Here are your Tottenham Hotspur morning headlines for Monday, July 13.
Talks planned between Mourinho and Castagne
Jose Mourinho wants defensive reinforcements this summer as he plots Tottenham’s return to the Champions League places, with Spurs down in eighth place despite a weekend derby win.
Full-back recruitment is vital, with Spurs having neither depth nor top-class starters in the positions, and Atalanta’s Timothy Castagne appears to be on the wish list.
Reports from French outlet Le10Sport say Spurs are planning one-to-one talks between Mourinho and the versatile Belgian international, who can play both sides as a wing-back for his Serie A side.
Paris Saint-Germain and Leicester City are also thought to be keen on signing him, hence the plans for talks directly with the manager.
Jose’s message to players after vital win
Mourinho is keen on securing a Europa League place this season to ensure Spurs have European football in 2020/21.
To that end, he said the 2-1 victory over Arsenal was extremely important - and praised the players for their “attitude and commitment” in earning a comeback win.
“They felt the game as a fan. They wore their skin,” Mourinho said after the game.
“We spoke about it not being a great season for the fans to enjoy. It's really important for that and on top of that, very, very important the fact that now we can fight until the end for a Europa League position.
“I think without a victory today that would have been really difficult so I'm really proud of the players. I thanked them for their attitude and commitment.”
Manager’s humorous response to journalist
Following the win over Arsenal, football.london’s Alasdair Gold asked Mourinho about a particular tactical deployment involving Lucas Moura and Moussa Sissoko.
Gold asked for the manager’s viewpoint on why he chose that approach and the thinking behind it, as he felt it had an impact on the game and Spurs’ eventual win.
Mourinho was in good spirits - but didn’t appear too keen to divulge his secrets and tactical acumen, asking how much was being paid for the “class!"
Referring to the Tottenham documentary to be screened, Mourinho added: “Amazon are the lucky guys” in response — so perhaps there’s a masterclass in planning coming there.
