Football Season Guide

Last season was one to forget for Spurs, as they finished eighth and missed out on European qualification for the first time since 2008/09. Following exits in the Champions League and the FA Cup, Antonio Conte was fired by the club in March but neither of his successors - Cristian Stellini or Ryan Mason – managed to inspire the team to a top-seven spot. Spurs decided to turn the page this summer and brought in Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou to oversee the transition. Tottenham snatched talented James Maddison from Leicester City and sent Harry Winks the other way. They also signed Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is expected to replace Hugo Lloris between the posts, with the Frenchman being close to departing the club. Several loanees have returned to Spurs and Postecoglou is expected to try to make the most of the squad. Postecoglou will shift from Conte’s back-three to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Maddison featuring in a playmaker role. Meanwhile, Harry Kane’s future remains uncertain, as his contract will expire in the summer of 2024 and he has attracted interest from several teams including Bayern Munich. Should Kane stay put for next season, Spurs will boast an extremely talented attack featuring the likes of Maddison, Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski, all of whom could thrive in Postecoglou’s system. Yet, it remains to be seen whether the new Spurs coach will manage to find a solution for the team’s defensive frailties after shifting to a back-four. Only five teams conceded more goals than Tottenham last season and Spurs have yet to strengthen their defence.