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Tottenham Hotspur are just a month away from their Premier League opener against Leicester City and all eyes are on manager Ange Postecoglou as he navigates the transfer market. As players return from both the Copa America and Euro 2024, the composition of Spurs' squad will begin to take shape in the coming weeks.

Entering his second year at the helm, the Australian boss faces high expectations for the 2024-25 season. Retaining key players and making strategic investments are crucial and getting pre-season right is paramount.

This summer has already seen fresh and exciting talent recruited, with the potential for more big-name signings, meaning this could be Spurs' breakthrough season. Here, we examine what this crucial month could ideally entail for Postecoglou's team.

Pre-season fixtures

July 20: QPR vs Tottenham - Loftus Road, kick-off (15:00)

July 27: Tottenham vs Vissel Kobe - National Stadium, Tokyo (11:00)

July 31: Team K League vs Tottenham - Seoul World Cup Stadium (12:00)

August 3: Bayern Munich vs Tottenham - Seoul World Cup Stadium (12:00)

August 10: Tottenham vs Bayern Munich - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (17:30)

Transfers

Spurs have made significant investments this summer, securing Leeds United midfield prodigy Archie Gray for an initial £35million. Coupled with the arrival of promising young Swede Lucas Bergvall, fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

Both players made their debuts in a 5-1 friendly victory over Hearts last Wednesday, earning praise for their calm performances. With Europa League Thursday nights potentially providing game time for these two, as well as England U17 starlet Mikey Moore, Postecoglou might give supporters a sneak peek into a promising future.

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The signings of Gray and Bergvall may not be the only additions Spurs make this summer. Now that Euro 2024 has concluded, Ivan Toney's future is up for discussion in the Premier League.

Brentford, who initially valued their soon-to-be free agent star at £80million, are reportedly reducing their asking price due to a lack of potential buyers. Manchester United have already splashed out £36.5million on Dutch sensation Joshua Zirkzee. Arsenal have other transfers to concentrate on, such as a move for Italian defender Ricardo Calafiori, while Chelsea might opt for a younger striker.

Tottenham have yet to find a suitable replacement for Harry Kane and may never do so, but bringing in his fellow countryman Toney could provide them with the pure number nine they require. Any deal might hinge on the sale of Richarlison, who has drawn attention from the Saudi Pro League, but there could be an English star leading the Lilywhite's attack once again next season.

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Chelsea and England midfielder Conor Gallagher, whose contract expires next summer, has also been linked with a move to Spurs. The potential £50million fee that could be required for Gallagher would provide Chelsea with a significant financial boost due to the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

If Tottenham can secure both Toney and Gallagher, they would gain a proven league goal-scorer and a tireless box-to-box player, significantly strengthening Postecoglou's team.

Outgoings

In terms of departures, Richarlison is the biggest name who has been linked with a move away, with several Saudi Pro League clubs reportedly vying for his signature. Despite being second on Spurs' top scorers list behind Heung-Min Son with 11 league goals, there are no concrete negotiations ongoing for the Brazilian. However, if it becomes clear that he is leaving, Toney could be an ideal replacement.

Other potential departures could see Tottenham sell other surplus players, as they have done with Joe Rodon and Troy Parrott, as well as releasing Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga, Ivan Perisic, and Tanguy Ndombele.

Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg is reportedly on the radar of Fulham and Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, AC Milan's £8million bid for Brazilian defender Emerson Royal was turned down by Tottenham Hotspur, but he could still be on his way out this summer.

Should Spurs manage to offload a few players, it could pave the way for new signings or give their rising stars a chance to truly make their mark.

Dream XI for opening day

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gallagher, Bissouma, Maddison; Johnson, Toney, Son.

Manchester City’s transfer window could be about to spark into life following a quiet start to the summer.

Only a handful of exits have been confirmed by the reigning champions, the most profitable being Liam Delap’s £20million switch to Premier League newbies Ipswich Town.

Elsewhere, Sergio Gomez and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have been allowed to leave - the latter spending last season out on loan at Championship play-off winners Southampton.

It means City have already have a healthy chunk of cash from player sales alone, but so far they’ve not shown much willingness to reinvest.

However, that may be about to change, with players returning from international duty and transfer plans starting to be put into place.

As such, Express Sport have picked out three City deals that could be completed in the not-too-distant future, starting with a big-money raid from one of their Premier League rivals.

Bruno Guimaraes to sign

The collective hearts of City fans across the globe would’ve no doubt dropped when Player of the Tournament and Ballon d’Or contender Rodri was hooked at half-time of Spain’s Euro 2024 final win over England.

While it appears the midfielder’s issue wasn’t as serious as first thought, no man in Pep Guardiola’s squad played more minutes than Rodri last season, indicating cover is needed heading into the upcoming campaign.

Kalvin Phillips and to a degree Mateo Kovacic have failed to provide it, with Bruno Guimaraes emerging as the latest potential candidate.

It was a deal that looked like it could’ve been completed earlier in the summer, but Newcastle United’s hefty demands pushed City back.

But with Rodri’s workload an everlasting worry, City are likely to be active in the midfield market, with Guimaraes the most likely arrival.

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Kyle Walker quits for Saudi Arabia

The noise coming out of City this summer has been activity will be kept at a minimum, unless there are any major exits before the window shuts.

Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and perhaps Phil Foden aside, few would be much bigger than club captain Kyle Walker, with talk of a Saudi switch starting to pick up.

City will be under no illusions that Walker’s physical attributes won’t last forever and at some point, his ever-reliant pace will start to evade him.

Plus, from the player’s point of view, lucrative offers from Suadi Arabia aren’t going to come around all too often, meaning Walker could be tempted to leave England behind and join a club in the Pro League this summer.

City cut losses and axe Jack Grealish

As for Walker’s England and City team-mate, Jack Grealish is another high earner on the club’s books who could be moved on.

On the back of a stellar 2022/23 campaign with the Treble Winners, Grealish failed to kick on last season and saw new signing Jeremy Doku gobble up most of his left-wing minutes.

It was a situation that manifested itself in Grealish being left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, with the attacker’s future in East Manchester looking more and more uncertain.

Should Aston Villa pocket a handsome sum for Saudi target Moussa Diaby, what’s to say the West Midlands-based outfit don’t make a speculative move for hometown hero Grealish.

It would represent a nice bit of symmetry for Grealish, whose £100million transfer to City in 2021 allowed Villa to reinvest in their side, which ultimately led to Champions League qualification last season.

Top Tottenham target Desire Doue has been tipped for stardom by one of his Rennes team-mates. Baptiste Santamaria, who also shared a dressing room with ex-Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe when he was breaking through, hailed Doue as "one of a kind" amidst growing interest from Europe's elite clubs.

The dazzling 19-year-old, who can play both in midfield and on the wing, is high on Tottenham's summer wish-list, but they face stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, PSG, and Bayern Munich for his signature. In an interview with TNT Sports earlier this year, Santamaria, 29, said Doue was destined for the top, and predicted he'd be in line for a luctrative transfer soon.

He lavished praise on the young talent, calling him "the most gifted youngster I've seen in my career" and predicted he'd become "unplayable" within a few years. "He's a very talented player with a great sense of football," said Santamaria.

"He's a player who aspires to go to the biggest clubs. He's one of a kind: he likes to hit the ball but he's solid on his feet," he added. "Desire's technical, percussive and physical qualities are quite incredible. When he becomes more consistent, he'll be unplayable. For his age, he's the most gifted youngster I've seen in my career."

That's quite an assertion, especially given that Santamaria played with Pepe at Angers, shortly before his record £72million move to Arsenal in 2019. Pepe might have failed to make the grade in north London, but few would deny his potential at a young age.

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According to reports, Bayern submitted a £29m bid for Doue earlier this month, but it was immediately rejected. PSG have also shown interest in the player, and have sent an informal proposal to Rennes as they prepare to make a serious push to sign him.

In terms of interest from England, Arsenal are looking to strengthen their attack and see Doue as the perfect man to challenge Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli for a starting position. Chelsea, meanwhile, are also on the hunt for a right-footed winger before the window closes, with Doue being one of several names on their list. Manchester United are also monotoring the situation.

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Rennes are believed to be holding out for around £52m for Doue, but potential buyers are reportedly hesitant to exceed the £40m mark. Doue has just 63 senior appearances and seven goals to his name, but his performances last season caught the eye of scouts across the globe.

He is yet to make his international debut, although he has played for several of France's youth teams.

England midfielder Declan Rice has been branded “useless” by former Tottenham player Rafael van der Vaart after his side fell short at Euro 2024. Rice started every game for the Three Lions as they made the final in Berlin, but the tournament ended in yet more heartbreak as they were beaten by Spain 2-1.

It was Rice who came close to forcing extra time when he met Cole Palmer’s injury time corner, but his goal-bound header was kept out by Spain keeper Unai Simon.

The 25-year-old has become an ever-present at international level under Gareth Southgate, and was considered one of the Premier League’s best performers last season following his record breaking move from West Ham to Arsenal.

Van der Vaart, however, has been anything but impressed. And speaking on Dutch television station NOS after the final, the 41-year-old argued the midfielder didn’t possess enough threat on the ball to be considered world class.

“£100million for Declan Rice. What does he do?” asked the ex-Dutch international. “He comes to collect a ball only to pass it back to John Stones. He is useless. If you are truly worth £100m, then you should be able to play a ball forward."

Rice also started the Euro 2020 final, which ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley. And despite winning 58 caps for his country, he’s scored just three times and has previously voiced his ambitions to show more prowess in front of goal.

His maiden season in North London saw him score seven times in 51 club appearances. That signified his best return since making his top-flight debut for West Ham as a teenager in the 2016/17 campaign.

Van der Vaart meanwhile, has established a reputation for being outspoken since retiring from professional football and becoming pundit, and Rice wasn’t the only England player targeted. He also questioned the value of playing Jude Bellingham in an advanced role in Germany.

"Jude Bellingham is not someone who's there for the smooth touches, he's just a strong lad who keeps going 90 minutes long,” he argued. “The number 10 on his back is debatable. Sure, he can wear a number 10, but for me he is not a number 10."

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But it’s the attack on Rice which is likely to endear him further to Tottenham fans given their bitter rivalry with Arsenal. Van der Vaart remains a cult hero at the club after his three-year stint at the club, helping them into the Champions League under Harry Redknapp.

He also won 109 international caps for the Netherlands, scoring 25 times. And he was a member of their 2010 World Cup squad that won through to the final in South Africa, beaten by Spain in the final.

England midfielder Declan Rice has been branded “useless” by former Tottenham player Rafael van der Vaart after his side fell short at Euro 2024. Rice started every game for the Three Lions as they made the final in Berlin, but the tournament ended in yet more heartbreak as they were beaten by Spain 2-1.

It was Rice who came close to forcing extra time when he met Cole Palmer’s injury time corner, but his goal-bound header was kept out by Spain keeper Unai Simon.

The 25-year-old has become an ever-present at international level under Gareth Southgate, and was considered one of the Premier League’s best performers last season following his record breaking move from West Ham to Arsenal.

Van der Vaart, however, has been anything but impressed. And speaking on Dutch television station NOS after the final, the 41-year-old argued the midfielder didn’t possess enough threat on the ball to be considered world class.

“£100million for Declan Rice. What does he do?” asked the ex-Dutch international. “He comes to collect a ball only to pass it back to John Stones. He is useless. If you are truly worth £100m, then you should be able to play a ball forward."

Rice also started the Euro 2020 final, which ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley. And despite winning 58 caps for his country, he’s scored just three times and has previously voiced his ambitions to show more prowess in front of goal.

His maiden season in North London saw him score seven times in 51 club appearances. That signified his best return since making his top-flight debut for West Ham as a teenager in the 2016/17 campaign.

Van der Vaart meanwhile, has established a reputation for being outspoken since retiring from professional football and becoming pundit, and Rice wasn’t the only England player targeted. He also questioned the value of playing Jude Bellingham in an advanced role in Germany.

"Jude Bellingham is not someone who's there for the smooth touches, he's just a strong lad who keeps going 90 minutes long,” he argued. “The number 10 on his back is debatable. Sure, he can wear a number 10, but for me he is not a number 10."

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But it’s the attack on Rice which is likely to endear him further to Tottenham fans given their bitter rivalry with Arsenal. Van der Vaart remains a cult hero at the club after his three-year stint at the club, helping them into the Champions League under Harry Redknapp.

He also won 109 international caps for the Netherlands, scoring 25 times. And he was a member of their 2010 World Cup squad that won through to the final in South Africa, beaten by Spain in the final.

Harry Kane has said England's players only have themselves to blame after suffering more final heartbreak at Euro 2024. Kane was withdrawn in the second half with the Three Lions trailing 1-0 from Nico Williams' opener, only for Cole Palmer to level from long range.

But Mikel Oyarzaba's late strike meant an agonising defeat for Kane and co, and prolonged his own personal trophy drought.

And afterwards, he candidly admitted his side didn't command enough possession, and fell short of the levels required for the full 90 minutes.

"Losing in a final is as tough as it gets," he told the BBC. "I think we did really well to get back in the game and get back to 1-1. We couldn't quite use that momentum to push on and we couldn't quite keep the ball and we got punished for it towards the end of the game. It's just painful as it can be in a football match.

"We didn't quite keep the same intensity and pressure. We didn't quite keep the ball well enough. It was the last stage of the tournament, there was a lot of tired legs and tired mentality there.

"We struggled and got caught by the ball in behind. It's down to big moments. We had a big moment at the end where they cleared one of the line and it could've been different. But yeah for now it's just really disappointing."

England were forced to come from behind in each of their three previous knockout games, and that sequence looked set to continue when Palmer blasted home. But Kane stopped short of saying the mental fatigue caused by their dramatic tournament had eventually taken its toll.

"It's been a tough tournament," he added. "We've had to show a lot of resilience, me personally, and the whole team as well. It's been a difficult ride. We've done extremely well to get here.

"Ultimately we're going to be judged on this game. We wanted to do it so badly for ourselves and also the fans and everyone who has believed in us the whole way. Right now it's just huge disappointment."

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Attention will now turn to the future of Gareth Southgate, who is yet to confirm if he'll continue as manager through to the 2026 World Cup. But Kane, 30, said it was too early to speculate on his future.

"We've made it clear - we love the manager," he insisted. "That's his decision. It's not the time to talk about it now. That's down to him, he'll go away and think about it. Right now we're all just hurting."

Everton are currently in negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur regarding the future of Dele Alli, as they continue to aid his recovery from injury.

The 28-year-old is undergoing training at Finch Farm after Everton offered their support in his battle against a groin issue that kept him off the pitch last season.

Despite being out of contract now, the conditions of his transfer from Tottenham to Merseyside could hinder any attempts by Everton to offer him a new deal. The ECHO has learned that Everton and Spurs are discussing the possibility of revising the original terms of the agreement.

If successful, Dele might have a chance to prove his worth during the pre-season.

These talks are the latest in a series of ongoing discussions between the two clubs about the player. Last season, when he seemed on the verge of returning after surgery, there were conversations about the terms of his January 2022 transfer - which made efforts to assist Dele's recovery challenging due to the payments that would have been required if he had achieved performance milestones.

He continued: "People, sometimes, lose sight of that. I'm not accusing anyone of anything, that's just the way it is. He's worked with some really big managers, very good managers with interesting ways of playing. Why wouldn't I go: 'Dele what's your thoughts?' I trust these players."

Whether Dele gets a chance to impress Dyche further could depend on the outcome of talks between Everton and Spurs. The two clubs are in discussions over a deal for the midfielder and if an agreement can be reached it could open the door for Dele to earn a new deal at Goodison Park.

Harry Kane's true colours shone through after Ollie Watkins fired England into the Euro 2024 final with a 90th-minute winner against the Netherlands on Wednesday night.

Watkins replaced him 10 minutes earlier after another below-par display, but the Three Lions captain was among the players to rush the pitch after the last-gasp goal.

Despite his underwhelming showing, Kane equalised from the penalty spot in the first half, becoming the joint-leader in the Golden Boot race.

The 30-year-old has now scored three goals at Euro 2024, a tally only matched by Spain's Dani Olmo among players in Sunday's final.

But he will have been disappointed to be hauled off with the game finely poised at 1-1 as Gareth Southgate called on Watkins to make the desired impact.

And did he?! The Aston Villa striker latched onto Cole Palmer's through ball before firing low and hard across Bart Verbruggen from a tight angle, blowing the metaphorical roof off the Westfalenstadion.

As Watkins wheeled off towards the corner flag, England's bench, including Kane, couldn't help but stream onto the pitch in pure jubilation.

Southgate's players surrounded the match-winner in an emotional huddle, knowing many of them would be in for the game of their lives in four days' time.

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After full-time, Watkins talked through his winner, explaining that he didn't think he had struck a ball as well in his entire career.

He said: "The ball came into me; hold up is not the strongest side of my game, but the goal was my bread and butter.

"I said to Cole Palmer we were both going to go on the pitch, and he would set me up, and it happened.

"You don't get that opportunity very often and I had to be greedy and take the shot. I don't think I have hit the ball so sweet like that before."

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Kane was among those hailing Watkins after the final whistle, telling ITV: "We talk about being ready. We're a big team at being ready.

"When it matters, you might get five minutes, one minute, but you can make a difference , you can win us a tournament.

"He's been waiting, he's been patient. What he did was outstanding and he deserves it."

Jude Bellingham added: "Ollie Watkins came on and took his opportunity. I'm buzzing for him. You're not starting every game like you would for your club and it's difficult."

Chelsea have already been busy in the summer transfer window, with Todd Boehly wasting no time in splashing his cash on new players. The Blues have welcomed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman to Stamford Bridge but there is still plenty of time for things to go awry.

Express Sport takes a look at the nightmare scenario for Chelsea this summer, with Cole Palmer able to throw their plans into disarray...

Cole Palmer asks to leave

The worst-case scenario for Chelsea would be if Palmer decides that it would be in his best interests to leave Stamford Bridge. The former Manchester City youngster only joined the Blues last summer but has already established himself as their best player, scoring 27 goals in all competitions last season.

Palmer remains tied down to Chelsea until 2030 but it has been speculated that he could push for an exit in order to play Champions League football. Such a development would be catastrophic for the west Londoners, who will be relying on Palmer to lead their charge back to the Premier League's upper reaches.

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Victor Osimhen deal falls through

Chelsea are known to be on the lookout for a new striker, with Enzo Maresca eager to boost his attacking options before the new season gets underway. Victor Osimhen has been linked with the Blues for a number of years and is thought to be on their list of striking targets this summer.

Initial talks have already taken place at club level, with Corriere dello Sport reporting that Napoli would be willing to accept a fee in the region of £84million. It marks a steep departure from the value of his release clause, which currently stands at nearly £111m.

Osimhen has shown that he can score goals at the very highest level and would arguably be the perfect man to lead the line for Chelsea next season. However, the Blues would be forced to settle for a lesser option if discussions break down without a deal being agreed.

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Two key players join Premier League rivals

Conor Gallagher and Ben Chilwell have been widely tipped to leave Stamford Bridge this summer as part of a clear-out behind the scenes. The likes of Atletico Madrid and Tottenham are said to be interested in signing Gallagher, who has just entered the final year of his deal with the Blues.

A move to Spain would be the ideal solution for Chelsea as it would mean they would not have to face Gallagher in the Premier League. In contrast, a move to Tottenham would force the Blues to come up against him while also strengthening their north London rivals.

Chilwell, meanwhile, is reportedly the subject of surprise interest from Manchester United with Erik ten Hag on the hunt for a new left-sided defender. Chelsea would ideally like to avoid selling Chilwell to any team, let alone the Red Devils, given his importance to their plans when fully fit.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has agreed that it would be music to Virgil van Dijk’s ears if England dropped Harry Kane for Wednesday’s Euro 2024 semi-final. Kane has scored twice at the tournament despite not being at his best.

Concerns have been raised over the England captain’s fitness. The Bayern Munich striker came into the Euros with a back injury and has finished only two of the Three Lions’ five matches.

Some fans and pundits have wondered whether dropping Kane for the semi-final would be beneficial. Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins have performed well in brief cameo appearances.

But Alexander-Arnold points out that Dutch defenders would dream of seeing a teamsheet that does not include England’s record goalscorer and captain.

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“Anyone facing England would like to see Harry Kane not playing. We’re talking about England’s record scorer,” the Liverpool defender said.

“He’s scored two in this tournament, helped us win games and, as our captain, leads by example and puts everything into games. People will always have opinions but he is leading us into a semi-final.

“He is part of the reason why the environment is such a good one in camp. And he is a reason why we’re heading into a semi.”

Kane scored against Denmark and struck the winner in extra-time against Slovakia in the last-16. Alexander-Arnold continued: “You just know he is a threat. Anything in and around the box, you must be on red alert. He is the best finisher that I’ve seen or played with.”

Manager Gareth Southgate withdrew Kane before the penalty shootout against Switzerland. However, the Tottenham icon had collided with his boss and tripped over a container after being nudged off the pitch by a Swiss defender.

Despite appearing injured at the time, Kane insisted that he was fine. He is expected to be fit to face the Dutch in Dortmund, where he scored a Bundesliga hat-trick for Bayern last season.

Southgate has defended Kane’s contribution at the tournament so far. He said: “All of the games have been slightly different, I thought he did a super job for the team in terms of defensively, his positioning, his understanding of where he needed to be.

“He’s perhaps not flowing as he’s arriving in those deeper areas as sometimes he looks with his passing, but he’s still playing an immense part for the group.”