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Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to sign South Korean winger Yang Min-hyuk from Gangwon FC.

The 18-year-old will remain at K League club Gangwon until January before joining up with the Spurs squad.

Yang became the youngest K League scorer in 11 years when he netted his first goal for the club in March, and he has gone on to score seven goals in 24 matches for Gangwon.

He will join fellow South Korean Son Heung-min, who previously had experienced Korean defender Lee Young-pyo in their squad from 2005 to 2008.

Yang is the third 18-year-old arrival at Spurs this summer transfer window following the signing of Archie Gray from Leeds United and Lucas Bergvall’s move from Djurgarden.

Elsewhere, Ange Postecoglou’s side have also extended Timo Werner’s loan deal for the 2024-25 season.

Spurs will play a K League XI side on July 31 at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

They begin their Premier League campaign at newly-promoted Leicester City on August 19.

(Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Let’s take a look at the last five players to be named Player of the Season in Premier League 2, a competition that pits England’s best under-21 sides against each other and provides young players with valuable experience.

Curtis Jones won the award in the 2019-20 season and has gone on to make more than 100 senior appearances for Liverpool and was named in England’s provisional squad for this summer’s European Championship. Liam Delap won it the following year and just joined Ipswich Town from Manchester City for £15million ($19.3m).

James McAtee claimed the award in 2021-22 for helping Man City’s under-21s win the PL2 title. McAtee directly contributed to six goals in 31 top-flight appearances on loan at Sheffield United last season. Within a few months of winning the award in 2022-23, Carlos Forbs was playing for Ajax in the Europa League.

All of this evidence suggests Tottenham Hotspur possess a future star in their ranks. Will Lankshear is the latest recipient of the accolade after scoring 23 times for Tottenham Under-21s, including a brace in the PL2 play-off final against Sunderland. In total, he scored 32 goals in all competitions last season and was awarded a new contract until 2029.

Lankshear has spent the last couple of weeks training with the first team and he scored in a 5-1 victory over Hearts. The 19-year-old has done enough to secure a place in Tottenham’s squad for their pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea — all he has to do now is convince Ange Postecoglou he deserves to stay there permanently.

Lankshear grew up in St Albans, on the outskirts of north-west London. During his childhood, he would play football with his older brother Alex, now a defender at League One side Blackpool. Lankshear is a classic No 9 who takes inspiration from England’s all-time top goalscorer and former Spurs captain Harry Kane.

“It’s (Kane’s) all-round play,” he told Tottenham’s media team this month. “As a striker, I try to go in behind a little bit more as well, but I’m fascinated by his link-up play, the way he gets hold of it and moves it, and then how he gets in the box and scores goals. I try to base my game off him.”

The beginning of Lankshear’s career mirrors that of his idol — they both spent time in Arsenal’s academy before being released. Lankshear left Tottenham’s rivals when he was 15 and searched for a new club who could offer him regular game time.

One source, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect relationships, close to the striker says he benefited from the “care and attention” he received during his 18 months with Sheffield United. The coaching staff there were impressed by his hard work and pushed him in training. It paid off as he scored 38 goals in 48 appearances for the under-18s and under-23s. Lankshear captained the under-18s to the Professional Development League (PDL) North title and they did not lose a single game.

Lots of clubs expressed an interest in signing Lankshear, including Brentford, who agreed a deal with Sheffield United. Lankshear turned down Brentford in favour of Spurs — two years before his new team-mate Archie Gray did the exact same — and officially joined them in August 2022. Lankshear and his camp felt the facilities, support staff and structure at Spurs would give him the best chance of fulfilling his potential.

Lankshear had an operation on his knee which forced him to miss six months of his first season at Hotspur Way. When he returned, he helped the under-21s win their first 11 games of the 2023-24 campaign. By November, he was scoring for England Under-19s in victories over Romania, Japan and Mexico.

This year, he scored an 11-minute hat-trick in a friendly against League One side Fleetwood Town. He also found the back of the net twice when the under-21s beat Enfield Town 3-2 a couple of weeks ago. Lankshear’s performances became impossible for Postecoglou to ignore and he was invited to train with the first team. Lankshear’s academy team-mates Mikey Moore, Alfie Devine and Jamie Donley have stepped up into the senior ranks too, which has helped with the transition.

Lankshear came off the bench against Hearts last week and within 10 minutes, demonstrated his quality.

Djed Spence receives the ball in the opposition’s half and plays a quick one-two with Emerson Royal…

The full-back drives forward and it is important to take note of Lankshear’s positioning. He is offside and just on the shoulder of right-sided centre-back Daniel Oyegoke…

When Spence moves closer to the penalty area, Lankshear runs in front of Oyegoke and points to where he wants the ball.

Spence obliges with a wonderful pass with the outside of his right boot that slices through a tiny gap in the defence.

Lankshear reaches the ball ahead of Oyegoke and fires a right-footed shot past Hearts keeper Zander Clark.

Lankshear nearly recorded an assist in the same game but Timo Werner’s shot from inside the box was charged down. Postecoglou was full of praise for Lankshear’s all-round display.

“He had a very good year last year, so it’s about rewarding that,” Postecoglou said. “With all the young guys it’s about the game doesn’t stand still. Whatever you did last year, it’s about coming in this year and making an impact. Our two new signings (Gray and Lucas Bergvall) are 18 so there’s a measure there for our 18-year-olds. Just because you are here doesn’t mean you get any kind of advantage, apart from the fact you are in front of us every day. (Lankshear) deserved his chance today, trained well, took his goal well and I’m pleased for him.”

You can find another example of Lankshear’s intelligent movement from the under-21s’ 2-0 victory over Fulham in April. Dante Cassanova and Rio Kyerematen exchange passes in the centre circle. Lankshear starts the move from an offside position again.

When Cassanova receives the ball back and pops it off to Nile John, Lankshear runs back onside.

John locates Kyerematen while Lankshear takes up a dangerous position in between Fulham’s centre-back Connor McAvoy and left-back Bradley Slade. He is being played onside by Fulham’s defenders on the opposite flank.

Kyerematen slides a pass into space and Lankshear slightly crouches as he starts his run, conscious of not springing forward too early and being flagged offside.

Lankshear powerfully surges away from McAvoy and Slade before slamming the ball beyond Alfie McNally.

Last November, the under-21s faced third-tier side Cambridge United in the EFL Trophy.

They are losing 2-0 when Jamie Donley receives the ball on the right wing. Donley and Lankshear want to take advantage of the huge pocket of space behind Cambridge United’s left-back.

Donley bends the ball around his team-mate George Abbott and Lankshear sets off in pursuit. Cambridge’s centre-back Mamadou Jobe has no idea of the striker’s sneaky run.

Lankshear controls the ball just outside the six-yard box but is under pressure from Jobe and goalkeeper Will Mannion.

He is forced wide but remains calm and finds the bottom corner from a tight angle. It dragged Spurs back into the game but they conceded two late goals to lose 4-1.

Richarlison is the only natural centre-forward in Tottenham’s senior squad. Son Heung-min can play through the middle but he excels at running into space behind defences, not dropping deep to link play. If Lankshear can develop his hold-up skills, he could be a useful alternative to Richarlison in cup competitions. Troy Parrott’s €8m (£6.7m; $8.7m) move to AZ Alkmaar has removed one obstacle in his path towards regular game time but he has been sharing minutes in pre-season with Alejo Veliz and Dane Scarlett.

Tottenham’s coaching staff will need to consider if it is better for Lankshear’s development for him go out on loan. He has received interest from Championship and League One clubs and it might be more beneficial to play regularly at a lower level than sporadically for Spurs over the next 12 months. There is no need to rush, he does not turn 20 until next April, and he could return next year in a better position to make a consistent impact.

Tottenham play four more times in pre-season before starting the new Premier League campaign with a trip to Leicester City on August 19. If Lankshear impresses while he is in Japan and South Korea, he could earn a spot on the bench against Leicester and get one step closer towards making his senior debut.

(Top photo: Andrew Milligan/Getty Images)

Marseille have completed the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Tottenham Hotspur on loan with an obligation to make the move permanent.

The Athletic reported that the French side had agreed a deal to sign the 28-year-old midfielder in a deal worth €20million (£16.8m).

The Denmark international had entered the final year of his Tottenham contract and had attracted interest from Atletico Madrid before completing his move to Marseille.

Hojbjerg joined Spurs from Southampton in the summer of 2020, having previously spent four years with the south-coast club following a move from Bayern Munich.

During his four years at Spurs, he made 184 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing 16 assists.

Marseille have already completed the signing of Mason Greenwood from Manchester United in a deal worth up to €31.6million (£26.6m).

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(Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Marseille have agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The transfer will be an initial loan with an obligation to buy. The French club are set to pay their English counterparts a total package worth €20million (£16.8m) to secure the services of the Denmark international.

Should everything go according to plan, the 28-year-old is now set to leave the Premier League after eight seasons in England’s top flight.

Hojbjerg joined Spurs from Southampton in the summer of 2020, having previously spent four years with the south-coast club following a move from Bayern Munich.

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He has one year left to run on his current Spurs contract, and the club had been willing to sanction his departure if the right offer came in. Atletico Madrid were also credited with an interest in him.

Hojbjerg had been a regular for Spurs, but with head coach Ange Postecoglou tending to favour Pape Matar Sarr alongside Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur, Spurs are well-stocked in central midfield.

He was a near ever-present in the Spurs side two seasons ago but has since seen his game time limited. Despite making 36 appearances in the Premier League in the previous campaign, much of those came via cameo spells off the bench.

Spurs are preparing for their upcoming season and face newly-promoted Leicester City and Everton in their opening two Premier League fixtures in August.

(Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

For the second game in a row, Djed Spence received the ball just inside the opposition’s half and kicked into gear.

With his dreadlocks flowing down his back, the defender weaved through a series of challenges before slipping the ball into the box with the outside of his right boot on both occasions.

In Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-1 victory against Hearts on Wednesday evening, Spence’s slick piece of skill led to Will Lankshear scoring. They combined again on Saturday against Queens Park Rangers and earned a corner. Spence’s ability to turn defence into attack within seconds is undeniable.

What is in question is his long-term future at Spurs. Most supporters thought they would never see him play for the club again, so it has been a surprise watching him in both pre-season games so far. He is expected to travel with the squad on their tour to Japan and South Korea too.

So, is he being given a genuine second chance or will this turn out to be a false dawn?

Spence moved to north London in July 2022 from Middlesbrough after a successful loan spell at Nottingham Forest. He had thrived under the management of Forest coach Steve Cooper and helped them earn promotion via the play-offs.

Shortly after he arrived at Spurs on a five-year contract, Antonio Conte made his feelings clear.

“Spence is an investment of the club,” Conte said. “The club wanted to do it. I said, ‘OK, this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us’. The club decided to buy him.”

It was not exactly a ringing endorsement and Spence only made six appearances for Tottenham during the first half of the 2022-23 campaign, all of them as a substitute, before he joined French side Rennes on loan. In an interview with The Athletic in March, Spence reflected on his difficult debut season.

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“I didn’t have a great time,” the full-back said. “I went there and I didn’t play, so obviously it was hard for me. When you sign somewhere as a player for a big club, you want to be filled with confidence and welcomed with open arms, as I was, but it just didn’t feel right when I went there. Things didn’t go well as I planned.

“When you don’t get a chance, there’s not much you can do as a player. You get lost, you’re not playing, it’s hard to get a rhythm again. It’s never easy going to a new environment when things don’t go well but it’s part of the game. It’s a learning experience.”

Ange Postecoglou decided Spence was surplus to requirements last summer so he joined Leeds United on loan but failed to win over their head coach Daniel Farke. In a strange twist of fate, Farke preferred to use Archie Gray at right-back, who is now Spence’s new team-mate after leaving Elland Road earlier this month.

Spence then spent the second half of last season in Italy with Genoa, where he made 16 Serie A appearances. The loan move included an option for Genoa to buy Spence which they did not take up.

Spence’s application away from the pitch has been an issue in the past. He sometimes arrived late to training sessions and team meetings while with Leeds. If he impresses Postecoglou before Tottenham open their campaign against Leicester City on August 19, maybe there is a role for him in the squad.

However, Pedro Porro is the club’s first-choice right-back with Gray, who prefers to play in midfield, as cover there. Emerson Royal is expected to leave but AC Milan’s €10million (£8.4m, $10.9m) bid for the Brazilian has been rejected. The right-back spot is beginning to look crowded although Spence could be invaluable as he is comfortable playing on the left too.

Part of the reason Spence has played in pre-season is out of necessity. Tottenham’s centre-backs, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin, are still on holiday after playing for their countries at major tournaments this summer, while Destiny Udogie is recovering after undergoing surgery in April.

Postecoglou’s options are extremely limited, which means Gray has been partnering central midfielder Oliver Skipp in defence. Jamie Donley, who primarily played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham’s Under-21s as they won the Premier League 2 title last season, is filling in at left-back.

Playing Spence could also be a tactic to strengthen Tottenham’s hand in negotiations. If he was not involved at all during pre-season, interested clubs could be tempted to ask for a lower price. Selling him would provide extra funds to improve areas of Postecoglou’s squad that require more attention. It will be interesting to see how much game time Spence receives when key players return.

When The Athletic asked Postecoglou about Spence’s performance and if the defender featured in his plans after the victory over Hearts last week, he was non-committal.

“Djed did well,” Postecoglou said. “He has had a tough couple of years. He is training with us and I think, with all of the players, they are here with us at the moment and when they are here with us, I treat them as Tottenham players unless something suddenly changes. He was good tonight. Took his goal well, he contributed well and got an assist.”

Spence maintained that level in Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday. He linked up well with 16-year-old winger Mikey Moore on multiple occasions. Dejan Kulusevski, who was playing in a central midfield role, would drift out to the right wing where he likes to cut inside onto his stronger left foot. This freed up space for Spence to occupy in the middle of the pitch.

At one stage in the second half, Spence appeared to be trapped by the corner flag in QPR’s half. He nonchalantly nutmegged Paul Smyth and drilled a cross into the box which was cleared for a corner. A few minutes later, academy midfielder Tyrese Hall lost the ball while Spence was ahead of him. The full-back made a 40-yard recovery run which ended with him blocking Smyth’s shot.

The talent is undoubtedly there but will Spence be displaying it for Spurs or someone else in 2024-25?

(Header photo: Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)

Everton are close to reaching an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur over a revised payment structure for Dele Alli.

Under the terms of Dele’s transfer from Tottenham to Everton in January 2022, the north London club were due a significant fee if the 28-year-old agreed a new contract at Goodison Park.

Dele is a free agent after his Everton contract expired at the end of last month. Discussions between Spurs and Everton are ongoing over a revised payment structure that would allow the Merseyside club to re-sign Dele should they wish. As part of this deal, Spurs are likely to retain a sell-on clause if Dele departs Everton for a fee in the future.

The Athletic reported in February that Everton and Spurs had been in discussions to amend the terms of the deal that brought him to the club in January 2022. Everton did not have to pay an immediate fee but it was agreed that a sum of £10million ($12.7m) would be due once he reached 20 appearances. He, however, only made 13 appearances across all competitions for Everton before his contract expired at the end of last month.

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Dele has not played for Everton since August 2022 due to various injuries but is back at Finch Farm as he continues his rehab from long-term problems, the most recent of which was a thigh issue.

Although he does not have a contract, Dele is hoping to impress and earn a new one. The possibility of him playing a role in pre-season has not been ruled out.

Dele had a loan spell at Besiktas in 2022 but returned to Everton after sustaining a significant hip injury. He has not played at all since February 2023 and, in the summer of that year, opened up on his mental health struggles and revealed he was sexually abused as a child.

During his time at Spurs, meanwhile, Dele made 269 appearances and scored 67 goals, earning the PFA Young Footballer of the Year twice.

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(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

AZ Alkmaar have agreed an €8million fee with Tottenham Hotspur to sign forward Troy Parrott.

The 22-year-old will join the Dutch club on a permanent contract, meaning he will depart Spurs after seven years.

Parrott’s current contract with Spurs was due to expire next summer, but the Premier League club have decided to sell him during this transfer window.

The Irish striker joined Spurs in 2017 for an undisclosed fee from Belvedere, though he has spent the majority of his career on loan to various clubs.

Between 2020 and 2023, Parrott spent time away from Spurs at Millwall, Ipswich Town, MK Dons and Preston North End.

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Last season, Parrott impressed on loan in the Eredivisie with Excelsior, attracting the attention of AZ Alkmaar.

Parrott thrived during his season in the Dutch top flight, netting 17 goals and providing five assists in 32 appearances across all competitions.

However, his first-team opportunities at Spurs have been limited, making just four appearances for the north London side.

Spurs, meanwhile, are looking to strengthen their squad this summer ahead of the 2024-25 season.

They have already signed Archie Gray from Leeds United and are admirers of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

Richarlison is also attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League and if the Brazilian departs, he would need to be replaced.

(ANP via Getty Images)

What do Diego Maradona, Cristian Romero and Osvaldo ‘Ossie’ Ardiles have in common?

The answer, of course, is that they have all won the World Cup with Argentina AND pulled on the shirt of Tottenham Hotspur.

Since they were founded in September 1882, hundreds of players have represented Spurs, and they have had just under 50 permanent managers. Only 10 players — 11 if we cheekily include Maradona’s appearance in Ardiles’ testimonial (more on that later), and two of the managers hail from Argentina — but the bond runs much deeper than that.

Ardiles and Ricky Villa helped Argentina win the 1978 World Cup on home soil and a few weeks later joined Tottenham, who had just been promoted to England’s top flight. Ardiles went on to make over 200 appearances, and later had a brief spell as the manager, while Villa scored the winning goal in the 1981 FA Cup final replay against Manchester City.

Mauricio Pochettino led Spurs to their first-ever Champions League final in 2019, and along the way they produced a dramatic comeback in the second leg of their semi-final against Ajax which will never be forgotten. Erik Lamela scored one of the greatest goals in the history of the Premier League when he produced a rabona in a north London derby in March 2021 that nutmegged Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey. Lamela’s strike won the Puskas Award, which is given out by FIFA, football’s global governing body, to the scorer of the best goal anywhere in the world each year.

Romero moved to Tottenham from Atalanta in August that year, initially on loan, and has since become an integral part of the starting XI. Last season, new head coach Ange Postecoglou promoted the centre-back to vice-captain.

Before Argentina’s Copa America semi-final against Canada on Tuesday (early Wednesday in the UK), which should feature Romero and club and country team-mate Giovani Lo Celso, The Athletic has taken a deeper look at the special relationship that exists between the South American country and Spurs…

The earliest sign of any connection comes in 1909, when the Tottenham first team embarked on a tour of South America and played games against local sides in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

It took nearly 70 more years for the relationship to truly blossom though, and the catalyst was the arrivals of Ardiles and Villa. Ardiles started in Argentina’s 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup final, while Villa made two appearances during that tournament. Within a few weeks of lifting the trophy in Buenos Aires, the pair joined Spurs after a joint-move to Sheffield United broke down.

Alan Fisher, who co-wrote A People’s History Of Tottenham with Martin Cloake, can remember reading about the “astonishing” deal in the newspaper. “There was no advance warning or any gossip about it,” Fisher, 68, tells The Athletic. “It didn’t seem possible. It felt like a magic trick conjured up from another universe. There were not many foreign players in the top flight back then, even from Europe. Keith Burkinshaw, the manager at the time, didn’t do a lot of press work. He just wanted to coach. He was looking embarrassed in the photo while Ossie and Ricky were smiling.

“There was a full house at White Hart Lane. Spurs did a ticker-tape welcome mimicking the Argentinian crowd celebrations (at that home World Cup), except ours were made out of ripped-up copies of newspapers and it was getting stuck in your hair and mouth.”

Ardiles and Villa made their home debuts in a 4-1 loss to Aston Villa but quickly became fan favourites. Ardiles was a central midfielder signed from Huracan in Buenos Aires while Villa, who came from Racing Club in nearby Avellaneda, played on the wing. They were accustomed to playing in the sunshine back home and had to adapt to the temperamental British weather.

“They fitted the Tottenham tradition of playing exciting, daring, attacking football and that’s why they were welcomed so warmly,” Fisher says. “The White Hart Lane pitch was a gluepot (very muddy), but Ossie glided over it. He didn’t like free kicks. The ball being still offended him. He would get fouled, pick himself up, and pass and move. He understood where his team-mates were and he was a huge influence.

“He is one of the finest players I’ve seen and I’ve been going to games since 1967. It was a privilege to watch him.”

In 1981, Tottenham beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to book their place in the FA Cup final at Wembley. In the build-up to their meeting with Manchester City, Spurs-supporting popular UK musicians Chas & Dave recorded a track called Ossie’s Dream. Chas & Dave performed it on TV music show Top Of The Pops, with Ardiles and the rest of the squad singing along with them on stage.

Spurs drew 1-1 with City in the final on May 9, so a replay — those were the rules at that time — was scheduled back at the national stadium five days later. City were leading 2-1 with 20 minutes to go when Garth Crooks equalised, before Villa produced a stunning winner which would be voted the Wembley Goal of the Century in 2001.

“It was a story of redemption, because (Villa) had been substituted in the first game and this proud man trudged around the greyhound track (which surrounded the pitch at the old Wembley),” Fisher says. “In the replay, Tony Galvin wins the ball on the left wing and gives it to Ricky. Spurs fans are screaming, ‘Don’t go on that dribble where you always get tackled’.

“He darts in and out and shoots. It was at our end, and I can see that ball bouncing underneath (goalkeeper) Joe Corrigan. It’s the best moment in 57 years of following Tottenham. I still get goosebumps talking about it. People went crazy. You could feel the stadium shaking. We ended up in Trafalgar Square afterwards and people were running into the fountains.”

Tottenham returned to the FA Cup final the following year but Ardiles and Villa did not play in that one.

On April 2, 1982, war broke out between Argentina and the UK over the Falklands, a group of islands in the South Atlantic that both nations claimed belonged to them. The next day, Ardiles started in a 2-0 win against Leicester City. “I remember hearing the terrible news about the Falklands on the radio and thinking this is going to be Ossie’s last game,” Fisher says.

The Falklands War lasted for 74 days, and around 1,000 people lost their lives.

Ardiles joined up with Argentina’s squad shortly after that win against Leicester in preparation for the World Cup in Spain that summer. He did not return to England for Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup final, while Villa withdrew from the squad due to the ongoing conflict. Ardiles spent the following season on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, and though Villa played on for Spurs, he moved to the United States to play for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1983.

In an interview in 2011, Villa revealed he was criticised by sections of the Argentine media. “They said, ‘Ricky is happy in the enemy country’,” Villa told UK newspaper The Independent. “The stupid b*****ds. I was professional, I had a contract, and people (in England) treated me very well. Sometimes I was booed, but that was all. An English player in Buenos Aires at the same time could never have stayed. It was easy for me to stay here. But it was not difficult to decide to miss the final. I knew history would say whether I was right or not.”

Ardiles returned for the 1983-84 season, when he helped Spurs lift the UEFA Cup. “There was no vindictiveness,” according to Fisher. “We were delighted to see him. He was one of our own.”

He was nearly joined by Mario Kempes, who was voted the best player at the 1978 World Cup, after the forward went on trial at Tottenham. A move failed to materialise and he joined Hercules in Spain.

Ardiles was rewarded with a testimonial in 1986. The midfielder managed to convince his international team-mate Maradona to take part in the game, against Inter Milan at White Hart Lane. Maradona had to borrow a pair of size six-and-a-half boots from Tottenham forward Clive Allen. The following month, Maradona led Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Mexico.

“It was an amazing spectacle to see Maradona in a Spurs shirt charging up the wing,” Fisher says. “I remember Maradona on one side of the penalty area lobbing the ball over to Glenn Hoddle, who knocked it straight back. Back then there was not a lot of coverage of foreign football, so to see Maradona in the flesh in our home ground was fantastic.”

Ardiles finished his playing career in England with Swindon Town in the early 1990s, and then became their manager. Next up came spells with two more English clubs, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion, before a reunion with Spurs. They finished 15th in his only full season in charge and in October 1994 he was sacked.

His countryman Mauricio Taricco arrived from fellow English side Ipswich Town in 1998 and spent six years in north London before he moved across the city to West Ham United.

Fans had to wait nearly a decade for another Argentinian to rock up but that did not prevent Juan Pablo Enrique, who is a member of the Buenos Aires Tottenham Supporters Club, from falling in love with Spurs at that time.

“I started watching them in 2004 when (Michael) Carrick played,” Enrique tells The Athletic. “It wasn’t easy to find Premier League games on TV back then, but every time I saw Spurs I really liked them. I had to watch them through different streams and download different applications.

“I was a Boca Juniors fan at that point and in 2006, I started college. I realised I needed to choose, and since then I have only supported Tottenham. I remember shouting on the balcony and nobody understanding why when they won the Carling Cup in 2008.”

After selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a then world-record fee of £85million in the summer of 2013, Spurs reinvested some of that money in buying Erik Lamela from Roma. Within a year, Pochettino had been appointed head coach and by the end of his reign there were four Argentine players in the squad. Pochettino would host asados, traditional Argentine barbecues, at the training ground for first-team staff and players.

Enrique visited White Hart Lane, Spurs’ home stadium then, for the first time in 2016. “It was my dream to go where it all started,” he says. “It was a very expensive trip and I was saving for years to go. They played Southampton the day before my birthday. I went to the shop that day and who was signing books? Ricky Villa.

“I told him I didn’t have a ticket because you needed to be a member and I didn’t know how to become one. He tried to get me in by saying I was his security and helping him with translations. It didn’t work but when I left the shop an old man said, ‘Don’t worry, I will get you into the stadium and you don’t have to pay me until you’re through (the turnstiles)’.

“Even though we lost, I waited until Lamela came out and had a picture with him. I spoke to Pochettino when he was leaving too. I went back to the hotel and couldn’t eat — I was so full of happiness.”

Mattias Bocchicchio, who is a member of the same supporters’ group, started following them during Pochettino’s reign. Bocchicchio, 19, regularly watches Racing Club, his local side, but at the beginning of 2023 flew over to Europe to see Spurs with his father Leonardo. It was only a couple of months after Romero had helped Argentina beat France on penalties in the World Cup final in Qatar.

“We travelled to Italy first, to watch AC Milan against Tottenham at San Siro,” Bocchicchio says. “Then we went to England and watched them play Chelsea, West Ham, Sheffield United, Wolves and Nottingham Forest. It was a dream.

“At the Nottingham Forest game, we were in the eighth or ninth row in the north stand and my father was close to the pitch at full time. There was another Argentinian near us who had the shirt of Romero’s childhood club. After the game, Romero interacted with him and my father. He gave his shirt to my father, and now it’s hanging in our house.”

The Buenos Aires Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club was founded in 2020 by Ariel Fernandez and Mariano Tapia. It has more than 80 members, who regularly communicate in a WhatsApp group and meet up to watch the games. They have interviewed Lo Celso for their YouTube channel and participate in a five-a-side football tournament against fan groups of other English clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea.

When Argentina hosted the Under-20s World Cup last year, Bocchicchio and Enrique met up to watch Tottenham midfielder Alfie Devine play in it for England. And in the October, a small group of the club’s members even had the opportunity to interview Villa.

“It was an incredible experience — like a movie,” Bocchicchio says. “He lives in the countryside around 150 kilometres (93 miles) away from Buenos Aires. He was in his house with his wife. They made an asado for us and we watched Tottenham beat Crystal Palace.”

Lo Celso’s future is unclear, but Romero is at the heart of Tottenham’s defence. He was guilty of making some rash challenges when he first arrived but has matured into a dependable leader. Along with Son Heung-min, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, Romero is one of the key figures in Postecoglou’s revolution. He is carrying on the legacy of Ardiles and Villa.

“The legend of Tottenham has an Argentinian flag,” Enrique, 34, says. “Ardiles and Villa are always over there, even for the last game at White Hart Lane. Ardiles is an ambassador and Ricky travels a lot for the club too.

“I went to London this year to watch the game against Manchester City. When I left Seven Sisters station, I walked with local fans all the way to the stadium. They were talking about how special it is for them to have Argentinian players. It brings something else and it’s in the culture. It’s not only something we feel.”

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have signed Archie Gray from Leeds United on a six-year contract.

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100, to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (not all transfers will be rated as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).

Below is our rating for this move.

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Tactical fit — 69/100

“Sometimes he is a six, sometimes he is an eight, sometimes he’s a 10. Sometimes he’s a full-back and he does all that with ease, which is not easy to do because it requires real energy and a really strong work ethic.”

Ange Postecoglou said this about Pape Matar Sarr in November last year and don’t be surprised if you hear something similar when he describes Gray in the future because Spurs’ latest signing brings versatility and so much more to the table.

Last season, Gray operated as both a right-back and in various midfield roles for Leeds, playing in 47 of their 49 Championship matches (including play-offs). An excellent passer with both feet, he recorded a higher passing accuracy in the final third (85 per cent) than overall (84 per cent), while 34 per cent of his passes were forward.

As the pass solar map below shows, Gray was able to establish connections across the pitch, preferring shorter passes to help Leeds dictate the tempo.

Gray is also a decent dribbler and was successful with 51 per cent of his take-ons last season. While this is still an area of his game that requires work, he is confident in his ability to wriggle out of danger, as he does below against Birmingham City in January, taking touches with both feet to beat a presser before finding a team-mate with a reverse pass.

A key area Gray will have to improve is his ball progression, which is vital to Postecoglou’s system, where midfielders either underlap the full-backs or drop back to play in wider players. Gray averaged only 4.2 progressive passes and 1.8 progressive carries per 90 minutes last season (compared to Sarr’s 6.5 and 1.9), though a caveat here is that he often played at right-back.

Gray will also need to improve his physicality and committed a few defensive errors last season, though this should get ironed out with more experience. He already boasts the ability to win the ball without giving away too many fouls (4.9 recoveries, 2.3 tackles and 0.5 fouls committed per 90 last season), as he does below against Coventry City in April, changing direction on the fly to make an excellent recovery.

Overall, Gray looks like a valuable long-term addition for Spurs with the ability to contribute immediately as well. His age and experience playing in multiple positions means Postecoglou can mould him into a No 6, 8 or 10 based on the team’s needs.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

Season rating: 63/100

Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.

Gray made a huge impression in his first full season as a professional last year, and it should come as no surprise he was one of England’s most in-demand young players this summer.

He made 44 appearances (40 starts) in the Championship as Leeds finished third and reached the play-off final. He played as a central midfielder and right-back under Daniel Farke and, for his excellent performances across two positions, he was named Leeds United’s young player of the season, the Championship’s apprentice of the season and the Championship’s young player of the season.

Gray is yet to score a professional goal, but both of his assists last season came from full-back, first in a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in December and then in Leeds’ 4-0 victory against Swansea City in February.

Elias Burke

Gaming rating: 71/100

Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.

According to Football Manager, Gray is not yet a starting-quality player for Tottenham, but he has the potential to be a Premier League standout and an England international.

Gray is ranked among the Premier League’s standout teenage midfielders on FM24, with a current ability rating of 119. This is comparable to Chelsea and France Under-21 international midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu (114) but significantly worse than Tottenham’s 21-year-old central midfield star Pape Matar Sarr (148).

While Gray will be involved in Ange Postecoglou’s first-team plans this season, his potential prompted Tottenham to spend big money. By Sports Interactive’s estimations, Gray has a potential range between 150 and 180. If he does not progress past his potential floor, Spurs fans can expect another player on Sarr’s current level. However, if he reaches his potential ceiling, Gray will rank in a similar tier to Rodri (180).

We gave Gray a potential ability of 165 for the gaming rating, which is in the middle of this range.

Elias Burke

Financial value rating: 63/100

A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club.

Market value — 13/25

Placed in context, a £25-30million ($32m-38m) cash outlay for a highly-rated teenager tipped to become an England international does not appear bad business. Though he is far more experienced on a club and international stage, Warren Zaire-Emery is four days older than Gray, and that fee would not get near satisfying PSG’s expectations.

Still, a deal worth around £40million (including Joe Rodon going the other way) is a significant outlay for a player with no Premier League experience and just one year of senior football under his belt.

GO DEEPER

Inside Archie Gray's move to Spurs, his exit from Leeds, and a manic 48 hours

Squad cost — 15/25

Postecoglou wanted to strengthen central midfield this summer as absences and injuries, particularly during the AFCON, hit the north London club hard around the turn of the year. Gray also provides cover at right-back, though he is a very different profile to Pedro Porro, who featured most regularly in that position last season. It does, however, mean Spurs have less money available to sign a forward, arguably their greatest transfer need ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Contract sensibility — 17/25

With a six-year deal tying his future down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2030, Gray is set to be a Spurs player for a long time. It gives the club a strong bargaining position if a sale were to be on the cards in the coming years, but also allows him time to grow into the player Tottenham fans hope he will become. It does, however, mean Tottenham could be burdened with his salary for a long time if the move does not work out.

Resale value — 18/25

Ask any Leeds fan; Gray is a potential superstar. Spurs fans will not want to hear of a move away without even seeing him grace the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but a long contract means Spurs will be in a strong negotiating position if a Premier League or European giant were to make a move. However, a £25-30million outlay is significant, so a club would have to offer huge money for the deal to make sense with PSR considerations.

Elias Burke

Risk or reward? 75/100

Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.

Tottenham have won big with the signing of Archie Gray.

He is one of the most promising talents in the world in his position. He is the type of press-resistant, highly technically proficient central midfield player England rarely produces. As Spurs seem to move beyond Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg under Postecoglou, there is a viable future where the current young core of central midfielders at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium run the middle of the park in Premier League matches for the next decade and beyond.

There are obvious questions regarding his experience and a lack of sample size regarding his injury record, though a clean bill of health last season is encouraging. Still, this is a huge upside signing that Spurs fans should be excited about.

Elias Burke

Overall rating: 341/500

(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Archie Gray from Leeds United.

Spurs struck an agreement which will see Gray join the club and Joe Rodon, the defender who spent last season on loan at Elland Road, go the other way.

Leeds have indicated the two deals are separate with Spurs set to pay £40million for Gray and Rodon heading the other way for £10m. The Spurs view is that they are paying £25m-30m for Gray with Rodon part of that agreement. Leeds confirmed in a club statement that Spurs had triggered Gray’s release clause triggered by their failure to win promotion from the Championship last season.

Gray, 18, has signed a six-year contract with Tottenham and becomes their third signing of the summer, following Timo Werner re-signing on loan for another season and Lucas Bergvall joining from Swedish side Djurgarden.

GO DEEPER

Inside Archie Gray's move to Spurs, his exit from Leeds, and a manic 48 hours

The Athletic reported on Sunday that Gray had rejected a deal from Brentford in favour of joining Spurs. He held talks with Tottenham later on Sunday ahead of completing the move. Gray underwent a medical at Brentford on Saturday after agreeing personal terms with the west London club before deciding against the move.

Rodon, 26, made 50 appearances in all competitions for Leeds on loan last season and has signed a four-year contract at his new club. The Welsh centre-back previously played 24 times for Tottenham after joining from Swansea City in 2020.

Spurs tried to sign Gray shortly before he signed professional terms with Leeds at the age of 17, but he decided to stay at Elland Road. Gray enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Leeds last term — making 28 appearances in all competitions — and was a regular, in both midfield and at right-back, as Daniel Farke’s side reached the play-off final.

“Understanding the attraction of Premier League and European football, the club, with a heavy heart, agreed the transfer, but the move has strengthened the board’s resolve to ultimately return Leeds to a position where it can meet the footballing ambitions of even its brightest stars,” a Leeds statement announcing Gray’s departure read.

“Whilst we understand that supporters will be hugely disappointed to lose such a home-grown talent, and a family name so synonymous with Leeds United, the move improves the club’s chance to compete for automatic promotion next season by increasing our ability to build a competitive squad within the league’s financial control regulations.”

GO DEEPER

Archie Gray: 'From 14 or 15, I trusted my ability - and was happy around the first team'

Why Spurs wanted Gray

Analysis from Tottenham correspondent Jay Harris

Tottenham’s recruitment department has been revamped over the last 12 months and technical director Johan Lange has spoken publicly about bringing in the best young talent in the world.

Gray’s arrival continues a trend which was started in the winter window with the signings of Radu Dragusin (22) and Bergvall (18).

Gray — who will wear the No 14 for his new side — will offer Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou another option in central midfield and, alongside Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr (21), he could form part of their spine for the next decade.

Gray’s preferred position is central midfield but he spent the majority of last season playing at right-back for Leeds. This versatility is another reason why Spurs were attracted to him.

(Photo: George Wood/Getty Images)