TBR Football

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur have just had a bid worth £55 million rejected for one of Thomas Frank’s key targets.

The North London club are soon preparing to return for pre-season training, and they will be doing so with a new manager in charge in Thomas Frank.

Spurs will also be hopeful that by the time pre-season rolls around, there will also be some fresh faces walking through the door at Hotspur Way.

Daniel Levy is currently working on a deal to get one of the Danish head coach’s top transfer requests through the door, but his latest offer has just been refused.

Tottenham have second Mohammed Kudus bid rejected

Graeme Bailey – Chief Correspondent at TBR Football – has now been informed that Tottenham Hotspur have had a bid of £55 million rejected for Mohammed Kudus.

The Lilywhites’ offer is believed to have been a fixed fee of £50 million plus £5 million in add-ons, with the bid having been logged earlier this week. Spurs offered £50 million last month, which, of course, was also refused.

West Ham United decided to reject the latest offer and are standing firm over their asking price, adamant that any accepted offer must at least start with a six.

The Hammers want around £65 million for Kudus and feel they are being quite reasonable, given his £84 million release clause at the London Stadium.

As TBR Football has already revealed, Kudus really wants to join Tottenham and views the move as a great opportunity for his career.

West Ham need to sell Kudus to help fund their own moves in the transfer market, owing to their current financial situation.

Talks between Tottenham, Kudus and West Ham remain ongoing, and despite interest from other clubs, the North Londoners remain the most advanced in a deal.

Levy believes Frank could turn Kudus into a star, given the work that he did at Brentford with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney.

When Mohammed Kudus was tipped to win the Ballon d’Or

Kudus is so highly rated back on the continent of Africa, and last season, the forward was tipped to, at some stage, eventually win the Ballon d’Or.

During the 2023/24 season, Kudus lit up the London Stadium as he managed 18 goals and 10 assists in 48 appearances.

The West Ham attacker is also believed to have the ability to become the best African player, which Frank could be the coach to help unlock.

Speaking back in February 2024, Kudus’ former youth coach, Jeremy Seethal, told The Athletic: “Give it two years, Kudus will be the best African player.

“I’m confident that one day he will win the Ballon d’Or. Everyone has seen his growth. Now he’s shining at the highest level. He’s a superstar.”

When Tottenham Hotspur signed a young Gareth Bale from Southampton back in 2007, few would have predicted that he would go on to become one of the 21st century’s best players.

Bale, who arrived at Tottenham as a left-back, struggled to make an impact initially, so much so that he was linked with a move to Birmingham City.

However, Bale eventually got into his stride and, within a few years, made a name for himself as one of the Premier League’s most exciting forwards.

Bale eventually earned himself a move to Real Madrid, becoming the world’s most expensive player for some time.

And later on in his career, after winning all there was to win at the Bernabeu, Bale returned to Tottenham on a season-long loan.

Now, Bale has delivered a one-word verdict on both Spurs and on Harry Redknapp, the manager who got the best out of him at N17.

Tottenham a hotbed of ‘memories’ for Gareth Bale as Harry Redknapp deemed a ‘legend’

Gareth Bale took part in TNT Sports’ latest Word Association game, in which he was asked to sum up a number of related topics with one word.

When it came to Tottenham, Bale said “memories”, and when it came to Harry Redknapp, the Welsh icon described him as a “legend”.

Other Spurs-related topics included Luka Modric, who Bale deemed “class”, Ledley King, who was dubbed “underrated”, Peter Crouch (“tall”) and White Hart Lane (“atmosphere”).

@tntsportsfootball Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo & Luka Modric… Gareth Bale plays Word Association 🗣️ #garethbale #cristianoronaldo #ronaldo #cr7 #bale #spurs #championsleague ♬ original sound – TNT Sports Football

What Sir Alex Ferguson once said about Gareth Bale which stunned Harry Redknapp

In Bale’s early days at Tottenham, he incurred an unwelcome record – Spurs failed to win any of the first 24 games he featured in.

And Redknapp revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson actually suggested he wouldn’t put Bale on the pitch for Manchester United, had this streak of bad luck occurred at Old Trafford instead of N17.

“Gareth had that horrendous statistic hanging round his neck of not winning a game, which ultimately stretched to 24 games, when we went to play Manchester United at Old Trafford,” Redknapp wrote in The Telegraph.

“After the game, Alex said to me, ‘b—-y hell, Harry, it must be difficult for you to put him on the field’.

“Alex was big on superstitions and I am still not sure to this day whether he was joking or not, but it was clearly a huge topic.

“It was not a nice thing for Gareth to deal with and it must have affected him.

“Whether he started the game or came off the bench, Spurs did not win, and it became a bit of a joke outside the club – and inside the dressing room as well.

“Gareth just got on with it. Eventually, we won a game with him in the team, beating Burnley 5-0, and he never looked back.”

In the end, that statistic is now one of the most insignificant of footnotes in Bale’s career.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have an exciting season to look forward to, with new manager Thomas Frank set to lead the club into the Champions League.

As reigning Europa League champions, Tottenham have qualified for Europe’s premier club competition despite their poor domestic campaign in 2024/25.

In addition, Thomas Frank has a great record in the Premier League, which means there are high hopes that Spurs will have a better domestic campaign next time round.

According to Alasdair Gold, everyone who has met Frank so far has been very impressed, claiming he’s a very detailed manager who is a good character too.

Now, Tottenham fans have expressed their delight at some off-the-pitch news which many feel has been long overdue.

Tottenham fans buzzing over return of the Bill Nicholson Gates

On Wednesday, Tottenham’s media team announced that the famous Bill Nicholson Gates would be installed at their new stadium.

The Bill Nicholson Gates stood proudly in front of White Hart Lane for generations, but have been kept in storage since 2015.

Now, they will be coming home, with Tottenham announcing they would be reinstated at the stadium in the coming weeks.

Fans are delighted with the news, with one writing on X: “Absolutely love this decision and post!

“Was only thinking about these the other day and shame they can’t be upheld, due to size of the stadium etc.

“Will be great to see them again & bring back so much nostalgia.”

Another supporter said: “Those were the days! Best manager in the history of the club.”

The praise kept coming, with one fan saying: “About time something I kept contacting the club over glad we are getting them back.”

Another wrote: “I know we’re all waiting for a big signing, but this is amazing. Thank you.”

One felt it was long overdue, saying: “Like a new signing well done only took 5 years to bring a set of old gates back.”

Another said: “Gates are a portal! The spirit of our players shall return!! COYS.”

Where the Bill Nicholson Gates will be located at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham confirmed on their official website that, after working in close consultation with the Fan Advisory Board, the gates would be installed within PAXTON17, between the Ticket Office and historic buildings at the north of the stadium.

Spurs also said enabling works have now commenced with a view to the gates being in position ahead of the club’s first home Premier League match of the season against Burnley on Saturday 16 August.

‘The gates will provide a fantastic photo opportunity for fans on matchdays and a key point of local interest – forming part of our Heritage Tour that offers fans and visitors an in-depth journey through the Club and the area’s storied past, architectural gems and the remarkable individuals who have shaped its legacy,’ the Tottenham media team added.

Tottenham Hotspur’s hunt for an attacking signing goes on, with a move for one of their top targets now looking to be dead in the water.

With pre-season just around the corner, Thomas Frank will be hoping that the North London club’s plans can start to move forward quickly.

The Danish head coach will need time to assess his new squad at Hotspur Way, however, the need for attacking reinforcements is clear.

But now, one of the transfer targets with whom Spurs had held talks to sign looks to be off the cards following his latest move at his current club.

Tottenham fans want Daniel Levy to move swiftly on from Antoine Semenyo

Tottenham Hotspur fans are urging Daniel Levy to move swiftly on from Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo, who now looks unlikely to join.

Semenyo has signed a new contract with Bournemouth, which follows his impressive campaign on the South Coast with the Cherries.

The 25-year-old managed to score an impressive 13 goals and a further seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

His form saw him attract a lot of Premier League interest, with Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle all holding talks with his representatives.

However, TBR Football understands that Bournemouth valued Semenyo at £70m, which put plenty of clubs off from making a move.

The South Coast club never seemed likely to let him leave, having already lost Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez to Liverpool.

Spurs appreciated Semenyo, but they did not like him enough to pay £70m. Now, following his deal being signed, the Lilywhites’ supporters have taken to X to call for the club to move swiftly on.

One fan said: “Semenyo has officially signed a new contract with Bournemouth. Kudus and Simons are our only two links left. Personally, I would like Simons more, but I do think Kudus can bolster the squad.”

Another added: “Thought he was overpriced, hopefully this helps speed up the process. Semenyo right now is worth £45m, maybe £50m, but £70m killed him, he just ain’t worth that yet.”

There were further calls for Spurs to start looking elsewhere: “This practically rules out any chance of Semenyo joining Tottenham in this window, and, honestly, I don’t see any problem with that. They were already asking for a fortune with the old contract (£70m or more), imagine now with the new one… Time to focus on Kudus, Simons, or Eze.”

Another fan again questioned the forward’s price tag: “£70m for Semenyo is ridiculous. Nobody would pay it.”

Tottenham must target Mohammed Kudus over Eberechi Eze

So now the question is, where do Tottenham turn next, and the answer looks to be between Eberechi Eze or Mohammed Kudus.

TBR Football understands that Kudus is Tottenham’s most advanced option now, with talks ongoing with both West Ham United and the player.

Kudus really wants to join Tottenham and at this stage, Spurs have no fear of their move for the Ghanaian international being hijacked, with Chelsea still keen.

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Eze talks have cooled, with Kudus now their top transfer target in the final third.

Kudus could actually be perfect for Frank’s team due to his superb dribbling ability, which is something Spurs have been missing.

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, no Premier League player has completed more dribbles than Kudus, with 207 in total.

Dejan Kulusevski has managed the most for Spurs during that time; he has completed just 86 dribbles.

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank will soon get to work in N17, assessing the squad he’s inheriting from Ange Postecoglou.

Despite Spurs’ Europa League win under Postecoglou, many Tottenham fans believe that the squad’s talent wasn’t being utilised to its full potential.

Of course, that’s something Thomas Frank will need to prove — his first task will be improving the players he’s already got in north London.

And fortunately for Spurs fans, Frank did an exceptional job of doing exactly that at Brentford.

But Daniel Levy will also make life easier for Frank by trying to add one or two stand-out talents during the transfer window — when the likes of Johan Lange will be working tirelessly.

Eberechi Eze would be a much better signing than Mohammed Kudus

That being said, Tottenham are interested in signing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United this summer, a deal that is beginning to gather pace.

In fact, Frank has just approved a move for Kudus, meaning there’s a real possibility that the Ghana international could become a Spurs player.

However, Tottenham might be making a mistake if Kudus is being signed instead of Eberechi Eze this summer.

For a long time, Spurs have been interested in Eze and a lot of fans in N17 probably believed that the Crystal Palace player would one day wear their club colours.

However, Spurs now look to be edging towards Kudus having cooled their interest in Eze — and from the outside looking in, the club’s logic is hard to follow.

Kudus does have a lot of talent, but Eze is the standout attacking midfielder who is somewhat available in the Premier League this summer.

Mohammed Kudus isn’t a huge upgrade for Thomas Frank

If Tottenham sign Kudus, he will predominantly come in to compete with Brennan Johnson in a right wing role, even if he is versatile across most attacking positions.

However, if Eze arrived in north London, he’d be an immediate and undisputed starter in a number 10 or eight role, perhaps replacing James Maddison.

Eze would immediately improve Tottenham’s starting eleven, whereas Kudus might prove similar to Johnson, Mathys Tel and even Maddison in a lot of ways.

Kudus is a supremely talented player but after a strong first season for West Ham, he was quite inconsistent last term — something that could never be said of Eze.

Eze is ready to leave Palace this summer, and it’s not very often that a player of his quality is available.

In fact, Tottenham can even pay Eze’s release clause in installments, and it is really hard to understand why Frank’s new side have suddenly lost interest.

And given his eye for talent, the Danish manager should already be demanding that Spurs change course in the transfer market — Eze is worth the hassle.

Eze will cost around £60m this summer, and it seems as if a similar fee might also be enough to tempt West Ham to sell Kudus.

But as things stand, Spurs will potentially be sending their bid to the wrong London rival.

Tottenham Hotspur had a terrible season last time around, but they capped it off in some style.

Indeed, Tottenham won their first trophy in 17 years with a Europa League triumph in Bilbao.

Brennan Johnson was the man of the hour after his winning goal vs Manchester United, while Ange Postecoglou will go down in history for delivering the first piece of silverware to Tottenham’s new stadium.

Daniel Levy didn’t take much credit, but, like it or not, he has had a big part to play here.

Speaking on Open Goal, Jermain Defoe has been discussing the Tottenham chairman, and he shared an interesting exchange he had with Levy after the Europa League final.

Jermain Defoe shares Daniel Levy text exchange

Defoe shared the message he received from Levy after Spurs won the Europa League.

Defoe has often defended Levy from criticism, and he remains close with the Tottenham chairman.

According to the former striker, Levy text him to say how much the win meant to him after the match.

“Do you know what it is with Daniel. People don’t know Daniel. He has this sort of perception. Daniel is a proper businessman. I know people have opinions, but if you want to go into business and run a club, who would you look at? The best training ground, the best in class, the best coaches in the academy, the best stadium, he’s managed to do that,” Defoe said.

“Now that Tottenham have won a trophy, it meant so much to him, I messaged him before the game and he said to me that ‘this means so much to me, he said this means so much to me and the football club,’ and you saw some clips afterwards and you could see afterwards he was buzzing.”

Jermain Defoe is excited for Thomas Frank’s arrival

Levy was over the moon after winning the Europa League, but that happiness soon faded as he made the difficult decision to sack Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou went from hero to zero at Tottenham as he went from lifting a major trophy to the unemployment line almost overnight.

Thomas Frank has replaced Postecoglou, and Defoe has already got behind the manager.

“I spent a day with him last season, I went to Brentford with Justin Cochrane, who is the coach. I spent a day, just to watch training and how they did things there, and it was amazing. I was so impressed,” Defoe said.

When asked if Frank would be a good fit for Tottenham, he said: “Unbelievable! Unbelievable man, unbelievable coach. For all the Tottenham fans listening, you’ve got a top manager there.”

Tottenham may have had a disappointing campaign last time around, but it could well be onwards and upwards from here after their Europa League win.

Plenty of Tottenham Hotspur players are set for clean slates under Thomas Frank during pre-season training.

In the next few weeks, Spurs players are due to arrive back at Hotspur Way to begin preparation for next season, in which Thomas Frank will be assessing his new squad.

The 2025/26 campaign is set to be a big one for the North London club as they return to the Champions League, along with the hope of improving on last term’s 17th-place finish.

Spurs supporters have now been discussing one player who could suddenly benefit from the arrival of Frank and play a key role next term.

Tottenham fans think Pape Matar Sarr could become key under Thomas Frank

Tottenham Hotspur fans actually think that Pape Matar Sarr could become a key player under Frank next season and he hasn’t yet shown his full potential.

The midfielder played a pivotal role in the Europa League final for Spurs as he played the ball in which Brennan Johnson eventually turned home to win 1-0.

Last pre-season, Ange Postecoglou called Sarr ‘unbelievable’, although the youngster struggled to break into his plans on a regular basis.

The 22-year-old still managed to play 55 times last term, but was often in and out of the starting line-up, and there is a sense he can still improve so much.

Spurs fans share that sentiment and have taken to X to share their views on the young Senegalese international.

One fan said: “So much potential with this lad under Frank. Has the engine to run for days. The fact that Ange never coached him was criminal. He will be so pivotal for when we play a 3-5-2.”

Another claimed: “Did it with Johnson at his lowest point and he won us the UEFA Europa League. Invest in Sarr, this man is going to be phenomenal next season.”

There was yet more praise for Sarr: “Think he is gonna shine under Frank in the double pivot role. We have so many options now with Bergvall, Gray, Bentancur and Maddison.”

Finally, another supporter added: “There’s no reason Archie Gray and Pape Sarr can’t become the mystical ‘proper’ midfielder everyone keeps talking about. They are extremely high-ceiling players and anyone who thinks the club is dropping significant money on a player to block their development is insane.”

Tottenham still need to sign another midfielder this summer

Regardless of the role that Sarr could play, Tottenham still need to sign another midfielder this summer.

Spurs need a holding midfielder who can add some real steel to the middle of the park for the Lilywhites, which was certainly missed last term.

Frank’s system means that his midfield set up could change a fair bit, with a double pivot used at times, or that could change to a three at times.

Therefore, plenty of options in the middle are needed, but with Yves Bissouma potentially leaving Tottenham, the signing of a number six could be key.

Lucas Bergvall is likely to be the first name on the teamsheet next season, and it will be about finding him a partner who is happy to sit and do the dirty work.

Tottenham Hotspur are staring at a very important summer transfer window ahead of them.

After finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, Spurs need to seriously improve, and that means that new signings have to arrive.

Luckily, help is on the way, Kota Takai is set to join Tottenham, while Spurs are also interested in Mohammed Kudus.

However, as always, things aren’t that simple for Tottenham.

Indeed, while Spurs want to sign Kudus, they’re not the only interested party, and according to Dean Jones, writing on the Ranks FC Ultras Patreon page, Spurs are starting to worry about the prospect of Chelsea coming in for Kudus.

Tottenham worried Chelsea will move for Mohammed Kudus

According to Jones, Spurs are accelerating talks in their move for Kudus, but they are concerned that Chelsea could make a move.

Christopher Nkunku could leave Chelsea, while Arsenal want Noni Madueke, so therefore, there could soon be space in the attacking roster for a player like Kudus, something Spurs are particularly wary of.

Kudus has been valued at £60m lately, so this would be another big-money move for the Blues.

“Tottenham are pushing to move talks forward for Mohammed Kudus this week, with growing concern inside the club that Chelsea could make another move for the West Ham attacker,” Jones wrote.

“There is an expectation that Chelsea will make space in their squad, with Noni Madueke available for transfer and Christopher Nkunku also being lined up for a quick exit. Nicolas Jackson may follow if the right offer arrives.

“Spurs believe two attacking departures at Chelsea could open the door for them to pursue Kudus again. They remain wary, knowing contact between Chelsea and West Ham last month has not been fully closed off.”

Chelsea’s past transfer hijacks

If there’s one team you don’t want threatening to hijack one of your players it’s Chelsea.

Indeed, over the years the Blues have become the kings of the transfer hijack, and Spurs know all too well what can happen in these cases.

Tottenham were set to sign Willian back in 2013 before Chelsea swooped, while the Blues pinched Mykhaylo Mudryk from Arsenal in 2023.

On top of that, Liverpool bid for Moises Caicedo in 2023, but Chelsea stole that deal too at the last minute.

Kudus could be another example of this phenomenon, and Tottenham are starting to get worried here.

One of Tottenham Hotspur’s top youngsters has just committed his future to the North London club in a major boost for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham Hotspur have produced some great young players over recent times, including Harry Kane, Ryan Mason, Danny Rose and Andros Townsend.

It was three teenage talents from their academy, in Mikey Moore, Dane Scarlett and Damola Ajayi, who came off the bench to score against Elfborg, helping them reach the round of 16 in the Europa League.

There is now another serious teenage talent coming through their ranks, and he has just committed his short-term future to the club.

Luca Williams-Barnett signs new Tottenham deal

Luca Williams-Barnett has signed a new deal with Tottenham, with the North London club securing the future of one of the best U-16 talents in the country, according to The Secret Scout.

The 16-year-old had several ‘top clubs’ ask about signing him, however, the player and his family had no interest in leaving this summer.

Williams-Barnett will have just seen the likes of Moore and Callum Olusesi secure Europa League winners’ medals, showing a pathway into the first team.

Frank should look at Williams-Barnett during pre-season, as the youngster featured on the bench for Ange Postecoglou’s team last term.

The teenager was allowed to travel with the first team for Europa League matches against Galatasaray, AS Roma and Rangers.

Last term, Williams-Barnett, who’s excited Tottenham fans, was playing for the club’s U-18s team, and his goal-scoring record was quite remarkable.

Despite playing two years up, the attacking midfielder netted 20 goals in 23 matches, along with getting a further 12 assists.

The midfielder’s versatility to play as a number ten, a centre-forward and out wide is another reason why he is so highly rated.

Tottenham have very high hopes for Luca Williams-Barnett

Williams-Barnett, who’s been called ‘spectacular’, has been at the North London club for several years now and the club have high hopes for him, according to Alasdair Gold.

Spurs look at him as an academy player they hope can eventually break into the first team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The North London club are very proud of him as a young player, and it will be interesting to see Frank’s plans for him this summer.

Gold told his YouTube channel: “I’m interested to see whether Luca Williams-Barnett gets a little chance in pre-season to show Thomas Frank what he can do.

“He’s, putting a finer point on it, a potential top talent within the academy, he’s one they look at with a great deal of pride and hope that he’s going to become something special for Spurs.”

One of Thomas Frank’s top transfer targets is now more than open to a move to North London, TBR Football understands.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to step up their transfer moves following what has been a quiet start to the summer window.

Mathys Tel’s move being made permanent is the only new addition at this stage, but talks are ongoing to secure one of Frank’s key targets.

With pre-season just around the corner, Spurs will be eager to ensure that the Danish head coach has at least one new addition to his squad.

Mohammed Kudus is very keen on Tottenham transfer

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has been told that Mohammed Kudus would really like to join Tottenham this summer.

The 24-year-old has been keen to stay in the Premier League, and he appears to have plenty of interest from English clubs.

Arsenal held talks for Kudus. Meanwhile, TBR Football understands that Chelsea have had swap offers already rejected by West Ham United. The Blues remain keen on the player.

But at this stage, Tottenham have held the most advanced Kudus talks, and the North London club are pushing hard to bring him to N17.

Crucially, the player is open to the move and sees it as a ‘great opportunity’, although he would likely think the same about most top six clubs.

Spurs are not concerned by interest from the Blues, and Levy is in contact with David Sullivan about a transfer for the Ghanaian.

West Ham must sell Kudus to fund their own moves in the transfer window, as they hope to bolster Graham Potter’s squad.

The Hammers want around £60 million for the attacker, despite him having a £84 million release clause at the London Stadium. The East Londoners are open to selling to whichever club pays their asking price.

Mohammed Kudus could be superb under Thomas Frank’s guidance

Frank could be just the coach to help Kudus’ career get back on track following what was a disappointing campaign for the forward.

Last term, he netted just five goals and managed four assists, which is quite a drop-off from the 2023/24 season, when he got 28 goal contributions in total.

The former Brentford manager worked his magic to help improve players like Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa.