TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur hit their highest high in a generation last week as they won the Europa League.

Indeed, Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought last week, but, despite that, there’s still a real element of unrest and uncertainty at Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou’s future remains up in the air, and while some think Postecoglou could stay, it would appear that those within Spurs don’t see things the same way.

Daniel Levy is on holiday right now, but once he’s back, he has a decision to make, and according to Miguel Delaney, writing in his newsletter for The Independent, it sounds like Postecoglou could well go.

Ange Postecoglou has a less than 5% chance of staying at Tottenham

Delaney shared what he’s been hearing about Postecoglou.

The journalist noted that no decision has yet been made on the Australian, but, at one point last week, he appeared to have a 5% chance of staying at Spurs.

However, those chances have now seemingly reduced even further.

“As of Friday morning, Tottenham Hotspur still hadn’t made an official decision on Ange Postecoglou but the chances of staying had apparently gone down from last week’s “5 per cent”. His departure is still expected, whenever that may be,” Delaney wrote.

What happened to other Tottenham trophy-winning managers

Tottenham could be set to sack the manager who delivered their first trophy in 17 years. And, on face value, that looks like a crazy decision.

However, Tottenham’s league form has been poor, and there’s only so much credit in the bank a trophy win can get you.

Spurs have been quick to pull the trigger on previous managers who won trophies as well.

Juande Ramos was gone within a year of winning the League Cup, George Graham lasted less than two years, while Keith Burkinshaw left the club immediately after winning the UEFA Cup in 1984.

Postecoglou’s job is not safe, and there could well be some news emerging in the coming days confirming his fate.

TBR Football understands that Rodrigo Bentancur is very highly rated at Tottenham Hotspur and the club are keen to extend his contract.

The Uruguayan international was superb during Spurs’ triumphant Europa League campaign as he played a key role in midfield for Ange Postecoglou’s team.

His current deal is due to expire in June 2026 and the North London club are keen to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.

Therefore, work has commenced on trying to extend his stay in the capital as he continues to be a vital cog for the Europa League champions.

Rodrigo Bentancur is ready to sign new Tottenham contract

Rodrigo Bentancur is ready to sign a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur, although the midfielder wants to know who will be in charge next season, TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands.

Doubts remain over Ange Postecoglou’s future despite the Australian having helped end the North London club’s 17-year wait for silverware.

Regardless though, the 27-year-old is very happy at the club and knows he will have the chance to play Champions League football again next season.

The former Juventus player trusts Daniel Levy and knows that Fabio Paratici’s return is imminent, with the Italian director having been the man to bring him to Spurs. Paratici also wanted to take Bentancur to AC Milan before his move to the San Siro broke down.

Elsewhere in the midfield, TBR Football has previously revealed that Tottenham are trying to sell Yves Bissouma, whose contract expires in June 2026.

The Mali international was another player who impressed during Spurs’ Europa League run, however, he’s struggled to show sustained periods of form.

The club are also keen to add to their options in the middle of the park with Angel Gomes on a free transfer, a deal they are confident about getting done. But in the meantime, Bentancur’s contract is a priority.

Tottenham see Rodrigo Bentancur as potential captain material

The 27-year-old is very highly thought of at Tottenham, with the hierarchy viewing him as a key player and even potential captain material.

Bentancur, who cost Tottenham £21m, has developed a strong influence in the halls at Hotspur Way and there is a sense he could become the leader of the group.

In regards to the future of Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min, both players’ futures remain very much in doubt this summer.

Simone Inzaghi is being strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur after the Champions League final.

Uncertainty remains over Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham Hotspur despite the Australian having guided the club to European glory.

Postecoglou expects to be sacked by Daniel Levy, although the Europa League-winning coach has asked the Spurs chairman to give him more time.

One of the latest names to enter the frame is Simone Inzaghi and the North London club’s chances of landing the Italian manager have just been rated.

Inzaghi is believed to be happy to stay at Inter Milan despite links to Tottenham Hotspur and regardless of the outcome in the Champions League final.

The Italians’ Inter Milan team take on Paris Saint-Germain in the European Cup final on the weekend in a bid to end their 15-year wait for the trophy.

Fabio Paratici has been pushing for Inzaghi to be appointed as the next Spurs boss, although the North London club have faced competition from the Saudi Pro League.

But now, the biggest competition for the Serie A-winning coach is Inter, who will make it very tricky to get him out of the San Siro.

Barclay told The Tottenham Way podcast: “Simone Inzaghi is a sort of new one. Obviously, the Paratici link is understandable with an Italian and one who’s doing so well as that.

“The last time I spoke to quite a lot of counterparts in the Italian press, they seemed to be under the impression that he would be staying no matter what at Inter Milan next season.

“You could make the case that if he loses, he might be even more likely to stay because he wants to go and finish the job, I suppose. But I don’t know.”

Would Simone Inzaghi make an ideal replacement for Ange Postecoglou?

Inzaghi already has an impressive trophy haul in Italy having won nine major titles during spells at Inter and Lazio.

The 49-year-old has one Serie A title to his name, three Italian Cups and five Italian Super Cup titles. This season, he has seen the Nerazzurri finish second in the league and taken them into the Champions League final.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou’s win rate this term is rather alarming having won as many games as he has lost, which is why his future is in doubt.

Levy now faces a tough decision as he awaits to see whether Inzaghi might be available in case he decides to sack his current manager.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a real behind-the-scenes shakeup this summer.

Indeed, Ange Postecoglou’s job isn’t safe at the moment, while protests against Daniel Levy have occurred this season.

Levy isn’t going to leave Spurs, but he could be about to change the power dynamic at Tottenham.

Vinai Venkatesham is joining Tottenham as the new Chief Executive this summer, while there could be another change in the offing too.

Fabio Paratici could be set to return to Spurs once his footballing ban is over, and according to Dan Kilpatrick, speaking on The Lab Podcast, that could have a knock-on effect for another key member of staff.

Fabio Paratici return is bad news for Johan Lange

Kilpatrick shared what he’s been hearing about Paratici’s return and what it means for Johan Lange.

According to the journalist, Paratici is likely to return, but that isn’t good news for Johan Lange.

Lange’s job is safe at Tottenham, but according to Kilpatrick, his sphere of influence is probably going to shrink from here.

“Paratici. Have you heard, is he definitely coming back? It feels like he is, right?” Kilpatrick was asked.

“The sort of noises I’m hearing suggest yes, but I don’t know if it’s kind of definite,” Kilpatrick said.

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, certainly like my colleague Tom Barclay, who I do The Tottenham Way with wrote last week that he will come back. So it sounds like that’s certainly being talked about.

“Do you think that’s bad news for Lange, or do you think they can work together?”

“It’s not good news for Lange, is it? From what I’ve heard, I’m out of the reporting game now, so I guess what I’ve heard isn’t really relevant. But the suggestion I think was that Lange would be safe even if he did come back.

“But that would obviously dilute his kind of influence, I guess.”

Tottenham’s new power structure

Kilpatrick says that Lange’s influence will be reduced upon Paratici’s return, and, in all honesty, this situation is a bit of a mess.

Indeed, as the old saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth, and at Tottenham there are seemingly too many people in different positions trying to do similar things.

No club needs this many key figures heading up very similar departments.

Ultimately, Spurs need to streamline their structure and give everyone clear roles, because, from the outside looking in, it appears that there’s way too much going on at Tottenham right now, and that’s before they even try to decide whether to sack their manager.

As things stand, Fabio Paratici is set to return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

Fabio Paratici enjoyed a lot of success whilst working with Tottenham in the past and he’s often credited for a lot of their recent wins in the transfer market.

Paratici has agreed terms with Tottenham and he will start work at the beginning of July, once his 30-month ban ends.

The Italian previously had to resign from his role at Spurs as a result of FIFA’s decision, but he will now return as the club’s technical director.

That being said, Paratici should already be preparing to make a tough decision when it comes to one of his former signings.

It’s time for Tottenham to sell Cristian Romero

Heading into the summer, it might now be time for Spurs to make the tough decision to sell Cristian Romero, despite how good he was in the Europa League final.

For a while now, Romero has been keen to leave Tottenham, and upon his return Paratici should be urging the club to find a solution.

As things stand, Romero will have two years left on his Spurs contract in the summer, and the general feeling around Tottenham fans right now is that the defender might be willing to stay for another year at least.

Spurs have just won a trophy and qualified for the Champions League as a result — something which might keep Romero happy.

However, is it a good decision to let Romero stay for another 12 months without signing a new contract?

In that scenario, the defender will have just one year left on his deal next summer, and Spurs might struggle to even recoup the £43m they paid for his services in 2021.

Kevin Danso is ready to step up for Spurs

Of course, Spurs fans could rightfully rebuke the idea of selling one of the club’s best players following a trophy win.

But does it make sense to keep Romero for another season without signing a new deal? Probably not.

If Daniel Levy is able to convince the defender to sign a new contract in the meantime, then he’s an obvious one to keep, just as Ange Postecoglou would protest himself.

But with Kevin Danso impressing and joining permanently this summer, perhaps it is a good time to bite the bullet with Romero somewhat — a player who has had doubts about his Tottenham future.

Harry Redknapp has also called Romero ‘unreliable’ recently, a defender who delivers his fair share of poor performances as well.

Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham Hotspur remains unclear despite guiding the club to their first major trophy in 17 years.

Daniel Levy could yet sack Postecoglou, although the Australian manager has asked to be given more time to prove he can keep winning at the North London club.

The former Celtic boss promised that season three at Tottenham would be even better than the second campaign, which ended in the club securing the Europa League title.

The pressure is now on Levy with Spurs fans having sung Postecoglou’s name in the game against Brighton.

Ian Wright has now had his say on the matter in N17 and he has revealed what he really thinks about the 59-year-old having previously worked with him.

Ian Wright issues verdict on Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou

Wright has revealed that he is a big fan of Ange Postecoglou as a person, having had the chance to work with him as a pundit.

The pair worked together during the Australian’s short stint as a pundit on ITV Football during Euro 2024 last summer.

The Arsenal legend claims that Postecoglou is a ‘really lovely bloke’ and seems hopeful that he will be given the time to turn Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League fortunes around next season.

Wright told Wrighty’s House Podcast: “I was pleased for them. And you know, hopefully this is a springboard for Ange, simply because I worked with him in the Euros and he’s a really lovely bloke.

“I spent a lot of time with him. And how he is and how you feel your perception of him is probably, he’s just a normal bloke. He’s just coaching, doing the best he can, just have a pint.”

Will Daniel Levy actually give Ange Postecoglou more time at Tottenham?

Currently, Levy has gone on holiday, as has Postecoglou, and therefore any decision over the manager’s future at Spurs has been placed on hold.

Tottenham have been eyeing replacements for their manager across the Premier League season if they opt to sack him.

Oliver Glasner has ruled himself out of the running by suggesting he will remain at Crystal Palace next season.

Elsewhere, Tottenham have previously approached Gian Piero Gasperini and the Italian is now back on the market after leaving Atalanta.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur have already held talks with Mikey Moore about a new long-term contract.

The 17-year-old is very highly rated at Hotspur Way, with James Maddison having raved about Moore after the team beat AZ Alkmaar back in October.

The teenager has enjoyed a solid breakout campaign under Ange Postecoglou having netted his first senior goal for the club en route to winning the Europa League.

The North London club currently have big plans for Moore next term, however, much could depend on who is sitting in the hot seat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham want to tie Mikey Moore down to new contract

Tottenham Hotspur fully expect a long-term deal to be in place for Mikey Moore by the time he turns 18, sources have told TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey.

Moore is due to turn 18 in August; therefore, negotiations are set to continue over the summer to ensure his long-term future will be in North London.

The Spurs academy graduate just became the youngest player at 17 years and 283 days to win the Europa League, having been part of the squad that won in Bilbao.

The Lilywhites have been ‘delighted’ with the teenager’s progression and attitude this season and are ready to reward him with a new deal. His current contract runs until June 2027.

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey said: “They are delighted with his progress and maturity, given he has played in some difficult situations, but the experience he already has will be invaluable.”

The question now will be what role Moore will have in the squad next season, given the fact that he’s made just 11 appearances since the turn of the year.

Tottenham currently have no plans to loan Mikey Moore

At this stage, there are no plans for Moore to be sent out on loan, although Postecoglou’s future needs to be resolved first.

Postecoglou could be sacked by Tottenham and a change of manager could result in the teenager being sent out on loan for the season.

Bailey added: “Tottenham believe Moore has a huge future. At this point, they are not thinking about a loan. But we need to see who the manager is, should Ange be replaced.”

Tottenham may have been dealt an early blow ahead of the transfer window with one of their top targets seemingly turning down a move to North London.

Spurs have suffered a miserable domestic campaign, finishing 17th in the Premier League with 38 points. They lost 22 times, with Ange Postecoglou setting an unwanted Spurs record for most defeats in a single season.

However, they did surprisingly well in Europe and managed to salvage their season, beating Manchester United to win the Europa League.

This not only ended their 17-year trophy drought but also booked them a spot in next season’s Champions League.

The club’s focus has now turned to next season, with several new signings expected this summer.

Johnny Cardoso not keen on joining Tottenham

One of Tottenham’s targets going into the summer is Real Betis’ ‘amazing‘ midfielder Johnny Cardoso.

The club has been interested in signing him since January. Tottenham agreed a £21m option to sign Cardoso, giving them the first preference to sign him at the end of the season. However, the move also required the player’s approval.

Recent reports even stated that Tottenham are pushing to complete Cardoso’s signing.

However, as per the latest from Spanish outlet Marca, the deal is now likely to be off as the Europa League finalist is not keen on a move to Tottenham.

The report suggests that the midfielder has rejected a move to Spurs and is more interested in joining Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish heavyweights also keen as they work on agreeing personal terms with the player.

Tottenham’s need to bolster their midfield

Losing out on Cardoso will no doubt be a blow for Tottenham. The American has impressed with his performances in La Liga this season, establishing himself as a key player for Betis under Manuel Pellegrini.

But with the player reportedly not keen on a move to Spurs, the club will have to turn attention elsewhere.

The midfield remains an important position to bolster going into the new season, especially after the club’s qualification in the Champions League.

Another player on the market is former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes. The England midfielder has attracted interest from several clubs after impressing in France with Lille.

Cristian Romero has become a hot topic at Tottenham Hotspur over recent months.

Firstly, Romero could leave Tottenham this summer, having been linked with a move to La Liga and more specifically, Atletico Madrid.

However, the defender proved just how important he is to Ange Postecoglou’s team with a Man of the Match performance in Spurs’ Europa League final win over Manchester United.

The 27-year-old has become renowned for his heavy-handed defensive approach, which often winds up his opponents, as he demonstrated with his battle against Harry Maguire.

Romero has now revealed which player he thinks would be horrible to play against, and he actually picked one of his Tottenham Hotspur teammates.

Cristian Romero thinks Tottenham’s Richarlison is horrible to play against

Cristian Romero thinks Richarlison would be a bit of a nightmare to play against, and the pair have previously clashed when on opposite teams.

For the majority of his time in the capital, the South American forward has struggled with injuries, but in the Europa League final, he produced probably his best display in a Tottenham shirt to date.

The Spurs defender infamously took out the Brazilian with a strong tackle during a meeting between the North London club and Richarlison’s former club, Everton.

Now the two players are teammates and Romero believes that the 27-year-old is quite a ‘character’ and jokingly warned him, if they were to meet at national team level, Richarlison would ‘be in pain’.

Romero told Gaston Edul: “I think Richarlison is also another pain in the neck, but I know him well now. He is a character, but yes, in the national team, if I were to face him, he would be in pain.”

Will Ange Postecoglou sell Richarlison this summer?

TBR Football has reported that Everton are keen on Richarlison and have promised him a starting spot in David Moyes’ team if he were to return to Merseyside.

The major concern for him will be the fact that he is getting little game time under Postecoglou and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, he will want to be playing more minutes.

Postecoglou thinks Richarlison is ‘quality’ and there is a sense he would have played a lot more this season had he managed to stay fit.

Despite how good he can be when he is fit, the Lilywhites will need to assess whether or not he is worth keeping around should they receive an offer to sell him this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a real name for themselves in recent years when it comes to giving youth a chance.

Tottenham have signed a multitude of talented young players over the past few years who look like they have a bright future in the game.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has also given plenty of academy players a chance, such as Mikey Moore, Will Lankshear and Jamie Donley.

TBR Football looks at three Tottenham academy players who Postecoglou should look at in pre-season.

Luca Williams-Barnett likely to feature in pre-season

Williams-Barnett, a 16-year-old attacking midfielder who can also play on the flanks, is arguably the most exciting youngster in the Spurs ranks at present.

He was previously in Luton Town’s academy before joining the Spurs set-up and quickly rising through the ranks to reach the fringes of the first-team.

This season, Williams-Barnett has registered 20 goals and 12 assists from just 23 youth outings, and has made several senior matchday squad appearances.

Williams-Barnett helped Tottenham win the Under-17 Premier League Cup, scoring a hat-trick in the 5-2 final win over Charlton Athletic in April.

Some Tottenham fans previously deemed Williams-Barnett one of the best talents they’ve ever seen in their academy.

Junai Byfield and Russell Denny could also be involved in Tottenham pre-season

Junai Byfield captained Tottenham to U17 Premier League Cup glory, and he has also captained England’s U17s of late.

The 16-year-old is already playing above his age level, making 22 league appearances for the U18s last season, along with three FA Youth Cup outings.

Next up could be Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny, who has been making waves at Tottenham since his recent move from Chelsea’s academy.

The 19-year-old, who joined in February, didn’t need too long to make an impact in the Under-21s, bagging a hat-trick of assists in a 4-0 win over Blackburn in March.

Russell-Denny also scored in the 5-4 loss to Everton in April, and he has represented England at Under-18 and Under-19 levels.