The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tottenham

  • Tottenham breaks bank for £65m Tanguy Ndombele deal

     

    Tottenham have announced the signing of Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon for a club record fee of £65million.

    The midfielder travelled to London to complete a medical on Tuesday after agreeing terms on a six-year contract with the Premier League club.

    Spurs will pay an initial £56.5m for France star Ndombele, although the future fee could rise to around £65m due to the add-ons included in the package

    The fee for Ndombele tops the £42m Spurs splashed out for centre back Davinson Sanchez in 2017.

    He has been a long-term target for manager Mauricio Pochettino and having been keen to sign him in the previous two windows, the Tottenham boss made the player his No 1 priority this summer.

    The 22-year-old has drawn comparisons in style to former Chelsea favourite Michael Essien since his emergence at Lyon.

    Capturing Ndombele represents a significant statement of intent from the north Londoners as they make an eye-catching return to the transfer market after two windows without spending

    Spurs kickstarted their summer spree by landing winger Jack Clarke from Leeds for £8.5m ,before immediately sending him back on loan to the Championship club.

    Pochettino also hopes to sign Nicolo Zaniolo from Roma, with the Italian club’s interest in Toby Alderweireld potentially boosting their chances.

    The Argentine is willing to sell the defender, who has just a year left on his contract, in order to raise funds for his summer rebuild.

    Alderweireld has a £25m buy-out clause which expires on July 25, while Roma could sell 20-year-old midfielder Zaniolo for around £40m.

  • Tottenham stadium to host European club rugby finals in 2021

    The 2021 Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup finals will be held at Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium from May 21 to 22, the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Friday.

    The 2018 finals held in Bilbao, home to Spanish soccer club Athletic Bilbao, while this year’s finals will be held in Newcastle’s St James’ Park.

    Tottenham’s stadium, which has a capacity of over 62,000, won the bid for the 2021 finals.

    “There is already a real buzz about the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it will continue the theme of new experiences for our fans in dynamic stadiums,” EPCR Chairman Simon Halliday said.

    The new stadium, which will host NFL games apart from Premier League matches, will also allow Premiership Rugby side Saracens to play their annual ‘Big Game’ fixture from 2020 after they agreed on a five-year deal last month.

    Read Also: Ajax’s shares crash after Champions League defeat to Tottenham

    “We’re excited to have been selected to host this prestigious weekend… in 2021 and to have this opportunity to welcome EPCR and rugby fans from around the world to Tottenham to experience our new home,” Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy said.

    “These games will add to the portfolio of world-class sporting and entertainment events our multi-use venue will stage in this new leisure destination for London.”

    Saracens play Leinster in this season’s Champions Cup final on Saturday while Clermont take on La Rochelle later today in the Challenge Cup final.

  • Breaking: Ajax vs Tottenham XI

    Ajax will attempt to reach the final of the champion league tonight for the time since 1995.

    The Dutch side leads 1-0 on aggregate going into the second leg of the semi-finals match.

    Below is the official line-ups of the teams.

    Ajax XI: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Blind, Tagliafico; Schone, De Jong, van de Beek; Ziyech, Tadic, Neres

    Spurs XI: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Wanyama, Sissoko, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas, Son

  • Breaking: Tottenham vs Ajax line-up

    Tottenham have to deal with a lack of forward depth when they take on Ajax in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie tonight.

    Tottenham XI: Lloris, Trippier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Wanyama, Rose, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas, Llorente

    Subs: Gazzaniga, Foyth, Walker-Peters, Davies, Dier, Skipp, Sissoko

    Read Also: UCL: Line-ups of Man City vs Tottenham

    Ajax XI: Onana; Veltman, de Ligt, Blind, Tagliafico; Schone, De Jong, van de Beek; Ziyech, Tadic, Neres

    Subs: Varela, Sinkgraven, Huntelaar, Mazraoui, Magallan, Dolberg, De Wit

     

  • UCL: Tottenham Hotspur stun Manchester City to advance after 7-goal thriller

    Tottenham Hotspur lost 3-4 on Wednesday but reached the semi-finals of the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate score against Manchester City.

    Spurs, who won the first leg 1-0, will now face Ajax Amsterdam of Holland for a place in the final match against Liverpool or FC Barcelona.

    In a dramatic finale to an astonishing contest, Manchester City had a stoppage time goal from Raheem Sterling, which would have sent them through, ruled out for offside.

    VAR review confirmed that Sergio Aguero was offside in the build-up.

    In a breathtaking quarter-final second leg game in Manchester, City took a fourth minute lead through a beautiful curling shot from Sterling.

    But Spurs struck back with two quick goals from Son Heung-min — the second of them a magnificent finish.

    The manic opening period continued when Bernardo Silva brought the home side level in the 11th minute with a deflected shot.

    Then, Sterling struck again to make it 3-2 in the 21st minute.

    However, while a thundering strike from Aguero in the 59th minute put Manchester City in the driving seat again, they were again stunned in the 73rd minute.

    Spurs substitute Fernando Llorente bundled in a Kieran Trippier corner kick to restore the London club’s advantage through away goals.(Reuters/NAN)

  • Harry Kane is most Valuable Premier League player

     

    Tottenham forward and England international Harry Kane is the most expensive premier league player at the moment according to International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES)

    According to CIES, Kane is the most valuable player in the league, worth an eye-watering £171million.

    Second in the list is Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling at £161m with Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah ranked third at £160m.

    Surprisingly Romelu Lukaku is considered the most expensive player to buy from Manchester United, worth more than David De Gea and Paul Pogba.

    Meanwhile, coveted forward Eden Hazard is regarded as Chelsea’s most prized possession at £105m.

    Below is the comprehensive list of each Premier League club’s most valuable player.

    Kane interestingly left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on crutches and in a protective boot following his side’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

    Son Heung-min’s strike in the 78th minute gave Spurs a slender lead ahead of next week’s quarter-final second leg at the Etihad Stadium.

    However, striker Kane limped off with an injury to his left ankle following a 50/50 challenge with England team-mate Fabian Delph early in the second half.

    Below are top 20 most valuable players in the premier league

    1. Harry Kane (Tottenham) – £171 million
    2. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) – £161 million
    3. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – £160 million
    4. Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) – £137 million
    5. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – £105 million
    6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) – £72 million
    7. Richarlison (Everton) – £71 million
    8. Declan Rice (West Ham United) – £60 million
    9. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City – on loan from Monaco) – £52 million
    10. Aleksandar Mitrović (Fulham) – £43 million
    11. Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – £40 million
    12. Nathan Ake (Bournemouth) – £35 million
    13. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) – £33 million
    14. Nathan Redmond (Southampton) – £32 million
    15. Gerard Deulofeu (Watford) – £32 million
    16. James Tarkowski (Burnley) – £21 million
    17. Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion) – £18 million
    18. Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle United) – £16 million
    19. Terence Kongolo (Huddersfield Town) – £15 million
    20. Josh Murphy (Cardiff City) – £12 million

     

  • Tottenham agree five-year deal with Saracens

    Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a five-year deal with Saracens that will allow the Premiership Rugby team to play their annual ‘Big Game’ fixture at Spurs’ new stadium from 2020, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

    Tottenham’s White Hart Lane Stadium had been undergoing renovation since 2016.

    The new arena, which seats more than 62,000 fans, will officially open its doors when the north London side host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

    The club already has a long-term agreement in place with the National Football League (NFL) to host regular season’s games at the stadium.

    The club chairman, Daniel Levy said they had aspirations for the stadium to be a “multi-use venue”.

    “We look forward to welcoming Saracens and their fans to Tottenham and delivering world-class rugby match day experiences, showcasing our new stadium and all the surrounding area has to offer,” Levy said in a statement.

    Saracens, the reigning Premiership champions, have used Wembley Stadium in the past for this game, which usually takes place in March during the international soccer break.

    “For me and Saracens, it’s a really special opportunity for us to partner with our fellow north Londoners,” Saracens chairman Nigel Wray said.

    “Together with Spurs we have the opportunity to create something very special in north London.”

  • Tottenham hits six in Everton demolition

    Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to record an emphatic 6-2 victory against Everton in Sunday’s Premier League fixture at Goodison Park.

    Theo Walcott had given Everton an early lead, but doubles from Son Heung-min and Harry Kane and efforts from Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen gave Mauricio Pochettino a second successive win on the road during a week where speculation regarding his long-term future has mounted.

    Spurs remain in third position but now sit just two points adrift of second-placed Manchester City, while Marco Silva’s side remain in the bottom half of the standings and have now recorded just one win in seven attempts.

    Everton should have opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Richarlison sent a free header wide of the target, before Kane saw a lob go marginally off target and Jordan Pickford reacted well to keep out a volley from Kieran Trippier.

    An early goal appeared inevitable and it was Everton who went in front through Walcott, who converted from eight yards after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had cut the ball back from the byline.

    Kane almost netted an instant equaliser with his 20-yard effort going inches over the crossbar, but Everton felt aggrieved after being denied a second goal when Calvert-Lewin was adjudged to have pushed Davinson Sanchez before heading into the far corner.

    Spurs’ leveller came just two minutes later. A long ball led to Pickford and Kurt Zouma getting in each other’s way, and Son kept his composure to send a 25-yard effort into the far corner of an empty net.

    The North London outfit remained in the ascendancy and a second goal arrived through Alli, whose half-volley was deflected into the bottom corner after Pickford had saved well from Son.

    Everton needed to reach the break without conceding a third but Spurs extended their advantage through Kane, with the club’s top goalscorer sending the ball into an empty net after Trippier’s 25-yard set piece had hit the inside of the post.

    Spurs looked like they were going to score on each occasions that they surged forward, and a fourth arrived soon after the restart as Eriksen sent a stunning volley from 20 yards into the bottom corner after Everton had only half-cleared a Kane cross.

    That should have wrapped up the three points for Pochettino’s men, but Everton found a way back into the game just two minutes later when Sigurdsson found the bottom corner of the net from 15 yards after being given the space to run across the edge of the area.

  • Tottenham to play all Champions League group matches at Wembley

    Tottenham Hotspur will play all their Champions’ League group matches at Wembley as they wait to move into their new stadium, the Premier League club said on Monday.

    Spurs were initially scheduled to play their first game at the new 62,000-capacity White Hart Lane venue on Sept. 15 against Liverpool.

    However, safety issues meant they switched the game along with the next home fixture to Wembley.

    Mauricio Pochettino’s side will now host Barcelona (Oct. 3), PSV Eindhoven (Nov. 6) and Inter Milan (Nov. 28) in Group B at Wembley, where they played their home matches last season.

    Spurs will also entertain Manchester City in the Premier League at the national stadium on Oct. 29.

    The match was originally due to take place on Oct. 28, but with Wembley hosting a National Football League game between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, a new date was agreed.

    Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said the club was doing everything to deliver the new stadium in the shortest possible time.

    “Amongst the consequences of the delay have been substantial additional costs, not least of which is the need for alternative venue hires,” Levy said in a statement.

    “Mauricio, his staff and the players, have been exceptional in their support and fully embraced the changes of venue with total positivity. They have my utmost respect.

    “As soon as we have confidence in our project managers’ and contractors’ ability to deliver against the revised schedule of works, we shall be able to issue dates for test,” Levy said.

  • Full Time: MAN UTD 0 – 3 SPURS @ Old Trafford

    • Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham (FT)
    • Kane heads visitors in front (50)
    • Moura hits brace (52, 84)

    Tottenham has defeated Jose Mourinho’s led Manchester United side sound and silly at Old Trafford in the Premier League match played on Monday.

    An opening goal from Harry Kane with an header at the 50th minutes and a brace from Lucas Moura in the 52nd and 84th minute sealed the victory for the visitors.

    After the match Kane described the victoru as a big statement.

    He said, “Harry Kane has been speaking to Sky Sports after that emphatic win for Spurs.

    “That’s massive. To come here and win the way we did is a big statement. Three wins out of three, it’s a fantastic start. We did well to come in at 0-0 at half-time. In the big games, the first goal is so important.

    “We then saw the game out great. This is the only way we’re going to win the league. The top six is so strong now you have to stay at the top all the way through. This will give us huge belief and this is the type of game we have to win.”

    TOTTENHAM TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Man Utd: Lloris, Trippier, Rose, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dier, Dembele, Alli, Eriksen, Moura, Kane.

    Subs: Vorm, Davies, Sanchez, Aurier, Winks, Lamela, Llorente

    MAN UTD TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Tottenham: De Gea, Valencia, Shaw, Jones, Smalling, Matic, Fred, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard, Lukaku.

    Subs: Grant, Lindelof, Young, Fellaini, McTominay, Sanchez, Rashford.

    Match Preview Below

    OPTA STATS

    • A team from London hasn’t won away against Manchester United in the Premier League since Spurs’ win on New Year’s Day 2014 – since then, London clubs have taken just seven points from a possible 66 at Old Trafford (P22 W0 D7 L15).
    • Manchester United’s next Premier League home defeat will be their 50th in the competition at Old Trafford. Thirty-one per cent (15) of their Premier League home defeats have come since 2013- 14; the first season without Sir Alex Ferguson in charge.
    • Since taking over at Manchester United ahead of the 2016-17 Premier League season, Jose Mourinho has guided his team to 153 points – 16 fewer than opponents Spurs and 31 fewer than rivals Manchester City.

    ‘We are on the way to being a bigger club’

    Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino: “We are a big club of course, we need to be bigger of course and we are on the way to being a bigger club.

    “But after four years, many people say we haven’t won anything.

    “That is history. We are trying to set the basis to win, we are breaking records about good results but of course it is not enough.”

    ‘Matic a different level of experience’

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho speaking before the match said,

    “If I don’t play [Antonio] Valencia, [Nemanja] Matic, [Jesse] Lingard when they are ready I don’t think you’d accept it. You’d ask why I don’t play important players in the team when they are ready to play.

    “Tottenham had similar problems, every professional player, a guy like Matic who came from surgery, for 90 minutes, they have to be ready to make that effort.

    “He’s a player who gives balance to the team, Andreas [Pereira] has done well but Matic is a different level of experience and I think we need that.

    “You can expect 11 players, I hope to see fighting hard with great organisation when we don’t have the ball but also expect a team of 11 to be involved in an attacking dynamic when we have the ball. We have to score goals to win the game.”