Tottenham round-up: Forward’s hands off warning; registration headache; Pochettino discusses opportunities

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Manchester United rule out Anthony Martial move for Tottenham

Despite Tottenham’s optimistic belief that they can complete a deal for unhappy Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, the Manchester Evening News say that the Red Devils have warned the London club off making any attempts to sign the Frenchman, despite the fact that Jose Mourinho is keen to sell him.

Neither the coach nor his club are prepared to allow the former Monaco man to join a Premier League rival, with Tottenham among the clubs with a strong interest him and the Lilywhites believe that they could meet the valuation set for him.

Homegrown quote could cause selection issues

A lack of transfer business could lead to a smaller squad than usual once the season kicks off if Tottenham don’t spring into action in the transfer market. The Premier League’s homegrown player quota rules mean that, with currently only seven eligible players in the squad, Tottenham would only be able to register 24 players, rather than the usual 25.

The London Evening Standard have explained the regulations which could impact Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. With the likes of Jack Grealish and Wilfried Zaha having been linked, they may take up that eighth spot, but if they don’t arrive then it could be frustrating for the coach.

Pochettino wants players to prove a point

What has been even more frustrating for the Spurs coach has been the number of key players missing from pre-season as many are still on holiday after World Cup action this summer, including the likes of Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Dele Alli, Harry Kane and more.

“The pre-season is a little bit different to before because of the World Cup and we’ve got so many players away. But it’s a massive opportunity for them [other players] to fight for a place in the starting XI. I cannot change the reality and I’m not going to cry. We miss a lot of players due to the World Cup and we need to adapt.”

Mauricio Pochettino wants his back-up options to stake their claim.

Pochettino has had little choice but to select the likes of Lucas Moura, Fernando Llorente and Victor Wanyama as some of the strongest names in his recent line-ups for pre-season friendlies, with the next coming up on Saturday night in the US as Tottenham face Barcelona.