Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur laboured to yet another Premier League defeat on Sunday, Roberto De Zerbi unable to inspire confidence and conviction on his first match in the dugout.

There is a startling lack of fundamentals about this Spurs side. Passion and energy and and enterprise. When it rains, it pours, but they can only blame themselves for failing to bring an umbrella to this relegation storm that threatens them more dangerously each week.

This was supposed to be a shift to a brighter and more purposeful project. A daring approach under a manager who acknowledges Tottenham's mantra - that to dare is to do.

The Stadium of Light is a tough ground for any team, but with just six Premier League games remaining, 18th-place Spurs cannot afford to pay attention to formbooks.

However, they must pay close attention to their abject attacking form, with the likes of Richarlison flattering to deceive on Wearside.

Richarlison's blunt effort at Sunderland

Richarlison has probably been Tottenham's most effective and sharpest forward this season. Maybe that's an illustration of where it's all gone wrong, Heung-min Son leaving last summer and Harry Kane two years before that.

The Brazilian has scored nine goals in the Premier League this term, playing 27 times and starting only 16 of those games. But he didn't come close to finding the net this weekend, save for a tame effort at the start of the match against Sunderland.

Regis Le Bris's Black Cats are intense and they are physical, and Richarlison's performance didn't come together out on the left wing. It is clear that he is at his best when positioned centrally, making a nuisance of himself and pouncing on pockets of space in the danger area.

It is also clear that Richarlison is not the only one who is currently struggling to make anything of his talents, with another surely at risk of being dropped after their poor performance up north.

Worse than Richarlison: Spurs flop must be dropped

It's not Dominic Solanke's fault that he cost Tottenham £65m to bring over from Bournemouth in 2023, but there's no denying that the Londoners have failed to receive bang for their buck.

Injuries have been unkind to the English striker, but he has also struggled to maintain consistent form in the final third when on the pitch. At which point do we have to face the fact that it was a bad buy and that Tottenham will need to invest in a new marksman come summer, should they survive this relegation battle?

The 28-year-old may well have been described as a "pressing monster" by journalist George Sessions in the past, but that player is absent right now.

In fact, journalist Zach Lowy has said that the Englishman "isn't better than Richarlison", joining the Brazilian in failing to live up to the lofty price tag and fill the Harry Kane-shaped hole.

Scoring goals has been a problem for Spurs this season. Creating chances has probably been a bigger one, and for that, Solanke will have the sympathies of some, but the defeat at Sunderland informed De Zerbi that his centre-forward needs to do much more, work much harder.

For that, Solanke should be dropped from the starting line-up, especially when considering Richarlison is the most prolific player in this squad and is wasted out wide.

Solanke has quality in his locker, and no mistake. However, he is not applying it properly, and he must be dropped.

While it is not a striker's job to take so many touches, Solanke didn't work hard enough or find the right moments in dangerous positions. 17 touches and just four passes across the afternoon yielded little success, four shots all failing to find the net. Solanke actually saw less football than the impressive Antonin Kinsky between the sticks.

It wasn't enough, and Spurs cannot afford to make any more mistakes over the business weeks of the campaign. Solanke needs to return to the bench, maybe better utilised as a Super Sub.

Jamie O'Hara slammed Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven for their "embarrassing" defending in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Spurs in real trouble after defeat at Sunderland

With West Ham United running out 4-0 winners against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night, Tottenham were under pressure to respond with a victory of their own, but they came up short, in a loss that leaves them in serious trouble.

Nordi Mukiele scored the only goal of the game, consigning Roberto De Zerbi to a defeat in his first match as Spurs boss, and his side remain in 18th place, two points from safety in the Premier League, having now played the same number of games as West Ham.

To make matters worse, captain Romero had to be substituted in the second half, following a collision with Antonin Kinsky, and the Argentinian was pictured leaving the field in tears.

Prior to being replaced by Kevin Danso, the 27-year-old had made three tackles and won all three of the aerial duels he'd contested, but O'Hara was left less than impressed by his defending in the build-up to Mukiele's goal.

Speaking live on Sky Sports, the pundit said: "Two players, Van de Ven, Romero, turning their back! Turning their back on the edge of the box! Embarrassing. 1-0 Sunderland. Embarrassing."

Spurs were perhaps a little unfortunate to concede, with the goal taking a wicked deflection, but the performance as a whole wasn't good enough, with Dominic Solanke squandering the only big chance they created throughout the entire match.

Six cup finals left for Tottenham

De Zerbi was always going to be up against it, taking over a side still searching for their first Premier League win this calendar year, and he has a huge job on his hands trying to turn their fortunes around, heading into the final six games of the season.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has given Spurs the thumbs up to pursue one player with an exceptional assist tally, according to talkSPORT.

Spurs set for Sunderland battle with summer plans ongoing

Despite the looming threat of relegation, De Zerbi and co are reportedly planning for the long-term behind-closed-doors.

Tottenham's very important afternoon is set to unfold at the Stadium of Light imminently, where De Zerbi takes charge of his first game as head coach.

Spurs go into the fixture inside the relegation zone after West Ham's 4-0 victory over Wolves on Friday moved the Hammers above them, meaning a point or better at Sunderland is needed just to get back out of the bottom three.

De Zerbi has seven games to drag his side to safety — this is the first of them.

The Italian has been unequivocal about his commitment to the job regardless of the outcome.

He has signed a five-year deal and confirmed he will remain in charge even if the unthinkable happens and Spurs are relegated.

But he also will know that the squad he has been promised for next season, and the project he was sold on when he accepted the role, depends entirely on Premier League football being secured.

That longer-term planning is already under way in the background, and one piece of summer business is now further advanced than most would have expected.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham have reached a verbal agreement to sign Andy Robertson on a free transfer in June, with all personal terms verbally settled between the two parties.

Robertson, 32, officially confirmed his departure from Liverpool on Thursday after nine years at Anfield.

The club announced he will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, with the Scot having lost his starting place to Milos Kerkez this term.

Tottenham's interest is not new, as they came close to signing Robertson in January, only for the move to fall through when Liverpool could not recall Kostas Tsimikas from his loan at Roma.

Robertson did not push for the transfer at the time, content to see out the season professionally.

Roberto De Zerbi 'backing' Tottenham move for Andy Robertson

talkSPORT share some further details on Spurs' swoop for the Scotsman.

The broadcaster claims that De Zerbi is 'backing' Tottenham's move for Robertson, but there is one caveat — the Lilywhites will need to avoid relegation to successfully sign the Anfield hero.

Indeed, if Spurs are relegated to the Championship, the agreement falls away — Robertson will not be joining a second-tier club.

Juventus, Atlético Madrid and Napoli are all reportedly monitoring his availability and can offer him European football next season, which makes survival at Spurs a non-negotiable part of the equation.

talkSPORT's Jason Cundy made clear just what the club would be getting when making the case for the signing.

On Robertson's output over a career that has made him one of the finest left-backs ever to grace the Premier League, Cundy was particularly blown away by his penchant for assists.

"In terms of numbers, let me just tell you Andy Robertson's Premier League appearances. 373. 13 goals, 69 assists. Now that is insane for a full-back," said Cundy.

"He outstrips John Arne Riise who has 30. The closest to him is Ashley Cole, and he has 31. That's the closest. He's got 69.

"I think he's in the Premier League top three greatest left-backs."

The experience, leadership and winning mentality he would bring to a club trying to rebuild under a new manager are difficult to put a price on.

Whether he arrives at all depends on the next six weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur head into Sunday's clash with Sunderland having not lost to the Black Cats in their last 15 Premier League meetings, stretching back to April 2010.

A positive result, considering that recent record, should be a probability in any normal season, although a normal season this is not, with the Lilywhites having not won at all in the league since late December.

There were whispers that a certain Sean Dyche might be parachuted in to save the day, although it is Roberto De Zerbi who has been tasked with reviving the club's fortunes, even while having been more 'arsonist than firefighter' in his previous posts, in the words of journalist John Brewin.

Without kicking a ball under the Italian, the north Londoners have slipped into the relegation zone, while the latest injury setback for Mohammed Kudus has only added to the selection headache as far as the end of the season is concerned.

Spurs injury news after De Zerbi press conference

The Lilywhites are already without the fellow long-term absentees, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, while Rodrigo Bentancur is also not yet ready to return, despite having been stepping up his recovery at N17.

A further blow for De Zerbi is the news that starting 'keeper, Guglielmo Vicario, is also not in contention following his recent hernia surgery, ensuring that Antonin Kinsky could be in line for his first start since that night away in Madrid.

There are also doubts regarding Pape Matar Sarr's involvement, after the midfielder sustained a shoulder injury while playing for Senegal during the international break.

On the positive front, however, both Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel are firmly back in contention after featuring heavily in first-team training this week, with the latter man notably forced off against Nottingham Forest last time out due to a groin injury.

Tel, fitness permitting, is likely to be the starting option off the left flank, although perhaps the biggest issue for De Zerbi to solve is on the opposite side, following Kudus' setback.

De Zerbi could unleash Spurs' next Dele as Kudus replacement

With Kudus and Kulusevski both sidelined, and having sold last season's top scorer, Brennan Johnson, back in January, there isn't an obvious solution on the right flank heading into the trip to the Stadium of Light.

Under Igor Tudor, the Croatian deployed either Djed Spence or Pedro Porro in a more advanced role, yet neither man looks like the ideal solution, considering their status as natural full-backs.

If there is to be a more exciting solution, De Zerbi could look to the youth set-up to find his answer, with supporters itching to see more of 17-year-old sensation, Luca Williams-Barnett.

The teenager has endured his own recent injury woes, having not featured at all during Tudor's tenure, yet he was reportedly in first-team training over the past week or so.

The England youth star also teased a potential involvement on his Instagram account, with it yet to be seen whether his absence from Spurs' recent U21 clash is with a view to playing on Sunday instead.

Whether it is necessarily this weekend or not, Williams-Barnett appears deserving of a chance to impress under the De Zerbi regime, even if not a natural right-winger by trade.

He is more of a number ten, it must be said, although his solitary senior outing this season came as a left-winger against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup, highlighting his ability to operate out wide.

That has been his one and only taste of first-team football, but he's been making waves at U18 and U21 level of late, scoring and assisting 13 goals in just 11 games at that latter age.

In the view of GOAL journalist Sean Walsh, there are "shades of Dele" about this young rising star, with notable comparisons also made to two further mavericks of Spurs' modern era, in the form of David Ginola and Paul Gascoigne.

Dele, while signed from MK Dons in 2015, was the latest real teen sensation to blossom for the north London side, with De Zerbi now needing to be brave and throw Williams-Barnett into the mix in the present day.

Whether it is from the start or the bench, he could be something of a game-changer in this desperate situation.

For the first time in 6281 days, stretching back to 2009, Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone, excluding the first three games of a season.

With West Ham United hitting bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers for four on Friday night, Roberto De Zerbi will begin his Spurs reign in 18th, ensuring the pressure is well and truly on ahead of Sunday's trip to Sunderland.

As has been well documented, the Italian previously failed to win any of his first five league games in charge during his Brighton and Hove Albion stay, the type of form that would surely prove fatal considering the Lilywhites' current predicament.

The 46-year-old needs to get things right, and swiftly, with Spurs' attacking configuration - and the role of Xavi Simons - likely to be a key consideration ahead of the meeting with the Black Cats.

Simons in the Champions League vs in the Premier League

Having sparkled when Tottenham secured their only win under Igor Tudor against Atletico Madrid, eyebrows were raised when Simons was subsequently dropped to the bench for the most recent Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest.

That decision appeared egregious considering the Dutchman had netted twice in a statement display just days earlier, although was Tudor onto something with regard to the 22-year-old's impact domestically compared to in Europe?

In the Champions League, following the recent exit at the hands of Atleti, the former RB Leipzig had racked up four goals and assists in just ten outings, while creating five 'big chances', averaging an impressive 1.5 key passes per game and recording 1.4 successful dribbles per game.

Like against Diego Simeone's side, Simons seemingly flourished away from the physically demanding nature of the Premier League, with his best work arguably having come on the continent in his fledgling Spurs career.

Indeed, you only have to look at his top-flight record this season to see that is the case, with 25 league games seeing him rack up just five goals and assists, having created only six 'big chances', while averaging 1.2 and 1.0 per game for key passes and successful dribbles, respectively.

The decision to shift him over the left flank on occasion hasn't helped, with all four of his Spurs goals coming while starting as a number ten, yet there hasn't been the sustained impact that was expected from the club's £52m signing.

Under a new regime, Simons may well get his chance under De Zerbi, although the new boss could also look elsewhere for a solution in that attacking midfield role.

De Zerbi could replace Simons with £35m Spurs star

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, De Zerbi did provide an intriguing insight into his view of the players at his disposal, notably describing Simons as a "big talent", while revealing that he had tried to sign Mathys Tel while at Marseille.

Perhaps most interestingly, however, was his perspective on a man who has enjoyed a difficult start to his Spurs career, in the form of Conor Gallagher, having admitted that he "loved" the Englishman during his time at Chelsea.

"I want to see again the same Gallagher I loved in Chelsea at the time," he said.

Signed from Atletico Madrid on a £35m deal in January, after previously leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2024, Gallagher hasn't exactly flourished in these first few months in north London, providing just a solitary assist from his first nine league games in Lilywhite.

Perhaps that fits with the view of the 26-year-old being something of a workhorse, rather than a man with real end product, yet as De Zerbi alluded to, he was a different beast back in west London.

In his final season at the club under Mauricio Pochettino, in particular, Gallagher was immense while deployed in a more advanced midfield role, scoring and assisting 12 times, while creating 11 'big chances' in the Premier League alone.

Just as he showed in the past after scoring eight league goals on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021/22, he is more than just a shuttler or 'piano carrier', having perhaps not been afforded the chance to showcase his best in a Spurs shirt to date.

With De Zerbi at the helm, however, that could be set to change if the Italian is to utilise the Three Lions star in that more advanced berth, having so far only operated as a central midfielder, a defensive midfielder or a right-winger this season.

Unleashing the ex-Blues man behind the centre-forward in something of a fresh role could be what is needed to spark Gallagher's Tottenham stay into life, having previously been hailed as looking like a "Poch-era Dele Alli" by journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke.

Dele, in his pomp, was an elite presence at crashing the box and operating almost as a second striker, with now the time to see Gallagher utilised in a similar role, ahead of the struggling Simons.

With the likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall deployed behind them, there could be a real fresh feel to Spurs' midfield at the Stadium of Light.

Tottenham Hotspur have now reached a "verbal agreement" to sign Andy Robertson this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Blow for Celtic as Tottenham reach Robertson agreement

Tottenham may sit inside the Premier League's relegation zone, but they look to have the advantage over Celtic in the race to sign Robertson.

The Bhoys have been among a number of clubs eyeing the Scotland captain, as he prepares to bow out of Liverpool as a free agent in the coming months. If recent reports are anything to go by, however, their hopes of signing the left-back are decreasing by the day.

Announcing his decision to leave Liverpool after nine years full of success, Robertson said: "It’s never easy leaving a club like Liverpool, it has been a huge part of mine and my family’s life for the last nine years. But for me, players move on, other people move on – the thing that stays the same is the club and obviously the fans.

"I’ve had an amazing nine years here. Look, I think it has been well-documented, especially over the last year or so, I’ve had opportunities to leave and I’ve not taken them because of how difficult it is to leave this club. And I wouldn’t change that for the world."

For Celtic, meanwhile, it looks set to be back to square one unless Tottenham fail to meet one requirement. The Hoops were reportedly exploring a deal for Robertson last month and he's made his admiration for the club no secret over the years. Alas, it is still Tottenham who are in the driving seat.

As reported by Romano, Tottenham have reached a "verbal agreement" to sign Robertson on the condition that they avoid relegation this season.

The Lilywhites are currently two points adrift of safety, but have the opportunity to move out of the dropzone by winning their game in hand against Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

Even at 32 years old, the £160,000-a-week star would be an excellent addition in North London. His experience after such a disastrous campaign would quickly prove to be invaluable for Roberto De Zerbi's side. As first signings go, the Italian would have no room for complaints.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to do battle away at Sunderland this weekend, although new boss Roberto De Zerbi will have to do so without a string of first-team stars, namely James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

The question remains as to whether, despite signing a five-year deal in north London, the Italian will actually be at the helm by the time the pair are back to full fitness, with neither playmaker having played at all under Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor.

In the case of Kulusevski, in particular, this extended absence is of real concern considering Sweden have now qualified for the upcoming World Cup, with it yet to be seen whether the 25-year-old will be able to return to action before the season is out.

An elegant, delightful footballer to watch at his best, the Scandinavian genius has drifted into forgotten man territory at N17, with the Lilywhites now eyeing a deal for someone who could look to take his place.

Spurs could see bid accepted to sign £25m star for De Zerbi

All eyes are on Sunday's trip to the Stadium Light, although looking further ahead, work is already underway regarding potential reinforcements to bolster De Zerbi's ranks this summer.

One mooted deal, as reported earlier this week, is a potential reunion for the Italian with on-loan Marseille man, Arthur Vermeeren, with the playmaker potentially set to leave parent club RB Leipzig for a fee of around £25m.

That is a similar fee to the one which could see Spurs prise Kulusevski's Sweden colleague, Benjamin Nygren, from Glasgow giants Celtic, with SportsBoom naming the north Londoners among the raft of clubs who are interested in the 24-year-old heading into this summer.

As per the report, the former Nordsjaelland man is also attracting interest from the likes of Valencia, Lille, Bournemouth and De Zerbi's former club Brighton, having enjoyed an impressive first season at Parkhead following his £1m plus switch last year.

Any deal would likely see the Scottish Premiership side make a significant profit, with the piece outlining that Celtic are likely to open negotiations at around the £25m mark, with the board not set to stand in his way if Nygren does receive an 'unstoppable offer'.

It is likely that the versatile forward would see his £20k-per-week salary tripled at the very least, were he to move to the Premier League or LaLiga, with his agent said to have already held meetings in London last month.

Why Nygren could be another Kulusevski for Spurs

It is easy forget, considering the length of his absence, just how crucial Kulusevski was to the Spurs cause in years gone by, notably racking up 44 goals and assists in his 116 Premier League outings to date.

The silky left-footer has proved a particularly astute signing following his initial loan arrival from Juventus back in January 2022, boasting the versatility and flexibility to feature in a variety of midfield and forward roles, namely operating as a number ten or a right-winger.

That is a trait that is certainly shared by his compatriot Nygren, with the 6 foot 1 talent also comfortable all across the front line, or as something of a box-crashing number eight or number ten.

It is in that latter berth where the left-footer has sparkled so far this season, even amid a difficult and turbulent collective campaign for Celtic, now up to 19 goals already in all competitions.

Like Kulusevski, he isn't exactly blessed with stellar speed or athleticism, yet he makes up for that with his goalscoring knack and creative prowess, having contributed 27 goals and assists in total across his first 51 games in green and white.

Back in Denmark, he had contributed 43 goal involvements in 107 games, while at his first club, Gothenburg, he registered 11 goals and assists in just 15 games for the Swedish side.

There have been spells in Holland and Belgium in between, although it is now where he truly looks to be emerging as a real star in the making, ensuring a £25m deal could be considered something of a bargain for De Zerbi and co.

Indeed, considering the lack of depth in De Zerbi's forward line, particularly off the right, adding Nygren into the fold as Kulusevski mark two would represent a perfect first summer deal as far as the ex-Marseille boss is concerned.

Tottenham Hotspur are working behind the scenes to sign Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini alongside their interest in Andy Robertson this summer.

Tottenham in pole position to sign Robertson

Avoiding relegation will be the top priority for Roberto De Zerbi in the coming weeks, but signing Robertson may be second on the list. The Liverpool defender announced that he will be leaving Anfield as a free agent earlier this week, opening the door for the Lilywhites to finish the job they started in January,

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, it is Tottenham who are in pole position to sign the left-back this summer and welcome a much-needed leader.

There's still plenty of work to do if Spurs want to make a deal happen, but the early signs are certainly positive. Given that the groundwork is already in place from January too, the only obstacle standing in their way is likely their survival concerns.

Even at 32 years old, a deal for Robertson makes sense. De Zerbi needs to oversee a transformative summer in North London and there aren't many better ways to start that than by welcoming a Premier League winner.

Beyond that, however, Tottenham also have other transfer plans. Alongside Robertson, reports are also claiming that the Lilywhites are eyeing a Serie A star.

Tottenham working behind the scenes to sign Scalvini

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now working behind the scenes to sign Scalvini from Atalanta. The central defender is back to his best after an ACL injury and is firmly back on the radar of both those in North London and Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window.

At 22 years old, it makes perfect sense that Scalvini is on Tottenham's radar. With doubts over the future of club captain Cristian Romero and his centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, Spurs could form a new, long-term partnership between Scalvini and the returning Luka Vuskovic.

With the experienced Robertson alongside them, Scalvini and Vuskovic could form the heartbeat of the De Zerbi era - and a far stronger one at that.

Dubbed "outstanding" by talent scout Jacek Kulig back in February, the Atalanta man also has the ability to step into midfield and would kill two birds with one stone as a result.

There would have been concerns about how Scalvini would return from his long-term injury, yet he's since come back firing on all cylinders. There are no downsides to his potential arrival.

If Tottenham are aiming to rebuild their backline then starting with Robertson and Scalvini would be an excellent first move.

Andy Robertson is now open to joining Tottenham Hotspur, who have already put the groundwork in place to complete a deal this summer.

Robertson to leave Liverpool after "amazing" nine years

Just weeks after Mohamed Salah announced that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, Robertson has followed suit. The left-back will call time on his Anfield career after nine years, opening the door to clubs around Europe and in the Premier League.

In an emotional farewell, the Scotland captain said: "It's never easy leaving a club like Liverpool, it has been a huge part of mine and my family's life for the last nine years. But for me, players move on, other people move on - the thing that stays the same is the club and obviously the fans.

"I've had an amazing nine years here. I think it has been well-documented, especially over the last year or so, I've had opportunities to leave and I've not taken them because of how difficult it is to leave this club. And I wouldn't change that for the world."

Robertson has been very open about the opportunity that he had to join Tottenham during the January transfer window, before ultimately deciding to stay put. Now, with his contract set to come to an end, the Lilywhites could swoop in and finally get their man this summer.

Robertson open to Tottenham move

As reported by The Athletic's David Ornstein, Robertson is now open to joining Tottenham this summer if they stay up.

The Lilywhites already have the groundwork for the deal in place after coming close to his signature in January and will be hoping to welcome the left-back if they avoid relegation this season.

Whilst the Liverpool man is 32 years old, he would still be an excellent first addition for Roberto De Zerbi in North London. This is a Spurs side which has lacked any sense of leadership all season. Robertson, although no longer at his peak, would offer that in abundance.

Avoiding relegation will be the key to any transfer. As per Ornstein, Tottenham are poised to complete a deal to sign Robertson if they keep hold of their Premier League status.

With seven games left to play, the Lilywhites are still just one point above the dropzone. They will be desperate for De Zerbi to make an instant impact on the pitch, before attracting several top targets away from the action this summer.

Robertson, meanwhile, remains focused on seeing out what has been a legendary Liverpool career full of historic moments.

"Every time I see light at the end of the tunnel, it's often an oncoming train". That infamous quip from former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou rings true even more these days, following a season that has flitted from one disaster to another.

Having dismissed the Aussie last summer, the Lilywhites have plummeted to even lower depths under both Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor since then, last recording a Premier League win back in late December.

New boss Roberto De Zerbi is now tasked with putting things right, although the Italian will almost be working with one hand tied behind his back, considering the string of injury absentees at N17.

Even potential positive news on the injury front has been short-lived, with Mohammed Kudus notably suffering a setback in his recovery this week.

Spurs suffer hammer blow after Kudus injury latest

On the one hand, there is a sense that, slowly but surely, the list of absentees is being reduced in north London, with Mathys Tel and Lucas Bergvall likely to be in contention against Sunderland this weekend, while Rodrigo Bentancur is also edging his way back to fitness.

Equally too, both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are expected to play a part before the season is over, the pair having not featured at all under either Frank or Tudor.

That said, just when things are beginning to brighten up, De Zerbi and co have received yet another hammer blow, following the news that Kudus is set to miss the remainder of the campaign, after pulling up in training this week.

Sidelined since suffering a quad injury against the Black Cats back in January, the Ghanaian had been back in first-team training ahead of the upcoming clash with Regis Le Bris' side, although the expectation is that he will now require surgery, putting his World Cup participation in doubt.

That represents a real blow for a manager who had tried to sign the 25-year-old for Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2023, with Kudus having also enjoyed a strong first-half of the campaign at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with eight goals and assists in his first 19 league games.

At a time when Spurs are already short on options on the flanks, this setback for the ex-West Ham United man could force De Zerbi to have to look into the academy ranks instead.

Spurs may have already signed the new Mohammed Kudus

Anyone seen a winger? Yes, the lack of genuine options out wide remains a real issue for the Lilywhites, with Brennan Johnson having been sold in January, while Wilson Odobert has been absent since suffering an ACL injury earlier this year.

While Tel can be deployed off the left, it is on the right where Spurs are particularly light, not least with Kudus and Kulusevski both still out of action.

If De Zerbi is to find a solution, he could well look to the youth set-up over the coming weeks, with the north Londoners having already signed another West Ham starlet in the form of 18-year-old sensation, Elisha Sowunmi.

The teenager winger - who, like Kudus, is left-footed - was poached from the east London side back in January, with that deal considered something of a coup amid the youngster's fine work in the Hammers' youth ranks.

Comfortable operating on either flank or in a number ten role, as a similar profile to Kudus, Sowunmi has made seven appearances for Spurs' U21 side to date, albeit without notching a goal or assist.

That said, back at his former home, the promising wideman was in electric form at U18 level, netting 17 goals and providing seven assists in 47 games at that age group, as per Transfermarkt.

It is for that reason that Spurs were so keen to strike a deal during the winter window, with Sowunmi previously hailed as having "all the talent in the world" by West Ham academy boss Kenny Brown.

Such praise isn't without merit, with the teen boasting an impressive highlight reel at youth level thus far, showcasing a real knack for the spectacular when cutting in from his favoured right flank.

Whether he would be ready to immediately slot into De Zerbi's first-team squad is up for debate, yet if Kudus' injury is to prove a longer-term issue, then Sowunmi might well be his ready-made successor.

Indeed, it appears Kudus isn't the only future superstar that Spurs have managed to pluck from their London rivals this season.