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Martin Ho sends clear message before Chelsea clash as Tottenham Women eye FA Cup statement

Martin Ho has insisted Tottenham Hotspur Women are ready for their “biggest test” of the season as they prepare to face Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Spurs head into Monday’s clash looking to keep their season alive, with the competition now their final opportunity to end the campaign on a high.

After recent heavy defeats in the league, including losses to Arsenal and Manchester City, the gap between the Lilywhites and the division’s established elite has been highlighted.

Though, the FA Cup offers a different proposition, with Ho’s side just one win away from a semi-final and a potential trip to Wembley.

Despite the challenge of facing one of the Women’s Super League’s top sides, Ho has insisted that Spurs will approach the match with relief rather than pressure.

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Martin Ho makes Chelsea point clear as Tottenham look ahead to FA Cup opportunity

Speaking at his press conference ahead of the clash on Easter Monday, Ho outlined the magnitude of the occasion at Kingsmeadow, alongside the respect that his side have for their London rivals.

“It’s the most prestigious competition in England. A cup competition that you play at Wembley as a final,” he said. “Who doesn’t want to play there as a coach, as a player, and as a club?”

The current campaign has been labelled as a transitional one for Chelsea, with the Blues sitting nine points behind league leaders Manchester City, while Arsenal sit two points behind, with two games in hand.

“They don’t become a bad team because you’re not top of the WSL,” said Ho. “Look how many seasons they’ve won the league consistently, then the Champions League and progressing to the latter stages.

“So, under no illusions, they’re a good team.”

Chelsea’s relative size in the women’s game adds to the challenge ahead for Tottenham, with Ho admitting: “There’s no bigger test than Chelsea, so we’ve got to make sure we’re really at it.

“We should want it more than just needing it. When we play with freedom, and we play our way, then I think we perform at a really high level.”

Tottenham handed chance to respond with season-defining result

With European hopes all but gone, the FA Cup is Tottenham’s final opportunity to make one last statement before the campaign concludes.

It has been a fantastic year overall for the club, with Ho offering a huge improvement on last season’s 11th-place finish, having the Lilywhites occupying fifth in the WSL with only a handful of matches remaining.

Spurs would reward Ho for his excellent work last week, handing him a new long-term deal alongside winger Matilda Vinberg.

“We go into this game with the belief and confidence that we can get to a semi-final and compete against Chelsea, which we’ve shown in our games that we can when we’re at it,” he added.

The gap to the seasoned elite has been highlighted in recent weeks, with 5-2 losses to both Manchester City and Arsenal.

But, Tottenham are looking to build for the future under Ho, and they have a fantastic chance to test themselves against one of the established few once again – and make a big statement in the process by booking a semi-final spot.

Tottenham Hotspur have handed out fewer than 90 minutes of first-team action to academy players in the Premier League this season.

According to figures collated by BBC Sport, only Burnley, Brentford, Bournemouth, and Leeds United have handed out a smaller number of minutes to academy graduates in 2025-26.

While Tottenham have given plenty of game time to youngsters such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Wilson Odobert, none of them went through the ranks at Spurs.

At the other end of the spectrum, Chelsea have trusted heavily in their youth players, with Manchester City close behind them in second.

Tottenham are in the midst of a relegation battle, and it seems for the time being, their academy players will have to bide their time.

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Tottenham lagging behind their rivals

Tottenham’s academy have produced some top talent over the years, most notably England captain and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane. But this season, there has been slim pickings in this regard.

As per BBC Sport, a total of 26 minutes of Premier League game time this term has gone to Tottenham academy graduates, whereas Chelsea and City are flying high on 5,673 and 5,162, respectively.

All three of these Tottenham players have made cameo outings and nothing more in various competitions this season.

Neither Thomas Frank nor Igor Tudor gave a whole heap of minutes to Tottenham’s academy talents, as the coaches prioritised results over trusting the youth.

But the sheer lack of minutes may concern many Tottenham fans, particularly as they are so far behind some of their rivals.

Moreover, this may suggest that the talent coming through at Tottenham just isn’t there. That may not bode well for the future.

Can Roberto De Zerbi turn things around at Tottenham?

Now that Roberto De Zerbi is at the wheel, attention will, naturally, turn to keeping Tottenham in the Premier League, rather than giving youth players more minutes.

However, the Italian has a history of backing youngsters, particularly at Brighton, where he fielded multiple teenagers (Facundo Buonanotte, Jack Hinshelwood and Julio Enciso) in Premier League matches.

If Spurs do stave off relegation to the Championship, De Zerbi may turn to the youth more next season. But for now, survival is everything.

Tottenham have a tricky last seven games of the season, with matches against Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and Aston Villa, and European football chasers Everton, Sunderland, and Brighton still to come.

On paper, their more winnable games will be against basement side Wolves and lowly Leeds United but considering they haven’t won in the league since 28 December, every match is difficult.

Tottenham Hotspur are in a troubled financial situation following their latest accounts being published, and finance expert Kieran Maguire believes the exit of Igor Tudor could haunt them further.

Spurs published their accounts for the 2024-25 season earlier this week, which saw the club bump their total revenue up to £565.3million, but underlying losses were present.

ENIC have seen a total loss of £94.7m, which takes the club’s total debt to over £830m, with Tudor possibly set to receive a payout for his contract.

The former interim head coach was only on a short-term deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but regardless, ENIC may still have money to pay him money, even if the departure was by mutual consent.

Tudor had over two months remaining on his deal, but Maguire has suggested that it could still see the Lilywhites send a chunk sum to the former Juventus boss.

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Kieran Maguire suggests Tottenham will have to pay Igor Tudor a lot of money

Tudor’s deal in N17 was until the end of June this year, with the plan always to replace him this summer.

Tottenham have now announced the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi, who has signed a five-year deal and will likely be on a large salary.

While speaking on The Price of Football podcast, Maguire was asked a question on if sacking Tudor will cost Tottenham some extra cash.

Maguire said: “Yes. We have seen with the sacking of Ruben Amorim, which cost £15 million. Now with Tudor, he was brought in as a red Adair role, so whether that’ll be a huge settlement, we’ll have to find out in due course.”

There could have been extra clauses in Tudor’s contract that he would have been owed, given that his deal was abruptly ended.

In most situations, managers will still seek payouts even if a departure is mutual, as there have yet to be any conflicting reports to suggest that Tudor walked away agreeing to discard his wage and other potential bonuses.

Tottenham are already at a loss with managers this season

Next year’s accounts could look even worse, with the only possible saving grace being the Champions League.

Spurs decided to sack Thomas Frank in the early stages of 2026, which is widely documented to have been another financial hit for ENIC, with Tudor now expected to be a loss on the books.

Tottenham paid £6.7m for the Brentford boss, backed him with over £200m in transfers, and had to pay him a suggested £18m for the remaining years of his contract.

Tudor will be nothing compared to what Frank is owed, but it’s still a negative on the financial front that ENIC now have to face up to.

Tottenham’s board have made some horrible decisions recently, and this season will only add to their woes in charge of the club.

Archie Gray has been the subject of interest from Liverpool, but Tottenham Hotspur have been urged to dismiss their Premier League rivals.

The 20-year-old has emerged as a key player at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent weeks, fully justifying the £40million fee paid in 2022.

Reports on 1 April suggested that Arne Slot’s side were planning to make serious attempts to sign the Spurs star.

He is one of the brightest talents that the Lilywhites have, and looks destined to one of the greatest stars in world football in the near future.

Tottenham surely cannot allow him to leave, but a chance to join a club with the history and squad that the Reds have could prove tempting.

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Tottenham should be seeking over £70m for Gray

John Wenham believes Tottenham should be demanding a figure above £70m for Gray, if they were to allow him to leave, but he feels that he should be off limits.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “Archie is contracted with Spurs until 2030, so four years to run from this summer.

“Since joining the club, he has made 78 appearances and featured in both a Europa League final and Super Cup final.

“He has played for Spurs as a CM, DM, CAM, RB, CB, LB, LM and RM. He only turned 20 last month.

“Spurs paid £40m for him, and he is likely to be the club’s Player and Young Player of the Year as well as the Supporters’ and Players’ player.

“Spurs should be looking to build the side around Archie rather than entertain any offers to sell, but I estimate a starting price point would be north of £70m.”

Why Gray exit could actually be on

For starters, if Spurs are relegated, surely Gray will want to continue playing at the top-level, and in the Champions League, the Reds could offer one, and probably both, next season.

However, there is also concerns about where the former Leeds man fits in under De Zerbi, Joao Palhinha will surely be the ball-winning midfielder in his 3-2-5 formation in possession, which leaves space for one of Gray or Lucas Bergvall.

If he decides that the Swedish star is the better player, that could open up an exit route for the youngster and allow the Anfield side to swoop in.

Tottenham Hotspur‘s decision to appoint Roberto De Zerbi could have a negative effect on either Archie Gray or Lucas Bergvall.

Spurs had to make a decision on their next manager, and they pushed hard to ensure that De Zerbi would be the man in the dugout for the final seven games of the season.

For several reasons, that could prove to be the right call by Tottenham, given the job he did with Brighton last time he was in the Premier League.

However, De Zerbi’s style of football could have a negative impact on several players, with either Gray or Bergvall likely to suffer the most.

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Robert De Zerbi tactics could end badly for Tottenham gem

As of right now, De Zerbi‘s only task is to keep Tottenham in the Premier League, without having to worry about any of the potential consequences.

However, his style of play could certainly bring a handful of them to certain players, most notably those in midfield.

De Zerbi’s teams typically adopt a 3-2-5 formation in possession, with one of the two midfielders playing slightly further forward, and the other almost shielding the defensive line.

At Brighton, he had Moises Caicedo, and at Marseille, he had Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, both of whom were crucial in their attempts to win the ball back.

As poor as he has been this season, Joao Palhinha would be perfect for that ball-winning midfielder role, which would leave space for just one of Gray or Bergvall to play alongside him.

Palhinha has made 96 tackles in the Premier League this season, which is more than any other midfielder, while also featuring among the top 25 per cent of players for clearances per 90.

In comparison, Bergvall has won just 20 tackles this season, while Gray has 11, which places him in the bottom 12 per cent of Premier League midfielders.

Who is most likely to drop out of the team?

Assuming that De Zerbi adopts the same tactical identity as he has done throughout his career, Bergvall would make the most sense to play alongside Palhinha.

The Swede has completed 70 per cent of his attempted dribbles this season, which is a crucial aspect of the role he would be asked to play.

There may still be use for Gray either at wing-back or at centre-back, but he looks set to be another casualty of a Tottenham managerial change, through no wrongdoing of his own.

Tottenham Hotspur have been without Dejan Kulusevski for months due to injury.

The Sweden international was forced off towards the end of last season when he went down against Crystal Palace.

That saw the attacking midfielder miss out on the Europa League final and every other Lilywhites clash ever since.

A knee problem has left the 25-year-old watching from the sidelines all season as Spurs drift towards relegation from the Premier League.

Kulusevski may face an uncertain future at Tottenham due to his fitness issues, as Tottenham News now assesses his contract situation in North London.

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What is Dejan Kulusevski’s contract situation at Tottenham?

The former Juventus man is well-loved at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has certainly become a fan favourite since his permanent move in 2023.

In his two most recent seasons in N17, the Swede was excellent and put up some serious goal output across all competitions.

That has certainly been missing from the squad this campaign, with Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor desperate for some sort of creativity.

They never got the chance to work with Kulusevski, which is a blow for a player with over two years remaining on his current deal.

The attacker’s contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2028, after putting pen to paper on a three-year deal in 2023.

He is reportedly being paid £110,000 per week by the Lilywhites, a fee which equates to a yearly salary in the region of £5.7million.

That isn’t pocket change, and Spurs need him back, but with Kulusevski recently being spotted limping with Sweden, that doesn’t look like a possibility right now.

Kulusevski injury problems on show with Sweden

There is almost no chance that the attacker is seen in a Tottenham shirt between now and the end of the season.

Next campaign, whether his side are in the Premier League or Championship, is a realistic aim if he can get back to 100 per cent fitness.

Kulusevski doesn’t appear to be that close to a full recovery at this stage after limping around the Sweden camp, due to an “intervention” in his knee weeks ago.

The Spurs man has clarified the situation himself, but having further work done on the injury isn’t going to aid a faster return to the pitch.

It is a difficult time for the Swede, but with his contract approaching two years remaining, big questions will have to be asked sooner rather than later.

Radu Dragusin looks to have shot himself in the foot at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 24-year-old centre-back has endured a nightmare 2025-26 campaign for both club and country and looks destined to move on from Spurs when the transfer window opens.

He has made just nine appearances across all competitions in North London, but the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi as the new head coach is unlikely to hand him a surprise lifeline.

The defender also didn’t impress with Romania during the international break, having played the full 90 minutes as his country’s World Cup qualification hopes were ended by Turkey.

It is almost certain that Dragusin will leave Tottenham in the coming months, and when he does, he will surely regret previously turning down an eye-watering wage.

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Radu Dragusin turned down multiple transfer approaches

Dragusin is tied down to Spurs by a contract that will run until 2030, having signed a six-year deal after joining from Serie A club Genoa back in January 2024.

Since his arrival, he has been restricted to just 46 competitive appearances and has started only five times in the Premier League this season. Clearly, he remains out in the cold.

He will remain there, too, and it’s all his fault. Romanian outlet iAM Sport have carried quotes from his agent, Florin Manea, who has revealed that major offers were turned down.

Speaking on the iAM Stucan podcast, Manea said: “You want me to tell you something? We refused €50million over five years for Radu. €10m per year.”

That approach was made by a mystery Saudi Arabian club, and Dragusin’s representative also claimed it had the potential to reach €100m over five years.

RB Leipzig also swooped during the winter, but again, their overtures were rebuffed.

Dragusin gives Tottenham transfer headache

Dragusin, then, is committed to Tottenham for the long-term, having waved away a boatload of cash. However, the decision over his future is unlikely to be left in his hands.

De Zerbi will give him until the end of the campaign to assess him, but the defender may not get a look-in ahead of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso.

Judging by his statistics this season, he certainly wouldn’t deserve it. In the Premier League, he has made just five tackles, blocked eight shots and 13 recoveries – an average return.

Damningly, Spurs have conceded 13 goals while he has been on the pitch, while Dragusin has also won just 48.9 per cent of his total duels. De Zerbi will demand higher standards.

A permanent departure beckons, leaving him to reflect on what could have been.

Cristian Romero has put himself in good standing with Argentina ahead of his return to Tottenham Hotspur.

The centre-back has cut a controversial figure this campaign after a series of mixed performances and multiple red cards.

His rash nature has always been part of his game, but it has certainly let the Lilywhites down in such a dreadful season for everyone involved.

He has been able to put that to the side for the international break and put his best foot forward for his country.

Romero started for Argentina against Zambia overnight on Wednesday, putting in an excellent shift on the final outing of the break.

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How did Cristian Romero perform for Argentina vs Zambia?

There have been plenty of questions surrounding the Spurs skipper this season during his side’s free fall down the Premier League.

He hasn’t always stood up to be counted, and with his disciplinary record, the atmosphere surrounding him has become negative in the wider footballing world.

There is still no doubt that the North London club are better with him in the side due to his qualities as a defender and a leader.

That was certainly on show as Argentina sealed a 5-0 win over Zambia, with Romero playing a key role in keeping a clean sheet at La Bombonera.

His nine defensive actions consisted of six tackles, two clearances and one interception, while also chipping in with seven duel wins from eight attempts.

That in itself is excellent and is only made better by him completing 96 passes with a 99 per cent accuracy on the night as he utilised his 107 touches to good effect.

He has once again proved himself on the international stage, and now Romero needs to show why he is arguably the best player at Tottenham.

Romero must maintain form to avoid relegation at Tottenham

There are just seven games remaining until the end of the season and every single one is going to be massive for the Lilywhites.

With Roberto De Zerbi installed as head coach, there are no excuses anymore; every player needs to be ready to perform.

Romero is the one that everyone will look to and he needs to set the standards to ensure his side avoid a drop to the Championship.

He has proven that his quality is still there with Argentina, so there is no hiding when he returns to N17 after the international break.

Romero could prove to be the difference for Spurs.

Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has led to Richard Keys making a claim about his time at Brighton.

Keys is no stranger to controversy, often sharing his thoughts in his blog or on his social media pages, whether supporters like it or not.

Keys has now stated that the Italian was lucky to be handed the Spurs job and that Fabian Hurzeler has made the Seagulls better since he left.

That is simply not the case, and the stats prove that the claim is way off the mark, but no doubt the pundit will stick with it, despite evidence to the contrary.

Tottenham fans have mixed emotions on the new manager, but they have to defend him against such rubbish arguments like this one.

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How do new Tottenham boss De Zerbi and Hurzeler compare?

De Zerbi’s record at Brighton will be one of the main reasons why Tottenham hired him, as he had a very decent time on the South Coast.

Hurzeler also has a very good record at the AMEX Stadium, in fact, they are both quite similar when it comes to the stats.

The new Lilywhites boss managed 89 games with the Seagulls, winning 38, with 20 draws and 31 losses

and an average of 1.51 points per game.

Meanwhile, the German has managed 81 matches in his current post, winning 35, with 23 draws and 23 losses and an average of 1.58 points per game

Therefore, his record is not distinctly better than De Zerbi’s was, and he has not made them better, as Keys said.

How do their league positions compare at Brighton?

Hurzeler has never finished as high as De Zerbi has in the English top-flight, as the new Spurs boss secured a sixth-placed finish in the 2022-23 season in his first season with the Albion.

His best finish so far is the eighth position that he managed last season, and he does look likely to beat that this season, with his side sitting 10th at the moment.

Keys’ argument simply fails to hold weight, and he has embarrassed himself once again, with an utterly ridiculous take that is not backed up by the facts, when you take a deeper look at it.

Tottenham Hotspur‘s decision to hire Roberto De Zerbi has brought Gordon Strachan’s timeless warning about football’s poor morals into sharp focus.

De Zerbi was unveiled as Tottenham’s new head coach on Tuesday, with the Italian signing a five-year deal for the relegation-threatened Premier League team.

The former Brighton and Marseille boss, who succeeds the recently dismissed Igor Tudor, has come under fire for his support of Mason Greenwood.

De Zerbi previously said Greenwood “paid in a strong way” after leaving Manchester United for Marseille after attempted rape and assault charges were dropped against him. The 46-year-old also said the person he knows (Greenwood) was “very different” from the one that has been described in England.

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust said it could not support De Zerbi’s appointment but if the former Shakhtar Donetsk manager keeps them in the English top-flight, much of that may be forgiven or forgotten by Spurs fans.

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Gordon Strachan’s passionate football rant still rings true

Back in 2014, former Scotland international Strachan claimed that we don’t have any morals in football, before outlining that he has encountered wife-batterers, drunken-driving incidents, and infidelity during his playing and managerial career.

And perhaps Tottenham’s appointment of De Zerbi, who has not been accused of any of these things but has drawn criticism for his apparent defence of Greenwood, highlights how footballing results take precedence over morals.

In the clip, Strachan also says: “The supporters, when these guys come back, stand up and applaud them onto the pitch.

“So don’t anyone start talking about morals because we don’t have any in football. All it’s about is winning football matches.

“If these things had been done by youth team players, who have not got any importance to the first team, they [would] get sacked. Because [first team players] can bring in merchandise and bring in money, they (clubs) will back them to the hilt.”

Gary Neville said something not too dissimilar many years ago. In elite sport, professionals have a win at all costs mentality.

If De Zerbi keeps them up, Tottenham won’t suffer losses upwards of £250million. He may be more fondly viewed than Thomas Frank or Tudor if they survive this season.

Is De Zerbi the right man for the Tottenham job?

Tottenham sit one point and one place above the relegation zone with seven matches of the Premier League season remaining.

This rudderless Spurs team haven’t won a league game in 2026 and have been sliding towards the bottom three for months now.

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange admitted De Zerbi was their top summer target but due to their predicament, they moved quickly to appoint him on a long-term deal.

He said, “Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now. He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”

De Zerbi failed to win any of his first five Brighton games when he took over mid-season in 2022 but had a much better start at Marseille, although he had a pre-season under his belt.

If Tottenham start slowly under the Italian, they are likely to get relegated. De Zerbi needs to start with a bang, starting with an away trip to Sunderland on 12 April. Whether they can do that is another matter.