Tottenham’s new Fan Advisory Board has unanimously stated its opposition to the club’s plan to increase match-day ticket prices for the 2023-24 season.
Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the forthcoming campaign, the second year in a row they had kept prices the same with the cost-of-living crisis cited as a reason behind the decision.
However, earlier this month the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust was informed about an increase in match-day tickets, while there is now set to be six Category A fixtures – the most expensive ticket – with Newcastle bumped up from Category B.
THST described the increase as “excessive” and expressed its frustration over a lack of dialogue with the club, which has been echoed by Spurs’ FAB members.
The 10 FAB members, which include Stephen Cavalier of THST and Proud Lilywhites’ co-chair Chris Paouros, met with Tottenham executive director Donna-Maria Cullen for the first time last Monday and expressed their objection to the match-day ticket prices.
“FAB members stated their opposition to the price increases,” the minutes from the first Tottenham FAB meeting read.
“SC (Stephen Cavalier) felt there should have been consultation with the Trust and discussion with the FAB before any decision.
“SC believed there should have been more transparency making clear that prices were increasing, a point supported by CP (Chris Paouros).
“The club had briefed the Trust ahead of the announcement and had responded publicly to media enquiries.
“CP felt that the club’s approach on this issue had not been fan-centric, something the FAB is supposed to be, and that there is a significant risk to match-day atmosphere if fans aren’t able to attend matches regularly due to the cost of tickets.
“CP also explained that a number of Proud Lilywhites members had contacted them to say they would now be priced out of attending matches.”
Ledley King is confident Harry Kane will not down tools amid Bayern Munich's efforts to sign him, with the former Tottenham defender hopeful Spurs will hold onto their star player.
Kane, whose 30 Premier League goals last season were not enough to help Spurs seal a European place, has been the subject of two bids from Bayern.
Both of those have been rejected by Spurs, though with Kane out of contract next year, there remains a possibility the England captain might finally end his long association with the club.
King, though, is hoping Kane will stay and play a key part in Ange Postecoglou's team.
He told Stats Perform: "It's always important to keep your best players, of course.
"Harry's an unbelievable player and what goes on from here is obviously up to him and the club. But him being here, being as professional as possible, working as hard as possible is what we're used to.
"That's Harry in a nutshell. I know he's enjoying the training, he's enjoying performing under Ange at the moment, and the rest we leave between him and the club to sort."
While Kane's future remains in doubt, one player to come through the door at Spurs this transfer window is James Maddison.
The playmaker scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 30 league appearances for Leicester City last season, though could not save the Foxes from relegation, but King thinks the Maddison is the ideal fit for Tottenham's midfield.
He added: "I feel like he's the type of player that we need in the squad at the moment. He is a creative player. He's a player that can shoot from outside the box, technically, very good, and wants to receive the ball in tight areas.
"He's a really good fit. He had a very good season last season with Leicester and he's an England international. These are the type of players that we want to attract."
While King has been "very impressed" by Postecoglou's start at Spurs, he believes it is too early to put firm targets on next season.
"First and foremost, I think we want to see the players have an identity in terms of the way we play and I think Ange brings that," King said.
"He has a certain style and the way he sees the game, which I think will suit our players, suit our club and excite the fans.
"In the Premier League, you don't know what it's going to throw at you. You start the first game with the intention to try and win every game, and you take it from there.
"The top four, of course, would be fantastic. That's where we'd love to be. But we realise how difficult that is.
"Just to have a season where players perform at their highest level, we play good style, a brand of football, and something that we can work on will be good."
New Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has admitted last week’s meeting with Harry Kane was “nothing earth-shattering” but still a good chat amid Bayern Munich’s growing efforts to lure the forward to Germany.
Kane has entered the final 12 months of his deal with Spurs and speculation over his future has heightened in recent weeks.
The England captain returned to training on Wednesday and held a meeting with Postecoglou, but the Australian has played down its significance.
Postecoglou told reporters at a press conference, via football.london, from the WACA Ground in Perth: “I had a good chat with Harry.
“Nothing earth-shattering as people are seeking. Just a good chat, introduced myself, spoke about the club and where we can improve.”
Bayern appeared to up the ante regarding Kane at the weekend with the club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness claiming an agreement over personal terms had been reached with the Spurs forward.
“Harry Kane has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision stands – and if he keeps to his word then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle,” Hoeness told German TV channel Sport1.
“Kane wants to play internationally and luckily for us Tottenham will not be active internationally next year.
“He now has another opportunity to come to a top club in Europe.
“Up to now, the father and the brother have always stood by what they promised. If it stays that way, that’s OK.”
Kane was spotted interacting with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy upon arriving in Australia this weekend for the club’s tour of Perth, Bangkok and Singapore.
While Bayern continue to push to secure the services of the England captain and have reportedly lodged two bids for the forward, Spurs’ stance remains the same, they have no intention of selling Kane.
Spurs’ record goalscorer has also been offered a new contract that is a significant increase on his current £200,000-a-week terms, the PA news agency understands.
Kane is yet to make a decision on the new deal but Tottenham and chairman Levy continue to stand firm on their desire to keep the striker.
Bayern honorary president Hoeness added: “Levy is clever, he doesn’t name a number. First we have to get him to name a number.
“Of course he plays for time. I think he’s a savvy, super professional, I appreciate him a lot – but I don’t think there are people on the other side who have been doing it since yesterday.”
Harry Kane has “clearly signalled” his decision to leave Tottenham and join Bayern Munich, according to the German club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness.
Kane has attracted interest from Bayern amid reports the Bundesliga champions have lodged a formal bid, with Hoeness insisting Spurs will “buckle” over selling the England captain should he “keep to his word” about leaving.
“Harry Kane has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision stands – and if he keeps to his word then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle,” Hoeness told German TV channel Sport1.
“Kane wants to play internationally and luckily for us Tottenham will not be active internationally next year.
“He now has another opportunity to come to a top club in Europe.
“Up to now, the father and the brother have always stood by what they promised. If it stays that way, that’s OK.”
Record Tottenham scorer Kane, who turns 30 later this month, is currently in Australia on the club’s pre-season Asia-Pacific tour.
On Kane’s future, new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu said at his first press conference this week: “I haven’t had any assurances and I wouldn’t expect any assurances.
“What I know right now is that Harry is part of this squad. He’s a very important part. He’s one of the premier strikers in the world and I want him involved.”
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen reportedly met in London on Thursday, with Kane now in the final year of his Tottenham contract.
Hoeness said: “Levy is clever, he doesn’t name a number. First we have to get him to name a number.
“Of course he plays for time. I think he’s a savvy, super professional, I appreciate him a lot – but I don’t think there are people on the other side who have been doing it since yesterday.”
Harry Kane has been included in Tottenham’s pre-season Asia-Pacific tour – but club captain Hugo Lloris will stay behind as the French goalkeeper looks to finalise a move to a new club.
England skipper Kane has entered the final 12 months of his Spurs contract and is attracting interest from Bayern Munich amid reports the Bundesliga champions have lodged a formal bid.
Along with some other international players, Kane returned for pre-season training on Wednesday, with new head coach Ange Postecoglou set to lay out his vision for success to the club’s leading scorer.
Spurs confirmed veteran goalkeeper Lloris had been granted permission not to travel on the tour “in order to explore prospective transfer opportunities”.
Tottenham’s stance on Kane, though, has not changed since Manchester City tried to sign the forward in 2021.
City’s advances were turned down and the north London club plan to reject any bids for the forward this summer, despite his contract now entering its final 12 months.
Another player expected to depart is Croatia winger Ivan Perisic – one of the travelling tour party – as Postecoglou trims down a bloated squad ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which starts at Brentford on August 13.
Tottenham fly out to Perth in Australia – with new signing James Maddison making the trip after the England midfielder’s £40million switch from Leicester – ahead of an opening fixture against West Ham on July 18.
Spurs will play Leicester in Thailand on July 23 before the Singapore leg, which will take in a fixture against local side Lion City Sailors on July 26 after previous opponents AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, pulled out of their planned trip to Asia.
Several Tottenham players are still sidelined by injuries – with goalkeeper Fraser Forster (back), defender Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Bryan Gil (back) and Troy Parrott (groin) all continuing their rehabilitation.
Tottenham defender Ryan Sessegnon has been left devastated by his recent hamstring injury – but has vowed to come back stronger than ever.
Spurs confirmed on Tuesday that Sessegnon had undergone surgery on his left hamstring following an injury in the first week of pre-season training under new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Left-back Sessegnon was plagued by muscle injuries last season and now faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“Devastated and not really sure what to say right now, but I wanted to come on here and say thank you for all the kind messages I’ve received,” he said on his Instagram page.
“Hopefully this provides a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel very hungry and motivated to return stronger than ever and be back doing what I do best, for you guys.”
Sessegnon made 23 appearances for Tottenham last season, but his last outing for the club occurred back in February after a hamstring injury curtained the second half of his campaign.
The ex-Fulham academy graduate was over the initial problem and returned to work at Spurs on July 1, only to suffer a reoccurrence of last season’s muscle issue.
It is expected surgery will be a “permanent solution” to his hamstring troubles.
Sessegnon has only made 56 appearances for Tottenham since joining in the summer of 2019 and will now miss the club’s upcoming tour of Perth, Bangkok and Singapore.
Earlier on Wednesday, Spurs announced they would now play local side Lion City Sailors on July 26 in the Singapore leg of their pre-season tour after previous opponents AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, pulled out of their tour to Asia.
Tottenham have also added another fixture to their summer schedule with the club set to face Barcelona in the 58th Joan Gamper Trophy match on August 8.
The pre-season friendly will take place at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – the scene of the 1992 Olympic Games – due to construction work taking place Barca’s Camp Nou stadium.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Ivan Perisic were among the international players to return to training at Hotspur Way on Wednesday despite speculation over their futures.
Tottenham have announced the signing of attacker Manor Solomon on a free transfer.
Spurs moved to bring former Fulham loanee Solomon to the club after he was able to cancel his deal with Shakhtar Donetsk.
The diminutive winger has agreed a five-year contract with Tottenham after he returned to the country from holiday last weekend and passed his medical on Monday.
Solomon was allowed to cancel his contract with Shakhtar and sign for Spurs after FIFA in May extended its temporary employment rules relating to the war in Ukraine.
Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, foreign players contracted to clubs affiliated to Ukrainian or Russian football associations can “unilaterally suspend their employment” until June 30 2024, provided teams are informed of the suspension in writing by July 1.
With Solomon’s previous terms with Shakhtar due to expire on December 31, he was able to become a free agent after he exercised the right to suspend his current employment with the Ukraine outfit.
The wide forward becomes the fourth addition completed by Tottenham this summer, with Dejan Kulusevski’s loan move being made permanent while last month Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison sealed transfers to the Premier League club.
Israel international Solomon showed flashes of his potential during his loan with Fulham last season despite waiting until January to make his full debut due to a serious knee injury.
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When the 23-year-old was fit, he scored five goals in 24 appearances to earn admirers at Tottenham.
Solomon could face old club Shakhtar in a friendly on August 6 after it was announced last month that Spurs would host the Ukraine champions.
The Premier League side are set to make a financial contribution to Shakhtar’s charitable foundation while an additional donation of net proceeds from ticket sales has been promised to help with the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Tottenham remain in the hunt for new central defenders with talks continuing with Wolfsburg over the signing of Micky ven de Ven.
Spurs also hold interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham, but outgoings are another area of priority after Harry Winks recently left to join Leicester.
The club’s stance on Harry Kane remains unchanged despite Bayern Munich’s growing interest.
Kane will return to training on Wednesday, but speculation over his future continues to intensify with only a year left on his deal.
The PA news agency understands Tottenham have offered the forward a new contract that is an increase on his current £200,000-a-week terms.
While Kane is yet to make a decision on the contract, Spurs’ stance remains the same with their star striker not for sale.
Spurs fly out for their pre-season tour of Perth, Bangkok and Singapore on Friday and a decision will need to be made over whether captain Hugo Lloris is part of the travelling party given interest from Inter Milan.
Tottenham are open to selling Lloris for the right offer and an agreement could even be reached to terminate his terms a year early, PA understands.
Ange Postecoglou is excited about the role “leader” James Maddison will play in helping implement his style of football at Tottenham.
Maddison completed a transfer worth £40million plus add-ons to Spurs last month after five years with Leicester where he won the FA Cup and scored 55 goals in 203 appearances.
England midfielder Maddison had been tracked by Tottenham since he was a teenager at Coventry and officially begins work with the club on Wednesday when the next group of international players, including Harry Kane, return.
His new boss feels the playmaker will be key to the sizable task of getting a squad accustomed to pragmatic, counter-attacking football now in sync with the aggressive, possession-based style set to be used by the Australian.
Postecoglou said: “Really excited to get James as part of the group.
“Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.
“They’re not easy to come by. He’s proven himself at that level in the last few years as somebody who can do that.
“When you look at Tottenham the last few years, they’ve been really reliant on the front three to get their goals.
“I thought it was a really good fit for us to look for a player like James – even better if we could get James, so we ended up getting James.
“I was really pleased and the fact we did it early was great because it allows him to have a break. He’s had the birth of twins so I don’t know what shape he’ll be in when he gets here!
“But once we get him in, it means he can come on the tour with us and I know he’s really excited about joining the group.
“He obviously knows a few of the lads and I think he’s in a stage of his career where it feels like he can be a leader, which is great as well because we need players who want to embrace that responsibility within this group.
“Whether it’s their first year in or they’ve been here for ages, we’re going to need leadership on the field and he feels like he can be a player who does that.”
Postecoglou held his first press conference since switching Celtic for Spurs on Monday and struck the right chord between confidence alongside realism.
Tottenham finished eighth in the Premier League last season – using three different head coaches – but more significantly have spent the last four years playing counter-attacking football.
Gradually it wore down a disgruntled fanbase impatient for success with no trophy since 2008 and while a return to an aggressive, front-foot style will be welcomed, Postecoglou is aware rebooting a squad used to a certain way will be no mean feat.
He added: “Absolutely that will be the biggest challenge and that’s what I’m concentrating on at the moment.
“We don’t have the whole group here but the guys we have, it’s about changing that mindset and changing the way the players see the game and maybe their roles within in.
“Because even with the positions they play, there’s going to be adjustments in how I want them to do things. Again, I love that. That’s why I’m here.
“If it was just me rolling up and they’re going out there, doing their thing, it wouldn’t excite me. That’s part of the challenge – it will be a shift from the way the club has played for three or four years.
“In terms of how quickly the players embrace that, the new players coming in will help. That’s the part I have control over, whether that’s James Maddison or Guglielmo (Vicario) in goal.
“They’re players who fit in the direction I want to go in, which helps. Then it’s about seeing with the existing group how many of them are able to adjust and embrace the way we’re going to play.”
Ange Postecoglou will relish the chance to prove people wrong at Tottenham after claiming he has needed to be “faultless” to reach this stage of his managerial career.
A coaching journey spanning nearly three decades has taken the Australian from Melbourne to London via spells in Yokohama and Glasgow.
Success has followed the 57-year-old, but he is now tasked with a sizeable rebuilding job at Spurs, who have not won a trophy since 2008 and finished eighth in the Premier League last season.
“All I know is I love winning,” Postecoglou said during his first press conference in his new role. “I don’t do any job unless I think I can win. That’s going to be my intent.
“I’ve been fortunate in the past because I’ve had success but whenever I reflect on any job I’ve had, it’s not the success that I look back on, it’s the build that I look back on because I know it’s not always going to be smooth.
“There’s going to be plenty of doubters, which is when your belief and resolve gets doubted. Not just for me personally, but the whole club, the whole group and I love working through that, getting out the other side.
“That’s the biggest attraction for me in this position. Aside from being in a massive football club and the premier competition in the world… the opportunity to do something that people will see in many respects as insurmountable. I love that.”
Postecoglou struck all the right notes a month on from his June 6 appointment, having guided Celtic to five trophies in his two seasons in Scotland despite a rocky start to life in Glasgow.
He is now in charge of a club in desperate need of direction and a cultural reset after the spells of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte saw Tottenham move away from the attractive, attacking football often associated throughout their history.
Postecoglou recalled memories of watching Ricky Villa’s 1981 FA Cup winner and admitted the challenge of trying to bring back the glory days to Spurs was too great to turn down.
He added: “My wife knows better than anyone, I can’t resist a challenge.
“I’ve always gone with my gut on these things. I know when I’m at my best and I’m at my best when the challenge is the biggest. I thought this was a challenge that would fit all the things I’m looking to achieve.
“For me to come from where I’ve come from and be sitting here, I needed to have that instinct inside me to know when to move on because I’ve had to be faultless in my career to get to this point.
“That’s because no-one’s going to rate an Australian manager, are they? So, if I had any significant failures along the way, I was never going to get here. Part of that process is knowing that I need to keep moving to be at my best.
“Even if I’d stayed at a club for five years, I’d never be satisfied with where we’re at. I’d be looking to improve all the time.
“The key factor was there was an opportunity here to again make an impact at a football club, which I’ve tried to do at every club I’ve been at.”
Asked to recall his memories of Spurs teams, Postecoglou said: “I remember Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles, absolutely. I remember that FA Cup final.
“They were my best childhood memories, I’ve said it before, because it was me and my dad, 2am. That’s me as a young boy, sitting on a couch watching a game of football.
“Glenn Hoddle, an absolute master and those kind of players resonate around the world.
“There are plenty of teams and Tottenham players through that era that I have strong memories of in my childhood.
“I’ve had a lot of success in my career but it’s also been done on the back of playing a certain way.
“I dare say that was probably part of one of the biggest factors in the club appointing me, was that they saw that. That’s what I’m going to try and deliver.
“That seems to be the right fit for this club in terms of the fans’ expectations. We call it entertainment but also win games of football, score goals, be exciting. They don’t want to see their team sit back.
“There are different ways of winning but the intent for us will be to try and make sure this football club’s a compelling watch for everybody.”
New Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has not asked for any assurances over Harry Kane’s future, but will use this week’s meeting with the forward to lay out his vision to make the club successful.
Postecoglou faced the media for the first time on Monday and the discussion quickly turned to Kane, who is attracting interest from Bayern Munich amid reports the Bundesliga champions have bid for the England captain.
Kane will return to training on Wednesday and ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou revealed how he expects the conversation with the 29-year-old to go.
“I haven’t had any assurances and I wouldn’t expect any assurances,” Postecoglou explained. “That’s just my nature. I just kind of go along and try to concentrate on the things I know right now.
“What I know right now is that Harry is part of this squad and he’s looking forward to coming back to training and being amongst these players and starting to work together.
“I don’t think it’s my role to sit down and treat people in a manner because of their circumstances. I’m really big on treating everyone the same and Harry has already entrenched himself in the history of this football club.
“He’s a very important part. He’s one of the premier strikers in the world and I want him involved. My conversation with him will be about how we can make this club successful and I’ve got no doubts that’s what he wants as well.
“I doubt it’s going to be defined in the manner that people think it’s going to be. It’s not going to be a conversation where we walk out of the room and have an understanding. I don’t want that kind of conversation.
“What I want is to introduce myself to Harry and give him my vision of the football club and get a sense from him on what he thinks the club needs to do to be successful and walk out on that training pitch and try to make it happen.”
Tottenham’s stance on Kane has not changed since Manchester City tried to sign the forward in 2021.
City’s advances were turned down and Spurs plan to reject any bids for the forward this summer despite his contract now entering its final 12 months.
Kane is not the only senior figure at the club with an uncertain future. Captain Hugo Lloris is expected to depart and a bloated squad – after 12 players have returned from loan spells – will need to be trimmed.
Postecoglou added: “We’re in that stage, like most clubs, where you kind of know that there will be activity between now and the start of the season and the end of the window. There will be some players who won’t be here and some players that will come in.
“Again in my mind, I try to keep that with the understanding that until something is certain, I’m not going to commit myself either way to whether a player is going to be here or not. There’s no point in wasting energy on something that may or may not happen.
“So far the lads we’ve had in have been excellent. They’ve been brilliant with the staff in adapting and implementing the things I want and we’ll keep moving along.
“We’ll get the rest of the squad back in the next couple of days so it will be great to see everyone in the building.”
Postecoglou will attempt to bring in a contrasting style of football to Spurs’ last three managers with Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte all favouring a pragmatic approach with counter-attacking football.
The Australian laid out his plans on Monday to bring back the aggressive, dominant football that is intrinsically linked to Tottenham’s history.
“Anyone that has charted the course of my career will know if you watch my teams play, they all have the same basic elements in there,” the 57-year-old said.
“The elements of it will be – we want to be an aggressive team, a dominant team, a team who takes the game to every opposition home and away.
“I think for me the history of this football club kind of suggests that is the best fit for it.
“I am the kind of guy who loves a challenge. I love a build, I love a rebuild. That is where I feel I am at my best.
“Now my goal is to try and make some special moments here and create something special for this great football club as well.”
New Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has not asked for any assurances over Harry Kane’s future, but will use this week’s meeting with the forward to lay out his vision to make the club successful.
Postecoglou faced the media for the first time on Monday and the discussion quickly turned to Kane, who is attracting interest from Bayern Munich amid reports the Bundesliga champions have bid for the England captain.
Kane will return to training on Wednesday and ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou revealed how he expects the conversation with the 29-year-old to go.
“I haven’t had any assurances and I wouldn’t expect any assurances,” Postecoglou explained. “That’s just my nature. I just kind of go along and try to concentrate on the things I know right now.
“What I know right now is that Harry is part of this squad and he’s looking forward to coming back to training and being amongst these players and starting to work together.
“I don’t think it’s my role to sit down and treat people in a manner because of their circumstances. I’m really big on treating everyone the same and Harry has already entrenched himself in the history of this football club.
“He’s a very important part. He’s one of the premier strikers in the world and I want him involved. My conversation with him will be about how we can make this club successful and I’ve got no doubts that’s what he wants as well.
“I doubt it’s going to be defined in the manner that people think it’s going to be. It’s not going to be a conversation where we walk out of the room and have an understanding. I don’t want that kind of conversation.
“What I want is to introduce myself to Harry and give him my vision of the football club and get a sense from him on what he thinks the club needs to do to be successful and walk out on that training pitch and try to make it happen.”
Tottenham’s stance on Kane has not changed since Manchester City tried to sign the forward in 2021.
City’s advances were turned down and Spurs plan to reject any bids for the forward this summer despite his contract now entering its final 12 months.
Kane is not the only senior figure at the club with an uncertain future. Captain Hugo Lloris is expected to depart and a bloated squad – after 12 players have returned from loan spells – will need to be trimmed.
Postecoglou added: “We’re in that stage, like most clubs, where you kind of know that there will be activity between now and the start of the season and the end of the window. There will be some players who won’t be here and some players that will come in.
“Again in my mind, I try to keep that with the understanding that until something is certain, I’m not going to commit myself either way to whether a player is going to be here or not. There’s no point in wasting energy on something that may or may not happen.
“So far the lads we’ve had in have been excellent. They’ve been brilliant with the staff in adapting and implementing the things I want and we’ll keep moving along.
“We’ll get the rest of the squad back in the next couple of days so it will be great to see everyone in the building.”
Postecoglou will attempt to bring in a contrasting style of football to Spurs’ last three managers with Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte all favouring a pragmatic approach with counter-attacking football.
The Australian laid out his plans on Monday to bring back the aggressive, dominant football that is intrinsically linked to Tottenham’s history.
“Anyone that has charted the course of my career will know if you watch my teams play, they all have the same basic elements in there,” the 57-year-old said.
“The elements of it will be – we want to be an aggressive team, a dominant team, a team who takes the game to every opposition home and away.
“I think for me the history of this football club kind of suggests that is the best fit for it.
“I am the kind of guy who loves a challenge. I love a build, I love a rebuild. That is where I feel I am at my best.
“Now my goal is to try and make some special moments here and create something special for this great football club as well.”
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust has criticised the club’s plan to increase match day ticket prices for the 2023-24 season.
Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the forthcoming campaign, the second year in a row they had kept prices the same with the cost-of-living crisis cited as a reason behind the decision.
However, the supporters’ trust has revealed they were told on Friday about an increase in match day tickets that is due to be brought in for the upcoming season while there is now set to be six Category A fixtures, the most expensive ticket, with Newcastle bumped up from Category B.
In addition to describing the increase as “excessive”, THST expressed their frustration over a lack of dialogue with the club.
“We are aware of the club’s plans to increase match day ticket prices for the 2023/24 season. Our ticketing team was informed of the plans to increase match day pricing on Friday morning,” a statement from the supporters’ trust read.
“The club is aware THST lobbied for a price freeze on all match day pricing and, having been informed this (Friday) morning, we along with the wider fanbase have been told rather than consulted. This must change if dialogue is to happen and supporter input is genuinely desired.
“The club knows this is something THST cannot support and we feel an increase of this magnitude is excessive.
“Our match tickets are already amongst the most expensive in the Premier League and fans should not have to dig further into their pockets when they are already seeing their living standards squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis.
“Whilst we recognise the increased operational costs and lack of European revenue for this coming season, we believe there are other ways the club can generate this lost revenue. This burden should never be pushed on to match-going supporters.”
The PA news agency approached Tottenham for comment and a club spokesperson said: “We are fully aware of the current rising cost of living – and as such are one of only three Premier League clubs to freeze Season Ticket prices for the coming season.
“Our match ticket prices are comparable to other London clubs, with a wide range of price points available for fans to choose from.”
Meanwhile, Spurs captain Hugo Lloris’ future at the club remains uncertain despite being present for the first week of training under new boss Ange Postecoglou.
Lloris has spent 11 seasons at Tottenham but made clear last month his desire to try a new challenge, with only 12 months left on his current contract.
Spurs fly out for their pre-season tour of Perth, Bangkok and Singapore on Friday and a decision will need to be made over whether captain Lloris is part of the travelling party given interest from Inter Milan.
Tottenham are open to selling Lloris for the right offer and an agreement could even be reached to terminate his terms a year early, the PA news agency understands.
If Lloris was not to travel on Spurs’ pre-season tour, vice-captain Harry Kane may be asked to take on captaincy duties.
Kane will return to training next week after time off following his involvement in England’s qualifiers at the start of June.
Speculation over his future continues to intensify with only a year left on his deal, but PA understands Tottenham have offered the forward a new contract that is an increase on his current £200,000-a-week terms.
While Kane is yet to make a decision on the contract, Spurs’ stance remains the same with their star striker not for sale despite Bayern Munich’s growing interest.
What the papers say
The race for England captain Harry Kane is hotting up, with Tottenham making the 29-year-old an offer which would improve his £200,000 a week salary, according to the Guardian. But the Daily Mail reports that Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has visited the striker at his home in his quest to sign him.
Arsenal are close to taking their summer spending to around £200million, with Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, 22, following Declan Rice in agreeing a deal, according to the Daily Telegraph. The Standard says the Gunners will pay Ajax £38.5m for Timber.
Leicester midfielder Harvey Barnes, 25, is attracting plenty of interest, with the Guardian suggesting Newcastle lead the way. Aston Villa and Tottenham are also in the race.
AC Milan are continuing their pursuit of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic. The Daily Mail reports the Italian club have made an improved £18.9m offer for the American.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Levi Colwill: Liverpool are said to be keen on the 20-year-old defender, although Chelsea want to keep him.
Lewis O’Brien: Wayne Rooney wants to keep the midfielder, who is on loan at DC United from Nottingham Forest, with Sheffield United also interested, according to the Daily Mirror.
Yaya Toure has told Harry Kane to stay at Tottenham for the rest of his career.
The England captain’s future has come under constant scrutiny this summer and Kane has regularly been linked with a move to Manchester United or Bayern Munich.
Spurs are insistent they will not sell their star player, despite him entering the last year of his contract, and Toure thinks Kane should end his career at his boyhood club.
Toure has had the chance to witness Kane at close quarters during his spell on the academy’s coaching staff and recognises his star quality.
“Harry Kane is a brilliant player and a brilliant leader,” the 40-year-old, who has just taken a coaching job at Standard Liege, told the PA news agency.
“For me I hope he is going to stay at Tottenham. What he did last season was incredible.
“I hope he is going to stay, being involved with the staff I can see how familiar they are, they all believe in each other.
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“He came from the academy, he is different. He is not like (Sergio) Aguero, who came in from Atletico, he is at home.
“I hope he is going to stay because he is a good player. Why not retire there, like (Paolo) Maldini or Gerrard did at Liverpool, if he does that it is going to be very significant.”
Spurs’ inability to win a trophy over the last 15 years has been the main reason why Kane has been linked with a move away.
But Toure believes the club is set up for success and Kane is integral to that.
“Tottenham have everything to be successful, when you see the stadium and facilities, they are brilliant,” he added.
“What’s left now? Maybe change players, I don’t know.
“But the competitiveness of the league, you have to match that. “What Manchester City are doing, you have to match that if you want to win.
“That is what I learned when I was at top clubs, week in week out, try to improve the club to be successful.
“I hope and believe that if Harry Kane stays, new players will join, the club will be improving and better and they will be able to challenge for something.”
Before Toure heads to Belgium to begin at Standard Liege, he will first put his coaching skills to use on the launch of Amazon’s Prime Day, as a Prime customer can buy a private coaching session for them and three friends.
He said: “I couldn’t stay away from coaching in the UK for long, but this is a fun one.
“Amazon approached me because like them, I’m known for reliable delivery, so for Prime Day I’m going to be working with a group of football fans to give them a training session and show them a thing or two.
“With the new season coming up, I’ll look to put them through their paces with knowledge I’ve gained through my years at clubs such as Barcelona and Manchester City.
“It’ll be one last training session in England for a while.”
::Yaya Touré will give one lucky Prime customer and their three friends a football training session to learn perfect delivery this Prime Day. Prime Members should check out www.amazon.co.uk/primeexperiences throughout 11th and 12th July to purchase.
Tottenham have entered talks with Wolfsburg over the signing of centre-back Micky van de Ven.
Spurs are in the market for new central defenders and Netherlands Under-21 international Van de Ven has been high on their list of potential targets.
Talks have now started between Tottenham and Wolfsburg over a deal that could eventually be worth in the region of £30million but no agreement is currently in place, the PA news agency understands.
Despite being without a director of football, chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini and chairman Daniel Levy have taken a lead role on transfers, which has seen Spurs be extremely active since Ange Postecoglou was appointed on June 6.
Dejan Kulusevski’s loan was made into a permanent deal while moves for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison have been completed.
Attacker Manor Solomon is set to be Tottenham’s fourth addition of the summer with the ex-Fulham loanee undergoing a medical ahead of a free transfer, having exercised his right to cancel his terms with Shakhtar Donetsk, as per FIFA rules, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
If a deal can be agreed with Wolfsburg, Van de Ven would become the club’s fifth signing of the Postecoglou era.
The 22-year-old started his career with Volendam in his homeland before he moved to Wolfsburg two summers ago.
An encouraging 2022-23 season, where Van de Ven featured 36 times for the Bundesliga club, brought him to the attention of several teams across Europe.
Last month, the Dutch defender told De Telegraaf: “I have always dreamed of the Premier League because the biggest clubs play there and I also see that competition as the best in the world.”
Spurs still hold an interest in Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba and Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who only has one year left to run on his deal.
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