Here is your Tottenham news to start the day with on Thursday, April 2.
Willian references Mourinho relationship
Chelsea winger Willian is widely expected to depart Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, with his contract expiring.
Despite still being a regular option for Frank Lampard, the Brazilian has increased competition from younger talents such as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic to contend with.
He has been linked with a move to Tottenham, having suggested he’d like to remain in London, and now his comments regarding Jose Mourinho being someone he still values highly will only fan the flames of those rumours.
"I learned a lot from him, and we became friends and exchanged many messages,” said Willian, naming Mourinho one of the 'great' managers he has played under.
Tottenham target Meunier opens up
When leaving a club on a free transfer, an in-demand player holds all the cards - and Thomas Meunier is making sure everyone out there interested in his services knows it.
The Belgian right-back is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the current campaign and, though he notes his priority is to remain at Parc des Princes if possible, he points out that there’s little which can be seen as a negative when it comes to signing him.
“Clubs don’t have much to lose in the investment, and I think they know it,” he said. “They have everything to gain.”
Meunier also acknowledged the rumours linking him to Spurs, as well as other clubs around Europe’s top leagues.
He rejected a move to fellow Premier League side Everton last year and it’s clear that this time around he’d have his pick of much stronger outfits to choose from.
Where Ndombele needs to improve
Think of Jose Mourinho midfielders and the ones who immediately spring to mind are perhaps the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Sami Khedira.
In other words, they are tactically disciplined, have tremendous work ethic and the technique of top-tier players.
It might surprise some, then, that one of his inclusions in a team of greats he has managed was Mesut Ozil, who is seen by some as less-than-industrious, to say the least.
But it was maybe Ozil’s incredible productivity during Mourinho’s time at Real Madrid which made him a must-have in Jose’s select XI, and which gives a hint of why he has been rather impatient with Tanguy Ndombele so far.
Looking at the names in the team Mourinho picked, and perhaps Ozil in particular, gives a clue as to what the current Tottenham man must do to win over his new manager, argues Bobby Vincent.
