TEAMtalk

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King believes the signing of Johnny Cardoso will see one of Yves Bissouma or Pape Matar Sarr moved on “without any doubt”.

Cardoso is a de facto Spurs player already, after their savvy summer dealings. The north London outfit let Giovani Lo Celso return to Real Betis, but in that deal ensured they could get the priority option of their midfielder star Cardoso ahead of any other side.

That means that any bid that is made for the £21million midfielder, they have the right to match.

Former Tottenham scout King feels Cardoso could be a good addition to the side, but it will mean for the exit of one of two current midfielders.

“Spurs need some bite in midfield,” King told Tottenham News.

“Looking at the team at the moment, I’m still trying to work out who the holding midfielder is. Everybody seems to want to get forward.

“If this player is going to bring a bit of quality and authority in midfield and he’s doing well in Spain, then Spurs might have done a good bit of business.

“Should he be brought in, I think either Bissouma or Sarr will be moved on, without any doubt.”

Cardoso move seen as certain

And the chances that Cardoso will be a Spurs player soon are reportedly ‘certain’, in the eye of Betis.

Indeed, the Spanish outfit reportedly see the move as already done in the summer of 2025.

And if that does mean for the end of one of Sarr or Bissouma, it’ll see one fairly consistent player depart, with the former having played 698 minutes this season, and his team-mate having featured for 601 minutes so far.

Tottenham round-up: Spurs plotting Arsenal transfer

The most shocking current Tottenham rumour is that they are planning to take Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein onboard. The move, described as one ‘no one saw coming’ could see him join on a free transfer, with his contract up in the summer.

TEAMtalk understands that Spurs are also at the front of the queue for St Patrick’s striker Mason Melia.

The in-form teenager is on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs, but Tottenham are though to be at the head of the queue.

But they could lose some of their most promising assets, too. Leeds have been urged to snap Archie Gray back up on loan in January, after selling him to Spurs in the summer.

Meanwhile, Napoli are continuing their push for centre-back Radu Dragusin, who was only signed by Tottenham a year ago.

Who is Cardoso

Cardoso was born in New Jersey and has represented the USA at under-23 and senior level, but to all intents and purposes he is a Brazilian footballer.

Born to Brazilian parents, the Cardosos moved back to their South American homeland when baby Joao Lucas – nicknamed “Johnny” – was just a few months old.

Cardoso came through the youth academy at Internacional to make his senior debut for the club a few days before his 18th birthday.

He soon became a regular starter at the Beira-Rio, racking up 144 appearances and scoring seven goals for the side from Porto Alegre…

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly willing to let summer signing Endrick leave the Bernabeu on loan – with Tottenham seen as one of two clubs in a strong position to sign the prodigious Brazilian teenager in the January window.

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the game’s hottest prospects, having already won 13 senior caps for Brazil and having moved to Real Madrid in the summer just gone in a deal that will ultimately top €60m (£50.4m, $65.4m) if all bonuses are met. However, with competition strong in the Los Blancos ranks, Endrick has found himself limited to appearances mainly off the bench so far.

Indeed, the former Palmeiras man has just one start to his name so far, with his other eight appearances all coming off the substitutes bench and with Ancelotti so far taking his time to bed in the teenager.

And while Endrick has shown promise of the player he can one day become by scoring two goals and adding one assist in those outings, which so far total just 107 minutes, it seems Ancelotti is ready to let the player move out on loan, if reports in the Spanish media are proved accurate.

As a result, Fichajes claims Tottenham have already thrown their hat into the ring over a potential January deal, with Ange Postecoglou’s side seen as one of two would-be suitors to sign the player on loan in the winter window.

Battling them for his signature are Juventus, with Real keen to ensure that whichever side the player joins on a temporary switch are competing at the higher end of their respective leagues and can also offer the player regular first-team football.

The report, though, makes clear that any side who takes Endrick on loan will not be given any sort of option to sign the player on a permanent basis, with any loan deal being sanctioned for the good of the player’s career only.

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Where could Endrick go and what has Ancelotti said?

Of the two sides, Fichajes indicates that Juventus are probably seen as a stronger option than Tottenham to sign the player owing to the fact they are still actively seeking a new forward and he will be presented with a clearer path towards first-team football than he would at Postecoglou’s side, who are well blessed for attacking options of their own.

Indeed, Spurs currently have the likes of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner, all of whom can operate in the sort of positions Endrick prefers to operate in.

However, the report is adamant that Ancelotti is ready to sanction his exit, feeling more regular football would aid his development right now.

Endrick recently made history by becoming Real’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League and Ancelotti was quick to highlight the player’s enormous potential as well as his determination to become one of the world’s best.

“He has balls! Endrick had courage,” Ancelotti told Movistar about his goal against Stuttgart. “It was the last move of the game. He was convinced he’d score. He went for the most difficult solution, but it went well. In these two days, he’s shown himself to be brave, in every sense.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois jokingly added: “If he missed, they [Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe] would have killed him! But if he has the confidence to shoot, he has a super powerful shot. If he scores, everyone keeps quiet! He’s a boy with a lot of quality. It shows his personality.”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Arsenal man linked / Archie Gray back to Leeds?

Meanwhile, Tottenham are being linked with a free-transfer raid on Arsenal for talented goalkeeper Karl Hein as Postecoglou looks to bring in more competition for Guglielmo Vicario.

Hein, 22, is currently on loan with LaLiga side Real Valladolid and has put in some solid performances, catching the attention of several suitors.

Spurs currently have veteran stopper Fraser Forster as backup to Vicario but Postecoglou wants to bring in younger competition – and Hein looks ideally placed with his contract at Emirates Stadium expiring next summer.

The Tottenham transfer model has seen them bring in several top young stars in recent times and now one of them who arrived over the summer in Archie Gray has found himself linked with a return to former club Leeds.

And while only a loan deal is being proposed, one significant former Premier League winger has good reason to believe why a move could come off.

Elsewhere, sources have told us that Spurs are tracking another top young star, this time in the form of a prolific Irish striker, who already has more than 50 senior appearances to his name at the age of 17.

Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein as Ange Postecoglou looks to bring in more competition for Guglielmo Vicario.

Hein, 22, is currently on loan with LaLiga side Real Valladolid and has put in some solid performances, catching the attention of several clubs.

Reports last week suggested that Tottenham and Chelsea are both considering moves for the Estonian international but now Spurs have emerged as frontrunners.

That’s according to Football Insider, who claim that Tottenham are seriously considering a swoop for Hein next summer in a move that ‘no one saw coming.’

Postecoglou is keen to bring in a new back-up goalkeeper to Vicario as a long-term replacement for 36-year-old veteran Fraser Forster.

Hein has less than a year remaining on his Arsenal contract and as things stand he will be available on a free transfer next summer.

He will be eligible to open pre-contract discussions with foreign clubs in January so could seal his departure from the Emirates this winter, while Tottenham will have to wait until next summer to make their move.

Tottenham target Arsenal star – report

It does seem likely that Tottenham could look to bring in a new goalkeeper next summer, with Forster heading for retirement and Vicario’s performances not filling the fanbase with confidence.

Vicario is Spurs’ undisputed no.1 for now but he has made a few big blunders in recent months, prompting the North Londoners to look at keeper targets.

Hein is considered a top prospect and has done well individually for Real Valladolid despite the Spanish side currently languishing in 19th place in the LaLiga table.

Football Insider claim that it’s ‘still possible’ Hein could sign a new contract with Arsenal but as time goes on, the speculation surrounding his future will only increase.

He remains the third-choice option at the Emirates behind David Raya and on-loan Norberto Neto, which is why he was allowed to go and spend the season in Spain.

Tottenham ‘could be tempted’ to make a move for Hein and if they do sign him, he would become the first ex-Gunners star to join Spurs since Emmanuel Adebayor in 2011.

Tottenham latest: New signing almost certain / Dragusin eyed

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Tottenham are virtually guaranteed to sign Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso at the end of the season.

Spurs waved goodbye to Giovani Lo Celso in the previous window, with the Argentine re-joining former club Betis.

Tottenham received a modest fee of around €10m / £8.4m for Lo Celso. But as part of that agreement, Tottenham successfully inserted an option to buy into the contract of Cardoso.

They can activate their option to buy in a two-week period in June of 2025. The deal would be worth €25m / £21m if triggered.

Tottenham also inserted a sell-on clause into Cardoso’s contract, meaning they’ll be in line to receive a percentage of the fee if Cardoso is sold to another club. Of course, Spurs have priority through the presence of their option to buy.

In other news, Spurs centre-back Radu Dragusin is generating interest from the Serie A, with both Napoli and Juventus linked with the defender in recent days.

However, TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham are very unlikely to allow Dragusin to leave in January as Postecoglou is looking to add defenders to his squad, rather than let them leave.

With Micky van de Ven sidelined for the next few weeks with a hamstring injury, this could be Dragusin’s chance to finally nail down a spot in Postecoglou’s starting XI.

Leeds United have been told they can lay down a massive promotion marker by bringing Archie Gray back to the club on loan in January – with one former Whites star labelling the teenager “unbelievable” and explaining why he thinks a move would “suit all parties”.

The West Yorkshire outfit were forced to part ways with their homegrown star over the summer after they missed out on a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Indeed, Gray was one of several stars to leave Elland Road over the summer as Leeds United raked in an impressive £120m-plus in transfer fees, with Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville two other big-name departures.

With 18-year-old Gray the first to depart, Leeds netted some £40m from his sale to the London side, though did hand Tottenham £10m of that back in an instant after they secured the permanent signing of defender Joe Rodon.

Despite that, speculation has suggested Tottenham could look to loan out Gray in the January window to enhance his big-game experience and with Sevilla – who have former Leeds director of sport Victor Orta in charge of transfers – already tipped to make a move.

Former Leeds star Lee Sharpe, however, has urged the Whites to bring Gray back to Elland Road if there is an opportunity to do so, explaining how such a move would suit everyone if it can be pulled off.

“I think it would be unbelievable if Leeds could take Archie on loan in the second half of the season,” Sharpe said.

“It would be one of those deals that suits everyone. Archie would be playing regular football at a very high standard in an environment that he has flourished in before, he would get better and would go back to Tottenham a better player. It would be great for Leeds because he’s such a quality, versatile player. It’s a loan that would benefit all parties.”

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Why a move to bring Gray back to Leeds make sense as Farke has his say

Since that move to London, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has taken his time to bed the teenager in, with the player limited to four substitute appearances in the Premier League.

However, he has featured more heavily in both the Carabao Cup and the Europa League and this week Gray completed his first 90 minutes of action for his new club as Manchester City were beaten 2-1 in the League Cup.

Nonetheless, Sharpe is adamant that a return to his former club would benefit all parties.

“Archie’s still a young lad and I think he’s at great club in Tottenham with a great manager in Ange Postecoglou,” Sharpe added. “It’s going to take time for him to establish himself in that team and, I don’t think Tottenham or Ange want to put him under that kind of pressure too soon.

“Archie Gary has got unbelievable ability. His football knowledge and football brain is incredible, and I think he’ll be a huge success, but he’s just a young lad at the moment and I think Tottenham have a development plan for him rather than just throwing him in the deep end.”

TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham currently do not have any plans to loan out Gray, and would only change their strategy if they were to drop out of both the Carabao Cup and Europe early on. As it stands, neither scenario looks possible.

Nonetheless, Leeds boss Daniel Farke has already responded to the speculation, revealing last month: “I don’t speak about other players who are under contract at other clubs. I’m a bit reluctant to do any comments who are not under contract anymore.

“Our fingers are crossed for Archie and his whole career. If you want some recommendation, he already has my telephone number but I keep it pretty private what I recommend.”

Latest Leeds transfer news: Forest midfielder linked / Kalvin Phillips talk wide of the mark

We understand though that Leeds do intend to look at their midfield options in the January window as they gear up for the second half of the season.

The Whites currently have both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev sidelined through knee injuries, with neither expected back before the Festive period.

And while they recently brought in Josuha Guilavogui to cover for Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka, the possibility of another addition in January cannot be ruled out were their midfield needs to change.

To that end, sources have informed us that Leeds are one of several sides keeping tabs on Lewis O’Brien after his impressive form in MLS. Currently on loan from Nottingham Forest, the midfielder has the option to make his loan move permanent with LAFC in the January window.

However, if the player opts for a return to English football, Leeds are one of those in the mix to secure his signing.

The Whites have also been linked with a move for another former star in Kalvin Phillips amid claims he has failed to settle in Suffolk with loan side, Ipswich Town.

However, we understand those claims are wide of the mark and the Tractor Boys currently have no intention of breaking his loan deal from Manchester City at this stage.

A Lecce coach is not surprised by the transfer interest in Patrick Dorgu, following links with Tottenham and other European sides.

Tottenham have been tracking the left-back for months now, but they were put off by the Serie A team’s reported £29.5m (€35m, $39m) valuation of the 20-year-old.

Following reported interest from Manchester United, Napoli, Spurs, and Chelsea, along with the north London team’s failed attempt to lure him to the Premier League, Dorgu signed a long-term deal with Lecce last month.

The Denmark international’s contract now runs until the summer of 2029, but that is unlikely to stop the player from leaving; rather, it will just bump up his valuation.

Now, Dan Thomassen, the assistant coach of Lecce manager Luca Gotti, has admitted it is no surprise top teams are tracking the 6ft 2in player.

He told TipsBladet: “Those of us who deal with him every day quickly find out how great the potential is. People on the outside only watch the games, of course, but I am in no way surprised by what he is up to and the interest in him.

“I could already see that from the first week I arrived. It does not surprise me at all that there is such great interest in him. He is exploring his potential.”

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A rising star of the game

Thomassen added that Dorgu, who is also very adept at playing as a left wing-back, is improving his consistency as well.

He added: “I don’t think the club has had any doubts about the potential. Over the past six months it has been an upward curve for Patrick and I also think the club can see that potential has turned into continuous performances on the pitch.

“This has meant that he has joined the A national team. I see it as a natural development that he has extended towards us.”

But if Dorgu did head to Ange Postecoglou’s side, he would not walk straight into his first-team. Destiny Udogie, who has a similar playing profile to Dorgu, has proven to be an excellent 2022 signing from Udinese, although his form has not been as impressive this term as it was last season.

If Spurs recruited him, that would likely spell the end of Wales defender Ben Davies’ time at the club – with the 31-year-old out of contract next summer.

Many teams are likely to follow Dorgu’s progress over the coming season and if he continues on his current trajectory, Lecce may be able to command a huge fee for this rising star.

Juventus consider re-signing Spurs man

Juventus are reportedly considering re-signing Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin in the January transfer window.

The Romania international swapped Genoa for Spurs in January 2024 but he has found his game time limited.

Now, reports suggest Juve are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, but Paris Saint-Germain centre-back and Slovakia international Milan Skriniar is their first choice pick.

Elsewhere, Postecoglou is reportedly unlikely to take up the option to turn Timo Werner’s loan move from RB Leizpig into a permanent deal in 2025.

The winger, 28, is, arguably, a squad player at best for Spurs and even though his buy option is around £8.5m (€10m, $11m)), this experiment may end next year.

Finally, Tottenham are said to be leading the race to sign 17-year-old Irish sensation Mason Melia, after impressing for St Patrick’s Athletic.

Dorgu vs Udogie

Juventus are reportedly considering re-signing Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin in the January transfer window – but he is not their top target.

The 22-year-old has largely played second fiddle to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven at the heart of Tottenham‘s defence since moving from Genoa in January 2024 for £21.5m (€25.5m, $27.8m).

Dragusin has made just 15 appearances for Spurs, with the Romania international limited to a paltry five Premier League starts so far.

The 6ft 3in defender, who has also been linked with Napoli, is less than 12 months into a six-and-a-half-year contract with the north London side and if he does go, he will not go on the cheap.

Now, Gazzetta dello Sport claims Juventus are looking at possibilities to sign their former player, who spent five years at the Serie A giants; without really making a dent on their first-team.

However, the report also states that Paris Saint-Germain centre-back and Slovakia international Milan Skriniar is their first choice pick if the 29-year-old is available.

Whether or not Dragusin heads back to Juve or makes a move in January is up in the air – although fresh comments tend to suggest he may stay put.

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Dragusin exit played down

After Dragusin impressed in Tottenham’s 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Manchester City in midweek, his agent Florin Manea has again played down any talk of an exit from the club in early 2025.

He told Tutto Juve: “He’s coming off a great match against Manchester City, now he’s focused on the rest of the season. He wants to do well with Tottenham. I learn about it from the Italian newspapers, I honestly don’t know anything about it (transfer rumours).

“With Juventus as far as I’m concerned, there have been no contacts. As always, the final say in these cases will be up to the club he belongs to, but the boy is happy here at Tottenham.”

And Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has also hinted Dragusin is very much part of his plans going forward.

He told reporters on Friday: “Radu’s been with us 10 months now and I think he’s been great. We signed him because we saw some really strong attributes in him in terms of his defending capabilities, his mindset and again a really unique journey that he had to fight hard to get where he wants to. So, he had all those things I look for.

“He is still young and he is working hard every day on his game and all aspects of his game. Defenders you know they tend to get better with age with experience, the good ones, and with him, guys like Micky (van de Ven) and Destiny (Udogie), the reason we signed them at the age they did is we really believe in years to come they’ll get stronger and he is doing that.

“Every time he is out there I think I can see improvements. He is really embracing the way we play. It is very different to where he came from, playing so aggressively with our line and defending one-on-one but he’s embracing that and enjoying that. I thought he was great the other night. Not just in his football but in terms of his presence and demeanour, he took some leadership there.”

Ibrahimovic eyes Spurs star

Senior advisor at AC Milan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is reportedly hellbent on bringing fellow Swede and Tottenham star Dejan Kulusevski to the San Siro.

However, the former Juventus striker’s offer is unlikely to be enough to convince Spurs to part company with the winger/attacking midfielder.

Elsewhere, Tottenham are said to be leading the race to sign Irish teen sensation Mason Melia, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The 17-year-old has been linked with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea but Spurs are in pole position to land the St Patrick’s Athletic forward.

Tottenham are leading the race ahead of their Premier League rivals to land Irish teen sensation Mason Melia, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Melia is regarded as one of the best young talents to emerge from Ireland after impressing for Dublin-based outfit St Patrick’s Athletic and for Republic of Ireland’s youth sides over the course of the last two years.

A host of Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have been credited with an interest in Melia, but Tottenham are in pole position to land the teenager.

The 17-year-old has already made over 50 senior appearances for St Patrick’s Athletic across all competitions after making his debut last season as a 15-year-old.

The talented forward has scored 10 goals in 54 appearances for St Pats and has also netted nine in 19 caps for Republic of Ireland U17s.

Melia, who cannot move to the United Kingdom until he turns 18 due to Brexit rules, is under contract at his current club until 2026.

Tottenham see Melia as a potential star in the making and they are keen to steal a march on their rivals by firming up a move for the teenager as soon as possible.

Spurs are eager to build a strong base of youth in their under-21s by signing young players who they can eventually develop into first-team players in north London.

Of late, they have signed the likes of Min-hyeok Yang and Lucas Bergvall who are both 18 years old and seem capable of bedding themselves into the first team at Tottenham.

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Tottenham round-up: Attacking exits possible

Though Melia could add to the attacking ranks at Spurs, they may be depleted with a couple of exits.

Reports suggest Ange Postecoglou has seen enough of Timo Werner, and will decide not to sign the forward once his second loan spell with the club is up.

Dejan Kulusevski could also move, with AC Milan advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic desperate to get the Swede to sign for his club.

In terms of inbound transfers, Tottenham will reportedly use the January transfer window to prioritise the centre-back position for when Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romeo are out.

The report did not name any specific centre-backs who are being targeted.

Melia in profile

Melia became St Pats’ youngest ever player and goalscorer after netting from outside the area after coming on as a sub in a match in January 2023.

He set another record as the club’s youngest debutant in the league when making another sub appearance in May 2023. In June 2023, he became not just the club’s youngest goalscorer, but the entire League of Ireland’s, by scoring aged 15 years and 281 days.

He celebrated his 16th birthday by winning and scoring a penalty in a game against Dundalk. In November 2023, Melia signed his first professional contract, and three days later he became the youngest player to feature in an FAI Cup final, picking up a winner’s medal by the end of it.

His first European appearance followed in July 2024 as he lined up in a Conference League match. By September 2024, he had reached the tally of 10 goals for St Pats, a couple of days before turning 17.

And in October 2024 he was called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 team for the first time after previously starring for his country at U15, U16, U17 and U19 level.

The feeling in Spain is Tottenham are virtually guaranteed to take up their priority option to buy for a €25m signing in the summer of 2025.

Tottenham waved goodbye to Giovani Lo Celso in the previous window, with the Argentine re-joining former club Real Betis.

Spurs received a modest fee of around €10m / £8.4m, according to the BBC. But as part of that agreement, Tottenham successfully inserted an option to buy into the contract of Real Betis midfielder, Johnny Cardoso.

Spurs can activate their option to buy in a two-week period in June of 2025. The deal would be worth €25m / £21m if triggered.

Tottenham also inserted a sell-on clause into Cardoso’s contract, meaning they’ll be in line to receive a percentage of the fee if Cardoso is sold to another club. Of course, Spurs have priority through the presence of their option to buy.

And according to a fresh update from the print edition of ABC Sevilla, all the signs point towards Tottenham activating their option next summer.

As cited by Sport Witness, Real Betis consider Cardoso moving to north London ‘a certainty.’

Where will Johnny Cardoso fit?

Should Cardoso arrive at Spurs he’ll join a midfield corps that is already congested.

With Ange Postecoglou often deploying Dejan Kulusevski AND James Maddison in a midfield three, that has left just one space spare for Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr to scrap for.

Cardoso, 23, is a defensive midfielder by trade and the 17-cap USA international will hope to muscle his competitors aside and earn a place in the starting eleven.

Cardoso has started four of Real Betis’ last five LaLiga matches as well as both of their fixtures in the Conference League this season.

Latest Tottenham news – Conte raid / Werner clause

Elsewhere, former Spurs boss Antonio Conte is reportedly weighing up a January raid for Radu Dragusin.

Conte has his Napoli side top of the Serie A table and mid-season reinforcements are being sought to double down on their title challenge.

In other news, Postecoglou is reportedly ‘leaning towards’ ignoring the £8.5m option to buy in Timo Werner’s loan agreement.

If dismissed, Werner would simply return to parent club RB Leipzig at season’s end.

Finally, Gary Neville suggested Tottenham are the reason Manchester United sacked Erik ten Hag.

Neville told Sky Sports earlier this week: “I suspect the Tottenham game was probably a catalyst for them to start thinking about a new manager.

“You look at who is available then you try to think of the timing. You are half hoping the manager can turn it around but 99 times out of 100, the tide is against you and continues to go against you.

“They’ve probably chosen a moment that was decided a few weeks ago – that the next bad loss or bad result, we’re probably going to have to act. That has come yesterday [vs West Ham]

“They would have started the process of finding Erik ten Hag’s successor, definitely, because that Tottenham game a few weeks ago did feel like the end.”

Who is Johnny Cardoso?

European football expert Andy Brassell previously gave his verdict on Cardoso in the aftermath of Tottenham’s option to buy being announced.

“Quite an interesting backstory, so he was born in the USA to Brazilian parents but he moved back to Brazil when he was three or four months old,” explained Brassell.

“To all intents and purposes, he is a Brazilian player, he’s come through the system there before going over to Betis.

“Very popular, very energetic, you can imagine Cardoso working really well in the Premier League because he loves a tackle, he loves to get stuck in, so you can imagine him protecting that Tottenham defence going forward.”

TEAMtalk’s features specialist, Ryan Baldi, has taken an even deeper dive into exactly what type of player Spurs are on course to sign…

Napoli are reportedly lining up a shock January move for Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin, while the Italian giants are also interested in a top Spurs target.

Dragusin has found consistent minutes hard to come by since his switch from Genoa in January, prompting speculation that he could make an early return to Italy.

Inter Milan have previously been linked with a move for Dragusin and now he’s on Napoli’s shortlist, but luring him away from North London won’t be straightforward.

According to journalist Paolo Paganini, Napoli are considering a January move for Dragusin and Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu, who has been heavily linked with a move to Spurs.

Ange Postecoglou is keen to bring in more competition for Destiny Udogie at left-back and Dorgu is a player Tottenham have had their eye on for months.

“Be careful because Napoli is ready to make a double move in January. One is Dorgu from Lecce and the other is Drăgușin from the Premier League,” Paganini told Rai 2.

Antonio Conte’s side currently sit top of the Serie A and the former Tottenham boss is keen to strengthen his squad further as he looks to lift the fourth Italian title of his managerial career.

Tottenham are very reluctant to sell Dragusin – sources

Dragusin started in Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night – playing the full 90 minutes for the fourth time this season.

In what could prove to be a big blow for Spurs, Micky van de Ven hobbled off with an apparent hamstring injury after 14 minutes.

With the Dutch centre-back potentially out for the next few weeks, this could be Dragusin’s big chance to nail down a spot in Postecoglou’s starting XI.

Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that despite Napoli’s reported interest, it would take a huge bid for Tottenham to consider Dragusin’s sale mid-season.

Recent reports suggest that Tottenham are considering signing a new centre-back in January, but that’s because Postecoglou wants more options in the position, rather than the club covering for any potential outgoings.

We can also confirm that Spurs are interested in Dorgu, so we could potentially see them go head-to-head with Napoli for his signature.

Dorgu is under contract with Lecce until 2029 so they are in a strong negotiating position, with reports suggesting it will take £25m to sign him.

Tottenham transfer gossip: Kulusevski targeted / New winger eyed

Meanwhile, Dejan Kulusevski, is also being linked with a shock return to Serie A amid interest from AC Milan.

Milan’s sporting director Zlatan Ibrahimovic is reportedly a huge admirer of Kulusevski and views him as a potential replacement for Rafael Leao.

Leao remains a target for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and while Kulusevski would not be a direct replacement, he could provide a different spark to the Milan attack.

Reports suggest that Milan will ambitiously start the bidding for Kulusevski at €50million (£42m / $54m). But that offer seems doomed to fail as the right winger – who can also play as a No 10 – is a key player for Ange Postecoglou and has seen his value soar in recent months.

Spurs are expected to demand in excess of £70m for Kulusevski and that will be enough to price Milan out of a move.

In other news, Tottenham are reportedly one of several Premier League sides interested in signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.

However, Postecoglou’s side are set to face competition for the 24-year-old, who has scored three Premier League goals so far this season.

Arsenal are being heavily linked with a move for Semenyo, while Newcastle United are also believed to be big admirers of his.

Former Tottenham scout Mike Brown has revealed the club are eager to land a new centre-back in January, as he explained why Arsenal and Manchester City are so successful.

Spurs have of late been a fairly solid defensive outfit in comparison to other Premier League sides. So far this term, they have conceded 10 Premier League goals in nine games, a tally bettered by only three sides.

In any case, they are looking to improve their defensive capabilities and the depth of their back line.

That is according to their former scout Brown, who told Football Insider they would like to be able to rotate more at the back than they can currently.

“Tottenham worry me defensively,” Brown said.

“They fall down at the fundamentals, they’re just not good enough at the back. That’s even with their first-choice team on the pitch. Their strength in depth is an issue too because it makes rotation difficult.

“They’ve got a settled pairing in [Cristian] Romero and [Micky] Van de Ven, but behind them, they’re short of real quality options and strength in depth.

“From what I’m hearing, they want to bring in someone who can fill in if those two miss out.”

Arsenal superiority explained

Brown also explained the defensive strength of rivals Arsenal – who have also conceded 10 league goals this term – is one of the reasons they and champions Manchester City are currently so strong.

“All the best teams have defensive units that you know you can rely upon every week,” he said.

“Look at Arsenal, for example, the big reason they’ve been able to challenge for the title is because of their defenders.

“Gabriel and [William] Saliba are so solid at the back, and everybody does their bit.

“Man City as well, everybody talks about their attacking talent and rightly so, but their defence is outstanding with the likes of [Ruben] Dias, [Manuel] Ajanki and [Josko] Gvardiol.”

Tottenham round-up: Two wingers could leave

Tottenham could see the back of one important player if AC Milan get their way. Senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic is reportedly eager to take compatriot Dejan Kulusevski to the club.

Fellow winger Timo Werner’s Spurs career will seemingly last no longer than his current loan spell, as Ange Postecoglou is ready to let him return to his parent club.

Instead, he wants to sign Marcus Edwards from Sporting CP, with TEAMtalk sources stating the club are very keen, but Manchester United – potentially soon to be managed by Ruben Amorim – have also been linked with the winger.

Meanwhile, a transfer closer to home could be made, as Tottenham are said to be interested in the signing of Karl Hein, who is owned by rivals Arsenal, but currently on loan at Real Valladolid.

Tottenham centre-back depth

Tottenham have just four senior centre-backs in their squad at the moment.

Radu Dragusin has not impressed enough since his signing last January to displace Romero or Van de Ven at the back, and Ben Davies has only been used sparingly of late.

As such, their desire to increase depth at the back makes sense.