Here are your Tottenham Hotspur morning headlines for Thursday, 25 June.
Ndombele swap with Coutinho?
Tanguy Ndombele is reportedly keen to leave Tottenham this summer and Barcelona’s interest could lead to a swap move with Philippe Coutinho.
That is according to a report in the Independent, which claims the Catalan club are open to the idea of a swap deal.
The La Liga champions do not have a transfer budget for a move for the French midfielder but could use Coutinho - whom they are reportedly desperate to leave this summer to reduce the wage bill - in a direct exchange.
Spurs are one of the clubs who have been linked with the former Liverpool playmaker, whose loan deal at Bayern Munich is set to expire this summer.
Ndombele’s future remains uncertain after he was against left out of Jose Mourinho’s team for the 2-0 victory over West Ham United.
Alli performance gives Mourinho headache
Dele Alli returned to Jose Mourinho’s starting XI for the defeat of the Hammers having missed the clash with Manchester United through suspension.
The England international started in the central attacking role behind Harry Kane in a 4-2-3-1 formation but was withdrawn just before the hour mark after an underwhelming display.
The numbers behind his static performance have now been highlighted by football.london. According to data from Statszone, the 24-year-old completed just 18 passes during the first half, with only one reaching the penalty area.
None of Alli’s three attempted dribbles were successful, while both his shots were off-target. After he dropped deeper in the second half, Alli was replaced by Erik Lamela.
Davies leadership at Spurs
Tottenham full-back Ben Davies is an understated and modest individual - and his role in the team is also underappreciated.
The Welshman is an unassuming character but it is significant that he has had the trust of both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho in the left-back slot.
Davies ousted Danny Rose - who has since joined Newcastle on loan - in the position and has fought off competition from Ryan Sessegnon.
He is able to build play from the back and has now kept Manchester United’s Daniel James and West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen quiet in successive games.
The report also highlights his leadership skills, now more evident than ever in empty stadiums without fans. Davies has been in constant dialogue with teammates, instructing and encouraging them during matches.
