All eyes will be on Tynecastle on Wednesday evening as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side return to the pitch. Spurs’ first pre-season friendly of the summer comes against Scottish Premiership side Hearts, with the game kicking off at 7pm in Edinburgh.
It will be a good first test for the Lilywhites as they prepare for their upcoming pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea. Hearts, now under the guidance of former Rangers and Everton player Steven Naismith, did enjoy a very good 2023/24 campaign as they finished third in the standings, qualifying for the Europa League play-off round in the process.
Although it is Tottenham’s first official pre-season friendly of the summer, the team were in action last Saturday as they played in a behind-closed-doors game against League One side Cambridge United. Postecoglou did field two different sides in the contest, with those playing in the first half running out 5-0 winners and those involved in the second 45 minutes playing out a 2-2 draw.
The Spurs boss does have a host of first-team regulars to select in his XI at present but he is still without a handful of players due to their participation in this summer’s international tournaments. New additions Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall were handed their first minutes in a Tottenham shirt last weekend, with the duo both in line to play in Edinburgh once again this evening.
Destiny Udogie is one player not expected to play after undergoing surgery to his left quadriceps towards the end of last season. There are also question marks over where Richarlison is with his fitness levels as he was spotted watching on at the training ground against Cambridge from the bench, although it unclear whether he entered the fray at any point after his recent injury rehab work.
Very much a chance for the team to step up their fitness against Hearts and also put what they have been working on on the training ground into practice, it should be a very interesting evening at Tynecastle. So how exactly could Tottenham line up against Hearts?
As Postecoglou could quite easily decide to mix and match his starting XI, we at football.london have taken a stab at predicting his first team of the summer.
Brandon Austin may be handed his chance in goal at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening.
Pedro Porro has had the summer off and will be raring to go in Edinburgh in the Hearts match.
(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)Emerson Royal may be utilised at centre-back in Spurs’ first few summer friendlies due to the lack of options in the position at present.
(Image: (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images))Ashley Phillips looks set to benefit from the lack of available centre-backs at Tottenham. It is a big opportunity for the youngster to try and force his way into Postecoglou’s thinking for the season.
(Image: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)As Destiny Udogie is not expected to be fit to play yet after undergoing surgery towards the end of last season, Ben Davies will be in the driving seat to operate at left-back.
(Image: (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images))The opportunity is there for Ange Postecoglou to immediately hand Archie Gray his Tottenham debut. Although he spent the vast majority of his season at right-back for Leeds in 2023/24, he is a midfielder by trade and that is expected to be his long-term position in the game.
(Image: Tottenham Hotspur)Pape Matar Sarr could be paired alongside Archie Gray for the first time in a Tottenham shirt. The Senegal ace should be fit and firing after having the summer off.
James Maddison will be hoping to start at Tynecastle after missing out on the England squad for Euro 2024. That may mean new signing Lucas Bergvall starts on the bench to begin with.
(Image: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Brennan Johnson grabbed a hat-trick last weekend against Cambridge United and Hearts will have to keep a very close eye on him.
(Image: (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images))Dejan Kulusevski could maybe be utilised in the middle of Spurs’ front three once again after finishing last season there. That in turn would allow Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min to be played in their natural positions.
(Image: (Image: GETTY))Son Heung-min had the opportunity to rest up this summer and that could bode well for Tottenham going forward. Mikey Moore could be an option on the left for Spurs in the second half.