TBR Football

Ange Postecoglou has decided he is keen to sign a new goalkeeper in January and the Australian manager already knows the one he wants.

Spurs are keen to move in January to replace Fraser Forster following his two blunders against Man United. The 34-year-old is currently standing in for Guglielmo Vicario who is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Forster has proven himself to be a solid shot-stopper, however, Postecoglou is keen to sign a goalkeeper who can play out from the back. Currently, he is stuck with Forster as his number one with Vicario out until February.

Tottenham want to sign James Trafford to replace Fraser Forster

Tottenham are considering a move for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, according to The Mirror. The North London club have green-lighted Ange Postecoglou’s plan to sign a goalkeeper in January as he looks to replace Fraser Forster.

Trafford has emerged as a target for Spurs with the North London club looking at homegrown options from the EFL. Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson and Sheffield Wednesday’s Pierce Charles are among the other names on their list.

The 22-year-old is expected to cost around £20 million as Burnley are keen to keep hold of the goalkeeper. The Clarets proved tricky to negotiate with when Newcastle tried to sign Trafford last summer and the same case is expected next month.

Would James Trafford be an ideal Fraser Forster replacement?

The data appears to suggest that Trafford is better in possession than Forster which is something Postecoglou is keen to add to his squad. The former Southampton man cost Tottenham two goals against United trying and failing to play out from the back.

It is clear that this is a significant weakness of Forster’s game and bringing in a shot-stopper like Trafford could be an ideal move for the Lilywhites.

Speaking after the match, Postecoglou admitted his team needed a better understanding of when was the right time to play out from the back against United: “I think we should have waited for him [Zirkzee] to clear the box before we start playing because then he presses from inside the box.

“So we could have handled that situation a little bit better, just some calmness but then when that happens I think us going back to Frase a couple of times probably wasn’t the right decision.”

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to be on the market for a new defender in the January transfer window.

Spurs should’ve signed a new defender last summer, but Ange Postecoglou decided against it. That has come back to haunt his side this season.

Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have all been sidelined due to injuries, while Destiny Udogie has had his problems as well. That has led to Archie Gray playing as a centre-half.

Postecoglou knows he can’t go through another window without strengthening his backline. His Tottenham side have now been linked with a move to sign a title-winning defender.

Tottenham expected to bid £35m for Yann Bisseck

Yann Bisseck has been linked with a move to Tottenham for a couple of months now.

The versatile German has impressed at Inter Milan whenever he has got an opportunity. He has made a great name for himself and has performed brilliantly in the Champions League as well.

In October, a report claimed that Tottenham could offer Radu Dragusin in a swap deal to sign Bisseck, but it was stated that Inter were not interested in a swap deal.

Bisseck has since extended his contract with the Italian champions, but Tottenham are still eyeing a move to sign him in January.

CaughtOffside claim that both Spurs and West Ham United are interested in signing Bisseck. The two London rivals sent scouts to watch him recently and received very positive reports.

Inter haven’t decided whether they would be open to selling Bisseck, but the report claims that they will find it difficult to turn down a good bid.

It has been claimed that both Tottenham and West Ham are ‘expected’ to offer £35 million for his services once the winter window opens.

Yann Bisseck produced a masterclass against Bukayo Saka in the Champions League

Inter Milan beat Arsenal 1-0 in the Champions League earlier this season, and Bisseck started on the left side of a back three in that game.

Bukayo Saka was Arsenal’s main man and tried very hard to hurt the Inter defence. But, Bisseck stopped him with what Fabrizio Romano described as a ‘masterclass‘ at the back.

Bisseck was hailed by the Italian media for keeping Saka ‘quiet’ in that game, and we’re sure that will go down very well if he ends up at Tottenham.

It remains to be seen if Spurs can convince Inter Milan to let him go in the January transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou was delighted to see his Tottenham Hotspur side beat Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarter-final.

Spurs booked their place in the last four of the competition following a 4-3 victory over the Red Devils. It was a great game to watch for the neutral and there was a lot of drama in the final 30 minutes of the fixture.

Tottenham only have themselves to blame for their problems. They were 3-0 up and cruising, but two avoidable mistakes from Fraser Forster brought Manchester United back into the game.

Postecoglou has now claimed that one of those goals should’ve been ruled out.

Ange Postecoglou says Joshua Zirkzee’s goal for Manchester United vs Tottenham was ‘illegal’

Manchester United weren’t awful by any means, but Tottenham’s clinical finishing put them 3-0 up by the 54th minute of the game.

It looked like it would be a straightforward victory for the Londoners at that point, but Postecoglou’s men decided to create problems for themselves.

Forster made a huge mistake while playing out from the back. He passed the ball to Bruno Fernandes inside the box, who then rolled it into the path of Joshua Zirkzee to score.

It was a terrible mistake by the Tottenham goalkeeper, and Postecoglou has acknowledged that. However, after watching it back, the Spurs boss thinks the goal should have been ruled out.

That’s because Postecoglou noticed that Zirkzee was inside the box when the goal kick was taken – the Australian says that was ‘illegal’ and shouldn’t have counted.

He said, as per Football London: “I think the first goal can happen. Zirkzee was actually in the box pressing when he should have been… actually what he did was illegal.

“But anyway we’ll let that run because there was no VAR last night.

“That was my decision so I’m happy with that. I think we should have waited for him [Zirkzee] to clear the box before we start playing because then he presses from inside the box.”

The referee made another mistake during Tottenham vs Manchester United

Nobody apart from Postecoglou noticed that Zirkzee was inside the box when the goal kick was taken. Even the Tottenham players didn’t complain.

That goal stood and another error from Forster allowed Amad Diallo to bring the game to 3-2. United were right back in it at that stage.

However, in the 88th minute of the game, Son scored directly from a corner to push Tottenham 4-2 up. That ended up being the winner.

Spurs fan and pundit Jamie O’Hara was delighted that his side won, but he pointed out a big refereeing error after the game.

Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are set to lock horns in a highly-anticipated Premier League clash in North London on Sunday.

Both Tottenham and Liverpool triumphed in their respective Carabao Cup quarter-finals and will be eager to make it two wins in a row this week.

Ange Postecoglou’s charges ran out 4-3 winners over Manchester United, while Arne Slot’s side overcame Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s Stadium.

BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton has now predicted who will come out on top in the Premier League game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Chris Sutton backs Liverpool to run out 3-2 winners at Tottenham

Sutton, writing on BBC Sport, predicted a five-goal thriller with Liverpool running out 3-2 winners over the Lilywhites.

The pundit also said he related to Postecoglou’s comments on how difficult it is to be manager, while also touching upon Liverpool’s draw against Fulham last week.

“Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said this week that management is a harder job than being prime minister and, from my spell in charge of Lincoln, I can testify to that,” said Sutton.

“Postecoglou knows all about the highs and lows that managers can experience from one week to the next, because that has been the story of Spurs’ season.

“The same might apply just to this game too. While I think Tottenham will get some joy because it is going to be action packed, Liverpool will not lie down and I fancy them to come out on top.

“How Spurs deal with Mohamed Salah on the counter-attack is going to be key, but I cannot see them stopping him completely.

“People might look at Liverpool’s draw with Fulham last weekend and think it was not a great result for Arne Slot’s side but I was there and, honestly, the way they played with 10 men was incredible.

“They looked like they were the team with the extra man.”

An exciting encounter could be on the cards, with Slot suggesting criticism of Postecoglou’s attacking style of play is wrong.

Tottenham v Liverpool team news

Destiny Udogie and Timo Werner remain doubts for Sunday’s match against Liverpool after sitting out the Manchester United game.

Werner missed the Carabao Cup quarter-final due to illness, while Udogie was absent after limping off during the 5-0 victory at Southampton last weekend.

Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Richarlison, Ben Davies and Wilson Odobert remain injured, while Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended.

As for Liverpool, they were boosted by the return of Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in the midweek win over Southampton.

Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley remain on the sidelines, however.

Tottenham and Chelsea’s rivalry is as fierce in the executive suite as it is in the terraces.

Okay, maybe not quite as fierce. Or, at least, the ferocity is expressed through pointed barbs at Premier League shareholder meetings as opposed to hurled insults from the stands.

Spurs and Chelsea are both members of broad factions – some on social media label them the ‘blue cartel and the ‘red cartel’ – who are at civil war behind the scenes.

They are quite capable of cooperating when it is in their shared interest, but the two London clubs disagree on the philosophy behind the league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and other issues.

Financially, Chelsea used to have a commanding lead over Spurs. In recent years, however, the scales have tipped the other way.

The catalyst was the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has thrust the North Londoners into a new dimension both commercially and in terms of matchday income.

Success on the pitch is significant, yes, but a club’s ‘brand’ is now seen as just as if not more important by potential new sponsors and collaborators.

It’s a concept which is completely alien to most bedrock Spurs and Chelsea fans, but it is the commercial reality for clubs in the modern era.

This in turn has a major bearing on the budgets available to Ange Postecoglou and Enzo Maresca respectively, especially as PSR will eventually catch up with Chelsea.

Daniel Levy and Todd Boehly both recognise the power of sponsorship – and Tottenham and Chelsea are competing for one of the biggest deals of them all.

Chelsea and Spurs competing for Nike Air Jordan deal

Paris Saint-Germain’s partnership with Air Jordan, the Nike off-shoot co-signed by NBA legend Michael Jordan, is worth a reported £18m per season.

That was on top of the money they were earning directly from Nike, taking their overall commercial return on the relationship to dizzy heights.

Not only did it provide a huge source of income upfront, but the Air Jordan collaboration has made PSG football’s biggest ‘lifestyle’ brand.

In layman’s terms, people who don’t care about football are still potential buyer of PSG merchandise. They have accessed an entirely new market.

Now, both Chelsea and Spurs, who are both partnered with Nike, are gunning to be the next big club to get the Air Jordan treatment from Nike.

Spurs are under contract with the American sportswear giant until 2033, and an £18m-a-year boost from Air Jordan at that rate would be worth around £162m to them all told.

The brand benefits, although less easily quantifiable, would arguably outstrip the base fee by an order of magnitude.

Chelsea and Spurs both exploring retro badges for 2025-26

Interestingly, when Spurs launched the controversial redesign of their club crest earlier this year, one element of the rebrand was the return of the club’s monogram.

The monogram, an amalgamation of the letters T, H, F and C, was featured on their crest from 1989 to 1995 and 1999 to 2006.

Now, reports are suggesting that they will feature the monogram on their third kit for 2025-26.

Similarly, Chelsea are also considering a retro crest for their third kit next season.

Those consulted by TBR Football invariably see this as an attempt to move in a ‘streetwear’ direction and sell more club-branded merchandise to a new market.

It’s not a new idea, but it is one that is increasingly being trumpeted by the big braings, and clubs like Spurs and Chelsea, whose owners both think their clubs have far more commercial upside, are well aware.

Tottenham Hotspur have done well on the youth transfer market in recent years, signing some of the best young talents in world football.

The likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie arrived at Spurs somewhat under the radar and have developed into Premier League starters.

And this year, Tottenham secured deals for the likes of Yang Min-Hyeok, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

Of those, Gray was the most well-known ahead joining Spurs after exploding onto the scene at Leeds United.

The Tottenham summer signing has now taken part in an interview with the Daily Mail in which he spoke about a variety of topics.

Gray shared how he’s finding life at Spurs, including what he thinks of his teammates after initially being “starstruck” upon his arrival at Hotspur Way.

Archie Gray hails ‘completely normal’ Tottenham teammates

Gray admitted that he was initially star-struck by the Tottenham players because he was so used to seeing them on FIFA.

However, the 18-year-old came to realise that, while they are “world-class” footballers on the pitch, they are completely normal people off it.

Gray also stressed that Tottenham have a really good dressing-room atmosphere and that he enjoys being part of a “great group”.

Gray said: “They are world-class players but at the end of the day off the pitch they are just normal people. In the changing room they are normal guys.

“Looking on the outside you think ‘wow, I play with these guys on FIFA’, because that’s how I looked at it when I first went in!

“It sounds a bit weird but I was still a bit star-struck. But they are just normal guys who are really helping me everyday.

“I think the difference is that when work comes to work on the training pitch it’s 100 per cent every single day.

“As soon as they get off the pitch they are really great to have around in the changing room. It’s a great group.”

What Ange Postecoglou thinks of Gray

Gray has been slowly but surely going from strength to strength, doing well in an unfamiliar centre-back position during Spurs’ injury crisis.

Just a few days ago, Postecoglou sung Gray’s praises, saying he’s so excited to be working with the England youth international.

“I am so excited by Archie and that’s another positive for us that we have another 18-year-old who just plays and no one mentions that he is 18,” he said.

“They just measure his performance and, like I said, I am asking him to do different jobs.

“It would probably be more comfortable for him if he was settled in one position but he is playing football at a really high level in Europe and the Premier League.

“That’s going to set us up really well for the player that he is going to become.”

In April, what was a poorly kept secret in the world of football finance emerged in the public domain for the first time. Tottenham, Daniel Levy announced, were actively seeking new investment.

Levy is using the services of the Rothschild bank, whose reputation – as you would imagine – would get almost any businessperson on the planet to pick up the phone.

As is customary when a Premier League club is put for sale either in a minority or majority capacity, the usual sovereign wealth funds, private equity titans, and multi-club investors have all been linked.

At present, former Newcastle United supremo Amanda Staveley is the most likely to buy into Spurs.

She is believed to have raised around £500m for a new football investment project and has zeroed in on Tottenham, who are valued at around £3.75bn by Levy and ENIC.

If Staveley is to invest, it would be as a minority partner. She is likely also to either borrow to finance a deal, just as she did at Newcastle, or act as the public face of a part-takeover in exchange for equity.

The 51-year-old financier engineered the sale of Manchester City to Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 and has previously been part of attempts take over Liverpool.

She, along with her husband and business partner Mehrdad Ghodoussi, is one of the best deal brokers in the business and also proved herself accomplished at running a club during her time at St James’ Park.

Indeed, Staveley said at Bloomberg’s Money, Women & Power conference last week that she is desperate to return to football as soon as possible – and she wants a hands-on role.

With that in mind, is Spurs the right place for her? That is the question many, including Liverpool University football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire, are asking.

Speaking to TBR Football earlier this year, Maguire said: “Levy is in no hurry to move on from Spurs. He is an immovable object and he is a Spurs fan.

“He wants validation for his project and that will only come when Spurs win a trophy or two. It could be a very long wait before he is ready to sell entirely.”

A £500m investment would, at Levy and ENIC’s valuation, give Staveley’s consortium a stake of just over 13 per cent in Spurs.

That is around the same equity stake as the 30,000 external shareholders who have remained in situ since the days Spurs were a publicly listed company. It wouldn’t even guarantee her a seat on the board.

Staveley has other options on the table and, if she is not convinced she will have adequate operational input at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, could well pursue them.

And developments elsewhere in football’s mergers and acquisitions market could provide an opening for her to do exactly that.

Amanda Staveley could be tempted away from Tottenham amid AS Monaco takeover developments

When it was first reported in June that Staveley and her PCP Capital group had Spurs in their crosshairs, one other specific club was mentioned as an alternative.

AS Monaco, the eight-time French champions, are for sale. Their owner, the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, has said so explicitly.

Rybolovlev owns a controlling majority of the club’s equity and, after receiving a number of unsolicited offers, has decided the time is right to cash in.

Staveley is interested in AS Monaco, whose desirable location, history, and stellar infrastructure makes them an attractive option.

What’s more, majority ownership would be available for a fraction of the price that Staveley might otherwise pay for an ultimately modest stake in Spurs.

Now, in what is the clearest hint yet that Rybolovlev could be ready to up sticks in the principality, Brazilian outlet Globo are reporting that the oligarch is now interested in taking over Vasco da Gama.

The recently vanquished Copa Libertadores finalists are situated in Brazil, a market with one of the highest potential yields in football.

If he needs to make a deal happen, it could – in theory, at least – accelerate his attempts to sell Monaco, opening the door for Staveley and her consortium to take over.

That clearly would not be good news for the Tottenham fans desperate for salvation from what they perceive as the overly commercially-orientated ENIC-Levy regime.

Spurs alternatives: Other options available to Staveley

It is a saturated market as far as takeovers or minority investments are concerned, both in the Premier League and further afield.

The dissolution of 777 Partners’ multi-club empire means half a dozen clubs in three different continents are for sale.

Domestically, West Ham, Brentford, Wolves and a handful of others are also seeking minority investment.

And developments in South and Central America, where a smattering of federations are inviting private investment for the first time, means there could be openings for Staveley there too.

Similarly, and perhaps most evocatively, Real Madrid Florentino Perez has signalled that they too could also be seeking fresh capital in a landmark move away from the Socio model

Tottenham Hotspur are in Carabao Cup quarter-final action on Thursday night as they host Manchester United in North London.

Spurs will be eager to take a step closer to the final of the competition and a first major trophy since 2008.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has a selection headache of the good kind with regards to his midfield options for the game.

Lucas Bergvall was impressive on his first Premier League start for Spurs in the 5-0 win over Southampton at the weekend.

Brought into the starting XI due to Yves Bissouma’s suspension, Bergvall delivered an impressive display as he used the ball well when in possession.

Postecoglou now needs to decide who to pick between Bergvall and Bissouma, and on Wednesday, he hinted who is currently more likely to start.

Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham must monitor Lucas Bergvall recovery ahead of Manchester United cup clash

Postecoglou was asked at his pre-match presser how tough it would be to decide who would start out of Bergvall and Bissouma.

Although the Spurs boss said he’ll made a decision on Thursday, he admitted that it was Bergvall’s first start for a while and he “tired noticeably”.

“It’s good to have an option there,” Postecoglou told football.london.

“Lucas did fantastically well the other night and he has done in the last two or three games he has played for us as he’s really made an impact, but the other night I thought he was really good.

“In the first half he really showed maturity playing that role, discipline and real quality as well. It’s good to have that option.

“Having Biss available is great as well. I’ll make a decision tomorrow, but at the same time that was Lucas’ first start for quite a while and he did tire noticeably in the second half.

“So we’ll have to see how he’s recovered from the game.”

Even if Bergvall misses out on a starting spot against Man United, it’s good to see his Spurs career going up the gears.

Earlier this year, Djurgardens official Peter Kisfaludy tipped Bergvall to eventually become one of the world’s best midfielders, so it’s great that he’s now getting more minutes and improving.

How the media rated Bergvall v Southampton

Football.london gave Bergvall a rating of 7 out of 10 for his efforts against the Premier League strugglers.

“A tidy full Premier League debut for the 18-year-old Swede,” they wrote.

“Cramped up 86 minutes in but this was a big boost for him to get the full game into his legs.”

Meanwhile, the Evening Standard gave Bergvall an 8 out of 10 rating against the Saints.

They wrote: “Put in an assured display at the base of midfield on his first Premier League start.

“Involved in the build-up to the first goal, and will be better for this experience.”

Tottenham Hotspur might need a big January transfer window in order to get their season back on track.

The north London club have been incredibly up and down this term, and they find themselves mid-table in the Premier League.

Spurs have been poor at times this season, and some of their attacking players have been off the pace.

Ange Postecoglou publicly bashed Timo Werner last week, while Heung-Min Son has been criticised recently.

Tottenham may want to go into the market for a new attacker in January, and according to Jamie O’Hara, there’s a great option on the market right now.

Jamie O’Hara suggests Marcus Rashford for Tottenham

Jamie O’Hara suggested Marcus Rashford as a signing for Tottenham on social media.

Indeed, the pundit says that Rashford is a top player at his best, and he wouldn’t mind seeing him at Spurs.

Rashford is ready to leave Manchester United, and a team like Tottenham could capitalise on that opportunity.

As ever, Rashford proved to be a decisive topic online, and one fan claimed that Rashford isn’t the type of player Spurs should be after.

However, O’Hara argued back, claiming that Rashford, at his best, is a much better player than Timo Werner.

Marcus Rashford compared to Timo Werner

O’Hara says that Rashford is much better than Werner, and he’s not wrong.

Rashford’s stats in the Premier League are way better than Werner’s.

Werner has been heavily criticised this season, and while the same can be said for Rashford, at least Rashford has had higher highs.

Indeed, at his best, Rashford was an ‘unbelievable’ player who was scoring plenty of goals, but Werner has never had that sort of impact for either Chelsea or Tottenham.

Of course, whether or not Rashford would go to Tottenham is another matter.

Spurs and United historically don’t do much business.

Daniel Levy has a bad relationship with Manchester United after the Dimitar Berbatov saga more than 15 years ago.

Levy frustrated United in negotiations with Berbatov, and, since then, there hasn’t been a permanent transfer between both clubs.

United wanted Harry Kane at one point, but they were reluctant to do a deal because of Levy, so they won’t be so excited to start negotiations over a player like Rashford with Spurs.

This would be an intriguing signing, but this isn’t likely to happen.

Portions of the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase may have given up on Ange Postecoglou, but Ange Postecoglou certainly hasn’t given up on Tottenham Hotspur.

While the results remain as topsy turvy as ever – only Spurs could hammer Manchester City 4-0 away from home and then fail to win any of the next five matches – a manager who’s presence on the touchline threatens to split the fanbase down the middle feels remains insistant signs of progress are clear for those with eyes to see.

Ange Postecoglou is delighted with Archie Gray’s adaptation to a left-sided centre-back role in the absence of Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies.

Postecoglou and Heung-Min Son both hailed Lucas Bergvall, too, after Gray’s fellow teen sensation dictated proceedings during Sunday’s 5-0 battering of Southampton.

Even in the midst of the most inconsistent of seasons, Dejan Kulusevski has blossomed into an elite playmaker, Brennan Johnson has become a regular goalscorer, and Pape Matar Sarr has picked up where he left off following an impressive breakout campaign.

Ange Postecoglou ‘so excited’ by Pape Sarr at Tottenham Hotspur

“That’s kind of why I haven’t lost any resolve or optimism about what we’re building,” Postecoglou said ahead of Thursday’s EFL Cup quarter-final clash with Ruben Amorim’s ManchesterUnited at Old Trafford.

“Because I see plenty of growth in this group. I guess people will look at our league position and our league form and, within that context, are saying there isn’t things developing here.

“But, if you strip it away and look at the challenges we’ve had this year with the injury situation, we’re probably one result away from people saying we’re going OK in the league as well.”

Gray and Bergvall both stood out as Southampton were ripped limb from limb, the 18-year-old duo both starting for a much-changed Spurs side on the Solent.

Sarr, meanwhile, arrived from Metz with a reputation for being a stable if unspectacular deep-lying midfielder. But, as the £15 million Senegal international danced through Southampton’s brittle backline before slotting home, he took his tally to a career-best four goals only halfway through the 2024/25 campaign.

More, by the way, than Sarr scored across any of his 49 Tottenham appearances before the current campaign began in August.

“I think, with all these things, my view is stay calm, stay focused and I see plenty of growth. Even Pape Sarr, mate. He is still a young man and is growing all the time and becoming a hell of a footballer,” Postecoglou adds.

“I just get so excited by all that.”

Postecoglou says better days to come for Spurs

The former Celtic boss is confident that happier times are just around the corner. Tottenham should have Van de Ven and Davies back soon, while Cristian Romero will return in the New year.

“We’re going to hit some smoother waters at some point. I believe that, in terms of where the squad is at,” Postecoglou predicts.

“[There are a few] players who are carrying us through this tough period. You talk about mentality; they’ve got through that, not only got through it but helped the club through it.

“And, at such a young age, anything they face after that, they’re going to crash through. For me, I certainly feel there is some real growth that has happened and is happening at the moment.”

Tottenham’s hopes of ending that 16-year trophy drought remain alive for the time being, meanwhile. Beating Man United and securing a player in that two-legged semi-final would represent a big step towards silverware.