tottenhamhotspurnews.com

Tottenham have undergone an eventful year, and that has shown no signs of changing any time soon.

Daniel Levy recently left his post as Spurs executive chairman after a memorable 24 years in the role.

While the news surprised some, many believe that Levy’s exit from Tottenham was planned as long as six months ago.

With the 63-year-old out of the way, former Lilywhites player Jamie O’Hara has spoken about what can be achieved in North London.

Jamie O’Hara believes Tottenham have Premier League ambition

O’Hara has praised Spurs players for the performances that they have delivered during the early stages of the campaign.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Despite their loss to Bournemouth, the North London club put in some admirable displays against PSG, Burnley, and Man City.

Over the summer, the Lilywhites made some significant additions, with Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Randal Kolo Muani through the door.

While Levy oversaw those deals, O’Hara believes that his exit can pave the way for further glory at Spurs.

“I think this is the first hurdle of the future of what Tottenham looks like in five or six years,” he said on Sky Sports on 5 September.

“But now I think that Tottenham are primed, in a position with what they’ve got and the facilities that they’ve got, that I think that they want to go to the next level.

“Can they win Premier League titles? Can they win Champions League titles? Can they be that football club that can compete?

“Under Daniel Levy, when in the key moments where there is the opportunity to push on, on the pitch to sign big players or go to the next level, it hasn’t happened.”

https://x.com/SkySportsPL/status/1963963855563821093

What must happen for Spurs to step up their trophy ambitions?

While the Lilywhites do boast some impressive facilities, they do not win you trophies.

Of course, the foundations have been laid for Tottenham to do so, and they are making significant strides to challenge the top clubs.

In Thomas Frank, Spurs have a quality manager, and he has already shown that he can deliver a positive style of play.

Moreover, the summer signings have been encouraging, and if Simons and Kolo Muani can make an instant impact, then they should be able to compete with any club on their day.

Perhaps a more significant factor is the stream of revenue coming in, with Tottenham among the top 10 clubs in European football.

With Levy out of the way, there is now a genuine reason to believe that spending will increase, which is an exciting prospect.

However, the Lilywhites must demonstrate that it is more than a stadium that makes you one of the most successful teams in the world.

Mathys Tel’s future at Tottenham has been cast into serious doubt in recent weeks.

The Frenchman had his loan move from Bayern Munich turned into a permanent deal at the start of the summer, but things have not gone to plan for him since then.

Tel is yet to start a game for Tottenham in competitive action this season, and the late summer investment in Xavi Simons provides yet more competition for places in the final third.

Thomas Frank has limited the youngster to substitute minutes so far, and now his long-term future in N17 looks to be firmly in doubt.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Mathys Tel to leave Spurs after Champions League omission

Tel’s future at Tottenham has been up in the air in the last few days, after Frank made the decision to leave him out of the squad for the league phase of the Champions League.

The Lilywhites’ lack of club-trained players meant that their squad was limited to a capacity of 22, and that has seen the likes of Tel and Yves Bissouma miss out as a result.

The omission is a major setback for the youngster, who would have hoped to have become a key player this term after the North London outfit triggered their option to buy him for £30million.

However, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – now expects the forward and his agent to be pushing to leave the club as soon as January.

“I’ve never fancied him (Tel), to be honest,” King said.

“I don’t think he’s a £30m player, he’s not a guy who’s going to turn the game for you.

“He’s scored a couple of goals, but even under Ange Postecoglou, he was never a regular.

“I don’t think he’s a Tottenham player.

“He joined the club under the affirmation that he was going to be a central player here, and now he’s been left out of the Champions League squad.

“The signals are that he’s not going to be happy with that, and neither will his agent. I would imagine that he might be heading back to the Bundesliga in January.”

Tottenham should find a loan move for Mathys Tel

Tottenham have plenty of options alongside Tel at the top of the pitch, and as a result, it is no surprise to see that Frank is struggling to find minutes for each and every player.

The former Bayern star is only 20 and has a huge future ahead of him, but he needs regular football if he is to develop properly, and he simply isn’t getting that in N17.

With that in mind, a loan move in January could be ideal for the youngster, especially if the opportunity arose for him to join another club in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites need him to adapt to English football quickly, and that could be the perfect way of achieving that.

Yves Bissouma may have remained a Tottenham player past the English deadline, but he could still leave imminently.

Bissouma was heavily linked with a Spurs exit this summer, with a move to Turkey often speculated.

However, that has yet to materialise, meaning the Mali international is still a Lilywhites player for the foreseeable future.

Despite missing out on a move to Europe, the door is still open for him to leave North London over the coming week.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Turkish move still on the cards for Yves Bissouma

Bissouma reportedly agreed terms with Galatasaray, but that deal now looks unlikely.

Whether he moves to Turkey or not, his exit from North London is expected, as Bissouma was left out of Tottenham’s Champions League squad.

Now, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – has weighed in on his future.

“I think being left out after the Champions League squad will have really hurt his confidence, and I think he’ll feel very frustrated by that,” Wenham said.

“So I still think he will move, and I still think he’ll move to the Turkish League, albeit not to Galatasaray, who have obviously signed Ilkay Gundogan now, so I could still see a move to Fenerbahce or Trabzonspor.

“There are other clubs in the league that seemingly have some decent money. Also, the Saudi League is still open.

“So there certainly are options he could make. He would make a good signing for somebody. He’s obviously got no future at Tottenham now with 10 months remaining on his contract.”

Time ticking for Yves Bissouma to leave Tottenham

Given that the Turkish transfer window closes on 12 September, Bissouma is in a race to find first-team football.

Indeed, a deal would suit both the player and the North London club if they want to yield any sort of fee.

With his contract due to expire next summer, Spurs risk losing Bissouma for nothing if they fail to move him on.

From the player’s point of view, a lack of minutes will only hamper his reputation, meaning he may not command a big move in the future.

While there are only days to seal a switch, it feels like both parties want a quick outcome.

Tottenham could be about to push to make a move for Nathan Collins in January.

The Brentford defender played every single minute of Premier League action last term and was the only outfield player to achieve that feat.

Collins has now emerged as a target for Tottenham, with the North Londoners seemingly keen to plan ahead with a view to strengthening their squad in January.

The Irish international is a player who Thomas Frank knows well from his days with the Bees, and he could be about to be reunited with the centre-back.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham move for Nathan Collins would address centre-back concerns

Spurs were also linked with Collins earlier in the summer, and it seems that Frank’s influence is having a significant say in their pursuit of the 24-year-old.

The Dane signed the defender from Wolves for £23million back in 2023, and he could easily find himself repeating a similar feat in the January transfer window.

Collins is now Brentford’s captain and would not be easy to prize away from the Gtech Community Stadium.

However, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that he would be a good fit for the Lilywhites, and also feels that Frank is unhappy with his current defensive options.

“I’m sure that he would be a good option for Spurs,” King said.

“There are obviously things within the team that Frank still isn’t happy with.

“There’s been a consistent talk about centre-backs, so I would imagine that he’s not happy with what he’s got there. Although he’s got more options than he had at Brentford, that’s for sure.

“The only thing is, I look at Brentford and they’ve sold two very key players for a considerable amount, so they don’t need the money.”

Nathan Collins arrival would surely spell the end for Radu Dragusin

Tottenham are still without Radu Dragusin as he continues his recovery from the ACL injury that he suffered last January.

It is still unclear exactly when the centre-back could return to action, and a move for Collins would surely put his position in the squad under threat.

The Romanian is firmly behind the likes of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in the pecking order, and with Kevin Danso still a new arrival, he could become the likely fall guy.

It hasn’t really worked out for the 23-year-old in N17, and if Collins comes through the door in January, then he could soon follow in the other direction.

Tottenham possess a small cohort of players who could be playing their final season for the North London club.

Son Heung-min was one of those Spurs players, but he departed for LAFC with a year remaining on his contract so that a transfer fee could be generated.

Pierre-Emile Hojberg also departed permanently, while Mikey Moore, Manor Solomon, and Luka Vuskovic left Tottenham on loan.

Next summer, Rodrigo Bentancur leads the list of Tottenham players who will leave unless anything changes.

Tottenham players whose contracts expire in 2026

Spurs reportedly received a bid for Bentancur from Fenerbahce when former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho was in charge.

MORE SPURS STORIES

As a result, Tottenham have been encouraged to close a deal for Bentancur, who is bound to have his suitors.

The Uruguay international has been a Spurs player for three and a half years, having signed from Juventus in 2022, and has made 117 appearances for the North London club.

Yves Bissouma was left out of Thomas Frank’s Champions League squad and was heavily linked with an exit this summer.

Players whose contracts expire in 2026:

However, he will surely play his football away from Tottenham next season and could yet move before the end of the campaign.

Davies is Spurs’ longest-serving player, having joined in the summer of 2024, but will play a peripheral figure this term.

When do the rest of Thomas Frank’s squad’s contracts expire?

Frank would likely not mind some of the aforementioned players leaving next summer, and they are unlikely to lose any of their star players for some time.

That is because the North London club have done a stellar job in tying down their top performers to long-term contracts.

Players whose contracts expire in 2027:

Players whose contracts expire in 2028:

Players whose contracts expire in 2029:

Players whose contracts expire in 2030:

Players whose contracts expire in 2031:

Unknown:

Spurs are about to enter the unknown, with Daniel Levy vacating his position as executive chairman in North London.

Indeed, that could shape the way the Lilywhites do business in what could be an unpredictable future at Tottenham.

Thomas Frank could be about to face a huge selection conundrum at Tottenham following a recent injury update.

The Lilywhites have made a bright start to the new Premier League campaign, but headed into the international break on a sour note after they were beaten at home by Bournemouth.

Several members of Spurs’ squad have been in action for their countries this week, and Frank will have kept a close eye on how his men have fared.

It has been a week of mixed success for the Lilywhites’ international stars, and it appears to have thrown up a sizeable dilemma for the boss to contend with.

Dejan Kulusevski return could see Brennan Johnson miss out

Tottenham are set to get Dejan Kulusevski back in the coming months, with the attacker recently revealing the likely timeline for the final stages of his recovery.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The 25-year-old has been travelling with the Sweden squad this week, despite being unable to feature in games, and has now told Fotbollskanalen that he expects to be back in action within the next two or three months.

The return of the former Juventus man will be a welcome boost for the Lilywhites, and he will undoubtedly become a mainstay in the starting XI once again, given the quality that he provides.

However, with that in mind, Frank faces some ruthless decisions in preparation for his return to the fold.

Kulusevski will likely start in the attacking midfield role, which could see £52million arrival Xavi Simons shift out to the left wing.

That would likely leave Frank in a position where he would have to bench Brennan Johnson, despite the fact that he was the shining light of Spurs’ dismal campaign last time out.

The Welsh international notched 18 goals in all competitions, and was his side’s top scorer in the Premier League with 11, but could now find himself being forced out of the starting XI in the near future.

It would be extremely harsh on the wideman, but the reality is that Spurs won’t want to bench either of their big signings in Simons and Mohammed Kudus, which means that somebody will have to take the fall in order for Kulusevski to come in.

Dejan Kulusevski is ready to hit the next level at Tottenham

Kulusevski has become increasingly important to Spurs in the last few seasons, and he could be ready to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s best players upon his return from injury.

The attacker has got better and better with every season since his permanent move from Juventus in 2023.

He notched 21 goal contributions last season, the highest total of his career so far, and became one of the Lilywhites’ most important players.

Kulusevski is now firmly established in N17, and the next step is surely for him to begin to push towards the likes of Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer, who have produced such excellent numbers in recent years.

Tottenham made a series of eye-catching signings in the transfer window, but they are already looking ahead to the next one.

Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani were late additions to the Spurs squad as they look to fight on all fronts this season.

Tottenham have already announced their Champions League squad, with Mathys Tel, Yves Bissouma, and Dejan Kulusevski among those omitted.

Now, they are eyeing a move for a former Chelsea man who once made history in Europe’s premier competition.

Tottenham enter race to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid

Spurs were linked with a move for Gallagher this summer, with Atletico reportedly willing to listen to offers.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Although the midfielder has remained in the Spanish capital, that has not stopped speculation around his future.

The 25-year-old has played in all three of Atletico’s La Liga matches, but was hooked at half-time in the season opener against Espanyol.

Now, Tottenham are entering the race again for Gallagher, according to Fichajes on 6 September.

The Spanish publication reports that the Lilywhites plan to be aggressive in negotiations for the England international.

Furthermore, the North London outfit plan to outpace their rivals and are ready to submit a compelling offer when the transfer market opens.

In March, Gallagher scored the fastest ever Champions League goal by an Englishman, with his 27-second strike against Real Madrid.

Which players have played for Spurs and Chelsea?

At the moment, Dominic Solanke is the only player in Thomas Frank’s squad to have played for Chelsea.

The striker came through the youth ranks at the West London club, but forged a career after leaving in 2017.

Timo Werner is another to have represented both, having spent two years at Stamford Bridge before an 18-month stint in North London.

Going further back, William Gallas, Gus Poyet, and Scott Parker have also spent time at both clubs, with Gallas even representing Arsenal.

With Gallagher likely to return to England at some point, he could be the next on the list.

Daniel Levy’s decision to step down as Tottenham chairman could have a seismic impact in the coming months.

The 63-year-old had been involved in the hierarchy in N17 for 25 years, and his exit is sure to bring about a significant change at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, even if there has officially been no restructure at the moment.

Levy has turned Tottenham into a commercial superpower, and they have grown to become one of the world’s most recognisable football clubs under his guidance.

He has often faced criticism from supporters, particularly for the way that he handled transfer business, but on this occasion, Spurs fans may have to turn their frustrations elsewhere.

ENIC could have spent big at Tottenham this summer

Levy oversaw a typically frustrating Tottenham transfer window this summer.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The Lilywhites completed eight new signings, but the narrative became more about the players who they missed out on, rather than the signings they actually secured.

The likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo all slipped through their grasp, despite a sizeable summer spend of around £182million.

Levy’s fingerprints appeared to be all over the Eze saga in particular, with lengthy negotiations allowing Arsenal to swoop in and conclude a swift deal.

Liverpool had the most eye-catching summer, after they spent an incredible X on new players, and The Times’ Martin Samuel has made it clear that had ENIC changed tack, then Spurs could have easily spent the same amount.

“The idea that Levy and the owners were pulling in different directions seems far-fetched,” he wrote.

“At any time, a new strategy could have been handed down. Had (Joe) Lewis, or ENIC, wished to spend as Liverpool have done this summer, financial rules permitting, it could have happened.

“Levy may have enjoyed his reputation as the toughest negotiator, but it had to chime with what the owners demanded.

“If it was only Levy’s ego making Tottenham lose good signings that ENIC were happy to finance, he would have been swiftly reined in.”

Daniel Levy faced some unwarranted criticism at Spurs

Levy’s inability to land big signings at Tottenham has been a major theme of his time with the club, but it is unfair to suggest that he is solely to blame in several of the situations.

He has been an easy target for the fans’ frustrations at times, but as Samuels points out, he would have been forced to alter his approach had ENIC shown discontent with the way that he handled business.

In theory, his departure should bring about a new era at Spurs, where transfer business is done differently and with a more decisive approach.

However, only time will tell whether Levy’s exit is used as the driver for change that it potentially could be.

Tottenham fans are still recovering from the shock that Daniel Levy will no longer be their chairman.

Levy was appointed to the position just under 25 years ago and has produced a mixed record.

The commissioning and building of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were high points in his career, while his efforts in the transfer window were not always on par.

Initially, it was believed that Levy stepped down as Tottenham chairman through a mutual agreement. However, it now appears that Joe Lewis is keen on prioritising sporting success at Tottenham – a plan that Levy does feature in.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham pre-planned Daniel Levy’s exit

The Lilywhites have had a summer transfer window to remember, with Levy praised for how he conducted Tottenham business.

Mohammed Kudus has already become one of Spurs’ best players, while Xavi Simons’ transfer to Tottenham defied all expectations. But the Lilywhites’ summer transfer acquisitions are a stark contrast to what Spurs supporters have come to expect from the former chairman.

As such, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes this indicates that Levy stepping down was pre-planned.

“If you ask me, the wheels were motion,” Wenham said.

“This date was probably decided internally six months ago, for example, that this would be the day after the window closes, that he would announce he was going. What’s interesting about this is that we have seen a window that doesn’t match our previous windows. We’ve shown real ambition in the window.

“We’ve signed four for me, instant players that improve our starting 11, who are all at the right age to make an instant impact. So we are finally acting like a club that charges its fans the highest season ticket prices in the Premier League.”

Tottenham have already made a transfer mistake

While most are raving about the transfer window that the North London club has just had, there is an argument to be made that they’ve already made a mistake.

This would be the permanent transfer of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich, which occurred earlier in the window.

From the handful of games played this season, it is clear the manager does not fully trust him. Thomas Frank even omitted Tel from the UEFA Champions League phase squad.

With Son Heung-min leaving Tottenham for LAFC, in hindsight, it would have been better to invest that money into signing an out-and-out replacement.

However, the season is still long, and Tel could end up surprising everyone in North London.

Tottenham have missed a creative spark in the midfield in the absence of Dejan Kulusevski.

Thomas Frank has been stripped of the pleasure of properly coaching Kulusevski due to injury.

Kulusevski has been out of action for Spurs since undergoing surgery on his knee in May after coming off within the first 20 minutes of Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace last season.

But the midfielder will now give Frank a lot to think about as he eyes his return to the pitch.

Dejan Kulusevski return to the pitch in next three months

Kulusevski wasn’t expected to return to individual training at Tottenham before mid-December.

MORE SPURS STORIES

He left Tottenham to join his national team for the international break, but is hopeful of returning to the fold soon.

As reported by Fotbollskanalen on Saturday, 6 September, Kulusevski has stated that he is confident of taking to the pitch in two or three months.

The attacking midfielder was having a good season for Tottenham before he sustained his injury. Kulusevski scored seven goals and provided four assists in 2391 minutes played in the Premier League during the 2024/25 season.

In creativity in the midfield was a huge miss for Spurs during the tail end of last season, and was an issue during their more recent defeat to Bournemouth under Frank.

Last season, from an 81 per cent passing accuracy, he created 2.45 chances per 90 for the Lilywhites while recording 0.15 in expected assists. Kulusevski completed 1.43 successful dribbles but had a dribble success rate of 34.9 per cent.

His keen eye for goals are something else Spurs have been missing. From 0.16 in expected goals, Kulusevski scored 0.26 per 90. This is a large overperformance, which indicates he is capable of creating and scoring his own chances.

As such, Frank will already be thinking up ways to fit him into his squad this season.

How does Dejan Kulusevski compare to Xavi Simons?

The biggest decision for Frank will be deciding whether to field Kulusevski or Xavi Simons in the attacking midfield.

Simons arrived at Tottenham as both a market opportunity and a replacement for James Maddison. It was suggested that his arrival could usurp Maddison’s place in the starting eleven upon his return. But it now seems that Kulusevski could be at a greater risk.

According to DataMB, last season, Kulusevski excelled in key passes, recording 98.9 per 90, while Simons recorded 53.5. In terms of carrying, the Swede excelled once again with 99.5 carries to Simons’ 88.4.

However, it must be noted that both had different roles on the pitch, with Simons undertaking more of an attacking role. As such, the way they have been compared and who they have been compared to reflects this.

Compared to other attackers, Simons registered 90.5 non-penalty goals per 90, which indicates he could be as much, if not more, of a goalscoring threat than Kulusevski.

Therefore, while the Swede may be more polished, Simons has the advantage of time. With Kulusevski sidelined for at least two months, the Dutchman has time to cement his place as a starter.