TBR Football

Chelsea have made a really productive start to life under newly-appointed manager Enzo Maresca.

Maresca has been able to implement a possession-based approach at Chelsea and their big-money acquisitions are starting to gel.

The West Londoners reside in third place and look well-placed to return to the Champions League come the end of the season.

Though, there’s still plenty of room for improvement and if they’re to become title challengers, their defence needs addressing.

With that said, it’s just come to light that they’re leading Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign a highly-rated defender.

Chelsea lead Tottenham in race to sign Jonathan Tah

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are leading the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah.

The West Londoners have already entered talks to sign Tah, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on his situation as they eye a free transfer.

But it’s Chelsea who’s interest is the most advanced and they’re making him one of their top targets to bolster Maresca’s ranks.

Tah keen to explore opportunities

Tah is considered ‘one of the world’s best defenders’, so if Chelsea were to land his signature, it’d be a real coup, especially given the competition.

It’s thought that whilst he’s happy at Leverkusen and hasn’t made a final decision on his future, he’s keen to explore new opportunities.

Tottenham Hotspur have a good defensive unit.

When everyone is fit and available, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are the two main centre-backs for Tottenham.

Another good option for head coach Ange Postecoglou is Radu Dragusin, who has been linked with a move away from Tottenham.

Ben Davies is also part of the Tottenham squad, but the Wales international is a peripheral figure in the team.

Blessed with the ability to play as a centre-back or as a left-back, Davies has played just 29 minutes in the Premier League so far this season.

The 31-year-old has turned out four times in the UEFA Europa League and has made one start and one substitute appearance in the League Cup for Spurs so far this campaign.

Davies, who could have left Tottenham in September, is not a regular for Spurs, but he is a key player for Wales and was in action for his national team on Saturday evening.

National media reacts to Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben Davies’s performance for Wales vs Turkey

Wales played out a goalless draw with Turkey away from home at RHG Enertürk Enerji Stadyumu in UEFA Nations League – League B – Group 4.

Davies started in defence alongside Joe Rodon, and the Wales national media was impressed with the display produced by the 31-year-old.

While rating him 8 out of 10, WalesOnline described Davies as the “Star man” and noted: “Read the Turkish attack beautifully at times. Felt like he was in the way of everything that came his way.”

Davies took one shot which was not on target, had a pass accuracy of 86.2%, took 72 touches, attempted two dribbles, and made four tackles and one interception.

What Son Heung-min thinks of Tottenham Hotspur teammate Ben Davies

Davies has been on the books of Tottenham since 2014 and has been a reliable figure for the North London club over the years.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is a huge fan of Davies and has raved about him in the past.

Son said about on Davies and their friendship on Tottenham’s official website: “I’ve been at clubs where I’ve been close to players, but Ben has been really special, next level. I would say he’s my family member, someone I can really trust.

“On the pitch, Ben is so consistent, never complains, works so hard, and plays for the team.

“He’s a consummate professional, a player everyone can look up to. Whenever he’s had to step up, he’s always shined and helped the team in lots of different circumstances.

“That’s his skill. He’s always there for the team, a team player and always there for the club.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been granted a break from Premier League action with the final international window of the season.

As is becoming a ritual for Tottenham, the Lilywhites tasted defeat in their final game before the international break with a disappointing loss to Ipswich Town.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have a lot to work on when they return to action but face an away trip to Manchester City in their next outing.

Spurs are also suffering from some significant injuries with Micky van de Ven sidelined and now Cristian Romero suffering an injury blow.

Options at the back are being stretched ahead of a busy festive schedule with Radu Dragusin also currently on international duty.

Radu Dragusin impressed during Romania draw

Dragusin was in action on Friday night for Romania who played 90 minutes before the game against Kosovo was abandoned.

Dragusin has struggled of late at Tottenham with his agents recent comments about a move to Real Madrid looking slightly premature.

But the Romanian is needed with Tottenham’s current injury issues at the back and he showed his is capable of some fine displays during his international duty.

Postecoglou hailed Dragusin against Manchester City but some of his more recent showings have left a lot to be desired.

This comes with a potential return to Italy being on the cards as Dragusin has received interest from Napoli ahead of January.

Dragusin proving he can be a Tottenham starter

Although it has to be remembered Dragusin was coming up against much lesser opposition to what he’ll face in the Premier League, this should act as a real confidence boost.

Spurs need to tread carefully with their defensive options as Romero is receiving interest from Real Madrid ahead of the summer transfer window.

Dragusin’s need to find a higher level of performance in the Premier League over the coming months could be crucial to his future.

If Tottenham are to sell Romero then they are going to need someone to replace him in the starting XI and now is an opportunity for Dragusin to prove his worth.

Tottenham Hotspur are doing relatively well at the moment.

Spurs are 10th in the Premier League table, but the North London club are only three points off the UEFA Champions League places.

Tottenham’s recent form, though, has been patchy. Ange Postecoglou’s side have lost three of their last six Premier League games.

One of the Tottenham players who is struggling to make an impact at the moment is James Maddison.

Maddison, rated highly by Danny Murphy, is not guaranteed a place in the Tottenham starting lineup.

Postecoglou wants his midfielders to work hard more and to have more control in midfield.

Maddison’s game does not necessarily suit that. The £40 million England international is silky on the eye and is a brilliant playmaker, but he does his magic when he is on the ball and not off it.

The 27-year-old former Leicester City attacking midfielder has scored three goals and given three assists in nine starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season.

Maddison, described as a “luxury” player by pundit Robbie Earle, has also given one assist in two starts and one substitute appearance in the UEFA Europa League for the North London club so far this campaign.

Despite Maddison not enjoying a particularly good spell at the moment, Tottenham, who want to sign Facundo Buonanotte, are not looking to push him out of the club.

Tottenham Hotspur stance on James Maddison future

According to GiveMeSport, “there is no indication yet that Maddison will be leaving Tottenham in the immediate future”.

The report has added that “sources close to the club believe that a January transfer is very unlikely, giving Maddison a crucial opportunity to prove his worth as the season progresses”.

What Simon Jordan thinks of James Maddison

This is not the first time that Maddison’s playing style has been called into question.

Former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan noted in October that clubs like Liverpool would not sign Maddison.

Jordan said on talkSPORT: “Maddison, I think he’s a great player, I think he’s a great player, but he’s a bit flash for cash.

“I think he’s a great Tottenham player, but I don’t see Liverpool buying Maddison, I wouldn’t see Arsenal buying Maddison and I wouldn’t see Man City buying Maddison, but I see Spurs buying him.

“Spurs have always had players with great quality, but we’re talking about culture.”

Tottenham Hotspur did spend a considerable amount of money of the summer transfer window but there may still be a feeling more could have been done.

Ange Postecoglou has a lot of work to go over this latest international break with Tottenham sat in mid-table and with a game against Manchester City coming up next.

If results were to go against Tottenham next weekend then they could find themselves as low as 13th spot in the table.

And they could be going into the game with a number of injury concerns with Cristian Romero suffering a foot injury during the international break.

Spurs may have come into the campaign feeling they had sufficient backup on the bench, but the Spanish media has now highlighted one player’s struggles after rejecting a move to Spain.

Spanish media mock Lucas Bergvall’s move to Tottenham

Back in January, Lucas Bergvall rejected Barcelona for Tottenham as he eventually joined the club in the summer.

However, the youngster has not quite been able to make an impact in north London despite Bergvall impressing Postceoglou in Spurs training.

And the Spanish outlet SPORT have picked up on Bergvall’s struggles to break into the Tottenham XI having previously rejected Barcelona.

The Spanish outlet claimed Bergvall finds himself ‘stuck’ at Tottenham with a big emphasis on how he rejected a move to Barcelona.

After turning down the chance to play for Barca, the Spanish outlet has highlighted how Bergvall is struggling to even get a kick in the Tottenham side as we near December.

With Barcelona sat top of the table, they clearly feel as if Bergvall made the wrong decision.

Tottenham could loan Bergvall out in January

Over the summer, Tottenham sent a number of their young prospects out on loan to play more regular football.

Luka Vuskovic is impressing on loan with Westerlo over in Belgium and Bergvall could potentially benefit from a similar move.

The question would be where would be best to send Bergvall with the Swede clearly struggling to adapt to the English game.

“There have been a lot of games lately and a lot of rotations in the team. I’m still warming up . I’ve been a bit inconsistent. I played a very good game against AZ and then a less good game against Galatasaray,” said Bergvall.

Tottenham have invested heavily in the last few windows but still look a long way from being a team who can challenge for the highest honours in the game.

Ange Postecoglou is still trying to instil a winning mentality on his team but keeps coming across the same inconsistencies the managers before him have had.

With 100s of millions spent, the pressure really is on for Tottenham to finally deliver but despite that spending, it looks like Spurs are looking for more signings.

Indeed, according to Football Transfers, Tariq Lamptey is a name emerging on Spurs’ radar as they look to bolster the ranks.

Pedro Porro could be moved on as Tottenham eye Tariq Lamptey

Of course, Lamptey is a right-back who at one point was deemed as one of the very best full-backs coming through in the English game.

Tottenham, as we know, have got Pedro Porro nailed down in that position right now but if Lamptey was signed, it could be problematic for Porro.

Indeed, the thought that Spurs are even considering another right-back should be a warning to Porro, who remains a touch off it defensively.

Sure, Real Madrid are thought to like Porro, but there is no guarantee he gets that move.

The Spaniard, then, might be getting a kick up the backside here with Postecoglou potentially looking for a reaction from the man signed by Antonio Conte.

Lamptey could impress at Tottenham after Neal Maupay endorsement

As we know, Neal Maupay is not every Tottenham fan’s favourite player after his ‘banter’ with James Maddison.

But still, Maupay is a seasoned Premier League player and his words on Lamptey from previous should not go ignored.

Speaking about the impact of Lamptey previously, former Brighton man Neal Maupay spoke highly of the right-back and admitted he’s a well-liked player.

“Tariq is amazing. He’s been with us only six months now maybe, and he’s been on top every single day, and he’s such a good guy too. Everyone loves him in the team and every time he’s on the pitch, he gives everything he has,” Maupay said.

“He’s so quick, he’s got great quality on the ball too, he’s a good defender. We are all grateful to have him in the team.”

Maupay’s words, then, could well be something Tottenham fans look towards if this interest in Lamptey prevails into something.

Tottenham Hotspur are not having the best of times at the moment, and it seems that head coach Ange Postecoglou has already identified an area to strengthen in the January transfer window.

Expected to at least challenge for the Premier League top four this season, Tottenham find themselves down in 10th place.

That Spurs are only three points behind fourth-placed and North London rivals Arsenal is encouraging, but they are facing stiff competition from the likes of Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Aston Villa this season for a UEFA Champions League place.

According to CaughtOffSide, Tottenham are keen on making their defence stronger and have identified Illya Zabarnyi as a potential target in the January transfer window.

How much Tottenham Hotspur need to pay for Illya Zabarnyi

Although Bournemouth only recently handed Zabarnyi a new contract, the Cherries are reported to be open to cashing in on the 22-year-old centre-back for around £50 million.

Tottenham have been tracking Illya Zabarnyi for a while now, but the problem for the Spurs, who also want to sign Andy Diouf, is that Chelsea are also keen on the Ukraine international centre-back.

CaughtOffSide has noted that new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is “a huge fan of the defender’s playing capabilities and would make room for him in an ever-expanding Chelsea squad”.

What has been said about Tottenham Hotspur target Illya Zabarnyi

Zabarnyi has been on the books of Bournemouth only since January 2023, but he has already played 53 times in the Premier League and has been getting a lot of praise.

Bournemouth and Denmark international midfielder Philip Billing noted in The Daily Echo in December 2023 that the 22-year-old centre-back is “unbelievable”.

Gary O’Neil, who signed Zabarnyi for Bournemouth, said on BBC Sport in February 2023: “He [Zabarnyi] has played a lot of high-level football matches for his age. He has good quality on the ball and a real good physical presence.

“I’m delighted to have him as it was an area I was keen to strengthen in. Traore played against AC Milan on the weekend and got an assist. They scored five goals that day so he is a talented boy that has been playing top-level football in Italy.

“He comes in real good shape as he has been used to playing 90 minutes of football. Zabarnyi was in a period of a mid-season break at Dynamo Kyiv so he comes in with a slightly different situation. However, I am delighted with both of them.”

Tottenham’s spiritual home will always be North London, but Daniel Levy and his peers in the Spurs boardroom are increasingly targeting international markets for brand exposure and commercial gains.

Spurs have been prolific in South Korea, for example, for obvious reasons.

The commercial impact of a specific player from a certain nation can sometimes be overstated, but the hyperbole is entirely justified in the case Son Heung-min at Tottenham.

This week they have recently announced new commercial deals with companies targeting the Malaysian, Middle East and South American markets.

But perhaps their most significant commercial drive is in the United States thanks to their affiliation with the NFL.

The NFL was in North London again recently, with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears all playing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The NFL have strong ties with Spurs dating back several years now, with the American football league contributing an eight-figure sum to the construction of the stadium.

Now, that association could be set to reach dizzy new heights.

Tottenham will be the biggest beneficiaries of new NFL target, says finance expert

Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, is one of the most powerful and influential people in sport.

Earlier this week, Goodell revealed that the NFL is planning to take eight more matches overseas, taking the total number in the International Series to 16.

With Spurs banking several million from the NFL every time they play in North London, they will welcome the news that their visits could potentially become more frequent.

“As far as Spurs are concerned, they are the NFL’s first choice,” said Kieran Maguire, football finance lecturer at Liverpool University, Price of Football author, and football industry insider.

“They have a state-of-the-art stadium that they future-proofed when the designed it. It has been created to empty the wallets of fans. And don’t forget, NFL fans are used to paying premium prices.

“I imagine Spurs will be in consideration. I think this will be a major beneficiary, especially combined with the council’s decision to increase the number of events they are allowed to hold.

“Spurs are looking for the most lucrative options to fill those slots and the NFL is clearly one.”

NFL chain reaction: Could Tottenham soon play competitive matches in America?

Privately, many big-name clubs want to take their matches outside their traditional locale.

The backlash from the European Super League means very few will say that publicly, but the NFL deal could start mission creep towards a non-UK Premier League match overseas, Maguire projects.

“Spurs are in prime position to take advantage of the NFL expansion,” he said.

“Clubs will be looking in the opposite direction too. If the NFL can get £780m from matches takin place in Europe, can the Premier League get a similar deal for eight matches in overseas markets?

The idea of a ’39th game’ has been mooted for many years, but the mood music within the football finance industry is that it is creeping closer.

The United States, where the Premier League Summer Series has not provided the exposure or buy-in that Richard Masters hoped, would undoubtedly be the first destination.

Spurs have targeted Asia as a pre-season destination more regularly than America, most due to the natural associations they have with the region through Son.

Amanda Staveley is eyeing a Premier League comeback and has Tottenham in her crosshairs.

It is easy to see why the North London club are seemingly her top target. Daniel Levy is a divisive figure among fans but his reputations in the world of football finance and business is second to none.

Via her investment vehicle PCP Capital Partners, Staveley has reportedly raised £500m through a consortium of Middle Eastern and United States-based backers.

Since the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019, the growth in Spurs’ revenue has been remarkably resilient – even with a pandemic and several season outside the Champions League.

Silverware may continue to allude them, but that will not dissuade the pool of high net wroth groups and individuals who are targeting minority investment in Spurs.

Their rapidly maturing commercial operation and growing appeal to an overseas fanbase thanks to carefully planted seeds has in recent years is paying off.

As far as private wealth is concerned, Daniel Levy and ENIC are in mid-table in the Premier League, but are punching above their weight in terms of the metrics investors use to evaluate business.

Commercial income is absolutely central to the perception of them as a blue-chip asset. And Spurs could soon welcome a new face into the boardroom to help them further in this department.

Spurs new commercial chief set for boardroom role?

In February this year, Spurs announced – in a remarkable blunt, one-sentence statement – that chief commercial officer Todd Kline was set to leave the club.

The potential reason for the prosaic announcement became apparent after it emerged that Kline was joining rivals Chelsea.

Kline has only just begun work at Stamford Bridge after completing his gardening leave at Spurs, with the club he has now formally departed still yet to name his replacement.

TBR Football understands that Spurs will soon name a new chief commercial officer. It is not known, however, whether they will take a seat on Spurs’ board of directors as Kline did.

“Commercial revenue is one area where clubs have an element of control,” said Kieran Maguire, an industry insider and football finance lecturer at Liverpool University.

“Therefore, having someone with experience in the role and can communicate at ‘C’ level is essentially

“I would imagine the commercial director will have a board position because the decisions they make are significant financially in the long term.”

Tottenham stadium naming rights: CCO’s top priority

When Kline joined a little over three years ago, his self-professed main agenda was to secure a stadium naming rights deal, with Spurs targeting £20-25m per year.

Will that remain the new chief commercial officer’s top priority? And why might this would-be deal in particular mean Spurs should give their newest executive a seat on the board.

Kieran Maguire said: “If you’re signing a stadium naming rights deal or shirt deal, these tend to be long-term arrangements.

“Because of that, they have ramifications for the club for many years, so you need someone who can oversee that strategy.

“For a club like Spurs, who have spectacularly increased their commercial revenue since moving to the new stadium, commercial income can have a dramatic effect on the budget and therefore results on the pitch.”

The latest with Amanda Staveley’s part-takeover ambitions

It emerged in July that Staveley wants to buy into Tottenham, with Levy believed to value the club at £3.75bn.

If the financier has indeed raised £500m in capital, that would get her only a small minority stake in Spurs, not even necessarily enough to guarantee her a seat on the board and significant voting power.

Given that she has repeatedly said she wants a hands-on role, Spurs might not be ideal.

Indeed, overreaching into almost every department was reportedly among the reason she was ousted at Newcastle.

In the latest developments, however, Staveley has restructured the portfolio of business linked to her involvement in football, with some suggesting that is a precursor to a formal offer for Spurs.

She has also been spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a guest of ENIC and Levy’s for the NFL’s London Games, of which she is believed to be a fan as a spectacle and business prospect.

Tottenham Hotspur may be forced to dive into the January transfer market after what has been a poor start to the season.

With 11 games now under their belt, Ange Postecoglou’s men are not exactly where they’d like to be as they sit down in 10th spot of the table.

The January transfer market is often viewed as a window of opportunity but Tottenham have problems they need to fix.

Once again, Cristian Romero has suffered a foot injury which is now expected to see him miss Argentina’s next game.

But it is not just short-term injuries which could hamper Spurs down the line with some of their defenders already being linked with summer moves away.

Tottenham exploring January move for Tariq Lamptey

According to Football Transfers, Tottenham are now exploring a move for Brighton & Hove Albion right-back Tariq Lamptey.

The defender is now in the final months of his contract on the south coast with Brighton believed to be looking to sell him in January.

However, it is believed Tottenham are not the only side showing interest in Lamptey with Everton also keen on the Ghana international.

Right-back could become a position of need for Tottenham with Pedro Porro receiving interest from Real Madrid ahead of the summer.

And that is exactly why Postecoglou is said to be leading the charge for a potential new right-back addition.

Tariq Lamptey is even faster than Heung-min Son

Lamptey has endured his struggles over recent years with injuries hindering his game time with the Seagulls.

The 24-year-old has only played 10 minutes of Premier League football this season as he awaits his first league start under Fabian Hurzeler.

However, when he is fit, Lamptey is known for his impressive pace (22.8 mph) which The Sun clocked as even faster than Heung-min Son (21.7 mph) back in 2020.

With Porro potentially heading for the exit in the summer, that could leave Tottenham with only Djed Spence as the senior option at right-back.