Here are your Tottenham Hotspur morning headlines for Tuesday, August 4.
Bale backed for Spurs return
Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy believes Gareth Bale would rediscover his “passion” for the game by returning to north London.
The Wales international almost moved to the Chinese Super League last summer, only for Real Madrid to pull the plug on the deal at the last minute.
But Bale is still out of favour under Zinedine Zidane, making only 12 starts in La Liga this season.
“To make a top footballer these days, the love and passion for it must be from within you from a young age to want to be a footballer," Murphy told talkSPORT.
"Now Gareth might be an exception to that... but maybe he's lost that passion for it.
"I think the one place for Gareth is Tottenham. He's loved there already and he's got the fans on board.
"Could he find a way of going back there? That for me would be great for Tottenham.”
Spurs and West Ham battle for Koch - report
Tottenham face competition from rivals West Ham United in their attempt to sign Robin Koch.
According to The Sun, Spurs are eyeing a move for the Freiburg centre-back as Jose Mourinho seeks to bolster his defensive options.
Jan Vertonghen has departed the club following the expiration of his contract, leaving Tottenham lacking depth in the heart of the backline.
Koch is reportedly “flattered” by Premier League interest in his services, which comes from West Ham as well as Spurs.
Mourinho will hope the offer of European football in north London boosts Tottenham’s chances of landing the 24-year-old.
Rose opens up on future
Danny Rose says he stands by his comment last year that he “can’t wait to see the back of football”.
The Spurs left-back, who spent the second half of 2019/20 on loan at Newcastle United, made the remark after being racially abused during an England match against Montenegro.
Rose was left aghast at the incident itself and what he perceived to be a weak response from UEFA, and he insists he does not feel any differently 16 months on.
"Yeah, I meant it because it's true. Fans and non-playing football people may just think we just turn up Monday to Friday, train for two hours, go home and you get the biggest reward ever on a Saturday, but football isn't as hunky-dory as people may think," he told the Second Captains podcast.
"I am only speaking about my experiences and how I feel. I stand by what I said 100 per cent. If nobody can see what I am talking about, it's right there.
"Montenegro got fined £20,000, imagine a country being fined £20,000 that is not going to hurt anyone's pockets within that country.”
