Hotspur HQ

This damned football club really does have a knack for sucking the life out of you. No wonder the majority of us seldom veer from a state of pessimism.

There was reason for genuine excitement at a critical juncture in our modern existence. We're just a point above the relegation zone with seven games to play, but there's now an idea to believe in, folks. Sure, the man with said idea may not be the most adorable of characters, but Roberto De Zerbi is a talented coach capable of adhering to the mystical "Tottenham way".

One man he must've been excited to get his hands on was Mohammed Kudus. Brighton & Hove Albion were keen on signing the then-Ajax forward in 2023 before the Ghanaian opted for West Ham (?), and the signs had been pointing towards an imminent return to action after more than three months out.

But on Thursday we were reminded that we cannot have nice things.

Kudus setback only raises relegation fears

Vicious, nasty rumours circled on social media earlier today regarding a possible injury setback to Kudus that could require surgery, thus ending his season.

'ITK’s' are very hit and miss, we all know that, but those on the inside were unfortunately incredibly accurate about this bit of terrible news.

Opting for transparency, the club have since confirmed the aforementioned reports. Kudus had been in training and may well have been in contention for Sunday's trip to Sunderland, having injured his quad in the reverse fixture at the start of the year.

The setback means Kudus, who carried a bleak Thomas Frank-led era, won't at all aid our fight for survival. We haven't won a Premier League game without him, by the way.

This isn't good, of course its not. I've remained confident that we'll shake off this nightmare situation, but I also thought we'd be getting our best attacker back for the run-in. Now what do we do? Johan Lange stiffed us in January, and that comment about players soon returning from injury doesn't look so smart now does it, fella? God, just get the guy gone already!

Fortunately, there's a gifted coach to get behind, and we can hold out hope that James Maddison, yet to play a single minute this term, could contribute at some point. The English playmaker is continuing to step up his recovery from an ACL tear, and Igor Tudor—remember him?—was confident that Maddison would play again this season.

So, I wonder when he'll be rupturing his Achilles, knowing our luck...

After a lengthy hiatus, Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this weekend, facing off against a Sunderland side that have all but secured their status in the top flight for another year.

The Black Cats have helped buck a worrying trend of Championship teams simply not being able to compete after gaining promotion. The system is ultimately set up to facilitate yo-yoing, but the Wearside club were shrewd enough with their recruitment, completely remaking their squad, to ensure they not only competed, but thrived in the top flight for a period.

Sunderland's robustness and physicality has been key to their success upon their return to the top tier, as had their difficulty to beat on home soil.

Thus, when Spurs were slumping and teasing a fight for survival, supporters had earmarked our upcoming fixture as a particularly troublesome one. And despite the Lilywhites sinking further into the mire over the past few weeks, Sunderland have offered encouragement that we may end up getting a result at the Stadium of Light.

Slump in Sunderland's home form should offer Spurs encouragement

Régis Le Bris' side started the 2025/26 Premier League season 12 games unbeaten at home, with Arsenal and Manchester City among those who suffered at the Stadium of Light and ultimately failed to secure three points.

However, Sunderland are entering Sunday's game off the back of three consecutive home losses. Liverpool, Fulham and Brighton have all triumphed on what was not so long ago a daunting away day.

Sure, they went into the international break having secured a euphoric late victory at St. James' Park in the Tyne-Wear Derby, but the Black Cats had been trending in the wrong direction before derby day, where form tends to go out of the window.

According to Understat, Sunderland are the second-biggest points overachievers in the Premier League this season in terms of points earned. They've notched 43 but are expected to be on 32.95, based on xG and xGA tallies from each game. Only Aston Villa (14.9 points difference between actual and expected) have defied the metrics more.

This is a team that flirts with the finest of margins, but such an approach is necessary for teams aiming to consolidate in the top flight. Those who stick to their principles from the Championship are found wanting against vastly superior opposition, while those who adjust and adapt tend to thrive. We've even see Daniel Farke change tack for the better this season, with Leeds currently out of the relegation zone.

Nevertheless, my overriding point is that this is no longer a game to dread. With the 'new manager bounce' potential from Roberto De Zerbi another aspect to consider, there's reason to believe that Spurs' survival hopes could be boosted this weekend.

Roberto De Zerbi undoubtedly boasts an esteemed reputation in the managerial world, and the Italian has also had a profound fact on plenty of those who he's coached over the years.

Tottenham Hotspur turned to the fiery former No. 10 out of desperation. Igor Tudor's ill-fated 44-day reign only sunk the club further into the mire after eight months of Thomas Frank-led misery.

De Zerbi enters the poisoned chalice with Spurs just a point clear of the drop zone with seven games to play. He's essentially been handed the keys to the club by an inept hierarchy, with the boom or bust potential distinct.

Boom, and the Lilywhites will be competing close to the top of the Premier League in relatively short order. Bust, well, let's not go there, shall we? I've opted for positive thoughts only today.

Højbjerg offers ringing endorsement of Tottenham's new manager

Content creators and so-called social media 'tacticos' have voiced their concerns over De Zerbi's appointment because of the squad the Italian has inherited. This group of players seemingly aren't cut out to adhere to a risky and complex tactical framework, with the midfield engine room seemingly most inadequate for our new manager.

However, there's a case study from Marseille that offers hope. Given what you saw of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg towards the end of his Tottenham career, you wouldn't suggest he'd be the ideal De Zerbi midfielder, would you?

But professional footballers are malleable, folks. Skill sets aren't set in stone for the entirety of their careers. They can mature and develop, with new attributes emerging from the abyss. Brilliant coaches can do that, and De Zerbi got the best out of Højbjerg during his time in France.

Thus, it's no surprise that the former Tottenham midfielder has spoken so highly of the Italian: "I have been lucky enough to have coaches like [Pep] Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, and Antonio Conte. And I put Roberto De Zerbi in the same category," he told Onze Mundial last November.

Højberg then echoed a sentiment thrust into the mainstream by the aforementioned Guardiola, who's long been an admirer of De Zerbi's unique and proactive tactical thinking.

“Over the next 20 years, coach De Zerbi is going to contribute enormously to football. And for me, it is an honour to work with him. The coach… I do not know how to explain it. He has a connection with the dressing room, he has an emotional relationship with the dressing room, Mourinho had the same thing."

We can expect a diluted De Zerbi tactical framework until the end of the season, with the manager's capacity to motivate and inspire perhaps the most important aspects of his coaching repertoire for this vulnerable group of players.

As soon as a manager takes on a new job, there's a rather lazy assumption that he'll be followed by a swathe of trusted lieutenants.

But the concept of players following coaches around is now antiquated. Had Tottenham opted to bring Harry Redknapp out of retirement to preserve their Premier League status, we may well have enjoyed the talents of Jermain, Crouchie and Niko again.

Instead, Spurs took a huge financial gamble on Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian arrives with a lofty coaching reputation, but boasting a character that's already split the fanbase at a time when unity is very much needed.

Our new manager has at least spoken out on supporter concerns, and the eight minute YouTube clip of his first training session has ignited some excitement ahead of his first outing this Sunday against Sunderland.

We can only hope and pray that an unpopular hierarchy have got this one right. De Zerbi was perhaps the most talented manager available, but he's entering a situation unlike anything he's experienced before. Should he keep us up, the Italian will look to build a team capable of competing towards the other end of the Premier League table once again.

Van Hecke an inevitable transfer target for Spurs this summer

Prepare yourself because I'm going to contradict what I said to open up this piece.

I think it's an inevitability that we at least pursue one of De Zerbi's former players, Jan Paul van Hecke, this summer. It just makes too much sense.

No matter how our final seven games play out, there's an expectation that at least one of our 'star' centre-backs will leave the club. Most likely Cristian Romero, but Micky van de Ven has also been linked with a move away.

It's going to be a summer for rebuilding our defence, that's for sure, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario expected to depart, also. Luka Vuškovic is an exciting piece to build around, but we'll likely need another. We can't have another season of Radu Drăgușin earning meaningful minutes.

Ben Jacobs (via Spurs Army on X) linked us with Van Hecke last summer, but Brighton were supposedly unwilling to sell. Chelsea also had their eye on the Dutchman, who shone under De Zerbi on the south coast.

Van Hecke signed a contract extension with the Seagulls while the Italian was in charge, with De Zerbi appreciating the defender's "confidence" in possession. He was perhaps the most improved Brighton player of De Zerbi's exhilirating reign, and has since developed into a Dutch international. The 25-year-old has 10 caps for his country, and looks set to make their squad for the upcoming World Cup.

Should we stay up, there's no reason to suggest why Spurs, with his former manager at the helm, can't sweep Van Hecke off his feet. Sure, Brighton are the hipster's favourite, but there's a ceiling on what the Seagulls can achieve. I say this with the utmost respect, but they're always going to be below Tottenham Hotspur in the food chain.

If De Zerbi wants Van Hecke, he will be a Tottenham player come the start of 2026/27.

Every game is a must win for Tottenham Hotspur, but Sunday's road trip against Sunderland, in particular, is a chance to make a statement. For the first time, Roberto De Zerbi will roll up as the Spurs manager, and he has a lot of work to do, seeing as how Spurs are just one point above the Premier League relegation battle and coming off a horrendous 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest to go behind their opponents in the relegation race.

In a stroke of fortune for Spurs and a stoke of misfortune for the Black Cats, De Zerbi will not have to face two defensive stalwarts who have helped pull up Sunderland to being one of the Premier League's biggest overperformers as a promoted EFL Championship side that is nowhere near the same relegation fight Spurs find themselves in.

According to a report from the Sunderland Echo's Phil Smith, goalkeeper Robin Roefs - once rumored as a possible Spurs transfer target to replace Guglielmo Vicario - and another breakout star in center back Dan Ballard are seen as doubts for the Tottenham game. In fact, Smith terms Ballard as a "major doubt" for the match. He does believe that Roefs could be in play this weekend and has optimism for the Dutch shot stopper, but when it comes to Ballard, even he does not think it is worth it for Sunderland to risk him.

Tottenham's attack needs to wake up

As evidenced by the Tottenham Hotspur transfer interest in him, Roefs has been one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League this season and at the heart of Sunderland impressing. He has one of the best save percentages in the English top flight and has already been a leader for them.

Meanwhile, Ballard is a towering presence and just as impressive, defending at a high level alongside the likes of Nordi Mukiele. And he has proven useful on offense, too, good for the occasional decisive goal to aid the cause.

With Mohammed Kudus potentially coming back for Tottenham, even if only in a bench role as he eases his way back from a hamstring issue, the Spurs attack could be in for a real treat on Sunday and no excuse for Roberto De Zerbi to not get a point. Though Sunderland are better than Spurs this season, Tottenham have a more expensive squad, a fancy new manager, and now may not have to face two of Sunderland's best players.

Overall, Tottenham have done a pretty good job with the loans of their gifted young stars this season.

Those who harbour genuine hopes of one day blossoming for the senior side in north London have earned valuable experiences away, with Mikey Moore, in particular, relishing the demanding environment of Ibrox after a tough start.

In addition to Moore, we've seen Alfie Devine shine at Preston North End, Will Lankshear score plenty for Oxford United, and Tyrese Hall impress at Notts County. It's been a good year for the loanees.

And it initially seemed that South Korean hopeful Yang Min-hyeok would join the list of success stories. After flashing his talent at QPR last season, the spritely winger enjoyed a positive start to his temporary spell at Portsmouth in the second tier, scoring in back-to-back games last October. However, Yang's time with Pompey fizzled out by the end of the year, and the club decided to 'upgrade' his loan, moving him to league leaders Coventry City in January.

Yang's development has stalled at Coventry

Simply put, Yang has been deemed not to be of the requisite level by Coventry manager Frank Lampard. There were opportunities off the bench during his first month at the club, as well as a start in the FA Cup third round against Stoke City, but the 19-year-old failed to make an impression.

As a result, Yang hasn't even been included in a matchday squad since 7 February. His development is threatening to stall.

The decision to recall him from his loan at Fratton Park was ultimately a bad one, with Yang doing fine on the south coast. Pompey certainly could've done with having the Korean international around for the second half of the season, given their perilous position in the second tier.

Spurs, however, are persistent on the loan front, and they're unlikely to give up on Yang after a disappointing spell in the Midlands. The club have failed him here, and the teenager will undoubtedly get another chance, likely in the second or third tier, perhaps overseas, to rack up consistent minutes at senior level next season.

And hey, perhaps he'll get a sooner-than-expected gig in Lilywhite if Roberto De Zerbi fails to save us from the drop.

Tottenham Hotspur are almost certainly going to lose Guglielmo Vicario this summer transfer window, as Inter Milan are highly interested in bringing the experienced Italian international back to Serie A in order to replace a declining Yann Sommer in goal - though, of course, even a Sommer at the end of his rope is still posting a significantly higher save percentage than Vic.

Still, the optimism that Vicario can bounce back after finally getting hernia surgery for an injury he was playing through (when he probably should not have) also extends to Inter Milan, who may also believe that bringing Vicario back to Italy can coax world class football back out of the former Empoli savior.

Meanwhile, Roberto De Zerbi could try to convince Vicario to stay. So in that sense, Vic's transfer is not guaranteed at all, though it appears he and Inter are coming ever closer to getting on the same page to agreeing to terms once the summer transfer window officially opens.

James Trafford is a top option for Spurs

So Tottenham need to look at goalkeeper options. Bart Verbruggen is one candidate, and he has been outperforming Vicario in the Premier League this season. Plus, De Zerbi has to be a big fan of the Dutchman, seeing as how he brought him over to Brighton originally.

But Tottenham Hotspur fans may see an even bigger opportunity in the Premier League in goal. Throughout the 2025/26 season, Spurs supporters have dreamed of a disgruntled James Trafford, who originaly joined Manchester City thinking he'd be their starting goalkeeper before they went out and bought Gianluigi Donnarumma in the same window, joining them as Guglielmo Vicario's ultimate upgrade.

According to a new report from Spurs beat writer Tom Barclay of The Sun, Tottenham are indeed among the suitors for Trafford and in the transfer battle for the Manchester City man, who is one of the best young goalkeepers in the world.

Spurs ideally want someone who is both young and better than Vicario. Trafford checks off both boxes. He is just as good of a pure shot stopper while being far less error prone, and it is the latter positive that Tottenham will value the most after Vicario cost the team so many points with inexucsable mental errors that cannot be written off by hernia impairment alone. It remains to be seen if Pep Guardiola, as with winger Savinho, will even entertain the idea of selling Trafford, but if there's a chance, then it is wise for Spurs to be in amongst the suitors.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has taken over officially, and he is setting his team up for his first game in charge against surprise package Sunderland this weekend. Whereas the Black Cats have overperformed after several smart summer signings and boast a great, cohesive defense, Tottenham have been shambolic with a host of chronic underperformers whom De Zerbi is now tasked with reviving.

Although he is crucial to Spurs success in the relegation fight and has experience willing a team over the line in the past from a shock demotion to the EFL Championship, former Everton striker Richarlison has not looked like a star since moving to the N17, marred by inconsistent play and blighted by frequent injuries.

Richy has been decent in front of goal and is the team's only real goal threat this campaign, but he has fallen short in the other respects. Knowing that full well as he evaluates this team and sets expectations, De Zerbi seemed to have a clear message aimed for his Brazilian No. 9.

Richarlison's future is at stake

Roberto De Zerbi once spoke about what he wants from his strikers to Glenn Murray on Sky Sports back when he was coaching Brighton, which Football.London's Alasdair Gold wisely dredged up back to the surface.

The new Italian manager said, “If we want to control the game we need the number nine to be smart, intelligent to understand when he has to play, when he has to attack the space and when he has to open the space.”

That quote goes for every striker at Tottenham Hotspur, Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani included, and it may go more towards the England international in the eyes of many, since Solanke is usually the starter when Spurs go for a lone wolf since he is better at getting others involved.

But if we know Solanke can do this better than the others and we also know that Kolo Muani may not have much a future at Spurs as a disappointing loan signing from PSG, the onus is then on Richarlison, who is fighting for his Tottenham future while also fighting against relegation.

So what Tottenham need is for Richarlison in these last few weeks to step up in his understanding of the game. He is experienced enough, but we have yet to see the Brazilian international show those game smarts and create space for his teammates. That is going to be his next big task under RDZ, and he will need to rapidly click to save his future.

Many have said that life just hasn't been the same since the Covid-19 pandemic forced us into lockdown, but Tottenham supporters will tell you that the real turning point of their existence arrived a year before.

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs were on the cusp of an unfathomable achievement. The most dramatic of two-legged triumphs over a title-winning Manchester City team and Europe's babyfaced darlings, otherwise known as Erik ten Hag's Ajax, meant just 90 minutes separated the Lilywhites from a continental conquest.

In the aforementioned period of lockdown, I rewatched the 2019 Champions League final for the very first time. I was cruelly reminded of the opening-minute penalty decision that compromised our dream, as well as the spirited showing that followed. We were pretty good in Madrid, but bereft of final third invention.

Our two biggest chances fell to the hero of Amsterdam, Lucas Moura, who couldn't beat Alisson and bring us level. Divock Origi's dagger was gut-wrenching, but somewhat inevitable.

Since that day, Tottenham Hotspur have embarked on a journey towards the near-abyss. Sure, there have been highs along the way, such as Antonio Conte's immediate impact, and Europa League glory under Ange Postecoglou, but we're now threatening to endure the nadirest of nadirs. A first relegation in almost 50 years is staring us in the face.

Christian Eriksen describes Champions League final defeat as "biggest nightmare"

Christian Eriksen was an imperative figure in Poch's Spurs, functioning as the subtle but ingenious playmaker who ran relentlessly. He epitomised everything our cherished former manager was about, with the Dane, signed for a bargain price from Ajax in 2013, the only overwhelming success story of the ’Gareth Bale 7’.

The present-day bleakness has forced many supporters to indulge in Poch-led nostalgia, but no rose-tinted glasses are required to reach the conclusion that things were just so much more fun back then.

In an interview with The Times towards the end of last year, which I missed because I was on the other side of the world amid a football detox, Eriksen lamented football's absence of flair, but also discussed his time in north London, specifically his biggest regrets.

"Losing the 2019 Champions League final is one of the biggest nightmares of my career," he said.

"It was all the pressure from the few years before that, like the balloon got bigger and bigger, and when we lost, the air just went out of the balloon, for the club and for the players."

Eriksen, for a long time a revered fan favourite, was chastised during his final few months at the club, leaving for Conte's Inter in January 2020 after Pochettino was sacked the previous November.

The era that could've returned the most lucrative prize in European football was suddenly no more, but it was perhaps that journey, and how close we came, that shifted the thinking of Daniel Levy into the world of 'win-now'.

Although Tottenham Hotspur fans will forge ahead with Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager and hope that he has learned a thing or two from his mistakes of the past and is able to carry on the values of the club appropriately after his controversial decisions at Marseille, there will always be a sad sense of, "What if?" for many fans about Mauricio Pochettino.

One of the greatest managers in the club's history, if not THE greatest, Poch was competing for Premier League and Champions League titles on a shoe string budget. Back then, Daniel Levy was investing even less than Spurs and the Lewis Family are now, and yet Poch was getting twice the results. In hindsight, he put future hires Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho - two of the biggest managerial legends of the last 30 years - to shame.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters thought that Pochettino never should have been fired in November 2019 and made the scapegoat by Levy and Co. for the front office's obvious failings, and, thus, they were all for the Argentinian coach returning again to save the club in 2026 after his USMNT duties at the World Cup.

A Pochettino reunion is not ruled out

Instead, Tottenham only had eyes on Roberto De Zerbi, with Vinai Venkatesham, Johan Lange, and the Lewis Family all clearly valuing the volatile former Brighton and Marseille manager above their own club legend.

The good news is that a reunion in the future cannot be ruled out still. According to Ben Jacobs in his appearance on Last Word on Spurs, Mauricio Pochettino is still open to returning to Tottenham one day in the future. At no point in the managerial search process did he reject Spurs, as Jacobs confirms that the De Zerbi appointment was totally more about the club choosing RDZ than Poch picking against them.

While there was an element of the club picking against Poch, who is to say that they do not come to their senses in the future and change their minds? It feels like there is so much unfinished business between Pochettino and Tottenham, and fans will never truly know if 2019 was the right time to part ways until they try to run it back.

Given De Zerbi's track record of never lasting more than two years at a club before he blows things up in a sort of Antonio Conte Lite fashion, perhaps that Pochettino reunion could come sooner than the Lewis Family may think right now.