It has been a near disastrous season to learn from for everyone involved at Tottenham Hotspur and it’s that time of the year when we rate the players and head coaches
Tottenham ultimately saved their Premier League status after an abysmal campaign and it’s time for our player ratings of the season.
Roberto De Zerbi led Spurs away from the trap door to the Championship in the final weeks of the campaign at the same time as West Ham lost three of their final four matches of the season. That meant the Hammers dropped out of the Premier League and Tottenham will instead have the chance to learn the lessons of a second consecutive 17th-placed campaign.
football.london always rates the Tottenham players for their efforts at the end of each season and this time we will look at what they did individually after that Premier League horror show, Champions League last 16 exit, FA Cup third round defeat to Aston Villa and Carabao Cup four round loss at Newcastle.
We’re going to rate all of the players who have played 90 minutes or more. That means we’ll discuss youngsters like Calum Olusesi, Luca Williams-Barnett, Jun’ai Byfield and James Roswell but not rate them, while Dejan Kulusevski missed out on the entire season.
Here are our Spurs player ratings for the season so far, and yes we’re using half marks to help us out. As usual we’re rating the players against their own expectations for this season rather than against each other.
At the end of it all we’ll also hand a rating to each of the three head coaches who sat in the dugout during yet another chaotic season in north London.
Guglielmo Vicario
Vicario appeared in 45 matches, and we later found out he had been struggling with a hernia problem for months. The Italian struggled at times, particularly with his kicking, but did make some big saves. It’s worth noting that Vicario was left so exposed that he faced more shots on target than most other goalkeepers in the Premier League. It still was a season in which he was unable to impress as much as he would like and he could be one of those who exits this summer. 5.5
Antonin Kinsky
The turnaround of the season and Kinsky ended up being one of the major reasons why Tottenham are still a Premier League team. The 23-year-old had only played two Carabao Cup matches before those disastrous 17 minutes in Madrid. However, the Czech showed incredible mental strength to star in the final seven matches of the season with Vicario out injured. Huge saves against Wolves, Leeds and Everton ended up securing Spurs the points that eventually kept them up. His points per game was 1.40 compared to Vicario’s 1.16. Deserves a high score despite Tottenham’s dreadful season for the way he responded to those 17 minutes in Spain. Just imagine if he had been loaned out to West Ham in January. Compared to the season he probably expected behind Vicario, it ended up finishing as so much more. 7.5
Pedro Porro
The Spaniard played the second most minutes of the season among the squad, contributing six assists and two goals. His defending was mixed at times, but he was often left exposed down his flank by either a lack of cover ahead or the wandering Romero beside him. Porro, who is on his way to the World Cup with Spain, was a big player under De Zerbi in the run-in and is the one player all the Spurs managers rate highly. He gets more stick than he deserves and he certainly cares about the club. Posted the joint most assists for the club this season. 6.5
Djed Spence
It started well with his penitentiary stocked full of wingers but as the months wore on Spence seemed to get himself locked behind his own bars. He’s often a better one-vs-one defender than Porro thanks to his pace, but his concentration and tracking back was hit and miss. Unlike Porro, Spence contributes very little going forward with wayward crossing and little confidence in his left foot. No assists or goals in his 44 appearances this season but after playing the third most minutes of any Tottenham outfield player, the versatile defender is heading to the World Cup with England. Played the final game of Spurs’ season as a winger and with a broken jaw after that elbow from Liam Delap. 5.5
Destiny Udogie
The Italian had a season ripped apart by injuries to his knee and hamstring. Udogie played in just 20 of the club’s 38 Premier League games, getting the one assist. As with last season he had a strong end to the campaign but he needs to have better availability for De Zerbi if he’s going to battle with Andy Robertson for the left-back slot next season. 5
Ben Davies
Just 250 minutes of football this season for Davies. A hamstring injury wiped out much of the early months of the season before a handful of appearances in December and January. Then came that nasty ankle injury against West Ham and the Welshman was just back at fitness as the season ended. Not the season he wanted. 3
Souza
The Brazilian just about sneaks into having a rating as he got 144 minutes to his name across four appearances. He was bright at Liverpool in an unexpected right wing role, albeit only touching the ball nine times at Anfield. Souza is lightweight and will need plenty of adaptation. There are high hopes for the teenager but if Robertson and Udogie are both at the club next season then a loan move beckons for the 19-year-old. 4.5
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Cristian Romero
A season of two halves. The Tottenham captain, fresh from a new contract, started the campaign well and ended up racking up 10 goal involvements as a centre-back, but his performances were less assured in the second half of the season. Romero played only 32 of Spurs’ 52 matches with four suspensions and that knee injury at Sunderland that prematurely ended his campaign. His future remains unclear and his social media post before heading off to link up with Argentina for the World Cup felt like a goodbye. Not the season he would have expected personally after penning that new deal. 6
Micky van de Ven
Like Romero it started so well as the Dutchman added goals to his game – seven of them – to eventually become Tottenham’s joint second top scorer of the season. After last season’s injury problems, Van de Ven played more minutes (3,943) than any other outfield Spurs player in the 25/26 campaign. By his own admission his levels dropped and he looked all over the place in some games while the captaincy with Romero out seemed to weigh heavy on him. He, like many others, though improved under De Zerbi and that hopefully bodes well for a better time next season. 6.5
Jun’ai Byfield
The 17-year-old centre-back made his Champions League and Premier League debuts and did not look out of place at all. Some back issues caused by growing pains have meant a premature end to the campaign but this season was an important one for Byfield. Now he needs to build on it. N/A
Kevin Danso
The Austria international ended up becoming a key player in the final months of the season. Always playing second fiddle to Romero and Van de Ven and sometimes playing alongside them, Danso deserves plenty of credit for his performances. Yes he lost possession against Brighton in the final moments and isn’t quite as comfortable yet with the quick passing and control required in De Zerbi football. However, the centre-back with the long throw made so many important interceptions and played his part in keeping the north London club up. He played 36 times and no current senior player at Spurs had as high a points per game total this season than Danso (1.47). For contrast, Romero had 1.28 and Van de Ven (1.16). It was a solid season from Danso despite the club’s struggles so in contrast for season expectations, he gets a higher mark than his counterparts. 7
James Rowswell
A Premier League debut for the 19-year-old academy product and the defender did well in his couple of minutes on the pitch at Anfield, helping slow down a last-gasp Liverpool break. He will be hoping for further chances in the future. N/A
Radu Dragusin
Back in action in December after his ACL injury and the Romanian has made 11 appearances in all. He mostly looked like a player trying to regain his sharpness after so long out which is understandable but he made some important little contributions, including on the final day. 4.5
Joao Palhinha
Like Kinsky, the contributions of Palhinha probably kept Tottenham up. Early in the season came the strikes at Manchester City, against Wolves and that acrobatic effort against Doncaster in particular but late in the campaign came the vital goal at Molineux and the final day finish against Everton. He also put in a huge performance in the win at Villa Park. The 30-year-old lost his spot for a spell in the middle of the season, and even played centre-back in some games, but he ended up as joint second top scorer with Van de Ven and those seven goals and three assists for a defensive midfielder were huge in the end. 7.5
Rodrigo Bentancur
Another one to get a new contract, the Uruguayan was inconsistent before his serious hamstring injury in January. However, after he returned for De Zerbi’s second game against Brighton, Bentancur was a huge part of the Italian’s rejuvenation of the team for the remainder of the campaign with his calmness on the ball. 6
Lucas Bergvall
Another season of development and ankle injury frustration for the young Swede, who started off playing in a more advanced number 10 role than he was last season. He’s contributed one goal and five assists, while also forcing the Villarreal own goal that ended up being the winner that night. It’s easy to forget Bergvall is still only 20 because he’s already played 78 times for the club. He started just 11 Premier League games though this season and after being player of the season last time out, he will need more minutes next season to continue his growth. 5.5
Pape Matar Sarr
An underwhelming season for the Senegal international, despite two goals and four assists from the midfield. Missed the middle chunk of the season due to the Africa Cup of Nations and it’s been a stop-start campaign for the 23-year-old who started only 13 Premier League games. Hasn’t really pushed on this season. 5.5
Archie Gray
One of the positive lights of Tottenham’s troubled campaign and named player of the season by the fans. Gray started 18 Premier League games and seven Champions League matches and finally got to play most of the time in the midfield. He provided two goals and three assists and during the period before De Zerbi’s arrival was the team’s best player by a distance. A season of development for the 20-year-old and it’s going to be fascinating to see what’s to come for him under the new head coach, who sees him as a future captain of the club. 7
Calum Olusesi
A composed Premier League debut and first Champions League outing which only begged the question why the 19-year-old wasn’t given an opportunity before. N/A
Yves Bissouma
Back in from the cold and a knee injury from January but he ended up playing 11 Premier League matches including back-to-back starts under De Zerbi against Brighton and Wolves. Little moments of quality but not enough to suggest that he has to continue his Tottenham journey. 4.5
Conor Gallagher
Gallagher was struggling to show what he could do until De Zerbi came along and unlocked him somewhat. His performance against Villa in particular was a highlight and the new head coach is a big fan of the 26-year-old, who also provided the run and cross for Solanke’s scorpion kick goal against City. Came good in the final run-in but much more will be expected of the former Chelsea midfielder next season. 5.5
Xavi Simons
The Dutchman was not helped by having two head coaches who never seemed to truly trust him and then when he finally got one that did, he suffered that ACL injury at Molineux. Tottenham needed Xavi on the pitch to create because his stats in that department were far ahead of the rest and he ended up with the joint most assists in the squad as he registered five goals and six assists. We won’t see the 23-year-old in action again in 2026 but he could be a big player in future years for the club. 6.5
James Maddison
The 29-year-old only played 34 minutes of normal time after returning for the final three matches of the season from his ACL injury and looked bright against Chelsea in moments. This summer is all about the Tottenham vice-captain getting his body ready for the new season and he could revel under De Zerbi, a former number 10 himself. N/A
Wilson Odobert
Another who befell the ACL curse and we may not see Odobert until the end of this year. It came in February just when the 21-year-old looked to be finding his feet at the club with two goals and three assists, two of them coming against Dortmund in the Champions League. Some promising games but he now has a long time out ahead to deal with. 5
Mohammed Kudus
Spurs’ player of the season until he was run into the ground and then injured in January. Kudus still ended up with the joint most assists in the squad with Porro and Xavi as he had racked up six assists and three goals from his 26 matches before his season came to a close in January. De Zerbi thought he had him back in the week he joined only for a setback to that knee injury and he will be a huge weapon for the Italian next season when he gets fully fit. 7.5
Brennan Johnson
Last season’s top scorer, Johnson had three goals and an assist before he was told he was surplus to Thomas Frank’s plans. He managed that without particularly being in good form when he got minutes here and there. Might have scored the goals to get Spurs away from this mess had he not been sold when he was. No senior player at Spurs has as high a points per game total than Johnson (1.50) while he was at the north London club this season which perhaps says it all. Yet to impress for Palace but got back-to-back European medals after winning the Conference League. 5
Luca Williams-Barnett
A bright debut from the bench for the 17-year-old against Doncaster and he’s the only Tottenham player to have tasted 100% success from their first team appearances, albeit just the one. His season was ended prematurely by injury and he’ll be hoping to push on from this summer. N/A
Mathys Tel
The 21-year-old might be inconsistent with his end product but he was Spurs’ main attacking threat as the season wore on and others fell to injury. He ended up with four goals and two assists, with a beauty against Leeds before his unfortunate moment at the other end. Another who showed real mental strength with the decisions twice going against him in the Champions League squad. Still so young but there’s a lot of potential there. 6
Dominic Solanke
That ankle injury wiped out so much of his season and Solanke struggled to find his sharpness after that before a hamstring injury ended up closing out his campaign. Six goals and no assists in 18 Premier League and Champions League games, including scoring in three successive games in the latter competition. This was nowhere near the season Solanke expected after getting 24 goal involvements last time out. De Zerbi has publicly stated how highly he rates the England international but the former Bournemouth forward needs to be far better next time out and steer clear of the Spurs injury jinx. 4
Dane Scarlett
Five appearances for Scarlett totalling 35 minutes of action before he headed over the border to Hibernian on loan. N/A
Randal Kolo Muani
There are two different versions of Kolo Muani. There’s the one in the Champions League with four goals and two assists in nine games and then the Premier League version with just one goal and one assist in 30 appearances in the competition. The on-loan Frenchman could look dangerous one moment and disinterested the next. Just never really got going and he will be playing his football elsewhere next season. His mark is only kept up by those Champions League performances. 4.5
Richarlison
Other than a month out with a hamstring injury, the Brazilian has been there for Tottenham with 12 goals and five assists in 43 matches. He ended up with a goal involvement in almost every other game across his 39 Premier League and Champions League appearances this season. Yes, he can drift out of matches and look lumbering with his touch but if he wasn’t there for the relegation battle, then Spurs would have gone down. 7.5
And the managers
Thomas Frank
Started brightly but it soon became clear that the Dane and Spurs were two pieces from different jigsaw puzzles. His football was uninspiring and so was his communication with the fans. The players looked bored and some appeared to switch off. Frank is a good coach but he was the wrong man at the wrong time for Tottenham.
The 52-year-old had the worst win ratio (34.2%) of any permanent Spurs boss and his record of 1.12 points per game in the Premier League was the lowest of all managers since Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. He did well in his first Champions League experience by finishing fourth in the big group stage – winning five out of their eight matches, but that was not enough as the fans turned as the league results didn’t. 4
Igor Tudor
It was some feat for Tottenham to find a manager who made less of an impact than Frank when they tried to steady the ship. The winless Tudor was a disaster in the end with one point from his five Premier League games and his one victory came in the Champions League but was not enough to get past Atletico Madrid.
There was no real style to the football and the players never really looked like they knew what was happening. He gets one point for his draw at Liverpool and another for the win against Atletico. 2
Roberto De Zerbi
Thank goodness for De Zerbi. The club were in the bottom three by the time he took charge of his first game and with eight minutes to go of his second game Spurs were set to be four points behind West Ham.
The Italian turned everything around though, bringing confidence back into a group of players who looked broken before that. He didn’t put too much tactical information into their minds so late in the season but they were suddenly playing football they enjoyed and were used to playing even if it was only a compromised version of the football the 46-year-old will bring next season.
De Zerbi brought home 11 points and just two defeats from his seven matches just when Tottenham looked to be on the brink. He saved the dignity of the fans and the club about £250million or so in revenue, earning himself plenty of power in deciding what comes next. It needs to be so much better than what came this season before his arrival. 8
