TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur were one of the busiest teams in the Premier League in the January transfer window.

Indeed, Spurs made three signings in January, while they also missed out on a couple of further targets.

Tottenham bid for Marc Guehi late in the window, while Randal Kolo Muani was a Tottenham target too at one point.

Spurs didn’t sign either of those two players, but they did bring in Mathys Tel, Antonin Kinsky and Kevin Danso.

Speaking on Inside Spurs, Darren Ambrose has been discussing Danso’s performances for Tottenham so far, and it’s fair to say the pundit has been impressed by what he has seen.

Kevin Danso already looks like a leader

Danso has only started three games for Tottenham so far, but he’s already settled in very well.

Ambrose says that Danso looks very assured so far, and he also said that he looks to be a leader at the back.

“In terms of Kevin Danso coming into the team, the biggest compliment you can give him is he’s looked like he’s been there for years. He’s come in, he looks assured. He’s done a recovery tackle on Sunday on Hojlund, who’s not slow, by the way, which was fantastic on Sunday,” Ambrose said.

“So yeah, it doesn’t look like a new signing and he looks like he’s a leader.”

Cristian Romero’s continued absence

Danso has stepped up since signing for Tottenham, and his arrival has certainly been timely.

Indeed, Spurs have needed a new centre-back for a while, and it doesn’t look like this issue is subsiding anytime soon.

Cristian Romero has been injured for a long time – Romero injured himself against Chelsea months ago, and Romero has been gone for so long that Darren Ambrose has even forgotten that he’s a Spurs player.

“We’re still missing six players. Van de Ven, Romero, Dragusin, Werner, with Charleston, Solanke, who hopefully is the next one back. Fingers crossed,’ Ambrose said.

“So we’re still missing six players that are first team players. I mean, I don’t know where Romero has gone, by the way. Do we know?

“Is he still even at the football club? Who knows?”

Romero has missed no fewer than 12 league games so far for Tottenham, and Spurs’ record in that time has been poor to say the least.

Tottenham have struggled without Romero, but, as Ambrose says, it’s beginning to look like Danso could be a solid replacement for the Argentine.

Regardless of how Tottenham Hotspur’s season pans out, it would be wise for them to start working on their summer transfer business already.

Firstly, because Tottenham have suffered an unprecedented injury crisis this campaign and it might be time for them to build a bigger squad.

Secondly, due to the fact that the Lilywhites have had an utterly disappointing season as they sit in 12th place in the Premier League as standards must be raised within N17.

Thirdly, keeping in mind that Ange Postecoglou’s job at Tottenham is safe until the end of the season and considering Spurs have taken such a definitive stance about his future, they have every reason to start assessing potential signings who would fit the Australian’s signature style of play.

Based on recent sports, it looks like the North Londoners mean business.

Sources told TBR Football that Tottenham are the frontrunners to sign Eberechi Eze in the summer — who fits the profile of the marquee signing they need to liven up their attack in particular.

Tottenham scouted Manchester United and Arsenal target Jobe Bellingham

Mathys Tel could sign permanently for Tottenham as well as he is loving life at Spurs as well as in London.

In Eze and Tel, Ange Postecoglou could have the chance to sign two extremely gifted attackers who are ready to reach the next level themselves and elevate Tottenham as a whole long their journey.

Another players who fits the bill of a potential superstar is Jobe Bellingham, who Tottenham scouted during Sunderland’s 2-1 defeat against Leeds United — as reported by the Chronicle Live.

Crystal Palace, who tried to sign Jobe also sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old in action alongside attendees at Elland Road from other clubs.

Manchester United and Arsenal scouted Jobe as well on deadline day, who has become one of England’s most sought-after players.

Jobe has been compared to Jude Bellingham as the wonderkid has a similar playing style to his older brother, being immensely technically gifted, a workhorse as well as a leader on the pitch.

The Sunderland player who impressed Tottenham more than Bellingham

The Stourbridge-born wonderkid has played a crucial role for Sunderland this season, amassing four goals and three assists while starting 29 games in the Championship.

On paper, the numbers might not jump off the page as such but it is important to remember that Jobe has played in every position across the midfield three for the Black Cats this campaign — mostly playing as a number six.

However, the report has mentioned that it was Wilson Isidor’s display that impressed Tottenham and Crystal Palace’s scouts alongside other the other club representatives.

All the scouts had visited Leeds to scout various Sunderland players as they have one of the most talented teams in the Championship, which also features teenage sensation Chris Rigg.

But Isidor, who is a number nine by trade stood out and even scored a goal.

With 12 goals to his name in the Championship this season, perhaps the 24-year-old’s impressive season might prompt Spurs to view him as potential competition for Dominic Solanke.

Jose Mourinho is one of just five people to have managed both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

The Special One made a great name for himself in England at Stamford Bridge during his first spell at the club. He won back-to-back Premier League titles.

Then, he returned to Chelsea for another spell in 2013 and won the league again, cementing himself as a Blues icon.

However, the Portuguese tactician accepted Tottenham’s offer to join them in 2019, and he spent close to 18 months at the helm in North London.

That didn’t work out for him or Tottenham, and he may have now done something that could irk Spurs fans.

Jose Mourinho starts laughing after John Obi Mikel’s dig at Tottenham

Mourinho is currently at the helm at Fenerbahce in Turkey.

The 62-year-old is busy fighting for the league title there against Galatasaray, but he made some time to meet John Obi Mikel, a player he helped develop many years ago.

The Nigerian, who is a podcaster now, asked his old boss a bunch of questions.

One of them was about what Mourinho prefers to make his side do every time they step onto the pitch -attack or defend?

He replied: “If you only defend, you need to be very lucky to win. If you only attack, you need to be very lucky to win or very dominant – your team is much better than the others.

“It’s difficult for me to answer because you have to find a balance. But, if you ask me if I prefer to see the ball close to my goal or close to the opponent’s goal – when the ball is in the opponent’s half.

“But, you still have to think about transition.”

Mikel replied: “Exactly, and that’s what Spurs don’t do right now!”

Mourinho can be seen laughing at Mikel’s subtle dig at Tottenham.

Jose Mourinho’s stats at Tottenham compared to Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou has come under a lot of criticism for having just one style of play, and Mikel’s dig above suggests that again.

Mourinho is far more pragmatic and has always been more than happy to just sit back and defend if that’s what the game demanded.

But, how do Postecoglou and Mourinho compare against each other? Here are their stats at Tottenham.

Despite being branded as a defensive manager, Mourinho’s Tottenham scored more than Postecoglou’s, and they conceded fewer goals as well.

The Special One’s numbers are slightly better than that of the current Spurs boss, but he was still sacked back in April 2021.

However, Mourinho never had as many injury issues as Postecoglou has had this season, so the Australian does deserve some slack.

Dejan Kulusevski has just named one of Tottenham Hotspur’s youngsters as the club’s most underrated player.

Tottenham Hotspur are building an exciting squad under Ange Postecoglou with many talented young players, some of whom are having to be patient in waiting for their chance.

Kulusevski claimed that the North London club have many top young talents but the most underrated is a player who has played just twice for Spurs this season.

Dejan Kulusevski names Dane Scarlett as most underrated player at Tottenham

Dejan Kulusevski has just named Dane Scarlett as the player he thinks is the most underrated at Tottenham.

Kulusevski told Fubo: “Let’s see… Everybody is getting their praise, so it’s hard to pick someone not getting their praise. I think there are a lot of young players so I can say Dane Scarlett.”

Postecoglou has played the 20-year-old just twice off the bench since returning from his loan spell at Oxford United.

The striker netted the crucial winning goal against IF Elfsborg in the Europa League which secured Spurs’ spot in the top eight of the group stage.

Scarlett, who has also impressed Ben Davies, was also given minutes off the bench in the Premier League against Brentford but otherwise, he is having to be patient in waiting for his chance in North London.

Does Dane Scarlett deserve more chances at Tottenham?

Scarlett’s loan spell at Oxford was cut short as the youngster wasn’t quite getting the game time he needed having started just twice in the last nine Championship matches.

It seemed as though he would be sent back out on loan elsewhere, however, after scoring and assisting in the Europa League and perhaps impressing in training, Postecoglou kept him around.

The Lilywhites also needed bodies in attack with Richarlison just back from injury and Dominic Solanke picking up a knee issue.

But the arrival of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich has become surplus to requirements again and it feels unlikely we’ll see him again this season.

In 2024-25, Daniel Levy and ENIC’s flagrantly commercial vision for Tottenham has led to reflection about what it means to be a football club in the era of the Premier League as a global product.

In fact, describing football, a game steeped in over century of history and cultural mythos, a ‘product’ is probably a symptom of the problem.

In any case, the Premier League is a monster. It’s less a product than it is an industry in itself, and few understand that better than Tottenham under the ownership of Daniel Levy and ENIC.

At present, the owners are currently in discussions about divesting their stake Spurs, whether in the form of a minority sale or a full takeover.

Levy and ENIC value Tottenham at £3.75bn and have brought in the Rothschild bank to smoke out offers that match their appraisal.

They took over from Alan Sugar in a process that began in 2001. In total, Joe Lewis – who is no longer directly involved following his conviction for insider trading and 2021 – and ENIC paid around £90m.

Assuming the market accepts their £3.75bn valuation, that is a quite astonishing markup. As a compound rate, it’s almost 20 per cent – and they have had to spend next to nothing to achieve it.

The magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium cost over £1bn but was funded mostly by debt at modest, fixed rates that are shouldered by the club, not the owners. And it is quickly paying for itself anyway.

They have invested some equity from their own wallets, yes. The £35m they injected in late 2024 takes total funding via share issues to around £150m.

How have they achieved the rate of growth with such modest investment? It’s to do with bricks-and-mortar at the stadium, yes, but it’s also attributable to a word most fans hate: ‘brand’.

Levy and his deputies have recognised the value of the club’s intellectual property and scaled it impressively.

Since leaving White Hart Lane, they are Tottenham 2.0. They have leveraged the badge and the prestige of their new home to sell products, strike increasingly lucrative sponsorships, and host blue-chip events.

But the move away from football as the club’s primary product has left supporters questioning whether they support a club or a corporation.

Increased revenue translates to increased investment in the squad, of course. And for all the talk of Spurs being tight-fisted, spending on recruitment and retention is rising in line with revenue, albeit more slowly.

Now, if the mood music in the football finance industry is to be believed, Spurs may be considering a move that exacerbates these legitimate anxieties.

The NFL is the most lucrative sports competition in the world – and Daniel Levy wants in.

As well as staging the London Games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Levy has openly admitted he would like to see the Super Bowl in N17.

It has often been suggested that launching a Tottenham-branded NFL franchise is the next step, and that would make sense.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has signalled he would throw his political weight behind it, while NFL insiders have said an expansion franchise in North London could become a reality by 2030.

“I think it would reinforce the view that Spurs are a business with a football club as a side line,” said Liverpool University football finance lecture Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to TRB Football.

“That would be totally unacceptable for the Spurs fans who aren’t happy at the moment. It’s impossible to say whether this would see fans pushed too far, although we did see that with Super League.

“Although, I think many supporters would think that the identity of the club would be diminished. But owners don’t care. They are living in their ivory towers.

“Ultimately, how many owners are really attending matches like Daniel Levy is? You never see John Henry at Liverpool, the Glazers at Man United, or Stan Kroenke at Arsenal. Control of their clubs is now remote.

The cost of a Spurs NFL franchise

An NFL expansion certainly wouldn’t come cheap but, as Maguire highlights, all but guarantees a profit for Tottenham : “From a business perspective, I think this would be a fantastic deal.

“First of all, they would have to pay a huge expansion fee to the NFL. You’re talking £1-2bn, but if you look at the metrics, you see it’s worthwhile.

“Spurs have proven that they can sell out their stadium for the NFL and charge prices that are higher than those generally seen in football, as well as premium catering and merchandise prices.

“People keep coming back – and that is because there is a different psyche among NFL fans. Whether that could be maintained for a full season, we’ll have to wait and see, but I suspect it would.

“If you’re the only NFL franchise in Europe, you’re going to attract all the NFL fans from across the continent. You become a bit of a lightning rod. If you have a couple of good seasons, that will help too.

The impact on Premier League and UEFA FFP if Tottenham launch NFL team

“This could be hugely beneficial for the business,” said Maguire.

“We would have to see how it interacts with the cost control measures, but the attitude of UEFA and the Premier League in terms of non-football events has been to throw it all into the pot.

“The revenue from Spurs hosting Beyonce concerts all go straight into the pot, so why can’t the revenue from having an NFL subsidiary?

“If it’s taking place at the stadium, it might go to a vote of Premier League clubs and then, if Spurs don’t like the outcome, they end up suing the Premier League. We are living in a very litigious environment after all.”

Victor Wanyama has been building a perfect player made up of a number of attributes from his former Spurs teammates.

The Kenyan was asked to build a Frankenstein of a footballer made up of a number of key attributes taken from players he worked with at Tottenham

Victor Wanyama played with some amazing players at Tottenham. From Dele Alli to Heung-Min Son.

However, when building his ideal player, he gave shoutouts to a few more of his former teammates.

Wanyama made some interesting choices here, he picked Mousa Dembele’s left foot for his dream Spurs player, which is understandable, after all, Dembele has been compared to Lionel Messi in the past.

However, when choosing which former Spurs teammate had the best right foot, Wanyama picked an interesting player.

When building his perfect player, Wanyama actually picked Christian Eriksen’s right foot ahead of Harry Kane’s.

Kane, of course, is one of the sweetest strikers in world football, he’s Spurs’ record goalscorer, and many of those goals came with that right peg.

However, according to Wanyama, Eriksen had a better right foot than Kane, and, to be fair, while he wasn’t as lethal as Kane in front of goal, Eriksen could do things that Kane simply couldn’t.

From dead ball situations and long-range shooting opportunities, Eriksen was one of the best in the business for a while, and that’s why Wanyama picked Eriksen over Kane.

Interestingly, Eriksen took part in a similar challenge not long ago, and he picked Wanyama as the strongest player he’s seen.

Victor Wanyama’s perfect player

Picking Eriksen over Kane wasn’t the only interesting choice Wanyama made here.

The midfielder discussed a number of his former teammates and areas in which they thrived.

In the end, Kane did receive a nod in the finishing category, while Wanyama named Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld in the tacking and heading areas.

Wanyama played with some truly fantastic players at Tottenham, and hearing the midfielder list these players in this way just reinforces what a shame it was that this group of players never managed to win a single trophy together at Tottenham.

Eriksen is still playing for Manchester United, but he doesn’t look likely to win any trophies this season. Meanwhile, Kane looks to be on course for the first piece of silverware of his career this season at Bayern Munich.

Before Mathys Tel finally made up his mind about signing for Tottenham Hotspur on loan from Bayern Munich, it’s safe to say that he was embroiled in the winter window’s primary transfer saga.

After all, just two days before deadline day, Tel was keen on a move to Manchester United.

Manchester United’s stature appealed to Tel alongside two other reasons.

Firstly, because the young technician was keen on working with Ruben Amorim while being aware that United needed a player like him.

But eventually, Tottenham Hotspur won the race to sign Mathys Tel.

Ange Postecoglou sold Tel on Tottenham’s project as well, which certainly looks to have played a key role in him deciding that a move to Spurs would be the best next step in his career.

Mathys Tel signed for Tottenham because Spurs prioritise youngsters

So far, the signs suggest that Tel could be a success for Tottenham.

The youngster has already scored his first goal for the Lilywhites against Aston Villa and Ange Postecoglou seems to have trusted him quite early to play both up front and on the wing.

According to a report by The Athletic, a crucial factor behind Tel’s decision to don a Tottenham shirt is because of their willingness to give young prospects chances in the first-team.

The report mentions that Mason Melia also picked the North Londoners as his next destination for the same reason.

Tottenham came into the 2024/2025 season with the third-youngest squad in the Premier League — with an average age of 24.8.

Tel sent a message to Tottenham fans after their latest 1-0 win against Manchester United, which read: “Give everything until the end! That’s us!”, which suggests that he is happy with his choice. Tel revealed he backs his Spurs teammates and the staff recently as well as life under Ange Postecoglou seems to have brought a smile to his face.

Tel likely to sign for Tottenham permanently

Tel is loving life at Tottenham and remains motivated, despite the challenges Tottenham are facing.

After being a bit-part player at Bayern, it looks like the Sarcelles-born forward is enjoying the added sense of responsibility on his shoulders.

Furthermore, it is believed that Tel is enjoying his time in London and the newfound culture he has had to adapt to.

With such factors being at play, Tottenham feel assured that the highly-rated number nine will sign for them on a permanent deal.

Bayern always wished to sell Tel permanently anyway so such a development will be music to their ears.

How the versatile attacker steps up until the end of the season will determine whether Tottenham should actually sign him permanently or walk away from the deal.

There could soon be a change at boardroom level at Tottenham Hotspur.

Indeed, Tottenham fans protested against the current ownership at the weekend, and once that ball starts rolling, there can soon be changes at the highest level at a club.

Levy has been affected by these protests according to reports.

Qatari-based groups have been linked with Tottenham recently, and while there’s been no concrete movement on that front as of yet, this is certainly a situation to keep an eye on.

Speaking on the Rule The Roost Podcast, Dan Kilpatrick has been discussing a potential Spurs takeover, and he says that he has heard whispers about a Qatari takeover.

However, according to Kilpatrick, Spurs have always denied these rumours, while he claims that even if ENIC and Daniel Levy do decide to sell, there’s a chance that Levy could stay at Spurs as something of a minority partner.

Tottenham could be sold and Daniel Levy could stay

Kilpatrick shared what he’s heard about a potential takeover at Tottenham.

The journalist says that he has heard these whispers when making his checks, and that talks did happen with PSG’s owners a couple of years ago.

Kilpatrick says he has heard that Levy would like to stay at Spurs, although he hasn’t been able to double-source that just yet.

“Yeah, beyond saying that I’ve heard the whispers . I believe, although the club has always denied it, that Levy did hold talks with Nasser from PSG a couple of years ago about a minority investment that never went anywhere,” Kilpatrick said.

“But there has been interest from Qatar. And I think it is fair to say that it’s kind of well-known and well talked about that Levy would kind of like to stay on in the event of ENIC becoming potentially a minority partner. You know, I haven’t written that because I haven’t kind of been able to double source it.”

“But I don’t mind saying it because it’s been reported and yeah, it’s been rumoured for a while. I mean, in terms of my take on that, I find it very, very interesting because I think Levy does feel like, I hesitate to say the word toxic because it might be a bit strong, but you know, obviously there’s a lot of unrest towards him by supporters. So it would be, it’s almost hard to imagine that a company would buy Spurs and then say we want to keep this guy who’s a kind of lightning rod for frustrations in place.”

How much would it cost to buy Tottenham?

Buying and selling football clubs is big business, and when you’re dealing with a team the size of Tottenham, you have a massive asset being spoken about here.

Indeed, to buy Tottenham Hotspur, any potential investor would have to stump up tons of cash.

Jim Ratcliffe recently bought 25% of Manchester United for the £1.2bn, valuing the whole club at around £4.8bn.

Of course, Spurs aren’t as valuable as Manchester United, but they’re not a million miles off.

According to Forbes, Tottenham are now worth around $3.2bn.

That’s a lot of money, but if the Qataris are indeed interested, it’s a very affordable sum for Nasser Al-Khelaifi and co should they wish to buy Spurs.

Whether or not Levy stays on in the event of a takeover remains to be seen, but this is certainly a situation to keep an eye on.

TBR Football can exclusively confirm what Tottenham Hotspur insiders have been saying about Son Heung-min amid his uncertain future at Spurs.

Son is Tottenham’s captain, one of their stalwarts and one of their most inspirational figures on the pitch and in the dressing room.

However, Son hasn’t been at his best this season, registering a relatively low six goals – plus seven assists – from 22 Premier League outings.

Now, TBR Football sources can reveal what Tottenham’s hierarchy, along with Son’s camp, are making of the club captain’s situation.

Tottenham hierarchy feels Son Heung-min’s current form justifies their withdrawal from contract talks

As TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey previously revealed, Tottenham withdrew from contract talks with Son last summer.

When Ange Postecoglou first took over, Spurs told Son that, as long as he fitted in within the system, they would talk a new deal – that begun, but then called off.

Tottenham took the option to preserve value – we understand his people have not held fresh talks with Spurs and they firmly believe that he will likely leave North London this summer.

It is understood that Spurs’ hierarchy stepped in to call off talks last year, as they had worries about his longevity – and they believe they have been proven right.

Indeed, Tottenham are now concerned that Son will struggle to rediscover his best form and may even lose his place as a regular starter in future.

TBR Football can also confirm that Son’s camp accepts that Spurs looking at a host of forward options, including left wingers, is a clear sign he is not in their plans.

The Saudi Pro League have a strong interest in Son, as does Major League Soccer, the United States top tier of football.

Whether Mathys Tel could replace Son Heung-min in Tottenham front line next season

Son is undoubtedly a Tottenham legend, the kind of player who deserves a statue outside the club’s stadium.

However, there’s also no doubt that Son hasn’t been at his best this season, though this could also be a case of too much game time and not enough rest.

It has been a very difficult season for Tottenham, whose injury crisis has played a huge part in holding them back from their goals this season.

Spurs worked hard to bring Mathys Tel to N17 on loan from Bayern Munich this year, and there’s an option for them to sign the player permanently.

Over the course of his career – both at senior and youth level – Tel has played as many games on the left wing as he has at centre-forward.

In addition, Tottenham are said to be increasingly optimistic of signing Tel permanently, as he reportedly loves playing for the club and living in London.

With that in mind, there’s a good chance Tel could replace Son on the left in the long term, though his versatility means he can play all across the front line.

Tottenham Hotspur were one of the big winners on transfer deadline day in January as they wrapped up a loan deal for Mathys Tel.

A move to Tottenham was initially rejected by Tel, who held talks with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, but no agreement was reached there either.

Then, in a dramatic U-turn, Tel agreed to join Tottenham, and the move was made official late on deadline day on Monday 3 February.

The 19-year-old has already made three appearances at Spurs, including two starts, and got his first goal for the club in the FA Cup loss to Aston Villa.

Now, a report has emerged which talks about what Tel reportedly thinks of living in London, and also how optimistic Tottenham are of signing him permanently.

Tottenham on-loan ace Mathys Tel loving London life

Tottenham are increasingly confident of being able to wrap up the permanent signing of Tel at the end of the season, according to GiveMeSport.

It is believed that Tel is loving life in the English capital and enjoying the culture he has found himself in.

In addition, the Bayern Munich loanee has reportedly embraced the challenges the North Londoners are facing this season.

With that in mind, optimism is increasing at Tottenham with regards to their hopes of striking a deal for Tel in the summer.

Tel will reportedly sign a six-year deal at Tottenham if he does end up staying at Spurs.

What Bayern Munich wanted to do with Mathys Tel

According to journalist Duncan Castles, Bayern initially wanted to sell Tel in January.

They pushed for an obligation to buy clause to be inserted into this loan deal, but, for one reason or another, that didn’t happen.

“What I’m hearing from the Bayern end is that they actually wanted to sell the player,” Castles said on The Transfer Podcast.

“They wanted to put an obligation to buy clause in the deal of €60million (£55million).

“But in the end, it became an option to buy because the player insisted that he wanted the decision at the end of the season as to whether Tottenham was the right place for him to be.”