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For James Maddison, the 2025/26 campaign had the potential to be one of the defining seasons of his career.

With the playmaker still the right side of 30 years old and with Tottenham having qualified for the Champions League and England in a World Cup year, the former Leicester City playmaker will have been hoping that the stars were aligning for him this summer.

Instead, Maddison would be reminded that football can be a cruel game, as he suffered an ACL injury during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United, derailing his season before it had even begun in earnest.

Maddison on the 'dark days' during his injury recovery

“It was painful,” he tells FourFourTwo, referring not just to the physical injury, but to the emotional impact. “It was difficult to accept, with a big season ahead, a World Cup year.

“But it is what it is, you have to deal with it, crack on with the rehab and smile in the face of adversity. I’ve been working hard every day, head down, grit my teeth and get through it.

“There have been some tough days, some dark days, lonely days. But I’ll get there and be back better and stronger, I have no doubt.

“The medical team at Spurs is amazing, the manager, all the coaches, everyone has been supportive. Like myself, they can’t wait to see me back on the pitch.”

A typical recovery time for an ACL injury is around nine months, but Maddison is cautious when it comes to putting an exact date on when he expects to return.

“I don’t know yet,” he says. Asked whether he’d given up on his dream of making this year’s World Cup, he’d similarly rather not go into it.

“That’s not my priority,” he says. “I’m just focusing on the rehab, not looking too far ahead – it’s been day by day, getting my knee right, feeling good and feeling strong, and the rest will take care of itself, like it always has done.”

Elite sport is also about how players deal with such setbacks. “Yeah, you’ve got to bounce back,” he says. “I just can’t wait to be back doing my thing for Tottenham, proving myself and getting back to that level.”

Understandably, Maddison’s primary focus is getting back onto the pitch. “I’m coming into my prime. I’m so hungry, I’m working so hard. I’ve still got so much to give.”

Maddison was speaking at PUMA’s new store on Oxford Street in London, the brand’s first European flagship store.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to sell Pedro Porro this summer – for under £25 million.

Few Tottenham players have performed consistently this season, hence their lowly position in the Premier League table and the dismissal of Thomas Frank.

New manager Igor Tudor will hope to get more out of an underperforming squad in order to move clear of the relegation zone – and will look towards some key players: the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro.

Tottenham Hotspur could be losing major stars this summer

The latter is set to return from a hamstring injury sustained in January for this weekend, and that will be a major boost for Spurs.

But the right-back’s strong performances over the last three seasons in north London have not gone unnoticed.

According to The Interista, Serie A giants Inter Milan are interested in signing Porro this summer.

The 26-year-old has a reported release clause of €25 million in his contract – about £25m – which runs until 2028.

But Inter are expected to face competition for his signature, with several other admirers of Porro monitoring the situation.

The Nerazzurri are looking for a potential replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who could leave the club in the summer.

If Dumfries stays, Inter could instead look to sign highly-rated 20-year-old Marco Palestra from Atalanta as a younger option.

Spurs will be reluctant to let Porro leave regardless of interest from top clubs, but the absence of European football next season - assuming they do not win the Champions League - could be a factor for the Spaniard.

Much could also depend on whether Spurs avoid relegation; dropping to the Championship would inevitably mean the loss of most of their key players, including Porro. For now, Inter’s interest is speculation, and it remains to be seen if such a move would appeal to Porro.

Tottenham are eyeing up one of Europe’s brightest young talents for a summer €50 million swoop.

Spurs may be sleepwalking towards the Premier League’s relegation zone at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped them from scouting potential new blood ahead of a vital summer of business, according to reports.

And for €50m, they might just be able to prise Real Madrid from their 18-year-old Argentine wonderkid.

Spurs are in for Real Madrid teenager but on one condition

Franco Mastantuono is a capable player for his age, but this season has not been what he might have hoped.

The attacking midfielder has understandably struggled for minutes across a frontline that boasts Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, and Brahim Diaz.

Instead, a move to the Premier League might open the door to regular top-flight football, and Spurs are keeping tabs on the situation, according to CaughtOffside.

James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, and Dejan Kulusevski all suffered long-term injuries this season, while Richarlison, Mathys Tel, and Randal Kolo Muani have huffed and puffed all season long with insufficient output between them to show for it.

Mastantuono would bring technical prowess and unpredictability to a turgid front line in North London, but also a grounded determination at odds with his bleached-blond buzzcut hairstyle.

Brighton and Chelsea are reportedly sniffing around too, but many clubs will be unwilling to part with such a huge fee for a relatively unproven prospect.

And for Spurs, there is a catch.

Should they fulfill their fans’ worst fears and be relegated this season, the chances of a new €50m signing from Real Madrid are absolutely zero.

The Spurs hierarchy would need to ruthlessly slash the wage budget in the Championship, and even then would be in dire financial straits as a direct consequence of spending a season in the second tier.

Tottenham currently sit 16th, four points above West Ham in 18th, and will be nervously looking over their shoulder until the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur are in grave danger of a shock relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs are just four points above the drop zone and still looking for their first domestic win of the calendar year, having taken only four points from a possible 27 so far in 2026.

The North London club appointed former Juventus boss Igor Tudor as head coach this month after sacking Thomas Frank, as they aim to avoid their first relegation for half a century.

Staggering financial cost of relegation for Spurs revealed

The sight of Spurs' world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosting Championship football would be hugely embarrassing for a club who reached the Champions League final in 2019 and won the Europa League less than 12 months ago.

In fact, Tottenham are so ill-prepared for playing in the second tier that their players reportedly do not have salary-reduction clauses in their contracts - and that is just one of the ways relegation would hurt their finances.

Analysis by BBC Sport and football finance expert Kieran Maguire estimates that Spurs' annual revenue would fall by an enormous £261m if they start next season in the Championship.

The report claims that Tottenham's broadcast, matchday and commercial income combined would drop from £609m in the Premier League to £348m in the second tier.

According to the BBC, Spurs currently earn £128m from broadcast revenue in the top flight, but this figure would plunge to cover only the £45m parachute payment awarded to teams relegated to the Championship.

Tottenham will also miss out on European football next term - unless they win this season's Champions League - which would see them lose out on at least £71m.

Meanwhile, Spurs' matchday revenue is estimated to fall from £131m to £79m if they go down, with their commercial income set to drop from £279m to £224m.

The cost of relegation is frightening for a club whose most recent wage bill was reportedly £254m - more than £200m above the Championship average of £38m - and who still owe £337m in outstanding instalments towards transfer fees for current players, according to the BBC.

And even if Spurs were promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt, Maguire warned that the financial impact would be felt for years to come.

He said: "For a club of Spurs' ambitions and financial scale, relegation would not simply be a short-term sporting setback. The economics of English football make recovery a multi-year project."

Tottenham Hotspur's woe this season was compounded on Sunday evening after the team fell to a 4-1 derby day defeat by Arsenal.

The result leaves interim head coach Igor Tudor's new side positioned precariously above the Premier League's relegation zone, with just four points separating the North Londoners and current 18th-placed side West Ham United.

Spurs' struggles this season have been well-publicised, not least because of recent results, and talk of the team's failings has even made it into Swedish Parliament.

Swedish politician pokes fun at Tottenham in parliament

Former finance minister Mikael Damberg made reference to his opponents' economic plan by describing it as 'Spursy'. The colloquial term, derived from Tottenham's repeated shortcomings particularly on the big stage, has permeated popular footballing discourse among fans and apparently legislators in the Scandinavian country, too.

Damberg's Spurs reference related to the Swedish economy in the sense that the country has vast resources but is currently underperforming where it should be expected to be.

The politician defined 'Spursy' to the Swedish parliament as a state where there are 'opportunities but get no results' due to 'wrong decisions and short-term thinking', before delivering a stark warning.

"Don't let Sweden become 'Spursy'," he said. "We can't afford to perform like Tottenham".

As is the case nowadays, the opportunity for fans of rival clubs to pile on a team currently in poor form was gleefully taken up causing Damberg's comments to go viral.

On social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Damberg outlined that he was not an Arsenal fan taking the chance to make a cheap joke at the team's expensive, but that instead he only supports Swedish club AIK.

"Yes, I called the Swedish government's economic plan 'Spursy.' And before anyone starts again: No, that does not mean I'm an Arsenal fan," he wrote, before doubling down on his initial statement. "I support AIK Fotboll. But the Swedish government's economic plan still performs like Tottenham".

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal today as the capital delivers the game of the weekend, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

And so the next Tudor age begins, 103 miles on horseback from the site of Bosworth Field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – and, sadly for Arsenal, not a Henry to be seen.

New Spurs boss Igor Tudor begins his short-term deal with a North London derby against the Gunners, for whom a midweek bloody nose at Wolverhampton Wanderers has taken the edge off the build-up.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal online, on TV, and from anywhere.

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Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal in the UK

Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal is the headline game of this week's Sunday programme in the Premier League and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK. It will be shown on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, and subscribers will be able to stream the match on Sky Go.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal in the US

This North London derby will be available to fans in the USA on USA Network.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal in Australia

Premier League lovers in Australia can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal through Stan Sport.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal: Premier League preview

These bitter rivals might have book-ended the top four in the league phase of the Champions League but their fortunes couldn't be much more different in the Premier League.

Arsenal have left the door open for Manchester City but started the weekend five points clear at the top and with precisely double the number of points Spurs have shambled their way into this season.

If form really does go out of the window on derby day, one rather suspects neither of these Premier League ever-presents would mind too much. Arsenal's dropped points are far from fatal to their title hopes but a win here would be some tonic against minor maladies.

Spurs haven't won a Premier League match in 2026 and manager Thomas Frank paid the price, given his marching orders to be replaced by former Juventus boss Tudor until the end of the season.

Tickets

Tudor's task is to avoid relegation – in truth, the state of the teams below Spurs should see to that – and to take Spurs as far as he can in the knock-out stage of the Champions League.

It's a bizarre situation and one that could easily be embodied by a win over Arsenal to dent their title hopes just for the fun of it.

Mikel Arteta will be guarding against such an outcome. The Arsenal boss will know exactly what Spurs fans want from this game and the lift they'll get from having a new manager in place, and he'll be desperate not to let them have it.

The Gunners won the reverse fixture 4-1 and have beaten Spurs on their last three visits, laying to rest a run of seven away derbies without a win. This one means as much as any of them.

See also ► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season

Tottenham vs Arsenal Team News

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Gray, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence; Gallagher, Palhinha, Bissouma, Sarr; Kolo Muani, Xavi Simons.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi; Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Saka.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Tottenham Hotspur 2-3 Arsenal

We're bravely predicting a humdinger of a derby and taking the plunge to say Spurs could fail where Wolves succeeded on Wednesday.

All is not well in North London. Arsenal are exhibiting signs of a Premier League title wobble despite being the most consistent team in the division this season, while Spurs are teetering precariously above the drop zone.

Last season's 17th place finish was an embarrassment for a club of Tottenham's stature and it was hoped the arrival of Thomas Frank from Brentford in the summer would herald a return to better days. But, the Dane was unable to steer Spurs clear of trouble and paid the price with his job, just eight months after his appointment.

Following Frank's departure, Spurs moved quickly to appoint an interim head coach ahead of this weekend's North London derby with Arsenal. Igor Tudor has been installed on a temporary basis until the end of the season and the ex-Juventus coach has a job on his hands right from the off.

Tottenham's blueprint to defeat Arsenal this weekend revealed

Arsenal may have drawn each of their last two Premier League matches, including the surrender of a two-goal lead against Championship-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, but they are still a formidable opponent.

The Gunners remain on course for a first Premier League title in over 20 years and boast one of European football's best-equipped squads.

Spurs, on the other hand, have been poor at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, winning just two of their home league games so far, making this Sunday's fixture an anxiety-inducing one for supporters.

Victory in the North London derby would give Spurs a much-needed shot in the arm and foster support for the largely unknown Tudor in the dugout. Not least, it would help the team claw their way out of a relegation battle which in recent weeks has threatened to absorb them.

Tottenham are likely to see less of the ball, despite being the home side, but this has the potential to play into their hands, particularly as Arsenal's resolve appears to have been shaken lately.

Spurs have scored 10 headed goals in the league this season, which is more than every other side in the division except Chelsea (10) and set-piece kings Arsenal (12).

The Gunners' 16 set-piece goals this term is the most in the league, but Spurs' 13 accounts for over a third of their goal tally, suggesting they are rather adept in this regard. The two teams have conceded seven apiece from set-play situations, which is less than most other sides.

What should Igor Tudor do in the North London derby?

The Croatian should, simply, go back to basics. Spurs have one of the Premier League's best crossers of a ball in Pedro Porro, who is in contention to return from a hamstring injury this weekend and trying to play Arsenal off the park will likely end in disaster.

In Dominic Solanke and Richarlison - depending on if the latter is fit - Spurs have two centre-forwards more than capable of competing well aerially, too.

Arsenal dropped yet more points away to Wolves in midweek, succumbing to Tom Edozie's late, ricocheted equaliser after a mix-up between David Raya and Gabriel. The Gunners pair both challenged for a Mateus Mane cross, getting in each other's way, which presented Edozie with the opportunity to level proceedings in stoppage time. Mikel Arteta's side have now dropped 21 points from winning positions this season.

As a player, Tudor was known for his brawn and instilling that into his new players could go a long way to helping the team secure a result against their arch-rivals.

Furthermore, Arsenal's seven set-piece concessions this season accounts for 35 per cent of the goals they've conceded in the league. Routines are highly coachable and with well over a week between Tudor's appointment and Sunday's fixture, there will have been plenty of time to work on how best to punish the Gunners.

Ironically, Tudor has been handed a timely blueprint on how to defeat Spurs' rivals, by Arsenal themselves. The team buckled under Wolves' late pressure and it was a looping cross which foiled Arteta's best-laid plans to go seven points clear at the top.

Spurs are in limbo after the sacking of first-team head coach Thomas Frank last week.

The club have moved quickly to appoint Igor Tudor as interim boss ahead of the North London Derby versus Arsenal this weekend, but there is great uncertainty over the organisation's long-term direction.

Tottenham sit precariously close to the Premier League's relegation zone, especially for a club. of their stature and resource.

The club's £1 billion, almost 63,000-seater stadium would look somewhat out of place in the second tier and yet if results do not improve over the last dozen games this season, that is precisely where the club could find itself in 2026/27.

Relegated or not, a new report by the Daily Telegraph outlines the likely financial impact of Spurs' poor performance this term.

Due to the team's probable absence from European competition next season, Spurs are expected to face penalties 'into the tens of millions' from their commercial partners.

Additionally, the Telegraph report that some of Spurs' sponsors will be permitted to renegotiate the terms of their existing agreements, which could include early termination, if the club are relegated.

This would leave a significant hole in the club's finances given Tottenham's latest set of accounts revealed sponsorship earnings of £144.5 million for the 2023/24 season.

It is also claimed Spurs are not as attractive as a sponsorship opportunity to non-football brands now the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min no longer represent the club.

To that end, the club are still on the lookout for a lucrative stadium sponsor, six years and 10 months after the arena opened.

Spurs are expected to lose key players this summer with club captain Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven among those who could be poached. Romero has previously voiced his frustration with the Tottenham hierarchy on social media platforms, for which he was not disciplined by recently-departed head coach Frank.

Van de Ven, meanwhile, is likely to be near the top of many teams' centre-back wishlists given Spurs' negotiating position will be weakened by their poor 2025/26 showing and the likely need to raise funds.

Spurs are also needing to plug a potential £30m sponsorship hole before the expiry of their front-of-shirt sponsorship with insurance company AIA. The Hong Kong–based multinational insurance and finance corporation will soon be into the final year of their long-standing sponsorship agreement, believed to be worth £40m per season, before transitioning to a training kit-only sponsor agreement until 2032, worth in the region of £10-15m, according to The Telegraph.

Industry insiders have expressed to the national newspaper the opinion that they do not foresee Spurs attracting a partner with pockets as deep as the Far Eastern company.

Tottenham Hotspur became the latest Premier League club to sack their manager this season when showing Thomas Frank the door in February, leaving fans wondering where the club will veer next in its quest for glory.

That question has been answered in the short term for now, with the hiring of Croatian Igor Tudor on an interim basis. The former Juventus centre-back, who has previously coached the Old Lady as well as Marseille and Lazio, has been hired until the end of the season, when the search for Frank’s long-term successor will also conclude.

Former Spurs striker Bobby Zamora is backing one of his former White Hart Lane team-mates to land the role when the latter decision is made.

‘It has been a frustrating time for Spurs fans’ Zamora is willing his old club to get things right this time

“Listen, we are talking about a huge club with so much going for it,” Zamora, who also played for sides including Brighton, West Ham, QPR and Fulham, tells FFT on behalf of Bet442. “They’ve got an incredible training ground and stadium. Probably everything bar the football has been incredible for a long, long time.

“So in that regard, it has been a frustrating time for Spurs fans. I’ve got a lot of pals that are Spurs fans and they’ve been pulling their hair out, trying to answer why this is always happening. That is the million dollar question for everyone. What is the final part of the jigsaw that needs to fall into place for them to have success in the Premier League?

“But even given all of that, there will be so many managers desperate to go to Spurs because they’re a project and so many of the foundations for success have already been laid. It really just needs a special person to come in and finish the job.”

Zamora feels former Spurs ace Robbie Keane would be an ideal fit for the club, given his long-term affiliation with the north Londoners, as well as own burgeoning coaching record at clubs including Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ferencvaros.

“For me in terms of who I’d have liked to see long term, I think Robbie Keane deserves an opportunity,” continues Zamora. “In terms of how the fans would see that, he loves the club and they know that. He isn’t going to come in to mess about and take a payday.

“He has been on a coaching journey himself and has done very well at the two clubs he’s been at. So I would love to see Robbie given a chance and I think the fans and even the owners would respond to someone like Robbie. He wouldn’t get grief straight off the bat as fans would want to see him given time; see him succeed.”

With an interim boss in charge and question marks over the long-term future of a number of first-team players, struggling Tottenham Hotspur appear to be in something of a transition period.

Former Juventus boss Igor Tudor has been given the nod to lead Tottenham for the rest of the season following the sacking of Thomas Frank earlier this month, with his priority being to steer the club away from the relegation zone.

Following another disappointing Premier League campaign, Spurs currently sit 16th in the table, just five points ahead of 18th-place West Ham United who occupy the final relegation spot.

Destiny Udogie set for Italy return?

Should Tudor lead the club to safety this season, Spurs are likely to have a busy summer in terms of squad turnover, not least at the back, with another player being linked with an exit.

Left-back Destiny Udogie has turned out 20 times for Spurs in all competitions this season and has been a reliable contributor to the club since his arrival from Udinese in 2022.

But a move back to Serie A could be on the cards, as Italian outlet Calciomercato IT reports that Juventus have identified the 23-year-old as a potential replacement for the misfiring Andrea Cambiaso, whose recent performances have cast doubt on his future with the club.

A host of clubs in both Italy and abroad are said to be interested in Cambiaso, who has been valued at €40 million by Juve and should he depart, Udogie will be top of their shopping list.

Udogie - who Transfermarkt value at €40m - joined Spurs for €18m in 2022 and has a deal which runs until 2030, meaning the negotiation power lies with Spurs if Juventus do come knocking.

In FourFourTwo’s view, the likelihood of this deal rests on two factors, starting with the player himself and whether or not he wants to leave the club and return to Italy come the summer.

The other factor in play is whether or not Spurs are ready for a defensive clear-out in the summer.

Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away come the end of the season, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid said to be interested in the Spurs skipper.

Micky van de Ven also has a growing list of admirers, with Liverpool and Real Madrid both linked with the defender, while goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also being sounded out by Inter Milan and Juventus, according to reports.

With Spurs likely to miss out on European football next year, sales may be needed to balance the books, but the new manager - whoever that may be - is unlikely to want to start off with a defensive clear-out.