The Boy Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, but a move in January is unlikely.

A report from Football Insider claims the 25-year-old midfielder is unwilling to leave the Spanish club during the January transfer window. He will look to push for a place in the starting line-up regularly.

Even though the World Cup is coming up next year, Gallagher does not wish to leave Atletico Madrid for regular game time midway through the season. The report claims that Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United are keen on the player.

Spurs could use Conor Gallagher

There is no doubt that he would be an excellent addition for Tottenham if they can get the deal done. They have been linked with the midfielder for several seasons now. They are long-term admirers of the player and he has the physicality and technical attributes to improve them.

He has shown his ability in the Premier League with Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the past. He could make an instant impact at Tottenham if he joins the club. Spurs need a hard-working midfielder like him who will add physicality, defensive steel and drive to the side.

Gallagher is unlikely to move in January

However, it seems that they might have to wait until the summer transfer window in order to sign the player now.

It remains to be seen whether he can hold down a regular starting spot at the club between now and the end of the season. There is no doubt that he is a quality player and there will not be any shortage of clubs looking to sign him if Atletico Madrid fails to provide him with the opportunities he needs.

Alfie has had previous loan spells at Port Vale (26 appearances, 3 goals), Plymouth Argyle in the Championship, where he made 15 appearances, and Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League where he made 32 appearances and scored 6 times.

Devine’s loan at Preston is seen as a chance to prove himself in the Championship, a level where he feels he can make a significant impact after limited success at Plymouth. His early performances suggest he could be a key player for Preston, who are currently among the division’s high-flyers.

Is there a future at Spurs for Devine?

The Lewis family has emphasised a long-term commitment to Tottenham, rejecting takeover bids from Amanda Staveley’s ‘consortium’, stating the club is “not for sale.” CEO Vinai Venkatesham, appointed in April 2025, has highlighted the family’s ambition to prioritise on-pitch success for both the men’s and women’s teams, backed by the threat of over £100 million in investment.

Given the questionable nature of Daniel Levy’s activities towards the end of his tenure (trying to sell the club, perhaps without the Lewis Family being entirely in the picture), the ENIC regime may take a more pragmatic approach to youth players and not seek to loan them out until some cash sticks to them.

There is also another factor to consider, namely the influence and management style of Thomas Frank, who is certainly making more favourable overtures to youth players than Ange Postecoglou ever did.

The future could be bright for the boy Devine.

Thomas Frank was pretty pragmatic after the game, and described Brighton away as our most complete performance of the season:

“I know we conceded two goals, and it’s never that black and white. So one where we will say I should take it. The second one is, OK, we conceded a goal, that can happen, I think in phase one, we got out every time, more or less. We controlled it up there.

We created so many good opportunities, and had to counter-press and rest defending crosses. So there was a lot of the bits we like to do, because of that. And then on top of that, the mentality to come back from 2-0 down is so important.”

In truth, one player, Xavi Simons, dragged us to that equaliser himself. That’s the level of player we’ve been dying for, a game changer, who says to hell with it, I’ll do it, and becomes the creative spark, ball carrying, and a ‘can-do’ mentality.

His playing through the middle made such a difference to Spurs’ creativity. This needs to be the way forward – not an option on the bench. Our squad isn’t strong enough for that yet.

Tottenham Hotspur signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window, but the player was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea as well.

Chelsea were hoping to sign the 22-year-old for several weeks, but the move did not work out eventually. Tottenham ended up securing his signature, and the Netherlands International agent has now opened up on the failed move to Stamford Bridge.

Agent of Xavi Simons on failed Chelsea move

“Tottenham and Chelsea are both fantastic clubs with solid projects, and there was real interest from both sides,” said Simons’ agent Ali Barat via Metro.

“But Chelsea was always clear with us; they had certain constraints that made it difficult to move forward with discussions. So when the talks with Tottenham started, it became clear that this would be a project that would be a perfect fit for Xavi.”

Spurs have done well to sign Simons

Tottenham will be delighted to have secured his signature earlier this summer. He is a tremendous talent with a bright future, and he could develop into a future star for them. He is capable of operating in multiple attacking roles, and he will add goals and creativity to the side.

It will be interesting to see if the 22-year-old can adapt to English football quickly, and make an instant impact. Tottenham needed someone like him to add more ingenuity and technical ability in the final third.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea regret missing out on the player in future. They could use more creativity in the final third, and the Netherlands international could have been the ideal fit.

Simons is quite young, and he will only get better with coaching and experience. Tottenham will hope to nurture him into a world-class player.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to improve their midfield unit with the signing of Ruben Neves from Al-Hilal.

They are looking to sign the 28-year-old midfielder during the January transfer window, and he could be available for a fee of around £17 million. According to a report from CaughtOffside, Manchester United are interested in the Portuguese International midfielder as well.

Ruben Neves could be a solid addition

The reported price is a bargain for a player of his quality. He knows the Premier League well from his time at Wolves, and he could make an instant impact. He will help Spurs control games better, and he will help create opportunities for his teammates with his long-range passing from the deep. The Portuguese international is lethal with his shooting from long range as well, and he could add a new dimension to the Tottenham attack.

The player has been labelled as “fabulous” during his time in the Premier League in the past. There is no doubt that he could be an excellent addition to Tottenham. He could hit the ground running.

Man United also keen on Neves

Meanwhile, Manchester United could use a player like him as well. They have the resources to get the deal done, and it remains to be seen where he ends up. Whoever manages to sign the player for £17 million could have a bargain on their hands.

At 28, he’s at the peak of his career, and he could play his best football now. The opportunity to return to the Premier League will be exciting for him. Both Tottenham and Manchester United will be attractive destinations for the player.

Tottenham have done well to improve the squad, but they need more quality if they want to win major trophies. Adding a quality central midfielder like Neves would be a wise decision.

Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, and it will be interesting to see if they decide to make a move for him in January.

According to Football Insider, they would have to pay a substantial amount of money to sign the 25-year-old. Although he is not a regular starter for Atletico Madrid, he is a valuable player for them, and they will not want to sell him midway through the season.

What it would take to sign Conor Gallagher

Pete O’Rourke said on Football Insider: “It would be a hard deal to do. It’s no surprise that there were some clubs sniffing around Gallagher in the summer.

“He’s been in and out of the Atletico Madrid side, not played as many minutes as he would like in La Liga, but he did start in the Champions League against Liverpool.

“He’s still got a role to play for Simeone’s side and he’s under contract until 2029, so if they were to even consider selling him, it would take a huge sum of money.”

Tottenham are long-term admirers of the midfielder, and they have been linked with him over multiple seasons. It remains to be seen whether they can get the deal across the line in the coming months.

Gallagher would improve Spurs

There is no doubt that he would be the ideal fit for their style of play, and he could help them improve. He will drive and physicality in the middle of the park.

Tottenham need more quality in the midfield, and the England International could solve their problems. He will be looking to play regularly at this stage of his career, and if Atletico Madrid cannot provide him with that opportunity, he will consider an exit in future. Returning to the Premier League could be ideal for him. Gallagher is well-versed in the league, having excelled in it with Chelsea and Crystal Palace. He could make an instant impact at Tottenham.

They have an ambitious project, and he could fancy joining them. Spurs recently won the UEFA Europa League, a trophy Gallagher won with Chelsea.

Thomas Frank 5 Tactically, Tottenham were blown by the wind, and we had far too many players phoning it in. This coach has shown he’s good, but desperately needs to stop shooting himself in the foot, with poor decisions.

Giuliano Vicario 3 Struggled, arguably at fault for both Brighton goals. Always looking to apportion blame.

Pedro Porro 4 Another tough day at the office. Just one accurate cross from 15 attempts.

Cristian Romero 7 Plenty to be pleased with after a shaky start. A 95% passing accuracy, for one, and he stepped into midfield to win possession in the second half.

Mikey van de Ven 7 A 99% passing accuracy. Quiet but effective in the second half, sticking to defensive basics and covering for his teammates.

Destiny Udogie 6 A decent 89% passing accuracy, stopped multiple breaks, and pushed forward effectively, though his final ball needed greater work today.

The second own goal for Tottenham in a week, but own goals come through pressure.

After the game, Thomas Frank needs to explain why he dropped Zavi Simons, who was an immediate and positive influence, from his first touch.

Spurs are left with just minutes to get a win, but do we deserve it? That’s the question.

What will Tottenham fans get today, the side that faced Bournemouth, or the one that dismantled The Irons?

Today sees a pretty much unchanged squad, with two key areas of concern. Oderbert replacing Xaxi, who one might argue is an inferior player, and of course, retaining the services of Richarlison.

Favouring the Brazilian is arguably an impossible one to challenge, as Tel isn’t very good at playing football, and Solanke remains injured.

Come on, you Spurs.

Luca Williams-Barnett is a 16-year-old English footballer playing as an attacking midfielder or forward for Spurs’ U18 squad. In April of this year, he posted on his Instagram that: “I can’t wait to be in the Premier League, scoring goals for Tottenham and making fans happy,” and it may be the case that his dream is soon to be realised.

Describing Luca Williams-Barnett

Known for his two-footed versatility, dribbling, and spectacular finishing, he’s considered one of England’s top youth prospects, often compared to Tottenham’s Mikey Moore. He began his career at Luton Town’s youth academy before joining Tottenham’s at the U10 level.

In the 2024/25 season, he scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists in 23 U18 matches, including a stunning half-way line goal against Leicester City, earning him the Premier League’s U18 Goal of the Season award.

He also scored a hat-trick in Tottenham’s U17 Premier League Cup final win. Williams-Barnett made Tottenham’s senior match day squad for a 3–2 Europa League loss to Galatasaray on November 7, 2024, and has been on the bench for other first-team matches.

He signed a new contract in July 2025, despite interest from top clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City.

Internationally, he’s represented England at the U15, U16, and U17 levels, scoring on his U18 debut in a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in September 2025.

He’s also part of the 2025 UEFA European U17 Championship squad. Tottenham views him as a potential first-team star, with plans to fast-track his development, possibly bypassing the Under-21s.

Spurs under the Lewis Family are certainly giving off the impression that they are looking to not just arbitrarily mention the Academy as Daniel Levy did, but to integrate and make those players in it count. We have already witnessed a tangible improvement in Lucas Bergvall under Thomas Frank.

Which Tottenham Academy stars will be next to rise?

Callun Olusesi: An 18-year-old midfielder who scored four goals in nine Premier League 2 matches and debuted in the UEFA Europa League.

George Feeney: A 17-year-old forward, previously Glentoran’s youngest-ever goalscorer, signed his first professional contract.

Dan Batty: An 18-year-old attacking midfielder, joined from Manchester City on a contract until 2028.

Malachi Hardy: A 17-year-old centre-back who signed his first professional deal.