Tottenham's Pre-Season Tour: New Signings Van Hecke and Robertson
Tottenham will take new signings Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson on their pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia, as Ange Postecoglou shapes his squad with one eye firmly on the months ahead.
The pair only reported back to Hotspur Way this week after extended breaks following the World Cup and played no part in Wednesday’s 1-0 behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons. Their first real minutes in a Spurs shirt are now likely to come on the other side of the world.
New faces on the plane
Van Hecke and Robertson headline a 35-man travelling party that blends big-money arrivals, senior regulars and a clutch of highly regarded academy talents. They will be part of the group facing Auckland FC, Sydney FC and Chelsea, a tour that should offer an early glimpse of Postecoglou’s defensive reshuffle.
Behind them, the goalkeeping department has a fresh look. Brandon Austin, Martin Dubravka, Antonin Kinsky and Dylan Thompson are the four keepers making the trip, with Guglielmo Vicario staying behind after picking up a minor knock in training that requires treatment.
In defence, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies, Malachi Hardy, Robertson, Kota Takai, Tyler Tingey, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke form a mix of established names and emerging options. For Tingey, promoted from the academy, this tour is a chance to test himself alongside full internationals.
Midfield muscle and a statement volley
The midfield group is deep and competitive. 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 and Yang Min-Hyeok all travel.
Fernandes arrives on the plane with momentum. The young midfielder scored the only goal in the friendly against MK Dons, thundering in a third-minute volley that settled the game and underlined his readiness for a bigger role in pre-season. Tonali also featured in that match, easing himself back into action.
Williams-Barnett is one of three academy players singled out within the touring squad, alongside Tingey and Mikey Moore. All three have been marked out internally as ones to watch, and this tour hands them a rare extended window with the first team.
Big names stay home, World Cup stars rest
Not everyone is boarding the flight. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert will remain at Hotspur Way to continue rehabilitation from their respective issues, working through tailored programmes rather than risking long-haul travel.
Several of Tottenham’s World Cup contingent have been granted extra time off after deep runs at the tournament. Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr will not feature on the tour, having been given extended leave. World Cup finalists Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi and Cristian Romero are in the same position, their returns staggered to manage workloads after a heavy summer.
Djed Spence also misses the tour after reaching the latter stages of the World Cup, another player afforded extra recovery time before rejoining full training.
A squad with questions to answer
For Postecoglou, the trip offers more than fitness. It is an early laboratory. How quickly can Van Hecke and Robertson adjust to his aggressive, front-foot style? Can Fernandes carry his sharp start into higher-profile friendlies? Which of the academy trio — Williams-Barnett, Tingey, Moore — will seize the moment when the lights go up in Auckland, Sydney and against Chelsea?
Tottenham’s season will not be defined in July, thousands of miles from home. But the answers that start to emerge on this tour could decide who shapes it.
