Tag: Tottenham Hotspur

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NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO BECOMES NEW TOTTENHAM MANAGER

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo as their new head coach on a two-year deal.

The 47-year-old arrives at Spurs after a successful four-year spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“When you have a squad with quality and talent, we want to make the fans proud and enjoy,” Nuno told Spurs’ official website.

“It’s an enormous pleasure and honour [to be here], there’s joy and I’m happy and looking forward to starting work. We don’t have any days to lose and we must start working immediately as pre-season starts in a few days.”

Nuno led Wolves to the Championship title in his first season in charge, before recording back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League, the highest the club have achieved in the competition.

He oversaw Wolves’ first European campaign for 39 years, taking them to the quarter-finals of the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League, where they lost 1-0 to eventual winners Sevilla.

He has been named the Barclays Manager of the Month on three occasions.

Nuno’s first match in the dugout will be a home fixture against Manchester City on Sunday 15 August.

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DANNY ROSE SIGNS FOR WATFORD ON A FREE TRANSFER

File photo dated 23-04-2019 of Tottenham Hotspur's Danny Rose applauds the fans. Issue date: Thursday May 27, 2021.

Tottenham defender, Danny Rose has moved to premier league returnee side, Watford on a free transfer. The North london club has released a statement to confirm this on Wednesday.

“We’ve said our goodbyes to Danny Rose already, so this is mostly just a confirmation of what we already know: Rose has left Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer and has now officially signed for Watford.”
the statement read.

This is actually the second time Danny’s gone to Watford — he spent the second half of the 2008-09 season there on loan in the Championship, where he played in seven matches as a midfielder under then-manager Brendan Rodgers. Amazing how the more things change the more the same names keep popping up in conversation.

Now that he’s on the wrong side of 30 I don’t know if he’ll be a lock-down starter at left back for Watford in the Premier League, but he’ll absolutely be in the rotation. Spurs play home to Watford on August 28, and away on New Year’s Day 2022.

Good luck to Danny, and for god’s sake please don’t score a worldly against us in August because that would both be thrilling and would make me very sad.

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TOTTENHAM HOLD TALKS TO WITH MAURICIO POCHETTINO ABOUT POSSIBLE RETURN

Tottenham have held talks with former boss Mauricio Pochettino about a possible return to the club.

The 49-year-old, who is currently in charge of Paris St Germain, left Spurs in November 2019 after five years in charge and was replaced by Jose Mourinho.

But with Mourinho sacked last month, reports indicate that Spurs have spoken to the Argentinian regarding the potential prospect of a second spell in charge.

Pochettino guided PSG to the semi-finals of the Champions League after taking over from Thomas Tuchel in January, beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich on the way, and won the French Super Cup and the Coupe de France.

But they missed out on the Ligue 1 title to Lille and there are mixed messages about his future in Paris.

The French club were not prepared to comment on “rumours” when approached by the PA news agency and responded by putting out an interview of Pochettino, who has 12 months left on his contract, talking about doing “great things in the future”.

Pochettino, who is understood to be back in London, said in an interview conducted on Monday: “I’m happy with the way the players have adapted to the changes.

“There are many things which could not be changed or which could not be developed for lack of time.

“But I still think that with this way of working, and with the desire to be able to develop other types of ideas on the ground, we will do great things in the future.

“And in a club like Paris St Germain, you are forced to think that perfection is accessible and that winning is the only option.

“And for a club like ours, it’s about winning, winning and winning. And come back to win.

“It requires a great expenditure of energy and always having the certainty that the priority is to be professional and that the difficulties or the obstacles are always surmountable. And it’s my challenge, to impose this idea here.”

Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag and Brighton’s Graham Potter are also candidates, with Antonio Conte also possibly in the frame following his exit from Inter Milan on Wednesday.

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has been linked to the position, but the PA news agency understands there are no plans for talks between the two parties.

Out of all of the candidates, Pochettino would be the most popular appointment among the fans.

Tottenham mounted back-to-back Premier League title challenges under Pochettino before a memorable run to the 2019 Champions League final.

But Spurs, in the midst of building a £1billion stadium, went through two transfer windows without making any signings and that caught up with them at the start of the 2019-20 season.

The nadir was a 7-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in October 2019, with Pochettino relieved of his duties a month later.

His relationship with the club – and chairman Daniel Levy – remained strong and he spoke about one day returning.

In an interview in April of last year, Pochettino told BT Sport: “It was an amazing journey that finished the way no one wanted it to finish.

“But deep in my heart I am sure our paths will cross again. From the day I left the club, my dream is to be back one day and to try to finish the work we didn’t finish.

“We were so close to winning the Premier League and Champions League.

“Deep inside I want to go back because the fans are so special. Maybe in five years, maybe in 10 years, but before I die I want to manage Tottenham.”

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HARRY KANE BEATS MO SALAH TO PREMIER LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOT, WINS PLAY MAKER OF THE SEASON

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane has won the 2020-21 Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 23 goals over the course of the season.

Kane, who according to ESPN sources has told Spurs he wants to leave this summer, beat Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to the prize. The Egypt international finished the season with 22 goals.

Both players had gone into the final day level on 22, but Kane scored in Tottenham’s 4-2 win with Leicester City, while Salah drew a blank in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

This is Kane’s third Golden Boot award after winning it in back-to-back seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

He has scored 221 goals in 336 games for Spurs across all competitions and is on track to beat Alan Shearer’s Premier League record of 260 goals. Kane, 27, has 166.

Sunday’s game against Leicester possibly marked Kane’s last in a Tottenham shirt as he has requested a move away from Spurs.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are all reportedly interested in the 27-year-old.

However, he still has three years left on his contract with the north London side and chairman Daniel Levy is said to be reluctant to let his star forward leave.

Should the move be sanctioned, though, Spurs are thought to want around £150 million for him.

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ASTON VILLA BEAT TOTTENHAM IN A DRAMATIC 2-1 COME BACK VICTORY

Aston Villa came from behind to dent Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of qualifying for European football next season.

Steven Bergwijn had given Spurs the lead with a superb strike but the hosts gifted Villa an equaliser when Sergio Reguilon sliced Marvelous Nakamba’s cross into his own net to score the 1,000th own goal in Premier League history.

Ollie Watkins completed the turnaround six minutes before half-time with a close-range finish for his 14th goal of the campaign.

Anwar El Ghazi and Watkins then missed further chances for Villa to extend their lead before the break.

Spurs rallied in the second half, but Bergwijn and Harry Kane were both denied by Emiliano Martinez as they fell to a first home defeat under interim head coach Ryan Mason.

They drop to seventh on 59 points, three behind West Ham United and above Everton on goal difference alone.

A first Villa win in four matches keeps them in 11th with 52 points.

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HARRY KANE DECLARES INTENTION TO LEAVE TOTTENHAM

Harry Kane has told Tottenham he wants to leave the club this summer, sources say.

Sources said the England captain expressed his desire to move on during a face-to-face meeting with chairman Daniel Levy, and he would prefer to remain in the Premier League.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all lodged interest with Kane’s representatives, but it remains to be seen whether any club will offer the £150 million it will likely take to convince Spurs to sell.

Kane had repeatedly dropped hints about his frustration over a lack of silverware despite becoming one of the Premier League’s most prolific strikers, scoring 165 goals in 243 appearances to sit seventh on the all-time list.

However, he has yet to win a trophy with Tottenham or England. The club’s most recent setback came last month when Spurs lost the Carabao Cup Final to City 1-0 at Wembley.

Head coach Jose Mourinho was sacked six days before that game after a disappointing campaign in which they will miss out on Champions League qualification barring a mathematical miracle in the final week.

Despite this, Kane’s individual performances have remained strong. With 22 goals and 13 assists, only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (40) and Lionel Messi (39) have more goal involvements in Europe’s top five leagues in this season.

Kane has not handed in a transfer request and, significantly, he has three years remaining on his current £200,000-a-week contract.

Spurs are therefore in a strong negotiating position should Levy sanction his departure, but the chairman remains reluctant to lose the club’s prized asset, even for what would be one of the biggest transfer fees in history.

Sources said Kane is hopeful the situation can be resolved before the start of Euro 2020 on June 11, however, and that confidence could be based on unconfirmed reports suggesting he was keen to move on last summer but was convinced by Levy to give the club one more year in return for a softer stance at the end of this season should he still want to find a new club.

If Spurs are to grant their captain’s wish, they would prefer he go to a club abroad rather than strengthen a domestic rival, but Kane’s main suitors are all likely to be English.

Chelsea are in the market for a striker and would not be put off by the price tag given they hold an active interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, whose contract would command a similar fee.

Levy has a difficult relationship with Chelsea arising from previous transfers, however, which might therefore hand an advantage to United or City.

Fans have protested at the owners, ENIC, and Levy’s handling of the club in the wake of their involvement in the failed Super League project, and about 10,000 supporters will be able to attend their final home game against Aston Villa on Wednesday once coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

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TOTTENHAM TOPPLE WOLVES TO BOOST EUROPA LEAGUE HOPES

Tottenham strengthened their European qualification hopes with a 2-0 win over Wolves which moved them into the top six.

Harry Kane opened the scoring with a goal that advanced his chances of winning the Premier League Golden Boot and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg doubled the lead after the break.

It was Kane’s 22nd goal of the season, taking him back in front of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the race for a prize he has won twice before, while he also hit the post twice.

Spurs can still mathematically make the top four, but Europa League qualification is looking much more likely and a sixth-placed finish is in their own hands with two games to go.

Wolves’ campaign is petering out and this loss condemned them to a bottom-half finish for the first time since their return to the top flight.

Surprisingly, Kane had yet to score since one of his best mates Ryan Mason had taken temporary charge but he was on a mission to put that right from the off.

In the fifth minute he was cursing his luck again as he struck the post with an effort from distance. It was the eighth time he had been denied by the woodwork in the Premier League this term – more than any other player.

Still with something to play for, Spurs were the better side and Wolves’ goal was under regular threat.

Gareth Bale tested Rui Patricio with a wobbling free-kick from distance while Son Heung-min stung the Portugal goalkeeper’s palms with an attempt at the far post.

Kane then had a header cleared off the line by Conor Coady, who seconds later produced another heroic block from Giovani Lo Celso.

But Kane can only be kept at bay for so long and he struck in the 45th minute.

Hojbjerg’s pass set him clear and there was little doubt about the outcome – bar a VAR check for offside – as he expertly delayed his finish to fox Coady and Patricio before rolling into an empty net.

With Gareth Southgate watching, Dele Alli seemed determined to remind the England manager of his talents and it was a good piece of play that almost saw Spurs double their advantage.

He won back possession and then fed in Kane, who hit the woodwork for the ninth time as Patricio superbly tipped onto the upright.

That gave Alli the chance to get on the scoresheet as the rebound fell perfectly for him, but his first-time shot struck the other post.

Tottenham deserved their second goal, and it arrived in the 62nd minute.

Left-back Sergio Reguilon’s determination saw him win the ball high up the pitch, Son teed up Bale, whose first-time shot was parried by Patricio but Hojbjerg made no mistake from the rebound.

Wolves should have reduced their deficit soon after but the disappointing Fabio Silva dragged a shot wide from an inviting position while Adama Traore also shot wide after dancing into the area.

Spurs saw the game out safely as they prepare to welcome their fans back into their game with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

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LEEDS BEAT TOTTENHAM 3-1 TO DENT SPURS’ TOP FOUR HOPES

Goals from Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo handed Leeds United a 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur that hit their opponents’ hopes of a top-four finish.

In an open contest, Leeds went ahead on 13 minutes, with Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saving Sergio Reguilon from an own goal but being powerless to stop Dallas’s follow-up.

Son Heung-min levelled in the 25th minute when he converted from Dele Alli’s through-ball.

But Bamford’s first goal in six league matches put Leeds back in front before half-time as he tapped in from Ezgjan Alioski’s cross.

Spurs pushed for another equaliser but Illan Meslier denied Serge Aurier’s drive before Harry Kane’s free-kick hit the crossbar.

Leeds then made the points safe with six minutes remaining when substitutes Raphinha and Rodrigo combined to seal a first win in four matches that lifts Leeds to ninth with 50 points.

Spurs stay sixth on 56 points, five off Chelsea in fourth.

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JOSE MOURINHO IN NO RUSH TO RETURN FOOTBALL FOLLOWING TOTTENHAM SACKING

Jose Mourinho insisted he will “wait to be back in football” after being sacked by Tottenham on April 19.

The 58-year-old lost his job following a disappointing second half of the season where Spurs dropped from the top of the Premier League to outside the European places.

Mourinho left the north London club just six days before their Carabao Cup final at Wembley, which Manchester City won 1-0.

“I have no plans,” Mourinho told newsmen.

“I am going on with my normal life. I feel fresh. I feel calm. I am on holiday.

“I have more time to be doing my homework and analysis. I’ll wait to be back in football.

“Not just for the right club, but for the right culture. Maybe next season is premature, we will see.”

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TOTTENHAM TO HOLD MEETING WITH ERIK TEN HAAG WITH AJAX BOSS BEING NEXT SPURS TARGET

Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is open to the possibility of becoming Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager.

Spurs are still searching for a permanent candidate for the role, having dismissed Jose Mourinho last Monday.

It’s now understood that Ten Hag ranks highly on Tottenham’s manager shortlist and the club are keen to strike a deal with the 51-year-old.

According to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have scheduled a ‘direct meeting’ with Erik ten Hag and the Dutchman is open to leaving Ajax in the summer.

Ajax are on the verge of becoming league champions once again and require only a point at home to Emmen on Sunday to secure the Eredivisie title.

Ten Hag took charge of Ajax in December 2017, following previous spells with fellow Dutch sides Go Ahead Eagles and Utrecht.

He previously faced Tottenham in the 2019, suffering a devastating Champions League semi-final defeat courtesy of a Lucas Moura inspired second leg fightback.

Other potential candidates for the role have included Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers, Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, former RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick and departing RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Spurs had wanted Nagelsmann to replace Mourinho, but Bayern Munich recently agreed terms for the 33-year-old to become their new coach from July

Ryan Mason is currently in caretaker charge of Spurs until the end of the season.

As well as finding Mourinho’s long-term successor, another priority for chairman Daniel Levy is addressing Harry Kane’s future at the club.

The 27-year-old striker is under contract until June 2024 and has again reiterated his desire to win trophies as opposed to individual awards.

“Individual awards are great, they are fantastic achievements,” said Kane.

“When I look back at the end of my career, these are the things I will go over and take in more, but the goal right now as a player is to win team trophies. I want to be winning the biggest prizes there is to offer and we are not quite doing that.”