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Ange Postecoglou has trusted youth this season and that looks to be the plan again for Tottenham Hotspur next term.

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Tottenham Hotspur have made promising Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling their ‘top target’ this summer according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs are one of several Premier League clubs to be linked with a move for the 19-year-old in recent weeks. Dibling has proven himself in the top flight with the Saints this season, despite the club enduring a thoroughly underwhelming campaign on the south coast.

Southampton looked doomed for relegation as they sit eight points adrift at the bottom of the table. That has potential suitors sniffing around a deal for Dibling, who is expected to want to bounce straight back up to the Premier League rather than spend next season in the Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur make Southampton man ‘top target’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano said: “At the moment, I can confirm that for Tottenham, he’s kind of their top target. They love the player, they would love to bring him in in the summer transfer window – but again, it’s not going to be super easy. Manchester City – let’s see, because City at the moment are following the player, but from what I have heard, they haven’t started any concrete conversation.”

Dibling is contracted at Southampton until 2026, which also puts the club under pressure to sanction an exit or risk losing their youth product for free at the end of the 2025/26 season. GiveMeSport had previously claimed that Spurs were already front of the queue, with their position given even more strength by the Romano claims.

Dibling’s minutes have decreased under Ivan Juric, who could be looking ahead to a future without the dynamic midfielder. The report adds that Southampton did not want to entertain a January exit for the player, who is valued at £50 million, but that a summer exit could be sanctioned for as low as £35 million given his contract extension.

Tyler Dibling has ‘something special’ in Premier League

Spurs are claimed to have already made contact with Dibling’s camp and believe he is sold on Ange Postecoglou’s project. Tottenham Hotspur were said to be confident that agreeing personal terms with the player won’t be a problem but Newcastle United, Manchester United and Aston Villa are also linked with the player hailed as ‘something special’ by Danny Murphy.

Speaking on Match of the Day in December, former Tottenham Hotspur star Danny Murphy tipped Dibling to go on and achieve big things in his career. The pundit said: "It is the quality he has got - the belief in himself and the physical power. He just goes past people with ease. He has got a lovely left foot. He is very brave on the ball and his decision-making is good.

"It is difficult to get too over the top with these young players, because he has just come on to the scene, but he is going to be something special. It is great for him getting all these minutes at Southampton. They are giving him the freedom to play and giving him time to learn the game.

"He is just enjoying himself and he is playing with a real belief in himself. He is just instrumental in this team."

In other news, Tottenham Hotspur star Son has joined BTS and Blackpink stars in making a South Korean wildfire donation.

The in-form AFC Bournemouth forward is known to be a lifelong Arsenal fan.

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Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and a gaggle of Premier League clubs eyeing up a summer swoop for in-demand AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo have been told that it will take a £70 million bid to tempt the club into a sale.

That’s according to a fresh report from The i Paper. Semenyo has bagged seven goals and picked up four assists in the top flight for the Cherries so far this season as Andoni Iraola’s side continues to impress.

Semenyo joined the club in January 2023 from Bristol City with AFC Bournemouth paying £10 million for the star, who signed a four and a half year deal with the club. The winger signed a new deal with the club last year, which keeps him at the Vitality Stadium until 2029, but the report suggests that the prospect of a £60 million profit on the player would be too tempting for the club to resist.

Antoine Semenyo is an Arsenal fan

TBR Football named Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur as clubs who have shown an ‘interest’ with Newcastle United also in the running. Arsenal are also touted as potential suitors and could perhaps be frontrunners given that Semenyo has confessed he is an Arsenal fan.

Speaking last year, the talented striker said: “I am an Arsenal fan. I don’t conflict the two with my job. It is great to play against Arsenal, a team I have watched all my life and I want to play for the top clubs as well.

“In order for that to happen I need to prove it. The aim is to play in the Champions League. I know that’s not going to come with a click of my fingers, it’s going to take some time.

“It’s going to take goals. It’s going to take a lot of consistent performances. But I’ve worked all my life for that and I’m just going to continue working hard. That’s my mentality.”

Speaking late last year, Semenyo put his recent success down to a new, freedom-based approach. In those quotes, the player appeared to hint at a willingness to ignore transfer speculation over his future.

AFC Bournemouth star working hard despite Chelsea and Tottenham transfer talk

He said: “It’s continuing working hard, enjoying the game, just playing with no pressure. I feel like just being easy on the pitch, like, having that freedom is what’s given me my success right now so just need to continue playing with no pressure really just continue to enjoy the game, have fun with the ball and try to rack up as many goals as I can.”

It will be an interesting summer for AFC Bournemouth, with several first team stars the centre of transfer rumours thanks to their form this year. The Cherries sit 10th in the top flight and are just three points off Newcastle United in sixth.

Providing an update to GiveMeSport earlier this month, Fabrizio Romano said: "[Milos] Kerkez, [Dean] Huijsen, Semenyo... many Bournemouth players are attracting interest, but I don't think they will sell 3–4 players. Semenyo has chances to go as interest is there, but it's not something guaranteed now, as the club will try to fight to keep him."

In other news, Arsenal, Tottenham and Premier League sides are set to benefit from a head start in the summer transfer window this year.

The Premier League has altered the summer transfer window to help clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup.

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Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Premier League rivals will all be able to get a head start on transfer dealings this summer with the Premier League giving the green light to an earlier opening of the window.

The Premier League transfer window ran from June 14 to August 30 last summer. The period when top flight clubs can complete deals will now take place over two separate periods this summer due to the FIFA Club World Cup.

That change has been made to benefit Chelsea and Manchester City ahead of the tournament but will also see the opportunity to complete signings as early as June 1 extended to all Premier League clubs.

When does the summer transfer window open for Premier League clubs?

The summer transfer window for Premier League clubs will now be open in two separate periods. The first is between Sunday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 10. The second is between Monday, June 16 and Monday, September 1.

A Premier League statement on Thursday read: “Premier League clubs have today agreed the dates for the Summer 2025 Transfer Window.

“The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the FIFA Club World Cup. It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September.”

The first fixtures of the Premier League season will kick off on the weekend of August 16. That means that the window will remain open and allow clubs to complete business during the early rounds of top flight fixtures, as was the case this season.

How the Club World Cup has changed the transfer window

The transfer window has changed this summer in order to allow Premier League clubs taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup to sign players ahead of the competition. The tournament takes place between June 14 and July 13 in the United States.

The FIFA Council had already approved the interim window in October. A FIFA statement explained: "The objective is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players' participation."

In the interests of fairness, the governing body has since extended the early transfer window period to be applicable for all Premier League clubs and not simply those involved in the Club World Cup.

Which Premier League clubs are involved in the Club World Cup?

Chelsea and Manchester City are the only two Premier League clubs competing at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer. Places in the tournament are decided by European teams’ performance in the Champions League over the past four seasons.

Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021 and Manchester City lifted the trophy in 2023, which has helped them qualify for the Club World Cup. Real Madrid, who won the Champions League in 2024 and 2022, have also qualified. The rest of the nine places available for European teams were given out through a Uefa ranking system.

Only two clubs from any one nation are permitted to enter into the Club World Cup, which is why teams including Liverpool and Arsenal were not considered with Chelsea and Manchester City already ushered in. The FIFA Club World Cup groups are as below:

Group A: Palmeiras, FC Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami

Group B: Paris St-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica

Group D: Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunisie, Chelsea, Club Leon

Group E: River Plate, Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey, Inter Milan

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg

In other news, Arsenal have been handed an Alexander Isak transfer opportunity amid Newcastle United contract claim.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton midfielder has started a new chapter in the Scottish Championship.

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QPR had been working on a free transfer move for former Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama in recent weeks, only to be beaten by Scottish Championship side Dunfermline.

The 33-year-old is regarded as a Celtic legend thanks to his trophy-laden two years in Glasgow between 2011 and 2013. During those years, Wanyama worked with Neil Lennon and he will reunite with the manager at Dunfermline.

Lennon was appointed at the Scottish Championship side on Friday and has persuaded Wanyama to return to Scotland 12 years after he left the club to join Southampton. The 52-year-old head coach will now look to keep the Fife club clear of the relegation zone over the final seven fixtures of the league season.

QPR miss out on transfer race for ex Premier League star

It’s a head-turning coup for Dunfermline and, according to the Daily Record, the outfit beat QPR to the signing of Wanyama. The report claims that the midfielder was choosing between the R’s and Dunfermline but that appointment of Lennon helped win that race.

Wanyama has only signed a short term deal with Dunfermline and will play for the side until the end of the season. The player was most recently at CF Montreal but left the club after five years on the expiry of his contract in January.

A statement from the Pars read: "DAFC are delighted to announce the signing of Kenyan international, Victor Wanyama, on a deal until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.

"The 33-year-old defensive midfielder has had a decorated career, playing for clubs such as Celtic, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and most recently, CF Montreal. Wanyama made 64 appearances for Kenya, captaining the country at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, before retiring from international football in 2021."

Victor Wanyama and Neil Lennon rekindle Scottish love affair

Wanyama has a strong reputation in Scotland having won two Scottish Premier League titles with Celtic and a Scottish Cup. Southampton paid £12.5 million to sign the player in 2013. A move to Spurs eventually came in 2016, where he spent four years and was part of the 2019 Champions League runners-up side.

Lennon always spoke highly of Wanyama while at Celtic, labelling the player a ‘wonderful talent’ in 2012 and insisting that he was good enough to play for a side such as Barcelona. That respect is mutual too. Speaking while at Spurs in 2019, Wanyama said: “I will always be grateful to Celtic for what they did for me and my career and I will always be grateful to Neil Lennon, too.

“Celtic taught me what the Champions League was all about. I think he is a fantastic manager and a fantastic coach but he is also a good man. He taught me the game. He made me a mature player. He gave me that understanding which let me go on.

“He taught me that it doesn’t matter who the opponents are or what they can do or who is in their team. We faced big teams with Celtic in the Champions League but we did it with belief. I learned so much from him about that. Neil gave me a platform and also a belief that I could go and play at the highest level.”

In other news, this QPR striker has teased his comeback from injury this week ahead of Stoke City.

One of Tottenham’s former midfielder has linked up with ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon.

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A former Tottenham player has rocked up with a Scottish second tier side after spending a couple of months as a free agent. Victor Wanyama signed for Spurs in 2016, arriving on an £11million deal from Tottenham having been a vital player for the Saints for three years.

Wanyama was with Tottenham for four years, making 69 league appearances in all, but while he often played a key role, he also struggled with injuries at times, with knee issues causing him significant issues. Wanyama was meant to join Club Brugge in 2019, but he ended up rejecting the move, and he ended up joining Montreal CF on a free transfer in 2020, meaning Tottenham not only lost out on an £8million profit, but they lost out on any transfer fee.

During his time with Montreal, Wanyama made 117 league appearances and was a regular for the Canadian club, also remaining a Kenya international along the way. But his contract in MLS run out in January, and the midfielder has been looking for a club since, now 33 years of age.

Ultimately, he has decided to link up with Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic, who are managed by former Celtic and Bolton boss Neil Lennon. Dunfermline are currently second from bottom in the league and two points behind Hamilton.

Confirming the signging, the club website announced: “DAFC are delighted to announce the signing of Kenyan international, Victor Wanyama, on a deal until the end of the season, subject to international clearance. The 33-year-old defensive midfielder has had a decorated career, playing for clubs such as Celtic, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and most recently, CF Montreal.

“Wanyama made 64 appearances for Kenya, captaining the country at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, before retiring from international football in 2021. At Celtic, Wanyama quickly became a cult hero with his impressive performances for new manager, Neil Lennon’s side. Besides winning two league titles, Wanyama’s stock rose when he scored against Barcelona in the Champions League as Celtic pulled off a 2-1 win back in 2012.

“At the end of that season, Wanyama joined Premier League club Southampton for £12.5 million, making history as the first Kenyan in the English topflight. Following a spell at the Saints, he joined Tottenham Hotspur, reuniting with his former manager, Mauricio Pochettino. Victor was part of the squad that made the Champions League final for Spurs back in 2019. Victor joins the Pars after leaving Montreal in January. Welcome to the Pars Victor!”

Wanyama was part of one of the best Spurs sides in recent times, including the squad that reached the Champions League final, and it’s only the lack of trophies that he regrets about his time in North London. “My only regret from that era is that we did not win a big trophy,” he told FIFA last year.

"We had everything to do it, but just couldn’t pull it off. We had a great team and a great coach in Mauricio. We showed we could beat anyone. I remember one season (2016-17), we didn't lose a single home game. That's how good our team was."

Tottenham youngster Jamie Donley, who is on loan at Leyton Orient, started for Northern Ireland on Tuesday night

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Tottenham Hotspur starlet Jamie Donley made his full international debut for Northern Ireland on Tuesday night in a 5-1 loss to Sweden in Stockholm. The 20-year-old joined Spurs 12 years ago aged eight and last summer moved to Leyton Orient on a season-long loan.

He made his debut in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in Belfast on Friday evening, as he came off the bench at Windsor Park. On Tuesday night he was given his first start by Michael O’Neill as Northern Ireland were beaten by a clinical Sweden side - inspired by Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. He got a goal and an assist as the hosts scored five times from just six shots on target.

Donley joined Orient on a season-long loan back in mid-August and has made 40 appearances in all competitions for the club, providing six goals and six assists. He has his eye a long-term future at Spurs, having made four senior appearances for the North London club last season. He made his debut against Manchester City in December 2023.

Tottenham star Donley changes international allegiance to Northern Ireland

The player was born in the Ulster town of Antrim but grew up in Colchester. He was scouted by Spurs while playing for Colchester Villa Youth FC. His father is from Northern Ireland while his mother is English, allowing him to represent both nations.

He represented both countries at different youth levels but then opted to play for England Under-19s, appearing to make his decision on pursuing a Three Lions career. He scored five goals for England Under-19s and captained the side twice in just seven appearances. However, his decision to change allegiances from England to Northern Ireland was approved on March 17, which also happens to be St Patrick’s Day. That is according to the FIFA Change of Association Platform.

Donley came on the 58th minute against Switzerland in Belfast before his full debut in the heavy defeat against Sweden.

Spurs youngster Donley gives reasons why he snubbed chance of England career

Speaking to BBC Sport last week, Donley said: "My dad's been pestering me my whole life to play for Northern Ireland. I think it's the right time in my career to make the change and I'm delighted I've done it. Michael has been unbelievable the way he's sorted it out. He gave me my space to make my decision. I've made it now and hopefully it's the right one."

He feels that moving up to senior international football will help him with his club career, as he continued: "I've been able to show the Orient fans what I'm capable of. I think coming to play here [for Northern Ireland] will help my career and put my career to the next level. My aim obviously is to be a Tottenham player. That's what I want to do and that's what I want to be.

"Hopefully I can strive to do that. When I come back in pre-season hopefully I can show what I've been doing for Leyton Orient in training and in games."

Spurs star Lucas Bergvall was set to feature in the game for Sweden but was forced to pull out of the squad ahead of the game due to an illness.

Tottenham are being linked with a player who has kicked on since leaving England.

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Tottenham are said to be interested in a deal for a Europa League winner as they look to bolster their ranks this summer. Spurs need to do a better job of putting together a squad with quality in depth next season having seen their campaign destroyed by injuries this term.

The North London side find themselves in a difficult spot, with Ange Postecoglou hanging by a thread at this stage, needing to impress if he wants to keep his role beyond this summer.

Tottenham need to back Postecoglou - or whoever is in charge - this summer, and the Premier League table by itself is a good enough example. There is a long way between Spurs and the top four, and while injuries have played a part, it is part of football, and it’s something the club should be preparing for.

Reports suggest there will indeed be significant recruitment this summer, and we have already seen plenty of players linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. One of those is Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, who has enjoyed his best football in Italy.

The 27-year-old has scored 18 goals in 32 games so far this season, also providing seven assists, and he has been consistent throughout his time in Italy. Lookman has scored 37 times in 85 league games for Atalanta in all, with his career coming to life since his arrival in 2022.

Before that, he had struggled to impress with RB Leipzig, Everton, and during loan spells with Fulham and Leicester City. But he has found goals and Europa League glory with Atalanta, winning the competition in 2024.

As things stand, Lookman is under contract until 2026, though it’s reported Atalanta do have an option to extend the deal by one year. Still, his future is uncertain, and Caught Offside say Spurs are interested in a move, along with Arsenal, Manchester United and others.

The report adds that Atalanta are prepared to sell if their asking price of £54million is met. That would be a big investment for Tottenham, but they do need depth, and Lookman can play across the front line, with his best position playing off a striker.

Lookman on Premier League shortcomings

Lookman also has Premier League experience, though his lack of success in the English top flight will concern some. Then again, Lookman himself has been open about the changes he has made since leaving the country of his birth.

"(It's) Mentality, preparation,” he previously told The Times. “My routine is a lot different to what it was. Everything's focused on helping me perform. I watch interviews with people who are doing well in life like Jay-Z, someone at the top of the world who I can learn from. Jay-Z has come from basically nothing and is now a billionaire. That takes more than desire and guts, it takes execution and a plan, direction and confidence.

“I've started eating a lot of plain foods like white pasta, like more fish. That's my diet. No sauce. Some vegetables. Sleep's very important, trying to get in eight hours. After games, I'll do recovery, maybe going into the cryochamber, doing some upper body [work], some stretching. As long as I'm doing everything I can in my power, and not cutting corners, the rest is up to God. Faith gives me that extra bit of hope and confidence."

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Chris Waddle has urged Tottenham Hotspur to work with proven Premier League players next season.

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Tottenham Hotspur legend Chris Waddle believes that the club should not rely on current loan players next season, having been too trusting on young talents during the ‘shambles’ of this season.

Ange Postecoglou has often had to turn to younger members of the Spurs first team and even delve into the academy as a result of injuries to more experienced stars this term. The north London club has often preferred to recruit young with players often arriving and then heading out on loan.

Manor Solomon is already 25 years old but has made just five Premier League appearances since arriving at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2023. He has spent this year on loan at Leeds United, registering seven goals and seven assists in the Championship so far.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Yang Min-heyok only arrived in London in January before being sent across the capital to finish the season earning minutes at QPR. There is a huge amount of hype around the South Korea international with fans no doubt excited for his first team debut at Spurs.

Chris Waddle sends Tottenham Hotspur warning

However, Waddle has urged the club not to rely on returning loanees and younger players next season, perhaps hinting that those not proven in the Premier League be moved on from the club.

He told 10bet: “I feel sorry for Daniel Levy. He gets all the brunt, but they’ve got the best training ground in the world, the best stadium in the world. They haven't got a team worthy of the facilities they've got. Top teams would love a stadium and training ground like Tottenham, but it’s the same old story.

“They’ve never bought ready-made players. They’ve got a good youth system, but they’ve never bought players who, you think, I'm going to keep him for 8 years and he’s going to win us something.

‘Young players are inconsistent,’ warns Spurs legend

“Tottenham still buy players with potential, players that they can develop. Guys like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. There's a lot of players who come into Tottenham's squad and you look at them and think he could be a player, but it’s 50-50.

“You need ready-made players. Manchester City very rarely buy young players you’ve never heard of. Liverpool always buy well-known players who are at the top of the game. Tottenham like to buy and develop players, and it doesn’t always work. This team has been a shambles.

“There are a lot of young players who are going to come back from loan. Are they going to get rid of some of them? You know, they need to have proven players at that level, not inconsistent players. Young players are inconsistent. Yes, you can say I had to play them because of injuries, and I understand that, but the tactic of playing a high line, it’s been found out. There's never been a plan B, let's be honest. At the end of the day, you've got to say this season's been a shambles.”

In other news, LondonWorld has the latest on Tottenham Hotspur injuries and return dates ahead of Chelsea.

Tottenham could be without up to five players for their next game against Chelsea.

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Injuries have been a huge factor in why Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur have struggled in the Premier League this season.

They are currently 14th in the table after losing 2-0 to Fulham before the start of the international break. They have a game against Chelsea next week after they return.

However, looking ahead to the Chelsea game, Tottenham could be without up to five players for the match due to current injury concerns.

Lucas Bergvall

Midfielder Bergvall is dealing with a cold that he picked up last week, so he isn’t expected to be out of action for a long-period of time, however, it could affect his fitness going into the Chelsea game.

He therefore missed the first international game for Sweden on Saturday, with the manager Jon Dahl Tomasson saying: “He has a cold and is not in top form. Now, he has to stay in bed.”

On Monday it was reported by reported by Fotbollskanalen that the 19-year-old was to return to Spurs early after been deemed not fit enough for Tuesday’s friendly with Northern Ireland.

Potential return date - Thursday 3 April vs Chelsea (A)

Kevin Danso

Defender Danso suffered a hamstring injury during Spurs’ 2-2 draw against Bournemouth earlier in the month.

He is working to get back after the international break, but it is not yet clear as to just how serious his injury is. Seeing as there’s been no major news, it would be expected to be a minor issue.

Potential return date - Thursday 3 April vs Chelsea (A)

Richarlison

Striker Richarlison missed out on a potential international call-up as he is still dealing with a calf issue that he suffered in February.

When asked about returning after the international break, Postecoglou said: “Probably post-international break. I think he should be there or thereabouts, depending on his progress. It's good to see him out on the grass.”

Potential return date - Thursday 3 April vs Chelsea (A)

Dejan Kulusevski

Another player who missed out on an international call-up due to injury, Kulusevski continues to recover from a foot injury that he picked up at the start of March.

He didn’t travel to join the Sweden team, and is working to make a return for Spurs after the international break. Postecoglou said earlier this month: “Post-international break we expect him to sort of start to move back towards the team.”

With Spurs’ return to action still over a week away, there’s potential for the midfielder to get back on in time for face Chelsea.

Potential return date - Thursday 3 April vs Chelsea (A)

Radu Dragusin

The only Tottenham player who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season is Romanian defender Dragusin, who suffered an ACL injury in January. He underwent successful surgery and will be working to get back to full fitness, a return before the end of 2025 is likely.

Potential return date - December 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly tabled a mega-money offer for a West Ham target

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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly submitted a £38m bid to sign Sunderland star Chris Rigg, with the North London club said to be ‘determined’ to sign the player from the Black Cats this summer.

It comes after reports from page 55 of the Sun on Sunday, relayed by the Sunderland Echo, claiming the 17-year-old is keen to play in the Premier League to continue his development. Sunderland have reportedly set a valuation of £20m on Rigg, while the Hammers are looking at a deal of around £10m.

Fichajes have claimed that Spurs have already tabled an offer worth almost double Sunderland’s valuation of Rigg. The size of the bid is something that is said to highlight their determination to secure a deal for the player. The North London outfit forked out £40m to sign Archie Gray from Leeds United last summer and were not put off by his young age. The 19-year-old has made more appearances for Spurs this season than he might have expected amid a host of injury woes for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Who is West Ham and Tottenham target Chris Rigg?

Rigg is an attacking midfielder and has spent his whole career with Sunderland. He turns 18 in June and made his professional debut for the Black Cats when he was just 15-years-old, as he came off the bench in a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup in January 2023.

He would go on to become Sunderland’s youngest-ever goal-scorer when he netted in a Carabao Cup tie with Crewe Alexandra in August 2023. This season, he has made 34 appearances for Sunderland in the Championship, scoring four goals and providing one assist.

His manager at Sunderland Regis Le Bris said earlier this season the player is wise beyond his years. He said: "I don't think that age is a problem. You can have a high level of maturity at 17 and you can have a low level of maturity at 30, so it depends on the personality of the player and Chris Rigg is a good symbol of what we want to create and what we want to build as a team, as a club.

"He still wants to improve, he still wants to understand the game and if we can share all these ideas, at the end we can feel the energy as a group, as a unit, as a team even against a strong opponent."

Rigg discusses his love for Sunderland

Speaking over the weekend in a video with Sunderland’s official Youtube channel, Rigg affirmed his love for the Black Cats. He said: “I think some people don't realise how much it means to put on a Sunderland shirt and give it your all for the team. I think I can say that I do every time I go on the pitch. So yeah, it's very special for me to be playing, and I'm trying to take every opportunity that comes. Yeah, I think that probably sums it up, to be honest.”

While Rigg has made his love for the Black Cats clear, a potential move to Tottenham or West Ham could prove tough to turn down. Sunderland are unlikely to clinch an automatic promotion spot in the Championship but could be promoted via the play-offs. It is a similar situation to Gray, who missed out on a place in the Premier League with Leeds before opting to join Spurs last summer. If Sunderland are promoted, a deal for Rigg may prove more difficult to pull off.