The Boy Hotspur

Harry Redknapp believes his former club Tottenham will secure a top-four finish despite strong competition from Aston Villa and Chelsea.

We are only six games into the new season but it seems the race for a top-four finish is already heating up. Tottenham made a slow start to the new campaign as they had only won one out of their first four league outings. But they have bounced back with consecutive wins.

The North London club smashed rivals Manchester United 3-0 at the Old Trafford last weekend. They have climbed up to the eighth position but the end goal is to secure a Champions League spot for next season. Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp recently talked about the top four race that involves the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Chelsea among others and he went on to make a bold claim on TalkSPORT.

The 77-year-old said via TBR: “Tottenham are looking good. They are looking strong. I still think for me, I think Villa obviously are involved in the Champions League. It’s going to be tougher for them this year.

“The fourth spot really, I can see Tottenham getting that fourth spot. They would be my favourites even though Chelsea are coming as well.”

Spurs might have made a slow start to the new season but Redknapp is backing his former club to eventually come out on top in the top-four race. With Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool expected to be competing for the league title, he feels Spurs will manage to claim the final spot.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are competing in the Champions League and they will find it difficult to fight on all fronts. While Chelsea have made a flying start under Enzo Maresca and are currently fourth on the points table, Redknapp still believes it will indeed be Spurs who will eventually manage to get the job done.

Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez recently identified Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero as one of the toughest defenders he has faced during his career.

In an interview with ESPN, Alvarez mentioned three defenders who have left a lasting impression on him: Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Romero, and Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez.

Alvarez, who transferred from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid this summer for a record fee worth up to €95 million, singled out van Dijk for his immense strength and defensive ability, calling him the toughest opponent.

The former Premier League star also acknowledged Romero’s aggressive and fearless approach, ranking him among the best defenders in the world. Alvarez commented:

“Van Dijk because he is very strong. He’s one of the best defenders in the world. I’ve also faced Cuti [Cristian] Romero and Licha [Lisandro] Martinez.

“Cuti because he’s very aggressive and one of the best centre-backs in the world now too. And Licha too. They are both very similar in their aggressive defending.”

The Argentine striker emphasised how Romero’s physicality and assertiveness make him an incredibly challenging opponent. This praise from Alvarez, who has competed against some of the best defenders across both the Premier League and La Liga, highlights Romero’s growing stature in world football.

Since joining Tottenham in 2021, Romero has become a key player for the club. His consistent and commanding performances in the backline earned him the vice-captaincy last season, underscoring his leadership qualities.

Last season, Romero made 33 Premier League appearances and scored five goals, the highest tally for a defender that season, further proving his value on both ends of the pitch. (Transfermarkt)

Tottenham sees Romero as a crucial part of their long-term plans, and his inclusion in Alvarez’s top defenders reinforces his world-class status and significance to Spurs’ ambitions moving forward.

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes weighed in on Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison after Spurs’ commanding 3-0 win over the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

While the result was a strong one for Tottenham, Scholes raised concerns about some aspects of their performance, particularly highlighting moments where Maddison could have been more precise.

Spurs started the match on the front foot, with Brennan Johnson scoring early after a brilliant run and cross from Micky van de Ven. The momentum shifted further in the visitors’ favour when United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off late in the first half following a reckless challenge on Maddison.

With a numerical advantage, Tottenham pressed forward, and goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke in the secod half sealed the win for Spurs.

However, Scholes felt that Spurs became “sloppy” after Fernandes’ dismissal, suggesting they lost some sharpness and could have been punished by a full-strength Manchester United team.

He singled out Maddison, in particular, was guilty of giving the ball away at times, which could have been costly. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Scholes commented:

“I actually felt Tottenham got a little bit sloppy against ten men.”

“He (Fernandes) talked about how they might have turned it around with 11 men. I think with 11 men, it could have been three or four before he got sent off.

“I think him getting sent off might have done them a favour because, it’s 11-v-11, I don’t think Tottenham would have stopped. I think they got a little sloppy, at times, in the second half.

“Maddison, at times, giving the ball away.”

Despite Scholes’ harsh criticism, Maddison’s overall performance was solid. The midfielder completed 47 out of 53 passes, boasting an impressive 89% accuracy. His involvement in the attacking play was significant, making eight passes into the final third and recording five touches inside the opposition’s penalty area during his 77 minutes on the field.

As Maddison continues to find his rhythm, his growing influence will be crucial for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for the Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram.

The 27-year-old has been a key player for Inter Milan since joining them and he scored 15 goals in all competitions last season. The French international also picked up 14 assists along the way, and he played a key role in their title win last season.

Naturally, his performances have attracted the attention of top clubs. We covered reports recently that Tottenham are looking to secure his signature. A report from Inter Live claims that the Italian club will not let him leave for cheap, and they will demand at least €85 million for his signature.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham are willing to spend that kind of money on the player. There is no doubt that they need more quality and depth in the attack and Thuram could support Dominic Solanke in the attack.

Tottenham paid a substantial amount of money for the English attacker earlier this summer and he has made a slow start to life at his new club. He could certainly use more support in the attack and signing another reliable attacker would be a wise decision.

However, the asking price seems quite steep and it is highly unlikely that Tottenham will agree to pay that kind of money for him. They have other priorities as well and they will have to bring in multiple reinforcements if they want to build a side capable of pushing for major trophies. Spending €85 million on another striker will not help them improve adequately.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to bring in a quality striker in the near future and Viktor Gyokeres has been identified as a target.

According to Fichajes, the 26-year-old Swedish international is their ‘main target’ and Tottenham are now ‘most insistent’ in securing his signature. The player has been linked with other European heavyweights as well, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

The striker had a phenomenal season with Sporting CP last year and he scored 43 goals in all competitions. He has already found the back of the net 11 times this season and he could transform Spurs in the attack.

The London club recently spent a substantial amount of money on Dominic Solanke and it remains to be seen whether they are ready to break the bank for Gyokeres once again. The 26-year-old could form a lethal partnership with Solanke and his arrival will certainly help the team improve immensely.

Spurs will be looking to challenge for major trophies in the coming seasons and they need top-class players are their disposal. The Swedish international will certainly help them improve a lot, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.

The striker has a €100 million release clause in his contract and Tottenham will have to break their transfer record in order to get the deal done. They will have to improve the other areas of their squad as well and it remains to be seen whether they are ready to pay that kind of money for a striker.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing the Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu in the coming months.

According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, they will face competition from Chelsea and Liverpool for his signature.

The 19-year-old left-back is highly rated across Europe and he could develop into an important player for Tottenham in the long term. The report states that the defender has a contract with Lecce until 2029, but the Italian club are fearful of losing him. They believe that it will be difficult to hold onto the player if important offers are presented in the near future.

Tottenham already have Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies at their disposal. However, Davies is in the twilight stages of his career and he will need to be replaced adequately. Dorgu would be a quality long-term investment for them, and he could compete with Udogie for the starting spot. The competition for places will help both players improve.

The opportunity to move to the Premier League will be quite exciting for the Danish defender as well. Dorgu can operate as a left-back, a wing-back as well as a winger. Apart from his defensive qualities, he could add a new dimension to the Tottenham attack as well. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham can beat the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool to secure his services in the coming months.

Other European clubs are keen on signing the talented young defender as well, and Tottenham will have to get their act together and move quickly if they want to secure his services.

Amanda Staveley wants to buy a stake in Tottenham before the end of the year.

Daniel Levy has been looking for an investor for some time now. The North London club’s chairman wants to ensure Spurs continue to grow in similar fashion and for it to happen, he wants to bring in more money. He is seeking a new investor who can not only bring fresh capital but also support and align with his vision for the club.

A source close to the deal revealed to Mirror: “Amanda is serious about being involved with Spurs, and is hoping that an initial purchase can be completed within weeks.”

While they have been in talks with quite a few parties, nothing concrete has happened so far. However, a report from the Mirror suggests there is a major development taking place. Amanda Staveley who helped broker Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s £305 million takeover of Newcastle United is keen on buying a minority stake in Tottenham.

Along with her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, she held an important position on the Magpies’ board. But, they had a painful departure and are now considering making a return to the Premier League.

She wants to own a club and is looking to buy a stake in the North London club with the help of some investors from the Middle East. Staveley wants to get it done before the end of the year and Levy will surely be interested in it as it will help him get more control of the club.

Joe Lewis’ influence has been declining with his shares are now held in a family trust. As a result, a new minority owner does seem to be a much-needed change. Staveley and her husband were guests at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when they hosted Brentford which does suggest that they are in advanced talks regarding an investment in the club.

Jamie Carragher feels Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham are in danger of being seen as flat-track bullies.

The North London club have made amends for a slow start to the new season by winning each of their last three outings. Things could get even better if they manage to defeat Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United away from home on Sunday.

But, they don’t really have a great track record against top teams in the Premier League since Ange Postecoglou took charge. While Spurs have been playing an attacking and attractive brand of football, they haven’t been able to get the desired results against the teams from the top half of the table.

In his latest column for The Telegraph, Jamie Carragher has highlighted the fact that Spurs under the Australian manager have struggled to get positive results against the top teams.

The former Liverpool man wrote on The Telegraph: “Over Postecoglou’s 18 games against the clubs which finished in the top nine last season, Spurs have won four. They are in danger of being seen as flat-track bullies. That must change.”

Tottenham did manage to secure a fifth-place finish last season and they have been playing some impressive football under the former Celtic boss. But they have failed to get the better of their rivals. The fact that they only have four wins out of the 18 fixtures against teams that finished inside the top nine last season suggests they need to deliver in the big games.

Unless they manage to get the better of their immediate rivals, they will not be able to compete with the biggest teams in the country. The game against United will be a major challenge for Tottenham, a win will help Postecoglou ensure his team are not labelled as flat-track bullies.

Alan Shearer expects the fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to end in a stalemate.

The North London club haven’t had an ideal start to the new season, they have only won two out of their first five league games and are now gearing up to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. It might have been a slow start but they have each of their last three outings across competitions and will be confident about their chances.

The Red Devils have also struggled to get the desired results so far. While they have been unbeaten in their last outings. They played out a draw against Crystal Palace in their last league outing and failed to win against FC Twente in the Europa League. The recent form of both teams suggests Spurs could have the upper hand but United have the knack of getting it done against their rivals irrespective of their overall form.

Premier League’s record goal scorer Alan Shearer spoke about the fixture at length on The Metro.

Shearer said: “Spurs have players that can hurt United. James Maddison is a top player, he’s one of the players that could say he played his part and did okay during Spurs’ slow start to the season. I’m a fan of his, I like what he brings to the team and he got his goal last weekend. Confidence wise, that’ll be great for him and he’ll play a huge part, absolutely.

“If Spurs do get into those positions and turn chances into goals then it’ll be tough for Man United as well because they do give you chances and that’s why I see it being a score draw.”

While Spurs have the players to hurt United, he feels both teams will have to settle with a point. He is a huge admirer of James Maddison and has suggested that the former Leicester City attacking midfielder is the one to watch out for. He feels if the North London club manage to make the most out of the chances they create, the Red Devils will have a tough time in this fixture.

Neither team have been at their best yet but they surely have enough firepower in their squad to make their opposition’s life difficult. But, Shearer feels they will have to settle for a draw here.

Gary Mabbutt feels teenager Mikey Moore has the potential to be a superstar for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North London club have quite a few young stars in their squad. While they added the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert to their team during the summer, Will Lankshear, Jamie Donley, Alfie Devine and Mikey Moore are some exceptional talents to have come up the ranks at the club.

While all four have the potential to become important first-team players in the near future, Moore is the one everyone is excited about. At the age of just 17, he has already managed to make a few appearances for the first team. Given his abilities and huge potential, it won’t be a surprise if he soon becomes an important squad player under Ange Postecoglou.

Former Tottenham defender Gary Mabbutt believes Moore has the potential to be the next big star of the North London club.

While speaking on talkSPORT, the 63-year-old said: “We have got players coming through the ranks we haven’t had for a while. I think Harry Kane was our last superstar to come through. We have got young lads now, Will Lankshear, we have got Mikey Moore who is only just 17. He’s going to be a superstar in the future.”

While Moore hasn’t been promoted to the first team yet, he has featured in a total of four matches for the senior side and two of those appearances have come in the new season. The 17-year-old has exceptional abilities and if he manages to reach the expected levels, he could be the next big superstar to have come up the ranks after Harry Kane.

He has been constantly training with the first team where he has the opportunity to learn from skipper Son Heung-min who plays in a similar role. While Mabbutt is excited to see the number of young stars coming up the ranks from their academy, Moore is the one who excites him the most. He feels the teenager could be the next big thing.