Tottenham Hotspur are seriously considering the prospect of signing an England international for manager Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian somewhat under fire right now after a tepid start to the season.
Spurs escape Coventry City upset with dramatic 2-1 win
The Lilywhites were just minutes away from what would've been a calamitous result in the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening.
An uninspiring display at Championship side Coventry City in the EFL Cup nearly resulted in Postecoglou's side squandering a potential cup run right at the very beginning of the season, and it took two dramatic last-gasp strikes to ensure their place in the next round.
Brandon Thomas-Asante's opening goal for Coventry just past the hour mark had Tottenham supporters in panic mode, but substitutes Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson were on hand to spare Postecoglou's blushes.
Spence's strike in the 88th minute and Johnson's winner in added time kept Spurs' hopes of winning the competition very much alive, though Postecoglou came under fire afterwards considering the lacklustre display from his team.
Speaking to the media after Tottenham's smash and grab win, Postecoglou defended his players and praised Coventry for their performance.
"Yeah, I don't know, flat performance is a bit harsh. I thought I was a typical cup game," said Postecoglou after Spurs' 2-1 win at Coventry.
"I thought Coventry were really good. They put some real energy into the game, and we couldn't really get a grip on it. So we had to hang in there. We had to work really, really hard just to stay in the game and obviously going a goal behind makes it even more challenging. But like you said at the end there we showed some real spirit and character, which is probably what's been missing in the first four games. We've had the performance, but we haven't had that relentlessness to to get a result. You sense that in the last 10 minutes, we got real belief out of that, and hopefully that's a good sign moving forward."
Tottenham are also fresh off the back of two consecutive Premier League defeats, but Postecoglou has told his Spurs squad to remain calm and keep up their performance, ahead of a tough second campaign in charge for the tactician.
Tottenham seriously considering Angel Gomes move
As the pressure mounts on Postecoglou, club transfer chiefs are at work on potential signings to strengthen the squad as 2025 looms.
Lille midfielder and ex-Man United starlet Angel Gomes, who recently earned his first international caps for England, is apparently turning heads in north London.
According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are seriously considering a move for Gomes while "offering him a route back to his homeland", which would be a very low-cost deal with the 24-year-old's contract expiring next summer.
While he is valued at around £21 million by Transfermarkt, Spurs could bypass a fee entirely next summer, or sign him for a very cheap fee in January.
Gomes has impressed for Lille since joining them in 2021, becoming a real mainstay and key player on their team sheet. The attacking midfielder chalked up eight assists in Ligue 1 alone last season, and he could be a sound alternative to James Maddison in the middle.
"Angel is maybe the most intelligent player I have in my team. He understands faster than the others everything about the game; he loves the game. He loves to learn and he is a player with big skills, big technique,” said ex-Lille boss Paulo Fonseca.
“He is a player who under pressure it is not easy to steal the ball off him and who discovers the space so easily. He is young, he has a big talent. I believe with the right coach, with the right project, with the right game for him, he can have the possibility to have a big step in his career.”