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Tottenham Hotspur have made an approach to sign a £54 million attacker who Ligue 1 giants Lyon are already in talks for, with the Lilywhites prepared to compete for his signing and potentially hijack their discussions.

Spurs targeting new forwards for Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou's side are fresh off the back of a 2-1 win over Premier League champions Man City, which knocked Pep Guardiola and co out of the Carabao Cup, but there are still many issues to address after a mixed start to the campaign.

Spurs' loss to lowly Crystal Palace handed Oliver Glasner his first win of the season last weekend, and the north Londoners slumped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Brighton after throwing away a two-goal advantage just before the international break.

Postecoglou has also been criticised for his tactics lately, and there have even been some suggestions from many supporters that the Australian could be facing a precarious situation in regards to his job if things don't turn around on a consistent basis (Football Insider).

The January transfer window could represent an opportunity for the club's recruitment team to shore up glaring holes in Postecoglou's squad, in an effort to assist the 58-year-old's chase for a first piece of major silverware in 16 years.

It is believed Spurs are monitoring Javi Puado of Espanyol ahead of a potential January swoop, with the Spaniard impressing alongside loanee Alejo Veliz in La Liga. He could be available on a very cheap deal, considering his contract expires in the summer, or Daniel Levy could elect to sign the player on a pre-contract ahead of next summer.

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo is a transfer target for Spurs as well, according to some reports, with the north Londoners prepared to pay as much as £50 million to seal a deal for the Ghanaian.

"He's a lovely footballer to watch", said Jamie Redknapp on Semenyo to Premier League productions.

"The manager's taken him to another level, he obviously has that capability because you saw it with Solanke. I'm just seeing him elevate his game right now, we'll talk about why does that happen, a lot of it is purely on confidence.

"He looks like he's enjoying his football, his shoulders are back, he's relaxed, every time he gets it, he plays with a bit of a swagger. He's actually a joy to watch right now."

Tottenham make approach for Rayan and prepared to hijack Lyon talks

According to South American news outlet Vascaino, Vasco de Gama forward Rayan is on Tottenham's agenda, and they've made an approach to seek information about the player's availability.

They face stiff competition from Lyon, though, who are apparently already in talks to sign the 18-year-old. However, Vascaino goes on to suggest that Tottenham are willing to compete with Lyom to sign Rayan, potentially hijacking their discussions for the highly-rated teenager.

Ange Postecoglou is now a few months into his second season in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, and while it hasn't been the smoothest of rides, it would be fair to say the majority of fans would rather be where they are now than where they were before he joined.

The Australian has taken a team that was playing dull and ineffective football under the previous string of managers and has turned them into arguably one of the most entertaining sides in the country.

Granted, there are still some problems with defending and wilting under pressure, but overall, the team look far more effective when in the swing of things, and some of his additions, like Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven, have made a real difference.

That said, a few players are still underwhelming and should probably be moved on next year, including Richarlison. Fortunately, the club were linked to the perfect upgrade in the summer.

Richarlison's Spurs career

In the summer of 2022, while Antonio Conte was still at the helm, Tottenham opted to spend £60m on Everton's star attacker Richarlison, who had just come off a strong season in which he scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

So, there was an expectation that in a stronger team like Spurs, he would only improve his attacking output, but that didn't happen.

Instead, he ended his first campaign in the capital with a paltry return of three goals and four assists in 35 appearances.

Things did improve slightly under Postecoglou last season, as a hot streak midway through the campaign saw him finish with a more reasonable tally of 12 goals and four assists in 31 games, but he still wasn't justifying his massive price tag.

Injuries have limited the former Toffees star to just six appearances this season, in which he's scored once.

However, cameo appearances like the one against Manchester City last night have only further entrenched the idea that he is simply not clinical enough. So it's probably time he was moved on next year, and the good news is that his ideal replacement should be available for free.

Why Spurs should replace Richarlison with Jonathan David

Yes, the striker in question is Canadian international and LOSC Lille star Jonathan David, who was heavily touted for a move to N17 during the summer for fees in the £20m to £25m range.

However, the 24-year-old ultimately opted to remain in Northern France for another season, and while that's good news for Les Dogues on the pitch, it might not be off of it, as David's contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning he can start negotiating with foreign clubs in January for a free move in the summer, and Spurs should be all over this.

The former Gent star might not be a household name in the UK, but he has been a consistent and reliable scorer of goals in France over the last few years and would be a dream upgrade on Richarlison as well as someone who could even challenge Dominic Solanke for a starting berth.

For example, in 47 appearances last year, the "world-class" forward, as dubbed by ex-Canada manager Iain Hume, scored 26 goals and provided nine assists, and in just 16 games this season, he's racked up a haul of 11 goals and two assists - talk about efficient.

Moreover, the New York City-born marksman has scored six goals in just 11 Champions League appearances and racked up two goals and two assists in four qualifiers, so he is not someone who'll wilt under pressure.

Ultimately, Richarlison is a talented player, but he has only been able to show it in glimpses since moving to North London.

In contrast, David has consistently demonstrated that he's an elite goalscorer, and considering he'll be available on a free next summer, this is a transfer Spurs cannot afford to miss out on.

An exit from Tottenham Hotspur is beckoning for one member of Ange Postecoglou's side, as a Madrid-based side look to take advantage.

Players likely to leave Spurs in 2025

Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange could decide to offload a few members of the Lilywhites squad when the turn of the year comes around - and there are a few interesting names in the frame to leave.

Timo Werner scored his first goal since March in Tottenham's much-needed 2-1 win over Premier League champions Man City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, helping to guide Spurs into the quarter-finals, where they will face off against City's cross-town rivals Manchester United in north London.

While this could go some way into eventually redeeming himself to the club's hierarchy, depending on how he builds upon the strike against Pep Guardiola's men, it is believed Werner is likely to leave Tottenham and head back to RB Leipzig at the end of his loan spell - as things stand.

It has also been reported this week that summer signing Archie Gray could head out on loan in January, with the former Leeds United star struggling to establish himself as a regular Premier League starter as he's relegated to a bit-part, cup-playing role in the squad.

Levy and Lange managed to shift plenty of deadwood in the summer window, with Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso, Eric Dier, Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic, Tanguy Ndombele, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Japhet Tanganga all departing N17 permanently.

One player they didn't manage to offload, though, was left-back and forgotten man Sergio Reguilon. On a reported £120,000-per-week, according to the Manchester Evening News, the Spaniard has been deemed surplus to requirements by Postecoglou - who gave the green light for Reguilon to spend last term on various loan spells at United and Brentford.

Reguilon was attracting interest from Turkey and other European clubs in the summer, but a move never materialised for the former Real Madrid starlet.

Reguilon seriously considering Tottenham exit to Getafe

As per Spanish media, it is now believed that Reguilon is seriously considering a Tottenham exit to Getafe - who could offer him the opportunity to make a return to Madrid by signing him as a free agent in 2025.

It is a golden opportunity for the La Liga side to snap him up at zero cost, with Reguilon's contract set to expire in the summer and up for grabs at zero cost. The ex-Sevilla star could technically sign a pre-contract in January, so Getafe may have an opportunity to nip in ahead of other interested sides to secure his signature.

Once tipped to shine under Antonio Conte, with pundit Noel Whelan calling him a "quality player" (Football Insider), things haven't exactly gone to plan for Reguilon and the writing now appears on the wall for his departure next year.

Whilst the player has been spotted training with the senior squad, he is yet to make a single appearance in all competitions this season, and has been named in just one matchday squad so far - Spurs' trip to Coventry City in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a defeat at Crystal Palace to knock Premier League champions Man City out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and it is believed that a player who starred in the game is now attracting real attention.

Tottenham 2-1 Man City - match report

Lilywhites supporters couldn't have asked for a better response after their damaging loss at Selhurst Park on Sunday, with a victory against one of Europe's best teams going some way to restore faith in manager Ange Postecoglou following Spurs' mixed start to 2024/2025.

Timo Werner opened the scoring early doors with a thunderous finish past Stefan Ortega in the City net, restoring some much-needed confidence and recording his first successful attempt since March.

Uncertainty surrounds Werner's long-term future at Tottenham, as reports suggest Postecoglou's side may not take up their buy option, so the Germany international's display was a much-needed one - even if he did miss a gaping chance to double their lead.

Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was then on hand to double Spurs' advantage with a powerful, long-range effort past Ortega and into the bottom corner - gifting some breathing room between the home and away side.

Matheus Nunes grabbed one back for City just before half-time, and did threaten a last-gasp equaliser in the second half's dying moments, with Yves Bissouma clearing a late effort right off the line. However, the north Londoners eventually managed to hold on and seal their place in the Carabao quarter-finals, where they will host Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"It was an important win," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's 2-1 victory over City.

"Obviously in the cup competitions you have to win to continue in it so that is the first thing. Look, you're playing against an unbelievable side and they're going to ask you all sorts of questions and they did today. I thought we defended well as we didn't give away many clear-cut opportunities but we did have to defend and I thought we did that well.

"In our attacking moments we had some really top quality moments and we had some really good chances to finish the game off what we didn't take. But great resilience from the boys to sort of hold out. When you play City they're going to ask you every question there is and for the most part I thought we handled it ok."

Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin's agents fielding approaches

One player who really impressed during the contest was Radu Dragusin, helping to keep City at bay for the entirety of the second half.

The Romania international was called "outstanding" for his display by journalist Graeme Bailey, who also shared an update on his future.

Indeed, it is believed Dragusin's agents are fielding enquiries outside of Tottenham ahead of January, but this is only to keep their options open, as both the player and club currently have no desire for him to change scenery.

Napoli, AC Milan and Juventus are all apparently keen to bring him back to Serie A, but it is believed Postecoglou and co are eager to keep hold of him now, as his N17 career starts to steadily get off the ground after a difficult start.

It's been an interesting start to the campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou's side have been flawless in the League Cup and Europa League, but have looked a little disjointed in the Premier League.

However, given that it's only the Australian's second year in charge, these issues shouldn't come as a surprise, and with a few more transfer windows under his belt, he could have the personnel to match his game plans.

In fact, based on recent reports, the club look set to sign a dream midfield addition next year, although that could be bad news for Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are expected to sign Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso in 2025.

The report claims that the Lilywhites had a €25m - £21m - option to buy the American included in the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Betis in the summer.

However, Daniel Levy and Co will have to act fast if they want to bring the midfielder to N17, as the story also claims that the option expires in either late June or early July and, after that, the La Liga side will be able to demand whatever price they want.

With that said, by all accounts, this looks like a transfer that will happen, so the Spurs faithful likely have nothing to worry about, although given how well he's played in Spain, Bissouma should be a little concerned, as the American could be his upgrade.

How Cardoso compares to Bissouma

Okay, so if Spurs act on their option to sign Cardoso, as expected, the fact that he primarily plays as a defensive and central midfielder means he'd likely compete with Bissouma for a place in the starting lineup.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up against one another? Well, when it comes down to the pair's raw output this season, the Mali international comes out on top with two goals to the American's zero, but at the end of the day, goals aren't what make a good holding midfielder, and when we look at their underlying numbers, it's a very different story.

For example, while the Spurs ace has better passing numbers, the Betis star comes out miles ahead in the majority of relevant defensive metrics, including tackles, shots and passes blocked, clearances, interceptions, ball recoveries and aerial duels, all per 90, which is what you want from your six.

Moreover, something that the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was guilty of last season was picking up unnecessary red cards, and when we compare the pair's disciplinary record, the 23-year-old "ball winner", as he was dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, once again comes out on top.

For example, in his 10281 minutes of football across his career to date, the former Internacional gem has picked up 22 yellow cards, averaging one every 467 minutes, and zero red cards or second yellows.

In contrast, the Issia-born Lilywhites man has picked up 58 yellow cards in his 16799 minutes of football, equating to an average of one every 289 minutes, and four red cards - including one-second yellow - which works out as one every 4199 minutes.

Ultimately, Bissouma is a talented footballer, and one who should be playing in the Premier League, but his defensive numbers are notably worse than Cardoso's, and when we take into account the disciplinary side of things as well, the American looks like he'd be an ideal upgrade.

Tottenham Hotspur insiders theorise that they may be forced into a decision over letting a "superb" player leave in January, following a message from intermediaries behind-the-scenes at N17.

Spurs take on Man City in Carabao Cup clash this evening

The Lilywhites face off against Premier League champions Man City in the Carabao Cup this evening, with manager Ange Postecoglou aiming to put their disappointing 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday firmly behind them.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's only goal of the game cemented Oliver Glasner's first win of the new season and another damning loss for Postecoglou, who also watched his side suffer a 3-2 capitulation at Brighton just before the international break.

This comes after Postecoglou appeared to make a promise to end Tottenham's 16-year wait for a major trophy, doubling down on comments he made in the summer by stating he "always" wins trophies in his second season.

"I'll correct myself - I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing's changed," said Postecoglou on his interview with Sky Sports, which caused a stir.

"It's amazing, isn't it? I just stated a fact. Am I supposed to just lie or just say it never happened? But do you really think it's me sort of boasting?

"It's just confusing to me that people are making a big deal out of something. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to answer something that is true. I've just said something that's true, and it seems like it's upset a lot of people for some reason."

The EFL Cup represents a golden opportunity for Postecoglou to make good on his pledge, but he must first pass one of Europe's toughest tests with a face-off against Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Australian will be without both Son Heung-min and Wilson Odobert for the tie, with right-back Djed Spence also just returning to training. Meanwhile, reports claim Postecoglou is likely to drop Mikey Moore in favour of Timo Werner for their bout against City, despite the pair's contrasting form.

It is unclear whether summer signing Archie Gray, who has struggled for consistent game time under Postecoglou since arriving from Leeds in the summer, will start or remain on the bench.

Key Tottenham chiefs think they'll be forced into Gray transfer decision

Speaking of Gray, outlet GiveMeSport have shared an update on the teenager and his immediate future at Hotspur Way.

The English sensation's fight for minutes has amounted to three starts in the Europa League, one start in the League Cup and zero starts in the top flight - with all of his appearances in the latter contest coming from the substitute's bench.

Intermediaries have apparently warned Spurs that Gray will be subject to many enquiries before the January transfer window, as clubs in the Premier League and Championship weigh up approaches to take him on a temporary deal.

That is according to GMS, who also claim that key Tottenham figures think they'll be forced into deciding whether to loan Gray out in the winter, amid this growing clamor of interest for his services.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is now likely to axe an in-form player ahead of their Carabao Cup clash with Manchester City this evening, as team news leaks before Spurs host the Premier League champions in north London.

Tottenham suffer 1-0 Crystal Palace defeat as Postecoglou aims to bounce back

Spurs were on a steady run of good form before their disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace over the weekend, beating West Ham 4-1 in a fierce London derby the weekend prior and clinching victory against Dutch giants AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

However, Oliver Glasner managed to upset the apple cart by wrestling Palace's long overdue first win in the top flight this season, in what was a step back for Spurs who were aiming to go on a winning run and put their abject 3-2 loss away to Brighton firmly behind them.

The Lilywhites' loss at Selhurst is a stern reminder of Spurs' shortcomings, with Postecoglou now aiming to bounce right back against a Man City side who pose one of the toughest tests in European football.

A plus-point for Postecoglou is that Man City have won just twice at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it's opening, with both of those coming last season in the FA Cup and Premier League respectively.

The home advantage and backing of supporters could be crucial for Spurs, especially considering Postecoglou will be forced to cope without star forward Son Heung-min yet again.

Son missed Tottenham's loss to Crystal Palace with a thigh injury and is set to be absent again tonight as Postecoglou aims to get him back for their home game against Aston Villa this weekend.

Wilson Odobert has also suffered a setback after recovering from a recent hamstring injury, which Postecoglou has described as "serious".

"Sonny, no. Well he is almost fit but we will probably from our perspective aim him for the weekend," said Postecoglou on Son's fitness.

"We're quite confident he will be right for the weekend. The only one missing out, which is a bit of a disappointment is Wilson [Odobert]. He's had a setback during the week and it seems like it's a serious one, so we're waiting for more information. And then from the weekend everyone else is okay and Djed's back training."

Postecoglou set to drop Mikey Moore for Man City clash

As per GiveMeSport, another player who may not take part is in-form teenage winger Mikey Moore, who has really impressed since being handed regular starts.

The 17-year-old was handed a chance right from the off in each of Spurs' last two games, putting in a Player of the Match display against AZ Alkmaar in particular, but it is believed Postecoglou is likely to drop Moore for Tottenham's clash with Man City - in favour of the under-performing Timo Werner.

This could be seen as a surprise decision considering their contrasting fortunes, though Postecoglou apparently doesn't want to put too much pressure on the youngster at this early stage of his career at N17.

“[He has] that young, fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him," said James Maddison to TNT Sports on Moore, following their win over AZ.

"He’s a young kid, a brilliant lad, a lovely boy. He takes in information, and he’s got bags of ability, so I’ll be there as an older player, hopefully with some wise words to help along the way.

“He’s got all the ability. It’s just about knuckling down and working hard, which he does to be fair to him.”

It's only been just over a season, but Ange Postecoglou has transformed Tottenham Hotspur.

Before the Australian arrived, the North Londoners were stuck playing turgid 'pragmatic' football that not only bored fans senseless but also failed to deliver the success they had been told it would.

Now, while there are still some issues that cost them here and there, the Lilywhites are finally back playing an exciting brand of attacking football and entertaining their fans every week.

However, Postecoglou hasn't just changed the style of play; he's also overseen a swathe of signings, including one player whose value has skyrocketed this season and is now worth more than James Maddison.

Maddison's valuation in 2024

Spurs spent £40m to secure the services of Maddison from Leicester City last summer, and in the season and a bit since, it would be fair to say that it's just about been money well spent.

We say just about because the Englishman has been incredible in some games and frustratingly ineffective in others.

For example, in his first ten league games last season the 27-year-old scored three goals, provided five assists and generally looked like one of the best midfielders in the country, but following his return from the injury he picked up in his 11th game, he looked like a different player and ended the campaign with four goals and nine assists in 30 appearances.

It's been more of the same this year, as the Coventry-born dynamo has already racked up two goals and four assists in 12 matches but was hooked at half-time against West Ham United and looked bereft of ideas against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

With all that said, due to his undeniable talent, long contract and age, his valuation has still risen, with Transfermarkt pricing him at €70m, which is about £58m, or £18m more than he cost the club last year.

However, another of Postecoglou's signings from last summer has seen his valuation rise even more, and he is now worth even more than Maddison.

Brennan Johnson's valuation in 2024

Yes, the signing in question is Brennan Johnson, who completed his £47.5m move from Nottingham Forest on deadline day last summer.

Now, during his first few months at the club, the Welshman struggled to make an impact and by Christmas had scored just a single goal and provided only three assists in 12 appearances, but he soon found his footing and ended the campaign with a respectable tally of five goals and ten assists in 32 league matches.

Likewise, the start of this year was tough for the 23-year-old, and after a poor display in the North London derby, he had to deactivate his Instagram account due to fan backlash, but in the weeks since, he has been simply electric.

Following his late winner against Coventry City in the League Cup, the "frightening" winger, as dubbed by content creator Dan Cook (HLTCO), went on to score in his next five games and, as things stand, has six goals to his name in 13 appearances this year.

Unsurprisingly, such a rich vein of form has only seen his valuation soar, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, the former Forest ace is now worth up to €82m, which converts to about £68m.

That means the 41-capped international is now worth just over £20m more than he cost the North Londoners last year and about £10m more than Maddison is worth today.

Ultimately, while it's too early to say with any certainty, it's starting to look like Spurs signed an incredibly talented winger in Johnson, and given his age, someone who could remain in the first team for a long time to come.

Over the last four to five years, Tottenham Hotspur have become far more willing to splash the cash.

The days of going through an entire summer without signing someone seem long gone, but that doesn't mean managers always get the players they want.

For example, there was one striker Antonio Conte was supposedly keen to bring to N17 during summer 2022, a striker who was just named ahead of the great Harry Kane in last night's Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Spurs' 2022 summer transfer window

Before we get to the player in question, let's take a look at a couple of signings Spurs did actually make that summer, starting with one which hasn't really worked out: Richarlison.

The Brazilian international cost the North Londoners around £60m when he made the switch from Everton, and while he has shown glimpses of quality for the club, he hasn't justified his hefty transfer fee.

For example, in his 76 appearances for the club so far, the 27-year-old has scored just 16 goals and provided eight assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 2.95 games.

On the other hand, the Lilywhites also signed Italian full-back Destiny Udogie in 2022, for around £15m, and following his loan back to Udinese he's looked like a future star.

The 21-year-old made 30 first team appearances last season, scored two goals, provided three assists and was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season, and while he has struggled slightly this year, he looks set for a bright future.

However, while Udogie has a claim to being the club's best signing in 2022, he would have had some real competition had Conte got the striker he was really after.

Conte wanted Lautaro Martinez

Yes, the striker in question is none other than Inter Milan superstar Lautaro Martinez, who, according to reports from Italy via the Daily Mail, was one of Conte's primary targets in the 2022 summer transfer window.

Obviously, we know now that the Italian coach didn't get his way, but had Daniel Levy and Co paid what would have been an exorbitant fee, the North Londoners would have got their hands on an incredible player, someone renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as "the best 9 in the world."

Now, that might be slightly hyperbolic, but it's not hard to see where he's coming from, as in the two and a bit seasons since that summer, the 27-year-old has racked up a frankly ridiculous haul of 80 goals and assists in 112 games, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.4 games.

So, with a level of output like that and a league triumph to back it up last season, it's not surprising to see that he finished as high as seventh in this year's Ballon d'Or, but what is surprising is that former Spurs phenom Kane finished three places lower in tenth.

The Englishman had a freakish individual campaign for Bayern Munich last season, scoring an absurd 44 goals in 45 appearances and providing 12 assists for good measure, equating to an average of 1.24 goal involvements per match.

However, what probably counted against the 31-year-old was that he ended the season empty-handed, becoming part of the first Bayern team in 12 years not to win the Bundesliga, which doesn't help the usual boring narrative that has followed him his entire career.

Ultimately, both Martinez and Kane are incredible strikers, and had Spurs backed Conte and signed the former, maybe he would have been able to help the latter end his and the club's long wait for a trophy.

Club chiefs are convinced that an "extraordinary" player at their disposal is set to join Tottenham Hotspur next year, with a report this week detailing exactly why Spurs are seen as a very likely landing spot in 2025.

Tottenham slump to 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace

It was an afternoon to forget for Spurs at Selhurst Park on Sunday, with Crystal Palace securing their first win of the new Premier League season at the expense of Ange Postecoglou's side.

In what was a very "Spursy" display, striker Jean-Philippe Mateta's only goal of the game handed Palace a 1-0 victory over the north Londoners, with Tottenham failing to break through a home side determined to bag a much-needed three points.

Following their collapse at Brighton just before the international break, Postecoglou had done well to guide his team back on the right patch with crucial victories against West Ham and AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, but this result at Palace highlights the serious work which Spurs still need to put in as they attempt to go up another level.

"It was a game which turned into, and it didn’t surprise me, a bit of a battle," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's defeat at Palace.

"Lots of stop, starting and standing around. We didn’t deal with that really well at all. We didn’t get to grips with just the nature of what was transpiring out there. It turned into a bit of a battle. They dealt with it better than we did.

"It was a game we needed to stay composed and not sort of fall into the trap of trying to play the game ultimately Palace wanted to play. It turned into a game that was battle after battle, duels, stop starts, waiting around. We need to be a lot more clear-headed about how we deal with that rather than fall into the trap of doing what we did today."

To add some much-needed quality to Postecoglou's ranks, which may still be required if they're to reach to levels of Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool, it is believed Spurs are identifying transfer targets for 2025.

Real Betis chiefs convinced Johnny Cardoso is set to join Tottenham

According to ABC Sevilla, via Sport Witness, one such player could be Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso - with the Lilywhites possessing an option to sign the USA international for around £21 million by June next year.

They struck this pledge with Betis as part of the deal which saw Giovani Lo Celso head in the opposite direction in the summer window, and because of this, Betis chiefs are convinced that Cardoso is destined to join Tottenham next year.

This would result in the La Liga side making a £12.5 million profit off the 23-year-old's exit, so there is a real incentive for Betis, as a move to London for Cardoso is seen as very likely by those within the club at this stage.