Vinai Venkatesham reveals hugely concerning Tottenham transfer news as clear shots fired at Daniel Levy | OneFootball

Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham delivered some deeply concerning news about the club’s potential transfer dealings this summer, while also firing some clear shots at former chairman Daniel Levy’s running of the club during a meeting with the Fan Advisory Board.

Venkatesham, who moved to Spurs last April after 14 years at bitter rivals Arsenal, implied that under Levy’s stewardship the club had not prioritised on-field success and that, worringly, player sales may well have to be prioritised going forward.

The current Tottenham supremo, who became the figurehead of the club after Levy surprisingly walked away last September after 25 years at the helm, also admitted “significant change” was needed following an internal review of both the men’s and women’s teams.

Levy was accused of prioritising the business side of the club over on-pitch success, although he did finally deliver their first trophy since 2008 after success in the Europa League final against Man Utd last May.

However, after a bright start to Thomas Frank’s tenure, it’s been a disastrous campaign domestically for Spurs, who are staring relegation firmly in the face as they sit just one point above the relegation zone, having not won a top-flight game in 2026.

The Fan Advisory Board highlighted a lack of trust from supporters regarding the club’s direction, while the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) called for “emergency action” following the Champions League hammering at Atletico Madrid in midweek – a match that marked interim boss Igor Tudor’s fourth defeat in his four games in charge.

But in a move to try and reassure supporters that the club are trying to build in the right direction, Venkatesham suggested that he has removed the club’s previous wage structure, adding that “there is now complete clarity across the club that on-pitch success is our number one priority and focus”.

The minutes, published by Tottenham, read: “VV [Venkatesham] explained that since joining the club in June 2025, there has been a comprehensive review of the organisation to determine the issues and actions required.

“He explained that whilst he had a perspective of the club from the outside, it is only after spending time inside the club you can fully understand strengths, areas to improve and remedial actions needed.

“While the club has made strong progress in areas such as the stadium, training facilities, commercial growth and stadium operations, several areas were identified as falling short of what is required to compete at the highest level.”

Vinai hints at major Tottenham player sales

Among the issues highlighted by Venkatesham, wage structure and a player transaction approach that had impacted competitiveness in the transfer market were major acknowledgements.

Speaking about the club’s finances, he then added that Tottenham need to plan for ensuring that they do not fall foul of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, with accounts revealing four consecutive years when the club have recorded losses.

“VV noted that the club has been loss-making for a number of years, which means compliance with Financial Fair Play rules need to be actively monitored and planned for,” the minutes read.

“An increased emphasis will therefore be placed on player sales alongside continued revenue growth to ensure we have the regulatory headroom to invest.”

Despite his clear criticism of Levy’s tenure, Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange have also come fire over the disastrous appointment of Tudor, along with their lack of response to sacking him after the Croatian became the first manager in the club’s history to lose his first four games in charge.

Spurs head to Liverpool this weekend looking to break that winless streak, but might be missing two more players after the club revealed that Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha are in concussion protocol after their nasty clash of heads towards the end of the Atletico mauling.

TEAMtalk can reveal that a three-way battle to secure the appointment of Robbie Keane is beginning to gather pace, though the Irishman is in no hurry to decide as he waits on a possible call over the job.

Elsewhere, legendary former striker Jurgen Klinsmann says he would be open to the Spurs challenge as a shock replacement for Igor Tudor and has promised two major factors that will help in a bid to stave off relegation.