The story of Tottenham’s campaign started with the visit of one of European football’s emerging ‘Golden Boys’.

It is a little-known fact that Spurs’ preparations for the 2024-25 campaign started with a visit from Desire Doue.

The talented attacker, then playing for Rennes, was so intrigued by Ange Postecoglou’s project he made an undercover visit to the club’s training ground in Enfield amid optimism a deal could be done.

Fast forward nine months and 20-year-old Doue, who in the interim had signed for Paris St-Germain, was the star of the Champions League final.

In retrospect, Spurs’ failure to lure him was a sign of what was to come – a series of blows during a truly forgettable domestic season.

It’s important to stress their inability to land Doue was not for the want of trying – but while his reputation has soared, Tottenham and Postecoglou were left in despair all too often.

Read more insight from Mokbel on the reasons behind Postecoglou’s sacking