TEAMtalk

Tottenham and Bayern Munich have reportedly joined Liverpool on the hunt for Takefusa Kubo, who Real Sociedad could find it ‘difficult to retain’.

Former Real Madrid man Kubo is into his third season with Sociedad. Now with 25 goals in his La Liga career, the Japanese international has been a consistent performer for his current club every season.

That has piqued the interest of some clubs in other big European leagues.

Liverpool have been linked for a while, but Fichajes reports that Tottenham and Bayern Munich are both now interested in his talents, as well as the Reds.

Spurs are said to want to add versatility and depth to their attack, and feel the speed and dribbling ability of Kubo make him a fantastic asset for Ange Postecoglou’s system.

The winger has a €60million (£50m/$63m) release clause, and as a result, it’s believed that will make him ‘difficult to retain’ for Sociedad.

Liverpool plans could be spoiled

In the summer, it was reported that Liverpool had identified Kubo as a target given the uncertainty over the future of Mohamed Salah.

With both men right-wingers, if the Egyptian is to leave, it is clear Kubo would be a like-for-like replacement.

As such, it seems that would still be the case if Salah leaves at the end of the season, when his contract is up.

Therefore, either Tottenham or Bayern landing Kubo would spoil Arne Slot’s plan to get somebody through the door to ease the exit of one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever talents.

Tottenham round-up: Spurs want Greek striker

Tottenham have registered an interest in Greek 18-year-old Stefanos Tzimas, who is on loan at Nurnberg, and the club want to sign him and immediately sell him on for a profit, to Spurs on a Premier League rival.

Spurs are also said to be interested in Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, though Aston Villa are at the front of the queue, having opened negotiations.

The north London outfit are said to have opened talks with Heung-min Son over extending his contract for a further year.

Though Sergio Reguilon could cancel his deal in January, but may ask for 80 per cent of his remaining wages, with his deal not due to run out until the summer.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has clarified the contract situation with Tottenham and Son Heung-min, though while a one-year extension is coming, a separate report has dropped a bombshell on the forward’s future beyond that.

Son, 32, is a bona fide Premier League legend having become the first Asian player to break the 100-goal barrier in the EPL era. His current tally of 123 goals places him joint-19th in the all-time rankings. With Nicolas Anelka (125), Robbie Keane (126) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (127) all just a few goals ahead, Son should take 16th spot before the season is out.

It’s important to note Son’s tally has also been achieved largely without the aid of penalties. Duties from the spot were primarily hoovered up by Harry Kane during his time at the club.

How much further Son climbs up the rankings will hinge on how much longer his Tottenham career extends. Son’s existing contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 season, though there is a club option for an extra 12 months.

And according to trusted reporter Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have started the process of activating that option. As such, Son will soon be under contract at Spurs for the 2025/26 campaign too.

“I have something to say about Heung-min Son, a top player of Tottenham Hotspur,” said Romano on his YouTube channel. “It’s important to say that, according to my information, Tottenham are prepared to take the option to extend the contract of Son.

“So if you check on Son, on all the websites, for example, Transfermarkt, you can see that his contract is expiring in the summer of 2025.

“But Tottenham have an option, have a clause in the contract to extend the deal for one more season, 2025/26, and they are in the process, from what I’m hearing, of extending this contract for one more year.

“This is the idea, this is the plan, the process has already started and so the expectation is for Son to have a longer contract at Tottenham.”

Romano concluded by noting he is unaware of any contacts between Son and rival clubs. The reporter also stressed Son and his camp are fully aware Spurs will soon trigger their 12-month option.

What comes after one-year extension?

According to a recent report from TBR Football, Tottenham have surprisingly informed Son and his camp they have no intention of discussing a long-term extension beyond the one-year option.

As such, the 2025/26 season could be Son’s last in a Spurs shirt. If it is, Son will bring his Tottenham career to a close at the 11-year mark having cemented himself as one of the club’s all-time greats.

A separate report from TBR Football subsequently claimed Son is a player of interest to the Saudi Pro League.

TEAMtalk can also reveal French giant PSG hold long-term admiration in Son and have previously formulated plans to make a push for the South Korean.

If Spurs fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League, the possibility of Tottenham selling Son to PSG in the summer of 2025 would be in play.

Latest Tottenham news – New centre-back wanted

In other news, Caught Offside claim Tottenham are rivalling Chelsea in the race to sign Bournemouth centre-back, Illia Zabarnyi.

Bournemouth will reportedly cash in on the impressive Ukrainian if bids of around £50m are tabled.

Should Spurs miss out on Zabarnyi, then they could go down a different path by landing Jonathan Tah.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly exploring a move for a versatile Brighton & Hove Albion defender in a bid to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s defence in the January transfer window.

The Australian is looking at bringing in another centre-back and a full-back capable of playing both sides in the new year and may have found the latter in the shape of Seagulls star Tariq Lamptey.

The 24-year-old’s contract on the south coast expires next summer and it’s reported that Brighton may be open to a sale to avoid losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Tottenham, West Ham and Everton have all been linked with a move for the former Chelsea man, who has made over 100 appearances for Brighton since his switch from Stamford Bridge in 2020. Indeed, Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui is said to have demanded that his side land the full-back in the new year.

Lamptey possesses the sort of versatility that Postecoglou loves, with his ability to line up mostly as a right-back or right wing-back and also at left-back.

And, as a result, Football Transfers, reports that Spurs are looking at the player amid growing concerns over the long-term future of Spain international Pedro Porro.

The 25-year-old continues to be heavily linked with Real Madrid despite his form this season not quite being at the level it was last time around – of which the same can be said about Tottenham left-back Destiny Udogie.

Brighton are thought to be open to offloading Lamptey, given that he has only featured four times in total this term due to the form of Joel Veltman in his normal right-back position.

Lamptey arrival could spell the end for Spence

If Tottenham do swoop for Lamptey that could prove to the final nail in the coffin for Djed Spence in north London.

The former Middlesbrough man did recently have his contract extended at Spurs but remains on the fringes of Postecoglou’s first team and was also left out of their Europa League squad.

Postecoglou was impressed with Spence during pre-season and opted against offloading the right-back, who has had loan spells at Rennes, Leeds and Genoa since joining the club in 2022.

However, the 24-year-old has made just 10 senior appearances for Tottenham and has been on the sidelines recently with a groin injury.

Postecoglou could feel that Lamptey is a more experienced option to use as a full-back capable of filling both wide spots, although that would arguably be harsh on Spence given his lack of opportunities to showcase his talents in north London.

Latest Tottenham news: Spurs target Bournemouth defender / Reguilon exit demands emerge

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to battle Chelsea for the signing of Bournemouth star Illia Zabarnyi, it has been claimed.

According to a new report, Tottenham will ‘rival’ Chelsea for Zabarnyi after being hugely impressed by his ‘excellent’ displays in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou’s side have been ‘tracking the player for a while’ and are ‘eager’ to add him to their ranks.

Spurs are on the hunt for centre-back reinforcements in case they lose Cristian Romero to Real Madrid, and Zabarnyi has emerged as their latest target.

Meanwhile, Journalist John Wenham believes that Sergio Reguilon will “demand at least 80 per cent of his remaining salary” to leave Tottenham six months early.

Reguilon has spent more than four years with Spurs, though has only actually featured for them in two of the five seasons since. He played fairly consistently in his first two campaigns, and not at all since.

As a result, Reguilon has been subject of reports around cancelling his Tottenham deal, and Wenham feels he’ll only feel that’s worth it if he moves immediately to a club who can match his current deal, though he could also ask for a payout rather than leaving for nothing.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to battle Chelsea for the signing of Bournemouth star Illia Zabarnyi, it has been claimed.

According to a new report, Tottenham will ‘rival’ Chelsea for Zabarnyi after being hugely impressed by his ‘excellent’ displays in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou’s side have been ‘tracking the player for a while’ and are ‘eager’ to add him to their ranks.

Spurs are on the hunt for centre-back reinforcements in case they lose Cristian Romero to Real Madrid, and Zabarnyi has emerged as their latest target.

Bournemouth recently tied the defender down to a bumper new contract which runs until June 2029, to reward him for his solid form.

Despite this, CaughtOffside claim Bournemouth will sell Zabarnyi if a bid worth £50million (€60m / $63.3m) comes in, which will put Spurs on alert.

Spurs will have to fend off London rivals Chelsea to land the Ukraine international, though.

DON’T MISS: Tottenham free up funds for big signing in key position as fears grow over damaging transfer exit

Tottenham, Chelsea in Zabarnyi fight

News of Postecoglou and Spurs’ interest in Zabarnyi comes after Chelsea registered their interest in him on Wednesday.

This could tee up a bidding war for the 22-year-old, who will surely secure a transfer to a major club if his great form continues.

Maresca ‘is thought to be a huge fan’ of Zabarnyi and his ability. The manager already has a number of centre-backs in his Blues squad, but he wants Zabarnyi to join and provide the likes of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana with extra competition.

It will be interesting to see where the former Dynamo Kyiv man ends up, should both Spurs and Chelsea swoop in for him.

Chelsea may have underperformed in recent years, but they have enjoyed a great start to the season under Maresca, and this could convince Zabarnyi to head to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have also shown far more willingness to spend big on signings than Spurs.

Spurs ‘in talks’ for Bundesliga star; Chelsea in mix for midfield sensation

Should Spurs miss out on Zabarnyi, then they could go down a different path by landing Jonathan Tah.

Reports claim Spurs are ‘in talks’ with Tah’s camp about him moving to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when his Bayer Leverkusen contract expires in the summer.

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Chelsea are monitoring Norwegian starlet Sverre Nypan, having scouted him on several occasions recently.

The 17-year-old midfielder is poised to leave Rosenborg at the end of the season as his contract expires in June 2026 and he is refusing to pen an extension.

Chelsea are competing with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund to sign Nypan, who has been compared to Martin Odegaard.

Journalist John Wenham believes that Sergio Reguilon will “demand at least 80 per cent of his remaining salary” to leave Tottenham six months early.

Reguilon has spent more than four years with Spurs, though has only actually featured for them in two of the five seasons since. He played fairly consistently in his first two campaigns, and not at all since.

Destiny Udogie is the clear favourite in the left-back position.

Reguilon has been subject of reports around cancelling his Tottenham deal, and Wenham feels he’ll only feel that’s worth it if he moves immediately to a club who can match his current deal, though he could also ask for a payout rather than leaving for nothing.

“I don’t see any incentive for him to leave unless someone else is willing to match his wages,” he told Tottenham News.

“Tottenham are paying him £100,000 per week, and he has quite rightly, from his point of view, stuck to that contract.

“Unless he agrees to terminate the last six months of his deal, I think he will remain in north London. However, even then, I imagine he will demand at least 80 per cent of his remaining salary.”

DON’T MISS: Seven sensational Tottenham teenagers who could end up saving Levy millions in the market

Reguilon to begin talks to leave

The option to cancel his contract reportedly comes amid interest in Reguilon from two La Liga clubs – Sevilla and Getafe.

It is believed that both clubs are to begin talks with the left-back’s representatives and Spurs surrounding the potential of landing him in January, six months before his deal is due to be up.

If he was to cancel his deal, he could make a move immediately rather than waiting out the last portion of his contract.

However, it seems likely that having only actually played for Spurs for two years out of more than four possible, he wants to be remunerated before leaving, knowing it’s not too long before he could do so, while also landing the rest of the money owed to him.

Tottenham round-up: Transfer record must be broken

Tottenham are one of the Premier League clubs interested in Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson, and it’s believed they’ll have to bid £70million for him, which would break their transfer record.

It’s also believed Spurs are in talks to land Jonathan Tah, who is on the radar of multiple huge European clubs.

Meanwhile, it’s reported there are no immediate plans to sack Ange Postecoglou despite Tottenham being in a much worse place than they were at this point last season.

Spurs also have no interest in selling Cristian Romero to Real Madrid, it’s reported.

Reguilon’s Spurs timeline

Joined Tottenham in a £32million deal on September 19 2020, with Real Madrid including a £27.5m buy-back clause in his five-year contract.

Made his Spurs debut against Chelsea 10 days later in the League Cup against Chelsea and got an assist in a game his side won on penalties.

Scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 win over Leeds in May 2021 and enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign in north London.

A loss of form saw him struggle for consistency in his second campaign, despite making 31 appearances in all competitions and he was loaned to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2022.

Only made 12 appearances for the LaLiga giants back in his homeland and was surprisingly loaned out to Premier League rivals Man Utd at the start of the 2023/24 season due to their left-back struggles.

Lasted only half the season at Old Trafford as United opted to activate a break clause within the loan agreement after the return to fitness of Luke Shaw.

Spent the second half of last season at Brentford and impressed. However, the Bees decided against making the deal a permanent one.

Was not included in Tottenham’s Premier League squad for the current campaign after failing to secure himself a move away from the club over the summer and failing to impress Ange Postecoglou.

Has scored twice and added eight assists in 67 appearances for the club to date – stats that look likely to stay that way as he eyes a January exit.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks over a potential free transfer swoop for a top Bayer Leverkusen and Germany international centre-back, who could even be on the move in the new year.

Jonathan Tah is the player in question, with the 28-year-old’s current contract running out at the end of the campaign and clubs outside of Germany able to discuss a pre-contract from January.

Tah is currently valued at €30m (£25m/$31m) on Transfermarkt, although it’s thought that any interested clubs could land him for less than that in the winter window – if Leverkusen opt to sell rather than lose him for nothing.

Spurs have reportedly made funds available for another centre-back signing in January, given the hamstring problems that continue to hamper Micky van de Ven and doubts over the long-term future of major Real Madrid target Cristian Romero.

They will not have it all their own way in the chase for Tah though, with Manchester United, Newcastle and Chelsea all keen on the player along with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

However, TBR Football reports that the north London outfit have been in talks with the player and given him food for thought over joining a squad Ange Postecoglou continues to revamp after a summer of outgoings.

Tah certainly fits in terms of what Postecoglou wants from his centre-backs, given his speed and aggression to win the ball high up the pitch. At 6ft 4in, Tah is also a dominant force in the air and would strengthen a Tottenham side that has problems with set-pieces since the Australian took over at the club.

At 28 years of age, he may be older than the current profile of player the club are looking at. However, given the low cost involved and Tah’s experience, he appears to be a sensible fit for Spurs.

Tah plays pivotal role in Leverkusen success

Tah was pivotal to Leverkusen’s success last season as they ended Bayern Munich’s eleven-year dynasty after winning Bundesliga while also going unbeaten.

He played 48 games across three competitions, with his fine form catching the eye of many clubs, form which he then took into the Euros with Germany

It was anticipated that he would join Bayern after the tournament in his homeland, especially after they allowed Matthijs De Ligt to move to Manchester United, but no move materialised.

Tah has been at Leverkusen since 2015 after signing from Hamburg in a deal worth €7.5million ad has gone to play 370 games for the club, scoring 15 goals in that.

If he does move to Tottenham, he will either be a rotational centre-back to fill in for Romero or Van de Ven or a straight swap for the Argentine if he moves to Madrid. Indeed, Tah is considered a more rounded player than Radu Dragusin at the moment, with the Romanian having some issues since stepping into the side for the injured Van de Ven.

Latest Tottenham news: Postecoglou sack talk addressed / Spurs eye Gent left-back

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou ‘deliberately acts spiky’ towards the media as he wants to avoid being stereotyped as a ‘typical Australian’ and deflect away attention that he could be in danger of the sack – while captain Son Heung-min has sent a message to his manager and their supporters on the club’s current form.

Meanwhile, Gent left-back Archie Brown is on the radar of Tottenham, West Ham, Chelsea, Brentford and Leeds ahead of the January transfer window, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Premier League sides are finalising their list of targets for the January transfer window and have now set their sights on players they want to bring in to strengthen their squads.

One man is getting a lot of attention and has come to prominence this season among EPL recruiters and that’s 22-year-old Birmingham native Brown.

IN FOCUS – Rapid Tah pushing Van de Ven in speed stakes

To put that into perspective, when Tottenham signed Van de Ven he was registered as the quickest player in Germany at 35.97 km/h, although he has since reached a figure of 37.12 km/h for Spurs in their win at Man Utd in October.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou ‘deliberately acts spiky’ towards the media as he wants to avoid being stereotyped as a ‘typical Australian’ and deflect away attention that he could be in danger of the sack – while captain Son Heung-min has sent a message to his manager and their supporters on the club’s current form.

The 59-year-old arrived in north London last summer and was initially seen as a breath of fresh air for both his brand of football played and for the honest and straight-talking approach he adopted during interviews and press conferences. After leading Tottenham to eight wins and two draws from his first 10 games at the helm, Postecoglou made the best start by a debutant manager in the Premier League as Spurs set the early pace.

Fast forward a year, though, and the club have failed to kick on from that early promise, ultimately finishing fifth last season, but now entering the current international break in a lowly 10th place, having suffered three defeats in their last five Premier League games.

That has led to surprise speculation that Postecoglou could be coming under early pressure of the sack, though that theory was rapidly dismissed on Wednesday by two strong sources.

While Postecoglou is not under immediate pressure of the sack, he has been set the target of leading Spurs back to the Champions League this season and, with his deal expiring in summer 2027, he could have some difficult questions to answer if he fails to meet that objective.

In the meantime, ITV commentator and talkSPORT host Sam Matterface claims Postecoglou is using the media to come across as spiky and to avoid being labelled as a stereotypical cheery Aussie.

“What I’ve been told is, is that he’s so desperate not to be seen as sort of an Australian caricature,” Matterface said on talkSPORT’s Premier League All Access podcast.

“He doesn’t want to be Jesse Marsch two, he doesn’t want people to throw the sort of Australian Ted Lasso thing at him.

“So he tries to sort of not be the playful, happy character and tries to be serious, that’s what I’ve been told.

“It doesn’t come across very well. And Mark Scott of Match of the Day has had two rather difficult exchanges with him in a couple of weeks. I know [talkSPORT correspondent, Alex] Crook and I have both had interesting exchanges with him as well over the last year.”

DON’T MISS: Doubts grow over ‘crestfallen’ Postecoglou with Tottenham transfer policy questioned and alarming stats raised.

What has Son Heung-min said on Tottenham’s recent form?

Despite Postecoglou’s efforts not to fall into such a stereotype, there is a danger that his frosty approach could do more harm than good, with some feeling the former Celtic boss has come across as arrogant in recent weeks.

And while the five losses they have suffered this season in the Premier League is not a good return, Alan Shearer insists it is not the time to panic, especially considering that, had they beaten Ipswich on Sunday, as many expected they would, Tottenham would now be third in the Premier League.

“Typical Spurs though, isn’t it? My goodness me. They beat City at home, they beat Villa at home with a great win, and then you got Ipswich at home. Ipswich turn you over,” Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.

“I don’t think so [Postecoglou under pressure]. No, I think you just look at it like that, he took responsibility, didn’t he?

“He said it’s his fault, his problem. He’s got to sort it out. But when you see them in the second half against Villa and then beating City, it’s just, it’s the inconsistency again. How long have we been saying that about Spurs?”

Spurs captain Son has also sent a message to both his manager and supporters and accepts that recent results have fallen below expectations.

“We have to believe even more because I think we could be a really strong team,” he told the club’s official website.

“Everyone saw it, but in those kind of games, you have to think about them mentally in a very strong way, Villa, you have to be strong, then you play Ipswich, everyone expects us to win this game but, in football, you never get a free win, you have to earn it, you have to work hard.

“We have to believe more, be more disciplined, that’s for sure. Everyone has to be more disciplined and follow the structure and the plan. This is the main part of our strength, and we can make it stronger when we come back from the international break.”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Spurs ready big January signing / shock Grealish links

Meanwhile, Spurs are allocating a sizeable wedge of cash to sign a new central defender in the January window amid concerns Real Madrid will look to prise away Cristian Romero.

The Spanish giants have lost Eder Miltao to a season-ending ACL injury and Romero is one of the players they are targeting as a replacement.

But irrespective of what happens, Spurs have big plans of their own to significantly bolster their central defensive options with a major January deal being planned.

Elsewhere, Spurs are being linked with a fresh move to sign England winger Jack Grealish after Manchester City made a big decision over his future.

The north London side have a long-standing interest in the 29-year-old having held extensive talks over a deal back in 2019.

And finally, sources have confirmed to us that Tottenham are one of a handful of Premier League sides taking a look at Gent left-back Archie Brown ahead of the January transfer window.

Tottenham have reportedly made significant funds available to add another centre-back to their squad in the January transfer window in a move they could be as a result of Real Madrid’s continued interest in Cristian Romero.

The Spanish giants are known to be huge admirers of the Argentina World Cup winner and have been linked with a move for Romero ever since Lionel Messi lifted the trophy in Doha back in 2022.

Spurs have so far resisted any attempts to seize the 26-year-old away from north London, with the latest reports suggesting Daniel Levy will rebuff any offers for the central defender in the new year.

However, there are growing concerns that the player himself has had his head turned by the Spanish giants and would entertain the opportunity of swapping Tottenham for the Santiago Bernabeu.

And now Football Insider reports that Spurs have freed up funds to bring in a quality centre-back to compete with the likes of Romero, Mickey van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. However, just how much money has been freed up will depend on the quality of defender they are chasing and whether it’s just a squad-strengthening move or a replacing Romero one.

Van de Ven is currently on the sidelines with another hamstring injury while Dragusin has been a mixed bag as his replacement so far, impressing in wins over Manchester City and Aston Villa but struggling in the Europa League loss at Galatasaray and the shock home loss to Ipswich.

Romero remains the only constant but Tottenham’s fourth-choice option is left-back Ben Davies after they allowed Eric Dier, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga to all move on over the summer.

In terms of who that potential signing could be, a pacy right-sided centre-back to mirror Van de Ven would make the most sense and allow Postecoglou to have greater confidence in playing his preferred high line.

Centre-back signing could become Tottenham January priority

While Ange Postecoglou’s focus in January is expected to be on landing another back-up goalkeeeper, a full-back and another central midfielder, landing a centre-back certainly makes plenty of sense.

There is a drop off when Romero and Van de Ven are missing, with Dragusin still adapting to English football after limited opportunities last season and Davies better as a left-sided centre-back in a three than he is centrally in a back four.

Tottenham have been strongly linked with the likes of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite in the past, but they are more likely to head to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively at some point in 2025.

Former sporting director Fabio Paratici continues to monitor players in Serie A, which has been a happy hunting ground for Spurs in recent times, with Alessandro Buongiorno heavily linked over the summer.

However, the Italy international moved to Napoli over the summer and is no longer an option.

Latest Tottenham news: Postecoglou safe, for now / Spurs eyeing shock Man City raid

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has no immediate plans to sack Ange Postecoglou but has been set a target for the season, which if he fails to meet could put his position in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, Spurs have reportedly set their sights on signing a top Premier League winger they first missed out on landing way back in 2019.

Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for attacking reinforcements after seeing his side decimated by injuries so far this season, with another wide player firmly on his radar.

And latest reports suggest that Manchester City and England forward Jack Grealish could make a sensational switch to north London, five years after Tottenham first tried to sign him.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has no immediate plans to sack Ange Postecoglou but has been set a target for the season, which if he fails to meet could put his position in jeopardy and with Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer and an in-the-know journalist both offering their verdicts on his position.

The 59-year-old won widespread acclaim during his first season at the Tottenham helm, having been poached away from Scottish champions Celtic as the successor to Antonio Conte. A breath of fresh air with both his honesty to the media and the somewhat risque tactics he employed, Postecoglou had Tottenham top of the table with eight wins and two draws after the first 10 games of last season – making it the best start ever made by a manager debuting in the Premier League.

However, things have not quite gone to plan for Spurs or Postecoglou this season, and after suffering three defeats in their last five Premier League games, the north London giants find themselves down in 10th place heading into the latest international break.

Described as “crestfallen” following Sunday’s morale-sapping 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich – who were claiming their first Premier League win in over 8000 days in the process – speculation has suggested that all is not well for Postecoglou in the aftermath of the game.

However, it’s reported that Postecoglou is not in any immediate danger of the sack, though as Football Insider reports, he has been set the target of returning Tottenham to the Champions League next season.

And while the manager has spoken of his ambitions to win a trophy for Spurs, his primary objective is believed to be a return to Europe’s premier competition next season and a failure to achieve that goal could see his position coming under scrutiny.

Spurs, however, face a battle though to better last season’s fifth-placed finish. Aston Villa and Chelsea will be in the mix for a top-four place this season, while Manchester United are expected to improve this season after the appointment of Ruben Amorim. Both Newcastle and potentially the season’s early surprise package Nottingham Forest could also have their say in the race for fourth.

Journalist and Alan Shearer share thoughts on Postecoglou sack at Tottenham

Despite the heat starting to just crank up slightly on Postecoglou, Match of the Day pundit Shearer is convinced it is far too soon to start worrying that the axe could fall at Spurs, pointing to the fact that their situation is nowhere near as bad as made out.

“Typical Spurs though, isn’t it? My goodness me. They beat City at home, they beat Villa at home with a great win, and then you got Ipswich at home. Ipswich turn you over,” Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.

“I don’t think so [Postecoglou under pressure]. No, I think you just look at it like that, he took responsibility, didn’t he?

“He said it’s his fault, his problem. He’s got to sort it out. But when you see them in the second half against Villa and then beating City, it’s just, it’s the inconsistency again. How long have we been saying that about Spurs?”

Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick has also denied Postecoglou is under immediate threat.

“So I don’t know what Levy and the board are thinking. To be honest, I think all the noises from the club, that they sort of accept that this is a medium-term venture,” Kilpatrick said on the Tottenham Way podcast.

“I mean, they’ve talked about being successful in the here and now, but they’ve also talked about building a squad, that they want to be successful in four or five years.

“And that’s been obvious in the age profile of the players they’ve signed, the three teenagers over the summer, two more coming next year.

“So, I think that there is a kind of commitment to see this through, or at least keep saying where it goes. But again, I can understand anyone associated with Spurs who’s losing a bit of patience or getting frustrated.”

Tottenham transfer latest: Plan revisited to sign £100m man / struggling star to cancel contract

Spurs, meanwhile, are being linked with a surprise move to bring Jack Grealish to the club in 2025 amid suggestions his time at Manchester City is winding down.

The 39-cap England winger was linked with a move to Spurs way back in 2019 – but they could be set for a second bite of the cherry with City’s stance on his exit coming to light.

The club are also being linked with a new left-back in 2025 with Postecoglou still concerned he does not have adequate cover or competition for Destiny Udogie.

According to our sources, one man they are keen on is Gent’s Archie Brown, though West Ham, Chelsea, Brentford and Leeds are also among the Englishman’s suitors.

That move could be partially funded by the exit of forgotten star Sergio Reguilon, with the Spaniard’s deal reportedly set to be cancelled in January and with the rarely-seen Tottenham left-back already lining up his next club.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly set their sights on signing a top Premier League winger they first missed out on landing way back in 2019.

Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for attacking reinforcements after seeing his side decimated by injuries so far this season, with another wide player firmly on his radar.

And latest reports suggest that Manchester City and England forward Jack Grealish could make a sensational switch to north London, five years after Tottenham first tried to sign him.

Daniel Levy initially bid £15million for Grealish when Aston Villa were in the Championship, upping that offer to £25m only to be swatted aside by Villa who wanted in the region of £40m for their talisman.

Just two years later, Grealish became the most expensive English player of all time when he joined City for £100m, but things have not always gone to plan for the England international on a personal level at The Etihad despite the club’s trophy success – and now Tottenham are said to be back on the hunt for his services.

Indeed, Football Insider reports that doubts over his future at City has sparked interest from north London again, with Postecoglou wanting to add some experience to a young squad.

There is no mention of what sort of fee could be involved, although Grealish remains under contract until 2027 so won’t come cheap despite his overall lack of productivity at City.

Spurs’ chase for Grealish comes amid continued links to Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Nottingham Forest star Callum Hudson-Odoi, who are three and five years younger than Grealish. Eze, however, could cost more than a move for Grealish, while Hudson-Odoi will certainly be less.

However, the report adds that a move for Grealish in January is almost certainly a non-starter and that any transfer will have to be held back until the summer.

Grealish links add more Son uncertainty

Grealish being linked with Tottenham only adds to the uncertainty that continues to exist surrounding skipper Son Heung-min’s long-term future in north London.

The South Korean, who is heading towards a decade at Spurs, will be out of contract next summer and while it’s reported that the club are willing to to take up his option of an extra year they are not willing to commit to an extended deal for the 32-year-old.

Tottenham already had one on the future when bringing Wilson Odobert from Burnley over the summer, while outstanding young talent Mikey Moore has already shown flashes of his quality this season.

Brennan Johnson has made the right-wing spot his own with his goalscoring exploits this term but the left side continues to be a revolving door, given injuries to Son, Odobert and the on-loan Timo Werner.

Bringing in Grealish would be seen as somewhat of a gamble for Tottenham, depending on his price tag, given the the lack of productivity to back up his exceptional talent.

As for City’s stance on the player, Football Insider reports that new sporting director Hugo Viana is being tasked with signing a ‘big name’ replacement as the club look to cash in on Grealish.

The winger has not featured for City since the 2-1 win at Wolves on October 20 and was also forced to pull out of the England squad for their upcoming Nations Lague clashes against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

Latest Tottenham news: Levy standing firm over Romero/ New left-back eyed

Tottenham will reportedly not entertain bids for Cristian Romero from Real Madrid, which could leave Everton open to the possibility of being raided instead.

Spurs have enjoyed the qualities of Romero in their side for the past three seasons. He has grown into one of the Premier League’s best defenders in that time.

But there is danger that he could be prised away, with Real Madrid frequently linked with his signing.

According to Football Insider, though, that will be a very difficult deal for the La Liga giants to pull off.

Meanwhile, Gent left-back Archie Brown is on the radar of Tottenham, West Ham, Chelsea, Brentford and Leeds ahead of the January transfer window, TEAMtalk can reveal.

IN FOCUS – Grealish stats at Man City

While the former Villa man has won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and a Champions League title during his time at The Etihad, his personal stats have not really done justice to his huge price tag.