TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur have just confirmed that one of their players has left the club despite only just reporting back for pre-season training.

Thomas Frank is expected to make several changes to his Tottenham Hotspur squad over the coming weeks.

Pre-season is now well underway at Hotspur Way with the first friendly against Reading now just nine days away.

Frank will assess various players as he decides whether to keep them in North London or not, but one player has already been offloaded.

Tottenham fans fume at Alejo Veliz deal

For the third time since his move to Tottenham, Alejo Veliz has left the club on loan in what has been a truly disastrous signing from the Lilywhites.

Veliz re-joins Rosario Central on loan without an option to buy, and Spurs fans are so frustrated that they have been unable to move him on permanently.

It’s clear that the Argentine isn’t going to make the grade in English football, so trying to recoup a fee for him would be the ideal next step.

Tottenham signed Veliz for £13m back in the summer of 2023, and since then, he has featured just eight times for the North London club.

Loans to Sevilla and Espanyol haven’t been much of a success either, with Veliz netting just once in La Liga across 33 matches.

Gil has found himself in a similar situation where the Lilywhites have continued to loan him, with no club willing to pay a fee.

Tottenham fans have now slammed the club for signing him in the first place and believe he will continue to go on loan until his contract expires.

One fan said: “What an awful bit of business Veliz was. Came out of the Kane money as a potential replacement, and now we’re giving him back for nothing. We used to be good at buying and selling, now we are shocking.”

Another added: “Veliz should never have been signed in the first place. An honest tryer, but he’s never been a PL standard player. Poor analysis and scouting once again.”

There was further disappointment towards the deal: “It’s funny how we credit Paratici for all the good business, but stuff like this, we let him get a pass. He’s been mostly good, but his lows have been some of the worst in the history of the club.”

Finally, another added: “It was ridiculous to bring him straight over as a 19-year-old with no experience of European football and no clear plan for his development. Sat around for six months, Seville for six months, Espanyol for the next season… How is any young player going to adapt and develop like that?”

Bryan Gil’s praise for Alejo Veliz

Gil and Veliz won’t have spent too much time together at Tottenham, but they did cross paths initially during the Argentine’s first summer at Hotspur Way.

Given that both players are Spanish-speaking, the pair quickly seemed to strike up a friendship at Tottenham.

Back in 2023, Gil called Veliz ‘the tank’, posting an image of the duo working in the gym together at Spurs’ training complex in Enfield.

The Spanish international is likely to now follow Veliz in heading out on loan again this summer, with the winger having just returned from being on loan at Girona.

Gil actually made six Champions League appearances for the Spanish club last term, whilst also notching six goal contributions in La Liga.

Sheffield United and Tottenham rarely do business with one another.

Spurs took Will Lankshear from the Blades in 2022, but before that, a double deal to sign Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton in 2009 was the last transaction between the two clubs.

Now, however, Tottenham could be about to sell Ashley Phillips to Sheffield United after an interesting development involving Burnley No.5 Maxime Esteve.

Tottenham may have decided to sell Ashley Phillips as talks begin over Maxime Esteve deal

L’Equipe in France now state that Tottenham have opened talks with Burnley over a deal for the French centre-back.

Spurs saw a bid rejected for Esteve on transfer deadline day in February – believed to be worth £20m – but have now returned to the negotiating table in a development which could end up benefitting Ruben Selles at Bramall Lane.

Sheffield United are willing to spend £6m on Phillips this summer as the Blades aim to bounce back from losing the playoff final last season and win promotion to the Premier League next term.

Should Tottenham sign Esteve, it would mean Thomas Frank has Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai in his centre-back department along with the England U20 international, which seems far too populated, especially when you consider the Dane only typically uses two central defenders in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

Therefore, the fact talks have restarted with Burnley suggests Tottenham are prepared to sell Phillips – who Dejan Kulusevski admires – to Sheffield United.

What Maxime Esteve has already said about Tottenham

Tottenham must agree a fee with Burnley, but personal terms with Esteve shouldn’t be an issue based on what the Frenchman confessed recently.

Esteve said he admired Spurs and Van de Ven when speaking to Foot Mercato back in May, saying: “I dreamed of England really when I was a kid, I watched on TV. My favourite player was Gareth Bale when he played in Tottenham at the time.

“My dream is more to play for a top six club in England. There’s a player I love very much in the Premier League… Micky van de Ven, the centre of Tottenham.

“He is very fast, and I like him because I have the impression that I have a bit of the same speed qualities, even if he goes much faster. I feel inspired by him, because he’s a player who has about the same profile as me.”

Soon, Esteve could be playing alongside the Netherlands international, in a development which could see Phillips depart without a senior appearance to his name.

Tottenham Hotspur are getting going in the summer transfer window as they enter a new era under Thomas Frank.

Spurs have already made two signings this summer in the shape of Mathys Tel and Kota Takai, and, by all accounts, Takai could be a great signing.

Tottenham are also chasing further additions, notably in the attack, and Mohammed Kudus has emerged as a key target.

Tottenham made a bid for Kudus last week, but that was knocked back, and, as of yet, no concrete headway has been made on this front.

However, according to Alex Crook, speaking on TalkSPORT, this is a deal that will probably get done this summer.

Mohammed Kudus likely to join Tottenham this summer

Crook was discussing Tottenham’s move for Kudus.

The journalist says West Ham are still reluctant to sell the attacker to Tottenham, but he admits that a deal is probably going to happen.

Indeed, Crook notes that West Ham do need to raise some money this summer, and selling Kudus is the way to do that.

Kudus is an ‘incredible’ player, who certainly should command a big fee this summer.

“Well this is the classic Daniel Levy negotiation here. The up front offer is a guaranteed £50m,” Crook said.

“West Ham maintain they want at least £60m, but the add-ons, as you say, I understand they’re dependent on winning the Premier League title, which Tottenham have never done, and winning the Champions League, something that David Sullivan has said to his Spurs counter-part ‘come on let’s have realistic add-ons.”

“There is a reluctance from West Ham to sell Kudus to Tottenham because they know it will go down badly with the fanbase.”

“Kudus has made it pretty clear that he wants to make that move, but there’s still some negotiating to be done.”

“Realistically do you think Spurs will sign him?” Crook was asked.

“Probably, because I think West Ham need to sell, they spent a lot of money last summer, not many of those signings have worked, the Declan Rice money is gone, and they have a new manager Graham Potter who wants to bring in players of their own,” Crook said.

West Ham’s record sales

West Ham want at least £60m for Mohammed Kudus, and that would make him the second-most expensive player departure in the Hammers’ history, by some distance too.

Indeed, West Ham’s record sale is Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m, but, beyond that, the Hammers haven’t been the best at cashing in on top talents.

Tottenham have been testing the water with Kudus, and, by the sounds of it, their interest isn’t waning after this bid.

As Crook says, Kudus wants to join Tottenham, and he will probably get his wish, but, at the moment, there is an impasse in negotiations that still needs to be overcome.

West Ham will be able to reinvest once they sell Kudus, and this may be a situation where all parties are hoping for a resolution sooner rather than later.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to sign Mohammed Kudus this summer, however, a deal for the forward should be approached with care.

TBR Football exclusively revealed that Tottenham had a third bid for Kudus rejected by West Ham United, who were unhappy with the add-ons being offered.

Talks between the two clubs are set to continue, with Kudus very keen to join Tottenham during this transfer window.

The 24-year-old is a very talented player, but the North London club have previously been warned that his arrival could come with an element of risk.

Gary Neville told Mohammed Kudus he must improve decision-making

Gary Neville has admitted that Mohammed Kudus has something ‘special’, however, he must improve his decision-making in the final third.

The Sky Sports pundit, speaking back in February 2024, warned Kudus that he needed to be more ‘mature’ with his end product.

The criticism followed West Ham’s 4-2 win over Brentford, in which he managed an assist, but should have come away with more.

The former Man United defender told The Gary Neville Podcast: “Kudus has got something special, but he needs to be more mature in his final choices.

“Sometimes wingers can be unpredictable, but they need to be unpredictable not just to the opposition but also to their own teammates. In the first half, he took one or two wild shots instead of making a final pass.”

That season, the 24-year-old ended the campaign with an impressive 18 goals and ten assists, but his numbers have dropped off significantly this term. He managed just nine goal contributions.

The Ghanaian international was playing for a struggling West Ham team, but his own performances were pretty subpar at times.

But the potential is there, and under a coach like Thomas Frank, with his excellent track record of improving attackers, Kudus could become a star.

Levy is convinced Kudus will shine under Frank, and that is why he is working hard to ensure he delivers the attacker for his new manager.

Jamie Carragher also raises Mohammed Kudus concerns

Jamie Carragher has also raised concerns over Kudus, saying that he looked a completely different player last season to the one from the 2023/24 campaign.

The ex-Liverpool man believes that he should be playing for a better team, but the drop-off from his debut season at the London Stadium was quite alarming.

Carragher told Sky Sports: “There’s no doubt he’s (Kudus) a quality player who should be playing for a team, I would say, that is closer to the top of the table than near the bottom right now.

“But probably one of the reasons why West Ham are where they are this season is because he hasn’t shown the form that he showed last season. Last season he looked fantastic, (but) he just hasn’t looked the same player this season.”

The new coaching set-up at Tottenham Hotspur under Thomas Frank is starting to take shape, and the club have just made another top appointment.

The 51-year-old has made sweeping changes to the first-team set-up following the departure of Ange Postecoglou and his staff, having brought in several people from Brentford.

Despite the Bees’ attempt to keep him, Justin Cochrane joins Tottenham as Frank’s assistant coach; meanwhile, Andreas Georgson joins as a set-piece coach.

The Lilywhites have just made yet another key appointment, which will be much to the delight of the promising young talent that is Mikey Moore.

Tottenham confirm the first-team appointment of Stuart Lewis

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the appointment of Stuart Lewis as part of Thomas Frank’s new-look coaching set-up.

Stuart spent four years in charge of the U-18s team, where he had much success, winning four titles.

The 37-year-old is now tasked with helping to develop the younger players and integrate academy stars into the first team.

This is excellent news for the youngsters currently waiting for first-team chances, as Lewis will be able to recommend them to Frank.

Following another U-17 Premier League Cup win, that age group is now brimming with promising talents, who could get chances next season.

Luca Williams-Barnett netted a hat-trick in the final against Charlton Athletic, and his goal record last term was quite outstanding.

Williams-Barnett just signed a scholarship with Tottenham, locking him in for at least two years. The attacking midfielder is a player to keep an eye on for sure.

Jun’ai Byfield is another player to look out for, with his promising performances making him a key player for England U-17.

Mikey Moore’s record playing under Stuart Lewis at Tottenham

One Spurs player who knows Lewis very well is Moore, who played for two seasons under the former U-18 coach.

The 17-year-old was outstanding under his guidance, producing a total of 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches.

Lewis appears to know how to get the best out of Spurs’ mercurial talent, and following a tough debut campaign in the first team, the coach’s arrival is great news.

Last term, Moore struggled with illness, which held him back, but now, under Frank and with Lewis in the new set-up, this could be the season he steps up.

The start of the new Premier League season is just starting to creep up on us.

Indeed, while it feels like last season only just finished, we’re only a few weeks away from it all kicking off once again.

A number of players are starting to report back for pre-season training, while many international players have an extended break.

Tottenham have returned to training already, and a number of players are already catching the eye.

Spurs fans want to see Jamie Donley get a chance next season, while Luka Vuskovic has made an impression already.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has been discussing Tottenham’s return to training, and he says that one player has actually returned earlier than planned.

Pedro Porro makes early Tottenham return

Gold spoke about Tottenham reporting back to pre-season duty, noting that Pedro Porro has come back to Hotspur Way earlier than he was supposed to.

Porro had been on international duty with Spain, but he was back on Friday with many of the non-international players.

Gold noted that Porro has always been brilliant in terms of preparing for any game, hence why he’s so fit, noting that the right-back is a ‘machine’ of a player.

“Pedro Porro was back in the gym the day before, on Friday, I would imagine that because he was international duty he’s not meant to be back in the building yet, but that sounds like Pedro Porro to me,” Gold said.

“I had an interview with him and hearing how he prepares himself for games, the man is a machine, and it’s no coincidence that he didn’t pick up an injury last season because he’s the most ridiculously prepared man in the way he looks after himself.”

Pedro Porro’s injury record

Gold says that Porro is a machine of a player who looks after his body brilliantly, and that reflects in his injury history.

Indeed, the £39m man has only had one injury since signing for Spurs, and, even then, he only missed two games.

Throughout his entire career, Porro has missed fewer than 50 games with injury, and over an eight-year period, that really isn’t a bad record.

At the age of 25, Porro is in his prime, but time moves quickly in this game, and before he knows it, he’ll be past his physical prime and slowing down a touch, but with this level of preparation and workrate, there’s no reason why Porro can’t be a star well into his 30s.

Tottenham Hotspur are starting to get moving in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, Spurs have just announced their second signing of the summer in the shape of Kota Takai, and they’re not finished yet.

Tottenham still want attacking additions, and Spurs are very keen on Mohammed Kudus.

Tottenham want Kudus, but, as of yet, no agreement has been reached with West Ham.

West Ham don’t want to sell to Spurs, and according to Dean Jones, speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras Podcast, the Hammers have been left baffled by Tottenham’s latest approach to sign the attacker.

West Ham baffled by Tottenham’s latest Mohammed Kudus approach

According to Jones, West Ham were left shocked by Spurs’ latest approach for Mohammed Kudus.

Spurs apparently offered £50m plus £12m in add-ons for Kudus, but £10m of those add-ons were dependent on winning the Premier League and the Champions League – two things Spurs have never done.

“It’s madness, I spoke to somebody yesterday and they said their next offer was £50m and then £12m in add-ons. £10m of which was £5m when Tottenham win the Premier League and £5m when they were in the Champions League. West Ham are thinking ‘what are you lot on?’ They’re basically saying they’re never getting it,” Jones said.

Tottenham may be less likely to sign Kudus now

Tottenham have been very cheeky in making this sort of offer for Kudus.

Indeed, Spurs have tried to buff out this deal for Kudus by including these add-ons, but, in reality, they are very unrealistic.

Tottenham haven’t been close to winning the Premier League for a long time, while they’ve only ever threatened to win the Champions League once in their history.

West Ham aren’t stupid, they know when they’re being sold a bit of a dream, and they need to make sure they get a good deal for Kudus with add-ons that are realistic.

Spurs only serve to annoy West Ham if they continue to make these sorts of bids for Kudus.

West Ham were already applying a ‘Tottenham tax’ to any kind of deal with Spurs, and after making what could be perceived as an insulting offer for the attacker, West Ham may be, once again, less inclined to sell to Spurs.

Daniel Levy may well have shot himself in the foot by making this bid for Kudus, as it could leave West Ham more annoyed by their rivals’ attempts at this deal.

Tottenham have now secured their second signing of the summer as Kota Takai arrives from Kawasaki Frontale.

Spurs had already welcomed Mathys Tel to N17 on a permanent basis after agreeing a £30m fee with Bayern Munich, and Thomas Frank has now seen his backline bolstered through the addition of the Japan international.

The central defender is largely an unknown quantity outside of Japan – with little experience at the age of 20 – so Tottenham fans might be a bit unsure about who exactly is joining their club.

In that respect, let’s take a look at what Kawasaki Frontale supporters have been saying about Kota Takai after sealing his £5m move to north London.

Reaction of Kawasaki Frontale fanbase suggests Tottenham have a gem in Kota Takai

Aside from the player’s own family, there are few better to comment on Takai than Kawasaki Frontale fans, who have watched the man born in Yokohama make 81 appearances in total for their beloved club.

He has also made 14 appearances for the U18 side, having joined Kawasaki Frontale in 2011 at the age of just seven.

The overriding message is one of support, showing that Takai is a much adored figure at Kawasaki Frontale, and has the characteristics to become a fan favourite at Tottenham.

One supporter posted on X (previously known as Twitter): “Looking forward to your success in the Premier League – I’ll keep cheering for you.”

The usual response when a club loses a key man is a feeling of frustration, so it speaks volumes that fans are so happy for Takai to seal a lucrative move to England.

Another added that Takai can “become the world’s best defender” at Tottenham, which may seem like a bold claim.

However, few would have expected Virgil van Dijk to eventually reach that level when swapping Celtic for Southampton in 2015 – a move he made at the age of 24 – so Takai has every chance, with plenty of time on his side at the age of 20.

A third fan opined that an “amazing CB (centre-back) has arrived” at Tottenham, with another writing that he can become “a player who shines on the world stage” after teaming up with Frank in N17.

Suddenly, the centre-back department looks very bright for Tottenham after a difficult 2024/25 campaign in that area

Last season was a mess in central defence. Ange Postecoglou even had to pair Yves Bissouma with Archie Gray at one point, due to a severe injury crisis which sidelined Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero for months.

Now, however, this area of the squad is packed with precocious talent.

Luka Vuskovic has finally arrived at Tottenham after turning 18, a player Spurs spent £12m to sign from Hajduk Split when he was just 16.

The Croatian is not the only talented centre-back for Frank to assess in pre-season, as Spurs also own Ashley Phillips, who Sheffield United are keen to sign. The Blades are even willing to spend £6m on the 20-year-old.

With Takai now joining Vuskovic, Phillips, and not to forget Kevin Danso as well at Hotspur Way, the future seems very bright for Tottenham when it comes to central defenders.

TBR Football understands that AC Milan are dreaming about the possibility of signing Tottenham Hotspur left-back Destiny Udogie this summer.

The Italian giants have just sold Theo Hernandez to Al-Hilal for £22m and are now searching for a replacement for the Frenchman.

Milan have a list of several Premier League options, but Spurs’ Italian international is right at the top of their desired targets.

Tottenham Hotspur ideally don’t want to sell the 22-year-old this summer, but the chance to play at the San Siro is enticing the young defender.

Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie is open to AC Milan transfer

Sources have informed Graeme Bailey – Chief Correspondent at TBR Football that Destiny Udogie is open to joining AC Milan this summer, with the chance to work alongside Massimiliano Allegri proving rather appealing.

The North London club would rather not sell the defender this summer, given his impressive performances during their Europa League campaign.

Aged just 22, Udogie is likely to keep getting better, and under a coach like Thomas Frank, his game could take on another dimension.

Frank used the rather attacking Keane Lewis-Potter at left-back when he was at Brentford, and Udogie could fill a similar role under the Dane in North London.

However, should Milan decide to make their move for the youngster, the new Spurs boss will need to convince him that staying at Spurs will be best for him.

Udogie, who was called “amazing”, could yet be attracted to the prospect of playing under Frank and in the Champions League next season.

Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal also targeted by AC Milan

Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko is another transfer target on Milan’s shortlist as they assess various options.

The Ukrainian defender could be a tricky option to land, though, as despite having just 12 months left on his contract, he is currently on a big wage at the Emirates Stadium.

Zinchenko, who cost Arsenal £30m, started just eight times for the Gunners last season, therefore, he could be keen for a change of scenery this summer.

TBR Football can also confirm that Fulham’s Antonee Robinson is someone Milan have long-term interest in, but his price is too high.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Mohammed Kudus might be giving the club’s supporters flashbacks of a failed deal from 2018.

The North London club remain locked in talks with West Ham United over a deal to sign Mohammed Kudus this summer.

Kudus really wants to join Tottenham and has made that clear to the Hammers, but they are standing firm over their £60m valuation.

The Ghanaian international is a top summer target for Spurs and they need to ensure that he ends up playing in Lilywhite next term.

Tottenham mustn’t repeat Jack Grealish disappointment with Mohammed Kudus

Back in 2018, Tottenham Hotspur failed to make a single transfer incoming during the summer window.

The North London club spent most of the summer attempting to bring in Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, only to miss out on the then-talented youngster.

Similar to West Ham now, Villa needed to make a big sale that summer to raise funds for their own transfer business and were asking for around £25m.

But by the time Tottenham eventually offered £25m for Grealish on Deadline Day, it was too late, as the Midlands club managed to secure new investment and were holding out for a higher fee.

Eventually, Villa’s asking price for Grealish increased to £35m, and the Lilywhites ended up missing out on the winger.

Man City paid £100m to sign Grealish and will have left Levy with serious regret that he didn’t get a deal done for the player when he had the chance.

Now, they are in a similar predicament with Kudus, where they cannot afford to dither in negotiations or risk missing out on a top target.

Tottenham’s third bid for Mohammed Kudus rejected

TBR Football understands that Tottenham had a third Kudus bid rejected by West Ham United, who were unhappy with the add-ons being offered.

Spurs’ offer included £50m plus £12.5m in add-ons, however, these variables included clauses based on them winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Talks remain ongoing over a deal, with late interest from Bayern being shunned by Kudus, who only wants to remain in the Premier League.