GIVEMESPORT

Don Hutchison has branded Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to sign Timo Werner on loan ‘weird’ after the German winger’s difficult start to the Premier League season.

Werner, who joined Spurs on a 12-month temporary deal from RB Leipzig, has struggled to recapture his best form in North London, scoring once in 13 appearances under Ange Postecoglou.

Having tried out Werner on an initial six-month loan in 2023/24, Tottenham ‘knew what they were getting’, according to Hutchison, who suggested the 28-year-old’s minutes could have been handed to a youngster, including Mikey Moore:

“Just a weird signing. I mean, Tottenham knew what they were getting or when they signed him on loan in the summer.

“I mean, what was the point? He didn't do particularly well last season. They could have given that job to Mikey Moore or a young player coming through.

“I just didn't see the point in the sign. And then when he plays, he doesn't impress.”

Werner, who earns £165,000 per week, has made just two starts in the Premier League this term, assisting one goal in 266 minutes of action.

The 28-year-old scored once for Spurs in the Carabao Cup, netting the opener in their surprise 2-1 victory over Manchester City last month.

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, the German international is not expected to continue in North London after the season and is set to return to RB Leipzig, where he has a contract until June 2026.

Spurs have an option to make Werner’s arrival permanent for just £8.5m, but it is understood that Postecoglou has set his sights on a fresh attacker next season.

GMS sources have also been told that Tottenham will only have the opportunity to cut the 28-year-old’s loan short if an interested party emerges in January.

Werner, who made his first move to England in the summer of 2020, endured a lacklustre two-year spell at Chelsea, despite winning the Champions League and Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.

The German international scored just 10 goals in 56 league appearances for the Blues before returning to RB Leipzig in the summer of 2022.

Manchester United are reportedly in the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro, despite competition from Manchester City and Real Madrid - with former boss Ruben Amorim potentially making a big move to sign the Spaniard.

United spent a lot of money in the summer transfer window under Erik ten Hag, but a failure to spend that wisely has seen the club endure one of their worst ever starts to a season, and as a result, the Dutchman was sacked with Amorim coming in. He will target new players - and Porro could be one of those, according to reports.

United 'in Race' For Tottenham Hotspur's Pedro Porro

The Red Devils could be set to boost their options under Amorim

The report from AS, via SportWitness, states that whilst Real Madrid are in the market to sign Porro, they will face competition from United for his services, alongside local rivals City.

Tottenham loaned Porro from Sporting Lisbon back in 2023, and made his stay permanent in the summer later that year - but of course, his time at the Portuguese club was under Amorim, who has recently become United manager, and he has evidently taken a liking to his right-back star over the years, having featured in 98 games under Amorim in which he scored 12 goals and registered 20 assists.

AS claim that United are 'interested in hiring' the Tottenham star, with Porro's representatives 'convinced' that United will make an attempt to prise him away from north London whilst Amorim is manager, due to the 'excellent' relationship between the player and manager.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Ruben Amorim won 164 of his 231 games in charge of Sporting.

Porro does have a contract that lasts for another three-and-a-half years and it's thought that a fee of £60million will only be enough to tempt Daniel Levy into a sale; though with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui at the club, competition for spaces could be rife.

Porro has really stamped his mark as one of the Premier League's best attacking full-backs, being labelled as the outright 'best' right now - with eight goals and 12 assists in just 67 games for the north London outfit, and with top-flight experience coming out of his ears, it's easy to see why United would be linked to someone of his ability if they are to return to the fore as an elite side.

Don Hutchison says Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou should consider replacing James Maddison with Mikey Moore if the Australian tactician decides to let his star midfielder leave in the summer.

Speaking on ESPN, the former Liverpool midfielder praised the Spurs youngster, tipping him to become the next big name to emerge from their academy.

Moore has particularly impressed Hutchison during Europa League games and is backed to fill Maddison’s shoes if the England international departs after the season:

“Mikey Moore, when you talk revelation to me, revelation to me is finding someone brand new. And I think Mikey Moore, I've worked on Tottenham's European games this season. He's played a few of them. He's been outstanding.

“I spoke to Tim Sherwood, Jermaine Defoe, they reckon he's the next one to come from their academy.

“I think if Ange Postecoglou wants to move James Maddison on in the summer, then Mikey Moore can fill his shoes. I think it could be that good.

“So I think revelation is a young player, someone brand new. That's why I am going from Mikey Moore.”

Maddison’s role under Postecoglou has diminished recently – the 27-year-old was dropped from the starting line-up for their last two Premier League games, including a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town before the international break.

The England international was also omitted from the first XI for Spurs’ Carabao Cup win over Manchester City and has now started just once in their last four games across all competitions.

Maddison started the domestic season strongly, scoring twice and assisting three times in his first eight Premier League games. However, Postecoglou’s shift in priorities, with a greater focus on work rate and control in midfield, has seen Maddison fall down the pecking order.

Moore, meanwhile, broke into Spurs’ first team towards the end of last season at just 16, making his debut in the penultimate game of the Premier League campaign.

This term, the 17-year-old attacker has cemented his place in Postecoglou’s plans, making eight appearances in all competitions so far, including his first league start against Crystal Palace last month.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou's slow start to the Premier League season has no real reason to show cause for concern just yet, despite only sitting in 10th place - but Ben Jacobs has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that the Australian boss could be looking over his shoulder next season if results don't improve, after comments that defiantly claimed he would win a trophy in his second season at the club.

Tottenham have only won five of their opening 11 games in the Premier League, with the same number of losses and just one draw to leave them clinging onto a place in the top half via goal difference. Even though they sit just three points behind third-placed Chelsea and local rivals Arsenal, the fact of the matter is that they sit tenth and that is simply a downgrade from last season.

Tottenham's Goal Difference Paints a Faux Picture

The Lilywhites have lost more than they would have liked despite heavy wins

Interestingly, Tottenham boast the second-best goal difference in the division with +10, though that comes with tight losses and ceremonial victories - including their 4-0 win over Everton, a 3-0 win over Manchester United and a 4-1 trouncing of West Ham United.

But despite failing to lose any game by more than just one goal this season, it's the number of defeats that could be a cause for concern for Postecoglou in terms of his Tottenham future - and Jacobs believes that if results don't improve, he could be looking over his shoulder nervously next season.

Jacobs: No Postecoglou Conversation 'Yet'

The Australian does need to improve, though

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated that whilst there aren't conversations over Postecoglou's future yet, he could be looking perilously over his shoulder in the coming months if results don't improve. Jacobs said:

"So I don't think there's a conversation yet about Postecoglou ending his Spurs tenure, because he's back and believed in by the hierarchy in this new project.

"But I do think if we get to the end of the season and Spurs underwhelm and don't win anything, then people will be coming back to those Postecoglou comments, and saying 'the manager explicitly said he always wins something in his second season' - he hasn't.

Should that happen, and then in the summer of 2025, he will then be facing the need for something positive into next season - otherwise we may be having a move serious conversation about whether Spurs are moving in the right direction."

Postecoglou Hasn't Come Close to Excelling His Predecessors

The Australian still has work to do to become a Tottenham hero

Whilst Postecoglou has done well in his own right, having never managed in the Premier League before, it's fair to say that he hasn't done any better than Antonio Conte so far. The Italian at least lead the club to Champions League football back in the 2021/22 season - whilst Jose Mourinho and the Australian boss have both failed to emulate that, and especially what Mauricio Pochettino achieved in his tenure, with four consecutive finishes in the top four of the Premier League at White Hart Lane.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Ange Postecoglou has won 31 of his 58 games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

Last season was a solid debut campaign for the former Celtic boss, finishing fifth without Harry Kane who was sold to Bayern Munich before a ball was kicked in the Premier League - but having spent the fee that the England captain brought in alongside some more of Spurs' cash reserves, any notion of the club going backwards could see him come under real pressure in north London.

Tottenham Hotspur are among multiple Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, with Manchester United and Chelsea also making checks on the highly-rated Frenchman, according to TBR Football.

The 23-year-old, considered ‘one of the best young goalkeepers’ in the world, has captured the attention of several English clubs lately, after impressing between the posts in Ligue 1.

Manchester City and Newcastle have been linked with Chevalier earlier this season, while Tottenham are also ensuring they are aware of the best available on the market.

Spurs are reportedly not looking for a new number one at the moment, but they have growing doubts over Guglielmo Vicario’s recent performances.

The Italian shot-stopper has kept only two clean sheets in the Premier League this term and struggled to impress on international duty as well.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Chevalier has kept seven clean sheets and conceded 19 goals in his 19 appearances for Lille across all competitions this season.

Chevalier, meanwhile, has been impressive lately for Lille and was rewarded with a maiden call-up to the France squad for their Nations League tests against Israel and Italy.

The 23-year-old has been a key player for Les Dogues this term, making great efforts in Lille’s 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League last month.

Chevalier prevented a staggering 1.99 expected goals from going in and made five saves against the European champions.

The Frenchman rose through the youth ranks at Lille’s academy before making his first-team debut in September 2022. He has amassed 98 senior appearances since, keeping 38 clean sheets.

Lille would be in a strong negotiating position if any of the interested Premier League clubs came calling for Chevalier’s services in 2025 – the 23-year-old still has almost three years left on his contract, running until June 2027.

European sides, including Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Bayern Munich, have also been watching him this season.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to appeal the length of Rodrigo Bentancur's suspension after the FA confirmed that the Uruguayan midfielder would be banned for seven games, according to Matt Law of The Telegraph.

Back in September, the FA charged Bentancur over a remark he made regarding Heung-min Son. Earlier this week, it was confirmed that the FA had opted to issue Bentancur a seven-game domestic ban, meaning he would be unavailable until late December.

Bentancur is set to miss crucial fixtures against the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, but he will be able to play in the Europa League due to his suspension only being for domestic competitions. The former Juventus man will be able to return on Boxing Day, when Spurs face Nottingham Forest away from home.

The Telegraph reporter Law has now reported that Tottenham are set to appeal the length of ban given by the FA for Bentancur. Spurs won't be appealing the guilty verdict, but they are set to challenge the length of ban which exceeded the minimum six games applied by the FA for racial abuse.

Law claims that the severity of the ban has shocked rival clubs who felt that the north London club have been made an example of. The report adds that Bentancur's suspension is unlikely to be reduced below the minimum of six games.

After the incident, Bentancur apologised to his Tottenham team-mate in a social media post, reiterating that he 'loves' him and would never do anything to purposely disrespect or hurt him...

"Sonny brother. I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke. You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!"

In response, Son confirmed that he had spoken to Bentancur, suggesting that the Uruguayan midfielder would never mean to intentionally say something offensive. The South Korean international said that they are brothers and nothing has changed in terms of their relationship.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are both considering making a move for Fulham defender Joachim Andersen, with both clubs expected to be in the market for a new centre-back in the near future, according to CaughtOffside.

Andersen only joined Fulham in the summer, leaving Crystal Palace after spending three years at Selhurst Park. The Dane has impressed this season for the Cottagers, making eight appearances, and playing a pivotal part in Marco Silva's side's promising start to the campaign, which sees them sitting in seventh after eleven matches.

Liverpool and Spurs are said to have been monitoring Andersen, and both clubs have shortlisted him as a potential option to explore when they begin pursuing a centre-back either in January or the summer. The Reds are looking for a long-term replacement for the potentially departing Virgil van Dijk, while the Lillywhites feel they need additional depth at the heart of their defence.

Liverpool and Spurs Interested in Andersen

It could be difficult to lure him away from Fulham

After spending time at FC Twente, Sampdoria and Lyon, Andersen settled in London in 2020, spending a season on loan at Fulham, before joining Palace in 2021. Making over 100 appearances for the Eagles, the Denmark international returned to West London in the summer, resigning for Fulham.

Immediately a prominent part of Silva's team, Andersen has committed his future to the Cottagers, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal, worth £90,000 a week, upon arriving at the club. Thus, with CaughtOffside reporting that both Liverpool and Tottenham are interested in the 28-year-old, it may be difficult for these potential suitors to pry him away from Fulham.

The West Londoners have no reason to sell their talismanic centre-back, although a substantial offer from either of the two interested parties could test their resolve.

Van Dijk is yet to agree a contract extension at Liverpool, and even if he is to, given he's 33, Arne Slot is keen on finding a successor sooner rather than later. While a younger option than Andersen is likely to be the priority, the former Lyon man is on the Merseysiders' list, and could be deemed a smart stop-gap solution.

Meanwhile, Spurs were said to be battling it out with Newcastle to sign Andersen in the summer, and could reignite their interest in a future window. Ange Postecoglou is eager to bolster in this position, to reduce his team's reliance on Cristain Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Archie Gray is 'very unlikely' to join Leeds United on loan in January, with the player's versatility deemed too important for Ange Postecoglou to let go of in this winter window, according to Football.London.

Gray only arrived at Spurs from Leeds this summer, but will have been left frustrated by his lack of game time in North London. The 18-year-old has managed a total of 46 minutes of Premier League football thus far this season, limited mostly to outings in the Europa League.

GMS sources revealed in October that Tottenham are 'expecting January loan offers' for Gray, with recent reports emerging suggesting that a temporary return to Leeds could be on the cards. Despite such a deal potentially suiting the player and his development, as he'd likely play more regularly in West Yorkshire, Football.London claim that this move is unlikely to materialise, as the outlet anticipate that Postecoglou will begin to utilise the starlet more frequently.

Gray 'Very Unlikely' to Leave Spurs in January

Postecoglou is a huge admirer of the player

Leaving boyhood club Leeds for £30 million in the summer, Gray joined Spurs as a highly-thought of young player, likely expecting to play a prominent role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from the offset. However, three months into the season, and he's yet to start a Premier League game.

Naturally a central midfielder, most of Gray's minutes in European and cup competitions have come at centre-back and full-back, another facet of the player's situation that could be frustrating for him. On paper, a rumoured January loan move back to Leeds makes sense, with Daniel Farke a huge admirer of the prospect, and likely to pick him regularly at Elland Road.

However, Football.London believe that this deal is 'very unlikely' to ensue, with Postecoglou expected to increase Gray's minutes gradually across the season. The Lillywhites' squad is already thin in certain areas, and the Englishman's ability to be deployed in multiple roles makes him a useful asset to the Australian manager.

The FA confirmed on Monday that midfielder Rodrigo Bentnacur will be banned for seven games for comments he made about Son Heung-Min, and Football.London cite this ban as a potential route to minutes in midfield for Gray in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are fearful that their hopes of Richarlison boosting his market value and potentially being the subject of a big-money offer have been jeopardised thanks to him being forced onto the Hotspur Way treatment table with a problem which could see him sidelined for the remainder of the year, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou conceded that the Brazil international is poised to be out of action for a sustained period after suffering a hamstring injury during the win over Aston Villa earlier this month, meaning he is not in contention to feature against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday.

Richarlison was provided with fresh competition for a regular starting berth when Tottenham made Dominic Solanke the most expensive acquisition in their history by agreeing a £65million deal with Bournemouth in August, but he is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines instead of battling for game time.

Richarlison Injury May Jeopardise Spurs Plan

North Londoners were counting on striker to attract lucrative offers

Tottenham are concerned that Richarlison's time out of action will reduce their chances of being able to sell him for a big-money fee, according to GMS sources, as they had initially been counting on him to rediscover his best form and impress suitors enough to make a lucrative offer after he had potentially become an important part of their frontline.

The striker attracted interest during the summer transfer window and Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal were among the admirers toying with the idea of testing Spurs' resolve with a bid, but he ended up remaining in north London instead of embarking on a fresh challenge in the aftermath of Solanke's arrival.

GMS sources have been informed that Tottenham are fearful that a prolonged spell on the treatment table will result in them struggling to shift Richarlison in upcoming transfer windows as his market valuation will be on course to drop if he is not enjoying game time and finds himself on a long-term rehabilitation programme.

The 27-year-old has been on Spurs' books since completing a £60million switch from Premier League rivals Everton in July 2022, and there has been determination among key decision-makers behind the scenes to recoup the entirety of that fee if he moves onto pastures new in the coming months.

Tottenham have been desperate for Richarlison to become more potent in front of goal as he has been pinpointed as an asset who could be offloaded for a considerable amount of cash at the end of the season, GMS sources recently revealed, but his latest injury setback has complicated matters.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Richarlison has been limited to just 95 minutes of Premier League action this season, while he has been averaging 0.2 shots per outing

Richarlison Faces Questions Over Future Role

Brazil international could be out of action until next year

GMS sources have been told that Tottenham are worried Richarlison could be missing from first-team action until next year as a result of picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month, while there are doubts over his long-term role under Postecoglou despite their chances of being able to sell him taking a hit.

The frontman is poised to enter the final two-and-a-half years of his contract, which allows him to pocket £130,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, and being on the sidelines heading into the January transfer window is expected to deter admirers from heading to the negotiating table.

Tottenham fear that an extended period out of action will result in them being left with a headache over his market value, GMS sources understand, and they are eager for him to make a swift recovery before having the opportunity to return to form and tempt interested parties into lodging an offer in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur are among several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Aston Villa striker Louie Barry, who is currently on loan at Stockport County, according to Fichajes.

Spurs, alongside Leicester City, are said to be keen admirers of the 21-year-old, who has taken the third tier of English football by storm this season, netting 11 goals in his first 16 appearances for Stockport, matching Bayern Munich star Harry Kane's league tally so far.

Tottenham, who secured multiple exciting youngsters in the summer transfer window, have reportedly identified Barry as their next opportunity to add fresh talent to their forward line.

The North London giants have welcomed the likes of Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert before the new campaign to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s frontline ahead of his second season in the Premier League.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Barry has scored 12 goals and registered one assist in 17 appearances for Stockport across all competitions this season.

Barry, who is now on loan at Stockport for a second consecutive season, rose through the youth ranks at West Brom and spent a year in Barcelona’s academy before joining Aston Villa in January 2020.

The 'outstanding' 21-year-old made just one appearance while at the West Midlands club, scoring a goal in their 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in the 2020/21 Carabao Cup season.

It remains to be seen how genuine Tottenham’s interest in Barry is, after they welcomed two new strikers in the transfer window in Solanke and Odobert.

Solanke has had a promising start in North London, scoring six goals in his first 15 appearances, as well as registering two assists.

His efforts up front will be even more needed after Odobert’s latest setback – the 19-year-old recently underwent surgery on his hamstring and is expected to return to action in March.

After suffering a shock 2-1 loss to Premier League strugglers Ipswich Town just before the international break, Postecoglou’s men will face a tough test on their return this weekend, visiting champions Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.