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After Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, Qatar was the latest Middle East player in recent months reported to enter the Premier League.

A takeover of Man United, considered all but done for months, did not materialise ultimately, much to the dismay of the Old Trafford faithful.

That said, another club may be set to benefit from United’s loss.

Sheikh Jassim linked with Tottenham takeover

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani of Qatar has returned to the English football scene, as reported by TBR Football, as he is one of many contenders to put in a bid for Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy admitted in a recent fan forum that the club were actively looking for new investors.

“We announced with our last results that we believe this club needs a bigger capital base because we’ve got a lot of exciting projects on the horizon and we want to make further investment in the teams.

“Some form of minority investment is what we’re looking for. We’ve got nothing to announce at the moment but we are in the market.”

Levy on the Tottenham takeover situation, as quoted by Evening Standard.

Amanda Staveley, recently of Newcastle United who brought not only the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to Tyneside but also brokered the Abu Dhabi Group deal for Man City back in 2008, is also in the market for investment in another Premier League club and is expected to work towards forming a bid for the North London club.

ENIC, the British investment company that owns Spurs, values the club at £3.75 billion.

A move Spurs fans would want

As the recent examples of Man City and Newcastle (even Man United when the Qatari bid was actively pursuing the club) have shown us, any and all moral dilemmas a club’s fanbase may have regarding the geo-political implications of sports-washing undertaken by nation-states disappear overnight and into thin air as soon as it’s their club linked with a takeover by one such state or one with close links to one.

That’s the reality of modern-day football. As long as an incessant stream of mind-boggling money is available to turn the fortunes of your club around, no one really cares about the beyond-football implications. So one can understand why, of all the possible bidders, Spurs fans would want a prospective Qatari bid to succeed.

Daniel Levy is a shrewd businessman, above all, and he has also previously been in talks with PSG-owning Qatari Sports Investment (QSI) for a stake in Spurs. Make no mistake: if Qatar can be brought on board, he will do whatever it takes for the betterment of Tottenham.

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Glenn Hoddle slams Guglielmo Vicario for his inability to command the Tottenham Hotspur penalty area

Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle has pointed out a crucial weakness in Guglielmo Vicario’s game following Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the North London Derby. The loss came after a second-half header from Gabriel Magalhaes secured Arsenal’s victory, capitalizing on a set-piece—a recurring problem for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side this season.

Arsenal, despite missing key players Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, managed to secure a vital win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, their third consecutive victory at Spurs’ home ground. The game further highlighted Tottenham’s struggles in defending set pieces, with only Nottingham Forest conceding more goals from dead-ball situations since Postecoglou took charge.

Hoddle’s Criticism of Vicario

Speaking on Premier League Productions via The Metro, Hoddle did not hold back in his criticism of Tottenham’s goalkeeper Vicario, focusing on the Italian’s inability to command his penalty area during set-piece situations. Hoddle noted that Vicario’s instinct to retreat rather than attack the ball is a significant weakness that other teams have started to exploit.

“The goalkeeper has an Achilles heel. Other clubs have seen it—it’s any ball in that inswinging area into the six-yard box. His instinct is to go backwards. He’s never looking to come out.”

Hoddle continued, highlighting how Vicario needs to be more decisive when dealing with aerial threats.

“He’s got to come and punch some of those balls. Arsenal have played that corner because time and time again he’s conceded from that situation. He flapped at one in the first half, and he wasn’t convincing.”

Set-Piece Woes Continue for Tottenham

Tottenham’s defensive issues from set pieces are becoming a growing concern. Vicario, while proving himself as a solid shot-stopper, has struggled to assert himself during dead-ball situations. Hoddle emphasized that unless the goalkeeper becomes more physical and commanding in the box, Tottenham will continue to leak

goals from similar situations.

“He’s a good shot-stopper, but he has got to come and make himself more physical, come and get more balls, and punch more balls.”

Hoddle added:

“He’s not got to catch it there but clear the area. And until he does, they are going to concede even more goals.”

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Hoddle’s critique of Vicario’s performances highlights a critical area that Tottenham need to address if they want to improve their defensive record, especially from set pieces. Vicario’s shot-stopping ability is not in question, but his reluctance to dominate his area in high-pressure situations is a vulnerability that opponents have started to target.

As Spurs look to push on under Ange Postecoglou this season, solving these defensive frailties will be key to their success. For Vicario, becoming more assertive in his penalty area could be the difference between Tottenham turning these tight games into victories or continuing to drop crucial points.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to compound on their defensive options in the upcoming windows after failing to bring in another central-defender in the recently concluded summer. The North Londoners do have a solid duo at the heart of the defence, although there is a lack of depth in the position.

While the Lilywhites had been linked with multiple defenders from around Europe, nothing materialised and the vacancy remains for the future windows to adhere to.

Tottenham linked with Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah

Spurs have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah. However, any push for the German international’s services would come strenuous as multiple Premier League clubs have expressed interest in landing his signatures in 2025. The 28-year-old has been linked with Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United and a move is probable as the centre-back walks into the final year of his contract at Bay Areana.

Bayer Leverkusen tried to secure his signatures for an extended deal on multiple occasions, however, the centre-back has expressed desires to seek new challenges in his career and a Premier League move peaks his interest.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

Spurs Premier League rivals Liverpool have been tagged favourites to land Tah, as per print edition of SportBild (as relayed by Sport Witness). Arne Slot could use a defender or two especially with Virgil van Dijk linked with a move away from Anfield and signing a veteran invincible might do the job to replace the Dutch defensive monster.

Tottenham hope to secure Tah deal in winter window

For Tottenham, they have Micky Van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin, and Ben Davies in the central-defensive options and Ange would look to add quality for the latter.

Tah would be available for a bargain fee in the winter transfer window and knowing Daniel Levy, he will look to take advantage of the situation.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Do you think Tah comes to

Tottenham to play bits and parts role with Romero and Van de Ven, or could he potentially become a starter?

Most of Spurs’ recruitment this transfer window focused on signing up-and-coming talent, indicating at a priority towards long-term squad building.

They did, however, tried to make some senior reinforcements towards the end of the window but didn’t manage to complete their targets.

So we look ahead to the winter transfer window already, and links have started to emerge.

Tottenham monitoring Noah Okafor situation

According to a report from Milan Live, Tottenham are considering making a move in the January transfer window for AC Milan forward Noah Okafor.

The Swiss forward arrived at San Siro only last summer on the back of a €14m move but had a relatively underwhelming first season in terms of returns, having provided six goals and three assists in 36 appearances across all competitions. He does, however, have registered one goal already this season in 164 minutes of football this season.

The 24-year-old has with Milan a €3.46m-per-year contract that runs until June 2028.

Tottenham’s interest in Okafor understandable

Okafor is a forward capable of playing centrally and out on either wing; we know well by now that this is a profile Ange Postecoglou particularly likes.

How much of this Okafor interest materialises in an actual approach, however, depends on where Spurs are by the time January rolls around. Their player availability up

front and their form in the lead-up to the window will play a key role in deciding whether the club back Postecoglou in the market for the rest of the season.

Till then, all Spurs can do is perform on the pitch to the best of their abilities.

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Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a spectacular summer transfer window, and Daniel Levy isn’t stopping; the chiefs at White Hart Lane have already started putting the blueprint together for the upcoming transfer windows, and the Lilywhites have established themselves as front runners to sign Chelsea target Patrick Dorgu.

Spurs were named among the interested parties to sign Dorgu in the recently concluded summer window. However, no move materialised, and the club continued to push forward to bring the 19-year-old to North London.

Could Dorgu be the next Danish sensation in the Premier League?

Patrick Dorgu has been linked with a move away from Lecce all summer. The Italian club did a spectacular job in keeping hold of the Danish sensation, albeit a probable move away could be around the corner with multiple high-profile clubs interested in his signatures.

Dorgu could be on the move in 2025, per La Gazzetta dello Sport via SportWitness, who suggest that the North Londoners are in a pole position to sign the FC Nordsjaelland academy graduate.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

The Denmark international enjoyed a successful breakthrough season in the previous campaign, where he ended up playing in 34 games, and his consistency, complemented by his ability to feature along both flanks, has increased his popularity. Dorgu also scored on his debut debut off late, which has added to his reputation as one of the most exciting talents in the Italian top tier.

During the summer, Lecce quoted a €30m asking price for Dorgu, although that has now shot up to €40m, which hasn’t stopped Spurs from pushing for his signings.

Tottenham could outbid Chelsea for Dorgu

Spurs have changed their transfer policy to bring highly regarded young players to Tottenham Hotspur stadium, and they might not want to miss out on a highly potential player like Dorgu.

Meanwhile, Lecce are pushing to sign the player on a new contract and have already informed Dorgu’s agents about their intentions.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Premier League side Chelsea have also expressed interest in signing the 19-year-old, who is expected to compete with Marc Cucurella for a starting slot.

It is to be seen if Spurs continue to lead the race for his signatures or would Chelsea pip the North Londoners in the race. Would you bring Patrick Dorgu to N17 in the coming windows? Let us know your thoughts below.

Tottenham keen on signing Leeds United academy starlet Harry Gray

Tottenham Hotspur have spent their money prudently since Ange Postecoglou walked into the club, with several young guns arriving at the club over the last three transfer windows.

Earlier in the summer transfer window, the North Londoners put their big focus on outgoings with 15 players leaving the Hotspur Way—either left on loan, permanently or released. Simultaneously, they continued rebuilding the squad by acquiring the signatures of some highly-rated young talents from England and Europe. And one of those youngsters to arrive at N17 was Archie Gray.

Archie Gray, one of the hottest prospects in English football, joined Tottenham from Leeds United in the region of £30m. Spurs beat competition from Brentford to sign Gray, who is tipped for a bright future in the game.

The early signs have been promising with the England youth international impressing Ange Postecoglou since arriving at the club in July. And Spurs are now looking to continue expanding their exciting pool of young talents by making more additions.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

According to an exclusive report from TBR Football, Tottenham have expressed a keen interest in signing Leeds United youngster Harry Gray—the younger brother of Archie. The Lilywhites are eager to maintain a cordial relationship with Championship side Leeds United to facilitate Gray ‘junior’s transfer.

Harry Gray has courted interest from some of England’s elite clubs after featuring in pre-season for Daniel Farke’s side. The 15-year-old striker, who has represented England at the Under-16 level, has grabbed the eyeballs from multiple Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Newcastle United.

The highly-rated English talent does not turn 16 until October but is already making waves in the Under-18 Premier League, where he has scored eight goals across his 11 appearances. The aforementioned report adds Spurs have already ‘informed’ Leeds they would like to sign Harry after bringing his elder brother Archie through the door earlier this summer.

Adding Gray to the ranks would strengthen Spurs’ ambitions of forming a strong core of young, dynamic talents with high ceiling. With the North London outfit’s focus on developing the next generation of players, bringing in the Leeds academy starlet would align with the long-term vision and strategy of Ange Postecoglou and the club.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Sergio Reguilon may decide to stay and run down his contract at Tottenham despite Turkey interest

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a productive summer transfer window, as Ange Postecoglou reshaped his squad.

The North London outfit splashed £124m on five new signings, including breaking the transfer record for former Bournemouth star Dominic Solanke. They also did extremely well in clearing the deck and trimming the wage bill. A few youngsters left on loan as part of the development plan while some experienced players were either released or sold. However, one player Tottenham have failed to offload thus far is Sergio Reguilon.

Sergio Reguilon, who has been with the Lilywhites since 2020, is not a part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans. The rise of Destiny Udogie has more or less shut the door at the Hotspur Way for the Spaniard. As things stand, it is difficult to see him overtake Udogie in the Spurs’ left-back pecking order.

The 2020 Europa League winner spent the last season on loan at Manchester United and Brentford, and while he did well for the former, he didn’t get an offer from the Erik ten Hag-managed club during the past summer transfer window.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Now, former Spurs scout Bryan King claims that Sergio Reguilon is not in any hurry to leave Tottenham, with the opportunity to join the Turkish Super League still available to the player. The Turkish transfer window is open until September 13, but Bryan King doesn’t understand why the 27-year-old should accept a move to a clear where he would be earning less than what he is doing at N17.

Jose Mourinho wants to reunite with Reguilon at Fenerbahce, having signed him at Spurs four years ago. Spurs also have no good reason to keep a player who is not part of their manager’s plans, especially with the left-back position covered by Udogie and Ben Davies. However, King feels the Spaniard now ‘holds the cards’ over his future.

With the transfer window ending in most European countries, only clubs in Greece and Turkey are able to make signings until September 11th and September 13th, respectively. It remains to be seen if those clubs entice Reguilon and whether they can afford his £53,000-per-week wages.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a successful summer transfer window as Daniel Levy not only brought in some ceiling-raising players but also ensured that the surplus in Ange Postecoglou’s dressing room was shown the exit door.

While the club had been subject to links with some of the top players from around Europe, the search for a backup full back to Destiny Udogie led them to Premier League rivals Bournemouth. The North Londoners expressed interest in bringing Milos Kerkez to White Hart Lane in the recently concluded summer transfer window.

Tottenham join race for highly-rated Bournemouth full-back

Kerkez is one of the best players outside the traditional big six. He has made a name for himself since moving to Premiership in 2023. In his full debut season with the Cherries, he made 33 appearances in all competitions and put in an impressive shift in the left-back role.

His performances have attracted interest from multiple Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta’s side explored possibilities to bring the Hungarian international to the Emirates Stadium. Manchester United also expressed interest in signing Kerkez alongside Tottenham Hotspur, per GMS.

Kerkez on the move this winter?

Ange Postecoglou has found an undisputed player in the spot in Italian defender Destiny Udogie, who was exceptional in the previous campaign. The Lilywhites do have Sergio Reguilon in the backup role to the Italian international; however, the former Real Madrid defender is not in plans at Spurs, and the club wanted to bring the 20-year-old as a long-term solution to the depth at LB.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

While Tottenham have registered interest in signing Kerkez, any move to bring the Hungarian wouldn’t come easy as Arsenal, Manchester United, and Aston Villa are lurking around for his potential signatures.

Bournemouth would be ready to negotiate a deal around £42 million for the full back amid interest from some of the biggest names in world football.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Would you take Kerkez at N17 this winter?

Tottenham are keen on signing Torino star Samuele Ricci

Tottenham Hotspur had a big summer this time around as head coach Ange Postecoglou very much got his wishes fulfilled.

The Greek-Australian tactician made five exciting signings over the transfer window, with Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert costing big money. He also was successful in moving on the deadwood from the Tottenham squad and trimming the wage bill.

To put things simply, Ange Postecoglou managed to make his reshape his squad as per his vision and long-term thinking. The summer transfer window for the majority of the leagues across the world have been closed, but that hasn’t stopped Spurs from planning for future investments.

According to a report from HITC (h/t TEAMtalk), Tottenham sent scouts to watch Torino star Samuele Ricci in action for Italy against Israel during the UEFA Nations League group-stage clash on Monday evening. The central midfielder impressed and played 86 minutes in Italy’s 2-1 win over Israel at the Bozsik Arena.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Samuele Ricci has been a part of Torino’s furniture since 2022 after arriving from Empoli. The 23-year-old has made 81 appearances for Torino thus far, registering three goals and five assists in the process. He has already made four appearances this season—including a cup outing against Cosenza last month.

The defensive midfielder’s performances for the Turin club haven’t gone unnoticed across Europe, with Tottenham among several clubs keen on signing him. The aforementioned report (TEAMtalk) adds that Torino values Ricci in the region of £25million, as the Lilywhites continue monitoring his progress ahead of a possible swoop.

Ange Postecoglou wants to reinforce his midfield unit further in January after the arrivals of youngsters Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. And while Gray and Bergvall are viewed as key pieces in the squad for now and the future, Postecoglou losing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp earlier this summer has to be kept in mind.

Hojbjerg and Skipp’s exits have weakened Spurs’ depth in the midfield unit, and as they are set to compete in the Europa League this season, it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that the club spends on a midfield signing in January. If that is the case, it would make sense for Spurs to make a move for Ricci when the transfer window reopens.

It is a feasible prospect, as Big Ange could still use another central midfielder at the Hotspur Way—despite Gray and Bergvall waiting on the wings to start games. A player in the mould of Ricci would be a smart fit in Big Ange’s pressing system, with the four-cap Italy international bringing his all-action style to the floor. He can operate as a No.6 or No.8, which will in turn provide the Tottenham head coach to rotate his squad freely without compromising on quality.

-> Tottenham Hotspur confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25

Given the hectic schedule in front of us this time around, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ricci situation develops and we end up tabling an offer to Torino for him in the New Year.

Arsenal sans Martin Odegaard could be Tottenham Hotspur’s gain in the NLD

Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal in the North London Derby in the Premier League on September 15th. They will be looking to claim their second straight victory on home turf after thumping Everton 4-0 last time around, but it could only be their second success this season given that they’re winless on the road against Leicester City and Newcastle United.

Ange Postecoglou’s men are about to face a Spurs side without Declan Rice, who was shown a red card in their match against Brighton before the international break and consequently, will miss the Gunners’ trip to their bitter rivals.

Riccardo Calafiori is also a doubt for the fixture after suffering a freak injury in Italy’s UEFA Nations League game against France and as per Sky Sports, Martin Odegaard is the latest player to join Arsenal’s treatment table after his injury on international duty. Mikel Arteta’s captain was seen on crutches following his representation for Norway.

With Arsenal missing as many as three crucial players, the upcoming derby is a golden opportunity for Tottenham to claim all three points and bolster their chances of finishing in a top-four position. Ange Postecoglou already has all the ammunition to beat the Gunners.

Spurs will need to win the midfield battle if they are to succeed in the game and can do so by overloading the central areas, especially because two players who conduct the play for their opponent are absent.

While the Lilywhites can take advantage of Rice’s absence by moving the ball forward more effectively, Odegaard missing out means Tottenham’s number six can also venture higher up the pitch by being relatively free of his defensive shackles. A ball carrier who is physically adept, like Yves Bissouma can be given the license to do that job.

Meanwhile, James Maddison will have to put on a better showing than he did against Newcastle as the attacking midfielder. The former Leicester star has been going through a barren run of form but Spurs will need him to be at his best if indeed they are to exploit Arsenal without Rice and Son Heung-min’s ability to drop deep and dribble with the ball will also be very important.

Thomas Partey should be the man Tottenham must target in one-on-one situations, especially through Son, as the ex-Atletico Madrid midfielder is not among the fastest players between the two rivals. If Spurs can bypass Arsenal’s midfield, they would have done more than half the work that teams need to do to beat Arteta’s disciplined side.

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When playing without the ball, a low block would work best for Tottenham, as Arsenal have no creative outlet to unlock their defence. Man-marking will also be a better idea than zonally employing players given that Odegaard’s and Rice’s playmaking could compel the Gunners into playing short passes and using Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to dribble with the ball.