The Boy Hotspur

Speculation has arisen around Tottenham assistant coach Ryan Mason, following recent reports that he was in discussions to take over as manager of Belgian club Anderlecht.

Mason emerged as a leading candidate for the role, with both sides reportedly keen on the move. However, the deal fell through, as both parties reportedly mutually decided it was not the right time for Mason to step into first-team management.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has raised concerns that there may be deeper issues behind the scenes influencing the breakdown of the Anderlecht talks.

Bryan King on Ryan Mason’s failed move to Anderlecht

King suggested that Mason, who has been part of the Spurs coaching team since 2018, is at a crossroads regarding his long-term future at the club. As one of Ange Postecoglou’s key assistants, Mason is highly regarded within the Tottenham setup.

However, the failed Anderlecht move has led King to wonder if there are deeper reasons behind the scenes contributing to the breakdown of those negotiations.

King questioned why the Anderlecht talks collapsed and whether Mason’s current role at Spurs has become uncertain.

Speaking to Tottenham News, he said:

“Mason has been there long enough. He is supposedly one of Postecoglou’s right-hand men. Therefore, he also needs to start producing the goods. However, does he want a long-term future at Tottenham, or will he continue looking elsewhere?

“Why did the Anderlecht talks break down? There could be a behind-the-scenes problem, which means it is time for Mason to move on. However, if not, he must be 100 per cent behind Postecoglou and Spurs.”

Mason, who has been part of the Spurs coaching staff since 2018 and twice stepped up as interim manager, now faces uncertainty over his long-term future at the club.

He is highly regarded within the Tottenham setup and serves as a key assistant to current head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Mason’s leadership abilities have been tested before, stepping in as interim manager in 2021 following José Mourinho’s dismissal, and again after Antonio Conte’s departure in 2023. He even expressed readiness to take the Spurs job permanently before the club ultimately hired Postecoglou.

Tottenham are reportedly focusing on strengthening two key positions during the upcoming January transfer window, according to club correspondent Alasdair Gold.

While Spurs made notable summer signings, including Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall, the club feels further reinforcements are needed, particularly in defence.

Gold highlighted the club’s priority to bolster the defensive unit, with a specific need for a left-back capable of fitting into Ange Postecoglou’s inverted full-back system.

Tottenham will prioritise two positions in January

Additionally, Spurs are on the lookout for a pacey centre-back to offer versatility and cover across the backline, helping maintain competitiveness in the Premier League and other competitions.

Although Destiny Udogie has impressed as the first-choice left-back, concerns remain over the lack of a suitable backup. While Ben Davies is a dependable option, Tottenham are seeking a younger alternative to ensure Udogie receives proper rotation throughout the season.

Gold also emphasised the need for competition in goal. Tottenham’s current first-choice goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, has performed well but could benefit from an additional quality backup to push him further.

When asked about the positions Spurs will look to strengthen in January, Gold said on Q&A for Football.London:

“Annoyingly, Spurs still have to be aware of the Europa League squad restrictions, knowing that whoever they bring in, if they want them to play in Europe, then other players will have to be removed from that squad.”

“Postecoglou could well take that into account but mainly he’ll be thinking about the other three competitions and the need to keep evolving his squad, which should override the European concerns.”

“I would say a left-back able to play in the inverted style and another centre-back with a bit of pace are the biggest priorities in my opinion as potential January additions.”

“In an ideal world, a player who could fill both roles would only require one person to come out of the Europa League squad if they are to be registered should Spurs get to the knockout stages.”

“Beyond that, Vicario needs someone to challenge him going forward and further midfield and attacking options are going to be required to continue the development of the squad.”

Spurs to target a new midfielder next summer

Gold has also claimed that Spurs want to sign another defensive midfielder as well, but that is not expected to happen in January.

According to him, Ange will offload one of the current midfielders next summer and replace him with a new number 6 next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski has been quite impressive since joining the club.

He has performed at a high level during his time at the club, and his ability to slot into multiple roles is an added advantage. The Swedish international is capable of operating in wide areas as well as a central attacking midfielder.

The 24-year-old has established himself as an asset for the North London club and he will look to help them win major trophies in the coming seasons.

Kulusevski has now opened up on a piece of advice he received from Cristiano Ronaldo during their time together at Juventus. The Portuguese international urged Kulusevski to get to know his body better and play according to his strengths and weaknesses.

However, the Swedish international did not quite understand his body back then, but he is starting to understand his physicality better and that has allowed him to tap into his strengths and minimise his weaknesses.

Kulusevski told Fotbollskanalen: I’m getting to know my body. When I was younger, I didn’t understand when [Cristiano] Ronaldo told me: ‘You will get to know your body’. Because I didn’t know my body then.

“But now I’m starting to understand my strengths and weaknesses, how I can improve. So I feel like everything is getting easier.”

Dejan Kulusevski could get better

Kulusevski is yet to enter the peak of his career and he could get better with coaching and experience. He has the physical and technical attributes to develop into a star for Spurs in the Premier League. Tottenham will certainly be delighted with the player’s recent comments, and they will hope that he can improve further and continue to impress every week.

The North London outfit will need their key players in top form if they are to end their wait for silverware soon.

Southampton winger Tyler Dibling has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks.

The 18-year-old has made quite an impression in the Premier League this season and his performances have attracted the attention of the big clubs. According to former Premier League scout Michael Brown, all of the top clubs are tracking his progress ahead of a potential move next summer.

Brown has previously worked for Tottenham Hotspur as well and a report from Football Insider claims that the North London club is keen on the 18-year-old.

“There’s definitely going to be interest in him,” Brown told Football Insider.

“You can bet your life there’ll be interest from all of the big clubs who will be watching him closely.

“The same would be the case for any 18-year-old breaking into the first-team and doing well despite his club struggling.

“But I’m told clubs are definitely watching him and they’ll be considering making a move next summer.”

Dibling could prove to be a quality long-term acquisition for the North London club if they can get a deal done. They could certainly use more quality and depth in the wide areas. The 18-year-old is capable of operating on either flank and he will add goals and creativity to the side. His ability to take on defenders and beat them in one-versus-one situations will add some much-needed cutting edge and unpredictability to the Spurs attack.

Tyler Dibling would be a superb addition

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can win the race for his signature, especially with several other clubs keen on signing him as well. Dibling is a prodigious talent with a bright future and he could develop into a top-class Premier League winger with the right guidance.

Whoever ends up signing him will have a future star on their hands.

Tottenham need more quality in the attack if they want to compete for major trophies. An exciting young winger could make a big difference for them. Tottenham are currently lacking a natural dribbler and Dibling could fill that void and add a new dimension to their attack.

It remains to be seen whether Spurs follow up on their interest with an offer to sign the winger in the coming weeks.

Brazilian attacker Richarlison is expected to miss the game against West Ham United on 19 October.

Injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar has now revealed to Tottenham News that the South American forward is unlikely to return for the West Ham game unless he returns to training immediately. The 27-year-old is currently sidelined with an injury and he has played just 25 minutes of Premier League football this season.

He said: “Difficult to say if he’s on track to return right after the break as it all depends on what’s going on behind the scenes.

“Based on what Ange said on September 19 – stop asking until I give an update – I imagine that he’s still somewhat away from returning from what seems to be a serious concern.

“Unless he’s back in training over the coming days, I think he’s likely to miss the next game.“

Richarlison will be thoroughly disappointed with his injury situation this season. He seemed to be getting back to his best last season and he would have expected to build on it and establish himself as a key player for the club this season. It will be interesting to see if he can return to action quickly and establish himself as an indispensable asset for Ange Postecoglou.

Richarlison needs to regain his spot in the side

Spurs have already invested in a quality striker like Dominic Solanke and Richarlison will find it difficult to start every week. He needs to get over his injury nightmare and regain his form and confidence soon.

If he manages to get back to his best, he could be an important option to have. His ability to create goalscoring opportunities and find the back of the net could prove to be very useful. Furthermore, he is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three.

He has extensive experience of the Premier League and he could hit the ground running and transform Tottenham in the final third.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the race to sign the Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov.

The 22-year-old is reportedly a target for Arsenal as well, but the report from Football Insider claims that Tottenham will look to push for his signature. Signing the player will be quite difficult, and he is likely to command a big transfer fee.

He is highly rated across Europe and he could be a key player for Spurs in the long term. The 22-year-old is capable of operating in the number ten role as well as a winger. He will provide creativity and goals to the side in the final third.

The attacking midfielder has been on Tottenham’s radar for a while now.

Tottenham could use Georgiy Sudakov

Spurs could certainly use more quality and depth in that area. Son Heung-min will be past his peak soon and James Maddison has been quite inconsistent. Competition for places will help the players improve. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham can beat Arsenal to his signature.

The opportunity to move to the Premier League can be quite attractive for the Ukrainian and he will look to prove himself in the Premier League. He will be up against world-class defenders in English football and regular football in the Premier League could accelerate his development and help him fulfil his world-class potential.

Meanwhile, Spurs need to improve the other areas of their squad as well. It will be interesting to see if they can negotiate a more reasonable fee with Shakhtar Donetsk for the highly-rated midfielder. They cannot afford to spend over the odds on Sudakov if they want to plug the other weaknesses in their squad.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops over the next few weeks. A big-money move in January since unlikely and Spurs might have to wait until the summer window in order to get the deal done.

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish recently expressed his admiration for Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-min Son, ranking him ahead of Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and Bayern Munich legend Franck Ribery.

In an interview with talkSPORT, Grealish compared top wingers and praised Diaz’s quality, but ultimately chose Son as the superior player due to his consistency and impact at Tottenham.

Grealish’s high praise for Tottenham winger Heung-min Son

Grealish’s comments came as a surprise to some, especially with the inclusion of Franck Ribery, who had an illustrious career at Bayern Munich. Despite Ribery’s legendary status, Grealish believes Son’s overall contributions to Tottenham makes him stand out.

However, Grealish didn’t place Son as his top winger of all time, opting for former Chelsea star Eden Hazard in that category. Ultimately, Grealish named Cristiano Ronaldo as the best overall.

Son’s remarkable consistency and influence at the club over the years have cemented his place among modern football’s elite wingers.

Since taking over the captaincy from Hugo Lloris at the start of the 2023-24 season, Heung-min Son has demonstrated his leadership on the pitch. He made an immediate impact by scoring a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Burnley and reaching the milestone of 150 goals for Tottenham. Throughout the season, Son continued to shine with key performances, including a brace in the North London derby and an opening goal in a 2-1 victory against Liverpool.

Son finished the season with 17 goals and 10 assists in 35 league appearances, further solidifying his status as Tottenham’s fifth-highest goalscorer and the club’s all-time assist leader. He has scored 164 goals and provided 86 assists in 415 games for the club. (Transfermarkt)

Heung-min Son’s uncertain long-term future at Tottenham

Despite ongoing discussions, Son’s future at Tottenham remains uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract.

The club reportedly plans to trigger an extension clause, which would add another 12 months to his deal, securing Tottenham leverage in potential transfer negotiations.

Alasdair Gold has hinted that Tottenham may look to sign a new midfielder next summer, despite strengthening their midfield this past transfer window.

Tottenham signed exciting young talents Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, but were also keen on adding another experienced central midfielder.

The club had been linked with players like Conor Gallagher and Jacob Ramsey. Spurs even reportedly offered Aston Villa a swap deal involving Giovani Lo Celso to bring Ramsey to North London, but the offer was rejected. Ramsey stayed with Villa, and Gallagher ended up joining Atletico Madrid, leaving Tottenham without either of their midfield targets.

Tottenham could sign new midfielder next summer

However, according to Gold, the pursuit of a new midfielder may not be over. When asked if Spurs will look to sign a new number 6 anytime soon, he claimed that while Archie Gray is the long-term candidate for the role, the club could still bring in a new defensive midfielder next summer.

Speaking in a Q&A for Football.London, Gold said:

“In my view, Archie Gray is the long-term candidate for the role but I wouldn’t be surprised if Spurs bring in another option for the position in the meantime in the summer and one of the current incumbents moves on.”

Gold’s comments suggest that Tottenham may consider selling one of their current midfielders to make space for a new signing next summer. Tottenham’s current midfield options include Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, and Rodrigo Bentancur, alongside Gray and Bergvall.

With Dejan Kulusevski playing in midfield this season and excelling in his new role, Ange currently has to choose between the three for the holding role.

Bissouma’s future was uncertain this summer, and given his off-the-pitch antics, he could be one of the candidates that the club could look to sell next summer.

Tottenham striker Richarlison is nearing a return from injury, sparking speculation about his role in the upcoming Premier League match against West Ham.

However, former Spurs scout Bryan King believes the Brazilian forward is unlikely to start, with Dominic Solanke currently in fine form.

Richarlison has been sidelined since late August, missing eight matches due to an injury picked up in training.

And although close to full fitness, King suggests that Solanke’s recent performances make it difficult for manager Ange Postecoglou to drop him from the starting XI.

Bryan King: Richarlison does nothing to please me

Speaking to Tottenham News, King shared his doubts about Richarlison’s chances of starting against West Ham, highlighting Solanke’s consistency and the Brazilian’s ineffectiveness. He also mentioned how Spurs’ attack is further bolstered by the return of Wilson Odobert.

The former Spurs scout said:

“Richarlison does nothing to please me, to be honest. Getting Odobert back is interesting, he gives Spurs another dimension. However, in terms of Solanke or Richarlison, who does he play?

“I can’t see Richarlison starting against West Ham. However, it does give Postecoglou another interesting option off the bench.”

The 27-year-old’s form did improve last season after removing from a groin injury as he showed glimpses of his quality. However, he has failed to be consistent since joining Spurs in a deal worth £60m and his injuries have not helped him either.

Long-term future at Tottenham remains uncertain

He was strongly linked with a move away in the summer, with Saudi Pro League showing strong interest in signing him. While he ended up staying at Spurs, his long-term future at the club remains uncertain.

Tottenham attacker Brennan Johnson will miss Wales’ upcoming Nations League clash against Montenegro after receiving a yellow card during their recent match against Iceland, reports the Mirror.

Johnson, who has been in red-hot form for Spurs, has netted six goals in six consecutive matches before the international break.

Brennan Johnson suspended for Wales’ next game

In the fixture against Iceland, Johnson continued his stellar form by scoring Wales’ opening goal in the 11th minute, marking seven goals in seven games. However, his yellow card now rules him out of the next match for Wales, dealing a blow to the team.

Despite the setback for Wales, this break could prove beneficial for Tottenham. Johnson’s suspension provides him with an opportunity to rest before Spurs’ critical Premier League match against West Ham following the international break.

Since joining Tottenham in September 2023 for a fee of £47.5 million from Nottingham Forest, the 23-year-old winger has made a significant impact. His debut in a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United set the tone for a successful campaign. Johnson finished the season with five goals and ten assists, tying for the highest number of assists at the club. (Transfermarkt)

Johnson faced heavy criticism and online abuse after the game against Arsenal last month, but he silenced doubters with his recent goalscoring streak. His resurgence has been widely praised, with former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson declaring him the team’s best player.

Johnson’s performances have been vital in Tottenham’s pursuit of climbing the Premier League table, and fans will be looking forward to seeing him continue his excellent form once he returns to action after the break.