TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur are having a terrible season, and it’s been tough to not feel sorry for certain Spurs players this season.

Indeed, Micky van de Ven has been terrorised by injuries, while Lucas Bergvall was given stick at the weekend for a mistake he made at the age of just 19.

However, perhaps the most sympathetic figure at Spurs this season has been Archie Gray.

Gray has done a good job this season, but he’s had to play wildly out of position for most of the campaign.

Indeed, Gray was signed as a midfielder for Spurs, but he spent most of this season at centre-back.

Speaking on The Dressing Room Podcast, Carlton Cole has been discussing Gray’s situation at Spurs this season, and he’s been left utterly baffled.

Carlton Cole baffled by Archie Gray playing at centre-back

Cole struggled to get his head around the fact that Gray has been playing at centre-half as when he coached him at youth level at England U17s, he was actually playing as a striker.

The pundit has been baffled by this situation, questioning why this is happening.

“Archie Gray. Yeah. Why is he playing centre-half? When I coached him for England under 17s, right? He was up front,” Cole said.

“I’m seeing him in the Premier League he’s playing centre-half.

“I’m thinking, what’s going on here? Why are you ripping the boy’s dreams?”

Archie Gray’s positions at Tottenham

Gray has had a terrible first season at Tottenham.

On a personal level, the £40m man has played quite well at times, but this has not been a useful environment for a 19-year-old looking to develop into a top player.

Spurs’ squad has been devoured by injuries this season, and the manager has been under massive pressure too.

All of that has meant that Gray has had to play out of position pretty much all season long, as the stats show.

At the age of 19, you want stability, you want to develop and you want to figure out who you are as a player, but Gray hasn’t had that opportunity this season.

Cole asks what has gone on with Gray this season, but the real question is, what has gone on at Tottenham this season?

Nottingham Forest could pinch a transfer target from Tottenham this summer.

The Reds already look set to replace Spurs in Europe next season – whether it be the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League – as Nuno Espirito Santo sits third in the Premier League while Ange Postecoglou languishes down in 15th.

That is sure to make Nottingham Forest a more attractive club to join than Tottenham when it comes to the summer transfer window – and one side are already preparing to sell a player linked with both.

Brentford preparing to sell Yoane Wissa amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Tottenham

The Standard now state that Brentford are preparing themselves for Yoane Wissa to leave this summer, and feel resigned to serious interest in the DR Congo international resurfacing after an eventful winter window.

The report states that Nottingham Forest made a £22m bid for Wissa in January to test the waters, while Tottenham also made contact to ask about the 28-year-old before signing Mathys Tel on loan from Bayern Munich.

So far this season, the Brentford No.11 has impressed significantly, scoring 15 goals in just 29 Premier League appearances, while also providing three assists.

TBR Football understand Brentford are also planning in case Bryan Mbeumo leaves – a detail sources have shared with the Standard too.

Sources also told TBR Football that Arsenal considered a move for Wissa after losing Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to serious injuries across the winter.

Why Yoane Wissa could be on the move this summer

Interestingly, Brentford might actually encourage bids for Wissa this summer, if he shows no intention of signing a new contract.

The man born in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges will only have 12 months left on his contract in June, meaning Brentford risk losing him for nothing in 2026 if they cannot sell him this summer.

Having said that, Mbeumo also sees his current terms expire in June 2026, and it would be a real shock if Brentford offloaded both this summer, but that could well happen if neither opt to sign a new contract.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a terrible season, but, it could be an exciting summer for Spurs.

Indeed, while everything has gone wrong this season, for Spurs, it’s nothing a few good signings and potentially a managerial change couldn’t fix.

Ange Postecoglou could well be sacked in the near future, while Spurs have some exciting summer transfer targets on their radar.

Angel Gomes has been linked to Tottenham, while Daniel Levy really wants to sign Tyler Dibling.

Dibling has been valued at £55m in recent times, and speaking on the Premier League’s YouTube channel, Theo Walcott has been discussing Dibling’s talent, and he made an interesting comparison.

Theo Walcott compares Tyler Dibling to Paul Gascoigne

Walcott spoke about Dibling as he discussed the Premier League’s best young stars.

The pundit claimed that Dibling is the closest player he’s seen to Paul Gascoigne recently, while he also compared him to Jack Grealish.

Gascoigne is the best midfielder ever according to some, so this is high praise.

“Do you know what, he’s the closest to a Gascoigne type or a Grealish type. He doesn’t just like to go forward, he likes to track back, the things I would despise to be honest. He’ll probably end up getting a move sadly, but it’s the sign of an academy that has produced some really good players,’ Walcott said.

Southampton academy products turned stars

Walcott says that Southampton’s academy has produced some really good players, and he’s not wrong.

Indeed, Spurs know better than most that Southampton is the breeding ground of some top footballers.

Gareth Bale became a star at Tottenham after coming through the system on the south coast, and a few other big names have followed the same path.

Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale, Matt Le Tissier are some of the most talented players the Premier League has ever seen, while Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana all carved out brilliant careers.

Dibling could well become the next big player out of the Southampton academy, but, unfortunately, after the Saints’ relegation, he’ll likely be playing his football elsewhere next season.

There’s no guarantee that Jack Grealish will choose to leave Manchester City this summer despite interest from top Premier League clubs, TBR Football can reveal.

Grealish has made 30 appearances for Man City in all competitions this season, scoring three goals and providing five assists.

However, it’s relatively clear that things have not panned out as expected under Pep Guardiola — Grealish is struggling to earn a regular spot in City’s XI.

That being said, there is plenty of interest in Grealish and all of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have considered a move.

Although, it’s not certain that the England international will depart the Etihad this summer despite his lack of minutes over the past 18-months or so.

Jack Grealish could stay at Man City after Kevin De Bruyne exit

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that Grealish is very happy in Manchester right now.

Of course, Kevin De Bruyne is leaving City in the summer, a decision the player has already announced himself.

Perhaps someone would then imagine that James McAtee would step up, combining with Phil Foden to make up for De Bruyne’s absence.

However, it’s understood that talks with McAtee regarding a new contract are still not advancing and he will be sold if a new deal is not agreed.

Moreover, with Bernardo Silva also wanting out, Grealish could very well stay at the Etihad, even with interest from Villa and Tottenham.

Since leaving Villa for City in 2021, the 29-year-old has won the Premier League three times, also collected a historic Champions League medal in 2023.

However, Grealish has only scored 17 goals in 155 games at City – he hasn’t really kicked on individually after leaving Villa Park.

Grealish’s wages could be an issue for Aston Villa and Tottenham

That being said, Grealish’s wages would be a major issue for interested clubs this summer.

Villa are considering signing Marcus Rashford right now and face a similar predicament with his pay packet.

Grealish’s wages are going up incrementally and are way beyond Villa or Tottenham’s wage structures for example.

TBR understands that a move abroad does actually appeal to Grealish, a route that could be one to keep an eye on.

Of course, were City to agree to sell Grealish, it remains to be seen how much they would demand for a player who represented a huge investment for the club four years ago.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, though they’ve had different fortunes in recent years.

It wasn’t that long ago that Liverpool and Tottenham contested the Champions League final, but since then, one team has kicked on while the other has regressed.

Two of the Premier League’s best wide players are plying their trade for both clubs, with Mohamed Salah shining for Liverpool and Son Heung-min captaining Spurs.

Chelsea star Pedro Neto has now shared which of the two players he prefers when asked by Sky Sports, with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka also in the frame.

Pedro Neto ranks Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka above Son Heung-min

Neto, speaking to Sky Sports, was given a number of shortlists with three different options and asked to rank them from first to third.

On the subject of the Premier League’s best wingers not including Chelsea players, Neto was asked to rank Salah, Son and Saka.

Neto went with Salah first, saying: “I would say Salah for the way that you know the way that he decides the game as well.

“So I would go… difficult one this one, to be honest. I like Son a lot as well the way that he plays with both feet.

Neto then put Saka in second place and Son in third, after which he was asked whether he felt Salah was one of the Premier League’s best of all time.

“Yeah, I would think so,” he replied. “For the stats that he has as well, the way that impacts the game and that he has been doing on the Premier League – I think so, yeah.”

When asked about Son’s consistency and quality, Neto said: “Yeah, like I was saying to you, I like the way that he plays, his skills as well that he plays with both feet.

“He can play as a nine, he can play on the wing, so he’s a really skilful player and he plays different roles and he’s had a really big impact on Tottenham.”

How Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min have done for Liverpool and Tottenham respectively

Both Salah and Son have been talismanic for their respective clubs over the years.

Salah, who has just signed a new contract at Liverpool, is closing in on 400 competitive club appearances and now has more time to try and beat Ian Rush and Roger Hunt’s all-time goal tallies.

Likewise, Son is a multi-centurion for his current club – his next Spurs appearance milestone would be 500 – and he’s also among his club’s all-time highest goalscorers, sitting fourth.

However, when it comes to silverware with their current clubs, Salah is well ahead.

The Egypt international has a Premier League title, a Champions League, an FA Cup, two League Cups, and one each of the various ‘Supercups’ to his name.

Son does, however, beat Salah when it comes to international trophies. The South Korea international has an Asian Games gold medal to his name.

Tottenham slumped to another miserable defeat this weekend as they lost 4-2 to Wolves at Molineux.

Spurs’ poor form doesn’t appear to be improving, and Ange Postecoglou is under serious pressure.

However, it would appear as though Postecoglou isn’t the only one feeling the pressure at the moment as Spurs suffered a string of individual errors at the weekend.

Cristian Romero was at fault for one of the goals, while Lucas Bergvall held onto the ball for far too long before Matheus Cunha pounced to score.

Guglielmo Vicario also made two big errors during the game.

Speaking on The View From The Lane, James Maw has been discussing Bergvall’s error, and he noted that, after the game, Guglielmo Vicario actually went to Lucas Bergvall and grabbed his face in quite a firm manner.

Guglilemo Vicario grabbed Lucas Bergvall’s face

Maw shared what he saw Vicario doing after Spurs were beaten.

The journalist noted that Vicario grabbed Bergvall in a rather uncomfortable way, describing the entire incident as very odd.

“I mean the irony of all of that is, one of the kind of senior players certainly in terms of like voice in the dressing room from what we hear, and also from kind of what we saw at the end of the game with him grabbing Bergvall by the face. I don’t know if you saw that Is Vicario, who, I mean, is clowning around more than anyone,” Maw said.

“I found that really weird that. I mean, we’ve said on here before, we’re not body language experts and we shouldn’t overanalyse these things

“Fine. And we shouldn’t look to overanalyse these things. But if you grab someone by the face, and they’re really like, kind of quite, like firmly, and they’re clearly uncomfortable and kind of trying to shuffle you off.

“It’s like, just let them go. I mean, don’t do the thing in the first place, would be my advice in general life. It’s just really, really odd.”

What is Guglielmo Vicario like at Tottenham?

This was a very strange incident to say the least, and it’s very much unlike Vicario to do something like this.

Indeed, Vicario usually gets on very well with his teammates. In fact, just last week Djed Spence noted that the Italian is a great leader on the pitch.

“He’s a top goalkeeper, he’s a great shot stopper, very loud, very passionate, very talkative on the pitch as well. He’s one of the leaders in the team for sure,” Spence said.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou has previously praised Vicario for his energy and positive impact on the training ground.

“It is not just that Vic is an outstanding goalkeeper but in training he is such a presence among the boys,” Postecoglou said.

“He gets everyone going and it has been tough without him because we’ve used three other goalkeepers. They’ve all contributed but none of them have let us down.

“It’s just that Vic is experienced and has a strong personality. Madders is the same. He has enormous self-belief and that filters through the team.

“The energy and experience they bring to training will certainly make a difference for us.”

Vicario got in Bervall’s face a little bit at the weekend, and that’s not a great look for an experienced player to be treating a 19-year-old like that.

Spurs seem to be a bit of a mess at the moment in more ways than one.

Scott Parker can boast a strong association with Tottenham.

The man from Lambeth made 63 appearances for Spurs during his playing days, before going on to coach the Tottenham U18 side after retiring – while also being named as a club ambassador.

Now, the Londoner is starting to impress in management – particularly when it comes to organising a defence – as his Burnley side are on the brink of promotion, having remarkably conceded just 13 goals in 42 Championship games.

The Clarets just need to avoid a total collapse in the final four league games to secure automatic promotion, which – if it happens – will see Scott Parker earn £3m for Tottenham.

Why £3m could be heading to Tottenham

Burnley took Marcus Edwards – a Tottenham academy graduate – on loan from Sporting CP back in January, with an €11m (£9.4m) obligation to buy if promotion is secured.

However – according to Record in Portugal – Spurs are entitled to 35% of that transfer fee, having sold the winger in 2019, which equates to around £3.3m when converted.

For Tottenham not to receive this cash, Burnley would have to drop five points in the final four games, and Sheffield United would need to ensure they win at least six, with goal difference unlikely to come into the equation given the outstanding defensive record coached by Parker.

Even if that does happen, Edwards, who Ruben Amorim admires, and the Clarets will still have a strong chance of earning promotion via the play-offs.

Marcus Edwards wanted Tottenham return

Before moving to Turf Moor in January, the 26-year-old was keen on returning to Spurs.

It was Record who claimed that Edwards wanted to join Tottenham last summer as his future at Sporting CP became uncertain – ignoring interest from Crystal Palace in favour of the north Londoners.

Of course, a move never materialised, but if the Portuguese news outlet were accurate with this detail, a reunion could well happen later down the line if the Londoner impresses in the Premier League next season.

Tottenham Hotspur may soon be in the market for a new manager.

Indeed, Ange Postecoglou could be sacked in the near future after a run of terrible results this season.

Spurs have a few options in mind to replace Postecoglou should the Australian lose his job.

Thomas Frank has been linked to Spurs, while Marco Silva has been linked to Tottenham too.

Andoni Iraola is Tottenham’s top target though, but, according to David Ornstein, this move may not happen.

Bournemouth believe Andoni Iraola is set to stay

Speaking to NBC, David Ornstein shared an update on Andoni Iraola’s situation at Bournemouth.

Iraola has been strongly linked to Tottenham in recent times, and Marco Senesei has even admitted Iraola could leave, labelling him as ‘brilliant’ in the process.

However, according to Ornstein, the feeling within Bournemouth is that the manager will stay another year and potentially sign a new contract.

“Their manager Andoni Iraola is attracting significant admirers of his own, but the feeling at Bournemouth is that he’s going to stay and go into the final year of his contract, maybe sign a new one, see how it goes, a move for him can wait.”

Andoni Iraola compared to Marco Silva and Thomas Frank

Spurs may not be able to get Iraola, and that may force them to look at plan B or plan C, also known as Marco Silva and Thomas Frank.

All three managers are now experienced at Premier League level, and when you look at the stats, it’s clear to see why Iraola is Spurs’ preferred choice.

Iraola has the highest win percentage of any of these managers, while his team also scores more goals per game.

Of course, there isn’t much in it, and Silva or Frank would be fantastic alternatives, but, at the same time, you can see that Iraola may just be that slight level above the Fulham and Brentford bosses – as the Premier League table also shows.

It remains to be seen who Spurs end up with if they decide to replace Postecoglou, but it sounds as though they may not be able to get Iraola.

A former Tottenham Hotspur striker who Mauricio Pochettino handed his Champions League back in 2017 has seen his football career take a rather dramatic twist.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate was in action as part of the newly-formed Baller League on Monday evening, playing and scoring for the team SDS FC.

Baller League is a new concept in which former Premier League stars, fustal players and semi-professional footballers compete for teams managed by celebrities in six-a-side matches with a twist.

Tottenham fans who tuned in for the action may have recognised one of the names who featured for them during their 2017/18 Champions League campaign as he got his name on the scoresheet during the latest round of matches.

Former Tottenham player Kazaiah Sterling scores at Baller League

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Kazaiah Sterling netted on his first appearance in Baller League as he opened the scoring in SDS’ 4-2 defeat to VZN FC.

Just over seven years ago, the now 26-year-old was making his debut in the Champions League, coming on as a substitute to replace Dele Alli in a 3-0 win over APOEL Nicosia at Wembley Stadium.

Aged just 19 years and 27 days, Sterling became the youngest player to appear for the North London club in the competition.

The striker eventually left Spurs on a free transfer after five different loan spells, and following his departure, he went on to play for three different clubs, including in the United States.

What Mauricio Pochettino said about Kazaiah Sterling at the time

Mauricio Pochettino spoke pretty highly of the teenager ahead of their Champions League clash with APOEL, revealing he thought the striker had the ‘quality’ the team needed.

Spurs were already through to the Champions League knockout stages and with a busy schedule, Pochettino wanted to rest a few of his key players.

He, therefore, turned to the academy in search of players who could fill in for the likes of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.

Speaking back in 2017, Pochettino told the media: “Kazaiah and Luke Amos, they are working very well and they behave so good. That is why they deserve it, they have the quality as well in the position that we are looking to try to help the team tomorrow. We needed a midfielder, like Luke Amos, and another striker, like Kazaiah Sterling.”

Daniel Levy is an all-seeing eye at Tottenham and, when it comes to matters on or off the field, the buck stops with him.

Sunday’s defeat against Wolves leaves Ange Postecoglou’s side 15th in the Premier League table. In seasons gone by, their points total of 37 might have seen them in danger of relegation.

Tottenham’s only salvation could come via the Europa League. Winning that competition would yield Champions League qualification next season and the revenues that come with that.

But even in a campaign without top-level European football, Spurs continue to rake in huge money, having largely decoupled commercial performance from results on the pitch.

That is why Daniel Levy, in the world of football finance, is the gold standard.

For fans whose litmus test for success is silverware, however, the Spurs chairman and co-owner is an anchor weighing down the North London club.

Protests against ENIC’s ownership of the club have intensified this season, for obvious reasons. But one subplot has been Levy’s continued search for new investment in Tottenham.

The club confirmed well over a year ago that they were seeking either minority investment or a full takeover, although it looks like the former is the more likely.

In truth, the hunt for new money in N17 has been going on for far longer.

Several groups and individuals have been linked with buying into the club, from the worlds of sovereign wealth, private equity and beyond.

For some time, Qatari investment has been mooted – and it would be a natural fit.

The state of Qatar already owns half of London and a club which is underperforming – with scope for a feel-good narrative – but has a global pulse would align with the Gulf nation’s investment ambitions.

Daniel Levy’s £3.75bn valuation could be a sticking point, as the Qataris proved with their failed bid for Man United that they won’t be held to ransom.

However, if the Qataris are willing to engage at Levy’s price point, the addition of a new executive in North London could prove valuable.

New Spurs chief Vinai Venkatesham close with Nasser Al-Khelaifi

When news emerged that Vinai Venkatesham had been named Spurs’ new CEO, the headlines naturally gravitated towards his former allegiances to Arsenal.

But one other line on his CV is equally interesting. For several years up until his departure from the Emirates in the summer, he was the Gunners’ representative in the European Club Association (ECA).

Venkatesham was one of a select few who sat on the lobby group’s executive committee, which saw him form close links not only with Levy but also Nasser Al-Khelaifi, head of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).

As well as owning Paris Saint-Germain and Braga and being in negotiations for Braga, QSI have been heavily linked with Spurs over the years.

Levy has reportedly met with Al-Khelaifi to discuss a possible investment in Spurs. Like Venkatesham, he is known to enjoy good relations with the QSI chief.

If those talks are still a going concern, the presence of Venkatesham on the Tottenham board can only be positive.

Vinai Venkatesham likes Levy’s self-sufficient model

Levy has reiterated in recent weeks that Spurs can only spend what they earn.

That is in contrast to other clubs, who have speculated to accumulate. At the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, that strategy has borne fruit.

But in Venkatesham, Spurs have an operative who is an advocate for the self-sufficient model.

“We have a self-sustaining business model at this club. That means all the investments we make on the pitch are funded by the revenues we generate off the pitch,” Venkatesham said about Arsenal in 2018.

“And we’re really confident we can be successful with this model. The ambition we have for this club is completely possible to be achieved in the business model that we’ve got. “

Could new Tottenham CEO accelerate naming rights deal?

Nearly six years into their residency at their world-class stadium, Tottenham have not struck a naming rights deal for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The likes of Amazon, Google, Meta, DHL and others have been linked with what the club hopes is a £25m-a-year deal, but to no avail.

The search for a partner who will pay top dollar and fit with the club’s values was rocked by the departure of chief commercial officer Todd Kline last year.

However, with a new CEO in the building soon, the process could be kickstarted again.

One positive will be that another London venue, England Rugby’s Twickenham, has struck a deal on very favourable terms in recent months.

Allianz are paying £10m per year over 13 years for the stadium’s naming rights. As a newer stadium with greater exposure to offer a partner, Spurs should – in theory – be able to fetch more than that.