Good evening, Tottenham fans. Here are your evening headlines for Saturday, October 17.
Behind-the-scenes details of Rodon deal are revealed
Tottenham completed the signing of Joe Rodon from Swansea City on the final day of the domestic transfer window, with a deal worth £11 million-plus add-ons agreed between the two clubs.
However, football.london understands that 24 hours before the window closed, the two sides were still far apart in their valuation of the centre-back.
At that stage, a deal appeared unlikely, but on Friday morning a breakthrough was made and Rodon travelled to Hotspur Way to complete the formalities of his medical and agree personal terms.
Rodon's signing was approved by Jose Mourinho, and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy used his relationship with Jonathan Barnett, the agent who represents both Gareth Bale and the 22-year-old centre-back, to broker the deal.
Rodon’s arrival left Mourinho ecstatic with Spurs’ business in a difficult transfer window due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was fantastic, it was more than I was expecting,” he said.
“In my analysis of the team's needs and evolution we were talking about different targets but I never thought we would go so far as we did, especially because of the moment and I can only praise what the board did for the team.”
Bale backed to fulfil new Spurs role
Gareth Bale returned to training during the international break and could make his second Tottenham debut this weekend following his loan move from Real Madrid.
It remains to be seen how Mourinho will deploy the former Real star, who shone in both a wide and central attacking midfield position during his first stint in north London but is now 31 years old and a much different player.
Glenn Hoddle believes that Bale’s age and development will impact how he is used.
“Gareth might not be that box-to-box player he was five or six years ago, when he was all about using his pace,” Hoddle said on the Glenn Hoddle Footy Show Podcast.
“Now, he might be as much a creator if he is played deeper or drops deeper, much the way that Harry Kane did when he provided all four goals for Son Heung-Min at Southampton recently. I can see Bale doing that for Kane.
“I think Bale has the sensational ability to pass, he’s not just a ‘runner’ at defenders, I can see him as the creator maybe the team lacks. Gareth’s always been one that has got that ability to pass the ball as well, he can play with his head up.”
Gomes was laughed at for title ambitions
Former Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes has revealed club staff laughed at him when he said his ambition was to win the Premier League title at White Hart Lane following his move from PSV in 2008.
In an interview with ESPN Brasil this week, the goalkeeper, who retired this summer following a six-year spell at Watford, said: “The difference between my time and this time... I arrived at Tottenham, and my interview was like: ‘Gomes, why did you come here? You left PSV and what are your intentions?’
"I said: ‘win the Premier League’. The guys started laughing at me.”
Gomes continued: “Mauricio Pochettino for me is a football genius. He transformed Tottenham’s way of playing. He put a methodology that Tottenham didn’t have.
"In my day, we couldn’t go out playing. I had to kick Peter Crouch so we could get the second ball.”
