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Tottenham are set to begin work on a potential new signing for Ange Postecoglou in the transfer windows to come, it has been reported, as they look to get a headstart on the competition for his services.

Spurs suffer mixed start to the Premier League

In 2023/24, Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham side set Premier League records, with eight wins and two draws in their opening 10 games seeing them take home 26 points, the most of any manager in their first 10 matches in the competition's history. This time around, expectations are higher and they are yet to truly impress in the same way that they did this time 12 months ago.

They sit 10th in the Premier League over the first international break, having lost to Newcastle United at St James' Park to leave them sat on four points from their opening three games, with a draw at Leicester City on the opening day being followed with a win over Everton.

There are concerns over squad depth too, with Spurs having seen a whole host of players leave over the summer and now looking light in some areas beyond the first XI. This is especially true of the defence, where all four of Tottenham's regular starters missed games last season; Radu Dragusin was recruited in January from Genoa, while Djed Spence's return is likely to counteract Emerson Royal's departure for AC Milan.

But left-back remains a concern, with no obvious replacement for Destiny Udogie in the Lilywhites squad and the Italian international having missed 10 games last season through injury and suspension, with Sergio Reguilon deemed surplus to requirements. Now, Spurs are moving to deal with that.

Spurs working to sign "Udogie 2.0"

That comes as Sport Witness relay claims in Italy suggesting that Spurs are "ready to launch an attack" to sign Patrick Dorgu from Lecce this season. The 19-year-old defender was on the Lilywhites radar over the summer as well as Chelsea's, and has enjoyed a strong start to the season for both club and country.

He scored less than a minute into his Denmark debut to help them secure a 2-0 win over Switzerland, before being offered another chance off the bench against Serbia.

Now, the report claims that it could well be "too late" if Tottenham or any other interested club to wait until the end of the campaign to try and sign the defender, and as a result they are ready to start contacts now to try and secure a deal early for a future transfer window, similar to how they negotiated the deal to sign Udogie.

Indeed, Dorgu isn't too different from the Italian defender, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him "Destiny Udogie 2.0" on X and adding that he is "the modern full-back dream" as he "oozes calmness and composure when on the ball".

If Tottenham are serious about their interest, they will have to stump up a hefty fee, with Lecce reportedly holding out for offers in excess of 30m euros (£25m), which is a similar fee to that commanded by Udogie when he was signed. But if Postecoglou's side could pull off the deal, they could well have their left-back role sorted for the next decade.

Tottenham have handed a member of their first team a late transfer ultimatum as they look to trim their squad further in the final days of transfer windows around the globe.

Tottenham's summer transfers - trimming the fat

There was plenty of activity in north London over the summer, with Ange Postecoglou's side seeing several players leave and breaking their transfer record as they look to improve on their fifth placed Premier League finish from last season.

Four new first team players arrived, headlined by Dominic Solanke, who made the switch from Bournemouth to Tottenham in a deal worth £65m, a club record deal for the Lilywhites and a record sale for Bournemouth.

They also shelled out £60m on Championship pair Archie Gray (20-years-old) and Wilson Odobert (19-years-old), while Lucas Bergvall joined as part of an agreement completed in January, setting the club back a further £8.5m. But there were plenty of exits too. Midfielder Oliver Skipp left to join Leicester City, while Emerson Royal joined AC Milan and Joe Rodon completed a permanent move to Leeds United.

Giovani Lo Celso also completed a late move to Real Betis and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg swapped Tottenham for Marseille. Elsewhere, all of Japhet Tanganga, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and Tanguy N'dombele were released and Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil both left on loan.

It followed a clear plan of removing deadwood, with few of those let go having featured heavily for Postecoglou during his first season in charge.

Defender given Turkey transfer ultimatum

Now, The Sunday People [via Football Insider] report that Sergio Reguilon has been given a transfer ultimatum by Spurs in recent days not dissimilar to Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell's. Both left-backs are out of favour at their current sides and need to complete a move away, with Turkey the only nation whose transfer window remains open (it closes on Friday September 13th).

The Spaniard is down to the final year of his £53,000 per week deal and Ange Postecoglou has deemed him surplus to requirements, leaving him out of the club's UEFA Europa League squad for the first half of the season.

He spent last season out on loan with Manchester United and then Brentford, with his performances for the Red Devils coming in for plenty of praise.

"Reguilon’s done fantastic getting forward. He’s a good athlete with his forward runs. He’s been up and down [the flank]," Owen Hargreaves explained on TNT sport after Manchester United's 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

However, he is now facing months without first team football should he stay in north London, with Spurs having tried to sell him "throughout the summer" and now turning to Turkey as a last resort. With Chilwell also eyeing a move to Turkey, a late deal could be a tricky one to strike, but it is the Spaniard's last chance at regular football in the prime of his career.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been hoping for a more productive start to the 2024/25 campaign after a return of one win from their first three matches.

The Lilywhites were held to a draw by Leicester City in their first game, before beating Everton 4-0 and losing 2-1 to Newcastle United in their first outing in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou has already had to deal with players not being available for selection, with Rodrigo Bentancur's concussion and Dominic Solanke's ankle injury being two examples.

Bentancur's availability issues have been frustrating in recent seasons, as the Uruguay international has been a fantastic player when fit for Spurs.

Rodrigo Bentancur's quality for Spurs

The central midfielder joined the club from Juventus on a permanent deal in January 2022 and has missed a whopping 52 matches through injury since then.

When fit, however, the Spurs star has racked up seven goals and seven assists in 71 appearances in all competitions, as a dynamic midfielder who can break forward to provide quality in the final third.

Those attributes were not on displays in the English top-flight last term, however, as his fitness problems appeared to catch up with his performances.

As you can see in the table above, Bentancur struggled for game time, due to his injury issues, in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, which restricted his impact at the top end of the pitch.

This shows that the former Juventus star is not a reliable operator for the manager, as he has consistently struggled to remain fit for long periods.

His injury struggles throughout his time at Tottenham may leave Postecoglou needing to find a long-term alternative to the 27-year-old and that could be found from within the club, with academy starlet Tyrese Hall.

Why Tyrese Hall could be Rodrigo Bentancur 2.0

The 19-year-old prospect is a central midfielder who has been one of the shining lights in the youth set-up in North London in recent seasons.

He caught the eye at U18 level with a return of ten goals and seven assists in 41 appearances before making the step up to the U21 side last term.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as a "top" talent and claimed that Hall has been "stepping up" in 2024, which speaks to his rise throughout the year.

Hall has produced four goals and three assists in 18 outings for the U21 side in all competitions, including two goals in three Premier League 2 games this season.

As you can see in the clip above, his first of a two-goal haul against Chelsea was a smart strike from distance after beating his man to create space for a shot.

The teenage gem is a dynamic and forward-thinking central midfielder who looks to make an impact in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This, and his rise in recent months, suggests that the potential is there for him to be Postecoglou's next version of Bentancur in midfield, only without the availability issues.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a frustrating start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with just one win in their first matches of the season.

The Lilywhites kicked off the term with a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Leicester City, despite taking the lead on the night, but did follow that up with a convincing 4-0 win over Everton.

However, they were then beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United at St. James' Park, thanks to a late goal from Alexander Isak, and are sat on four points from three games.

Ange Postecoglou and his team may be eyeing up a top four finish this season to guarantee qualification for the Champions League, after finishing fifth and missing out last term.

Spurs have failed to score more than one goal in two of their three matches and one of the manager's biggest tasks during the international break will be to devise a way for his team to add more of a clinical edge in front of goal.

Whilst the head coach must provide tactics and a system that puts players in positions to score, it is ultimately down to the players to step up and find the back of the net when given the opportunity to do so.

Dejan Kulusevski's attacking contributions

Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski is one player who needs to step up and prove himself to be a reliable source of goals and assists in the final third.

He has started the current campaign with zero goals and one assist in three appearances for the Lilywhites, after a return of three goals and three assists in six pre-season outings.

Postecoglou will need the left-footed forward to offer more of a goal threat at the top end of the pitch, if he is to play regularly, to help the team secure qualification for the Champions League.

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski played in all bar two of the club's games in the Premier League last season, yet failed to hit double figures for goals.

The 24-year-old flanker also failed to find the back of the net in any of his three appearances in the FA Cup and League Cup, which means that he has produced eight goals and four assists in 42 outings in all competitions since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

This may be particularly frustrating for Spurs when you consider that they once fumbled a terrific talent who has gone on to outscore Kulusevski in Noni Madueke.

Tottenham fumbled Noni Madueke

The English winger started his academy journey with Crystal Palace in London, spending four years at Selhurst Park between 2011 and 2014, before moving on to Tottenham.

Madueke spent four years with the Lilywhites, from 2014 to 2018, and had only made one appearance for the club at U18 level before his exit in the summer of 2018.

The 16-year-old was released by Spurs ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and that allowed Dutch giants PSV to swoop in and sign him for nothing.

It quickly became apparent that Madueke was too good for academy football with PSV, as he racked up 18 goals and 13 assists in 44 appearances for the club at U17, U18, and U21 levels combined.

The left-footed wizard worked his way up through the ranks with the Eredivisie outfit before finally making his breakthrough at senior level in the 2019/20 campaign - with four appearances in the top-flight.

As you can see in the table above, Madueke then enjoyed a strong first full season in the first-team with PSV, as he contributed with 11 goals and 'big chances' created combined in seven starts in the Eredivisie.

The England U21 international went on to rack up 20 goals and 14 assists in 80 games in all competitions for the Dutch side before Chelsea swooped in to sign him in January 2023.

PSV cashed in on the forward for a reported fee of £30m and that shows that Spurs lost a huge asset when they allowed the gem to leave for nothing, as he went on to become a £30m player, whilst his performances for Chelsea suggest that he would also have been a fantastic player for Tottenham.

Noni Madueke's goal return for Chelsea

The 22-year-old magician, who earned his first call-up to the England senior team during the current international break, has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season.

Madueke, who was dubbed a "mentality monster" by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, recently caught the eye with a staggering haul of three goals and one 'big chance' created in a 6-2 win for Chelsea against Wolves in the Premier League.

He also produced one goal in two outings against Servette in their Europa Conference League qualifiers, which means that the forward has managed four goals in four matches in all competitions this term.

His impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign for Enzo Maresca comes off the back of Mauricio Pochettino rarely trusting him from the start in the Premier League last season.

As you can see in the table above, the Argentine head coach, who was relieved of his duties over the summer, only started 13 top-flight games, but contributed with seven direct goal involvements.

Madueke also produced three goals and one assist in the FA Cup and the League Cup combined, which meant that he ended the campaign with eight goals and three assists.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 22-year-old star has plundered 12 goals and three assists in 38 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, compared to Kulusevski's aforementioned haul of eight goals and four assists in 42 outings.

This suggests that Spurs fumbled badly when they allowed Madueke to leave for nothing in 2018, as he has gone on to develop into a top talent, worth at least £30m, who has outperformed the club's current left-footed right winger.

Tottenham Hotspur fans can expect to see one of their newest stars fit and firing - potentially even starting - when they welcome rivals Arsenal to N17 next Sunday.

Tottenham vs Arsenal - team news

Ange Postecoglou and Spurs fans will be watching the dreaded international break from behind the sofa in the hope all their stars return free of injury, with a host of Lilywhites jetting off around the globe just three weeks into the new season.

All eyes will of course be firmly on the north London derby when domestic action returns, in what is no doubt the biggest fixture of the weekend and Premier League season thus far, with Ange looking to bounce back from his frustration at the wasted chances in the defeat at Newcastle before the break.

"It's another sore one unfortunately, where we haven't got the rewards for our play. But it's three strong performances from our first three games. The results don't reflect that," the Aussie said on the 2-1 defeat on Tyneside.

"The positives are that our football is good and has been in the past three games. We just need to get our rewards. If we continue to play like that, I know we will get them."

And he'll hope to capitalise on an injury-hit Arsenal squad to get those rewards, with the Gunners set to be missing Declan Rice through suspension and several players through injury. New signing Mikel Merino faces weeks on the sidelines with shoulder damage, while the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also likely to miss out.

On the Spurs side, the boss can boast a mostly full bill of health outside of Richarlison, and Alasdair Gold has revealed in his latest fan Q&A that there is a big boost on the way as well.

Van de Ven and Solanke set to return from injury

After both Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke missed the clash with Newcastle due to injury, Gold expects both to be fit to take part against the Gunners, with Solanke's return to action a particularly big boost given the wastefulness on display at St James' Park.

"We can only go on Ange Postecoglou's words and he said Dominic Solanke will be ready to face Arsenal. He said last Friday that he was close for Newcastle but they wanted to 'err on the side of caution' and had previously dispelled any suggestion he would miss the North London Derby," Gold told Football.London.

"It sounded the same with Micky van de Ven as he said he was 'close in training this week but with the international break he's not quite 100%'. With a further two weeks of recovery and work under their belts you would imagine both will be in a position to face Arsenal, but we'll get the final word on Postecoglou on Friday."

Spurs fans have barely got to see their new goalscorer in action since his £65m move from Bournemouth in the summer, but he looked sharp in his debut at Leicester, firing three shots at goal, completing three dribbles and creating one chance.

Tottenham Hotspur have not quite enjoyed the dream start to the season but Ange Postecoglou is coaching his side well and there is more than enough there to expect promise across the year.

Last season, Tottenham created 90 big chances in the Premier League and only Liverpool (102) Manchester City, and Newcastle United (both 97) created more.

This year, we can read into the opening matches of the term and determine that Spurs still play slick and stylish football and have myriad tools to carve opponents open. Their 48 shots taken are surpassed only by Nottingham Forest (53) at this early stage.

The Lilywhites' 68.3% average possession also underscores the tactical ethos under Postecoglou's wing, with bold ball-playing efforts at the front and centre of the squad's style. Despite all this, Tottenham have collected only four points from nine available.

It's clear that the bar needs to be raised in regard to clinical shooting, and while big bucks were spent on landing a shiny new striker during the summer months, there's one existing centre-forward who's not hitting the mark.

Why Spurs signed Richarlison

The man in question is Richarlison. Tottenham signed the dynamic Brazilian forward from Everton for £60m in July 2022, confident that they had purchased one of the most menacing forwards competing in English football.

His debut campaign was a miserable thing. Tottenham ebbed and flowed but ultimately languished to an eighth-place Premier League finish following the acrimonious departure of Antonio Conte, and the star attacking signing hardly helped matters, scoring one goal across 27 Premier League matches - and that goal came during a sickening late defeat at Anfield.

Last year, he improved, enjoying a brilliant purple patch throughout the winter months that saw him post nine goals from just eight matches in the Premier League, though he then blanked for seven fixtures before scoring in a loss against Liverpool in April, his last appearance that season as he picked up an injury.

Throughout the summer, despite the upturn in fortunes, there was plenty of rumour surrounding the 27-year-old, with GIVEMESPORT even revealing that the north London side were keen on offloading their struggling forward, with Saudi Pro League outfits sniffing around, exploring a deal.

Why Spurs should've sold Richarlison

Once hailed as "relentless" by journalist Joe Strange, Richarlison improved last year but it would be hard to claim that he's lived up to the price tag. Of course, the fee paid for his services lay out of his hands but there is still the point of the Brazilian's overall level under Postecoglou, and whether he's likely to earn a regular starting berth this year.

Dominic Solanke leapt over Tanguy Ndombele to become Tottenham's club-record signing this summer, joining from Bournemouth for a reported £65m, and though he's missed the past few weeks after picking up an injury following his debut, the 27-year-old is the new out-and-out striker.

In his absence, Heung-min Son has reprised his finest displays of the 2023/24 campaign by lingering up top, and while he was subdued at St. James' Park, a two-goal performance against Everton proved his high-class finishing once again.

Richarlison missed out against Newcastle due to injury but he's already stirred the pot of detractors this term after missing an excellent chance off the bench on the opening day. It was an opportunity that, if taken, would have handed Postecoglou the dream start.

You could even make the case for selling Richarlison and bringing another striker in, as well as Solanke. Jonathan David was linked with a move away from Lille (for the fourth year running, it seems), with Tottenham among the suitors.

Football Insider reported in July that Spurs were closing in on the Canadian, who has now entered the final year of his contract and whom Lille's president said could leave the club with negotiations at a standstill.

He'd been transfer-listed for a cut-price £20m fee, and so it's difficult to see why he wasn't purchased by one party or another, especially as he's scored three goals and assisted two more across seven outings so far this season.

David is a sharp goalscorer and an able creator; his playmaking skills are improving year on year. But moreover, he's crisp and intelligent, with link-up play that would see him dovetail into Postecoglou's system, ranking among the top 4% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion (81.4%), as per FBref.

This would have been an excellent way to deepen the dynamism within Spurs' attacking outfit, with the Londoners boasting plenty of pace and electricity down the flanks but not so much at no. 9.

The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare commented that Tottenham had "missed his physical presence" toward the backend of last season, and perhaps they did. However, Solanke is the perfect focal frontman, remarkably winning eight of his ten contested duels against Leicester on the opening day of the term, as per Sofascore.

From a financial standpoint, Richarlison's reduced role does not align with his pay packet either. According to Capology, he earns £90k per week, which is below several of the most prominent figures down N17 but does stretch well beyond the earnings of players such as Yves Bissouma (£55k per week) and Micky van de Ven (£50k per week).

Bissouma has not enjoyed plain sailing at Tottenham either but he is the toughest-tackling and most effective holding midfielder at the club. When at his best, he purrs, keeping the engine room together.

And Van de Ven... well, what is there to say? Signed from Wolfsburg for £43m last summer, the athletic centre-back is breathtaking, offering a unique take on the defensive game that could yet see him establish himself as one of Europe's foremost stars in the backline.

Tottenham Hotspur have work to do. Despite playing well in each of their opening Premier League matches of the season, Ange Postecoglou's side have taken only four points from nine into the September international break.

Improvements were made under the Australian manager's leadership but up-and-down form after a blistering start saw Aston Villa glide into the top four toward the end of the campaign, trumping fifth-finishing Spurs to Champions League qualification.

Various issues across the park contributed toward the ebb and flow, but Postecoglou likes to implement fast and fluent attacking football. They aren't always on their a-game, but Heung-min Son and James Maddison are two of the best and are looking to play talismanic roles this year.

What to make of Tottenham's strikeforce

Dominic Solanke might have been signed for a club-record £65m fee during the summer but Son still stakes a claim to be Tottenham's star striker, having been praised for his "world-class" offensive qualities by his manager.

Not just a first-class goalscorer, the skipper created 20 big chances in the Premier League last season, only two behind first-placed Mohamed Salah.

His interchangeability was evidenced through his frequent deployment as the focal frontman. Following the events of the 2023 summer transfer window, the South Korean's qualities were required away from the left flank with greater regularity, especially with Richarlison foundering.

His blistering start was fuelled in no small part by the playmaking of Maddison, who was crowned the Premier League's Player of the Month for August.

Despite an ankle injury in his first season as a Lilywhite, Maddison ranked among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

The duo have started well this term too, with Son scoring twice and Maddison assisting just as many across the opening three fixtures. Solanke's inclusion and many more talented players suggest that Postecoglou does indeed have the tools to craft success.

It's impressive that he's got the Lilywhites playing to his attacking tune, especially when considering that Harry Kane departed at the start of the era.

The England captain would be an incredible option for Tottenham, quite simply eclipsing the performance level of his former teammates.

Harry Kane's record since leaving Spurs

Kane rose through the ranks at Tottenham to fire his way into legendary standing, with the centre-forward widely considered one of the finest players of his generation, Spurs' all-time top scorer and his nation's too.

Having completed 435 appearances for Tottenham, scoring 280 goals, the 31-year-old completed a deal worth an initial £86m to German giants Bayern Munich last year, where he has obliterated the division.

Last year, while Bayern's long-standing Bundesliga dynasty was toppled by invincible Bayer Leverkusen, he scored 44 goals and added 12 assists across 45 matches in all competitions.

Son might have scored 17 great goals last year, but Kane scored more. Likewise, Maddison enjoyed an excellent creative campaign, but his countryman has 14 assists since moving to Germany last summer, whereas the 27-year-old only has 11.

Tottenham might have hit the jackpot on Kane, enjoying his world-class qualities for the bulk of his career, but what Postecoglou would give to wield him now, for he eclipses any of the talented current options.

TalkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney has explained why he thinks Tottenham Hotspur should've signed a £330,000-per-week striker instead of Dominic Solanke.

Solanke joins Tottenham from Bournemouth in £65 million deal

Over the summer transfer window, Spurs finally ended their year-long wait for Harry Kane's replacement - agreeing a £65 million deal to sign Solanke from Bournemouth after the Englishman's stellar 2023/2024 campaign.

Ange Postecoglou's side will pay an initial £55 million plus a further £10 million in add-ons for Solanke, who made his Premier League debut for them against Leicester City on the opening weekend.

The 26-year-old was Bournemouth's superstar player last term, scoring 21 goals in all competitions for the Cherries, plus an additional five assists. Solanke has been absent for their last two league games, having picked up an ankle injury at Leicester, but there is a chance he could feature against Arsenal in the north London derby right after this international break.

"Dom is close but we're going to be a bit cautious with him," said Postecoglou in an update on Solanke before Spurs' loss to Newcastle.

"We've got a big programme post the international break, so he'll miss out.”

Supporters will be eager to see Solanke kick-on and show the kind of form he did for Bournemouth last season, and at the earliest opportunity, with Tottenham's signing of the forward praised by Jermain Defoe.

“It is not a move that has surprised me," said Defoe on talkSPORT.

"Going off his form last season, the amount of goals he scored and if you look at the way Ange wants to play, he suits that Tottenham role. He’s got a lot of energy, he’s almost an old-school number nine who makes a lot of runs in behind. He also presses high which is one of Ange’s principles. I think he will score a lot of goals in that Tottenham team, I’m happy for him.

“I hope he gets his first goal soon because as a centre-forward, you know, confidence is massive. I hope he doesn’t think about the fee too much, but in terms of his ability, he showed last season that he’s someone that can score goals consistently and I am looking forward to seeing how he does.”

Troy Deeney explains why Tottenham should've signed Ivan Toney

While Solanke's move has been praised by many, there are others like TalkSPORT's Deeney who believe that Tottenham should've gone for Ivan Toney instead.

Toney was heavily linked with a move to Spurs in the summer, but the striker, now on £330,000-per-week at Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, was forced to agree a late switch to the Middle East or stay at Brentford.

However, Deeney is convinced that Toney would've been a better striker for Tottenham than Solanke.

“Ivan Toney was available," said Deeney on the Seaman Says podcast. "Let’s use him as a case in point. Would he add value to Chelsea? Yes, he would score more than Nicolas Jackson. In my opinion he would score more than Solanke at Spurs. Everyone is looking for that mobile, running striker, the goalscoring comes like fifth in the list of attributes."

After a campaign full of ups and downs last season, it appears as if Tottenham Hotspur fans are in for more of the same this year.

Ange Postecoglou's men have kicked off the Premier League in an unconvincing manner so far, dropping two points away to Leicester City and three to Newcastle United.

The North Londoners were able to utterly dominate Everton, but the Toffees have been exceedingly poor thus far, meaning they are hardly the barometer for measuring this Lilywhites side.

Granted, the club's £65m striker, Dominic Solanke, has missed the last two games, and the £60m Richarlison is also out injured. However, it seems unlikely that the Brazilian ever be the player fans were hoping he'd be in North London, especially when he's being outscored by a former Tottenham flop.

Richarlison's Spurs record

Just over two years ago, Spurs spent around £60m to get Richarlison out of Everton after he had scored 11 goals and provided five assists in just 33 games for the Toffees the season prior, and while he's shown glimpses of quality since then, it would be fair to say that they paid too much.

For example, in his first campaign with the Lilywhites, the former Watford ace could only muster a return of three goals and four assists in 35 appearances, equating to a poor average of a goal involvement every five games.

To his credit, the Brazilian international did improve last season in Harry Kane's absence, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists in just 31 appearances. However, this clearly wasn't enough to convince the club that he could lead the line going forward, as they went out and signed Solanke last month.

In all, Richarlison is a talented player, but he has not been able to establish himself as an essential player for Spurs, and considering he's being outscored by a former flop who left five years ago, it's not looking good for his long-term future in N17.

Georges-Kévin N'Koudou's recent form

The former Spurs flop in question is Cameroon international Georges-Kévin N'Koudou, who joined the club from Marseille in September 2016 for a fee of around £11m.

The left-winger made very little impact in N17 and was sold to Beskitas by Mauricio Pochettino for £4.5m just three years later. He left the Lilywhites with just 27 appearances, one goal, and two assists to his name.

After spending a few years in Turkey, the Versailles-born dynamo made the switch to Saudi Pro League side Damac FC last summer, where he has since been playing very well indeed.

In fact, the 29-year-old wideman outscored Richarlison last season, racking up a respectable tally of 15 goals and five assists in 33 matches, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.65 games for the Middle Eastern club.

Now the important caveat here is that the quality of opposition is obviously far lower in Saudi Arabia. However, we have seen big names make the move over there and struggle, so it's still impressive from the former Spurs flop.

Ultimately, selling N'Koudou in 2019 was the right thing to do for all parties involved, but perhaps his successful departure from the club should give Richarlison some ideas, unless he can dramatically improve his form in the coming months.

It's been an interesting start to the Premier League campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou's side dominated against Leicester City in the opening game but came away with a single point, decimated Everton at home to claim all three points and then failed to pick up any points away to Newcastle United, despite playing some great football.

However, while the start hasn't been ideal, there is still plenty of time for the North Londoners to get back on track, and with all the signings Daniel Levy and Co made over the summer, this season can only get better.

That said, Levy may rue losing a youngster in the past who is now worth more than summer additions Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert.

Werner and Odebert's valuations in 2024

Yes, after joining Spurs on loan in January, Werner's stay was extended for another year by the club this summer, and while some fans weren't exactly thrilled by the news, he's a useful player to have in the squad.

For example, as wasteful as he was at points last season, the former Chelsea ace did rack up two goals and three assists in just 14 appearances. This means he averaged a goal involvement every 2.8 games for Postecoglou, which isn't too bad for a squad player.

Moreover, considering his current loan deal includes an option to buy him for just £8.5m next summer, there is a good chance he could be sticking around in N17 for a little while longer.

Now, while fans haven't been overly enthused about the German's move, they should be about Odobert, who the club signed last month for around £25m.

That may seem like a lot of money for a teenager who was just relegated with Burnley, and while that might be true at the moment, the Frenchman looks like he could be a serious talent in the future.

For example, despite being just 18 at the start of last season, the Meaux-born gem ended up making 33 appearances across all competitions, in which he scored four goals and provided three assists, equating to a reasonable average - for a winger his age - of a goal involvement every 4.71 games.

However, while both of these players are likely to play a part for the Lilywhites this season and represent decent business, the club may be rueing the fact that one of their former youngsters could soon be worth a lot more than the pair of them.

Armando Broja's valuation in 2024

Yes, while it might not be widely known, Chelsea forward Armando Broja was once on Tottenham's books as a child.

The Albanian international explained to the Players' Tribune how an impressive performance for the Lilywhites' youth teams caught the attention of two Blues scouts, and being a fan of the club himself, he upped sticks and moved to the West London outfit at just seven years old.

The Slough-born poacher struggled for game time at Stamford Bridge and went out on loan to Southampton for the 2021/22 season. While he had been on loan before, it was on the South Coast where he announced himself, scoring nine goals in 38 appearances, which, for a 19/20-year-old wasn't bad going.

However, flash forward to the start of this season, and a poor loan spell with Fulham last year - in which he provided one assist in eight games - combined with persistent injuries have all but scuppered his chances of making it into the Pensioners' first team, so he was sent out on loan to Everton, only this time, like Werner, with an option to buy.

However, unlike the German, the option on the "amazing" 22-year-old's head, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, is worth considerably more, coming in at a cool £30m, which could've been on its way to N17 had the Chelsea scouts not swiped the striker from the Lilywhites' grasp all those years ago.

That said, while Werner and Odobert are worth less than the former Spurs youth player, they could well have more of an impact than him this season, and ultimately, that's what matters more than anything else.