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Ange Postecoglou “could lose his job” at Tottenham before the end of this season if he fails to meet two targets, with a former Spurs player insisting he remains safe for now but having provided an insight into the ruthless thinking of chairman Daniel Levy.

The affable Aussie quickly won hearts and minds of the Tottenham faithful and the media last season in the wake of his straight-talking demeanour to the media and for his attack-minded brand of football that had Spurs top of the Premier League table last season after 10 games. Having won eight and drawn two of his first 10 matches at the helm, the 59-year-old has written his name into the history books for topping Jose Mourinho at Chelsea to enjoy the best start ever made by a new coach in Premier League history.

Ultimately, a devastating injury and suspension list over the autumn and winter not only saw their fine form tail off, it also saw them finish in fifth, narrowly missing out on a return to the Champions League.

This season though has not gone quite so well. Spurs currently sit 10th in the table, having lost as many games (five) as they have won. And three losses in their last five games have seen the pressure ramped up on Postecoglou.

And speculation over his future has not been aided by allegations that he has fallen out with at least four senior players this season.

Nonetheless, former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson insists it is too soon to consider axing Postecoglou now. But in an interview with Football Insider, he has explained why he thinks patience with him could run out before the season is over if two big targets look likely to be missed.

“He’s under pressure now,” Robinson began. “But I think he’s bang under pressure at the end of the season if they fail to make it into the Champions League or Europa League again.

“They’re being beaten too easily and they’re too susceptible defensively.

“Ange has earned the right to have time, but they don’t seem to be learning from their mistakes.

“At the end of the season, yes, he’s bang under pressure if they don’t achieve what they want to achieve, but at the moment, he’s okay.

“In February, if they drop out of the cup competitions and it doesn’t look like they’ll compete for European places, he could lose his job before the end of the season.”

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Our sources insist that having backed the manager heavily in the market over the summer, Tottenham chief Levy is not yet panicking over their place in the Premier League and with the feeling they believe they are not too far short, performance-wise, of where they expect to be.

And while the loss of the in-form Rodrigo Bentacur to a seven-game suspension for a racist slur towards Son Heung-min will hit them hard, Spurs would have been third heading into the latest international break had they managed to beat Ipswich last time out.

That is a synopsis backed by Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick, who last week launched a strong defence of Postecoglou.

“So I don’t know what Levy and the board are thinking. To be honest, I think all the noises from the club, that they sort of accept that this is a medium-term venture,” Kilpatrick said on the Tottenham Way podcast.

“I mean, they’ve talked about being successful in the here and now, but they’ve also talked about building a squad, that they want to be successful in four or five years.

“And that’s been obvious in the age profile of the players they’ve signed, the three teenagers over the summer, two more coming next year.

“So, I think that there is a kind of commitment to see this through, or at least keep saying where it goes. But again, I can understand anyone associated with Spurs who’s losing a bit of patience or getting frustrated.”

Robinson, meanwhile, insists the pressure at Tottenham will never go away and even winning a trophy might not be enough with a top-six finish usually needed to secure Europa League football, his minimum target.

“He’s stuck with this style when it doesn’t necessarily suit some of the players in his side,” Robinson stressed.

“But he’ll always be under pressure at Tottenham because the stigma surrounding the need to win a trophy is not going to go away.

“It’s the stick used to beat them with by every other club, so if he wins a trophy and doesn’t reach European football, would that be enough?

“I’m not convinced. I think European football is vital for Tottenham and where they are as a club.

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Bergvall exit claims / stunning midfielder return talk

Meanwhile, journalist Tobias Hellgren has explained why Postecoglou is of the opinion that summer signing Lucas Bergvall is not yet suited to the higher intensity Premier League matches are played and that a January loan exit could be sanctioned for the Swedish teenager.

His place in the side could potentially be taken by the return of Harry Winks, if another report is to be believed.

The 28-year-old was sold by Postecoglou in his first season at the helm, but his form for Leicester – particularly this year in the Premier League – has seen a surprise report claim the Tottenham boss is now ‘determined’ to bring the 10-times capped England international back to north London.

A more realistic signing is perhaps that for USMNT star Johnny Cardoso.

Spurs already have a deal in place to sign the Real Betis midfielder in 2025 and now a report claims Postecoglou and Co are ready to bring forward their plan to sign the midfielder in the wake of interest from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Chelsea are reportedly ‘leading the race’ for Bayer Leverkusen star Jonathan Tah in a major blow to Tottenham, who are also very interested in the defender.

Tah, 28, is due to be out of contract with Leverkusen at the end of this season and will be able to open pre-contract talks in January with non-German clubs ahead of a free transfer next summer.

The German international played a major role in Leverkusen’s title-winning 2023/24 campaign and has started all of their Bundesliga matches so far this term.

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are now favourites to sign Tah after ‘entering into active negotiations over a deal’ as they ‘look to beat rivals’ to his signature.

The Blues are ‘making early efforts to try to move into a strong position for Tah’, who is also attracting interest from Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid.

Leverkusen are keen to convince Tah to sign a contract extension before the January window opens but his agent has already said ‘he’ll join a big club’ next season.

The fact that Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is expected to leave to join Real Madrid next season also isn’t helping the Bundesliga champion’s chances of tying Tah down to a new deal.

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Chelsea to rival Tottenham for Bundesliga colossus

The report claims that Chelsea have made Tah ‘one of their top targets’ as Enzo Maresca looks to strengthen in defence, with the manager not convinced by the likes of Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi.

However, Tottenham are not willing to give up in the race for Tah without a fight. As we reported on Thursday, Spurs have also opened talks with Tah’s entourage as they try to gauge his interest in a switch to North London.

Ange Postecoglou wants more competition for Cristian Romero, who has been heavily linked with Real Madrid of late, as well as Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin, with back-up centre-back Ben Davies well down the pecking order.

At 6ft 4in, Tah is also a dominant force in the air and would strengthen a Tottenham side that has problems with set-pieces since Postecoglou took over at the club.

With that in mind, we could see London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham go head-to-head in the race for Tah, with both clubs expected to officially open talks with him in January.

But this is a fast-moving race and other sides could also make contact with the defender’s agents ahead of the winter transfer window.

Chelsea round-up: Badiashile to Juventus? / Dewsbury-Hall could leave

Meanwhile, recent reports suggest that Chelsea could part ways with Badiashile as early as January, with Juventus considering a move for the Blues’ defender.

Chelsea paid £35million to sign Badiashile from Monaco in January 2023, but the Frenchman has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular under Maresca.

Indeed, the 23-year-old has featured just once in the Premier League so far this season under Maresca and has mainly found himself as an unused substitute on matchdays.

Juventus are currently in the middle of a defensive crisis, with both Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal recently suffering long-term injuries.

The Turin-based outfit are looking to bolster their beleaguered defensive ranks in the new year and are interested in signing Badiashile on either a loan or permanent deal, with Chelsea ready to negotiate his exit.

In other news, a report has linked Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with a shock move away from Stamford Bridge. It’s claimed that Chelsea have have greenlit a January exit for midfielder. Manchester United and Tottenham are interested, but Aston Villa are reportedly first to open talks.

Fabrizio Romano claimed last week that Chelsea are open to letting summer signing Dewsbury-Hall go ALREADY, putting Man Utd and Spurs on red alert.

A temporary spell away via the loan route was cited as the likeliest outcome. Man Utd and Tottenham were named as the star’s ‘most high-profile suitors.’

But according to a separate report out of Spain, Aston Villa have jumped the queue by opening talks over a loan swoop that would contain an option to buy.

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A Swedish journalist has offered insight into why he believes Ange Postecoglou harbours doubts over a recent Tottenham signing.

Tottenham pulled off what appeared to be a major coup when convincing Lucas Bergvall to reject Barcelona in favour of signing for Spurs at the beginning of 2024.

The Swedish midfielder, 18, was viewed as one of the game’s fastest rising talents at the time and Tottenham wrapped up an agreement worth £8.5m. Bergvall signed on the dotted line on deadline day in the January window ahead of linking up with his new Tottenham teammates six months later.

But fast forward to the present day and Bergvall is yet to start a Premier League match this season. He has featured heavily in the Europa League, though Postecoglou recently spoke of “levels” after the youngster struggled against Galatasaray.

And according to Swedish journalist Tobias Hellgren, Postecoglou is of the opinion Bergvall is not yet suited to the higher intensity Premier League matches are played at.

‘There is something else to interpret in Ange’s words as well: he is simply not convinced of Bergvall’s current ability,’ Hellgren told Fotboll Skanalen.

‘Now he has returned to the fact that the Swede has “more to learn” so many times that everyone has understood that he thinks so. Subtly, Ange probably wants to convey instead that Bergvall is not quite ready – yet – for the high-tempo, heavy metal-like football that is at the top of the Premier League.

‘Bergvall received two clear clearances against Manchester United and was the first to smoke at the red card against Qarabag. Being “easy to sacrifice” is often a good indicator of how high you stand with your coach.’

Loan exit if Bergvall doesn’t improve?

Hellgren went on to state that while it’s too early to talk about Bergvall requiring a loan move, a temporary spell away could become a requirement if the midfielder’s situation does not quickly improve.

‘We are in November, and it is far too early to start talking about a loan,’ added the Swedish reporter. ‘On the one hand, there is value in just being in Tottenham’s environment, on the other hand there may be openings further on with injuries and suspensions.

‘But the situation probably needs to start getting better for Bergvall pretty soon so that the loan discussion is not seriously brought up. Because right now his “status in the hierarchy” meter is pointing down.

‘And Postecoglou’s latest outing does not suggest that a complete turnaround on that point is to be expected shortly.’

Latest Tottenham news – Odobert, Winks, Postecoglou

In other news, Tottenham have confirmed winger Wilson Odobert has undergone surgery to repair a hamstring injury. No timescale has been put on Odobert’s return.

Elsewhere, a surprise report in Spain has remarkably claimed Tottenham are hopeful of re-signing Harry Winks from Leicester City.

Finally, Football Insider claimed Postecoglou has fallen out with four high profile Spurs stars at varying stages this season. The quartet are Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Explaining why, it was claimed ‘sources say his straight talking in public and behind the scenes has had a negative reaction in the dressing room and has sewn the discord at the heart of the team’s wild swings in form.’

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Wilson Odobert has undergone surgery on his right hamstring after a series of injury setbacks, which could prompt the club to step up their chase for a new winger in January.

Odobert has been incredibly unlucky with injuries since joining Spurs from Burnley over the summer, making only five appearances for the club in all competitions so far this season.

The 19-year-old was out for a month with his hamstring problem earlier in the campaign, only to return against AZ in the Europa League and be forced out of the game with a recurrence of the same problem.

And now Tottenham have confirmed that Odobert has been forced to have surgery on the issue but have not given a timescale on his return.

A statement on their official website read: “We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday (Saturday 16 November).

“The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training.”

The news will come as another blow to Ange Postecoglou, with Spurs having been hit hard by injuries for much of the season so far. Indeed, the Australian was keen to utilise Odobert in a rotation with sipper Son Heung-min and Timo Werner wide on the left as the club continue to balance domestic and European action.

With no timeframe on Odobert’s return and Son himself also spending time on the sidelines, there is every chance Tottenham will move for a new winger in January – with Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Real Sociedad sensation Takefusa Kubo both reported to be on their radar.

Tottenham considering January winger raid

Odobert’s prolonged absence, to add to concerns over Son, leaves Spurs light on options on the left wing – so perhaps it’s not that surprising to see the club once again being linked with Jack Grealish.

The England forward, who has been sidelined with a groin issue for the last three weeks, was a major target for Tottenham back in 2019 and was keen on a move that was quickly put to bed by his then employers Aston Villa.

Two years later, Grealish moved to City in a record £100million deal, but he has struggled to show his best form despite the club’s unparalleled trophy success during that time.

There is no mention of what sort of fee could be involved, although Grealish remains under contract until 2027 so won’t come cheap despite his overall lack of productivity at City.

Meanwhile, Tottenham and Bayern Munich have reportedly joined Liverpool on the hunt for Takefusa Kubo, who Real Sociedad could find it ‘difficult to retain’.

Former Real Madrid man Kubo is into his third season with Sociedad. Now with 25 goals in his La Liga career, the Japanese international has been a consistent performer for his current club every season.

That has piqued the interest of some clubs in other big European leagues.

Liverpool have been linked for a while, but Fichajes reports that Tottenham and Bayern Munich are both now interested in his talents, as well as the Reds.

Spurs are said to want to add versatility and depth to their attack, and feel the speed and dribbling ability of Kubo make him a fantastic asset for Ange Postecoglou’s system.

The winger has a €60million (£50m/$63m) release clause, and as a result, it’s believed that will make him ‘difficult to retain’ for Sociedad.

If it came down to a choice between the pair, then Grealish is the more natural fit on the left but Kubo is six years his junior. And, given Postecoglou’s admiration for Asian players, a move for Japan star Kubo appears to make more sense, while also fitting in with Tottenham’s current policy of bringing in younger players.

Latest Tottenham news: Spurs eye shock Winks return / Greek striker on Ange’s radar

Tottenham are reportedly entertaining the option of bringing a former midfielder back to the club in the January transfer window for what could represent a potential £22million loss on his original sale.

Leicester City star Harry Winks is being linked with a sensational return to north London after being the standout performer for the Foxes so far on their return to the Premier League.

Indeed, Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Spurs are ‘determined’ to bring Winks back to the club and are willing to pay a whopping £32m (€38m/$40m) for his services – a deal that would see them net a loss of £22m on the original transfer.

Tottenham are reportedly entertaining the option of bringing a former midfielder back to the club in the January transfer window for what could represent a potential £22million loss on his original sale.

Leicester City star Harry Winks is being linked with a sensational return to north London after being the standout performer for the Foxes so far on their return to the Premier League.

The 28-year-old quit Tottenham for Leicester after Ange Postecoglou’s arrival in the summer of 2023, moving to the then Championship side for a fee of just £10m (€11.6m/$12.2).

Winks played a pivotal role as the Foxes bounced straight back to the Premier League last season and has arguably been their best player back in the top flight as Steve Cooper’s men currently sit 15th in the table – three points above the relegation places.

And now, Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Spurs are ‘determined’ to bring Winks back to north London and are willing to pay a whopping £32m (€38m/$40m) for his services – a deal that would see them net a loss of £22m on the original transfer.

The report adds that Tottenham have been impressed with the maturity Winks has added to his game and his growth as a player after several seasons of struggle previously in the capital.

It’s certainly no secret that Postecoglou wants another body in midfield, given how he has seemingly failed to settle on a regular three in his engine room, and Winks would certainly bring more of a box-to-box presence in there.

Still, that £32m figure being reported does appear too excessive for a player who will turn 29 in February next year and who failed to convince Postecoglou he was worthy of keeping around in the first place.

The argument that Winks should never have left

On the face of it, cashing in on Winks in 2023 made a lot of sense for a player who had been loaned out to Sampdoria the season before and had made 34 Premier League appearances across the previous two campaigns in north London.

However, there is a strong argument that Posteecoglou should have given the England midfielder a chance in pre-season prior to the 2023/24 campaign to fully make his mind up on the player.

Winks, instead, joined the Foxes on July 1 2023 and went on to score twice in 45 Championship appearances playing both as a defensive midfielder and a No.8 in Enzo Maresca’s team before the Italian quit for Chelsea.

In terms of what Postecoglou wants from a midfielder playing in his complex system, Winks has so many of the attributes that could see him be a success at Tottenham again.

His energy levels are off the charts, his movement is excellent off the ball when it comes to creating angles to receive possession, he can drive the length of the field with good pace and is particularly strong on the press.

Indeed, you could argue that is more adept than the likes of Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur at certain aspects named above, although he is not really a goal or assists machine.

It certainly would have been interesting if Postecogou had actually kept Winks around, although we could still see him back in the white of Tottenham – if the rather fanciful report from Fichajes has any substance.

Latest Tottenham news: Senior stars fall out with Postecoglou / Spurs step up Cardoso pursuit

Ange Postecoglou has ‘fallen out’ with ‘at least four’ of his ‘senior stars’ at Tottenham this season, a new report has claimed, though supporters should not fear that claims of the alleged bust-up will hasten speculation over his future in N17.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are expected to speed up their pursuit of Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso in reaction to Aston Villa joining the race for the USMNT star.

When selling Giovani Lo Celso to Betis in the summer, Tottenham secured the right of first refusal on signing Cardoso. As such, they have the chance to bring him to the Premier League – or they could even earn a portion of the fee if Betis sell him elsewhere.

Ange Postecoglou has ‘fallen out’ with ‘at least four’ of his ‘senior stars’ at Tottenham this season, a new report has claimed, though supporters should not fear that claims of the alleged bust-up will hasten speculation over his future in N17.

The Aussie boss was seen as a breath of fresh air upon his appointment by Spurs last summer, with his straight-talking demeanour quickly winning over fans and media alike, while his style of football was seen as pleasing on the eye and having established Tottenham as the early pacesetters in last season’s Premier League with eight wins and two draws from their first 10 games.

But fast forward a year later and the situation at the club is very different, with the club suffering three defeats in their last five Premier League games to leave them a lowly 10th in the table. And with Tottenham doing very Spursy things by allowing Ipswich to claim a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last time out – the Suffolk side’s first Premier League win in over 8,000 days – evidence is starting to grow that all is not well at the club.

More evidence that cracks are starting to show in the Postecoglou regime has seemingly gathered pace amid a damaging new report from Football Insider that the 59-year-old has fallen out with at least four senior stars this season.

They name Italy internationals Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario and South American pair Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero as the quartet among those who have been upset by Postecoglou.

Their report goes on to add that ‘sources say his straight talking in public and behind the scenes has had a negative reaction in the dressing room and has sewn the discord at the heart of the team’s wild swings in form’.

Furthermore, they claim questions over Postecoglou’s future are starting to be asked and a failure to improve over the next few weeks could negatively impact his future.

‘Pressure will now intensify on Postecoglou following the international break, with Tottenham set to face Man City next week (23 November).

‘Senior Spurs sources have told Football Insider that the next month is pivotal to his future in north London, with an improvement required to cement his medium-term future at the club.’

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Postecoglou sack? Shearer calms fears over Tottenham departure

Indeed, the possibility of Tottenham sacking Postecoglou has, somewhat surprisingly reared its head over the past week, even though a win over Ipswich would have thrust the club into the top three had they managed to claim a win over Ipswich.

And wins at Manchester United, combined with home successes over Manchester City (in the Carabao Cup) and Aston Villa have shown what the side are capable of.

Furthermore, despite their 3-2 loss at Galatasaray thanks to an inspired performance from Victor Osimhen, Spurs are also well on track to progress to the next round of the Europa League.

That competition remains hugely important for Postecoglou, with the manager making no secret of his wish to lift a trophy at Tottenham – the club last lifted silverware in 2008, some 16 years ago – and with Spurs also knowing success in the Europa League offers a guaranteed pathway to the Champions League, which has been set as a target for Postecoglou by chairman Daniel Levy this season.

Nonetheless, despite their recent struggles, Alan Shearer insists it is far too soon to begin speculation over Postecoglou’s future.

“Typical Spurs though, isn’t it? My goodness me. They beat City at home, they beat Villa at home with a great win, and then you got Ipswich at home. Ipswich turn you over,” Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.

“I don’t think so [Postecoglou under pressure]. No, I think you just look at it like that, he took responsibility, didn’t he?

“He said it’s his fault, his problem. He’s got to sort it out. But when you see them in the second half against Villa and then beating City, it’s just, it’s the inconsistency again. How long have we been saying that about Spurs?”

Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick also insists Postecoglou is not in any immediate danger of being axed.

“So I don’t know what Levy and the board are thinking. To be honest, I think all the noises from the club, that they sort of accept that this is a medium-term venture,” Kilpatrick said on the Tottenham Way podcast.

“I mean, they’ve talked about being successful in the here and now, but they’ve also talked about building a squad, that they want to be successful in four or five years.

“And that’s been obvious in the age profile of the players they’ve signed, the three teenagers over the summer, two more coming next year.

“So, I think that there is a kind of commitment to see this through, or at least keep saying where it goes. But again, I can understand anyone associated with Spurs who’s losing a bit of patience or getting frustrated.”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Greek striker targeted / USA midfielder to sign

Meanwhile, Tottenham are hurtling towards their first signing of 2025, with a move for Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso set to be sped up in relation to speculation that Aston Villa have joined the hunt for his signature.

Spurs negotiated a crafty agreement to give themselves first dibs on the USMNT star in 2025 as part of the arrangement that allowed Giovani Lo Celso to rejoin the LaLiga side.

But in recent weeks the player has also been linked with a move to Unai Emery’s side and that interest has seemingly convinced Levy to push through his signing with details on the fee Spurs will pay also coming to light.

Elsewhere, Spurs are being linked with a move for Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas, who has caught the eye during a loan spell with Nurnberg.

That temporary switch is set to be made permanent next year, but the German side are eyeing an instant profit and with Spurs one of three Premier League sides being tipped to move for the teenage prospect.

And finally, Tottenham have reportedly joined Liverpool in the hunt for Takefusa Kubo, who it’s claimed Real Sociedad could find it ‘difficult to retain’ next year.

The Japanese winger is highly rated by the LaLiga side but his big-money release clause is understood to have caught Spurs’ attention.

Tottenham are expected to speed up their pursuit of Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso in reaction to Aston Villa joining the race for the USMNT star.

When selling Giovani Lo Celso to Betis in the summer, Tottenham secured the right of first refusal on signing Cardoso. As such, they have the chance to bring him to the Premier League – or they could even earn a portion of the fee if Betis sell him elsewhere.

But with recent reports claiming Aston Villa are also keeping tabs on Cardoso, Tottenham might need to make a decision about whether to take their opportunity to sign him sooner rather than later. And according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, it’s likely that Tottenham ‘don’t want to miss out’ on Cardoso and will make full use of the deal Daniel Levy has smartly agreed.

“He really had them over the barrel on this one,” O’Rourke told Football Insider. “If he does well at Betis, I’m sure Spurs will maybe take up their option of signing him on a permanent basis, especially if they see one of their rivals Aston Villa showing a bit of interest.

“They might think, ‘right, we need to get this deal done’, because they don’t want to miss out on him.

“But whatever happens, Spurs have got every corner covered. They’ll either make money if they sign him or if they don’t they’ll make a bit of profit from his transfer fee.

“Smart piece of business by Daniel Levy and we shouldn’t be surprised, he is very good in his negotiations that he gets a deal like this. I haven’t seen too many deals like this in the transfer market.”

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Tottenham’s agreement for Cardoso explained

Tottenham’s agreement with Betis for Cardoso means they will be able to sign him for a fixed fee of €30m (£25.1m/$31.6m) when they desire.

Alternatively, they will be entitled to a percentage of the transfer fee Betis receive if he is sold to another club.

Betis president Angel Haro confirmed in September: “It would be interesting for everyone, it would mean that we would also have a capital gain.

“In short, if there is an operation in which a capital gain is produced for Betis, Tottenham would have a percentage of it. There is also an option to buy for them, but it would be high and positive for us if it were to happen.”

The percentage of the profit Tottenham would earn if someone like Aston Villa bought him instead is yet to be disclosed, but it might not matter anyway if they do activate their move for him.

Tottenham transfer roundup

Cardoso is not the only player who could be on his way from La Liga to Tottenham. Speculative reports from Spain have claimed Spurs have also joined the race for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo.

He would be available to buy for €60m (£50m/$63m) thanks to his release clause, but Tottenham are not the only side in the hunt for him.

It is an interesting development, though, while Son Heung-min’s future is under discussion. The latest on that front is that Spurs are expected to activate their option to renew the captain’s contract until 2026 – but then it might be goodbye.

And as their attack evolves, they have also been linked with an in-form striker who is quickly outgrowing the German second division.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich have reportedly joined Liverpool on the hunt for Takefusa Kubo, who Real Sociedad could find it ‘difficult to retain’.

Former Real Madrid man Kubo is into his third season with Sociedad. Now with 25 goals in his La Liga career, the Japanese international has been a consistent performer for his current club every season.

That has piqued the interest of some clubs in other big European leagues.

Liverpool have been linked for a while, but Fichajes reports that Tottenham and Bayern Munich are both now interested in his talents, as well as the Reds.

Spurs are said to want to add versatility and depth to their attack, and feel the speed and dribbling ability of Kubo make him a fantastic asset for Ange Postecoglou’s system.

The winger has a €60million (£50m/$63m) release clause, and as a result, it’s believed that will make him ‘difficult to retain’ for Sociedad.

Liverpool plans could be spoiled

In the summer, it was reported that Liverpool had identified Kubo as a target given the uncertainty over the future of Mohamed Salah.

With both men right-wingers, if the Egyptian is to leave, it is clear Kubo would be a like-for-like replacement.

As such, it seems that would still be the case if Salah leaves at the end of the season, when his contract is up.

Therefore, either Tottenham or Bayern landing Kubo would spoil Arne Slot’s plan to get somebody through the door to ease the exit of one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever talents.

Tottenham round-up: Spurs want Greek striker

Tottenham have registered an interest in Greek 18-year-old Stefanos Tzimas, who is on loan at Nurnberg, and the club want to sign him and immediately sell him on for a profit, to Spurs on a Premier League rival.

Spurs are also said to be interested in Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, though Aston Villa are at the front of the queue, having opened negotiations.

The north London outfit are said to have opened talks with Heung-min Son over extending his contract for a further year.

Though Sergio Reguilon could cancel his deal in January, but may ask for 80 per cent of his remaining wages, with his deal not due to run out until the summer.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has clarified the contract situation with Tottenham and Son Heung-min, though while a one-year extension is coming, a separate report has dropped a bombshell on the forward’s future beyond that.

Son, 32, is a bona fide Premier League legend having become the first Asian player to break the 100-goal barrier in the EPL era. His current tally of 123 goals places him joint-19th in the all-time rankings. With Nicolas Anelka (125), Robbie Keane (126) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (127) all just a few goals ahead, Son should take 16th spot before the season is out.

It’s important to note Son’s tally has also been achieved largely without the aid of penalties. Duties from the spot were primarily hoovered up by Harry Kane during his time at the club.

How much further Son climbs up the rankings will hinge on how much longer his Tottenham career extends. Son’s existing contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season, though there is a club option for an extra 12 months.

And according to trusted reporter Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have started the process of activating that option. As such, Son will soon be under contract at Spurs for the 2025/26 campaign too.

“I have something to say about Heung-min Son, a top player of Tottenham Hotspur,” said Romano on his YouTube channel. “It’s important to say that, according to my information, Tottenham are prepared to take the option to extend the contract of Son.

“So if you check on Son, on all the websites, for example, Transfermarkt, you can see that his contract is expiring in the summer of 2025.

“But Tottenham have an option, have a clause in the contract to extend the deal for one more season, 2025/26, and they are in the process, from what I’m hearing, of extending this contract for one more year.

“This is the idea, this is the plan, the process has already started and so the expectation is for Son to have a longer contract at Tottenham.”

Romano concluded by noting he is unaware of any contacts between Son and rival clubs. The reporter also stressed Son and his camp are fully aware Spurs will soon trigger their 12-month option.

What comes after one-year extension?

According to a recent report from TBR Football, Tottenham have surprisingly informed Son and his camp they have no intention of discussing a long-term extension beyond the one-year option.

As such, the 2025/26 season could be Son’s last in a Spurs shirt. If it is, Son will bring his Tottenham career to a close at the 11-year mark having cemented himself as one of the club’s all-time greats.

A separate report from TBR Football subsequently claimed Son is a player of interest to the Saudi Pro League.

TEAMtalk can also reveal French giant PSG hold long-term admiration in Son and have previously formulated plans to make a push for the South Korean.

If Spurs fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, the possibility of Tottenham selling Son to PSG in the summer of 2025 would be in play.

Latest Tottenham news – New centre-back wanted

In other news, Caught Offside claim Tottenham are rivalling Chelsea in the race to sign Bournemouth centre-back, Illia Zabarnyi.

Bournemouth will reportedly cash in on the impressive Ukrainian if bids of around £50m are tabled.

Should Spurs miss out on Zabarnyi, then they could go down a different path by landing Jonathan Tah.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly exploring a move for a versatile Brighton & Hove Albion defender in a bid to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s defence in the January transfer window.

The Australian is looking at bringing in another centre-back and a full-back capable of playing both sides in the new year and may have found the latter in the shape of Seagulls star Tariq Lamptey.

The 24-year-old’s contract on the south coast expires next summer and it’s reported that Brighton may be open to a sale to avoid losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Tottenham, West Ham and Everton have all been linked with a move for the former Chelsea man, who has made over 100 appearances for Brighton since his switch from Stamford Bridge in 2020. Indeed, Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui is said to have demanded that his side land the full-back in the new year.

Lamptey possesses the sort of versatility that Postecoglou loves, with his ability to line up mostly as a right-back or right wing-back and also at left-back.

And, as a result, Football Transfers, reports that Spurs are looking at the player amid growing concerns over the long-term future of Spain international Pedro Porro.

The 25-year-old continues to be heavily linked with Real Madrid despite his form this season not quite being at the level it was last time around – of which the same can be said about Tottenham left-back Destiny Udogie.

Brighton are thought to be open to offloading Lamptey, given that he has only featured four times in total this term due to the form of Joel Veltman in his normal right-back position.

Lamptey arrival could spell the end for Spence

If Tottenham do swoop for Lamptey that could prove to the final nail in the coffin for Djed Spence in north London.

The former Middlesbrough man did recently have his contract extended at Spurs but remains on the fringes of Postecoglou’s first team and was also left out of their Europa League squad.

Postecoglou was impressed with Spence during pre-season and opted against offloading the right-back, who has had loan spells at Rennes, Leeds and Genoa since joining the club in 2022.

However, the 24-year-old has made just 10 senior appearances for Tottenham and has been on the sidelines recently with a groin injury.

Postecoglou could feel that Lamptey is a more experienced option to use as a full-back capable of filling both wide spots, although that would arguably be harsh on Spence given his lack of opportunities to showcase his talents in north London.

Latest Tottenham news: Spurs target Bournemouth defender / Reguilon exit demands emerge

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to battle Chelsea for the signing of Bournemouth star Illia Zabarnyi, it has been claimed.

According to a new report, Tottenham will ‘rival’ Chelsea for Zabarnyi after being hugely impressed by his ‘excellent’ displays in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou’s side have been ‘tracking the player for a while’ and are ‘eager’ to add him to their ranks.

Spurs are on the hunt for centre-back reinforcements in case they lose Cristian Romero to Real Madrid, and Zabarnyi has emerged as their latest target.

Meanwhile, Journalist John Wenham believes that Sergio Reguilon will “demand at least 80 per cent of his remaining salary” to leave Tottenham six months early.

Reguilon has spent more than four years with Spurs, though has only actually featured for them in two of the five seasons since. He played fairly consistently in his first two campaigns, and not at all since.

As a result, Reguilon has been subject of reports around cancelling his Tottenham deal, and Wenham feels he’ll only feel that’s worth it if he moves immediately to a club who can match his current deal, though he could also ask for a payout rather than leaving for nothing.