Football.London

Daniel Levy has come out swinging. It's clear there is only so much criticism a man can take.

There have been multiple protests from the Tottenham supporters this season, with regular calls for the chairman to stand down and let someone else take the reins.

The banner that can often be seen inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and outside it ahead of matches reads: 24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy. Time for change.

The banner and the scale of the protest speaks for itself. Spurs are one of the biggest clubs in Europe, let alone England, and their trophy cabinet pales in comparison to the rest of the continent's biggest and best.

Tottenham are perennial underachievers despite their infrastructure and financial prowess.

In reporting their financial results for the year 2023/24, Spurs announced a drop in revenue to £528.2million - down £21.4million on the year before. But the club only made a £26.2million loss for the year, compared to the £86.8million loss in 2023. That may or may not have had something to do with the sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for around £100million.

In his annual statement, Levy delivered 46 words that hit back at criticism of the way he has run the club. He said: "I often read calls for us to spend more, given that we are ranked as the ninth richest club in the world. However, a closer examination of today’s financial figures reveals that such spending must be sustainable in the long term and within our operating revenues."

If confirmation was ever needed that he is not going to change, there it is. He will not spend beyond his means, nor do anything to jeopardise the business side of things.

Prior to that part of the statement he said something else interesting. "Since opening our new stadium in April 2019, we have invested over £700million net in player acquisitions. Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means."

But what he failed to mention in that £700million assessment, was how good that transfer strategy has been. And while he will take the plaudits for how well the club is run behind the scenes, he must take the criticism for the work done in the transfer market.

How many of the players that have come through the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium entrance door in that £700million net spend have actually been worth it?

The 2019/20 signings: Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Steven Bergwijn, Ryan Sessegnon, Jack Clarke and Gedson Fernandes. We can categorically say that none of them were hits.

The 2020/21 signings: Sergio Reguilon, Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Rodon, Carlos Vinicius, Gareth Bale and Joe Hart. Hojbjerg was a fine signing, while the loan return of Bale was a fairytale and had good substance too, but the rest? No thanks.

The 2021/22 signings: Bryan Gil, Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Pape Matar Sarr, Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini. Bentancur and Kulusevski have been very good, Romero is a mainstay of the defence and Sarr could prove to be a fine player over time.

The 2022/23 signings: Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Arnaut Danjuma, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Clement Lenglet. The three full-backs have been good signings, but given Richarlison's injury record and goal output, you'd probably put him in the miss column for now with all the others.

The 2023/24 signings: Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin, Guglielmo Vicario, Alejo Veliz, Ashley Phillips, Timo Werner and Manor Solomon. Van de Ven is a brilliant piece of business, while Vicario and Maddison are astute signings too. The jury is out on Johnson and Dragusin as yet.

The 2024/25 signings: Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, Antonin Kinsky, Mathys Tel, Yang Min-hyeok and Kevin Danso. The jury is out on all of these given their short stints at the club, although Solanke, Gray, Odobert and Bergvall all look like good deals.

So, excepting the 2024/25 signings given they've only been at the club for a year or half a year, let's look at the others since 2019. In five years, 11 permanent signings have been hits, with the one loan signing of Bale another little hit. That leaves 24 misses and two that the jury remains out on. That's my opinion, of course, others will have their own.

So while more than £700million net may have been ploughed into signings, but when only one in three are proving to be a hit, questions need to be asked about the recruitment.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed in their financial results for the year ending June 30, 2024 that their total revenue and other income decreased to £528.2million. Recording a figure of £549.6million in 2023, Spurs' revenue fell due to nine fewer home games than the previous year and also because of not competing in European competition.

Tottenham's match receipts came to £105.8million in 2024 when they had recorded £117.6million 12 months earlier. Their UEFA prize money stood at £1.3million due to their failure to qualify for Europe at the end of the 2022/23 season.

In comparison, Spurs' total from 2023 was £56.2million after reaching the Champions League round of 16. Tottenham confirmed the prize money in the period is a final account payment relating to the prior season’s competition.

TV and media revenues increased, however, as they jumped from £148.1million in 2023 to £165.9million in 2024. Tottenham also saw an increase in commercial revenues from £227.7million to £255.2million.

Operating expenses (before football trading) decreased to £453.6million from £487.9million. Profit from operations before depreciation, amortisation, player trading, interest and taxation increased by 4% to £144.9million from £138.7million, though.

The loss for the year after depreciation, amortisation, player trading, interest and taxation was £26.2million, with the 2023 figure standing at £86.8million. Tottenham have also confirmed their net debt as of June 30, 2024 was £772.5million in comparison to £677.4million in 2023.

Over 90% of the club's financial borrowings of £851.5million are at fixed rates, with an average interest rate of 2.79%. The average maturity of all Tottenham's borrowings is 18.6 years, some of which stretch until 2051, ensuring limited impact on the club’s ability to invest in the playing squad.

In the financial results that were posted on the club's official website on Monday afternoon, chairman Daniel Levy released a statement to discuss the numbers.

"As we announce our financial results for the year to 30 June, 2024, we currently find ourselves in 14th position in the Premier League, navigating what has been a highly challenging season on the pitch," he explained. "We are, however, in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League. Winning this competition would see welcome silverware and mean qualification for the UEFA Champions League. We must do everything we can to support the team in these final key stages.

“Since opening our new stadium in April 2019, we have invested over £700million net in player acquisitions. Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means. I often read calls for us to spend more, given that we are ranked as the ninth richest club in the world. However, a closer examination of today’s financial figures reveals that such spending must be sustainable in the long term and within our operating revenues.

"Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power. We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club – indeed, our off-pitch revenues have significantly supplemented the lower football revenues this year, testament to our diversified income strategy.

“I want to thank everyone who supports us through good times and bad. We are resilient and passionate about our club. We shall aim to finish this season as strongly as we can and continue to build for success on the pitch.”

Spurs' selection choices vs Chelsea, key player fitness & the loan latest - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

It will not be long at all until Tottenham's loanees are back at the club with the end of the 2024/25 season fast approaching. As ever, it has been a campaign full of ups and downs for the players who departed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the transfer window in hope of getting regular first-team football elsewhere.

For Yang Min-hyeok and Alfie Dorrington, the duo enjoyed a memorable weekend after scoring their first goals for QPR and Aberdeen respectively. It may have been a bittersweet moment for Yang as his loan club were on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat at Stoke, but for Dorrington it was extra special as he put Aberdeen on the way to a convincing victory.

But how exactly did the rest of Tottenham's loan army fare over the past week following the return of domestic football after the first international break of the year? football.london takes a look below.

Yang Min-hyeok (QPR)

Yang was on the scoresheet on Saturday but it was a day to forget for QPR as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Stoke City. The west London club have endured a poor run of form of late and that has seen them drop down to 15th in the Championship table.

Yang didn't start the game in Staffordshire but he was introduced at the beginning of the second half with QPR 2-0 down. Stoke were to add a third goal nine minutes after the restart before the South Korean pulled one back in the 78th minute after finding the bottom corner of Viktor Johansson's goal with an arrowed drive across the Swede from the edge of the box.

Yang has now put himself in a good position to start on Saturday when QPR host Cardiff City in a crucial match in the bottom half of the table.

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips got his first glimpse of Tottenham teammate Yang in action as Stoke secured an important win over QPR. The centre-back has been a regular at the bet365 Stadium since joining from Spurs in the summer and he played 90 minutes for the 15th league game in a row.

Phillips received a score of eight out of ten in Stoke-on-Trent Live's player ratings. Stoke City correspondent Peter Smith wrote: "Deceived by wind in opening stages but did his best to be commanding, with a dial up in aggression and defending on the front foot – apart from QPR goal."

Stoke travel to Preston North End on Saturday afternoon before then hosting Luton Town three days later.

Manor Solomon (Leeds United)

Leeds United suffered a promotion blow at the weekend after shipping a late goal in a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea City. Manor Solomon did start the game for the West Yorkshire club but he was replaced on 72 minutes as Daniel Farke made a triple change.

The winger had a rare off-day and didn't fare too well in Leeds Live's player ratings as he received a score of five out of ten for his efforts. They wrote: "Unusually sloppy and in fact seemed a bit under-confident. Still showed some good touches but most of them outside the final third. Surprised he wasn't taken off sooner."

Leeds face a tricky game on Saturday when they travel to Luton Town, who are currently in a battle to stay in the division and avoid back-to-back relegations.

Will Lankshear (West Bromwich Albion)

Will Lankshear once again had to contend with minutes off the bench for West Brom on Saturday as they lost late on at Norwich City. The striker was introduced in Adam Armstrong's place with five minutes remaining on the clock but it was Josh Sargent who netted the all-important goal in stoppage time to deliver a late blow to the Baggies.

Since making the move to The Hawthorns from Tottenham in January, Lankshear has started one game from West Brom and come on as a substitute on six occasions. Armstrong's late loan move from Southampton has certainly restricted his playing time and left the youngster with limited playing time in the process. West Brom host Sunderland in a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.

Alfie Dorrington (Aberdeen)

It was a weekend to remember for Dorrington as he netted his first Aberdeen goal. After playing 90 minutes in the 0-0 draw at St Johnstone prior to the international break, the centre-back was once again named in the starting XI for Saturday's 4-1 win over Motherwell.

Aberdeen fell behind after five minutes but Dorrington restored parity shortly after with a wonderful finish inside the area that left the goalkeeper with no chance. Dorrington came in for plenty of praise from Dons boss Jimmy Thelin when speaking to the media after the game.

“It was super nice for Alfie to get his first goal, and it was an important one," he told Aberdeen's official website. "When new players arrive, it takes time. Everybody wants it to happen quick, but it’s a new environment for Alfie. It’s a new context, new team-mates, a different kind of team-mates.

"I think he adapted really well and is taking responsibility and adaptation to the league in our style. He’s been really good now in the last games."

Bryan Gil (Girona)

Bryan Gil appears to have played the last game of his Girona loan spell after undergoing surgery on a knee injury earlier this month. Taking to his Instagram account after surgery, he wrote: "Day one. Everything has turned out great. This is just one more step in the long road ahead."

Gil has contributed four goals and three assists in his 32 games for Girona this season.

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)

Leyton Orient kept up the pressure on their play-off rivals by securing a 1-0 win over Stevenage on Thursday evening. Jamie Donley, two days on from making his full international debut for Northern Ireland in a defeat against Sweden, was named on the bench and introduced for the final 20 minutes of the contest.

Fellow Tottenham loanee Josh Keeley played the full match and kept his 14th clean sheet from 28 games in League One this season. Orient's next game comes on Tuesday night when they travel to Burton Albion.

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic (Westerlo)

The Jupiler Pro League has now split into three and Westerlo are involved in the Conference League play-off group after finishing ninth in the regular season. Westerlo lost their first play-off game after slipping to a 1-0 defeat away at Dender.

Luka Vuskovic started the game and was substituted with nine minutes remaining, with Alfie Devine brought on as a substitute at half-time with the team 1-0 down. Oud-Heverlee Leuven are next up for Westerlo on Saturday evening.

Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)

Espanyol picked up a key point in their relegation battle after securing a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Alejo Veliz didn't start but he was introduced at half-time, with Javi Puado's penalty midway through the second half clinching a point for Espanyol.

Veliz will now be hoping he has done enough to start for his loan club on Friday evening when they travel to Rayo Vallecano.

Matthew Craig (Mansfield Town)

Time is starting to run out for Matthew Craig to add to his two Mansfield appearances as the League One season nears its conclusion. The Stags have eight games of the season remaining and the versatile player has not played since a 33-minute outing against Wycombe Wanderers back in January.

Mansfield confirmed on their official website ahead of Saturday's win at Bristol Rovers that the youngster was assessed at Tottenham during the week and is making good progress with a hamstring injury.

George Abbott (Notts County)

Notts County registered another victory in their promotion push from League Two with a 2-0 win at Newport County, with George Abbott once again playing the full game for the Magpies. Stuart Maynard's team are back in action on Wednesday evening when they host MK Dons at Meadow Lane.

Luca Gunter (Wealdstone)

Luca Gunter conceded three goals for the second game on the trot as Wealdstone lost 3-0 at York City on Saturday afternoon. The National League side host Boston United in a crunch relegation contest on Tuesday evening.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have announced for the first time the North London Derby will be played outside of the UK.

On Thursday, July 31 the two teams will meet at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium in a pre-season encounter as they prepare for the new Premier League season beginning in August.

Thanks to the star power of Son-heung Min, Spurs have an ever-expanding fanbase in Asia while for the Gunners, this will signal their first trip to the continent in many years having recently favoured tours in the United States.

Reflecting on the announcement, Arsenal's managing director Richard Garlick said: "Everyone at Arsenal is excited to be visiting Hong Kong in July.

"It’s great to be back with our men’s first team squad after 13 years, and gives us the opportunity to meet so many of our fantastic supporters in the region again.

"As well as training hard and playing the match, we cannot wait to connect with our Hong Kong supporters in this wonderful part of the world.

Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters, and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations ahead of the new season."

Ryan Norys, chief revenue officer at Spurs added: "There are few bigger occasions in English football than a North London derby and to play this fixture in Hong Kong will be a huge occasion for our passionate fanbase across Asia, as well as providing ideal preparation for the team ahead of the new season.

"As is tour tradition, the Club will be involved in so much more than the match itself when we visit, supporting charitable causes, celebrating local culture, delivering football clinics for young people and engaging with fans and partners.

"We cannot wait to visit such a beautiful place once again."

Further details on Spurs' and Arsenal's pre-season tours will be announced shortly but, considering they will face each other in Hong Kong, both teams are likely to be touring Asia this summer.

The fixture shall kick off at 7:30pm local time (11:30am in the UK) and will likely be available to watch via the clubs' respective streaming channels.

Tottenham are going to have to produce something very special if they are to return to winning ways in their first game back after the international break. Heading into the break on the back of a defeat following a 2-0 loss at Fulham, Spurs are on the road once again as they travel to Chelsea on Thursday evening.

Tottenham have a wretched record at Stamford Bridge, with their last triumph at Chelsea's home coming seven years ago in a 3-1 win. The Blues have the upper hand on Spurs and Ange Postecoglou has yet to register a single point against them during his time as Tottenham boss having lost all three fixtures so far.

The Australian will be praying it will be fourth time lucky as his team desperately need to register three points to help them move up from their lowly position of 14th after 29 games. Given the defeat and performance at Craven Cottage last time out, Postecoglou looks set to make changes to his team to take on Chelsea.

So who could come in for the London derby? football.london takes a look below.

Pedro Porro for Destiny Udogie/Djed Spence

Pedro Porro was an unused substitute in Tottenham's defeat at Fulham last time out but he will be in contention to come in from the off against Chelsea. The question facing Postecoglou is whether Destiny Udogie or Djed Spence makes way as a result.

Spence has excelled for Tottenham since coming into the team and he has duly made himself an undroppable. That may mean Udogie drops out and the ex-Nottingham Forest loanee moves across to the left to accommodate Porro.

Micky van de Ven for Ben Davies

Micky van de Ven should be in contention to start at Chelsea after having two weeks to work on his fitness. The centre-back was not part of the Netherlands squad for their UEFA Nations League double-header against Spain and that will hopefully mean he is in tip-top condition for the match at Stamford Bridge.

Postecoglou has had to manage the Dutchman's minutes since his return but it would now be nice if Van de Ven can start to play consecutive games due to his importance to the Tottenham team. Ben Davies will make way if Van de Ven starts.

Lucas Bergvall for Archie Gray

Lucas Bergvall did not start at Fulham but he was immediately called from the bench at half-time as Postecoglou noted that things had to change. The Swede is already such an important player in Tottenham's midfield and he looks a certainty to come back in.

Bergvall missed out for Sweden during the international break due to illness but he should be raring to go at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison for Yves Bissouma

James Maddison's absence from the Tottenham team at Fulham was a talking point as many believed he could have started two games in quick succession. The midfielder has posted some very good numbers for Spurs this season and he is a must when it comes to the starting XI to face Chelsea.

If Dejan Kulusevski misses out once again then there is going to be so much importance on Maddison making things happen for the team with his creativity.

Wilson Odobert/Dejan Kulusevski for Brennan Johnson

Brennan Johnson did not do enough in his game time prior to the international break and that resulted in him coming off at half-time. Wilson Odobert will be pushing for another start after his recent exploits, with his double in the 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar his best moment in a Tottenham shirt so far.

Kulusevski's injury status will all become clear ahead of Thursday's game as Postecoglou is due to speak to the media. The Swede posted an update on his Instagram account on Saturday and he did hint at a potential comeback very soon.

A start in Tottenham's first game back may come too soon for him but it would just be nice to have him as an option once again as he has been missed over the past month.

Son Heung-min for Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel looked better playing from the left flank at Fulham but he may not have done enough to keep his place in the Tottenham XI. Son Heung-min is another who looks a certainty to come into the side and that will likely be at the expense of Tel, unless of course the Frenchman starts from the right side instead.

Son's record against Chelsea isn't the best after only netting three times against them in the past and he will want that to change in such an important game for the club.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Chelsea are set to welcome back key duo Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson for their home match with Tottenham later this week.

Palmer missed the defeat to Arsenal before the international break with a slight muscular injury and then withdrew from the England squad because of the problem. There were some doubts whether the 22-year-old would be fit enough for the visit of Spurs on Thursday, but he returned to training on Friday afternoon and is now in contention to return to the squad.

As is Jackson, who has been missing with a hamstring problem since February 4, after returning to full training at Cobham last week. The pair, who cost Chelsea a combined total of £70million in the 2023 summer transfer window, have scored 23 of the Blues' 53 goals in the Premier League this season (43%) and will offer Enzo Maresca an enormous boost at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening.

A study conducted by OLBG has listed Palmer and Jackson amongst the Premier League attacking players with the lowest transfer fee per goal contribution, making them two of the most cost-effective players in the league.

OLBG carried out research to reveal the best value for money attacking and defensive Premier League players, based on factors such as average annual wage, goals, assists and clean sheets from last season. The OLBG team also had a look into the players with the lowest transfer cost per goal contribution for attacking players and clean sheets for defensive players.

Palmer has a £1.18m cost per goal and assist, with only Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Tottenham's Son Heung-min (£0.88m and £0.92m, respectively). Jackson, meanwhile, has a £1.61m cost per goal and assist contributions. For all of the signings BlueCo have made since taking over the club almost three years ago, these two represent a modern day bargain in the transfer market.

However, Maresca will be hoping the duo return in better form than before they got injured. Palmer is without a goal in his last 10 appearances in all competitions in what has been a slow 2025 for Chelsea's star attacker, while Jackson has not found the back of the net in his last eight outings.

Jackson's lengthy absence, which will be almost exactly a month by the time Chelsea go head-to-head with Tottenham, was particularly felt by Maresca, who was forced to experiment with playing wingers centrally because of the lack of No.9 options available to him. While he was not in blistering form pre-injury, his significance to the side in and out of possession is rather striking.

"Yeah, sometimes I think you need to play games without players to realise how important they are," Maresca said a few days after Jackson picked up the hamstring injury. "We said many times about Nico: he is important on and off the ball. Off the ball, his intensity is very good and on the ball, he is always a threat."

Tuesday marks the beginning of April and that means the final two months of the season will be upon us. A season which promised so much back in August, Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham will be hoping to round off their 2024/25 campaign by getting their hands on the Europa League trophy in May.

In terms of the Premier League, things have not gone to plan at all with a host of injuries and bad form leaving Tottenham in 14th with nine fixtures to go. What this season has highlighted is that Spurs still have plenty more to do in the transfer market when it comes to forming the perfect squad.

It's not just about adding players to the squad, however, as members of Tottenham's class of 2024/25 could head for pastures new. Six players will see their Tottenham contracts expire come the end of June and that leaves Johan Lange and the club with a decision to make as they plan for the years ahead.

football.london takes a look at the six players in question below:

Fraser Forster

Fraser Forster's time at Tottenham looks set to come to an end this summer unless the club decide to offer him a fresh deal. The experienced goalkeeper has dropped down the pecking order since January following Antonin Kinsky's arrival and Brandon Austin's minutes in the first team during Guglielmo Vicario's absence.

Looking to be fourth-choice goalkeeper at present and having turned 37 earlier this month, it makes sense for both parties to go their separate ways as Tottenham plan for the years ahead.

Alfie Whiteman

Alfie Whiteman has very little first-team experience to his name at the age of 26 but his game time could possibly increase from next campaign if he leaves Tottenham. Whiteman's contract is due to expire and it probably does look a rather straightforward decision on paper due to his place in the pecking order.

However, you could probably make a case for actually keeping the academy graduate on the books to ensure Spurs retain a club-trained player and to ensure they have four senior goalkeepers. For the sake of Whiteman's career, however, a move elsewhere is what he needs.

Ben Davies

Ben Davies is another player who will soon be out of contract at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was reported back in November that Spurs have decided to take up a one-year extension, keeping him at the club for the 2025/26 season, but the club have yet to officially confirm a new deal for the long-serving player.

Davies, who is now viewed as a centre-back rather than a left-back, gives Spurs plenty of cover and also experience after spending 11 seasons in N17. It does make sense to keep him at the club because of what he offers.

Sergio Reguilon

Sergio Reguilon's time at Tottenham will come to an end in the summer following the expiration of his contract. The Spaniard did not seal a move elsewhere last summer and a January exit was just not feasible for Tottenham due to the amount of injuries in defence.

Reguilon should have plenty of clubs after his signature from the start of July once he is a free agent.

Timo Werner

It is also a very easy decision when it comes to Timo Werner. The German has failed to find top form for Tottenham this season and that has resulted in him only starting ten games in total for the Lilywhites.

His loan deal from RB Leipzig expires at the end of June and it's highly unlikely that Spurs will look to extend his deal considering he's offered very little.

Mathys Tel

The other loan deal Tottenham have to decide on is the one involving Mathys Tel. Joining Spurs from Bayern Munich at the end of the January transfer window, the club do have the option to make his move permanent for £45.7million if they so wish.

Speaking back in February, Postecoglou did indicate that the 19-year-old is very much here for the long-term future and that he did not bring Tel to the capital for only six months. Tel's club for next campaign will all become clear in the months ahead.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Tottenham have an awful lot to do if they are to secure a top-half Premier League finish come the end of May. As things stand, Ange Postecoglou's side are 14th and ten points away from Bournemouth in tenth.

They have nine games remaining to try and overhaul the Cherries but their mixed form this campaign means that will be quite the challenge. Tottenham return to Premier League action on Thursday evening against Chelsea, before then hosting Southampton in N17 three days later.

As important as finishing as high up the Premier League table is for Tottenham, the north London's club priority over the coming weeks is to win the Europa League final in Bilbao. Regardless of that, they cannot afford to take their eye off the ball in the league as Everton and West Ham, who are 15th and 16th respectively, are level on 34 points and could quite easily leapfrog them in the weeks ahead.

So who exactly do Tottenham and their league rivals play in their next five league fixtures as they chase a top-half finish? football.london takes a look below:

Tottenham

Tottenham have a tough run of games coming up with three of the Premier League's current top four to come in April. Spurs do tend to struggle at Chelsea and Liverpool, while Nuno Espirito Santo will be looking to get one over his former club when Nottingham Forest visit on Easter Monday. Postecoglou's side will be expected to win at Southampton and Wolves.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth are in tenth and have a three-point cushion over Brentford in 11th. The Cherries have endured a bit of a mixed run of late but they will be expected to get back on track against Ipswich Town on Wednesday evening.

They will also be tipped to pick up points in the following games against West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

Brentford

Brentford play five of the top seven in their next five Premier League fixtures. The Bees have won their last five league games on the road and they will want to try and extend that record in the upcoming games at Newcastle United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are in good form right now and have an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to at the end of April. The Eagles are in a decent position to challenge for a top-half finish in their final league fixtures and they take on basement boys Southampton on Wednesday night.

Their following four games are very tough and that will give a good indication as to whether a top-half finish is possible.

Manchester United

Manchester United look on course to finish in the bottom half of the table for the first time in Premier League history. The Red Devils are currently seven points adrift of Bournemouth and they have an awful lot to do in the run-in.

Their slim chances of finishing tenth or above could possibly be over at some point over the next fortnight as Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Newcastle United are to come.

Everton

Everton have made big strides under David Moyes since he returned to the club but now they have a major test on their hands with each of the top five to come in their next five games. However, the Toffees could spring quite a surprise as they have only lost once in the league since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at the helm.

West Ham

West Ham are 16th as things stand but level on points with Tottenham in 14th. The Hammers look a much better side under Graham Potter and they should secure points in their next five games, especially with lowly Wolves and Southampton to come.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham side have two games on the calendar before their return to Europa League action. Taking on Chelsea and Southampton over the next seven days, Spurs are then at home against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

It is a huge match in Tottenham's season and one they really need to claim victory in considering Eintracht's home form in Europe this campaign. The north London club were previously the favourites to win the Europa League trophy but they have since seen Athletic Club and Manchester United nip ahead of them in the bookies' odds.

Considering Tottenham's season to date and the huge pressure on Postecoglou's shoulders right now, the head coach has to deliver success in the competition come the final in Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21. Ahead of the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie, three players are going to have to watch their step as they are walking the disciplinary tightrope at present.

Yellow cards from the league phase are carried over to the knockout stage and that means some players could possibly end up serving a suspension either in the second leg of the quarter-final or the first leg of a potential semi-final. Article 63.02 of the UEFA Europa League regulations states: "From the first match in the league phase, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, that did not result in a red card, as well as after any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.)."

Yellow cards are not wiped out until the conclusion of the quarter-final stage, meaning the three players in question have two games to try and avoid a caution. Article 63.04 stipulates: "Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs. They are not carried forward to the league phase. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals."

The three Tottenham players at risk of a one-match ban in the Europa League are Lucas Bergvall, Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski after picking up two yellow cards in the competition this season. Radu Dragusin is another Spurs star on two yellow cards in Europe but he cannot obtain a one-match ban as he is out for the remainder of the season through injury and no longer in Spurs' European squad as a result.

Rodrigo Bentancur was previously on two yellow cards but he received a third booking of the European season away at AZ Alkmaar earlier this month. The Uruguayan subsequently sat out the return leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the team clinched a place in the last eight of the competition with a 3-1 win.

It is not exactly clear yet when Kulusevski will return from a foot injury but all at Tottenham will have their fingers crossed that the Swede can play a part in both games against Eintracht. The attacker is such an instrumental player in Postecoglou's Spurs system and someone who they really cannot afford to do without amid the threat of a possible one-match ban.

The same also applies to Bergvall after making himself an undroppable in the team in recent months. The midfielder's form has been bad news for Bissouma as he has dropped out of the side as a result.

Considering the team's mixed form and the need to win silverware, Postecoglou and Tottenham will need all their players available if they are to finally bring the club's trophy drought to an end.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Dejan Kulusevski appears intent on making up for lost time once he returns to the pitch for Tottenham. Last featuring for the north London club in the 1-0 defeat against Manchester City at the end of February, the Swede has had to watch on from the stands in the past four games due to a foot injury.

During that period, Tottenham have only mustered one win and that came in the 3-1 Europa League victory over AZ Alkmaar. Kulusevski did miss the first leg of their European tie in the Netherlands, with the player also absent for the recent Premier League outings against Bournemouth and Fulham.

A potential return date for the 24-year-old should hopefully become clear over the next couple of days as Ange Postecoglou will be speaking to the media ahead of Thursday's Premier League clash against Chelsea. Speaking almost one month ago, the head coach revealed that Kulusevski was not sure when he actually sustained the injury and that he was unlikely to be back before March's international break.

The influential Tottenham player has had a fortnight during the break in play to help his recovery and the hope will be that he can feature again sooner rather than later. Kulusevski did not appear to be present in the club's training footage that was released on Friday, though.

Amid question marks over his comeback, the Stockholm-born player teased an upcoming return with a post on his Instagram account on Saturday. He wrote: "Coming to a show near u DK tha truth 2.0."

Such a pivotal figure for Tottenham in 2024/25 and undoubtedly the clear favourite to win the club's player of the season gong at the end of the campaign, Kulusevski has suggested he is ready to return and set to come back better than ever. Postecoglou and Spurs will be very much hoping that is the case as he has been key for the team in the final third since August.

The player has so far posted ten goals and ten assists in 42 games in all competitions this season, which is in fact the first time that he has managed double figures for goals and assists in the same campaign for the club. Whether starting in his preferred central role or from the right flank, Kulusevski has been a real driving force for the team and he was dearly missed in the four games he was absent for.

There is a real lack of creativity when Kulusevski is not in the Tottenham team and his absence has been felt dearly over the past month. It will be a huge boost for Postecoglou and the team once he is back, especially with the club targeting a strong end to the Premier League season as well as Europa League glory.

Kulusevski will be doing all he can to drag Tottenham kicking and screaming to a Europa League triumph and he is going to be pivotal in their quest to lift the trophy in Bilbao come May. It's time for 'DK tha truth 2.0'.

Romero fitness boost, Bergvall absence and Donley's Spurs future - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham