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Dejan Kulusevski is emerging as one of Europe’s most influential players, ranking number one in two crucial stats.

As his performances continue to turn heads, one question lingers: is the Swedish international now the best midfielder in Europe?

Kulusevski’s transformation under Postecoglou

One player stands out as a revelation under manager Ange Postecoglou: Dejan Kulusevski. After a tactical shift saw the Swede moved into the midfield, his performances have gone from strength to strength, with his influence on the game growing ever more profound.

No longer confined to a more isolated wing role, Kulusevski is now at the centre of every attack, pulling the strings for Spurs and playing a part in almost every facet of their game. The move has provided Kulusevski with the freedom to dictate play, a shift that has elevated his game to new heights.

While the 24-year-old Swedish international had already shown glimpses of his ability in his previous role on the wing, the tactical change has allowed him to become more central to Spurs’ attacking and defensive work.

His impact is now felt throughout the midfield, and his ability to contribute in various facets of play has made him one of the standout performers in the Premier League and Europe this season.

Europe’s most influential midfielder: Kulusevski’s remarkable stats

The numbers speak volumes about Kulusevski’s outstanding contributions so far this season. According to a tweet relayed by Datamb on X, Kulusevski is currently leading Europe in several key statistics. He tops the charts in Europe for key passes and crosses.

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In the Premier League, he is first for deep completions, progressive runs, and accelerations. In addition to these impressive achievements, Kulusevski is also second in dribbles, shot assists, offensive duels, passes to the penalty area, and touches in the box.

These secondary stats further underline his well-roundedness as a player and his ability to contribute to every attacking phase, from creating chances to executing them.

What sets Kulusevski apart from many of his peers is not just his ability to accumulate numbers but the context in which these stats are achieved.

Spurs have played a more expansive and dynamic style under Postecoglou, and Kulusevski has thrived within this system. The Swede is now involved in almost every attacking move, often popping up in dangerous areas.

A key player for Spurs’ ambitions

As Kulusevski continues to shine, it’s impossible to ignore the crucial role Ange Postecoglou has played in his development. The manager’s tactical flexibility has been key to unlocking the Swedish international’s full potential, with the move into midfield proving transformative.

Jamie O’Hara makes a big claim about Micky Van de Ven at Tottenham this season, even comparing him to one of his Lilywhite teammates.

Cristian Romero’s form has left a lot to be desired

Romero had his best season in a Tottenham shirt in 2023-24, not only being extremely solid and consistent but also managing to eliminate the moments of rashness from his game.

However, the Argentine has not lived up to the same standard at the start of this campaign, being guilty of several errors which have been punished by the opposition.

Ange Postecoglou will be desperate for his vice-captain to get back to his best, given how important the former Juventus man is to the side, both in terms of defensive solidity and from a leadership perspective.

Jamie O’Hara not impressed by Romero

O’Hara has now not held back in his criticism of Romero, insisting that the 26-year-old has been a liability for Tottenham this season.

The pundit claimed that his centre-back partner, Micky van de Ven, is ten times the player that the Argentina international is.

Here is a transcript of the conversation between O’Hara and former Aston Villa striker Dean Saunders on talkSPORT:

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Saunders: “Do you think Van de Ven makes more mistakes than Romero?”

Jamie O’Hara: “No, Romero makes a mistake every game.”

Saunders: “He’s rash, isn’t he?”

O’Hara: “Romero is a World Cup winner. You’d say he’s not world-class?”

Saunders: “He’s not world-class, no. I’d get him sent off in ten minutes.”

O’Hara: “He’s been a liability for Tottenham this season. Van de Ven has been ten times better than him this season. He’s a better player.”

Will this be Romero’s last season at Spurs?

Romero has just over 18 months left on his contract with Tottenham and the speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid continues to intensify.

In fact, it was reported by GiveMeSport two weeks ago that the Spurs star is reluctant to hold talks with the club regarding a new deal as he wants to wait and see if Los Blancos make an approach for him next summer.

Some Spurs fans will feel that if Romero continues to deliver the kind of performances that he has so far this season, he might not be a huge loss.

Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown believes that one of two midfielders would have to be let go by Spurs in January in order to satisfy the latest transfer links.

Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing another midfielder

It has been widely reported over recent weeks that Ange Postecoglou wants to bolster his options in the middle of the park in January, with a number of energetic young midfield players linked with a move to N17.

The latest of those is Lens starlet Andy Diouf, who the Lilywhites are thought to be big fans of in light of his impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.

It was reported by GiveMeSport last week that Spurs are now considering making a move for the 21-year-old and believe that they can beat Crystal Palace and West Ham to the Frenchman’s signature.

Will Tottenham let one big name go?

Mick Brown believes that Tottenham will not add another midfielder to their squad without letting one big name go in January. The former Spurs scout suggested that Postecoglou‘s men would have to cash in on one of Pape Sarr or Yves Bissouma to make way for the Lens man.

When asked about Tottenham’s rumoured keenness to sign Diouf, Brown told Tottenham News: “They can’t bring anybody else in with the numbers they’ve already got.

“If they’re serious about bringing Diouf in, they need to shift at least one midfielder out. There is no guarantee that this player would feature regularly.

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“There are international players at Tottenham who are sitting on the bench. Therefore, anybody who comes into the club would need to be very special. I think it would either be Bissouma or Sarr who would make way.”

Why Postecoglou will want another body in midfield

Mick Brown’s assessment seems to miss the fact that Postecoglou currently just has five options battling for three midfield spots, with Archie Gray looking likely to continue playing in the defensive line for the time being.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King makes a concerning prediction regarding how long Wilson Odobert will be out of action.

A difficult start to his Spurs career

Wilson Odobert’s time at the North London club has not got off to the best of starts, with the winger having made just three league appearances since his switch from Burnley due to his injury problems.

The 19-year-old spent nearly a month on the sidelines before returning to action against AZ Alkmaar last month, but unfortunately, disaster struck for the teenager, who suffered another hamstring injury on his return.

Postecoglou confirmed two weeks ago that the injury is a significant one and hinted that the winger will be out of action for a month.

The Spurs boss told Football.London at the time: “It’s significant, so he’ll be out. Again, because it’s a reoccurrence we’ll have to be a bit conservative.

“I’d say a similar timeframe to his last one, maybe a bit longer, but it’s one of those where you don’t want to put a timeframe on it because it will really depend on how quickly he heals from it.”

Odobert now faces several months on the sidelines

However, Tottenham confirmed on November 17 that the summer signing had undergone surgery to fix the problem, with the news sending alarm bells ringing among Spurs fans.

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On the back of the latest development, Bryan King believes that the former Burnley man could be sidelined for another three months.

When asked about Odobert‘s injury, the former Spurs scout told Tottenham News: “I can’t see him returning before the end of February. That is quite a serious operation that he has had.

“For someone to have it at this age, it is very hard on him, he was progressing quite well. Now he has had to undergo surgery which will leave him out for quite some time.”

Odobert’s injury might affect Tottenham’s January plans

If Odobert is expected to be out of action until the end of February, that makes a new winger an even bigger priority for Ange Postecoglou.

Given Richarlison’s fitness owes, one would expect the Tottenham head coach to want another versatile option who can operate across the front line.

However, one can argue that what Spurs need more than anything else in attack is an out-and-out winger who is capable of consistently taking on and beating his man.

Mauricio Pochettino has sent a big hint about his time at Paris Saint-Germain, suggesting that he did not know how good he had it at Tottenham Hotspur.

Mauricio Pochettino was a fan favourite at Spurs

It can be argued that no Spurs manager since Keith Burkinshaw in the 1980s developed as good a rapport with the Tottenham supporters as Mauricio Pochettino did.

It would be an understatement to say that the Argentine was loved at N17, with chants of “Mauricio Pochettino, he’s magic you know” being sung loudly and proudly at every home and away game.

The former Spurs boss never managed to get over the line and win a trophy during his time at the club despite coming very close on a few occasions.

Something broke after the Champions League final defeat in 2019, with Pochettino eventually losing his job just a few months later.

Pochettino’s admission about his time at PSG

After leaving Tottenham, Pochettino had relatively unsuccessful spells with both PSG and Chelsea, before taking over as the USA’s head coach back in the summer.

He has now spoken about the challenges he faced in France, admitting that the atmosphere at PSG was very different to what he had been used to before that.

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The 52-year-old told La Nacion (as relayed by Sport Witness): “Well… I don’t know, human beings always long for what they don’t have or what they don’t know, and we always think that the other is better. You have to try it, that’s why you have to get out of your comfort zone.

“I believe that we must analyse the moments of the players, not their names, but their circumstances and contexts. PSG was an incredible experience… difficult, hard, where you really discover who you are, you really temper your sporting character.

“Behind an experience like this everything becomes a little more relative, you start to understand things that, perhaps, you didn’t understand before when you were at Southampton, at Espanyol or at Tottenham.”

Daniel Levy’s big decision last year

It was clear during the summer of 2023 that Spurs could have re-appointed Pochettino if they wanted as the Argentine would have jumped at the chance to return to the club.

However, Daniel Levy chose to go a different route, first targeting Arne Slot and then turning to Ange Postecoglou after a move for the Dutchman proved complicated.

Only time will tell if the Spurs chairman made the right decision or if it is another one that he will regret for a long time.

Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on a young shot-stopper who has been described as ‘the most promising goalkeeper in world football‘.

Lille’s goalkeeping prodigy

French side, LOSC Lille, are currently on a 10-match unbeaten run in all competitions and sit fourth in Ligue One, while they have recorded some impressive results in the Champions League, with wins over both Atlético and Real Madrid.

And one player that has been key to their success is Lucas Chevalier. The talented goalkeeper has the joint most clean sheets in the French top flight and is joint third for least goals conceded per match.

According to football scout, António Mango, Chevalier is good at playing the ball out from the back, a key requirement as a goalkeeper in the current Tottenham team, and is a concentrated and commanding goalkeeper who is ‘remarkable’ at making saves.

Spurs are monitoring Lucas Chevalier

According to TBR Football and Graeme Bailey, Spurs are interested in Chevalier, who has recently been called up to the French national team, although they are not actively looking for a new first-choice keeper.

With questions raised over the form of Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham are reading themselves to join the race if the Italian fails to get back to his best.

Tottenham are not alone in considering a move for Chevalier, with Chelsea and Manchester United recently showing an interest, while Manchester City and Newcastle United have also been linked to him along with other top European clubs.

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Tottenham may need a stronger keeper

Vicario blew Spurs supporters away with his early performances for the club. Originally branded a cheaper alternative to David Raya, he quickly changed opinions about him, making excellent saves and even acting as an additional defender, playing the sweeper-keeper role brilliantly, most notably against Chelsea when Spurs were reduced to nine men.

But Vicario has struggled a lot at dealing with set pieces, which has caused many of Tottenham’s opponents to specifically target the often frantic goalkeeper at corners.

If Vicario cannot resolve this issue, Tottenham should consider signing a new goalkeeper and Chevalier looks as good as any.

Turkish champions, Galatasaray, are exploring the possibility of launching a bid for a Tottenham Hotspur player who may no longer have a long-term future at the club.

Heung-Min-Son’s achievements at Spurs

Heung-Min-Son has shown himself to be one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time and most of his accomplishments including multiple Asian Player of the Year awards, a Puskas award and becoming the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals, have all been achieved during his time at Tottenham.

And despite turning 32 in the summer, Son has shown that he still has a lot to offer in attack, managing 17 goals and 10 assists last season and three goals and three assists so far this season, despite suffering a setback from his thigh injury (Transfer Markt).

But although the Spurs captain is still getting a good number of goal contributions, he has slowed down compared to when he was at his best and he may not have many years left at the club where he has achieved so much.

Galatasaray are interested in Son

Son has proved his worth over the years, but Tottenham are looking to the future and are not convinced the Korean international should be part of their long-term plans.

It has been reported in recent weeks that Spurs are looking to offer Son a one-year contract extension rather than a multi-year deal, which does not necessarily mean he would leave after the additional year, but Tottenham are unwilling to make the winger any promises.

With Son reportedly unhappy with the situation, a move in the near future could be on the cards. According to Fanatik, Galatasaray, who recently defeated Spurs in the Europa League, want to secure his signature, having recently sold Kerem Aktürkoğlu and loaned out Wilfried Zaha.

Tottenham are behaving reasonably

It is understandable that Son may be frustrated with Spurs. He has been loyal to the club over so many years and has been brilliant for the most part. But as we saw with Harry Kane, sometimes the decision has to be made to move on and look forward.

It would be surprising if Son were to agree to a move to Galatasaray and by offering him a one-year extension, Spurs would be securing his services for the next year and a half, then allowing themselves to assess whether it is worth giving him a new deal.

Ange Postecoglou will be sweating on the fitness of one of his key men ahead of a trip to the Etihad Stadium after the player picked up an injury while playing for his national side on Tuesday.

Tottenham dealing with a number of absentees

Tottenham are without both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, with both attackers out with long-term hamstring injuries.

Meanwhile, Micky van de Ven has been out of action since Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester City last month and we await news on how close the Dutchman is to returning.

His centre-back partner, Cristian Romero, picked up a foot injury while playing for Argentina last week, with no update regarding the 26-year-old’s situation from the club so far.

Key Tottenham man picks up a shoulder injury

Postecoglou now potentially faces being without another one of his key players for Saturday’s clash against Manchester City.

Dejan Kulusevski delivered an outstanding performance for Sweden on Tuesday, scoring twice and laying on an assist as the home side emerged 6-0 winners over Azerbaijan in Stockholm.

However, Football.London noted that towards the end of the game, the 24-year-old was left in pain after going in for a challenge, with the Spurs man going down holding his left shoulder.

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Kulusevski has had a few shoulder knocks while playing for Tottenham over recent weeks but he has soldiered on, and he did the same on Tuesday.

Postecoglou will thus have a nervous wait as the former Juventus star arrives at Hotspur Way to assess the issue.

Early signs looking positive for Kulusevski

The fact that Kulusevski continued playing on in the final few minutes of the game is good news as that would not have been possible if it was something severe like a dislocation.

The attacker is quite a sturdy individual and does not pick up too many injuries, so Postecolgou will be confident that he will be good to go for Saturday’s clash.

Heung-min Son once again stood up for South Korea in their latest World Cup qualifier, with the Tottenham man producing an outstanding finish.

Heung-min Son continues to produce goods

South Korea are often reliant on their captain to make the difference in the final third, and he produces more often than not. Just look at his 51 international goals tally as proof of that.

The 32-year-old stepped up to convert a spot-kick with consummate ease last week as the East Asian side beat Kuwait 3-1 away from home.

The Tottenham man delivered the goods again in the clash against Palestine on Tuesday, producing a fine finish in the first half to earn his side a draw.

Heung-min Son’s impressive finish

Palestine took the lead against the run of play at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan, with Zaid Qunbar putting the home side in front on 12 minutes.

However, it took only four minutes for the Koreans to respond, with some lovely interplay down the left ending with an arrowed finish into the bottom corner by Son. The Spurs winger opened up his body beautifully to curl his effort into the back of the net.

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However, the Palestinians managed to hold on to a draw despite a barrage of attacks from the away side, emerging with a respectable point.

Despite the dropped points, South Korea are still in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, currently sitting at the top of Group B with 14 points.

Son has found his goalscoring boots

Over recent games for Spurs, Son did appear to be getting his sharpness back and showed signs of coming back into form.

These two goals over the international break will do wonders for the Tottenham captain’s confidence when he returns to Hotspur Way.

Up next are Manchester City, who are one of the forward’s favourite opponents, and you would not bet against him finding the back of the net at the Etihad Stadium.

Few footballers exemplify Tottenham Hotspur more than Ledley King, so let’s learn all about the iconic defender and his immense commitment to the Lilywhites over the years.

King only ever played for one club in his career, and were it not for injuries, his reputation would have been even stronger, with many of his peers citing him as one of the most difficult defenders to face.

But who is Ledley King? How many games did he play for Spurs? And what is he doing now? Here, we explain all you need to know about the Tottenham legend.

Ledley King came through the Tottenham Hotspur academy

Ledley King developed through the Tottenham Hotspur academy, after making a name for himself at one of the best Sunday League teams of all time, Senrab FC.

That’s the same team that produced players such as Jermain Defoe, John Terry, Sol Campbell, and the late Ugo Ehiogu.

He was promoted to the Tottenham first-team squad in 1998 at the age of 17, but had to wait until the end of March 1999 to make his debut, getting 45 minutes against Liverpool in a 3-2 defeat.

A Tottenham legend and one-club man

King made 323 appearances for Tottenham over the course of his career, and never played for another club, remaining fiercely loyal to his beloved boyhood club.

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In those appearances, King bagged 14 goals and registered eight assists from the centre-half position. He even managed to score one of the fastest goals in Premier League history, striking against Bradford City in 2000 after just 9.82 seconds.

King was named Tottenham captain in 2005, and remained so until the day he retired in 2012 at the age of 31. During that time, he was able to lift the League Cup for the club in 2008; the last trophy Spurs won and one of the biggest moments of the club’s modern era.

Thanks to his loyalty to the club, his supreme talent on the field, and his leadership qualities, King goes down as one of Tottenham’s greatest ever players and servants. He is so respected at the club, in fact, that Spurs have unofficially retired the number 26 shirt in his honour.

Injuries held Ledley King back

King saw his playing career severely disrupted by injuries between 2006 and 2011, during which time he missed a massive 105 games.

He suffered six different significant injuries, most notably a couple of spells out with a knee issue, but also affecting his thigh, groin, and adductor. In total, King was out injured for 507 days throughout his career.

Were it not for those injuries, there is little doubt that King would have been regarded as one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, and he would certainly have racked up more caps for England, too.

King has spoken about these issues quite candidly, claiming he reached a point where he could not train until the day before a game, and those sessions might only last five minutes before he had to give up.

He said: “I’d try to play again on the Saturday and that was the cycle for five years. The biggest problem was muscle injuries during that time. I’d play three or four games and then I felt a hamstring or groin or quad and I’d be out for a few weeks.”

At his peak, King was one of the most revered centre-halves in the game, and the kind of defender forwards hated to play against. Thierry Henry once said: “I don’t like defenders who hold the shirts of other players. The only defender who doesn’t do that and still gets the ball off my feet easily is Ledley King. He is the only guy who doesn’t hold players. He will get the ball off you without you even noticing.”

King has stayed with Spurs since his retirement

Unsurprisingly, King has still not left Tottenham, taking on a coaching role before becoming a club ambassador, a role he still holds to this day.

Upon his retirement, King was offered an ambassadorial role at Tottenham. This role involves him getting involved in community outreach programmes as part of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, making guest appearances at various functions, representing the club in the media, and being present on matchdays at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

King was appointed assistant coach to Jose Mourinho in 2020, but returned to his ambassadorial role in 2021 when the Portuguese coach was sacked on the cusp of the 2021 League Cup final.

A brief England career

Ledley King won 21 caps for England and scored two goals for his country. He made his debut in 2002, playing 45 minutes in a friendly against Italy.

Sven-Goran Eriksson handed the Spurs man his debut, but he was left out of the following four games and did not make the World Cup squad.

He had to wait until February 2003 for his next appearance for the Three Lions, playing 45 minutes in a 3-1 defeat against Australia.

Again, King had to wait a long time for his next cap, getting 90 minutes against Portugal in February 2004. That began King’s most consistent period for his country, and he went on to play two games as part of the England squad in Euro 2004.

King’s injuries got in the way from there on out, with the defender largely featuring in the odd friendly and qualifier here and there. His final appearance in an England shirt was a 45 minute outing in World Cup 2010 against the USA.

Ledley King personal information and social media

Ledley King was born in London, England, on October 12, 1980.

He is 1.88m tall, and always had a very athletic physique during his playing days, making him a surprisingly quick footballer.

King was arrested in 2009 for suspected assault and spent the night in a police cell before being released pending investigation. At the time, King released a statement saying: “I sincerely regret that a night out with friends went too far… I fully appreciate that, as a professional footballer, I have a duty to behave in a responsible manner.”

He has been married since 2015, and he and his wife have one child, a son named Coby.

You can find Ledley King on Instagram where he has over 41k followers, or on Twitter where he has 157k followers.