TBR Football

While Harry Kane could well be set to etch his name into Bayern Munich folklore as they look like the favourites to win the Bundesliga this season, his career remains defined by his spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

Unsurprisingly so, considering Harry Kane is Spurs’ all-time top goalscorer with 280 goals in 435 total appearances.

Tottenham have struggled to replace the England captain, with Dominic Solanke yet to prove that he is the rightful successor to his throne.

The 31-year-old is the type of player who is virtually impossible to replace, considering how crucial he was to the Lilywhites’ during his unforgettable spell at the club.

While Ange Postecoglou has the Tottenham hierarchy’s support, his side would love to have a player of the star striker’s ilk within their ranks as they currently sit in 12th place after 15 Premier League games.

During a fan visit at Bayern Munich, Kane was quizzed about which player from his former club would he would bring to the Allianz Arena if given the choice.

Harry Kane admits he’d bring Son-Heung min to Bayern Munich

According to journalist Nico Leinner, the Premier League legend replied: “Sonny”, referring to Son Heung-min.

Jamie O’Hara claimed Son is not “world-class” anymore, having scored and assisted four goals and four assists in the Premier League this season.

However, not many forwards in Europe have the pedigree the South Korean international has.

Solanke hailed Son as “incredible” to play alongside, praising his talent, finishing and leadership. Even Tim Sherwood claimed Son could play for Manchester City, exemplifying the respect he still commands within the game.

With the Tottenham captain capable of playing both as a left-winger and as a striker, in theory, he could well do a job for Bayern.

Kane and Son are statistically the best-ever Premier League duo

Considering how deadly a duo Kane and Son were when they played together at Tottenham, it comes as no surprise that the former would love to reunite with the latter.

No duo in Premier League history have combined for more goals than the former Spurs pair.

Kane and Son shared a telepathic connection, where the latter would often use his searing pace and intelligent movement to run in behind defences while the former’s eye for a pass enable to spot his runs.

Especially when Tottenham were playing on the counter-attack, the pair were a nightmare for any defence to play against.

But it seems unlikely that Bayern will pursue Son’s signature, considering he is 32.

However, from Kane’s point of view, his willingness to play with his former teammate once again is understandable.

Tottenham Hotspur will not be sacking Ange Postecoglou anytime soon and it has been reported why they are so firmly backing their manager.

Tottenham are going through a very tough period right now having won just once in their last eight matches across all competitions. Their poor has seen the 59-year-old come under a fair amount of pressure from supporters and the media with his team sitting 12th in the Premier League.

However, Postecoglou retains the full support of Daniel Levy and the North London club have made it clear why they believe he remains the right man for the job.

Why Tottenham won’t sack Ange Postecoglou

David Ornstein has claimed that Tottenham are not thinking about sacking Ange Postecoglou anytime soon. The North London club have made it clear that they are sticking by their manager.

He has been told that Spurs are fully committed to their youthful project which the Australian manager is leading. The Lilywhites signed four teenagers in the summer whilst also promoting Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear to the first team.

Ornstein told NBC Sports: “The pressure is external [on Postecoglou]. Ange Postecoglou is squarely being backed by the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy. Every bit of dialogue that I’ve had so far suggests that he is fully supported and they are not thinking about changing him.

“Tottenham have taken a different strategy to previous years, they’ve not gone for experienced, big-name players in the transfer market. They’ve gone for younger players if we look at Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and bringing through someone like Mikey Moore. They’ve put their faith in Ange Postecoglou to develop a younger squad that they hope will pay dividends in the future.”

Why Tottenham fans must show patience with Ange Postceoglou

Ornstein believes that Spurs supporters will need to be patient with this project under Postecoglou as they are still in the early stages. The Athletic’s Football Correspondent also stated that injuries have not helped the progression of the team this campaign.

“Now patience is a word that nobody likes, it’s in short supply. But they are confident and that is why they, Daniel Levy, as the man at the top of the tree are standing by Ange Postecoglou,” added Ornstein. “There’s been a huge churn of players leaving the club and new faces coming in, it’s still relatively embryonic in terms of their settling-in process. They’ve not been helped by injuries, an unprecedented crisis they are describing it as.”

Despite what his filletting of Timo Werner may have you believing, Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is not usually the type to dig out his own players in public.

Straight-talking and blunter than an old butcher’s knife he may be, but Postecoglou tends to stay clear of the sort of headline-making controversy more usually associated with his Tottenham predecessors Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.

But as the under-fire Australian lambasted Timo Werner following Spurs’ 1-1 Europa League draw at Rangers on Thursday night – the RB Leipzig loanee’s first-half display simply not ‘acceptable’, he said – this gave the impression of a manager coming towards the end of his tether.

TBR reported, after last week’s 1-0 loss at AFC Bournemouth, that Daniel Levy was not planning to sack Ange Postecoglou.

But should Spurs slip up against Southampton on Sunday, should the relationship between manager and supporters become even more strained following a run of one win in eight games, Levy may be forced to make a decision he’d much rather have avoided.

Could the solution to Tottenham’s problems, meanwhile, lie just under Levy’s nose? Well, 16 miles away, to be precise.

Tottenham urged to raid Brentford for Thomas Frank if Ange Postecoglou goes

Jan Molby, the Liverpool legend and former Denmark international, feels that not only does Thomas Frank have the tactical chops to take on such a role, this Spurs squad is also perfectly-suited to a man who has established Brentford in the Premier League.

“I have no more doubts, he is the right man for Tottenham,” Molby tells Viaplay of his compatriot. “The squad they have fits Thomas Frank, 100 per cent. Look at the players and the way Thomas Frank plays. I think it’s perfect.”

Frank may be more of a tactical chameleon than a philosophist wedded to one style of play – he has no problem adapting depending on the players available – but his teams tend to be underpinned by the base principles of aggression, organisation, high-pressing and fast transitions.

Frank turned Ivan Toney into one of Europe’s hottest centre-forwards.

And, despite Toney’s departure over the summer, it is testament to their much-admired head coach that Brentford went into this weekend as the Premier League’s joint highest goalscorers; Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo stepping up heroically in the England international’s absence.

“All the attacking quality he has at Brentford, he gets a lot out of it,” Molby adds. “At Tottenham, he will have even better attacking qualities if he goes there, so try to think about what he can get out of those boys.

“I would go so far as to say that even Timo Werner could get going again!”

Thomas Frank open to Champions League challenge

Thomas Frank was heavily linked with Manchester United over the summer, the Red Devils opting to stick with Erik ten Hag before bringing in Ruben Amorim a few months later.

Speaking this week, meanwhile, Frank insisted that any club looking to take him away from Brentford must provide him not only with a step up, but also the sort of behind-the-scenes support he needs in which to thrive.

“I think [I would look for] a couple of things. One, I’ve said it a million times, I’m very, very happy here. If I ever should go to another club, I think it’s difficult sometimes to be in a position to ask the right questions,” Frank explains.

“You definitely need to do due diligence yourself. You need to pick your chairman. [But] more normal managers, if that club comes and we think it is interesting enough, then it’s maybe not an option for us to chose the chairman if we want that challenge.

“I think there’s a part of me that thinks that, one day, maybe I need to try something different. Is that a bigger club, [offering a shot at the] Champions League? A bigger challenge? I don’t know.”

First impressions are so important in football.

Indeed, when you’re signing for a new club, that first chat with your soon-to-be new manager can set the tone for everything that follows at a club.

Ange Postecoglou always likes to personally speak to players before signing them for Tottenham.

Postecoglou was impressed by James Maddison after their first phone call, while Timo Werner outlined his style of play to Postecoglou in their first-ever conversation.

Speaking on The Big Interview, Dominic Solanke has been discussing his first-ever interaction with Postecoglou, and he shared some intriguing insight into their opening chat.

Indeed, the striker explained the details of his first conversation with his manager.

What Ange Postecoglou told Dominic Solanke

Solanke shared details of his first chat with Postecoglou.

The striker says that Postecoglou clearly explained his tactics and how it suits his style, while he signed off the conversation noting how motivated he is to win trophies with Tottenham.

“He just explained kind of what he expects from his teams and stuff and the way that he plays. It suits my game, I love working hard and he likes pressing with aggressive football. I think it was a good match.

“The way the manager sees it he wants to embed his way of playing into the team and he wants players in the team who are going to suit that. He’s very motivated to win something and that stuck with me as well.”

Dominic Solanke’s stats for Tottenham

Solanke was impressed by Postecoglou after their first chat, and who wouldn’t be?

Joining a big club that wants to win trophies under a manager whose tactics suit your style of play – that sounds brilliant.

Unfortunately for Solanke, things haven’t quite worked out that way so far.

Indeed, the striker has gone backwards this season in terms of his goalscoring despite playing in a team that should be more creative.

Ironically, Spurs sit behind Solanke’s former club, Bournemouth, in the table.

Ange Postecoglou’s job is safe at the moment, but there is an argument to make that Postecoglou should be sacked after recent results.

The Tottenham manager clearly had an exciting plan for his Spurs team this season with Solanke leading the line, but, as of yet, that plan hasn’t come to fruition.

Postecoglou was excited about Solanke’s arrival at Tottenham, but the 27-year-old’s debut season at Spurs has been a struggle so far.

‘World-class’ is probably not the first phrase Tottenham Hotspur fans think of when discussing a player who left the Premier League outfit last summer for around £8 million.

Yes, he had his moments.

Particularly during the early days of the Jose Mourinho era in North London. But while the likes of Luka Modric, Harry Kane and Gareth Bale developed into bonafide, modern-day superstars in the white of Tottenham Hotspur, those were heights Giovani Lo Celso would forever agonisingly just short of.

A series of niggling injuries didn’t help, of course. And with Antonio Conte often preferring to operate without a natural number ten – his wing-back system usually saw Heung-Min Son and Lucas Moura operate behind Kane – Lo Celso quickly began to feel like something of a forgotten man in the capital.

And, while Ange Postecoglou was a fan of the Argentina international, the closest Lo Celso came to nailing down a regular starting spot in his Spurs side was when James Maddison spent time on the sidelines around Christmas last year.

So, while they say ‘never go back’, Lo Celso’s triumphant return to Real Betis only serves to disprove the theory that no player should ever look to turn back the clock in an attempt to recapture past glories.

Giovani Lo Celso labelled ‘world-class’ after Tottenham Hotspur exit

Lo Celso played the best football of his career at Real Betis in 2018/19. And, after re-joining the La Liga outfit on a bargain deal over the summer, the playmaker has wasted little time in putting those years of frustration behind him.

Lo Celso has scored seven times already in just 12 games. Six in seven La Liga starts. Almost double the amount of goals he netted in his final two seasons at Tottenham combined.

The 28-year-old will go head-to-head with another of Spanish football’s most gifted attacking midfielders on Sunday. Real Betis travel to a Villarreal outfit boasting the mercurial, often masterful, Alex Baena.

And, speaking to Onda Cero, Baena has opened up on his admiration for a player he feels deserves a mention alongside the very best number tens in world football. A player he learned a lot from during Lo Celso’s brief spell under Unai Emery at Villarreal.

“A direct rival is coming [up on the fixture list] and they have to win no matter what, especially at home,” Baena says. “Betis is in very good form. They are a very good team, with a star like Gio and now with the return of [former Real Madrid star] Isco. They add much more to that team.

“They are two world-class players. They have a lot of quality in attack.”

Lo Celso’s La Liga revival leaves Argentina manager pleased

Lo Celso was reportedly a target for Emery’s Aston Villa outfit before returning to Andalusia. The man himself explains that re-joining Real Betis was a decision he made ‘with my heart’, having build up quite the connection with Los Verdiblancos’ famously feverish fanbase.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, meanwhile, is delighted to see the Rosario-born schemer play regular first-team football again.

Lo Celso, having accumulated over 60 caps, is one of the senior players these days in an Albiceleste squad undergoing something of a transitional period.

“He went to a club where he always felt good,” Scaloni said last month. “He feels comfortable and it is important that he plays.

“In the end, the league [the player plays in] is not essential. But [it is essential] that they play and get minutes.

“That is a basic concept.”

Leeds United ace Pascal Struijk is emerging as a target for multiple Premier League clubs with Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Wolves eyeing the Championship stopper.

Left-sided central defenders are all the rage these days, with many managers looking for a natural southpaw in order to provide better balance and greater passing angles at the heart of their backline.

So, with Pascal Struijk emerging as a player of serious promise at Elland Road, it should perhaps come as no surprise that Leeds United’s stand-in skipper has caught the eye up clubs higher up the English footballing pyramid.

TBR can confirm that Tottenham, Brighton and Wolves are following Struijk closely.

And while Leeds are trying to tie the Belgian-born Dutchman down to a new contract, their success in those negotiations are likely to be determined by whether a return to the Premier League can be secured by Daniel Farke’s team in 2025.

Tottenham Hotspur eye another Leeds United raid for Pascal Struijk

Tottenham, interestingly, appear to have a good working relationship with Leeds United these days.

Spurs snapped up teen sensation Archie Gray in a £35 million deal over the summer, with Joe Rodon returning to Elland Road in exchange. Manor Solomon would also end up at Leeds, the silky winger joining on loan from Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Tottenham may fancy their chances of securing Struijk’s services, then, even if it appears highly unlikely that promotion-chasing Leeds would ever consider a January exit.

Spurs are keen on bringing a left-sided centre-back to North London.

While Postecoglou confirmed ahead of the trip to Southampton this weekend that Ben Davies could yet return before New Years’ Day, recent issues suffered by both him and Micky van de Ven meant Tottenham were forced to start Archie Gray against Rangers as a centre-half in the Europa League on Thursday night.

TBR understands that, in addition to Struijk, Tottenham could move for Getafe’s Omar Alderete.

The La Liga ace reportedly has a £13 million release clause in his contract. As such, Paraguay international Alderete would come a lot cheaper than Struijk.

Wolves and Brighton also in Pascal Struijk race

Alderete’s representatives have made Wolverhampton Wanderers aware of his availability too. Gary O’Neil’s team are in the market for a left-sided central defender themselves, having conceded nine times in their three Premier League matches before hosting Ipswich Town on Saturday.

At the other end of the table, Brighton and Hove Albion, like relegation-threatened Wolves, are also admirers of Struijk.

Lewis Dunk has been utilised as a left-sided option by Fabian Hurzeler of late. But, as a natural right-footer and at the age of 33, Brighton may be keen to bring in a younger alternative at the back.

Struijk, now 25, is nearly a decade Dunk’s junior.

A graduate of the fabled Ajax academy, Struijk joined Leeds during the Marcelo Bielsa era but has reached another level under Farke. And, with Ethan Ampadu unavailable due to injury, he has captained Leeds now in each of the last 12 Championship encounters with former Leeds boss Simon Grayson blown away by one particularly stand-out display against Watford.

“He had a good captain’s performance again”, Grayson told BBC Radio Leeds after Leeds survived a scare to beat Tom Cleverley’s side in November.

“He was strong and powerful, made some good blocks in there, winning his headers and getting free kicks. Another big result and captain’s performance from him, showing his leadership skills, his strength and his power.”

Tottenham Hotspur travel to the south coast to take on Southampton in the Premier League.

One win in eight has pushed Spurs down to a terrible position. They are 11th in the Premier League and ninth in the Europa League, which is simply not good enough.

Ange Postecoglou blasted Timo Werner and demanded more from him and other senior Tottenham stars following his side’s frustrating 1-1 draw against Rangers midweek.

Southampton are up next for the North Londoners, and Spurs fans are ‘definitely’ going to see one exciting player on the pitch, confirmed Postecoglou.

Ange Postecoglou says Lucas Bergvall will ‘definitely’ play for Tottenham vs Southampton

Tottenham signed Lucas Bergvall from Djurgarden for £8.5 million earlier in 2024 (BBC).

The teenager was viewed by many clubs as a huge talent. He was of interest to several clubs, including Barcelona, but Bergvall chose Tottenham instead.

It’s never ideal to throw an 18-year-old into the team and ask him to deliver, but injuries have given Spurs very little choice.

To add to that, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are both suspended for the game against Southampton on Sunday.

After an excellent display from Bergvall against Rangers, Postecoglou has decided to give him more minutes against the Saints.

He said in his press conference, as per Football London: “He has done really well and obviously with Biss and Rodri out, he is definitely in the picture for us to use at the weekend.

“He will definitely play, whether he starts or comes on.

“Yeah, really pleased for him that with him and Archie, we have got two 18-year-olds who feel like they can contribute in a meaningful way, which as I said before is exciting.”

Should Bergvall start for Tottenham against Southampton?

Postecoglou has been really upset with some of his senior players recently.

Werner was publicly criticised for his display against Rangers, but Postecoglou has since demanded his other senior stars to step up as well.

To add to that, injuries and suspensions have left Tottenham really short of options.

Starting Bergvall against Southampton would be a big call, especially as another teenager is expected to start as well – Archie Gray.

However, we think the young Swede showed enough against Rangers to earn himself a starting spot at the St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to get a win on board when they head to Southampton in Sunday night’s Premier League clash on the south coast.

Spurs’ form has taken a tumble since thrashing Manchester City on the road, going on to lose two and draw three in all competitions.

Tottenham’s trip to St Mary’s Stadium comes amid heightening tensions at N17, with Ange Postecoglou criticising the likes of Timo Werner this week.

TBR Football looks at who the Spurs boss could pick for Sunday night’s trip to Southampton.

Tottenham team news v Southampton

Tottenham’s injury crisis is showing few signs of abating, with Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison all still out.

In addition, midfielders Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are suspended for the trip to the Premier League’s bottom-placed side.

However, Brennan Johnson returned from illness to feature at Rangers and should be available against the Saints.

Meanwhile Dominic Solanke, Pape Matar Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski should be fresher after starting on the bench.

Tottenham predicted XI v Southampton

Once again, Postecoglou will be limited when it comes to his goalkeeping and defensive options.

Fraser Forster is expected to start in goal, while Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin are set to feature at centre-back and Destiny Udogie is a shoo-in at left-back.

However, there is scope for Postecoglou to hand Djed Spence a start at right-back after Pedro Porro’s poor display in midweek.

There will also be changes in midfield as Bissouma and Bentancur, who started on Thursday night, are both suspended.

Lucas Bergvall impressed against Rangers and could be rewarded with a Premier League start, while Pape Matar Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski could come back in.

As for the front line, Postecoglou is likely to go with his usual trio of Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and captain Son Heung-min.

This means no place in the starting XI for the £165,000-a-week RB Leipzig loanee.

Tottenham Hotspur face Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium for the first time since Antonio Conte’s infamous rant there.

Spurs are on a terrible run of form right now. They have just one win in their last eight games, and the pressure is mounting on Ange Postecoglou’s shoulders.

Tottenham need to get back to winning ways against Southampton, but they have dropped points in each of their last two visits there.

The last one was a 3-3 draw – that proved to be Conte’s final game as Tottenham’s boss.

Ange Postecoglou thinks he knows why Antonio Conte ranted about Tottenham

Tottenham weren’t in great form when they last faced Southampton at St Mary’s.

Conte’s men went into that game having won just one of their previous four fixtures. Their performances were nowhere near good enough at the time.

Tottenham opened the scoring through Pedro Porro against the Saints and managed to get themselves 3-1 up by the 75th minute.

That usually means three points for a Conte side, but Tottenham conceded twice in the last 13 minutes and the game ended 3-3.

Conte was absolutely furious after the draw and lashed out at everyone in the club. He publicly criticised his players and even the owners, and it became very clear that he didn’t want to be there anymore.

Many people felt at the time that Conte had his huge rant just to get himself the sack. Postecoglou, however, has a different theory – he thinks the Italian actually did it to get a positive reaction from his side.

The Aussie said, as per Football London: “I was on Planet Earth at that time, and yes I was well aware of it. I think you know when a manager gets to that point that there’s obviously some underlying issues.

“Antonio is a top manager – he’s a world-class manager – and I think most of the time when managers do that they’re trying to get a reaction, trying to get some sort of impact on the team. In difficult moments, what you want from your leaders is action rather than inaction or just letting things drift along.

“He did it to try and get a positive impact on the group, one way or another. We’ve all been in that situation as a manager where you feel: ‘This is time to send a message’.”

Postecoglou has sent a message of his own at Tottenham

Only Conte can confirm whether he actually did what he did to make Tottenham better or if he just wanted to get out of the club.

Postecoglou’s theory is definitely interesting, especially when you consider that the Spurs boss did something a little similar just a few days ago.

After Tottenham’s 1-1 draw at Rangers, Postecoglou publicly criticised Timo Werner. He has demanded more from his other senior players as well since.

It’s never nice to see a manager publicly call out a player, but Postecoglou may have done that just to get a reaction from Werner and make him step up.

If that works, the Australian will be hailed as a genius, but there is a small chance that he could lose the dressing room if he goes down the Conte route.

Tottenham Hotspur have been alerted to Getafe defender Omar Alderete though the Paraguay international is also an option for Premier League rivals Wolves, Leicester City and Crystal Palace.

Reports emerging from South America this week appeared to suggest that Tottenham are closing in on their first signing of 2025, a fortnight before the New Year even began.

Now, things are not quite as advanced as some have suggested.

But TBR can confirm that there is nothing advanced at this stage, though Omar Alderete is indeed a player Tottenham could move for in the coming weeks or months.

Alderete’s representatives have been offering their client around to a number of clubs. TBR understands that Wolves, Leicester, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town have been made aware of Alderete’s availability too, though it remains to be seen if any of those clubs take up the opportunity offered to them.

Tottenham Hotspur not close to Omar Alderete deal with Getafe

The well-travelled Alderete had spells at Valencia, Hertha Berlin and FC Basel before joining Getafe initially on loan back in 2022.

A relative late-bloomer – he turns 28 on Boxing Day – Alderete’s affordability is likely to appeal to a number of clubs looking to sign a left-sided central defender without needing to break the bank.

Alderete’s release clause, after all, stands at around £13 million.

The left-sided centre-back area is certainly a position in which Spurs are hoping to strengthen. Ange Postecoglou started Archie Gray against Rangers in that spot, having lost both Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash.

Davies, now 31, is due to become a free-agent in the summer of 2025. Cristian Romero is also facing another six weeks on the sidelines, meaning Radu Dragusin is likely to be afforded a rare run of games in Tottenham’s starting XI.

“Obviously guys get injured and, without getting too technical, you need to let the injury settle down before you get a real prognosis,” Postecoglou said during his Friday press conference, speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to Southampton.

“So it will probably be next week some time [before we find out the severity of the issues facing] Micky and Cristian. Everyone got through last night, so they are all good to go.”

Postecoglou does feel that Davies might not have played his final game of the year, however, with the Welsh veteran’s injury not quite as serious as initially feared.

“It’s not as bad as we thought,” Postecoglou adds. “There is a chance he’ll be back, hopefully, before the new year. So, that was positive. Again, initially we were a bit worried but you need to give it a week to settle down.

“The latest information I got [on Friday] morning was that it’s nowhere near as bad as we thought it was and hopefully a quicker turnaround.”

Leicester City and Wolves offered La Liga ace

As for Alderete, Leicester may be tempted with Ruud van Nistelrooy seemingly looking to add another defender to his ranks. TBR can confirm that Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof is an option for Leicester.

Van Nistelrooy, of course, worked with the long-serving Swede during his brief spell as a coach at Old Trafford. Lindelof could join Leicester on a loan deal. And while The Foxes are currently using up both of their loan slots, Odsonne Edouard could return to Crystal Palace a few months ahead of schedule.

Wolves, meanwhile, have conceded nine goals in their last three matches. Gary O’Neil’s porous backline has been hit hard by the absence of Yerson Mosquera.

Crystal Palace have fared far better defensively – letting in only 20 goals compared to Wolves’ 38 – but additions may be sought at Selhurst Park too.