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Luka Vuskovic, who Tottenham Hotspur signed from Hajduk Split for just £12m in September 2023, has established himself as one of the most promising young players in Europe while out on loan at Hamburg.

Luka Vuskovic has all but confirmed that he will leave Hamburg when his loan from Tottenham Hotspur expires at the end of the season. The 19-year-old defender fired Merlin Polzin's side to a 3-2 victory over Freiburg on Sunday afternoon, marking his last appearance for the German outfit at the Volksparkstadion with a brilliant goal.

Shortly after the hour mark, Vuskovic smashed a free-kick past Noah Atubolu to give Hamburg the lead. The Croatia international wheeled away in celebration, removing his shirt and presenting it to the stand behind the goal filled with home supporters.

Fabio Baldé doubled the Rothosen's advantage a few moments later before Igor Matanović pulled one back for the visitors. In the dying embers of stoppage time, Polzin took off Vuskovic, who was given a standing ovation as he left the field.

In an interview with German outlet Kicker after the game, the teenage sensation provided an update on his future. Vuskovic, who the Lilywhites signed from Hajduk Split for just £12million in September 2023, described the match as his 'farewell party'.

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"To a 99.9 per cent certainty, it was my farewell party," said the Croatian, as quoted by Bulinews. "It’s a special moment. I’m very happy that I could help this team. And I’m very happy that I was allowed to be part of this club."

Then, speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, the Hamburg boss showered Fabio Vieira, who spent the season on loan from Arsenal, and Vuskovic with praise. Polzin said: "I had the privilege of coaching these players for a year, and I’m very happy about that because they played a superb season."

Vuskovic has featured 27 times for Hamburg in the Bundesliga this season, scoring six goals and keeping five clean sheets. Playing a key role in the backline, he's helped the newly promoted side stay in the German top-flight.

The Croatia international has already been recognised for his efforts, earning a place in the Bundesliga team of the season. football.london understands that the Lilywhites wish to reward Vuskovic with a bumper new contract.

Spurs are believed to be readying a deal as they look to fend off interest from Europe's biggest clubs and remind him that he will be a big part of their future. Although Vuskovic has all but confirmed that he will return to Tottenham at the end of the season, Hamburg remains hopeful of keeping the centre-back.

That's according to their board member in charge of finance and organisation, who recently claimed the German outfit would be more than happy to re-sign him. Speaking to German outlet Welt at the OMR digital trade fair last week, Eric Huwer said: "If it were up to Luka, I think he would still like to experience the Hamburg atmosphere, the passion, and his development.

"But we're at best in the passenger seat. If the door opens even a crack, we'll be there. We always dream. But market realities are, of course, quite different. I think we can be very happy that we were able to accompany Luka with us for this one year."

Last month, Vuskovic, whose contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium doesn't expire until June 2030, revealed that his 'biggest dream' would be to share the pitch with his brother, Mario, who was given a four-year ban from football in November 2022 for a doping offence.

Speaking to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Tottenham wonderkid said: "In football, you never know. It could happen next year, or in ten years. I don't want to promise anyone anything.

"But it's my biggest dream to be on the pitch with him here in Hamburg, or later in Split. After this season, I'll be a Tottenham player again. I have a contract there until 2030."

On why he decided to join Hamburg on loan in the first place, Vuskovic said: "The people here at the club have always stood behind my brother; they did everything they could. Everyone here, the fans, the coaches, the players, showed him so much love and respect.

"That's why I'm here. I wanted to give something back to this club and help them. Coming here was the easiest decision I've ever made. What happened to Mario has nothing to do with HSV."

Here's the Tottenham team we reckon Roberto De Zerbi will select to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Monday evening

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi now knows that if his side can beat Leeds in their penultimate home game of the season then it will go a long way to keeping them in the Premier League.

Spurs are currently out of the relegation zone by a point over West Ham, and the Hammers' dramatic 1-0 defeat at home to title-chasing Arsenal on Sunday afternoon means that if De Zerbi's men can grab a victory against Daniel Farke's Leeds side then they will have a four-point gap to the drop zone with two matches remaining.

Regardless of what happened on Sunday, Tottenham need to get back to winning ways in their own backyard as they have not won in N17 since early December.

Things have been getting better under De Zerbi though and with the team's first back-to-back Premier League victories since the beginning of the campaign at their back, the north London side will approach the game against in-form Leeds with more confidence.

It's going to be tough for the Tottenham boss to change to change his team after the excellent performance at Aston Villa last weekend and that might just be the key decision he makes on the night.

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That's because every part of the team worked well as a unit, pressing high up the pitch and Tottenham should have scored more than the two goals they did on the day. The otherwise excellent defence would also have been disappointed to concede Emi Buendia's 96th minute goal from Villa's only shot on target all game.

Without a playmaker available to start, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel will be important down the flanks in getting the ball into the box for Richarlison, who De Zerbi said was tired after the win at Villa Park but would be available to face Leeds. Conor Gallagher will also need to press and work like, in De Zerbi's words, two people once again as he did in his goalscoring performance last weekend.

There is also James Maddison, who looks close to a return for his first minutes from the bench since that anterior cruciate ligament injury last summer.

Here's the Spurs team we reckon De Zerbi will select:

The former Spurs and Leeds striker made a hasty exit after being asked about his future

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Robbie Keane abruptly left an interview earlier this year when questioned about potentially taking charge at the north London outfit.

Spurs, now under Roberto De Zerbi's stewardship, face Leeds, another of Keane's former clubs, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday evening. The hosts will be aiming to create further distance from the relegation zone following back-to-back Premier League victories.

Keane hung up his boots in November 2018 before moving into coaching. His journey in the dugout included assistant positions with the Republic of Ireland, Middlesbrough and Leeds.

The former striker subsequently took charge at Maccabi Tel Aviv before his move to Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros, where he secured the league championship last season. Yet, despite his legendary status at Spurs, the ex-forward appeared uncomfortable when asked about replacing Thomas Frank, who was dismissed in February this year following a dismal eight-month period.

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When asked if he anticipated contact from Spurs earlier this year, Keane, 45, responded: "I can't help speculation," before shrugging his shoulders and promptly departing the room.

Keane also clarified his position on his future earlier this year, stating he was not actively pursuing a position in the Premier League. Speaking with Hungarian newspaper Nemzeti Sport, he said: "I never dream about it.

"After playing there the most, people back home expect me to work in England. It doesn't work that way for me. Am I looking for the opportunity to sign for England? No. Would I like to be the manager of Liverpool? No. If they want me to be one, we can talk about it.

"I feel great at Ferencvaros, I couldn't be in a better place right now. I am lucky because I don't need money, I earned a living when I was a player, I don't do it to get money at the end of the month, I am motivated by something completely different."

However, The Telegraph stated that Keane was reluctant to leave his current position unless it was for a full-time role at Spurs. The north London club eventually appointed former Brighton and Marseille manager De Zerbi, 46, who has overseen four matches thus far, securing two victories, one draw and one defeat since his arrival at the end of March.

Keane's reputation has been further enhanced after leading Ferencvaros to the 2025/26 Hungarian Cup on Saturday, defeating Zalaegerszeg 1-0 following extra-time. His team now enters next week's concluding league fixtures sitting one point adrift of Gyor as they look to retain the title.

Following the Hungarian Cup victory, Keane suggested his appetite for further silverware with Ferencvaros remains strong. He said: "This victory is very special to me. Of course, winning trophies is always a good thing and to have managed to win another trophy after last year's championship is a huge achievement.

"The main thing is that we won the Hungarian Cup. The Europa League is very important for the club, seeing the experience we have gained this season. Hopefully, we can have another good run next season too."

Keane joined Leeds from Inter Milan in 2001, having initially arrived on loan the previous campaign. He netted 19 goals for The Whites before making the move to Spurs in 2002.

The Republic of Ireland striker went on to become a prolific figure at the club, amassing 107 goals across nine seasons, departing for a six-month spell at Liverpool in 2008 and subsequently returning to Spurs until 2011.

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach has been speaking about the Swedish star and his goalkeeper ahead of the Premier League game against Leeds United

Roberto De Zerbi has made it clear that Guglielmo Vicario remains Tottenham's number one goalkeeper but could not say whether he will be at the club next season and has provided an update on Dejan Kulusevski.

The Italian stopper has been out of action for Spurs since March following hernia surgery and is yet to play under the new Spurs head coach. In his absence, 23-year-old Antonin Kinsky has bounced back from his nightmare in the Champions League at Atletico Madrid to put in a string of solid displays.

Vicario is yet to return to training with the team but De Zerbi made it clear that when he does, the 29-year-old will retain his place.

"Vicario is still the first goalkeeper of Tottenham, because what Vicario showed this season is enough to consider him a top player for us. But we have to consider the physical condition, the period – how many games he missed and we will see when Vicario will be good," said the Spurs boss before lavishing praise on Kinsky.

"Big character, big personality. Great guy, great professional, and great goalkeeper. He's playing very well, he has to stay with the focus and don't take risks in any situation, but he is playing very well and is very important for us now.

"Of course he is an example. Of course what he felt after Madrid, for sure, was a big, big motivation for him. If you have pride, if you have dignity, if you have the right spirit, if you have character, and he has all these values."

Vicario has been strongly linked with a return to Italy and Inter Milan, with reports in his homeland claiming the goalkeeper has already agreed personal terms with the Serie A giants. While De Zerbi has made it clear that he "100 per cent" wants Tottenham to bring the on-loan Joao Palhinha back next season, he was unwilling to commit on Vicario's future at the club.

"I don’t know. If you ask me if I’ve any ideas about next season, my answer is no," said the head coach. "For two reasons, one, I have no time to think about next season, and two, after two wins if I lose time thinking about next season’s squad I am being arrogant. You think after two wins, after a very tough period, you already consider yourself safe? No, no."

One player that De Zerbi was able to give an update on was Dejan Kulusevski. The Tottenham boss is hopeful that the Swede will be back in the country after undergoing rehabilitation abroad and can join his team-mates at the final match of the Premier League season.

Kulusevski has been out of the country as part of his rehabilitation from the knee problem that has kept him out for more than a year after getting surgery on his patella. The attacker had a small procedure in March to clean out his knee and told reporters in his homeland back then that he had his sights set on playing at the World Cup for Sweden this summer.

The 26-year-old is unlikely to play for Tottenham this season, but De Zerbi said that after a text exchange with the player, he could be returning soon to at least be around the squad for morale on matchdays, like Ben Davies and James Maddison have been doing recently.

When asked if he thought Kulusevski could still play at the World Cup next month, De Zerbi said: "I don’t know the situation well. I hope so but I don’t know his injury and I can’t say nothing more. For me, it’s difficult to understand how he can play at the World Cup if he didn’t play any games this season.

"But I texted him after [the Villa game]. He told me in the next week, I think, he comes back and I hope he can be available to stay with us in the last game because he is an amazing player."

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De Zerbi did have a positive update on Richarlison who was not spotted in training during at least one session in the middle of this week after coming off late in the win at Villa Park following a battling, goalscoring display.

"Yes [he needed a rest] because he worked very hard in Birmingham. I think my mistake was not to substitute him before the end of the game," said the Tottenham boss. "But Richarlison was playing very well, he was important in the set-pieces and he played a great game. But just fatigue."

Another decision for De Zerbi on Monday lies in whether Maddison finally gets his first minutes on the pitch since his anterior cruciate ligament injury nine months ago in pre-season. The England midfielder has been on the bench for the past three matches but simply to be part of the squad and bring his experience.

There is a feeling that the game against Leeds could be the one that brings the 29-year-old's return and De Zerbi admits it's a tough decision.

"It’s not so easy. Maddison has big experience, I think he knows better than anyone when is the right moment. We have to consider we are fighting for a big target but I think he can be important for us and for that I wanted him to be with the team for Brighton, Wolves and Villa," he said.

Radu Dragusin played 45 minutes last year in a behind-closed-doors friendly before returning from his ACL injury but De Zerbi said Maddison will not do the same.

"No, no. Now he stays with us until the end [of the season]. He is working very well, very hard and working with us. He reached the best condition to play," he said.

So has Maddison told his head coach that he ready to play yet?

"Not yet but we have not spoken about his condition. Just looking on the pitch and to [hear about] his experience, my experience and the experience of the medical staff. Every day we make a check and this check is also [with] Maddison," explained De Zerbi.

De Zerbi has turned to experience in his midfield in recent games as he looks to get the north London club out of their relegation dogfight, while acknowleding that young players like Archie Gray are huge prospects for the future and potential captain material at Tottenham.

"Bissouma, Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, they have much experience. They already know about playing in this situation," said the Italian. "But sometimes it’s not just the age to make the difference. Lucas Bergvall is another important player for the future, for right now.

“It’s not a problem just of experience. For sure, the experience can be important in this part of the season."

On Bentancur, he added: "He’s very good to keep the order, the balance, of the team. I think he’s complete with a player like Palhinha because Palhinha covers a big space. He’s another key player for us, Rodrigo Bentancur."

De Zerbi believes 20-year-old Bergvall has a big part to play with Gray, both now and for the foreseeable future.

"We can compare Lucas and Archie, but he has to stay focused to stay positive, because I have a big confidence in them," he said. "They have not played so much until now, but they are in my head. I don't forget them. They can become important in these three games."

Mikey Moore scored his seventh goal of the season on Sunday afternoon when he put Rangers ahead at Celtic Park in the opening minutes.

Mikey Moore was at the heart of the action when Celtic stormed past Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Sunday afternoon. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee broke the deadlock inside the opening quarter of an hour, but, despite his best efforts, Danny Rohl's side couldn't hold onto the lead, conceding three without further reply.

Moore tucked away his seventh goal of the season, and first of the Scottish Premiership split, pouncing on a loose ball in the six-yard box. After a mazy run into the penalty area, Youssef Chermiti had a shot blocked by Liam Scales, which ricocheted into the path of the 18-year-old winger.

He reacted quickest, beating Viljami Sinisalo from close range. The lead didn't last long, however, with Yang Hyun-Jun levelling proceedings at Celtic Park before the half-hour mark.

Shortly after the break, Daizen Maeda scored twice in quick succession, giving the Bhoys a two-goal advantage. Despite the efforts of Moore, Rangers couldn't get back in the tie, meaning they can now only finish third, which hasn't happened since 2018.

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Meanwhile, with two games still to play, Celtic slashed Hearts' lead at the top of the split table to just a point. Rohl's side may feel slightly aggrieved with the result, knowing Alistair Johnston only received a booking for a controversial tackle on Moore.

During the first half, the Bhoys right-back was shown a yellow card for a challenge which, at first, was applauded by Sky Sports pundits, having won the ball.

But upon a second viewing, opinions changed when they were presented with another angle, showing Johnston's studs make contact with the top of the Tottenham loanee's lower shin.

"It’s maybe a little bit high, but I’ll need to see it from this angle," said Kris Boyd before taking a second look at the tackle. "Oh, 100 per cent [red card], when you see it like that, yes, 100 per cent when you see it like that.

"That’s the first time I’ve seen it, but when you see it like that there, I mean he hits him above the ankle, you can quite clearly see it there. That’s a red card all day long."

James McFadden agreed, adding: "I must admit, when I saw the foul at real speed, I thought it was a good challenge. But now, I think he’s very fortunate, Alistair Johnston."

And Neil Lennon said: "Me too."

Despite the controversy, which could very well have changed the outcome of the game had Johnston been sent off, Rohl admitted that his side made costly mistakes. Speaking to BBC Scotland after the game, the Rangers boss said: "It is a very disappointing result.

"It was very competitive from both sides. We started well, but then it's football and to take something, everything has to be perfect, and in some moments we made some wrong decisions."

On the second half collapse, Rohl said: "It is a side who can be on the front foot at home - they scored at the right moment and created the energy and we lose 3-1.

"We had a great position before the split and this is hard to take and we have to improve and develop quick. We have to learn in these key moments to be clinical and play without mistakes.

"We will learn from this. I will take a lot from the last three games to be prepared the best way possible. I will lead this group and I am clear about what we have to improve."

Moore will hope to lead Rangers back to winning ways on Wednesday evening, when they host Hibernian in the penultimate clash of the Scottish Premiership split phase. The Tottenham loanee has established himself as a key player in Rohl's side, staking a claim for a similar role under Roberto De Zerbi next season.

Roberto De Zerbi has warned the Tottenham Hotspur squad against complacency ahead of Monday night's clash against Leeds United.

Roberto De Zerbi has been putting the Tottenham Hotspur players through their paces ahead of Monday night's clash against Leeds United. The Lilywhites have the opportunity to extend their three-game unbeaten streak and climb the Premier League when they host Daniel Farke's side in north London.

Speaking to reporters at Hotspur Way on Thursday afternoon, De Zerbi warned his squad against complacency. The Italian said: "First of all, we go to play against one of the best teams in this moment.

"In the last five, six games they won against Manchester United, they drew in Bournemouth playing well, they won at home two times, Wolves and Burnley, and for that we have a big respect.

"We can't think in a different way. We have to keep this mentality. We must remain humble - nothing changes," added De Zerbi. "Their style is very clear. They have a great organisation on the pitch, with the ball and without the ball.

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"They have a good player, because Calvert-Lewin and Okafor, Tanaka and Ampadu are all very good players not to fight for relegation, but a higher level.

"The focus is on us, not because we become arrogant, but because we have the quality enough if we play like we know, like we can, to win the game, for sure."

So, with that being said, football.london has picked out four things that you may have missed in Tottenham training this week.

Gallagher soldiers through knock

Conor Gallagher appeared to be soldiering through a minor knee injury in training at Hotspur Way this week. The 26-year-old midfielder was spotted wearing a bandage on his left knee, but it didn't stop him from getting stuck in.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon, De Zerbi reflected on Gallagher's time at Tottenham. The Spurs boss said: "I'm happy, because I think from the perspective of Conor, he came in January in a difficult situation.

"He had some problems at the beginning, physical condition, environment, to come and understand a different club, different style of play, different dressing room. He's an important player, the first level of the players.

"So, I'm happy to watch him in this condition, in this confidence, with these performances. I think, and I said after the game, when Gallagher plays well, his team plays with one player more than the opponent."

Tottenham youngster catches the eye

Rio Kyerematen caught the eye during a small-sided game. The 20-year-old, who's played almost every position possible for the under-21s this season, reacted quickest to a drop ball, darting away from James Maddison and smashing the ball past Luca Gunter.

"Well done, Rio," shouted three different members of the coaching staff. Across the Premier League and the Champions League this term, Kyerematen has been named in the matchday squad five times, but he's yet to make his first-team debut.

Two other Tottenham academy stars impress

Gunter and Harry Byrne also made a good impression during a small-sided game. The 21-year-old goalkeeper and the 18-year-old left-back featured on the winning team, alongside Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, and James Maddison.

Gunter spent the second half of last season on loan at Wealdstone in the National League, where he featured 14 times. Back at Hotspur Way, the former England Under-19 international helped the Lilywhites reach the semi-finals of the Premier League 2 play-offs, but he only appeared during the league phase.

As for Byrne, he established himself as a key player for the Tottenham Under-18s, helping them finish second in the Premier League. He, too, is yet to make his debut for the Lilywhites.

Maddison steps up recovery

Maddison took another step forward on the road to recovery this week. The 29-year-old midfielder, who's only recently returned to action following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, was at the heart of the action at Hotspur Way this week as he continues to rebuild his fitness.

He's been an unused substitute in each of the last three Premier League games, but De Zerbi's thinking about finally giving him some minutes. Speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon, the Spurs boss outlined his plan to reintegrate the England international.

De Zerbi said: "I'm thinking about James Maddison, because I'm watching a top, top player, maybe he's not ready yet to play, but as a physical condition, for the rhythm, for the intensity of the game, we are playing in the Premier League, the most difficult league in terms of intensity and rhythm, but as a player, it's great.

"As a coach, watching one player like this, especially for me, because I was number 10, and I'm sensitive in number 10 players, like Xavi Simons, Maddison, [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Mohammed] Kudus - we have a lot of number 10, but I want to see.

"About [Dominic] Solanke, he's improving very quickly, I don't know for this game, I don't know if he can be available, we hope for the next game in Stamford Bridge."

Tottenham Hotspur host Leeds United on Monday night as they look to move one step closer to securing their Premier League status for another season

Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes Conor Gallagher and Joao Palhinha will be key to keeping Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Spurs are in a strong position to secure their top-flight status amid a disastrous campaign.

Roberto de Zerbi's side have secured back-to-back wins in the league with a 1-0 win at already relegated Wolves followed by a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa last weekend. Tottenham now sit 17th in the Premier League and are a point clear of the bottom three with just three games left to play.

West Ham United occupy the final relegation spot and host league leaders Arsenal on Sunday afternoon (4:30pm).

Defeat for the Hammers in that fixture would give Spurs the chance to move four points clear of the drop zone if they secure all three points at home to Leeds United on Monday (8pm).

And Wright has had his say on Tottenham's performance at Villa Park while being asked about the season's biggest disappointment on the Overlap's Stick to Football show.

The 62-year-old has picked Spurs, but believes the performances of Gallagher and Palhinha will ensure they stay up.

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He said: "Gallagher and Palhinha were unbelievable. Watching them, unbelievable it was.

"There's no way they're going down with those two."

Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur believes a change in energy sparked by De Zerbi has been the catalyst for their revival in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old said: "I think the energy [changed]. When Roberto came in, he tried to change the energy, the mentality, to feel again these positive things.

"He works a lot on this and I think we change, the players change, we understand also the situation.

"And, you know, now after you're back to winning games, the energy changed a lot and we feel really good.

"Yeah, the fans, here in the training centre and now after two wins we feel really good and we want to continue on this roll."

Spurs play Chelsea and Everton in their final two games after Monday's fixture against Leeds, with West Ham playing Newcastle and Leeds in their last two matches after facing Arsenal.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has been speaking about his team-mate and working with new head coach Roberto De Zerbi

Rodrigo Bentancur has no other word for Pedro Porro than "machine" as the Tottenham right-back prepares to make his 150th appearance for the club in Monday night's clash with Leeds.

While Spurs ' constant injury problems over recent years have claimed many of their star players, Porro has mostly avoided such woes, missing just seven games through injury in three-and-a-half years since arriving from Sporting Lisbon. That means the 26-year-old Spaniard will hit the 150 game mark as Daniel Farke's side come to town while others who arrived before him have yet to.

Bentancur will reach 145 matches for Tottenham on Monday evening and, having arrived a year before Porro, recognises how much of an ability availability is.

"Pedro is a machine. 150 games is incredible and also a young player, you know, but I have a really good relationship with him. My family, with his family, we have barbecues at home on the children's birthdays. He is a really good person and this is the most important thing for me," said the Uruguayan.

"When I arrived here, he arrived after and we speak the same language, it felt really good. He is a top professional. He works very, very well every day here [at the training ground], at home, so he deserves this moment and he needs to enjoy it because he is still a young player and has a top future."

Porro wears his emotions on his face whether he's flying into a challenge or furious at a defeat. Bentancur loves that about his team-mate and believes it's exactly what struggling Spurs need to get out of their current plight.

"He is passionate, you know. You can see the images from the last game [against Aston Villa]. Every tackle, every ball he wins, like [Joao] Palhinha, so we need this. In this moment, we need personality, attitude, so when he shows this for us, it's really, really important," he said.

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Bentancur reassured Spurs fans that he is not injured after needing treatment a couple of times before coming off in the 2-1 win at Villa Park on Sunday, saying he was a just "a little bit tired" and did not want to take any risks after returning recently from a serious hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old midfielder is enjoying life under Roberto De Zerbi and believes the Italian head coach has quickly changed the mood inside the camp and got the 17th-placed club moving towards his brand of football.

"When Roberto came in, he tried to change the energy, the mentality, to feel again the positive things and he worked a lot on this. And I think we changed, the players changed, we understand the situation and after you're back to winning games, the energy changed a lot and we feel really good," said Bentancur.

"We changed a lot in the last week with Roberto, the characteristics, the players, you know he adapts. You can see also in the games, we changed a lot. Roberto tries to work in a positive way, in the mentality, positive aspect. He said 'you guys [used to] play really well, now we need to start to play again'.

"So we worked on this. He works really well in the tactical aspect and then with the ball, he is amazing, and we try to do it. What we work in the week, we try to do the same in the game and the last game against Villa, we showed how we want to play. We want to continue."

Despite De Zerbi saying he is not putting too much change on his players, Bentancur believes they are playing in a different way under the new head coach.

"We enjoy it with the ball and the tactical aspect without the ball. We start now and now we work really well. You can see the last game against Villa, we pressed in high positions, we want to win the ball fast and then with the ball, Roberto wants to play calm," explained the midfielder.

"When we can go fast, we go fast. Otherwise, we play, enjoy, we move, so I think the team felt really good."

He added: "He is a passionate boss. If he needs to push, he pushes, but otherwise, he said 'with the ball please guys, play, enjoy' and we need to work and we need to win on Monday.

"When I came back against Brighton, the fans showed me a lot of love and the atmosphere was really, really good. Amazing. We need to work really hard and we need to win these three finals."

The Tottenham Hotspur attacker is looking to catch the eye of the new head coach but is he ready yet to make an impact for the first team?

Mason Melia has already got Tottenham fans calling for him to get a chance in the first team so football.london went to watch the talented teenager to see just how close he is to getting that call from Roberto De Zerbi.

The young striker walked through the doors of Hotspur Way in January, almost a year after Spurs had agreed a deal to bring him in once he turned 18 from St Patrick's Athletic, with the transfer worth an initial £1.6million - a record amount for the League of Ireland - with the potential for future add-ons to double that figure.

Tottenham worked hard to see off numerous top Premier League and European clubs to sign Melia, one of the brightest young talents in Irish football, and the north London club duly handed him a long-term contract until 2031.

Melia's early months at Spurs did not bring much fortune as the Irishman arrived with a back injury that needed to heal and then he picked up a chest infection, delaying his debut for the club's U21s until last month.

The Republic of Ireland U21 international, who had 98 senior games with St Pat's to his name, with 25 goal and eight assists despite his age, has been settling into Wayne Burnett's development squad at Tottenham while also joining in occasionally with De Zerbi's first team training sessions.

football.london went to watch Spurs' 3-1 Premier League 2 play-off semi-final defeat to Brighton on Friday night with Melia scoring his first goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Here's a look at the teenager's key touches on the pitch followed by our verdict on just how close he is to getting into De Zerbi's thinking.

First half

Melia began the game by playing up front as a number nine ahead of an advanced Reiss Russell-Denny. On-loan Hearts striker James Wilson found himself once again moved out to play on the right wing.

Melia started the match brightly, pressing high up the pitch but just seven minutes in and it looked like his night might be over as he took a big hit from a Brighton sliding challenge. Burnett sent substitute striker Ellie Lehane out to warm-up but after some treatment and a bit of hobbling on a sore foot, Melia was robust enough to be able to continue.

Touches were few and far between for the Irishman as Spurs struggled to get the ball to him and he quickly became isolated. On 13 minutes he was beaten in a foot race by Noel Atom to a ball down the flank and five minutes later, he came deep to pick up a ball in midfield but took far too long to put Wilson away down the right and a potential break was lost.

The frustration of not being able to impress led him, on 20 minutes, to try to take the ball into a cluster of defenders outside the Brighton box but it was too much and he was dispossessed.

The teenager then faded out of the game for 22 minutes as Brighton upped their efforts and pinned Tottenham back until a little burst of activity before the break. First in the 42nd minute, Melia executed a good touch and turn but lost the ball with the next touch and gave away a foul.

He then tried to tee up Russell-Denny for an effort just inside the visitors' box but couldn't get the ball to him before Melia headed over the crossbar from captain James Rowswell's cross. In added time, he again showed some nice skill on the ball to turn his man in the centre of the pitch and get the ball out to Wilson on the flank.

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Second half

Melia's first real action of the second period was a good defensive header in his own box from a Brighton free-kick six minutes in.

Then he suddenly came alive in the 56th minute as he looked to drag Spurs back into the game at 2-0 down. He reacted quickly to a loose ball in the Seagulls' box, got there just before the visiting player and was sent tumbling.

The penalty was awarded to Tottenham and Melia took it himself, powering a pinpoint effort into the top right corner of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.

The 18-year-old was in full flow at this point and just two minutes he nodded a ball forward on the run into the Brighton area and was sent to the floor again but the referee waved this one away.

The problem for Melia again in this half was a lack of service, but he did make an excellent sliding block in his own box on 67 minutes to stop a dangerous Brighton cross. Three minutes later, he caught the eye again in the other half with a lovely touch and turn before sending the ball wide to Spurs left-back Calum Logan.

Two minutes into added time at the end of the game, Melia had a great opportunity to double his tally for the night. However, he took a loose touch in the box when a better one would have put him in to score from a low ball into the area. That gave the defender the chance to whip the ball away and the youngster had to be content with just the one goal on the night.

Verdict

So is Melia ready for first team minutes under De Zerbi on the evidence of this performance? The answer is probably not quite yet, but if he continues on his current trajectory and works hard he should get there.

For context, the lack of service to him on the night has to be taken into account, although he could have come deeper himself at times to prevent getting so isolated. The skilful Irishman looked better in those few moments when he did work back to collect the ball than when asked to play as an old fashioned number nine leading the line.

He's not yet got the physical stature of someone like Will Lankshear, who is three years older and was as much of an out-and-out number nine as you could find at Premier League 2 level as he lifted the best player award in the 2023/24 season as its top goalscorer. Lankshear has improved his hold-up play hugely since those days when he was mostly a finisher.

It's also worth noting that Melia was up against a 29-year-old in centre-back Ben Barclay, who plays for Brighton's academy as an overage player and mentor, and 21-year-old Atom, who been named in a Brighton Premier League matchday squad before. Melia gave them some problems but not enough on the night.

Melia's finish for his penalty was top drawer though and there's no doubt that as a finisher he would have profited from more service. Luca Williams-Barnett has missed recent months with a back issue and you can't help but wonder how the gifted 17-year-old and Melia would work as a duo at the top end of the pitch.

Woking boss and former Spurs forward Jermain Defoe was in attendance at the match on Friday night and he would have been watching Melia closely as a member of the striker fraternity.

It's still very early days for Melia and despite his experience in the Irish game, he's still very raw - as he should be at this age - and he's got plenty to learn with his all-round game and how to grab matches by the scruff of the neck rather than let them pass him by. His fellow Irishman Troy Parrott was able to do that at U21s level after being set the challenge by Jose Mourinho of showing the right attitude when stepping back down from the first team training and it's served him well to this day with his all-action style.

Melia certainly has the natural quality that Parrott had and has. It was there on Friday night in little touches, turns and in his anticipation. It just needs to be married now as he matures with a reading of the game, knowing the right spaces to drive into and when to drop deep as a creator. He's got the ability on the ball to do that.

So the Republic of Ireland U21 international needs more time. His finishing means that if he got a chance for the first team in the final weeks of the season and the ball found him in the box he might well put it away, but Premier League football with its brutal pace and physicality is so much more than that and De Zerbi's football has tactical layers galore to learn until they become instinct.

A big summer awaits for Melia and if he impresses when he returns in July for pre-season then De Zerbi could well take him on the club's tour to New Zealand and Australia, a vital time for young players to impress the coach and his staff and learn what is required. Melia has the natural ability, now it is all about building an all-round game to service it in the best way.

We asked our Tottenham reporters Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor to name the team they would select to face Leeds on Monday night

Tottenham must keep their momentum going under Roberto De Zerbi as they welcome Leeds for their penultimate home game of the Premier League season.

Spurs are currently out of the relegation zone by a point over West Ham, who welcome title-chasing Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. Regardless of what happens at the London Stadium, Tottenham must get back to winning ways in their own backyard on Monday night as they have not won in N17 since early December.

Things have been looking up though under De Zerbi and after the team's first back-to-back Premier League victories since the beginning of the campaign, they will approach the game against in-form Leeds with more confidence.

We asked our Tottenham reporters Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor to name the starting line-up they would select to face Daniel Fark's side on Monday night and here's what they came up with.

Alasdair Gold - Tottenham Hotspur correspondent

It's probably not going to come as a shock here but I wouldn't change a thing after the excellent performance at Aston Villa last weekend.

Every part of the team worked well as a unit, pressing high up the pitch and Tottenham should have scored more than the two goals they did on the day. The otherwise excellent defence will also be disappointed they conceded Emi Buendia's 96th minute goal because it was Villa's first shot on target and only ninth touch in the Spurs box all game.

Without a playmaker available to start, Tottenham need to use their width and Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel will be crucial in getting the ball down the flanks and into the box with Richarlison requiring the kind of service that Tel provided for his goal at Villa Park.

James Maddison is edging closer to a return and this might just be the game when the England international gets a couple of minutes at the end of the encounter, his first minutes since that anterior cruciate ligament injury last summer.

Gold's team: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

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Ryan Taylor - Sports reporter