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It's not been the season Tottenham Hotspur fans would have been hoping for just a few months ago.

The positives are that the club have made it to the League Cup semi-finals and remain in contention for the Europa League, but the negative is their form in the Premier League.

As things stand, Ange Postecoglou's side find themselves all the way down in 11th place, with more losses than wins to their name, despite being the league's top scorers.

It has become crystal clear that the defence is the biggest problem for the team, and while they are missing players through injury, some of their regular starters are seriously underwhelming and, therefore, must be dropped ahead of this afternoon's game against Nottingham Forest.

The Spurs ace who must be dropped

Unfortunately, based on the club's recent form, you could argue for dropping any number of starters from the team ahead of this afternoon's game.

However, given that defence is the biggest issue at present and that there is no depth to make changes at centre-back, Pedro Porro must be removed from the team.

The Spanish full-back has been an important part of the Lilywhites' lineup since joining the club under former boss Antonio Conte, and while he still has a reasonably impressive haul of five goal involvements, he's been defensively suspect this season.

For example, against Liverpool last week, the former Sporting CP star was all at sea for several of the Reds' fast breaks and subsequent goals, leading to a rather dismal 4/10 match rating from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold, who added that 'so many goals are conceded in his part of the Spurs box.'

While that might sound like a harsh appraisal of the defender, his statistics from the game prove it's not.

He lost the ball 21 times, was dribbled past once, and lost 50% of his duels.

Unfortunately, it was a similar story against Rangers in the Europa League, for which he received a 5/10 from Gold and against Ipswich Town at home last month, for which he also received a 5/10 match rating and was described as a "horror show" by journalist Mitch Fretton.

Overall, while often brilliant in attack, Porro has been incredibly poor in defence recently and should, as such, be dropped from the team today.

The Spurs star who should start vs Nottingham Forest

So, to get straight to the point, the Spurs player who should come in for Porro this afternoon is Destiny Udogie, who missed out on Sunday through injury.

However, following the game, Postecoglu seemed optimistic about his chances of being back to full fitness for this afternoon, which wouldn't be too surprising as he did make the bench against the Reds.

With that said, the eagle-eyed among you may be thinking how a left-back would come into the team for a right-back, and while that's a good question, it's not what we are suggesting.

Instead, the Spaniard should be directly replaced with the impressive Djed Spence, with the Italian then coming into the position vacated by the Englishman.

Now, it should also be acknowledged that the former Udinese gem has not been having the best of campaigns either, but he's not been quite as suspect in defence as the former Sporting gem.

Moreover, it was only last season that the 22-year-old "monster," as dubbed by journalist Travis Levison, was the first player in the club's history to be nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Year award, so he's certainly deserving of a chance to play himself back into form.

Lastly, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the Premier League, he is in the top 7% of full-backs this season for blocks, the top 9% for progressive passes and tackles and the top 12% for pass completion, all per 90.

Ultimately, there aren't any perfect solutions for Spurs at the moment, but given how poor Porro has been in recent weeks and how impressive Spence has been, it makes sense to move the latter to the right and bring in Udogie to try and get him back to his sensational best.

The last month or so has been brutal for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou's side have suffered several injuries to star players and been on the wrong end of several eye-catching results.

For example, they lost 6-3 to Liverpool on Sunday evening, 4-3 to Chelsea a couple of weeks ago and 2-1 to newly promoted Ipswich Town before the final international break of the year, and in each of those games, the manager started Radu Dragusin.

The Romanian international has not been great this season, so reports suggesting the club could be set to repeat the mistake that saw them sign him in January should worry fans.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham are interested in Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey, a player with 112 Premier League appearances to his name.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners have already made an approach to take him on a short-term loan as they look for solutions to their current defensive crisis.

However, while their need for a new defender might be the most acute, the Lilywhites aren't the only team interested in the former Everton ace, as reports from earlier this month named Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest as two of four Premier League sides keen.

Now, given Spurs' stature and what they can offer players, we would be surprised if they couldn't get ahead of the competition, but given their ambitions, we aren't sure they should, especially considering how poorly their last centre-back signing from Italy has fared.

Why Spurs shouldn't sign Godfrey

So, simply put, signing Godfrey, even on a short-term loan, would be a poor decision and could end up mimicking Dragusin's move.

The Romanian joined the North Londoners from Serie A side Genoa in January for a fee of around £26.7m, and while there was some excitement around the transfer, he's now one of the most scrutinised players in the squad, and for good reason.

The 22-year-old has been forced into a more prominent role this season due to injuries, and while he hasn't been cataclysmically bad, he has been poor.

For example, in the Europa League, he got himself sent off against Qarabağ FK, gifted Victor Osimhen a goal against Galatasaray and looked utterly out of his depth against Rangers.

He's not fared much better in the Premier League, averaging just 1.30 points per game and being so poor against Ipswich Town that journalist and fan Mitch Fretton described his performance as an "absolute horror show."

Now, while Godfrey's move would be similar in the sense that he'd also be joining from an Italian club, the difference is that he's not an important member of Atalanta's squad.

For example, since joining the Bergamo outfit in the summer, he's made just five appearances, totalling 93 minutes, and was even described as a 'flop' by Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta in September.

Unfortunately for the former Norwich City gem, he hasn't got an impressive body of work in the Premier League to fall back on either, as in the four seasons following his £25m move to Goodison Park, he made just 93 appearances.

Moreover, during his final campaign with the Toffees, the "embarrassing" centre-back, as dubbed by former scout Bryan King, made just 16 appearances across all competitions, meaning he wasn't deemed good enough to help the club avoid relegation.

Ultimately, Spurs' need for some defensive reinforcements is undeniable, but that does not mean they should be signing the first player they come across, and that is what this potential deal feels like.

It would be fair to say that this season has been quite disappointing for Tottenham Hotspur so far.

Ange Postecoglou's side kicked off their campaign hoping to improve on their fifth-place finish in the Premier League last year, but as things stand, they are down in 11th.

The North Londoners have made it to the League Cup semi-finals and are still in with a chance of winning the Europa League, but for that to happen, they'll need to seriously improve their performances.

Now, the club have been hit by an injury crisis in defence, but even so, the likes of Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie have looked significantly worse than they did this time last year, so reports linking the club with a potential upgrade in the latter should excite the fans.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several sides keen on signing Club Brugge's exciting full-back Maxim De Cuyper.

The report has revealed that, in addition to the Lilywhites, London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal are also interested in the Belgian defender.

Unfortunately, the story also claims that the Gunners are currently leading the race, but given their abundance of full-backs, there is no reason Spurs couldn't get ahead of them by offering more game time.

The report does not reveal how much the 24-year-old could cost the interested parties, but given his valuation of €12m - £10m - on transfermarkt, we'd be surprised if it was a prohibitively expensive price tag.

There is undoubtedly an element of risk in signing a player from outside the top five leagues, but based on his ability and potential, De Cuyper is a gamble worth taking, especially as he could be an ideal Udogie upgrade.

How De Cuyper compares to Udogie

So, one of De Cuyper's best attributes is that he's versatile enough to play on either side of a defence and can even play further up the pitch in wide midfield or even on the wing.

However, his most played position, and by quite some way, is left-back, meaning a move to Spurs next year would see him go up against Udogie for a starting berth, but how do they compare?

Well, from an output perspective, which is increasingly important in the modern game, the Club Brugge ace comes out ahead.

For example, in his 24 appearances this season, the "monster" full-back, as dubbed by video scout Elijah Michiels, has scored one goal and provided four assists, equating to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.8 games.

In comparison, the Lilywhites' Italian ace has provided just a solitary assist in his 21 appearances this season, which is undeniably poor.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Is the comparison just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood?

Indeed, it is, as the "exceptional" Belgian, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, emerges victorious in the majority of relevant metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, key passes, passes and crosses into the penalty area, shots blocked and more, all per 90.

Now, while the extent to which the Brugge star outperforms Udogie is massive, we must take into account the fact that he is playing in a weaker league.

However, even with that in mind, his underlying numbers are simply sensational, and the idea of him playing in Postecoglou's incredibly attacking system should excite the Lilywhites faithful.

Therefore, while there is some risk to this potential deal, Tottenham should do all they can to sign De Cuyper in 2025 before someone else beats them to him.

Tottenham are now reportedly exploring a potential January move to land a new midfielder to bolster Ange Postecoglou's ranks in the winter window as they look to turn their season around.

Tottenham are the Premier League entertainers

No club has scored more Premier League goals than Tottenham this season, with three more against Liverpool taking their tally to 39. The problem for them has been that the results haven't been as positive, with their 6-3 thrashing by the league leaders leaving them stranded in 11th place over Christmas, with more defeats than wins so far this season.

Postecoglou has already told fans that he will not be changing his style of play any time soon despite the adverse results, and doubled down on that claim after the loss to Liverpool.

"If people want me to change my approach, it is not going to change," he explained after the game. "We are doing it for a reason. We are doing it because we think it will help us to be successful."

He will need reinforcements in the transfer window in order to be able to continue his rebuild in north London, and Spurs have been strongly linked with another centre-back to help alleviate their concerns at the back, with teenage midfielder Archie Gray currently being asked to fill in alongside Radu Dragusin. Now, they could also look further forward in a bid to add yet more goals to their game.

Tottenham explore January Bundesliga raid

That comes according to reports in Spain, which claim that Tottenham are exploring a potential move to sign Julian Brandt from Borussia Dortmund as early as the January transfer window.

The German midfielder, who has previously been strongly linked with a move to north London rivals Arsenal, has been a key part of Nuri Sahin's Borussia Dortmund side and has started all 12 Bundesliga games that he has been available for.

A goal and an assist in his most recent outing against Wolfsburg took his tally to nine goal contributions across all competitions this season as he looks to beat his tally of 26 from last campaign.

Just two years ago, he was considered just as important as Jude Bellingham in Dortmund's high-flying side, with defender Nico Schlotterbeck dubbing him "outstanding" and adding that "Jule, along with Jude Bellingham, has been our standout player so far this season”.

But the forward is down to the final 18 months of his £127,000 a week deal at Signal Iduna Park, and previous reports have suggested that the club are willing to cash in on the 28-year-old, something that has seemingly caught Tottenham's eye.

According to the report, Spurs have "begun exploring the possibility" of his arrival in north London and talks "could progress during the winter transfer window".

No price tag is mentioned, and it seems unlikely that Dortmund would be willing to let him leave cheaply midway through the season. Meanwhile, Spurs are more likely to focus on defensive additions in January, with their options in midfield not stretched as thinly as those in front of their own goal. As a result, a summer move could be more likely for the Germany international.

It would be fair to say that, so far, this season has not gone to plan for Tottenham Hotspur.

Following Sunday's demolition job at the hands of Arne Slot's high-flying Liverpool, Ange Postecoglou's side find themselves down in 11th place in the Premier League, with more losses than wins to their name.

While the manager and his players share a significant portion of the blame for their dismal form this year, the number of injuries the side have picked up has not helped.

However, while things look bleak at the moment, the North Londoners have still looked electric here and there, and based on recent reports, their attacking options could look even better next year, as they've been linked with someone who could be the perfect James Maddison rival.

Tottenham Hotspur chasing Bundesliga star

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are very interested in Borussia Dortmund star Julian Brandt.

The report claims that the North Londoners are looking to improve the overall level of the team and, therefore, the addition of the German star would be a 'significant' one.

A potential transfer fee is not mentioned in the story, but Football Transfers' expected transfer value model rates him at around the £32m mark.

Overall, it could be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but given Brandt's impressive ability, it's one worth pursuing, especially as he could be a dream Maddison rival.

How Brandt compares to Maddison

One of the many benefits of signing Brandt is that he can play in a multitude of positions on the pitch.

For example, throughout his career, the German international has played on either wing, in central midfield, and even as a centre-forward. Still, his primary position is that of attacking midfield.

Therefore, he would likely go up against Maddison for a place in the team were he to join Spurs, but who comes out on top when we compare the pair?

Well, when it comes to their pure output over the last two seasons, they are pretty evenly matched, with the German Cup winner just edging it.

For example, the "excellent" Dortmund star, as dubbed by former manager Marco Rose, has scored 13 goals and provided 22 assists in 66 games since the start of last season, equating to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games.

In comparison, the former Leicester City star has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 54 appearances across the same period, which comes out to a slightly worse average of a goal involvement every 2.07 games.

"He's a special guy, not one to shy away from responsibility or let his head drop, but just someone who likes to do his own thing. He's a bit cheeky, but that's a good thing, especially with attacking players." - Brandt's former coach Dirk Kunert.

Now, while the pair are similarly matched regarding output, the Bremen-born ace comes out ahead regarding their availability in recent history.

For example, since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, he's missed just 20 games for club and country, whereas the Lilywhites' co-vice-captain has missed a staggering 46 games in the same period.

Therefore, not only is the German ever so slightly more productive than the Englishman, but he's also available more often.

Ultimately, Maddison is an incredibly talented footballer and one who could still achieve great things with Spurs, but if Brandt is available next year, Daniel Levy and Co should do what they can to sign him, as the pair would push each other to improve and his arrival would seriously strengthen the squad as well.

They might be the most entertaining team in the Premier League, but last night was one to forget for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou welcomed Liverpool to N17 just a few days after their breathtaking League Cup victory over Manchester United, but instead of claiming their first back-to-back victories of the season, the North Londoners lost 6-3.

A few players looked somewhat decent for the Lilywhites, such as the young Archie Gray, who was again playing out of position, or Dejan Kulusevski, who tried to make things happen.

However, most of the team were incredibly poor, including one starter previously hailed by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who must not play in the next game.

Spurs' poor performers

So, before we get to the player in question, it's worth looking at some of Postecoglou's other starters, such as Son Heung-min, who may well have played themselves out of the starting lineup.

The South Korean international's legacy at Spurs is unquestionable, but this season, he's become less and less effective on a seemingly week-by-week basis, and that was no different yesterday evening.

The club captain offered practically nothing in attack, producing a paltry combined expected goals plus assists figure of just 0.12, and was just as anonymous tracking back, which more than justified the 5/10 match rating he received from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold at full-time.

Someone else who was notably poor for the Lilywhites was Pedro Porro.

Like his captain, the right-back has been out of form for much of the campaign, and instead of taking a step in the right direction yesterday, he looked even worse.

The former Sporting CP ace was totally ineffective in attack, producing an expected assists figure of just 0.15, and was woeful in defence, losing 50% of his duels, being dribbled past once and losing the ball 21 times, which are just some of the reasons Gold gave him a 4/10 rating.

However, he wasn't the only player to receive a rating that low, nor is he the only player who must be axed from the starting lineup.

The Spurs player who must be dropped

So, to get straight to the point, the Spurs player in question is, of course, Yves Bissouma.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star, whom Jamie Carragher described as "quality" two years ago, put in yet another dreadful showing for North Londoners yesterday evening.

The Mali international looked lost at sea in the middle of the park, unable to influence the game going forward and looking even more ineffective when trying to carry out his defensive duties.

For example, in his 96 minutes of action, the 28-year-old produced an expected assists figure of just 0.01, maintained a passing accuracy of 88%, misplaced 50% of his long balls, lost 50% of his duels, lost the ball 12 times, committed three fouls, was dribbled past once and made an error that led to a shot.

With statistics like these, it's no surprise that Gold awarded him a dismal 4/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he 'struggled' for much of the encounter.

Sadly, yesterday's poor showing wasn't a one-off for the Issia-born ace, as he's already let Ange down multiple times this season.

For example, he received a 3/10 match rating from Gold for his display against Chelsea, a 4/10 for his efforts against Rangers and a 5/10 against Qarabağ FK in the Europa League.

Ultimately, Bissouma is capable of playing well here and there, but this season, he's been undeniably poor, and with Rodrigo Bentancur back from suspension for the next game, Postecoglou must drop him from the starting lineup.

Tottenham are now making a move to sign a new defender in January as they look to find fresh cover for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the winter window.

Makeshift Tottenham face serious problems

Injuries to both of their first choice centre-backs has left Ange Postecoglou with massive problems to solve, added to by the absences of Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie.

The result, somewhat inevitably, is chaos. The Spurs boss has named teenage midfielder Archie Gray at the heart of a defence that also contained rarely seen Djed Spence at left-back and veteran Fraser Forster in goal in recent weeks, with predictable results.

The Lilywhites shipped six goals against Liverpool in their most recent Premier League outing, and in truth it could have been more. It follows recent games that have seen them concede three in midweek and four two weeks prior against Chelsea. Currently 11th in the Premier League, Spurs have kept just four clean sheets this season, but Postecoglou will not be changing his tactics despite the injuries.

"If people want me to change my approach, it is not going to change", he emphasised again after the loss to Liverpool. "We are doing it for a reason. We are doing it because we think it will help us to be successful."

To reach that goal, they will have to be active in the winter window though, with the club only having three recognised centre-backs on their books as things stand. Now, they are seemingly doing just that with their latest enquiry.

Tottenham chasing new defender

That comes as Football Insider report that Spurs have lodged an enquiry to sign former Everton defender Ben Godfrey in January. The defender only joined the Bergamo side over the summer, but has seen his game time limited for the Serie A leaders, making just a single substitute appearance in the top flight so far.

Though he still has nearly five years left to run on his £73k a week deal with La Dea, it has been reported that the club are already open to his departure in the January window, with a loan move being the most likely solution.

Godfrey can play across the backline, and certainly possesses the speed to work out in Postecoglou's high defensive line, something Spurs have been missing since Van de Ven's injury. Dubbed "really fast" by Carlo Ancelotti during his time on Merseyside, Godfrey clocked up a speed of 35.45 kmph in the 2020-21 campaign, the fastest in the Everton squad.

If indeed available on loan, Godfrey could be a low-cost solution to Postecoglou's problems should other targets not be available in January, though there will be plenty suggesting that it is once again a financially-motivated decision in north London rather than a purely footballing one.

Nonetheless, it is clear that Spurs need help, and Godfrey could be a ready made fit with plenty of Premier League experience already under his belt.

After Fraser Forster's midweek mistakes left Tottenham Hotspur clinging onto a 4-3 victory over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup, Ange Postecoglou has reportedly been given the green light to sign a £20m star in January.

Tottenham transfer news

A side capable of defeating Manchester City and Manchester United but also the first side that Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace took three points from in the current campaign, Spurs have become impossible to predict, and in no positive way. Postecoglou - sticking to his ways in what could be construed as honourable or far too stubborn - has a guessing game on his hands almost every week as to which version of his side will be on display.

In midweek, it was a mix of the very vest version and the version which has become prone to switching off and making room for shock results as the Lilywhites defeated Manchester United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup. Having raced into an impressive 3-0 lead, Forster's two mistakes followed to allow United back into the game, before Spurs found a fourth and the Red Devils could only net a late consolation.

The goalkeeper's mistakes have seemingly forced the Lilywhites to turn their attention back towards the transfer market too. According to The Mirror, Postecoglou has now been given the green light to sign a goalkeeper from the EFL, with James Trafford, who Burnley value at £20m ahead of 2025, a target.

The England international stayed put at the Clarets despite several exit rumours last summer and could now earn a reward for his patience in the form of a January move to North London. More than capable with the ball at his feet, Trafford could be an instant upgrade on Forster in the role of number two behind Guglielmo Vicario.

"Athletic" Trafford could replace Forster

Whilst Vicario is the undisputed number one at Spurs, his recent injury suggests that Trafford would get ample opportunity to impress and offer Postecoglou an instant upgrade on the struggling Forster. At just 22 years old too, it's not absurd to suggest that the England international could one day take over from 28-year-old Vicario and become a starting shot-stopper within a top-six side.

It's a rise that Bolton goalkeeper coach Matt Gilks saw coming during Trafford's loan spell at the club, telling Sky Sports in 2023: "When you've been in the game for 25 years, like I have, you come across hundreds of goalkeepers and there are very few that really stand out, but James is definitely one of them.

"His athletic profile, the power he produces when he takes off, his reflexes. All the little details we look at are up there."

Crucially, Trafford has maintained an impressive save percentage similar to Forster but stands out when asked to play with the ball at his feet in a trait that Postecoglou desperately needs his goalkeepers to have in abundance.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to a fourth home Premier League defeat of the season against Liverpool last night, losing 6-3 to the league leaders in North London.

The loss will undoubtedly crank up the pressure on boss Ange Postecoglou, with his side now sitting in 11th place after a run of just one win in their last five league matches.

Arne Slot’s men dominated the meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, making light work of the Lilywhites, highlighting how poor they have been in recent weeks.

Injuries have played a massive part in the recent slump in form, losing key members of the backline, but the alarming drop in work ethic and quality will be the biggest concern to the boss.

The clash against the Reds saw yet another makeshift backline, with numerous members of the side failing to impress during the thumping against the table toppers.

How Spurs' leaky backline faltered against Liverpool

Djed Spence started just his second league game of the season in the clash with Liverpool on Saturday, featuring in an unfamiliar left-back role.

He was faced with the prospect of man-marking one of the most potent attackers in world football in the form of Mohamed Salah but didn’t look out of place despite the Egyptian scoring twice.

The 24-year-old made five tackles, completing 93% of passes and winning seven duels, undoubtedly being the shining light of Postecoglou’s backline on what was a disappointing evening in North London.

Centre-back Radu Dragusin is the only fit senior option at the heart of the defence, being partnered by youngster Archie Gray, who, like Spence, featured in an unnatural role during the defeat.

The 22-year-old attempted 11 long balls during the loss, only completing one of them, looking wasteful in possession and contributing to the onslaught from Slot’s men in North London, notably being caught out of position for Dominik Szoboszlai's goal.

However, he wasn’t the only one to produce a display to forget last night, with the club making a huge mistake in not selling him when they had the opportunity just a couple of months ago.

The Spurs player who doesn’t deserve his mega price tag

Spurs forward Heung-min Son has been the go-to player for creativity in the final third after Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

The South Korean notched 17 goals in all competitions during 2023/24, finishing as the club’s top scorer, but he’s failed to replicate such form this time around, leaving himself open to criticism in recent weeks.

It was claimed that numerous Saudi Arabian sides were interested in a move in the attacker over the last couple of summers, but that the hierarchy demanded £100m to part ways with their star man.

He may have scored six times in the Premier League to date, but the 32-year-old has shown signs of reduced performance levels in recent weeks, none more so than against the league leaders on Sunday evening.

Son - who should have been their go-to man for inspiration in the final third - failed to complete any of his two crosses and only completed 50% of his attempted dribbles, unable to get the better of Trent Alexander-Arnold throughout the majority of the contest.

He also lost possession ten times and was caught offside three times, looking wasteful and unable to pose a threat to the Reds backline during the defeat.

As a result, he was handed a measly 3/10 match rating by The Express’ Tom Parsons, highlighting how disappointing he was throughout the clash last night.

Given his recent slump in form, the club will certainly get nowhere near their £100m valuation of the South Korean in the near future, with his value only going to decline further as he gets older.

He is still capable of producing numerous moments of quality, but lately they have been too far in between, with fresh blood desperately needed in the Spurs frontline.

Tottenham Hotspur are now seen as the major contenders to sign a "complete" centre-back in January, with Ange Postecoglou's side entering pole position to acquire his services as we quickly move towards the winter window.

Spurs target new central defender for Postecoglou amid injury crisis

Spurs links to new central defenders carry on emerging at a very consistent rate ahead of January, coming as the Lilywhites contend without Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies, who are all sidelined due to injury.

Postecoglou has just Radu Dragusin and a makeshift Archie Gray as his centre-back pairing right now, and this has reportedly motivated technical director Johan Lange to dip into the market for reinforcements mid-season.

A number of astute defensive options have been linked via the media in the build up to next month, with Feyenoord's David Hancko, RC Lens starlet Abdukodir Khusanov, Getafe mainstay Omar Alderete and Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck all mentioned as potential targets.

Hancko is open to leaving Feyenoord amid Spurs' interest, while it is believed Postecoglou's side have made an approach for Khusanov, as Lens instruct super-agent Jorge Mendes to find him a new club.

There are some suggestions that Tottenham have held talks over a move for Alderete already, but this is yet to gain traction in the national media, even if the Paraguay international is available for a very doable £13 million - the value of his release clause.

Meanwhile, CaughtOffside believe that Spurs are considering January bid for Bisseck, who has impressed for Serie A champions Inter since signing for the Nerazzurri from Aarhus.

That being said, the German may not come cheap when taking into account the fact he signed a new deal last month.

Tottenham in pole position to sign Leeds defender Pascal Struijk

Alongside Bissek, another report from CaughtOffside has tipped the north Londoners to make a potential move for Leeds United stalwart Pascal Struijk.

The 25-year-old is a crucial figurehead at the heart of Daniel Farke's backline as the Whites push for Premier League promotion again this season, which has earned him admiring glances from Spurs, Wolves and Brighton.

However, Tottenham are the team in pole position to sign Struijk right now, with Postecoglou's side viewed as favourites to secure his signature over both Wolves and the Seagulls. Leeds will want around £25 million to sell the defender in January, but that price could be worth considering.

Journalist Suleyman Ozturk, speaking to Voetbal Zone, urged Spurs to make a move for Struijk as far back as last year - claiming he is the "best" defender in England's second tier and a "complete" player.

“He is a complete and mature defender," said Ozturk in November 2023. "Now that Micky van de Ven has been injured, I would like to give Ange Postecoglou some advice: Struijk can easily join the defence of Tottenham Hotspur.

“That boy really plays at too low a level. I can well imagine that a big club will come for him in January. He really is the best defender in the Championship at the moment.

“I think he will make that step, because getting into the Dutch selection from the second level is difficult. I really think he’s great.”