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Feyenoord defender David Hancko is on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive problems have aggravated over the past few months.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven suffered injuries and then had fresh setbacks in Spurs’ chaotic 4-3 defeat to Chelsea following recoveries from their previous issues. Ben Davies also sustained a hamstring injury a few weeks back, and as a result, Ange Postecoglou has been forced to pair Radu Dragusin with 18-year-old Archie Gray in central defence.

The Tottenham boss recently admitted in a press conference that the club needs to reinforce the squad in January. The backline is seriously short-staffed at this moment and a potential injury for Dragusin would see them have no fit central defender available. Owing to their problems, signing a new defender in January is the club’s agenda.

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Feyenoord star David Hancko has been subject to aggressive links with a move to White Hart Lane in the last couple of months. They have scouted the versatile defender and are prepared to intensify their interest in him when the transfer window reopens next month. Feyenoord could demand in the region of €50 million for the Slovakian international.

John Wenham—the owner of reputed Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose—has backed Tottenham’s pursuit of David Hancko. However, he isn’t certain that the defender will be available for a knockdown price midway through the season.

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For Spurs, bringing in Hancko could be a fantastic addition to Big Ange’s defensive ranks which is in dire need of some kind of inspiration. The Slovak shone at Euro 2024 in Germany, impressing with his strength, ball-playing skills, versatility and reading of the game.

He has been a consistent performer for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, and at 27 years old, a move to Spurs would just be ideal.

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Expected to cost in the ballpark of €50 million, the Lilywhites have to be all over Hancko’s signature in the 2025 transfer intervals as he has enough quality and experience under his belt to revitalize an injury-plagued and leaky defence.

Tottenham considering the opportunity to sign Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell on a free transfer in 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have had an underwhelming 2024/25 season and currently lie in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Spurs had gained some momentum after back-to-back wins over Southampton (Premier League) and Manchester United (Carabao Cup). However, they were given a reality check by league leaders Liverpool, who hammered Ange Postecoglou’s side 6-3 in North London in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Lilywhites have been criticised for their incredibly inconsistent displays, with injuries to key players preventing Ange Postecoglou from bringing stability. Spurs have been hit by an injury crisis with seven players unavailable including first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero as well as goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Ben Davies is also currently on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.

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Destiny Udogie has also missed the last two games with a quad problem, prompting Tottenham to invest in a new left-back in 2025. Now, according to an exclusive report from TBR Football, Spurs have been offered the chance to sign Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell on a free transfer at the end of the season (h/t Transfermarkt).

Ange Postecoglou is keen to bring competition for Udogie, who has been Spurs’ first-choice left-back since the start of last campaign. However, the Italy international has struggled with form and fitness in his second season in North London, leaving the Greek-Aussie tactician short of options in that department.

The aforementioned report adds Tottenham are considering the opportunity to sign Tyrick Mitchell from Crystal Palace in the summer. The left-back’s future at Selhurst Park is uncertain as contract talks with the club have hit a snag.

Several clubs are circling to sign the Englishman, who has been a mainstay in Palace’s defence since the start of the 2020/21 campaign. The 25-year-old has racked up close to 150 Premier League appearances, scoring three goals.

-> Tottenham to prioritise goalkeeper signing in January

However, Spurs could face competition for Mitchell’s signature next year. LaLiga giants Barcelona are also eyeing a shock swoop for the Eagles star, who is free to start talking to foreign clubs next month.

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Ange Postecoglou shared his thoughts on the incident involving Archie Gray and Fraser Forster after the game vs Man United

Ange Postecoglou was delighted to see his Tottenham Hotspur side beat Manchester United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals at home in midweek. They will now take on Liverpool in a two-legged semi-final in 2025.

The Lilywhites were cruising 3-0 in the second half thanks to a brace for Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski’s strike before chaos ensured. Ange Postecoglou’s side only have themselves to blame for their problems. Two massive errors from goalkeeper Fraser Forster brought Manchester United back into the game.

The ex-England international made a huge mistake while playing out from the back. With Joshua Zirkzee closing him down, he panicked and played the pass straight to Bruno Fernandes inside the box, and the Man United skipper rolled it into the path of Zirkzee to tap in. Minutes later, Fraser Forster was found guilty once again, as Amad Diallo closed him down and slid the ball into the back of the net as the Spurs goalkeeper tried to clear it away from danger.

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Upon the full-time whistle, Forster and Archie Gray were caught in a footage basking in their victory. While conversing, Archie Gray appeared to say “It was my fault mate!” to Forster for passing the ball back to the veteran shot-stopper for Man United’s first goal rather than playing it forward.

Football London journalist Rob Guest asked Ange Postecoglou to shed light on this incident ahead of Spurs’ home game against Liverpool in the Premier League. The Tottenham boss said to Football London:

Gray has recently been asked to play in central defence alongside Radu Dragusin due to injuries to Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies. The teenager has performed admirably well in an unfamiliar position. The native from Durham enjoyed a strong outing against United in the Carabao Cup and was one of the best players on the pitch, but he had a small part to play in two goals Tottenham conceded on the night.

-> Son throws his weight in behind Tottenham teammate following Carabao Cup win

Although Zirkzee’s goal and Amad’s strike were both individual errors from Forster, Gray was involved in the passage of play leading to the goals. Nonetheless, it was great to see the youngster showing accountability for his part in two United goals.

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Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to replace Richarlison’s presence as the backup striker to Dominic Solanke as the chiefs at Hotspur Way continue to get frustrated with the Brazilian centre forward, and the Lilywhites have been looking to sign 27-year-old English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the upcoming 2025 transfer intervals.

The North Londoners have been frustrated with the availability concerns of the former Watford star, who is a consistent presence in the treatment room. To put it into perspective, Richy has played only 88 minutes in the ongoing 2024/25 season. Moreover, when he plays, he is not the same threat that he was once perceived to be at Goodison Park, having only scored 16 goals during his time donning the Spurs badge.

Fiorentina express interest in Calvert-Lewin

While Tottenham have been pondering a move for the England international, interest has emerged from Serie A, with reputed Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reporting interest from Fiorentina for the 27-year-old.

DCL is also attracting interest from other reputed clubs in Europe, with AS Monaco and AC Milan subject to links with a move for the striker.

The fact that he is available on a free transfer at the conclusion of the ongoing campaign makes the 27-year-old a really attractive option for potential suitors.

If Calvert-Lewin is to maintain his fitness, he can be a valuable asset in the Tottenham camp, given how he not only offers depth but also fits into Ange Postecoglou’s need for a ball-playing striker who is an aerial menace.

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Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to bring in a new centre back in the upcoming January transfer window, with the Lilywhites having suffered highly due to a lack of depth in the position in the ongoing 2024/25 campaign, and the North Londoners have reportedly been looking at Feyenoord’s 27-year-old Slovakian defender David Hancko.

Spurs have been eyeing a move for David Hancko alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea, per TEAMtalk, with the Dutch club looking to demand a ballpark figure of €50 million for the centre-back.

Tottenham looking at Hancko as Ange looks to solve defensive crisis

The North Londoners are in a bit of a defensive crisis with their first-choice CB duo, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, serving the sidelines regularly this season while their backup in veteran Ben Davies has also joined them in the treatment room, leaving the Australian head coach with no option but to play Archie Gray, who is originally a midfielder at the heart of defence.

And Daniel Levy is not looking at the Elland Road academy graduate to continue in his defensive filler role, and Tottenham’s chairman has been looking at Hancko, who has been doing quite well for the Rotterdam-based club.

For the Lilywhites, bringing in David Hancko could be a significant addition to address the defensive struggles at White Hart Lane, and at 27, he has enough experience under his belt to bring both experience and quality to a Tottenham defence that has been plagued by injuries.

Alternatively, Spurs are also looking at Archie Gray’s former teammate Pascal Struijk for a possible move this winter.

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Tottenham’s recent form has been full of surprises. After a rough spell of games, they bounced back in stunning fashion with a dominant 5-0 win over Southampton. Tottenham secured a commanding lead in the first half and comfortably maintained control, leaving Southampton with no chance of a comeback.

Meanwhile, Rodrigo Bentancur is reportedly frustrated following the outcome of his appeal against a seven-match suspension. The midfielder received the ban from the Football Association after making a remark during a June interview in Uruguay, where he stated that South Korean teammate Son Heung-min and his cousins “all look the same.”

Tottenham confirmed on their official website that they lodged an appeal against Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match suspension, a move that reportedly cost the club “many thousands.”

Despite their efforts, Sky Sports News revealed on Tuesday that the appeal was dismissed. As a result, Bentancur remains ineligible for Tottenham’s upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United on Thursday and the Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday — both fixtures set to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Former Spurs scout Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, criticised the decision, calling the punishment unjust.

Bentancur ruled out for Tottenham’s clashes with Man United and Liverpool

Bryan King criticised the FA’s decision, calling it “ridiculous” and highlighting the frustration it has caused both Ange Postecoglou and Rodrigo Bentancur. King argued that Bentancur had apologised for his comments, which Son Heung-min had accepted, allowing both parties to move on. Despite this, the FA maintained a seven-game suspension, a punishment King believes is unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances.

Postecoglou and Spurs had hoped the ban would be reduced to six matches, potentially allowing the 27-year-old to return against Liverpool. However, that hope has been dashed, forcing Postecoglou to navigate an already injury-hit squad without Bentancur. The ongoing crisis has sparked speculation about possible behind-the-scenes dismissals as Spurs look to extend their winning streak.

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Lucas Bergvall made his full Premier League start for Tottenham Hotspur in the Lilywhites 5-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League over the weekend, and his first start donning the Spurs badge has triggered a significant financial bonus for his former club, Djurgårdens IF, according to Fotboll Direkt (as relayed by Sport Witness).

The North Londoners secured Bergvall’s signature from Djurgårdens IF in February (with a deal for the 18-year-old to move to N17 in the summer) for a fixed fee of SEK 113m (€9.8m), and the deal includes performance-based bonuses that could potentially take up the total fee to SEK 220m (€19.1m).

Bergvall start triggers financial windfall for Djurgårdens

The Swede moved to White Hart Lane in the summer and has already been showing glimpses of his potential despite his young age, and that has got Spurs supporters quite excited about what is to come, especially if he maintains the current trajectory of development.

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou has shown he is not shy about putting young players in the far end if they deserve to play, and that is replicated in the teenager’s minutes, with Bergvall clocking 482 minutes from 17 games in all competitions in the ongoing campaign. And while that first start would massively please the North Londoners supporters and the player himself, his former club Djurgårdens would be celebrating Bergvall’s Premier League debut.

His first Premier League start on Sunday activated a “super bonus” where Djurgårdens will now receive an additional SEK 35-40m (€3-3.5m).

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The Stockholm-based side (like Tottenham supporters) would hope that this is just a start to what is a long career for a teenager at White Hart Lane.

Manchester United’s new boss, Ruben Amorim, took a ballsy decision with Marcus Rashford’s omission from their recent win over Manchester City, which has sparked a few conversations, though that being said, it is something Tottenham Hotspur would be celebrating given how the England international could trouble the North Londoners with a moment of magic given the upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final against the Lilywhites in the midweek.

However, according to pundit Simon Jordan, the Man United academy graduate will likely return to the squad for the midweek fixture.

Amorim dropped Rashford vs City, but he could return vs Tottenham

The former Sporting Lisbon manager left both Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad for the derby in what can now be aggregated as a calculated risk given how it ultimately paid off as the Manchester Reds secured a 2-1 win over City, which was their first win over the city neighbours in three years.

And Jordan, speaking in an interview with talkSPORT, compared the decision from Amorim to that of Mikel Arteta’s when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped for disciplinary reasons in 2021. However, he suggested that Rashford’s situation is different from that of former Gunners captain and has backed the forward to return back to the squad for the game against Tottenham. He said:

“I would wager that Rashford will be back in the squad for the next game. I’m not sure Rashford is an ‘Aubameyang moment’ for Amorim because Arteta’s decision came later in his tenure at Arsenal, and Aubameyang was arguably more divisive and influential than Rashford.

“Rashford is wasting his own time as well as potentially everyone else’s”.

While this is a cause of concern for United supporters, for Tottenham, given how Rashford has looked underwhelming throughout the season, he would be hungry to prove his credentials (especially if he starts on Thursday night), and that is something Ange Postecoglou will need to plan for, given how this defensive setup has struggled against transitions (that is where Rashford’s strengths lie as well).

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Do you think Rashford playing against Spurs is an advantage given his form or a disadvantage owing to his hunger to prove his credentials? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been subject to aggressive links with a move away from White Hart Lane given how his minutes at N17 were restricted owing to Cristian Romero’s and Micky van de Ven’s presence at the heart of defence.

The North Londoners signed the Romanian centre-back in a highly anticipated transfer from Genoa at the start of the calendar year, where Daniel Levy infamously beat Bayern Munich’s late hijack attempt to secure Dragusin’s signatures. However, the headlines for the transfer haven’t been replicated into performances, and multiple clubs from Serie A are looking to snap up his signature.

Fiorentina interested in Dragusin

The 22-year-old has now reportedly attracted interest from another Italian side, Fiorentina, ahead of the winter transfer window, per TuttoMercatoWeb (via. Sport Witness).

There have been reports linking the player to Juventus and Napoli’s interest in the 22-year-old, albeit his agent, Florin Manea, has ruled out an exit for Dragusin in the middle of the season, though that hasn’t stopped Fiorentina, who have already initiated contact with the Premier League heavyweights regarding a potential move for the Romania international.

While La Viola’s have shown keen interest in bringing the 22-year-old to Artemio Franchi Stadium, the current injury woes at White Hart Lane should prove a stumbling block for any probable Dragusin exit, especially until the defensive setup stabilises.

Given the circumstances, it looks highly likely that Radu will stay at Tottenham for the foreseeable future, and any persistence from Fiorentina (or other clubs) for his signature could be taken into possible consideration in the summer window.

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Yang Min-hyeok is set to arrive at Tottenham from Gangwon FC ahead of his schedule

Appointed in July 2023, Ange Postecoglou has since been leading a rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur. He enjoyed a fine first season in the Premier League, where Spurs finished fifth and subsequently qualified for the Europa League.

To help his project go to another level, the chiefs at the Hotspur Way backed the Greek-Australian tactician heavily in the past summer transfer window. The Lilywhites broke the transfer record to sign Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, while also acquiring the services of young talents such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert. In addition, they agreed on a deal with Gangwon FC for Yang Min-hyeok to arrive at the Hotspur Way in January.

Throughout the K-League campaign, Yang Min-hyeok proved to be an indispensable asset, concluding the campaign with an impressive tally of 12 goals and six assists in all 38 matches. He showcased his remarkable talent and skill set at such a young age.

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Signed by Spurs until 2030, he is also noted for being the youngest South Korean to join a Premier League club. He is now on his way to Tottenham, and ahead of starting his new adventure in England, the explosive winger spoke to local reporters at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport.

Excited to start his new journey with Spurs, Yang Min-hyeok admitted he couldn’t sleep and “watched” Tottenham’s game against Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday.

The arrival for South Asia would have been ecstatic after watching his new club on Sunday put up a show as Tottenham smashed Southampton 5-0 away. A brace from James Maddison, accompanied by goals from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr, helped the North Londoners end their five-game winless run across all competitions.

Son delivered a captain’s performance on the night, scoring a goal and supplying two assists. The Spurs skipper is an icon in South Korea, and Min-hyeok feels he will be “very honoured and grateful” to play alongside Son and showcase his talent at White Hart Lane.

Min-hyeok is poised to team up with Tottenham officially a month ahead of schedule. The new arrival cannot come any sooner for Big Ange, who is in desperate need of fresh energy and vigour in his squad that has been decimated by injuries. Tottenham had nine first-team players unavailable for the trip to Southampton, of which three were wide players.

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Thus, the South Korean prodigy arriving at Spurs a month earlier than his schedule would be beneficial for both parties. This would allow him to get acclimatized to the demands of the physical and fast-paced nature of Premier League football, while Big Ange gets time to integrate him slowly into his squad.

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While he is deemed an investment for the future, the Tottenham boss would hope Min-hyeok settles in quickly at the club and provides him with a rotational option in attack.