TBR Football

Jamie Donley made his Championship debut for Stoke City in a 3-1 win over Derby County following his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur.

Donley impressed on loan at Leyton Orient last term and has now earned the chance to step up to the second tier of English football.

Pep Guardiola hailed Donley after Man City’s FA Cup win over Orient back in February, as the youngster forced the opening goal after a stunning effort from 40 yards out.

After having had a chance to assess him during pre-season, Thomas Frank and Spurs opted to send the midfielder out on loan, and his Championship debut has fans talking.

Tottenham wish they’d kept Jamie Donley after James Maddison’s injury

The Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate produced a wonderful assist on his debut for the Potters as he set up Sorba Thomas’ goal, which secured a 3-1 win.

Spurs supporters have now been questioning the club’s decision to send Jamie Donley out on loan in the aftermath of James Maddison’s ACL injury.

The 28-year-old is expected to miss a large part of the new campaign following the knee injury he suffered against Newcastle in pre-season.

Maddison going down has left Spurs short in terms of creative options in midfield, with Dejan Kulusevski also sidelined following an injury.

So, with the Lilywhites on the hunt for a new attacking midfielder and Donley making a quick impression in the Midlands, supporters have taken to X to share their frustration at the decision to send him out.

One supporter said: “Spurs are looking for a number ten, and Jamie Donley gets an assist on his debut for Stoke City after coming on in the 74th minute.”

“Maddison is injured, money to be spent on his cover and the cover’s cover, yet Donley is loaned… It doesn’t make sense,” claimed another fan.

There were further question marks over Spurs’ decision to loan Donley out: “Why loan him out? We have no attacking midfielder, and even if we buy one, he could easily get good minutes still. This club makes some odd decisions.”

Finally, another fan stated: “I would’ve stuck by him this season at Tottenham with the injuries.”

The 20-year-old is highly rated at Spurs, but after pre-season, it was clear that a season in the Championship was needed before he becomes a first-teamer at Spurs.

With 21 days remaining in the summer transfer window, the Lilywhites must now decide whether to stick or twist with their options in attacking midfield.

Tottenham targeting James McAtee transfer to replace James Maddison

TBR Football understands that James McAtee is a possible Maddison replacement being targeted by Spurs, with talks taking place.

Meanwhile, reports elsewhere suggest McAtee is keen on Tottenham and is now waiting for the Lilywhites to make their move.

Man City want £40 million for McAtee, which is the same fee they received from Chelsea for Cole Palmer back in 2023.

The 22-year-old has just enjoyed an impressive tournament at the European Championships earlier this summer as he captained England U-21 to glory.

He managed six goal contributions in five matches for the young Three Lions, featuring in an array of positions across the front line.

Tottenham Hotspur haven’t done enough in the transfer window.

The North Londoners have turned Mathys Tel’s loan into a permanent deal and have also signed Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai.

Thomas Frank needs much more help across multiple areas of the pitch, but for one reason or another, Spurs are not close to signing anyone at the moment.

Tottenham did have an interest in one Premier League defender, but he is now on his way to join a different club.

PSG were scared that Tottenham could hijack their Ilya Zabarnyi deal

Ilya Zabarnyi was fantastic for Bournemouth in the 2024/25 season.

The Ukraine international’s performances were often overshadowed by Dean Huijsen’s brilliance, but he was just as good as the now Real Madrid star.

After his excellent season under Andoni Iraola, a number of clubs had an eye on the 22-year-old centre-back.

TBR revealed in June that Liverpool and Chelsea both liked Zabarnyi, while in July, we broke the news that Tottenham had made an approach to sign Zabarnyi.

L’Equipe have now claimed that during negotiations, the decision-makers at PSG feared that Spurs or Newcastle United could hijack their move to sign the Bournemouth defender.

However, Zabarnyi had made up his mind. He had no interest in joining Tottenham or Newcastle – he only wanted to join PSG this summer.

TBR confirmed that PSG are closing in on signing Zabarnyi for a fee close to €65 million (£56.3m) in the coming days.

Tottenham are at risk of more injuries

Frank’s system doesn’t demand the same kind of intensity that Tottenham players were forced to deliver under Ange Postecoglou last season.

However, the North Londoners will play more intense games in the upcoming campaign because they will be in the Champions League.

Takai is the only new defender to arrive at Hotspur Way this summer. He is currently injured, as is Radu Dragusin, who has been out for months.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven’s injury history is not great either, which leaves just Kevin Danso and young Luka Vuskovic.

Entering the new season with only these options is far from ideal. Making the likes of Romero and Van de Ven play every game will increase the risk of injuries, and Spurs could end up in the same situation that they were in last season.

That would be a disaster.

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min made his first appearance for LAFC in a 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire in the MLS.

Son joined LAFC in a deal worth around £20m from Tottenham after the two parties mutually agreed to part ways following 10 years together.

Tottenham were reluctant to sell Son, but eventually agreed to grant the 33-year-old his wish of a move to the MLS. John Thorrington, LAFC co-president, hailed Tottenham during negotiations for Son, with the clubs reaching a ‘win-win’ agreement.

The South Korean legend was quick to make an impression at his new home as he left Spurs supporters in agreement after watching his debut.

Tottenham fans impressed by Son Heung-min’s speed

Tottenham Hotspur fans were impressed by Son Heung-min’s speed against LAFC, a quality that he didn’t get to showcase often enough for the Lilywhites last season.

The winger made a strong start to life in Los Angeles as he was sent racing through on goal and was taken out for a penalty.

Son’s performances were questioned for large parts of last season, as the veteran struggled to reach the same heights he hit throughout his Spurs career.

During his decision to leave, Son accepted that his best years were behind him, and he didn’t want to become a burden for the team, despite Thomas Frank being open to keeping him.

Now, of course, there is a difference in quality between the MLS and the Premier League, but Son showed he still has incredible pace, which is likely to cause mayhem in his new league.

After watching his debut for the MLS side, Tottenham fans took to X to share their thoughts on the attacker’s performance.

One Tottenham fan claimed: “I’m willing to watch MLS just to see Son look like he’s 25 again. Beautiful.”

“Sonny is still lightning fast in the game earlier, and he’s 33,” another added.

An LAFC fan added their thoughts on Son’s debut: “His movement, speed already makes us so much more dynamic. Denis is going have to learn to defer to him more and link up rather than take defenders on 1v1 so much, but I’m confident they’ll adjust.”

Finally, another supporter stated: “What a burst of pace from Sonny! Glad to see him play the nine role for LAFC. Give him minimal defensive duties and lots of space to run, and he will wreak havoc.”

Tottenham need to replace Son, and their search for a new left winger will soon need to accelerate with just 22 days until the transfer deadline.

Currently, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are expected to fight it out for a place on the left side of Frank’s attack.

Son Heung-min reacts to his MLS debut for LAFC

Son admitted that he was ‘very grateful’ for the opportunity to make his MLS debut for LAFC following weeks of discussions about the move.

The former Spurs star came close to making it the perfect debut by scoring as he came so close to scoring a winning goal in the final moments of the match.

Speaking after his MLS debut, Son said: “I just finished my debut, it feels amazing and I am grateful that I have this opportunity, I’m disappointed not to get the three points, but I mean the fans were outstanding and I can’t wait for the next match.”

After watching just how sharp he looked against Chicago’s defence, the forward could be set for an exciting season in the States.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season plans received a blow on Thursday evening, with the Premier League side beaten 4-0 by German giants Bayern Munich in Bavaria.

The game gave Spurs fans a glimpse of former hero Harry Kane, who scored against his boyhood club and missed a penalty in the one-sided clash.

While Tottenham fans would love to see Kane back in their colours, the former Spurs striker knows a number of the current side well given they have moved to N17 from Bayern.

After the game at the Allianz Arena, Kane picked out a new Spurs player for special praise.

Kane talks up Palhinha signing

Tottenham signed Joao Palhinha from Bayern earlier in the summer, with the Portugal international moving to North London on a season-long loan deal.

The former Fulham man is being tipped to add quality and energy to the Spurs midfield this season and will increase manager Thomas Frank’s options in the heart of his team.

Kane played alongside Palhinha last season as Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title and said the Portuguese battler would bring plenty of qualities to Tottenham.

“He’s tough, he tackles hard, he’s good on the ball, he knows the Premier League well from his time at Fulham and he’s a guy that will give everything for you,” Kane told Tottenham’s official website.

“I know he’s going to a good place and he’ll hopefully get some more game time and show what he can do.”

Palhinha brings quality and industry to Tottenham

Tottenham struggled for consistency in the centre of the pitch last season, with either Yves Bissouma or Rodrigo Bentancur selected as the deepest player in a midfield trio.

While Bissouma is technically gifted on the ball, his lapses in concentration and propensity to give away possession in dangerous areas cost Spurs.

Bentancur is a gifted and smart footballer, but following a spate of recent injuries has lacked the physical intensity he showed when he first joined Tottenham in January 2022.

In Palhinha, Spurs have signed someone who can dictate the pace of the game in possession and a player with a ferocious appetite to win the ball back when his team don’t have it.

Tottenham lacked protection in front of their defence last season, with Bissouma or Bentancur regularly caught out of position or overrun.

If Frank can get Palhinha fit and make him the fulcrum of the team, Spurs’ midfield balance will surely be much improved in 2025-26.

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is assessing his squad ahead of the new 2025-26 Premier League season, with a number of players potentially set to be frustrated with a lack of game time.

The Spurs head coach replaced Ange Postecoglou at Spurs over the summer, with the Dane promising a different style of football at the Premier League club to his predecessor.

Tottenham operated in a very specific way under Postecoglou, who wanted his team to play out from the back and dominate possession in games.

As such, Tottenham signed Antonin Kinsky during the Australian’s tenure, with the Czech Republic international possessing all the footballing and technical skills to play in Postecoglou’s system.

However, with Guglielmo Vicario seemingly set to be Spurs’ number one choice in goal again this season, it remains to be seen how much football the former Slavia Prague stopper will get in North London.

As such, it appears there is a decision for Tottenham to make, with L’Equipe reporting there is interest in Kinsky from French side Lille.

Loan approach for Kinsky, but Spurs being ‘very greedy’

The French newspaper claim Lille have made a loan move for Kinsky as they look to replace current goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, who appears set to join Paris Saint-Germain.

The report states the Tottenham goalkeeper is ‘motivated’ by the possible loan move, but Spurs are being ‘very greedy’ in relation to a potential fee to make the temporary deal happen.

For Tottenham, having strength in depth will be important in the upcoming season as they look to compete on four fronts, including in the Champions League.

Kinsky is a prodigious talent who has already played European football and been called up to the Czech Republic senior squad, despite only being 22.

For the Prague-born keeper, regular football would be a key element in his progression and allow him to challenge Vicario for the number one spot at Tottenham.

Tottenham can’t really afford to lose a keeper

However, with Fraser Forster leaving Spurs at the end of last season, the London club could be left short of back-up options in goal if they allow Kinsky to depart for France.

Brandon Austin is also in the first-team squad at N17, but the 26-year-old has only made one senior Tottenham appearance despite being at the club his entire career.

For Spurs, permitting Kinsky to go out on loan could be a big boost to the Czech goalkeeper’s progression but may leave them light on options should Vicario become unavailable or get injured.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that a player Tottenham Hotspur reportedly bid for a few weeks ago is now set to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham have had a decent enough transfer window so far, making a number of signings including Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Mathys Tel.

However, Spurs could certainly do with some more reinforcements, particularly at centre-back and in central midfield.

Tottenham recently tried their luck with an offer for a particularly impressive Premier League defender, but sadly he had already made his decision over his next career move.

Ilya Zabarnyi snubs Tottenham in favour of Paris Saint-Germain move

The player in question is Bournemouth and Ukraine defender Ilya Zabarnyi, who Tottenham reportedly bid for in mid-July.

Duncan Castles told The Transfer Podcasts at the time: “Guidance from Bournemouth is that Tottenham have offered €70million (£60.5million) for the player, which is owner Bill Foley’s asking price.”

However, Zabarnyi only ever had eyes for Paris Saint-Germain and, according to Fabrizio Romano, PSG head coach Luis Enrique is set to get his man for £58million.

Romano wrote on X: “Ilya Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain, here we go!

“New centre-back for Luis Enrique, set to sign five-year deal after fee package worth €67m verbally agreed with Bournemouth.

“Zabarnyi will travel ahead of UEFA Super Cup for medical.”

How Tottenham could be made to rue Ilya Zabarnyi missed opportunity in just a few days’ time

Tottenham were linked with Zabarnyi – a player who Philip Billing deemed “unbelievable” – back in 2022 when Antonio Conte was in charge of the club.

Zabarnyi was playing for Dynamo Kyiv at the time, so it would have been the perfect opportunity for Spurs to sign him when he was still relatively unknown.

However, Tottenham’s approach this year has come after Zabarnyi proved himself in the Premier League, prompting interest from the newly-crowned Champions League winners.

Worse still for Spurs, they will be up against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup in a few days, so there’s a good chance Zabarnyi will be in contention to go up against them in such a key game.

Tottenham have begun a new era after club legend and adored captain Son Heung-min completed his move to LAFC, bringing an end to ten brilliant years in the Premier League.

Son joined LAFC for around £20m after bidding an emotional farewell to Spurs, and was unveiled at his new club on Thursday. Son joins former Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris in Los Angeles, and will take a considerable personal fanbase with him to the MLS.

Tottenham are weighing up a move for a replacement in the transfer market, with Thomas Frank telling reporters this week that he is happy with his current options but is open to a new forward if the right player is available.

And that stance is underlined by their reluctance to lose Son, even if they did not stand in his way when he asked to leave.

Tottenham were reluctant to lose Son Heung-min but granted the winger his wish

Speaking to his club’s Black and Gold Insider Podcast, LAFC co-president John Thorrington couldn’t hide his delight this week at securing Son’s transfer.

Thorrington explained how LAFC had beaten off considerable interest in Son, while Spurs also fought to keep him. However, once Son was convinced by the LAFC project, Thorrington says Spurs then accepted their captain could leave.

“You have a club that loves him. Sonny is an absolute legend at Spurs,” Thorrington began. “For that reason, it does take a lot of work and a really appealing proposition to attract the player.

“We were all hands on deck, nothing disingenuous but explaining who we are, and also then finding a club [Spurs] that ended up being reasonable about where things stood and understanding this was what Sonny wanted to do with the next step of his career.

“It took a lot of hard work. Sonny was not short of options. We were always hopeful, I always felt we connected well. You sensed that he really got it. He really understood LAFC, there was an opportunity for him to meet our owners as well.”

Hugo Lloris helped convince Son Heung-min to join LAFC from Tottenham

Thorrington also revealed how Hugo Lloris acted as a salesman for LAFC as he helped convince his old teammate to join the MLS outfit.

Lloris left Spurs in 2023 after 11 seasons, and has made 76 appearances for the Black and Gold, winning the 2024 US Open Cup.

“Just as an aside, this Tottenham legend to LAFC [comparison] wasn’t intentional,” Thorrington said. “But in this case was helpful because we have Hugo [Lloris].”

For the first time since the 2014/15 campaign, Tottenham will play a Premier League season without Son Heung-min.

Son completed his move to LAFC shortly after announcing his desire to end his 10-year stay in North London.

Despite having just a year left on his contract, and past his peak at 33 years of age, Thomas Frank’s side were still able to command a sizeable fee of £20million for their captain.

That can be attributed to the strong negotiating skills of those in the Tottenham boardroom, of which their counterparts at LAFC have shed some light on.

Tottenham were ‘great’ in negotiations over Son Heung-min, according to LAFC co-president

John Thorrington, LAFC co-president, sat next to Son at his unveiling and was a key factor in persuading the forward to join the MLS franchise.

As the winger relayed after making the move to the United States: “If I’m honest, [LAFC] was not my first choice. But [from the] first call when I talked to John after the season finished, he just changed my mind.

“He changed my heart. He changed my brain. He showed me the destination where I should be. Right now, I’m here. I’m more than happy.”

Thorrington has since offered an insight into the transfer talks with Spurs that secured Son’s high-profile signing.

Speaking on the Black and Gold Insider podcast, the 45-year-old said: “Let me just say we’ve got to know each other really well over the last few weeks. When you’re negotiating, it’s not always the friendliest of conversations.

“But in all seriousness, they were great, we ended up finding the right solution for them and us. We always try to negotiate win-wins and I think we did in this case for us, for Tottenham, and for the player.”

Daniel Levy and Tottenham were tougher negotiators when it came to Harry Kane

The comments by Thorrington somewhat challenge the reputation that Levy is a tough negotiator, even if Spurs will be happy to recoup almost all of the fee they paid Bayer Leverkusen for Son in 2015.

Perhaps the most notorious example of Levy’s transfer stance was the 2021 saga over Harry Kane, who felt he had a gentleman’s agreement to leave Tottenham, according to the Guardian.

However, after Manchester City bid more than £100m for the England captain, Levy refused to entertain any offer under £150m.

Kane would later leave Spurs for Bayern Munich for an initial £86m in 2023, while City signed Erling Haaland a year later for £51m.

The Son deal shows that Tottenham took a different approach to their two club legends, likely because of their prospective destinations: had Kane joined Manchester City, he would have stayed in the Premier League and significantly improved a side Tottenham were hoping to compete against.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a decent enough transfer window so far, but Spurs fans aren’t happy with the latest move the club has made.

Tottenham have bought Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso and Kota Takai, while Luka Vuskovic has arrived at N17 after a deal was struck in 2023.

Spurs have also added Joao Palhinha to their ranks, signing the Bayern Munich midfielder on loan with an option to buy.

Palhinha’s arrival has allowed a different Tottenham midfielder to move elsewhere, but Spurs fans are not pleased over what has happened.

Tottenham fans unhappy over Alfie Devine loan move to Preston North End with option to buy

On Friday, Tottenham confirmed that Alfie Devine had signed a new contract before going out on loan to Preston North End.

This would suggest that Devine has a future with Tottenham, but Preston confirmed that the deal includes an option to buy.

Tottenham fans are disappointed that another top talent has left N17, with the real possibility that he could leave for good.

In addition, Spurs lack creativity at present due to the injury-enforced absence of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, and Devine is a No. 10 by trade.

“This club is cooked,” one fan wrote on X. “No one has a clue what to do. Reactive at every opportunity.”

Another said: “What a terrible job we’ve done with him.”

The criticism kept coming, with one fan writing: “Just watched Bayern kids score us, while we pursue ours away.”

Another supporter said: “Horrendous youth development.”

Another fan wrote: “If he was in the Chelsea academy, he would have had decent loans and would hold a decent value.

“Even if he didn’t make it, they would have got good money. Spurs will get £5-7million for him.”

What Tottenham need to learn from Liverpool on the youth front

Not only are Tottenham fans annoyed at the prospect of losing Devine, who could surely do a job in the squad, but at the prospect of him leaving for peanuts.

For instance, Jarell Quansah has joined Bayer Leverkusen in a £35million deal, while Tyler Morton has gone to Lyon for £15million.

In addition, Real Madrid actually gave Liverpool £10million to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold before the Club World Cup.

Neutral fans have been praising Liverpool for their transfer business, with one fan explaining why Morton has gone for so much.

“He has had two loans to the Championship and both times were one of the best midfielders in the league,” said the Reds supporter.

“Plus played plenty of minutes for us in cup games and Champions League.”

Thomas Frank will be under immense pressure to deliver immediate results in his debut campaign at Tottenham Hotspur.

Daniel Levy displayed his ruthless streak when he sacked Ange Postecoglou, despite the club’s Europa League trophy win following an abysmal 17th-placed Premier League finish.

Although Frank’s arrival in North London sparked plenty of excitement among the supporters, the squad that suffered throughout the entirety of last season has remained virtually intact.

Mohammed Kudus arrived from West Ham after Mathys Tel made his loan move from Bayern Munich permanent, but Spurs’ loan signing of Joao Palhinha ends the additions at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And now Gabriel Agbonlahor has singled out one Spurs star who is “just not good enough” to represent the club ahead of their return to the Champions League this season.

Richarlison is holding back Tottenham and Dominic Solanke

Richarlison has failed to live up to the high expectations set when he completed a £60 million move from Everton in 2022.

Everton and Leeds United have been linked with Richarlison throughout the summer as his future in North London remains a subject of debate.

However, Agbonlahor believes Richarlison is not good enough for Tottenham, adding the Brazilian is actually holding back Dominic Solanke when speaking on talkSPORT.

“They need a lot, because you need a striker in there who can push Solanke – even take his place – and help him get better. Because it’s not Richarlison, is it?

“Richarlison might as well come and work with us, mate. For me, he’s just not good enough – and that’s being truthful. Spurs fans will agree.

“Yeah, he might run around, shoulder barge someone, pop up with the odd goal… but he wasn’t at the level Spurs needed last season. And he’s definitely not at the level this squad wants to get to now.

“So Richarlison’s got to be left. He’s not good enough. You need a top striker. Someone who can challenge Solanke. You’re playing Champions League football now.

“I do like Brennan Johnson – I think he’ll get better with more games off that right-hand side. Off the left, Tel didn’t look outstanding during his loan last season, but if he can improve, maybe.

“But you’re going into the big boy league now – the Champions League, man.”

Richarlison expected to start the season at Tottenham

In an ideal world, Tottenham would capitalise on their participation in the Champions League this season and acquire another attacker to challenge Solanke for a starting berth.

However, the England international has been nursing an injury throughout pre-season, leaving Frank with little choice but to select Richarlison to lead the line.

The Brazilian has failed to find the back of the net in any of his outings and looked like a fish out of water during the 4-0 loss against Bayern Munich on Thursday.

This does not bode well for Frank, who will soon face European champions PSG in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, and as things stand, Solanke remains out of contention for the clash.

Fortunately, Spurs will host newly promoted Burnley in the Premier League curtain raiser, but questions must be seriously asked of Richarlison, particularly if a market opportunity arises to upgrade in the position before the end of the transfer window.