We still do not know in which division Tottenham will be playing their football next season.
Spurs have had big chances to pick up vital points in recent weeks to all-but guarantee their survival in the Premier League.
Mathys Tel gave away a needless penalty against Leeds United at home to draw 1-1, having led 1-0 through the same player’s wonder goal. Then, on Tuesday night, Spurs gifted Chelsea a second goal when 1-0 down at Stamford Bridge, and despite a Richarlison goal, it was too big a mountain to climb, losing 2-1.
Spurs could be safe from Premier League relegation already
The extra two points from the Leeds clash or a point against Chelsea would see them safe from the threat of relegation. Instead, they head into the final day of the 2025/26 campaign needing a result against Everton to stave off a first demotion since 1977.
The 2025/26 campaign has been an unmitigated disaster, with three different managers sitting in the dugout and Spurs set to finish in the bottom four of the table for the second season running.
New head coach Roberto De Zerbi has some big decisions to make in the summer, but first he needs to guide his team to a point or more in the final match of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
A number of players will be departing N17 no matter what happens on the final day. Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma are both out of contract, while loanees Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani will head back to parent clubs Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain respectively. It remains to be seen if De Zerbi will make a move to sign either permanently, although Palhinha is the more likely to turn his loan move permanent, with fan feeling towards Kolo Muani not good at all, particularly after his horrendous showing against Chelsea.
GIVEMESPORT understands there is a general feeling that Guglielmo Vicario and Cristian Romero will be allowed to leave, should the right offers come in for them, but there is sure to be more upheaval in the playing squad too.
De Zerbi has been forced to use certain players more than he might have liked due to the club’s awful injury record this season and one of those players who he has had to trust could be axed moving forward.
Danso has accepted his back-up role at Tottenham this season
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Kevin Danso has been a steady pair of hands to call upon in the absence of Romero and Micky van de Ven through injuries, not just this season but last, always putting in a solid display when called upon, rarely letting the team down – that mistake that cost Spurs three points against Brighton & Hove Albion apart.
However, while it is unlikely he will be moved on in the summer transfer window, his role in the side may once again diminish.
Danso accepted his role as back-up to Romero and van de Ven when he said: “That’s part of being at a top club that’s at the top of world football, like Spurs is. You have players in every position that are top, top quality.
“Micky and Cuti [Romero] are exactly that. I understand that and I’m very realistic. My role is to just play as best as possible, try and get in the team. If not, also understand that’s part of football. I believe in myself. You’ve got competition, you’ve just got to deal with it the best you can.”
With Romero likely to leave, Danso might expect to become first choice, although if Spurs stay in the top flight they have an agreement in place to sign Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth that might push him back down the pecking order.
And there is an argument that he should probably remain as a back-up defender anyway.
The game against Chelsea highlighted how he may not be suited to De Zerbi’s football. So far it has been all about getting results to stay in the division, but come next season, if Spurs are a Premier League club, De Zerbi will want to fully put his stamp on the squad and get them playing his aggressive brand of attacking football from back to front.
Kevin Danso’s stats show how good a defender he is
Danso had more touches (94) than any other player on the pitch on Tuesday night, but never really looked comfortable on the ball against the Blues, having to recover from poor touches a number of times. He was successful with 93% of his passes – mostly short to van de Ven or midfielders Palhinha and Bentancur – but only one of his long balls was successful.
He lost two of his six duels and interestingly only made one tackle in the 90 minutes.
The stats from Tuesday do not actually look too damning, but that is mainly from a defensive point of view and his presence and how he is perceived on the pitch makes you question whether or not he fits into De Zerbi’s style of football.
The Italian is likely to adopt a high-risk, high-reward philosophy, asking his defenders to start attacks, but also be responsible for stopping the opposition from making any in-roads themselves.
Danso’s numbers suggest he can do the latter comfortably, but whether the man whom former boss Thomas Frank described as “underrated” can adapt to deliver on the former, that is a non-negotiable of De Zerbi, remains to be seen.
Celtic chiefs are working to persuade Martin O’Neill to take charge next season following a surprise update on Robbie Keane.
After a phenomenal end to a disappointing season that culminated in Celtic winning the double, club chiefs now have a decision to make on which direction they turn for their next boss.
The odds were stacked against the Hoops heading into the final five Scottish Premiership fixtures, but O’Neill once again showed his class by winning all five, including games against Rangers and Hearts, to lift the title.
Following the disastrous spell at the helm for Wilfried Nancy mid-season, the Northern Irishman took interim charge for the second time in the season and turned the Bhoys’ fortunes around.
Celtic decision-makers have now faced the decision of whether they stick with the 74-year-old, if he is willing to take the job on a full-time basis and stick around, or to look elsewhere.
One option who had been linked with the potential vacant post was Jens Berthel Askou following an outstanding season at Motherwell, but the Dane has joined Toulouse instead, ruling him out of the running.
Now it seems Celtic are ready to go all out to convince O’Neill to stay on.
Celtic Planning to Tempt O’Neill to Stay
According to Football Insider, the Celtic hierarchy are planning to ask O’Neill to remain as manager next season, despite the fact that they are compiling a new manager shortlist.
The Guardian reported in March that Robbie Keane was emerging as the frontrunner for the job, and talk among fans has increased after he resigned from his role as Ferencvaros manager in recent days.
However, Football Insider claim that while the 45-year-old is on their shortlist, he isn’t one of the leading contenders to take the reins at Parkhead.
As well as the ‘unbelievable’ O’Neill, other candidates are said to be ahead of the Republic of Ireland legend in the running.
Which Other Managers Could Celtic Target?
The same Guardian report also named Craig Bellamy as an option for Celtic, but the suggestion is that he is happy as manager of Wales and wants to continue to help the nation qualify for their home Euro 2028 tournament.
Elsewhere, two more names have been heavily linked with the Bhoys across the last 12 months.
One of those is Roberto Martinez, who is about to lead Portugal at the 2026 World Cup in North America, with his future to be decided after the tournament.
While he hasn’t managed in club football for a decade, there is a link at Celtic Park in the form of Shaun Maloney, who has both played and worked under the Spaniard previously.
The other name who keeps getting mentioned is Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen, who continues to make big waves with the Norwegian side.
The 57-year-old brilliantly led his team to the Champions League quarter-finals this season, beating Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan along the way.
If Celtic want a manager who could help them advance in Europe’s elite club competition, the experienced Norwegian might be the man.
Leeds United are plotting a raid on Liverpool ahead of the summer transfer window, and they are ready to open talks.
Daniel Farke’s side will be hoping to repeat their successful summer window of last year, a period that helped them avoid relegation from the Premier League.
It is unclear what positions Leeds will look to strengthen after a strong summer, but they could need a host of reinforcements if they want to push on into the top half.
The Yorkshire club will need to take it step by step, but there’s no doubt they will be looking to climb into the top ten as soon as possible.
Liverpool face another busy summer of transfer business as they look to put a torrid season behind them.
The Reds finished fifth in the table and have qualified for the Champions League after the Premier League was handed an extra qualification spot. However, they finished 25 points behind champions Arsenal as they put up a meek defence of their title.
The club spent around £450million to improve their squad last summer but they have taken a step backwards and need to add players in several key areas less than 12 months on.
One position that needs to be addressed is the right wing, with Mohamed Salah saying goodbye to the club after a success-laden nine-year spell. The Egyptian played his final game on Sunday as the Reds drew 1-1 with Brentford at Anfield.
Yan Diomande leading candidate to replace Mo Salah
According to The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce, RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande is the ‘leading candidate’ to replace Salah.
The 19-year-old claimed 13 goals and 11 assists for RB Leipzig last term and could already be on his way out of the German club after just one year.
Speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, Pearce revealed that Liverpool are keen to add more pace out wide ahead of next season. He said: “We know that Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig is the leading candidate as things stand. He is a really exciting young player.”
With Salah departing, the Reds have now lost two of the three forwards who helped them win the Premier League title in 2024/25. Luis Diaz joined Bayern Munich last summer and no like-for-like replacement was signed.
And without Salah, the Reds have lost yet more pace from their forward line.
The 2025/26 season was Diomande’s first campaign as a regular starter in the senior game. He had his breakthrough with CD Leganés in La Liga but only played 10 games for the Spanish side before joining Leipzig.
He has been described as ‘lethal’ and could be the long-term answer as the Reds seek to replace Salah. Aged 19, he still has his whole career ahead of him.
It will be difficult for any player to live up to Salah, who scored 257 goals and provided 123 assists in 442 games for Liverpool.
Diomande is still young and he would not be expected to reach Salah’s level in his first or even second season.
However, he has been described as a player with huge potential and his value is only expected to rise beyond the £87million Leipzig want for him this summer.
