problems throughout the season. They have been sweating over the fitness of Solanke ahead of the game against Everton, but there is good news over the striker.

Giving the latest in his pre-match press conference, De Zerbi said: "Solanke is available for selection. We have to decide if he starts in the first XI or not."

The Spurs boss also provided the latest on James Maddison, who is stepping up his minutes after coming back from an ACL injury.

"Maddison is available," he said. "It's always tough to decide before the game how many minutes he can play.

"Of course he's a different player, a top player for us, but we have to analyse the physical condition with this Italian weather."

Maddison himself provided an update on his return and the amount he can play. "Anyone who has worked in football or has been through this injury, it is not as easy just to drop back in," he told Sky Sports.

"It would be catastrophic for my career if something was to happen and we weren't safe or if we didn't follow the protocols from the specialist, but obviously I want to help the team as much as I can so let’s see where we get to."

Club captain Cristian Romero won't be available for selection through injury. He will be in his native Argentina for the game.

Speaking about the defender, De Zerbi confimed: "He spoke with the medical staff. Together they decided to go to Argentina to complete the rehab with the Argentinian medical staff.

"We spoke last week. With me he showed always his desire to stay with us. He is injured."

The Tottenham Hotspur captain has caused plenty of anger among the fanbase after making the decision to fly to Argentina

Belgrano president Luis Artime has claimed Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is training with his boyhood club in Argentina amid Spurs fan anger that he is reportedly will be out of the country watching another game rather than Sunday's relegation decider against Everton.

The 28-year-old had been praised by Roberto De Zerbi on Monday for his influence in recent weeks, sitting in on team meetings while injured and coming into his office every morning to discuss the team.

"Cristian Romero is a big player, you know he is a big player, but he is an amazing guy because he has been a great captain in my time even though he didn’t play," the Italian told football.london. "We are talking by phone and when he stayed here, every morning he came in my office and he was inside of the season."

Argentinean media had claimed that Romero, who often uses the phrase 'All together always' to Spurs fans on social media, had initially put off his rehabilitation in his homeland in order to remain in London with his team-mates.

However, the Spurs centre-back is now back in Argentina with reports that he will watch his first club Belgrano in their Primera Division final against River Plate on Sunday rather than return home for Tottenham's huge do-or-die game against Everton which will decide whether they remain in the Premier League or not.

That has left Tottenham fans furious that the club captain, who signed a new contract last summer, has chosen to return to his homeland and watch another game of football rather than be with the team to support them in their 90 minutes of need.

Now Belgrano president Artime has given further details on Romero's involvement with his old club after they posted a clip of the defender carrying a bag of balls on to a training pitch.

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"Yesterday he was training and I told him I think he’s going to be the one who arrives at the World Cup in the best shape. I’ve seen him and he’s in great form. He’s going to arrive well-rested, ready to join the team at its peak,” he said in interview with TyC Sports, as relayed by Catamarc Actual and Sport Witness.

"The rest are still competing. They’re all coming off tough competitions. Cuti has had a month and a half or two months of rest, during which he’s preparing very well and will be one of the best. He’s already working with the ball. He came with the national team’s physio."

Artime also light-heartedly ruled out Romero's return to the club.

"If it were up to him, he’d want to come back now, but we don’t have that kind of money. Let them loan him to us for a year and pay his salary, ha," he said.

Tottenham face Everton on Sunday with their Premier League status on the line after a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night

Cristian Romero has left Tottenham Hotspur supporters furious after it emerged he will not be in attendance for the club's relegation decider against Everton this weekend. Spurs missed the chance to clinch top-flight status after a 2-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

A point would have sent West Ham down given Tottenham’s superior goal difference, but the survival battle will roll on to Sunday, when a win or draw at home to Everton will guarantee Spurs’ safety. But rather than be in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to support his team-mates, Romero will be over 7,000 miles away in Argentina supporting his boyhood team.

The defender will be in his homeland to watch River Plate's title-deciding game against Belgrano. Romero was born in Cordoba and came through the youth ranks at Belgrano before leaving for Genoa in Italy in 2019, and the club’s president, Luis Artime, revealed after last weekend’s semi-final victory against Argentinos Juniors that Romero would watch the final with the club's official delegation.

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Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday, South American football expert Tim Vickery confirmed Romero's decision, saying: "He will be at the final of the Argentine Championship between Belgrano and River Plate."

Belgrano have never won a title in their 121-year history, while Romero hasn’t played for Spurs since damaging knee ligaments in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland last month, and is also in a battle to prove his fitness to Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni ahead of next month’s World Cup.

But the defender’s decision has left talkSPORT’s Paul Hawksbee, who is a Tottenham fan, fuming, and he even went as far as saying he will be supporting River Plate this weekend.

He said: "Good club captain, then. Not at Tottenham's biggest game since 1976 – fantastic. True to the end, good old Cristian."

Before he added: "I'll be wearing my River Plate shirt at the weekend. I think that's terrible.

"He goes and watches the club he supports as opposed to the club captain of a team that's threatened with relegation that he's not there with the lads and all the other injured players.

"But you know, I mean, as I said, true, at the end I always thought that Cristian Romero was just passing through and that Tottenham were a distraction from Argentina. But I am quite bitter."

Reacting to a video of Romero at Belgrano’s training ground, one supporter wrote: "Captain Cristian Romero at the training ground of his boyhood club Belgrano, who he has decided to prioritise instead of the club that pay his wages and could potentially be relegated in 3 days time… Absolutely disgraceful!”

Another said: “If it’s true that he won't be there Sunday I never want to see him in a Spurs shirt ever again absolutely shocking behaviour from our captain just sums up how poor our club is run that we've allowed this to happen for our last home game with what's at stake too.”

A third wrote: “What chance of being successful does a football club have when your captain and leader that the players look up to in the dressing room is Cristian Romero.”

While a fourth said: “It just gets worse and worse…Cristian Romero, it is an embarrassment to say that you wore the famous badge of #thfc.”

And a fifth wrote: “Always back Romero. Defended him when so many put him down. Believed in his connection with the club and its fans. Believed that the long standing Argentine link meant something to him. And I understand that his boyhood club could win their first ever title.

Tottenham Hotspur face Everton on Sunday with their Premier League status on the line amid a turbulent season for a club who have not been relegated since 1977

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky has been left out of the Czech Republic's latest squad as a potential injury scare before Sunday's crunch clash against Everton has been explained. The Lilywhites are fighting for their Premier League lives with Roberto De Zerbi's men just two points clear of the bottom three heading into the final game of the season.

Spurs lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday night to continue their wretched record at Stamford Bridge with just one win there in 36 years. However, top-flight survival is in their hands with a point at home to the Toffees this weekend, virtually certain to be enough due to their superior goal difference to West Ham United - who must beat Leeds to stand any chance.

Whatever happens this weekend - few will disagree that Spurs have not hugely underachieved this season. But one player who can come out of a difficult campaign with some credit is Kinsky.

The shot-stopper was substituted by then Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor during an error-strewn first-half against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League back in March.

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But the 23-year-old has recovered impressively and become a vital player for De Zerbi during the run-in after Guglielmo Vicario underwent hernia surgery.

Now, Czechia have named a 29-man squad for their international friendlies against Kosovo and Guatemala, which will be cut down to 26 for the World Cup. But Kinsky is absent from the list.

football.london understands that the goalkeeper will have a small post-season operation on a medical issue rather than anything injury-related. It means he should be fit to play on Sunday.

De Zerbi's trust in the Czech keeper was underlined in mid-week when he started him despite confirming that Vicario is his No.1 keeper.

Speaking before the Chelsea game, he said: “Vicario is available to play and I decide tomorrow.

“It’s not difficult, the decision. Vicario is number one but we have to consider the physical condition, the moment, many things. I have a big relationship with Antonin Kinsky and with Vicario as well and there will not be any problems.”

Kinsky has recently admitted to Sky Sports that he and his teammates have been boosted since De Zerbi's arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in late March.

He said: "By the way he speaks, what you read and what you hear from him is that he believes in us and that is a big message that he gives us overall: that the quality is there in the squad," says Kinsky.

"It's just not to speak about it but to show it. With the combination, with the style that he wants to play, I think our squad fits to that so I believe this is going to work.

"Now we have four points from three games, there is four left and I hope and I believe that this is the right way."

Tottenham's first signing of the summer may end up being a Southampton player, with the Saints set to suffer further consequences of their involvement in the Spygate scandal

Tottenham could take advantage of Southampton's Spygate woes, with reports linking them with Saints star Leo Scienza. Southampton were dramatically expelled from the Championship play-off final with Hull this week after admitting to spying on three teams throughout the 2025/26 season.

The incidents came to light following accusations by Middlesbrough that Southampton had spied on their training sessions prior to the play-off semi-final between the two teams earlier this month. The EFL subsequently launched an investigation into the scandal - since dubbed 'Spygate' - before issuing the unprecedented punishment of removing Southampton from the play-offs altogether.

The decision means the Saints will remain in the Championship next season, casting doubt over the futures of several key players and staff members, including Scienza.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder has impressed throughout the campaign, notching 10 goals and 10 assists across the campaign. His performances have reportedly attracted interest from clubs across Europe, with Tottenham among the sides said to be monitoring his situation.

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A deal worth around £25million has been mooted for Roberto De Zerbi's side, although much may depend on whether Spurs secure Premier League survival this weekend. Tottenham head into the final game of the season knowing a single point should be enough to keep them up.

Spurs host Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the final day sitting 17th in the table, two points clear of West Ham, who face Leeds across town at the London Stadium.

If West Ham fail to win, Tottenham will survive regardless of their own result. Even if the Hammers do take three points, Spurs would still likely only need a draw thanks to their significantly superior goal difference.

Attacking midfield has been a surprisingly problematic area for Tottenham this season despite the depth available on paper. Summer signing Xavi Simons endured a slow start before emerging as the club's primary creative force - but his season was recently cut short by an ACL injury.

Meanwhile, James Maddison missed almost the entire campaign after suffering a serious knee injury in August, leaving Spurs short of creativity for long stretches of the season. In that context, a move for Scienza would make considerable sense.

The 27-year-old joined Southampton from Heidenheim last summer after an unconventional rise through German football. In recent years, he has featured across the seventh, sixth and third tiers before finally reaching the Bundesliga in 2024.

Southampton paid around £9m to sign him in 2025 and, while the club are believed to value him at considerably more than £25m, the financial consequences of failing to win promotion could force them to lower their demands.

Tottenham have taken the tension of their Premier League relegation battle into the final day of the season as their fate rests in their own hands and someone else's

Tottenham never do things the easy way but their supporters will be hoping they at least do it some way on Sunday as they fight to stay in the Premier League.

Spurs' defeat at Chelsea on Monday night, maintain their dreadful run at Stamford Bridge of just a single league victory there in the Premier League era, means that the tension will seep into the final day of the season on Sunday. The north London outfit welcome David Moyes' Everton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the same time that afternoon as West Ham will play host to Leeds United at the London Stadium.

With Spurs currently two points above the Hammers going into the final day, there are nine different permutations that will decide who finishes in 17th spot in the final table and who will end up in 18th place and relegated to the Championship.

The first set of permutations comes if Roberto De Zerbi's side get the job done properly and finally win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time in the Premier League in 2026. That way, whether West Ham win, lose or draw against Leeds doesn't matter in the slightest.

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The next three scenarios arrive if De Zerbi continues his unbeaten run of draws at home as Spurs boss. If that happens then should West Ham lose or draw then Tottenham are safe. There is the unlikely event that Nuno Espirito Santo's side win 12-0 against Daniel Fark's team and stay up on goals scored and the same goal difference.

The final three scenarios are where it gets really scary, especially with one of them. If Tottenham lose at home to Everton on Sunday then they are only safe if Leeds beat or draw with West Ham. However, if the Hammers hand Leeds their first defeat since early March in the Premier League at the same time as Spurs lose then it is the north London side who will drop out of the top flight for the first time in 49 years.

So nine permutations and only one realistic one that sends Spurs down. Don't you dare Tottenham Hotspur.

More of the remaining eight Tottenham Hotspur players out on loan have come to the end of their season away from the north London club

Another handful of Tottenham's remaining group of loan players came to the end of their campaigns out of north London while for others big prizes could still await.

Relegation-threatened Spurs originally sent out a huge group of 18 players, younger and older, on loan to clubs across the world with a chunk of them having since concluded their seasons in the Football League. However, those playing for their loan clubs in Scotland, Germany, Italy and South America still had a week or two to go.

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi will be assessing his squad this summer, regardless of what division the club are in next season, and many of those who have been out on loan could force their way into his thoughts if they impress this summer after strong reports from their season away from the north London outfit.

Here's how each of the eight remaining Spurs loan players got on across the planet in the past seven days.

Alejo Veliz (Rosario Central)

Alejo Veliz experienced Copa Libertadores joy with Rosario Central to help deal with Torneo Apertura pain this week.

The 22-year-old somewhat forgotten Spurs striker showed his reactions on Tuesday night to volley home the ball after a team-mate's acrobatic overhead kick hit the post in their Group H game against Venezuela's Universidad Central. Rosario went on to win the game 4-0, with Angel Di Maria also scoring, and that sent Veliz's team through to the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores.

It was Veliz's 100th game for Central and he received a standing ovation when he left the field in the 72nd minute of the contest. The young striker could be seen to be emotional after the game.

"A dream night, a special night, 100 matches with the club of my life, 100 days filled with so many emotions before stepping onto the pitch wearing this jersey, always trying to give my best and more to leave this institution where it deserves to be, with successes and failures, but always with love, heart, and dedication, as it so often demands," he wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you all for the love, the affection, and for supporting me to give my all on the field. I know there will be many more, and I will continue writing history with my glorious @rosariocentral. Thank you to my family for always being there and helping me fulfill so many dreams; you know how much I love you. And thank you to all my teammates and staff for making each of these 100 days so much better. Onward and upward, always…"

The performance overcame some of the sadness that would have come from Rosario's 1-0 defeat to River Plate on Saturday in the Torneo Apertura play-off semi-final. River Plate will now take on Cristian Romero's boyhood club Belgrano in the final on Sunday, with claims in Argentina that the Spurs captain will be in attendance.

Veliz has netted six goals in 23 appearances so far this campaign and is expected to head to Bahia at the end of the season after Tottenham agreed a deal with the Brazilian side to sell Veliz once his current loan at Rosario ends. A £7.8m (9m euros) deal was agreed with £871k in add-ons (1m euros) plus a 20% sell-on clause.

Luka Vuskovic (Hamburg)

Luka Vuskovic ended his season in Germany with a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga to ensure that HSV only lost one of their final seven games he appeared.

The talented 19-year-old centre-back ended up making 30 appearances, scored six goals, laid on one assist and played 2,652 minutes for the Hamburg outfit and was named in the Bundesliga team of the year.

The Croatian, who will head off this summer to the World Cup, admitted this week that he does not know what his future holds this summer but his heart his torn between the emotional pull of Hamburg and playing regularly for Spurs under Roberto De Zerbi which he said would "be a very good situation for me".

"I'm torn. On the one hand, I’m happy because a lot of what was agreed with Tottenham has worked out in Hamburg. But I am also sad because I would very much like to stay here. It's well known that it is my wish to play for HSV alongside my brother Mario, but in football, you can’t have everything you want. From this summer onwards, I will be a Tottenham player again," Vuskovic was quoted as saying by German media outlet Bild, translated by Sport Witness.

On the prospect of remaining at HSV for another season, he added "I don’t know, I am neither an agent nor a club official. But if there is a chance, I would like to stay. The future will show what happens, but of course, if Tottenham see me as part of their plans, that would also be a very good situation for me. The most important thing for my development is that I play regularly."

The Croatia international has been linked with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and most of the continent's top clubs and admitted that while he is flattered, he is only looking to see what Spurs have to say in the coming months.

"It's of course nice that my name is being linked with such clubs. I also don't know whether everything that is written about me and other clubs is true," he said. "I'm a Tottenham player. We will see what happens in the summer."

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Mikey Moore (Rangers)

Mikey Moore also ended his busy loan with Rangers and the 18-year-old delivered a remarkably mature press conference on the eve of the weekend's final day 5-2 win at Falkirk.

Moore admitted at that press conference that he does know yet what comes next for him at Spurs after his year in the Scottish Premiership.

"For me now, it's hard because it's the same as for me last year. A new manager [Thomas Frank] was in at Tottenham and I had to go back in and see what he was saying about me and then see what everyone was doing. To be honest, I think it will be the same sort of process," he said, as reported by Rangers Review.

"There's a new manager at Spurs at the minute and obviously I'm a Spurs player, so we'll have to see what he says about me, what he wants me to do, what the people around me want me to do. I think that's all I can say at the moment. I'm going to go back there and see what the new people say in the building and from there I'll make a decision."

Moore has loved his experience at Rangers and believes it's changed him on a personal level.

"No matter what happens now, this club's been a huge part of what I'm going to become and it's helped me so much. So, for me, no matter what happens, I'm a fan of this club for the rest of my life now. So, it's been a special experience," he said.

"I think, mentally, I've just changed so much as a person. The way I look at stuff now, I think I've realised that every day means something. So, before, maybe I'd have days where I was a bit switched off and I'd come into training and I'm kind of not on it as much as I need to be.

"But if you want to go and win every single game, that's the way we need to be. I think, as a team, we need to learn that as well. So, we need to realise that every day means something and it's a chance to improve. So, for me, that's been the biggest learning point for me."

Moore grabbed a final day assist at Falkirk to sign off a season in which he won the PFA Scotland Premiership Young Player of the Year award and Rangers' own Young Player of the Year prize.

The teenager played a whopping 47 games for Rangers, getting 2,778 minutes of football to his name, with 11 goal involvements and became a big favourite with the fans of the Glaswegian giants.

Dane Scarlett (Hibernian)

Dane Scarlett ended his time at Hibernian with 31 minutes on the pitch as they lost their final Scottish Premiership game of the season at home 1-0 to Motherwell.

Scarlett had netted a late winner against Spurs team-mate Moore's Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night but was unable to add to that goal at the weekend.

The 21-year-old striker made 13 appearances north of the border with one goal and one assist and 515 minutes under his belt.

Kota Takai (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Kota Takai ended his time at Borussia Monchengladbach in the way most of the past two months have gone for him, as an unused substitute in the 4-0 home win against Hoffenheim on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Japan international played just four minutes of football since February after picking up a muscle strain and struggling to get back in the team.

Takai made only eight appearances during his loan spell in the Bundesliga, having endured an injury-hit time since arriving in Europe at Tottenham last summer.

Manor Solomon (Fiorentina)

Manor Solomon grabbed an assist against Juventus in Fiorentina's 2-0 win at Juventus on Sunday

The 26-year-old cut inside from the left wing and played a perfect ball through to Cher Ndour to open the scoring 34 minutes into the Serie A contest. Fiorentina had Luca Ranieri sent off with 18 minutes to go but scored again in the 83rd minute through Rolando Mandragora.

It was Solomon's fourth 90 minute stint in a row after returning to full fitness following a hip flexor injury and his form might just lure Fiorentina supremo and former Spurs man Fabio Paratici into discussing a cut price deal for the Israel international with his old club.

The Israel international has played his part in helping Fiorentina move away from the drop zone in Serie A but he also knows the new head coach at Spurs as Solomon played plenty of football under De Zerbi while the duo were at Shakhtar Donetsk together in the 2021/22 season.

Solomon has scored two goals and laid on two assists in 18 matches for the Italian side as a fixture on either wing. The Tottenham man has one game remaining at home against Atalanta this weekend.

Tyrese Hall (Notts County) & Alfie Dorrington (Salford City)

Tyrese Hall and Alfie Dorrington could come up against each other as Notts County face Salford City in the League Two play-off final on Monday.

Twenty-year-old Jamaica international midfielder Hall was not involved in County's squad as they drew 0-0 at home against Chesterfield to advance after their 1-0 first leg win. Hall has scored eight goals and recorded two assists across 1,850 minutes in 39 appearances after heading out of Tottenham on his first loan.

Alfie Dorrington got on for the final minute or so as Salford City drew their home second leg 2-2 with Grimsby Town 2-1 to also progress to the big game at Wembley. The 20-year-old centre-back has made 12 appearances so far for City since switching from Aberdeen during the winter window.