Saturday marked the start of pre-season for Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham players as they made their return to Hotspur Way. There may still be another week left to run at Euro 2024 and also the Copa America but the vast majority of the first-team squad are now back at the club’s Enfield base as they prepare for the 2024/25 campaign.
As ever, the first day of pre-season was all about medical and physical tests for the returning stars. Saturday also marked Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray’s first day as Tottenham players following their moves from Djurgarden and Leeds United respectively.
Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo also got to work with the first-team players for the very first time after recently becoming part of Postecoglou’s backroom team ahead of the new campaign. Following the return to training for Tottenham’s players, football.london runs you through five things we spotted from the video footage and photos released by the club.
Ange welcomes Bergvall
In the training video released by the club, Postecoglou could be seen in conversation with Bergvall following his arrival at Hotspur Way. The pair shared a quick moment together in the car park before the head coach gave his new player a pat on the back as he headed inside for his first day of work.
Once inside, Bergvall, as probably many expected, was taken under the wing by fellow Swede Dejan Kulusevski. Following his move to the club that was officially confirmed at the start of February, the new signing has revealed on a couple of occasions since then that he’s met and spoken with Kulusevski a few times and that Tottenham’s No.21 has made it clear that he is there for him if he needs anything.
Fellow new signing Gray also enjoyed his first day at Hotspur Way on Saturday. Entering Tottenham’s training complex with a beaming smile, the midfielder had a familiar face alongside him on day one as he was joined by fellow England youngster Dane Scarlett.
Saturday also marked Timo Werner’s first day back at Hotspur Way after rejoining the club on a season-long loan deal from RB Leipzig.
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Returning faces
The start of Tottenham’s pre-season campaign also meant that those who spent last campaign out on loan were also back with their Spurs teammates. Alejo Veliz was back for the first day of pre-season training after his time with Sevilla in the second half of last season and Sergio Reguilon also returned following his Brentford loan move.
Djed Spence was another to get down to business at Hotspur Way, with Alfie Devine and Ashley Phillips also back in Tottenham training gear after finishing the 2023/24 term by helping Plymouth Argyle retain their place in the Championship.
It remains to be seen what will happen with the quintet ahead of the new season as moves away could once again come to fruition. It may be permanent moves for Reguilon and Spence as they don’t appear to be in Postecoglou’s plans, with loan deals potentially on the table for Veliz, Devine and Phillips unless the head coach wants them to be part of his squad for the new Premier League season.
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Those missing
Postecoglou didn’t have a full complement of first-team players at Hotspur Way on the first day of pre-season training due to the international football currently being played. Micky van de Ven is now Tottenham’s last remaining participant at Euro 2024 after the Netherlands set up a semi-final showdown against England following a 2-1 win over Turkey on Saturday evening.
Guglielmo Vicario, Radu Dragusin and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg were involved in the competition with their respective nations but have since departed Germany, with the trio now enjoying their summer break before returning to Tottenham’s base at a later date. Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso will also return later on this summer after helping Argentina progress to the semi-finals of the Copa America.
They have been joined in the final four by Rodrigo Bentancur’s Uruguay, who beat Brazil on penalties in their quarter-final tie on Saturday night. There is now the possibility of the trio coming up against each other in the showpiece finale next weekend as they are on opposite sides of the draw.
Son Heung-min also didn’t appear to be in the training footage or photos released by the club. As some of the players filter back to training at different times due to their international commitments this summer, Son may well have been given a few extra days rest as his last game of the 2023/24 season came on June 11 as South Korea beat China 1-0.
Donley and Moore present
A handful of Tottenham’s youngsters may be given their chance on the club’s pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea this summer as has been the case in years gone by. Jamie Donley and Mikey Moore will certainly be looking to make an impact in Spurs’ six summer friendlies if pitch time does come their way.
The academy duo did go on to feature under Postecoglou on a couple of occasions last term and they could well go on to become big players for the club in the years ahead if they continue to progress at their current rate. The duo were spotted together putting in the work at the club’s base as they underwent their medical and physical tests on the first day back.
Solomon spotted
It is a huge summer coming up for Manor Solomon as he looks to get back on the pitch for the Lilywhites. Making the move to north London this time last year and featuring regularly during the first month of the campaign, the winger was limited to only six appearances for the club due to a knee injury.
Solomon will be desperately hoping that his back luck is behind him as he looks to make a telling impact for the football club. If fit, the 24-year-old will be intent on making his mark in the club’s pre-season friendlies as he looks to force his way into Postecoglou’s starting XI come August.
Solomon did arrive at Hotspur Way with a big grin on his face and he could be later seen in the training images undergoing his physical tests in the gym.
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