Tottenham's Pre-Season Tour: New Signings Van Hecke and Robertson Join Squad

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 starts to shape the next phase of his squad far from north London.

The pair only reported back this week after extended breaks following the World Cup and sat out Wednesday’s behind-closed-doors 1-0 win over MK Dons. Their first minutes in a Spurs shirt are now likely to come on the road, with friendlies lined up against Auckland FC, Sydney FC and Chelsea.

The early evidence of Spurs’ summer work came from elsewhere. Against MK Dons, Mateus Fernandes announced himself with a thunderous third-minute volley, the only goal of the game and a sharp reminder that the fight for midfield places will be unforgiving. Sandro Tonali also featured, easing himself back into rhythm after his own post-World Cup downtime.

While van Hecke and Robertson board the plane, several big names will stay behind. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert remain at Hotspur Way to continue their rehabilitation, a cluster of attacking talent Spurs will not risk in long-haul friendlies. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has picked up a minor knock in training and will undergo treatment rather than travel.

The World Cup has heavily shaped Spurs’ summer planning. Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr have been handed extended leave after their efforts at the tournament, and they are not alone. Finalists Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi and Cristian Romero will also sit out the tour as they recharge. Djed Spence, who went deep into the competition, stays back as well.

That opens the door for the next generation. Highly rated academy prospects Luca Williams-Barnett, Tyler Tingey and Mikey Moore are all included in a 35-man group that offers a clear glimpse of the club’s pathway thinking. For them, training sessions in Auckland and Sydney alongside senior internationals will matter almost as much as the minutes on the pitch.

Goalkeeping Unit

Postecoglou’s travelling goalkeeping unit features Brandon Austin, Martin Dubravka, Antonin Kinsky and Dylan Thompson. In defence, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies, Malachi Hardy, Andy Robertson, Kota Takai, Tyler Tingey, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke form a mix of established Premier League experience, recent signings and youth hopefuls.

Midfield Competition

The midfield list underlines just how crowded the centre of the pitch could become. 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, each chasing a slice of Postecoglou’s trust before the real business starts.

Spurs will treat the tour as a fitness block, a tactical laboratory and an audition rolled into one. For van Hecke and Robertson, it is the first chance to show exactly why the club moved for them. For the youngsters squeezed onto the flight list, it could be the moment that turns a squad number into a genuine first-team shot when the season kicks off.