Gary Lineker makes promising prediction for Tottenham this season, but Alan Shearer disagrees
Gary Lineker believes Tottenham Hotspur could be on the verge of a remarkable turnaround under new head coach Thomas Frank, predicting a push for European qualification in the 2025/26 season. Alan Shearer, however, is far less convinced, warning that expecting such a leap might be overly ambitious.
After last season’s disastrous Premier League campaign, in which Spurs slumped to a 17th-place finish — narrowly avoiding relegation — change was inevitable. Ange Postecoglou’s reign came to an abrupt end, and Tottenham turned to Thomas Frank, hoping the Dane could replicate the tactical discipline and overachievement he delivered at Brentford.
The new era officially begins this weekend, as Spurs welcome Burnley to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in their Premier League opener. In the build-up to the match, Lineker, Shearer, and Micah Richards discussed Tottenham’s prospects on The Rest Is Football podcast, offering very different forecasts for Frank’s debut campaign.
Lineker tips Spurs for a European return
Lineker struck an optimistic tone, arguing that Spurs are poised for a significant upturn in fortunes. “I’d sense an improvement will happen this season,” he said. “They’ll be well organised, probably play slightly differently to how they did under Big Ange. Big improvement incoming — I think the European spots are what I’m gonna go for.”
His comments suggest he sees Tottenham not only climbing the table but potentially competing for a place in the Europa League or even the Champions League, a prediction that would require an extraordinary swing in form compared to last year’s struggles.
Shearer doubts a top-six surge
Shearer, however, was quick to pour cold water on the idea. “Do you? That far, do you? That’s a big ask to go from 17th to qualifying for Europe, isn’t it? In terms of getting in the top six, isn’t it?” he replied. “I see them obviously improving, but I do not see that much improvement. I’ve got them like Man United — seven, eight, nine, something like that.”
For Shearer, the jump from relegation scrap to European contention in a single season is a stretch, even with a fresh manager and renewed optimism.
Richards sides with Lineker — sort of
Micah Richards then weighed in, siding with Lineker — at least partially. “Yeah, top six for me, Spurs, top six,” he stated confidently. Shearer responded with disbelief: “Really?” prompting Lineker to jokingly point out, “You’ve got a lot of teams in the top six, Micah.”
Levy’s lofty ambitions vs. cautious spending
Adding to the intrigue, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has set incredibly high long-term goals. Speaking in an interview this summer, Levy said his aim is for Tottenham to win both the Premier League and the Champions League — a statement that, on paper, suggests world-class investment and squad strengthening.
However, reality has not quite matched the rhetoric. Tottenham have so far been outspent by the rest of the traditional “big six,” despite finishing lowest of that group last season. While Frank has made a few moves in the transfer market, the scale of investment lags behind their main rivals.
Targets on the radar
With the transfer window still open, Tottenham are reportedly looking to make further additions. Names like Brazilian winger Savinho and Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze have been linked, both of whom could inject creativity and flair into Frank’s system. But if Spurs fail to land these high-profile targets, Frank will need to rely on his tactical ingenuity — much as he did at Brentford — to outperform expectations.
For now, the only certainty is that Tottenham’s upcoming campaign will be under intense scrutiny. Whether they surge toward the European places, as Lineker and Richards predict, or settle into mid-table, as Shearer suspects, will depend heavily on Frank’s ability to blend organisation, belief, and the right signings before the window closes.