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Tottenham are on the verge of signing West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus, but there is a red flag to consider.

Kudus has impressed in his two years in the Premier League, albeit with a less productive second season as West Ham disappointed as a collective.

Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign the attacker for less than his release clause, with Hammers fans furious that the two rivals are engaging in such business.

While Kudus will being a lot to Thomas Frank’s side, with outstanding speed, ball control and finishing ability, some may be wary of his attitude, after what happened during his transfer saga in recent weeks.

Kudus skipped West Ham training to force Tottenham move

Spurs and West Ham were engaged in talks over the last week before striking a deal which will now see Kudus move across London to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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During this time, it emerged that while Chelsea were also keen on the 24-year-old, the Ghana star was only interested in a move to Tottenham.

The Guardian (July 10) have now reported that Kudus was so keen on the move that he forced his way out of West Ham, turning up for training late twice this week, and also handed in a transfer request.

While some may see this as a positive desperation to play for Spurs, there may be alarm bells ringing with senior club figures over signing a player with this attitude.

Spurs need to match Kudus ambitions

When Kudus joined West Ham from Ajax, there may have been an air of inevitability that this was simply a stepping stone move before eventually finding a new club.

Spurs will be wary that Kudus will not be afraid to pull similar shenanigans in North London if he eventually itches for another move again.

This will mean that if they want to keep him, they will have to match his ambitions to keep him happy, and compete for major trophies while remaining in the Champions League.

Another bottom half finish is not what Kudus has forced his move for, and if Tottenham want to avoid the attacker disrupting another club, they will have to ensure that he is platformed correctly to succeed under Frank.

Thomas Frank is carefully assembling his squad ahead of his debut campaign with Tottenham.

The Dane has officially been in charge of Spurs for almost a month, but has only had the opportunity to see the majority of the players up close for the first time over the last week as they return from their holidays.

Pre-season training will give the new manager a better insight into what players need to be brought in and let go this summer.

Nevertheless, Tottenham have conducted some early business in the transfer window, and Frank could already be ruing one decision following a recent development.

Damola Ajayi scores on Doncaster Rovers debut

Part of Frank’s remit this summer is to offload several players, with the likes of Richarlison and Yves Bissouma set to leave Tottenham.

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The 51-year-old must also decide on the futures of the younger players in his squad, many of whom are academy graduates who have returned to Hotspur Way following their loan spells.

Frank has already made some headway as he recently greenlighted Alejo Véliz’s return to Rosario Central.

Earlier in his tenure, he allowed Damola Ajayi to join Doncaster Rovers on loan for the season, despite the youngster scoring on his senior debut in the UEFA Europa League against IF Elfsborg last season.

The 19-year-old repeated the trick with the Rovers, scoring on his first appearance in pre-season (8 July) against Alfreton Town.

For a player with so much promise, it was a surprise that the call to send him out on loan was made so early. The decision could turn out to be Frank’s first mistake at Tottenham if Ajayi proves he could have been an asset to Spurs this season.

Spurs need better returns from loan deals

Spurs have not had the best success with loan deals, as they often fail to work out in the long run.

Players being loaned back to the club from which they were signed, such as Destiny Udogie returning to Udinese and Pape Matar Sarr staying at Metz, have shown to bear fruit.

More recent cases, such as Véliz, Bryan Gil, and Dane Scarlett, have not had the same success, which is an issue that Tottenham needs to address.

Lucas Bergvall could make his impact at Tottenham that much bigger with one phone call to Viktor Gyökeres.

Few would have predicted Bergvall to establish himself as quickly as he has at Tottenham.

However, the young midfielder completed a clean sweep of Spurs’ Official Supporters’ Clubs (OSC) Player of the Season and both Player of the Season awards from One Hotspur Members and One Hotspur Juniors – all during his debut season.

Fans will be excited to see the 19-year-old take to the pitch once more after he was injured towards the end of last season, and Bergvall could play a huge part in the upcoming season before the first game is even played.

Arsenal close to pulling out of Gyökeres race

As reported by A BOLA on Thursday (10 July), Arsenal are close to giving up their pursuit of Gyökeres after three days of radio silence.

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It is understood that Sporting Lisbon are unwilling to compromise on their £70million asking price. While the fee is achievable for the Gunners, the Portuguese club are unimpressed at their bid of £56m plus £13m worth of add-ons.

Tottenham have previously been linked to Gyökeres and could become the favourites for the forward if Arsenal pull out of the race. The Lilywhites are, of course, also based in North London, where Gyökeres was ready to move, and are also in the UEFA Champions League.

Furthermore, both Gyökeres and Bergvall were spotted training together last month (23 June), and the latter could convince his international teammate to join Spurs by getting on the phone.

Gyökeres scored 54 goals in 52 appearances for Sporting last season and could be a formidable addition for Thomas Frank this summer.

Tottenham need a striker

Whether Gyökeres is the chosen one or not, Tottenham still need to sign a striker in the coming weeks.

The Lilywhites currently have two main centre-forward options in Dominic Solanke and Richarlison. While Solanke had a decent debut season for Spurs, Richarlison experienced another disappointing campaign.

The Brazilian netted just five times in 24 appearances for Tottenham, and despite an excellent work rate, his numbers are unacceptable moving forward.

As a result, Frank will need to sign a replacement for the striker this summer.

Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer.

Injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar has assessed his fitness over the 2024/25 season ahead of a potential medical.

The England international left Chelsea last summer and enjoyed a good first season in LaLiga.

Gallagher expected to clear his medical

The 25-year-old is expected to pass his medical if it gets to that stage this summer, according to Dr Brar.

This comes as Give Me Sport reported that Spurs have already made an approach to secure his services.

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Discussing the state of play with Gallagher exclusively with Tottenham News, Dr Brar, a doctor in physical therapy and a sports scientist, shared his verdict.

“He had no injury concerns and played 50 games in all competitions last season,” he said.

“Add to that, his prior experience in the Premier League, makes this a low-risk transfer in terms of fitness and adaptability.

“I see him facing no issues in clearing his medical.”

Tottenham should consider making a move for Gallagher

Gallagher had a decent stint at Chelsea before moving to Atletico Madrid, where he also impressed.

Frank is an admirer of midfielders who work hard out of possession and the England international fits the bill for the Dane.

While he may not be the best technically, he is a decent ball winner and box-to-box midfielder and will fit well into this Spurs system.

With Yves Bissouma likely to leave Tottenham, Gallagher could be a decent replacement for him.

It remains to be seen if the Madrid outfit would be willing to part ways with him as he’s become a key player under Diego Simeone.

Radu Drăgușin‘s Tottenham future has been up in the air this summer.

The centre back has struggled to properly establish himself in the side since his move from Genoa in January 2024, and he is still recovering from a serious injury that ruled him out for the second half of last season.

Drăgușin has been hotly tipped to leave Spurs this summer, as Thomas Frank attempts to trim his squad to make way for fresh faces.

The Danish boss will be keen to bring in his own players ahead of the upcoming campaign, and that is expected to push several of the current squad players towards the exit.

Drăgușin to speak with Frank after Koni De Winter enquiry

Drăgușin’s future has come under even greater speculation following news of Spurs’ enquiry about Koni De Winter’s services.

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The Lilywhites are keen to sign the Genoa centre back in a potential £25million deal, and are prepared to battle Inter Milan to secure his signature, according to Ben Jacobs via X (4 July).

The possibility of another centre back joining the ranks in N17 would surely push Drăgușin even further down the pecking order, and that is unlikely to sit well with the Romanian.

Therefore, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Drăgușin will have already spoken to Frank about his future, as the North London side prepare to potentially add another defender to their squad.

“Drăgușin never really had much of a chance at Tottenham,” King said.

“It was always hard to get ahead of Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven; he would only ever be filling in as cover for one of them. As a result, I’d imagine he’s getting quite frustrated now.

“He’s probably asked Frank if he’s going to be getting regular game time, and what his future holds at Tottenham. I’d imagine he’s asked if he’ll be going on loan or be sold.

“Tottenham have enough central defenders, and these players want to play. These are international players; they need to be playing regularly to get picked for their country.”

Frank’s arrival won’t be good for Drăgușin

New managers can often bring a re-shuffle to the squad, but Frank’s arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is unlikely to be a positive event for Drăgușin.

Atletico Madrid’s decision to back away from Romero could see him start the season alongside van de Ven at the heart of the defence, which would leave little opportunity for others to break into the side.

The fact that Drăgușin is still continuing his recovery is also likely to work against him, as he potentially won’t have the opportunity to impress his new boss in pre-season.

With that in mind, he could easily find himself on the fringes of the squad whenever he does eventually return, and that could easily prompt him to chase a move this summer.

Daniel Levy has faced his fair share of criticism since becoming Tottenham Chairman.

There are several things that Levy has gotten right since he arrived in North London. However, his approach in recent months, particularly in the summer transfer window, has been subjected to criticism.

With the UEFA Champions League on the horizon and Thomas Frank at the helm, investment in the squad has become a must.

However, Tottenham will need to show much more efficiency than they have with a recent off-field decision.

Tottenham announce the return of the Bill Nicholson Gates

The construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been one of the highlights of Levy’s reign.

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Since the stadium officially opened for business in April 2019, it has become one of the leading venues in world football. However, it misses the character of the old White Hart Lane, which Tottenham hope will be remedied after confirming (2 July) that the Bill Nicholson Gates will be returning this summer.

The iconic gates are expected to be reinstated between the Ticket Office and historic buildings at the north of the stadium. Bringing back the gates, which continue the tribute to Nicholson, who was pictured in front of them in the 1970s, is expected to ease some of the pressure mounting on Levy.

However, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – is unsure why it took so long to reinstate them in the first place.

“I don’t understand what took so long,” Wenham said.

“There wasn’t an answer for that in the official announcement put out by the club. However, I’m pleased it’s back. The more things like that, the better.

“It adds to the heritage and worth of an area. It’s a prominent reminder of Spurs’ history and tradition, and we need things like that. Therefore, as I say, pleased it’s back, but I can’t see a legitimate reason why it took so long.”

Levy still has a way to go to win back supporters

Reinstating the famous gates is an excellent start to get supporters on side, but the transfer of Mohammed Kudus is an even better one.

Indeed, it has been widely reported that Tottenham have an agreement in place with West Ham for the forward this summer. After weeks of criticism, this signing will come as a relief for the chairman.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and more signings will need to be made to receive the full backing of fans.

Thomas Frank could be reunited with Yoane Wissa at Tottenham this summer.

It has been a slow start to the summer transfer window for Tottenham, though it seems as though their plans are starting to accelerate based on recent reports.

Spurs are said to be closing in on the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, while several others have been linked with a move to North London.

One of those is Wissa, who thrived in the Premier League at Brentford under Frank in the previous campaign.

Wissa in talks with Tottenham

After finishing 17th in the Premier League, it was evident that Spurs needed several reinforcements in the summer transfer window to have any chance of progressing under Frank.

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However, Tottenham failed to take advantage of the early stages of the window, and it seems as though Daniel Levy has now realised that significant investment must be made if they are to achieve that progress.

With that in mind, a report from Caught Offside (10 July) now states that Spurs have entered “concrete” talks with Brentford over the signing of Wissa.

A price tag of £50million has been mooted for the Brentford forward, who has been identified as a priority for the North London club.

Frank finally getting his wish at Tottenham

If Frank is to succeed at Tottenham, he needs to be backed financially in the summer transfer window.

With Kudus and Wissa both potentially on the cards, it seems as though he will get that, though there will still be a lot of work to be done.

The future of several players currently at Tottenham is still in doubt, leaving them with some big decisions to make in the coming weeks if Spurs are to put the failures of the last domestic campaign behind them.

Tottenham could agree a blockbuster deal with Real Madrid for Rodrygo.

The Brazil international has seemingly become an outcast with Los Blancos throughout the Club World Cup under Xabi Alonso.

As a result, it is little surprise that interest from elsewhere has piqued, with Thomas Frank’s men potentially set to enter the race.

This could see Real Madrid soon accept a bid from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium moving into the new Premier League campaign.

Real Madrid could agree Rodrygo exit with Tottenham

It is fair to say that the Lilywhites will be keen to add attacking quality to their forward line this summer and experience to boot.

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That recruitment drive has already begun with Mohammed Kudus looking set to come in from West Ham, and could continue with the Brazilian at the Bernabeu.

Having been named on the bench for five of the games in America, a departure for the 24-year-old could make sense for all parties.

This could see Tottenham swoop in for Rodrygo, with ex-Brentford and Leicester City boss Martin Allen suggesting that a £60million bid could be accepted by Real Madrid this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Allen said: “Rodrygo, we’ve seen over the last couple of years win games for Real Madrid.

“He certainly has the ability and is a fiery character. I do actually like him.

“Whoever does sign him will be getting a good player, but he’s got to get his head down and actually start playing.

“I think I would put him around the £60m mark, that’s the benchmark for top-quality attacking players.

“If Real Madrid get that from Tottenham, I think they’ll be happy.“

Tottenham could agree blockbuster Rodrygo deal

There is no shortage of talent in the Spurs forward line, although consistency has proven to be a problem in recent months.

Even reliable Tottenham stars like Son Heung-min have struggled, resulting in an increasing number of exit rumours this summer.

With that being said, adding someone like Rodrygo with such vast experience despite his age could prove to be an excellent piece of business.

For a potential £60m fee, there may not be any better value to be had in the current window, especially in attacking areas.

Tottenham are hoping to provide new head coach Thomas Frank with a refreshed squad this summer.

The Dane will hope to lead a miraculous overhaul of the team’s league form next season, after Spurs slumped to a dismal 17th-placed finish in the last campaign.

Transfer chiefs at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have advanced negotiations for new arrivals over the past week, with incomings now expected imminently.

Kudus will be a star for Spurs

Spurs have long-since been searching for a player capable of grabbing a match by the scruff of its neck, and in Mohammed Kudus, they may have found exactly that.

According to David Ornstein, a deal worth around £55million has been agreed with West Ham, with the player expected to complete the formalities over the coming days.

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The midfielder is a lot of things. A tidy finisher, an accomplished passer, and an efficient presser, but where he really excels is in his dribbling.

Kudus has completed more successful dribbles than any other player in the last two Premier League seasons, with 216.

The Ghanaian ranks in the 98th percentile of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers when it comes to attempted take-ons, according to FBRef, but not only is he attempting 7.23 per 90 minutes, he’s completing a lot of them too.

When compared with attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga), the Champions League and the Europa League, Kudus ranks in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, completing 3.2 per 90 minutes.

The 24-year-old has an Eden Hazard-like ability to keep the ball at his feet even while travelling at extreme speed, and once he gets past his man, he’s often creating chances.

Kudus registered 0.56 successful take-ons that led to shots and 3.72 shot-creating actions every 90 minutes last season in the Premier League.

Whilst the stats may seem impressive now, it is important to remember that the winger’s performance last season was dampened under the cloud of a terrible West Ham season.

The Hammers scored just 46 goals as they slumped to a 14th-placed finish.

Kudus’ appearance in the club’s Premier League top three goal-scorers and top three assisters, despite registering just five and three respectively, should tell you all you need to know.

Kulusevski could form partnership with Kudus

How Frank will set up the Spurs team is still up for debate but if the Dane elects to go with a similar system to the one he utilised at Brentford, Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski could form a beneficial connection on the right.

Towards the end of the season, the Bees were often deployed in a 4-2-3-1, with Mikkel Damsgaard playing inside of Bryan Mbeumo.

Frank appeared to give Mbeumo free rein to drift inside when necessary, whilst the Frenchman was also often found out wide to take on his opposing left-back – with Damsgaard often the man to play the pass.

Kudus could be deployed in a similar way by Frank, with Kulusevski played inside of him.

The Swede has featured heavily both through the middle and out on the right wing for Spurs, and could allow for rotation between himself and his new teammate.

Frank had attempted to sign Mbeumo earlier in the summer, before the Frenchman’s intention to join Manchester United became clear.

Kudus could provide him with an ideal alternative to the 25-year-old.

Mbeumo ultimately became Frank’s talisman at Brentford – Kudus has all the potential to become his main-man at Spurs.

Tottenham have been hoping to convince Cristian Romero to stay in North London this summer.

The Argentine, who joined in a big-money deal from Atalanta in 2022, appeared to be looking for a path away from the club following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou.

In a post on social media, Romero spoke of the “many obstacles” at Tottenham, with some fans taking the comment as a dig against the club’s owners, Daniel Levy and ENIC.

New head coach Thomas Frank will hope the defender will remain at the club past the transfer window’s deadline, with the Dane looking to sure up last season’s leaky defence.

Romero could be set for Real Madrid move

Several clubs have registered their interest in a move for Romero this summer, with the 27-year-old’s contract set to expire in 2027.

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Among them, Atletico Madrid’s interest looks to be the most intense, with the Spanish giants keen to add the defender’s World Cup-winning experience to their back-line.

But according to AS (July 9), Los Colchoneros have grown tired in their pursuit of Romero, and have given up hope of completing the signing this summer.

Tottenham have resisted all attempts to sign the Argentine, and Atleti will now look to approach alternative options.

The news will come as some relief for Spurs fans, but the door now could be open for the La Liga side’s Madrid neighbours.

Real Madrid have been linked with a possible move for Romero in the past, and could return to test Tottenham’s resolve this summer.

With injuries proving persistent for Eder Militao and David Alaba, Xabi Alonso’s side are in the market for another new central defender after signing Dean Huijsen.

Potential moves for Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Arsenal’s William Saliba have been mooted, but both deals would come at significant cost for Real.

Given Romero’s uncertain contract situation, Los Blancos may see fit to make a move for the Argentine this summer and could be capable of meeting Spurs’ asking price.

Spurs must prove ambition to Romero

A potential move to Real Madrid would be a hard proposition to turn down for any player, but especially in the case of Romero, who looks to be unsettled at Spurs.

Frank will have a duty to prove his ambition to the Argentine, but the club must take to the transfer market to demonstrate their willingness to bring further trophies to The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.