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Tottenham are at crossroads and need to decide if they will stick or twist.

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Tottenham Hotspur are currently 10th in the Premier League table. For a traditional ‘big six’ club, tenth position after 11 games would usually put any coach under fire, but Ange Postecoglou always seems relaxed - well, until you see his interviews.

The Australian is so focused on implementing his brand of attacking football that he seems less concerned with the results needed to make Spurs a top-four contender. Despite having scored 23 goals, currently the most in the league, Spurs are not competing among the title chasers, nor are they currently even occupying a Europa Conference League qualification spot.

The problem isn’t even the defence, which has conceded 13 goals, equal to second-placed Manchester City and third-placed Chelsea. The issue lies in knowing how to win games that are there for the taking - a ruthless quality Postecoglou seems to lack. He approaches every team the same, expecting them to go toe-to-toe with Spurs, only to be surprised by teams who understand their strengths and set up defensively to capitalise on Spurs’ mistakes.

It’s no surprise that Spurs were able to humble Aston Villa and West Ham United, teams that consider themselves peers, with 4-1 wins, but then drew against struggling Leicester City and lost to Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

Postecoglou should recognise that struggling teams don’t mind conceding possession. They’ll allow you to attack, hoping you’ll over-commit and make mistakes that they can exploit.

If the Spurs boss insists on doggedly sticking to his principles and playing the same way against all teams, then he needs ruthless, clinical forwards who can score early and force these defensive teams to open up. You can’t play like a Hansi Flick side without burying teams early in the game. If Postecoglou wants to stick to his style, he’ll need to invest in more reliable attacking options. Injuries to Son, the team’s most efficient forward, have meant he’s struggling to hit top form. Brennan Johnson is good but not clinical enough, and Dominic Solanke can score but generally needs several chances to finally convert.

Postecoglou needs to go shopping for one or two assassin-like forwards who can get get the job done at the first time of asking. He might not get the financial backing to overhaul the entire forward line this winter, but at least one new signing is essential. You can’t have an ultra-attacking team and be content with a centre forward who has scored just four goals after 11 weeks of league play.

Victor Gyokeres would be an ideal purchase, but convincing him to choose Spurs over a potential move to Manchester United under his former Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim will be challenging. Spurs should also try for Victor Osimhen, who will have something to prove after Chelsea’s lukewarm pursuit of him. Napoli have a clause in his loan deal to Galatasaray that allows them to recall him and sell.

Osimhen has already shown Spurs how ruthless he can be, scoring twice against Fraser Forster in their Europa League defeat at Istanbul. Chelsea’s flirtation with him, only to leave his future hanging in the balance at the last minute, could serve as extra motivation for Osimhen to prove himself in the Premier League.

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Tottenham have been inconsistent at best this season but they could land a proven Premier League star.

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Tottenham go into the international break with yet another puzzle to solve. From a position of growth, they have managed to mess it up. Once just three points away from third place, if they had won against an Ipswich side without a victory all season up until that point, they would have been in a strong position. Instead, they find themselves 10th in the league table, with more questions than answers.

Ange Postecoglou‘s side have won only two of their last five games, which has led to calls for him to be sacked from a section of the fan base on social media. But it’s not just online where the unrest is growing - the boos at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rang out at the end of each half.

However, they could, rather spectacularly, try to rescue the situation with the signing of Jack Grealish, who has suddenly fallen out of favour at Manchester City and looks like he could benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Lilywhites are keen to add quality and experience to their attack, and Grealish’s ball-carrying abilities are seen as a key addition to the squad. There is a feeling at the club that they need to bring in a player capable of slowing down the game, with Grealish’s ability to draw fouls and drag the team forward being a valuable asset.

Grealish was considered one of the best players in the Premier League before his move to Manchester City. He had the unique ability to bring others into play and had that "X factor" which makes players very attractive to watch. However, at City, he’s been inconsistent. But Tottenham could be the place where it all comes together for him. Spurs are crying out for a genuinely creative player with the ability to win games on his own, and even though the last few years have been tough for Grealish, there’s no denying that he could be an absolute gem for Spurs.

This has been a frustrating season for Tottenham. There are games where they look like they are going places, but then they fail to build on those performances and end up throwing it all away. The defeats to Ipswich and Crystal Palace have been particularly painful, especially given that both teams had not won a league game all season, only for Postecoglou's side to hand them their first wins.

Postecoglou still has the backing of a large section of the fans, but that support is rapidly dwindling given how the season has started. However, if he can convince Daniel Levy to act on a move for Grealish, there could be an exciting development in which Spurs suddenly have a proven English international with the ability to win games again.

For Grealish, there comes a time when a player has to accept that they might not be able to return to the level they once achieved at a particular club. Having won the Champions League and multiple league titles, a move to London with a point to prove could be the energy he needs to take his career to the next level.

A player of Grealish’s calibre should be playing week in, week out - just look at Cole Palmer at Chelsea. Signing Grealish would be a statement transfer, and unleashing him in Postecoglu’s bold style of football could finally see him return to his dazzling best.

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Tottenham Hotspur are playing well but losing games anyway - but this time, the problem might not be ‘Spursiness’ at all, but a specific player...

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Getting a handle on Tottenham Hotspur hasn’t been easy this season. How can a side take Manchester United to pieces at Old Trafford and then blow a comfortable 2-0 lead to Brighton just a week later? How can a side thrash West Ham with ease, only to immediately hand Crystal Palace a first win of the campaign?

It’s easy to dismiss this inconsistency as archetypally ‘Spursy’. The same old psychological issues, the same tendency to crumble under pressure, the same failure to turn stylish football into tangible results. We’ve seen it all before, after all, and this season’s performances fit the narrative nice and neatly.

Perhaps as a consequence, there hasn’t been much analysis of the root causes of the up-and-down results that we’ve seen under Ange Postecoglou since the summer. But I wanted to dig deeper after doing a deep dive on some stats which suggested that Spurs should be doing rather better than they are.

Coming into Sunday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa (a top four contender actually in the top four, rather than five points and four places beneath it), Tottenham are currently second in the league for volume of possession, completed passes, total shots and expected goals – Manchester City alone edge them out on all four metrics. Only three teams have conceded fewer goals and only four allowed fewer expected goals against them.

They have made the second most tackles (behind Manchester United) and have the third-highest percentage of successful tackles (after United and Everton). They have dribbled the ball further than any team except for City. Wherever you look, the numbers suggest that Spurs have been playing like a top four side – perhaps even a title contender. So what gives?

Most Premier League supporters would probably shrug and say that it’s just the same old Spurs, and certainly you can peg a few of their more disappointing results as the consequences of mental failings. The 2-1 loss to Newcastle United, a game they controlled for large periods. The 3-2 defeat to Brighton, which bore all the hallmarks of a complete collapse. But how fair is that portrayal?

I went back and watched all 10 goals that Spurs have shipped this season, looking for patterns, for tactical errors that crop up repeatedly. In truth, it wasn’t immediately easy to find one. There are a few goals from low crosses, but nothing to suggest a systemic issue in that department. Last season, it was often set pieces that proved to be the problem, but only Gabriel’s winning goal in the North London derby came direct from a corner or free-kick. It was only when watching Danny Welbeck’s winner at the Amex Stadium back that I spotted a common denominator at last – Cristian Romero.

The 26-year-old Argentine has been outstanding since joining Spurs back in 2021, but this season he has been at fault far too often. It was Romero who lost concentration and allowed Welbeck to saunter in behind him to meet the cross for that third goal in Sussex. Romero who made an unconvincing effort to intercept a cross against Crystal Palace, got in the way of his own man and nowhere near the ball, and allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta the space to score. Romero who lost Gabriel from that corner at the Emirates.

Depending on how harsh of a judge you wish to be, Romero can fairly be said to have been directly culpable for between four and six of the 10 goals that Spurs have shipped – whether it’s walking back towards the box and failing to notice Harvey Barnes’ late run for Newcastle’s opener at St. James’ Park, or missing a tackle he went for on Kaoru Mitoma just ahead of Brighton’s equalising goal.

The strange thing is that Romero has, as a whole, actually not played badly. In general, his play has been just fine. He’s even been making more tackles and forcing more turnovers than he has in previous seasons, and the statistics, taken out of the context of specific mistakes, would suggest that he’s improving in line with a high-class player entering his peak years.

Perhaps Romero has simply been rather unlucky – maybe he has made no more mistakes than any other defender, but they are being punished disproportionately. Perhaps this is just a blip and normal, more reliable service will resume from this weekend forward. But the inescapable fact is that Spurs have conceded more goals than they should have, and Romero is the primary reason. The mistakes have been costly, too, coming in games decided by the odd goal.

That isn’t to say that Romero deserves the entirety of the blame for Spurs’ middling and uncertain start to the season, of course, and equally he has had plenty of interventions which have helped to prevent goals. There are issues going forward, too, with Spurs looking inefficient in front of goal – Dominic Solanke has yet to fully settle in and Spurs are currently converting shots into goals at a relatively poor rate of one in ten, less than Ipswich Town. They are currently scoring at around the right rate, compared to their xG, but top four sides usually outstrip that fairly comfortably.

What it is to say is that Postecoglou may need to determine whether this really is just an anomaly, a blip, that will go away with time, or whether Romero is a potential problem – and the way he strolled back to the box for Barnes’ goal, or completely lost concentration against Brighton to let Welbeck in, does raise some alarming red flags. This hasn’t just been an issue of competency, but of focus, judgement and awareness, and it has hit Spurs disproportionately hard.

The good news is that Romero is a proven high-level player, and a gambling man would surely back him to tighten things up in the long run. The further good news is that Spurs are controlling games, creating opportunities and playing, in most regards, like a team that can contend for the top four. The only bad news is that a fair bit of damage to their chances of Champions League qualification has already been done. A defeat to Aston Villa this Sunday would hit those chances even harder. Romero is an injury doubt, but if he plays, he can’t afford another costly lapse.

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Who are the best young players in the Premier League? Our weekly top ten sees Aston Villa, Spurs, Newcastle and Manchester City starlets towards the top.

Once again, the weekly Wonderkid Power Rankings are back to answer the simple but challenging question – who is the best young player in the Premier League?

Last week, Jhon Durán regained his spot at the top of the table thanks to a goal for Colombia, but international breaks always do weird things to our top tens, as high-flying players find themselves without a game and also-rans suddenly become stars for their country.

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Accordingly, we have three players leaving our rankings this week, with two brand new entries and a returning hero to replace them. James McAtee, who has been on fire for England’s Under-21s but seldom plays for Manchester City, is gone once again and turned 22 anyway, which means he won’t be back thanks to our age rules.

Meanwhile, Jack Hinshelwood’s recent rough form has caught up with him, and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo also drops out due to the injury which kept him out of the last England squad. It sounds as though Mainoo may be out for a couple of weeks yet, but as one of our mainstays we’re sure he’ll be back in the rankings quickly once he returns.

The Hungarian left-back has been on consistently solid form of late and put in perhaps his best performance of the season in the surprise 2-0 win against Arsenal. Playing against ten men may have made it easier, but he still did his defensive duties well and his movement getting forward is excellent, providing so much width to the Bournemouth attack. What he still need to do to take his game up to the next level is to work on his production – if he could cross as well as he gets into dangerous crossing positions, he’d be a star.

Delap couldn’t keep his good goal-scoring run going in a 2-0 defeat to Everton, which felt like a pretty crushing blow to Ipswich Town’s credentials as a team that can beat relegation. Delap himself struggled to find the same amount of space as he has done in recent matches and while he did manage to get three shots away, none could really be classed as clear-cut chances and all were around the edge of the area. The service wasn’t there, and nor was Delap able to carve something out of nothing.

We have a standing rule that top five players don’t get jettisoned from the rankings for missing one game with a knock, which is apparently why the star of Gambia’s recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was left out against Newcastle United. In other words, we don’t want to punish him too harshly given that he’s now bagged two goals and an assist across three games for club and country.

The young Dane is back to full fitness, back in the starting line-up and back in the goals – his coolly-taken dinked finish over Mark Flekken made it two goals in three games for United and, more critically, it earned a much-needed three points. There was every argument to be made for bringing Alejandro Garnacho back into the top ten after his beautifully-taken goal too, by the way, but he narrowly missed out due to his recent inconsistency. He’ll be back soon, no doubt, but competition for a place in the lower half of our ladder has been fierce lately.

The Chelsea centre-back has been the model of consistency this season but finally put up a poor display at Anfield in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, conceding a crucial penalty which ultimately cost his side the match. Even outside of that, the speed of Mohamed Salah and the physicality (and unpredictability) of Darwin Núñez gave Colwill an unusually high volume of problems. Not his best outing.

Leicester City’s on-loan Argentine had muscled his way back in to the top ten a couple of weeks ago with some eye-catching performances, was dropped last week after spending two games on the bench for his country, and now bounces right back in after scoring for the second consecutive match.

Granted, he could barely have missed from two or three yards out, but his run into the box to get ahead of his marker was still excellent and the bundled goal which started the remarkable comeback against Southampton was just reward for another lively performance in which he demonstrated creativity, excellent off-ball running and some fine passing.

Udogie doesn’t have too much time left in our rankings, as his 22nd birthday looms at the end of November, but judging by his performance in the 4-1 win over West Ham United, he’s determined to end his career as a youngster on a high.

Yes, he was at fault for West Ham’s goal, beaten a little too easily to allow a pull-back to find Mohammed Kudus – but he was brilliant from then on out and made up for his earlier error with a superb assist, getting to the byline, twisting his marker inside out and finding the onrushing Yves Bissouma as he burst into the box. Time and again he found space down the left to play dangerous passes and advance possession, and all told that was perhaps his best game of the campaign.

No change for Lewis, who put in a rock solid display in the late, late win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and helped his team to keep constant control of the ball – indeed, he only conceded possession five times in the entire match, which is a remarkably low number.

His passing and use of the ball was as economical as ever and he was impressive when called upon to do some defensive duties, racking up a couple of timely tackles and two fine interceptions to make sure that Wolves’ threat on the counter was intermittent only. A mistake-free match and one that solidifies his spot towards the top of our rankings.

The unkindest thing you can say about Hall’s recent form is that he hasn’t put in a banner performance, the kind of showing which grabs headlines and gets tongues wagging – but he’s been consistently impressive for his side even as their form waxes and wanes, and has been one of the best passing full-backs in the league so far.

Had a poor header which allowed Brighton & Hove Albion in not blotted his copybook, we might have made him number one for the first time, but as it stands several dangerous deliveries down the flank to set Anthony Gordon free and some otherwise impeccable defensive work means he holds fast in second place. A growing force in a team that’s struggling to produce its best form.

The Colombian couldn’t keep his scoring form as a super sub up this weekend and was generally given little chance to get into the game during the 15 minutes he spent on the pitch for Aston Villa – but his recent form has been so strong in general that we didn’t think that any of the chasing pack had made a sufficiently strong case to oust him from top spot, for this week at least.

He only had seven touches of the ball and one shot after replacing Ollie Watkins, which is perhaps par for the course when you’re an impact sub and not the starter that he surely would be in almost every other team in the Premier League based on his red-hot form in front of goal. We wouldn’t keep him top had he not been so damned good of late or had Hall or Lewis really shone, but in the end Durán earned his top spot and we won’t take it away from him this week. Fail to make an impact next week, however…

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Liverpool set for bombshell Salah bid plus all the biggest Premier League transfer rumours.

Welcome to Friday’s dose of all the latest Premier League transfer rumours and, of course, our expert insight into whether or not they’ll actually happen – and we’ll start today’s round-up by taking a look at a rumour which may worry any Liverpool fans reading.

Spanish outlet Fichajes claim that Paris Saint-Germain are interested in making a bid for star forward Mohamed Salah, who is out of contract at the end of the season and who has been widely linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League should he decide to leave Anfield.

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Apparently PSG head coach Luis Enrique has “set his sights” on Salah as he looks to rebuild the club’s attack following the departure of Kylian Mbappé over the summer. The 32-year-old Egyptian is, apparently, “torn” between France, Saudi Arabia and presumably the chance to stay at the club where he has become a legend.

The 3AM Verdict: Speculation over Salah’s future will only grow until he either signs a new contract or firmly opts against it, so it’s hardly a shock to see more sides being put forward by the rumourmongers. We would warn that Fichajes have a deeply patchy track record, and we don’t set too much stock by their stories – but there’s nothing especially implausible about PSG making enquiries here. If more clubs do indeed make an offer, then the chances that he leaves Anfield only go up.

Gunners set sights on Serie A star

News now from North London, with Caught Offside claiming that Arsenal are one of several sides “keeping an eye” on Atalanta’s Belgian attacking midfielder Charles de Ketelaere, whose form has picked up considerably after a dismal season at AC Milan.

How can Manchester United turn things around? Is Thomas Tuchel the right man for England? Watch the Premier League Panel to find out.

Apparently Arteta is a “big admirer” of the midfielder, who was linked with Aston Villa among other clubs before making the move to Bergamo on an initial loan deal last season. Apparently the list of interested sides is only growing, with Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur among the teams namechecked in the report. West Ham United, meanwhile, are a “surprise name to watch”.

The 3AM Verdict: No transfer fee is suggested but Atalanta are ultimately still a selling side, even if their bullishness of the transfer value of Brazilian midfielder Éderson suggests that the days of easy deals with the Europa League holders are long gone. As for Arsenal’s specific interest, it really depends on what they would be willing to spend on a number ten when they already have Martin Ødegaard – and whether a player of De Ketelaere’s growing stature would be willing to risk playing second fiddle.

Spurs eye Porro replacement

Spurs aren’t just thinking of a move for De Ketelaere, as it happens – according to TeamTalk, they’ve responded to reports that Pedro Porro could be a target for Real Madrid next summer by looking at potential replacement, and one name that’s cropped up is Raoul Bellanova, a right wing-back who also happens to play for Atalanta.

The priority is apparently keeping hold of Porro, but Bellanova could become a target if that proves to be impossible. A deal wouldn’t be easy to strike, however. The 24-year-old, who played for Inter Milan in the 2023 Champions League final while on loan, only moved to Atalanta this summer and is presumably not in a great rush to leave already.

The 3AM Verdict: Bellanova was linked several times with Manchester United over the summer before they struck a cheaper deal for Nouassir Mazraoui, but having moved to Atalanta it seems hard to imagine he’ll go anywhere this quickly. In any case, Porro is only a target for Real if they can’t get hold of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Should the England defender leave Liverpool, then Spurs needn’t worry anyway.

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Spurs go into this weekend’s Premier League game against West Ham with Ange Postecoglou under pressure - but a summer signing could have changed things.

In the summer, Federico Chiesa’s agent was eager to secure a move for him to Tottenham Hotspur. He had held talks with Chelsea and other clubs, but Tottenham was the preferred destination for several reasons—one of them being that, in recent years, several Juventus players have made successful transitions there.

Rodrigo Bentancur, who struggled at Juventus, has found a home in North London, flourishing in his role. Then there’s Dejan Kulusevski, who has been even more impressive, playing in various roles. 3 Added Minutes understands that Chiesa has a good relationship with both players, which made Tottenham his preferred choice.

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Tottenham's former director, Fabio Paratici, was also quietly supportive of the move. However, the interest from Tottenham never materialized, and Chiesa eventually joined Liverpool. There have been misconceptions about Chiesa's ability, but he embodies the kind of player Ange Postecoglou would appreciate, given his versatility. Chiesa has the speed and skill to excel and could have been a significant asset in North London.

Tottenham are struggling now, with Richarlison and Son sidelined due to injuries. A player like Chiesa, who knows how to score and create chances, could have been invaluable. The transfer fee, reportedly around £12.5 million, would have been a bargain for a club like Tottenham, giving them a player capable of solving multiple issues.

The injury concerns

Some critics pointed to Chiesa’s injury history as a reason Tottenham did not pursue the move. However, he played 33 league games last season, scoring nine goals, and added four more appearances with a goal in the Italian Cup. In total, he made 37 appearances with 10 goals. The label of being "injury-prone" seems exaggerated, especially considering his recent absence at Liverpool is due to a minor knock rather than a serious injury. Liverpool’s style of play and squad dynamics are different, which may have influenced his current situation.

The lack of depth in Tottenham’s squad has become evident, as there has been little impact from the bench or when key players are sidelined. With Spurs aiming for their first major trophy since 2008, the missed opportunity to sign Chiesa could prove costly as the season progresses.

They have already suffered significant setbacks this season—the draw at Leicester was disappointing, the home defeat to Arsenal was painful, and the loss to Brighton was equally frustrating. As a result, they enter the London derby this weekend needing a positive response, or pressure could mount on the manager. Squad planning and quality depth are crucial for a manager’s success. Ultimately, the decision not to sign the dynamic Italian at such a reasonable price could haunt Tottenham in the long run.

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A roundup of some of the latest Premier League transfer rumours as we head into the international break.

The Premier League churned out more exciting results over the weekend as Liverpool keep their spot at the top of the table heading into the international break. Manchester City and Arsenal also earned victories as they look to keep the pressure on the title race.

Let’s take a look at some of the latest transfer stories as England’s top flight takes a short break.

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Liverpool star ‘recommends’ defender to recruitment team

Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez has reportedly ‘recommended’ a fellow South American star to the club’s recruitment team after being ‘wowed’ by what he’s seen of him so far. According to Football Insider, the Reds and rivals Brighton are both monitoring rising Colombian talent Clarens Culma Mejia, who can play as either a centre-back or left-back.

Talent spotters from both Premier League clubs have been eyeing the Atlético Nacional youngster and he apparently comes highly recommended by Núñez, which has encouraged the Anfield outfit to ‘actively monitor him’.

There is little information out there on Culma, so much so that he doesn’t even have a Transfermarkt profile, but Football Insider describes him as having a ‘growing reputation in South American football’.

The 3AM Verdict: Liverpool have been looking to bolster their backline since last summer but due to the need of new midfielders, it has taken a backseat. It has been widely reported that the Reds will return to the market next year for new centre-backs and left-backs, both of which are positions Culma can cover by himself. If they are able to sign him for a friendly fee, Liverpool could land themselves a promising young talent and the fact he comes recommended by Núñez is hard to ignore.

Spurs ‘plotting move’ for Man City target

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘plotting a move’ to sign Italian midfielder Samuele Ricci and will rival Man City for his signature if they enter talks. According to another Football Insider report, Spurs’ pursuit is increased by working with former managing director Fabio Paratici. The 52-year-old is no longer in his role but still thought to have strong links to the recruitment system he established.

Ricci is also being monitored by City, who will be without Rodri for the remainder of the season after he suffered an ACL injury. Their priority in the next transfer window will surely be to find a back-up but with Spurs showing interest in their target, it could be a challenge.

The 3AM Verdict: Man City are in need of someone to fill Rodri’s shoes and while the idea of joining the Premier League champions will be very attractive, every player must know their role under Pep Guardiola is rarely guaranteed. Ricci plays a key role for Torino so likely won’t want to be demoted to the bench once Rodri returns from injury and retakes his place.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours, featuring news from Newcastle, Spurs, Crystal Palace and Arsenal.

Welcome to the weekend – and, of course, to Saturday’s edition of our daily digest of the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours currently doing the media rounds. Today, we’re kicking things off a story fresh from St. James’ Park.

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle United have been monitoring Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané – more familiar to English fans from his stint at Manchester City, of course – and now they believe that they can sign him providing one condition is met. Meeting that condition may be easier said than done, however.

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German journalist Christian Falk is the source for this story, and he reckons that Sané would only consider moving to a Champions League side, meaning that top four is a must if Eddie Howe wants to get his hands on the Germany international. That may not be the only problem, however, because the Magpies would have to “pay a lot money” to make the deal happen, and although a possible transfer fee isn’t specified it’s claimed that it could be more than Newcastle could afford.

The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle have been after a new winger to replace Miguel Almirón for some time now and Sané would certainly be a high-calibre option to aim for. We’re not sure we agree that price will be a problem, however, because the last time we checked the German’s contract expires at the end of the season. Perhaps he has some especially meaty wage demands.

Spurs ready to haggle over Palace man

Our next story isn’t a new one by any means but there is a fresh detail that’s worth reporting, and some information about a possible alternative – and it concerns Tottenham Hotspur’s long-rumoured pursuit of Crystal Palace and England attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, who Spurs wanted to sign in the summer.

Are Newcastle top four contenders? Watch The Premier League Panel to find out what our experts think.

Price proved to be a problem, with a release clause of £68m being to steep, but according to TeamTalk the North London club are set to return to the negotiating table because they not believe they can sign him for less, with a deal in the £50-60m range looking plausible. Antoine Semenyo could be a £33m target as well, while apparently both Spurs and Arsenal are also chasing a deal for Benfica centre-back Tomás Araújo.

The 3AM Verdict: The initial source for the story about Spurs believing they can make a reduced bid for Eze is Football Insider, which is not noted for accuracy, but in any case this is hardly such a big discount as to be worth crowing about. The amplified claim that Spurs are after Semenyo, which we’ve mentioned before in this digest, could be more interesting.

Decision made over Arsenal midfielder’s future

Finally, some news from over at the Emirates – just a day after we reported on rumours that Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey could be on his way out of Arsenal amid interest from La Liga, TBR Football now claim that a decision has been made to offer him a brand new contract.

The 31-year-old’s deal was set to expire at the end of the season and it was broadly expected that he would be on his way, but he is now “likely to be rewarded” for his form so far this season. The article also mentions old reports of potential interest from Saudi Arabia, but apparently the player was never keen.

The 3AM Verdict: The midfielder has been important part of Arsenal’s squad with Mikel Merino out injured of late, and that has clearly persuaded the Gunners to keep their man for the long term. With Jorginho slowing down as well, it only makes economic sense to keep Partey around as a back-up going forward.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Welcome to Friday’s round-up of the freshest Premier League transfer rumours that we’ve caught doing the rounds over the past 24 hours – and we have something of a theme running through today’s digest.

All of today’s transfer stories concern players who currently ply their trade in London but who could be heading for pastures new in the near future, and first up for consideration is a report from Caught Offside which claims that Real Madrid have set their sights on Tottenham Hotspur right-back Pedro Porro.

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The former Sporting man isn’t Real’s first choice, by any means, because what they really want is to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free when his contract expires at the end of the season. But they see Porro as a “strong alternative” to the Liverpool man, and apparently Carlo Ancelotti is an admirer.

Apparently a fee of around €65m (£54.7m) would be required to get Spurs around the table in the first place, but the North London outfit are allegedly “fearful” of losing their man if he receives a tempting offer from Spain.

The 3AM Verdict: We’ve already seen Real Madrid linked with just about every elite right-back in Europe recently, and that’s why we wouldn’t get too worried if we were a Spurs fan – sure, Porro probably is on their long list of potential targets, but right now they’re just doing due diligence and there are another dozen or so players they could turn to before Porro becomes the number one target.

Gunner set for Spanish move

Spurs aren’t the only team in North London who could find themselves losing a player to La Liga in the near future – not if Football España have their facts straight, anyway. They reckon that both Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are chasing the signature of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who is set to leave the club as a free agent this coming summer.

Are Newcastle top four contenders? Watch The Premier League Panel to find out what our experts think.

The Ghanaian international is expected to make a decision on his future in the coming months, and the clubs in question will make a call of their own with the potential to sign the player for free proving to be “tempting.” Fitness may come into the equation, however, as Partey has had injury problems that he may need to get over.

The 3AM Verdict: There is very little detail in this article, which is often a sign that either the author has heard faint whispers but little more or that there simply isn’t anything concrete in it. We’re not sure which is the case here, but the two teams in question are a former club and a team who are basically always looking for anyone they can sign on a free to save some money.

Spanish side to double down on Stamford Bridge swoop

To round off our hat-trick of stories about Spanish sides swooping in for London-based players, news now from TeamTalk, who reckon that Atléti are also keen on signing Chelsea exile Ben Chilwell.

The two sides have a working relationship after negotiations over Conor Gallagher and João Félix during the summer and apparently Diego Simeon’s side team have a “strong interest” in the England left-back, who was left out of first-team training during at the start of the season and has been told to find a new club. He has since been reintegrated into the senior squad, but there is no suggestion that Enzo Maresca plans to make much use of him, and a transfer seems inevitable at some stage.

There’s no word on whether Chilwell would be open to a move to Madrid or as to how much Chelsea would charge for him – aside from a wry note that the Blues would get “nowhere near” the £50m or so they paid for him in the first place.

The 3AM Verdict: Apparently a new left-back is somewhere on Simeone’s list of priorities and this seems like a pretty easy move to pull off, although it may depend on Chilwell’s fitness levels and the amount that Chelsea want in return. Certainly a move that we can see happening, but the fine details could prove to be more complicated that you might expect.

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With Harry Kane reaching 100 caps for England, we look at the up-and-coming strikers who could replace him when the time comes.

There was never any real question that Harry Kane was still a great striker, even after a lacklustre performance at Euro 2024, and even after a three rather frustrating halves of Nations League football against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. Eventually, the chances came, the finishes were quite brilliant, and England’s latest centurion celebrated his hundredth cap with a brilliant brace to win the game at Wembley.

Now 31 years old, this summer was perhaps the first time that the former Tottenham Hotspur striker had showed any signs of slowing down. He certainly didn’t look too sluggish last season, his first with Bayern Munich, when he bagged 44 goals in 45 games and finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer – but still, those goals against the Finns will likely have been met with a sigh of relief at The FA headquarters, because when the day comes to replace him, it’s going to create a major problem.

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That isn’t just because he’s an exceptional player, but because England seems to have stopped producing strikers, at least in any number. The best technical players and the biggest goal-scoring talents are now being funnelled towards wide positions in youth academies, and number nines are becoming a rare breed. The current crop may not be much help, either. Should Kane retire from international duty after the next World Cup, say, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney would be 30 already. Able to contribute, sure, but not long-term solutions, and it’s an optimist who expects Dominic Calvert-Lewin to stay fit enough for long enough.

So who can replace Kane when he goes? Who can we expect to lead the line at the next European Championships if the captain has hung his boots up by then at the age of 35? We’ve looked to the future to determine who will be the main man for years to come…

Dominic Solanke – Tottenham Hotspur

The obvious place to start, Solanke is 26 now and entering what should be his prime years off the back of a hugely impressive 21-goal season with Bournemouth. He’s a ‘genuine’ striker who has a long and storied history with the England age group sides – all of which makes it even more of an oddity that he has just one cap to his name, which was handed to him seven long years ago when he was still a teenager. The fact that he didn’t even make Gareth Southgate’s extended training squad ahead of Euro 2024 strongly suggests that he doesn’t have a huge fan base at St. George’s Park, but perhaps Lee Carsley would have called him up had he been fit. There’s also the fact that he only has one seriously strong top-flight season behind him, and perhaps he has more to prove than we might think. Still the clear favourite, surely.

Jaden Philogene-Bidace – Aston Villa

Of course, the various younger forwards who are only just starting their journeys at the highest level have even more to prove. Philogene-Bidace, who was re-signed by Aston Villa after impressing in the Championship with Hull City, is also a winger rather than a striker, but the sheer volume of wide forwards coming through the youth ranks across England suggests that trying to convert a less traditional striker into a number nine may be necessary, or at least an experiment worth trying at some stage. 12 goals in 32 games last season demonstrated at least some of the finishing instincts required, and he should have the technique and pace to be effective off the shoulder of the last man as well.

Dane Scarlett – Oxford United (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

Speaking of which, it’s worth noting that England Under-21s won the European Championships under Carsley in 2023 without starting a ‘recognised’ striker, but the England Under-19s team that won their equivalent competition in 2022 did have a couple, including the highly-rated Scarlett. Now 20, he has yet to make his breakthrough at Spurs but has a formidable goal-scoring record at youth level (including 23 goals in 36 games across the various England sides). A loan spell in the second tier with Oxford United could tell us more about his prospects – it worked for Kane, anyway. Bournemouth’s Daniel Jebbison is another member of that Under-19 side to watch out for, and he’ll spend this season with Watford.

Tammy Abraham – AC Milan (on loan from AS Roma)

If we’re going to prematurely write Calvert-Lewin off, it may not be especially sensible to suggest the 26-year-old Abraham, who started his career in Serie A off like a train but has since found his progress derailed by injury problems. He only managed 12 matches last season and hasn’t been afforded the chance to replicate his 2021/22 campaign when he bagged 27 inside 53 matches. But the technique and talent is unquestionably still there. Perhaps his loan spell in Milan will help him get back to his best, and if that happens then has will surely be in contention for more caps.

Liam Delap – Ipswich Town

The Tractor Boys have put a lot of faith in Delap to help them lead the line in a relegation battle after spending up to £20m to sign him from Manchester City. Not necessarily a natural number nine but a forward who drops back and runs the channels, he still has a very solid goal-scoring record and bagged eight on loan at Hull last year. If he can get those numbers going northwards in what may well be a difficult season in Suffolk, then the 21-year-old could easily force himself into long-term discussions.

Cameron Archer – Southampton

While England’s Under-21s may have started without a striker when they won the Euros last year, they did have Archer coming off the bench. Able to play on the wing as well, Archer has good speed and movement but needs to up his volume of goals, for his sake as well as Southampton’s. A return of just four goals last year was forgivable given the mess that his Sheffield United side was in, but the 22-year-old will want to push for double figures to prove that he’s on the right track. Not that young strikers aren’t allowed a slow start. After all, it took Solanke a while to get up to speed at the senior level.

Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid

Of course, the answer could be right under our noses already – and under Carlo Ancelotti’s arched eyebrow. The boy wonder Bellingham was unexpectedly used as a false nine in Spain last season and started the season in scintillating goal-scoring form, demonstrating hitherto unrealised skill in the six yard box and a genuine aerial threat. His scoring rate slowed a little as the season went on but he still bagged 23 goals in 42 matches as he won the league and Champions League double. England may not need to look all that far for Kane’s replacement at all.