TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur’s collection of young talents may be the most impressive thing about Spurs at the moment.

Indeed, Spurs have plenty of exciting young talents on their books right now.

Archie Gray looks like a star already, Lucas Bergvall has tons of potential, while Mikey Moore has been tipped for big things as well.

Speaking on the Gold and Guest Talk Tottenham Podcast, Alasdair Gold has been discussing some of Spurs’ young talents, and he says that Alfie Dorrington is a young player who is very highly rated within the Tottenham academy at the moment.

Alfie Dorrington is highly rated

Gold shared what he knows about Dorrington and how he is rated at Spurs.

According to the journalist, Dorrington is highly rated at Spurs, but he may just need a chance to show his ability at senior level.

“In terms of Alfie Donnington, I think he needs his Jamie Donley moment. I think he needs to go somewhere and find that sudden spur of development. He’s very highly rated within the academy,” Gold said.

“I’ve seen him have some terrific games. I would say when you’re talking about him and Phillips, I would say that Donnington is far better on the ball. I think in terms of the ability to drive with the ball at his feet as well.”

Tottenham’s young defensive options

Dorrington is rated within the Spurs academy, but, unfortunately, that may not translate to first-team opportunities.

Indeed, frustratingly, Tottenham have a number of other young defenders coming through at the moment who may block Dorrington’s path.

Ashley Phillips is shining on loan already at Stoke, Archie Gray has already played as a centre-back quite a lot for Spurs at senior level, while Luka Vuskovic is also highly rated.

Factor in that Radu Dragusin and Micky van de Ven are also only young, you have a very competitive area within Spurs’ squad for a young player.

Dorrington is highly rated, but despite his potential, he may have an uphill battle on his hands to try and get into the Tottenham team.

Djed Spence has proven a lot of people wrong this season, it’s fair to say.

The Tottenham defender has won Man of the Match in each of his last two Premier League appearances, and he finally looks to be getting to grips with Premier League football.

Spence has had his ups and downs throughout his career. Ange Postecoglou had an issue with Spence when he first arrived, while Antonio Conte barely ever spoke to Spence when he was at the club.

Daniel Farke at Leeds also didn’t get on with Spence, and Spence had issues with lateness at Leeds, while these sorts of issues originated with Neil Warnock at Middlesbrough.

Indeed, Spence and Warnock had a high-profile falling out at Boro, so much so that the defender was sent on loan to Nottingham Forest.

Spence would eventually win promotion with Forest, and upon winning the playoffs, he sent a message directly to Warnock.

Now, speaking on the Seaman Says Podcast, Warnock has been discussing Spence’s recent rise to prominence at Tottenham.

Warnock made it clear that he didn’t like Spence as a person during his time at Middlesbrough, but he’s actually happy to see him doing well at Spurs, saying that he hopes the penny has now dropped.

Neil Warnock discusses Djed Spence’s rise at Tottenham

Warnock spoke about how good Spence has been recently.

The former Middlesbrough manager says he’s very happy to see Spence doing so well, even if they didn’t get on.

Warnock says that he never holds grudges and that, ultimately, he’s happy to see his former player thriving.

“Well, I watched Djed Spence and I thought, what a player, you know. Unfortunately for me, I’m hoping that some of the things I said to him at Middlesbrough might have come through. Because he wasn’t a nice lad.

“He had a few problems, I thought, at Middlesbrough. And he had to sort himself out. But last night, when you looked at him on the pitch last night, I even thought, I bet he’s done all right off the pitch now.

“I’m hoping he has. Because I didn’t like him as a person. But skill-wise, that was never in doubt, really.”

“But even when he first went to Tottenham, you know, I was watching him and he was like, he wasn’t playing in position, I thought. You know, he was getting dragged all over the place. He’s learnt so quick, hasn’t he?

“He’s had to as well. I mean, he’s had to do and, you know, when we had our disagreement, I won’t tell you what it was about, but it was in Covid and he wasn’t clever, really. I was disappointed in him.

“But he was one of them that you’d say, you don’t know whether he’s going to end up at Bromley or he’s going to end up at Spurs. You know, it’s up to him, really..

“And when he went to Spurs, I don’t think Conte wanted him. I think they bought him because they wanted to get some English players in, I think, because I don’t think Conte wanted him, if I’m honest. But, and you’ll give him a chance.

“And I looked at it, I thought he was refreshing me. That’s nice. Everything he did, I thought, that’ll do for me.”

“That and I don’t hold grudges against players like that. I get disappointed in somebody off the field if I think what they’re doing is wrong. And so, and you know, you can’t, you try and, you try as a manager, you try and right the wrongs and you try and help players become better people.

“And sometimes you’re successful and sometimes you’re not. You can’t win everyone. But I hope the pennies drop within me.

“I remember a big picture somebody showed me when he went, he had a big cigar and having a go at me, you know, about what I said, but listen, it gives me a lot of pleasure when I see him playing like he did the other night.”

Djed Spence’s record under Neil Warnock

Spence and Warnock may not have got on, but, interestingly, Warnock is still the manager Spence has played the most games under in his career.

Indeed, the full-back has played 51 matches under Warnock, and he didn’t have a terrible record in that time.

Of course, decent results on the pitch don’t necessarily represent harmony behind the scenes.

Warnock hasn’t disclosed what happened between him and Spence, but he alludes to the fact that something happened during lockdown, and in that highly-emotive period, it’s easy to see how a player and a manager would fall out irreparably.

Spence has ultimately gone on to become a star for one of the biggest teams in England, and who knows? Perhaps and England call-up could be on the horizon for the Spurs ace in the near future if he keeps this up.

Mathys Tel has informed Ange Postecoglou that he is ready to fill three different positions for him at Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Tel is quickly becoming a key player for Spurs having started the last two matches against Aston Villa and Manchester United.

Away at Villa Tel netted his first Tottenham goal and in his first game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium he secured his first victory in Lilywhite.

Now with three games under his belt, the 19-year-old has been discussing where he feels his best position is.

Mathys Tel ready to play three different positions for Tottenham

Mathys Tel has told Ange Postecoglou he is ready to play in three different positions for Tottenham this season.

The Frenchman claims he can play as a central striker and on either flank, but he is happy to go wherever Postecoglou wants him.

Tel told SPURSPLAY: “I can play in three positions, on the left side, right side and number nine. For me, my mentality is where the coach needs me, I’ll play.

“I just want to enjoy playing football and bring something for my team – so I can play anywhere no problem.”

Against Liverpool and Manchester United, Tel led the line for Spurs, whilst he started at left-wing in the 2-1 defeat away at Villa Park when he netted his first goal.

What Ange Postecoglou told Mathys Tel about wanting him at Tottenham

The French youth international revealed the details of the phone call he had with Postecoglou in which the Spurs boss explained why he wanted to bring him in from Bayern Munich.

The 59-year-old informed Tel that he felt it would bring some much-needed quality and energy to a depleted Spurs side.

“He told me, ‘Mathys, I think you can be a good player for the team, I think you can bring some new energy and something special – we need to win a lot of games this season’. This call was positive for me,” added Tel.

When Daniel Levy and ENIC bought into Tottenham in 2001, the world transfer record was just over £45m – around half of Spurs’ value at the time. 25 years later, Levy thinks his club is worth £3.75bn.

It is an extraordinary markup. At the elite end of the football finance ecosystem, no club has grown as fast as Tottenham. As the all-seeing eye in N17, Daniel Levy is directly to thank for that.

The chairman and co-owner had the commercial ambition and vision to build the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, widely seen as the best in the world.

A growing bloc of supporters are arguing that Levy’s ambition is misplaced. His business focus, they believe, has clouded his judgement when it comes to the primary aim of a club: to win.

To those fans, the club has sold its soul to host Beyonce and the NFL, squeeze more income from sponsors, and build the brand in South Korea, the United States and beyond.

And with Spurs 12th in the Premier League as Ange Postecoglou prepares to take them to Ipswich at the weekend, the ‘Levy out’ contingent will be in full voice once again at Portman Road.

It probably won’t have escaped their notice that, in recent weeks, the mood music around a potential equity sale of Tottenham is growing louder.

Plenty of groups and individuals – MSP Sports Capital, Todd Boehly, and Liberty Media – have been linked with buying into the club in the past, albeit loosely.

But this time feels different.

Qatari investors are, reportedly, exploring Spurs, either with a view to a full takeover or a phased minority investment geared towards an eventual majority deal.

It is said that the Qatari consortium is made up of private investors. It is not whether Amanda Staveley, who has been linked with brokering a deal, is involved.

Any deal would need the blessing of the trust which controls Joe Lewis’s stake in ENIC.

Lewis himself is no longer formally affiliated with the club following his conviction for insider trading in a Manhattan court in 2023.

To discuss the mechanics of a would-be deal with a Qatari consortium, TBR Football spoke exclusively to Liverpool University football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire, who is well connected in the industry.

“Daniel Levy doesn’t want to give up his position,” said Maguire, analysing a potential situation wherein Levy remains in site as part of a phased takeover.

Levy was a Tottenham season ticket holder before he became involved with the club and the general consensus is that it would be hard to dislodge him while his legacy is at stake.

For that to change, the North Londoners would probably need to win a significant piece of silverware.

“If we take a look at some other deals, Steve Parish is first and foremost a Crystal Palace fan and, even though he only owns 10 per cent, he is the chairman and wants to be involved in operational decision making with a minority stake. This could be an element of pragmatism from potential Qatari owners.

“Levy doesn’t need the money from the sale of shares because he does extremely well out of his Spurs salary, so if he is going to play hard-ball, which is his default position, we now have hard ball squared.

“That is enough to put off many potential investors in Spurs even though it is an incredibly attractive business proposition.

“A staggered approach has some merits. It will also allow new owners to become familiar with the unique nature of the football industry and, more specifically, the Premier League while Levy remains the face of the club.

“That might work or it might not. We have seen at Man United where there is a potential staggered arrangement with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

“He has the rights to match any offer for the Glazers’ shares and he has operational control of the club.

“But that doesn’t always lead to a smooth operational control. You could see how that might be the case at Spurs in a post-ENIC environment.”

Qatar might be Daniel Levy and ENIC’s only option

Given the £3.75bn appraisal of the club by ENIC, a 10 per cent deal – which is believed to be the minimum starting point – would cost any new equity partner at least £3.75bn.

They may even pay a premium on top of that. There are only so many groups and individuals for whom a deal of that magnitude makes sense.

Minority investment is sometimes sardonically called the ‘most expensive season ticket in football’ because it doesn’t guarantee any operational control.

Spurs don’t pay a dividend, so it would be hard to find a buyer who, in turn, would be confident of one day flipping their stake for a profit.

The timeframe for that kind of return is very, very long. Private equity titans and sovereign wealth are probably the only players with the vision to see that kind of investment as worthwhile.

What’s more, there are a number of clubs looking for minority investment at present. In the Premier League, you have Wolves, Bournemouth, Brentford and Crystal Palace.

TBR Football understands that Wolves are seen as a very attractive, cost-efficient option. Meanwhile, the likes of Reading and Sheffield Wednesday are available and have speedier capital appreciation potential.

At the other end of the spectrum, there is every chance Manchester United will be seeking a new equity partner in the not-too-distant future in order to fund upgrades to Old Trafford.

There are so many variables and, as Maguire highlights, Levy isn’t going to roll over unless the price is right, so Spurs fans shouldn’t expect white smoke and Qatari petrodollars any time soon.

As Tottenham Hotspur prepare to lock horns with Ipswich Town on Saturday, Ange Postecoglou will be desperate for a win.

Considering Tottenham beat Manchester United 1-0 in their previous outing, Postecoglou will be hoping his side now have the much-needed confidence boost to go out and get the all-important three points against Ipswich.

As poor as Spurs have been for much of this season, Kieran McKenna’s side are sitting in 18th place in the Premier League and might be destined to return to the Championship.

With James Maddison making an early return from injury against Manchester United, Guglielmo Vicario putting in an excellent display after finally being fully fit to start and Destiny Udogie making the cut in the Lilywhites’ matchday squad, Tottenham’s fitness woes have considerably improved.

As a result, Ange Postecoglou has every reason to expect Tottenham to defeat Ipswich.

However, football is not played on paper and the Australian will not be getting ahead of himself whatsoever.

Paul Merson predicts 2-2 draw in Ipswich Town vs Tottenham

The last time both sides played each other, Ipswich Town beat Tottenham 2-1.

At the time, Kieran McKenna managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the season and that too at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Paul Merson still expects Ipswich to get a result against Tottenham and restrict them to a surprise 2-2 draw.

Merson told Sportskeeda: “Tottenham beating Manchester United and getting a few of their players back from injury makes this a really difficult game for Ipswich. I still think this will be highly entertaining and I’m backing both teams to score goals.”

“Ipswich got a brilliant result away from home against Aston Villa last weekend. They were reduced to 10 men and still got the lead in that game before conceding in a 1-1 draw. I’m backing them to get another draw here, but I’m not sure that’s a good result for Ipswich because they need to start getting some wins to stand a chance at avoiding relegation.”

Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that Paul Merson is proven wrong and that his Tottenham side do not give him yet another unpleasant surprise against Ipswich.

Pedro Porro got stick from Tottenham fans the last time Spurs faced Ipswich

Pedro Porro was slated by Tottenham fans the last time they went toe-to-toe against Ipswich as he was one of the hosts’ most underwhelming performers.

Journalist Alasdair Gold revealed that their reaction did take Porro by surprise at the time.

Frustrated fans. You can kind of understand why people are frustrated, but yeah, I think they kind of let their feelings be known to him which maybe surprised him a little bit.”

“I understand, from some people who were in the south stand that Porro got a little bit of anger from the south stand when he tried [to applaud them after the game]. The effort you put into supporting us must be reflected in our effort on the pitch and it is something we will never take for granted. See you after the break.”

But the Spaniard even sent a message to the supporters, which read: “As a team we have to take accountability for these results. We must come together to be better and will now look forward to coming back stronger after the break. The effort you put into supporting us must be reflected in our effort on the pitch and it is something we will never take for granted. See you after the break.”

But this time around, Porro and his Tottenham teammates will be hoping that the visiting supporters are delighted after their performance and the eventual result against Ipswich

Tottenham Hotspur were one of the busiest teams in the Premier League in the January transfer window.

Indeed, Spurs made three signings in January, while they also missed out on a couple of further targets.

Tottenham bid for Marc Guehi late in the window, while Randal Kolo Muani was a Tottenham target too at one point.

Spurs didn’t sign either of those two players, but they did bring in Mathys Tel, Antonin Kinsky and Kevin Danso.

Speaking on Inside Spurs, Darren Ambrose has been discussing Danso’s performances for Tottenham so far, and it’s fair to say the pundit has been impressed by what he has seen.

Kevin Danso already looks like a leader

Danso has only started three games for Tottenham so far, but he’s already settled in very well.

Ambrose says that Danso looks very assured so far, and he also said that he looks to be a leader at the back.

“In terms of Kevin Danso coming into the team, the biggest compliment you can give him is he’s looked like he’s been there for years. He’s come in, he looks assured. He’s done a recovery tackle on Sunday on Hojlund, who’s not slow, by the way, which was fantastic on Sunday,” Ambrose said.

“So yeah, it doesn’t look like a new signing and he looks like he’s a leader.”

Cristian Romero’s continued absence

Danso has stepped up since signing for Tottenham, and his arrival has certainly been timely.

Indeed, Spurs have needed a new centre-back for a while, and it doesn’t look like this issue is subsiding anytime soon.

Cristian Romero has been injured for a long time – Romero injured himself against Chelsea months ago, and Romero has been gone for so long that Darren Ambrose has even forgotten that he’s a Spurs player.

“We’re still missing six players. Van de Ven, Romero, Dragusin, Werner, with Charleston, Solanke, who hopefully is the next one back. Fingers crossed,’ Ambrose said.

“So we’re still missing six players that are first team players. I mean, I don’t know where Romero has gone, by the way. Do we know?

“Is he still even at the football club? Who knows?”

Romero has missed no fewer than 12 league games so far for Tottenham, and Spurs’ record in that time has been poor to say the least.

Tottenham have struggled without Romero, but, as Ambrose says, it’s beginning to look like Danso could be a solid replacement for the Argentine.

Regardless of how Tottenham Hotspur’s season pans out, it would be wise for them to start working on their summer transfer business already.

Firstly, because Tottenham have suffered an unprecedented injury crisis this campaign and it might be time for them to build a bigger squad.

Secondly, due to the fact that the Lilywhites have had an utterly disappointing season as they sit in 12th place in the Premier League as standards must be raised within N17.

Thirdly, keeping in mind that Ange Postecoglou’s job at Tottenham is safe until the end of the season and considering Spurs have taken such a definitive stance about his future, they have every reason to start assessing potential signings who would fit the Australian’s signature style of play.

Based on recent sports, it looks like the North Londoners mean business.

Sources told TBR Football that Tottenham are the frontrunners to sign Eberechi Eze in the summer — who fits the profile of the marquee signing they need to liven up their attack in particular.

Tottenham scouted Manchester United and Arsenal target Jobe Bellingham

Mathys Tel could sign permanently for Tottenham as well as he is loving life at Spurs as well as in London.

In Eze and Tel, Ange Postecoglou could have the chance to sign two extremely gifted attackers who are ready to reach the next level themselves and elevate Tottenham as a whole long their journey.

Another players who fits the bill of a potential superstar is Jobe Bellingham, who Tottenham scouted during Sunderland’s 2-1 defeat against Leeds United — as reported by the Chronicle Live.

Crystal Palace, who tried to sign Jobe also sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old in action alongside attendees at Elland Road from other clubs.

Manchester United and Arsenal scouted Jobe as well on deadline day, who has become one of England’s most sought-after players.

Jobe has been compared to Jude Bellingham as the wonderkid has a similar playing style to his older brother, being immensely technically gifted, a workhorse as well as a leader on the pitch.

The Sunderland player who impressed Tottenham more than Bellingham

The Stourbridge-born wonderkid has played a crucial role for Sunderland this season, amassing four goals and three assists while starting 29 games in the Championship.

On paper, the numbers might not jump off the page as such but it is important to remember that Jobe has played in every position across the midfield three for the Black Cats this campaign — mostly playing as a number six.

However, the report has mentioned that it was Wilson Isidor’s display that impressed Tottenham and Crystal Palace’s scouts alongside other the other club representatives.

All the scouts had visited Leeds to scout various Sunderland players as they have one of the most talented teams in the Championship, which also features teenage sensation Chris Rigg.

But Isidor, who is a number nine by trade stood out and even scored a goal.

With 12 goals to his name in the Championship this season, perhaps the 24-year-old’s impressive season might prompt Spurs to view him as potential competition for Dominic Solanke.

Jose Mourinho is one of just five people to have managed both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

The Special One made a great name for himself in England at Stamford Bridge during his first spell at the club. He won back-to-back Premier League titles.

Then, he returned to Chelsea for another spell in 2013 and won the league again, cementing himself as a Blues icon.

However, the Portuguese tactician accepted Tottenham’s offer to join them in 2019, and he spent close to 18 months at the helm in North London.

That didn’t work out for him or Tottenham, and he may have now done something that could irk Spurs fans.

Jose Mourinho starts laughing after John Obi Mikel’s dig at Tottenham

Mourinho is currently at the helm at Fenerbahce in Turkey.

The 62-year-old is busy fighting for the league title there against Galatasaray, but he made some time to meet John Obi Mikel, a player he helped develop many years ago.

The Nigerian, who is a podcaster now, asked his old boss a bunch of questions.

One of them was about what Mourinho prefers to make his side do every time they step onto the pitch -attack or defend?

He replied: “If you only defend, you need to be very lucky to win. If you only attack, you need to be very lucky to win or very dominant – your team is much better than the others.

“It’s difficult for me to answer because you have to find a balance. But, if you ask me if I prefer to see the ball close to my goal or close to the opponent’s goal – when the ball is in the opponent’s half.

“But, you still have to think about transition.”

Mikel replied: “Exactly, and that’s what Spurs don’t do right now!”

Mourinho can be seen laughing at Mikel’s subtle dig at Tottenham.

Jose Mourinho’s stats at Tottenham compared to Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou has come under a lot of criticism for having just one style of play, and Mikel’s dig above suggests that again.

Mourinho is far more pragmatic and has always been more than happy to just sit back and defend if that’s what the game demanded.

But, how do Postecoglou and Mourinho compare against each other? Here are their stats at Tottenham.

Despite being branded as a defensive manager, Mourinho’s Tottenham scored more than Postecoglou’s, and they conceded fewer goals as well.

The Special One’s numbers are slightly better than that of the current Spurs boss, but he was still sacked back in April 2021.

However, Mourinho never had as many injury issues as Postecoglou has had this season, so the Australian does deserve some slack.

Dejan Kulusevski has just named one of Tottenham Hotspur’s youngsters as the club’s most underrated player.

Tottenham Hotspur are building an exciting squad under Ange Postecoglou with many talented young players, some of whom are having to be patient in waiting for their chance.

Kulusevski claimed that the North London club have many top young talents but the most underrated is a player who has played just twice for Spurs this season.

Dejan Kulusevski names Dane Scarlett as most underrated player at Tottenham

Dejan Kulusevski has just named Dane Scarlett as the player he thinks is the most underrated at Tottenham.

Kulusevski told Fubo: “Let’s see… Everybody is getting their praise, so it’s hard to pick someone not getting their praise. I think there are a lot of young players so I can say Dane Scarlett.”

Postecoglou has played the 20-year-old just twice off the bench since returning from his loan spell at Oxford United.

The striker netted the crucial winning goal against IF Elfsborg in the Europa League which secured Spurs’ spot in the top eight of the group stage.

Scarlett, who has also impressed Ben Davies, was also given minutes off the bench in the Premier League against Brentford but otherwise, he is having to be patient in waiting for his chance in North London.

Does Dane Scarlett deserve more chances at Tottenham?

Scarlett’s loan spell at Oxford was cut short as the youngster wasn’t quite getting the game time he needed having started just twice in the last nine Championship matches.

It seemed as though he would be sent back out on loan elsewhere, however, after scoring and assisting in the Europa League and perhaps impressing in training, Postecoglou kept him around.

The Lilywhites also needed bodies in attack with Richarlison just back from injury and Dominic Solanke picking up a knee issue.

But the arrival of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich has become surplus to requirements again and it feels unlikely we’ll see him again this season.

In 2024-25, Daniel Levy and ENIC’s flagrantly commercial vision for Tottenham has led to reflection about what it means to be a football club in the era of the Premier League as a global product.

In fact, describing football, a game steeped in over century of history and cultural mythos, a ‘product’ is probably a symptom of the problem.

In any case, the Premier League is a monster. It’s less a product than it is an industry in itself, and few understand that better than Tottenham under the ownership of Daniel Levy and ENIC.

At present, the owners are currently in discussions about divesting their stake Spurs, whether in the form of a minority sale or a full takeover.

Levy and ENIC value Tottenham at £3.75bn and have brought in the Rothschild bank to smoke out offers that match their appraisal.

They took over from Alan Sugar in a process that began in 2001. In total, Joe Lewis – who is no longer directly involved following his conviction for insider trading and 2021 – and ENIC paid around £90m.

Assuming the market accepts their £3.75bn valuation, that is a quite astonishing markup. As a compound rate, it’s almost 20 per cent – and they have had to spend next to nothing to achieve it.

The magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium cost over £1bn but was funded mostly by debt at modest, fixed rates that are shouldered by the club, not the owners. And it is quickly paying for itself anyway.

They have invested some equity from their own wallets, yes. The £35m they injected in late 2024 takes total funding via share issues to around £150m.

How have they achieved the rate of growth with such modest investment? It’s to do with bricks-and-mortar at the stadium, yes, but it’s also attributable to a word most fans hate: ‘brand’.

Levy and his deputies have recognised the value of the club’s intellectual property and scaled it impressively.

Since leaving White Hart Lane, they are Tottenham 2.0. They have leveraged the badge and the prestige of their new home to sell products, strike increasingly lucrative sponsorships, and host blue-chip events.

But the move away from football as the club’s primary product has left supporters questioning whether they support a club or a corporation.

Increased revenue translates to increased investment in the squad, of course. And for all the talk of Spurs being tight-fisted, spending on recruitment and retention is rising in line with revenue, albeit more slowly.

Now, if the mood music in the football finance industry is to be believed, Spurs may be considering a move that exacerbates these legitimate anxieties.

The NFL is the most lucrative sports competition in the world – and Daniel Levy wants in.

As well as staging the London Games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Levy has openly admitted he would like to see the Super Bowl in N17.

It has often been suggested that launching a Tottenham-branded NFL franchise is the next step, and that would make sense.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has signalled he would throw his political weight behind it, while NFL insiders have said an expansion franchise in North London could become a reality by 2030.

“I think it would reinforce the view that Spurs are a business with a football club as a side line,” said Liverpool University football finance lecture Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to TRB Football.

“That would be totally unacceptable for the Spurs fans who aren’t happy at the moment. It’s impossible to say whether this would see fans pushed too far, although we did see that with Super League.

“Although, I think many supporters would think that the identity of the club would be diminished. But owners don’t care. They are living in their ivory towers.

“Ultimately, how many owners are really attending matches like Daniel Levy is? You never see John Henry at Liverpool, the Glazers at Man United, or Stan Kroenke at Arsenal. Control of their clubs is now remote.

The cost of a Spurs NFL franchise

An NFL expansion certainly wouldn’t come cheap but, as Maguire highlights, all but guarantees a profit for Tottenham : “From a business perspective, I think this would be a fantastic deal.

“First of all, they would have to pay a huge expansion fee to the NFL. You’re talking £1-2bn, but if you look at the metrics, you see it’s worthwhile.

“Spurs have proven that they can sell out their stadium for the NFL and charge prices that are higher than those generally seen in football, as well as premium catering and merchandise prices.

“People keep coming back – and that is because there is a different psyche among NFL fans. Whether that could be maintained for a full season, we’ll have to wait and see, but I suspect it would.

“If you’re the only NFL franchise in Europe, you’re going to attract all the NFL fans from across the continent. You become a bit of a lightning rod. If you have a couple of good seasons, that will help too.

The impact on Premier League and UEFA FFP if Tottenham launch NFL team

“This could be hugely beneficial for the business,” said Maguire.

“We would have to see how it interacts with the cost control measures, but the attitude of UEFA and the Premier League in terms of non-football events has been to throw it all into the pot.

“The revenue from Spurs hosting Beyonce concerts all go straight into the pot, so why can’t the revenue from having an NFL subsidiary?

“If it’s taking place at the stadium, it might go to a vote of Premier League clubs and then, if Spurs don’t like the outcome, they end up suing the Premier League. We are living in a very litigious environment after all.”