Tottenham Pre-Season Tour: New Signings and Young Talents

Tottenham will take new boys Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson on the road to New Zealand and Australia, as Ange Postecoglou’s squad begins to take shape after a World Cup-disrupted summer.

The defensive pair only reported back to Hotspur Way this week following extended post-tournament breaks and sat out Wednesday’s 1-0 behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons. Their absence there will be their gain abroad, with both included in a 35-man group heading to face Auckland FC, Sydney FC and Chelsea.

The MK Dons run-out still delivered an early statement. Mateus Fernandes, keen to force his way into Postecoglou’s thinking, smashed in a thunderous third-minute volley – the only goal of the game – with fellow midfielder Sandro Tonali also getting minutes as the engine room begins to reload.

Not everyone is ready to join the long-haul flight. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert will stay behind at Hotspur Way to continue rehabilitation work, a cluster of attacking talent the club will handle carefully with the new season looming. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has picked up a minor knock in training and will receive treatment rather than travel.

The World Cup has carved a clear line through Spurs’ preparations. Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr have been handed extra time off after their efforts at the tournament, while finalists Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi and Cristian Romero are also on extended leave. Djed Spence, who went deep into the competition himself, will likewise not be on the plane.

Opportunity, then, for the next wave.

Highly regarded academy prospects Luca Williams-Barnett, Tyler Tingey and Mikey Moore are all included, a sign that Postecoglou intends to keep the pathway open even as the club reshapes its senior core. They join a travelling party that blends established names, fresh signings and hungry youngsters.

Tottenham squad for pre-season tour

• Goalkeepers: Brandon Austin, Martin Dubravka, Antonin Kinsky, Dylan Thompson
• Defenders: Kevin Danso, Ben Davies, Malachi Hardy, Andy Robertson, Kota Takai, Tyler Tingey, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke
• Midfielders: Lucas Bergvall, Harry Byrne, Jamie Donley, Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher, Archie Gray, Tye Hall, Tyrese Hall, Rio Kyerematen, James Maddison, Reiss Russell-Denny, Sandro Tonali, Luca Williams-Barnett, Yang Min-Hyeok

A long pre-season tour, a reshuffled squad and a manager unafraid to lean on youth: Tottenham’s summer work now moves from the training pitches of Enfield to the scrutiny of three games on the other side of the world.