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Tottenham suffered a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League on Tuesday night and here are our Spurs player ratings. Thomas Frank made three changes to his side with 10 players sidelined through injury and one through suspension, in captain Cristian Romero, who was absent for the first of four matches.

Newcastle, who had secured just two victories in their previous 15 away fixtures, were the superior side in the opening period and believed they had broken the deadlock, but VAR ruled it offside. There was a gaping space at the back for Joe Willock to latch onto Jacob Ramsey's pass and turn inside before drilling into the bottom right corner.

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The tip of his forehead was marginally offside, though, in an incredibly tight offside call. Malick Thiaw then scored in first-half stoppage time for Newcastle. Guglielmo Vicario parried out Thiaw's header, but the Newcastle man glided past Pape Matar Sarr to stroke the ball home.

Tottenham pressed forward at last after the interval, with Mathys Tel sending a couple of attempts over and Sarr having an effort kept out by Nick Pope.

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The hosts secured an equaliser on 64 minutes when a deep Xavi Simons corner was nodded back across by Sarr and Archie Gray guided the ball into the net. However, Newcastle regained the lead just four minutes later when Ramsey found the back of the net from Anthony Gordon's pass.

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The goal was a result of a misplaced Conor Gallagher pass as Spurs counter-attacked.

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The home side huffed and puffed but failed to score another goal as the rain poured down and the fans chanted for Mauricio Pochettino and Frank's dismissal.

Here are our Spurs player ratings from the match...

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Guglielmo Vicario

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Managed to push out Thiaw's header but no one was alert enough to prevent the follow-up. Couldn't get close to Ramsey's goal.

Had no other saves to make. 5.

Archie Gray

Improved as the game progressed and made several powerful runs down the right. Was rewarded with his goal on the 64th minute.

The young star worked tirelessly and deserved better. 7.

Radu Dragusin

Conceded the unnecessary free-kick that led to Newcastle's injury-time goal. Can be turned too easily. 4.

Micky van de Ven

Made a few good challenges in the first half and a fantastic sliding block to deny Barnes in the second half. Fired over late on what could have been the equaliser. 6.

Djed Spence

Returned from injury but delivered a very subdued performance. 5.

Yves Bissouma

Only lasted the first half before being substituted. Seemed off the pace. 4.

Pape Matar Sarr

Also seemed off the pace in the first half and was too weak for Newcastle's first goal. However, he improved in the second half and provided an assist with the header for Gray's goal. 6.

Wilson Odobert

Suffered a couple of early robust runs but appeared to seriously injure his knee half an hour in and was substituted. 5.

Conor Gallagher

Began in the number 10 position before being shifted to the right following Odobert's injury. Misjudged a crucial pass as Spurs counterattacked in the second half, resulting in the ball ending up at the other end for Ramsey's goal. 5.

Xavi Simons

Struck an early shot into the side-netting. Attempted to create opportunities for Tottenham and delivered the corner from which Gray eventually scored. 6.

Dominic Solanke

Made a significant early defensive contribution in his own box. Appealed for a penalty after being pushed and received very little service.

Had an overhead kick blocked late on but he gets so little service. 5.

Subs

Mathys Tel

Replaced Odobert in the first half and had opportunities with two shots over the bar in quick succession early in the second half. Needs to be more aware of other options at times. 6.

Joao Palhinha

Substituted in for Bissouma at half-time and injected a bit more pace into Tottenham's play. 6.

Randal Kolo Muani

Put in a lot of effort without much to show for it. 5.

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Tottenham's squad are understood not to have relegation wage reduction clauses written into their contracts. Thomas Frank's team have found themselves embroiled in a battle to stay in the Premier League this campaign.

A damaging sequence of six league fixtures without victory has left Spurs languishing in 15th position and merely SIX points clear of 18th-placed West Ham, who occupy the final relegation berth. Whilst Wolves and Burnley appear stranded at the foot of the table, it seems several clubs - Tottenham among them - are scrapping to avoid a single place.

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Frank was reluctant to discuss relegation during Monday's press conference, yet the prospect of slipping into the Championship is a reality Spurs may need to confront should they suffer defeat against Newcastle United on Tuesday.

Should Tottenham drop down to the second tier, speculation has emerged regarding potential player wage cuts. However, The Telegraph reports that former employees who served during Daniel Levy's chairmanship have confirmed that wage reduction clauses were NOT included in contracts throughout their tenure at Spurs.

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Sources maintaining links with the club following Levy's departure suggest this practice continues, though the overall wage expenditure would naturally decrease with relegation and the absence of European competition, as performance-related bonuses would no longer apply.

Tottenham's relegation rivals, West Ham, have a 50 per cent reduction clause in player contracts if they face relegation. Leicester City, who endured Premier League relegation in 2023 and 2025, had the same provision.

If Spurs were to be relegated, having numerous players earning over £100,000 would pose a significant financial issue, jeopardising their Profit and Sustainability (PSR) position.

There have been previous concerns about Spurs facing Premier League relegation. Last season, under Ange Postecoglou's leadership, Tottenham finished 17th after a dismal top-flight campaign.

However, it was back in 1994 when Spurs secured survival by winning an away game against Oldham Athletic, avoiding top-flight relegation for the fifth time in the club's 164-year history.

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In a half an hour press conference ahead of Tuesday's match against Newcastle, Frank was questioned about relegation nine times. Despite this, he only mentioned 'relegation' once himself.

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"Every club should do whatever they can to perform every single game and do everything they can to end as high as possible," Frank stated on Monday. "I think if we were a little bit higher then you'd say, 'Is top four the end?' Now it's not as high, then, 'Is relegation the end?' For me, no matter what, I will only focus on the next game.

"At one stage we are hopefully in a better and higher position, and you will ask me about a position higher up in the league, and I'll say I'll focus on the next game. That will be my answer."

Former Premier League icon Moussa Sissoko missed out on his dream move from Newcastle United to Arsenal in 2016. The France international ultimately joined the Gunners’ north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a £30million deal on deadline day.

Sissoko had been part of the Newcastle squad that had suffered Premier League relegation but the then-26-year-old did not wish to play for the team in the Championship. Having been a key player as France reached the Euro 2016 final, the midfielder dreamed of playing for a Champions League club. A late deal was then struck between Spurs and Newcastle, who meet on Tuesday. It meant Sissoko fulfilled his ambition with Arsenal’s rivals after ending his summer-long transfer saga.

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The ex-Newcastle star had made his feelings clear while on international duty ahead of the Euros. Speaking to Foot Mercato, he said: "It is flattering that a coach like [Benitez], a great coach, wants to keep me. But I think that he is aware. I have reached a level where playing in the Championship would be difficult for me."

He added: "I want to leave. I would like to continue my career in England, in a club that plays Champions League football."

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When asked about a potential move to the Gunners, Sissoko continued: "It is very flattering. Arsenal is one of the best European teams. To be watched by that sort of club, that proves that you are a quality player.

"Everyone knows, I often said it when I was young, Arsenal is the club of my heart, because there were quite a few French players there like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord, Patrick Vieira, who was my idol…

"The beautiful Arsenal. We will see. I cannot tell you if I am going to go to Arsenal. For the moment, I am focused on the French national team and the Euros."

Despite making his preference clear, Arsenal opted not to sign Sissoko that summer. Instead, Spurs won a transfer battle with Everton after deciding to match their £30m offer during the last day of the window.

"I went on holiday, and everyone knew I wanted to leave Newcastle to go to a bigger club, play in the Champions League and compete for titles," Sissoko told FIFA's official website in October 2016. "Thank God I signed for Tottenham. There were talks that started way before and everything happened in the last few hours.

"I would've liked for it to be done quicker. I was able to rest a bit still, but psychologically, it drained me a bit. I like to have a preseason with the team because it's easier to settle. Arriving at the end of the window isn't the same, even if I was lucky to be well received and everything went well."

Sissoko, who had spent three-and-a-half years at Newcastle, struggled during his first season at Spurs, starting eight of his 25 league appearances. However, more than a year later, the midfielder insisted he had made the right decision.

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In October 2017, he told Yahoo Sport: "I said it in the newspaper when I signed, I came to Tottenham because, although I respect Newcastle, for me Tottenham is better than Newcastle and they try to win the title in the league and you have a chance to play in the Champions League. That’s what I wanted."

Former Tottenham Hotspur owner Lord Alan Sugar is convinced Joe Lewis is preparing to offload the club. Control of Spurs was handed over to the Lewis Family trust back in 2022.

The Lewis dynasty took complete ownership last year following Daniel Levy's departure, with the club's leadership now consisting of Joe's daughter Vivienne, son Charles and Vivienne's husband Nick Beucher. Sitting in a disappointing 15th position in the Premier League table, the pressure is mounting not just on manager Thomas Frank, but equally on the club's ownership. Despite activity in the January transfer window, which saw Tottenham invest £48million in securing Conor Gallagher and defender Souza, Lord Sugar has raised eyebrows over the relatively modest outlay given the Lewis family's considerable fortune and the club's precarious league standing.

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On X, the Apprentice star said: "Really can't understand why Joe Lewis, the billionaire, is not throwing money into Tottenham. We hardly dealt in the January window. Maybe he has a buyer in mind for the club. @SpursOfficial."

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Speculation suggests Levy is examining the possibility of selling his shareholding to a consortium led by Hong Kong businessman Ng Wing-fai. It is understood the Lewis family has no current intention of parting with the club.

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Although they cannot dictate what happens to Levy's shareholding, they would maintain complete control of the organisation should his stake ever change hands. The Lewis family turned down three separate takeover bids last September.

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These included an offer from an Asian consortium featuring Wing-Fai, another from Amanda Staveley's PCP International Finance Ltd and a third from former DJ Brooklyn Earick. A strategic framework has been established to 'deliver sustained on-pitch success' with key appointments announced during the final months of last year.

Fabio Paratici was brought back as new co-sporting director. Last April saw Vinai Venkatesham appointed as the club's new chief executive officer. In October, Dan Lewindon arrived at the club in the newly created role of performance director.

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After Spurs' loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, Spurs' winless record in the Premier League extended to seven matches in a row. They have not won a domestic match since their 1-0 away victory over Crystal Palace just after Christmas.

Manchester United maintained their winning form in the Premier League with a comfortable victory over Tottenham. Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes proved to be the difference as the Red Devils registered their fourth straight win under Michael Carrick. The interim head coach has enjoyed a dream start to life at Old Trafford and will be pleased with his team after another impressive display.

Tottenham were reduced in numbers before the half-hour mark when Cristian Romero was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Casemiro. United were quick to take advantage, with Mbeumo scoring from a clever corner routine just 10 minutes later. The hosts doubled their lead with just nine minute remaining when Fernandes found the bottom corner with a delightful finish.

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Express Sport rates and slates the United players from today's victory...

Man Utd player ratings vs Tottenham

Senne Lammens - 6

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Didn't see a great deal of action but was equal to everything thrown at him and deservedly earned a clean sheet.

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Diogo Dalot - 7

Relatively solid on the right side of defence without setting the world alight. Was better in the second half and nearly scored with a vicious curling effort.

Harry Maguire - 7

Struggled at times when dealing with Xavi Simons but otherwise did okay. Posed an aerial threat at both ends of the pitch.

Lisandro Martinez - 7

Did his defensive duties well enough. Helped the Red Devils to build attacks from the very back with some crisp forward passing.

Luke Shaw - 7

A decent display at left-back, bombing forward to help out in attack while ensuring he was in the right place to snuff out danger.

Casemiro - 7

Helped to protect United's back four with some effective defensive screening. Tried to get himself involved moving forwards.

Kobbie Mainoo - 9

The heartbeat of the team, keeping things moving with his accurate passing and smart movement. The second-best player on the pitch.

Amad - 7

Caused problems down the right flank, putting his footwork to good use. Created chances with some smart passes into the final third.

Bruno Fernandes - 9

Looked lively from the start and led United's attacking charge. Oozed confidence on the ball and scored with a lovely finish late on. The best player on the pitch.

Matheus Cunha - 8

Went very close with a curling effort that sailed narrowly wide. Linked play well and posed an attacking threat throughout.

Bryan Mbeumo - 9

Took his goal brilliantly to maintain his impressive scoring record against Tottenham and constantly got himself into dangerous areas.

Substitutes

Benjamin Sesko - 7

Came on in the final 20 minutes, replacing Cunha. Posed a threat with his physical presence and hold-up play in the final third.

Noussair Mazraoui - n/a

A late addition, replacing Shaw.

Manuel Ugarte - n/a

A late addition, coming on for Casemiro.

Joshua Zirkzee - n/a

A late addition, replacing Mbeumo.

Tyler Fletcher - n/a

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A late addition, coming on for Mainoo.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has expressed optimism over the imminent return of Kevin Danso from injury, while also confirming that Micky van de Ven is ready for selection. Spurs are set to face Manchester United in a Premier League clash on Saturday, with hopes of returning to winning form.

Spurs go into the match against United on the back of a six-match winless streak in the Premier League, a slump dating back to late December. This run has seen Tottenham slide down to 14th place in the league standings, and they now face a United side fresh off three consecutive victories against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.

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Danso has been out of action for the past week due to a toe injury sustained during Spurs' Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Consequently, the defender was absent from Tottenham's recent Premier League draw against Man City, and will not be fit in time to take part in this weekend's match against the Red Devils.

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However, Frank has indicated that Spurs are hopeful of having Danso back in the squad soon, although an exact timeline for his return remains uncertain, reports football.london.

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“Very unlucky,” Frank told Tottenham’s club media when asked about Danso’s injury. “I think every single time he’s been called upon this season, he’s delivered for the team.

“It is fantastic to work with him in every aspect. We’ll probably know a little but more this week in terms of how long. Hopefully, it will not be too long.”

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Frank also provided an update on Van de Ven's fitness, with the defender having been absent from the victory over Frankfurt and the draw against Man City due to injury.

The Tottenham manager confirmed that he expects Van de Ven to be fit for the clash against Man United on Saturday afternoon, while also commending the centre-back for his dedication to his recovery.

“He can go straight back in, he’s fit, he’s available, he’s in a very good place,” Frank said.

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“I think last year he played 22 games, and he’s played 30 games this year and the year before was 29 [games].

Tottenham star Dejan Kulusevski has disclosed the methods he is likely employing to recover from injury. The 25-year-old has been sidelined due to a knee problem since May, requiring surgical intervention to address the issue, and there is currently no definitive timeframe for his return.

Thomas Frank was questioned about his rehabilitation in early January, with his response offering little encouragement of an imminent return to training. He said: "It was not going forward as quickly as we thought but it's an injury we haven't seen that much in football history. It's a complicated injury, where it's important to make sure there's no pain in the knee.

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"That's why he got an injection and it hopefully will help. So in three to four weeks' time, he'll be on the grass pain-free." Though Frank has failed to deliver an update beyond that, the Sweden international has been commenting on his injury and recently responded to an Instagram comment that jokingly questioned if he was still alive.

In a fresh post to that platform, Kulusevski has shared an update in partnership with Flowlife, a Swedish health and wellness brand, where he explained how vital their recovery equipment has been to him. In the footage, he says: "Recovery is very important, especially now when I get a little bit older. It's a lifestyle, I don't really focus on recovering because I do it every day.

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"So for me, it's just a natural habit. I love to use the saunas. I like to sweat. After you sweat a lot, you need to hydrate a lot. If I have two hours free, I would go into the chamber and get extra oxygen, especially if I'm injured, it is important to recover more quickly. So I think it is a great tool for us athletes that we can use now. Honestly, the first time I used it, I felt so happy.

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"As soon as you go out, it is like a burst of energy. You feel totally refreshed and it is an amazing feeling. But also like motivational, I feel like you have more energy in you so I experienced that and I think it is amazing for a human to feel energized."

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The timing of when the video was recorded is unclear, though it appears highly probable that Kulusevski has been utilising their products throughout the past nine months. Nevertheless, it sadly doesn't appear to have aided his significant injury thus far, with Tottenham confirming their Champions League knockout stage squad without including Kulusevski, which indicates a comeback isn't anticipated in the coming months.

Fellow long-term casualty James Maddison has similarly been omitted, whilst Radu Dragusin, Mathys Tel and Conor Gallagher have been named in place of injured players Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies, who have been withdrawn, along with Brennan Johnson following his move to Crystal Palace.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been told that Luka Vuskovic will not be returning to the club following his impressive campaign. The defender joined German outfit Hamburg on a season-long loan deal during the summer. He has appeared 17 times in the Bundesliga this season and scored four goals. Whilst Spurs may have hoped Vuskovic would return to north London ready for senior action, it seems he could be heading for a permanent departure.

Ex-Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has suggested he will leave the club without ever featuring for the first team. Writing on X, he said: "This player is not coming back to Spurs! Another of many players the Spurs had a chance with, but they made the wrong decision.

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"This is an example of the problem Spurs have been having within the football department! A total neglect.

"They will make good money, for sure, but there's no football direction within the club. Off to Bayern he goes, no wonder I will not blame him."

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Vega isn't the only person to hint that Vuskovic might leave Spurs permanently. Ex-Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic recently urged Bayern Munich to pursue the young defender.

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He shared: "All of Europe is talking about him right now. FC Bayern needs to do everything [to sign him]. I believe the boy has to go to Bayern.

"He has everything it takes to become one of the best centre-backs. I'm curious to see if Tottenham will manage to keep him beyond the summer, because in my opinion he's already ready for the next step to one of the absolute top clubs. And for me, there are only four or five of those clubs in Europe."

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Vuskovic, 18, signed for Tottenham from Croatian club Hajduk Split in a £12million deal back in 2023, though the transfer couldn't be completed until he reached 18 due to Brexit regulations. Since then, he's been loaned out to Polish side Radomiak and Belgian club Westerlo.

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His contract with Spurs runs until 2030. Hamburg are currently eager to extend his loan spell beyond this summer, though this may face opposition.

Thomas Frank has confessed he has "no idea" if Cristian Romero will remain at Tottenham next season, following the captain's apparent frustration over the club's lack of signings in the winter transfer window. The 27-year-old expressed his disappointment on Instagram shortly after the transfer window shut this week, lamenting the shortage of available players after he had to be substituted at half-time during Spurs' 2-2 draw with Manchester City due to illness.

The Tottenham captain posted: "I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn't feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available - unbelievable but true and disgraceful." Frank confirmed that despite Romero's recent outburst, he would remain as captain and stated that the club had addressed the issue internally.

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Romero, who has contributed six goals and four assists amidst Tottenham's struggles under Frank, is reportedly keen to leave this summer according to reports from his home country. This comes despite the World Cup-winning centre-back signing a four-year contract last August.

When questioned about whether he expects the Argentine international to stay at the club next season, Frank admitted: "That's a question I have no idea about. Right now he is the captain, he has a long-term contract and we signed a new contract with him." While not referring to Romero specifically, Frank stated that any player who might be unhappy should still be expected to fulfil their professional duties.

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"As long as everyone does their job, it is fair enough. I am pretty sure there are also some players who don't think I am the best bloke or whatever it is, but as long as they work hard and do everything they can on the pitch then I am happy," he said.

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"Is the feeling better if everyone is aligned and happy and likes each other? Probably. But it is all about the performances on the pitch. In general in his time here, [Romero] has been exceptional [in my time here]. I think he has had some unbelievably big games for us, not only defensively but he has also scored some crucial goals. I think there is, in general, over time, there is always one line you cannot cross. For any player, for me, for any staff members, for anyone," admitted Frank.

Following last month's loss at Bournemouth, Romero had posted about certain people at Spurs who "only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies", before removing the final five words of that statement. After that episode Frank had said of Romero that "you can make a mistake but don't make the same mistake twice".

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Now it seems Romero has repeated his actions and Frank was reminded of his earlier comments. "I think sometimes someone makes more than one mistake. We have dealt with it internally," he stated.

"Leadership is many things. I'm 52-years-old. I think I'm pretty good at leadership. Can I get better every single day? Yes. Do I make mistakes? Maybe not every single day but probably weekly. Romero is 27. Is he still going to make mistakes going forward as a leader? Yes. Does he do a lot of good things? Yes."

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement to offload Alejo Veliz following the striker spending the last two years out on loan. The 23-year-old arrived at Spurs from Rosario Central for £13million in the summer of 2023 and has just two goals in 10 appearances for the north London outfit.

Following spells with Sevilla and Espanyol, Veliz returned to Rosario on loan for this season last summer, and since rejoining his former club, the Argentine has netted six goals in 19 outings. When his loan spell concludes, Veliz is poised to join Brazilian side Bahia, after agreeing terms on Thursday, football.london reports. It is believed the fee will be around £7.8m with £871k in add-ons plus a 20 per cent sell-on clause included in any future transfer.

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Veliz's proposed permanent departure from Spurs comes two-and-a-half years after Lionel Messi heaped praise on the forward and likened his style of play to that of Luis Suarez. Discussing Argentina's finest young talents in September 2023, Messi said: "[Roman] Vega, [Maximo] Perrone, and especially Veliz.

"Watching him [Veliz] play reminds me of what Suarez used to play like. I am very excited for the future of this country, and hope I can be an influence on these people and talk to them."

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Thus far, Veliz has not quite matched the lofty expectations set by Messi, with the striker born in 2003 yet to earn a senior cap for Argentina. He has, though, represented his country at the under-20 level, making nine appearances.

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As Veliz is due to remain at Rosario for the remainder of this campaign, he will have the privilege of lining up alongside another Argentine in Angel Di Maria. The former Manchester United winger agreed last May to rejoin his boyhood club following Benfica's participation in last year's Club World Cup.

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Before Veliz's return to Rosario materialised, Di Maria reached out on several occasions. "Ever since it went viral that I was returning to Central, Angel and I exchanged messages," Veliz disclosed at his unveiling press conference.

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"And when he said, 'Come on, you're missing now,' it's truly a driving force that pushes you forward, and I was crazy and wanted to come right away. What we wanted happened, and I'm very happy to be here."

He continued: "Having this, my family nearby, my grandparents, is what fulfils me, what completes me. I don't feel like I am here anywhere else. I came back to be able to fulfil myself."