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Arsenal will face Tottenham in a pre-season clash in July, in what will be the first north London derby to take place outside of the UK.

The rivals will go head-to-head on July 31 in Hong Kong at the 50,000-seater Kai Tak Stadium, which only opened this month.

Arsenal’s pre-season preparations have largely taken place in the USA in recent seasons, with this summer’s trip to Hong Kong the first since 2012.

Richard Garlick, the club’s managing director, 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.”

The pre-season fixture will form part of the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025, which will also see Liverpool take on AC Milan on July 26.

Spurs will host an open training session on July 29 for supporters, before the north London derby takes place two days later.

Ryan Norys, Spurs’ chief revenue officer, said: “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.”

Spurs return to action against Chelsea as massive Europa League quarter-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt looms large

Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and Kevin Danso will hope to be back in action soon

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George Flood2 minutes ago

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Tottenham have some important injuries still lingering as they prepare for a potentially crucial month.

Spurs’ lack of involvement in FA Cup quarter-final weekend means they have been afforded some extra time off following the recent international break, with more than two-and-a-half weeks having passed since their listless loss at Fulham by the time they retake the field for another London derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is under increasing pressure with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva both being linked with his job again of late and could use a sharp upturn in fortunes to quieten down the latest fervent speculation over his future.

Chelsea, Southampton, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool are all on the Premier League agenda for April, though Spurs - still languishing down in 14th place - will know that their crunch two-legged Europa League quarter-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt is the biggest priority by far, with their season - and maybe even the fate of their manager - resting on that competition.

With that in mind, here is all the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates, featuring updates on the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso.

Lucas Bergvall

Bergvall joined up with the Sweden squad as planned after coming on at half-time against Fulham, but did not play in their shock friendly defeat by Luxembourg due to illness.

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The teenage midfielder was also ruled out of the subsequent 5-1 win over Northern Ireland in Belfast, making an early return to Spurs instead.

But with so much time between that withdrawal and the visit to Chelsea, Bergvall is expected to be fine to be involved on Thursday night, with Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson having said he was battling a cold.

Potential return date: Thursday, April 3 vs Chelsea (A)

Lucas Bergvall missed both of Sweden’s friendly games during the recent international break due to illness

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Dejan Kulusevski

Bergvall’s fellow Swede has not played for Tottenham since the 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City on February 26, missing the last four matches - including both legs of the Europa League last-16 tie against AZ Alkmaar - with a foot injury.

Postecoglou said at the start of March that Kulusevski was unlikely to be back before the international break, and so it proved.

A further update will be expected in the build-up to Thursday night’s trip to Stamford Bridge.

Potential return date: April

Kevin Danso

Centre-back Danso had impressed for Tottenham since joining from French club Lens on an initial loan deal in January, but sustained a hamstring problem towards the end of the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on March 9.

Postecoglou said Spurs needed to let the injury settle down before gaining more clarity, though seemed optimistic that he would be in a position to return after the international break. Whether the Austrian defender can push to be back to face Chelsea remains to be seen at this stage.

Potential return date: April

Richarlison has started only twice for Tottenham in the Premier League so far this season

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Richarlison

It’s been a hugely frustrating, stop-start season for Richarlison due to injury, with only three goals in 14 total appearances across all competitions so far.

He has not featured since the 4-0 Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg drubbing at Liverpool on February 6 due to a calf issue, though was back working on the grass before the international break and Postecoglou said he should be “there or thereabouts” after it.

He could presumably have a chance to be involved against Chelsea, though Postecoglou will offer another update before the trip to west London.

Potential return date: April

Radu Dragusin

Romanian centre-back Dragusin suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the Europa League win over Elfsborg back in early February and subsequently underwent surgery that will rule him out for the remainder of the season.

Potential return date: Summer 2025

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Iraola has attracted plenty of admirers for his achievements with the Cherries, who this weekend could reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history should they beat Manchester City.

Bournemouth are also in contention to secure European qualification for the first time, as they sit 10th, just four points off fifth, heading into the final nine games of the Premier League season.

Asked if he would need to leave Bournemouth to achieve his career aims, amid interest from Spurs, Iraola said: "I want to do my job the best I can. I don't know how far we can go... where we will finish.

"I want to do my job the best I can. And if I don't do the job very well, they will find someone else who does the job. It's like this in every job.

"I'm really happy here. It's like I always tell you, we have a great opportunity to, for the first time in the club's history, reach the FA Cup semi-finals. It would be amazing for me, personally, and for the club to achieve new heights.

"But we know that we have to be also realistic, that there are better teams than us and we have to fight against teams that are very good. And we will try to give the best level we have. I don't know how far we are going to go."

Bournemouth boss may be a good fit if Spurs decide to move on from Ange Postecoglou, but is likely to face familiar problems

In the frame: Tottenham could turn to Andoni Iraola if they part ways with Ange Postecoglou this summer

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Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP2 minutes ago

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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There is a certain symmetry that in the month Mauricio Pochettino reiterated for the umpteenth time his desire to return to Tottenham, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola emerged as the club's top target if they decide to change managers in the summer.

Pochettino was also interested in a return to north London in summer 2023 but Daniel Levy, the club's chairman, ignored the Argentine and opted instead for Ange Postecoglou, believing the club needed a manager like Pochettino in 2014 rather than the present-day iteration.

In many respects, Postecoglou fit the bill - he was committed to attacking football, culture-driven and still considered on the way up, in spite of his age - but Iraola's coaching journey bears remarkable similarities to Pochettino's when he was hired by Spurs, assuming that is still part of the remit for Levy.

Pochettino and Iraola both made their names as coaches in Spain, the former with Espanyol and the latter with Rayo Vallecano, before moving on to modest Premier League clubs on the south coast, where they controversially replaced popular English coaches and quickly revamped the playing style.

Pochettino succeeded Nigel Adkins at Southampton, while Iraola came in for Gary O'Neil at the Vitality Stadium; Iraola is even the same age, 42, as Pochettino was when he joined Spurs.

Obviously it should take more than simply parallels with Pochettino to recommend Iraola, but the Basque's work at Bournemouth speaks for itself.

He has led the Cherries into contention for European football this season (they are currently 10th in a congested table but just five points outside the top four) and the latter stages of the FA Cup, with a home quarter-final against Manchester City to come on Sunday.

Under pressure: Postecoglou could face a battle to save Spurs job during looming season run-in

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And he has transformed their style by introducing an exciting brand of attacking football, which has already led to the scalps of Arsenal, City, Manchester United and Spurs this term, as well as a 5-0 drubbing of Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest.

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Iraola's approach, described by one of his former colleagues as "rock and roll" football, is dynamic, intense and aggressive, based on fierce pressing and counter-pressing to disrupt opponents, and rapid, often direct, attacks.

He demands "meaningful" possession from his players and his Bournemouth side aim to exploit spaces and create chances quickly.

There are similarities between Iraola's philosophy and 'Ange-ball' at its best, notably in the relentless work required from the players, leading to a sense that he could be a good fit for a young Spurs squad which is well versed in Postecoglou's physical demands and increasingly being led the likes of Micky van de Ven, 23, Lucas Bergvall, 19, and Dejan Kulusevski, 24.

As with any new manager, there would, however, be doubts around Iraola, not least over whether he would inevitably run into the same roadblocks as Postecoglou at Spurs.

With a clear schedule and no European football, the Australian led Tottenham to a respectable fifth-place finish last season - up from eighth the previous year - in spite of losing Harry Kane to Bayern Munich on the eve of the campaign and having a squad which felt only half-baked for his preferred style of play.

Though Spurs could still enjoy a historic and even transformative season by winning the Europa League this term, the increased schedule has contributed to an unprecedented injury crisis which has totally derailed Postecoglou's project and led to suggestions that his football is unsustainable at this level.

Spurs have lost more than half of their top-flight matches, 15 of 29, and are on course for a historically poor domestic finish, leaving the 59-year-old under pressure during the run-in.

Like Spurs, though, Iraola's Bournemouth were struck down by injuries over the winter, with his list of absentees extending into double figures in January, again leading to familiar criticisms that his demands on the players were a contributing factor.

It remains to be seen how Iraola would cope with a three-games-a-week schedule, be it at Bournemouth next season or elsewhere in the Premier League.

And whether you like Postecoglou's high-risk football and uncompromising attitude or not, there is also a sense that any head coach is only one part of the problem at Spurs, whose ownership style and approach in the transfer market has tended to exacerbate the faults of all Levy's recent head coaches, be it Antonio Conte or Postecoglou.

Rival candidate: Marco Silva is another potential option for Tottenham if they sack Postecoglou

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Iraola is not the only coach being considered by Spurs as a possible successor to Postecoglou, with Brentford's Thomas Frank and Fulham boss Marco Silva also admired by Levy and the club's technical director Johan Lange.

They are both experienced and impressive top-flight bosses, who have punched above their weight in modest surroundings.

Postecoglou still has a chance to write his name into Spurs history and it is hard to imagine Spurs would want to make a change in the dugout if he leads them to European glory in Bilbao in May.

For now, though, he is under pressure, with Iraola appearing a bright candidate for the future, as well as a callback to a more successful past.

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Spurs last summer negotiated a clause in Giovani Lo Celso's move to Real Betis which would allow them to sign Cardoso for £21million at the end of the current season.

Cardoso has now spoken about the proposed move for the first time, and admitted the interest from Spurs is validation of his progress at Betis.

"I can’t lie, and it’s true that it’s something that gives me confidence, that makes me feel valued because I’m doing a good job," he told Diario de Sevilla.

“But I always try to improve and do my best for the benefit of the group and grow as a person on and off the field. However, right now my focus is only on Betis. This season we have important things to think about.”

With Betis in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League, the 23-year-old was asked if he would want to play for the club in the competition, and replied: "Of course”.

The inclusion of Archie Gray in Tottenham's midfield for the first time in their 2-0 defeat at Fulham has further increased Ange Postecoglou's myriad options in the middle of the park.

Gray filled in impressively in the back four during Spurs' winter injury crisis (and finished the Fulham game back at centre-half) but the teenager wants to play in midfield long-term and, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven fit again, he will hope for further opportunities in his preferred position in the run-in.

And the hope for Spurs is that the England Under-21 international can develop into a leading midfield player, be it as a holding player, where he lined-up at Craven Cottage, or in a more advanced role.

Spurs have suffered fewer serious injuries to their midfield than other positions this season but, perhaps partly as a result, the area increasingly feels like Postecoglou's biggest conundrum.

Before Gray got his chance, Postecoglou mixed and matched between six players for three roles; Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski all coming in and out of the team, depending on form, fitness and the occasion.

With Gray now in the running, too, forecasting which three midfielders will start next month's Europa League tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, on which Tottenham's season depends entirely, feels almost impossible as it stands.

Postecoglou faces a particular headache at No6, where Bissouma has been substituted at half-time in three of his last five starts, including at Fulham, and Bentancur has not wholly convinced, despite starting 12 of the last 13 games.

In fact, Bergvall has arguably been Spurs' most impressive recent performer at the base of midfield, excelling in the Europa League decider against AZ Alkmaar when Bentancur was suspended.

There is a view, though, that the Swede and Gray are both better suited to box-to-box roles long-term, and with Bissouma and Bentancur facing uncertain Spurs futures (the club would like the tie the latter to a new deal but he is attracting interest from Atletico Madrid), recruiting a new No6 may become a priority for Spurs in the summer.

The club already have a contingency plan in the position in the form of Real Betis' Johnny Cardoso, having leveraged the sale of Giovani Lo Celso to the Spanish club last summer to include an option to buy the USA international in the coming transfer window.

It is thought Spurs have agreed deal in the region of £21million for Cardoso, which can be triggered during a two-week period during the transfer window.

Cardoso appears more of a traditional holding player than any of Spurs' current options at No6 (with the possible exception of the inconsistent Bissouma), stronger without the ball than in possession.

He has caught the eye in a double pivot at the base of Betis' midfield this season, primarily as a ball-winner, and could add qualities which are currently lacking in Postecoglou's squad.

While Gray, Bergvall and the energetic Sarr, 22, suggest Spurs midfield has a bright future, there is an element missing, a shortage of muscle and perhaps an instinct for danger - which Cardoso or another specialist holding player may help to alleviate.

A wider question is whether Postecoglou's preference for playing two forward-thinking No8s ahead of a 'single pivot' makes the No6 role in the Australian's set-up simply too exacting for the majority players, outside of the likes of Ballon d'Or holder Rodri and Arsenal's Declan Rice.

Would Cardoso, who is still just 23, or another new signing struggle for consistency in the same way as Bissouma and Bentancur, unless Spurs change the system? Or does Postgecoglou simply have holding players ill-suited to his approach?

With the Frankfurt tie looming into view and Spurs' priority for the rest of the season crystal clear, Postecoglou's favoured midfield three should become apparent by the middle of next month.

Spurs were among the clubs interested in a deal for the gifted teenage midfielder during the latter stages of the January transfer window and even held talks with Southampton, only to be put off by the Saints’ demands for an enormous fee well over a reported asking price that had been said to stand at around £55m.

Spurs were expected to reignite their interest in Dibling ahead of the summer transfer window, continuing to be strongly linked with both the 19-year-old and England’s Angel Gomes, who has been playing for Lille in France since leaving Manchester United in 2020.

However, Tottenham may have to pay an astronomical fee if they want to land Dibling, with The Telegraph reporting on Wednesday that Southampton are ready to demand more than £100m for his services this summer.

The former Chelsea youngster has been among few bright sparks in an otherwise woeful season for the Saints following their promotion back to the Premier League, scoring four times across all competitions for a team that have just two wins and nine points to their name from 29 top-flight matches so far this term - sitting 17 points adrift of safety with only nine games to play and relegation back to the Championship surely already a forgone conclusion.

Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City - along with a host of clubs from overseas - are also said to be interested in Dibling, who is now playing for England’s Under-21s and is under contract at St Mary’s until the summer of 2026 but with the club holding the option of an extra year beyond that.

Former Southampton head coach Russell Martin in December laughed off reports of a £21m fee being enough to sign the player, insisting that would not even be enough to “get his left foot”.

He also revealed that Southampton had been in talks with Dibling to sign a new contract, but as yet they have not come to any agreement with relegation now looking a certainty.

Spurs have a crucial summer decision on their hands with Atletico Madrid keen to sign Argentina defender

In demand: Atletico Madrid want to sign Tottenham defender Cristian Romero this summer

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Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP2 minutes ago

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Just as Tottenham supporters are beginning to get used to having Cristian Romero back in the team after a three-month injury absence, uncertainty has been cast around the defender's long-term future at the club.

Atletico Madrid are interested in a summer deal for Romero, with the Argentine said to be open to a move to the Spanish club.

Diego Simeone is thought to be an admirer of Romero and it is not hard to understand why the Atleti head coach, whose often-attritional approach stands as a counterpoint to his progressive counterparts, would be attracted by the fiery World Cup winner.

For his part, Romero may be interested in working under Argentina legend Simeone, whose sons Giuliano and Giovanni are his current international team-mates, and returning to a Champions League club - even if Real Madrid would presumably be an even more attractive option if they came calling.

While publicly supportive of Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou, Romero has been critical of the club this season, appearing to take aim at the board after the 4-3 defeat by Chelsea in December - during which he suffered the quad injury that sidelined him until his comeback against Bournemouth earlier this month.

"The last few years, it's always the same: first the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it's always the same people responsible," said Romero, in a post-match interview translated from Spanish.

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"Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it's a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year."

World Cup winner: Romero’s reputation has been greatly enhanced by his performances for Argentina

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More recently, Romero has offered implied criticism of Spurs' backroom staff, making a point (more than once) of thanking the physios from the Argentine national team for his behind-schedule return to action, while making no mention of the club's medical department.

Romero will have two years remaining on his Spurs contract in June, and potential interest from Spain leaves the north London club facing a series of questions.

Most prominently, is there a case for trying to cash in on Romero if an appropriate bid comes in, assuming he is not about to sign a new long-term contract?

Romero is a fine player, comfortably the best progressive passer in Spurs' back line, whose ability to play out through the opposition lines is crucial to Postecoglou's high-risk approach.

He is also a robust defender and dressing-room leader, who was named as vice-captain by Postecoglou at the start of last season.

The 26-year-old has, though, been plagued by injuries since joining Spurs, missing a third of each of the last three Premier League seasons on average since arriving from Italian club Atalanta in a deal worth an initial £42.5million in summer 2021.

He has played 22, 27 and 33 league games in each of the last three seasons and even if he features in every one of Spurs' nine remaining top-flight matches, he will only have managed 23 this term.

Losing Romero would leave a hole in a Spurs squad which is already short of leaders but they would be able to demand enormous money for a player whose reputation has only improved since moving to England, though largely due to his part in Argentina's historic World Cup win in 2022.

In January signing Kevin Danso, Spurs have recruited a centre-back who has a similar profile to the Argentina international; aggressive, good on the ball (though not *as* good) and prone to charging out of the back line.

Spurs' other option would be to rebuff interest from Atleti or any other club this summer and hold on to Romero for at least one more year in the hope that his fitness record and the club's fortunes both improve next season, and he can be persuaded to commit to a new deal.

For the time being, Spurs can afford to wait; while they remain in the Europa League, their season remains alive and in the balance, and there is still a chance they could have a historic campaign and qualify for next season's Champions League by winning the competition.

That would naturally strengthen their hand in the transfer market and potentially alter the calculations of Romero, who could be forgiven for growing disillusioned at the club's dismal campaign - even if his injuries have been a factor in their poor results.

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Spence had only one conversation with the Italian after his £20m move

Djed Spence was described as a club signing by Antonio Conte

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Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP1 minute ago

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Djed Spence says former Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte "shattered my confidence" by describing him as a club signing shortly after he joined Spurs from Middlesbrough in summer 2022.

Conte disowned Spence, then 21, by labelling him an "investment of the club" following the defender's protracted £20million transfer, sealed on the back of Spence helping Nottingham Forest to promotion during a season on loan at the City Ground.

"It wasn’t a nice feeling," Spence told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. "Especially as I was coming to the club on a high, I was confident, I was buzzing, had just won promotion.

"Then it was like running into a brick wall. It shattered my confidence a bit, obviously I’m young. It’s not nice to hear.

"I knew it was rubbish at the time. It wasn’t a nice feeling. I was even going into the club like [puffs out cheeks] and, ‘What am I doing?’”

“I feel like whatever I did, that man [Conte] wasn’t happy about anything," Spence added.

"Even if you did the right things, you were like, ‘Did I do the right thing?’ Cos he’s not really a complimenting guy.

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"It gets to a point where you don’t really need validation from a coach. You just go, ‘Oh’.

"I probably had one conversation with him."

Djed Spence says Antonio Conte’s comments shattered his confidence

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Spence was loaned out to French club Rennes for the second half of his first season at Spurs and his fortunes did not initially improve when Conte was permanently succeeded by Ange Postecoglou in summer 2023.

Last term, he was sent on further loans to Leeds United and Serie A club Genoa, before finally making his first Spurs start in mid-December, two-and-a-half years after joining the club.

Spence, who has since been outstanding for Postecoglou's inconsistent side, believes he was not given a fair chance in the Australian's first summer at the club.

"When a new manager comes in you think, 'Alright, everyone's going to get a fair chance, he's going to have a look at everyone'," he said.

"With me, I don't think that was really the case. But that's part of the game of the game of football. Football's not fair.

"[Postecoglou] just said basically I need to go out and play and that's when I ended up going to Leeds.

"Sometimes you might not get a chance that you feel like you deserve. I've always known I was good enough. People say, 'It's good to see he's got a second chance and he's doing well'. I never really got the first chance.

"This is my first chance and I'm taking it. I'm just happy I worked hard, I stayed consistent and I was ready."

Djed Spence has shone under Ange Postecoglou this season

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He added: “I feel like with Conte [training] was very repetitive. We would literally do the same situation every day. With Ange, it’s a bit different. We do change it. He switches it up every day."

But Spence admitted that he was not able to be himself on joining Spurs, claiming he was "too humble" and afraid to "express himself" after stepping up to the Premier League from the Championship.

"I think I’ve been a victim of being too humble," he said. "Thinking things are just going to happen by not doing nothing and not saying nothing. But sometimes you have to express yourself.

"In my first year at Tottenham, I feel I gave a bit too much respect to the players and the surroundings, because it’s Tottenham. I came from Forest, I’m going to the Premier League, a top-six club, and I thought, 'Phew, this is big'.

"I feel I gave them too much respect in regards I didn’t really be myself.

"When I went there, I saw players who were big names like Harry Kane and Sonny [Heung-min Son], and I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.

"But that was probably my biggest mistake, doing that and not expressing myself how I should have. I’d say this season [that's changed]. I’ve got no time to waste now. I’ve got to go get it, it’s time."

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A host of Spurs stars of old took on their Italian counterparts at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the name of charity, and those in attendance were treated to a show.

Keane didn’t take long to get his or Spurs’ afternoon up and running. The hosts were utterly dominant in the opening stages and, seconds after Jermain Defoe saw a strike ruled out for offside, Keane was set up by Aaron Lennon for a simple opener.

It was 2-0 just five minutes later as Defoe rolled back the years, turning smartly on the edge of the area before shifting the ball onto his right and then finding the inside near corner. A third came soon after when Teemu Tainio spotted Keane’s run and, with the Milan backline stationary, he had all the time in the world to lash a ball past Dida.

The best goal of the half came from Sandro just after the half-hour mark when the Brazilian drilled a low effort inside the far bottom corner from 25 yards, and then Keane completed his hat-trick before half-time when Lennon again set him up in a carbon copy of the opener.

As the likes of Ledley King, Steffen Freund, Teddy Sheringham, Allan Nielsen and Mark Falco were replaced or introduced, an improved Milan performance produced a consolation goal in the second half. The evergreen Cafu did his best Lennon impression but giving Cristian Zaccardo a tap in.

Tired legs took over as the second half wore on but there was still time for Michael Brown to add a six and then Andrea Pirlo to curl home a stunning free kick from 25 yards in nonchalant fashion.