Express

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has given an update on the condition of Rodrigo Bentancur after the midfielder suffered a horrific injury in their 1-1 draw with Leicester.

Bentancur came off much worse in a 50-50 aerial challenge with Abdul Fatawu inside the Leicester City box, although there was no indication it would have been a penalty.

The Uruguayan had to be given oxygen and was stretchered off by medical staff, who rushed to his aid after being knocked unconscious. It was later confirmed by Spurs' team doctor that Bentancur was 'sitting up and talking' following his concussion substitution.

And Postecoglou admitted details were scarce about the 27-year-old's health beyond what the team doctor had said during the game.

"I haven't spoken to him, [with a] head injury you have to be careful," Postecoglou told Sky Sports after the game. "The good news is he was up and talking. I'll let the medical team catch up with it."

Postecoglou later added in his post-match press conference: "Yeah, look I don't have a lot of information but I know he is up and he's communicating so he's fine from that point of view."

The incident overshadowed a lively contest at the King Power, where Spurs had dominated the first half with 10 attempts on goal.

Pedro Porro headed home a cross from James Maddison, who was booed on his return to Leicester, but the visitors squandered several chances to put the game to bed.

That was crucial as Jamie Vardy brought the hosts back into the game in the 57th minute with a header at the far post.

Both sides had chances to win it, with debutant Dominic Solanke denied by Mads Hermansen and Guglielmo Vicario pulling off a fine stop late on to keep out Wilfried Ndidi.

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A frustrated Postecoglou made no attempt to hide his fury with his attacking players after throwing two points away with some sloppy finishing.

"Disappointing night for us. First-half excellent and controlled the game but wasteful in front of goal. Second half was the same. we started off well and once Leicester scored, the crowd lifted and we lost our composure," Postecoglou added.

"It was an issue we had last year as well, we need to keep working hard and be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. At times we made poor decisions. When we are that dominant we should be out of sight.

"We do everything to score goals and we didn't score. The dominance is great but if you don't score it is meaningless. We have to be stronger in our mindset in the front third. To be that wasteful tonight is disappointing. We just weren't clinical."

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side began their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a frustrating draw away to newbies Leicester City.

A free-flowing Spurs caught the eye in the opening 45 minutes, with Pedro Porro's delightful header breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

It looked as if it would end up being a simple evening's work for Tottenham, as Leicester struggled to keep pace with the Champions League hopefuls.

Jamie Vardy had other ideas. Despite missing the entirety of pre-season, the veteran striker popped up with the equaliser midway through the second half, sparking the game into life.

Leicester could've even snatched a winner themselves, with Spurs left pondering after an opening-day draw at the King Power Stadium.

Express Sport rate the Tottenham cohort after a mixed night for Postecoglou's men in the East Midlands.

Guglielmo Vicario - 8/10

Couldn't have done much about Vardy's opener, but the Argentine got down well to deny the striker with a sharp save to keep the score level moments later. Popped up with another crucial stop to deny Wilfred Ndidi late on.

Pedro Porro - 7/10

He was fantastic with the ball at his feet and finished off expertly for the opener. His defensive frailties were on show for Leicester's equaliser though, with the right-back slow to react to Vardy's back-post movement. Hobbled through the final stages before being replaced after picking up a knock.

Cristian Romero - 5/10

Too focused on getting caught up in a war of words with Vardy. Like Porro, was half-asleep for the equaliser. Should've checked his shoulder to see the Leicester striker ghosting in unmarked.

Micky van de Ven - 6/10

Dealt with the rare threats that came his way and covered for Destiny Udogie when the left-back was put under pressure.

Destiny Udogie - 4/10

Not the youngster's most convincing performance. Gave up too much space to Abdul Fatawu, with the winger getting in behind the Spurs man on several occasions.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 6/10

Put himself about in the heart of midfield, but was forced to come off after a horror head injury.

James Maddison - 7/10

Pulled the strings for the first hour and showed his class with a stellar ball for Porro's opener. Struggled for the same effectiveness when Leicester equalised.

Pape Matar Sarr - 6/10

Didn't stop running in the heart of midfield, but his on-ball contributions were left wanting at times.

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Brennan Johnson - 5/10

A passenger for the most part. Struggled to impose himself on the contest and was understandably hooked as Spurs went in search of a winner.

Dominic Solanke - 4/10

Will have to be less profligate in the future if he's to make a name for himself at Spurs. Snatched the chances that came his way and ought to have found the back of the net at least once. Things can only get better for the £65million signing.

Son Heung-min - 4/10

Off the pace throughout the match. He failed to link up with the rest of Spurs' forwards and a heavy touch broke down promising attacking situations for Tottenham on more than one occasion.

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Substitutes:

Archie Gray - 6/10

Composed showing from the teenager.

Lucas Bergvall - 6/10

An otherwise tidy Premier League debut was almost tarnished by a sloppy error leading to a Leicester chance.

Timo Werner - 5/10

Looked lost after coming on for Brennan Johnson.

Dejan Kulusevski - 6/10

The most promising of Spurs' subs. Would've been disappointed not to have started the game.

Richarlison - 4/10

Only played seven minutes but missed a sitter that would've won Spurs the game in added time.

Djed Spence - N/A

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was reportedly 'knocked out cold' after suffering a horror head collision during his side's match with Leicester on Monday.

The Uruguayan went down after a corner was cleared and had to be given oxygen when referee Christopher Kavanagh immediately called for assistance, before Bentancur was stretchered off the pitch.

Sky Sports claimed that Bentancur was knocked unconscious but he was sitting up before departing play, with his side drawing 1-1 in the second half.

Concerned players from both sides gathered around Bentancur with heads in their hands as they awaited news from the medical staff over the 27-year-old's condition.

Bentancur also ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at the King Power in February of last year, which kept him out for eight months.

Sky Sports confirmed that Bentancur was "up and talking" in the dressing room while his team-mates played on, and will be monitored throughout the night as part of the Premier League's concussion protocols.

Bentancur was replaced as part of a quadruple change by Ange Postecoglou, as Spurs attempted to regain their lead on the first Monday Night Football of the season.

Timo Werner, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray all came on, with Bentancur, Pape Sarr, Brennan Johnson and James Maddison heading off.

Pedro Porro had given the visitors the lead in the first half, heading home Maddison's curling cross in a dominant opening 45 minutes for Spurs.

Giovani Lo Celso has three clubs on tenterhooks while mulling over his next move. The midfielder will be allowed to leave Tottenham this summer with Aston Villa, Real Betis and AS Roma all interested in taking him off Ange Postecoglou's hands.

Lo Celso is deemed surplus to requirements by Postecoglou and, with less than a year to run on his Spurs contract, the 28-year-old has spent this summer in the shop window.

Argentina's Copa America triumph kept Lo Celso occupied until mid-July, but having returned to north London, it has again been made clear that the player's future lies elsewhere.

Betis and Villa registered their interest weeks ago but opted not to take things further until learning of Lo Celso's intentions. Express Sport understands that Roma are latecomers to the transfer race but would be interested in signing the former Paris Saint-Germain star if Paulo Dybala heads to the Saudi Pro League.

Dybala has a lucrative proposal from Al-Qadsiah and the move going through could be the domino Postecoglou needs to fall in order for Lo Celso to give Roma the green light.

Further transfer opportunities could arrive before the summer transfer deadline and Lo Celso is keen to assess them before committing himself to one club.

MLS side Charlotte FC also enquired about Lo Celso but the player would rather join a European club. Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce are not in the running as things stand.

Lo Celso was brought to Europe by PSG, spending three years in France before becoming a household name thanks to a fruitful loan spell with Betis. The attacking midfielder has scored 11 goals in 108 games for Spurs since they snapped him up in 2019. Spurs forked out a whopping £55million four years ago and are expecting to take a significant loss due to Lo Celso's contract situation.

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Postecoglou's squad is brimming with midfielders as Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison have been joined by new signings Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray since the start of the summer window.

Tottenham's midfield clearout has seen Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leave the club, while Oliver Skipp's move to Leicester City was confirmed today (Monday), hours before Spurs get their Premier League campaign underway against the Foxes.

Chelsea's need to offload players before the summer transfer deadline could play straight into their rivals' hands. There were a number of striking omissions from Enzo Maresca's first Premier League matchday squad on Sunday as Manchester City won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Conor Gallagher was not included in the 20-man list despite playing in all bar one of Chelsea's league matches last season and regularly captaining the side. The 24-year-old was all set to join Atletico Madrid but a collapsed deal which would have seen Samu Omorodion head in the opposite direction has plunged Gallagher's future into doubt.

Chelsea and Atletico are reportedly in talks over a move for Joao Felix, which could resurrect Gallagher's switch to Spain. But if that fails to materialise, Tottenham may be the first to pounce.

Reports indicate that Ange Postecoglou is a long-standing admirer of Gallagher, and the Spurs manager ideally wants the England international to operate in his midfield behind new signing Dominic Solanke.

Another high-profile star who didn't make the cut against City is Ben Chilwell. Fellow left-back Marc Cucurella looks set to be reborn in Maresca's system, and with Renato Veiga providing back-up, Chilwell is at risk of being frozen out.

Maresca has openly admitted that it would be better for all parties if Chilwell is able to find a new club this summer. Manchester United are believed to have discussed the 27-year-old before snapping up Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.

With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia both having a torrid time due to injuries, it remains to be seen whether Chilwell's availability proves too tempting an opportunity for United to pass up on.

Of the five substitutes who didn't get on the pitch against City, Noni Madueke will have been the most perplexed. The 22-year-old winger enjoyed a strong finish to the last campaign and was one of Maresca's most impressive performers during pre-season.

Newcastle United are said to be keeping tabs on Madueke's situation, with Chelsea reportedly willing to listen to offers for the former PSV Eindhoven star. It could take £30m for Blues chiefs to green-light the youngster's exit.

Aside from the trio in question, other notable absentees from Sunday's squad included Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romelu Lukaku, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Trevoh Chalobah, who could all leave in the next two weeks.

Gary Lineker has confessed that he "made an error" with his pre-season prediction for Tottenham Hotspur, and has placed them higher than he first thought. The former footballer, who spent three seasons at Spurs, had initially tipped the London side to finish fifth in the Premier League this season.

However, Lineker has since admitted that he actually meant to put Tottenham in the top four. Speaking on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast, the 63-year-old said: "Just a quick one on Leicester and Tottenham while I think about it. When we did our predictions, I made an error.

"It's okay to change it now, because they haven't played yet. But I was meant to put Tottenham in the top four. I only had three Champions League spots. I am just going to correct myself there and put Tottenham in the top four."

Lineker also cleared up why he made this blunder, adding: "It's myself. I listen to the podcast, to check that we don’t mess up too much and I thought, 'hang on a minute? Why did I put Tottenham fifth when I was meant to put them third or fourth, battling with Liverpool'. I even said 'batting with Liverpool'. So, just to be clear."

Spurs had a great start to the season last year, with some people even tipping them as dark horses for the title. However, a downturn in form had them in fifth by the end of the campaign.

Ange Postecoglou's side have done some big transfer business over the summer to strengthen his side. The signing of 19-year-old Wilson Odebert from Burnley for £25million, followed a £65m move for striker Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, while teenage midfield talent Archie Gray arrived from Leeds for £30m. The club have also signed two more teenage prospects – Lucas Bergvall from Djurgården and Yang Min-hyeok from Gangwon FC – to bolster the squad and help plan for the future.

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Postecoglou has also praised his squad ahead of their Premier League opener against Leicester City on Monday evening, as he claims the team is "better prepared" for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.

In an interview with the Men in Blazers YouTube channel, the 58-year-old said: "We’ll have grown a lot from last year of understanding about ourselves. When we were good we were exciting, I think we had everyone talking about us.

"When we had to grind, we found a way to get there. But there was obviously a space in there when we didn't cope well with disruptions, which I think is only natural because when things are going well it’s a lot easier to stay on board with something.

"We had some disruptions in terms of injuries, in terms of suspensions - some lack of discipline there for sure, which happens with young players. We didn't cope well with that but we learnt a lot through that."

Tottenham will have the opportunity to sign three exciting players for a combined total of £64million before the end of the summer window. The north Londoners have already welcomed several new faces but Ange Postecoglou is said to be keen on adding further reinforcements over the coming weeks.

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Dominic Solanke joined Tottenham earlier in the window to boost their hopes of returning to the Premier League's top four. They confirmed their latest signing on Friday morning, with Wilson Odobert joining from Burnley in a deal worth around £25m.

Tottenham are still expected to pursue a handful of targets in the final weeks of the window, with the all-important deadline rapidly approaching. They have been linked with a potential move for Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who is reportedly available for a bargain fee of £20m this summer.

Locatelli would bring plenty of trophy-winning experience, having secured Euro 2020 glory as a member of the Italy squad which beat England at Wembley. He also helped Juventus to lift the Coppa Italia a few months ago but is now believed to have been put up for sale.

The 26-year-old was previously targeted by Arsenal but rejected the Gunners in order to sign for Juventus, who he joined from Sassuolo in 2021. His brother Mattia later revealed that Locatelli was locked in talks with Arsenal but decided against moving to the Emirates Stadium.

Speaking to La Casa Di C last year, Mattia said: "I still remember the negotiation [that took him to Juventus]. For him it was very long. There was also Arsenal, but he wanted Juventus. The clubs kept meeting but without reaching an agreement. Every day I looked to check what was happening."

Tottenham could follow up the signing of Locatelli by bringing Kyle Walker-Peters back to the club from Southampton. The defender is valued at £20m by Transfermarkt and is only tied down until the end of the season, putting the Saints under pressure to sell over the next few weeks.

Walker-Peters would be able to provide quality cover for Pedro Porro at right-back, allowing Spurs to enjoy a greater degree of depth in the position. His arrival would also give Djed Spence the opportunity to move on in search of regular football after spending last season on loan elsewhere.

Tottenham have also been tipped to finalise a move for Monaco defender Vanderson, who has reportedly been identified as a possible replacement for Emerson Royal. A bid in the region of £27m has already been submitted, according to Bruno Andrade, but Spurs are yet to receive a response.

If they can tempt Monaco into selling Vanderson, it would represent a significant coup with the 23-year-old rated as one of the best defenders in France's top flight. However, time is running out for Tottenham to get a deal done with less than two weeks remaining until the window slams shut.

Roman Abramovic might have changed the face of English football after taking over Chelsea in 2003, but not before seemingly doing his research on club fans and rivalries. During his 19-year tenure, the Blues rose to new levels, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League twice, as well as every other major trophy on offer.

He would eventually sell the club in notorious circumstances in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, after his assets in the UK were frozen amid his alleged ties with the Kremlin.

However, few can deny the impact of the Abramovic era, least of all it seems, Carlton Cole.

The former striker is one of the forgotten men of Stamford Bridge, having spent five years on the club’s books between 2001 and 2006. During that time he made just 31 Chelsea appearances and spent loan spells at Wolves, Charlton, and Aston Villa.

After playing a bit part role in the title-winning 2005/06 campaign, and with Didier Drogba long established as the club’s main striker, the then 23-year-old knew his time was up if he wanted to play first team football. And he’s now revealed he was on the brink of joining Tottenham before the club owner intervened.

“After 2005/06, I knew I had to crack on somewhere else to get more games," Cole told FourFourTwo. "Spurs came in for me as Martin Jol was really fond of me. I went to Spurs’ training ground, met everyone and did my medical.”

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However, Abramovic wasn’t about to let a young player help one of his team’s London rivals. In fact, instead he wanted Cole to head to his homeland in order to play for CSKA Moscow.

“I received a call to say I had to meet him at Stamford Bridge,” explained Cole. “Over a coffee, Abramovich said he wanted me to sign for CSKA Moscow. I was like, 'I don’t think I want to go to Russia.' And then Roman said to me, through his translator, 'Well, you’re not going to Spurs. I don’t do business with them. So, get that out of your head’.”

And Cole claimed that order left him despondent. “I sulked like a teenager for weeks, even though I was 23 at the time,” he added. “I was disappointed, because I felt I could’ve made a difference in that Tottenham team."

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Instead, Cole moved to West Ham, where he’d spend nine years and make 293 appearances, scoring 68 goals. Arguably, the move paid dividends, with Cole gaining international recognition by winning seven England caps.

During that period though, Spurs would qualify for Champions League football and capture the League Cup in the 2007/08 campaign. In comparison, the Hammers would spend much of that period battling relegation, and went down to the Championship after the 2010/11 campaign before coming back up through the play offs.

It seems that Oliver Skipp won’t be the only departure at Tottenham as manager Ange Postecoglou continues his squad overhaul. Spurs have accepted a bid from Leicester reported to be in excess of £20million for the midfielder, who is expected to undergo a medical on Monday.

The 23-year-old is set to end a 16-year association with the club, as Daniel Levy seeks to recoup the fees spent this summer.

Spurs have shelled out just short of £150million this summer, with Dominic Solanke their most notable signing after arriving from Bournemouth for a club record £65m fee.

To offset costs, the likes of Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Harry Winks, Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga, and Tanguy Ndombele have all left on permanent deals. And now the club are reportedly planning to sanction two more departures.

According to the Times, Giovani Lo Celso is up for sale having entered the final 12 months of his contract. The Argentinian made 22 appearances in the Premier League last season, but has struggled for consistency after joining from Real Betis in 2019, initially on loan.

Since arriving in north London, he’s twice been loaned out to Spanish club Villarreal, although he has continued to feature at international level and was part of his country’s Copa America winning squad this summer. And at 28, Levy and co will still be confident of securing a healthy fee for the ex-PSG man.

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Tottenham are also said to be willing to loan out another wide man in Manor Solomon, who has struggled for game time after joining from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer. The Israeli international made just six club appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, and still has four years left on his current deal.

If that notion was to materialise, he’d become the fourth player to leave the club on a temporary basis during the transfer window. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has joined Marseille for the season, with a view to a £17m deal next summer.

Alejo Veliz and Bryan Gil meanwhile, have left on loan to Espanyol and Girona respectively. The future of Brazilian forward Richarlison also remains in doubt after being linked with a switch to Saudi Arabia.

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Spurs kick-off their campaign at home to Leicester City on Monday night, although Skipp won’t be able to sign in time to face his current club. And Postecoglou has already targeted ending the club’s 16-year wait for a trophy during his second season in charge.

“First year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation and hopefully, the second year is going onto win things,” he told Sky Sports. “Of course it's easier said than done, particularly in the Premier League and the competition we're in.”

Dominic Solanke has also put pen to paper with Spurs, leaving Bournemouth in a deal worth £55million. Tottenham also won the race to secure the signature of Archie Gray, whilst renewing their loan deal for Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.

Tottenham are reportedly on the lookout for another option in the final third, though further additions in midfield cannot be ruled out either, with Skipp departing and Tottenham hoping to offload Giovani Lo Celso before the transfer window closes.

The Argentina international has recently been linked with a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce. Reports speculated previously that Lo Celso was set to be used as a makeweight in Spurs’ push for Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey.