TEAMtalk

A Turkish coach has incredibly stated that former Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is superior to Liverpool hero Virgil van Dijk.

Sanchez left Tottenham in September 2023 when Turkish giants Galatasaray paid £7.9million (€9.5m / US$10.6m) for his services. The centre-back has since made 37 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions, with five of those outings coming this season.

Sanchez has established himself as an important player for Galatasaray by putting in a host of solid performances, and this has led to stunning praise from Servet Cetin, who represented Galatasaray over 100 times during his playing days and was most recently in charge of fellow Turkish outfit Sivasspor.

In an interview with Ajansspor, Cetin tried to justify why Sanchez is better than Van Dijk, despite the latter being regarded as one of the best defenders of all time.

“Sanchez is a better centre-back than [Van] Dijk,” he claimed.

“In England, centre-backs play locally, they do not disturb their positions. They don’t get into the ranks of the right-back or left-back. They always take a position in the centre. They usually play heavy. Because they are physically good, they intercept the ball in the centre.

“But they falter when they have to open up. Van Dijk had a very difficult time against Baris Alper Yılmaz in the Turkey vs Netherlands national [team] match.

“Sanchez, on the other hand, has a one-on-one game. He has pace, plays in a wider area and doesn’t miss men. He does a much more difficult job. He gets off the ball very well. Sanchez is a much better stopper than van Dijk.

“Maybe people will say come off it, but it doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool. For example, Sami Hyypia came to Turkey and was not liked. So, Sanchez is better than Van Dijk and many other centre-backs in the Premier League.”

Sanchez, Van Dijk claim is absurd

Tottenham fans will be surprised about this claim, as Sanchez failed to live up to expectations after moving to North London in a £42m deal in August 2017, a club record at the time.

It is clear that the Colombia star has improved since leaving England and has started to show the form which prompted Spurs to originally sign him. Sanchez has even won the Super Lig title and Turkish Super Cup with his current team.

DON’T MISS: Liverpool line up surprise move for former Chelsea winger as Richard Hughes prepares for damaging exit

However, Liverpool fans – and most other football fans – will certainly disagree with Cetin’s comments.

Van Dijk is one of the best defenders the Premier League has ever seen, as he regularly keeps top strikers quiet while also spraying out passes from deep and being a threat from set pieces.

The Dutch star, who has been Liverpool’s captain since July 2023, played an integral role as Liverpool won major trophies such as the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup under Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool round-up: Dortmund chase, Guehi boost

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Borussia Dortmund ace Karim Adeyemi is on Liverpool’s shortlist as they eye attacking recruits next year.

The Reds are ‘likely’ to buy a new winger at the end of the season, which is partly down to uncertainty over Mo Salah’s future. Adeyemi is one concrete option, while Liverpool also admire Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad.

TEAMtalk understands that in order to sign versatile Germany star Adeyemi, Liverpool will need to pay Dortmund less than €45m (£37.5m / $US50.2m). Liverpool chiefs view this as a reasonable sum given the 22-year-old’s exciting potential.

Another player Liverpool like the look of is Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. They watched on as Newcastle United failed with multiple bids for the centre-half in the summer.

In a major boost for Arne Slot’s side, Football Insider report that Guehi would rather join Liverpool than Newcastle at this stage.

Tottenham latest: Serie A striker eyed

Spurs only captured Dominic Solanke in the summer, but it seems they are already eyeing up more striker reinforcements.

Fichajes claim that Spurs are poised to battle Aston Villa for Inter Milan ace Marcus Thuram, who has already registered four goals and two assists in five Serie A matches this campaign.

Inter want to keep Thuram which means he will not come cheap. It is thought that the France star has a £70m (€85m / $US94.6m) exit clause in his Inter contract.

A transfer at that price would see Spurs smash their transfer record once again. Solanke is their new most expensive buy, having cost £65m when joining from Bournemouth in the summer.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou admits a late call will be made on the fitness of captain Son Heung-min ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Manchester United.

Son started Thursday’s Europa League opener against Qarabag, which 10-man Spurs won 3-0, but needed treatment before he limped off in the 71st minute to be replaced by Timo Werner.

And, speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, Postecoglou hopes Son’s hamstring issue is not serious and that he will be able to train on Saturday.

“Fair to say the boys are fairly tired, the ones who put in a shift. Apart from Sonny, everybody is okay,” Postecoglou revealed.

“Sonny, I don’t think is too bad. He wants to train tomorrow and we will see how it goes and make a decision from there. We have another day up our sleeve to give him every chance.”

In terms of who could replace Son if he fails to make it, there are two natural contenders in Werner and exciting youngster Mikey Moore.

And when asked if Moore was not yet ready to start for Tottenham, Postecoglou insisted: “No, I wouldn’t say that. We’ll see with Sonny. Obviously with Wilson (Odobert) out, we’re kind of limited and with Richy (Richarlison) out because Richy can play there as well.

“Timo and Mikey can certainly come into the frame. We have Deki Kulusevski who can play wide as well so we’ve got some options there, but firstly we’ll see how Sonny is.”

Postecoglou discusses Son contract situation

This week has seen Son’s future put into sharp focus after he discussed his contract situation on Wednesday ahead of the Qarabag clash and admitted no fresh talks had taken place.

Son’s current terms are due to expire next summer, but Tottenham do hold the option of extending his stay by a further year and are expected to trigger that deal.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, insists he is keen on the 32-year-old forward sticking around for what would be a 10th season in north London.

The Australian added: “I don’t always have the final say but certainly I like to think my input is significant on it.

“I think it is part of a broader discussion around Sonny but the way he is performing and leading the club at the moment, I certainly want him to stick around for a while.”

Tottenham hunting Inter star as Ange makes Bergvall promise

In other Tottenham news, Spurs are reportedly considering a move for Inter Milan’s highly-rated forward Marcus Thuram, but will face a battle with Premier League rivals Aston Villa for his signature.

The France international attacker has taken his game to another level since moving to the San Siro on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2023.

And that has led to rumours of a big-money exit, with the Premier League duo in the mix for the talented forward.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou promised Lucas Bergvall he will get “plenty of opportunities” after being forced to take the summer signing off inside 10 minutes of the Europa League clash against Qarabag.

The Swede was replaced by Destiny Udogie after Radu Dragusin’s early red card and was clearly crestfallen as he walked off.

However, Postecoglou insists there will be no shortage of chances for him to impress throughout the season.

Ange Postecoglou told Lucas Bergvall he will get “plenty of opportunities” after being forced to take the summer signing off inside 10 minutes of Thursday night’s opening Europa League clash against Qarabag.

Bergvall was named in the starting line-up for the game but was the player sacrificed when Radu Dragusin was sent off in the eighth minute for denying the visitors a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Destiny Udogie came on at left-back as Ben Davies shifted into the middle and Postecoglou opted to bring attacking midfielder Bergvall off, with the 18-year-old clearly looking dejected as he trudged off the pitch and sat on the bench.

While Bergvall’s second start for Tottenham ended prematurely, Postecoglou insisted there will be no shortage of chances for him to impress throughout the season.

“That’s football,” the Spurs boss told TNT Sports.

“He’s 18, he’ll get plenty more games. It’s a decision we had to make.

“We needed an extra midfielder in there to make sure we had cover, and we needed to bring a left-back on in Destiny.

“Just an adjustment we needed to make, nothing on Lucas. He’ll get plenty of opportunities.”

Postecoglou finds flaws in Tottenham win

It was an evening on disruption in north London as Qarabag did not arrive at the ground until 7:45pm, 15 minutes before the game was due to start, due to major travel issues.

Kick-off was delayed for 35 minutes before Dragusin’s early red card looked like it would put Spurs on the back foot for the rest of the game.

However, despite conceding numerous chances and Toral Bayramov missing a penalty for Qarabag, Postecoglou’s men ended up winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr and Dominic Solanke.

And despite his side getting the job done in difficult circumstances, Postecoglou was left frustrated by the manner in which Tottenham began the match.

“I wasn’t happy because I just felt we started really sloppy,” he said.

“We spoke really about making sure we started high-tempo, high-intensity. It’s almost like the delay got to us or whatever.

“Leading up to [the red card] we were very passive in our passing. When that happens, somebody switches off and unfortunately Radu had to pay the price of that.

“The reaction after that was good and we still won the game, but not happy with the start.”

Richarlison being tipped for Brazil return

In other Tottenham news, former Brazil international Edmundo claims striker Richarlison is on the radar of another club, with the potential of a major transfer being on the cards.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (as relayed by CNN Brasil), Edmundo spoke about the forward as an option for Vasco da Gama.

Indeed, he’s backing his former club to bolster their squad in 2025 and insists Richarlison is on their list.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min has revealed that he is yet to hold talks with Spurs over a new contract, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season.

While Son’s contract does expire next summer, Tottenham have the option to extend it by another year, which they are reportedly planning to do.

And, speaking ahead of the Qarabag win, the South Korean opened up on his future.

Clubs in Europe’s top five leagues spent around £4.3billion on new players in the summer transfer window and a lot of records were broken.

A lot of players completed big-money transfers during the summer and some had the added pressure of becoming a club-record signing.

We’ve taken a look at every club from Europe’s top five leagues that broke their own transfer record in the summer of 2024 and how those players have fared at the start of the 2024/25 season.

Note: we’ve taken potential add-ons and bonuses into account when deciding who is a club-record signing.

Premier League

Bournemouth

Bournemouth used the funds from Dominic Solanke’s move to Tottenham to sign Evanilson from Porto in a deal worth an initial £31.7million and another £8.5million in potential add-ons.

“Evanilson is a hugely sought-after striker and for us to bring him to the club in a record-breaking deal shows our ambition and intent,” Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake said.

But the striker has had a difficult start to his Premier League career, failing to score in his first four appearances and missing a penalty in a 1-0 loss against Chelsea.

Brentford

Brentford anticipated Ivan Toney’s departure by targeting Igor Thiago and they agreed a £30million deal with Club Brugge back in February.

The deal became official at the start of the summer transfer window, but the striker picked up an injury in pre-season and will miss the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Brighton

Brighton were the second-biggest spending team in the world in the summer of 2024 and they broke their own transfer record twice in the space of two months.

Yankuba Minteh arrived from Newcastle United in a deal worth £30million and the Seagulls then triggered the £40millon release clause in Georginio Rutter’s contract at Leeds United.

Rutter has made two starts and two substitute appearances for the Seagulls but is yet to register a goal or assist.

Fulham

After selling Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich, Fulham were able to sign Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal in a deal worth an initial £27million and another £7million in potential add-ons.

The midfielder has already started to justify that price tag, registering two goals and one assist in his first five Premier League appearances for the club.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich paid Chelsea an initial £20million and another £2.5million in add-ons to sign Omari Hutchinson, who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Portman Road and helped the club win promotion to the Premier League.

“Omari’s certainly had a positive start to the [2024/25] season, he’s contributing well on all phases and he’s a handful for any team,” manager Kieran McKenna said after a 1-1 draw with Southampton.

“Of course, the next steps for him now, and I think as a team, are our execution on certainly big moments, whether it’s in possession phases or on transitions, it can definitely improve so that we can create more clear-cut opportunities.

“He’s doing very, very well and he’s showing he can already cause a lot of problems at this level.”

Tottenham

Dominic Solanke scored 19 goals for Bournemouth in the 2023/24 season and his impressive form prompted Tottenham to fork out a club-record fee to secure his signature.

They paid the Cherries an initial £55million and another £10million in potential add-ons for the striker, who scored his first goal for Spurs in a 3-1 win over Brentford.

La Liga

Girona

Girona were the surprise package of the 2023/24 season as they finished third in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

That allowed them to break their transfer record twice, first by signing Ladislav Krejci from Sparta Prague in a €12million deal and then by paying Watford an initial €18million and €6million in potential add-ons for Yaser Asprilla.

Asprilla arrived at the club as a direct replacement for Savinho and has already shown glimpses of his talent in La Liga.

Serie A

Como

Como – who are managed by Cesc Fabregas – won promotion to Serie A at the end of the 2023/24 season and Andrea Belotti became their club-record signing when he completed a €4.5million move from Roma.

But the striker held that title for just four days as Como then spent €8million to buy Alberto Dossena from Cagliari. They made another €8million deal in the same transfer window, signing Yannik Engelhardt from Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Dossena registered an assist on his debut to help Como secure a 1-1 draw against his former club but Engelhardt is yet to establish himself in the starting line-up.

Bundesliga

Stuttgart

After finishing second in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, Stuttgart broke their transfer record to sign Ermedin Demirovic from Augsburg in a €21million deal.

They then turned Deniz Undav’s loan move into a permanent deal by paying Brighton & Hove Albion a total package worth around €30million.

“The transfer is at another level in economic terms for us, but we’re investing in proven quality,” Stuttgart board member Fabian Wohlgemuth said. “We’re happy to have finalized the deal and look forward to our future with Deniz.”

Undav netted 19 goals in all competitions last season and has made a strong start to the 2024/25 campaign, scoring five goals in seven appearances.

Hoffenheim

After Maximilian Beier joined Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim filled the void left by his departure by paying a club-record €18million to sign Adam Hlozek from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 22-year-old registered an assist in a 3-1 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt but a thigh injury has hampered his start to the 2024/25 season.

Holstein Kiel

Holstein Kiel won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and they bolstered their squad by signing Magnus Knudsen and Armin Gigovic from Russian side FC Rostov.

Knudsen cost €1million while Gigovic cost a club-record €1.8million, and he came off the bench to score a consolation goal in a 6-1 defeat against Bayern Munich.

Ligue 1

Lyon

Lyon spent just under €150million in the summer and the most expensive deal was the signing of Moussa Niakhate from Nottingham Forest, with the centre-back costing €31.9million.

He made an error that led to a goal on his debut as Lyon lost 3-0 against Rennes, but he’s now started to rediscover his best form.

“I demand more of myself than the fans, the journalists, the coach or even the club president,” he told reporters. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve done everything I can to be the best I can be.

“It’s not me who sets the price, it’s football, but it’s true that that price imposes a requirement, but that pleases me and makes me want to surpass myself even more.”

Nantes

Matthis Abline spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Nantes and his performances helped the club avoid relegation to Ligue 2.

They paid Rennes an initial €10million and €2million in potential add-ons to make the move permanent, and he’s since scored one goal in five appearances in 2024/25.

Former Brazil international Edmundo claims Tottenham striker Richarlison is on the radar of another club, with the potential of a major transfer being on the cards.

The Brazilian forward is once again on the sidelines through injury as his side prepare to face Qarabag FK in their Europa League opener on Thursday night.

Richarlison has been out with an unspecified injury since before the Newcastle game and there is currently no timeline on a potential return for the 27-year-old.

Being consistently available for selection has proved to be a major issue for Richarlison since his £60million switch from Everton in 2022, with the striker featuring 68 times in total for the club so far.

The addition of new club-record signing Dominic Solanke immediately sparked rumours that Tottenham will look to cash in on Richarlison, with clubs from the Saudi Pro League showing significant interest. However, speaking on his YouTube channel (as relayed by CNN Brasil), Edmundo spoke about the forward as an option for Vasco da Gama.

Edmundo graduated from the Brazilian club’s academy and had four spells with their first team. He’s backing his former club to bolster their squad in 2025 and insists Richarlison is on their list.

He said: “Now, the idea is to keep all the main players and hire two or three heavyweight players. One for the defence, one for the midfield and two for the attack. Heavyweight like Richarlison. I’m dreaming and I can guarantee that 2025 will be different.”

CNN Brasil does point out that Edmundo has close ties with Vasco da Gama president Pedrinho, so there is every chance that he has the inside track on a potential high-profile transfer.

Tottenham tipped to cash in on Richarlison

It’s not the first time Richarlison has been linked with a move to Vasco, although his entourage were quick to dismiss those rumours over the summer.

Indeed, the player himself was quick to dismiss a Spurs exit over the summer when asked about his future, telling ESPN Brasil: “There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian national team and in the Premier League speaks louder.”

Since joining Tottenham, Richarlison has been hit with no fewer than six injuries to his calf, hamstring, groin, and knee and missed well over 20 matches in total.

Having available for the start of the Europa League would have been a major bonus for Postecoglou in terms of squad rotation, but it likely means that Solanke and Son will have to share the load as the main striker until he returns.

Quite what happens in January remains to be seen but if Tottenham do receive a significant offer for his services, whether it’s from Brazil or Saudi Arabia, then there is every chance they will accept it for a player who has not justified his weighty price tag.

Son speaks on Tottenham future as shock Vicario exit mooted

In other Tottenham news, skipper Son Heung-min has revealed that he is yet to hold talks with Spurs over a new contract, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season.

The 32-year-old, who does have the option to extend his deal by a further year, was asked about his contract situation in a press conference ahead of the Qarabag clash and spoke openly about his future.

Meanwhile, a shock new report suggests that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer and view Italy international Vicario as the perfect candidate.

However, it’s claimed that Spurs are debating over whether to sign an established France international defender as part of an exchange deal.

IN FOCUS – Richarlison failing to make his mark at Tottenham

Back to Richarlison and his struggles in north London. The stats show that he has a goal every 4.5 games for Tottenham, which is nowhere near good enough for a £60m signing.

Yes, he had Harry Kane to contend with in his first season at the club, while things did improve during the 2023/24 campaign as 12 of those goals came last term.

However, the best ability is availability and those injury problems could end up deciding what the future holds next for the former Toffees frontman.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing midfielder Harry Winks, who has rebuilt his career at Leicester City after leaving Tottenham in the summer of 2023.

The 28-year-old England international, who has won 10 caps for his country, has been a mainstay of the Foxes midfield since his £10million move to the King Power Stadium after Leicester were relegated during the 2022/23 campaign.

Winks played a major role as the East Midlands outfit bounced straight back to the Premier League under Enzo Maresca, scoring twice in 48 appearances in all competitions.

The former Spurs man continues to be a key cog in Steve Cooper’s engine room after Maresca quit Leicester for Chelsea, although the pressure is mounting on the current Foxes boss after a tough start to the new season.

For Winks though, his stock is back on the rise again and Spanish publication Fijaches suggests that United are weighing up a move for the player in January as Ten Hag is keen to bring in another midfielder.

The Fijaches report claims that Ten Hag believes that Winks would be a great fit for the style of play at Old Trafford, while he would also be a relatively cheap option for sporting director Dan Ashworth to pursue.

The midfielder’s current contract runs out in the summer of 2026 and although that means Leicester could push for a significant fee for his services, they are only likely to recoup what they paid.

Winks does have the ability to play several different midfield roles and is as comfortable pushing forward as a No.10 as he is sitting in front of the defence as the midfield pivot.

Winks no more than a solid Man Utd backup option

The best Winks could hope for if he does move to Old Trafford in the new year would be as a bench warmer, given the player’s currently in United’s midfield.

Manuel Ugarte was signed in a £43m switch from PSG over the summer to play the holding role when is eventually up to full speed.

If anything Winks would be more of a Kobbie Mainoo alternative as he is similar in style to the United No.8, with a decent burst of pace and strong technical ability.

Winks made his Tottenham debut almost a decade ago when he featured in a Europa League group against FK Partizan and went on to make 203 appearances for the club.

After struggling for game time under Antonio Conte he was loaned out to Sampdoria during the 2022/23 campaign but after the Italian outfit were relegated they decided against a permanent deal.

Ange Postecoglou’s arrival could have signalled an upturn in Winks’ fortunes in north London, given that he’s the type of all-action midfielder the Australian likes. However, he was jettisoned to Leicester soon after and has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance at the King Power.

Ten Hag on board with Barella plan as Scholes takes Dutchman to task

In other United news, Erik ten Hag is fully on board with Dan Ashworth’s plans to sign Nicolo Barella and has been convinced to ditch long-standing interest in Frenkie de Jong as a result – while the bumper contract offer reportedly on offer to the Inter Milan star has come to light.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag has once again been accused of wasting United’s transfer money after Paul Scholes explained why Matthijs de Ligt is no better than Harry Maguire – while the pundit has also hit out at the way the Red Devils boss embeds his new signings into the side.

De Ligt was rested for Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with FC Twente but had played in all six of United’s matches prior to that, but Scholes is not convinced by what he has seen.

IN FOCUS – Last five England internationals signed by Man Utd

In the unlikely event that Winks does indeed move to Old Trafford, there’s a worrying trend when it comes to United and buying full England internationals – in terms of how successful they have been with the Red Devils.

Mason Mount (2023)

As he approached the final year of his Chelsea contract, there was widespread speculation about where Mount would go next. Man Utd ultimately won the race to sign him in a £55m deal.

However, injuries have overshadowed the midfielder’s spell so far at Old Trafford and, despite previously playing 36 times for his country, he has not been capped by England yet whilst a Man Utd player.

Jack Butland (2023)

Man Utd needed a new backup goalkeeper in January 2023 when Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle. Up stepped Jack Butland, who joined on loan from Crystal Palace. However, first-choice David de Gea played in every game that followed that season, and Butland moved on to Rangers – where he has thrived as a no.1 – by the end of it.

Jadon Sancho (2021)

United’s pursuit of Sancho was certainly protracted, but they eventually got their man in July 2021. Sadly, his form since has not exactly justified the time and effort his current club put into signing him.

Sancho only scored 12 goals from 82 games before a fall-out with Erik ten Hag, which led to him being loaned back to Borussia Dortmund two-and-a-half years after his move. They patched up their differences this summer, leading to one extra United appearance for the winger, but he is now on loan at Chelsea.

Tom Heaton (2021)

A product of Man Utd’s academy, Chester-born Heaton never played for the first team before embarking on a career including spells with the likes of Cardiff City, Bristol City, Burnley and Aston Villa.

During his time at Burnley, Heaton earned three England caps, but he dropped down the pecking order for club and country and was only a half-regular for Villa too. United promptly brought him back in 2021 to act as goalkeeping cover, and he has made three cup appearances for the club since.

Harry Maguire (2019)

Maguire was one of the Premier League’s most in-demand centre-backs in 2019 thanks to his rise to prominence at Leicester City, and with England at the previous year’s World Cup. So great was United’s desire to win the race for his signature that they forked out a world-record fee for a defender to prise him away from a notoriously tough Leicester.

Maguire initially settled in well at Man Utd and became their captain, but Ten Hag decided to remove that title from him after the pressure became too much. In fairness, despite often being linked with a move away, Maguire has since stabilised his United career.

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has revealed that he is yet to hold talks with Spurs over a new contract, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season.

The South Korean international is undoubtedly one of the most important players in Tottenham’s squad and arguably, one of the best in the Premier League.

Son, who is now Spurs’ captain, was asked about his contract situation in a press conference ahead of Tottenham’s Europa Conference League opener against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night.

While Son’s contract does expire next summer, Tottenham have the option to extend it by another year, which they are reportedly planning to do.

“We haven’t talked about anything yet,” Son said. “”It is very clear from me. I am very focused on this season. At this age, every second is like a goal, especially this season, we are in a lot of competitions, it feels like I am taking even more care about this.

“As I say, I am fully focused on this year and just want to win something that everybody at the club – the players, all around – deserves. That’s what I’m working for.

“In the future you never know what will happen, but I will give everything for this club because it’s been almost 10 years and I give everything. I still have a contract with the club which is the very important thing and I just want to give everything until my contract [expires].”

Son Heung-min targeted by Saudi Pro League clubs

Son joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. Despite coming close on a number of occassions, he is yet to win any silverware with the North London club.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have got off to a relatively poor start in the Premier League, with just seven points from five matches so far, leaving them 10th. The Europa Conference League is a great opportunity for Tottenham to win a trophy, though.

Son’s future has been speculated for some time. Previous reports suggest that the South Korean has been identified as a target by clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Even if he is tied down until 2026 by Tottenham, as expected, Saudi sides may well try and lure him away from Spurs next summer.

Son, who is now 32, has joined the players who have spoken out against the volume of games elite-level stars are expected to play, like Manchester City’s Rodri and Liverpool’s Alisson.

“A lot of players came out and said the right things and I think it was very important. There are definitely a lot of games. As a football fan, you want to see quality of games, not as many games as possible. You don’t want to see players struggling with injuries.

“There are a lot of games, a lot of travelling. We have to look after ourselves, which is sometimes very hard. Sometimes, mentally and physically you are not ready and then you go onto the pitch, the risk of injury is massive.

“We are not robots so I think we have to look after that, reduce the [number of] games definitely and playing a better quality of games should be the aim.”

Tottenham goalkeeper linked with shock exit

Meanwhile, a shock report has suggested that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer, whose time as a regular starter in one of Europe’s top leagues is coming to a close, at the age of 36.

Inter have reportedly identified Vicario as a target and France international defender Benjamin Pavard could head to Spurs as part of the deal.

Tottenham are also poised to battle the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle for Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling, per reports.

Spurs are scouting the Southampton winger ahead of a potential transfer after he was promoted to the Saints’ first team over the summer.

Dibling scored in Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town last weekend and is widely regarded to be a top talent with high potential.

TIMELINE: Son Heung-min at Tottenham

August 2015 – Son signs for Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m, eclipsing the record of the most expensive Asian player of all time.

September 2015 – Scores his first two goals for Tottenham in a Europa League match.

September 2016 – Equals his Premier League goal tally from the season before in 25 fewer appearances.

October 2016 – Becomes the first Asian player to win the Premier League Player of the Month award.

March 2017 – Scores his first Tottenham hat-trick in an FA Cup win.

May 2017 – Becomes the only player that season to win the Premier League Player of the Month accolade twice.

November 2017 – Becomes the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history.

January 2018 – Matches a club record that had lasted 14 years of scoring in five consecutive home games for Spurs.

June 2018 – Receives the first of four Tottenham goal of the season awards.

July 2018 – Earns a long-term contract extension with Tottenham.

October 2018 – Reaches the landmark of 150 appearances for Tottenham and celebrates by scoring a brace, and soon after scores his 50th goal for the club.

April 2019 – Scores the first competitive goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

May 2019 – Named as Tottenham’s player of the season for the first time.

November 2019 – Scores the first goal of the Jose Mourinho era at Tottenham.

February 2020 – Hits the landmark of 50 Premier League goals.

July 2020 – Picks up the Tottenham player of the season award for the second year in a row.

September 2020 – Scores four goals in a single game for Spurs, all assisted by Harry Kane.

November 2020 – Named the Premier League Player of the Month for the third time in his career.

December 2020 – Wins the Puskas Award for a goal he scored 12 months earlier.

January 2021 – Reaches the milestone of scoring 100 goals for Tottenham.

July 2021 – Extends his Tottenham contract until 2025.

November 2021 – Scores Tottenham’s first goal under Antonio Conte, the third permanent manager in a row for which this was the case.

April 2022 – Enters the top 10 of Tottenham’s all-time scorers after firing in a hat-trick.

May 2022 – Finishes the season as the joint-top scorer in the Premier League along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and is named as Tottenham’s player of the season.

April 2023 – Becomes a member of the Premier League’s 100 Club.

August 2023 – Chosen as the new Tottenham captain by Ange Postecoglou.

September 2023 – Scores a North London Derby brace to bring up 150 goals in Tottenham colours, and eventually earns the Premier League Player of the Month award.

December 2023 – Becomes Tottenham’s top assist provider in the Premier League era.

May 2024 – Finishes his first season as Tottenham captain as their top scorer, for the first time when considering all competitions.

A shock new report suggests that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer, whose time as a regular starter in one of Europe’s top leagues is coming to a close, at the age of 36.

And it’s reported that the Nerazzurri are lining up Tottenham star Vicario as a prime target, having been impressed with his performances in England despite the consistent criticism he has faced when it comes to dealing with set-pieces.

What’s more, Inter Live reports that experienced France international defender Benjamin Pavard could head to north London as part of the deal.

Vicario is currently valued at around €35million (£29m, $39m), with Spurs having spent just £17.2m to secure the player’s signature from Empoli in the summer of 2023.

The report states that adding Pavard to any deal for Vicario would be a tempting proposition for Ange Postecoglou, given the 28-year-old’s ability to play multiple positions across the backline.

The Frenchman, who joined Inter last year, has struggled to fully establish himself in Serie A since joining Inter last summer, although he has started four of their five league outings this term.

The fact that Pavard can play right-back or centre-back, which is his more natural position, would certainly appeal to Postecoglou – although whether he’s prepared for that to happen and lose Vicario in the process remains to be seen.

Vicario still to fully convince at Tottenham

The 27-year-old Italy international kept only eight clean sheets in 40 appearances for Tottenham in his debut campaign, conceding 62 goals in the process.

The 2024/25 season has also seen him draw just one blank from the opening five Premier League outings, but a major flaw in his game continues to be highlighted.

Vicario does not command his area when it comes to set-pieces, especially corners, and that was clear for all to see again in the north London derby loss to Arsenal.

Although some fingers could also be pointed at poor defensive play, Vicario has a real reluctance to try and claim the ball in a packed area and that has cost Tottenham dearly in several games since his arrival.

He is also not overly comfortable in possession – a trait that’s essential in the modern game – although one area that cannot be questioned is his incredible shot-stopping ability.

Vicario currently has four years remaining on his Spurs contract and, at this stage, it’s hard to imagine that Postecoglou is ready to give up on him after just over a season as the club’s No.1 – no matter the prospect of getting Pavard in return.

Cafu raves over Emerson Royal as Spurs target Valencia ace

In other Tottenham news, Brazil legend Cafu has heaped praise on a player Spurs sold for what looks like a bargain £13million during the summer transfer window.

The north London outfit decided to offload right-back Emerson Royal to the San Siro during the final weeks of the window after it became clear that Djed Spence was staying put to provide backup for Pedro Porro.

And, despite his struggles in the Premier League, Cafu has been impressed by what he has seen from Royal at the San Siro so far.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly preparing to make a formal offer to sign highly-rated Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra when the transfer window reopens in January.

Reports from Spain claim that Valencia are holding out for a fee of around £29million (€35m, €39m) for the young midfielder, but that Spurs are pushing to land the player for a more reasonable price tag.

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IN FOCUS – Pavard stats compared to Romero, Van de Ven

If there is any substance to the report from Italy, let’s take a look at how Pavard compared to Tottenham’s starting centre-backs in the league last season.

Brazil legend Cafu has heaped praise on a player Tottenham sold for what looks like a bargain £13million during the summer transfer window.

Spurs decided to offload right-back Emerson Royal to the San Siro during the final weeks of the window after it became clear that Djed Spence was staying put to provide backup for Pedro Porro.

The defender struggled for consistency in north London and despite some good performances, there were too many times when he struggled and just did not look suited to English football.

That led to the switch to Milan, and although things have not all gone to plan early in his Milan career, fellow Brazilian Cafu – one of the best right-backs to ever play the game – likes what he has seen from the former Tottenham man and has backed him to be a success at the San Siro.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Cafu said: “He’s very good and, even if he didn’t play much at Tottenham, I am convinced that he will do very well at Milan.

“He’s young and if he gets going, he can give a lot to the team because he has strength, determination and ‘garra’ [grit in Portuguese].”

Despite recently being criticised for his display against Lazio, Royal put in his best performance of the season against Inter this past weekend as Milan won the derby 2-1. The full-back made two clearances, two blocks, one interception, two tackles, won six duels, provided two key passes and created one big chance.

Royal has now made five appearances in total for Milan, which also included a 20-minute cameo in the Champions League defeat against Liverpool.

Tottenham trio put pay to Royal career in north London

Royal scored four goals in 101 appearances for Tottenham, having signed from Barcelona for £25.8m in the summer of 2021.

However, the Brazilian had a real battle on his hands trying to get ahead of the outstanding Porro for the right-back role under Ange Postecoglou.

The Spaniard was much-maligned early in his Spurs career but has now turned into one of the Premier League’s best attacking full-backs, playing a pivotal role for Postecoglou as he regularly pushes into midfield and has also added goals to his assist-making qualities.

Porro now has forgotten man Spence as his backup after the former Middlesbrough defender impressed Postecoglou in pre-season, while he also has the ability to cover left-back as well.

Summer signing Archie Gray also impressed at Leeds operating in a full-back role but his best position remains in central midfield, the role Tottenham signed him to play in.

Tottenham join Dibling chase as shock Son claim made

In other Tottenham news, Spurs have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle in the chase to sign exciting Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling.

Top clubs are now reportedly keeping a close eye on Dibling’s development, given that his current contract will run out in the summer of 2025 and there is a strong chance of landing him for a cut-price fee in January.

Meanwhile, Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min has been told by one pundit that ‘proper’ Spurs fans want him gone and that Ange Postecoglou needs a new left-winger.

The South Korean set up strikes for Brennan Johnson and James Maddison over the weekend as Spurs got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Brentford at the weeknd.

However, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara thinks the 32-year-old forward is now a spent force and feels the club’s fans are also in agreement.

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IN FOCUS – Royal one of the headline Tottenham exits in busy summer

Royal was one of nine players to leave Tottenham on a permanent basis over the summer as Postecoglou looked to further build a squad capable of playing the attacking brand of football he wants in north London.

Spurs banked almost £50m from the sale of four players, while five stars were also allowed to walk away on free transfers and the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon were all loaned out.

Indeed, Postecoglou’s focus now is on making the squad younger and more dynamic across the board, hence the arrivals of the likes of Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert over the summer.

Tottenham have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle in the chase to sign exciting Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling.

The north London club have made a significant change to their transfer policy since the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, looking to bring in younger players with huge potential rather than veterans who also have no re-sale value.

Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert were all signed over the summer and now it’s reported that Tottenham are also showing interest in Saints attacker Dibling.

According to a report from HITC, Spurs are scouting the Southampton winger ahead of a potential transfer after he was promoted to their first team over the summer.

While the 18-year-old winger has only had limited game time so far, he impressed against Manchester United and earned his side a penalty which Cameron Archer missed.

The teenager then backed it up with another excellent performance against Ipswich, giving Southampton an early lead in that game until the visitors netted a 95th-minute equaliser to spoil the party.

Top clubs are now reportedly keeping a close eye on Dibling’s development, given that his current contract will run out in the summer of 2025 and there is a strong chance of landing him for a cut-price fee in January.

HITC adds that Tottenham are one of the clubs keen on acquiring his services and their scouts were in attendance at St Mary’s to watch the Southampton graduate in action against Ipswich, while United also had representatives in the stands and are keen on a deal of their own, along with Newcastle.

Dibling making a huge impression

Born in Exeter in February 2006, Dibling signed a professional contract with Southampton in October 2021 and made headlines a few months later after scoring a hat-trick in a Premier League 2 game against Newcastle.

However, Chelsea fought off competition from Newcastle to sign the left-footed right winger in the summer of 2022, but he failed to settle at Stamford Bridge and quickly returned to Southampton.

The teenage talent made five first-team appearances in all competitions in 2023/24 and was recently handed his first-ever Premier League start in a 3-0 loss against Man Utd.

“He’s a really, really talented player,” Southampton manager Russell Martin said after the game. “We have to manage the expectation and his load because he came off with cramp. He’s an outstanding young man and an outstanding talent, we love working with him.”

The England Under-19 international – who grew up idolizing former Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard – is renowned for his dribbling skills and has impressed his team-mates at St Mary’s.

“When I saw his first session, I thought ‘he’s not 18’,” Yuki Sugawara said of his first impression of Dibling.

“I asked ‘how old are you?’ Then he said 18. I said ‘what the f*** is that?’ He’s really crazy (talented), you know?

“But for sure he will be one of the best players in the Premier League and in the world, I think, because his mentality is so cool. Everything will be top level.

“He’s still young, he needs to learn a lot of things, but he just needs to focus on the process and what he wants to be. Then I think he’s going to be a top, top player.”

Son told he is ‘finished’ at Tottenham

Speaking of talented forwards, Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min has been told that ‘proper Spurs fans’ want him gone as the South Korean is now way past his best.

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara did not hold back after tearing into the club legend, who he genuinely believes is finished at the club.

Ironically, Son had two assists in Saturday’s win over Brentford, but that did not stop O’Hara putting the boot in.

In other Tottenham news, TT understands that Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres remains on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs, including Spurs.

Rudy Galetti reports that Tottenham, who consider him among the names at the top of the list to strengthen their attack, are keeping alive the contacts with his entourage, confirming that the Swedish striker would be a very important option for them for next season.

Tottenham wingers need to provide more

Postecoglou relies on his wide players to create and score goals in his ultra-attacking formation but there was not enough of that from the likes of Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Timo Werner last season – especially with Son pushed through the middle for much of the campaign.

After some criticism for his performances so far this season, Johnson has notched two goals in his last two outings while Kulusveski is now excelling in a deeper midfield role.

Dominic Solanke’s arrival has also allowed Son to switch back to his favoured left-wing berth, and the South Korean has two goals and two assists through the first five games of the campaign.

Werner, sadly, continues to be wasteful in possession, although summer signing Odobert should get more game time when he returns from the injury he suffered in the Carabao Cup win at Coventry.