FootballFanCast.com

They might have had a few years of dire football under previous managers, but Tottenham Hotspur have always been a team that prides itself on playing football the 'right way.'

Fans want to see exciting, attacking and invigorating football, and while it hasn't always brought success, that's what the North Londoners have usually endeavoured to play.

As a result, the club have seen a whole host of incredible attackers play for them over the years, especially on the wing.

Perhaps the most exciting of them all in modern history was the sublime Gareth Bale, and in good news, it looks like Hotspur Way may have just produced the next version of the Welsh legend.

Spurs' great wingers

Before getting to the player who could be Spurs' next great winger, it's worth looking at a couple of the club's greats in that position in recent history, starting with someone who perhaps does not get the recognition he deserves from other fans: Aaron Lennon.

The former Lilywhites ace joined the club for just £1m from Leeds United in the summer of 2005 and remained in North London for almost a decade before he moved to Everton in February 2015.

During his long stint with the club, the Englishman amassed an incredible 364 appearances, in which he scored 30 goals, provided 76 assists and was a part of the last Lilywhites side to win a trophy when he started the 2008 League Cup final against London rivals Chelsea - he scored a couple against the red lot down the road as well.

A winger who looks set to cross the decade mark at the club this summer is Son Heung-min, who put pen to paper and moved to North London in a £22m deal from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015.

Since then, he's played 448 games, scored 173 goals, provided 95 assists, been handed the captain's armband, and started in the club's only Champions League final in June 2019.

There can be no doubt over the South Korean's status as a Spurs and Premier League icon for his incredible exploits over the years, but it would be fair to say that neither he nor Lennon could reach the levels Bale did during his peak at the club.

That peak was the 12/13 season, in which he scored 26 goals and provided ten assists in just 44 appearances, totalling 3891 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games, or every 108.08 minutes.

It was a campaign that saw Real Madrid pay a world-record £85m fee for his services, and as things stand, it looks like Hotspur Way might have just produced a young talent who could one day be the club's new Bale.

Spurs' new Bale

One of the few positives to come out of this season for Tottenham Hotspur has been the development of their youngsters, such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and academy star Mikey Moore.

The surface-level ones include the fact he's a left-winger, he made his debut for the club as a teenager and is British, but the most significant is how well he has played in the academy and how those in the know are talking about him.

For example, in just 34 appearances for the Lilywhites' various youth sides, the "future superstar," as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored a staggering 21 goals and provided 15 assists.

That means the teenage sensation is currently averaging 1.05 goal involvements every game in the academy, which is incredibly impressive.

That's not all, though, as even though he is still just 17 and has battled to keep fit at points this season, the Southwark-born prospect has made quite the impression in the few appearances he's made for the first team, and was just named in GOAL.com's top 50 wonderkids.

Most notably, in the Europa League game against AZ Alkmaar earlier in the campaign, he was unquestionably the star of the show.

Every time he had the ball at his feet, it felt as if he was going to make something happen, and it wasn't just us who were left stunned, as teammate James Maddison described him as "fearless" and compared him to Neymar Jr of all people after the game. That certainly suggests he could be in the same bracket as a certain Bale as well.

Ultimately, there is a long way to go for Moore, and the pressure is only going to increase, but from what we have seen so far and with how people are talking about him, we would not be surprised to see him develop into a Bale-esque player for Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur appear to have a new top manager target to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to an ex-scout’s “sources”.

Tottenham manager rumours with Ange under big pressure

It hasn’t been a second season at Spurs to remember for Postecoglou, although there is still the chance he delivers on his claim of winning a trophy in his second year.

Tottenham, who sit in the bottom half of the Premier League and have done so for large parts of the season, are still in the Europa League and will take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

There have been a number of managers named as candidates to take over from Postecoglou, though, should Daniel Levy and co decide to make a change in the dugout.

Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino recently hinted at the chances of a return to north London, saying: “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."

Meanwhile, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola was also linked, however, Football Insider think the Cherries boss would be willing to snub Tottenham in favour of staying at the Vitality Stadium.

Marco Silva now top Tottenham manager target

Another manager rumoured to be of interest to Spurs is Marco Silva, who guided his Fulham side to a 2-0 win over Tottenham prior to the international break.

Now, talking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown has heard from his “sources” that Silva appears to be the new leading target for Tottenham.

“Tottenham, unless they put a run together from now to the end of the season, you would think that things might happen [to Postecoglou] there in terms of the sack for the manager.

“Silva would certainly be top of the pops in terms of competition for that [managerial] spot, that’s what I’m hearing from my sources there.”

The 47-year-old has been at Craven Cottage since 2021, and during that time, has taken Fulham back to the Premier League from the Championship and established them as a topflight club once more.

This time next week, Tottenham Hotspur will be on their way to Stamford Bridge to try and get revenge on Chelsea for their defeat earlier in the season.

Unfortunately, even if Ange Postecoglou and Co are able to pick up three points in West London, it won't have much of an impact on their domestic campaign, as they currently sit in 14th place in the Premier League, 14 points off the top five.

So, the club's focus will likely be on their Europa League campaign and preparations for what has to be a massive summer transfer window to ensure next year is more successful.

Fortunately, the club appear to be in pole position to secure the services of an England international who could end up being Postecoglou's own Martin Odegaard.

Tottenham's transfer targets

In his first two summers in the hot seat, Postecoglou has spent quite a bit of money on building his team.

For example, Micky van de Ven cost £43m, James Maddison was £40m, Brennan Johnson was £47.5m, and Dominic Solanke was a club-record £65m from Bournemouth.

So, while Daniel Levy and Co are likely to go big again this summer, it's also not too surprising to see several free agents touted for moves to N17, like Jonathan David from LOSC Lille, Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, and now England International Angel Gomes.

According to a recent report by journalist Dean Jones, the North Londoners are the team that have been chasing the Lille star for the longest time and are now "the most likely club" to secure his services in the summer.

In fact, Jones explains that Tottenham were so keen to bring him to the capital earlier this season, that they were willing to pay a fee for him in January.

However, as nothing materialised then, they'll be able to get him on a free once his £11k-per-week contract expires in the summer.

Levy and Co will likely have to pay a signing-on fee of some kind and offer him a serious pay rise, but it'd all be worth it as not only would he add some real quality to the midfield, but he's also been compared to Odegaard.

How Gomes compares to Odegaard

So, Odegaard might not be the most popular of players around N17 - understandably so - and he's not having the best of campaigns either, but when it comes down to it, he's an incredibly talented player.

For example, he won his second successive Player of the Year Award at Arsenal last season. The season before, he racked up a tally of 22 goal involvements in 45 games, and to top it all off, he's a captain at club and national level.

In all, he's not a bad player to be linked to, but where has this comparison between the Norwegian and Gomes come from?

It primarily stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Gunners ace is the fourth most similar midfielder to the Englishman.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected and actual goals plus assists, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, clearances, crosses into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

On top of their statistical similarities, both players also occupy a similar role on the pitch, playing as a central midfielder who not only helps out with attacks but also drops deep to help progress the ball out of defence.

Away from comparisons to one of the Premier League's leading captains, you can also get an idea of why the Lilywhites might want to sign the "sublime" midfielder, as dubbed by Matthew Upson, by looking at his output from last season - he's dealt with injuries this year.

For example, in 45 appearances for Les Dogues, which saw him play in attacking, central and defensive midfield, the 24-year-old dynamo racked up a haul of two goals and ten assists, which was a level of output that played a big part in getting his side into the Champions League this year.

Ultimately, Spurs need to add more quality to the team this summer if they are to progress next season, and Gomes could do exactly that without costing a penny in transfer fees.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is facing the prospect of a key squad member being tempted away from N17 this summer, with the Spurs star now believed to be seriously keen on an exit before next season.

Players who are likely to leave Tottenham this summer

A host of players are up for the axe at Spurs, with some decisions reportedly already made behind-the-scenes.

After a lacklustre temporary spell in north London, RB Leipzig loanee Timo Werner is set to return to his parent club at the end of the season, with the Lilywhites and chairman Daniel Levy electing not to trigger the £8.5 million buy option in his contract.

Meanwhile, out-of-contract trio Sergio Reguilon, Alfie Whiteman and Fraser Forster are all set to leave Hotspur Way on free deals this summer, as their contracts tick down towards expiry on June 30.

Richarlison could also be sold by Tottenham, according to reports, following a season blighted by injuries for the Brazilian. Everton are believed to be expressing an interest in re-signing their former star striker, as per GiveMeSport, and Levy could take a £20 million loss on Richarlison by letting him go for around £40 million.

The likes of Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil, who have both enjoyed productive stints away from Spurs, on loan at Leeds United and Girona respectively, are also reportedly unlikely to be donning Lilywhites colours for the 2025/2026 season.

There is also the prospect of elite sides attempting to prise Postecoglou's star players away, following what has been a disappointing second campaign in charge for the Tottenham boss.

Now, Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid are becoming seriously linked with a move for £165,000-per-week defender Cristian Romero.

Sky Sports reported this week that Atletico hold an interest in signing Romero this summer, with the Argentine believed to be a credible target for the La Liga side ahead of next campaign.

Some outlets have previously claimed that Levy could demand as much as £150 million to sell Romero, which may well be out of Atletico's price range, but perhaps the centre-back himself could force through a move.

Cristian Romero determined to quit Tottenham after talks with his camp

As per reports from Spain, Romero "will do everything he can" to leave Tottenham this summer, and Atlético have already held talks with the South American's camp as they ponder a move.

The 26-year-old is apparently ready to do his part in an attempt to seal a move away from north London, but it will also require a "significant investment" from Atlético, which Tottenham will demand if they even entertain the possibility of selling their crucial defender.

Simeone's side appear determined, though, as they "dream" of striking a deal for Romero and luring him to the Wanda Metropolitano.

The former Atalanta star has been unable to exert his influence on the Spurs backline akin to last season, having spent the vast majority of this campaign sidelined through injury alongside partner Micky van de Ven. However, when fit and available, there is no denying he would be a sore miss and very difficult to replace.

To put it diplomatically, there have been some real negatives to this season for Tottenham Hotspur, but at least a few positives.

You can take your pick when it comes to the former, from lacklustre form to persistent injuries and a souring atmosphere at home and away.

However, when it comes to the latter, it really boils down to how well a number of the club's young talents have adapted to first-team football, from summer signings Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to academy gem Mikey Moore.

The good news is that another batch of talented youngsters could make their competitive first-team debuts next season, including one academy star who might just be the club's own Cole Palmer.

The Spurs youngsters who could breakthrough next season

So, before getting to the player in question, it's worth looking at a couple of other talented prospects who could finally make their competitive debut for the club next season, starting with Ashley Phillips.

The 19-year-old centre-back has spent the season on loan with Championship side Stoke City this year, and despite it being his first full campaign in the second tier, he's been an essential member of the first team.

Across all competitions, the former Blackburn Rovers gem, whom Tony Mowbray said was "going to be a mega footballer" one day, has made 31 appearances for the Potters, and, most impressively, each one has been a start.

From defence to midfield now, and the next prospect who could play some games under Ange Postecoglou next season is Tyrese Hall.

The 19-year-old ace, who "has a really big future at Tottenham" according to Spurs expert John Wenham, has been enjoying a great season in the club's U21 side this year.

In just 20 appearances, in which he's played all over the place, the London-born dynamo has scored six goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game.

On top of that, he's now a part of the England U19 camp, but even so, he is not the most exciting player in the club's academy; that title belongs to someone even younger, someone who could be the Lilywhites' own Palmer.

Spurs' own Palmer

He may be out of form at the moment, but Palmer is unquestionably one of the most exciting English talents around, and that's what people could be saying about Luca Williams-Barnett in a few years.

The 16-year-old might still be a relative unknown to the wider footballing public, but he most certainly is not for those who follow academy football.

The incredible youngster, whom analyst Ben Mattinson described as "a name to keep an eye on," has the potential to be the club's version of the Chelsea ace for a few reasons.

The first is that, like the England international, he's a lean-mean-goalscoring-machine.

In just 24 appearances for the U18s, totalling 1887 minutes, the unreal talent has scored 20 goals and provided ten assists.

In other words, he's averaging 1.25 goal involvements every game, or one every 62.9 minutes, and while he's still young, that is the sort of form that could force Postecoglou to hand him some first-team minutes next season.

The second reason he could become the club's version of the former Manchester City prospect is that he, too, is positionally versatile.

For example, while his primary position is attacking midfield, he's played in left-midfield, left and right-wing and even up top, which helps to explain Wenham's description of him as a "cheat-code."

Ultimately, Spurs might be having a terrible season this year, but the future is looking incredibly bright, and Williams-Barnett could make it even more so next season.

Since taking the job almost two years ago now, Ange Postecoglou has completely changed Tottenham Hotspur.

On the pitch, the results might not have improved massively, but unlike under the previous few managers, the team is no longer boring the fans senseless.

However, where the Australian has made the most significant changes is the makeup of the squad, as he's seen several stars leave and plenty of exciting talents come in.

In fact, the Premier League seems to be full of tremendously promising prospects this season, and Spurs might just have their answer to recent England debutant, Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Premier League's most promising prospects

So, let's start close to home with one of Tottenham's breakout stars from what has been a pretty dismal year: Lucas Bergvall.

The Swede, who was signed from Djurgårdens for around £8.5m last winter, has become more and more important to the first team as the season has gone on.

Indeed, 13 of his 19 starts coming since Christmas, and when you watch him play, it's easy to understand why Postecoglou wants to give him more responsibility.

The 19-year-old "generational" talent, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, is seemingly able to do it all from the middle of the park, be that break-up play with a well-timed block or kickstart attacks with a gut-busting run through the middle of the park or a perfectly timed pass.

Another of the Lilywhites' most exciting youngsters this season has been Mikey Moore, who, at just 17 years old and in 632 minutes of first-team football, has scored once and provided two assists, while also being compared to Neymar Jr by James Maddison.

Moving over to the red side of North London now, and while Spurs' fans won't like to hear it, understandably so, Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri has also stepped up in a big way this season, scoring eight goals and providing one assist in just 1087 first-team minutes.

It's not just the traditional 'big six' who have unearthed some sensational young talents this year either, as 19-year-old Spanish defender Dean Huijsen has been one of the stars of Bournemouth's brilliant campaign thus far.

The former Juventus gem has managed to bag two goals for himself, and according to FBref, sits in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe's top five leagues for interceptions, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and clearances, the top 5% for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and more, all per 90.

However, when it comes to the teenage talent most in the spotlight, it has to be the Gunners' own Lewis-Skelly, although there is no need for the Spurs faithful to be jealous, as they appear to have their own version of the 18-year-old.

Spurs' own Lewis-Skelly

There has been rife debate among Spurs fans of late that Djed Spence should have been in the England squad at the expense of the Arsenal wonderkid. However, he's not the closest thing to Myles Lewis-Skelly. Instead, that honour is handed to Archie Gray.

There are a few key reasons why the incredible talent who joined the club last summer for around £30m could be their version of the Arsenal man, the most important being how he's been utilised this season.

Like the Hale Ender, the former Leeds United gem is first and foremost a central midfielder, but due to the incredible amount of defensive injuries the team have had to deal with this year, he's played in the backline more than anywhere else.

For example, across all competitions this season, the Durham-born star has made 19 appearances at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back and just three in defensive midfield.

Similarly, the Gunners' young star has made 23 appearances as a left-back and just two in defensive midfield.

On top of being used in similar ways by their respective managers, both are incredibly highly rated for their age, with the Arsenal star already winning a senior England cap and the Tottenham prospect being described as a "future £100m" star by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson.

Ultimately, Lewis-Skelly certainly looks to be the real deal and someone who will have a sensational career, but the same thing could and should be said about Gray, and given their trajectories, we would not be surprised to see them lining up together for England in the future.

While Tottenham Hotspur's defence has been incredibly leaky this season, they remain one of the best-attacking teams in the Premier League.

For example, despite being down in 14th place and with more losses than wins to their name, Ange Postecoglou's side are the joint-second highest goalscorers in the competition.

The North Londoners have five players with ten or more goals across all competitions this year, and from recent reports, it looks like they want to make their attack even more potent in the summer.

Tottenham target Premier League winger

The latest player touted for a move to N17 has won comparisons to another winger in North London who has been terrorising Spurs for years now, Bukayo Saka.

Indeed, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are interested in Chelsea star Noni Madueke.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are now 'plotting a move' for the Blues ace, although they are not alone, as Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also supposedly keen.

The competition isn't the only obstacle Spurs will have to deal with to get their man, as while the report has revealed that the West Londoners are happy to sell the player, they will demand at least £50m and could even push it to £60m as they have him tied down until 2030.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Madueke has shown he can be a game-changer in the Premier League, and he's also won comparisons to the incredible Saka.

How Madueke compares to Saka

So, before getting into the other reasons why signing Madueke might be a good idea for Spurs, it's worth examining this comparison to Saka and where it comes from.

Well, in this case, it stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Gunners star is the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Blues star.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair ranks closely, metrics including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, progressive passes, passes into the penalty area, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

However, it's not just the comparisons to one of the league's leading wingers that should convince the Lilywhites to sign the talented "monster," as dubbed by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst.

For example, when compared to the division overall, the Chelsea ace's underlying numbers really stand out, with FBref placing him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders or wingers for total shots, touches in the opposition's penalty area and shots on target, the top 3% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 5% for progressive carries, all per 90.

Moreover, the "special" talent, as dubbed by journalist Japtej Ghura, has not lacked on the output front this season either, as in 28 appearances, he's scored eight goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games.

Ultimately, fans might not like the idea of buying players from rivals, but Madueke is still young and looks like he could develop into a brilliant player, so Spurs should do what they can to bring him to N17 this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are now in the race to sign an "unbelievable" forward from a rival Premier League club, according to a report.

Postecoglou keen to bring in new winger

Ange Postecoglou's side have seriously underperformed in the Premier League this season, sitting 14th in the table with just nine games left to play, so it is little wonder they are keen to bring in some reinforcements in the summer transfer window.

One position in which Spurs are clearly keen to strengthen is winger, and they have now taken the first step towards signing Feyenoord's Igor Paixao by making contact to discuss a deal for the Brazilian, who could be an upgrade on Son Heung-min.

Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman is another name on the shortlist, and the Frenchman seems like he could be an attainable target, given that the German side are eager to sell him in the upcoming window.

However, another option from much closer to home is now entering the frame, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Tottenham are now interested in signing Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are now willing to sanction Madueke's departure this summer, and a move across the capital could be possible, with Spurs joining the race for his signature, alongside Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

The Lilywhites appreciate the Chelsea ace, who has a 100% win record when he's featured against Spurs, and the door could be open for a deal this summer, although there may be competition from AC Milan, who are now confident about getting a deal done.

The Italian side have submitted a £33m bid for the England international, who cost the Blues £30m back in 2023.

"Unbelievable" Madueke impressing at Chelsea

It seems a little harsh that Chelsea are willing to sell the 23-year-old this summer, given that he has put in some impressive performances this season, picking up seven goals and three assists in the Premier League.

That follows on from a solid 2023/24 campaign, during which he impressed former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

As a result of his attacking output, the former PSV Eindhoven man has performed very well on a range of attacking statistics over the past year, most notably impressing with his dribbling ability.

Chelsea's loss could be Tottenham's gain if they decide to part ways with Madueke this summer, given the level of some of his performances for the Blues, and at 23-years-old he is only likely to improve.

There might still be a couple of months left of the season, but that hasn't stopped several players being linked with moves to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou and his side will be fully focused on achieving something special in the Europa League, but Daniel Levy and Co are likely hard at work looking for the right additions to the squad this summer.

One name that has been touted for a move to the Lilywhites for months is Southampton's Tyler Dibling, and recent reports have only further solidified those links.

The youngster would undoubtedly improve Tottenham's squad, but it could be said they already have a better prospect coming through.

Why Spurs want Dibling

According to a report late last week from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs 'are doing the groundwork' and showing a concrete interest in Dibling in a bid to get ahead of what could be a real race for his signature when Southampton are invariably relegated at the end of the season.

It was reported in January that the Saints value their young talent at a whopping £55m, but with them almost certainly set to play in the Championship next season, it remains to be seen whether any team will be willing to pay that much.

With that said, why do the Lilywhites even want to sign the 19-year-old?

Well, simply put, bringing the exciting "game-breaker," as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, to N17 marries up nicely with the club's recent focus on buying young, up-and-coming talents who have plenty of upsides, and from everything we have seen, this season, it would appear as if the Saints gem fits that description nicely.

For example, despite being so young and playing for a truly dismal Southampton side, the Exeter-born prospect has scored four goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances, which is not bad going for his debut season in the top flight.

In all, Dibling would probably be a brilliant signing for Spurs to make in the summer, but there is a good chance he wouldn't even be the most exciting young winger at the club next year.

The Spurs winger who's a bigger talent than Dibling

One of the few positives to come out of this season for Tottenham has been how well their youngsters have adapted to life in the Premier League, with both Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall becoming key members of the first team.

However, arguably, the team's most exciting prospect is someone who's come up through the club's own academy: Mikey Moore.

The tremendously exciting winger might only be 17 and has endured a stop-start campaign interrupted by sickness, but when he has played, he's looked great.

For example, in just 632 minutes of first-team football across 16 appearances, the "special" talent, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored once and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 210.66 minutes.

Moreover, even when he hasn't scored or assisted, the teenage phenomenon has been impacting games, as it was at home against AZ Alkmaar that his incredible close control, decision-making, and penetrating runs got the fans on their feet and led to James Maddison to describe him as "fearless" and compare him to Neymar.

Finally, the Southwark-born dynamo's record at the youth level is simply unreal, as in 34 appearances for the Lilywhites' various junior teams, he has scored 21 goals and provided 15 assists, resulting in an average of 1.05 goal involvements every game.

Ultimately, bringing Dibling to the club will only further strengthen Spurs' incredible array of exciting prospects, but with Moore on the opposite flank, he'll have to make do with being the second-best young winger in the squad next season.

Tottenham Hotspur could now look to "get rid" of a midfielder this summer, as Ange Postecoglou is not happy with his options in the middle of the park, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Tottenham planning midfield revamp

There are signs Tottenham could be planning to revamp their midfield in the summer transfer window, having identified a number of potential targets, most recently making the first move to sign Sunderland's Chris Rigg by submitting a £38m offer.

Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney is another name on Spurs' shortlist, having recently entered the race for the 22-year-old midfielder, who could be brought in as a replacement for Yves Bissouma, with the Mali international's future now in major doubt.

Plans to sell Bissouma in the summer are said to have been approved, with the 28-year-old playing a more sporadic role in the Premier League this season, often being limited to appearances as a substitute.

Everton are interested in signing the former Brighton man, with Tottenham now ready to sell, but he is not the only central midfielder who they could look to cash-in on this summer.

According to former scout Mick Brown, Postecoglou is unhappy with his options in the middle of the park, casting Rodrigo Bentancur's future into doubt.

“Ange Postecoglou is not happy with his midfield options. It’s such a key area of the team, and the players at his disposal have not been good enough.

“They’ve failed to impress when called upon so far this season, and Bentancur now is not part of Tottenham’s plans moving forward.

“So if they can get rid of him and bring in a decent fee, it’s definitely something they’ll consider. I hear there are clubs in Europe who have been looking at a move in the summer."

Bentancur impressing defensively

It has been a disappointing season all-round for Tottenham, and Bentancur hasn't exactly stood out, with WhoScored ranking the midfielder 11th in terms of average rating in the Premier League.

That said, some of the Uruguayan's defensive performances over the past year indicate he could be worth keeping hold of, ranking highly on some key metrics, when compared to his positional peers.

The 27-year-old has predominantly featured in a defensive midfield role this season, which may have hindered his ability to contribute going forward, having picked up just two goals and one assist in all competitions.