Ange Postecoglou, during his time as Tottenham Hotspur manager, publicly revealed in a recent interview (appearing on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast shortly after his departure) that he pushed for several established Premier League players to help the team push beyond their fifth-place finish in his first season.
He specifically named four key targets he wanted to sign in the summer transfer window following that campaign (around 2024):
Pedro Neto (winger, who ended up at Chelsea for around £54m)
Bryan Mbeumo (forward/winger, Brentford)
Antoine Semenyo (forward, Bournemouth)
Marc Guéhi (centre-back, Crystal Palace)
Postecoglou explained that he believed Spurs needed “Premier League-ready” players to challenge at the top level, comparing it to how bigger clubs invest (e.g., Arsenal’s big-money signing of Declan Rice). Instead, Tottenham signed Dominic Solanke plus three young prospects: Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Wilson Odobert.
Ange described these as outstanding talents for the future, but not the immediate upgrades needed to jump from fifth to contending for higher positions.
The Aussie has been critical of the club’s transfer strategy and wage structure, even stating Tottenham aren’t a “big club” in terms of spending power compared to rivals, which limited their ability to pursue those targets.
Note that earlier in his tenure, there were reports of interest in other players like Mathys Tel (who did join Spurs, with Postecoglou personally convincing him on his role and how he’d thrive in the Premier League), but the most prominently mentioned unfulfilled targets from his own recent comments are the four listed above.
These signings didn’t materialise, and Postecoglou has suggested that the lack of backing in the market contributed to challenges during his spell.
What Neto achieved: Neto’s numbers highlight his role as a key attacking outlet, leading Chelsea in Premier League goals and assists this season. He ranks among the top wingers/attacking midfielders for goal involvements, with strong metrics in dribbling and shot creation. However, his efficiency in crossing (around 20% success rate) and final-third decision-making has drawn criticism, with only two career assists from crosses in seven Premier League years.
Key Highlights: In 2025/26, Neto’s 8 goal involvements (5 goals + 3 assists) in the Premier League place him 11th overall among players from English clubs, tied with stars like Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka. He leads Chelsea in both categories and has a goals-per-90 rate of 0.23, with a non-penalty xG per 90 of 0.25 (top 80th percentile). His dribbling success stands out, with reports of near-perfect take-ons in sequences.
Comparison to Peers: Among attacking midfielders/wingers, he ranks third for goals and fourth for assists in the 2025/26 Premier League. His 37 shots this season have a 30% on-target rate, and he wins 4 aerial duels overall (though low-ranked at 311th).
