Daily Express

Tottenham could have the perfect revenge plan up their sleeves to throw Arsenal’s long-term transfer strategy into jeopardy. Spurs have endured a rollercoaster of a summer window so far, bringing in a handful of smart signings, but also missing out on some major marquee arrivals.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa were shortlisted as targets by Thomas Frank’s side, but for a number of reasons, the trio have opted to stay put or head elsewhere instead. However, the most disappointing transfer blow comes in the shape of Eberechi Eze.

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With a deal agreed with Crystal Palace to sign the playmaker, their move for the England international was hijacked at the last minute by Arsenal – who acted swiftly and have already announced his arrival as their new No. 10.

The swoop from their fierce rivals has left Spurs chasing shadows in the final week of the transfer window, but they could have stumbled across the chance to welcome a top signing to their ranks and land a blow on Arsenal.

Tottenham remain in the market for a centre-back and Marc Guehi has long been linked with a move across London. The Palace skipper is now in the final 12 months of his contract at Selhurst Park and, despite his willingness to play out the remainder of his deal, a sale is on the cards this week.

Liverpool are in pole position to secure his signature, but an asking price of £40million is not out of reach for Spurs – and a swoop for the 25-year-old could spell bad news for Arsenal further down the line.

According to TBR Football, Palace will look to replace Guehi if he were to depart, and Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet is among those who they admire. The centre-back is viewed as one of the brightest talents emerging out of Ligue 1, with top clubs around Europe plotting moves for him further down the line.

Arsenal have been heavily credited with being among his suitors, and reports have previously suggested that they will make a move for him in 2026. Thus, with that in mind, Palace could throw a major spanner into the works for the Gunners if they decide to put a significant offer on the table for the Rennes star.

Armed with the funds from selling Guehi to Spurs, potentially, Oliver Glasner’s side will have plenty in the coffers to head to the negotiating table to scupper Arsenal’s plans – much to the amusement of Tottenham.

Tottenham are accelerating plans to sign Manchester City winger Savinho, according to reports, and are willing to pay over £60million to land the Brazilian. Spurs and Thomas Frank beat City 2-0 on Saturday and are now trying to pinch one of Pep Guardiola’s stars from the Etihad.

Savinho has not been in the squad for City’s first two Premier League games of the season, with Guardiola citing injury as the reason for his absence. But the 21-year-old remains the subject of concrete talks between both English heavyweights.

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That’s according to talkSPORT, who claim that Spurs are still trying to sign Savinho following negotiations this weekend. They are willing to pay upwards of £60m, having failed to land Eberechi Eze, who turned them down for local rivals Arsenal in a £67.5m deal.

Savinho is willing to leave City for Spurs, but Guardiola’s outfit has blocked the move all summer over fears that they may regret the decision due to the player’s high potential.

They have informed Spurs that an offer of upwards of £69m will need to be made for them to reconsider their position.

After defeat on Saturday, Guardiola admitted that he was unsure about the future of Savinho, alongisde several City stars linked away with moves such as Nathan Ake and Ederson.

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“To be honest, I don’t know what is happening with a few players – I don’t know who is coming, who is staying, who is leaving, I don’t know," said Guardiola.

“All the clubs I had the feeling that it is the same, we are not an exception. Because the agents make the roles, the club have their opinions, the players have theirs, and after that we see what happens.”

The Daily Mail claim that alongside Savinho, Spurs hold an interest in West Ham star Lucas Paqueta, Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Leicester midfielder El Bilal Khannouss, as they seek a playmaker following failed pursuits of Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White.

After beating City, Frank confirmed that he is targeting more additions to his squad, especially with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski expecting to miss extended portions of the season.

“We have a strong squad that I believe a lot in,” Frank told TNT Sports. “We would like to add a bit, but only if it can strengthen the squad.

“We are looking to add in, and hopefully succeed. I know the club is working very hard. I trust them.”

He later added: “I think it's extremely important that, a couple of things that we understand we have a good group of players, a talented group players, a group of good quality players that I'm very pleased with.

“So that's why we brought in two good players to help. Can we improve it? Perfect. If we can't, you know, then we have very good players and we just showed that today.”

We are just eight days from the end of the summer transfer window, and it's going to be a bumpy ride from here. For most teams, business is anything but done, and speculation is still rife over the futures of many big-name players.

Liverpool are still being linked with Alexander Isak, who is still in exile at Newcastle. Crystal Palace are battling to keep hold of Marc Guehi, while Tottenham are suddenly chasing signings after being hijacked by Arsenal when they thought they sealed a deal for Eberechi Eze.

Meanwhile, Manchester United and Chelsea are still trying to move a host of players away to raise funds. There are still four Premier League games this weekend, and yet managers are likely to be asked as much about transfers as they are about performances and results.

Real Madrid are throwing a spanner in the works of Tottenham's pursuit of Como's Nico Paz. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is highly regarded by the Spurs board, who are keen to makeup for missing out on Eberechi Eze.

Tottenham insist they have not yet made a bid for Paz, but discussions have been held through intermediaries and a move is under consideration. However, Real Madrid's 50 per cent sell-on clause is proving problematic, as it means Como, reluctant to lose the Argentine, will demand a high price.

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Italian insiders told the Mirror that Como could request as much as £60million to consider selling this late in the transfer window. Moreover, Los Blancos have the option to buy back Paz for just £7.8m (€9m) in 2026 and £8.7m (€10m) in 2027.

They also had a £6.95m (€8m) buy-option this summer which they have not yet exercised. Savinho and Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche also remain on Tottenham's radar.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has dismissed any talk of Eberechi Eze prior to his team's impressive performance at the Etihad. The Spurs secured a 2-0 victory at Manchester City with first-half goals from Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha to seal consecutive Premier League wins for Frank since he took over.

Despite a failed £67.5million bid for Crystal Palace winger Eze, who has since joined arch rivals Arsenal, and the ire of travelling fans directed at chairman Daniel Levy, the team celebrated another away win against Pep Guardiola's side. Frank stated: "I think it's fair to say we've had a few questions about the transfer market and why not and if? But it's very, very easy. We never ever use on word about any player who isn't at our club.

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"It is extremely important that we have a good group of players. We have quality players who I am very pleased with. We have brought in two good players to help. Can we improve it? Perfect.

"If we can't, then we have very good players - as we showed today." The game turned in Tottenham's favour with two goals scored within 10 minutes towards the end of the first half.

Frank expressed his delight, saying: "I am very delighted. I thought the first 35 minutes were quite even, with City slightly on top.

"Then we scored a very good goal and the momentum changed. In the second half we were very good because this is a very tough place to go. We were very aggressive in our press. I like that method. It's very offensive."

Arsenal have rubbed salt in the wounds of Tottenham Hotspur after completing their hijack of Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze. The Gunners announced Eze's arrival and unveiled him to the Emirates Stadium crowd ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Leeds United.

Spurs were in advanced talks with Palace for the 27-year-old before an injury to Kai Havertz sparked their north London rivals into action. Eze performed a sudden U-turn and has now joined Arsenal in a deal worth an initial £60million plus £7.5m in add-ons, bolstering Mikel Arteta's firepower.

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Arsenal fired a cheeky dig at Spurs with their announcement video, captioning it: "It was only ever Arsenal. A boyhood Gooner, our new number 10 – welcome home, Ebere."

Arteta worsened the blow with his comments on the club website, hailing Eze's preference to join his squad instead of alternative suitors.

"We are absolutely delighted to bring Eberechi to Arsenal. He is a powerful and exciting player who will give us a new dimension in our attacking game," the Spanish coach said.

"What stands out just as much as his talent and intelligence as a player, is the way he has worked hard throughout his career to get where he is today.

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"His journey, his mentality, and his ambition are exactly what we want in our team, and we love how much it means to him and his family to be joining our club. We all look forward to starting to work with Eberechi soon."

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta added: "We are so pleased to have completed this deal to bring Eberechi to Arsenal.

"Eberechi is a creative and explosive talent with huge technical quality – also a big-game player, with his experience at international level with England also underlining his quality and character.

"There has been excellent teamwork across the club to make this transfer happen, and we are very confident Eberechi will be an important addition to our squad as we continue to build for success."

Eze could make his Arsenal debut in next weekend's blockbuster trip to Anfield to face Premier League title rivals Liverpool before the September international break.

Tottenham's backup plan remains to be seen, having also been denied Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

Frank has spearheaded a positive start to the season on the pitch, cruising past Burnley 3-0 before Saturday's impressive 2-0 victory at Manchester City.

Tottenham have continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday. Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha were both on the scoresheet at the Etihad Stadium, with Thomas Frank already appearing to get the very best out of his squad at both ends of the pitch.

Johnson opened the scoring for Tottenham somewhat against the run of play in the 35th minute when smashing home from close range after a cross from Richarlison. Spurs then doubled their lead on the stroke of half time when Richarlison and Pape Sarr pounced on an error from James Trafford, with the ball ultimately falling to Palhinha to smash home.

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Express Sport takes a closer look at how Tottenham’s stars performed…

Tottenham player ratings (4-3-3)

Guglielmo Vicario - 7

Made two great saves in the first half to prevent City from raising into an early lead before enjoying a quiet second half.

Pedro Porro - 8

Delivered a number of excellent crosses, making his presence felt in the final third when roaming forward to support the frontline. Booked.

Cristian Romero - 9

A true leader’s performance. The Argentine marshalled his defence admirably and managed to get the better of Erling Haaland on a number of occasions. Booked, albeit for a perfectly timed challenge.

Micky van de Ven - 9

Similarly to his centre-back partner, the Dutchman impressed against the daunting City attack. Van de Ven was often tasked with breaking the lines with his passing out from the back, and he thrived with that responsibility.

Djed Spence - 6

The defender looked sloppy in possession but made up for that with a strong defensive display up against the tricky Oscar Bobb.

Joao Palhinha – 9 (Danso, 91')

A performance which highlighted just how baffling it was that Spurs faced no competition to secure his signature this summer. Made his mark at both ends of the pitch, with his defensive work proving key in keeping City’s abundance of flair players quiet.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Steady performance from the Uruguay international. Constantly made himself available for his teammates and was sharp into his duels to ensure that City weren’t afforded any space in those central areas.

Pape Sarr – 8

There is no doubt that Sarr lacks the creativity to be an out-and-out No. 10, but the Senegal international proved to be exactly what is required in that role under Frank as it stands. Sarr’s endless bags of energy and desire to press high caused City an abundance of issues, and ultimately led to his side’s second goal.

Brennan Johnson – 6 (Odobert, 77’)

Took his goal well, but it certainly masked over what was a very quiet afternoon from the Welshman. Struggled to make any true impression in the second half besides blazing his shot over the bar when there were countless other better options.

Mohammed Kudus - 8 (Bergvall, 86')

The tricky winger is known for his electric pace and neat footwork, but it was Kudus’ work off the ball which deserved the plaudits against City. The ex-West Ham star made several key challenges and showed plenty of energy to get back and track his man throughout. Booked.

Richarlison – 8 (Solanke, 77’)

On a mission to revive his Spurs career, Richarlison has started the season on fire. After a slow start, the Brazilian held up well play and caused City problems with his runs in behind, and his willingness to drop deep – especially when Sarr drifted – ensured that Tottenham always had an outlet. Booked.

Substitutes

Wilson Odobert - 6

Missed a good chance shortly after entering the fray before almost beating Trafford with a diving header.

Dominic Solanke – 6

Worked hard defensively in limited minutes, forcing a good save from Trafford.

Lucas Bergvall – N/A

Kevin Danso – N/A

HSV Hamburg are closing in on a deal to sign Tottenham’s Luka Vuskovic on loan.

That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who reports that talks are ongoing and an agreement is expected to be reached soon.

Vuskovic enjoyed an impressive pre-season with Spurs, sparking talks that he could remain as part of Thomas Frank’s first team, but ultimately the decision was made for the Croatian to spend another campaign elsewhere to accelerate his development.

Fulham have reopened talks with Arsenal over a deal for Reiss Nelson, reports the Independent.

The winger spent last season on loan at Craven Cottage, and a return to the London club, similarly on loan, is now back on the cards.

Negotiations are ongoing over a potential deal, with Arsenal hoping to offload the Englishman after ruling him surplus to requirements earlier this summer.

Manchester City are reportedly considering hijacking Manchester United’s move for Senne Lammens.

The Red Devils are pushing to strike a deal with Royal Antwerp for the goalkeeper, with personal terms agreed.

However, in a shock twist, Sacha Tavolieri reports that City are considering making a move for the Belgian shot-stopper to replace Ederson.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was previously the Etihad Stadium outfit’s top target between the sticks, but Paris Saint-Germain’s asking price for the Italian is viewed as being ‘too high’.

Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou might be back in the Premier League very soon after a brutally honest admission from another ex-Spurs man. Despite clinching the Europa League trophy in May, the 59-year-old found himself ousted from his role at Tottenham following two seasons, with the latter ending in a dismal seventeenth place finish in the Premier League.

Daniel Levy made the decision to appoint Thomas Frank as the club's new head coach and he enjoyed a triumphant start in the Premier League courtesy of Tottenham's 3-0 victory over Burnley last Saturday. However, this success was quickly overshadowed by Arsenal's eleventh-hour coup, snatching Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze from under Tottenham's nose.

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This marks the second transfer debacle for Tottenham this summer, having previously seen their pursuit of Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White collapse amidst allegations of an unlawful approach; the England international subsequently agreed fresh terms at the City Ground. Meanwhile, Forest themselves kicked off their campaign on a high note, securing a 3-1 win against Brentford.

Yet, not all is well at the club, as Nuno Espirito Santo, briefly at the helm of Spurs in 2021, conceded that his relationship with club owner Evangelos Marinakis has changed. "I always had a very good relationship with the owner - last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis," he disclosed during a press conference on Friday.

"This season it is not so well [between us] but I always believe that dialogue is important because my concern is the squad and the season we have ahead of us. Our relationship has changed and we are not as close.

"No, it is not good [that the relationship has changed]. I think everybody at the club should be together but this not the reality." With Nuno's exit now looking increasingly likely, Forest may well be scouring the market for potential successors.

Italian journalist Matteo Moretto claims Postecoglou features amongst the candidates being considered. Should Marinakis hold considerable sway over the appointment, Postecoglou's emergence as a contender comes as little shock given the praise heaped upon him by the Forest supremo mere months ago.

"What I want to say about Ange is that he has spoken about Greece many times, he is proud to be Greek and in the great success he had with Tottenham by winning the Europa League, he spoke about Greece," he remarked via Greek publication Neos Kosmos.

"A man who not only does not hide his origin but is also proud of it. What he achieved, he did with a team that has not won any titles, it has had a very difficult time in recent years. In this huge success that the whole world saw, he promoted Greece.

"We must thank him especially for this and we wish him well, although we are sure that he will do well as he has the ability. Wherever he goes, the successes will come."

Should Postecoglou join Forest, he would be set to reunite with his former colleagues in mid-December, before making a return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in March 2026.

Thomas Frank has declared he doesn't want players at the club who aren't fully committed to joining Tottenham, following Eberechi Eze's shock decision to switch to Arsenal. The England star seemed destined for a move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs pursued the gifted midfielder to address their ongoing No. 10 problem.

But there was a dramatic late development as north London neighbours Arsenal swooped to hijack the transfer. The Gunners swiftly sprang into action after learning of Kai Havertz's injury setback, prompting Eze to choose his childhood club over Spurs. The 27-year-old's switch to Arsenal is expected to be completed imminently after he passed a medical examination on Friday morning.

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football.london believe that Eze will join for approximately £60million plus £7.5m in additional payments.

The transfer setback has left Tottenham exasperated in the transfer window yet again, with uncertainty surrounding their next step as they seek to recruit a fresh No. 10.

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Manchester City, Frank shared his thoughts on the failed deal and insisted "we don't want them here" regarding players who lack dedication to joining the club. He said that the priority is to bring players in who want to play for Spurs.

"In general, of course, you know I don't speak about specific players unless they are at our fantastic club, and I'm more than happy to speak about all our players," said the Dane.

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"So that's one thing. Secondly, and there's been a lot of rumours linking us with a lot of players. Also players where I think 'Oh, he's been linked with us? Interesting'. But a lot of times where it's definitely nothing in it, that's part of the business we talked about before.

"There must be someone out there that thinks it's good fun to put the rumours out there. But anyway, there'll be a lot of links. There has been a lot of links. There'll a lot of links in the future.

"And just to generalise that, to make it very, very clear, I don't want any players that don't want to come to the club. Who don't want to come to the club and wear this fantastic badge -- we don't want them here.

"I think that's very clear, and also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same if they don't want to put the fantastic shirt over their head. Play for the badge, play for the club. Really enjoy it. No problem, then we don't them there. I think that's a key message."