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Who will Tottenham Hotspur sign during the transfer window? We asked AI to figure it out for us...

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Tottenham Hotspur have endured a tricky spell recently. Ange Postecoglou will hope that their 2-0 win over Brentford away last time out can inspire them to hit some form now.

The London club delved into the January transfer market to bring in Antonin Kinsky, Mathys Tel, Min-hyeok Yang and Kevin Danso. They are currently sat in 14th place in the table.

Spurs’ next chance to bring in players will be in the summer unless they looked at any free agents. With that in mind, we have asked AI to predict their next window.

AI predicts the players Spurs will sign this winter

Victor Osimhen (Napoli): The Nigeria international has spent this season on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli and has scored 17 goals in 21 games in all competitions, 12 of which have come in the league. AI believes he would be an ideal addition for Spurs later this year. He would certainly boost their attacking options and is valued at the £62million mark on Transfermarkt.

Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli): He made the move to Saudi Arabia last year when Al-Ahli came calling and left Brentford in the process. The forward is now being tipped for a return to England already, with Spurs predicted to land him. Like Osimhen, he would be a useful option for Postecoglou and is a proven goal scorer.

Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen): The right wing-back, who can also play on the wing and in midfield if needed, has been a key player for Bayer Leverkusen over recent times and they won’t want to lose him anytime soon. He helped them win the Bundesliga title last term against the odds ahead of Bayern Munich and Harry Kane under the guidance of Xabi Alonso.

Will Spurs sell any players this window?

Ben Davies: Although he has been a great servant to Spurs since joining them earlier in his career from Swansea City, cutting ties with him may well be a sensible move. AI has said that he won’t be handed a new deal when his current contract expires at the end of this campaign. Therefore, he would become a free agent and would become available for nothing for potential suitors.

Richarlison: The Brazilian made the move down to London back in 2022 from Everton and he has found the net on 18 occasions in 79 matches. He has lacked consistency though and a departure isn’t beyond the realms of possibility. It will be interesting to see who could potentially be interested in luring him away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Sergio Reguilon: AI reckons the left-back could head out the exit door on a permanent basis. He has struggled for regular game time over recent times and has been loaned out to the likes of Manchester United and Brentford. He needs to go somewhere where he is guaranteed to get regular minutes and he can’t get that where he is. Allowing him to depart would help free up some space and funds to pave the way for possible reinforcements and would be sensible.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours, featuring news from Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Fulham

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Welcome to today’s run-through of the latest new Premier League transfer rumours. Clubs have the chance to bolster their ranks between now and the end of the January window on Monday evening.

Firstly, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘lining’ up Chelsea defender Axel Disasi as a potential target, as per The Telegraph. He has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge and may well move on.

Disasi, 26, joined the Blues back in 2023. Prior to his switch to England, he caught the eye playing in Ligue 1 for AS Monaco.

The former Paris FC and Stade de Reims man has made 61 appearances in all competitions for his current club, 17 of which have come this season under Enzo Maresca, and he has scored two goals. His contract expires in the summer of 2029.

The 3am Verdict: Axel Disasi would benefit from a change of scene and needs to be playing regular football at this stage of his career. It hasn’t worked out for him at Chelsea and letting him go would suit all parties involved. Spurs need defensive cover and he could do a job for them if they decide to get him. They have been plagued with injuries and just need bodies at this point as they look to hit form.

Crystal Palace eye Ben Chilwell

According to The Athletic, Crystal Palace are showing an ‘interest’ in landing Ben Chilwell on loan from Chelsea for the rest of this campaign. He is facing an uncertain future with the Blues at the moment.

Chilwell joined them back in 2020 and has since played 107 matches. Like Disasi though, he appears to be surplus to requirements under Maresca.

The Milton Keynes-born man rose up through the academy ranks at Leicester City and was a regular for the Foxes at various different youth levels. He broke into their first-team in 2016 following a temporary spell at Huddersfield Town and became a key player before they sold him.

The 3am Verdict: Ben Chilwell would be a great addition for Crystal Palace if they got him. He would boost their defensive ranks and would inject experience into their squad as they look to build some momentum under Oliver Glasner. He needs to be getting more minutes and the Eagles would be able to provide him with a platform to do that. Chelsea would then need to evaluate his situation in the summer.

Fulham want Trai Hume

Fulham have made Sunderland defender Trai Hume a ‘target’, the Belfast Telegraph claim. The Whites are being linked with a swoop for the Northern Ireland international.

The 22-year-old has become one of the Black Cats’ most prized assets. They are currently eyeing promotion from the Championship and won’t want to lose their defender.

Hume joined the North East club in 2022 from Linfield. He has since made 112 outings, 29 of which have come this term.

The 3am Verdict: At the age of 22, Trai Hume would be a good long-term signing for Fulham if they persuaded Sunderland to cash in. It would be a surprise to see the Black Cats let him go though, especially so close to the deadline. They wouldn’t have enough time to bring in a suitable replacement.

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We round up the latest Premier League transfer rumours, with news from Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester United and more.

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In less than 72 hours, the winter transfer window will have closed, and this is set to be the most exciting deadline day in years, with clubs up and down the Premier League scrambling desperately for players in a way we seldom see in January – and we’re here to keep you abreast of all the latest transfer action by going through some of the biggest Premier League rumours we’ve seen over the past 24 hours.

We’ll start with a story which hasn’t necessarily come completely out of the blue, but which nevertheless caught us slightly by surprise – just when it looked like Marcus Rashford didn’t have many options left, Aston Villa have decided to make a late move for the Manchester United forward, with BBC Sport reporting that they are among “a number of clubs” considering a bid.

It had been thought that Rashford’s only chance of an exit was a loan move to Barcelona, but it looks like the difficulties involved in signing higher-priority targets such as Marco Asensio and Mathys Tel has convinced the Villans to take a chance on a player who has been among the best in the world but has struggled over the last 18 months and fallen out with two consecutive United managers.

A loan move is “by far the most likely scenario at this stage”, the BBC claim, and it now sounds as though Villa have muscled their way to the front of the queue – although the report is at pains to point out that there is no certainty that Villa have made a formal offer.

The 3AM Verdict: We love Rashford, quite frankly, and just want him back to his old, brilliant self, wherever that might be. Emery’s system should suit him fairly well if he plays as a central striker, but presumably he would be behind Ollie Watkins in that system – Villa’s wingers tend to operate deeper than Rashford has when out wide. We don’t know if this one will work, but the ceiling on this gamble is very high indeed if there’s a buy option. In the Premier League era, Villa have only had a couple of players who can hold a candle to Rashford at his very best.

Arsenal & Man Utd offered £50m striker as deal collapses

The chance that Rashford leaves Old Trafford isn’t the only eyebrow-raising story concerning a late move for a striker who’s future is suddenly rather less certain – both Arsenal and Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, according to TeamTalk.

The Nigerian forward was expected to make a move to the Saudi Pro League but Al Nassr’s £50m bid appears to have been abandoned after the club signed Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán instead. Boniface, who scored 21 goals in 34 games during Leverkusen’s invincible season last year, has been offered to other Premier League clubs too but there’s no word on who they might be.

With both United and Arsenal desperate for a goalscorer and seemingly running out of cunning plans to sign one – just look at the Gunners’ laughably optimistic bid for Watkins – this seems like a very sudden ray of light for both clubs. The 24-year-old is a proven goalscorer at the top level, and £50m is an established ceiling for his valuation.

The 3AM Verdict: If this report is true – and we aren’t allowing that for certain at the time of writing – this could be a huge lifeline for any sides looking for a striker. Getting hold of a Matheus Cunha, for instance, was starting to look like it would involve a colossal overpay if it was possible at all, but there’s now a striker who’s relatively young and lethal in front of goal available for a clear-cut fee. If he really is being shopped around, this is a very easy win.

Spurs ‘in talks’ for former Chelsea defender

We’ll wrap things up today by indulging in an old transfer window tradition – the weekly link between a Premier League team and England defender Fikayo Tomori, who has been debating a return to our sceptered isles every day, in every transfer window, since he first moved to AC Milan if the rumour mill is to be believed. He never leaves Milan. But this time, maybe, it might be different.

Sky Sports claim that Tottenham Hotspur are “in talks” with a move for the centre-back, and are asking after both a loan deal and a permanent move. With Radu Dragusin the latest Spurs defender to go down injured, their desperation for extra bodies has ticked up a notch, and Tomori would certainly be a fine addition if he’s actually available.

There’s a pretty big caveat here, in that Spurs are also alleged to be looking at “other options”, and Milan’s new manager Sergio Conceicao previously appeared to be keen to keep Tomori around, something which isn’t mentioned in the report – but who knows, maybe we’re finally closing in on the time when all the England fans who have demanded he be called up to the Three Lions squad again actually get to watch him play for the first time since he broke into the Chelsea team. Certainly Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reckons that talks are far along enough to be described as “advanced”...

The 3AM Verdict: As with all Tomori stories, we’ll believe it when we see it, but this does have a strong ring of truth to it given the volume and quality of the sources... Maybe it’s finally happening. This is like if Manchester United had ever actually signed Wesley Sneijder. Or anyone had ever signed William Carvalho. Tomori to the Premier League has been the white whale of transfer rumours for years now, and Spurs are our Ahab. Something like that, anyway, I’ve not read Moby Dick in years...

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We asked AI to predict who Spurs will sign before the end of the January transfer window.

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Tottenham Hotspur are expected to be busy over the last few days of the transfer window – Ange Postecoglou sorely needs some reinforcements to bolster a squad battered by injuries, and for once it seems likely that some cash will be splashed as the need to plaster over a growing number of cracks becomes apparent.

Of course, guessing who they’ll actually end up with is especially challenging in the current climate. January transfer window can be quiet affairs, but this one seems likely to be a bit of a free-for-all, especially when it comes to forwards – half of the teams in the Premier League are desperately scrambling over each other to buy the best forwards, and it’s a guessing game as to which clubs will end up with which players. Reports may suggest that Spurs have made a bid for Mathys Tel, for instance, but it’s likely that other teams try their hand before the deadline.

With that unpredictability in mind, we decided to give up on trying to map out how the final days of the window will work and turn the question over to a popular AI model, which some people seem to believe is the answer to just about every problem in human society right now, even if it’s still indifferent at churning out secondary school-level essays without glaring mistakes. But with access to far more data than a human analyst could process, perhaps an algorithm really can figure out what Spurs will get up to. Let’s find out…

AI predicts who Spurs will sign by deadline day

Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich, £50m): The algorithm starts by cribbing the notes of some reporters who did the actual legwork – Spurs most likely have had a bid for Tel accepted, believed to be an initial loan move with a purchase clause worth around £50m, although there have also been reports suggesting that Tel promptly turned Spurs down.

To be fair to the machine here, we did ask the question before it was alleged that he had decided against a move to Spurs and at the time it was a perfectly plausible transfer, and one that could have proved to be quite brilliant given how talented Tel is. He also looks like he’d be a very strong fit for Postecoglou’s aggressive, direct, high-pressing style of play, but now other teams can have a go at hijacking the deal, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa all allegedly interested. Clearly, AI had more faith in Daniel Levy’s powers of persuasion that it should have.

Tyler Dibling (Southampton, £55m): It’s a strange world in which Dibling could cost more than Tel, but the computer has Levy splashing some serious cash as he looks to add some young wide forwards – Dibling has been one of the rare bright spots in Southampton’s season and once again his direct style and intelligent off-ball movement suggest someone who would suit Spurs down to the ground.

We think that our AI friend is wide of the mark here, however. Dibling is very likely to move in the summer if Southampton go down, but they have little incentive to sell in the midst of a relegation battle and the player himself is currently injured. Besides, Dibling would probably be cheaper if and when the Saints do become a Championship side once again. One for the future, perhaps, but we’ll eat our hats if this one happens by the end of Monday.

Yoane Wissa (Brentford, £30m): We’ll start off by saying that we doubt Spurs will sign three forwards in one window, less still for a combined £135m, but the AI apparently expects an atypical amount of largesse from Levy in the coming days.

Wissa’s finishing skills and positional versatility would make him a fine signing, and with 18 months left on his contract there will surely be a price point at which Brentford would sell. That said, Thomas Frank has made it pretty plain that he doesn’t want Wissa to leave and Nottingham Forest have already had a bid of up to £22m turned down. Not impossible, in our view, but the AI may be taking a bit of a flyer here.

Dávid Hancko (Feyenoord, £25m): It’s worth noting that the AI’s first three suggestions are all players that have been linked with a move to North London by flesh-and-blood journalists, so we also put in a prompt asking it to ignore rumours and use data to suggest a probable signing – and Slovakian centre-back Hancko is the name that it spat out.

Also able to play on the left, Hancko is a very technically capable defender with a superb passing range who also does a lot of good work sweeping up behind the defensive line – given the need for defensive reinforcements, this is a pretty sensible suggestion. Given that we asked the AI to pick out a player who hasn’t popped up in the transfer columns, we would be mildly freaked out if this actually happened. That would be a big win for AI in general, and one step closer to Skynet.

Who will leave Spurs this transfer window?

We also asked the algorithm who might depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and while it mostly hinted at loan deals for a couple of younger playersit also believes that one regular starter could be headed off for pastures new.

The AI suggests that Brazilian forward and injury magnet Richarlison will leave on loan, despite picking up yet another fitness problem. Richarlison has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the past and he publicly rejected the possibility back in August, but the AI suggests Al Hilal as a plausible destination alongside his old club Everton and Fulham, whose needs could apparently cause Marco Silva to make a bid.

The AI is hedging its bets a little but with all the different possible destinations, but Everton was it’s number one suggestion. We haven’t seen any reports suggesting it as a serious possibility yet, but it would be rather romantic and Everton certainly need to find some cutting edge up front from somewhere. As with the Hancko deal, we wouldn’t actually bet on the machine getting it right, but we must admit – it’s not all that implausible when you think about it.

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Our regular ranking of the ten best young players in the Premier League sees Bournemouth, Spurs & Southampton stars battle for top spot.

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Wondering which young player are making an impact in the Premier League right now? Curious as to which of the brightest starlets in the top flight are making the biggest waves? Well, the Wonderkid Power Rankings are back to rank the ten top-performing Under-21s in England right now.

Last week, we had two Cherries on top of our countdown, with Milos Kerkez edging out Dean Huijsen to take the crown for the second time – but can he hang on this week, or will the Bournemouth supremacy be ended as Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton stars climb the ranks?

We’ve got two players dropping out of the Top 10 this time around, with Jhon Durán and Yankuba Minteh sliding out of the reckoning after failing to make a dent as substitutes over the past week’s football, but that leaves room for one brand new entry and a returning favourite. Let’s find out how they stack up…

The Moroccan attacking midfielder breaks into the Top 10 for the very first time after he capped a run of improved form with a brilliant winning goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, curling the ball powerfully into the bottom-right hand corner of the Spurs goal from over 20 yards out. His direct running and hard yards off the ball have made him one of Leicester City’s more threatening players of late, and the 20-year-old looks like a player starting to come into his own.

It was not a great week for Colwill, who endured an unusually awkward and error-laden game against Manchester City, during which he failed to register a single successful tackle or interception and actually opened up at least one opportunity for the opposition. Colwill has been consistent enough of late that we haven’t punished him too harshly, but it’s also been a little while since he put in a really impactful performance.

Despite being one of City’s better players during their recent travails, Lewis has started to see his minutes reduced and he was benched for the win over Chelsea – and employed as a makeshift centre-half in the second half against PSG in the Champions League, a role which didn’t suit him. Usually sure-footed and tidy in possession, he looked at sea on occasions in the 4-2 defeat and gave up a couple of fouls which a ‘genuine’ defender might have avoided. There’s at least one position Lewis probably can’t play, on this week’s evidence.

The Cameroonian midfielder may not have been able to prevent Brighton falling to a 1-0 defeat to Everton this weekend, but he did a lot of good work defensively, putting in five tackles to keep the scoreline down, and his passing range was highly impressive, repeatedly sparking forays forward from deep positions. We’ll gloss over his three ambitious attempts on goal from 25 yards as youthful exuberance – Baleba is getting back to his best of late.

Another City youngster who had a week to forget. Like Lewis, he was benched against Chelsea after failing to impress over 45 minutes against PSG in midweek, and he was hoicked off in favour of Jack Grealish having missed a very presentable chance from the left side of the six-yard box in a game he otherwise struggled to make much of a dent in. His prior form was impressive enough that he doesn’t slip down our table too far, but this was still a week the Girona winger won’t look back on very fondly.

The Saints may be struggling, but summer signing Fernandes only seems to be getting better as the season goes on. His excellent passing range didn’t directly help Southampton to get any goals in the 3-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, but he was still the beating heart of their attack – such as it is – and one struggles to imagine that he’ll be playing in the Championship next season even if his team do go down.

It's also worth noting that while his precise passing has been a feature of his game all season, he seems to be fleshing out his all-round game, too. His dribbling is getting more dangerous and he’s making a bigger contribution out of possession as well, putting in a useful effort against a high-energy Newcastle midfield on Saturday. The brightest spot in a bleak season on the south coast.

Speaking of bright sparks in bad seasons, Swedish midfielder Bergvall has been thoroughly impressive in recent weeks despite Spurs’ slide down the table and he was good again against both Hoffenheim in Europe and Leicester in the Premier League.

Granted, he missed a golden chance against the German side when the ball came to him on the edge of the six-yard box, but it wasn’t a costly miss and he was excellent in defence over the course of that match, and his fine long-distance passing set quite a few moves up against Leicester. Mostly tidy with flashes of excellence, Bergvall looks ready to be a regular starter whether Spurs stick with Ange Postecoglou or not.

Hall stands pat at number three this week after a second indifferent performance on the bounce, and in weeks when more of the players below him had really shone he might well have slipped down the rankings – but Hall was number one for some time this season for a good reason, and a couple of less impactful performances shouldn’t be punished too harshly in our opinion.

He was tidy enough on the ball against Southampton but didn’t make a dent going forward, failed to find his man with any of his six crosses, and didn’t show enough steel in defence – his Achilles heel so far has been opposing wingers running at him and he didn’t manage a successful tackle over the course of what proved to be a pretty comfortable win. Not an awful outing, but not one worth writing home about, by any means.

Kerkez can’t cling on to top spot this time around, and even though Bournemouth pulled off a quite brilliant 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, it would be fair to say that Kerkez wasn’t one of the main reasons that Andoni Iraola’s side managed to thrash one of the toughest teams in the country.

Not that the left-back did much wrong – he was just a little bit of a peripheral figure, lost a few one-on-one battles down the wing, didn’t complete a cross and only contributed the sum total of 0.01 expected goals’ worth of chances for his team-mates. A 5/10 performance from a player who’s been hitting much greater heights recently, even if his team as a whole scored a very definite 10.

Just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old Spaniard wasn’t even in the Bournemouth starting eleven, much less our Top 10 – but since earning a place in the line-up he’s been absolutely brilliant and is suddenly finding himself linked with moves to half of Europe’s elite teams.

Once again, Huijsen did everything that could sensibly have been asked of him at the back – six clearances, two tackles and three interceptions, for those counting the stats. His passing is impressive too, and he was often able to get counter-attacks going with raking long balls downfield. He hasn’t demonstrated a single significant weakness over the last month or so, and looks like a real find for Bournemouth – and, for the first time, he’s our pick for the best young player in the Premier League.

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The latest updates on Tottenham’s transfer business with updates on their search for a centre-back and a forward.

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If there’s one team who have been quieter than expected during the January transfer window, it’s Tottenham Hotspur. Despite a damaging injury crisis and woeful recent form, Spurs have only signed one player – goalkeeper Antonín Kinský – when more appear to be needed.

The team are reportedly in the market for a centre-back, winger and striker but progress has been slow and there are few confirmed reports of talks between Spurs and other sides.

Chairman Daniel Levy has come under fire from fans in recent weeks with many supporters feeling that he has failed to support manager Ange Postecoglou sufficiently in the transfer market – but is Levy set to make some moves before the transfer deadline on 3 February? We’ve got all the latest updates below.

The centre-back search after Škriniar decision

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero out of action through injury, Spurs have struggled at the back in recent weeks and reinforcements appear to be essential – although Romero, at least, is now back in training ahead of a return.

Spurs had been strongly linked to Slovakia captain Milan Škriniar, who had struggled to settle in at Paris Saint-Germain but was highly impressive in a prior spell at Inter Milan. If the 29-year-old was ever under serious consideration, however, it’s now dead in the water, with Škriniar announced as a Fenerbahçe player on Wednesday.

Fikayo Tomori has also been posited as a potential signing by some media outlets, but AC Milan’s new manager Sérgio Conceição is reportedly keen to keep him on, and should that change then there is also interest from Juventus to contend with.

The only other centre-back prominently linked with a move to North London is Udinese’s Danish defender Thomas Kristensen, with The Daily Mail reporting that both Spurs and Leicester City are interested in the 23-year-old, although Juventus are also in the mix there. There is no word on an actual approach from the club, however, nor on how much he might cost.

£55m forward in frame after missing out on Kolo Muani

At least one attacking player is also wanted, and the club would ideally like to sign both a central striker and a wide forward – but their public pursuit of Randal Kolo Muani, the PSG and France forward who could cover both bases, ended in disappointment, with the player set to join Juventus (them again) this week.

Postecoglou admitted that the club had been interested in Kolo Muani but they will now have to turn their attention elsewhere, although clear links to other players are thin on the ground. Caught Offside claim that Spurs could make a move for Ipswich Town’s top scorer, Liam Delap, but it is unlikely that the Tractor Boys would part ways with their main goal threat midway through a relegation battle for any sensible transfer fee.

Sky Sports have also noted Spurs’ interest in Southampton winger Tyler Dibling, but that would be a deal which happened in the summer rather than in January. Southampton are said to want £55m for the 18-year-old, although that number will presumably go down if the Saints are relegated. RB Leipzig are also interested but Dibling is, in any case, currently injured. Ansu Fati, another player who has had a torrid time with his fitness, has also been mentioned.

Young striker Dane Scarlett has been recalled from his loan at Oxford United, but that is believed to have been due to concerns over his playing time rather than to bolster squad numbers. Scarlett may be loaned out again before the end of the window. t remains likely that Spurs have other targets in mind given how open Postecoglou has been about the need for strength in depth up front, but as yet the identity of the players the club wants remains unclear.

Richarlison among potential leavers

It may seem bizarre to contemplate selling players under the current circumstances, but there have been whispers that Richarlison could be the subject of another bid from Saudi Arabia – the Brazilian forward was initially targeted by Pro League clubs in August and although he turned down the chance to move, it’s believed his suitors may return given his limited minutes in an injury-laden season.

There are, however, no reports of concrete negotiations between Pro League clubs and Spurs, and they may be reluctant to sell given the current lack of depth. Yahoo Sports do claim that the player is now “keen” on the move if they chance opens up, however.

It is unlikely that any other players join Alfie Dorrington in heading out on loan, with Will Lankshear the only player liable to do so – he is likely to be kept on in order to play in the Europa League, however, and will only be sent out if at least one more first-team forward can be found.

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Our round-up of the latest Premier League transfer stories includes news from Manchester United, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool.

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Welcome to Tuesday’s round-up of the biggest and boldest new Premier League transfer rumours – and we’re now inside the last fortnight of the January transfer window, which means the stories are coming thick and fast. Happily, we’re here to help sort the wheat from the chaff.

Let’s start off with a story which popped up in a few outlets but which the Manchester Evening News were among the first to report in detail on – they claimed yesterday that Manchester United have made an approach for Lecce’s 20-year-old Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu, who the Italian club reportedly value at €40m (£33.8m).

Apparently, no formal offer has yet been made for the full-back, who has become a regular for Lecce’s embattled side and made six appearances for the senior Denmark squad, but it seems that Ruben Amorim has identified him as the ideal wing-back to take United into the 3-4-3 era… Elsewhere, it looks likely that United will attempt to find Tyrell Malacia, who has had a torrid time with injuries, a loan deal.

The 3AM Verdict: Dorgu isn’t the complete package yet, as you might imagine, but he has the physical gifts, the quality of tackling and the off-ball movement in the final third to become a very fine player, and Manchester United aren’t the first big club to be linked with him. It feels relatively unlikely that he’s ready to turn the alleged ‘worst team in the club’s history’ around on his own already, though. United’s interest seems to be genuine based on the spread of outlets reporting it – and Sport Witness even spotted that Dorgu’s agent was in Manchester…

Spurs eye surprise Chelsea raid

News from the capital now. According to Caught Offside, Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a central defender has expanded to include a player their crosstown rivals Chelsea only just signed this summer – specifically, former Fulham man Tosin Adarabioyo, who has struggled to force his way into the first team at Stamford Bridge since signing on a free transfer, although he did bag the opening goal against Wolves last night.

Apparently, he’s “being considered” but it doesn’t sound like an offer has been made just yet, and the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Milan Skriniar are still options for Ange Postecoglou’s injury-stricken side. There’s no word on a price tag or, to be honest, much detail of any kind in the article, which always makes us feel rather sceptical, but we’re prepared to be proven wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time...

The 3AM Verdict: We haven’t seen anything corroborating this story and the combination of his recent arrival and the fact that there’s very little detail – not even a stab at a potential fee – makes us doubt the truth behind this one. Enzo Maresca doesn’t seem to be head over heels with Adarabioyo, but they also just recalled Trevoh Chalobah and selling defenders past Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile doesn’t seem like it’s the order of the day at Stamford Bridge. We suspect Spurs will look elsewhere.

Liverpool in for promising forward

Let’s wrap today’s column up with a story which should interest Liverpool fans - according to a new report from TeamTalk, the Reds have “identified” Lyon winger Rayan Cherki as a potential target and have “registered their interest” in the winger, who has also been attracting the attention of Bayern Munich.

Lyon are having a fire sale as they need to clear a substantial amount of debt in order to avoid compulsory relegation to the French second tier and apparently Arne Slot’s side are willing to fork out up to €22m (£18.6m) to get their man, which could be a bit of a bargain if he lives up to his potential. The strike against Cherki is a long-standing qualm about his attitude, but Liverpool have nevertheless “intensified” their interest in the versatile and electric winger.

The 3AM Verdict: A note of caution for any Liverpool fans getting excited about this one - one of the sources for this story is Spanish outlet Fichajes, who print an awful lot of transfer stories which don’t amount to anything. TeamTalk are claiming their own sources, too, mind you. This looks like a good price for a very talented (if tempestuous and perhaps inconsistent) player, so we can see it - but because he’s available at a knock-down price, there will be competition for his signature.

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The latest updates on Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer situation amid links with centre-halves and rumours about Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison.

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There are now two weeks left for teams to make transfers before the window closes and the course of the second half of the season is set – and Tottenham Hotspur are among the teams who seem to be in desperate need of reinforcements.

Under-pressure head coach Ange Postecoglou said that he was “as confident as you can be” that Spurs would make some new signings before the deadline and insisted that “the club is working as hard as it can”, but chairman Daniel Levy’s reputation for last-minute haggling implies that much of their business could go down to the wire despite the fact that the squad has been ravaged by injuries, with Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson the latest players to be ruled out.

As it stands, Spurs have at least completed two January signings in the shape of goalkeeper Antonín Kinský and South Korean teenager Min-Hyeok Yang, but more may be required if the club – a lowly 15th in the Premier League at the time of writing - are to finish in a respectable position. We’ve rounded up the latest on the key transfer stories surround Spurs to keep you up-to-date with all the negotiations.

The chase for a centre-back

Tottenham’s defence has been especially badly impacted by injuries, with first-choice centre-halves Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero both out for long periods. That has forced Postecoglou to rely on the inconsistent Radu Drăgușin and 18-year-old Archie Gray, who is playing out of position and whose lack of experience has shown on several occasions.

It’s a situation which needs to be addressed urgently, especially given that it has been more than a month since the club last kept a clean sheet in the league. A few names have been floating about on the rumour mill, perhaps most notably Fikayo Tomori from AC Milan and Milan Škriniar, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

The former seems unlikely, with Milan’s new manager apparently keen to keep hold of him and Juventus also in the running if he does leave, but there are reports suggesting that discussions have been held over a bid for the experienced Škriniar, who has struggled to settle in Paris since impressing for several years with Inter Milan. Spurs supposedly favour a loan move for the 29-year-old, while PSG want a permanent transfer.

Whether negotiations for Škriniar or any other defensive targets are advanced is hard to say, but there have been some less-than-promising reports. Journalist Mike McGrath, for instance, has suggested he is “not hearing that Spurs are close” to a centre-back signing, and that it is proving to be a “difficult market” for the club.

Richarlison rumoured to be Saudi target

Given the number of fitness concerns, it may seem surprising that Spurs would consider selling any first-team players, but there is some chance that they take the opportunity to cash out on Richarlison, who has once again been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.

The former Everton man, who was signed in 2022 for a deal believed to be worth up to £60m including add-ons, rejecting a move to the Saudi Pro League in August but could be targeted once more, according to several reports.

As it stands, the links to Saudi Arabia remain rumours and there are no concrete reports of negotiations from reliable sources – nor is it clear whether Richarlison would accept a move that he turned down just five months ago. Battles with persistent injuries, combined with the signing of Solanke, has reduced his first-team minutes, however, so he may be more open to a move this time around.

Kolo Muani blow and Barcelona gamble

Whether Richarlison leaves or not, Spurs are expected to try and add a wide forward to the squad over the course of January as they search for some added depth and threat in front of goal. Signing at least one forward is a priority for Postecoglou and the club’s transfer team.

The Athletic reported on 6 January (paywalled) that Spurs were looking to strike a loan deal for PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani, but it looks highly unlikely that such a deal will take place now – a fortnight on, the France international looks set to sign for Juventus instead, with confirmation expected imminently.

Trustworthy reports connecting Tottenham to other forwards have been thin on the ground, but there is increasing chatter about the chance that they could make a bid for Barcelona winger Ansu Fati. The Spaniard is widely appreciated as one of the most naturally talented forwards in world football, but there is a certain irony that Spurs might attempt to sign a player who has had a truly torrid time with injuries in the midst of a player availability crisis.

West Ham are also reported to be keeping tabs on Fati, who struggled to make an impression during a loan spell at Brighton last season, with injuries once again derailing the 22-year-old’s season. Fabrizio Romano appears convinced that Fati’s time at the Camp Nou is up, but it remains to be seen whether the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is his destination.

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Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action on Wednesday night

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Tottenham Hotspur face rivals Arsenal in their upcoming Premier League clash. Ange Postecoglou’s side head to the Emirates Stadium as they look to get a result.

They head into the game on the back of their 3-0 away win at National League side Tamworth in the third round of the FA Cup last time out. Here is a look at the latest injury news regarding the London club...

Tottenham Hotspur defensive woes

Goalkeeper Fraser Forster has missed Spurs’ last three matches against Newcastle United, Liverpool and Tamworth with a stomach bug. That has seen new signing Antonin Kinsky play between the sticks and he has looked calm and composed.

Usual number one Guglielmo Vicario has been out of action with an ankle injury since November. It remains to be seen exactly at this stage when he will be fit again but he is believed to be back in light training.

Postecoglou has a few defenders sidelined at the moment. Destiny Udogie is unavailable for next five weeks at least with a hamstring issue, whilst Ben Davies has had the same injury.

Meanwhile, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are expected to be back available at the end of January which would be a big boost. Their absence has seen Archie Gray play at centre-back along with Radu Drăgușin and they will be eager to keep Arsenal at bay.

Tottenham Hotspur midfield injuries

Spurs were forced to substitute Rodrigo Bentancur during their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie against Liverpool. He is currently undergoing concussion protocols.

Postecoglou shared this update last week: “He obviously went to hospital after the game. He was concussed and they did every check needed to do and I understand he's gone home now. So that's real positive news for us because it was a bit of a distressing situation to deal with for everyone. Now it's just about recovery for him. There are set protocols in place but aside from those set protocols, we'll make sure we give him as much time as he needs to get back.”

Wilson Odobert arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last summer from Burnley but he is out on a long-term basis. This statement was released back in October: “We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training."

Tottenham Hotspur forwards latest

Richarlison has been ruled out since November with a hamstring problem. The former Everton man is back training now though and will be pushing to feature in some capacity against Arsenal. His head coach has said: “He is training. The whole plan with him, with what has happened this year, was to give him two full solid weeks of training. His second week will be next week and if he gets through that he will be fine."

Spurs have until the end of January to bring in some new players. They also have the chance to let some individuals head out the exit door as well to help free up space and funds if needed.

Speaking after their win at Tamworth, Postecoglou said: "Credit to Andy (Peaks, the Tamworth manager) and his players and the people of Tamworth at the football club. I thought they did themselves proud on the day with the way they presented themselves."

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The latest round-up of January transfer rumours - including updates from Manchester United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur

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The January transfer window offers both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur the perfect opportunity to boost their European hopes after a winter of inconsistent results and injuries.

Aston Villa currently sit eighth and despite an encouraging start in Europe are currently struggling for consistency in the Premier League as they find themselves four points behind the Champions League places.

Whereas Tottenham, who narrowly missed out on a top four finish last season, find themselves in the bottom half of the table and on a run of just one victory in seven matches despite hammering champions Manchester City 4-0 at the end of October. Both sides have proven that at their best they have the calibre to compete in the Champions League, but have also waned at times due to the demands of European football.

The pair are both looking to turn their fortunes around in the second half of the campaign and have set their sights on a former World Cup finalist in France international Randal Kolo Muani.

The 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain striker is currently struggling for regular football in the French capital and has fallen down the pecking order for Luis Enrique’s side despite the sale of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid over the summer. Kolo Muani scored 26 goals in his final season for Eintract Frankfurt before making the blockbuster £76m move to the Park Des Princes in 2023, but has struggled to find top form and has so far scored just 11 goals for the Ligue 1 champions in 18 months.

Ben Jacobs understands that Kolo Muani is likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain in January, with the French champions open to a loan offer, which would ideally include a permanent obligation.

Jacobs adds that Aston Villa and Tottenham are the two frontrunners from England to get the deal done, but adds that Juventus, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig are also keeping tabs on the situation. Tottenham are confirmed to have discussed a potential move for Kolo Muani but as of yet have not made a formal approach.

Man Utd ace set for Champions League offer

Out-of-favour Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is considered a top January target for AC Milan as they look to boost their chances of European qualification after a lacklustre start in Serie A.

Mail Sport understands that Ruben Amorim’s former rival and ex-FC Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is a huge admirer of the 60-time England international and is considering a loan move to bring him to the San Siro after injuries to Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao.

Rashford has struggled for form in the last 18 months and has scored just four times in the league this season. He has been absent in three of the last four Manchester United match day squads and has not featured in the Premier League since the start of December.

However, while playing significantly less football, he has still outscored the likes of Rasmus Hoijlund and Joshua Zirkzee in attack this season, and has shown flickers of the quality he still possesses in games against Ipswich Town and Everton earlier in the Amorim era. For Rashford a loan move to the San Siro could be the perfect chance to reinvigorate his career, but for Manchester United anything other than a sale for a significant fee would be the wrong call until the team can sign an adequate replacement. If in Amorim’s shoes, I would keep Rashford until the end of the season until a replacement is brought in and then sell him in the summer, if he fails to rediscover his goal-scoring touch.