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Yves Bissouma faces the prospect of being axed by Tottenham Hotspur after being filmed reportedly inhaling laughing gas, a year after being suspended for the same thing, while Thomas Frank is also facing up to two more stars missing game time through injury.

Bissouma has not made a single appearance under Frank so far this season after being left out of the squad for the UEFA Super Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain in August due to ‘persistent lateness’, while an ankle injury suffered since has also kept him out of contention.

Now, as a result of his latest disciplinary issue, Bissouma is facing the prospect of being shown the door by Tottenham even before the possibility of a January move away from the club.

Tottenham confirmed on Friday evening that they had launched a probe after footage emerged of Bissouma inhaling a nitrous oxide balloon at a party. Nitrous oxide can lead to brain disorders, depression, memory loss, incontinence, hallucinations and nerve damage.

The latest footage, revealed by The Sun, appears to have been filmed in the early hours of November 3, with Bissouma since removing any mention of Tottenham from his Instagram account.

It comes after the player posted a clip on his Snapchat account last August of him inhaling “hippy crack”, for which Bissouma was suspended by the club and later issued an apology for his “severe lack of judgement.”

A Spurs spokesman said of the new video: “We are looking into the events and it will be dealt with as an internal matter.”

This latest off-field incident will surely spell the end for Bissouma’s career in north London, having joined in a £25million from Brighton in the summer of 2022. He has made 100 appearances for the club, scoring twice.

The 29-year-old’s current contract is due to run out next summer, although the club do have the option to extend for a further 12 months, for a player who currently earns £68,750 per week.

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Tottenham rocked by two more injuries

Meanwhile, as Tottenham finally got back to winning ways at home in the Premier League on Saturday thanks to a 2-0 win over Frank’s former club Brentford, there was more bad news on the injury front.

Spurs remain without Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison as they head into the busy festive period of fixtures and Frank confirmed after the Brentford win that Destny Udogie has suffered yet another injury issue.

Speaking to reporters, the Dane revealed that Udogie could not play against Brentford due to an injury he picked up in midweek: “He got a soft tissue injury, unfortunately, against Newcastle.”

On the bright side, Frank stated that Udogie will not be out for “too long”. However, ‘not long’ at Tottenham could mean anything from a matter of weeks to five months, as has been the case with Solanke’s ongoing absence.

And it’s another injury for a striker that could cause Frank further issues going forward, with Randal Kolo Muani appearing to pick up another issue against the Bees.

The Daily Mirror‘s Ryan Taylor reported that the France international was observed in the mixed zone with a visible limp. Per Taylor, he was also “moving gingerly” prior to being substituted from the game.

If Kolo Muani does face more time on the sidelines, it will mean Richarlison leading the line in the foreseeable future, with youngster Dane Scarlett likely to step up to bench duty again.

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Latest Tottenham news: Striker target blow; winger chase exclusive

Tottenham and other suitors of Samu Aghehowa are facing January disappointment having been informed that the Spanish striker is not pushing to leave Porto in January, TEAMtalk understands.

Elsewhere, a number of English sides, including Spurs, have been alerted to the progress of Anderlecht winger Nilson Angulo, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Manchester United are reportedly keen on signing both Tyler Adams and Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, while our sources have revealed which club is leading the race for the latter.

Bournemouth sold the likes of Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi over the summer, and they had to face approaches for Semenyo, too. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both enquired about the winger, though Bournemouth managed to tie him down to fresh terms.

But January could be another transfer window in which Bournemouth are raided, as Semenyo’s new contract includes a £65million (€74.5m / $87m) release clause.

United have reignited their interest in Semenyo, and he could be joined at Old Trafford by central midfielder Adams.

According to the Daily Mail, United have internally ‘discussed’ the possibility of signing Adams next year.

The 26-year-old is United’s latest target as they search for Casemiro’s replacement in the No 6 role.

Since returning from a back injury towards the start of last season, Adams has established himself as one of Bournemouth’s top performers.

He excels at winning back possession through duels and tackles, while he is also composed on the ball. Adams’ superb defensive intelligence allows team-mates such as Semenyo, Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier to thrive in attack.

Adams’ strong performances have left a big impression on United scouts, and the Red Devils are debating whether to open transfer talks next month.

United have pivoted towards cheaper midfielders such as Adams, Joao Gomes and Conor Gallagher after learning Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are off limits in January, as sources recently confirmed to us.

Carlos Baleba has been linked with United too, though they have cooled their interest in the 21-year-old due to his dip in form.

Adams’ exact price tag has yet to emerge, though Bournemouth would want to make a profit on the £23m they paid Leeds United for him in August 2023.

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Man Utd battling Man City, Tottenham for Antoine Semenyo

Returning to Semenyo, sources state that Man Utd are seriously considering triggering his January exit clause.

Ruben Amorim’s side captured Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer, but they still want to add Semenyo to their attack as well.

With Mbeumo and Amad Diallo set to leave for AFCON, signing Semenyo could be crucial to United climbing the Premier League table and qualifying for Europe. Semenyo represents Ghana internationally, though they surprisingly failed to qualify for AFCON.

United face competition from Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool for the in-form attacker.

It is City in particular they will need to overcome to sign Semenyo, as Fraser Fletcher reported for us on Tuesday that Pep Guardiola’s side are frontrunners.

After learning that City have made contact for Semenyo, Liverpool have instead to decided to pursue Real Madrid ace Rodrygo.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have installed Semenyo as their No 1 January target to improve their unreliable forward line.

It is unclear at this stage exactly where the 25-year-old would like to go, though Ghana boss Otto Addo insists he should ‘take the next step’ in the near future.

United news: Romano on Amorim sack; target in contract talks

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has analysed whether Amorim is safe in his job.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been named as one potential replacement for Amorim.

Tottenham Hotspur and other suitors of Samu Aghehowa are facing January disappointment having been informed that the Spanish striker is not pushing to leave Porto in January, TEAMtalk understands.

Tottenham have a strong interest in Samu, whilst the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also understood to be huge admirers of the highly-regarded 21-year-old.

Samu joined Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024, snubbing potential interest from Chelsea and West Ham.

Since arriving in Portugal he has shown that he is more than just potential with 25 league goals to his name in just 18 months. His form has also been recognised by Spain and he is now part of their senior set-up.

Spurs are looking to add to their striker options in January and Samu is high on their radar and they have done background work on him.

Spurs are not the only interested party, and Porto are aware of this and realise he has a release clause of over €80million.

However, TEAMtalk has been informed that Samu and Porto’s hierarchy including president Andre Villas-Boas have held talks about his immediate future and they have decided that he will remain at the club beyond January.

Samu is happy at Porto and in-form and whilst fully believing in his own talents, his focus heading into 2026 is to make Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup squad.

Porto were believed to be open to a deal, and their ongoing financial situation means they would consider any major offer that comes their way but under new head coach Francesco Farioli they are making a concerted title charge and currently sit atop of the Primeira Liga and they see Samu as key to them claiming their first title since 2022.

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Tottenham transfer news: Second striker setback

Aghehowa isn’t the only striker Spurs have shown interest in, only to suffer a setback this week.

They have seriously looked into signing Igor Thiago, as have other clubs, but Brentford have dismissed the idea of a January exit for their top scorer this season.

Meanwhile, we have also revealed that Spurs are one of five clubs keeping an eye on Anderlecht winger Nilson Angulo.

The 22-year-old is also attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Leeds United, but his hopes of going to the World Cup with Ecuador affect his chances of changing clubs in January.

Paul Merson has described how he feels Thomas Frank is ‘in trouble’ at Tottenham and why results have nothing to do with it, with the manager turning himself into a villain.

Frank has at least got Spurs in a better spot than Ange Postecoglou finished with them last season. They came 17th in the Premier League and the Australian boss was given the boot.

Six months on, Tottenham are 11th in the league but pressure is mounting on Frank.

Results of late have been underwhelming – Spurs haven’t won in their last five games, and that run includes three losses – to Arsenal and Fulham in the league and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

There is also a sense that Frank does not know his best side, leading to him constantly changing personnel.

But according to Merson, the trouble the Tottenham boss is for a completely different reason – calling out the fans for booing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after a mistake which cost a goal against Fulham.

He wrote for Sportskeeda: “I think Thomas Frank is in trouble, severe trouble. And it has nothing to do with the results.

“What he said about Spurs fans not being ‘real’ because they booed Guglielmo Vicario isn’t something that will go down well with the club’s supporters. That comment will be unacceptable for any Spurs fan.

‘It can quickly become a toxic environment.’

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Tottenham mobilise to sort replacement

TEAMtalk sources have confirmed that, currently, Frank still has time at Tottenham.

That said, if a few more stumbles occur, a contingency plan will be put into place, and that’s the pursuit of Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

Whether the long-time target would leave Palace is unclear – they’re currently fifth in the league and four points ahead of Tottenham.

Spurs’ players are also keen on rectifying things at the club, with sources stating they view a rift with the fans as a critical issue, and have held meetings about that.

Tottenham round-up: ‘Biggest mistake’ rectified?

Tottenham have been told not signing Conor Gallagher from Chelsea in 2024 was their “biggest mistake.”

Former Spurs scout Bryan King thinks he’ll make a quality addition to the side and pair well with James Maddison if he is finally signed.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk is aware Tottenham are one of the clubs keeping an eye on Anderlecht’s Ecuadorian winger Nilson Angulo.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has told Spurs that their “biggest mistake” could be rectified through the signing of a player he feels they should land.

The north London club’s fortunes have been up and down this term. While they’ve hovered around the top four at times, they’re currently 11th in the Premier League and there’s a level of pressure on Thomas Frank.

It is still not felt the Tottenham boss knows who features in his best side, and constant chopping and changing can’t help his players feel settled.

Seven different midfielders have been used this term and one more could be set to join.

Indeed, there’s speculation over a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, with former Spurs scout King feeling that transfer would rectify a huge mistake by the club.

He told Tottenham News: “He’s been told by Atletico that he’s not part of their plans. Spurs should have signed him when he left Chelsea, that was their biggest mistake.

“If he becomes available either on loan or on a permanent deal, he would certainly do well.

“By the time they get him in, there’s a fair chance that [James] Maddison will be back, and I think when they’ve played for England together over the years, they’ve always done well.

“That kind of quality, you’ve got to be looking for. I think he would jump at coming back because of next year’s World Cup.

“I think he’ll come back on loan, a similar deal to Jack Grealish at Everton, but I would pay £30m for him, if Atletico would agree to that.”

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Are Gallagher and Maddison a good pairing?

The suggestion that “over the years” Gallagher and Maddison have formed a good pairing should be taken with a pinch of salt.

We have looked into the stats and found the pair have only actually played alongside one another for 91 minutes.

England won games against Bosnia and then Australia with the pair in the midfield, which are far from the sternest of tests.

It must be said, though, that Gallagher has had success in stints with Chelsea and Crystal Palace and a return to England might suit him well.

The transfer is certainly an interesting prospect, but not one Tottenham will be making on the strength of Gallagher’s relationship with Maddison.

Tottenham round-up: Ecuador winger eyed

TEAMtalk is aware that Tottenham are one of a number of English sides who have been alerted to the progress of Ecuadorian winger Nilson Angulo, who has four goals and eight assists to his name for Anderlecht this season.

Manchester United are one of the other clubs who are closely watching Angulo.

Meanwhile, Spurs checks on Brentford forward Igor Thiago could come to nothing as the Bees are not considering his exit, per TEAMtalk sources.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has hinted that he is ready to make some changes to his forward line to try and find an attacking spark ahead of Saturday’s visit of his former club Brentford, with two stars who have impressed in training set for rare starting roles.

The north London club have not won any of their last five Premier League outings, with their last victory coming at Everton in late October, and have dropped to 11th in the table as a result.

Tottenham will be hoping to put that right against Keith Andrews’ side this weekend, but they will have to claim their first league win at home since the opening weekend if they are to do so.

Scoring goals has not been an issue on the road, but it has at home, with only eight notched in seven games, and Frank’s comments in his press conference for the Brentford clash appear to suggest that his ready to make some changes to try and fix that issue.

While he has gone with two up top in recent outings, the Dane looks set to revert to his favoured 4-2-3-1 on Saturday, with Xavi Simons pushing to return to the No.10 role and Mathys Tel being handed a rare start in the roubled left-wing spot.

Speaking about both players in the build-up to Brentford, Frank said on Simons: “Xavi has trained fantastic the last whatever five, six times. Very good attitude on the training pitch, I like that a lot.

“We’ve played different games with different lineups and I think Xavi was towards something better and better. Just like Matty [Tel], trained well, good attitude and we’re getting closer and he’s come on in the last four games.”

As for Tel, Frank added: “The way he carries himself, the way he trains, has been very good. He’s mainly played as a nine but I’m very aware he can play off the left.

“The only thing that any player can do is keep training well, keep doing everything to catch my eye and keep making it difficult for me when I make my decision.”

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Transfer Debrief: Liverpool target Bundesliga sensation; Man Utd masterclass signing; Tottenham move for £40m ‘leader’

Frank rings Tottenham changes

In terms of other changes to the side from the midweek draw at Newcastle, Micky van de Ven should be back to partner two-goal hero Cristian Romero after being rested at St James Park.

Djed Spence could also get the nod at left-back after Destiny Udogie started the last two games, while in midfield it’s always a guessing game but could be Rodrigo Bentancur with Lucas Bergvall playing a little deeper, after his impressive display at Newcastle.

Randal Kolo Muani should retain his place as the No.9 ahead of Richarlison, as Frank continues to wait on long-awaited Dominic Solanke’s return.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

RB – Pedro Porro

CB – Cristian Romero

CB – Micky van de Ven

LB – Djed Spence

CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

CM – Lucas Bergvall

AM – Xavi Simons

RW – Mohammed Kudus

ST – Randal Kolo Muani

LW – Mathys Tel

A number of English sides have been alerted to the progress of Anderlecht winger Nilson Angulo, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The 22-year-old Ecuadorian has been in Brussels since 2022 and, having taken time to settle, he made his big breakthrough last season and he was rewarded with a new four-year deal.

This term he has been sensational and is one of Europe’s stand-out wingers, and is one of the continent’s top assisters.

So far this season he has four goals and eight assists to his name and his form has been picked up by a number of clubs.

It is believed more than half a dozen clubs were in Brussels last month to see him score the winner in the title clash with Union SG.

We can reveal that amongst the clubs looking closely Angulo are Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Brentford, Brighton and Leeds United.

Angulo himself is playing so well and is going to the World Cup finals with Ecuador and for that reason, it is not definite that he will be leaving in January, as he is focused on making it to North America next summer.

Who is Nilson Angulo?

Angulo began his career in his native Ecuador with LDU Quito. He scored six goals from 34 games for them before joining Anderlecht in 2022.

He made his international debut back in 2021 but has really established himself this year.

At club level, he has mainly been playing on the left flank this season. He is right-footed, which means he becomes more dangerous when he comes infield.

So far this season, he has four goals and eight assists from 22 appearances.

Last season, he ranked in the 99th percentile of Belgian Pro League wingers for successful take-ons per 90 minutes, with an average of 4.12.

But he also ranked highly for some defensive metrics, showing he has the work rate off the ball to match the flair on it.

Latest Tottenham transfer news

Meanwhile, Spurs are continuing to monitor a Premier League centre-back, with a potential opening bid of £40m.

Tottenham have also learned their chances of signing Brentford striker Igor Thiago.

A highly-rated Bundesliga sensation could be on his way to Liverpool as Anfield scouts continue to be wowed, Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of a top midfield talent who was first identified by former sporting director Dan Ashworth, and this week’s exclusive Transfer Debrief also has details on a Tottenham Hotspur move for a standout Brighton star.

Every Friday, we’ll be detailing all our very best exclusive content from across the week, making sure visitors to the site have not missed a beat when it comes to news and updates from our team of insiders.

Liverpool scouts push to sign explosive Salah successor

First up, we brought you news of Liverpool’s hierarchy being encouraged by club scouts to push through a January deal for RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande, with the Reds actively looking into a potential deal.

Diomande has exploded onto the Bundesliga scene this season following his summer move from Spanish minnows Leganes, when plenty of eyebrows were raised over Leipzig paying his €20million release clause.

Those eyebrows are even higher now given how Diomande has emerged as one of the most wanted young prospects in the world, having notched four goals and two assists from nine starts while also earning an Ivory Coast call-up at just 19 years of age.

Our insider Graeme Bailey confirms that almost every major club in Europe is on his trail, aside from Liverpool. Indeed, Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched the midfielder closely, whilst Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all been alerted to his progress since he arrived in Germany.

However, we can reveal that Liverpool are the most prominent and we can confirm their scouting department are pushing the club’s hierarchy to get a deal in place.

Man Utd step up pursuit of ‘must-sign’ midfielder

Manchester United have stepped up their interest in highly-rated Olympiacos midfielder Christos Mouzakitis, with club scouts making regular checks on the 18-year-old this season.

As per our insider Fraser Fletcher, the Red Devils are the latest elite club to place the Greek teenager firmly on their radar, joining a growing list of Europe’s top sides monitoring one of the continent’s most promising young talents.

Mouzakitis is a versatile central midfielder who is more than comfortable in both defensive and box-to-box roles, having already broken into Olympiacos’ first team despite his tender age.

Sources in Greece indicate that Olympiacos are resigned to losing their academy product within the next 18 months. And while the club have no desire to sell their prized asset mid-season, they are bracing themselves for formal approaches as early as the January transfer window for a player who first flagged up for United by former sporting director Dan Ashworth.

A departure in the summer of 2026 is now considered the most likely outcome, with the Piraeus outfit keen to maximise their return on a player they rate as a potential €30-40million asset once he gains further senior experience.

Tottenham set sights on standout Brighton ‘leader’

Tottenham have continued to monitor Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke through the opening stages of the season, with sources revealing how a potential £40million bid could be incoming for 2026.

Spurs explored a move for the Dutch centre-back last summer and we’ve been told that he remains a player of interest as the club considers strengthening its defensive options during the 2026 winter and summer windows.

Van Hecke has played every minute of Brighton’s Premier League campaign so far and the club would be keen to secure him on a longer-term contract.

The 25-year-old centre-back, who scored twice in Tuesday night’s 4–3 defeat to Aston Villa, is currently under contract until the summer of 2027.

Insider Dean Jones has confirmed to us that Tottenham have become increasingly open to adding new names to their recruitment lists, with sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici preparing for an ambitious period of squad investment.

Salah future / Semenyo latest / Spurs keeper chase / Barca hunt Guehi and much more…

Liverpool have no plans whatsoever to part ways with Mohamed Salah in the January transfer window despite his struggles so far this season, sources have told TEAMtalk.

We also understand that Barcelona have made two formal approaches to Marc Guehi’s representatives in the past fortnight, intensifying their efforts to lure the Crystal Palace captain to the Camp Nou and land a brutal transfer blow to Liverpool.

Sticking with Arne Slot’s men, Liverpool and Chelsea have both checked in with Joel Ordonez’s camp in recent weeks as they consider making a move in January, and both the player and his club are ready to accept a winter window move, TEAMtalk understands.

On the manager front, Liverpool have no plans at the moment to approach Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, despite increasing pressure on Arne Slot, sources have told TEAMtalk, as Fabrizio Romano reveals whether the defending Premier League champions have made contact with Jurgen Klopp.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are starting to believe that it will be worth paying the January premium for Antoine Semenyo – though a sizeable dilemma is now presenting itself to Ruben Amorim ahead of the January transfer window.

United could also be boosted in their efforts to land Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, who are eyeing up a move for former Liverpool star Tyler Morton as his potential replacement.

Brentford, meanwhile, have dismissed suggestions that Igor Thiago could be allowed to leave the club in January, with four Premier League sides seriously looking into signing him – including Tottenham and Newcastle.

As for Spurs, they are working hard on prospective goalkeeper targets heading into 2026 and one they are huge admirers of is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have no intention of parting company with Tino Livramento in the January transfer window or anytime soon, sources have told us, as the full-back’s latest comments on the St. James’ Park faithful shed light on his desire.

Chelsea are looking to beat a number of Premier League rivals, including Manchester United, to the signing of African striker starlet Loukman Tapsoba, we understand.

The Blues and Manchester City are set to miss out on the signing of Johannes Moser, despite the Blues and the Cityzens trying their best to convince the Austrian wunderkind to leave his current club FC Liefering.

Santiago Gimenez has been offered to a number of Premier League clubs, including Leeds United and West Ham, ahead of the January window by intermediaries trying to broker a potential deal, we can reveal.

Sunderland are preparing to open to talks with head coach Regis Le Bris as they look to keep him firmly out of the grasp of any interested clubs, with a trio of Premier League sides keen.

Cardiff City face a huge battle to hang onto prized assets Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea among their admirers.

Juventus sources admit there has not yet been any progress on a fresh agreement with Kenan Yildiz amid interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Arsenal have quietly placed Michael Olise at the very top of their long-term attacking wishlist, with sources confirming the club are laying the groundwork for a blockbuster £100 million-plus move in the summer of 2026.

Rangers are planning an ambitious triple signing in the January transfer window as new manager Danny Röhl seeks to reshape the squad that has fallen short of expectations this season.

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Brentford have dismissed suggestions that Igor Thiago could be allowed to leave the club in January, with four Premier League sides seriously looking into signing him, we can reveal.

Thiago has been outstanding for the Bees this season, with 11 goals in 13 starts to his name and he is now being talked about as a prospective option for Brazil at next summer’s World Cup finals. Indeed, we have been informed that Selecao coach Carlo Ancelotti and his staff have been watching his progress closely, with the 24-year-old now firmly in their thinking heading into 2026.

But Ancelotti is not the only one who is impressed with Thiago and his form.

Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Aston Villa have all been checking on him, whilst we can confirm RB Leipzig, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan have also been watching his progress closely.

However, TEAMtalk has been informed by Brentford sources that Thiago is not available – and their not-for-sale policy will be issued to any interested suitor who happen to enquire in January.

I am told that Brentford expect Thiago to attract attention; that is not a shock. They believe he is currently as good as any striker in the Premier League – but they are not worried, they are quick to confirm that the prospect of him leaving the club is not a consideration for them.

Thiago joined Brentford in 2024 for a club record deal worth just over £30million but he missed the most of this debut season with a knee injury.

So effectively, this is his first full campaign with the Bees and we are told that the player is very happy in West London and is not looking or pushing to leave at this point.

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Tottenham chase Brighton leader; Newcastle target Moroccan attacker

Meanwhile, Spurs have continued to monitor Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke through the opening stages of the season, and TEAMtalk can reveal how a potential £40million bid could be incoming for 2026.

He is not the only Seagulls star they have an interest in either; we can confirm they are huge admirers of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen, though sources can reveal the European giants who are also strongly looking into a move for the Netherlands international.

Up at Newcastle, we understand Eddie Howe’s side are poised to pursue Bilal El Khannouss aggressively, with the Morocco international attacking midfielder is eager to return to the Premier League in 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur have continued to monitor Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke through the opening stages of the season, and TEAMtalk can reveal how a potential £40million bid could be incoming for 2026.

Spurs explored a move for the Dutch centre-back last summer and sources indicate he remains a player of interest as the club considers strengthening its defensive options during the 2026 transfer windows.

Van Hecke has played every minute of Brighton’s Premier League campaign so far and the club would be keen to secure him on a longer-term contract.

The defender, who scored twice in Tuesday night’s 4–3 defeat to Aston Villa, is currently under contract until the summer of 2027.

Tottenham have become increasingly open to adding new names to their recruitment lists, with sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici preparing for an ambitious period of squad investment.

Early indications suggest Spurs aim to make substantial changes across both the January and summer windows, targeting reinforcements in goal, central defence, central midfield, wide attack and centre-forward.

Brighton could secure a significant profit on Van Hecke, who joined from Dutch side NAC Breda for just £3 million in 2020, if they were to sell him.

Current estimates suggest he would command a fee in the region of £40m (€45.7m / $53m).

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‘Leader’ Van Hecke urged to commit to Brighton

Meanwhile, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler recently called on Van Hecke to commit his future to the club beyond 2027, amid fears of an exit for the talented centre-back.

The 25-year-old could walk away as a free agent in just over 18 months, unless Brighton do decide to cash in on his services, which would have to come in the next two windows if they want to secure that asking price.

However, Hurzeler hopes that Van Hecke will consider committing his long-term future to the south coast club, telling The Argus: “Hopefully he has a long and bright future here in Brighton.

“When you see his past, where he has come from, what he went through to where he is now, you see a really consistent development. That’s because of his, his attitude. That’s because of his mindset. His effort is always above the things you can expect as a coach.

“That makes his values so important to us. He’s a Dutch guy, so I already like his, he’s very straight with you and honest with his opinion. I think that’s always powerful in the team.

“He’s one of my leaders, he’s in the leadership group. He has taken more responsibility and more ownership this season. I think that’s the next step for him, to not only be a great performer, but also try to be a leader in this club.”

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Latest Tottenham news: Keeper targets revealed; Baleba interest assessed

First up, Tottenham are working hard on prospective goalkeeper targets heading into 2026 and one they are huge admirers of is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen, though TEAMtalk can reveal the European giants who are also strongly looking into a move.

Elsewhere, Spurs sources have revealed the latest on the club’s reported interest in Brighton & Hove Albion’s £100million-rated Carlos Baleba – revealing if an offer could be on the cards.