TEAMtalk

Tottenham are plotting a move for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and TEAMtalk can reveal the Blues’ stance on selling the 23-year-old this summer, while two other Premier League sides are also interested.

Spurs have endured a very disappointing season and sit in 13th place in the Premier League table. Their last chance of success is in the Europa League and winning that would see them qualify for the Champions League.

There is major pressure on Ange Postecoglou and while Tottenham’s hierarchy are yet to make a final decision on him, they are still building a list of targets for next season.

TEAMtalk understands that Spurs are looking to add quality attacking options and a move for Chelsea winger Madueke is under consideration.

Sources have confirmed that the England international is not in Enzo Maresca’s long term plans and therefore, the Blues are ready to cash in at the end of the season.

Madueke has interest from multiple Champions League sides and two other Premier League clubs, per our sources, and therefore Tottenham may have to win the Europa League to have a chance of landing him.

However, we also understand that Madueke is keen to stay in London, which could play into Tottenham’s hands, but he will still require some serious convincing to make the move to the Lilywhites.

Tottenham to rival two Premier League clubs for Chelsea star

TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea will demand a minimum of £50m for Madueke, who they believe has seen his value increase since his move from PSV Eindhoven in 2023.

Chelsea will look to push a deal towards the £60m mark. They are in a strong negotiating position, given the winger is contracted until 2030 and they have the option to extend the deal by another year.

Despite Tottenham’s poor season, they are in a strong PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules) position and could afford to splash £60m on Madueke if they choose to do so.

Newcastle and Aston Villa are also keeping close tabs on Madueke and again, their chances of landing him could depend on Champions League qualification.

Newcastle and Villa’s main challenge with regards to Madueke will be convincing him to leave London.

Chelsea are open to selling several stars this summer to help fund a move for a top striker and sources state that Madueke is one they are willing to let go.

The winger has made 74 appearances since his £30m switch from PSV, notching 17 goals and seven assists in the process.

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Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero is now said to be on the radar of both Madrid clubs after a report revealed that Atletico have joined Real in the race for the Argentine’s signature this summer.

Romero has been a target for Carlo Ancelotti’s men since playing a pivotal role in Argentina World Cup triumph in Qatar back in 2022, although Spurs have continually refused to entertain the possibility of the sale of the 26-year-old.

However, there have been rumours that the landscape is starting to change, especially since Romero‘s pointed criticism of the club’s medical team this season.

Romero only recently returned from a 21-game Tottenham absence and played the full 90 minutes for his country against Uruguay over the weekend, before then aiming shots at his employers in north London.

Journalist Eduardo Burgos reported that Romero was ‘deeply upset’ with how Tottenham’s medical staff handled his rehabilitation as he thanked the physios at Argentina for “getting me out of a bad moment and putting me back on the field”.

Indeed, there is a school of thought that the defender is actively trying to force a transfer after becoming frustrated at the club’s lack of ambition in recent seasons, while his performances on the field have been way below the standard he usually produces for Argentina.

And now a report from Relevo suggests that Atletico are actively searching for a new central defender and have put Romero at the top of their wishlist.

Depending on how legit that report is, it could stir Real into action in the race to sign a player who could cost in the region of £60million (€72m / $77m).

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Clock ticking on fresh Romero contract offer

For their part, Tottenham have been hopeful that Romero will put pen-to-paper on a new contract in north London, with an offer on the table for the former Juventus and Atalanta man.

The Spurs vice-captain will enter the final two years of his current deal in June, and while Spurs are prepared to offer him a significant pay rise, Romero is in no rush to sign as he considers potential offers elsewhere.

Indeed, it’s since been stated that Tottenham chiefs have told the player that if he does not commit to the new deal by the start of the summer window then they will consider offers for his services.

At this stage, however, it’s understood no discussions have taken place between Tottenham and any clubs keen on signing Romero, with Daniel Levy certain to play a strong hand when it comes to what the club could recoup for a player who is in his prime.

Spurs are, however, actively weighing up potential replacements for the Argentine, having been linked with the likes of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, Everton’s Jarrard Branthwaite and Bournemouth ace Dean Huijsen.

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Meanwhile, Spurs are being tipped to potentially add two new strikers to their ranks this summer after a season of domestic struggles that has seen both Dominic Solanke and Richarlison spend a number of games on the sidelines.

Two new forward targets have emerged in north London, with Tottenham said to be keen on a deal for 15-goal Mainz and Germany attacker Jonathan Burkardt.

The club are also reported to be chasing an Aston Villa attacker, in a move that appears much more fanciful.

In terms of wide attacking targets, a report from reliable GiveMeSport journalist Dean Jones claims that Tottenham have already laid the ‘groundwork’ in their efforts to sign a Borussia Dortmund sensation.

Tottenham Hotspur are being tipped to potentially add two new strikers to their ranks this summer after a season of domestic struggles that has seen both their current No.9s spend too much time on the sidelines.

Dominic Solanke has missed a total of 14 games this term through injury, while Richarlison has only featured in 14 outings in all competitions throughout the whole campaign as his woes in a Spurs shirt continue.

That has led to plenty of speculation that Tottenham will look to add another forward to their ranks in the summer, with the likes of Marcus Thuram, Liam Delap and Dusan Vlahovic – to name but a few – all linked with moves to north London.

However, two new names are now said to be in the frame for a move to Spurs, with free-scoring Bundesliga Jonathan Burkardt reportedly on their radar.

TBR Football reports that Tottenham have turned their gaze towards the Mainz frontman, who is capable of playing as an out-and-out No.9, as a second striker or wide on the left.

Burkardt is currently third in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race behind Harry Kane and Patrik Schick, having scored 15 goals this season while also laying on three assists for a Mainz side who sit an impressive third in the table.

Tottenham are not alone in the admiration for the 24-year-old though, with the likes Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Brighton also credited with an interest.

Indeed, it’s been reported that the Magpies have one eye on Burkardt if they opt to cash in on Alexander Isak this summer.

But the German is not the only forward being tipped to join Tottenham, as TT understands there is the distinct possibility that two new strikers are recruited to provide fiercer competition for Solanke.

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Tottenham also tipped for surprise Villa raid

Meanwhile, a rather fanciful report from Spain suggests that Spurs could also raid Premier League rivals Aston Villa for a player who only joined them in the winter window.

Fichajes reports that Donyell Malen is now in their sights, having joined Villa from Dortmund in January – although he is yet to score in seven appearances for Unai Emery’s men.

Malen did have an excellent record in Holland with PSV though and showed enough in Germany to prompt Villa to cough u £21m for his services.

The report states that Tottenham have seen enough of the 26-year-old in recent seasons to suggest that he could be a success in England, at the right club and in the right system.

Much like Burkardt, Malen has the ability to play multiple positions in the forward line, although he tends to operate more frequently from the right – where Brennan Johnson currently plays.

Links to the Dutch star do appear to be far-fetched though, as it’s hard to fathom why Villa would be willing to offload a player they signed months ago to a Premier League rival – unless it was for a very healthy profit.

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Tottenham have reportedly laid the groundwork for what would be a major summer transfer coup, as they look to beat out a number of other clubs to the signing of a superb Bundesliga attacker.

Extensive transfer funds are expected to be made available to whoever is in charge of Spurs this summer, whether that’s Ange Postecoglou or a replacement, as the north London outfit look to avoid a repeat of their disastrous domestic campaign this time around.

New midfield and attacking recruits will be the main focus of attention for a Tottenham side that regularly lose the battle in the middle of the park and also fail to make the best of their opportunities in front of goal.

In terms of the attacking department, Timo Werner will return to RB Leipzig after his disastrous second loan stint while Brennan Johnson has been linked with a shock return to Nottingham Forest and Richarlison could be bound for the Saudi Pro League.

There also remains major doubt over what will happen with Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel, who has shown some flashes of quality but is still to score a Premier League goal for the club.

With all that in mind, the club continue to be linked with quality forward talent – one of which is outstanding 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund star Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

Reliable GiveMeSport journalist Dean Jones reports that Spurs have been laying the groundwork on a potential move for the England Under-21 in recent months, as they look to see off the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the race for his signature.

Gittens has been on the club’s radar since last year and has enjoyed a superb campaign in Germany, scoring 11 goals and adding four assists in 40 appearances in all competitions.

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Gittens a natural Son replacement

The Reading-born attacker has been one of the real shining lights in a season of struggle for Dortmund, although they have at least booked a place in the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face French side Lille.

But with qualification for next season’s competition looking increasingly unlikely, given their lowly Bundesliga position and the quality of sides still left in this term’s Champions League, the report adds that Dortmund could be forced to generate funds for the summer by selling valuable assets.

Gittens’ form has tailed off a bit in the second half of the season, meaning Dortmud’s £70million when he was in full flow will almost certainly be adjusted – moving him more into Tottenham’s ballpark in the process.

Spurs themselves also face an uphill task to quality for European football and will have to win the Europa League to make that happen, which could end up harming their chances of winning the Gittens race.

In terms of where he could into the Tottenham side, however, Gittens has played almost all his games this season as a left-winger. That would mean him replacing club legend Son Heung-min, who agreed a one-year contract extension until the summer of 2026 back in January.

Son’s form has dropped off this season, but he remains a key figure at the club as skipper and has the full backing of Postecoglou. All that could change though, if Spurs opt to part ways with the Australian and turn to one of several names tipped to replace him.

One of those names is former Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, who could end up managing Gittens again in north London.

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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a £37million offer to Championship outfit Sunderland in order to beat out Premier League rivals West Ham to the signing of a top midfield talent.

Teenage Black Cats star Chris Rigg is the player in question, with the 17-year-old rapidly emerging as one of the top midfield talents in English football after breaking into the Sunderland first-team squad back in January 2023.

Rigg actually made his senior bow as a 15-year-old and has become a mainstay in the middle of the park for the Championship club as they push for a Premier League return.

The highly-rated starlet has turned out over 50 times for the Wearside outfit so, scoring seven goals and adding one assist to catch the interest of the likes of Tottenham and West Ham.

Indeed, Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Spurs have already submitted an offer of €45m (£37m / $48m) to secure Rigg’s services, while The Sun states that the Hammers are ready to make a move of their own for the prodigy.

However, it appears that West Ham’s offer will be lower than Tottenham’s bid, giving the north London outfit the advantage in the race for the teenager’s signature.

Spurs have made a real point of pushing to sign some of Europe’s top young talent in recent windows, with the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, South Korean Min-hyuk Yang and Republic of Ireland sensation Mason Melia all putting pen to paper over the last year.

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Tottenham midfield revamp

Rigg could end up being part of Tottenham’s major rebuild of their engine room this summer, with Yves Bissouma almost certain to leave and Rodrigo Bentancur also tipped to potentially follow suit.

Bissouma has had countless chances to impress Ange Postecoglou but has been publically criticised by the Tottenham boss more than once, with his days now surely numbered.

As for Bentancur, the Uruguay international continues to try and find his best form, and although he’s reported to have a new contract offer on the table there is still a chance he could leave.

Indeed, Bentancur’s contract runs out in the summer of 2026, meaning the next window will be the last chance to recoup a significant fee for his services. Interest from Atletico Madrid has also emerged in the 27-year-old, who could link up with fellow South American Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital.

Adding Rigg to that midfield mix would give Tottenham another quality talent to work with, although they will still look to add some experience and are also chasing the likes of Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso Wolves ace Joao Gomes and Lille’s Angel Gomes.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of bringing former boss Mauricio Pochettino back to the club appear to have taken a major dent, should they opt to end Ange Postecoglou’s tenure in north London.

Pressure has been growing on the Australian during a largely woeful second half of the campaign for a Spurs side who sit 14th in the Premier League table and are clinging on to Europa League glory to salvage something from their season.

Injuries have played an obvious part in Tottenham‘s struggles, although the manner of some of the 15 defeats they have suffered in the league this season has led to speculation that Postecoglou’s time could be up – unless he can secure silverware via Europe.

The likes of Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank and Edin Terzic continued to be mooted as potential Spurs options, but Pochettino got tongues wagging again in a recent interview when he was asked about one day returning to the club.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the current USA national team boss said: “Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course.

“I am in the USA, I am not going to no, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back. We see the timing, like Daniel said.”

Old photos of Pochettino sharing a coffee with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that emerged on social media also served to spike the rumours of a return for a manager who guided the club to second and third-placed finishes in the Premier League and a Champions League final before his exit in 2019.

However, BBC Sport has been digging deeper regarding the actual chances of a return for Pochettino any time soon, and they are not looking good.

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Tottenham facing potentially record-breaking Pochettino pay out

Pochettino is currently preparing USA for a home World Cup in 2026, which is just 15 months away, although his side have lost successive Concacaf Nations League matches in the past week to Panama and Canada.

However, the BBC report states that the prospect of the 53-year-old walking away from his USMNT team role and heading back to north London is highly unlikely given the compensation involved.

A source told the BBC that the United States Soccer Federation would be owed ‘one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history’ if Pochettino was to leave for Spurs – or any other team for that matter – before the next World Cup.

Chelsea’s £21million payment to Brighton to land Graham Potter after sacking Thomas Tuchel in 2022 and Bayern Munich’s £21m to RB Leipzig to pave the way for Julian Nagelsmann’s appointment in 2021 are, according to reports, ranked as the two largest managerial compensation packages in history.

Pochettino signed a two-year contract to head to north America in September, with multiple reports stating he earns £4.6m a year.

However, it’s understood the sum US Soccer would recoup if Pochettino leaves before next year’s tournament ‘extends way beyond his salary and much closer to the amount Chelsea and Bayern, respectively, paid to land Potter and Nagelsmann’.

Assuming Levy would be unwilling to pay that potentially huge amount in compensation, that would leave Spurs turning to their other targets instead – if they do indeed pull the trigger on Postecoglou.

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Tottenham Hotspur could open next season with a whole new midfield following a fresh update on the future of Rodrigo Bentancur, while TT can also confirm that the club are also giving major consideration to another big sale.

After a season of struggle domestically, in which Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad has been stretched to almost beyond its limits due to injuries, it’s expected that this summer will be a busy one to make sure that same scenario does not play out again.

Whether Postecoglou remains at the helm or not, Tottenham are expected to make major changes to their central midfield area, where the likes of Yves Bissouma and, to a lesser extent, Bentancur have underperformed for much of the season.

Indeed, the latter is still seemingly reaching out for the sort of form he was showing before his ACL injury in February 2023, although there have been moments more recently where he has looked like getting back to somewhere near his best.

It was reported last month that discussions have been held with the Uruguay international over a new deal in north London, with his current one ending in the summer of 2026. However, he has not made a move as yet to show that he is ready to commit and now a fresh report from Spain suggests a switch to LaLiga could be on the cards.

Relevo journalist Matteo Moretto suggests Bentancur might be of interest to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid this summer.

Indeed Moretto is quoted as saying ‘one of the footballers that Atletico has recently asked about is the Uruguayan of Tottenham Rodrigo Bentancur. The former Juventus player is 27 and has played 32 games in all competitions in the Spurs jersey this year. At the moment I cannot say that there is a real negotiation between the parties because it is still early, but Atletico has had contacts to test the ground for June’.

Links to Atletico are perhaps not that surprising, given that Bentancur’s game is arguably more suited to Spanish football than English. In Postecoglou’s very open midfield, he is asked to cover a lot of ground and often ends up looking frustrated as he fails to last 90 minutes.

Much will now depend on Bentancur’s stance when it comes to the reported contract offer on the table for him and whether he feels he is ready commit to another three or four more years in north London.

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All change in Tottenham’s midfield

As we reported above though, Bentancur won’t potentially be the only Spurs midfielder to move on this summer – given that it looks increasingly likely Bissouma will be shown the door.

TT have been told that Tottenham are giving serious consideration to the Mali star’s exit, with Bissouma having failed to deliver the sort of form he displayed while on the south coast at Brighton.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has proven to be a major disappointment in a Spurs shirt and has failed to show any sort of consistency under successive managers.

If Bentancur and Bissouma both move on, that only leaves young trio Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Pape Sarr to fill the void, and there is every chance that two new additions come in.

Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso could well be the first name through the door, given that Tottenham have a £21million option to buy the USA international in the first couple of weeks of the summer window.

Other central midfielders linked with the club include Wolves acee Joao Gomes, who could be part of a double raid on Molineux for Spurs this summer.

Lille and England star Angel Gomes continues to be linked with a return to the Premier League and could head to the capital, while Tottenham are also big fans of Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton and Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham.

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Cristian Romero is reportedly furious with Tottenham’s medical team over their handling of his latest injury, with the Argentina international instead opting to thank his national team’s physios for his recovery.

Since picking up a quadricep injury against London rivals Chelsea in early December, Romero was sidelined for almost three months before recently returning to action against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

His absence, along with that of centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, left a large void in Tottenham‘s backline as the quartet of Radu Dragusin, Archie Gray, Ben Davies and January signing Kevin Danso were all forced to step up.

Romero has, however, been back for Spurs’ last three outings – enabling him to prove his fitness for international duty again as he played the full 90 minutes in Argentina’s World Cup 1-0 qualifying win over Uruguay.

And now journalist Eduardo Burgos has shed some light on Romero’s feelings regarding his injury absence in north London, as he posted on X to highlight the centre-back’s appreciation for Argentina’s medical team – instead of the group he works with on a day-to-day basis in north London.

The journalist further reported that Romero was ‘deeply upset’ with how Tottenham’s medical staff handled his rehabilitation, as he was forced to miss 21 games before a return.

It’s not the first time that the 26-year-old has fired a shot at the club’s medical team. After making his long-awaited return from injury against the Cherries, Romero posted a message on social media that caught the attention of a number of unhappy Spurs supporters.

Indeed, his words were very clear in a direct swipe at Tottenham’s physios, saying: “Thankful to the physios at Argentina for getting me out of a bad moment and putting me back on the field where I am so happy. Thank you all for your continued support.”

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Romero exit talks intensifies

This latest episode will only serve to heighten rumours of an exit for the former Juventus and Atalanta defender.

Romero has been linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid since playing a major role in Argentina’s World Cup win in Qatar, with Carlo Ancelotti a big admirer of his qualities.

As GiveMeSport reported recently, Romero is not convinced over signing a contract extension at Hotspur Way. Indeed, it’s been stated that key figures at Tottenham are poised to give the defender an ultimatum to agree a deal before the summer window opens or they will look to cash in.

Real’s interest stems from them looking to bring down the age of their defensive line, while David Alaba and Eder Militao both have long-term injury issues.

However, if Tottenham do opt to sell, they are likely to demand a fee in the region of £60million (€71m / $78m) for Romero – given his standing as a vice-captain and the fact that his current contract runs until the summer of 2027.

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Tottenham are being tipped to launch a big-money double raid on a Premier League rival this summer, as they look to put their domestic struggles this season fully behind them.

Spurs’ last hope of salvaging something from a disastrous campaign is winning the Europa League and booking a Champions League spot in the process, although they will face a tough task against Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

For Ange Postecoglou, who has already promised that he ‘always wins a trophy in his second season’ at a new club, it’s arguably life or death in terms of whether he remains in north London beyond the end of the current campaign.

If he does stay, it’s expected there will be some significant funds to improve a Tottenham squad that was decimated by injuries this term, with midfield and attack the two areas most likely to be upgraded.

Yves Bissouma and Richarlison will almost certainly be offloaded, while recent reports have even suggested that the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson could also be on their way – with the former tipped to head back to Nottingham Forest.

And now a fresh report from London.World claims that Spurs are ready to splash out in excess of £100million to land Wolves pair Matheus Cunha and Joao Gomes.

Cunha only penned a new deal with Wolves back in February but is still being tipped with a summer exit, especially given that he now has a release clause of £62.5m attached to his contract.

Arsenal have also been heavily linked with the Brazilian, who is currently in the middle of a four-match ban for the red card he received against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, but are more likely to focus their interest on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko instead.

That leaves the door open to a Tottenham swoop for a player who has scored 15 goals and added four assists across all competitions for Vitor Pereira’s men this season.

Despite spending £55m on Dominic Solanke last summer, the England frontman has not really delivered on the goal front and Spurs want more firepower and dynamism in their forward line – something Cunha would provide.

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Rave reviews for Cunha as Gomes tipped to fill Spurs midfield void

Match of the Day pundit Micah Richards is clearly a big fan of the Wolves forward, especially his ability to find space and cause big problems for opposing defences.

Speaking previously about Cunha, Richards said: “Gary O’Neil [former Wolves boss] talked about getting him to to a position where he can affect the game and he was sort of playing as a left-centre. His football IQ is absolutely sensational. He’s the one who can unlock the doors. He finds the little pockets of space and makes the right decisions at the right times.

“He’s always scanning where he needs to be and always plays the right pass. He is so key in what Wolves are trying to do. He is the best at everything. Off the ball, he can do a little bit more – but on the ball, he is certainly the main man in this team.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham are also been tipped to add some major steel to their engine room in the shape of Molineux midfielder Joao Gomes, who would be a direct replacement for Bissouma.

The 24-year-old joined Wolves in a bargain £15m deal in 2023 and has gone on to become a key performer at the heart of their midfield.

The same report suggests Spurs will have to cough up around £50m to land Gomes, who does not have an exit clause in his contract, which would be a combined spend of £112.5million.

Gomes has scored four goals and added two assists in 31 appearances for a Wolves side who currently sit 17th in the Premier League table but are nine points off the relegation places.

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Tottenham have been warned why James Maddison might look to quit the club in the summer transfer window after a massively disappointing domestic campaign in north London.

Maddison is one of a number of Spurs players who have been singled out for criticism this season, in a campaign where all their eggs have now been squarely put in the Europa League basket ahead of a quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.

If Tottenham can win the competition it will guarantee them a place in next season’s Champions League, but failure to do so will mean no European football at all – given the fact they are currently 13 points off the top six with only nine games to go.

Maddison has failed to establish himself as a regular starter at Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou, despite scoring 11 goals and chipping in with seven assists in 38 games in all competitions this term.

The 28-year-old has admitted to being scapegoated by pundits during the ongoing campaign, with him making headlines following his off-field feud with former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane.

Despite all the criticism levelled at him, Maddison has actually performed at a decent level and former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson fears the former Leicester man could leave the club in the summer – if they fail to quality for Europe.

“I think the way that he’s been rotated in and out the side with Postecoglou this season, I’m not so sure whether it would sit well with him,” Paul Robinson exclusively told Tottenham News.

“You see where Maddison plays best when he plays in that number 10 role and he’s given the freedom to operate there. In the 4-3-3 system with him playing as a deep-lying, left-hand-sided midfielder, I can understand the third man running in the box, and the vision that he’s got. But actually, when Maddison is deployed in that 10 role like he was last year when Spurs had all the success, and this year to an extent when he plays, he’s a better player playing in that 10 role.

“But Maddison, for me, if he’s fit and playing, he plays in big games, when you play the Manchester Cities, the Liverpools, the Arsenals, and you play in Europe. And that might be a frustration for him under Postecoglou.

“I don’t think Spurs would have a problem holding on to him. They can rebuff bids for him. But it’s just down to the player’s desire as to what he wants and where he wants to be.

“Tottenham without European football is a blow for, one, keeping players and two, for recruitment.”

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Spurs legend hints at Postecoglou/Maddison issues

Speaking recently, former Tottenham forward Gary Lineker posed the question that there could be an issue between Postecoglou and Maddison.

Talking after the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, in which Maddison came off the bench to help his side rescue a point, Lineker questioned why he was even on in the first place when discussing the player with fellow pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

He told The Rest Is Football podcast: “Maddison, late coming off the bench again. And when he comes on he always looks the part and played some really good football.

“I’m at a bit of a loss at what’s happened there this season. I wonder whether there’s been a bit of a fall out or…”

Shearer them responded: “What have you heard, Micah?”, with Richards adding: “Nope, I’ve not heard anything from Maddison.”

To be fair, Maddison was back in the side again when Spurs beat AZ in the Europa League only to then be benched again for the 2-0 Premier League defeat at Fulham.

While there are suggestions he is being wrapped in cotton wool for the European fixtures, the fact he’s been so in and out of the side all season suggests there could be more to it.

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