The Independent

Both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have started the season with identical records, a win at home and a draw on the road, ahead of their meeting on Sunday lunchtime (1.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event).

Spurs secured their first win of the campaign last week with a 4-0 hammering of Everton as the hosts poured on the agony for the Toffees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which included a Son Heung-min brace.

This emphatic win followed a 1-1 draw at Leicester, where Jamie Vardy cancelled out Pedro Porro’s opener as Ange Postecoglou’s men failed to make their dominance pay. They will be looking for a stronger road performance on Tyneside, where they have struggled in recent years.

Newcastle won their opener against Southampton despite playing more than an hour with 10 men. The Magpies then played out a controversial draw at Bournemouth when the hosts had what would have been a winning goal disallowed in injury time.

Eddie Howe’s men will count themselves lucky to be on four points but will want to go into the international break with another win at St. James’ Park.

Betting sites have installed the Tynesiders as favourites to win on home soil, although they’ve yet to click into gear and have not strengthened their squad to the satisfaction of many supporters. It could be an interesting afternoon.

Meeting between these sides have been fairly lopsided in recent years. Last season, the first match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium resulted in a 4-1 victory for Spurs.

The return match on Tyneside was almost a complete reversal as the home side won 4-0 despite only having 27 per cent possession but two goals for Alexander Isak and strikes from Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar earned them the win.

Newcastle also won the previous fixture at St. James’ Park in the 2022/23 campaign, thumping Spurs 6-1 and scoring five goals in the opening 21 minutes. It’s fair to say that there hasn’t been much fortune for the away side in recent meetings.

Last season saw Eddie Howe’s side finish with the fourth-best home record, winning 12 of their 19 games and losing just three. They also scored an impressive 47 goals and conceded just 22 at St James’ Park.

But, Spurs had the fifth-best away record, picking up 27 points from a possible 57, including seven wins and six draws.

The Magpies have not been at their best to start the season, and although Spurs put four past Everton, there are still concerns about their ability to kill off teams when on top.

We’re backing this game to buck the recent trend of lopsided results and end in draw, but pairing it with both teams to score to gain a little bit more value on football betting sites that would have paid out in eight of the last nine games between the two sides.

Newcastle vs Tottenham prediction 1 : BTTS and draw - 17/5 William Hill

Isak, who has yet to open his Premier League account for this season, will know this could be the perfect opportunity for him, having already scored four goals in his previous three appearances against Sunday’s opponents.

He bagged a brace in the 4-0 win last season and another two in the previous meeting between the two sides at St. James’ Park in April 2023. He scored two in two minutes in the latter on a memorable afternoon for the Magpies.

The Swedish striker is in his third season with Newcastle and has already gone a big way to paying off the £65m transfer fee, with 31 goals and four assists in his 54 league appearances.

Although he has yet to get off the mark in the Premier League this term, Isak did provide the assist for Joelinton in Newcastle’s triumph over Southampton. He also registered five attempts at goal against Bournemouth, including one effort on target.

The arrival of Spurs may just jolt one of the Premier League’s most dangerous marksmen into life. Betting apps have a price of 6/1 for Isak to emulate his performances from the past two seasons against Spurs for two goals or more on home soil.

Newcastle vs Tottenham prediction 2 : Alexander Isak to score two or more - 6/1 Bet365

If Spurs are to get anything on Sunday then they will need a good performance from captain Son, who kickstarted his campaign with two strikes against Everton.

He was gifted his opener following a mistake by Jordan Pickford, but was clinical with his second effort that bodes well for a trip to the North East.

The South Korean international is a pivotal player for Spurs both leading by example with his work rate and creating and scoring goals. Last season, his first without former strike partner Harry Kane, saw him finish with 17 goals and 10 assists from his 35 appearances - meaning he was directly involved in 36 per cent of all Spurs’ league goals.

In 16 appearances against Newcastle, Son has notched five goals and four assists. He scored and provided two goals in the 4-0 home win last term, although he and his team-mates were shut out on their last visit to St. James’ Park.

Given his importance to Spurs’ success, we’re backing him to make an impact with either a goal or an assist.

Newcastle vs Tottenham prediction 3 : Son Heung-min to score or assist - 4/5 Bet365

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Ange Postecoglou urged Yves Bissouma to stay on the right track after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder took his first steps on the road to redemption with a wonder strike against Everton.

Spurs boss Postecoglou had likened the midfielder to a naughty child who was now behaving himself, having been suspended for one match by the club for taking laughing gas.

Restored to the starting line-up, the Mali international instantly repaid Postecoglou’s faith with a stunning 20-yard drive to open the scoring. It was Bissouma’s first Spurs goal, in his 57th match for the club, and put them on their way to a thumping 4-0 win.

Bissouma marked it with a contrite celebration before running up to the touchline to hug his manager.

“Biss was good and we know Biss is a good footballer,” said Postecoglou. “It’s about him being the best version of himself. Discipline is a big thing for him and he was disciplined today. It was a good performance.

“There’s no doubting his ability to do something special. But he needs to make sure he does everything right on and off the field to give him the platform to show who he can be as a footballer. We certainly believe in him. It’s up to him to keep going on.”

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford blotted his copybook when his dreadful error allowed Son Heung-min to double Tottenham’s lead.

James Tarkowski played the ball square to his keeper from a throw-in but as Pickford tried to switch feet, he took a poor touch allowing Son to nick it and tap into an empty net.

After the break Cristian Romero headed a third and Son struck again late on to wrap up a convincing win.

“The performance was excellent,” added Postecoglou.

“We looked really threatening going forward all the time, created many different kinds of chances and handled their threat really well.

“We looked a threat from different areas. If we are going to turn compelling performances into consistent results that’s what we have to do.”

Back-to-back defeats at the start of the season for the third straight year sees Everton already slipping towards full crisis-club mode.

“It’s a strange situation, here,” said boss Sean Dyche.

“We kind of build something, and then we have to go down the hill and build it again. What about playing when it’s 0-0?

“We’ve done well when the challenges have come our way. We’ve done great. So I reminded them of that afterwards. Reminded them that this is not our first rodeo.

“We get written off and then we start changing the storyline again. It’s a never-ending challenge at Everton.”

Son Heung-min scored twice after Yves Bissouma had climbed off the naughty step to fire Tottenham on their way to a thumping 4-0 victory over Everton.

Bissouma put himself back in Ange Postecoglou’s good books after the Spurs boss likened him to a naughty child who was now behaving himself, having been suspended for one match by the club for taking laughing gas.

Restored to the starting line-up, the Mali international instantly repaid Postecoglou’s faith with a stunning 20-yard strike to open the scoring.

It was Bissouma’s first Spurs goal, in his 57th match for the club, and he marked it with a contrite celebration before running up to the touchline to hug his manager.

Jordan Pickford then blotted his copybook when his dreadful error allowed Son to double Tottenham’s lead.

Cristian Romero headed a third and Son struck again late on to leave Everton slipping towards full crisis-club mode just two games into the season.

In a frenetic start Pickford had actually made three top-class saves before undoing all of his good work.

First, he made a point-blank stop to deny Romero after the visitors failed to clear a corner, and moments later the England goalkeeper was at full stretch to tip Son’s deflected strike wide.

Pickford was then out quickly to block James Maddison after he latched on to Romero’s ball over the top.

But a goal was coming, and it arrived in the 15th minute when Dejan Kulusevski skipped past a couple of challenges in the area and laid the ball off to Bissouma.

The 27-year-old let rip with a fierce, first-time drive which crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into Pickford’s net.

Pickford could do nothing about that, but he held his hands up for the mistake which gifted Tottenham their second.

James Tarkowski played the ball square to his keeper from a throw-in but as Pickford tried to switch feet, he took a poor touch allowing Son to nick the ball and tap into an empty net.

Just half an hour into their second game and Everton, on the end of a chastening 3-0 home defeat by Brighton on the opening weekend, were in utter disarray.

Substitute Jesper Lundstrom had their best chance of getting back into the game with an angled drive, beaten away by Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario.

But the Toffees were condemned to start a third straight season with back-to-back defeats after Romero headed in Maddison’s corner and Son drove home the fourth to leave them still without a win on the road in 2024.

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s error and Son Heung-min’s brace helped Tottenham Hotspur to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over hapless Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Yves Bissouma and Cristian Romero were also among the goals as Tottenham eased to their first win of the campaign in a game they dominated against a visiting side who have conceded seven times in two games this season and are yet to score themselves.

Pickford carelessly miss-controlled a simple back pass in the first half, allowing Son to snatch the ball from him and score Tottenham’s second goal into an empty, as the home side produced an accomplished display.

Everton, without several first-choice defenders due to injury, were unable to put pressure on their hosts and manager Sean Dyche will be seeking a quick improvement when they host Bournemouth next week in what is already looking like an important game for his struggling side.

Jamie Vardy left his stage pointing at the Premier League crest on the arm of his shirt. The one raised finger indicated to Tottenham supporters that he has won one more title than them. At 37, he may be the oldest wind-up merchant in the division. He is also – along with N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Claudio Ranieri and co – the man who prevented them from triumphing in 2016, even if there was something Tottenham-esque about an ability to come third in that particular two-horse race.

As Leicester returned to the top flight, Tottenham contrived to share the points in a match where their dominance was such that their hosts had a lone touch in the box in the first half. The eventual total stood at 60-11 in Spurs’ favour. It counted for very little, courtesy of Vardy’s equaliser. Such matches can happen: in a low-scoring sport, away from home. There is always a temptation to read too much into opening-night results.

It was, though, Ange Postecoglou who referenced the bigger picture and hinted at failings that could cost his side: a lack of a killer instinct. Drawing 1-1 with Leicester felt wasteful in itself; six of last season’s top eight have won already and even the anomalies, Chelsea, could at least argue they were playing Manchester City.

In contrast, Tottenham were playing the champions of the Championship. They had 15 shots, seven on target, 71 per cent possession, 13 corners. They got one goal and one point.

“We need to be a bit more ruthless in front of goal,” Postecoglou concluded. “At times we made poor decisions. When we are that dominant, we should be out of sight. We had similar issues last year and if we’re going to get to the next level as a team and bridge the gap to the top sides, it is an area of the game we need to improve.”

All of which could have heightened the focus on the biggest buy in the Premier League this summer. Spurs spent £65m on Dominic Solanke. Policies of buying young and looking for resale value were set aside for a player who turns 27 next month. Solanke’s debut produced two headers and one shot, all on target. The criticism could be that he directed each too close to Mads Hermansen. None demanded a remarkable save.

Solanke offered signs he will give Spurs another dimension with more of an aerial presence in the box. James Maddison delivered 11 crosses; Tottenham put in the second most of any team this weekend. The last ball into the box, Lucas Bergvall’s 99th-minute free kick, brought the most glaring miss, Richarlison heading wide.

Postecoglou’s choice of word was instructive given the two main candidates to lead the line for Spurs. Ruthless? Richarlison has underperformed his expected goals in three of the last four seasons. Solanke does every year. The numbers instead show the byword for ruthlessness is his captain: Heung-Min Son was often used as the striker last year, seems to have been sent back to the left now and has overperformed his xG in eight successive seasons. A new forward line is being forged and that can take time but Son had a lone shot at Leicester. Spurs did not supply him.

“We do everything to score goals and we didn’t score,” said Postecoglou, scarcely placated by Spurs’ excellence in other aspects. “The dominance is great but if you don’t score it is meaningless. We have to be stronger in our mindset in the front third. To be that wasteful is disappointing. We just weren’t clinical. To get results you need to be a lot more ruthless in the final third. If we don’t we won’t get the rewards our football should get. The responsibility is on me.”

And perhaps a broader lack of ruthlessness is the reason Tottenham are not playing Champions League football this season. Last year, they took 26 points from their opening 10 games, but only 40 from the remaining 28, squandering a fine position. Within matches, they dropped 20 points from winning positions; Aston Villa, who instead took fourth spot, dropped a mere seven.

Perhaps Tottenham need to be more ruthless in both boxes. There was a paradox to Spurs last year: they conceded 61 goals even though, individually, the goalkeeper and the first-choice back four all had fine campaigns. It suggested structural problems with Angeball; perhaps also that there was a lack of a top-class defensive midfielder. When Leicester suddenly stirred, Tottenham started to look susceptible on the break.

As it was, they lost Rodrigo Bentancur, who started at the base of the midfield, to a head injury. Yves Bissouma, the other likely candidate, was serving a one-match, club-imposed ban for inhaling laughing gas. Solanke’s expensive arrival suggests he will be the first-choice No 9; it is less clear who will be the regular No 6. An issue has not been resolved.

So after the flying start to Angeball 1.0, it was a false start to the second series. In itself, a draw was underwhelming but no disaster. But already, Postecoglou has sounded the warning signal.

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Leicester v Tottenham LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups with Dominic Solanke set for Spurs debut

Will Dominic Solanke lead Tottenham to the perfect start or can Leicester return to the top flight with a bang at the King Power? Follow all the action from the Premier League clash

Leicester City host Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power Stadium tonight as the Foxes begin their bid to ensure Premier League survival against a Spurs side aiming to regain their Champions League status.

Leicester lost manager Enzo Maresca to Chelsea at the end of last season, replacing the Italian with former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper, and the club have made a string of summer signings as they look to avoid relegation.

Ange Postecoglou is meanwhile looking to build on a solid first season in charge of Tottenham, having just missed out on Champions League qualification. Spurs landed striker Dominic Solanke off the back of a 19-goal season for Bournemouth and fans will be hoping he can hit the ground running following the club record £65m transfer.

Follow the latest score and match updates below as Leicester take on Tottenham in the Premier League.

Spurs transfers and rumours

As well as the headline signature of Solanke, Spurs have been fairly busy in the summer transfer market.

Their most recent signing is ex-Burnley winger Wilson Odobert, though arguably the two other headline signings have been promising young midfielders Archie Gray (from Leeds) and Lucas Bergvall from Swedish side Djurgarden.

The north London club have lost Eric Dier, Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic, Japhet Tanganga and Tanguy Ndombele on free transfers, and have loaned out Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Bryan Gil.

In terms of permanent sales, they have sold Emerson Royal to AC Milan and Joe Rodon to Leeds, while Oliver Skipp has just completed a £25m move to today’s opponents.

Incomings

Dominic Solanke – £55m

Archie Gray – £30m

Wilson Odobert – £25m

Lucas Bergvall – £8.5m

Min-hyeok Yang – £3.3m

Outgoings

Oliver Skipp - £25m

Emerson Royal – £15m

Joe Rodon – £10m

Eric Dier – free

Japhet Tanganga – free

Tanguy Ndombele – free

Ivan Perisic – free

Ryan Sessegnon – free

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – loan

Bryan Gil – loan

Harry Latham-Coyle19 August 2024 16:30

Leicester City

Relegation two seasons ago was unexpected and damaging for Leicester, who had finished eighth the previous campaign and only a few years earlier won the Premier League title.

But a rapid decline saw them return to the Championship, and it was no surprise that they finished top of the second tier on 97 points. A strong squad full of Premier League talent meant they were far too good for most opposition.

However, things will not be straightforward this term. Enzo Maresca has departed for Chelsea and been replaced by former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, whose style of play is different. That might mean a period of adjustment is unavoidable early on.

Leicester also face the looming possibility of a potential points deduction after an alleged breach of profitability and sustainability rules. How many points they might lose and when it might go through is still unknown, but the loss of any points in what could be a close relegation battle is likely to be significant.

With a relatively strong squad coming into the division, Leicester’s transfer window has been fairly quiet. They have signed young winger Abdul Fatawu permanently from Sporting after a successful loan move, as well as adding 22-year-old centre-back Caleb Okoli from Atalanta. The Foxes have also brought in more Premier League experience in Bobby De Cordova-Reid on a free transfer from Fulham, along with Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton.

Whether those additions will be enough to secure their place in the Premier League remains to be seen. Leicester have lost star man Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea, and with lingering off-field issues the season, and their hopes of survival, could be challenging.

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 16:15

Which newly promoted club is best-placed to survive in the Premier League?

Survival in the Premier League has become increasingly difficult for clubs newly promoted from the Championship.

Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton all went straight back down to the second tier last season, and plenty expect the same fate 2024/25’s new arrivals Leicester City, Ipswich and Southampton .

Which team, though, is in the best shape to avoid the drop? We’ve assessed each of the Premier League newcomers and their chances of remaining in the top-flight.

Which newly promoted club is best-placed to survive in the Premier League?

Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town were all promoted from the Championship but can they avoid the drop back down?

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 16:00

Premier League 2024/25 predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more

Hold on to your hats once again everyone: the Premier League is back this weekend.

Manchester City, after their fourth title in a row, are aiming for a magnificent five-in-a-row - but will this be the season Arsenal finally get over the line and win a first top-flight crown in 21 years?

Liverpool will be an intriguing watch under new manager Arne Slot and a total of five clubs will take to the new season with a fresh look in the dugout, with Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, Julen Lopetegui at West Ham, Steve Cooper at Leicester City and Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton.

Maresca at Chelsea will be a fascinating watch and how will Erik ten Hag fare at Manchester United after being given a new contract? The journeys of the newly-promoted trio of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton will be interesting, too.

Now, our writers make their predictions for the next season:

Premier League 2024/25 predictions: Champions, relegation, best signing, and more

Ahead of the new campaign,The Independent writers pick their Premier League winners, top goalscorer, best signing and more

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 15:45

Dominic Solanke

Might Spurs have finally found the replacement for Harry Kane?

Many think that the signing of Solanke - who scored 21 times for Bournemouth last season – is a real coup for the north London club.

And former Spurs man Les Ferdinand thinks that the Englishman could be key to Spurs getting a place in the top four.

“I have watched Dominic for a few years now and he seems to progress and get better each each year,” Ferdinand told the PA news agency.

“Scoring 19 (league) goals in what was a struggling team last season only added to his reputation and what he was doing.

“He has been at Chelsea and Liverpool, so he has got some good clubs under his credentials. Going to Spurs now, with the way the team plays, they will have the supply line for him to feed on.”

A lot of the fans get caught up with that the player has to come from a big club and cost £80m or £100m for it to be anything to talk about.

“He is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and you get to a stage where he will feel it doesn’t matter where he goes, that he can score goals with the form he is in at the moment.

“With the direction Tottenham are going in, you can only see him as an asset to the football club – and the truth of the matter is, when you look around, there is not a lot who are much better than him.

“With the squad that Tottenham have got now, you would like to think they would be looking at eyeing up a top-four finish at least as a target for the season.”

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 15:30

Tottenham complete Dominic Solanke signing in deal worth up to £65m

Tottenham’s biggest news of the season so far was the completion of the signing of forward Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth on a six-year deal.

Spurs have been on the hunt for attacking reinforcements all summer and after Solanke emerged as the club’s preferred candidate, advanced talks began with the Cherries before an agreement was reached on Friday afternoon.

The deal could eventually be worth £65million, with Tottenham spending an initial £55m and a further £10m included in the transfer as add-ons.

Tottenham complete Dominic Solanke signing in deal worth up to £65m

Solanke has signed a six-year-deal at Spurs

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 15:15

A new Premier League season awaits - but Man City’s legal case casts a long and inevitable shadow

A little something that could develop into the story of the Premier League season. As mentioned below, “this could well be the most controversial and consequential campaign in the English game’s history”...

There are only a handful of people who know exactly what is happening in the Manchester City case and one of them had to promote the new Premier League season this week.

“It’s clear we have some regulatory challenges,” competition chief executive Richard Masters said. “But I’m confident we can navigate all of that and, by the time we sit down again in 12 months, a lot of that stuff will be clearer and we can have the way we always want it, which is the football front and centre.”

It’s quite a hopeful spin that is perhaps natural from the world’s most bombastic league, especially since this season could involve a storm like no other. This could well be the most controversial and consequential campaign in the English game’s history, that reaches both Bosman and Italy’s Calciopoli in terms of its effects.

Man City case casts inevitable shadow over Premier League’s return

City have been charged with 115 breaches of league rules and the outcome of their case could change the very fabric of the English top-flight.

Harry Latham-Coyle19 August 2024 15:00

Is Leicester vs Tottenham on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture

When is Leicester vs Tottenham?

Leicester vs Tottenham kicks off at 8pm BST on Monday 19 August at the King Power Stadium in Leicester.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 6.30pm. Subscribers will also be able to watch on the Sky Go app and website.

Is Leicester vs Tottenham on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch

Everything you need to now ahead of the Premier League fixture

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 14:45

Team news

Leicester have a few concerns heading into their top flight return. A rejuvenated Jamie Vardy bagged 18 goals en route to the Championship title last season, but only appeared in his side’s first preseason match before injury cut his summer short. Patson Daka, Vardy’s expected replacement, is also doubtful after limping out of the defeat to Lens on August 10. The striker was seen wearing a protective boot after the game but shouldn’t be a long-term issue.

Steve Cooper has confirmed defender Conor Coady will be missing for at least a month.

Things are looking brighter for the visitors, who will likely give Dominic Solanke his competitive debut after his move from Bournemouth. Richarlison faces a late fitness test and may therefore miss out, while back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster is still being assessed before returning to the squad. Yves Bissouma will miss the match after Spurs suspended the midfielder for appearing to inhale nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, in a video circulated online.

New signings Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray have featured in preseason and could be considered for some minutes.

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 14:30

Leicester vs Spurs

Tottenhams’s trip to face Leicester rounds off the Premier League’s opening weekend as the two sides meet under the Monday night lights.

Ange Postecoglou enters his second season with Spurs and will be hoping to top last year’s fifth-placed finish, having faded after a strong start to his first campaign.

Spurs is a difficult opening fixture for newly-promoted Leicester and new boss Steve Cooper, who took over after Enzo Maresca was lured away by Chelsea.

Leicester understand the extreme highs and lows of Premier League football like few others. From surprise champions in 2016 to relegated in 2023, the Foxes’ main concern will be getting a solid haul of points under their belts as soon as possible as they look to sustain their top-flight status.

Monday’s match is an excellent opportunity for both teams to get off to a fast start and gain some momentum as the schedule ramps up.

Chris Wilson19 August 2024 14:15

Ange Postecoglou has revealed Yves Bissouma will miss Tottenham’s trip to Leicester on Monday after he was seen inhaling laughing gas last weekend.

Bissouma apologised after a video emerged on Sunday night of him inhaling a balloon believed to contain nitrous oxide - widely known as laughing gas - inside it.

Spurs started an internal investigation and the midfielder has been handed a one-match suspension as a result of his misconduct.

“We’ve suspended him for Mondays’ game,” Postecoglou explained. “The door is open for him and hopefully we can help him to realise the decisions he makes impacts more than just him.

“Hopefully it allows him to make better decisions moving forward. Beyond that, there is also some trust-building that needs to happen between Biss and me, and Biss and the group. That’s what he needs to work hard at, to win that back.”

Nitrous oxide was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act last November, as part of the Government’s anti-social behaviour action plan.

Possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence, but it is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as in catering or pain relief during labour.

Bissouma signed for Tottenham in 2022 from Brighton and has made 56 appearances for the club.

He featured for 45 minutes in Spurs’ final preseason friendly against Bayern Munich last weekend.

“There’s the personal ramifications, because it’s illegal,” Postecoglou added. “Then there’s the professional responsibility - the example you set as a professional footballer - because there are so many people who follow the Premier League and we’re all in a pretty privileged position.

“He’s made a poor choice. But within that context, we all make mistakes, there should always be an opportunity there for rehabilitation and redemption for every human being, including footballers.”

Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their pursuit of Dominic Solanke and entered advanced talks with AFC Bournemouth over signing the forward, it is understood.

Spurs have been on the hunt all summer for attacking reinforcements, with head coach Ange Postecoglou recently acknowledging on the club’s pre-season tour that the striker department was the “thinnest” area of his squad.

Solanke has emerged as Tottenham’s preferred candidate and discussions with Bournemouth have now entered an advanced stage, with personal terms not expected to be an issue.

One-cap England forward Solanke missed Bournemouth’s friendly win over Rayo Vallecano last Sunday with a minor foot injury, which only served to heighten scrutiny over his future.

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley had confirmed earlier this summer that Solanke’s current deal until 2027 included a release clause in the region of £65m and his anticipated exit would be a club-record sale for the Cherries.

Nathan Ake’s £40m transfer to Manchester City in 2020 was Bournemouth’s previous biggest departure and while talks continue with Tottenham over the final fee, it will be in excess of Ake’s move.

Postecoglou gave the green light for Spurs to pursue Solanke after the best season of the 26-year-old’s career.

Solanke scored 21 goals in all competitions for Bournemouth across the 2023-24 campaign – including 19 in the Premier League – but also caught the eye with his impressing pressing statistics and link-up play for Andoni Iraola’s side.

This expected transfer to Tottenham will give Solanke another opportunity at a top-six club, after he progressed through Chelsea’s academy as a teenager before he departed for Liverpool in 2017.

While chances were limited for Solanke at Anfield, he has been a key figure in keeping Bournemouth in the Premier League during the past two seasons, but is now eager to grasp what he views as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Archie Gray “couldn’t say no” to Tottenham Hotspur, he has revealed, after the 18-year-old joined Spurs from a “heartbroken” Leeds United.

Gray, 18, attracted plenty of admirers after an impressive breakout season and Brentford had a bid in the region of £35m rejected on Sunday.

It opened the door for Spurs to swoop for the England Under-21 international, who has signed a six-year deal with the Premier League club after they paid a fee between £25m and £30m to secure his services alongside the sweetener of former loanee Joe Rodon going back to Leeds on a permanent basis.

“When Spurs came and I had the opportunity to play in the Champions League eventually and Europa League this year I couldn’t really say no,” Gray said in his first Tottenham interview.

“I know so many players that are here, not so much the first team but the young lads and another thing is that it’s a massive project under Ange and it’s something that I want to be a part of. I’m not going to lie to you, I’m a massive Celtic fan so I love him and my whole family loves him.

“He’s also a massive factor because playing under a really good manager is really important for me as well. I’ve still got loads to learn because I’m only 18 so it’s really important.”

Leeds defended the sale of their young star, insisting their hands were tied by a release clause and that Gray’s exit has left them “heartbroken”.

“Whilst we understand that supporters will be hugely disappointed to lose such a homegrown 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,” Leeds said.

“Everyone at Leeds United is heartbroken to see one of our own depart.” They said Spurs had “met a release clause that was triggered by the club’s failure to get promoted at the first attempt”.

Leeds’ failure to secure promotion via the Championship play-offs in May put pressure on them to make at least one lucrative sale in order to comply with financial fair play rules.

The versatile Gray flourished under Leeds boss Daniel Farke last season to become one of their most valuable assets, going on to make 52 appearances in all competitions at both right-back and in the centre of midfield after his league debut in August against Cardiff.

From a prestigious footballing family with his great-uncle Leeds stalwart Eddie Gray and dad Andy also previously playing for the Elland Road club, Archie won the Championship Young Player of the Year award and also starred during a run to the FA Cup fifth round.

Chelsea registered an interest in the Leeds academy graduate alongside a host of other top-flight clubs, but Gray was convinced Tottenham was the best destination for him after talks with Ange Postecoglou and will get the chance to play Europa League football with the north London outfit.

Despite his ability to play in defence, Gray sees himself as a future midfielder.

“Obviously I see myself as a midfielder as my ideal position but I don’t put myself down to one position,” he said. “I think I’m a versatile player and I can play in a lot of positions on the pitch which is really effective when you’ve got so many competitions and so many games this year.

“You don’t want to have too big a squad and it can be really helpful for the team being really versatile and I’m not bothered where I’m going to play, I’m just going to give 100 per cent and that’s all that matters really and to try to perform my best here.”

Wales international Rodon has gone in the other direction, bringing to an end his four-year stay at Spurs.

Rodon signed from Swansea in 2020 but only played 24 times for Tottenham with his last outing for the club two years ago as a late substitute against Burnley towards the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

After spending the last two seasons on loan at Rennes and then Leeds, the 26-year-old has returned to the latter after signing a four-year deal.

Additional reporting by PA

Unbeaten in qualifying, perhaps there shouldn’t be quite so much surprise over Romania’s thumping victory over Ukraine.

The Tricolorii scored both well-worked and thunderously-hit strikes, claimed a 3-0 win in Group E and got themselves off to a magnificent start at Euro 2024, already a huge step towards the knockouts taken - something they’ve not managed since Euro 2000.

And yet for all the explosive nature of both goals and celebrations, Romania’s biggest strength in qualifying was one they showed again here in less obvious terms: their defensive resolve and organisation.

Edward Iordanescu’s side conceded just five times in ten matches during qualifying, and while none were against the absolute elite of European football, it’s still a record to be proud of and a base to build from.

Key to much of it on the day against Ukraine was the aggressive, bullish and - importantly - consistent performance by centre-back Radu Dragusin, a name more familiar to Tottenham Hotspur fans than his face might be, given they signed him in January but saw him don their jersey only four times from the start, fewer than 500 Premier League minutes all told.

In the yellow of Romania, however, he was monstrous and showed why he was such a highly-prized mid-season capture.

While attention and acclaim will rightly go to the likes of Nicolae Stanciu for a vibrant performance and sensational goal, Dragusin and his defensive counterparts had frustrated and turned away Ukraine a number of times already by that point and only grew in their resolve thereafter.

On the deck and in the air, Dragusin was relentless in showcasing his power and determination to win every ball, but without sacrificing the organisation and alignment of the side.

The 22-year-old former Genoa man won both his direct aerial battles, but more notably made a succession of unchallenged clearances with his header, cutting out deliveries and dangerous-looking balls before they could turn into actual chances on goal.

Epitomising his performance of industry and emotion was a 72nd-minute interception of a low cross, throwing himself in front of Artem Dovbyk to slide behind for a corner and leaping to his feet to pump his fists, roar to the sky and take the baying adulation of the crowd five feet away.

It was everything Romania needed, every time they needed it: raising the belief, keeping the discipline, embracing the occasion.

No player on the pitch made more defensive actions than his 13 - combining clearances, recoveries and blocks - and nobody beat him for aerial clearances either.

While not exactly a creative force from deep, in a game where Romania managed only 29 per cent possession, it was also important that their defenders didn’t waste the ball; Dragusin completed all but two of his passes, while also surging forward notably once late on, relieving pressure and dragging his side 40 yards upfield.

Not yet capped 20 times for his national team and with barely over 100 senior club appearances behind him, Dragusin lacks experience but nothing for mentality.

Romania have enjoyed their best day on the international stage for over two decades with him at the heart of it; they’ll need him more before this summer is out - and perhaps Spurs will begin to wonder how they might utilise those traits next year.