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Tottenham could still avoid financial Alfie Devine transfer error as Preston form steals headlines

Tottenham Hotspur could have their transfer mess saved by the fact that Preston North End may not be able to afford Alfie Devine on a permanent deal.

Spurs sent Devine out on loan to Preston in the summer, who has been a constant first-team starter under head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

The Hotspur Way graduate was at the heart of Preston’s 3-1 home win against Stoke City on Friday, scoring a brace and once again stealing the show.

Heckingbottom will want to keep the 21-year-old beyond this season, but has already expressed his frustration with the finances his club has available for transfers.

There is a reported buy-option in Devine’s contract, though the exact it’s not been officially confirmed by any reputable sources.

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This is why Preston North End are priced out of Alfie Devine deal

Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham suggested Devine’s buy option would be “fairly high”, as the midfielder is rated as a big prospect internally.

It’s been confirmed that Preston’s buy option is a seven-figure sum, but the Lancashire Lilywhites may not have the money to make the deal happen anyway.

As highlighted by Transfermarkt in the table above, Preston’s current club record signing is Milutin Osmajic, who cost them £2.15million.

They have only ever spent over £2m on one occasion from these readings, and it would be a surprise to see Tottenham have included a buy option for anything less than that.

There have been whispers that the buy option is in the region of £4.5m, but as mentioned earlier, nothing credible has been reported about the exact figure.

This now gives Johan Lange the opportunity to rectify his transfer error and get a bigger sale for the young man this summer.

Is there a scenario where Devine can become a starter for Spurs?

It would be hard to see Devine ever becoming a regular starter for Tottenham, unless they were relegated to the Championship.

The midfielder has undeniable talent, but it’s not really much compared to what Dele Alli was doing in the lower leagues before his breakthrough in N17.

Devine’s contract was renewed before he was sent to Deepdale in the summer, and he is tied down to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2027.

A decision will have to be made, but selling him on for an eight-figure deal could be on the cards, especially if Preston can’t pay up.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a cash boost of at least £65million following their Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

The Lilywhites may have to wait a while until they return to Europe’s greatest club competition, which will come as a huge disappointment for those financially invested in Spurs.

The Champions League provides a second-to-none chance for clubs to make huge revenues that even the Europa and Conference League can’t match, even if you win either of the competitions.

Despite a 3-2 win and a first victory under Igor Tudor on Wednesday, Tottenham were beaten 7-5 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid, ultimately being knocked out in the Round of 16.

However, Tottenham may double their Europa League earnings of £36m from last season, so long as previous records are anything to go by

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How Tottenham could make over £65m despite Champions League disappointment

Manchester City were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid last season, and fell short of their usual standards by being eliminated in the newly introduced Play-off stages.

According to ESPN, Man City earned approximately £65m from their journey in Europe last season, which is a figure you’d expect Spurs to top, given they went further than them this campaign.

To narrow the estimations for what the Lewis family could earn even more, the BBC reported that Liverpool earned £85.3m for reaching the Champions League’s Round of 16 last campaign.

Given that Spurs did the same this season, and that prices increase, it would be safe to assume that Joe Lewis will pocket above £65m considering their Champions League journey this season.

The payments are distributed and will most likely be sent yearly, which can aid Spurs, as the Lewis family tries to keep the PSR books healthy.

This is, of course, an estimation, but the way that football works is that prices and revenue usually go up. Even if it were to stay stagnant, it’s still a huge boost in the grand scheme of what has been an awful season.

Are Tottenham chiefs overwhelmed by what Daniel Levy’s left behind?

Tottenham CEO Vinai Venkatesham has recently taken a swipe at the on-and off-field success that Spurs had under Daniel Levy’s reign.

However, since Levy left, he’s been claiming that the Lilywhites don’t have the money to spend like they have in previous years, despite thier consistent cash revenue flow.

Yes, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium costs around £70m to run annually, but Levy would never have decided to move from White Hart Lane in the first place if it was never going to be sustainable.

It feels like the current Spurs chiefs are overwhelmed by the task at hand, and it’ll be interesting to see their expenditure in the summer if Tottenham avoid the drop.

Thomas Tuchel has overlooked Archie Gray in his latest England squad, despite the youngster’s continued excellence for Tottenham Hotspur.

While the Lilywhites may be struggling this season, Gray is one of only a few players able to hold his head up high.

The 20-year-old has been used in five different positions under two different Tottenham bosses this season and has done a job pretty much every time.

And yet there was no room for Gray in Tuchel’s squad on Friday for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, despite the German calling up a massive 35 players.

Gray’s immediate focus will be on Tottenham’s massive showdown with Nottingham Forest, but he will not be linking up with England’s senior squad after that.

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Archie Gray more than deserving of England call – here’s why

Gray is predominantly a central midfielder, where he thrived when breaking through at Leeds United at a very young age.

However, he is also capable of slotting into defence and is just as comfortable playing at full-back as he is in a more advanced central role.

As can be seen in the table above, Gray has mainly been used as a pure defensive midfielder under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor combined.

The fact he jumps around positions can skew his stats somewhat, but he certainly passes the eye test for those who watch him regularly.

Gray has assisted three goals in his past five appearances, adding some tangible merits to his game, including the assist for Xavi Simmons’ opener against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

Despite being on the losing side, Gray was particularly impressive in the recent Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.

As per Sofascore, Gray was easily the highest-rated Spurs player on the day (7.6/10) as he registered one key pass and also recorded four clearances, showing he is capable of both sides of the game.

Gray made history in Tottenham win over Atletico Madrid

Gray has made 77 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions since arriving in the 2024 summer transfer window, scoring two goals and bagging three assists.

The most recent of those appearances came against Atletico on Wednesday, with that his seventh start in the Champions League.

That saw him overtake Dele Alli (six) with the most starts in the competition for a Spurs player before the age of 21.

He also moved up to fourth on the list of youngest English players to assist a goal in UEFA’s showpiece competition.

Gray’s performance against Atletico was impressive, completing 88 per cent of his passes on the day, and given his age, it surely makes sense to get him involved in the England set-up early on.

Tuchel is blessed with options, but not many can match the drive shown by Gray – and indeed the versatility, which any manager would love.

Gray not being involved in the World Cup, from a selfish point of view, would be a positive for Tottenham’s next manager.

But there is no a Spurs fan that would not be delighted for the youngster should be get a call-up before the showpiece event this summer.

Archie Gray has been told he looks like the “real deal” after Tottenham Hotspur‘s 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Gray has always been highly rated at Spurs since he joined for £40million from Leeds in 2024, but now he seems to be adapting into a first-team regular.

He put in an impressive display in the draw with Liverpool on 15 March, and the victory over the Spaniards only reaffirmed his rise to stardom.

Igor Tudor seems to have only helped his development, and Tottenham are set to reap the benefits in the near future.

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What has been said about Gray’s showing in Tottenham win?

John Wenham believes that Gray has taken a step up under Tudor, and that has been evident from the last two games.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, the Spurs expert said: “We’ve seen the evolution, over all of Tudor’s reign, but particularly impressive at both Anfield and against Atletico, of young Archie Gray.

“20 years of age, now on 77 first-team appearances for Tottenham already, he’s looking the real deal, he’s carrying the ball so nicely forward from midfield, also creating opportunities and giving us a real platform to build out our attacks from, his development has been fantastic.

“Last night, you saw Marcus Llorente, a very highly regarded Spain international, when Archie Gray was subbed off, go over and give him a high-five and wish him well.

“It shows when other players in the game respect you, and what you’re doing, how your stock is rising. I thought that was fantastic last night.”

How did Gray perform vs Atletico?

Gray was particularly brilliant against Madrid, completing 88 per cent of his pass attempts, misplacing just five of them, per Sofascore.

He made two key passes and notched one assist in the contest, and he also made 10 carries for a total distance of 81.7m.

The young maestro was extremely comfortable with the ball in his own half, completing 93 per cent of his 15 passes in that area, which allowed Tudor’s side to build out from the back.

He made one interception, one clearance, blocked one shot and nine recoveries as he constantly tried to help out defensively.

If Gray can maintain this level of form from now until the end of the season, he will be a superstar in no time for the Lilywhites.

Igor Tudor is looking at a substantial fine after the Tottenham Hotspur manager was charged by the Football Association, Keith Hackett has said.

The Croatian manager made comments after the match that suggested that referee Thomas Bramall favoured the home team and stated that he did not understand football.

The FA have alleged that he acted in an improper manner, using comments that implied bias, question integrity or were personally offensive to a match official, and he has until 23 March to respond

Tottenham’s loss to Fulham may have wider implications, as the former PGMOL chief believes the manager will be out of pocket financially.

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What did Hackett say about Igor Tudor charge?

Hackett believes that Tudor will be on the end of a significant fine, after he was charged with misconduct by the governing body.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “The Manager (Tudor) is looking at a substantial fine, having been alleged to have questioned the integrity of the match officials.

“The charge will have taken into account a written response from the Manager.”

Why neither Tudor nor Tottenham will care about a fine

Tudor will not care about the charge or the fine that Hackett thinks will come his way, even if it is a very hefty one.

He was right to complain about the incident, as there was a clear push on Radu Dragusin by Raul Jimenez, before Harry Wilson put it in the net.

It was his second game in charge, and he needed to stick up for his side and show Lilywhites supporters that he cared and would fight for them and the team.

Luckily, the last two results have seemingly turned around Tudor’s time at Tottenham, with a draw at Liverpool and a victory over Atletico Madrid, putting the foundations down for his side to go on a run and avoid the drop in the final few weeks of the campaign.

He will not let the FA charge bring that high down, and stop him from getting the results that he needs on the pitch, to ensure survival and leave with his head held high when his short-term deal runs out.

Djed Spence delivered an impressive performance in Tottenham Hotspur‘s 3-2 victory against Atletico Madrid, hinting that he could yet salvage his career in North London.

Spence played the full 90 as Spurs won the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie, but the result on Wednesday night wasn’t enough to stop them crashing out.

The full-back has hardly covered himself in glory this season despite making 37 appearances in all competitions, and he has been tipped to leave in the summer.

It is a staggering contrast to his fortunes earlier in the campaign, when he had become a regular in the England squad and earned glowing praise from Spurs supporters.

Now, however, he looks set to play a big role in the Premier League relegation fight, with a crucial six-pointer against Nottingham Forest next up on Sunday.

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What did Djed Spence do vs Atletico Madrid?

A marauding right-back by trade, Spence certainly demonstrated his attacking qualities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last time out.

According to statistics from Squawka, the 25-year-old completed the joint-fifth most take-ons of any player across both legs of the Champions League last-16 ties.

Spence recorded six in total, putting him on level terms with Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz and Manchester City midfielder Rodri – esteemed company indeed.

The fact that Mathys Tel, a real livewire for Spurs in the return fixture, chalked up just one more take-on demonstrated just how important the defender was in hurting Atletico.

All in all, it was a steady performance from the former Middlesbrough man.

Numbers from Sofascore have shone a positive light on his display, with Spence recording 39/44 accurate passes for an 89 per cent completion rate. 25 of his 28 passes in Atletico’s half found their target, while he also registered 71 touches and 11 carries.

At the other end, he made one tackle, two interceptions and the same number of clearances. Spence also blocked two shots, helping Spurs to dig in in a gusty performance.

Spence set to stay at Tottenham

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus are targeting a move for Spence, valuing his versatility and experience in both the Premier League and Champions League.

However, Spence could be reluctant to leave, while Spurs will also be unwilling to conduct business until a new manager is installed and their top-flight status made clear.

The defender has been valued at around £25million but remains under contract at the North London side until 2029, putting the club in the driving seat ahead of the summer.

Judging from his bright display against Atletico, he still has much to offer Tottenham. It would be foolish to let him go, especially for such a low-ball figure.

Vinai Venkatesham has been critical of how Daniel Levy ran Tottenham Hotspur financially, and it doesn’t sit right with Premier League finance expert Kieran Maguire.

Venkatesham was hired by the Lilywhites back in April of 2025, becoming the club’s new CEO after over a decade with Spurs’ North London rivals, Arsenal.

He didn’t work with Levy for too long, but what he did see of the former Tottenham owner, he didn’t appear to like.

The Standard recently reported how Venkatesham took aim at Levy during a meeting with the Fan Advisory Board, ironically pointing towards the lack of on-field success under the latter’s reign.

Tottenham could lose millions with relegation a real threat right now, as Maguire has every reason to believe that Venkatesham’s public view on Levy has no backbone to it.

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Kieran Maguire calls Vinai Venkatesham’s view on Daniel Levy ‘garbage’

Spurs have been listed ninth on the global revenue rankings in football, proving Levy had a major part to play in the financial surge that the Lilywhites have made.

The club made £528million during the 2023-24 season, a campaign which Mr Venkatesham had nothing to do with, as the revenue readings post-Levy will be interesting to see.

While speaking on The Price of Football podcast, Maguire detailed why he disagrees with Venkatesham’s criticism of Levy, and suggested the £210m costs to run the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over three years alone is enough to prove his point.

Maguire said: “Vinai has been critical of the Levy era. He’s said there wasn’t enough focus for on-field activities. I’ll be honest, Spurs spent an awful lot of money on players and wages [under Levy], although not as much as the big six.

“Spurs have a £70m a year infrastructure cost going through their accounts. PSR was assessed over three years, so you add back £210m into the calculations. The Spurs academy is probably another £15-20m. They spent a lot of money [under Levy].”

“But then he [Venkatesham] starts coming out and saying we can’t spend a lot of money this summer because of PSR, that is complete garbage. It’s classic corporate behaviour.

Just look at the lack of money the Lilywhites spent in the winter market, despite Joe Lewis supposedly having a £150m war chest for Thomas Frank.

Though he is not alone in the decision-making, Venkatesham could also be responsible for losing Tottenham up to £25m if they don’t secure a new and healthy front-of-shirt replacement for AIA.

Have Tottenham gone backwards since Daniel Levy’s exit?

There are plenty of points you could make to show how Tottenham have gone backwards since Levy left, just look how long it took the board to sack Frank.

They then followed that up by making what was always a bizarre decision to appoint Igor Tudor, regardless of whether he keeps the Lilywhites in the Premier League.

Levy was no saint, but it will remain a mystery whether Spurs would be in this position had he remained in charge.

One thing is for sure, though, and that is Venkatesham needs to start doing his talking with actions, because the projections only have Spurs losing even more money if things carry on the way they are.

Tottenham Hotspur will stay in the Premier League after their recent results, John Wenham has said.

Igor Tudor’s side drew 1-1 with Liverpool at Anfield on 15 March before beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday, which has provided a confidence boost to everyone involved with the club.

The glum mood after Tudor won none of his first four in charge has been replaced with an optimism that the Croatian boss could be the right man for the interim role.

Tottenham’s focus is now fully on their Premier League status, and Wenham believes that it will stay intact after a shift that he has witnessed.

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Why Tottenham can stay in the Premier League?

Wenham now believes that Spurs have the confidence required to stay in the division after the two positive results.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, the Spurs expert said: “It was about keeping momentum high ahead of the huge game against Nottingham Forest on the weekend.

“I think if you asked 99 per cent of Tottenham fans now, based on these last two games [Liverpool and Atletico], will Tottenham stay in the Premier League, I think the overriding answer would be yes.

“People have seen enough now that the upcoming games, Forest at home, Sunderland away, Brighton at home, suddenly don’t look as daunting as they did a couple of weeks ago

“There has been a definite shift in momentum.”

Who do Tottenham have left to play?

Tudor has his side playing with confidence, and he seems to have found the right formula for short-term success.

That will be a relief, as there were plenty of calls for him to be sacked in recent weeks after the dismal start to his interim spell in the dugout.

Now, as Wenham states, most supporters will feel that they can take enough points to survive, from the likes of Forest, Sunderland and Brighton in the next three matches.

Wolves and Aston Villa are after that, and they will not be easy matches, with the former trying to pull off a miracle escape and the latter trying for Champions League qualification.

Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton are the last three for Spurs, and hopefully they will be out of danger by the time those fixtures come around.

Randal Kolo Muani could be the hero to emerge from the shadows for Tottenham Hotspur in what is now the most crucial stage of the season.

The Lilywhites picked up their first victory under Igor Tudor on Wednesday with a 3-2 90-minute win over Atletico Madrid, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in the Champions League, losing 7-5 on aggregate overall.

Kolo Muani was on the scoresheet against the La Liga outfit, and seems to be one of Tudor’s favourites in a Spurs shirt right now.

The Frenchman was rumoured to be heading back to Juventus in the winter market, but complications with parent club PSG made the deal difficult to conclude.

Tottenham’s goal is to stay in the Premier League, and now that their Champions League journey has ended, Kolo Muani looks primed to step up.

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Randal Kolo Muani’s stats vs Atletico Madrid paint the picture

Thomas Frank wanted to keep Kolo Muani when Juventus were ringing the phone for his services once more in January.

It went right down until the final day of the winter market, and Tottenham fans may be glad that they did keep the forward in N17 now.

As highlighted by Sofascore in the graphic below, Kolo Muani picked up a 7.4 match rating against Atletico Madrid, as his expertly dispatched header put the cherry on the icing on the cake of what was a terrific individual display.

The 27-year-old had just 26 touches and two shots, but also chipped in defensively by making four defensive contributions in total.

Despite his 64 per cent passing rate, Kolo Muani is continuing to show that if provided with chances, he will bury them.

The on-loan PSG star scored four times in this Champions League campaign, overachieving his xG by 1.35.

What’s the latest on Dominic Solanke’s injury?

Kolo Muani has already played in four of Europe’s top five leagues, and across that time, has been deployed as both a winger and a striker.

But he’s so far been seen as a number nine at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and is proving to be the most influential striker of the Lilywhites’ season.

It’s even more important considering that Dominic Solanke may not play again this season.

Tudor confirmed that Solanke has a “small problem” that prevented him from playing against Atletico Madrid, but we’ve seen in the case of Dejan Kulusevski that’s not always the truth at Tottenham.

If Solanke does indeed miss the rest of the campaign, Kolo Muani looks like the man who can save Spurs from the jaws of defeat.

Igor Tudor could recall Richarlison when Tottenham Hotspur host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.

Spurs are in desperate need of a win as they look to stay in the Premier League, and beating the team sat just below them in the table would be a massive boost.

Despite the fact Tottenham haven’t won a league match in 2026, Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool has shown fans that their side is capable of putting up a fight.

That was followed up by an admirable performance in the second leg of their Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, and it’s clear that Tudor is slowly starting to have a positive impact on the players.

When Tottenham face Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Tudor won’t make too many changes to his team that aren’t enforced, but Richarlison could be one of two players to return to the side.

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Richarlison replaces Randal Kolo Muani vs Nottingham Forest

The Brazilian striker has 100 goal involvements in the Premier League after scoring last weekend’s stoppage-time equaliser at Anfield.

Although a lot can be said about his quality on the ball, he has shown fighting spirit and come up with key goals throughout the season, which shouldn’t be overlooked.

According to Sofascore, Richarlison has registered 6.16 xG in the top flight this season, which clearly shows that he’s been overperforming in front of goal.

The 28-year-old was suspended in midweek, and although Spurs fared well without him, he was still a big miss in attack.

Therefore, Randal Kolo Muani could make way for Richarlison, as Tudor sticks with a 3-4-2-1.

The other change should see Kevin Danso replace Radu Dragusin, who was shaky in midweek, and the Austrian is a much better fit for the right side of defence.

The rest of the side should remain the same, but it’s imperative that Tudor does the right thing and starts Richarlison.

Why Richarlison’s return is so important for Tottenham

Although Tottenham have the likes of Dominic Solanke and Kolo Muani in their ranks, Richarlison has been their most consistent forward.

He has received his fair share of criticism since joining Spurs in 2022, but he has turned up when it’s mattered most for the Lilywhites.

Despite starting fewer than half of their games (14/30), Richarlison has scored more than twice as many goals as any other Spurs player in the Premier League this season (nine).

Richarlison has been linked with leaving Tottenham, and even if they avoid relegation, his spell in N17 will likely come to an end.

Spurs will rebuild their entire squad in the summer, and the 28-year-old could definitely be one of the casualties.