Daily Express

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch believes every single Spurs player will be up for sale this summer, and has cast serious doubt over the quality within his former side's ranks. His old club find themselves embroiled in a fierce relegation battle, sitting two points below West Ham United and Premier League safety.

Roberto De Zerbi has just four matches remaining to secure Spurs' Premier League survival. After beating already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon, they face further clashes against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton.

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Crouch believes attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski has been a colossal absentee this season through a knee injury, and that his loss has played a significant role in Spurs' alarming slump. Nevertheless, the former Lilywhites frontman maintains that the club's precarious position is a true reflection of the talent at their disposal.

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Speaking to Paddy Power, Crouch said: "To me, everyone is available [to be sold]. I think they need a complete rebuild. There's not enough quality there.

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"To me, Dejan Kulusevski is the biggest miss this season. His injury is just a massive mystery at this point and his absence is one of the main reasons they're down in 18th.

"Unfortunately, their current position reflects their current team. I don't think they're much better than West Ham."

De Zerbi is pulling out all the stops to drag Spurs out of their current predicament and, ahead of the clash with Wolves, declared: "For sure my words are not enough and I try to find the best solution to reach every player. Sometimes you arrive with a video, sometimes with words, sometimes with red wine, or a beer. I don't know.

"Sometimes analysis videos but sometimes what they have done in their career, also in other clubs. (Randal) Kolo Muani, if I play with Kolo Muani as right winger it's because he has played in that position.

"If you go to YouTube, and you go to Kolo Muani (at) Eintracht Frankfurt, you can see he played very well in that position and he scored a lot of goals in that position. When I don't work in my office, I go to find something to be important for me to give more information about the players because we have no time and we have to consider everything to stay up.

"YouTube or WyScout, I use to find something to think what can be the best solution, for the players, not for me. Today is April 24 and we have not won a game in 2026.

"Do you think the players suffer for this? For sure. To win a game can give us, give them more energy, more confidence, more positivity but they are human."

Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped to suffer relegation in Opta's final Premier League table with West Ham retaining their top-flight status. The north London outfit sit 18th in the standings and are two points adrift of the Hammers with five fixtures remaining in the campaign.

Fellow relegation battlers Nottingham Forest secured a vital triumph on Friday when thrashing Sunderland 5-0 at the Stadium of Light to move eight points clear of danger. The commanding performance by Vitor Pereira's men has afforded them crucial breathing space in what appears to be a two-horse race, with Spurs and West Ham seemingly set to scrap it out in the closing stages.

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Opta's projected table had Arsenal as the Premier League champions and Spurs finishing 18th with a points tally of 36.90. West Ham finished marginally above in 17th with 38.49 points and Forest some way clear in 16th with a final total of 44.02 points. Still without a Premier League victory in 2026 with their last success coming in late December against Crystal Palace, Spurs make the trip to the already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

With forthcoming encounters against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton, securing three points at Molineux is absolutely vital and as Roberto De Zerbi stated, is a must-win fixture for his team. The Italian manager was speaking ahead of the vital encounter and emphasised that while he does not wish to heap pressure on his squad, they understand the importance of the fixture. He said: "I don't want to put pressure but we have to know the situation.

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"We can't forget the table; we can't forget we need to win. What we have done until now is not enough. If we win at Wolves, it's not finished. There will be four games. We deserve to win games. I knew Brighton was one of the best teams in the league. After Chelsea, everyone understood. We played a good game but we were unlucky."

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Despite suffering 4-0 and 3-0 defeats to West Ham and Leeds respectively in their previous two outings, Wolves' recent formidable home record makes for uncomfortable reading for a Spurs side already plagued by a complete absence of confidence.

Discussing his team's journey to Wolves, De Zerbi emphasised: "It's not an easy game. The last three at home, they drew with Arsenal, and won against Aston Villa and Liverpool. It's a tough game because they have nothing to lose. We have to be able to play, not too much pressure.

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"My work is to prepare the game in my best way, but to play football. These players are very good players. They have important qualities, and they play without too many problems in their head."

Tottenham are staring down the barrel of relegation from the Premier League. The north London club's starting line-up would look dramatically different next season should they drop into the Championship.

Spurs are yet to win a top-flight match in 2026 and their staggeringly poor run of results has seen them tumble into the bottom three. Roberto De Zerbi replaced the beleaguered Igor Tudor at the start of the month, yet his side still find themselves two points adrift of West Ham in 17th place. Should De Zerbi's men go down, it is reasonable to assume the squad would undergo an overhaul ahead of life in the Championship. Express Sport takes a look.

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First and foremost, there are a number of current Tottenham stars who would be unlikely to remain at the club in the second tier, given both their quality and their wage demands. These include Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

This quintet, valued at £230m by Transfermarkt, could go some way towards helping Spurs stabilise their finances. It could equally be argued that the likes of Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall may also seek a transfer. Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha's loan arrangements would almost certainly not be made permanent.

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Numerous other first-team regulars could look to depart, leaving Spurs potentially reliant on academy talent to step up. Young Mikey Moore has impressed on loan at Rangers this season and could return to lead the Spurs attack, while Wilson Odobert brings Championship experience from his stint at Burnley.

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Dane Scarlett could spearhead the attack at centre-forward for Tottenham, having gained valuable loan experience at Oxford United and Ipswich Town in the second tier. Conor Gallagher and James Maddison are both reportedly amongst the club's top earners, meaning wage reductions would be necessary should they remain.

However, the English duo may back themselves to bounce straight back up and opt to stay. Archie Gray has been a rare bright spot during a turbulent period for Spurs and could anchor the midfield. At the back, Kevin Danso's reportedly modest wages could make him an attractive option, with Radu Dragusin also potentially staying on.

Souza could be handed the left-back berth, and a fairytale homecoming for Kyle Walker, who has just suffered relegation with Burnley, is not out of the question. It is also worth noting that while relegation would deal Spurs a financial blow, there remains scope to bolster the squad. Antonin Kinsky, however, can remain between the posts.

As many as 13 players could be sidelined for Saturday's clash between Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur due to injury and suspension. Roberto De Zerbi is still searching for his first victory since taking over as Spurs' new head coach last month, having endured a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland AFC on his debut before being held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton last weekend.

The Italian is acutely aware that time is running out as he attempts to drag the club away from the threat of their first-ever Premier League relegation since the division's formation in 1992, with just five matches remaining to turn things around. The Lilywhites currently occupy 18th place in the table, sitting two points adrift of safety. De Zerbi will nonetheless be without several key first-team players for this weekend's daunting trip to Molineux.

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Wolves, meanwhile, have already had their own relegation for 2026/27 confirmed following Monday night's goalless stalemate with West Ham. Rob Edwards' side have managed to earn just a meagre 17 points to their name.

That leaves them 16 points from safety with just 15 points still available before the curtain comes down on the season. With nothing left to fight for, Wolves too will be forced to contend with a number of injury absentees heading into this weekend's fixture. Here, the Express runs through all of the latest injury updates for both sides...

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Spurs

Cristian Romero faces a season-ending absence after sustaining a knee injury against Sunderland earlier this month when he collided with Antonin Kinsky. His prospects of featuring for Argentina at this summer's World Cup are also in serious doubt as a consequence.

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Mohammed Kudus could also be sidelined for the fixture owing to a thigh injury. While the Ghanaian had been progressing well in his recovery, he has since encountered a setback.

A club statement regarding the winger earlier this month read: "He had returned to team training during the past week, however will now require further specialist review and, potentially, surgery. We're all with you, Mo."

Wilson Odobert remains ruled out following an ACL injury sustained against Newcastle United in February, while Ben Davies may never pull on the shirt again after fracturing his ankle against West Ham earlier this season, given he is out of contract this summer.

Dejan Kulusevski remains some distance from full fitness as he continues his rehabilitation from a patella injury, having gone under the knife earlier this year. Meanwhile, Guglielmo Vicario could also be absent from this weekend's fixture following recent hernia surgery, although De Zerbi will be hopeful of having him sufficiently fit to play a part.

Wolves

Jose Sa may be absent from this weekend's fixture owing to a shoulder complaint, while Sam Johnstone is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a problem in the same area. Matt Doherty remains doubtful to face his old club, having missed the previous two matches through injury.

Meanwhile, Angel Gomes could also sit out the clash due to a toe injury, while Ladislav Krejci sustained whiplash during the weekend's visit to Elland Road. Enzo Gonzales is ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee problem, while Yerson Mosquera faces a suspension.

Fenerbahce are considering signing Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr to replace former Manchester United midfielder Fred. Sarr, 23, is understood to be on a list of midfielders the Turkish side are interested in.

The Senegalese international was signed from French side FC Metz in the 2021-22 campaign, when Nuno Espirito-Santo oversaw a transfer window which also saw Bryan Gil, Cristian Romero and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini arrive at the club. Since then, Sarr has 11 goals and 10 assists in 138 appearances for the north Londoners. However, he could soon be on his way to Fenerbahce.

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Turkish outlet Fotomaç have claimed talks are even underway to bring the midfielder to the Turkish Super Lig. The European heavyweights, who are managed by former Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco, are also looking to shift on Fred, who was known for his five-season stint at Old Trafford between 2018 and 2023.

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Fred had arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2018 from Shakhtar Donestk for £49m, but was shipped off to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in 2023 for £8.62m. His career in Turkey is now uncertain, with the club being linked with Sarr and many other midfielders.

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Meanwhile, new Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi will not want to spend any time thinking about transfers right now. The club missed out on an opportunity to climb above the dreaded dotted lines last weekend.

A victory over De Zerbi's former club Brighton and Hove Albion - which would have been Spurs' first Premier League win in 2026 - looked to have been secured when Xavi Simons found the top corner to make the score 2-1. But Georginio Rutter's 95th minute strike denied them all three points and left them with only one.

After the match, a frustrated De Zerbi said: "I am proud of their performance. They have to be stronger, focused and come to training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile otherwise they go home.

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"I have no time to see negative people or to see sad players or sad assistants. We are lucky because we are working at a big club, a big stadium, we are working in Premier League and we have the qualities, the right qualities to win the game, so we have to be positive. I don’t like the people who cry and who thinks in negative way."

Tottenham travel to face already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend in a must win match for the club. Spurs will finish the season with matches against Aston Villa (away), Leeds United (home), Chelsea (away) and Everton (home).

Tottenham, West Ham and Nottingham Forest all have five games left to avoid dropping into the Championship.

Tottenham's survival hopes were dealt another crushing blow at the weekend. Spurs looked set to secure a vital three points when Xavi Simons' wonderful strike gave them a second-half lead against Brighton, only for the Seagulls to level in the depths of added time through Georginio Rutter.

The damage was doubled with Leeds and Nottingham Forest beating Wolves and Burnley respectively before West Ham took a point at Crystal Palace on Monday night. With Wolves' relegation confirmed and Burnley all but down, they are set to be joined by one from Spurs, West Ham and Forest. Leeds, on 39 points, look safe. Roberto De Zerbi's side currently fill the final relegation spot, two points behind the Hammers and five off Forest. Express Sport takes a look at the trio's remaining games in the battle for survival…

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Tottenham

Wolves (A) - Saturday, April 25

Aston Villa (A) - Sunday, May 3

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Leeds (H) - Monday, May 11

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Chelsea (A) - Sunday, May 17

Everton (H) - Sunday, May 24

West Ham

Everton (H) - Saturday, April 25

Brentford (A) - Saturday, May 2

Arsenal (H) - Sunday, May 10

Newcastle (A) - Sunday, May 17

Leeds (H) - Sunday, May 24

Nottingham Forest

Sunderand (A) - Friday, April 24

Chelsea (A) - Monday, May 4

Newcastle (H) - Sunday, May 10

Manchester United (A) - Sunday, May 17

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Bournemouth (H) - Sunday, May 24

Spurs have been told they should have been given a 'definite penalty' in their 2-2 draw with Brighton at the weekend. Former Premier League forward Jay Bothroyd believed Roberto De Zerbi's side should have been granted a spot kick when Destiny Udogie was brought down just ten minutes into the match.

It could prove a pivotal moment in the relegation scrap after the Spurs defender hit the deck inside the area under the challenge of Yankuba Minteh, but no penalty was awarded. Instead, referee Stuart Attwell dismissed the appeals and Jarred Gillet on VAR backed the official's on-field judgement, with the score locked at 0-0.

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Speaking to Sky Sports Ref Watch, Bothroyd said: "That is a definite penalty, if that happens in the middle of the pitch, it is a definite foul.

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"It is a definite penalty, he has come across him, he has done what he is meant to do, he has got his body across and there is contact. And from when there is contact, any contact, and he goes down, it is a penalty. I do not understand why this is not given."

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However, former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher explained the decision and said: "The only certainty is the VAR [Jarred Gillet] is not getting involved because whatever the referee [Stuart Attwell] gives, he will stick with.

"It was just a tangle, they felt he was going down early. If the referee gives a penalty, the VAR will still uphold it, but it is on-field call."

Xavi Simons produced one of his finest performances in a Tottenham shirt, teeing up Pedro Porro for the opener before unleashing a stunning strike in the second half that appeared set to seal the victory, only for Georginio Rutter's late equaliser to deny Spurs all three points.

The penalty decision was not the only flashpoint in the match, with a number of Brighton supporters questioning why Simons escaped a yellow card after leaping into the crowd to celebrate with the home fans after his wonderstrike, removing his shirt in the celebrations.

"He's committed two offences, but they're both the same," Gallagher said. "Over-celebration of a goal. The directive to referees is try not to penalise for one offence. I think the referee has been very sensible. Can you imagine of he had given him a second yellow card? There would be more kick back this morning than there is now.

"In isolation, they are both yellow cards. Because it's all interlinked, there would be so much more [controversy]. I get what people are saying about the emotion. Luckily, he wasn't already on a yellow card."

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Bothroyd made his feelings abundantly clear, stating: "If you send him off for that, it would be ridiculous. It's a rule that should be changed. You're jubilant, they are where they are in the league. How can you penalise that?"

Former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is reportedly plotting a move to bring Lucas Bergvall to Fiorentina this summer. The Swedish international has endured a difficult second campaign in north London since his switch from Djurgarden in February 2024.

Bergvall, 20, has managed just 19 Premier League appearances during an injury-ravaged season, accumulating a mere 916 minutes of action. He returned to the Tottenham fold for the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest ahead of the March international break, before starting the 1-0 loss at Sunderland last Sunday.

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While Bergvall has fallen short of the impact he would have hoped to make this season, he is believed to have attracted considerable interest should he choose to depart Spurs. Both Aston Villa and Chelsea attempted to prise the Swede away from the club in January, though he elected to stay put until at least the summer.

According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Fiorentina represents a summer "option" for Bergvall. The respected reporter claims the former Brommapojkarna man could be reunited with Paratici, who departed Tottenham for a second time in February, at La Viola. The Serie A outfit are widely expected to make a move for the midfielder at the conclusion of the season.

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Addressing the prospect of a potential switch to Fiorentina, Di Marzio said: "To be honest, Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham are currently only focused on staying in the Premier League.

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"They are not listening to offers, and they have not even decided which players they want to keep or sell. If I were to name a club that I think could potentially sign Lucas Bergvall if Tottenham were to let him leave, I think Fiorentina is an option.

"Their sports director Fabio Paratici likes young players, and especially Bergvall. So, they could try to sign him if his future does not lie in Tottenham. If he is on the market, Fiorentina will try."

Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Yves Bissouma are amongst the players who could depart Tottenham this summer, irrespective of whether the club retain their Premier League status.

Paratici left Spurs at the conclusion of the January transfer window, having served as the club's joint-sporting director alongside Johan Lange. His exit followed shortly after his return to Spurs, which came after a 30-month FIFA ban for financial irregularities.

His comeback to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium raised eyebrows, with the announcement arriving midway through January as the club sought to bolster their squad. However, Paratici departed Spurs once the winter window closed and has since taken up a role at Serie A outfit Fiorentina.

Bergvall, meanwhile, will be focused on helping Tottenham preserve their top-flight status, with the club embroiled in a battle to avoid the drop. Spurs currently occupy 18th place in the table, two points adrift of 17th-place West Ham with six fixtures still to play.

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Roberto De Zerbi was handed a baptism of fire as Tottenham's new head coach on Sunday, but he was unable to inspire an immediate turnaround as Spurs fell to a 1-0 defeat away at Sunderland. The loss extended the club's miserable 13-game winless run, a streak that has persisted since December.

Tottenham's next fixture sees them host De Zerbi's former side Brighton on Saturday. Victory over the Seagulls would lift Spurs out of the relegation zone ahead of West Ham's visit to Crystal Palace on Monday.

Tottenham Hotspur star Richarlison has revealed he contemplated crashing his car into a wall while battling depression. The forward was hugely affected by the intense pressure following Brazil's elimination at the 2022 World Cup.

On the surface, the World Cup appeared to be a successful tournament for the 28-year-old, whose bicycle kick against Serbia claimed the goal of the tournament award. The Spurs forward had been entrusted with leading the attack for the five-time World Cup champions. He scored three goals in total but was unable to prevent his country from exiting the competition in a penalty shootout defeat to Croatia in the quarter-finals. The disappointment severely impacted his mental well-being, and Richarlison has candidly shared how his thoughts began to spiral.

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"One day, while driving, I thought about crashing into a wall," Richarlison told France Football. "Today, when I think about it, I tell myself it's pointless."

He continued: "After the 2022 World Cup, I fell into a depression. Every possible misfortune befell me: the elimination, my agent's betrayal, family problems, physical setbacks... For a year and a half, I suffered blow after blow every single day."

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Having joined Spurs from Everton in the summer of 2022, the striker ended his debut campaign with merely one league goal. However, through sessions with a psychologist, Richarlison regained a more positive perspective.

"It was the first time I had to deal with so many problems," he explained. "In all that chaos, I met an honest lawyer who put my affairs and assets in order. I worked with a psychologist and, most importantly, I met my wife."

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As the 2026 World Cup draws closer, the former Everton favourite intends to follow Manchester United midfielder Casemiro's advice and steer clear of social media should he earn a place in Carlo Ancelotti's squad. Yet this is not the first time that Richarlison has offered a glimpse into his battle with depression.

In March 2024, during an emotional interview with ESPN Brasil, the Spurs striker said: "I was reaching my limit, you know? I don't know, I'm not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up."

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He continued: "Today I can say, look for a psychologist, if you need a psychologist, look for one because it's nice for you to open up like that, for you to be talking to the person.

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"Today a (psychologist) came to thank me for taking this to the world of football, to the world, outside the pitch too, because it is very important and, whether we like it or not, it saves lives.

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"I had this prejudice before, I thought it was nonsense, I thought I was crazy. In my family, there are people who think that anyone who goes to a psychologist thinks they are crazy, they think they are insane. But I discovered this and thought it was wonderful. The best thing, really the best discovery I've ever had in my life."

Tottenham players will suffer a huge hit to their earnings if the club is relegated this season. It was unthinkable before this season that Spurs would actually find themselves embroiled in a relegation dogfight, even with their 17th-place finish last term as a result of an injury crisis.

Yet, after two managerial dismissals and 32 matches played, Tottenham sit 18th in the Premier League and two points adrift of safety. Even the recent arrival of manager Roberto De Zerbi has failed to spark a turnaround, as the Lilywhites slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland at the weekend, officially dropping into the relegation zone for the first time. With captain Cristian Romero limping off the pitch in tears, there is precious little for supporters to feel encouraged about regarding a side that has not claimed a single Premier League victory in 2026. However, the players still have considerable motivation to dig deep across the remaining six fixtures — not just for the sake of their professional pride but for their bank balances too.

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Spurs bosses have put in place a strict financial contingency plan that would see their high-earning squad take a substantial wage cut should they drop down to the Championship. Were the unthinkable to occur, players remaining at the club could see their weekly wages reduced by as much as 50 per cent, according to The Athletic. For example, summer signing Xavi Simons and captain Romero would face the steepest wage reductions, with their current £195,000 deals each dropping to £97,500 per week.

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This 'relegation protection' clause exists to safeguard the club's financial stability. It is understood to be a significantly higher reduction than the standard industry average, which usually sees players lose around 20 to 30 per cent of their salary following a drop to the English second tier.

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Players would have been fully aware of such clauses linked to poor performances on the pitch when originally putting pen to paper at the club. The measure would also relieve Spurs of any immediate pressure to hastily sell players in the event of relegation — though there remains a very real possibility that a number of players would refuse to accept such a dramatic reduction in their pay packet and could push for a transfer elsewhere.

Express Sport now takes a look at Spurs' wage bill in comparison to what it could look like by the summer following a 50 per cent decrease on all player earnings, with the current 2026/27 payroll figures provided by Spotrac:

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Xavi Simons: £195,000 > £97,500

Cristian Romero: £195,000 > £97,500

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James Maddison: £170,000 > £85,000

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Conor Gallagher: £160,000 > £80,000

Mohamed Kudus: £150,000 > £75,000

Dominic Solanke: £140,000 > £70,000

Dejan Kulusevski: £110,000 > £55,000

Micky van de Ven: £90,000 > £45,000

Richarlison: £90,000 > £45,000

Pedro Porro: £85,000 > £42,500

Radu Dragusin: £85,000 > £42,500

Guglielmo Vicario: £75,000 > £37,500

Destiny Udogie: £75,000 > £37,500

Archie Gray: £75,000 > £37,500

Pape Sarr: £70,000 > £35,000

Kevin Danso: £65,000 > £32,500

Manor Solomon: £60,000 > £30,000

Lucas Bergvall: £60,000 > £30,000

Mathys Tel: £55,000 > £27,500

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Djed Spence: £40,000 > £20,000