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Ange Postecoglou was incensed after Tottenham Hotspur were defeated by Newcastle United down N17. It marks the fifth defeat from seven matches in the Premier League and condemns Spurs to a continued place at the bottom end of the table.

Context is key, for Tottenham are dealing with a shocking injury crisis that has effectively precluded any kind of consistency, but it's still frustrating to watch capable players make blunders with deflating regularity.

While he's been dealt a terrible hand, Postecoglou has been at fault for some of his tactical decisions, certainly not getting it right when opting to start Timo Werner on the left flank.

The German international was truly terrible. Again.

Timo Werner's performance vs Newcastle

Last summer, Werner was called back for a second loan spell in north London. Postecoglou wanted some added depth and enjoyed the 28-year-old's pace last season, albeit not his finishing.

Heung-min Son was dropped against Newcastle after struggling against Wolves before the new year. He's still a fantastic player but the South Korean skipper is 32 and lacks his one-time athleticism.

Werner flattered to deceive in his stead, only lasting an hour before being dragged back into the sidelines in place of his captain, who at least added some impetus with a completed dribble, a key pass and a 75% success rate in the duel, as per Sofascore.

It's proof that Werner isn't good enough, especially if you were to look at his performance through the lens of comparison, with Newcastle's left flanker Anthony Gordon putting in a vastly superior showing.

As you can see, Werner's opposite number outstripped him, not only chalking his name onto the scoresheet but taking plenty of touches and threading a couple of passes through to surging teammates.

Most importantly, he peppered the Tottenham goal throughout, showing Spurs that they missed out when signing Richarlison ahead of the England international in 2022.

Werner will hang his head and expect a return to the bench after this howler. He wasn't, however, the most culpable Spurs star on the afternoon - not with Radu Dragusin continuing to knock his chances of a long-term future at the club into oblivion.

Ange must brutally sell Radu Dragusin

We're almost exactly one year on from Tottenham's standout signing of the 2023/24 January transfer window. He joined from Genoa in a deal worth £27m but has failed to break away from a bit-part role.

As Sofascore records: Dragusin completed a rather woeful 53% of his passes, taking 17 touches (fewer than the anonymous Werner) and failing with one lonely contested duel.

It's no surprise that London World branded the Romanian with a 3/10 match rating, lambasting him for being incapable of defending. That, to be sure, is a rather important part of being a centre-back.

It is worth noting that Dragusin and Gray were among the Tottenham players to have caught a sickness bug in the build-up to the fixture, as Ange confirmed post-match, but it was more of the same from the natural centre-half and he was still overshadowed by his younger partner.

It's a fair point that questions must be asked of Tottenham's tactical team, for Dragusin is not showing the kind of technical game required for lasting success within Postecoglou's system, and has instead fallen by the wayside and languished as an inferior part alongside an 18-year-old midfielder moonlighting as a defender.

As per FBref, Dragusin actually ranks among the bottom 24% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes (2.60) per 90 and only the top 50% for pass completion.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy may well be inclined to urge Postecoglou to cut the club's losses and make the Romania international expendable, which is a pretty damning thing given that Spurs' other centre-backs all lie injured.

From being sent off after seven minutes in the Europa League during Tottenham's away victory over Qarabag to making a spate of errors during a run in the starting line-up, courtesy of various other injuries, it's been a testing campaign.

And let's just forget about his ball-playing foibles, why don't we? Sofascore have logged that the 22-year-old has been the author of four separate errors in the Premier League this term, his purportedly steely defensive qualities deserting him at an outfit crying out for some authority.

We will go out on a limb and surmise that Postecoglou will not be starting his young defender when Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies make their anticipated returns at the end of January.

He's young and has a platform for growth, but it's unlikely that many Lilywhites supporters would bemoan the decision to cut him loose given his abject performances in white this season.

With a transfer value of around £21m, as per Transfermarkt, Dragusin's stock might have taken a knock during his disastrous run at Tottenham, but he's still got talent and many years of football ahead of him.

Some might say that that is a fact to direct toward persistence, keeping him on the books and investing further in his potential, but Postecoglou might view things differently, with Dragusin lacking the nous and wherewithal to prosper in his system.

Tottenham Hotspur have expressed their interest in signing a new centre-back who they could get for a relatively cheap fee, with manager Ange Postecoglou making moves to reinforce his disjointed backline.

Tottenham without van de Ven, Romero and Davies until late January

Spurs will have to cope without their trio of first-choice centre-backs in Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies for even more time as they face a plethora of looming back-to-back January fixtures.

Postecoglou has just days in between each game to prepare throughout this month, as the Lilywhites prepare for a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, Tamworth in the FA Cup, a North London Derby away to Arsenal, Everton at home, Hoffenheim in the Europa League, Leicester City and Elfsborg.

The matches are coming thick and fast for Spurs, and they'll have to play most of them minus van de Ven, Romero and Davies, with Postecoglou confirming that the three senior defenders won't return until late January.

"Yeah, at this stage, Richy and Mikey will be the next two off the rank," said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news before their clash with Newcastle.

"Hopefully next week at some point, and then Ben, Micky van de Van and Romero, all kind of around the same time, so that back end of January, they're all sort of slated to return."

While Tottenham are closing in on a deal for Slavia Prague goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, their lack of options in defence has prompted many reports that Spurs could look to bring in another centre-half as well before the end of this month, and many interesting names have been linked.

RC Lens starlet Abdukodir Khusanov, Leeds United star Pascal Struijk, Feyenoord stalwart David Hancko, PSG's Milan Skriniar, Getafe's Omar Alderete, Inter Milan sensation Yann Bisseck and Borussia Mönchengladbach stalwart Ko Itakura are all centre-backs reportedly on Tottenham's radar, as technical director Johan Lange seeks to bolster Postecoglou's back line.

Itakura could be available at a cut-price for Spurs in January, as his contract expires in the summer of 2026, so the Japan international could be an attractive option.

Tottenham could sign Udinese defender Kristensen for just £14 million

However, he isn't their only prudent target, as it is believed Udinese colossus Thomas Kristensen is attracting serious interest from N17.

That is according to Messaggero Veneto, as translated by Sport Witness, who claim that Tottenham are eyeing a January move for Kristensen, and his club are prepared to let him leave this month for just £14 million.

The 6 foot 6 Denmark Under-21 international was one of Udinese's best-performing players by average match rating throughout the entirety of 2023/2024, according to WhoScored, and his age indicates that there is scope for him to improve even more.

Once van de Ven and Romero return, he would also have to contend with a more bit-part role, so Spurs won't want to splash the cash on a too illustrious defender in a bid not to upset the apple cart. However, they do face competition from Leicester City to secure a deal for the Dane.

It felt like a predestined result. Tottenham Hotspur would have needed a miraculous performance to turn over high-flying Newcastle United, given their injury crisis and rut on the field.

In fairness, Spurs showed grit and togetherness against Eddie Howe's side, but they were unable to prevent their quarry from escaping with all three points, extending their Premier League winning run to five matches.

Tottenham, conversely, are still languishing in the bottom half of the table as they begin the second half of the campaign. Ange Postecoglou watched Dominic Solanke secure the early lead, but Anthony Gordon and the unstoppable Alexander Isak responded in a frantic first half.

It's not all doom and gloom, with Brandon Austin impressing between the sticks and 18-year-old Archie Gray continuing to perform valiantly in central defence.

However, it was Lucas Bergvall who shone the brightest here. Let's pick out the positives, ay? What a future this talent has ahead.

Lucas Bergvall shines in the centre

Postecoglou took Bergvall off just after the hour mark and a fair few groans reverberated across the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 18-year-old midfielder impressed against one of the Premier League's most dynamic and imposing central engines.

While the Lilywhites lost again, it's important to remember that they are battling against a shocking injury crisis that is making a mockery of Postecoglou's tactics, the Australian unable to implement his vision as a consequence.

But with up-and-coming prospects like the Swede able to stand out among their more experienced peers, the club will be sure to rise again.

Bergvall was crisp in the challenge, completed his only dribble and could have easily stayed on for longer. Football content creator George Achillea even called him the hosts' "best player by a mile," going on to rebuke winger Brennan Johnson for his "non-existent" showing on the right.

We'd like to ask the same thing.

Ange should have subbed Brennan Johnson

Johnson played the full 90 against Newcastle and the question has to be raised regarding Postecoglou's persistence. Why was he not hooked? Dejan Kulusevski could have seamlessly moved into his natural position and Bergvall would have kept his flair and elegance on the field.

Writing in their post-match player ratings, London World questioned the 'perplexing' decision to take Bergvall off and criticised the 5/10 Johnson for squandering good opportunities in front of goal.

As per Sofascore, Johnson missed two chances, scratching the woodwork with one, and also failed to provide support for the likes of Solanke in the centre, missing with each of his three attempted crosses.

The Welshman's saving grace was that he won four of seven duels and made three tackles, willing to get stuck in but not offering enough for an outfit that is desperate for a result to shift the narrative down N17.

The general consensus was that Bergvall should have stayed on the pitch, with the 'non-existent' Johnson deserving the hook instead.

Kulusevski could have easily shifted onto the right to allow Yves Bissouma to still enter the fray and pack a punch against the Magpies.

Postecoglou will be frustrated by his threadbare options, but he didn't get this one right and has slumped to yet another defeat.

Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact over a deal for an "outstanding" defender, having emerged as the club showing the most interest in his signature.

Tottenham struggling defensively

Given Ange Postecoglou's attacking style of play, it will always be difficult for Tottenham to keep a great number of clean sheets, and they have often looked poor defensively in the first half of the campaign.

Spurs' 6-3 defeat at home to Liverpool in the Premier League displayed their frailties at the back, and their defensive struggles may soon be exacerbated further by a number of defenders being sidelined with injuries.

With the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie all currently on the treatment table, Postecoglou may be forced to enter the transfer market for a new defender this month.

A number of targets have been identified by the Australian, with AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori now on the list, alongside the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach's Ko Ikatura and Lens' Abdukodir Khusanov, having opened talks for the latter two players.

Tottenham clearly have a number of options in mind, and there is another player on the shortlist, with journalist Alessandro Giovanni Pagliarini reporting they have made contact with Atalanta to ask for information about Ben Godfrey.

"Not only #Wolves and #NFFC, also #Tottenham asked for information for Ben #Godfrey. The defender did not convince Gasperini and will leave #Atalanta in the January market."

The 26-year-old, who cost £10m in the summer, has not done enough to convince manager Gian Piero Gasperini and is set to leave the Serie A club this winter, potentially opening the door for a move to north London, although Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest are also keen.

Journalist Rudy Galetti has confirmed that Spurs have shown "the most interest" in Godfrey, as they look to reinforce their defence this winter.

Godfrey could reignite his career at Tottenham

Things may not have worked out exactly to plan for the centre-back in Italy, but he has put in some impressive performances over the past year, showcasing his defensive attributes.

The York-born defender ranks in the 99th percentile for clearances per 90, and the 97th percentile for aerials won, when compared to his positional peers, displaying his dominance in the air.

During his time with Norwich City, the defender was hailed by former manager Daniel Farke, who said: "You can speak about the best centre-backs in the world now but at 19 and 20 they will have made mistakes.

“The best ones learn. Ben is playing without mistakes and that is outstanding. He is a pretty emotional player and I like that a lot because it means you are capable of finding another gear."

Last season was a tough one for Tottenham Hotspur fans, but this one has been on another level entirely so far.

The North Londoners have been ravaged by injuries from the word go and, at present, are down to the bare bones in defence and missing players in midfield and attack to boot.

However, while injuries and suspensions have certainly played their part in the team's poor results, those who have been fit have also underperformed and been responsible for draws and defeats that should have been won.

It was the same story last week, as Ange Postecoglou's side fell to a late equaliser against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and with an even more challenging game to come against Newcastle United today, changes need to be made in the attack, with club captain Son Heung-min dropping to the bench.

Why Son should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to say is that, regardless of his form, nobody can deny Son's monumental impact on Spurs over the years and the utterly sensational performances he has put in season after season.

However, time comes for us all, and so far this year, particularly of late, he has just looked miles off the pace regardless of whether he starts on the wing or down the middle.

We saw his diminishing impact in the game against Wolves, as in his 64 minutes of action, he missed a penalty, created a paltry expected assists figure of just 0.02, took 28 touches, misplaced 100% of his crosses, didn't attempt a single dribble, played a single key pass and made just 15 passes.

Unsurprisingly, with a display like that, the watching press was suitably unimpressed with the South Korean superstar.

For example, Spurs writer Alasdair Gold gave him a dismal match rating of just 4/10 and wrote that it was just another game in which he 'struggled to make an impact' and that he 'couldn't argue with being taken off at the hour mark.'

At the end of the day, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace can still be a useful player for Postecoglou and Spurs, but he cannot start against all-action Toon today.

The player who should take Son's place

So, with Mikey Moore still out with an illness and with Timo Werner being even more underwhelming than Son this season, the player Postecoglou should start on the left is Dejan Kulusevski.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we know he's been brilliant in midfield this year.

However, he has some experience playing off the left, and he is such an unbelievably talented footballer that he'll be able to influence that game from anywhere on the pitch.

Moreover, this frees up another spot in the middle of the park for James Maddison to come back into the team, making the North Londoners even more dangerous going forward.

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the Premier League, the former Leicester City star sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders or wingers for actual and expected non-penalty goals, the top 4% for assists and progressive passes and the top 8% for total shots, all per 90.

Likewise, FBref has also placed the "world-class" Swede, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in the top 5% of attacking midfielders or wingers this season for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for touches in the opposition's penalty area and the top 16% for progressive carries, all per 90.

It would be an even more attacking set-up from the Lilywhites, but with Fabian Schar out for the Magpies, the attack might genuinely be the best form of defence today.

Ultimately, Postecoglou is in a rough spot with injuries and the overall form of his team, so going all out for the three points today with Maddison and Kulusevski in the side might just be a gamble worth taking.

It's not been a great campaign for Tottenham Hotspur so far this season.

Ange Postecoglou's Lilywhites might have scored the second-highest number of goals in the Premier League this year, but they currently find themselves down in 11th place and are enduring their worst form in the competition since 2008.

While there are issues across the pitch for the North Londoners, defence is without a doubt the biggest issue, and a significant reason why is the number of defenders who have been injured.

One of those who is now ruled out for the upcoming game against Newcastle United is Destiny Udogie, and while he was brilliant last season, recent reports have linked Spurs with an up-and-coming full-back who could be his replacement.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Lecce full-back Patrick Dorgu.

However, the bad news is that a number of other clubs, such as AC Milan, Chelsea, Napoli, Liverpool and Manchester United, are now beginning to circle the young Dane, which in turn has seen the 20-year-old's initial £30m valuation increase.

This is a problem as, according to the report, Daniel Levy could limit Postecoglou to spending £25m, although given the recent injury to Udogie, there is always a possibility that the budget may increase.

Overall, signing Dorgu could be a complicated and costly transfer, but given his ability and Spurs' need, it's one worth pursuing, even if it would be bad news for Udogie's long-term future.

How Dorgu compares to Udogie

So, if Spurs are able to increase their transfer budget, get ahead of the chasing pack, and secure Dorgu's services this month, he'd almost certainly come in and immediately start for the injured Udogie.

However, what will happen once the Italian full-back returns from his injury? Who would be the Lilywhites' starting left-back?

Well, the way to work that out is to compare them against each other and see who comes out on top, starting with something that is becoming increasingly important for a modern full-back: their pure output.

In this regard, the Lecce man comes way ahead, with three goals in 19 games to the former Udinese ace's one assist in 23 matches, although the 20-year-old has played all over the pitch this season, which will have helped.

How about their underlying numbers, then? Who comes out on top when we take a look at what's going on under the hood?

Well, unfortunately for the Verona-born dynamo, it is once again his potential replacement who emerges victorious, and by quite some way at that.

For example, the exciting prospect, whom Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino described as having "an engine unmatched by anyone else," comes out on top in almost every metric, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots, goal and shot-creating actions, passes and crosses into the penalty area, clearances, shots blocked, and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Udogie is a very talented footballer, it's apparent that Dorgu would be the perfect upgrade for Postecoglou's full-throttle system.

Therefore, while it would cost a pretty penny, Levy and Co must do what they can to bring him to N17 this month.

Tottenham Hotspur are now exploring a move for a "superb" Premier League ace to replace Fraser Forster, according to a report.

Fraser Forster failing to impress

After Guglielmo Vicario was ruled out with a long-term injury back in November, Ange Postecoglou made it clear in no uncertain terms that he had no plans to sign a goalkeeper during the January transfer window.

However, it would be fair to say that Fraser Forster has flattered to deceive in Vicario's absence, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher highly critical of the goalkeeper after his performance in the 4-3 EFL Cup victory against Manchester United, saying: "Has there been a worse performance from two goalkeepers in the same game ever?"

As such, it appears as though Postecoglou has made a U-turn and will now look to bring in a new goalkeeper to replace Forster this January, and The Boot Room have now provided an update on one of the players Tottenham could target.

According to a report, Spurs are now interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone this month, given that Forster's introduction to the team has coincided with some poor results.

The Lilywhites are now exploring a loan deal for the Wolves goalkeeper, who is expected to be allowed to leave Molineux this month, given that Jose Sa has emerged as the Old Gold's number one this season.

The opportunity to sign the 31-year-old, who was wanted by Antonio Conte in 2022, on an initial loan deal appeals to Tottenham, seemingly as a stop-gap until Vicario returns from his ankle injury.

Paul O Keefe has since reported that Johnstone is "one of the leading contenders" to strengthen the goalkeeper area this winter.

Johnstone also struggling between the sticks

In truth, both players have not been at their best over the past year, ranking in very low percentiles across a number of key metrics for goalkeepers.

As shown, Forster is performing slightly better across the three statistics, although it must be taken into account that he has played for a stronger team, who are expected to dominate certain games and therefore face fewer shots.

There is no doubt that Johnstone is talented, given his previous involvement with the England squad, winning four caps, and he has been lauded as "superb" by members of the media.

However, there is little evidence that the Englishman would be much of an upgrade on Forster for Tottenham in the second half of the season, so it may be worth Postecoglou looking at other targets.

There is no escaping it: this season is turning into a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou's side find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with more losses than wins to their name, and as things stand, they seem to have an ever-growing injury list that has utterly decimated their defence.

However, there have been a couple of positives to take from the campaign so far, such as their progress in the League Cup and the fact that Dejan Kulusevski has taken a big step forward this year, but the manager still needs Daniel Levy and Co to dip into the transfer market this month and provide him with more options.

Fortunately, reports from late last month did link the club with an in-form attacker who's won comparisons to the Swede and could be a dream upgrade on Brennan Johnson.

Spurs' attacking options

So, while the defence has been a massive problem for Spurs this season, both in terms of how defenders have performed and the number of them who have been injured, the attack has generally been pretty good for the North Londoners.

For example, the Lilywhites have already found the back of the net on 41 occasions in their 19 league games, and there are five players with seven or more goals in all competitions in the squad.

Moreover, while he's not necessarily been a complete game-changer for Postecoglou this season, summer signing Dominic Solanke has now found his feet in the team and currently has a brilliant haul of ten goals and five assists to his name in just 25 games.

Likewise, Kulusevski, despite playing in a midfield role for much of the campaign, already has seven goals and eight assists in just 28 appearances, which means he's averaging a goal involvement every 1.86 games - more than justifying the "world-class" tag given to him by talent scout Jacek Kulig previously.

Lastly, while he can be frustrating at times and has a handful of poor games this season, Johnson has been a useful attacker for the manager, racking up a haul of 11 goals and three assists in 28 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game.

However, while the Welshman has been good, a player Spurs were linked to just a few days ago could be the perfect upgrade, especially as he's been compared to the incredible Kulusevski.

The Spurs target who could replace Johnson

So, to get straight to the point, the player in question is Celtic star Nicholas Kühn, who, according to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey late last month, is a player Tottenham are interested in.

The report claimed that while the Scottish giants are keen to keep the German attacker in Glasgow this month, a sizable offer could tempt them into selling and, according to another report from the Standard back in November, that fee could be up to £30m.

Now, that's certainly a lot of money for a player from the Scottish Premiership, but given the fact he's outperforming Johnson and has been compared to Kulusevski, he could be worth it.

So, before we look at how he's outperforming the Welshman, it's worth examining this comparison to the former Juventus star and where it comes from.

It primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in 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 Swede is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the German over the last 365 days.

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 goals, assists, shots on target, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

With that said, why do we think he could be an upgrade on Johnson? Simply put, his output for the Hoops this season has been utterly sensational.

For example, in just 26 appearances, the "outstanding" right-winger, as dubbed by former Celtic star Aiden McGeady, has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he's currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.04 games for the Glaswegian side.

Now, there is certainly something to be said for the level of opposition he is facing north of the border, but his output is so far ahead of the former Nottingham Forest ace's at this moment in time that this feels like a transfer worth taking a risk on.

Ultimately, Johnson has been a valuable player for Spurs and Postecoglou this season, but at the moment, it feels as if Kühn's ceiling is just that bit higher, and therefore, the North Londoners should do what they can to bring him to N17 this month.

Tottenham Hotspur are seriously considering a move for a "special" defender this month, following Ange Postecoglou holding talks with influential figures behind the scenes, according to a report.

Tottenham keen on a defender

The injuries are mounting up at N17, with Postecoglou now running out of defenders to choose from, having been forced to play Radu Dragusin in the 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite the Romanian only being partially fit.

The Australian has since admitted it is the worst injury crisis he has ever experienced in his career, with close to 10 first-team players unavailable for a significant run of games.

Postecoglou is particularly light on options at the back, with Destiny Udogie now expected to miss the next two months of action due to a hamstring injury, so the manager may be keen to bring in cover at left-back during the January transfer window.

The Spurs boss could now have identified his target, with GiveMeSport reporting that a move for £30m Patrick Dorgu is now being seriously considered after talks about the January transfer business were held with influential figures behind the scenes.

Tottenham may find themselves in a bidding war for the Lecce star, however, as they are aware the defender is attracting interest from elsewhere.

Udogie's injury may persuade Daniel Levy to boost the budget and sanction a move for a left-back this month, with Postecoglou adamant that better options are needed in defence and attack if his side are going to improve their results in 2025.

Dorgu could be a perfect replacement for Udogie

The 20-year-old most commonly plays at left-back, but he is also very much capable of posing a threat going forward, having featured on both wings, and he already has three goals to his name in the Serie A this season.

The Dane has also impressed the manager of his U21 national side, Steffen Højer, who said: "What's special about him is that he's a quiet and calm guy, but things just come incredibly naturally to him on a football pitch.

"When he is put on the field, and it doesn't matter which team, he just fits in, and he just makes an incredible number of good choices for such a young player."

With Udogie set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future, and Ben Davies likely having to slot in at centre-back when he returns from injury, it is clear that Postecoglou could do with signing a left-back this month.

Dorgu's attacking nature shows that he could be a perfect fit in a Postecoglou system, but it remains to be seen if Tottenham are able to win the race for his signature, given that a number of other clubs are interested.

This season was supposed to be a campaign in which Ange Postecoglou ironed out the mistakes of his swashbuckling Tottenham Hotspur side and led them to a trophy of some kind.

Instead, the Australian has seen his team maintain their entertaining style of play, but if anything, become even more inconsistent and, thanks to a swathe of injuries combined with poor form, they find themselves in the second half of the Premier League table and desperately searching for their next win.

In the manager's defence, there is still a chance for them to win some silverware this year, but based on their performances over the last few months, that feels like a distinctly distant prospect.

Moreover, one of the team's best players this season, who has been genuinely brilliant at times, is now supposedly a target for a Champions League giant, and could leave in a move akin to Gareth Bale's departure in 2013.

Gareth Bale's Spurs departure

Now, when it comes to the best Spurs players of the last 15 to 20 years, most fans might name stars like Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Luka Modrić, but for us, Bale stands above the rest.

The utterly sensational Welshman endured a torrid start to life in North London that included a severe ankle injury and a brutal winless run that saw Sir Alex Ferguson tell Harry Redknapp to drop him, but after a few years and a shift from full-back to winger, he exploded.

Over his first stint with the club, the Cardiff-born superstar made 203 appearances, in which he scored 55 goals and provided 50 assists, but it was in the 12/13 campaign, his final one with the club before moving to Real Madrid, that he cemented himself as a world-class attacker.

In just 44 appearances that year, the Welsh legend scored 26 goals and provided ten assists for the Lilywhites, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.22 games.

Such a rate of return saw Los Blancos spend a world record £85m on him that summer, and he went on to win everything there is to win at club level in Spain.

While fans didn't begrudge Bale for his decision to leave them for such a giant of the game, it was a move that left them looking for a suitable replacement, which it could be said they never found, and now, based on reports, they could be set to lose another of their best players to a European giant.

The Spurs star who could leave

So, to get straight to the point, the Spurs star who could leave as soon as this month is none other than Dejan Kulusevski.

According to a report from the Italian publication MilanLive, the Swedish international has been in contact with his fellow countryman Zlatan Ibrahimović, who is a senior advisor to the UCL giants and is intent on bringing the 24-year-old to the San Siro this year.

The report has even more bad news for the Tottenham faithful, as it claims that the former Juventus ace is keen on the move as Postecoglou's side continue to struggle this season.

The Rossoneri are supposedly keen to sign the dynamic attacker on a short-term loan this month before paying a fee in the summer, although Spurs are set to demand at least €50m, which is about £41m.

Now, akin to Bale's move to Real over a decade ago, this would be a severe blow to the club's attacking options as the "world-class" international, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has thrived in both midfield and on the wings this season.

Across all competitions this year, the Stockholm-born maestro has made 28 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists, meaning he's currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Ultimately, if this report is accurate, then this transfer could be just as damaging to the team as Bale's was in 2013, as while Kulusevski is not quite on the same level as him, he's arguably just as important to this current Spurs team.

Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co must do what they can to ensure this is a deal that does not happen.