Ange Postecoglou Reveals Four Players He Wanted to Sign at Spurs — and Blasts Club Ambition

Ange Postecoglou has delivered a candid assessment of his time at Tottenham Hotspur, revealing four high-profile targets he wanted to bring to the club but says he was ultimately blocked from signing. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the Australian coach also launched a scathing critique of Spurs’ transfer strategy and overall ambition. �

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Postecoglou, who was sacked by Tottenham in June 2025 despite winning the UEFA Europa League, explained that after a strong first season — finishing fifth in the Premier League — he believed Spurs needed to push further up the table by strengthening key areas of the squad. �

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Four Players Postecoglou Wanted — But Didn’t Get

According to the former Spurs boss, there were four players he had identified as essential to Tottenham’s next step but who were not signed by the club:

Pedro Neto — the experienced winger known for creativity and Premier League experience.

Bryan Mbeumo — Brentford’s consistent forward and set-piece threat.

Antoine Semenyo — an athletic attacker with physicality and directness.

Marc Guehi — a strong defensive presence who could have bolstered Spurs’ back line. �

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Postecoglou said these were players he was “really keen on” and that their recruitment would have helped Spurs transition from a fifth-place finish to genuine challengers for the top four. Instead, he says the club ended up bringing in Dominic Solanke and three teenagers — promising talents, but not the kind of ready-made reinforcements needed to close the gap on England’s elite. �

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Postecoglou’s Criticism of Spurs’ Transfer Ambition

The discussions soon turned to broader concerns about Tottenham’s transfer policy. Postecoglou was particularly blunt about how Spurs conduct business in the market.

“They’ve built an unbelievable stadium and training facilities, but when you look at the expenditure… they’re not a big club,” he said. “I saw that because when we were trying to sign players, we weren’t in the market for those players.” �

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The former boss argued that finishing fifth in the Premier League should have been a platform for stronger recruitment — not a pivot to long-term youth projects. He said that Spurs’ approach contradicted their motto, “To Dare Is To Do,” claiming the club’s actions didn’t match its aspirations. �

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Postecoglou’s remarks reflect a belief that joining the ranks of Europe’s elite requires both bold decisions and significant investment — something he feels Spurs have not fully embraced. �

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Context: Europa League Success and Managerial Turmoil

The comments come amid ongoing upheaval at Tottenham. Despite bringing home their first major trophy in years by winning the Europa League, Postecoglou was dismissed at the end of last season. His successor, Thomas Frank, has also since been sacked amid poor league form this season — underscoring a turbulent period for the north London club. �

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Postecoglou has since had a brief and difficult spell at Nottingham Forest, lasting just 39 days before his departure. �

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What This Means for Spurs

Postecoglou’s remarks highlight a growing conversation about Spurs’ identity in both the Premier League and Europe. Are they a club capable of competing financially and structurally with the so-called “big boys”? Or is a more cautious, long-term approach the direction the board prefers?

For supporters and pundits alike, the debate over ambition, spending and recruitment strategy is far from over.