Football London

Tottenham have just announced their record sale for a player to have never turned out a single competitive game for them, but the £50million transfer must not become a summer theme.

Spurs confirmed on Tuesday morning that 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic would be heading to Brighton in a £46million deal, with another £4million to be got in easily achievable add-ons. football.london understands Tottenham will also hold a 20 per cent sell-on clause on any profit the Seagulls make if they sell the teenager in the coming years and have matching rights on any bid, should they want to bring the defender back to north London.

Vuskovic made just three pre-season friendly appearances for the club, playing against Reading, Luton and Newcastle last year. He grabbed a goal and assist against Reading to spark excitement that never led to anything at Tottenham. He was on the bench for the UEFA Super Cup defeat to PSG and the first two Premier League games of the season but never looked like coming on.

Less than 12 months on and the Croatian has become the fourth biggest sale in the club's history and third in the past 10 years behind Harry Kane and Kyle Walker.

Ultimately Vuskovic wanted to play regular football week in, week out and Roberto De Zerbi could not guarantee that after signing two experienced centre-backs this summer to add to a packed department of the squad.

The youngster has developed in huge strides over the past 12 months as evidenced by him making the Bundesliga Team of the Year with struggling Hamburg and making Croatia's World Cup squad. Their opening game against England brought his only minutes in the tournament.

The only remaining doubts at Spurs were over his pace, acceleration and the decision-making ability that comes with age. Last summer Vuskovic knew he was not ready for Tottenham and the Premier League but a year on and the situation has changed with his added club and international experience.

Another loan was mooted but it would have been the fourth such move for the young Croatian since Spurs agreed his signing way back in 2023. He and his representatives were done with the nomadic life and the feeling was that there was no true home for him at Tottenham.

So the north London club set a price and transfer package for him and Brighton met it, meaning that in essence the Lilywhites have swapped Vuskovic for Jan Paul van Hecke.

Right now, Vuskovic would be unlikely to leap at those Spurs matching rights, as his desire to leave and even 'liking' Instagram posts about Brighton trying to sign him last month suggest. As of writing this, he has posted only about his new club on social media and is yet to bid a public farewell to a club who he likely thought treated him more like an investment than a player for them.

Who knows what the future holds but with the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich keeping an eye on him right now, if he does succeed in the Premier League on the south coast then the game's giants will start to follow up on their interest and Spurs will remain an unlikely destination.

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Ultimately, the coming years will show whether Spurs or Brighton got the better deal of the Vuskovic/Van Hecke trade. What Vuskovic might have been like in a Tottenham shirt must be consigned to the 'who knows' drawer that also contains Ange Postecoglou's third season at the club and other crossroads moments over the years.

Tottenham got the money for Vuskovic that will improve their cash position and ensure they can continue the rebuild of De Zerbi's squad that has so far cost £237million and seen six new players arrive before a ball has even been kicked.

It's an exciting time for Spurs supporters as the club builds for the now rather their previous stance under former chairman Daniel Levy of mainly looking to a future that ultimately never came.

The key though is that both can be achieved hand-in-hand with each other. One does not have to be dispensed to serve the other and this summer will showcase whether Tottenham will lurch from one extreme to the other.

Mateus Fernandes of course has only just turned 22 so ticks both boxes but Spurs must also remain wary of their homegrown problems which will only temporarily be placed to one side if they expect to be out of European competition for just the one season.

UEFA's rules are very different to the Premier League's and those problems with a lack of club-trained players will return to haunt them the moment they qualify for continental football, bringing the inability to register some of the large number of foreign stars at the club.

In isolation, Vuskovic's sale can be explained as simply bad timing for all involved with the turmoil at Spurs in the past 12 months and the club got the best possible deal they could for a youngster yet to even step foot on to a Premier League pitch.

However, it must not become a trend with the future thrown out to suit the present. As mentioned, they can co-exist.

Lucas Bergvall asked to leave the club this summer after dwindling game time last season and the £185million arrival of both Fernandes and Sandro Tonali in the midfield only reinforcing the fear of another such campaign. Spurs are currently saying that the 20-year-old, who they signed ahead of Barcelona, is not for sale but what if someone like Nottingham Forest meets their valuation as Brighton did for Vuskovic?

Archie Gray, also 20, cost Tottenham £40million just two years ago but how much game time will he get this season without the extra fixtures European football brings? His versatility gives him more of a chance than Bergvall but clubs like Newcastle are sniffing around the Leeds academy product.

Bergvall and Gray were the respective Spurs players of the season in the past two campaigns. Some might point to Tottenham finishing 17th in both seasons and ask whether they can truly be that good. However, that they stood head and shoulders above many of their experienced team-mates amid the injury carnage and upheaval at the club suggests they are.

The big clubs ease their top young talents into life in the Premier League and surround them with quality to help them through games. Spurs had no choice but to hurl Bergvall and Gray into the fray as key players, the latter in various positions like centre-back where he had never played previously. That they came through it as the best of the bunch says plenty about them.

It's not just those brought into the club though like Vuskovic, Bergvall and Gray, who all would have/will become club trained. It's also the pathway from the academy to the first team that currently looks blocked.

football.london reported on Monday that Sporting, Wolves and Southampton have all had approaches to sign Will Lankshear from Tottenham turned down in recent days after the 21-year-old striker netted 12 goals on loan in the Championship at relegated Oxford last season.

He is developing rapidly but Spurs are likely to sign a new forward this summer. Unless Lankshear wows De Zerbi in pre-season in the coming weeks, there is the very real possibility that again the club may accept a bid for him if someone matches their valuation. Those three clubs mentioned are already believed to have proposed eight-figure deals.

Mikey Moore had a big season at Rangers, winning the Scottish Premiership Young Player of the Year, and the 18-year-old is another that the Spurs boss will look at this summer. The teenager is not believed to be for sale, but another loan move could beckon with the club looking at further additions to the wings to again block his path.

At the same age, Mason Melia is now a Republic of Ireland international, but whether the forward remains at the club or heads out on loan could depend on what happens with Lankshear.

There are also 17-year-olds Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun'ai Byfield, who both impressed in their senior debuts last season, but chances will be few and far between in this slimmer season ahead unless the injuries continue to plague the club.

So while Tottenham's summer has been thrilling so far, the rebuild can be carried out alongside the young stars of the future rather than instead of them. In the words of Helen Lovejoy in The Simpsons - "Won't somebody please think of the children."

Tottenham primed for Djed Spence offer as £25m transfer collapses at final hurdle  Football London

The Sweden starlet has made the headlines in recent weeks after he made it clear to Tottenham that he wanted a fresh start this summer

Lucas Bergvall should remain at Tottenham and be a part of what they and Roberto De Zerbi are building, reckons former Netherlands star Boudewijn Zenden.

The 20-year-old Sweden international informed Spurs that he wanted a fresh challenge this summer as he expects his game time to shrink further in the coming season under De Zerbi after the north London club splashed out £185million on midfield duo Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

football.london has reported that Tottenham are not actively looking to sell Bergvall this summer and believe he will get the minutes he is seeking this season, but that has not stopped interest from numerous clubs, with Nottingham Forest among the Swede's suitors after his World Cup exploits. Liverpool have previously shown interest in the player, as have Aston Villa.

The young midfielder played 78 games for the Premier League club across his first two seasons in N17 after Tottenham saw off Barcelona to sign him in 2024.

Zenden, who played for Chelsea, Liverpool and Middlesbrough after arriving in the UK from Barcelona, believes Bergvall should remain where he is.

"Would Lucas Bergvall be a good addition for Liverpool? Yeah, why not? But at the same time, why would you leave Spurs when there is a relatively new manager on the scene and the possibility to prove yourself?

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"I think Spurs will go back to the drawing board because they had a horrendous season last year. They don't want a repeat of that. They are investing in the team and the manager to ensure a fresh start. Why not be part of that? Without European football, the focus can be entirely on the Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.

"That is something you have to take into consideration when deciding whether to stay or move on. Also, if a player does well at a World Cup, and Sweden has done OK, there will be more options," Zenden said in association with SveaCasino.

The former Netherlands winger believes that his compatriot Micky van de Ven would be a good player for his old club Liverpool but not as a replacement for Virgil van Dijk.

"I think Micky van de Ven would be a good pick-up for Liverpool, but I don't think he would be the best to replace Virgil van Dijk. Van Dijk plays on the right-hand side, Micky van der Ven in general on the left-hand side. It's not exactly the same position," he said.

"With Van de Ven you can also play him as a left back. I know Milos Kerkez has played there and done OK, but Robertson is leaving the club. Van de Ven could fill the gap on the left-hand side, but he’s not a replacement for Van Dijk."

EXCLUSIVE: The young forward has a long line of suitors waiting to see what Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi decide to do with the new offers

Sporting, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton have all had approaches to sign Will Lankshear from Tottenham turned down in recent days, football.london understands.

The 21-year-old starred in his first loan spell last season despite Oxford United's relegation from the Championship. Lankshear netted 12 goals for the strugglers which earned him their men's golden boot and Young Player of the Year award. In all he played 47 matches with 16 goal involvements to build on the previous season's breakthrough at Spurs in which he scored in the Europa League and made three Premier League appearances.

Such is the interest from sides in Lankshear that football.london understands the Portuguese giants Sporting and the two Championship clubs made approaches about potential offers in the eight-figure package range that involved either a straight permanent transfer for the forward or a loan move with an obligation to buy, and all of them were turned down by Spurs.

Lankshear has now returned to pre-season work at Hotspur Way, bulked up by the physical demands of the Championship. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi will get his first glance at him on the training pitches this week and a decision may be made on what comes next for him before the club's summer tour, which the squad will fly off on later next week to New Zealand and Australia.

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The Italian is expected to want to bring in a new senior forward this summer, with Richarlison's future in question as he enters the final year of his contract, and what happens in that department of the squad could have a knock-on effect for Lankshear, without the extra European games and minutes on offer in the coming season.

Lankshear's future could then in turn have its own knock-on effect on what happens with 18-year-old striker Mason Melia and whether the Republic of Ireland international gets his own loan or remains with De Zerbi and the squad for at least the first half of the coming season.

The Tottenham and England full-back has become an important part of the country's World Cup journey with his ever-improving performances

Djed Spence's versatility could hand Thomas Tuchel an option in a new role for England against Argentina in Wednesday evening's World Cup semi-final.

The 25-year-old has bounced back from some overblown criticism he received after the round of 32 clash against DR Congo to put in two big performances from the bench against Mexico and then Norway. The Tottenham full-back has shown his versatility with four games spent as a left-back and two on the right.

Spence has gained plenty of popularity among the England supporters, with a chant to tune of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' proposed on national radio after the quarter-final victory against Norway. His social media posts have soared in terms of responses with almost half a million likes for his upload after the weekend's 2-1 win, 10 times what his usual posts in the season would get.

During that battle against Norway, Spence made an eye-catching impact with his 45 minutes or so on the pitch with some rapid forays forward, one which resulted in a penalty overturned by VAR and another which ended up with the full-back testing Norway keeper Orjan Nyland with a low shot from the edge of the box. He also defended superbly and almost diverted a Nyland clearance in added time back into the Norway net.

"Djed was outstanding and really made a difference there against a tricky winger," said Harry Kane after the game.

Spence's now trademark chin strap, which he must wear the specially-fitted mask to protect his jaw after it was broken by Liam Delap's flailing elbow in Tottenham's penultimate game of the Premier League season at Chelsea back in May, also went missing during extra time on Saturday night in Miami.

"I feel good, I feel blessed. I’m happy. I just want to make history with this team, with this country. Like you say, it’s not a bad debut!" said Spence on Sunday as he takes in his first World Cup. "I feel sharp. Happy to do my part. I’m here to make a difference and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m pleased."

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Spence has been linked with various Premier League clubs such as Everton in this transfer window, although his World Cup performances with four years left on his contract mean his price tag would surely be far, far heftier than the £20million including add-ons Middlesbrough negotiated for him from the north London outfit back in 2022.

Keeping him with Pedro Porro would ensure two strong right-back options for Tottenham, with extra cover for the left, and replacing the England international with the required quality would cost similar to any outgoing fee which makes it somewhat redundant.

For now it is all about the World Cup though and England must face Argentina this week with Spence set to take on his club captain Cristian Romero and one of the best players, if not the best, in the history of the game in Lionel Messi.

Spence will be pushing Nico Reilly at left-back if Reece James is fit enough to now start at right-back, and playing at left-back would put the Spurs defender up against Messi. Spence is one of the squad's best one-vs-one defenders and has the recovery pace others don't. He would be desperate to lock up the Argentinean legend in his fabled 'penitentiary'.

However, there could be another role which suits him for the Tottenham man proved to be the brightest attacking spark for England in extra time.

While Anthony Gordon has the left wing spot locked down, Noni Madueke again struggled to find an end product on the opposite flank. The former Spurs academy product has not registered a single goal involvement in the tournament yet, although he did earn the penalty that Kane scored at the second attempt against Croatia in the opening game.

Bukayo Saka would be first choice on the right but the Arsenal winger's Achilles problem has ensured he has been in and out of the line-up during the World Cup.

If Saka cannot start this game then Tuchel could do a lot worse than take a leaf out of Roberto De Zerbi's book and play Spence on the right wing. The Italian used him there in Tottenham's crunch final day game against Everton, with Spence and Pedro Porro locking down the right side as the north London club kept themselves in the Premier League.

De Zerbi's predecessor Thomas Frank had used Spence once as a left winger, against Borussia Dortmund in Spurs' 2-0 Champions League win against the German side. It was a bright night for the makeshift winger but that game in January showed the one problem Tuchel might have with Spence in an advanced role. He can beat a man at will with his pace and quick feet, but his delivery in the final third can let him down.

There's a reason Spence has only registered eight assists and seven goals from 234 senior appearances in his career. For context, his fellow Spurs right-back Porro, has 50 assists and 29 goals from 305 games.

However, there's no denying that Spence is a handful when he bursts down the flank and gets to the byline. Tuchel must decide whether that, combined with his ability to defend, causes more problems for Argentina than if the Tottenham man was not there.

The Brazilian striker has been showing off his knowledge about his adopted country on his return to pre-season training at Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham forward Richarlison has admitted taking a test which will help him become a British citizen.

The 29-year-old Brazil international has been playing in the Premier League for nine years since arriving at Watford from Fluminense back in 2017. He spent a season at Vicarage Road before moving up the country to Everton where he played for four years until Spurs spent £60million on him in the summer of 2022.

Richarlison has played 133 times for the north London club since, scoring 32 goals and recording 15 assists. Having missed out on Brazil's World Cup squad this summer, the striker returned to pre-season training at Hotspur Way on Friday with the rest of the Tottenham players who have not been at the tournament across the Atlantic.

During the first days of physical and medical testing, Richarlison spoke to his team-mates and the club's media channel about taking what presumably was his Life in the UK test, a £50 exam required in the process of becoming a British citizen. The forward would have had 45 minutes to answer 24 questions and would have needed to get 75 per cent of the answers right to pass.

"The questions were about [Queen] Elizabeth, the wars, the first [world] war, the second [world] war. It's difficult," said the Brazilian. "I passed! I passed! Of course. I studied for three months."

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When asked whether he was English now, he smiled and shook the interviewer's hand. However, when asked if he would now be supporting England at the World Cup, he quickly responded "No, I'm Brazil" before pulling his training top collar down to show a tattoo of his country's flag on a heart on his chest.

Richarlison has been linked with a move out of Tottenham this summer as the attacker has just 12 months remaining on that first contract he signed with the Lilywhites back in 2022. He finally managed to put many of his previous injury problems behind him last season, finishing as the team's top scorer with 12 goals and five assists in 43 matches.

Not that he would likely have issues getting a work permit, but if the Brazilian did receive British citizenship then that would remove the need for one, were he to move to another Premier League club.

Tottenham Hotspur will be back in action soon but not all of Roberto De Zerbi's players will be available to get back on to the pitches

Tottenham return to match action in just nine days' time and Roberto De Zerbi will know that some of his players will not be available for some if not most of their pre-season fixtures.

A large group of 23 Spurs players returned to Hotspur Way on Friday for strength, power and medical tests ahead of their return to training on the grass under De Zerbi from Monday. That number included £85million signing Mateus Fernandes but not his fellow £100million new arrival Sandro Tonali who has been awaiting his work permit after his move from Newcastle.

The other returning players included another new signing in Martin Dubravka as well as Archie Gray, James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, Antonin Kinsky, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Brandon Austin, Dane Scarlett, Mikey Moore, Jamie Donley, Manor Solomon, Kota Takai, Yang Min-hyeok and Ashley Phillips.

Also back working in the gym were long-time injured duo Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus as well as Wilson Odobert, who will be out until the end of this year with his ACL injury.

While we await the status of Kulusevski and Kudus, De Zerbi certainly knows some players he will be without for some if not most of the forthcoming pre-season fixture schedule. Tottenham face a training ground friendly against MK Dons on Wednesday July 22 before the players head off on their tour to New Zealand and Australia, where they will play Auckland, Sydney and Chelsea.

When the north London club return to the UK they will take on Getafe at Hotspur Way on August 8. Then come two fixtures against Hoffenheim, the first at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday August 15 and then a training ground friendly against the German side the following day.

Those players De Zerbi will be without for some of that schedule, aside from those out injured, are the World Cup players, who will start returning in stages, their dates based on at least three weeks of rest after their final participation day with their country.

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Tottenham have had 12 players away at the tournament across the Atlantic. Those were Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic, Djed Spence, Pape Matar Sarr, Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur as well as summer signings Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Taking into account those three weeks of required rest, Robertson and Bentancur both exited in the group stages and would not have returned home from duty until the end of June. That means, unless either decide to cut short their rest which might be inadvisable ahead of a long season, the duo will not return to pre-season training until just in time to head off on the tour to New Zealand and Australia.

The experienced duo could be back in the building before the game against MK Dons but might not be risked so soon after returning.

Vuskovic is set to join Brighton in a £50million deal but those Spurs players whose countries lost in the World Cup round of 32 such as Bergvall, Danso, Sarr, Van de Ven and Van Hecke could also be back just in time for the tour.

The remaining four players, Romero, Senesi, Spence and Porro are all involved in the semi-finals this week which means Zerbi will now know they will also be playing in either the third-place match on July 18 or the final in New York on July 19.

Assuming they all depart international duty around July 19, 20 or 21, three weeks off would mean the quartet would return to training in the week ahead of the two Hoffenheim games, having missed the opening five matches of pre-season.

That double header within 24 hours represents the final warm-up games currently ahead of Spurs' Premier League opener at Brentford just a week later on August 22 and decisions will have to be made on the final returnees, with two of them right-backs in Porro and Spence.

England have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 2018

Harry Kane has conceded that England have only demonstrated their true potential "in glimpses" throughout this World Cup campaign - but he's singled out Djed Spence for praise following England's nervy World Cup quarter-final win over Norway.

It required yet another Jude Bellingham masterclass during an extra-time thriller against Norway to secure England's place in the semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday.

FIFA's tennis-style seeding system was designed to keep the four top seeds apart, and it has done its job, with England scraping through while France and Spain have already been drawn together in the opposite tie.

Yet it is abundantly clear that England must raise their game considerably if they are to fulfil the dream of lifting their first World Cup since 1966.

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They boast a world-class striker and captain in Kane, while Bellingham has been their most influential performer throughout the tournament, with both men now having netted six goals apiece.

Remarkably, Marcus Rashford remains their only other scorer in this tournament, and it still required a monumental effort to overcome Norway in the sweltering Miami heat.

England will benefit from the comfort of an air-conditioned, roof-covered stadium in Atlanta as they look to defeat old adversaries Argentina and advance to the final in New Jersey next Sunday.

Kane, however, insists there is another gear to be found as he also paid tribute to yet another tremendous collective effort from his squad.

When asked whether England have yet hit their peak, Kane said: "We haven't seen that yet, we've shown it in glimpses. Against Norway it was in glimpses.

"But we haven't had full control that we would like and I feel we can have. But at this stage of the tournament you are playing against the best teams in the world.

"We'll be playing against one of the best teams in the world in the semi-final, so the most pleasing thing is that we are in a semi-final and we can still feel like we can improve. But I don't think it is something to get really over the top about.

"We are showing a lot of good things and the way the boys defended as a team against Norway and the way we attacked, we still had some really good moments and Jude stepped up for us with another couple of goals. Overall we can be really pleased we are in the semi-finals.

"I know this is going to be a topic from now until the next game and we know we can improve and we know we can play better. But ultimately we are in a semi-final of the World Cup and that has not always been the case for this national team so we have to enjoy it.

"We need to take that in. We still showed a lot of great things. Things you need to be a successful team with our desire and determination, the way everybody puts their bodies on the line for the nation.

"And it was tough out there against Norway with the heat and humidity. It was tough to play. We can play better on the ball. We know that for sure.

"But right now we want to enjoy this. The preparation will come for the next game and we will try to improve with the ball as much as possible."

Kane is justified in urging everyone to savour the occasion. Since their World Cup triumph in 1966, this marks only their third semi-final appearance, having previously fallen short in 1990 and again in 2018 against Croatia.

They now possess a manager with a winning mentality in Thomas Tuchel, who also holds an excellent pedigree in knockout football. They also boast one of the tournament's finest players in Jude Bellingham.

When Andreas Schjelderup gave Norway the lead, England were faltering. But then Bellingham rose to the occasion with a magnificent goal before the interval.

It was Bellingham again, summoning every ounce of energy to follow up and convert after the Norway goalkeeper fumbled Morgan Rogers's effort.

However, it wasn't solely about those in the starting XI. Declan Rice departed at the break through illness, having spent much of the week confined to bed.

Noni Madueke was disappointing once more. Bukayo Saka entered the fray and made an impact. Eberechi Eze offered encouragement. Djed Spence was outstanding when introduced from the bench. Dan Burn was valiant.

John Stones and Marc Guehi performed admirably in neutralising Erling Haaland. That was Kane's other observation: everyone will need to step up as heroes from this point onwards.

Particularly when extra time in sweltering conditions drained their reserves.

Kane added: "That is when you need the squad the most. Sometimes it is easy to think you have a set team for this stage of the tournament but it is never case. You have suspensions and injuries and hidden fatigue, and that is when you need the players the most.

"The guys who maybe haven't got the minutes they would have liked, this is when they need to step up in these moments. The guys that came on were outstanding.

"Djed was outstanding and really made a difference there against a tricky winger and it will be no different on Wednesday. Whoever starts will put in a shift and whoever comes on will try to change the game for us.

"And that is what being a squad is so we showed we are together and have a lot of good things. Let's just enjoy this, recover well and go again on Wednesday."

The Tottenham Hotspur skipper has been speaking after Argentina set up a huge World Cup semi-final clash with England

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has made it clear that any fears over his fitness after coming off the pitch ahead of Argentina's World Cup semi-final clash with England are unfounded.

The 28-year-old missed the end of Spurs ' Premier League season with a knee ligament injury but recovered in time to feature for Argentina in the World Cup and has played in all but one match so far, with some big performances. Romero exited their 3-1 quarter-final victory against 10-man Switzerland during the break in extra-time in Kansas City prompting some worry back home.

However, he made it clear when speaking to Argentinean media after the game that he was simply running near empty.

"I hadn't played for more than three months. The heat and everything made it difficult. I finished a bit tired, and the coach put Otamendi in, who was fresher," he explained, as quoted by LM Neuqen.

On reaching the semi-finals with Lionel Messi and his team-mates, the Spurs captain, who has been linked with a move out of the north London club this summer, added: "It's incredible. That's just how we are; in Argentina, they say that if you don't suffer, it's not worth it. We truly don't fully grasp everything we've been doing over the last 10 years.

"I hope Argentinians can relate to us, because we truly give our all for the shirt. It was evident again today; we kept running, kept fighting, until the very last minute. Sometimes you play well, sometimes badly, but the important thing is always to get back up and keep going.

"In the previous match, down 2-0, we showed that we always try and push forward. I don't know how many teams have that. I'm proud of this team. Leo, Ota, Fide who's no longer with us... They showed that they have a DNA where they always get back up, and we have to do the same."

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Now Romero will face players he knows well in Tottenham full-back Djed Spence and former Spurs team-mate Harry Kane in Wednesday night's semi-final in Atlanta. Some have spoken about the previous historical issues between the two countries ahead of this clash, but the centre-back made it clear that this is simply a game.

"We must not confuse things, it's football," he said.

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni said similar before adding: "It’s wonderful to be in a semi-final again. England is a team that plays very well and has a great coach (Thomas Tuchel). We’ll recover, which is the most important thing."

Tottenham Hotspur have a big supporter in one of Hollywood's biggest stars right now and he had no hesitation when asked a question about the north London club

Movie star Tom Holland has made it very clear that he would choose Tottenham winning the Premier League title over winning an Academy Award.

The 30-year-old, who has become a global star while portraying Spider-Man over the past decade, is one of Hollywood's most bankable stars with his movies bringing in more than £8billion at the global box office. Holland and his brother Harry are big Spurs fans and have not hidden that fact over the years as they have gone through the joy and pain of following the club.

Holland has a big month ahead with two movies that could cross the £1billion mark each this summer opening within a fortnight of each other. First up is Christopher Nolan's star-packed The Odyssey, in which he plays Telemachus, son of Odysseus, before leading his fourth standalone movie as the famous Marvel webslinger in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

While doing promotion for the former, he was asked by The Times' Tottenham-supporting executive editor Jonathan Dean whether he would rather see the north London club lift the Premier League trophy or win an Oscar and he didn't need any time to think about the question.

"Wow, I'm going to say I'd rather us win the Premier League. That would be amazing and I'd get to share that with my brother, with my friends," said Holland.

"I know that if you were ever lucky enough to win an Oscar you get to share that with the people you made the movie with and obviously I would be honoured and I don't want to belittle that achievement in any way sense or form, but I think it's probably more of a miracle Tottenham winning the Premier League."

Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi has big plans for the club this season with £237million spent already in the summer transfer window and new signings admitting that the Italian has spoken to them about competing for the title.

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Holland admitted last year in an interview with GQ that he watched Spurs win the Europa League final against Manchester United in between filming scenes for The Odyssey.

"I was shooting Chris Nolan’s movie in LA. We were not allowed our phones on set, so I was not aware of the score. I kept going to the sneaky crew members who I knew always had their phones and kept asking them for updates," he said. "I went to my trailer for lunch and caught the last 10 minutes of the game, and my celebration was coming back to set full of energy and doing a really fantastic scene. So that was really fun."

He also spoke back then about Ange Postecoglou's sacking a couple of weeks after that victory in Bilbao and captain Son Heung-min coming to the end of his time at Tottenham.

"It’s bittersweet with Ange. I’m sad to see him go. I really liked him and admired him as a manager. I think obviously we had a very rocky season, we dealt with a lot of injuries and all sorts of different stuff. But to win a trophy in his second season as he said he would, in Europe nonetheless, is a huge achievement. And I just was really proud to be a Tottenham fan," said the Spider-Man star.

"I was incredibly happy for Sonny. For me to see him win a trophy after years of dedication to our club… He really could have played with any club, he’s a world class player. But he stuck with his roots and he stayed with Tottenham. Whatever he decides to do now, I think that he can stay at the club or move to another club with a great sense of pride. He’ll always be a Tottenham legend."