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Brennan Johnson explains why he decided to deactivate his Instagram account and reveals whether his routine has changed over the last month.

Brennan Johnson came in for heavy criticism

Johnson struggled in the first few games of the season and he was the subject of intense criticism both on mainstream media and on social media.

Many wrote off the 23-year-old as an expensive flop and it was assumed that his decision to come off Instagram was down to the vitriol that he was subject to online.

Johnson explains decision

However, it turns out that the Tottenham attacker’s decision to deactivate his account did not have much to do with online abuse or criticism.

The Wales international insisted that the whole thing was overblown and that it was just a personal decision that he made without giving it too much thought.

When asked about deactivating Instagram, Johnson told Tottenham’s matchday programme (via Football.London): “It wasn’t a massive issue in my head. I think it’s been made out to be quite a big thing.

“It was just a split decision at the moment where I thought ‘I’ll just delete it’, which I have kind of done before when I deleted the app, and this time I thought I’d just deactivate my account, but it wasn’t a massive deal for me.”

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Has it been a factor in Johnson’s improved form?

Since Johnson made the decision to come off Instagram following the North London derby loss, his form has improved by leaps and bounds.

The former Nottingham Forest man has scored six goals in his last seven games for Tottenham, but he insists his decision to come off social media was not done for the sake of improving his game.

He added: “I think, naturally, it can be a distraction and everyone’s probably guilty of scrolling for too long and things like that. It wasn’t anything too tactical and it definitely wasn’t to try to enhance and improve my game or add something different – it was just a personal decision I made instead.

“All the training and hard work never stopped throughout. I didn’t change my approach as I always come in and try to do the best I can here because l love this team.”

Tottenham Hotspur have joined a host of the Premier League’s top clubs in monitoring a player in imperious form, including their old rivals Arsenal.

Tottenham’s transfer ideology

“We see every transfer period as an opportunity to, step-by-step, build the squad in the direction we want.” This comment was made by Technical Director, Johan Lange, in his interview after the summer transfer window closed. Tottenham already have their eyes on potential targets approaching the January window.

Spurs are committed to finding players who fit the technical profile for immediate impact with the right mentality and room to develop.

Tottenham’s intent to maintain this approach has been revealed as they join their London rivals in monitoring another of the Premier League’s rising stars.

Spurs and Arsenal very impressed by Brighton midfielder

As revealed by TBR, Tottenham have joined Arsenal in scouting Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The 20-year-old joined Brighton from Lille in 2023, making an immediate impact with 37 appearances across all competitions in his debut season for the Seagulls. Now under new manager Fabian Hürzeler, Baleba’s development is drawing the eyes of the Premier League’s top teams.

The two London clubs are not alone in their admiration as Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa have additionally been impressed with Baleba’s start to the 24/25 campaign.

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A perfect fit for now and the future

It was difficult not to notice Carlos Baleba in Brighton’s win against Tottenham. Tottenham lead the league in tackles made in their attacking third and midfield third. Spurs press high and hard. Baleba’s skill and bravery to evade Tottenham’s press was comparable to elite senior midfielders, let alone a 20-year-old in their second Premier League season.

It is a trait which makes Bissouma indispensable to how Tottenham want to play, so it is easy to imagine how Baleba could fit into this Spurs team.

With Bissouma and Bentancur (28 and 27 respectively) both with contracts which expire in 2026, Tottenham will be looking for their long-term replacement. Archie Gray has been touted as a possible inheritor to that position, but generally profiles better as a box-to-box midfielder and has yet to make a senior appearance in midfield.

Belaba could be a perfect addition to Tottenham’s midfield, but Spurs will again need to act quickly to beat Europe’s top teams to the punch.

Tottenham’s attacking stats this season are revealing just how impressive their offensive unit has become under Ange Postecoglou, with only two European giants topping them in non-penalty expected goals (xG).

Tottenham’s evolution under Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou’s arrival at Tottenham Hotspur came with the promise of expansive football, an exciting prospect for fans tired of the rigid and pragmatic approach from previous managers. His tactical philosophy, centred around high pressing and fluid attacking play, seemed ideal to break Spurs out of their recent struggles and usher in a new era.

Tottenham’s evolution has been quick and tangible, with statistics reflecting this change in attacking efficiency. In the Premier League, Spurs have averaged 2.3 goals per match, showcasing their capacity to regularly break down opposing defences.

Their 17.0 expected goals (xG) this season—most in the league—also highlight just how many quality opportunities Postecoglou’s side have generated.

However, despite their attacking prowess, there is a notable issue of inconsistency. Spurs have created 29 big chances, ranking third in the league, but with 20 of those missed—the most in the division—it reveals a frustrating gap between chance creation and finishing.

This issue has undoubtedly played a role in the club’s mixed results in the Premier League, with four wins, three losses, and one draw thus far.

Non-penalty xG dominance

Tottenham’s dominance in non-penalty xG across Europe is a testament to how their attacking structure has improved under Postecoglou, but the real surprise lies in just how high Spurs rank when compared to the elite clubs on the continent.

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According to fbref’s latest data, only Barcelona (24.1) and PSG (19.9) have recorded higher non-penalty xG figures than Spurs (16.7) in Europe’s top five leagues this season, putting the North London side in the company of two heavyweights who have dominated their respective leagues this season.

This shows that Postecoglou’s vision seems to be clicking into place faster than many had expected, and these numbers back it up. This is a staggering achievement for a club that has undergone a significant transition following the departure of Harry Kane, and it speaks volumes about Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy.

Can Spurs maintain this momentum?

Looking at these stats, Tottenham fans have reason for optimism, but questions still remain about whether the team can convert this attacking dominance into sustained results. While their current form shows flashes of brilliance, the inconsistency in finishing big chances remains a concern that could derail their progress if not addressed.

It’s worth noting that with 18 goals scored from an xG of 17, Tottenham are performing nearly in line with expectations, but there’s a lingering sense that the team is underperforming in key moments, especially when they miss golden opportunities to put games to bed.

If the finishing sharpens, Spurs could easily rise higher up the table, closing the gap on the top four, and potentially pushing for European places.

In terms of raw data, Spurs’ goals per match (2.3) are already ahead of most of their Premier League rivals, but with the club ranking third in big chances created and first in big chances missed, they still have room to improve.

It’s a fine line between success and frustration for Tottenham this season, yet with their tactical evolution in full swing, fans can look forward to an exciting ride ahead.

Tottenham Hotspur are at the front of the queue to sign a young English striker, who has made an impressive start to the Premier League season.

Spurs keen on signing four-goal youngster

The player in question is Liam Delap, who has scored four times in eight league games for the newly promoted Ipswich Town this season.

The 21-year-old came through Derby County’s academy and spent five years at Manchester City, but only made a total of six appearances for Pep Guardiola’s men.

The centre-forward had a series of loan spells in the EFL over recent years before making a permanent move to Portman Road Stadium this summer.

Tottenham leading the race for Liam Delap

Delap appears to have come of age at Ipswich and his performances in Suffolk have allegedly caught the attention of Spurs, who are now said to be ‘keen to snap him up’, according to CaughtOffside.

Even though the 21-year-old is also on the radars of Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa, it is Tottenham who are thought to be leading the race for his signature.

The outlet adds that Ipswich are open to listening to offers for their starlet despite signing him just a few months ago, with the striker expected to cost around €40million (£33.3m).

End of the road for Richarlison at Spurs?

If Tottenham do bring in another centre-forward to compete with Dominic Solanke, one would assume that it would spell the end for Richarlison at Spurs.

Former Gunners captain Tony Adams couldn’t resist poking fun at Tottenham Hotspur while discussing Arsenal’s Champions League aspirations.

Spurs players will be ruing missed CL opportunity

Until the final stretch last season, it looked like Ange Postecoglou’s men would squeeze their way into the top four but in the end, they were pipped to the final Champions League spot by Aston Villa.

That means that the Lilywhites would have to make do with a place in the Europa League, a competition which they have begun with two wins in two.

Spurs are one of the leading favourites to lift the trophy at the Estadio Sam Mames in May next year and will be keen to go all the way to break that infamous trophy drought.

Arsenal’s Champions League chances

Adams has now refereed to Tottenham’s run to the finals of the Champions League back in 2019 while discussing whether Mikel Arteta’s men could go all the way.

The 58-year-old insisted that there is no reason why his former club cannot win both the Premier League and the Champions League this season.

He told The Mirror: “You need a great squad to win the Champions League because sometimes you can lose focus on one competition when you’re going for the other.

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“In 2005 Liverpool won it when they were nowhere near the title and Tottenham of course, got to the final in 2019. Listen, if Tottenham can get to the final – anybody can.

“You need a little bit of luck, I don’t want to be flippant but back in my day, I was out of Europe for five years. Nowadays, you are getting more and more chances to win it and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Arsenal might actually win the Champions League and the Premier League.”

Champions League vs Premier League

While some might consider a Champions League title to be more prestigious than a domestic league title, the reality is that all cup competitions require an element of luck, while a league title is almost always won by the best side.

The 2019 Tottenham side was certainly not as good as the 2016-17 side, which, ironically, got knocked out in the group stages of the Champions League.

One can argue that the Gunners have a better chance of going all the way in Europe than winning the Premier League, given how relentless Man City are.

It is going to be next to impossible to keep up with Pep Guardiola’s men over the course of a 38-game season.

Time flies, and the January transfer window is on the horizon. When it comes to additions to Ange Postecoglou’s squad, Patrick Dorgu should be the top target, and here’s why.

Destiny Udogie needs cover and competition

Throughout Postecoglou‘s time at Tottenham, Destiny Udogie has enjoyed near-free rein as the only out-and-out left-back in the squad.

For the most part, the young Italian has been outstanding in the role, too. But, it’s hard to deny that complacency hasn’t crept into his game of late, with Udogie’s performance against Brighton being of particular concern.

Postecolgou is not without options at left-back, but none are ideal. Ben Davies can play there, but doesn’t possess the dynamism to suit Postecoglou’s style of play; Djed Spence and Archie Gray can operate there, but are stronger on the right; and if he’s really desperate, there’s still Sergio Reguilon to call upon.

That kind of compromise simply will not do, though. If Spurs truly want to challenge for honours, the squad needs intense competition for places, and signing a new left-back will help make that happen.

Doing so would not only keep Udogie on his toes and also allow him to take a rest every now and again, but it would also mean Spence could stay on the right and Gray could be used in midfield more.

Patrick Dorgu is a perfect fit for Spurs

The signing has to be right, though — this cannot simply be a gap-filling exercise. In Patrick Dorgu, Postecoglou would find the perfect left-back to suit his needs.

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At 19-years-old, Dorgu fits the age profile Spurs are clearly looking at these days. He’s also tall, strong, and incredibly athletic, so he would be more than capable of keeping up with the demands of Ange-ball.

Dorgu is slightly less adventurous and more disciplined than Udogie, and would serve Postecoglou well in the more open games where he needs his full-backs to be alert to counter-attacks.

That’s not to say the Danish defender cannot contribute going forward, though. He’s actually responsible for more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season than Udogie, and he’s registered more progressive carries per 90 than the Spurs man, too.

A reasonably-priced option

Players don’t come cheap in the current climate, but with an expected price tag of just under £30m, Dorgu would not break the bank and given his potential, could end up being worth twice that amount in years to come.

Many in the game are waxing lyrical about Tottenham’s Luka Vuskovic, who is showing maturity beyond his years out on loan. Spurs fans will love what one scout has just said about him.

Tottenham defender is turning a lot of heads

Luka Vuskovic had built up a reputation as being one of the best young defenders in world football when Tottenham jumped at the chance to sign him from Hajduk Spilt last year.

Since then, the youngster’s performances on loan have made the decision look like an inspired one from by the North London club, with the 17-year-old building on his impressive showing in Poland last season with a great start to his spell at Belgian club Westerlo.

Not only has the Croat been dominant defensively, but he has also made key contributions on the other end of the pitch, with four goals and provided one assist to his name in 11 matches so far in the Jupiler Pro League (Transfermarkt).

Luka Vuskovic the best in his age group

Saturday’s print edition of Gazet van Antwerpen (as relayed by Sport Witness) takes a closer look at the centre-back’s journey and his trajectory.

The outlet describes Vuskovic as a ‘super talent’ and asserts that he is ‘miles ahead’ of others in his age group at the moment.

The publication also speaks to former scout Bart Tamsyn, who remembers when he first came across the youngster in the UEFA Youth League final back in the 2022-23 season.

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Tamsyn says about Vuskovic: “I watched that match via WyScout and was immediately captivated. At kick-off, he immediately got the ball and during the game, he kept ticking off qualities that every scout looks for in the Jupiler Pro League.”

Earmarked for big move from a young age

It turns out that the Tottenham youngster was identified as someone who would inevitably make a big move right from his early days at the Hajduk academy.

This is the claim made by Croatian journalist Izak Ante Sucic, who says about the youngster: “Even before his first game in the first team of Hajduk Split, it was already said that he would be the biggest transfer in the club’s history.”

Tottenham Hotspur are blessed with a number of talented midfielders, one of them being Pape Matar Sarr. While he may not the most high profile player, here’s a handy guide to everything you need to know about the young Spurs star.

A lot has changed in the Tottenham midfield since Ange Postecoglou took over as manager in June 2023, with players leaving and arriving. One player who has really benefitted from the management of the Spurs boss is Pape Matar Sarr.

He has steadily climbed the pecking order for the Lilywhites, and is now a really useful and influential player. But, who is Pape Sarr exactly?

Where did Spurs sign Pape Matar Sarr from?

Tottenham signed Sarr from French outfit FC Metz in 2021, however, he did not officially arrive in North London until a year later, in the summer of 2022.

The youngster cost Spurs roughly £14m at the time. The decision was made to leave Sarr on loan at Metz for another year before introducing him into the fold at Tottenham.

He made 59 appearances for Metz, scoring five goals and registering three assists. Before that, he came through the ranks at Académie Génération Foot in Senegal, moving to France in 2020.

Sarr was brought to Tottenham by former managing director of football Fabio Paratici, who admitted in September 2021 that Spurs had secured the signing of “one of the most talented in Europe”.

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Pape Matar Sarr’s Tottenham career

Sarr had to be patient early on at Tottenham since he wasn’t given many opportunities to play under Antonio Conte. yet his career has flourished thanks to Postecoglou.

With Conte at the helm, Sarr was limited to bit-part substitute appearances, and only managed to rack up 17 appearances (totalling 646 minutes) across all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign.

This did include, however, a very impressive 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat against AC Milan in the Champions League. Sarr was hailed as Tottenham’s best performer on the night in that game.

Since Postecoglou’s arrival at the club, Sarr has been part of the rotation between Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur in the deeper midfield roles.

He has started to add goals to his game, and is able to impact the matches he is involved in with his composure, work ethic, and vision. At the time of writing, Sarr had registered five goals and six assists for the Lilywhites.

Pape Matar Sarr’s wages and market value

After a nice pay rise last year, Pape Matar Sarr is thought to earn around £70,000 per week at Tottenham.

That’s according to data from Capology, who reveal Sarr is now paid £3.64m per year, which puts him on par with the likes of Brennan Johnson, and just behind Destiny Udogie, Fraser Forster, Guglielmo Vicario, Archie Gray, and Rodrigo Bentancur (who all earn £75k per week).

Sarr was previously earning a reported £15,000 per week on his original deal at Spurs, but signed a new contract that saw him commit his future to the club until 2030.

As per information from Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old is worth €45m, which equates to roughly £37.6m. That means Spurs have already more than doubled their investment in the Senegal star.

Sarr is a versatile midfielder

Pape Matar Sarr is a central midfielder, to put it simply. But, he’s capable of playing as a number 6, 8, or even pushing up as a makeshift 10 at times.

His strength, athleticism, and impeccable reading of the game make him an ideal holding midfielder, and he’s really adept at breaking up play and turning defence into attack.

However, his best role is arguably as an 8, where he is able to dictate the flow of the game a little more and use his creativity. Sarr has great stamina, and is brilliant at carrying the ball, making him a really useful box-to-box midfielder.

Postecoglou has employed Sarr as an out-and-out playmaker before, though, and he is pretty useful in that role. While he’s perhaps not as fluid or as adventurous as the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, Sarr offers lots of energy and intelligence in the hole behind the strikers.

Sarr becoming a star for Senegal in international football

Since making his international debut in March 2021, Sarr has racked up 24 caps for Senegal to date and is now a regular for his country.

Just like at club level, Sarr has had to be patient when it comes to representing Senegal. After his debut, he remained a part of the Senegal squad in every international break, but was largely an unused substitute for the next two years.

He was not included in the squad for the African Cup of Nations in January 2023 but, by the end of the year, after his successful integration into Postecoglou’s squad, Sarr was brought back into the national team.

He hasn’t looked back since, featuring heavily in the AFCON journey for Senegal at the start of 2024, and being involved in all but one of their AFCON qualifiers through the summer and the last two international breaks.

Pape Matar Sarr’s personal information and social media

Pape Matar Sarr was born on September 14, 2002, making him 22-years-old at the time of writing. He was born in Thiaroye, Senegal.

Sarr is 1.84m in height, but weighs just 70kg, giving him a very tall, lean, athletic build.

You can find Pape on Instagram, where he has over 822k followers, and he is pretty active on that platform. He also uses Twitter/X fairly regularly, and has just over 191k followers there.

Tottenham captain Heung-Min Son turns thirty-three at the end of the season, and he’s not getting any younger. It might just be time to discuss: who is the heir to Heung-Min Son’s throne?

Son is currently enjoying a tenth season in the north of the English capital, having scored 123 goals in the Premier League across that period. He has no doubt left an acclaim for legendary status at Tottenham after a tremendous decade of performances, and his reciprocated love for the club is no secret either.

Unfortunately, however, Son isn’t going to be around forever. With his current contract expiring in 2026 (if Spurs take up their option to extend), sooner or later his last appearance in Lilywhite will come and go, and Spurs will need someone to succeed him.

We have looked at three players in the current squad who are best placed to assume Son’s spot on the left wing once the time has come.

Wilson Odobert

Odobert, 19, is a French winger who signed for Tottenham from Burnley in the summer of 2024. He possesses a fleeting pace and mesmerising technique on the ball.

Ange Postecoglou identified the PSG academy graduate as his ideal one-on-one specialist, and the tricky winger showed flashes of brilliance in the matches he featured in before pulling a hamstring away at Coventry.

At Burnley, Wilson was a fan favourite, recording 8 goals and 5 assists in claret and blue (TransferMarkt). His departure from the Championship side in the summer led to anguish amongst the Burnley supporters, although there was also a buzz of excitement around Odobert being granted the opportunity to unlock his potential at a top club.

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The 19-year-old still has an abundance of seasons ahead of him and will hope to spend the majority of those on Tottenham’s left-hand side.

Yang Min-Hyuk

The youngster has already received his first call-up for the South Korean national team at just eighteen, although he is yet to debut. Yang was also selected for the K-League All Stars, where he played against Tottenham on their pre-season tour just days after putting pen to paper on a deal that will run until 2030.

In the current K-League campaign, Yang has contributed an impressive 10 goals and 6 assists to Gangwon FC’s title charge, marking himself as the eighth-highest scorer in the league.

Yang boasts the proficiency to play on either wing, with his agile style of play and quick thinking granting him the ability to beat defenders effortlessly. Yang will have the opportunity to learn from a seasoned veteran like Son, and the Spurs captain will be acting as a mentor for the 18-year-old. Sonny will be eager to aid Yang in adapting to life in England as he has been in a similar position before.

Mikey Moore

Since being gifted his competitive debut by Ange Postecoglou, Mikey Moore has raised eyebrows and turned the heads of many Tottenham supporters with his exciting displays in Lilywhite.

After becoming the club’s youngest-ever player at sixteen years and nine months last May, he was trusted heavily by Postecoglou in pre-season, and he undoubtedly repaid that trust with six goal contributions (including friendlies behind closed doors).

Moore was named amongst the starting eleven for Spurs’ most recent Europa League contest vs Ferencvaros after being fast-tracked to the senior team. This came subject to an incredible season with the Under-18s, where he was involved in an unthinkable 22 goals (14 goals, 8 assists) in only 12 games.

The Englishman possesses the expertise to play on either wing, and his hubristic manner is certainly backed up by his talent. He maintains an attacking mindset throughout a match, constantly pursuing a positive outcome for his team. He creates, he converts, and he consistently delivers.

At such a young age, adapting to professional football may seem like a mammoth task, however, Moore claimed, “It’s a step I’m ready to take.” The future is Moore’s and Tottenham fans cannot wait for him to unlock his potential.

In Conclusion

All three of the players mentioned certainly have the talent and potential to succeed Son and become an integral part of Tottenham’s future. However, only time will tell who seizes the opportunity to make a name for themselves in a Spurs shirt.

There has now been a big development which comes proof that Tottenham Hotspur have already appointed a new chief commercial officer to take the place of the departing Todd Kline.

Todd Kline’s short Spurs tenure

Kline was appointed as the North London club’s chief commercial officer back in March of 2021 and one of his remits was to source a naming rights partner for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He never managed to achieve that and it emerged earlier this year that Kline had vacated his position at Spurs to take over at Chelsea.

The American executive is currently on gardening leave at Tottenham but it looks like the Lilywhites have already secured his replacement.

Kline has been replaced

TBR Football claim that although Tottenham have not officially announced Kline’s successor, the club already have someone working in that position on an informal basis.

The outlet points out that in the recently held Leaders Week, which is the biggest annual conference for sport business professionals, one of the attendees listed was the ‘chief commercial officer for Tottenham Hotspur’.

The conference took place in London last week, which means that the executives who attended the function will be aware of who Kline’s successor is, although it is yet to be officially confirmed by the club.

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The state of the naming rights deal

It was previously reported that Spurs had held talks with the likes of Google, Uber, FedEx and Amazon about potentially being the naming rights partner (The Times).

However, those talks seemingly did not progress and it does not appear as if the club are particularly close to striking a deal with anyone at the moment.