Spurs Online

Category: New Signings

  • Mathys Tel

    Mathys Tel

    New Signing: 3rd February 2025

    Position: Forward

    Name: Mathys Tel

    Age: 19

    Nationality: French

    Transfer: Loan

    Value: £10m

    Status at previous Club: After Harry Kane and Vincent Kompany joined Bayern Munich, Mathys Tel struggled with game time managing just 2 Bundesliga starts in the 24/25 season. In his debut season (22-23) he became the youngest goalscorer for the club in a competitive match, aged 17 years and 126 days. 

    Other reported interest: It was rumoured in January the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd were also interested in Tel.

    Previous Clubs:

    Rennes: 2020-22

    Bayern Munich: 2022-25

    Player Stats: 

    Appearances: 110 games played across all leagues / cup competitions

    Goals: 29

    Assists: 7

    Transfer Rating: 6/10

    Summary:

    This was another desperate signing that was needed during an injury crisis and I am happy it is a loan deal. He is only 19 years old so he could well develop into a top player but I don’t see him being a solution for Spurs long term. It was no secret we needed a striker and a defender in the January transfer window and we got both (just) but I don’t see him being anymore than a temporary solution.

    I wrote in one of my blogs in January that there must be plenty of loan deal options out there and sure enough we found one. However I would have been happier to have seen someone come in with experience rather than another youngster who isn’t yet ready. Personally I was hoping for a signing more like a “Fernando Llorente” who is match ready with bundles of experience to keep everyone around him level headed. 

    After 6 appearances so far for Spurs, Mathys Tel has managed just the one goal which came in our defeat to Villa in the FA Cup. Actually it was a nice finish! There has been moments where I have seen potential from him but overall it’s not been spectacular and perhaps it was a big ask, coming into a struggling team at the bottom of the table. Right now we probably need fighters to scrap out some results, I would say even Danso is probably more suited to this task, at least he enjoys a good wrestle!

    I would have preferred to have seen a player that had more experience and could show some leadership in what is a pretty young squad. Instead we signed a 19 year old who was struggling for game time and was probably low on confidence. Nevertheless we have him till the end of the season and hopefully he can contribute to a team that seems cursed with injuries!

  • Kevin Danso

    Kevin Danso

    New Signing: 2nd February 2025

    Position: CB

    Name: Kevin Danso

    Age: 26

    Nationality: Austrian

    Transfer: Permanent

    Value: £25m

    Status at previous Club: Signing for Lens in 2021, Danso played a crucial role in helping his team secure second place in the league and qualify for the following season’s Champions League and was also selected for the Austrian squad for the Uefa Euro 2024.

    Other reported interest: Rumours of other clubs included Aston Villa & Wolves during the January Window.

    Previous Clubs:

    Lens: 2021-25

    Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan): 2020-21

    Southampton (loan): 2019-20

    FC Augsburg: 2014-21

    Milton Keynes Dons: 2014

    Reading (started out as a Striker)

    Player Stats: 

    Appearances: 224 games played across all leagues / cup competitions

    Goals: 10

    Transfer Rating: 6/10

    Summary:

    Having played 4 games so far at Tottenham he has been part of a defence that has conceded 7, with that number unfortunately including the 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool. Thankfully the numbers have improved since then, conceding 3 more in the next 3 games.

    I’ve only given the transfer rating a 6 as I don’t think it is a signing to get anything excited about. It was a helpful signing for Ange with a squad that was deeply struggling with injuries so of course he will contribute until the end of the season. He doesn’t look like he will be a starter once all players have returned from injury and even if Romero does leave in the summer, I don’t see Danso being his replacement anymore than Dragusin.

    Obviously there were links to other defenders before the arrival of Danso including the likes of Tomori and the signing of Danso was merely a last minute January signing that was desperately needed to fill a hole. In fact it couldn’t have been any more last minute because we signed him in February:)

    Having watched him in 4 games now I can’t say I have exactly been wowed, with no particular skills jumping out at me. Maybe you will think I am being harsh but he is a squad player, that’s all. He is not going to be a player we turn to in the future to help us get back into the champions league if that day ever arrives!

  • Antonin Kinsky

    Antonin Kinsky

    New Signing: 5th January 2025

    Position: GK

    Name: Antonin Kinsky

    Age: 21

    Nationality: Czech Republic

    Transfer: Permanent

    Value: £12.5m

    Status at previous Club: Hailed as the greatest Czech goalkeeping talent of his generation, but was initially sent out on Loan. On his return to his club Slavia Prague, he conceded just one goal in his first nine league matches of the 2024–25 season.

    Out of Europe’s top 10 leagues, Kinsky ranked top for save percentage (83.3 percent), goals conceded per 90 minutes (0.37) and clean sheets (12, joint with Diogo Costa) after setting a new Slavia record of keeping 12 clean sheets in 19 games and conceding just seven times.

    Other reported interest: Scouted by Chelsea but no other clubs reported.

    Previous Clubs:

    Slavia Prague – 2021-25

    MFK Vyškov (loan) – 2022-23

    FK Pardubice (loan) – 2023-24

    Player Stats: 

    Appearances – 123 games played across all leagues / cup competitions

    Goals Conceded – 130

    Clean Sheets – 40

    Transfer Rating: 7/10

    Summary:

    Based on first impressions I’ve only given Kinsky a 7 out of 10 but I do think he has the potential to grow as we need to accept he is young and the fact that he has come into a Spurs team during an incredibly difficult period. If we take those into consideration then I think it would be fairer to say he is worth at least an 8 out of 10. 

    The Goalkeeper position is usually where we find the player gets better with age as they gain experience and confidence. For just 21 years of age he is not lacking any confidence and he was certainly thrown in at the deep end making his debut against Liverpool in the Semi Final 1st Leg, where he kept a clean sheet.

    In fact he managed to keep a clean sheet in his next game too (ok it was Tamworth) so it was a pretty solid start. Since then we have seen a few erratic moments from him, especially with the ball at his feet but with such poor defence it would be harsh to be over critical. Time will tell whether he will replace Vicario but I suspect he will be number 2 choice once Vicario returns from injury.