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Perhaps hoping to add to what is already a star-studded squad, Real Madrid's chief scout was reportedly in attendance at the North London derby to watch one particular Tottenham Hotspur player.

Tottenham transfer rumours

The Real Madrid call is one that Spurs are all too familiar with. It's one that Luka Modric answered in 2012 and one that Gareth Bale answered just one year later to deal the Lilywhites the ultimate double blow.

Both players are now Los Blancos legends with their own individual moments to look back on in the history books, with Modric even still going as one of Madrid's most important players. Now, the phone could be set to ring once more over 10 years since Bale swapped North London for the Bernabeu.

This time around, however, it would be Ange Postecoglou's squad who may feel the impact of the European giants' transfer activity, with the Australian into just his second year of what Daniel Levy will hope is a lengthy project which eventually culminates in the silverware that Spurs are craving. No project is without its hurdles though, and one exit would deal Postecoglou the ultimate blow.

According to Defensa Central, Juni Calafat, Real Madrid's chief scout travelled to watch Cristian Romero in the North London derby as the La Liga champions ponder a move for either the Argentine or Arsenal centre-back William Saliba.

For once, Spurs will hope that it's their rivals and Saliba who have the attention as Real Madrid look to strengthen their backline. Meanwhile, if it is Romero, that they approach, then they know they will find it complicated to negotiate with Levy for the central defender who also earns a reported £165k-a-week.

When 2025 arrives, those on both sides of the divide in North London look set to be in for a nervous wait with Real Madrid's chief scout well aware of both Romero and Saliba's talent.

"Outstanding" Romero is crucial to Tottenham

Even amid the likes of Heung-min Son and James Maddison, there's a strong argument that Romero is Spurs' most important player under Postecoglou. Whether it's next to Micky van de Ven or Radu Dragusin, the World Cup winner is seemingly one of the first names on the team sheet within the Lilywhites' backline and they'll hope that remains the case for years to come.

Postecoglou is certainly well aware of his quality too, urging others to follow Romero's lead after a narrow 3-2 loss against Arsenal last season, saying via Football London: "Yeah, he was outstanding. He's a World Cup winner and I've just got to get some of what's in him into some of the others."

Unfortunately, Spurs could yet fall victim to Romero's success if Real Madrid come calling. Now 26 years old, the Argentine appears to be in the prime of his career and whether those in North London can facilitate the ambitions of such a player remains to be seen, especially compared to serial winners Madrid.

Having lost stars to the Bernabeu in the past, Spurs will be desperate to avoid a repeat when it comes to their impressive central defender.

On Sunday afternoon Ange Postecoglou was convinced Tottenham would win a trophy this season. It's what I do in my second season, mate.

Well, he didn't quite put it like that but the Australian boss was stern with his words. However, as Paul Merson said, he probably has more chance of winning Strictly Come Dancing than that eventuality happening. Harsh? Yes. Funny? Yes.

It's true that Postecoglou has turned Spurs into a more exciting team, there is no denying that. But, their summer of spending went by without strengthening the starting XI too much and they look like they're now paying for that.

The north Londoners have won just one match in the Premier League this season, losing to Newcastle and Arsenal, drawing with newly-promoted Leicester and only defeating early relegation-threatened Everton.

That said, despite a topsy-turvy start to the new term, there was optimism on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal were missing Declan Rice through suspension, Mikel Merino through injury and skipper Martin Odegaard was also absent having injured his ankle on international duty. What an opportunity this was for Spurs, but they could not take it.

It was Gabriel, mighty Gabriel who thundered a header home unmarked from a Bukayo Saka corner. A corner. Of course, it was. The Gunners are the set-piece kings of English football.

So, for Spurs, it will be back to the drawing board for a team that needs to quickly work out where it's at. That should start by addressing a couple of enigmatic players in the team.

Where it went wrong for Spurs

Last week the Lilywhites were undone in strange circumstances and it was largely due to Cristian Romero's defending. For both goals he was caught out of position, charging up the field to press and leaving space for Newcastle's offence to capitalise.

Well, he didn't quite come charging out on this occasion but it was the Argentine who left Arsenal's centre-back unmarked from the corner.

Straying away from Gabriel, the Brazilian titan was left with acres of space in which to steady himself, jump and then hammer the ball past Guglielmo Vicario in the hosts' net.

Romero will, of course, keep his place for the next league outing but the same may well not be said for some of Postecoglou's attacking crop.

One of their worst performers on the day was Brennan Johnson, a spritely, exciting and rapid young winger who is rather flattering to deceive in Spurs colours.

He toiled with Jurrien Timber down Tottenham's right-hand side but failed to really provide the spark that Postecoglou was craving, eventually hauling him off on the 68-minute mark.

Johnson left the field having produced just one key pass, taken four shots and succeeded with 50% of his dribbles.

To make matters worse, he had fewer touches (26) than the aforementioned Vicario (31) and lost four of his six duels.

Handed a 5/10 match rating by the Standard's Dan Kilpatrick, the journalist was apt with his description of the Welshman's display, suggesting he "was well-handled by Jurrien Timber."

As it happens, Arsenal's Dutch defender was only dribbled past once during the whole game and completed three tackles, the joint-most of any player in black, just to sum up how little change Johnson got from the former Ajax player.

Johnson has been a regular player in Postecoglou's attack this term but with no goal involvements to show for his efforts in 2024/25 to date, it surely won't be too long before he finds himself on the bench.

Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert were both waiting in the wings yesterday and would be well-placed to replace the former Nottingham Forest man against Coventry in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

Three years in a row. Tottenham Hotspur have now lost at home to Arsenal three years on the bounce for the first time since the 1980s.

Ange Postecoglou's side lined up against a slightly weakened but still dangerous Gunners outfit earlier this afternoon, and while they were able to create a few chances here and there, they failed to capitalise on any of them.

Much of the attention following the game will be on Guglielmo Vicario and his defenders for their inability to defend set pieces, but the attacker's inability to score is just as much of an issue, and while he's talented, Brennan Johnson was incredibly ineffective.

However, one of the Welshman's fellow attackers was just as wasteful and underwhelming today.

Johnson's performance in numbers

Postecoglou opted to start his £47.5m attacker on the right wing this afternoon, and unfortunately, the 23-year-old did very little to justify that decision or quell the questions some in the fanbase have about his overall quality.

The "frustrating" talent, as dubbed by Jamie O'Hara, was up against Jurrien Timber until he was hooked in the 68th minute, and while he was able to progress the ball up the pitch here and there, he didn't offer the Dutchman much of a challenge at all.

He was so poor that the i's Evan Bartlett and Tom Ward awarded him a 5/10 after the match, writing that he 'spurned a good chance to give Spurs the lead' and, unsurprisingly, that he 'needs to work on his end product.'

It might sound like a harsh appraisal, but it's not, and his statistics from the game help to show that, as in his 68 minutes of action, he amassed an expected goals figure of 0.27, an expected assists figure of 0.07, took one shot on target and one off target, saw two shots blocked, failed in his one dribble, took just 25 touches, made 13 passes, lost five of six duels, committed a foul and was dribbled past.

In all, it was a day to forget for Johnson, but he can at least take solace in the fact that one of his teammates was just as ineffective as he was.

Dejan Kulusevski's performance in numbers

Yes, one of the other disappointing displays of the day came from the immensely talented Dejan Kulusevski, who started his 100th game for the club in the midfield.

Now, there were some bright moments in the Swede's performance, such as the long-range effort in stoppage time and his general work rate, but overall, he was simply ineffective against a weakened midfield and didn't perform to a level we know he can.

Bartlett and Ward were slightly more impressed with the former Juventus ace than his Welsh teammate, but not by much, as they still gave him just a 6/10, writing that he just 'couldn't unlock the defence.'

Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, his statistics from the match also make for some dismal reading and suggest that his rating is a kind one.

For example, in 95 minutes, he lost the ball 20 times, amassed an expected goal figure of 0.16 and an expected assist figure of just 0.11, took 49 touches, maintained a paltry passing accuracy of 68%, failed in all five of his crosses, took one shot on target, failed in 66% of his dribbles, lost 12 of 17 duels and was dribbled past three times.

Ultimately, Kulusevski is a player who can deliver moments of magic, but against Arsenal today, he was ineffective and, at times, a liability in the midfield and, alongside Johnson, he let Postecoglou and the fans down.

As the focus shifts towards 2025, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly fearful that one of their transfer targets is currently talking to Arsenal instead in what would be quite the move.

Arsenal transfer news

For the first time under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal are really finding out about just how deep the quality in their squad goes. The Gunners enter the North London derby without captain Martin Odegaard, without the suspended Declan Rice, without the injured Mikel Merino and without summer signing Riccardo Calafiori to leave them scratching their heads for options.

If they capitulate, questions will undoubtedly come over their summer transfer window and whether they signed enough depth. Calafiori, Merino and Raheem Sterling all arrived, but Odegaard's recent injury could highlight Arsenal's failure to sign an adequate backup in attacking midfield.

The Norway international is undoubtedly a difficult man to replace, such is his creative quality, but those in North London may just be regretting their failure to at least attempt to sign an alternative option.

However, they could yet make up for that regret by beating rivals Spurs to one particular target in 2025. According to Football Transfers, Spurs are now fearful that Eberechi Eze has been speaking to Arsenal or Manchester City instead of them and that he has had his head turned by the Premier League's leading clubs.

It came as a surprise to everyone that Eze didn't attract more interest in the summer window, including Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish who said via Sky Sports: "I was really worried from a club point of view of losing Michael and Ebbs in the same window and we didn't have in Ebbs the interest that I thought we would have. I was astounded. Genuinely astounded. I mean, the guy's just an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person."

"Outstanding" Eze would compete with Odegaard

Not many players in world football are capable of competing with Odegaard, but Eze is one of the select few. A player with plenty of creative flair who also has an eye for goal, Eze still looks destined for the top even without a move in the summer just gone and could yet join title contenders Arsenal in 2025, much to Spurs' disappointment.

Looking at the numbers, Eze would offer Arsenal something slightly different to Odegaard. The England international is a far more direct player, whereas Odegaard's intricate passing often tells the story of his quality.

If the Gunners can combine the two then they may well find the key to unlocking the silverware that they have been craving. A lot could still happen, however, and with Manchester City sniffing around, Arsenal must act fast if they are to secure Eze's signature.

Whether it's January or next summer, there's no doubt that Eze has earned a big move and one that even Parish expected him to come close to in the last transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to secure their second Premier League win of the season this afternoon when they take on local rivals Arsenal in North London.

It will undoubtedly be a huge ask for Ange Postecoglou’s side to claim all three points, with Mikel Arteta’s side still unbeaten during the new campaign - winning two and drawing one of their first three matches in 2024/25.

The Lilywhites have failed to beat the Gunners in any of the last four meetings, dating back to May 2022, when they claimed a 3-0 victory thanks to goals from Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

Boss Postecoglou has yet to beat Arteta's men after taking the reins last summer, potentially having to drop one player if his side are to claim a derby day victory over their bitter rivals.

Why Wilson Odobert could be replaced for the North London derby

New addition Wilson Odobert arrived at Spurs in a £25m deal towards the end of the summer transfer window - strengthening the attacking options available at Postecoglou’s disposal.

The French U21 international has started both of the games since his move to North London, featuring for over an hour in the meetings with Everton and Newcastle United.

He’s yet to register a goal or assist following his big-money transfer from the Clarets and is yet to show that he has the quality, in the here and now, to make a big impact for Spurs in this clash.

At just 19 he has time to settle into life in the capital before making an impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which means that patience will be required with him.

Odobert has provided a solid option for Spurs in recent games, but given the importance of the fixture this weekend, he may be forced to make way and take his place on the bench.

He would be lucky to maintain his place, especially considering the potential return of one player who has missed the last couple of outings for the Lilywhites.

The man to replace Odobert against Arsenal

Striker Dominic Solanke has missed the last two league outings after suffering an ankle injury during his debut against Leicester City on the opening weekend of the campaign.

The 27-year-old moved to the capital in a club-record £65m move from fellow Premier League side Bournemouth - with Postecoglou looking to add further firepower to his attack.

The attacking “phenomenon”, as described by former Gunner Ian Wright, has yet to find the back of the net, but his tally of 19 league goals for the Cherries last season proves that he has the ability to cause chaos in the final third.

Whilst it’s unknown how much match fitness he will possess after his injury setback, Solanke does have the talent that could cause Arsenal’s backline a lot of trouble during the local derby.

Since the departure of Kane to Bayern Munich last summer, the club have lacked that number nine to help catapult the club into a top-four place in the Premier League.

It will undoubtedly be a cagey affair playing Arsenal, but the Englishman’s talent in attacking areas could provide the difference in the final third, ending the 28-month wait for a victory over their bitter rivals.

Already looking to strengthen his attacking options in 2025, Ange Postecoglou now reportedly personally wants Tottenham Hotspur to sign one particular physical presence to partner Dominic Solanke up front.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have started the season in inconsistent fashion on the results front, with one win, one draw and one loss summing up their difficulties. But the performances have been promising at times and the return of summer signing Solanke back from injury should at least provide Spurs with a welcome boost in North London.

Of course, up next is one of the biggest games of the Premier League calendar in the form of the North London derby. Spurs host an Arsenal side who enter proceedings with plenty of injury concerns, including club captain Martin Odegaard, in what is the perfect opportunity for the Lilywhites to bounce back from Newcastle United defeat in perfect fashion.

They've had injury concerns of their own, however. As mentioned, Solanke has been missing since the opening day and Spurs, as a result, have had their lack of attack depth exposed in a problem they're already eyeing a solution for.

According to reports in Spain, Postecoglou now personally wants to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a physical presence next to Solanke in his starting Spurs side. Calvert-Lewin - standing at 6 foot 2 and scoring another header on Saturday against Aston Villa - would certainly provide exactly that alongside crucial Premier League experience.

What's more, the fact that the Everton forward will be out of contract next summer makes the deal one that Spurs would be wise to pursue, should they be given the opportunity. Even if the Englishman hasn't been at his best in the last two seasons at Goodison Park, just having such a different option to partner and back Solanke up may well prove to make all the difference for Postecoglou and his side.

"Outstanding" Calvert-Lewin can partner Solanke

If Spurs sign Calvert-Lewin and get him back to his best then they'll suddenly have two Premier League strikers capable of scoring double figures in goals a season. And in pursuit of a top four place, that would quickly prove to be crucial for Postecoglou.

Sean Dyche will be frustrated to see his forward leave if he does depart, however, having been full of praise for Calvert-Lewin last season, telling BBC Sport "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding.

"I said to him after the match, 'That is the sort of performance that gets you back around the England squad'. It is too early yet and I am not making any bold statement because Gareth Southgate has a lot of players to choose from, but certainly with that kind of performance he should be recognised as a top centre forward."

The fact that it would likely be a free deal too, means that Spurs would not be running a great risk by signing Calvert-Lewin. All signs point towards a deal that the Lilywhites would be wise to pursue next summer, especially if Postecoglou does want a physical presence to partner big-money signing Solanke in North London.

Ange Postecoglou’s side face the biggest game of their Premier League season so far tomorrow as they host Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur come into the meeting after a 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United before the recent international break - looking to return to winning ways against their local rivals.

The North London Derby is always a cagey affair, with neither side wanting the other to walk away with bragging rights from the encounter.

Postecoglou’s side are searching for their first victory over the Gunners since May 2022, when Harry Kane scored a double, with Heung-min Son putting the icing on the cake in a 3-0 victory.

Spurs have lost three of the last four meetings with Mikel Arteta’s side, but will hope to put an end to their dismal North London run with a crucial victory tomorrow.

That being said, here is our predicted Spurs starting lineup to face Arsenal…

The Italian shot-stopper has featured in every single Premier League outing after joining the club last summer, with tomorrow’s big game expected to be his 42 consecutive league start.

He’s kept eight clean sheets in the league since moving from Empoli in 2023, with Postecoglou and the fanbase will be hoping he can add to his tally tomorrow.

The right-back has been a superb addition for Spurs after his big-money transfer from Sporting Lisbon in 2023 - often a source of goals and assists despite being part of the backline.

He’s already notched one goal this season, but the real impetus will be on the Spaniard to keep Gabriel Martinelli quiet if they are to walk away with all three points.

The first of the changes comes at centre-back, with Micky Van de Ven coming into the starting lineup to replace Radu Dragusin.

It may be a harsh call given the Romanian’s recent form, but the “dominant” Dutch international, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a key member of the squad, with his presence greatly missed against Newcastle last time out.

The Argentinian defender has often been labelled as hot-headed with the occasion often getting the better of him in previous seasons.

He thrives on big games, often coming to the front - scoring in the last North London Derby - with the hope that he can have a positive effect at both ends of the pitch this weekend.

Left-back Destiny Udogie has nailed down the role as his own after his transfer from Udinese last season, starring with his relentless nature in defensive and attacking areas.

The Italian international registered five goal contributions last season, hopefully getting the ball rolling this season and securing bragging rights for the supporters.

Manager Postecoglou confirmed yesterday that it will be a late call if the Mali international midfielder will start the meeting with Arsenal on Sunday.

However, his combative and relentless nature could provide the difference against the Gunners, with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice both absent for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The young Senegalese talent has grown into his midfield role at Spurs since the appointment of the Aussie last season.

He’s previously scored against Manchester United at home, with the 21-year-old hoping to add Arsenal to the list of big six teams he’s scored against since moving to the capital.

The midfielder registered two assists in the meeting against Arsenal at the Emirates last season, with Postecoglou hoping he can produce the goods once again this weekend.

The 27-year-old already has the same number of assists in the new campaign - potentially providing the difference in the final third on Sunday.

Swedish talent Dejan Kulusevski has been featuring in a more central role in recent games to accommodate the club’s recent injury issues at the top end of the pitch.

However, he could return to a more natural right-sided role tomorrow, with one key player returning after a spell on the sidelines.

Club-record signing Dominic Solanke has only made one appearance for Spurs after his £65m move from Bournemouth this summer - picking up an ankle issue during the opening day draw with Leicester City.

However, he’s returned to training over the international break, hoping to mark his first North London Derby with a goal, potentially making himself an instant hit with the supporters.

He could be brought in to replace fellow new signing Wilson Odobert, who has started the previous two league outings in the Englishman’s absence.

The South Korean winger has often been the main source of goals in the North London Derby, scoring in both meetings last season.

The 32-year-old has the quality in attacking areas to change the game, as demonstrated by his tally of 164 goals for the club, potentially ending the club’s 28-month wait for a derby day triumph.

Tottenham chiefs have informed an elite European side that Spurs are ready to offer around £17 million for their highly-rated international forward, with technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team already planning for next year's potential incomings.

Spurs board already making transfer preparations for 2025

The Lilywhites spent £113 million over what was a fruitful summer window, sealing deals for Timo Werner (season-long loan), exciting young midfielder Archie Gray, striker Dominic Solanke and winger Wilson Odobert.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou also gave the green-light for Spurs to strike a buy-to-loan-back deal for South Korean wonderkid Yang min-Hyeok, who is very highly-rated and tipped to bring real attacking flair when he returns from Gangwon FC in January.

Tottenham are excited by min-Hyeok's arrival in the winter, with Asian football analyst Joel Kim explaining how the 18-year-old can bring "incredible speed" to Postecoglou's attack.

“At just 18, Yang brings incredible speed to the attack, running with youthful vigour," said Kim to The Boot Room (via TEAMtalk).

"His surprising physical strength allows him to dominate veteran defenders in the K-League 1, Asia’s most physical league. His greatest asset might be his adaptability; like Son Heung-min, Yang is two-footed and can play on either the left or right wing. Comparisons to Anthony Gordon and Federico Chiesa highlight his potential.

“Yang loves to charge forward with the ball, whether along the flanks or through the middle, overwhelming defenders with his pace. Defensively, he’s underrated, often intercepting passes and reading plays before they unfold.”

The winger will almost be like a new signing when he fully links up with Postecoglou's squad mid-season, but it is believed that min-Hyeok may not be their only fresh arrival next year.

Tottenham have first-option to sign Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis, as part of the deal which saw Giovani Lo Celso return to his former club, while there are suggestions that Spurs are frontrunners for Jonathan David as the Lille striker's contract ticks down towards expiry at the end of this season.

Former keeper Paul Robinson also believes that Lange needs to sign another centre-back for Spurs in January, and the pundit is adamant that Postecoglou is pretty light in that area, despite bringing in Radu Dragusin as cover last January.

Tottenham tell AC Milan they're ready to pay £17m for Noah Okafor

According to Milan Live, the north Londoners could also seek to bolster their attacking options, with Switzerland and AC Milan forward Noah Okafor emerging as a transfer target.

The 24-year-old, who bagged six goals and two assists in Serie A last season, made the vast majority of his 28 league appearances off the substitute's bench. Okafor has already opened his account for this season, though, starting two of their opening three top flight matches.

However, Milan Live claim the former Red Bull Salzburg starlet is seen as a reserve in the eyes of Rossoneri boss Paulo Fonseca, and he could choose to leave in January.

This is where Postecoglou's side come in, as it is claimed Tottenham have told Milan they're ready to pay £17 million for Okafor. The recruitment team are apparently scouring for new attacking reinforcements ahead of the second half of 24/25, and Okafor fits the bill.

"In the past, he had a lot of minor injuries that sometimes prevented him from performing," said Mauro Lustrinelli, Okafor's coach at Under-21 level for Switzerland.

"He is now in very good physical condition. We already knew that he had magnificent technical qualities, speed and power. In recent months, he has also grown mentally, even though he is a very sensitive player, and that shows on the pitch."

Arsenal are plotting a "potential big-money" move for a player who once commanded a price tag of around £137 million, and the presence of manager Mikel Arteta could be a very enticing draw for him.

Arsenal prepare to face Tottenham with transfer plans ongoing

Arteta is busy in full preparation for Arsenal's all-important North London Derby clash away to Tottenham on Sunday, and the Spaniard has a few selection headaches to deal with ahead of the mouthwatering encounter.

While Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard are in contention to feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Arteta refusing to rule out their inclusion, Arsenal will certainly be without both Mikel Merino and Declan Rice.

Merino is sidelined with a shoulder injury, after he collided with Gabriel Magalhaes in his first ever London Colney training session, while Rice is set to miss Tottenham through suspension - following his sending off at home to Brighton a fortnight ago.

Odegaard was thought to be out for weeks, after he was hauled off with an ankle problem in Norway's 2-1 win over Austria, but a real boost for Arteta is that his club captain could actually be available for Sunday, depending on a last-minute assessment.

“We need some more tests," said Arteta on Odegaard's potential availability for Tottenham.

"Let’s see what happens in the next day or so. This afternoon probably. Let’s see the extent of the injury and how quickly we can get him back. He’s super positive about everything. Martin wants to be here every day, but we have to wait and see.

“He’s willing and he wants to be present in every game, especially a big game like this one. We need to make sure we know first how good he can be or not.”

As Arteta devises how best to set his team up against Spurs, sporting director Edu Gaspar and co are already making transfer preparations for 2025. Arsenal are frontrunners for Jonathan David, according to some reports, with the Lille striker able to agree pre-contract terms in January ahead of a free summer move.

Meanwhile, there are claims that Arsenal have already made contact over Benjamin Sesko as they eye another swoop for the Slovenian (CaughtOffside), coming after they failed to tempt the forward with an offer this year.

Arsenal plotting marquee move for Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane

According to GiveMeSport, former Man City star and Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane is on their list of targets for next year too. The once-£137 million forward, who earns around £325,000-per-week at the Allianz Arena, would still be a costly operation for the Gunners despite Sane's contract expiring next summer.

The Germany international's salary would make him Arteta's highest-paid player, but it is believed that Arsenal are plotting a "potential big-money" move for Sane regardless, alongside fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

Arsenal could have an advantage over the Magpies due to Arteta, with Sane expressing just how highly he regards the tactician.

"I can just say positive things about Mikel Arteta. Since we started working together, he helped me a lot on the pitch," said Sane on Arteta in an interview with The Independent.

"He tried to improve my football; he told me what I did good and what I did wrong, and he tried to work on it. Next to Pep, they both really helped me and improved me, to bring me to the next level.

“Even now, at Arsenal, for me you can see he’s doing a great job. You can see he has a concept, a way that he wants to play, a way that he wants his team to play, and obviously it will take some time until everybody really understands it. I think he will do a great job as a [head] coach too."

Early team news has come out of Tottenham Hotspur, as manager Ange Postecoglou prepares his side for their all-important North London Derby clash against Arsenal on Sunday.

Both sides come into the contest on a similar run of form, with Spurs winning one, drawing one and losing one of their opening three Premier League matches so far this season.

An opening weekend 1-1 draw away to Leicester City was followed by a dominant 4-0 victory against Everton in north London, but Newcastle United then inflicted Spurs' first defeat of the new campaign with a 2-1 win over Postecoglou's men at St. James' Park.

There were positives and negatives to take from their trio of top-flight clashes, but now one of Tottenham's toughest tests of the season is looming tomorrow afternoon. By contrast, Arsenal remain undefeated, though Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton exposed the chinks in their armour two weeks ago.

The Seagulls ended Mikel Arteta's 100 per cent start to 2024/2025 by holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium on August 31, with Joao Pedro's second-half strike cancelling out Kai Havertz's expertly-taken chipped finish over Bart Verbruggen.

In terms of injury news, Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino for weeks after the summer signing suffered a shoulder injury in training at London Colney, while star man Declan Rice is also set to miss the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium trip through suspension.

Arteta did share concerns for Postecoglou on Friday, though, with Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Riccardo Calafiori all contending to be fit for Spurs.

Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke, Micky van de Ven and Richarlison all missed Tottenham's last game through injury, but Postecoglou has since confirmed that van de Ven is ready for selection against Arsenal.

Yves Bissouma is an injury doubt for Tottenham, following his knock on international duty, which forced him off during Mali's 1-0 win over African minnows Eswatini in mid-week.

Postecoglou says that Solanke will be asssessed in training today, before the Australian makes a decision on his involvement against Arsenal, with there being only two fully confirmed absentees.

Richarlison and Will Lankshear out injured for Tottenham

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, the Lilywhites head coach announced that both Richarlison and Will Lankshear are out injured for Tottenham, and will miss the derby tomorrow as a result.

The Spurs duo are currently in rehab following their injury problems, so Postecoglou won't be able to call upon his £60 million Brazil striker against Arsenal.

Lankshear's hamstring injury has kept him sidelined for the last few weeks, which will be frustrating for the young forward, who is looking to break into Postecoglou's first-team after showing a lot of promise at academy level.

"Do you know what I’ve noticed, I’ve been really impressed with how he just finishes his chances," said pundit John Wenham to Football Insider on Lankshear.

“There are no mistakes, He doesn’t have any caveats so his game so far but he is only 17 and I think he is a complete finisher at the moment. But, if in time we can see him improve his passing levels then maybe we can look at him as a Harry Kane-lite or something like that."