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Micky van de Ven will be able to breathe a sigh of relief after recent Tottenham transfer news.

Van de Ven was a staple in Spurs’ defence last season despite several injuries, which kept him sidelined for months at a time.

His raw pace, acceleration and defensive prowess have seen him form a formidable centre-back duo with Cristian Romero. However, Spurs supporters have been robbed of seeing this duo a little more than they would’ve liked in recent months.

Despite this, a new season, manager, and expectations are expected to bring about change in North London.

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

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Joao Palhinha set to make an important defensive impact

Tottenham have signed Joao Palhinha on a season-long loan after the midfielder struggled to establish himself as a starter at Bayern Munich.

His arrival has seen mixed reactions from Tottenham fans. Some are enthusiastic about adding a Premier League-proven player to their ranks, while others cannot look past his age.

However, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that the 30-year-old will offer a lot of relief to Spurs’ defence next season.

“Palhinha is exactly what the doctor ordered,” Wenham said.

“You’ve now got someone at six feet two sitting in front of your two centre-backs.

“The way we’re playing it looks like we’re not going to be relying so much on van de Ven’s pace to get us out of trouble. It’s going to be there when we need it, but we’re not going to be relying on it left, right and centre.”

Palhinha’s signing will cast Yves Bissouma out

While van de Ven will likely be enthused at a little more defensive support, Yves Bissouma may not be as impressed.

The Mali international has been linked with a departure this summer, but is seemingly hoping to continue his career in the Premier League. While remaining at Tottenham appears to be his first point of call, the midfielder could sign with another club in the first division.

It seems like the latter will be the likely option for Bissouma now that Palhinha has arrived at Hotspur Way. After a string of inconsistent performances since he was signed from Brighton, Palhinha looks likely to start ahead of him for Spurs.

As a result, it is looking increasingly likely that these final pre-season games could be Bissouma’s last in a Spurs shirt.

Antonin Kinsky has been linked with a Tottenham departure seven months after arriving in North London.

Kinsky signed for Tottenham on a six-and-a-half-year deal in January 2025 and made his debut against Liverpool during the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, keeping a clean sheet.

While his debut generated a sense of optimism surrounding his future, he ended the 2024/25 season as Spurs’ second-choice shot-stopper behind Guglielmo Vicario.

As a result, he could be tempted to broaden his horizons and accept a new challenge away from Hotspur Way.

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

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Kinsky is not expected to sign for Lille

As reported by L’Equipe (27 July), Lille were interested in Kinsky as a possible replacement for Lucas Chevalier, who is set to sign for Paris Saint-Germain.

The shotstopper travelled to South Korea as part of Spurs’ pre-season tour in Asia and started during their eventful 1-1 draw against Newcastle United (3 August).

Kinsky has impressed fans with his positive performances this pre-season tour and seems to have had the same effect on Thomas Frank, who looks to retain his services next season.

Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that a departure was not even on the cards this summer.

“I can’t really see that one happening, to be honest with you,” Wenham said.

“We invested a lot of money in him just last January, and we’ve seen Josh Keeley move on and depart the club. So, were there to be an injury to Vicario, we would straightaway be left with Brandon Austin or Luca Gunter for a club that’s going to be hopefully competing in the UEFA Champions League, among other areas.

“We need a big squad, and we need Kinsky as a solid international goalkeeper.”

Kinsky could challenge for a starting spot next season

His impressive form during pre-season has given rise to the idea that Kinsky could challenge Vicario for his starting spot next season.

As well as making some solid saves against the Magpies, his showing against Luton Town was arguably the best goalkeeping performance seen from Spurs this summer.

Furthermore, despite a formidable showing during the UEFA Europa League final, Vicario struggled to maintain the excellent levels seen during his debut season last time out. The Italian keeper kept three fewer clean sheets in the Premier League, and while this could be a coaching issue, it was evident that Vicario was struggling to adjust.

Therefore, it would not come as a surprise to see Kinsky become Frank’s no.1 within the next couple of months.

How much is Daniel Levy worth and how long as he been Tottenham chairman?

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been heavily criticised by fans over the course of his tenure in North London.

Levy oversaw a 17-year trophy drought at Tottenham, while consistently holding the club back with regard to his decision making over transfers and managers.

Spurs have gone through a lot of managers under Levy, with most of them not adequately backed by the chairman before eventually being dismissed.

The sacking of Ange Postecoglou again pointed a lot of blame at Levy, and Tottenham’s struggles in the transfer market this summer have further piled on the pressure.

Daniel Levy’s net worth

Levy is part of Tottenham ownership group ENIC, and owns around 29.5 per cent of their 86.5 per cent share capital.

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This means that Levy essentially owns 25 per cent of Tottenham, with Joe Lewis the majority shareholder with 60 per cent of the club.

As per the BBN Times (February 2025), Levy’s net worth is estimated to be just over £350million, but ENIC have a total net worth of around £4.9billion.

There are several Premier League ownership groups with a lot more financial firepower than ENIC, with Newcastle, Manchester City and Chelsea the biggest three in terms of net worth.

Levy has exercised a ruthless approach when it comes to managers, with Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte among those to be hired and fired in the last decade, but his approach to transfers has typically been to buy low and sell high, at the expense of success on the field.

How long has Daniel Levy been at Tottenham?

Levy is the longest-serving chairman in Premier League history, and is in his 24th year in the role he took up in February 2001.

Despite being the minority shareholder, Levy has operational influence over the day-to-day running of the club, and is the main figurehead of the Tottenham hierarchy.

This means that praise and blame can both be laid at his door, and more often than not, it is criticism that is directed his way.

Spurs fans have organised several protests against his and ENIC’s influence over the years, and even managers such as Conte have publicly slammed the lack of support and investment into the team.

Tottenham are set to take on Bayern Munich on Thursday in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.

Spurs will come face to face with Harry Kane for a second year running when they travel to the Allianz Arena (7 August).

It will be Thomas Frank’s last opportunity to give players a run-out before they face Paris Saint-Germain in the upcoming Super Cup six days later.

Son Heung-min won’t be available for selection for the first time in almost 10 years, as Tottenham News predicts how the Lilywhites could line up against the German champions.

Palhinha expected to start against his parent club

Joao Palhinha completed his loan move with an option to buy from Bayern Munich on Sunday (3 August), and will be hoping Frank includes him in the starting lineup to face his parent club.

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The Dane will be keen to see his latest arrival in action, and could pair the Portugal international alongside a senior midfielder in Rodrigo Bentancur as he looks to settle into his new team.

James Maddison’s recent injury has robbed him of a likely place ahead of them, with Lucas Bergvall expected to be tested as an option further up the pitch.

The young midfielder will likely see Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus both return to the starting lineup on either side of him.

Richarlison could be given the nod to lead the line ahead of the benched Mathys Tel and Dominic Solanke, who is unlikely to be risked from the start following his ankle issue.

In defence, Guglielmo Vicario will be expected to resume his role in goal, while Frank may need Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven to give Spurs the best chance of containing their record goalscorer.

On the flanks, Djed Spence will likely be preferred to Ben Davies on the left to try to negate Michel Olise’s influence, while Pedro Porro will resume his position on the opposite flank.

Patience with Tel will quickly wear thin

When Tel arrived in January on loan, also from Bayern, he walked into a dysfunctional team after playing very little football and was shown plenty of patience by both fans and management as he adapted.

However, having now made the move permanent, and with the number of forwards already at the club, the France Under-21 international will be less guaranteed of a starting spot.

As such, unlike Tel’s performance against Newcastle, when he missed a one-on-one chance trying an extravagant skill that didn’t come off, he will have to take his chances.

At 20 years old, he remains a young talent, but Frank is known not to be very forgiving with players who do not produce, and his patience with the forward will quickly wear thin if he does not start making a telling impact.

‘He’s a beast’ – Best Joao Palhinha quotes from those who played with him

Joao Palhinha has joined Tottenham with an excellent reputation from former colleagues.

Tottenham confirmed the signing of Palhinha from Bayern Munich on Sunday (3 August), hours after Son Heung-min’s emotional send-off against Newcastle in Seoul.

The defensive midfielder joined the Lilywhites on loan with an option to make the move permanent next summer for around £27million.

Palhinha became Spurs’ fifth signing of the summer, and the 30-year-old is expected to link up with the squad in London when they return from their mini break after the pre-season tour in Asia.

Palhinha described as a “beast”, with “unbelievable” energy

Palhinha will hope to feature against his former club as Spurs travel to Germany to face Bayern on Thursday (7 August), with Tottenham fans equally hoping to see their new man in action.

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The Portugal international arrives holding a Premier League record from his time at Fulham, and will bring the Lilywhites a wealth of defensive qualities and experience.

His reputation as a player has garnered a lot of praise from his former colleagues, many of whom highlighted both his character and intelligence, as well as his footballing abilities.

Andreas Pereira (Former Fulham midfielder):

“João is a beast. He wins everything in midfield, and that gives us freedom to play. He’s very important for how we want to play — aggressive, pressing, strong. Off the pitch, he’s humble and a really good guy.”

Tim Ream (Former Fulham defender):

“He’s everywhere. Sometimes I look up and he’s in front of me, and two seconds later he’s closing someone down near the corner flag. His energy is unbelievable.”

Marco Silva (Fulham manager, formerly at Sporting too):

“He’s one of the best midfielders in Europe at what he does. His intelligence, his reading of the game — it’s top level.”

Bruno Fernandes (Fellow Portugal international):

“João is very important for the balance of the team. He does the dirty work that allows others to shine, but he can play too — he’s not just a tackler.”

Palhinha finally fills important midfield role missing for Spurs

Spurs have been crying out for a specialist defensive midfielder for a number of years, with Thomas Frank commenting how his profile was one of the first the Dane acknowledged was missing in N17.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma have tried to fill in, but neither possesses the natural understanding of the role that Palhinha does, especially from a positional sense.

The former Fulham midfielder’s defensive acumen will allow Frank to be more adventurous in his selection in the centre of the park while giving his attacking full-backs more licence to get forward.

Palhinha also brings a wealth of top-level club and international experience to Tottenham, which will be a valuable asset to the younger members of the squad at Hotspur Way.

Son Heung-min could be set to break another record after an emotional Tottenham send-off.

Son waved goodbye to Tottenham after almost a decade of service in an emotional friendly against Newcastle (3 August), which was filled with bittersweet celebration.

The Spurs captain had announced in a press conference the day before that he would be leaving the North Londoners this summer, with Los Angeles FC pushing for his signature.

With Tottenham’s blessing, Son stayed behind in South Korea as the rest of the squad headed back to London to secure his move, which is expected to be finalised shortly.

Son’s transfer to LAFC could break MLS record

There was a strong feeling that Son might leave for most of the summer, attracting plenty of suitors to explore a deal with the Spurs icon, including clubs from Saudi Arabia.

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However, the 33-year-old seems to be sold on a move to LAFC, where he will reunite with former captain Hugo Lloris.

As reported by the BBC (4 August), the transfer fee is expected to cost the US side around £20million, and could even eclipse the £22.5million that Atlanta United spent to secure Emmanuel Latte in February.

This would see Son make history as the most expensive player ever to be signed by an MLS side, and see Tottenham potentially make a profit on the player they bought in August 2015.

It would also represent the Lilywhites’ biggest sale since Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich just under two years ago.

Tottenham have had poor form in selling players over the last few years, and will hope Son is not the exception this summer as Thomas Frank will look to offload more senior players in the coming weeks.

Frank needs to reinvest in front line

One thing that threatened to dampen the celebrations on Sunday was James Maddison, who looks to have re-injured the same knee that kept him out for the end of last season.

The playmaker was seen leaving the Seoul World Cup Stadium on crutches and will now face another lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The injury list is piling up at Spurs, especially in the front line, and will reinforce Frank and Tottenham’s need to strengthen ahead of next season.

The Lilywhites were already looking to bring in Morgan Gibbs-White before the setback to his international colleague, and will now need to double their efforts to bring in at least one new attacker.

This is why Levy is worried about what Chelsea are doing

Daniel Levy has watched Chelsea completely transform as a football club during his 24 years as Tottenham chairman.

In 2023, Roman Abramovic acquired the West London club for a reported £140milion and they spent substantially.

That approach has paid off in terms of silverware as the Blues have since lifted 19 major trophies, seven more than they achieved in their entire history prior to Abramovic.

Tottenham recently won the Europa League, but have not tasted the same success as their rivals.

However, Levy has spoken publicly of his concern about an approach being implemented at Stamford Bridge.

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Levy critical of multi-club ownership

Levy has made some memorable comments during his time as Tottenham chairman amid controversies in the game.

While some refrain from speaking openly, the Englishman has done so with honesty, while sticking to a point.

Many believe Levy could exit Spurs soon, although he does not appear to be doing so this summer.

The Lilywhites have already spent £55million on Mohammed Kudus and have shown intent to bag more significant acquisitions.

Now, Levy has appeared in public again, speaking to Gary Neville on the latest episode of The Overlap (4 August).

Levy said: “Multi-club ownership is another issue that’s very important today because it didn’t really exist five years ago.”

Neville replied: “You’re against it?”

Levy: “I think they’d be very careful. I think the idea that one club is involved with lots of different clubs, with the money involved today, I think it has to be controlled carefully.”

Neville interjected: “Are you talking about the distribution of cost amongst the actual multi-club organisations?”

In response, Levy said: “Because we have financial control measures, and it can be abused, it worries me a little bit because I think that there’s so much money in the game now.

“And you only need one owner to do something inappropriate, and it would impact the whole confidence from sponsors and broadcasters in the European game, so I think it needs very tight control.”

Crystal Palace and Lyon incident a prime example

Multi-club ownership has come to the fore this summer after what has unravelled with Crystal Palace and Lyon.

The Eagles qualified for the Europa League after defeating Man City 1-0 in the FA Cup final.

However, due to John Textor’s ownership of Lyon, the Selhurst Park club were demoted to the Europa Conference League.

As a result, Nottingham Forest have taken their place, although Palace have appealed against the decision.

Todd Boehly is the owner of Chelsea, but also has a majority stake in Ligue 1 club RC Strasbourg via BlueCo Group.

Strasbourg supporters have been highly critical as their club has effectively acted as a feeder team to the Blues.

The French outfit missed out on Europe last season, but if they were to reach the same competition as Chelsea, then Boehly would have to amend his ownership.

Levy, on the other hand, has spoken about stability at Tottenham and wants to leave them in a healthy position.

Tottenham fans have been less than impressed with Daniel Levy as of late.

Things are still far from rosy in North London, with Spurs left with a lot of work to do before the Premier League campaign gets underway in less than two weeks.

James Maddison’s latest injury blow has amplified the need for another midfield arrival, while the performance of Mathys Tel against Newcastle showcased the need for attacking reinforcements.

A lot of the recent failures fall at the feet of Levy, who seems to have completely missed the point of the protests over the years.

What did Levy say about Tottenham protests?

Anyone with an ounce of an idea as to what has been going on at Tottenham will be fully aware that the recent protests have been aimed at Levy because of the way he has been running the club.

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Spurs haven’t really invested much in the squad over the last few years, and that has been apparent with the recent league finishes.

However, when discussing the protests via The Overlap (4 August), Levy seemed to completely deflect the blame from himself, despite quite clearly knowing why supporters are angered.

He said: “Of course it hurts, but their pain is also my pain. I want to win, and when we’re not playing well, and we’re not winning, believe me, I suffer as well.”

The “pain” he describes isn’t a consequence of the results; it is a consequence of the lack of investment and poor decision-making that has ultimately led to such poor results.

Thomas Frank needs to see more from Levy

If Thomas Frank is going to succeed, he needs to be backed in the market.

As of right now, that hasn’t been the case, with the arrival of Mohammed Kudus the only one that has moved the needle in North London.

Time is running out for Levy to right his wrongs.

Tottenham are in somewhat of a desperate situation after what happened in the recent pre-season friendly against Newcastle United.

The North London club have been rocked by news that James Maddison has suffered a “serious” knee injury and could be missing from action for some time

This happened the day after Son Heung-min announced that he’d be leaving the club.

It could leave the club frantically searching for replacement playmakers before the start of the Premier League season.

Tottenham will likely rush to sign new playmaker after Maddison injury

Tottenham’s new signing Mohammed Kudus can play on the wing or just behind the striker and is likely to be an automatic starter for their opening Premier League games.

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But Thomas Frank is likely to be desperate for more attacking options following Maddison’s injury and Son’s departure.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy wants his new manager to succeed and has promised to back him in the transfer market.

However, he’s unlikely to be thrilled that Spurs are now in a mad rush to sign another player in a key position.

Spurs have ‘shown their hand’ when it comes to their lack of options in attack, and Levy will be savvy enough to know that means selling teams raising their asking prices.

Levy is known as a tough negotiator, but his back is very much against the wall when it comes to bringing in a replacement for Maddison.

Spurs may be forced to meet release clause to guarantee quick transfers

Spurs decided to meet the release clause of Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract to facilitate a quick transfer from Nottingham Forest, although that deal fell through at the last moment.

They may now adopt a similar strategy to ensure they recruit a new playmaker in a timely fashion.

Eberechi Eze is one player who Spurs have been tracking, and he has a £68million release clause in his Crystal Palace contract.

Tottenham have also shown interest in the likes of:

They may progress on this interest faster following the developments with Maddison and Son.

All of these players will cost big money, although Levy will understand the benefits of signing them soon.

Tottenham face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on 13 August, while their Premier League campaign kicks off against Burnley on 16 August.

James Maddison faces another period on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Newcastle on Sunday.

The England international went down against the Magpies and was forced off with a stretcher.

Maddison has often struggled with injuries at Tottenham since he joined the London club in 2023, but this looks like his worst yet.

In the aftermath of the Newcastle game, Maddison was spotted on crutches leaving the stadium, heightening concerns.

Now, Spurs fans anxiously wait to see how long the attacking midfielder will be absent for.

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This story includes exclusive opinion from football injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar.

Maddison ACL rupture on the cards after injury v Newcastle

So far into his Tottenham career, Maddison has almost missed 25 per cent of his available competitive matches.

Unfortunately, this now looks set to increase, with the start of the Premier League season just two weeks away.

While many fans are attempting to get clarity on how long Maddison could be out of the picture for, Dr. Brar has exclusively spoken to Tottenham Hotspur News, regarding the news as he fears an ACL rupture.

He said: “Worst case here would be ACL rupture, and he’s looking at nine-plus months for return to play – about 18 months for return to pre-injury levels.

“The best case here, which is highly unlikely based on reaction and Thomas Frank’s comments afterwards, is mild bone bruise or meniscus injury, which would be weeks or months.

“Based on mechanism, reaction and manager comments, I’m most concerned for an ACL injury.”

ACL rupture would likely end Maddison’s Tottenham career

If an ACL rupture is the extent of Maddison’s injury, it is hard to see how the attacking midfielder would ever revive his Tottenham career.

The attacking midfielder would be almost guaranteed to miss the entirety of the 2025/26 campaign and may never reach his previous heights once fully fit.

While the injury is no doubt a concern for Frank, the Tottenham manager would likely spend the remaining weeks of the transfer window searching for a potential replacement.

If this comes about, Maddison would certainly struggle to regain his place in the starting XI, and his Spurs career would surely come to an abrupt end.