TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur will need to find a new midfield target after Morgan Gibbs-White signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest.

Despite Tottenham having triggered Morgan Gibbs-White’s release clause, the midfielder has rejected their move to sign a new deal with Nottingham Forest.

After weeks of speculation, Gibbs-White has signed a new contract with Forest and rejected Spurs’ move to bring him to North London.

Now, Thomas Frank will need to look elsewhere in his hunt for a creative midfielder, and the perfect option might already be available for cheap.

Lucas Paqueta could be a cheap Morgan Gibbs-White alternative

West Ham United have made Lucas Paqueta available for transfer at just £30 million, according to the Daily Mail.

Paqueta has been cleared of all charges against him by the FA, and the Hammers are now open to selling him this summer to raise funds.

West Ham have already sold Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham for £55 million to help aid Graham Potter’s bid to rebuild his squad.

Now, the Brazilian is the latest star who could be sold, and he could be an ideal alternative target for Tottenham Hotspur after Gibbs-White signed a new contract.

Like the Forest captain, Paqueta is best playing in the number ten role, but can also operate in a double pivot, which would make him a great option for Frank.

At just £30 million, the 27-year-old is now a great market opportunity for whoever picks him up, having previously been valued at £85 million.

Paqueta, who’s been called ‘extraordinary’, remains a top Premier League midfielder, and could benefit from playing in a more settled team following a tricky campaign with West Ham.

Spurs are crying out for a midfielder who possesses the technical quality of the West Ham star, and a deal for him should be strongly considered.

Tottenham have spoken to Xavi Simons and James McAtee

Xavi Simons and James McAtee are among the other alternatives to Gibbs-White, and TBR Football understands Spurs have spoken to both players.

A deal for Simons is unlikely, though, given that Chelsea are in advanced talks with RB Leipzig over a deal for the Dutch attacker.

Meanwhile, Forest had been trying to sign McAtee, but with Gibbs-White now committed to the City Ground, they might be out of the race.

McAtee is available for around £20 million, and again, he could be another great opportunity in the transfer market for Spurs.

Last month, TBR Football revealed that Tottenham were closely monitoring Harvey Elliott, and the Liverpool forward could quickly become an alternative.

The 22-year-old spearheaded England U-21’s European Championship charge with five goals in six appearances for the young Three Lions.

Tottenham Hotspur fans felt one of their academy players looked “better” than Son Heung-min in Saturday’s friendly draw with Wycombe Wanderers.

Spurs contested two friendlies on Saturday, drawing 2-2 with Wycombe and a separate contingent playing out a 0-0 stalemate at Luton Town.

Pape Matar Sarr opened the scoring at Hotspur Way in the 13th minute, but the visitors turned the game around through Junior Quitirna’s brace.

Tottenham managed to claw a goal back and avoid defeat as Sarr grabbed his second of the game, with academy star Tynan Thompson providing the assist.

Spurs fans loved what they saw from Thompson and took to social media to sing his praises.

Tottenham fans rave about Tynan Thompson in Wycombe draw

Tottenham fans backed the 17-year-old to enjoy a bright future in the game, with some saying he looked better than Spurs captain Son Heung-min on the day.

“Tynan Thompson going to be a baller in the future,” one fan wrote on X.

Another fan said: “I’ve seen quite a bit of hype on here about Tynan Thompson and I’m starting to see why!”

The praise for Thompson kept coming, with one fan writing: “Love this cameo from Tynan Thompson.

“Looks like such an intelligent player… and knows what he wants to do on ball before it gets to him.”

Another said: “Tynan Thompson has been very sharp on that left-hand side, good with body feints and quick bursts of pace.”

Another wrote: “So happy for Tynan Thompson after he made his first team debut today and showed everyone his ability.

“He was one of the stars when he was an U16 and then was brilliant last year for our 18’s as a first-year scholar.

“Drives at his man and has good end product. One of our own!”

Tynan Thompson factfile

Thompson has been described by the Tottenham website as a ‘lively left-winger’ who joined the club at Under-12 level.

He featured in all but one of Tottenham’s league games at Under-18 level while also helping the club lift the Under-17 Premier League Cup.

Thompson also made his Under-21s debut in December last year, against AFC Ajax in the Premier League International Cup.

Thompson signed his first professional contract at Tottenham in May this year, and it’ll be exciting to see how he continues to develop as a footballer at Hotspur Way.

Son Heung-Min was given his first start of pre-season by Thomas Frank on Saturday as Tottenham welcomed Wycombe to North London for a friendly at their training ground.

The South Korean played the second half of Tottenham’s 2-0 win against Reading last time out, the first game of the Thomas Frank era.

Afforded the chance from the beginning against League One side Wycombe, Son failed to impress, playing 77 minutes as a Pape Matar Sarr double helped Spurs to a 2-2 draw.

While only a pre-season game, Tottenham fans were keeping a close eye on Son amid significant interest from LAFC, delivering a sad verdict at the game’s conclusion.

Tottenham fans think it’s time for Son Heung-Min to be sold

At 33 years of age, it is clear that Son’s best years are behind him.

Last season, he only found the back of the net seven times in the Premier League, his worst goal return for Tottenham since his first campaign at the club (in which he only started 13 games).

Judging his performance against Wycombe, however, Tottenham fans do not expect a better output this term, instead calling for the club legend to be sold.

One fan wrote on X: ‘Need a LB. Need a striker. And Sonny man, time to go.’

Another echoed that sentiment, stating: ‘Son needs to go.’

Interestingly, Richarlison was also lumped together with Son by some fans, with one writing: ‘Son and Richy [have] got to go. No hate. Especially not on Son. But it’s time to move on.’

Another added: ‘I love Son. But Son and Richarlison can’t be here next season. Time for both to move on. Son deserves to go out on top. Staying another season would damage his legacy.’

With Son starting the game out left, Tottenham supporters also pointed out the issues their side were having down this flank. One wrote that the ‘Left side is so poor,’ while another added that the ‘Left side [is] running on fumes.’

While most of the reaction was negative towards the 33-year-old, it wasn’t all bad, with one fan writing: ‘Feel so bad for Sonny.’

Where Thomas Frank and Tottenham stand with Son Heung-Min

As noted above, in recent days, LAFC have intensified their interest in Son Heung-Min, indicating that they are keen to bring him to the United States.

There has also been interest from Saudi Arabia, with the 33-year-old holding talks with some Saudi Pro League clubs.

Amid these links, Tottenham have made clear that Son can leave the club, should an acceptable offer be received.

With Frank also not confirming if Son will remain captain of the club, and after Tottenham splashed big money on Mohammed Kudus, it therefore seems as though an exit could be more likely than not as the summer transfer window draws on.

Should that happen, Tottenham fans who are currently critical of him will do well to remember the heights that Son hit at his peak in North London.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both had shocking domestic campaigns last season.

The two clubs made the headlines for reaching the final of the Europa League, and Spurs saved their season by winning the competition in Bilbao.

However, Ange Postecoglou was still sacked by Tottenham because his side finished 17th in the Premier League table, which is their worst finish since the 1976/77 season.

Manchester United weren’t a lot better either. The Red Devils finished two places and four points ahead of Spurs, but their season was a much bigger disaster because they failed to get their hands on a trophy.

With a new campaign coming up, both clubs are hoping for big things, and Dominic Solanke has made a prediction.

Dominic Solanke predicts whether Manchester United and Tottenham will finish in the top four

The upcoming Premier League campaign is going to be a really exciting one.

Almost every club has strengthened in this window already, and some of the big sides are looking incredibly strong thanks to the addition of brilliant new players.

Tottenham have so far signed Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus, while Manchester United have brought in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Both clubs intend to do more business, and the aim will definitely be to finish in one of the Champions League places – preferably in the top four.

Solanke, however, thinks only one of those clubs will make it.

When asked to name who will finish in the top four next season, in no particular order, he replied on _da4p’s TikTok: “Tottenham. Liverpool – they’ve (made) some good signings. (Manchester) City – I think City will bounce back this year.”

As he was thinking about the fourth club, the host asked: “United, innit?”

Solanke replied ‘nah’, before saying: “Arsenal!”

Manchester United are likely to finish higher than Tottenham for one reason

Tottenham and Manchester United can’t be as bad as they were last season.

Finishing 17th and 15th respectively is simply unacceptable when you consider the size of the two clubs, and fans will demand more this term.

Solanke feels pretty confident that Tottenham will finish above Manchester United, but the Englishman could be wrong.

That’s because the Red Devils will mostly play just one game a week in the upcoming campaign, as they failed to qualify for any European competition.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly missed out on a summer target who has been described as a “complete, dominant and elegant centre-back”.

Spurs have been fairly busy on the transfer front this summer, with Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai all joining the club permanently.

Despite Tottenham appearing well-stocked at centre-back, links with other defenders persist, not to mention Ashley Phillips has gone out on loan at Stoke City again.

Burnley’s Maxime Esteve is one of the players Spurs are said to have approached, but according to a report, they haven’t succeeded in their mission.

Maxime Esteve pens Burnley contract extension

Earlier in July, French outlet L’Equipe reported that Tottenham had resumed talks with Burnley over Esteve, a player they also tried to sign in January.

At the time, Spurs reportedly made an offer of about £20million, while Burnley demanded in excess of £30million.

However, the same outlet has now reported that Esteve has signed a contract extension with the newly-promoted Premier League side.

L’Equipe reports that, despite being courted by the likes of Tottenham and Crystal Palace, Esteve has decided to commit his future to the club.

That said, Burnley have refused to sanction any departure this summer, the report added.

Why Maxime Esteve is in such high demand

Esteve was a regular in Burnley’s starting XI last season, starting every one of their 46 Championship games en route to promotion via second place.

The 23-year-old was part of the back line with the best defensive record in history, conceding just 16 goals from 46 matches, an average of 0.35 per game.

At just 23 years of age, Esteve has his whole career ahead of him and, while Tottenham will be disappointed with having missed out on him, they’ll surely keep tabs on him next season.

After all, if Esteve takes his amazing Championship form into the Premier League, then there will be even more suitors over the next two transfer windows – particularly if Burnley don’t stay up.

Newcastle United could really do with some positive news right about now.

Indeed, the feeling around St James’ Park is quite low at the moment as it sounds like Alexander Isak wants to leave the club.

Liverpool are keen on Isak, and a deal could be done this summer to bring the Swedish forward to Anfield.

Luckily, there is now some good news to report for Newcastle fans as the Magpies appear to be set to bring in a new attacking addition.

According to Craig Hope, speaking on his YouTube channel, a deal for Yoane Wissa is now looking likely.

Yoane Wissa likely to join Newcastle

According to Hope ‘everything’ suggests that Yoane Wissa will be joining Newcastle this summer.

Wissa had been linked to Tottenham in a deal worth £40m, but it sounds as though a move to Tyneside could now be on the cards instead.

“Yoane Wissa too. I’ve had a lot of confidence on this deal externally for a long time now. I was the first one to break news of the interest a few weeks ago in my Newcastle confidential column,” Hope said.

“Everything tells me Wissa will happen, but it’s not as easy to negotiate as perhaps Newcastle and Brentford would like. But again, Wissa is not dissimilar to Isak’s situation. He’s only got two years to run on his deal. There’s always a right time to sell.”

Yoane Wissa compared to Alexander Isak

Wissa will be arriving at Newcastle as a new attacking option as it looks like Alexander Isak is set to depart.

Of course, Wissa isn’t quite as glamorous a name as Isak, but in terms of numbers, he wasn’t a million miles away last season.

In a team that is more creative and more ball-dominant, Wissa could well match Isak’s numbers at Newcastle.

Wissa actually scored the same number of goals as Isak last season if you don’t include penalties, so he does have the capacity to be just as lethal as the man he may replace at St James’ Park.

It may not all be doom and gloom at Newcastle if Isak leaves and Wissa comes in.

Kobbie Mainoo could be on the way out at Old Trafford this summer, with his Manchester United contract remaining unresolved.

As exclusively revealed by TBR Football, Tottenham have asked about signing Mainoo amid the uncertainty of his future under Ruben Amorim.

According to reports elsewhere, Mainoo’s representatives aren’t asking for an unreasonable salary from United, which is why the youngster will be even more frustrated.

The Red Devils are looking to add further reinforcements to their midfield, which could force the 20-year-old further down the pecking order.

Amid speculation over a move to North London, an image posted on the midfielder’s Instagram has resurfaced, which will only fuel transfer talk.

When Kobbie Mainoo posted himself in a Tottenham kit

Back in April, Kobbie Mainoo stunned Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United supporters when he posted an image of himself as a child wearing a Spurs shirt.

The midfielder was celebrating his 20th birthday and posted an old image on his Instagram wearing Tottenham’s third shirt from the 1995/96 season.

The image is even more baffling, given that the shirt would have been well over ten years old when the image was taken.

It’s worth noting that Mainoo has not mentioned anything about the move, however, it’s quite interesting to see him in Spurs colours following the latest links.

Thomas Frank is keen to add a number six to his midfield this summer and the Manchester United academy graduate could be the perfect option.

Spurs require homegrown players and Mainoo would, of course, tick that box, which will only add to his transfer value.

TBR Football has also revealed that Tottenham are talking to Joao Palhinha about a move away from Bayern Munich.

The Portuguese international is ten years Mainoo’s senior, so it would be quite a change in plans to go from the United starlet to Palhinha.

Mainoo’s career at Old Trafford so far has been rather stop-start due to injuries following what was an impressive breakout campaign in 2023/24 from the youngster.

Michael Carrick believes that it is natural for young players to have dips in form, and he just needs the right people around him to keep believing in him.

For the 20-year-old, that could even involve a move away, given his struggles to work his way into Amorim’s plans at United.

Carrick told Rio Ferdinand Presents: “I think it’s pretty normal, I had it in my third year, I was at West Ham, I was terrible.

“I came out of the England squad, I just couldn’t pull it together. I’m not saying he’s terrible, Mainoo – I think it’s a little bit different for him. Some players can have that at the time.

“I think you need stubbornness to stick at it and keep believing, it’s tough at times and I think you need people to stick with you, believe in you.

“I think we’re quite quick to season to season or every six months to say, ‘ah he’s good’, ‘ah he’s not good enough’. I think we were given a lot more time.”

Pre-season is well underway at Hotspur Way, and plenty of players have been making quite an impression on Thomas Frank already.

Thomas Frank will be getting a chance to cast his eye over his new Tottenham Hotspur team over the next couple of weeks, with plenty of friendlies soon approaching.

The North London club are due to travel to Asia at the end of the week for games against Newcastle United and Arsenal.

But for now, the Spurs squad is still training in N17, and one of their new arrivals has been quick to impress supporters in his first few weeks at the club.

Luka Vuskovic makes Cristian Romero look ‘tiny’ in training

Luka Vuskovic has left Tottenham fans in awe of his size after seeing him line up in training next to Cristian Romero.

Vuskovic impressed on his Tottenham debut against Reading as he scored and assisted just eight minutes after coming off the bench.

Playing alongside Micky van de Ven, Vuskovic admitted it was an amazing experience to play with his new teammates, hailing the Dutch defender and Guglielmo Vicario.

His display will have left fans desperate to see more from the 18-year-old, and they will get that chance when Spurs take on Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

Tottenham were incredibly impressed by Vuskovic’s loan at Westerlo last season and believe that the teenager is a big talent for the future.

But one thing that is so striking about the Croatian international is his height, which is quite remarkable for an 18-year-old. After seeing the latest images of him in training, Spurs fans took to X to react.

One fan said: “This kid Vuskovic is an absolute tank… Unit!!”

Another stated: “How big is Luka? He’s built like a rugby player. Imagine a back three of him, Romero and Van de Ven. Brick wall!”

There was further praise for Vuskovic: “Honestly, seeing him live at Reading, he absolutely towers over everyone on corners. He’s going to be a menace like Gabriel is for them down the road.”

“He’s massive, what a presence. So physically imposing, he’s bold and will grow to be one of the leaders in the group, you can already tell,” claimed another.

It will be quite telling to see whether the defender features against Wycombe at Hotspur Way or whether he is selected for the trip to Kenilworth Road to play Luton.

Vuskovic, who cost £12m, will be eager to make an impression on his new manager and fight for his place in the squad next season.

Thomas Frank is currently set to send Luka Vuskovic on loan

Current indications suggest that Frank plans to send Vuskovic on loan, but that could quickly change if he continues to impress the way he is at the moment, as per Alasdair Gold.

Spurs already have a bloated squad with plenty of defensive options, therefore, at least one player could be sent out on loan.

Spurs are expected to choose between the teenager and Kota Takai as to who will be sent out in search of more regular minutes.

Gold told Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham: “I do think it’s probably going to come down to those two. At the moment, the indications are that Takai will be one sticking around, and Vuskovic may be heading out on loan.”

It’s worth noting that there remains a chance that the pair could be kept at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until January, with both being given the chance to impress until then.

Tottenham Hotspur have added to their attack already this summer, but they’re not done yet.

Indeed, Mohammed Kudus has arrived at Spurs, and while Kudus is looking sharp at Spurs already, Tottenham still want more attackers through the door.

Tottenham have been linked with numerous attacking options, and, interestingly, Yoane Wissa is one player Spurs are keen on.

Speaking on Market Madness, Ben Jacobs has been discussing Wissa’s situation, and he says the attacker has now made it clear to Brentford he wants to leave as he feels this is his last chance to play Champions League football at his age.

Yoane Wissa wants to leave

According to Jacobs, Wissa has told Brentford he wants to leave.

The attacker is keen to move due to the fact he feels this is his last shot at playing at the top level.

Wissa has been valued at £40m recently, and Newcastle and Spurs are both keen.

“So Wissa has made it clear to Brentford he wants to leave. Brentford want Wissa to sign a new deal. So there is a big gulf in each side’s position,” Jacobs said.

“But instead of agitating for a move or going on strike like Gyokeres did, Wissa has to speak to the Brentford hierarchy. And my understanding is that he will say very clearly that he would like to leave because he feels at his age this is his last opportunity to go and play Champions League football. And both Spurs and Newcastle have that and can offer it to him imminently.”

Yoane Wissa still has time on his side

Yoane Wissa feels that this is his last shot of playing Champions League football, but he does still have plenty of time to make that dream a reality.

It’s never too late in football, and there have been examples in the past of players who’ve had to wait until the tail end of their careers to make it at the top level.

Just last season, we saw Christian Stuani make his Champions League debut at the age of 37 for Girona, and Wissa is a long way off that age.

Of course, at the age of 28, Wissa wants to make a big move while he’s still playing his best football, but even if this transfer doesn’t come off this summer, he could still end up playing in the Champions League later down the line with hard work and a bit of luck on his side.

Son Heung-min’s future at Tottenham Hotspur remains in doubt and the South Korean captain is being linked with a move away.

As TBR Football first reported back in June, LAFC have opened talks to sign Son and now reports elsewhere suggest they have made an offer.

The South Korean’s time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could now be drawing to a close following 10 successful years in North London.

Thomas Frank will be tasked with several jobs if Son does choose to leave for the MLS, but his first decision is a clear one.

Thomas Frank should make Cristian Romero captain

Frank should promote Cristian Romero to captain of Tottenham Hotspur should Son Heung-min leave the club this summer.

The Argentine is currently the vice-captain at the club, having been appointed in the role by Ange Postecoglou just after he arrived.

Like with Postecoglou, one of Frank’s first decisions as Tottenham manager could be to pick a new captain of the football club.

There are two obvious candidates: James Maddison and Romero, both of whom have shown great leadership qualities.

But, given Romero’s performance in the Europa League final as captain, his status in the squad and what he’s now achieved in the sport, he’s now the ideal candidate.

Frank was spotted hugging Romero after Spurs’ training session at Hotspur Way on Tuesday, with the Danish head coach hoping to convince him to stay.

As TBR Football revealed, Atletico Madrid have backed away from signing Romero, with a feeling that they have done all they can to prise him away from Spurs.

So, with the 27-year-old set to remain in North London and Son linked with a move away, Frank must make him the next captain.

Eberechi Eze is the most obvious candidate to replace Son in North London, with Spurs having admired the forward for some time.

However, TBR Football exclusively reported Eze has told friends he’s joining Arsenal, which could rule Spurs out of the running.

Another surprise target is Rafael Leao from AC Milan, with Fabio Paratici having shown an interest in the forward, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Portuguese forward has so far shown a reluctance to leave the Italian club, but that might change with no Champions League football on the table.

Milan themselves are also not keen to sell at the moment, but again, with no Champions League, that stance might change.

Alejandro Garnacho is another possible replacement for the 33-year-old, with the Lilywhites holding an interest in the Man United player.