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Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has revealed a moment that should have been a happy one before the Champions League final in 2019, but one small detail made him realise the club were destined to lose.

The revelation comes in an extract from the gloveman’s new autobiography, Earning My Spurs, published by the Guardian.

In it, the Frenchman casts his mind back to the days leading up to Spurs’ meeting with Liverpool, where the dishing out of a gift solidified the losing mentality of the north London club in Lloris’ mind.

The gift that left Hugo Lloris questioning the mentality of Spurs

In the extract, Lloris reveals that Tottenham’s owner, Daniel Levy, gathered the squad together in the days before the showpiece final to give each member an aviator watch, a gift to commemorate this landmark moment in their careers.

A lovely gesture, right? The goalkeeper thought so too, until he flipped the timepiece over to reveal ‘Champions League Finalist 2019’ engraved under his name on the back.

Lloris felt that, in a nutshell, it represented a mentality that has seen Spurs go without a major trophy since 2008, that those running the club were just happy to be there. “It’s the taking part that counts,” the gift screamed.

The former France international goes on to say that he respects Levy for everything he has done for Tottenham, but that he is prone to such misjudgements in messaging.

“As magnificent as the watch is, I have never worn it,” Lloris wrote. “I would have preferred there to be nothing on it.”

You’d be forgiven for forgetting the snoozefest at the Estadio Metropolitano that night, but Spurs did indeed lose, and much like that watch had alluded to, the Frenchman felt many inside the club were too content with the result.

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In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Lloris’ misgivings seem fair. Why would Levy take a phrase more at home on a runners-up medal and carve it into a pre-match gift? It portrays a mentality that key figures like him believed Spurs were operating beyond their station.

It was clearly well-intentioned, but it hit the wrong note. What’s most surprising is it sounds like Lloris still has the watch. Has he never heard of eBay?

After a first season under Ange Postecoglou full of impressive attacking displays and intriguing defensive high-lines, Tottenham have started the season in typical turbulent fashion.

They’ve scored three or more against Everton, Brentford, Manchester United, West Ham and Aston Villa as well as knocking Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup. Yet they’ve also thrown away a two-goal lead on the way to losing to Brighton and lost to Crystal Palace who had failed to win all season.

Their second-half performance against Aston Villa was emphatic, scoring four times to recover from being a goal down, but as Premier League injuries mount up, defender Cristian Romero was taken off with a knock.

Is Tottenham star Cristian Romero injured this weekend?

Whilst Spurs’ attack has clicked this season, scoring the most goals in the league after 10 games, their defence has been less impressive, keeping just two clean sheets.

However, Romero is vital to the way Ange’s side play and offers a serious threat at set pieces.

After the game Potecoglou - who ranked at no.36 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now - gave an update.

He said: “Romero yeah, it was in that challenge again. He felt his foot was sore. I don't have any sort of further information.

“Obviously, he's a pretty tough cookie for him to come off, it must be sore, but yeah, look it's not ideal.”

Reports from Argentina suggest that Romero has injured his ligaments, but escaped without fracturing a bone which could have led to a significant period out.

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If these reports are correct, FourFourTwo would suggest that Romero will miss Spurs’ home game against Ipswich when Premier League action returns this weekend, but will return for their next match, away at Manchester City after the international break.

Given Micky van de Ven’s hamstring injury, Spurs fans will be relieved that their vice-captain is not set to miss multiple league matches.

Tottenham are set to see one of their key first team stars leave for international duty next week, despite them being injured for their next two matches.

Ange Postecoglou's side play Galatasaray away in the Europa League on Thursday, before hosting Ipswich Town at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Key players will be missing from both games, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Richarlison all set to be watching from the sidelines. One of the aforementioned trio has already been included in their national team squad, however, ahead of the international break next week.

Tottenham to lose Cristian Romero to Argentina - despite his injury

After limping off the pitch during Tottenham's 4-1 win over Aston Villa last weekend, Spurs fans feared the worst for Cristian Romero, with a suspected broken toe. Argentine journalist Gaston Edul has since dispelled those fears, stating it's only minor ligament damage and he'll only be out for the next seven to 10 days.

That has seen Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni include Romero in his squad for the November internationals, despite the fact he's set to miss Spurs' next two matches.

Argentina play Paraguay and Peru in World Cup qualifiers looking to extend their lead at the top of the South American table and cement their spot in Canada, USA and Mexico for 2026. They so far have 22 points after 10 games, though there are still eight matches remaining.

It seems Romero, capped 39 times by his national team, will be fit enough for at least some involvement in those games, despite Spurs not having that same luxury for the rest of the week. Tottenham do have the option to stop Romero from joining up with the national team if they don't feel he is fit enough, though.

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Romero and Van de Ven's injuries mean that Ange Postecoglou will likely start Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies in the centre of defence for the next two matches, in what are similar circumstances to the defensive injury crisis Tottenham suffered midway through last season.

Emerson Royal played with the Welshman in the heart of the Tottenham defence on that occasion, but the Brazilian has since departed the club.

Tottenham are said to be sizing up a January reinforcement following the injury to Micky van de Ven.

The Netherlands international appeared to be holding his hamstring as he was substituted in the victory over Manchester City, before being replaced by Destiny Udogie after just 14 minutes in North London.

Van de Ven has endured an injury-hit start to his life at Spurs, having also missed two months last season with the same issue. There is concern over the 23-year-old and Spurs are already being tipped to bring in an extra body over the winter period.

Former Tottenham scout Mike Brown says the Lilywhites are exploring their options

Mike Brown, former scout at Tottenham Hotspur, says the Lilywhites want to bring in a new defender to help ease the worries brought on by Van de Ven's injury and the fitness of Cristian Romero.

Both players were injured last season and there is thought to be some wiggle room in the mark for manager Ange Postecoglou to bring in a new player in January.

“Tottenham worry me defensively,” Brown said via Football Insider. “They fall down at the fundamentals, they’re just not good enough at the back. That’s even with their first-choice team on the pitch. Their strength in depth is an issue too because it makes rotation difficult.

"Their strength in depth is an issue too because it makes rotation difficult. They’ve got a settled pairing in [Cristian] Romero and [Micky] Van de Ven, but behind them, they’re short of real quality options and strength in depth. From what I’m hearing, they want to bring in someone who can fill in if those two miss out.”

In FourFourTwo's view, another body to help Romero and Van de Ven would be valued, given the club did the same by bringing in Radu Dragusin last season.

But after being sent off in the Europa League, the former Genoa man may not be the answer to all their problems and somebody with a better pedigree, for example Joe Gomez at Liverpool, would be the ideal solution.

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“I’ve been mindful of Micky," Postecoglou said after using him as at left back for the final 30 minutes of a win against Burnley.

"He’s had a couple of injuries and I’ve got to be careful with him when it comes to the demands of playing left-back in our system. I’ve got to think about the future and the physical demands are different at left-back."

Son has missed three of Spurs’ last four league games.

Tottenham’s second season under Ange Postecoglou has not started as well as many may have expected, as Premier League injuries accumulate for every club. They have lost four games already this season including a recent loss away to out-of-form Crystal Palace as well as surrendering a two-goal lead to Brighton – losing 3-2. However, they have smashed Everton, Manchester and West Ham.

It is clear Spurs have an abundance of attacking quality, but their defence has let them down at times, with just two clean sheets all season. They face a tough test this weekend when Premier League action returns with top-four challenging Aston Villa visiting The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Is Son Heung-min injured for Tottenham this weekend?

South Korean winger Son - who ranks at No.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League wingers of all time - had started the season impressively with two goals and two assists in his first five games before being sidelined for two matches with a tight hamstring. Son then returned with a goal in Spurs’ 4-1 win over West Ham before missing the loss the Crystal Palace last time out.

Spurs failed to score against a Palace side that had kept just one clean sheet all season before their match-up, even with the likes of Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and James Maddison in the Tottenham squad. Spurs fans will therefore be relieved with Ange Postecoglou’s injury update.

Prior to the Palace game he said: “It's not really a hamstring injury, but he was out for a while and wasn't feeling right after the last game, so we're just being conservative with him. All things being well, he should be all right for next week.”

This update was followed by further positive news on Tuesday in the lead-up to their League Cup fixture against Manchester City.

Postecoglou said: “Son is almost fit but probably from our perspective we'll aim for the weekend.

“We're quite confident he'll be right for the weekend."

Tottenham fans will be glad to have the return of their captain not only for team morale, but for the clinical edge that he often brings to games.

Brennan Johnson has stepped up in recent games, but Son’s finishing will be key for Spurs if they want to push for Champions League spots, especially as they face Aston Villa and Manchester City across their next three games.

Tottenham Hotspur are said to be open to the idea of selling a player whose last move only came over the summer.

The Lilywhites have had a mixed start to the season, with big wins over Manchester United, Everton and West Ham United coming amid concerning defeats to Arsenal, Brighton and Newcastle.

Ange Postecoglou's side face Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League – without captain Son Heung-min to choose from – and now the future of one star is in question, too.

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly unfussed by prospect of losing Timo Werner

German outlet Kicker claim that Spurs are willing to let Werner depart the club in January if RB Leipzig were to find a different move for the forward, however, suggesting Spurs are quite happy to let that £10m release clause go untriggered.

That contrasts with Sport Bild's report just a few days ago that Werner would remain at Spurs for the rest of the season come what may (by which we mean 'regardless what happens'; we're not unsure about when the season finishes.)

Sport Bild do however note that Werner needs to improve his form if he is to stand any chance of breaking back into the German national team setup.

Werner has not been included in the Germany squad since June 2023, when he was an unused substitute for a friendly game against Ukraine.

The 28 year old was a prolific provider of both goals and assists during his first spell with RB Leipzig, prompting Chelsea to splash the cash for his services in summer 2020. Werner had just had registered a combined 32 goals and 10 assists in 42 appearances in the Bundesliga and the Champions League the season before.

Werner was unable to translate that into the Premier League at Stamford Bride, but was an important player in their 2021 Champions League triumph and again found form in the competition as they reached the quarter-finals the following year.

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Werner has likewise struggled to make a massive impact at Spurs this season, coming up with just one assist in ten appearances in all competitions and largely being confined to appearing from the bench.

Tottenham Hotspur are facing further injury worries over Heung-min Son this weekend.

Ange Postecoglou's side - who face Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League - will be hoping to continue their strong form as of late, after beating West Ham United and AZ Alkmaar in the past seven days.

Spurs have hopes of further success this season after finishing 5th in Postecoglou's first campaign in charge. But with their captain an injury doubt, worries are beginning to creep in for the Lilywhites ahead of their trip to Selhurst Park.

Is Heung-min Son injured for Spurs this weekend?

As confirmed by Tottenham boss Postecoglou, Son is not fit enough to play for his side this weekend after suffering a setback in his recovery.

The South Korean star did play against West Ham United last weekend, and found the net, but was rested in midweek against AZ and has unfortunately been unable to overcome his issue.

"Sonny [is] still not right or feeling 100%," Postecoglou told reporters on Friday. "He won't train today and [is] unlikely for the weekend."

That news will come as a huge blow for Spurs, who are looking to record their fifth Premier League win of the season, with a crucial clash with Manchester City in the Carabao Cup also on the horizon.

In FourFourTwo's view, Son will be a huge miss for Tottenham, but they do still pose enough quality to really hurt Crystal Palace, who themselves are struggling to find the net.

Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke all have enough talent to get the job done and we predict a win for Spurs this weekend in Croydon.

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"As you said, they’re going through a tough spell," added Postecoglou on Crystal Palace's recent form. "I have no doubt they’ll get out of it because they do have some quality in the front third and they’re a hard-working team.

"I think for us what’s important is that we’re on a good run, we’ve been on a good run for a while, and we want to continue that. And the basis of that good run is how and we’re working and sticking to our principles."

Tottenham are said to have fended off Arsenal's competition regarding one of their current recruits.

Spurs, who have so far suffered an indifferent start under Ange Postecoglou, know they still have plenty of work to do before they can mix it with Mikel Arteta's men at the top of the table.

The Gunners, however, who once again look ready for a title fight this season, missed out on one player who eventually decided he was better suited playing for the other side in North London.

Details have been revealed on how Tottenham star Dejan Kulusevski snubbed Arsenal's advances in 2022

Dejan Kulusevski was mistreated by former club Juventus, forced out on an 18-month loan to Tottenham, with the only facet that Spurs must front up £35 million to sign him after that.

But according to Gianluca Di Marzio, Tottenham were not the only climb vying for the Sweden international's signature, with Arsenal said to have presented a proposal to the winger.

"After the vain attempt for the then-Viola Dusan Vlahovic, Arteta's team turned their attention to the Swede [Kulusevski] in view of the 2022 transfer market," explained the Italian journalist, explaining that the player chose Antonio Conte – ranked at no.93 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest managers ever – over Arteta.

In hindsight, would Kulusevski have had the same impact and opportunity at Arsenal? Probably not. But it is interesting to know that Spurs will feel they got one up on their local rivals by eventually signing the 24-year-old wideman.

“I think I have everything to do very well here,” he said after first signing for Spurs back in 2022.

“I’ve been at some teams in Italy, I’ve had a lot of different coaches, learned a lot from them, had a lot of players around me so I think I’m ready for the Premier League at this age and I can’t wait to play.

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In FourFourTwo's view, Kulusevski's move from Juventus indicated one of the better pieces of business Spurs have done in the last few years. He has been an impactful player under both Conte and Postecoglou.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou could let a highly-rated talent leave in January, after handing them just three starts so far this season.

The start of the 2024/25 season has been inconsistent for Tottenham. They're currently seventh in the Premier League after eight games, having won four, drawn one and lost three.

But instead of throwing in the youngsters for a chance to help Spurs into the Champions League places, Postecoglou is instead looking to help them develop away from the club in the second half of the season.

Tottenham could loan out Archie Gray

According to Spanish outlet Mucho Deporte, Sevilla are considering making a loan offer for Archie Gray, with the youngster's game time at Spurs having been limited this term.

Gray signed for Tottenham in the summer, in a deal worth £40m after an impressive breakthrough season with Leeds United in the Championship. The 18-year-old has failed to break into Postecoglou's first team, however, with the youngster having played just 33 minutes of football in the Premier League.

While he did start both of Tottenham's games in the Europa League, as well as their win over Coventry in the League Cup, Gray needs regular first team football to continue his development.

That's why Sevilla are looking to take him on loan for six months, with former Leeds United director of football Victor Orta - now Sevilla's sporting director - looking to reunite with the youngster in the south of Spain. While Orta didn't get to watch Gray play for the first team during his time at Leeds, he would have certainly been aware of the emerging talent.

Sevilla are languishing in 13th in La Liga this term, with Garcia Pimienta's side having picked up just 12 points from 10 games. The report suggests they're lacking a midfielder capable of creating chances and working box-to-box, with Gray fitting that profile perfectly.

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In FourFourTwo's opinion, it would make sense for Gray to go on loan somewhere for the second half of the 2024/25 season in order to continue his development, though whether Sevilla is the right place for him is certainly up for discussion.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign an exciting young talent compared to Bukayo Saka, but they will have to act fast in order to acquire his services.

In the summer, Tottenham spent a club record £65m on Dominic Solanke, while they also added teenagers Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall to Ange Postecoglou's side.

But, with Spurs' recruitment clearly driven to the future, the club's hierarchy are looking to add more future stars to their side in the coming transfer windows.

Tottenham linked with the 'next Bukayo Saka'

According to The Mirror, Tottenham are chasing the signature of Leece's versatile Patrick Dorgu, who has started at left-wing, right-wing and even right back already so far this season.

That's despite having Dorgu having made the majority of his 2023/24 appearances for Leece at left-back. Once manager Luca Gotti arrived in March, though, he pushed Dorgu further forward, with the 19-year-old now thriving in a more advanced position. Indeed, he hasn't played one game at left-back this term.

His versatility has been compared to Bukayo Saka, who played a number of positions for Arsenal when first breaking into the first team a few years ago now. Of course, the England international has now settled at right-wing, with Dorgu's positional path also looking similar.

The report adds that Chelsea are also interested in Dorgu, who is valued at £10m by Transfermarkt with his contract expiring in 2029.

Dorgu has clearly made a marked improvement in recent months, too, with Denmark manager Morten Wieghorst calling him up for the national team in Septemer. He scored on his debut in September against Switzerland, before making his first start earlier this month in the return Nations League fixture.

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Fiorentina News claims that it's unlikely Dorgu will still be at Leece come the start of the 2025/26 season, with his contract length helping the Italian side demand a premium fee for his sale.

In FourFourTwo's view, it certainly makes sense that both Tottenham and Chelsea would be keeping tabs on Dorgu. Spurs have picked up relative unknowns in Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin from Serie A in recent years, while their recent focus on teenagers also suggests the club's commitment to discovering talented youngsters.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are consistently scouting for the brightest young talent in world football, with Dorgu certainly fitting that bill.