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Lucas Bergvall opens up on taking ‘very big steps’ since officially joining Tottenham this summer

Tottenham Hotspur worked extremely hard behind the scenes over the summer transfer window to provide Ange Postecoglou with the tools to compete for a place in the Champions League and trophies this season.

Dominic Solanke arrived from Bournemouth as the marquee acquisition, becoming the club’s most expensive buy of all time at around £65m. Teenage troika Archie Gray, Yang Min-Hyeok and Wilson Odobert also made the permanent switch to N17, while the club re-signed Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig.

One player who officially joined the north London club in July was Lucas Bergvall. Tottenham secured the signature of Lucas Bergvall in an £8.5m deal from Djurgardens in the first week of February, beating out competition from the likes of Barcelona, Aston Villa and Wolves. Regarded as one of the hottest prospects in European football, Spurs seized the moment six months ago and sealed his deal.

Bergvall has adapted to life well at Spurs since moving from Sweden in July. He impressed during the pre-season tour of Asia, providing glimpses of his talent and huge potential. Big Ange certainly has high hopes from the teenage prodigy, who has already made his first-team debut for Tottenham and is now all set to feature in a competitive game for Sweden after being called up to the national team squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

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

The attacking midfielder has admitted that he has taken “very big steps” in the last two months and that he wasn’t aware of what “his expectations” were before officially joining Tottenham.

Bergvall has done a fine job after coming on as a substitute in Spurs’ three Premier League games thus far. He is still adapting to the fast-paced and physical nature of the Premier League, and having already received an earful from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario following a small mistake during the game against Leicester City, the Sweden international would be more prepared in the games after the international break.

While the 18-year-old did make his debut for the national team back in January in a friendly game against Estonia, he is now all set to feature in the Nations League. Dejan Kulusevski, his compatriot and Spurs teammate, praised Bergvall for earning the call-up to the Sweden senior side. The experienced Spurs winger is expected to act as a mentor and guide for Bergvall over the international break.

> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Given his maturity, calmness and talent, it won’t be long before Bergvall starts games for Big Ange’s side. As Tottenham will participate in the Europa League this season, expect the Swedish midfielder to get regular opportunities in that competition.

Tottenham can sign Johnny Cardoso next year for a pre-agreed sum

Tottenham Hotspur sold Giovani Lo Celso to Real Betis in the summer transfer window as the Argentine international was not deemed good enough to be a part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans.

In a deal to sell the midfielder back to his former side, Spurs negotiated a ‘special clause’ to sign Betis starlet Johnny Cardoso on a discount deal next summer.

As per TEAMTalk, he could arrive in north London for a sum in the range of just £21 to £25 million having joined the La Liga side for only £5 million back in 2021.

He has emerged as one of the best young players for Real Betis and has been tipped to succeed in the Premier League at some point in his career due to his aggressive nature.

Football expert Andy Brassell expects the player to do well in England. TEAMTalk quoted him saying:

“Very popular, very energetic, you can imagine Cardoso working really well in the Premier League because he loves a tackle, he loves to get stuck in, so you can imagine him protecting that Tottenham defence going forward.”

Tottenham have the option to sign Johnny Cardoso next summer for a pre-agreed sum but their clause will expire in September and not be valid at any time thereafter.

However, with the Lilywhites increasingly deploying a double pivot in midfield, they could be bolstered by another deep-lying midfielder’s signing, especially if he has a good physical presence.

Cardoso is a tenacious player and having spent three years of his career playing in Spain, he has even developed into a good midfielder on the ball with great composure and passing in possession.

At the age of 22, his signing will also be a massive bargain if he manages to succeed at Tottenham Hotspur and should Postecoglou continue as the manager next year, the Australian will see to it that the US-born Brazilian continues to take big strides on an individual level too.

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For the moment, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr are enjoying prominence at Tottenham but with the qualities Cardoso will bring if he joins next year, it will be a no-brainer to sacrifice one of them to make way for the potential new signing.

No matter what anyone tells you, always remember that transfers in football are a gamble. A team may very well carry out a due diligence to the best of their ability when scouting a player, only for the ensuing move to not work out for a variety of reasons.

In this article, we present to you our top 5 picks for the worst signings Tottenham have made in the Premier League era.

Tanguy Ndombélé

Let’s get this one out of the way first. In an age where three-figure sums are a dime a dozen in football, Spurs’ most expensive player holds a price tag of £65 million. Before Dominic Solanke moved to Spurs this summer, however, the Lilywhites’ most expensive acquisition was at €62 million.

Given Daniel Levy’s infamous frugality, eyebrows were naturally raised when Spurs went above and beyond to get Ndombélé, but the move ultimately blew up in their collective face. Apart from fleeting moments of brilliance, he never quite found his feet in the PL, having been deemed not good enough consistently by every manager at Spurs. Ndombélé spent the last years of his Spurs contract on loan at Lyon (2022), Napoli (2022/23), and Galatasaray (2023/24) before joining Nice this summer as a free agent.

Roberto Soldado

There were a fair few players Spurs spent the Gareth Bale money on, most of whom did not work out. One of them was Roberto Soldado, who arrived at White Hart Lane with quite the pedigree, having been one of LaLiga’s best forwards and a leader at Valencia at the time.

Sadly, none of it followed him on his journey to England. Soldado made 76 appearances for Spurs in the two seasons he represented them, in which he delivered just 16 goals and 11 assists. Having spent €30 million on him, Spurs promptly sent him back to Spain two years later as Villarreal snapped him up for €16 million.

Ryan Sessegnon

This is a harsh and yet unavoidable call. Ryan Sessegnon had the world at his feet after the end of the 2017/18 season, in which he spearheaded Fulham’s promotion charge from left-wingback as a teenager, delivering 16 goals and 8 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. His performances duly earned him the EFL’s Young Player of the Year and Championship Player of the Year awards for the season, and it was considered quite the coup by Spurs when they picked him up that summer for €27 million.

Alas, it wasn’t to work out. Apart from a brief period under Antonio Conte, Sessegnon never really got going at Spurs. Apart from spending a season out on loan at German side Hoffenheim, Sessegnon represented Spurs just 57 times. He returned to Fulham earlier this summer as a free agent.

Vincent Janssen

This one is quite the stinger. One can be forgiven for not remembering that Janssen was the best player in the Netherlands when Spurs poached him from AZ Alkmaar for €22 million, having registered a modest 32 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances during the solitary season he spent at AFAS Stadion.

There was nothing wrong with this move on paper, but it still simply did not work out. Harry Kane had already established himself as the indisputable first-choice striker at the club, and whatever chances Janssen received, he failed to impress in them. He was loaned out Fenerbahçe for the 2017/18 season and ultimately sold to Mexican side Monterrey in 2019.

During his time in North London, Janssen made 42 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and assisting four times.

Kevin-Prince Boateng

Having hung up his boots last year, it is safe to say the former Ghana international has had a much-travelled, fairly successful career. The same cannot be said about his time at Tottenham, however. Arriving from Hertha Berlin in 2007 for €7.9 million, he thoroughly failed to impress in the 24 appearances he made during his time at North London, registering just one assist.

Boateng remained on Tottenham’s books for two years, spending the last half-year on loan at Dortmund. He was promptly shipped off to Portsmouth in 2009 for €4.5 million.

What do you make of this list? Do you think some other Spurs signing deserves a shout? Tell us in the comments.

Tottenham Hotspur may yet be without a Premier League trophy as the competition enters the fourth decade of its existence, but they have not been without their moments, moments in which they have shone probably better than the rest.

After all, After three decades of continuous Premier League action, Spurs are widely regarded as a side known for playing attractive football and fielding some of the most exciting players to have ever graced the league.

In this article, we present to you our top 5 picks for the best signings Tottenham have made in the Premier League era.

Son Heung-min

There are few signings Spurs have made in the last decade that have worked out for them as well as that of Son Heung-min, especially in the few seasons after Gareth Bale’s departure.

Son arrived at Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for €30 million ahead of the 2015/16 season. Nine years later, he’s still at the club. Now in his tenth season, he leads the team out on matchdays, and with his tally of 164 goals and 84 assists from 411 appearances, he is already one of the club’s all-time top goal-scorers as well as an all-time great.

Gareth Bale

When he arrived at Hotspur Way in 2007 from Southampton for €14.7 million, Gareth Bale was a promising teenage left-back. By the time he left for Madrid six years later as the most expensive player at the time, the Welshman had become one of the most lethal forwards in world football.

At Spurs, Bale notched up 71 goals and 53 assists in 237 appearances, also including numbers from his one-year loan spell during the 2020/21 season.

Luka Modrić

If you’re going down in the history books as one of the best players of all time, you naturally enter the “greatest signings” lists of all the clubs you have played or are going to play for.

Modrić arrived at Spurs in the summer of ’08 from Dinamo Zagreb for €22.5 million. He would go on to play his trade his North London for four seasons, delivering 17 goals and 24 assists in 160 appearances, before moving to Real Madrid in 2012 for €35 million, where he miraculously still is at 38 years of age.

Hugo Lloris

Arguably one of the best signings Spurs made in the last deacde. The 2018 World Cup winner arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer 0f 2012 from Lyon on the back of a €12.6m move. He made almost 450 appearances for Spurs before leaving the club earlier this year for Major League Soccer side Lon Angeles FC.

David Ginola

What puts Ginola apart from the rest of the players here? Well, he won a trophy with Spurs.

That alone would make Ginola a unique PL player, though thankfully he has a lot going for him. Now widely regarded as one of the best players of the league in the ’90s, the former 13-cap France international arrived at White Hart Lane in 1997 for €2.85 million after dazzling for Newcaslte for two years. For Spurs, he went on to make 125 appearances across all competitions, delivering 21 goals and assists each.

What do you make of our picks? Which other Tottenham signing of the Premier League era do you think should be given some spotlight instead of one of the names here? Let us know in the comments.

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The third matchday Sunday kicked off at St James Park as Newcastle United of the Tottenham Hotspur. The game had an interesting sting about it as neither of the teams refused to sit back and hold lines. With their pressing and high line Spurs had a bright spell in the first 25 minutes. Newcastle slowly grew into the game as they seized the lead doing justice to the sport’s cruelty.

With the score line being 2-1 at full-time, some would say it was that brutal kind of day in football. This was Spurs’ third consecutive loss at the venue. Moreover, Newcastle being at their home never looked in control as the Spurs had around 66% of the possession.

Some key points Tottenham Spurs can take from St. James’ Park

There is a lot to be reflected on the Spurs’ performance as the team showed sheer relentless spells in the 90 minutes.

Not being Lethal in the final third

Spurs saw most of the ball the whole game, they had four times the touches Newcastle had in the box. But at the end of the story, they don’t have anything to show for it as all that matters is the score at the full-time whistle. The chances they did not take in their good spells came back haunting as Newcastle took their possibly only big chance in the second half. The same is said about the first half as Newcastle had very little to show on the attacking third.

Substitution of Brennan Johnson

The straight substitution of Brennan Johnson would be the most positive point of the game. The manager was spot on to bring Sarr out for Johnson. Furthermore, he brought the team alive on the right side. Johnson did it all by linking up, putting crosses in the middle, and being at the heart of their equaliser. He looked like a bright prospect, and fans would be excited to see more of him in the coming time.

Not Making the most out of set pieces

Tottenham Spurs had around 13 free-kicks and 12 corners in the game. While we could see the centre-backs getting at the end of the few, none of them looked threatening enough. Moreover, Lack of creativity and taking set-pieces for granted was something you could see throughout the game.

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Around all of this, there were a few players who impressed eyes in today’s performance. Firstly, Odobert the new arrival also made some serious promises. Firstly, He was at the end of things and looked like wanting to make things happen every time. Early in the second half, Dragushin made a vital tackle on Isak and demonstrated promise as an offensive threat on set pieces.

As the European summer transfer window is now closed, Tottenham Hotspurs can surely look back on their business with immense pride, as the English club has made a good chunk of young and promising signings.

Ange Postecolgu has made some much-needed changes to the squad, first by extending the loan spell of the German international Timo Werner, who spent the last season with the North Londoners on a loan stint from RB Salzburg, and secondly by signing dynamic young talents such as Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, and Archie Grey.

Not just the underscoring these signings, the Premier League club which finished in the fifth spot in last year’s Premier League season did not hesitate to pay a nasty chunk of €64.30 million for roping in Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

Spurs also made very good moves on the aspect of trimming their squad, as many of the players like Giovani Lo Celso, Ivan Perisic, Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Emerson Royal, and many more, either left the club on a permanent move or a loan stint.

However, one of their defender, despite a lot of thrills and spills was not able to find a new home for himself.

Sergio Reguilón to still leave Tottenham Hotspur

As per Alsadir Gold, the correspondent of football.London, the former European League champion Sergio Reguilon who has been a part of the Lilywhites since 2020, could leave the club despite the closure of the summer transfer window.

Notably, the Spaniard won the Europa League during his loan stint with the Spanish club Sevilla back in August 2020 before joining the Whites on a permanent transfer from Real Madrid in September 2020.

The 27-year-old right-back is not a part of Postecoglu’s plans anymore and is keen to leave the club and find a new destination for himself as soon as possible.

As clear as can get, Tottenham Hotspur’s business for the 24/25 summer transfer window now stands done. Ange Postecoglou, in his presser ahead of the clash against Newcastle United, kept it to the T about further acquisitions.

No more signings, unless of course, surprises come up towards the end of the window. After all, the transfer window in Turkey is open until the 13th of September while clubs in Saudi Arabia close their windows on the 6th of October.

This stance signals a vote of confidence in the players already at Postecoglou’s disposal, especially after a summer that saw several new faces brought in to strengthen the team. Tottenham’s summer activity was deliberate, addressing key areas of need while also making sure the squad wasn’t overhauled to the point of disruption.

Raring to go!

The additions of players like Dominik Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert among others, have provided Spurs with a solid foundation to build upon. These signings, combined with the presence of key players like Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Cristian Romero have given the squad a balanced blend of experience and youth.

One key area of focus for Spurs this season will undoubtedly be squad rotation. With a compact yet capable squad, Postecoglou will need to carefully manage playing time to keep his players fresh and avoid burnout. The depth in midfield, bolstered by the arrival of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, provides a cushion against injuries and loss of form, something that could prove crucial as the season progresses. In defence, the reliance on Romero and Micky in key defensive roles underscores the importance of keeping them fit and available.

Youth players will also play a significant role in Tottenham’s campaign. With the first team relatively settled, young talents like Alfie Devine and Odobert are expected to get opportunities to step up and make their mark, at least in cup games. This not only aids in their development but also ensures that the squad remains dynamic and competitive, with fresh legs ready to come in when needed.

Tottenham not expecting a busy transfer deadline day

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a busy transfer window, making several exciting signings as well as offloading the bulk of deadwood.

Dominic Solanke has joined from Bournemouth as the club’s marquee signing, hoping to fill the massive void left by Harry Kane last summer. The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Timo Werner, Yang Min-hyuk and Wilson Odobert have also been added to Big Ange’s squad—young players with high ceiling.

On the outgoings front, Spurs have released, sold and loaned out players who were surplus to requirements for Big Ange, who aims to build on a solid first season in north London.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Tottenham continue to be linked with players heading into the transfer deadline. Now, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has given an update on what he knows about the North London club’s transfer activity on the final day of the window. While a last-minute transfer cannot be ruled out, he says the club are expected to remain inactive on August 30.

Bridge’s update comes as a bit contrasting to what transfer news guru Fabrizio Romano opined earlier this week about Tottenham’s transfer activity. On one hand, the Lilywhites remain keen to offload Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon—two players not part of Big Ange’s plans. On the other, Romano felt there was a possibility for a late signing or two.

Nonetheless, whatever happens on the transfer deadline day, Spurs fans should be delighted with how the club has conducted themselves over the transfer window. Daniel Levy and Co. have done some great business this summer, and very importantly, have addressed most of the pressing needs of the squad.

Now, having entered the final day of the window, our club can stay calm and not rush on any last-minute dealings. Of course, if the opportunity arises they could pounce on it but Bridge has told the fans not to expect an active finale.

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

Having pulled off the Odobert deal out of nowhere, there will be a temptation from the fans to see our club pluck another player off the radar and surprise everyone.

Tottenham travel to Newcastle for their third Premier League fixture of the season

Tottenham Hotspur thumped Everton 4-0 at home last weekend but face a difficult visit to Newcastle United’s St. James’ Park at 1:30pm UK time on Sunday, 1st September.

Ange Postecoglou will hope that his team can pick up another win before the international break to kickstart a good run of form, which could help them in pursuing a top-four spot in the league.

The Australian has a tough task at hand against a formidable side that has one win and one draw in the Premier League so far. Newcastle had a midweek fixture against Nottingham Forest, which they won on penalties, prior to hosting Spurs this weekend.

It will be an interesting clash between two high-quality teams who are both going to gun for a European berth, very possibly in the Champions League, for much of the season.

Team News

Newcastle United

Newcastle United have their fair share of injuries at the start of the season, which have partly contributed to a slower start for Howe’s men than many would have anticipated.

Callum Wilson, Jamaal Lascelles, Lewis Miley, Martin Dubravka and Sven Botman are all expected to miss out while Fabian Schar is still suspended after receiving a red card against Southampton on matchday one.

Newcastle have a former Tottenham player in their side in Kieran Trippier though it remains to be seen if the right-back is handed any game time with Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento being prioritised ahead of him.

Aleksander Isak has misfired for the Magpies so far in the season but he will look to finally open his account when Spurs visit, while Anthony Gordon, who scored in the draw against Bournemouth last week, will also be a nailed on starter and a player Tottenham must contain.

PREDICTED NEWCASTLE XI: Pope; Livramento, Krafth, Burn, Kelly; Guimaraes, Longstaff, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak; Gordon

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur’s injury woes are not too much better than Newcastle’s with Dominic Solanke injured and the likes of Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur doubtful.

Udogie was subbed off against Everton last time around but with a week between the two fixtures, he should have regained his match fitness after a laborious start to the season and the same also holds true in van de Ven’s as Ange Postecoglou brushed off any serious fears regarding their fitness.

Bentancur, however, will not be risked due to his head injury against Leicester City and might only become available on the other side of the international break when Arsenal travel to Spurs.

With the Uruguayan ruled out, French prodigy Wilson Odobert could start once more. Solanke’s absence could push Brennan Johnson into a more central role and he is likely to be flanked with an unchanged offensive unit from the Everton win with Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski set to start.

PREDICTED TOTTENHAM XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Maddison, Odobert; Kulusevski, Johnson, Son

Match-deciding duel

Aleksander Isak vs Cristian Romero

With Spurs playing away from home, it is imperative that they defend well and keep a hungry striker, Aleksander Isak at bay. The Swede is a prolific goal-scorer and can play make.

Cristian Romero will likely be tasked with keeping him quiet and if the World Cup winner can excel at his duties, it would be a good benchmark for the rest of his teammates to contribute in what should be a winning cause.

Prediction

Newcastle United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

A fatigued Tottenham defence will likely be breached by the hosts, Newcastle, but after scoring four goals against Everton, the offensive department should have enough lethality to hand Spurs a vital win before the international break.

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It will be a hard-fought result and Tottenham will need to grind but come the end of 90 minutes at St. James’ Park, Postecoglou will be a happy and proud boss.

Tottenham are unlikely to make a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze on transfer deadline day

One cannot rule out a late surprise signing from Tottenham Hotspur, especially after transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano’s claims.

The north London club have already signed the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Dominic Solanke, Timo Werner, Min Hyeok-Yang and Wilson Odobert this summer, as Ange Postecoglou looks to build on an impressive first season at the Hotspur Way.

Yet, our gaffer and his bosses at the club may well be feeling that a bit more depth in certain areas of the squad is required to tackle the gruelling 2024/25 season ahead. One of their summer targets which Tottenham have not succeeded in landing is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

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

According to GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs, Spurs are unlikely to move for Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze in this transfer window after the acquisition of Wilson Odobert.

Spurs bought in Odobert from Championship side Burnley secretly, thereby, addressing a key position in the squad. With the young Frenchman’s signing, Big Ange and the club appear satisfied with the attacking options ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline—at least until January 2025.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Ben Jacobs explained that a deal for Eberechi Eze is now extremely difficult to be done due to the finances involved in it.

Since joining Crystal Palace from Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 2020, Eze has established himself as one of the most exciting playmakers in the Premier League. His rise and influence for the Eagles in the last two years has been fantastic, making them tick with his vision, creativity, energy and flair.

The England international has bagged 27 goals and registered 17 assists in 127 outings across all competitions for the south London club. Thus, Eze, nicknamed the ‘drunken master’, has been unsurprisingly linked with top Premier League outfits including Spurs. However, Palace are now in a commanding position after the playmaker’s £60million release clause expired earlier this month, meaning Spurs will need to fork out a premium to sign him so late in the transfer window.

-> Tottenham’s 5 best PL opening day wins

Given how Daniel Levy has operated over the years coupled with Jacobs’ update on Eze, Spurs fans should temper their expectations on the transfer deadline day, regardless of Romano implying earlier this week that Spurs are working behind the scenes for a signing or two.