FourFourTwo

Tottenham have enjoyed a busy summer in the transfer market so far as the club look to back boss Ange Postecoglou ahead of his second season in the Spurs hot seat.

Despite narrowly missing out on the Champions League spots last season, Spurs’ fifth-place finish showed plenty of promise and the club appears determined to kick on again next season.

Spurs have looked to youth so far in the window, signing 18-year-olds Archie Gray, Lucas Begvall and Yang Min-hyuk, while also landing Timo Werner on loan for another season.

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Recent reports had suggested that Spurs’ next target would be Juventus and Italy forward Federico Chiesa, with the club said to be looking at bringing the 26-year-old to north London in something of a cut-price deal.

Chiesa is now into the final 12 months of his deal in Turin and appears not to be part of new boss Thiago Motta’s plans, leading to speculation that Spurs were among a host of suitors for the Euro 2020 winner, including Chelsea and Roma.

But transfer expert Fabrizio Romano now reports on X that Tottenham and Juve are not in talks for the former Fiorentina man, who has struggled to recapture the form that saw him named as part of the Euro 2020 ‘Team of the Tournament’ since he suffered an ACL injury in January 2022.

Romano adds that while ‘no talks or negotiations’ are taking place for Chiesa, Tottenham’s work in the transfer window is not yet done, as he reports that the Premier League side ‘will sign one more player upfront’ this summer.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, declining to make a move for Chiesa, who is valued at €35million by Transfermarkt, is a sensible course of action for Spurs. With just 14 goals in 70 appearances for Juventus over the past two seasons, Chiesa would represent something of a risk - albeit one with a high ceiling if he would be able to recapture his previous form.

Given Spurs’ summer moves so far for young players, who are yet to prove themselves in the Premier League, a more dependable and experienced forward would make more sense.

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Harry Redknapp has voiced his concerns over the lack of input managers have in signings in the modern Premier League – insisting Sir Alex Ferguson would not have tolerated it.

Liverpool introduced a five-man transfer committee in 2012, comprising of manager Brendan Rodgers, the head of recruitment, the chief scout, the chief executive, plus the club’s director of technical performance.

Mauricio Pochettino left Chelsea in May amid friction over who decided which players to sign – co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart held a lot of the sway.

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Manchester United have also reportedly been introducing a structure that reduces the manager’s power over transfers, handing it to other figures at Old Trafford – the club recently recruited Dan Ashworth as sporting director, and Jason Wilcox as technical director.

Redknapp says he didn’t have to deal with such things during his own managerial career, including in his four-year spell at Spurs under chairman Daniel Levy.

“At Tottenham, Daniel never really interfered,” Redknapp tells FFT. “Although, like everybody, he might try harder to get a lad if he fancied them! He might say, ‘Oh, we couldn’t quite get the deal done, Harry...’

“But, in the main, he was as good as gold to deal with. If we could afford it, great. If we couldn’t afford it and couldn’t spend the money, that was how it was with Daniel.

“It’s different now, players are picked by the head of recruitment or whatever they call them – they used to be called a scout. Back in the day, no-one signed players for Alex Ferguson, he signed his own players.

“No-one would have had any input, he wouldn’t have been listening to heads of recruitment or anybody else. I’m sure David Gill, who was a fantastic chief executive, would never have tried to tell Alex who he should sign.

“Now a manager is relying on other people. If their judgement is no good, you haven’t got a chance. The players come from abroad, so when have you got a chance to go and watch them play? You’re playing Saturday or Sunday, they’re playing Saturday or Sunday, so you’re relying on other people.

“I heard a chief executive saying recently they have a six-man committee, and the manager is a sixth of the committee. ‘Does he have the final say?’ he was asked. ‘Oh no, he wouldn’t have the final say, he has one sixth of the say’.

“But who are these other people? Faceless people we don’t know, choosing the players you’re signing. That’s how difficult it’s become.”

There’s been an increasing trend for clubs to appoint a ‘head coach’ rather than a ‘manager’ – Enzo Maresca arrived at Chelsea with that title this summer.

“The players are bought by other people and really all you’re doing is coaching, but if players are no good, you can’t coach them,” Redknapp says.

“When are you coaching them? You’re playing Saturday or Sunday, you play again Tuesday or Wednesday, you have a day off Thursday, you have a warm down, when are you doing all this super coaching?

“People sometimes say ‘He’s a great coach’, but I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen many great coaches. I’ve seen great football people, great managers, I haven’t seen many great coaches.

“What is a great coach? What are they doing that’s so different? I don’t know. Getting the best out of people, picking the right people, putting them in the right positions. It ain’t rocket science.”

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One of Chelsea and Tottenham's rumoured transfer targets has opened up on his future. In a potential blow to both London rivals, the player in question appears to have committed to his current club for the time being.

The Blues and Spurs have both been linked with Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, who was one of his side's standout performers on the way to Premier League survival last season. And there seems a good chance that he will continue to star for the East Midlands side in 2024/25.

The 22-year-old Brazilian – who joined Forest from Corinthians towards the end of last year's summer transfer window – has stressed the need to carry on getting regular playing time. He hasn't categorically quashed talk of a switch to Stamford Bridge or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium however, revealing his "dream" of playing Champions League football.

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In an interview with The Telegraph, Murillo acknowledged that he might be better off spending at least another campaign at Forest. He said:

"I need regular game time and really feel that with Forest I’m in the best place for my career at the moment. Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player and eventually become better prepared if the chance ever comes to play at another level one day."

He went on to admit, though: "Of course, I want to eventually play in the Champions League. When I was growing up, I’d play video games and play with all those teams. Whenever I hear that classic music before the games, it moves me, and it would be a dream to play in that competition."

Murillo joined Forest for around £15m and almost immediately established himself as a key member of the team. His accomplished defensive displays played an important part in securing a 17th-placed Premier League finish.

The Sao Paulo-born star has four years left to run on his contract with the two-time European champions. Transfermarkt currently values him at just under £30m.

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Tottenham, meanwhile, are said to be closing in on their latest signing of the window

Tottenham Hotspur look set to mark their second campaign under manager Ange Postecoglou with the addition of a highly rated continental forward this summer.

The former Celtic boss oversaw a mid-season injury crisis, to guide the club to a respectable 5th place finish, just two points below fourth-placed Aston Villa.

One of the biggest issues surrounding the Lilywhites last season was the inconsistent form of their forwards, with Richarlison and failing to provide a constant stream of goals while Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson both struggled to tie down their spot in the lineup.

Tottenham targeting Italian ace

In an attempt to bolster their firepower, Tottenham look set to launch a bid for Juventus star Federico Chiesa, who looks set to be available on a cut-price deal.

The Italian international has been a household name for a number of years despite Juventus' struggles in recent seasons, playing a star role in Italy's 2021 European Championship success.

Comfortable off both the left and right wing, Chiesa offers an elite level attacking talent with versatility to add some much-needed depth for the North London outfit.

According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, Chiesa will reject interest from Napoli in favour of a move to Tottenham, who are set to launch a €35 million bid.

This report supports claims earlier in the window that the forward would be available on the cheap due to his contract expiring next summer, having previously been linked to Manchester United and Chelsea.

Tottenham have enjoyed a bright start to this summer's window, signing highly coveted youngster Archie Gray from Leeds while shifting a number of players who had fallen out of favour over the past few years.

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Despite missing out on a place in the top four last season, Tottenham’s first season under Ange Postecoglou showed plenty of promise.

Tottenham’s fifth-placed finish was a significant improvement on the previous campaign in which they missed out on the European spots altogether, ending up eighth in the table.

The Australian boss quickly developed a rapport with the fans and the club now look to be backing him ahead of his sophomore campaign, with another young talent set to sign.

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Already this summer Spurs have spent £35m to bring in 18-year-old Archie Gray from Leeds United, while another teenager in Lucas Bergvall has also been signed from Swedish side Djurgarden for a fee of £8.5m. Now, according to the BBC, a third 18-year-old is set to arrive, as the club close in on the signing of winger Yang Min-hyuk.

The teenager is set to ‘imminently’ complete a move from South Korean side Gangwon, for whom he turned out 24 times for last season, scoring seven times and become the youngest K League goalscorer since 2013 in the process.

Yang has started every match for Gangwon so far this season and is in the Team K League squad who will face Spurs in Seoul next week as part of the Premier League’s pre-season tour. He is then set to link up with Tottenham in January, following the end of the K League season.

The youngster will then become the third South Korean player to join Spurs, following on from current captain Son Heung-min and Lee Young-pyo. With Son having just turned 32 this month, Spurs will be hoping that Yang can continue the Korean legend’s legacy.

Yang is valued at just €1.2m by Transfermarkt, but in FourFourTwo’s opinion, his promising performances in the K League are clearly enough to convince Spurs of his potential, as the club look to continue to direct their efforts in the transfer market to the future.

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Arsenal could be set to pull the rug from under their north London rivals Tottenham and hijack their move for a key summer target.

The two rivals have both identified a new striker as a key summer priority during the transfer window, with Arsenal looking to take the goalscoring load off centre-forwards Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, while Tottenham are looking to ease their over-reliance on Son Heung-min’s goals from midfield.

Ange Postecoglou’s search for a new frontman has taken him to Serie A this summer, but dispatches from Italy suggest that hesitation on Spurs’ part could open the door for the Gunners.

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Reports had suggested that Spurs were closing in on a bargain move for Italy striker Federico Chiesa, who is now in the final year of his Juventus contract. A fee of around €20-25 million had been mooted, but SportMediaSet now claim that Spurs are yet to make contact with the Turin side about a move.

They add that Chelsea, another side to be linked, have also not yet entered negotiations, while Arsenal have taken the first steps towards taking advantage of the situation by getting in contact to enquire about the conditions of a deal.

Juve are showing no signs of offering the 26-year-old a contract extension as new boss Thiago Motta gets to work in Turin, with Chiesa failing to find the form that made him an integral part of Italy’s Euro 2020 victory following a number of injury issues.

Chiesa is valued at €35million by Transfermarkt, but in FourFourTwo’s opinion, could prove to be something of a bargain for the right team if he is able to rekindle his 2020/21 form.

Given Arsenal’s title ambitions, a move to the Emirates may not be the right fit though, as Mikel Arteta will be looking for more of a statement signing up front and one that can be relied upon to score the goals which could make the difference in next season’s title race.

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Tottenham have already moved to back manager Ange Postecoglou in the transfer market this summer as the Australian prepares for his second season in north London. Still, more firepower could soon be on the way.

Spurs made a splash by spending £35million to bring in teenager Archie Gray from Leeds United. Lucas Bergvall has joined from Djurgarden, while Timo Werner has signed up for another year on loan from RB Leipzig.

And it now looks like the club are closing in on a fourth signing of the summer. Now, Postecoglou is set to address Spurs’ goalscoring issues, after the team scored fewer goals than another side in the top seven last season.

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Tottenham look set to take advantage of a transitional summer at Juventus, where new manager Thiago Motta looks to improve on the Old Lady’s third-placed finish last season, by closing in on a move for forward Federico Chiesa.

The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract in Turin and with no sign of an extension coming, reports in Italy claim he will be leaving the club, which saw the likes of Spurs, Roma and Chelsea linked with a move.

But the latest reports suggest that both Roma and Chelsea are now out of the race to sign the Italy international, clearing the way for Spurs to seal a €25m move for the forward.

And according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has already reached an agreement with the player’s representatives over a four-year deal worth around £97,000 per week, but he is not the only forward linked with a move to the club.

That’s because Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke is said to be the club’s ‘top target’, as per TEAMtalk. The report states that the Cherries have ‘fears’ that the one-time England striker, who they have valued at £65m, could leave this summer.

In FourFourTwo's view, Chiesa may well have agreed a move in principle, but that doesn't mean the deal is quite over the line. Spurs will have to agree a fee before the Italy international arrives – and with a surplus of players in attacking areas, Daniel Levy may look to move on a squad player before bringing in another one.

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Tottenham have already moved to back manager Ange Postecoglou in the transfer market this summer as the Australian prepares for his second season in north London. Still, more firepower could soon be on the way.

Spurs made a splash by spending £35million to bring in teenager Archie Gray from Leeds United. Lucas Bergvall has joined from Djurgarden, while Timo Werner has signed up for another year on loan from RB Leipzig.

And it now looks like the club are closing in on a fourth signing of the summer. Now, Postecoglou is set to address Spurs’ goalscoring issues, after the team scored fewer goals than another side in the top seven last season.

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Tottenham look set to take advantage of a transitional summer at Juventus, where new manager Thiago Motta looks to improve on the Old Lady’s third-placed finish last season, by closing in on a move for forward Federico Chiesa.

The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract in Turin and with no sign of an extension coming, reports in Italy claim he will be leaving the club, which saw the likes of Spurs, Roma and Chelsea linked with a move.

But the latest reports suggest that both Roma and Chelsea are now out of the race to sign the Italy international, clearing the way for Spurs to seal a €25m move for the forward.

And according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has already reached an agreement with the player’s representatives over a four-year deal worth around £97,000 per week, but he is not the only forward linked with a move to the club.

That’s because Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke is said to be the club’s ‘top target’, as per TEAMtalk. The report states that the Cherries have ‘fears’ that the one-time England striker, who they have valued at £65m, could leave this summer.

In FourFourTwo's view, Chiesa may well have agreed a move in principle, but that doesn't mean the deal is quite over the line. Spurs will have to agree a fee before the Italy international arrives – and with a surplus of players in attacking areas, Daniel Levy may look to move on a squad player before bringing in another one.

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Tottenham may have found a buyer in Italy for a midfielder who is not in their plans for next season, but the player's wage demands could prove a stumbling block to a summer transfer.

Spurs are working hard to move on some of the players who are surplus to requirements for manager Ange Postecoglou in order to raise funds for new signings.

Danish international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is closing in on a move to Marseille after talks escalated in the last couple of days and now, another midfielder could be on his way out of the north London club.

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Giovani Lo Celso has just helped Argentina win the Copa America and assisted the winning goal for Lautaro Martinez in the final against Colombia, but the midfielder has been unable to hold down a starting spot at Spurs.

And according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lazio could revive their interest in the 28-year-old, who is out of contract at Tottenham in 2025.

Lazio considered signing Lo Celso last year, but a deal was vetoed at the time by manager Maurizio Sarri. With Marco Baroni now in charge, it is thought the Rome-based club could be back in for the Argentine midfielder.

Napoli are also understood to be interested, but Lo Celso's reported wage demands of €4-5 million per year could scupper a move to Italy. The transfer fee would be around €10m (£8.4m), La Gazzetta say.

Meanwhile, Lo Celso has also been linked with Aston Villa in a sensational swap deal which would see Jacob Ramsey move the other way. However, manager Unai Emery already said in January that he had no intention of selling Ramsey, who came through the youth ranks at Villa.

In FourFourTwo's view, Lo Celso will end up leaving Tottenham this summer. Given his quality, it is surprising that he has not been able to hold down a starting spot at Spurs, but the former Real Betis and Paris Saint-Germain player has worked with several managers at the north London club and has not really been a regular starter for any of them. The time is right for everyone to move on for a player who still has plenty to offer.

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Tottenham started last season spectacularly and sat on top of the Premier League after going unbeaten in their opening 10 games. Alas, it could not last.

Defeat to Chelsea in November ended that remarkable run for Ange Postecoglou's side and an injury crisis exposed the squad's shortcomings as Spurs lost four of the next five matches.

And five defeats in the last seven games of the season put paid to Tottenham's hopes of a place in the Champions League, with Aston Villa taking fourth place to leave Spurs reflecting on a campaign which had started so well but ultimately fizzled out in disappointing fashion. So where do the Lilywhites go from here?

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Tottenham's dream transfer window: What's the priority this summer?

Tottenham made some excellent signings last summer following the arrival of Ange Postecoglou as manager, with Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison all impressing under the Australian.

Postecoglou is probably still a couple of players away from ideal XI and despite the signing of young midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, top priority this summer is probably still another midfielder.

It is well documented that Postecoglou is a fan of Chelsea's Conor Gallagher and with contract talks with the Blues having hit an impasse and the west London club likely needing to sell players this summer, the England midfielder could finally end up heading across the capital to sign for Spurs.

Atalanta's Ederson, Everton's Amadou Onana and Manchester United's Scott McTominay have been named as possible alternatives if Gallagher opts to stay at Stamford Bridge or decides that he cannot move to one of his club's fiercest rivals this summer.

Summer sales in N17

It was clear during Tottenham's injury crisis last season that many of the fringe players at Spurs are either not up to scratch or not suited to Postecoglou's playing style. And the Australian admitted towards the end of the campaign that there would be a number of departures in the summer.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is closing in on a move to Marseille, while Ryan Sessegnon was released at the end of his contract in June and record signing Tanguy Ndombele's was terminated by mutual consent as he joined Nice.

Richarlison could me the most high-profile player to leave Spurs this summer, with the Brazil forward having struggled with injuries in his two seasons at the club. The former Everton favourite is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, right-back Emerson Royal and winger Bryan Gil are also expected to be sold, while defender Joe Rodon has made his move to Leeds United permanent for £10 million and striker Troy Parrot has joined AZ Alkmaar for around £6.7m.

Will a Harry Kane replacement finally arrive?

Harry Kane played for Tottenham in pre-season last year, scoring four goals against Shakhtar Donetsk in a friendly, but left for Bayern Munich shortly before the start of the new campaign.

The England captain was not replaced, with Son Heung-min and Richarlison both used centrally in 2023/24, but the South Korean is not at his best in that position and the Brazilian struggled for fitness and goals.

One year on from Kane's exit, Spurs seem to be prioritising the arrival of a striker this time around. Feyenoord's Mexican forward Santiago Gimenez is one reported target, along with Brentford's Ivan Toney, Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy, RB Leipzig's Lois Openda and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres. They might not be quite up to Kane's standard, but signing a specialist striker seems wise.

What about a centre-back?

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are hugely popular players with Tottenham fans and their central defensive partnership is excellent. However, the Dutchman is prone to injury and the Argentine regularly suspended.

Spurs signed Radu Dragusin last January and the Romanian is likely to continue as back-up in 2024/25, but Postecoglou has admitted he would like to bring in another centre-back this summer.

Centre-backs Eric Dier, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga have all recently left Spurs and Postecoglou said in April: "If you're saying 'is it an area we can strengthen?' Yes it's an area we will probably look at."

Specifically, Spurs would like a left-sided centre-back. Tosin Adarabioyo was linked before leaving Fulham, but has since signed for Chelsea. Interestingly, midfielders Archie Gray and Oliver Skipp have been playing at centre-back in pre-season. The ever-dependable Ben Davies is also experienced cover across the back line.

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Tottenham have made contact for French wonderkid - who has received public backing from Thierry Henry, while the north Londoners are in the 'final stages' of completing major summer signing.

They're also keen on hijacking an Arsenal transfer, whose move to the Emirates Stadium still hasn't crossed the line.