tottenhamhotspurnews.com

Graeme Souness might have company in the list of former Tottenham players who went on to manage Rangers.

The Scottish Premiership club are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Russell Martin on Sunday after a dreadful start to the season.

Martin, who signed Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham in the summer, was axed after winning just one out of seven league games, dropping out of the Champions League qualifying and failing to win either of Rangers’ first two Europa League matches.

Steven Gerrard is widely reported to be the leading contender for the job.

However, recent developments in the betting market suggest that things aren’t as clear-cut as first thought.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Stephen Robinson odds slashed as Rangers hunt new manager

Tottenham’s academy has produced a lot of top talent over the years.

Stephen Robinson doesn’t exactly fit into that category as he only ever made two senior appearances for Tottenham.

However, the now-50-year-old crafted a great career for himself in the Football League at Bournemouth, Preston and Luton, while also playing seven times for Northern Ireland before hanging up his boots in 2008.

Robinson then dipped his toes into management and after spells at Oldham, Motherwell and Morecambe, the St Mirren boss has been touted as a potential Rangers manager after Martin was axed at the weekend.

Some bookies have now slashed their odds on the former Spurs midfielder to as low as 10/1, and the third-favourite behind Gerrard (4/9) and Kevin Muscat (11/2).

Spurs youngster Moore has struggled since joining Rangers on loan and for him, he’ll no doubt be praying that whoever the new manager is will be able to kickstart his season.

What former Tottenham figures have made it at Rangers?

Souness is one of the most obvious ones.

Although he never actually played for Tottenham’s first team at the start of his career, he did manage to win the FA Youth Cup with the London club in 1969-70.

Souness went on to become one of the best British midfielders of the 1970s and 1980s with Liverpool, Sampdoria and, later, Rangers, where he served as a player-manager.

In his time at Ibrox, Souness won the Scottish league twice and the Scottish League Cup three times.

Paul Gascoigne, Richard Gough, Graham Roberts, Alan Hutton, Nico Kranjcar and Jermain Defoe are also among the plethora of players to have played for both Tottenham and Rangers.

The alarming stat behind Mohammed Kudus that Tottenham fans shouldn’t ignore

Thomas Frank seems to have already bedded in his playstyle at Tottenham.

Tottenham sit third in the Premier League heading into the October international break, as Frank has left a good impression on fans already.

The Lilywhites have lost just once in all competitions this season, after Tottenham beat Leeds United 2-1 on Saturday.

Mohammed Kudus was on fire against Leeds, as he scored his first goal for Spurs and continues to impress.

However, one of Kudus‘ underlying stats currently dominates Europe’s top five leagues – it’s not a good thing either.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus is dispossessed more than anybody in Europe’s top five leagues

Spurs fans have been impressed with Kudus since he arrived from West Ham, as his goal against Leeds was important to get him off the mark.

The Ghanaian has also chipped in with assists for his side, but one stat emerging shows that he does need to improve to help Tottenham in the long run.

According to WhoScored, Mohammed Kudus has been dispossessed more than anyone else in Europe’s top five leagues this season – 21

Frank will be looking to replicate the same success with his Spurs attackers that he also had with his forwards at Brentford, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.

Although Kudus has made a positive start with Tottenham, there are other stats that prove he has room for improvement.

Thomas Frank should demand more from Kudus

Kudus holds the keys in this Tottenham side, with James Maddison still sidelined. There’s no surprise to see that Spurs fans already love him, as he’s someone who always looks to hurt the opposition.

It’s for that reason that Frank shouldn’t hold back with Kudus, as he should demand more from his winger after every game, despite how good he is.

Tottenham’s wide man averages just 29 per cent accuracy when crossing for his side, as he will need to up his numbers sooner rather than later with Dominic Solanke returning.

Kudus still has areas of his game that he can definitely improve, but the signs seen so far are positive, and with Frank’s track record, the forward could soon be one of the best wingers in the world.

Tottenham have had a great start to the 2025-26 campaign.

Sitting third in the Premier League, there is a real hope that Spurs can have a campaign to remember.

As a result, Tottenham have been heavily praised for their performances, as they continue to collect results.

However, while many Spurs players continue to impress for Thomas Frank, multiple stars are also putting in outstanding shifts away from the North London club.

Luka Vuskovic named in Whoscored’s Team of the Season so far

Luka Vuskovic has impressed heavily while out on loan to Hamburg.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The defender joined the Bundesliga side in the summer after a successful pre-season with Tottenham.

In North Germany, he has been an instant success, with Vuskovic making history while at Hamburg.

As a result, many Tottenham fans have been calling for Vuskovic to be recalled, especially considering their own defensive concerns.

Now, the centre-back’s performances for Hamburg have received further recognition going into the international break.

WhoScored post via X on 8 October that Vuskovic was in their Team of the Season so far for Europe’s top five leagues.

Averaging a rating of 7.72, he is the second-highest rated defender in the team.

How good has Vuskovic been for Hamburg?

It is no surprise that Vuskovic’s stats are outstanding for Hamburg, given his average rating.

Per 90 minutes, he is making an incredible 12.3 clearances as well as 1.5 blocks.

On top of this, his passing accuracy stands at 82.5 per cent, with his key passes per match standing at 0.5.

Therefore, Frank could have a big decision to make in January, with Tottenham having a recall clause for Vuskovic.

With the defender performing as well as he is, it may be in Spurs’ interest to recall the youngster and begin embedding him into the first-team picture at the North London club.

Tottenham fans have become renowned for creating an exciting atmosphere in recent years.

Their fortunes on the pitch have not always been strong, but the Lilywhites’ formidable support has continued throughout the generations, to the point where they now have one of the Premier League’s highest average attendances.

Spurs’ move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 helped to facilitate that, and their swanky new home has made them the envy of many of the country’s top clubs.

The support has been strong for home games in N17, and in recent years, there has been a new chant that has grown increasingly popular on the terraces.

What Dolly Parton song do Tottenham fans sing?

Tottenham possess one of the Premier League’s biggest fanbases, and their reach spreads beyond the UK to several different corners of the globe.

MORE SPURS STORIES

However, there is nothing that can ever beat watching your team live, and for match-going Spurs fans, that experience has been accompanied by a new song that has become popular in the last few seasons.

The Lilywhites faithful have adopted their own rendition of Dolly Parton’s Islands in the Stream, which she released with Kenny Rogers in 1983.

The 79-year-old’s hit continues to hold a similar level of popularity as when it was first released, and it has firmly caught on within the Tottenham fanbase.

What are the lyrics to Spurs fans’ version of Island in the Stream?

Tottenham have several iconic anthems that are heard every week on the terraces, and their rendition of Islands in the Stream could easily take its place among them if it ends up being passed on.

Spurs fans’ version of the song can be heard frequently at both home and away games, and reads as follows: “Tottenham in the heart, that is where we are, no one in between, how can we be wrong?

“Sail away with me, to another world, and we rely on each other, Tottenham, from one Spurs to another, Tottenham.”

The song originated when it was played in the Spurs dressing room

The best football songs often come from completely bizarre situations, and that is certainly the case with Spurs’ Parton effort.

Tottenham’s latest terrace ditty was actually something which initially came from the players, who were first heard playing it in the dressing room after a 1-0 win at Luton Town in October 2023, as per talkSPORT.

The team were flying high in the Premier League in the early stages of Ange Postecoglou’s reign at the time, and they were clearly in high spirits after their victory at Kenilworth Road.

Since then, the song has been adopted by the supporters, who have rewritten the lyrics so that it hits a little closer to home.

It has become increasingly popular in N17 in the following years, and looks set to become a matchday staple for several years to come.

Tottenham have been shrouded in speculation regarding a potential takeover since Daniel Levy’s departure at the start of September.

The 63-year-old departed the N17 outfit after 25 years at the helm, and left behind a mixed legacy of off-field success and on-pitch frustration.

In the month since his exit, ENIC’s future in charge of Tottenham has been called into question, but the Lewis family have repeatedly denied any intention to sell the club.

Levy’s exit is continuing to see the Lilywhites’ ownership situation come under scrutiny, and it now appears that a takeover may not be out of the question just yet.

Kieran Maguire expects Tottenham sale to be entertained for the right money

Brooklyn Earick has been linked with a Tottenham takeover of late, but the American businessman has since become the latest prospective owner to turn down the possibility of making a firm offer to buy the club.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Former Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley was also linked to a potential bid, but that brief attempt to buy the club ultimately fell by the wayside as well.

The declaration of intent to make a firm offer to buy Spurs appears to have been the stumbling block for almost all of the interested parties, but this may not be the end of the takeover saga just yet.

Despite their strong intentions to keep hold of the club, football finance expert Kieran Maguire still expects that Joe Lewis and Co. would entertain the idea of a sale, providing that the money is right for them.

“I think if the numbers are right, then the Lewis family will be willing to listen,” Maguire said during talkSPORT’s Sports Bar show (7 October, 11:04pm).

“Spurs are very attractive, they’ve got the most future-proof stadium in the country and the best training facilities in the country.

“They’ve got a deal with the local council now to allow 30 non-football events at full capacity, that’s NFL, boxing, Taylor Swift, Coldplay.

“It’s really smart. Spurs make more money per fan per match than any other club; it works out at £101 per fan, per match. They are the most profitable club in the history of the Premier League.”

Spurs should be thankful of Daniel Levy’s impact

Levy’s impact at Tottenham was often criticised in a footballing sense, but there can be no denying that he transformed the club on a commercial level.

The North Londoners have gone from strength to strength in terms of infrastructure and facilities since the move to their new stadium, and the groundbreaking numbers that Maguire shared are clear evidence of that.

They owe a lot to Levy for his involvement in that sense, but the next step is now for them to become similarly competitive on the pitch.

All the tools are there for Spurs to become a real force in the Premier League, and they must now push on and realise that, whether that comes under ENIC or someone else.

Tottenham youngster Mikey Moore has endured a difficult time in his loan spell at Rangers so far this season.

The 18-year-old youngster has stepped away from his boyhood club for the first time in his fledgling career, and things have not begun in positive fashion for him away from Thomas Frank’s group.

He has notched just a solitary assist in his opening 10 games for the Scottish giants, and has failed to provide anything like the impact that was expected of him when his arrival was announced.

Tottenham are keeping a close eye on Moore’s future, but they may need to rethink the stance that they have just taken regarding his future north of the border.

Tottenham have no ‘immediate plans’ to recall Mikey Moore

Tottenham have been urged to recall Moore from his loan stint at the earliest possible opportunity, such are the seriousness of his struggles at Rangers so far.

MORE SPURS STORIES

He has failed to find form for his loan club, albeit in extremely difficult circumstances, given the disastrous nature of Russell Martin’s brief spell in charge of the team.

The wideman received plenty of interest during the summer transfer window, and Spurs would easily be forgiven for regretting their decision to send him to Rangers, and trying to recall him at the earliest opportunity.

However, that certainly isn’t the plan at the moment, as the N17 outfit have no “immediate plans” to recall their starlet in January, according to the Evening Standard.

It is understood that there are several clubs in the Championship who are queuing up to take a chance on the youngster, but while the option recall to Moore is there, there are no intentions to do so unless his situation unravels further.

Moore’s situation at Ibrox could easily improve when the new manager comes through the door, but based on how his loan spell has played out so far, it feels unlikely that a significant improvement will occur.

Spurs must rethink Mikey Moore stance, Championship loan is the way to go

Tottenham received Championship interest in Moore over the summer, and in hindsight, that is perhaps the route they should have chosen for him.

The second tier provides a much more logical stepping stone for a young player of his ilk, and crucially, avoids the seismic level of pressure and scrutiny that comes alongside playing for a club like Rangers.

It is understandable that they wanted to test him in a high-pressure environment, given that he will eventually step into that when he fully breaks through at Spurs.

However, the early signs are clearly suggesting that he is not ready for such pressure at this early stage of his career.

The environment for him at Ibrox certainly hasn’t been conducive to the development of young players, and with that in mind, Spurs shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to send him to the Championship this time around.

Tottenham fans have always been there to support their players through thick and thin.

Before Spurs lifted the UEFA Europa League, the North London side went trophyless for 17 years.

While players came and went, with most looking to seek glory elsewhere, Tottenham fans remained fully committed to their potential successes.

With Thomas Frank at the helm and the Lilywhites third in the Premier League, it seems things have been and will be looking up for supporters.

But that does not mean that fans have forgotten where they’ve come from or who has helped their club along the way.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Ben Davies to receive ‘standing ovation’ from Tottenham fans

Ben Davies is currently Tottenham’s longest-serving player, having joined Spurs from Swansea City in 2014.

The defender has slowly seen his importance diminish in North London and was linked with an exit this summer, not long after Davies had extended his contract at Tottenham until 2026.

While his time seems to be coming to an end, former Brentford manager and ex-Premier League midfielder Martin Allen – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Tottenham fans will be on their feet for the Welshman, who has dedicated most of his career to the Lilywhites.

“Is he now good enough to continue that in the Premier League,” Allen said.

“I’m not sure. I doubt it. But when you’ve got the competitions there in with the Champions League, you are going to need all your players at Champions League level.

“You’re going to need all of them to contribute. He will probably play in games like the FA Cup, League Cup, and some of the lesser Premier League games, maybe he may get involved.

“But I think his time’s probably coming to an end in Tottenham, and I’m sure every Tottenham fan, when he does play, his last game for Tottenham, would give him a standing ovation because he’s been a fantastic player for them. But I think he’s coming towards the end of his Tottenham time.”

There will be few dry eyes in the house when the time finally comes to bid farewell to Davies for good.

Ben Davies will leave Tottenham in good hands

While Davies may not be in North London for much longer, he leaves behind a great legacy and will leave with the peace of mind that his beloved club is in safe hands.

Indeed, Spurs have arguably one of the best defences on paper in the Premier League.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league, while Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are talented enough to become some of the best in their positions.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites have a lot of talent breaking through, including Tottenham youngster Luca Vuskovic, who is currently impressing at Hamburg while on loan.

Not to mention Kota Takai, who has yet to take to the pitch after signing for Spurs over the summer. However, Takai could leave Tottenham on loan this winter with competition sky-high in North London.

Therefore, Davies will be deeply missed when he finally hangs up his Spurs boots, but fans have more than enough to look forward to.

Rodrigo Bentancur to earn mega pay-rise as contract details revealed after Tottenham announcement

Rodrigo Bentancur’s new contract is likely to have earned him a significant pay rise at Tottenham.

The Uruguayan has become an increasingly important member of the squad in N17 in recent years, and his performances have continued to go from strength to strength in the Premier League.

Tottenham received interest in Bentancur from Atletico Madrid in the summer, with the Spanish giants preparing to offer him a route out of North London upon the expiry of his contract.

However, the midfielder’s new deal has secured his future at Spurs, much to the delight of Thomas Frank.

Rodrigo Bentancur’s new contract is likely to be a four-year deal

Tottenham announced that Bentancur had renewed terms in North London last week, in what was a significant piece of news for them.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The 28-year-old would have been eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with European clubs as soon as January, but Spurs have now been able to secure his future before the situation grew any more concerning for them.

Bentancur has been a central figure during Frank’s reign so far, and has started in five of the opening seven Premier League games.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that the new deal will see the former Juventus man earn a weekly wage of around £120,000, which will increase every year.

“He’ll be starting at around £120,000 a week, which could then be going up every year,” King said.

“I would say it will be a four-year deal. Whether he fulfils the four years, we’ll have to wait and see. In two years’ time, he’ll still be a very saleable player, and there’ll be clubs in Europe who will be interested in him.

“He’s always shown when he’s on the pitch that he is quality, and I feel this contract is fully deserved. It’s a wise move by Tottenham because to replace him would cost them a lot of money.”

Tottenham can seal midfield future by signing Joao Palhinha

Tottenham already want to turn Joao Palhinha’s loan move into a permanent deal as quickly as possible.

They have the option to buy the Portuguese for £27m at the end of the season, but are already trying to explore the possibility of doing that deal sooner, such is the quality that he provides.

With Bentancur’s future now secured, if the Lilywhites can tie Palhinha down as well, then they have the makings of a top midfield for several years to come.

That duo are experienced but far from the end of their careers, while the youthful pair of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr are beginning to shine more and more.

All four are high-quality options in the Premier League and provide valuable depth for Frank to call upon.

Tottenham have become one of global football’s superpowers in recent years.

The Lilywhites have risen from humble beginnings to become one of English football’s most successful clubs, and they have had some truly seismic signings along the way.

Tottenham will be desperate to push on and win more trophies after their Europa League success, and that will undoubtedly require some significant spending from the club hierarchy in the coming years.

However, money is no use without shrewd decision-making, and that can be proven by some of their past signings.

With that in mind, Tottenham News rounds up the Lilywhites’ 10 most expensive buys of all time, featuring some impressive stars and some total flops.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham signed Pedro Porro on an initial loan deal from Sporting CP in January 2022, and it became a permanent deal for a fee of £39million in the following summer.

The right-back has since gone from strength to strength during his time in N17, and has become one of the Lilywhites’ most important players.

Porro played more Premier League minutes than any other Spurs player during the 2024-25 campaign, and has been a consistently reliable performer for them.

It was an expensive outlay for Spurs when they first brought him in, but his value has skyrocketed since then.

Spurs paid £42m to sign Davinson Sanchez from Ajax in the summer of 2017, and they got six years of service from the Colombian centre-back.

The defender was a key part of the Lilywhites side that made it to the Champions League final in 2019, although his time with the club was marred by inconsistency and errors.

He slowly fell out of favour during the latter stages of his time in N17, and ultimately left to join Galatasaray in 2023 for a fee of just £8.1m.

Given the return that Spurs received for him, his signing will surely go down as a failure.

James Maddison arrived at Tottenham on the back of consecutive seasons of 20 and then 19 Premier League goal contributions respectively, and he has also produced the goods for the North Londoners.

The England international has undoubtedly been a good buy, but with injury concerns a frequent issue for him, there has always been a small sense of ‘what could have been?’

Cristian Romero was a completely unfamiliar name for English football fans when he first joined Tottenham in 2021.

The centre-back had spent the previous three seasons in Serie A with Genoa and Atalanta, and initially wasn’t a particularly important player when he moved to the Lilywhites.

However, as time went on, Romero became more and more irreplaceable for his team, and has been one of the best defenders in the Premier League in recent years.

He is always prone to the odd moment of madness, but that cannot take away from the fact that he has been an excellent signing for Spurs.

Brennan Johnson was a significant outlay for Tottenham when he completed his switch from Nottingham Forest for £47.5m in 2023.

The Wales international was fresh from keeping his boyhood club in the Premier League after their return to the top flight.

His impact in North London has been questioned at times, but he has slowly become an increasingly valuable member of the squad.

The winger is unlikely to ever be the jewel in the Lilywhites’ crown, but his winning goal in the Europa League final certainly repaid his transfer fee, if not more.

Xavi Simons arrived at Spurs to plenty of excitement in the latter stages of the summer 2025 transfer window, but his impact has been limited so far.

It is clear that he has needed time to adapt to the Premier League and get up to speed with the relentlessness of the play.

£51m was an expensive outlay for Tottenham to spend on a player with no experience in English football.

However, Simons has had an excellent footballing education, having been part of the academy setups at both Barcelona and PSG, and there is undoubtedly more to come from him in a Spurs shirt.

Mohammed Kudus arrived at Tottenham a matter of months before Simons in 2025, and ultimately ended that summer as the club’s most expensive purchase.

The winger was at the centre of a rare piece of business between Daniel Levy and the West Ham hierarchy, who notoriously did not see eye to eye on several occasions.

However, Levy’s willingness to put his personal grievances to one side appears to have been invaluable to the Lilyewhites so far, who appear to have a star on their hands.

Fans elsewhere in the Premier League laughed when Tottenham splashed £55m on the Ghanaian, but it was a signing that could draw a very different reaction later down the line.

Richarlison was an eye-catching buy for Tottenham when they parted with a total package of £60m to sign him from Everton in 2022, and he hasn’t really lived up to expectations so far.

The Brazil international was an all-action striker during his time on Merseyside, who occasionally allowed his temper to get the better of him.

However, in North London, consistency issues and regular injury problems have prevented him from ever really nailing down a starting spot.

Richarlison has produced the occasion moment that reminds fans of what he can do, but those have been too few and far between for a player of his price tag.

Tanguy Ndombele is undoubtedly the biggest failing on this list for Tottenham.

Signed as a young midfield prodigy from Lyon who was tipped to go on and conquer European football, the Frenchman never settled into life at Spurs.

His transfer fee rose to £63m after add-ons, and that ultimately bought Spurs just 91 appearances across the duration of his five-year stay with the club.

That included loan spells with Lyon, Napoli and Galatasaray between 2022 and 2024, befor ehis contract was terminated by mutual consent in the summer of 2024.

A rare error of the Mauricio Pochettino era, Ndombele’s arrival has to go down as one of Spurs’ biggest failures of all time.

Dominic Solanke is Tottenham’s club-record buy at a fee rising to £65m after add-ons.

The striker arrived in N17 after a career-best Premier League season of 19 goals and three assists for Bournemouth, but he is yet to match that level of performance at his new club.

The England international managed 16 strikes in his debut campaign, but just nine of those came in the league, and he was wasteful with his finishing.

Solanke was signing designed to take Spurs to the next level as a team, and that simply hasn’t happened so far.

Tottenham are still yet to feel the full effects of Thomas Frank’s influence, but there have been plenty of positive signs.

Mohammed Kudus scored the winning goal that saw Spurs beat Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road on Sunday, after Noah Okafor had cancelled out Mathys Tel‘s opener.

Tel was named in Alan Shearer’s Team of the Week and the forward certainly deserves the praise he has received, after he was forced to wait for his opportunity.

Tottenham’s win marked Leeds’ first loss at home since September of last year, and gave Frank his first-ever win against Daniel Farke.

It was not all positive, however, with Vicario facing criticism for one moment in the first half against Leeds.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham shaking the ‘Spursy’ tag

Tottenham are expected to finish in the Premier League’s top eight this season, but Frank’s side will hope to look higher up the table.

Sunday’s three points left the North London club sitting third ahead of the international break, with just two points separating Spurs from noisy neighbours Arsenal.

There are negative stats for the Lilywhites – Spurs have scored 13 goals from 7.5 expected goals (xG), an unsustainable trend – but Sunday again proved the different Frank has made.

Leeds dominated much of the first half, but found themselves unable to surpass their visitor’s defence until they were already behind.

Farke’s side increased the pressure again in the final minutes, but the new, sturdy, Spurs held strong and secured the three points.

Dave Watson thinks the biggest difference Frank has made is to introduce a new ruggedness to his team.

“The one thing I’d say about that game,” the former England goalkeeping coach told The Fozcast on Monday.

“Is that last year, a Spurs team going to Leeds. Elland Road, early start, full house, big atmosphere. I don’t think they come out with three points.”

“I don’t think we’re going to come out with the word ‘Spursy’ too often for the rest of the season,” Watson added.

Tests still to come for Tottenham

Tottenham fans will be over the moon if they can shake the ‘Spursy’ tag under Frank. The nickname has always been used to describe a team that crumble, and currently, Spurs do not look like that team.

But there are still tests to come. Difficult matches against Arsenal and PSG are on the horizon, and the underlying stats would suggest that a tough period could arrive at some stage.

How Spurs respond then will define their season.