Football FanCast

Tottenham have given the green-light for an injured star to leave this summer, and the Spurs player has already agreed a contract elsewhere, according to reports.

Tottenham braced for Brighton as De Zerbi chases first win of 2026

The Lilywhites have spent this week sitting in the Premier League relegation zone for the first time in decades, and the picture surrounding the club grows more complicated by the day.

Roberto De Zerbi has had one game in charge — a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland that offered him little cause for optimism — and faces his former club Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday in what amounts to an immediate test of whether his arrival can change anything in the six games that remain.

Opta now places Spurs' relegation probability at just under 49 per cent, and the form data offers little comfort — five points from their last 14 league matches, a winless run in 2026 that stretches to 14 games and shows no sign of ending (ESPN).

Cristian Romero, the captain, is now out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury at the Stadium of Light.

He joins Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies on an injury list that has comprehensively stripped the squad of quality and depth across the most important weeks of the campaign.

Brighton arrive on Saturday having won three consecutive away league games, a daunting proposition for a home side that has won just twice on their own ground in the entire season.

One of the many doubts for the game is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is yet to return to training after hernia surgery, with Antonin Kinsky poised to start between the sticks again as things stand.

Speaking of Vicario, the Italian has been heavily linked with a return to his homeland this summer, and L'Interista have shared another update.

Tottenham green-light Guglielmo Vicario exit after Inter agreement

According to L'Interista, Inter have never wavered in their pursuit of Vicario and have identified the 29-year-old as their first-choice option to replace the outgoing Yann Sommer between the posts at San Siro.

Despite reports in recent weeks suggesting the Nerazzurri were reconsidering their options, the outlet — which has been consistent on this story throughout the season — confirms that Vicario has always been Inter's preferred target and that position has not changed.

Crucially, L'Interista reports that an agreement in principle over personal terms has already been reached between Inter and the player.

The deal being discussed is a four-year contract worth approximately £2.5m per season, meaning Vicario would commit to the Italian champions until 2030.

The contract is described as essentially ready to be signed.

Tottenham, for their part, are not expected to stand in the way of the move.

The final outstanding piece is the transfer fee.

Inter plan to approach Spurs with an offer in the range of £17m, a figure that mirrors what Tottenham paid Empoli for Vicario back in 2023.

Whether a club facing either a relegation battle or a Championship rebuild is in a strong enough position to push for more remains to be seen.

What is clear is that one more departure from a squad already stretched close to breaking point is coming.

Things have escalated since then, although Tottenham Hotspur were already in the mire heading into the January window, in need of a fresh spark to lift proceedings.

Four years earlier, with Newcastle United at risk of relegation, the new ownership regime brought in the likes of Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes, three men who instantly lifted the standards at St James' Park.

In Spurs' case, the decision to fork out almost £35m on Conor Gallagher as the sole winter purchase remains a head-scratching one, particularly with the Lilywhites so short on depth in other departments, including on the flanks.

New boss Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for the Englishman following his arrival in the dugout, although there was no immediate revival on Sunday, with Gallagher needing to be taken out of the firing line.

Gallagher is no longer the player De Zerbi "loved" at Chelsea

Speaking ahead of Tottenham's trip to Wearside, De Zerbi singled out Gallagher as one of the players he was excited to work with, suggesting he was keen to see the 26-year-old return to the player he "loved" at Stamford Bridge.

In the midfielder's final year with the Blues back in 2023/24, he was a key cog in Mauricio Pochettino's team, lining up in a number eight or even advanced midfield role, scoring and assisting 12 goals in the Premier League that season.

Once described as being "like [N'Golo] Kante with goals" by pundit Tony Cascarino, there looked to be so many strings to his bow, an all-action, relentless midfield presence who also had that box-crashing, goalscoring knack to his game.

As was evident at the weekend, however, Gallagher looks a shadow of that player these days, having registered just one assist and failed to score in his first ten Premier League games back in England.

Lining up alongside Archie Gray against the Black Cats, the former Atletico Madrid man didn't win a single tackle, won just three of his seven duels and provided only a solitary key pass, having struggled to provide any sort of attacking inspiration in that 85-minute outing.

In those ten games so far, he has yet to create a single 'big chance', and averages just 0.8 key passes per game, hardly hitting the ground running as would be expected for a player of his prior Premier League experience.

With the visit of De Zerbi's former club Brighton and Hove Albion next on the agenda, the Italian could well shake things up in the centre of the park.

De Zerbi could replace Gallagher with Spurs' Carrick & Modric hybrid

Thankfully for De Zerbi, if there is one area that Spurs do have depth, it is in midfield, with Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr having both been involved off the bench at the weekend, with Yves Bissouma part of the matchday squad.

If the ex-Marseille boss is looking for a direct replacement for Gallagher, as the new partner for Gray, he might well look to the returning Rodrigo Bentancur instead, with the Uruguayan back in first-team training this week.

Like most in north London, Bentancur has endured an injury-hit few years at the club, notably seeing 2022/23 and 2023/24 disrupted by a cruciate ligament tear, while also restricted to just 28 appearances this season following a recent hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old didn't actually feature at all under Igor Tudor, with his last league outing coming against Bournemouth back in January, having evidently been missed in his absence.

Indeed, the Lilywhites haven't won any of the 11 top-flight matches since then, with Bentancur having previously started 17 of the 21 games prior to that.

That's not to say that Spurs weren't beginning to slump even with the South American in the side, although the drop off in his absence has been stark, having notably bettered Gallagher across a string of metrics in the Premier League this season.

At his best, the former Juventus man is such an asset as a silky, yet combative presence in his deep-lying role, with that classy approach having even seen him likened to both Luka Modric and Michael Carrick in the past by Sky Sports' Michael Bridge.

"He's just got such a great glide, he's just such a clever footballer... he's a proper player and he's got a bit of [Michael] Carrick about him, a bit of [Luka] Modric."

With a goal threat akin to Modric, having scored ten times for the club to date, Bentancur also mirrors Carrick in being something of a midfield pillar in front of the back four, proving far less erratic in possession than Gallagher.

While De Zerbi may be wary of rushing him back into action, it is a case of needs must with only six games left of the season, with the hope being that Bentancur can prove the difference when it comes to beating the drop or not.

The loss of Cristian Romero to a potentially season-ending injury may have exposed Tottenham Hotspur's ongoing defensive woes, yet the bigger concern facing new boss Roberto De Zerbi will likely be the stark shortcomings in the forward line.

Not since the creditable comeback draw against Manchester City back in early February have the Lilywhites scored more than one goal in a Premier League game, having now failed to score at all in each of their last two.

No player has even reached double figures for league goals, while only Richarlison (nine) has got above four, a stark decline from the days of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son proving so consistently prolific in north London.

The make-up of the current attacking options appears akin to those days prior to Kane in his pomp, particularly during that turbulent 2013/14 campaign.

Spurs' forward line looks like it did back in 2013/14

Tottenham may not have faced the threat of relegation in that chaotic post-Gareth Bale campaign, although it did see Tim Sherwood appointed in December 2013 to try and steady the ship, amid the aim of leading the club back into the Champions League.

Despite his memorable 59% win ratio, Sherwood was dismissed at the end of the season with the north London side in sixth, sparking the start of a fruitful period under Mauricio Pochettino.

The make-up of the squad that the Englishman inherited certainly has similarities to the current crop, with a stark lack of options on the flanks, excluding Aaron Lennon and the injury-hit Erik Lamela, alongside an underwhelming batch of strikers.

The aforementioned Kane, just a rising, relatively unknown talent at the time, only scored three times in the back end of the season, while marquee signing, Roberto Soldado, scored only six Premier League goals himself that year.

Surprisingly, the main goal threat following Sherwood's arrival came in the form of Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo international returning from injury to score 11 league goals between December and May, the brightest spark of that interim tenure.

To say that type of form was the norm for the polarising forward would be incorrect, however, with the well-travelled marksman arriving with a big reputation, yet flattering to deceive during much of his time at N17.

Sound familiar?

De Zerbi needs to upgrade on the new Adebayor at Spurs

Like in 2013/14, where Spurs finished sixth despite scoring only 55 times, goals have been scarce in the current campaign, with Micky van de Ven and Romero the second-highest scorers in the league with four apiece.

Richarlison, as stated, is the man in Adebayor-style form with nine goals, yet a better comparison to the former Arsenal and Manchester City man might well be Dominic Solanke, the 28-year-old not delivering as expected following his club-record arrival.

In Adebayor's case, a fruitful loan spell in 2011/12 - which yielded 17 league goals - was followed by just a further 18 top-flight goals over the next three seasons, never managing to enjoy any sort of consistency, both in terms of finishing and fitness.

Even in that year under Sherwood, the now-retired striker had missed the first chunk of the campaign due to injury, making only a solitary appearance before late December.

Quality on his day, yet that day didn't come often enough, very much the case with regard to Solanke's time at Tottenham so far.

For many, including Sherwood and fellow former Spurs man, Jamie O'Hara, he looked like a "great signing" at the time, fresh off the back of scoring 19 Premier League goals at Bournemouth.

Like Adebayor, he had that benefit of being 'Premier League-proven', albeit with there perhaps the concern over his failed spells previously at other elite top-flight clubs, making just 28 appearances combined at Liverpool and Chelsea.

In Adebayor's case, he too had seen his time at the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid proved short-lived, even while recording a respectable record for each of those clubs, having never been able to find a settled home for one reason or another.

In 113 games in total for Spurrs, the now 42-year-old scored just 42 times, with Solanke on course to achieve a similar record considering his current trajectory, with just 22 goals in 62 games to date.

After an injury-hit 2025/26, he is available again, although Sunday's trip to Sunderland represented a poor outing for the ex-Cherries star, with O'Hara brutally suggesting that it "looks like he's forgotten how to play football".

Expected to be the main attacking force under De Zerbi, Solanke was outshone by Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani on the flanks, registering just 18 touches at the Stadium of Light.

As writer Zach Lowy noted at the weekend, Solanke is "the biggest proof that signing 'Premier League-proven players' isn’t a guarantee of success", as the turbulent tale of Adebayor also showcased.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is a big admirer of Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who could be brought in as a replacement for Guglielmo Vicario.

Guglielmo Vicario future: Inter pushing for discounted price

Vicario lost his place in the starting XI for the trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, before returning against Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League, but Jamie Carragher was less than impressed by the Italian failing to keep out Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick.

The Sky Sports pundit said: "He [Szoboszlai] is a free-kick specialist, but I tell you what Tottenham don't have a goalkeeping specialist. It's not far off the middle of the goal you have got to save that - wow. That's awful, absolutely shocking from the goalkeeper.

"The reason why the other fella [Antonin Kinsky] played in midweek is because he's not good enough, that's what it was. He then ends up coming on in the game which has been well-documented, but Tottenham have got huge problems in goal."

As such, it may relieve some Spurs fans to hear the 29-year-old's time in north London could be coming to an end soon, having recently held constructive talks about a return to the Serie A this summer.

According to a report from TuttoSport (via Sport Witness), Inter Milan are now convinced they can sign Vicario at a discounted price, and De Zerbi is pushing to sign Juventus shot-stopper Di Gregorio as a replacement.

The Italian is a big fan of his compatriot, who signed for Juventus from Monza in a deal worth €20m (£17m) just under two years ago, and he has gone on to become the Serie A side's first-choice goalkeeper, keeping 11 clean sheets in 25 Serie A matches this season.

Kinsky must step up in crucial game against Brighton

After Kinsky's difficult night in Madrid in the Champions League, the goalkeeper's confidence may have been low heading into the trip to Sunderland, but he was largely solid, with the solitary goal he conceded coming from a wicked deflection that he could do nothing about.

It appears as though the 23-year-old could be called upon again against Brighton this weekend, given that Vicario wasn't pictured in training, with De Zerbi saying: "Vicario is not ready for this game. I hope he comes back earlier next week, but I don't know yet."

The importance of the Brighton game cannot be understated, given that Spurs are sitting two points from safety, and Nottingham Forest have a golden opportunity to create some breathing room, with Vitor Pereira's set to host struggling Burnley at The City Ground this Sunday.

Jamie O'Hara has suggested Roberto De Zerbi is wrong about Cristian Romero, with the captain letting Tottenham Hotspur down on numerous occasions this season.

Romero set to play no part in Tottenham's survival bid

After Mohammed Kudus was ruled out with an injury setback not long after De Zerbi's arrival, the manager was handed a fresh blow in his first match in charge, with Romero set to miss the remainder of the campaign, and possibly the World Cup, after colliding with Antonin Kinsky against Sunderland.

The Italian's primary objective is to keep Spurs in the Premier League, and he claimed the Argentinian would be key to the survival bid, saying: "I think Cuti is crucial for us, crucial for Tottenham as a club. He is the captain, he is maybe the most important player in our squad, and to achieve our goal, we need the best of Romero."

However, O'Hara clearly doesn't echo those thoughts, with the former midfielder recently suggesting Kevin Danso may be a better option for De Zerbi in the six remaining Premier League games, given that Romero, who cost the Lilywhites £42m, simply cannot be trusted.

The ex-Spurs man said: "Romero's been a liability this season, he really has, and I love Romero I think he's a really good player. You put him in Atletico Madrid's team and you've got a world-class centre-half. In Tottenham's team though he's a liability. He is a liability and I think Danso's actually a bit more of a safer bet right now. "

Romero facing heavy criticism after Sunderland defeat

Tottenham's 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light leaves them two points adrift from safety, so it is perhaps unsurprising their club captain has faced a barrage of criticism from the media.

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood warned De Zerbi the 27-year-old cannot be trusted in the wake of the loss in the North East, whereas Simon Jordan went on an explosive rant about what the centre-back has said in the media.

Henry Winter has also taken aim at the Argentina international for the number of yellow and red cards he picks up, saying: "He's 27, yet lacks discipline too often. Romero, Romero, where art thou, Romero? In the stands, probably. Suspended for 6 games this season after being sent off twice (+ 12 yellows). That’s not being a leader. That’s not a captain representing a famous club properly."

With Romero set to miss the final six games of the season, it is over to Danso to stand up and be counted.

The sight of Cristian Romero limping off in tears away at the Stadium of Light may prove to be the defining image of Tottenham Hotspur's season, with things going from bad to worse for new boss Roberto De Zerbi.

So often painted as the villain in north London, having picked up six red cards in a turbulent Spurs career to date, the World Cup winner was undoubtedly the victim on this occasion, suffering a cruel blow following a nasty collision with goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.

Had the roles been reversed, there would likely have been outcry and even punishment directed toward Romero, although intriguingly, Brian Brobbey appears to have walked away scot-free despite what looked like a blatant push on the Argentine.

Alas, that is water under the bridge now, with the bigger concern likely to be what this all means for the Tottenham skipper's long-term future at N17...

Why Romero may not play for Spurs again after Sunderland

Even the most ardent critic of Romero would find it difficult not to have been moved by his emotional exit on Sunday afternoon, the polarising centre-back having come off worse from that second-half incident, forcing De Zerbi into a change.

At a time when the Spurs ranks are already depleted, the news regarding the severity of the 27-year-old's couldn't have been worse, with the defender looking set to miss the remainder of the campaign.

He is expected to miss up to eight weeks with 'a high-grade partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament', as per BBC Sport, essentially ruling him out of the next six games, and threatening his World Cup hopes.

If Romero is to remain absent for the rest of the relegation run-in, there is a high chance that the trip to Wearside will have been his last outing for the club, according to reports.

The ex-Atalanta man has long been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, with that La Liga switch likely to again be on the table heading into this summer, amid suggestions that he has already agreed personal terms with Diego Simeone's side.

Whether Spurs survive or not, it appears almost certain that Romero will be elsewhere next season, having endured a miserable final campaign after the highs of last season's Europa League triumph.

The mercurial centre-back was magnificent on that night in Bilbao, but he's drifted into liability territory since then - and he's not the only one.

Spurs' new Romero could also be on his way this summer

If there was to be any positive from Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Black Cats, it might well have been the performance of the aforementioned Kinsky in the sticks, with the Czech 'keeper shaking off his Madrid woes to put in a largely solid performance on the day.

From Granit Xhaka's first inswinging corner, the 23-year-old was up to the task, while having been remarkably calm in possession considering the circumstances, completed 20 of his 21 passes inside his own half.

Now under the tutelage of a manager who previously ousted Robert Sanchez in favour of Jason Steele due to the Englishman's superior ball-playing quality at Brighton and Hove Albion, Kinsky could well be De Zerbi's long-term pick in the sticks.

Indeed, after that improved showing, it appears unlikely that usual number one, Guglielmo Vicario, will come back into the mix upon his return from injury, with the Italian recently undergoing hernia surgery.

With just six games of the season to play, Vicario - like Romero - could have pulled on a Spurs shirt for the final time, not least considering he is a target for Inter Milan, ahead of a summer return to Serie A.

Like Romero before him, the 29-year-old had been plucked from Italy's top-flight back in the summer of 2023, initially proving an instant favourite as Hugo Lloris' successor in north London.

Speaking after the chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the November, pundit Jamie Carragher hailed Vicario as an "absolute revelation", with the ex-Empoli almost keeping the Blues at bay on his own for much of the proceedings.

Much like his captain, who notably saw red against Manchester United earlier this year for a reckless lunge on Casemiro, there has been an erratic quality to Vicario's game for a long while now, be it his tame attempted save at Anfield, or his involvement in Fulham's bizarre goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier in the campaign.

Meant to be one of the experienced heads in this team, in a similar mould to Romero, Vicario's decline has been stark of late, while - if those reports are to be believed - he already has one eye on his next destination.

That therein lies the problem, or part of it, at Spurs, too many players in flux, too many dreaming of a move elsewhere.

Be it Romero, Vicario or other senior figures in the squad, they may have ambitions of a high-profile, marquee switch to an elite club, ignoring the fact that their performances don't warrant such a reward.

In any case, be it through injury or mere selection, Tottenham's number one might not be seen in sticks again.

When the topic turns to great players of the last decade or so at Tottenham Hotspur, the mind might immediately settle on a certain Harry Kane, yet the impact of his former colleague, Heung-min Son, can't be overlooked.

Indeed, it is arguably the South Korean star who enjoys the greater legendary status at N17, not least having played his part in the club's Europa League success last term, in what proved to be his final campaign at the club.

Even with his powers perhaps on the wane, the ageing winger still ended 2024/25 with 17 goals and assists to his name in the Premier League, a record that would still place him above every Spurs player this season in the division.

At a time when new boss Roberto De Zerbi is crying out for a spark, someone to steer this side away from danger, Son would likely have been a perfect solution.

Alas, with six games left of the season, the Italian needs to find a new attacking figurehead in north London.

How Spurs' forwards have performed in the Premier League this season

As noted above, no one in Lilywhite has come close to Son's tally of seven goals and ten assists from 2024/25 in the top-flight, with Richarlison the only player in the squad to have even reached double figures for goal involvements.

The man who scored Spurs' most recent goal away at Anfield, the Brazilian has 12 goals and assists thus far, albeit while having scored just 25 times in the league since his arrival back in the summer of 2022.

The ex-Everton marksman did start on Sunday away at the Stadium of Light alongside Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, the pair having endured their own miserable seasons in the capital.

In Solanke's case, the Englishman has scored only three league goals in 2025/26, two of which came in that creditable comeback at home to Manchester City under Thomas Frank, with injury woes having largely been the tale of his season.

As for Kolo Muani, the Frenchman's solitary league goal came against Arsenal in the North London derby defeat under Igor Tudor, with even De Zerbi admitting prior to the trip to Sunderland that the on-loan striker hasn't had a good year by his standards.

Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, is set to miss the remainder of the campaign following a frustrating injury setback, while Xavi Simons was again overlooked from the start on Wearside, having scored only one league goal himself since his £52m arrival from RB Leipzig.

Options then are thin on the ground, although could one solution lie in Tottenham's new Son in the making?

The new Son could be the man to fire Spurs to safety

Few could have expected the remarkable, decade-long journey that Son would enjoy in a Spurs shirt, having arrived from the Bundesliga as a relatively unknown prospect back in the summer of 2015.

Just 23 at the time, it's worth remembering that he did endure something of a muted beginning at Premier League level, registering only five goals and assists in that debut 2015/16 campaign.

The rest, as they say, is history, with the 173-goal hero providing reason for patience with regard to another of Spurs' Bundesliga imports, in the form of Mathys Tel.

Still only 20, the ex-Bayern Munich starlet hasn't quite exploded as was expected following his initial loan arrival back in January 2025, scoring just six times in 52 games in all competitions.

That includes a tally of just three goals so far this season, all of which have come in league action, having started on the bench last time out following a brief injury concern over the international break.

It hasn't quite happened as yet in north London, although like Son - who scored 20 in 78 for Hamburg, and 29 in 87 for Bayer Leverkusen - the youngster has previously showcased his talent in Germany, registering 16 goals in 83 games at Bayern.

In 2023/24, for instance, he scored seven times in the Bundesliga from just 1023 minutes, having actually started only 16 games in total for the Bavarian giants.

A more consistent run of games is needed, with the France U21 international mirroring Son as a natural left-winger who can also sparkle through the centre.

Equally, he also made his mark briefly off the right in the win over Atletico Madrid last month, teeing up Kolo Muani with a delicate dink into the penalty area.

It is that kind of quality which should see Tel emerge as a potential star in De Zerbi's ranks, with the new boss evidently a fan, having admitted he tried to sign the one-time Rennes forward during his time in charge at Marseille.

With Richarlison and co squandering a handful of chances at the weekend, that left-wing berth should now be Tel's to lose, giving him the chance to truly become the successor to Son on that flank.

Someone needs to spark this attack in life, why can't it be the 20-year-old?

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has been handed another 'positive' injury update alongside the looming return of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

Cristian Romero out for the rest of the season but Bentancur returns

Spurs were handed the very unwelcome news that captain Cristian Romero is set to miss the rest of the season after his injury against Sunderland last weekend.

The Argentine, who De Zerbi was tipping to be a key player alongside Mohammed Kudus, now ironically joins the Ghanaian on Spurs' mile-long treatment table as both players see out the campaign unavailable.

Romero was shoved into Antonin Kinsky by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey during their 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light, with both men requiring treatment.

The Czech shot-stopper was able to continue with a bandage around his head, but the same unfortunately couldn't be said for Romero, who is now forced to watch Tottenham's struggles from the sidelines.

De Zerbi faces another crucial test when his former club, Brighton, visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend as Spurs sit two points adrift of 17th-placed West Ham in the relegation zone.

In a much-needed boost for the Lilywhites and their new manager, it has now been revealed that Bentancur has returned to training and may well be available to play a role against Fabian Hurzeler's side.

In further good news for Spurs, there has been an encouraging update on another injured star from Sky Sports this week.

James Maddison returns to Tottenham training with Rodrigo Bentancur

As per the broadcast giant, playmaker James Maddison, who has been sidelined since Spurs' pre-season tour of Asia last summer, has also returned to training as part of his long-winded recovery from an ACL injury.

The Englishman has been a sore miss for the north Londoners, and their lack of creativity in his absence has been a key theme of their on-field nightmare across 2025/2026.

However, while it is good news for his recovery that he's come back on to the training pitch, it still might be a little while before we see him play an actual game.

"I can also see James Maddison back in training, he's been out since that ACL injury he sustained in pre-season," said Sky Sports, via one of their correspondents at Hotspur Way.

"It has been stressed to me, this is part of his gradual reintegration into the squad, so do not expect to see him in a matchday squad any time soon.

"But of course, it is positive news in terms of his recovery."

Interestingly, ex-interim boss Igor Tudor said he was hopeful of seeing Maddison back in action before the end of the season, so it could still be one to watch from a Spurs perspective.

The 29-year-old bagged 12 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during Ange Postecoglou's final season in charge, which included strikes against the likes of Man City, Man United and Liverpool.

Maddison is a big-game, key creator at the heartbeat of Spurs' midfield, so having him back again as soon as possible would be an almighty boost for De Zerbi.

Simon Jordan has slammed Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero in the wake of the 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on Sunday.

Romero ruled out for season after collision with Kinsky

After colliding with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in the second half of the loss at the Stadium of Light, Romero left the field in tears, being replaced by Kevin Danso, and it has since been confirmed he is set to miss the remainder of the campaign.

The Argentinian has since been the subject of heavy criticism, with Tim Sherwood warning Roberto De Zerbi that he cannot be trusted, having thrown the club under the bus "time and time again" this season.

Sherwood was seemingly referring to the centre-back's public criticism of the club for failing to strengthen the squad in January, with Conor Gallagher and Souza proving to be the only high-profile arrivals.

In hindsight, Romero probably hit the nail on the head, given that Spurs are in a dire position after the weekend's action, sitting two points from safety in 18th place.

Jordan hits out at Romero for criticism of the board

The 27-year-old also suggested "other people" should be coming out to speak on behalf of the club, rather than the players, but Jordan has now emphatically hit back at the defender's comments.

The talkSPORT pundit said: "Shut your mouth player, you don't understand what you're talking about. How about you and your little mates on the field operate at your highest level week in week out? And then you can point your finger at others."

Jordan also made it clear the £195k-a-week Argentina international is partly to blame for Ange Postecoglou losing his job, adding: "You haven't covered yourself in glory. You're part of a team that stuck this team 17th in the league. You got Postecoglou the sack."

Romero will play no further part in Tottenham's bid to avoid the drop, which means Danso will need to step up to the plate, but the signs aren't exactly positive, with the Austrian playing the full 90 minutes in the recent 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest and 3-1 loss against Crystal Palace.

With a third Tottenham Hotspur manager in a row now somewhat overlooking Xavi Simons at Premier League level, questions are beginning to be asked of the Dutchman's long-term future in north London.

On Sunday afternoon at the Stadium of Light, the 22-year-old wasn't called upon until the 84th minute, even with Spurs chasing the game, with eyebrows having been raised by Roberto De Zerbi's decision to leave the playmaker out of his first starting lineup.

Simons, signed for £52m from RB Leipzig, had also been omitted from Igor Tudor's side for the clash with Nottingham Forest prior to the international break, having now started just 17 league games all season.

Having not started any of the last four in the top-flight, he has been firmly shunted down the attacking pecking order, now in danger of falling into the same territory as Spurs' other marquee signings.

How Simons compares to Tottenham's most expensive signings

There has long been an appetite for greater investment at N17, particularly during Daniel Levy's time at the helm, yet there is a feeling that when the Lilywhites do spend big, it doesn't always translate to on-field success.

Simons, the fifth most expensive signing ever at Spurs, has provided just four goals and five assists in his first 39 games in all competitions, his solitary league goal having come against Brentford back in early December.

The man directly above him on the list, Mohammed Kudus, has endured his own frustrating debut campaign at the club, albeit due to injury, with the Ghanaian looking set to miss the remainder of the season following a recent setback in his recovery.

As for the player in third, Richarlison, the mercurial Brazilian does lead the way as Tottenham's top scorer in 2025/26, although a total tally of 25 league goals in his four seasons in the capital makes for poor reading for a supposedly 'Premier League-proven' centre-forward.

The ex-Everton striker has at least stayed the course, in contrast to 2019 arrival, Tanguy Ndombele, the £62.8m midfielder scoring and assisting just 19 goals in 91 games, prior to leaving on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 after a string of loan spells.

Simons - and current club-record signing, Dominic Solanke - look on course for a similar trajectory on current evidence, with it likely to be an intriguing summer under De Zerbi, as he looks to take this struggling team forward.

The next Paul Gascoigne could be Simons' replacement at Spurs

Much will depend on whether Spurs survive or not come May, but if there is to be any sense of optimism heading into next term, it may well rest on the club's exciting core of youngsters.

That includes those already in north London, such as Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, as well as those currently out on loan, in the form of Luka Vuskovic and Mikey Moore.

In Moore's case, the 18-year-old has only recently revealed that he is keen to return to his parent club this summer, following a stellar season on loan at Glasgow Rangers, having played a vital role in the club's title push.

On six Premiership goals for the campaign, all of which have come since Danny Rohl replaced Russell Martin in the Ibrox dugout, the teenager is earning rave reviews right now, having started the last nine league games for the Light Blues.

That included a particularly dazzling display in the Old Firm derby last month, with Moore at his breathtaking best in the first half, jinking his way past the Celtic backline time and again, tormenting opposition right-back, Julian Araujo. He had also previously scored in the same fixture back in January.

There is a balletic brilliance to his game that has earned comparisons to a man of both Rangers and Tottenham fame, in the form of Paul Gascoigne, with ex-Spurs striker Jermain Defoe having said as much during Moore's academy days:

"It’s a big statement, but he reminds me of Gazza a little bit, the way he glides past people, it’s easy and he’s doing it at 15."

There is a fearlessness to Moore's game that certainly mirrors Gazza in his pomp, the one-time England hero notably having scored 33 goals in 112 games for the north London side, playing a vital role in that 1991 FA Cup win.

While a left-winger by trade, Moore has also operated centrally on occasion this season, while Rohl's oft-deployed 4-2-2-2 formation sees him regularly move inside as almost an inverted winger.

That ability to feature in either role could well see Moore challenge and potentially usurp Simons in the attacking ranks, with De Zerbi likely to relish the prospect to work with such a rising young star at N17.

It was the Italian who gave opportunities to a raft of youngsters back at Brighton and Hove Albion, namely current first-team star Jack Hinshelwood, highlighting why he will have no fear about throwing the Spurs teenager into the mix.

Simons, after struggling under Thomas Frank and falling out of favour under Tudor, isn't flavour of the month right now, with Moore ready and waiting to take his place next season.