GIVEMESPORT

Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on Andy Diouf and have refused to rule out the possibility of attempting to lure the Lens star to Hotspur Way at the end of the season despite the prospect of facing competition from Premier League rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Although Spurs showed ambition during the summer transfer window, with Dominic Solanke becoming the north Londoners' club-record signing thanks to completing a £65million switch from Bournemouth, Ange Postecoglou's side suffered a setback ahead of the international break as they were consigned to a 2-1 defeat by Ipswich Town last weekend.

The Greek-Australian tactician, who spent more than £120million on reinforcements before the August deadline, is working with technical director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy to identify potential recruits as he goes in search of ending Tottenham's lengthy wait to add to the trophy cabinet.

Postecoglou Facing Tough Task to Sign Diouf

West Ham and Crystal Palace alongside Spurs in showing interest

Diouf has worked his way onto Tottenham, West Ham and Crystal Palace's radar after enjoying a promising start to the season, according to GMS sources, resulting in there being a possibility of Postecoglou entering a bidding war with two London rivals if he decides to up the ante in his pursuit.

Although Lens are in a strong negotiating position thanks to the central midfielder still having more than three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, which allows him to pocket close to £15,000-per-week at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Spurs have joined the Hammers and Eagles in threatening to make a move in the coming months.

GMS sources have been informed that scouts from across Europe have been monitoring Diouf's progress as they put transfer plans in place for the winter window and next summer, but Tottenham have been keeping a particularly close eye on his performances as they consider attempting to beat West Ham and Crystal Palace to his signature.

Spurs scouts were in attendance for Lens' Conference League clash with Panathinaikos in August as they aimed to run the rule over the Frenchman, who has been on his current employers' books since rubber-stamping a £13million move from Swiss side Basel in the summer of 2023.

Diouf has made 10 starts in Ligue 1 this season, chalking up two goal contributions along the way, and GMS sources have learned that Tottenham have left fellow suitors West Ham and Crystal Palace concerned that they are considering offering their target a route into the Premier League for the first time in his career.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Andy Diouf has boasted an average pass accuracy ratio of 77 per cent per Ligue 1 outing this season

Premier League Switch a Possibility for Diouf

Midfielder has been developing game during spell at Lens

GMS sources have been told that a move to the Premier League could be on the cards if Diouf continues developing in a similar vein to the last 12 months, meaning Tottenham, West Ham and Crystal Palace are among the potential landing spots in the event of him deciding to embark on a fresh challenge.

Although all three London clubs bolstered their options in the middle of the park during the summer, with Spurs forking out £30million for Archie Gray after already agreeing a deal for Lucas Bergvall, the 21-year-old has worked his way onto their respective shortlists as the winter transfer window edges closer.

Tottenham, West Ham and Crystal Palace are contemplating testing Lens' resolve as they have joined a host of clubs in setting their sights on raiding Ligue 1 due to there being good value in the market, GMS sources understand, and Diouf's growth since the start of last season has caught the eye after he was described as 'incredible' by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Spurs are toying with the idea of attempting to beat the Hammers and Eagles to the former Rennes man's signature after GMS sources recently revealed that the north Londoners will find it difficult to sign Manchester City winger Jack Grealish due to his lofty wages and desire to remain at the Etihad Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered their fifth defeat of the new Premier League season on Sunday afternoon, losing at home to Ipswich Town, a result that has prompted Alan Pardew to question the Lilywhites' squad, claiming that Brennan Johnson shouldn't be starting regularly for Ange Postecoglou's side.

An acrobatic finish from Sammie Szmodics and a tap-in from Liam Delap outweighed Rodrigo Bentnacur's header at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Ipswich claimed their first victory of the campaign. The result leaves Spurs tenth in the Premier League table, and sparked discourse surrounding Postecoglou and the construction of his ensemble.

Johnson, who was hooked after 84 minutes against the Tractor Boys, has been in fine goal-scoring form this season, netting seven times in all competitions already. However, Pardew has questioned whether he should be playing as prominent a role as he is, in a Tottenham side looking to compete for a place in the top four.

Pardew Doesn't Think Johnson Should be Starting

"I don't think so"

Leaving Nottingham Forest for Spurs last summer in a £45 million deal, Johnson experienced a mixed debut campaign in North London, finding the back of the net on just five occasions in 34 appearances. Beginning this term in more prolific form, the Welshman has found himself playing significantly more minutes, starting ten of Tottenham's first eleven league matches.

Dubbed 'undroppable' by Alan Shearer back in October, former Newcastle manager turned pundit Pardew doesn't share the Magpies' legendary striker's optimism about Johnson. Speaking on talkSPORT on Sunday, the ex-coach claimed the 23-year-old winger should be more of a squad player for Postecoglou:

"You've got young players of huge potential, even Johnson, who's a regular in your first team. For me, taking him out of Forest and putting him into Spurs' first team as a regular, I don't think so. But in and out maybe. That's the level we're talking about. Now, Son, I think anybody in the Premier League, any of the top five clubs, would love him in their squad."

While a more sporadic role could be beneficial for Johnson at this point in his career, Postecoglou's hand has been somewhat forced into utilising him more frequently, due to the poor form of Timo Werner, who has been described as 'atrocious' this season.

Tottenham Hotspur lost for the fifth time in the Premier League this season on Sunday afternoon, beaten by Ipswich Town, who recorded their first triumph of the campaign, prompting Alan Shearer to criticise the North London outfit's inconsistency, but insist that Ange Postecoglou is not under pressure.

A spectacular overhead kick from Sammie Szmodics and a tap-in from Liam Delap gave the Tractor Boyes a two-goal lead at half-time, before Rodrigo Bentancur pulled one back in the second period. Despite pushing for an equaliser late-on, it didn't come, condemning Spurs to tenth place heading into the international break.

While lamenting the Lillywhites for producing erratically mixed results throughout the course of the season so far, Shearer doesn't believe this should warrant serious pressure on Postecoglou's job, as the Australian's side remain in touching distance of the top four.

Shearer: Postecoglou Not Under Pressure

They're only three points behind third

After investing heavily in the summer, signing the likes of Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall, Spurs were expected to push on this season and compete for silverware, as well as qualify for the Champions League. Only three points behind third place Chelsea, in the Quarter-Final of the EFL Cup and seventh in the Europa League, their objectives are still achievable, but the unpredictable nature of their results and performances will be a cause for concern.

Postecoglou is under growing pressure to enact a level of consistency, although the former Celtic head coach isn't quite under the firing line as of yet. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, when asked if the Spurs boss was under pressure, Shearer responded:

"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.

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?"

Tottenham Hotspur fell to their fifth Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, losing 2-1 at home to newly promoted Ipswich Town, and Alan Pardew has revealed that he's worried about Ange Postecoglou, as the Australian looked 'crestfallen' in his post-match interview.

Sammie Szmodics gave Ipswich the lead in acrobatic fashion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before Liam Delap made it two before the break, tapping home on the goal-line after a nicely worked move from Kieran McKenna's side. Rodrigo Bentancur pulled one back for the home team in the second period, but the Lillywhites were ultimately unable to find an equaliser, giving the Tractor Boys their first Premier League victory of the season.

The result means Spurs finish the weekend in tenth, having accumulated just 16 points from their opening eleven games, and Pardew has expressed his concern over Postecoglou after the defeat.

Pardew Worried About 'Crestfallen' Postecoglou

The manager was downbeat in his post-match interview

After finishing fifth last season, narrowly missing out on a place in the top four, the expectation this term for Tottenham was to qualify for the Champions League. Only three points adrift of fourth place, achieving that goal is certainly still plausible, but the early signs haven't been positive.

Dismal defeats to Crystal Palace, Brighton, Newcastle and Arsenal, as well as Sunday's shock loss to Ipswich, mean Spurs sit in mid-table, and the performances don't suggest their final league position will be much better than that.

Manager Postecoglou is under some pressure to improve his team's fortunes, and, speaking on talkSPORT on Sunday, former Premier League manager Pardew revealed that he's concerned about the North Londoners' boss and his prospects at Spurs, after he looked devastated in his post-match interview:

"The one thing I would say is, listening to Ange's interview after the game, and I couldn't actually hear the words, because we were talking and discussing other stuff, but he looked crestfallen. I've not seen him look that down.

You know, he looked really down today, and that's a bit of a worry for me because we're only 11 games into the season, and when you have a bad performance as a manager, looking crestfallen isn't the greatest gift you could give to your fans."

Tottenham Hotspur are facing an uphill battle to lure Jack Grealish to Hotspur Way as the Manchester City star is not interested in leaving the reigning Premier League champions and his salary demands would be a significant hurdle for the north Londoners to overcome, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs are desperate to end their lengthy wait for silverware and that resulted in the capital club being prepared to spend big during the summer transfer window, with boss Ange Postecoglou forking out more than £120million on reinforcements when technical director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy led the recruitment drive.

Dominic Solanke also became the most expensive acquisition in Tottenham's history as he completed a £65million switch from domestic rivals Bournemouth, but there will be further opportunities to strengthen the squad at the turn of the year and following the campaign's conclusion.

Grealish Not Prepared to Push for Spurs Move

England international has no intentions of quitting Manchester City

Tottenham are in serious danger of being forced to contend with a significant blow in their attempts to sign Grealish as he currently has no intentions of quitting Manchester City, according to GMS sources, and the title-chasers have not reached the stage where they are actively looking to offload him.

The Sky Blues shattered the British-record transfer outlay when they parted with £100million in order to land the winger from boyhood club Aston Villa in August 2021, and they remain determined to stick with him despite Spurs being linked with preparing to offer a fresh challenge.

GMS sources have been informed that there are doubts over whether Tottenham will be able to pounce if Grealish comes onto the market due to the finances involved in a potential deal, meaning Postecoglou could be left with no choice but to turn his attentions towards alternative targets as he looks to make his side more of an attacking threat from the flanks.

The England international is poised to enter the final two-and-a-half years of his Manchester City contract, which allows him to pocket £300,000-per-week at the Etihad Stadium, but he is not agitating for a move despite battling with the likes of Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and Savinho for regular game time.

Grealish is on considerably more lucrative terms than anyone on Tottenham's books, and GMS sources have learned that altering the wage structure to make him their highest earner does not fit in with Levy's plans as he prepares to join Lange in overseeing the next phase of the capital club's recruitment in the coming months.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Jack Grealish boasted 95 per cent pass accuracy during his most recent Premier League appearance for Manchester City against Wolverhampton Wanderers

Grealish Fee Problematic for North Londoners

Capital club would have to fork out more than they paid for Solanke

GMS sources have been told that Tottenham would have to make Grealish their club-record signing if they want to stand a chance of convincing domestic counterparts Manchester City to sanction his exit, but that outlay along with his salary expectations will make it difficult to get the deal over the line.

The 29-year-old has been on the treatment table through injury since the Sky Blues' late win at Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, resulting in boss Pep Guardiola being unhappy with his inclusion in England's squad for the upcoming Nations League clashes against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

Grealish is still at the forefront of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach's plans, complicating Tottenham's pursuit further, but he is not the only wide-man on Postecoglou's radar as GMS sources recently revealed that scouts have been submitting detailed reports on the development of Midtjylland's Dario Osorio.

"I think the performances are still good. I'm not worried. I think what I see, Fletch, is what Villa will probably be looking at and will need to think to strengthen, to get to that next level again, they probably have to get some new faces in the door. And I'm more so worried about the centre-back position. I think centre-back wise, Villa are still very vulnerable. I think everywhere else, team wise, they've got a great balance and good players."

Tottenham Hotspur star Archie Gray has no interest in sealing a loan move when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year as he is adamant that remaining at Hotspur Way will improve his chances of making a breakthrough under boss Ange Postecoglou in 2025, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs were not afraid to splash the cash during the summer, as they go in search of ending their lengthy wait for silverware, and that was highlighted by Dominic Solanke becoming the most expensive signing in the north Londoners' history thanks to completing a £65million switch from Bournemouth.

Gray was also among the fresh faces to join Tottenham ahead of the August deadline, with his current employers taking advantage of Leeds United's failure to win promotion from the Championship by agreeing a £30million deal, but he has found regular game time hard to come by in his new surroundings.

Gray Ready to Snub Possible Winter Departure

Summer recruit not keen on sealing quickfire move away from capital

Gray does not want to leave Tottenham during the fast-approaching winter transfer window, according to GMS sources, even though there is a serious possibility of his opportunities becoming even more limited if the amount of fixture congestion eases during the second half of the campaign.

The central midfielder, who is also capable of being deployed in defence, committed his long-term future to Spurs by penning a £75,000-per-week contract which has tied him down to the north Londoners until 2030 when he completed a move from boyhood club Leeds during the summer.

Although Gray has struggled to work his way into the forefront of Postecoglou's plans since his arrival, GMS sources have been informed that he is not prepared to consider a temporary departure as he wants to continue immersing himself in life at Tottenham and fight for extended game time.

The 18-year-old has been restricted to just 581 minutes of action in all competitions this season, while he has headed into the November international break still patiently waiting for his first Premier League start due to the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma being ahead of him in the pecking order.

Gray's stance over his future will come as a blow to suitors as GMS sources recently revealed that Tottenham had been bracing themselves for loan offers after Premier League and Championship admirers have been contemplating whether to test the waters with a proposal in January.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Archie Gray has been averaging 6.5 ball recoveries and 1.8 tackles per appearance in the Europa League this season

Gray Determined to Make Spurs Breakthrough

England under-21 international eager to catch Postecoglou's eye

GMS sources have been told Gray is insistent that snubbing the opportunity to embark on a fresh challenge on a temporary basis will give himself a better chance of making a breakthrough into Tottenham's first-team over the course of 2025 as he will be able to impress Postecoglou in training sessions and when he is named in the squad.

The England under-21 international has been heavily involved in cup competitions this season, with him starting all four of Spurs' Europa League clashes and two Carabao Cup encounters, meaning he is poised to profit if his current employers remain in both tournaments and enjoy an extended run in the FA Cup.

Gray has set his sights on convincing Postecoglou that he deserves to be given the nod more regularly instead of turning his attentions towards making a quickfire exit, GMS sources understand, meaning Tottenham are heading into the winter transfer window knowing that he is determined to stay on board.

Tottenham Hotspur sent officials to watch Club Brugge star Andreas Skov Olsen in action against Aston Villa in the Champions League last week, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.

Ange Postecoglou's side have regularly looked to improve their attacking options in the last few transfer windows, with the likes of Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke arriving through the door. The north London outfit lost Harry Kane to Bayern Munich back in 2023, and they've been looking to find the right formula in their forward line ever since.

Tottenham don't appear ready to stop there and are still in the market for more attacking talent, perhaps long-term succession-planning with Heung-min Son reaching the latter stages of his career. We've previously reported that Tottenham are looking to trigger a 12-month extension in Son's contract instead of offering him a lucrative new deal.

Tottenham Officials Watch Skov Olsen

He played 72 minutes against Aston Villa

Sources have confirmed to GIVEMESPORT that officials from top clubs were in Bruges to watch Skov Olsen in action against Aston Villa in the Champions League last week. Tottenham, Sevilla, and AC Milan were among the clubs to have representatives in attendance for the 24-year-old.

Skov Olsen, described as a 'deadly' attacker, played for 72 minutes in the game, lining up on the right-hand side of attack for Club Brugge. It perhaps wasn't Skov Olsen's most impressive performance of the campaign, but he's shown enough this season for top clubs to be monitoring his progress.

There is growing belief that the Danish international will get a big move in 2025 after a strong stint with his current club since joining them back in 2022.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Andreas Skov Olsen has registered 30 shots and 15 key passes during the early stages of the Jupiler Pro League season

Spurs are Skov Olsen's Best Chance of PL Move

They are scouting players aged 20-25

GIVEMESPORT understands that Skov Olsen's best chance of a Premier League is with Tottenham as it stands. The north London outfit are currently monitoring various players aged between 20 and 25 for a future role in the wide areas of their attack.

Spurs will need a long-term plan for when Son, who they heavily rely upon in attack, decides to move on. At the age of 32, he's not going to be around forever, so finding a player between the age of 20 and 25 who has the potential to grow into someone of a similar calibre would be a smart move.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has slammed Tottenham Hotspur following their shock 2-1 defeat on home soil against promoted club Ipswich Town.

Ipswich had failed to win any of their first 10 Premier League outings since earning promotion from the Championship ahead of their visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but claimed a stunning victory over Ange Postecoglou's men in North London.

Tottenham came into the contest off the back of a convincing 4-1 league victory over Aston Villa - though they were beaten 3-2 by Galatasaray in Turkey in the Europa League in midweek - as heavy favourites, but failed to live up to the billing, going in at half-time 2-0 down after a bicycle kick from Sammie Szmodics and a tap-in from Liam Delap.

Spurs attempted to rally after the break, with Rodrigo Bentancur pulling one back in the 69th minute, but the equaliser was not forthcoming.

Wright said to Premier League Productions at half-time...

"This is Spurs and what they do, I don’t mean that disrespectfully. When they are in a good run and you think they can put more results together, they throw a performance like this out there."

Tottenham endured a shaky start to the season, winning just one of their first four Premier League games - a 4-0 home victory over Everton - drawing with newly promoted Leicester City and losing against both Newcastle United and North London rivals Arsenal.

Postecoglou's men got their act together after that stuttering start and went on to win nine of their next 11 in all competitions, before suffering back-to-back losses against Galatasaray and now Ipswich.

The result sees them languishing in 10th in the Premier League standings after 11 games - and the Australian head coach's future will surely be called into question if he is unable to turn his team into a side that regularly finishes in the Champions League positions and competes for silverware.

Tottenham Hotspur have lost their second successive game after handing Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town their first win of the season after their 2-1 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was the name to get on the scoresheet for the home side after another yet impressive individual display by the Uruguayan international, who has really begun to find his form again, despite being in-and-out of Ange Postecoglou's squad rotation this season.

Bentancur Is Spurs’ Unsung Hero

When in the lineup, the midfield looks far more balanced

Bentancur, who earns £100k-a-week, entered the 2024/25 season under fire after an off-pitch incident involving some offensive comments made towards teammate, and captain, Son Heung-Min, in an interview back in June, with the FA subsequently charging him.

But after a difficult 18 months mired by an ACL injury suffered in January 2023, Bentancur's return to action has been a welcome one for Postecoglou and his team.

Despite having featured in 16 games across all competitions this season, the Uruguayan has started just 10 of those outings, though when he has been on the pitch, he looks to have returned back to his very best, and is widely considered as one of the most underrated players in the league this season.

The 27-year-old scored his first goal of the season in Sunday's defeat to Ipswich Town, and according to Sofa Score, he was statistically Spurs' best player on the field, recording a 7.9 rating in 84 minutes, in which he won nine of his 13 ground duels, and three of his five aerial duels on his way to an 84 percent pass completion percentage.

He also recorded three interceptions and seven tackles in a solid defensive display for the holding midfielder, but still, it wasn't enough to help his team get a point out of the contest.

This isn't the first time, either, that Bentancur has been a standout performer, with his introduction to the pitch to begin the second-half of Spurs' defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League helping give them a chance to get back into the game, though again, it was in vain after they were on the losing side of a 3-2 scoreline.

While he got the start against Ipswich, Postecoglou has been reluctant to use Bentancur from the start in the league this season, rotating him with Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr.

But, his defensive qualities alone, where he has recorded 12 tackles, and has a career-high 69.2 tackle percentage so far this season, may well give Postecoglou more to think about - especially with Tottenham's continued struggles at the back.