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Tottenham Hotspur have endured mixed fortunes in the transfer market over the last decade or so.

For example, while they've signed the likes of Son Heung-min, Christian Romero and Pape Matar Sarr, they've also splashed the cash on flops like Bryan Gil, Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty.

However, while those three examples didn't end up costing the club too much money in the long run, the same cannot be said about a flop signed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino in August 2017.

This player was a disaster for the club, and what makes it worse is the fact that he earned more than current first-teamer Micky van de Ven.

Van de Ven Spurs record

Van de Ven has made 39 appearances for Spurs since completing his £43m move from VfL Wolfsburg last summer, in which he's scored three goals and provided two assists, but his most meaningful contribution has been at the back.

However, he is more than just his speed; his ability to adapt to Postecoglou's demanding tactics and the fact he's been able to create such effective partnerships with his teammates as quickly as he can is a testament to his football IQ.

Moreover, the "complete and dominant" international, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, can play at left-back and centre-back, giving the manager even more tactical flexibility.

Overall, it would be fair to say that with how well Van de Ven has adapted to life in North London, he is more than justifying his £50k-per-week wage, which cannot be said of the defensive flop signed by Pochettino in 2017.

Pochettino's costly Spurs dud

So, to cut straight to the point, the player in question is not Tanguy Ndombele but Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez.

Now, while he's not a name that many Spurs fans will remember all that fondly today, there was a lot of excitement around his £42m signing in the summer of 2017. After all, the season prior saw him score six goals and provide two assists in 45 appearances for Dutch giants Ajax, which is undeniably impressive for a centre-back.

However, the Caloto-born wasn't able to have the same sort of impact in North London, and by the end of his first campaign with the club, he had made 41 appearances but had failed to score or assist a single goal.

Worse yet, the 28-year-old's defensive stability would become an increasing issue in the following seasons.

He eventually turned into something of a figurehead for the club's dreadful defensive record, with former professional turned pundit Jamie O'Hara labelling him "deadwood" and "one of the worst players I've ever seen" during his final season in N17, during which the team shipped 63 goals in the league.

Unfortunately, while it wasn't all his fault, it was impossible to ignore the Colombian's poor displays, and so it would be hard to say he even came close to justifying his £65k-per-week wages at the club, which amounted to a total of £20.4m by the time he finally left to join Galatasaray last summer.

That means he cost the club a combined £62.4m during his stint, which breaks down to around £301k-per-appaearance, £12.4m-per-goal, £62.4m-per-assist, or £10.4m-per-goal-involvement.

Ultimately, while Sanchez wasn't the worst signing made under Pochettino's tenure, he's certainly up there, and the fact Van de Ven is now earning less than him doesn't help.

For all of their misfortune in signing players, Tottenham Hotspur have developed a reputation for being brilliant sellers.

When other Premier League teams lose their best players for low fees or nothing, the Lilywhites have more often than not been able to extract brilliant fees for them.

There are numerous examples of the North Londoners being able to get enormous fees for their wantaway stars, including one who earned them a massive profit but has seen his value collapse in recent years.

Spurs' biggest sales

Before we get to the player in question, let's examine a few of the most significant sales in Spurs' history, starting with Gareth Bale.

The Welsh icon joined the Lilywhites from Southampton in 2007, and after a tough start that saw him branded a bad luck charm, he eventually became the best player in the entire squad, if not the league.

The 12/13 campaign was his final and best for the club, as across 44 games, the Cardiff-born megastar scored 26 goals and provided ten assists, which was unsurprisingly enough to court Real Madrid, who, after a protracted saga, agreed to pay a record £85m for the winger.

A decade later, Daniel Levy was negotiating another icon's exit. Following 435 games, in which he scored 280 goals and provided 61 assists, it was time for England captain Harry Kane to finally leave N17.

Fortunately, there was still a year remaining on the Englishman's contract, so when Bayern Munich finally got their man, it cost them an eye-watering £86.4m.

These two sales are undoubtedly Spurs' most famous, but in the years between them, the club sanctioned another megamoney exit for a player who has seen his value collapse in recent seasons.

The former Spurs ace losing his value

The former Spurs star in question is Kyle Walker, who joined the club from Sheffield United in 2009 for a fee Transfermakrt claim to be in the region of £5m.

The Englishman would go on to become a star for the North Londoners and make 229 appearances for the first team, scoring four goals and providing 18 assists in the process, before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2017 for £50m, which was a record for a defender at the time.

Now, while Mauricio Pochettino would likely have preferred keeping the Sheffield-born star, they did exceptionally well to make £45m of profit on the player, and while the 24-year-old has since enjoyed a trophy-laden career at the Etihad, it's undoubtedly coming to a close.

For example, this season has seen the vastly experienced defender begin to seriously struggle in games, with his performances against Brighton & Hove Albion and Spurs particularly hard to watch.

In the former, he was constantly beaten for pace and skill by Japanese international Kaoru Mitoma, and in the latter, he was poor for the entire game and humiliated at the very end when Timo Werner beat him to the ball that set up Brennan Johnson's goal.

It might sound harsh, but it's an opinion shared by former professional Tony Cascarino, who described the Englishman's performance as "embarrassing" and claimed that he has "definitely lost half a yard."

Unsurprisingly, such a dramatic downturn in form has not gone unnoticed by the decision-makers at the club, and based on reports from late last month, they are now willing to sell him for just £15m, or £35m less than they signed him for.

Ultimately, nobody can argue against Walker's incredible career, but at the same time, it feels impossible to claim that it's not over and that Spurs did well to make such a massive profit on him when they agreed to sell him in 2017.

Three La Liga sides have opened talks with a Tottenham player via his representatives, as it is now believed Spurs could green-light a January loan.

Players who Spurs could sell or loan in January

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou will need every man at his disposal for the second half of this campaign, with the Australian's side competing on all four fronts as things stand.

Spurs have a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Ruben Amorim's Man United on the horizon, not to mention the all-important Premier League ties against Chelsea and Liverpool next month, and the significance of their fixtures will only heighten as we approach the business end of the season.

Nevertheless, there have been reports that Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy could allow a select few players to depart the club in January.

£40 million summer signing Archie Gray is yet to start a top-flight game for Spurs, playing just 42 minutes across five substitute appearances, and there is a belief that Levy could let him go out on loan in the winter as a result.

Tottenham are expecting loan offers for Gray in the January window, according to GiveMeSport. Other media sources have even stated Leeds could re-sign Gray on a temporary deal, which would be quite a coup for Daniel Farke, even if it would be a brief reunion.

Meanwhile, a player who is even more likely to quit the club mid-season is out-of-favour left-back Sergio Reguilon.

The defender hasn't been included in a single Premier League matchday squad last season, with his only inclusion coming on the bench against Coventry in the Carabao at the start of the campaign.

There are rumours that Tottenham could terminate Reguilon's £120,000-per-week contract as a result, amid interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but clubs in his native Spain are also keeping a watchful eye on his situation.

La Liga trio open talks with Sergio Reguilon as Tottenham could green-light loan

According to Spanish media sources, Real Sociedad, Getafe and Osasuna have contacted Reguilon's agents as they look to facilitate a potential return to La Liga for the 27-year-old.

The former Real Madrid and Sevilla full-back, despite claims his contract could be terminated, may be allowed to leave on a loan-with-option-to-buy move - which has piqued the interest of these three sides.

Sociedad are looking for strength in depth to cope with the increased fixture schedule, while Getafe need alternative defensive options after a few injuries.

Sixth-placed Osasuna are also an option for Reguilon, who is appearing more and more destined to leave N17 before the expiry of his contract next summer.

“I’ve been an admirer of Reguilon for some time," said pundit Noel Whelan to Football Insider, after Reguilon scored his first ever goal for Spurs against Leeds in 2021.

"He really stamped his authority on the game and grabbed the winner to show what a quality player he is.”

A Tottenham Hotspur star has reportedly signalled his intention to rip up his current contract in N17 and leave as a free agent as he desperately seeks a new club, perhaps even before the January transfer window opens.

Spurs shine with emphatic win over champions

Spurs enjoyed a thumping 4-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, which Ange Postecoglou described as "outstanding."

While it was James Maddison who stole the headlines on the night thanks to his superb brace, it was Spurs' defensive duo of Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin that impressed Big Ange the most.

The pair, who are standing in for injured first-choices Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, were heavily criticised after Tottenham's recent 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League.

Against City, however, they both made strong cases to keep their places in the team.

"I thought they were all great," Postecoglou said after the win when asked about the pair's performances."You have to be against City because obviously they've got big Erling [Haaland] up there, but the way they deliver the ball, the areas they consistently probe, you've got to be focused the whole time and I thought Ben and Radu were really focused.

"I think when you play City, you can't rely on individuals to find solutions out there and collectively, I thought we defended really well."

Spurs outcast wants out

Spurs' defence has been vital to their good form this season. The Lilywhites are currently sixth in the Premier League, three points behind third-placed Chelsea, and have conceded just 13 goals in 12 games. Only three teams - Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle United - have conceded fewer.

Though Postecoglou has mostly started with a back four of Destiny Udogie, Romero, Van de Ven and Pedro Porro, he's also given minutes to Davies, Dragusin, Archie Gray and Djed Spence. One man who hasn't had a sniff, however, is Sergio Reguilon.

The Spain international has been selected by Postecoglou for one matchday squad this season, that being in a 3-2 EFL Cup third-round win over Coventry City back in September, where he was an unused substitute.

Amid his lack of game time, Reguilon is now, according to the Sunday Mirror (via Football.london), ready to terminate his Tottenham contract in order to force a move away from north London in January.

The Mirror reports that Reguilon, who reportedly earns £120,000 per week at Spurs, wants the club to agree to a mutual contract termination amid interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Reguilon joined Tottenham from Real Madrid for a fee of £25 million in the summer of 2020. Though he enjoyed a decent first two years in England, he's since been an outcast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, spending the last two years out on loan with Sevilla, Manchester United and Brentford.

His tenure might not have ended in the best way possible, but Mauricio Pochettino turned Tottenham Hotspur into a sensational side during his five years at the club.

The Argentine took charge in 2014, turned a mediocre team into genuine title contenders, and even led the club to their first Champions League final.

This was achieved through a combination of brilliant tactics and astute recruitment, with players like Son Heung-min, Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli all joining the club under the 52-year-old's watch.

However, for all the incredible players he brought to N17, Pochettino was also responsible for his fair share of dud signings, including one who proved to be a massive mistake and earned as much as star attacker Brennan Johnson does today.

Pochettino's worst signings

Before we get to the offender in question, let's look at some of the other poor signings made under Pochettino's reign, starting with a striker who couldn't score: Vincent Janssen.

Yes, the Dutch centre-forward joined the North Londoners for £17m in the summer of 2016 following a sublime season with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, in which he scored 32 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances.

Unfortunately, the Heesch-born poacher seemed like a totally different player in England and after a few years which saw him go out on loan to Fenerbahçe for a season, the 30-year-old left N17 for just £6m, with six goals and four assists in 42 appearances to his name.

Another striker who failed to live up to expectations under Pochettino was Clinton N'Jie, who joined the club for £12m in August 2015, following a promising campaign with Lyon in which he scored eight goals and provided nine assists.

However, as with Janssen, the Cameroonian marksman seemingly lost the ability to score following his move and would eventually leave the club two years later following a loan move back to France, with no goals and just one assist to his name in 14 appearances for the Lilywhites.

That said, while N'Jie was a bad transfer, he didn't cost the club anywhere near as much as the following transfer.

Pochettino's costly mistake

The player in question is former Spurs full-back Serge Aurier.

The North Londoners opted to pay Paris Saint-Germain £23m for the Ivorian defender in August 2017, and while the move raised a few eyebrows at the time due to him receiving a suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer a year earlier, his performances on the pitch were deemed good enough.

For example, in 32 appearances for the French giants in the 16/17 campaign, he produced a reasonable tally of five assists, including one against North London rivals Arsenal in the Champions League.

Unfortunately, instead of getting a reliable and effective attacking right-back, the Lilywhites got an unreliable and "erratic" liability, as dubbed by former icon Teddy Sheringham, who managed to get himself sent off on his first Premier League start for the club.

The Ouragahio-born enigma would get himself sent off for a second time just a couple of years later in a league game against Southampton, and when he gave away a pointless foul in the 2021 League Cup final that led to Manchester City's winner, Jamie Carragher blasted him.

Truth be told, the criticism was incredibly scathing with the Sky Sports pundit labelling him as "one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football" and the kind of player who would "put you off management with the amount of crazy decision he makes."

It was in the aftermath of the defeat that his contract, which saw him earn £80k-per-week in his first season at the club and £70k-per-week for the next three, was finally terminated by mutual consent, with him having scored eight goals and provided 17 assists in 110 appearances.

So, when combined, the former PSG ace earned a whopping £15m in wages from the Lilywhites, meaning his total cost to the club, including his fee, was an enormous £38m, which does not seem like fair value considering the performances he put in.

When broken down, that comes to £345k-per-appearance, £4.7m-per-goal, £2.2m-per-assist and £1.5m-per-goal-involvement.

Life as a Tottenham Hotspur fan has been up and down, to say the least, in the opening weeks of the 2024/25 campaign - with results fluctuating week after week.

Before the recent international break, Spurs fell to a 2-1 defeat to Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town, but somehow managed to produce a sensational 4-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

The result sees Ange Postecoglou’s side become just the second team in Premier League history to lose at home to a newly promoted outfit, before defeating the reigning champions away from home in the following matchday.

It certainly has done their top four aspirations no harm whatsoever, keeping them in touch with the likes of Chelsea despite their inconsistent league displays in recent weeks.

However, amongst the frustrations, there have been some superb individual performances this campaign, with numerous faces in the side having the ability to single-handedly catapult them into a Champions League place come the end of May.

Spurs’ star performers during 2024/25

Winger Brennan Johnson has been a player who has enjoyed a purple patch in form in recent months, taking his career in North London to the next level.

The Wales international arrived in a £47.5m deal from fellow top-flight side Nottingham Forest last summer, notching a total of just five league goals in 2023/24.

However, after an early wobble during the opening outings of the ongoing season, the 23-year-old has proved the doubters wrong, scoring in six consecutive matches for the very first time in his career.

He also managed to get himself on the scoresheet off the bench in the win over Pep Guardiola’s side, but has found himself unlucky not to be starting due to the form of one of his teammates in recent weeks.

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has started the current season like a man on a mission, providing a key option for Ange in a variety of different roles.

The 24-year-old has starred in the middle of midfield alongside the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma - albeit in an unnatural role.

However, in the win over City, he returned to his more familiar right-wing role, with Johnson subsequently dropping to the substitutes bench as a result.

The former Juventus talent registered the assist for the opener, providing a constant creative spark - as he has done for the majority of the campaign as seen with his tally of eight assists in all competitions.

Kulusevski isn’t the only star who’s impressed under the Aussie in recent months, with one player now comparable to one of the best talents in European football.

Spurs may have found their own Bellingham

James Maddison has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the new season, producing some impressive numbers during the opening months of 2024/25.

The midfielder, who turned 28 on Saturday, has registered nine combined goals and assists in his opening 16 matches of the season, the joint most of any player within Postecoglou’s squad.

His display at the Etihad was undoubtedly his best to date, scoring twice and receiving a 10/10 match rating from The Express in the process.

His subsequent displays in North London during the opening months of 2024/25 have seen comparisons drawn to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham as per FBref.

Whilst it may seem far-fetched, when comparing their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the former Leicester ace has matched or even bettered the England star who’s valued at a jaw-dropping £150m as per Transfermarkt.

The “world-class” Maddison, as dubbed by one analyst, has registered more combined goals and assists, whilst also starring in numerous areas including shot-on-target accuracy, achieving a tally nearly two times higher than his compatriot.

Given his recent form, the £40m fee spent on his signature last season now appears to be a bargain, with the Spurs ace bettering a player valued way over £100m in various aspects of his game.

Maddison could play a huge part in any success for the Lilywhites come the end of the campaign, potentially providing the difference in their battle to secure a return to Champions League football ahead of 2025/26.

Tottenham Hotspur have now joined Chelsea in the race to sign one of La Liga's most exciting new talents, according to a fresh report, as Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his attacking ranks.

Spurs sweep Manchester City aside

In arguably one of the biggest shocks of the Premier League so far, Tottenham ripped through a sorry Manchester City at the Etihad with a brace from James Maddison helping Postecoglou's side to a 4-0 win against the reigning champions.

It is the first time in Pep Guardiola's managerial career that he has lost five games in a row, with Spurs also having beaten them in the League Cup earlier in the month. But where that was against a largely second string City XI, this was against their strongest side, albeit with a raft of injuries.

Better still, it was Spurs who dominated the game, with Manchester City having just five efforts on target across the 90 minutes despite shading the possession.

It comes following disappointing defeats against struggling duo Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace, neither of whom had won in the Premier League this season before meeting Tottenham but was a stark reminder that, at their best, Spurs are able to compete against the biggest sides in the world under Postecoglou.

"You have to be [clinical]. They won't give you too many opportunities. There was a calmness and maturity about how we handled the ball. Against City you can get spooked and don't want to play against them. But you have to play", Postecoglou explained after the game.

"They test you in every way - mentally, physically, tactically. Our flat spots have been really flat and something we need to eradicate. We're a much better team this year than last year. We just need to find consistency."

But Tottenham are still in the midst of reshaping their squad to provide extra options for Postecoglou and have now reportedly set their eyes on a new attacking midfielder.

Tottenham to rival Chelsea for La Liga sensation

Now, reports in Spain claim that Spurs have joined the race to sign Getafe rising star Christantus Uche, who has enjoyed a flying start to his La Liga career.

The 21-year-old only joined Getafe in the summer, but has already become a key player for the club, starting 13 of his side's 14 La Liga outings and even grabbing a goal in the process.

Playing further forward for Getafe, often as an attacking midfielder or false nine, he is a central midfielder by trade but ScoutedFootball dubbed him "versatile" and a "fascinating" talent on X.

Chelsea have already made an enquiry for his services, but now Tottenham are among the clubs chasing the 21-year-old, who has a €25m (£20.7m) release clause in his contract with the Spanish side.

Spurs have "shown strong interest in signing the Nigerian", who Getafe are not willing to sell but would be powerless should his release clause be met.

Any deal is more likely to happen in the summer, but Spurs have already shown that they are willing to sign younger talent with the likes of Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert both arriving last summer. Could Uche be the next?

Tottenham Hotspur secured a stunning 4-0 win against champions Manchester City at the Etihad, inflicting yet more pain on boss Pep Guardiola.

The victory was City’s first home defeat in 52 matches, with the three points catapulting Ange Postecoglou’s side back into the Premier League top-four race.

A reaction needed to be seen after the embarrassing 2-1 defeat at home to newly promoted Ipswich Town before the international break, with yesterday’s performance way better than any supporter could have ever envisaged.

A double from James Maddison, followed by two strikes from former City talent Pedro Porro and a late finish from substitute Brennan Johnson secured three vital points for the Lilywhites.

The meeting in Manchester is evidence that Postecoglou and his side are more than capable of producing stellar displays that many teams in the division wouldn’t be able to contain - but it’s crucial that they build on the performance and start to produce it on a consistent basis.

Spurs’ star performers against City

Birthday boy Maddison grabbed his fourth and fifth goals of the league season during the win, starting the campaign with a point to prove after an injury-hit 2023/24.

The Englishman has already bettered his tally from the previous year, currently sitting as the club’s joint-top league scorer in the opening months of 2024/25.

Maddison won nine of the 12 duels that he contested during the encounter, whilst completing 100% of the dribbles that he attempted and scoring with both of his efforts on target.

Captain Heung-min Son has been on the comeback trail after his recent injury, still yet to recapture his excellent form from last season that saw the South Korean notch 17 goals in all competitions last season.

In the win, the 32-year-old only managed a single effort on goal, losing possession 15 times before being replaced by the goalscorer of the fourth, Johnson.

He also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles during the triumph at the Etihad, ultimately failing to play any real part in the unlikely victory.

As a result, one other current Spurs first-team member may have potentially overtaken the fan-favourite in terms of importance under Ange, with the star producing yet another sensational performance last night.

The Spurs player who is more important than Son

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has often featured in a more central role for Spurs this season, often partnering Maddison at the heart of the wide during the early stages of the campaign.

However, with Pape Matar Sarr earning a recall for the meeting with Guardiola’s men, the 24-year-old shifted to a more natural right-sided role - one in which he excelled once again.

Kulusevski registered the assist for the opener, playing a peach of a pass into Maddison, who managed to fire home past the helpless Ederson.

He also completed all four of his attempted dribbles, making light work of full-back Josko Gvardiol, who has been one of the most impressive defenders in the division in recent months.

Despite not registering the assist for Porro’s superb strike, he played an influential role in finding Dominic Solanke, who subsequently set the ball into the path of the Spaniard before he fired home.

As a result of his stellar display in Manchester, the Swede was handed a 9/10 match rating by The Express’ Alex Turk - the highest of any player apart from his two-goal teammate.

It’s been an impressive start to the season for Kulusevski, registering two goals and six assists in his first 18 outings in all competitions - offering that attacking threat for Postecoglou in the final third.

He’s become a reliable figure for the Lilywhites, often the go-to man for creativity, potentially making him a star for many years to come in North London and one that can replace Son as the club’s golden boy.

A "£120 million" player in the making is now emerging as a potential signing for Tottenham Hotspur, according to reports, as technical director Johan Lange plans to bolster manager Ange Postecoglou's squad over the upcoming transfer windows.

Spurs make January transfer plans after mixed Premier League start

The north Londoners are reportedly planning to bolster their ranks in the winter, with chairman Daniel Levy setting his sights on a new defender and a potential wide forward (GiveMeSport).

Tottenham are considering a January move for Tariq Lamptey, with the Brighton full-back potentially available for a cut-price fee given his Seagulls contract runs out in the summer, so Tony Bloom could look to sell in January rather than lose him for free.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid pair Brahim Diaz and Arda Güler are also being monitored by Spurs ahead of the winter, with both men failing to establish themselves as consistent mainstays in Carlo Ancelotti's starting elevens - despite their obvious quality at times.

The Lilywhites have displayed real inconsistency over the early stages of this campaign, often blowing hot and cold, so perhaps a few fresh faces could be exactly what is needed in north London.

Now, according to The Boot Room, Spurs are in the mix for PSV Eindhoven star Malik Tillman.

Tottenham now want to sign PSV Eindhoven star Malik Tillman

The USA international has admirers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it is believed that Tillman is "surfacing" as a potential signing for Spurs amid his fine form in the Eredivisie.

The former Bayern Munich and Rangers midfielder has already got off the mark excellently since joining PSV permanently in the summer, and Tillman has been called a "£120 million" star in the making.

"That £12 million will soon become £120 million," said former Ajax star Kenneth Perez last term.

"I really thought he was great, especially in the second part of the season, in everything actually. Even in defending, which he has become very good at. He's the best player at the club and there is much more to come from him.”

Rangers journalist Jonny McFarlane, commenting on his performances at Ibrox during Tillman's time in Glasgow, also called the player "strong as an ox".

"One thing about Malik Tillman that's marked his recent performances is a real quality in terms of turning over the ball; the guy can tackle," said McFarlane.

"He's got those telescopic limbs; he's a big, tall, strong lad. And he's just got the ability to nick the ball away and act as a kind of brick wall. No one's running past him, no one's running around him because he's as strong as an ox.

"In many ways, if you can get him really, really firing to his level, he's actually built for Scottish football. It's very rare that you find a player who's got the physical stature to cope with the rigours of our game and the skills to deal with it."

In what's starting to feel like familiar territory, Micky van de Ven is out of action until the middle of December. Tottenham Hotspur will endure. They have to - the patchy form of recent months must be improved.

Spurs lost at home to newly-promoted Ipswich Town before the November international break, meaning that Ange Postecoglou's tenth-placed side have lost five of their opening 11 Premier League matches of the season.

Consistency is paramount, but luckily, Chelsea, who are third, only hold a three-point advantage over their London rivals.

More unluckily, Tottenham meet Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this evening, with Pep Guardiola's side hunting a fine vein of form themselves.

It's going to be tough, not least because Van de Ven is unavailable. Even so, the Lilywhites dumped the Cityzens out of the Carabao Cup last month and know they have the tools to inflict damage on the Premier League's imperial champions.

Spurs team news

Van de Ven's pace and athleticism provide something unique to Tottenham's backline, but Radu Dragusin is a talented young defender himself and will likely be placed alongside the veteran Ben Davies, for Cristian Romero, who hasn't quite hit his stride yet this season, is also sidelined.

Daunting. But Postecoglou will double down on his tactical philosophy and hope that his team can expose the chinks in the hosts' armour.

Rodrigo Bentancur begins his seven-match suspension, so will almost certainly be replaced at the anchor of the midfield by the tough-tackling Yves Bissouma.

Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are longer-term absentees and the exciting teenager Mikey Moore is also out due to illness.

Rodri's absence comes as a small sliver of respite for Spurs, but City are still capable of dismantling the finest outfits in the world and will be desperate to put pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are five points clear at the top.

How Spurs can defeat Man City

The thought of quelling the threat of Erling Haaland without Postecoglou's preferred defensive axis is worrying, no two ways about it. The Norwegian goal machine has scored 12 goals from 11 top-flight matches this season but only two from his past six games.

Given the brilliance of City's frontline and assessing the likelihood of keeping a clean sheet, it could perhaps be surmised that Tottenham will need to focus their efforts at the front of the ship, rather than attempting to shut up shop. Postecoglou is sure to subscribe to this idea.

Due to the visitors' absences, it's likely that Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson will flank Dominic Solanke at the Etihad, which makes for a lively and dynamic attacking trio that of course can cause City problems.

After all, Tottenham have scored more goals than any other side in the division this year.

To maximise their chances of success, though, the Lilywhites might want to enforce an alteration not borne from injury strife. James Maddison was benched as the Tractor Boys drove away from the N17 with three points, and his creativity could be crucial.

Why James Maddison could be crucial

In February 2023, as the winter transfer window wrapped up, The Daily Mail revealed that Manchester City were interested in signing Maddison that summer. The England playmaker was the star of the show at Leicester City, but the Foxes were imperilled and heading for the Championship.

Newcastle United also wanted the 27-year-old, but it was Postecoglou's Tottenham who succeeded in taking him from the King Power in a deal worth £40m. Winning the Premier League's Player of the Month for August 2023, he looked to be a real steal and indeed flourished as Spurs rode the crest of a wave.

Injuries and a consequent protracted struggle for form have pulled Maddison away from the limelight, but he's got the quality to damage Man City this evening and must be handed a starting berth, only playing around 14 minutes across Tottenham's past two Premier League matches.

As per FBref, Maddison ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 15% for crosses per 90.

A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.

Dejan Kulusevski is a bundle of energetic joy and must start. The Swedish ace has probably been Tottenham's player of the season, so far. Pape Sarr works well as a counterbalancing force, but with Bissouma in the mix, Maddison might work better.

Once hailed as a "magician" by analyst Statman Dave, his pitched drives down long-stretching lanes are perfect for the quick-paced Johnson, the intelligent Son.

It would be foolish not to start him, in fact. Maddison hasn't reclaimed those giddying levels from his first few months as a Tottenham player, but such performances prove that he can perform with a flair that is nearly unreplicable, certainly among Postecoglou's current brood.

Start him, Ange. Tottenham's frontline is as talented as it has been for the past several years, but City's suffocating style could leave them isolated. Trapped.

Maddison's passing range could be the key to unlocking City's defence. Guardiola once wanted him at his outfit, and might just be silenced by his former target on Saturday evening.