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James Maddison’s recent ACL injury has thrown a spanner in the works for Tottenham in the last few days.

The midfielder was stretchered off in the recent friendly against Newcastle, and it has now been confirmed that he will be spending a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Harvey Elliott has been outlined as a potential replacement for the Spurs star, as the Liverpool youngster looks destined to depart the champions this summer.

Thomas Frank will be keen to bring in a new face to fill the void left by Maddison’s injury, and he may well have now found that man.

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

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Spurs tipped to hijack Leipzig deal for Elliott amid £50m claim

Tottenham’s pursuit of Elliott has now become even more urgent, following the news that RB Leipzig have agreed personal terms over a four-year contract.

Jurgen Klopp has been instrumental in the Bundesliga side’s pursuit of the midfielder, as part of his new role as Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer.

However, while the German team are the frontrunners to secure his signature, they are yet to agree a deal with Liverpool, who are demanding a fee of around £50million to open the exit door, according to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (10 August, pg. 70).

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Elliott could be a perfect fit for the Lilywhites, and has backed them to swoop in and meet Liverpool’s asking price.

“I think Tottenham would be the best bet for him (Elliott),” King said.

“I would imagine that he’ll be wanting to push on towards a full England cap, and the only way he’s going to get that is by playing regular football, and Spurs can offer him that.

“He’s a quality player. That’s the kind of player that Spurs have got to be looking at.

“I would imagine that £50m is certainly the figure that Tottenham would have to pay, potentially with some add-ons if he were to get into the full England team.”

Elliott would be a great investment for Tottenham

There can be no doubt about the fact that Elliott would be an excellent long-term investment for Tottenham.

Given how early he made his Premier League debut for Fulham, it’s easy to forget that he is still only 22, and has plenty of development still ahead of him.

However, he desperately needs more minutes, having made just two Premier League starts under Arne Slot last term.

Elliott reminded everybody of his ability earlier this summer, when he played a starring role in England’s successful defence of their Euro U21 title, and he would be an ideal replacement for Maddison.

When you then consider the level that he could go on to reach in the future, it feels like a no-brainer of a deal for Spurs.

Tottenham and Newcastle are among the clubs linked with a move for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke this summer.

The Netherlands international joined the South Coast club in 2020 and has become a first-team regular for them.

Last season, the 25-year-old made 34 Premier League appearances, missing three games due to injury and one through suspension.

This article includes exclusive opinion from injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar, a doctor in physical therapy and a sports scientist.

Van Hecke not expected to face any issues with his medical

Thomas Frank is keen on signing a defender before the transfer window closes.

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Tottenham are eyeing van Hecke, but Newcastle are also keen on the £43million-rated centre-back.

Voetbal International reported on 30 July that he’s refusing to sign a new deal at the AMEX Stadium.

Despite missing three games due to a groin and head injury, Dr Rajpal Brar does not foresee any issues with his medical ahead of a potential transfer this summer.

Dr Brar told Tottenham News: “He had a groin injury at the start of the season, but missed only two games and was playing regularly post it.

“He did not have to undergo surgery, and so he was back at 100 per cent right away.

“Even the head injury sustained later in the campaign was a minor one.

“I expect no issues with his medical.”

Frank would love van Hecke at Tottenham

Frank would relish having van Hecke at Tottenham, as the 25-year-old perfectly fits his tactical philosophy.

The Dutchman’s ball-playing ability aligns with Frank’s emphasis on building from the back.

His physicality would bolster Tottenham’s defensive solidity, addressing their vulnerability against set pieces.

Van Hecke’s versatility to play in a back three or four suits Frank’s adaptable systems.

With 78 Brighton appearances and eight Netherlands caps, his experience makes him a high-potential signing to elevate Tottenham’s top-four ambitions under the Danish manager’s progressive management.

Tottenham concluded their pre-season preparations with a 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on Thursday night, and ahead of their Super Cup clash against PSG on Wednesday, one issue is pressing.

James Maddison suffered an ACL injury in a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United last weekend, with scans confirming he will miss the majority of the 2025/26 campaign.

The loss of Maddison, who is one of Thomas Frank’s key attacking midfielders, has only heightened the need to strengthen in the transfer market.

Tottenham have been linked to Como star Nico Paz as a possible replacement, while Manchester City duo James McAtee and Jack Grealish are also on Spurs’ radar.

McAtee would be the cost-efficient alternative in that regard, and some previous comments have already explained why they should sign him.

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Pep Guardiola once compared James McAtee to Phil Foden

Pep Guardiola hinted at the start of the summer that McAtee isn’t a part of his long-term plans, with the Spaniard aiming to trim down his squad.

The 22-year-old wants to play regular football at the highest level, something that isn’t guaranteed at City after just three Premier League starts last term.

So, with Maddison now injured, Frank has an opportunity to snap up the Englishman as a quality option for the number 10 position.

Although Man City have valued McAtee at around £35million, some former comments from Guardiola suggest he could be worth every penny.

“Macca has this quality, he could’ve scored four goals [against Palace]. He has the ability to create chances, he is there,” the Spaniard said via Man City’s official website in April.

“Macca lives close to the box, quite similar to Phil and they are there. They have a sense [of goal], it’s difficult to train in the moment the ball is coming and after he didn’t score but it’s fine. As much minutes he plays he will score.”

Guardiola compared the ‘special’ McAtee to his teammate Phil Foden, someone who is one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League on his day.

What McAtee would bring to Tottenham in James Maddison’s absence

McAtee has only made 34 senior appearances for Man City, but he has impressed on the majority of the times he has featured.

The former Sheffield United loanee possesses a unique skill set, including his incredible finishing, ability to operate between the lines, and remarkable technical attributes.

As highlighted by FBref, the youngster has ranked in the top 1% of attacking midfielders across Europe for non-penalty goals and non-penalty xG in the past year.

McAtee is a huge threat in front of goal, but also brilliant at winning the ball back, posting 1.96 tackles per 90 and 1.96 blocks.

The above reasons are more than enough for Daniel Levy to dip his hands in his pockets and invest in someone capable of filling Maddison’s boots.

Son Heung-min may have only just secured a move from Tottenham to LAFC, but it has not taken him long to compare his experiences.

The South Korean spent a decade in North London and won over the hearts of Spurs fans with his performances and impeccable attitude.

Tottenham players past and present reacted to Son’s departure, highlighting his popularity for the Lilywhites.

Now, he has voiced something that he already favours in the United States to his time in England.

Son praises support in LAFC debut

Son was in attendance at LAFC before signing for the American club and soaked up the atmosphere on the West Coast.

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As expected, the 33-year-old has generated substantial shirt sales and is behind only Lionel Messi regarding new signings in the MLS.

Son made his debut for LAFC and won a penalty, which led to a late equaliser against Chicago Fire.

His new supporters will be thrilled with his instant impact, and it shows how he can be a threat in his new venture.

After the 2-2 draw, the forward spoke to the media and reacted to the reception he received from both sets of supporters.

Son said: “I really enjoyed it. I mean, you never, never had this welcoming from away fans, we call this.

“I used to play in the Premier League. When I played away grounds, they were always booing me.”

Why leaving Tottenham can help Son thrive

As with any loved player, watching Son depart Spurs would have been a difficult watch for supporters.

However, the timing seems right, given his signs of decline and the arrival of a new manager.

Now, the 33-year-old is in the ideal setting to flourish, and he can return to his very best with LAFC.

In the MLS, the level of opponent is not as high as in the Premier League, and Son has the experience and nous to expose defenders.

While he is not as quick as he once was, the South Korea international still possesses some pace and has shown he can draw fouls in key areas.

In the Premier League, the forward would have found opportunities sparse, and the quality of opposition is expected to rise.

While we will never know if Son could have returned to his best in England, the stage is set for him to perform in the US.

Daniel Levy and Son Heung-min have both been heavily involved in the news at Tottenham this summer.

Gary Neville interviewed Levy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where he discussed several key topics.

Son completed a transfer away from Spurs and is now plying his trade with LAFC in the United States.

Now, Levy will be envious of the remarkable news involving the South Korean across the pond.

Son behind only Lionel Messi in shirt sales after signing

Former Tottenham players have reacted to Son’s exit, telling you all you need to know about the forward.

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The 33-year-old spent 10 years with the Lilywhites and cemented himself as a modern-day legend for Spurs.

However, he showed signs of decline last season, and the Premier League club decided to cash in on him.

Son played his final game for Tottenham in their pre-season encounter with Newcastle United, which finished in a 1-1 draw.

The South Korea international has followed in the footsteps of David Beckham, Luis Suarez, and Messi in moving to the MLS.

Now, Son has led all athletes in merchandise sales across sports since LAFC announced his signing, Fanatics told Front Office Sports (8 August).

They report that the forward is number two in all-time MLS jersey sales after a team switch—behind only Messi.

Did Tottenham make the correct call with Son?

A year ago, it would have been unfathomable for Spurs to sell Son, but things have changed at Hotspur Way.

The South Korean only had one year remaining on his contract in North London, and if Tottenham were to generate any funds for the forward, then this summer was the time.

With Thomas Frank through the door, the decision to sell him made even more sense so that the Dane can build his own team for the future.

Of course, the Lilywhites were always going to take a financial hit in terms of shirt sales, but their pre-season tour of Asia has helped that matter.

On the surface of it, the timing feels right, and now the opportunity is there for younger players to seize their chance.

Tottenham are desperate for an attacking midfielder, following the news that James Maddison will be unavailable for most of next season.

The Lilywhites suffered a huge blow when Maddison was carried out on a stretcher minutes after entering as a substitute against Newcastle United (3 August).

With his head in his hands and clutching his previously injured knee, fans knew that this could be a huge problem. Their fears were confirmed when Tottenham announced that Maddison had sustained an ACL injury and would be out for the majority of the forthcoming season.

Without their midfield maestro, the season could end prematurely for Tottenham. Therefore, that is why they have entered the summer market for a replacement option.

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

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Tottenham urged to replace Maddison

It is not as if Tottenham have not tried to find a replacement for Maddison in recent days.

Como’s Nico Paz is one avenue the club could go down. However, reaching a deal with Como will be difficult considering Real Madrid’s buy-back clause.

With Madrid lurking and the Lilywhites running out of time, the London club will need to move on to alternative prospects. However, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes an attacking midfielder must be signed at all costs.

“I do think we will get an attacking midfielder because Maddison’s injury is so bad that it would be inexcusable not to,” Wenham said.

“But I reckon it’s more likely to be somebody like Harvey Elliott or James McAtee, somebody like that.

“I can’t see Paz joining when Real Madrid have got so much money to be made in that situation for themselves. They’re not going to let someone else make that money.”

Thomas Frank has his Maddison backup

If Tottenham cannot sign an attacking midfielder in time, pre-season has made it evident that Thomas Frank has chosen Pape Matar Sarr to slot in Maddison’s place.

The Senegal international has impressed for Spurs in pre-season, notably scoring a jaw-dropping goal in the 1-0 win against Arsenal in Hong Kong (31 July). However, his worst performance came when Frank tried him as a 10 in the 4-0 defeat against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena (7 August).

While his display will not fill Spurs supporters with hope about what’s to come, it must be remembered that the whole team underperformed. As such, the humiliating defeat can be chalked up as more of a coaching issue than an individual one.

Therefore, given time, Sarr could be best suited to bridge the gap left by Maddison.

Harvey Elliott has been on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar all summer.

Elliott, 22, looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, after enduring a frustrating season under Arne Slot that saw him start just two Premier League games last campaign.

Tottenham are one of multiple clubs interested in the young midfielder, who has been valued at around £40million by the Reds.

Spurs are in the market for an attacking midfielder after James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the season with an ACL injury.

Elliott agrees terms with RB Leipzig

Tottenham look set to miss out on Elliott this summer after Leipzig ramped up negotiations over the past week.

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The Sunday Mirror’s print edition (10 August, pg 70) is reporting that the England Under-21 international has agreed terms on a four-year contractt to join the Bundesliga side.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reportedly been instrumental in the approach of Elliott, having brought the midfielder to Anfield from Fulham in 2019.

This means that Tottenham need to move quickly if they are to hijack the deal or walk away and move on to other targets, with Thomas Frank seeing the 22-year-old as a potential solution to Maddison’s absence.

Should the deal with Leipzig unexpectedly fall through, Spurs would still face heavy competition in the Premier League for Elliott, with Newcastle United, Brighton and Aston Villa all interested.

Elliott is the perfect Maddison successor if Tottenham can turn the midfielder’s head

Maddison’s long-term injury has caused problems for Frank, with the ex-Brentford boss now needing to find either a stopgap or a long-term replacement for the midfielder.

Elliott is the perfect replacement, with his playmaking very similar to the ex-Leicester midfielder.

The Lilywhites can’t rely on Maddison long-term after what is set to be two consecutive injury-hit seasons, and Elliott could be the best-suited successor if Spurs can convince him.

Tottenham fans may be a bit disappointed with their transfer window so far.

It was widely expected that Thomas Frank would revamp his Spurs squad this summer, backed by the millions earned through Spurs’ qualification for the Champions League.

However, with a week until the start of the Premier League season, there haven’t been as many signings as expected.

Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have made their loan moves permanent. Mohammed Kudus has signed from West Ham, while Joao Palhinha has arrived on a season-long loan.

However, it looks like the majority of Frank’s team will be part of the squad that finished 17th in the Premier League last season.

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Thomas Frank is in no rush to make new signings for Tottenham

Tottenham fans are already airing their grievances with their transfer window on social media, with many blaming Daniel Levy and the board.

These frustrations have likely been heightened following the torn ACL suffered by James Maddison in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle.

However, Thomas Frank has stated that he isn’t going to rush into any panic signings this summer.

Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “We don’t want to sign players we don’t think can really improve the squad. I would want to wait. We have talented players who can grow. I’m not here for the short-term fix.”

Tottenham fans right to be frustrated with lack of action in transfer window

The signings of Kudus and Palhinha will add a touch of quality in Tottenham’s midfield. It’s good to see Danso and Tel return to North London as well.

However, Spurs fans are right to worry that this won’t be enough to improve on last season’s dismal display in the Premier League.

Tottenham look particularly short of firepower, now that they’ve sold Son Hueng-min and Maddison will miss most of the season.

They had been fighting to sign the likes of:

Currently, they’re not even linked to any proven attackers of this quality. They look short of strikers to challenge Dominic Solanke too.

Frank might tell the press that he’s in no hurry to sign players, but surely he must have expected to have signed a few more of his own players by now.

Tottenham are set to sound the alarm as Atletico Madrid lurk for Rodrigo Bentancur.

Bentancur’s importance in North London has grown exponentially in recent months.

The Uruguayan has objectively been one of Spurs’ best players and has slotted into the defensive midfield role after Yves Bissouma proved unreliable for Ange Postecoglou.

This importance seems to have carried into the Thomas Frank era, with Bentancur receiving ample minutes during pre-season. However, Tottenham risk losing him to Atletico Madrid if they do not get their priorities in order.

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

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Tottenham must agree on a new contract with Bentancur

Bentancur’s contract at Tottenham runs out in June 2026, when he will be able to sign with another club on a free transfer.

He could even negotiate a pre-agreement with an overseas side as soon as six months before the end of his current deal. The midfielder was linked to Atletico Madrid earlier in the transfer window, and they could make a huge swoop for him in January.

As a result, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes extending Bentancur should be a priority over the next few months.

“When Frank came in, he mentioned Bentancur almost immediately,” Wenham said.

“I think there is a concern that we need to get his contract extended because if you’re talking about backing the manager, this is somebody that Frank wants around.

“You can see that from his team selections, another start against Bayern. In the first half, he was probably our best player, along with Mohammed Kudus, in terms of just keeping things ticking over against the really aggressive, high-pressing Bayern midfield.

“He’s five months away from being able to negotiate a pre-contract. Atletico and others would happily sign him on that or wait for him to come for free in the summer. So it’s being cautious about that, and getting his contract extended is an absolute priority.”

Bentancur’s injury record could be an issue

One of the reasons why Tottenham could be hesitant to extend Bentancur is his past injury record.

The defensive midfielder has missed 55 games for Spurs since the 2021/22 season and has been out for almost 400 days as a result. This would make even the most optimistic of individuals sceptical about striking a deal.

However, upon further inspection, recurrent injuries seem to be a thing of the past. Out of the 55 games missed, only four were during the 2024/25 season and six for the season prior.

This indicates that Bentancur could mostly remain fit for the duration of his future contract with Spurs. While there is no way of knowing for certain, his current record does suggest that extending the midfielder would be a worthwhile investment.

Eye-watering total Tottenham could pay to sign Jack Grealish from Man City

Tottenham have again been linked with a move for Jack Grealish after failing to sign him during his time at Aston Villa.

The Lilywhites had been linked with a £30million move for the forward early on in his Villa career, but the Claret and Blue side ultimately elected to keep hold of their star.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Grealish was signing for Manchester City for £100m.

However, after a turbulent time in Manchester, the 29-year-old now looks set to leave the Cityzens, with Spurs one of the teams showing plenty of interest.

Grealish could cost Spurs £27m

Tottenham face competition from Everton for the signature of Grealish.

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The forward is keen on a move away this summer, having found his gametime limited last campaign. However, he could come at a healthy price for Spurs.

The most likely move for the former Villa man would be a season-long loan, with a possible buy-out clause included.

Man City reportedly want a £12m loan fee included in any potential deal, which could put off potential suitors.

However, Spurs have some spare cash, with top earner Son Heung-min departing for LAFC.

Grealish is on a reported eye-watering £300,000 a week at Man City, according to Capology. Should Spurs sign the forward, they would likely cover all of his wages for the season.

Add that amount onto a possible £12m fee, and the total amount the Lilywhites would pay for Grealish would be £27m.

Given James Maddison’s recent injury, Tottenham are looking to accelerate plans to sign more forward options, and Grealish could prove the perfect alternative.

Dejan Kulusevski could make way for Grealish

Another high earner in Dejan Kulusevski, could depart, with Grealish taking his place.

In a summer of change, Frank could look to move away from his injury-prone players.

The Swede is currently on £110,000 a week and, should Spurs offload the attacker, it could open up the possibility of more incomings in the coming weeks.