TEAMtalk

The summer transfer window may now be shut in terms of the top European leagues but there is still the possibility of clubs selling and a Tottenham star is reportedly pushing for a switch to the Saudi Pro League.

Spurs are in the process of revamping their squad under Ange Postecoglou, with a plethora of ins and outs taking place over the course of the last couple of months.

The additions of the likes of Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert have impressed pundits and fans alike, while veteran stars like Eric Dier, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Ivan Perisic have all left in a clear strategy to bring down the average age of the squad.

Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso also departed on deadline day as he sealed a return to Real Betis after four years in north London, but there was disappointment for Sergio Reguilon.

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Spanish outlet AS reports that the full-back is still looking to leave Tottenham, with clubs in Turkey, Portugal and more intriguingly, Saudi Arabia all showing an interest in his services.

The Saudi Pro League remains an attractive option for players given the rewards on offer, with Ivan Toney swapping Brentford for Al-Ahli in a late deal.

Saudi clubs have also been tracking Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who missed out on a move to Chelsea, but there could still be some incomings before their own window shuts on Monday September 2.

AS adds that Reguilon will be hoping one of the cash-rich Saudi clubs comes forward before their deadline after falling completely out of favour in north London.

The £27million defender made a bright start to life at Tottenham after his move from Real Madrid in 2020 but his form tailed off dramatically, leading to loans at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford over the last two seasons.

Reguilon facing first-team exile at Tottenham

Reguilon is currently behind Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies in the left-back pecking order and has already been told he faces zero game time if he does not secure an exit.

Speaking about Lo Celso, before his move, and Reguilon at his Friday press conference for Newcastle, Postecoglou told reporters: “No, they don’t have to get integrated back into the squad. It’s their decision.

“It’s pretty clear where they sit in terms of where we are as a squad and where we are as a team, but, you know, I’ve never been one to force people out.

“They’ve got decisions about their own careers and what they want to do, and if they’re still here, they’re still here. We’ll work around that scenario, but it certainly won’t affect the way we work in the first team.”

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has revealed the signing he was “really keen on all summer” while also getting into the club’s plans for the January transfer window.

The north London have made a number of quality additions to their squad, with highly-rated youngsters Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert all coming in alongside new club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

And, speaking about Tottenham‘s business ahead of Sunday’s tough trip to Newcastle, Postecoglou revealed the one player he had his eyes on all summer long – exciting £25m signing Odobert.

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While speaking about former Burnley winger Odobert, the Australian admitted: “Wilson was great last week. I was wrapped to get him. He was one I was really keen on all summer.

”We had to be patient with him as the Dom Solanke deal went on a bit longer than we thought it would and we had to get that done first.

”He did great for us. It was his first game, as a 19-year-old, and he was exciting to watch. He will get more and more comfortable with us. I don’t mind players coming in early and us giving them exposure early as it gets it out of the way.”

Tottenham January planning already taking shape

As for the club’s plans going forward, Postecoglou admits that Spurs already have an idea of what they are going to do in January, adding: “You always do [plan ahead to January]. These things are a cycle. A lot of it is flawed because you just don’t know.

“We weren’t sure whether Lucas Bergvall would come straight into the first team or if we had to send him out on loan because he’s an 18-year-old player who has just played in the Swedish league, but we saw in the first couple of weeks of training that this guy will be an interesting player.

“How he develops, how Archie develops, how Wilson Odobert develops, all these kinds of things are factored into it. We know there are still some areas where I look at squad management where we can improve. Again, it’s got to be the right person – the right player, right person.

“[Technical director] Johan [Lange] and his team now have already started the process of looking at guys who maybe fit that profile of what we’re looking for and if they’re available in January like Radu was this year and we picked up Lucas last January, then we’ll move on it.

“It’s a constant process and it has to be that way. I’ve never done knee-jerk or a ‘hail Mary’ approach to things. Sometimes it’s necessary, I get that and it works, but I am much more comfortable when things are done through a process.”

In terms of the positions Tottenham might look to bolster in the new year, it’s expected that the club could explore a deal for another goalkeeper given that Fraser Forster’s deal will run out in the summer of 2025.

A new centre-back and central midfielder could also be on the cards, depending on what happens over the first half of the campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have offloaded Giovani Lo Celso on a permanent basis, with the midfielder re-joining Real Betis in La Liga.

Lo Celso joined Tottenham from the Spanish side on an initial loan in August 2019. The move became permanent the following summer when Tottenham paid Betis just over £27million for his services.

Since then, the playmaker has gone on to register 10 goals and eight assists in 108 games for Tottenham, while also having two loan spells at Villarreal.

Lo Celso has now headed back to Spain once more, but this time with Betis, for whom he previously notched 16 goals and six assists in 45 appearances.

The Argentine has agreed a four-year deal with Betis, while they have paid Spurs £10m for his services.

The deal sees Spurs take a £17m hit on Lo Celso after he failed to live up to expectations while in North London.

The 28-year-old becomes the latest player to leave Spurs after being told he is not in Ange Postecoglou’s plans. A host of unwanted players had already departed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before deadline day, including Emerson Royal, Tanguy Ndombele, Japhet Tanganga, Joe Rodon and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

In order to help Postecoglou’s side challenge for a top four place, Spurs have brought in Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall.

Tottenham are close to agreeing a deal to get future priority on the signing of Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis, in a move that is part of Giovani Lo Celso’s switch to the Spanish club.

The north London outfit have been pushing to offload Lo Celso all summer after it became clear that the Argentine is not part of Ange Postecoglou’s long-term plans.

Indeed, the arrivals of young midfield duo Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall clearly sent the message that Spurs were looking to move on from the two-time Copa America winner.

Lo Celso failed to cement a regular first-team spot under the likes of Jose Mourino, Antonio Conte and Postecoglou despite arriving in north London with a strong reputation.

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However, he now looks to be closing in on a switch back to his former club Real Betis, although it looks as if Tottenham will secure another young talent as part of that deal.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Spurs are close to reaching a “priority” agreement to sign Cardoso from Betis in future.

Cardoso branded a ‘rare’ talent’

Romano adds that Tottenham will also “buy a percentage” of any cash Real Betis receive from selling Cardoso to another club in future – in case Spurs decide against signing the United States international later down the line.

The 22-year-old, who is a defensive midfielder, made 17 appearances in LaLiga for Real Betis last season, scoring one goal while also providing two assists.

Cardoso has also won 15 caps for the United States, with The Athletic describing the midfielder as “rare combination of physicality, intelligence and grace”.

Eventually adding Cardoso to their ranks would certainly be in keeping with Tottenham’s recent transfer business, with Postecoglou bringing down the average age of his squad dramatically over the summer.

Ange Postecoglou has given his verdict on whether Tottenham will be able to pull off some late deadline day business after a largely successful window so far.

The north London club having made a number of quality additions over the last couple of months, bringing in the likes of Archie Gray, Dominic Solanke, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert.

However, there remain rumours that a late swoop for a new backup goalkeeeper, midfielder and centre-back could be on the cards if the right opportunity presents itself.

And Postecoglou revealed as much at his presser for Sunday’s always tough trip to Newcastle for Tottenham, although he does feel like he’s already been backed by the club’s board with the business done this season.

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He told reporters: “Unless something surprising jumps out at us in the last 11 hours or whatever it is, that’s it for us.

“Yeah. Yeah [I’ve felt backed]. Well, [targeting younger players] was definitely part of my plan because I think when you’re trying to build or rebuild a team, you’ve got to…look, all managers hope they’re there for the long-term, but the reality is that you don’t know how long you’ll be there, but I’ve always tried to build teams that will last over a cycle which is, you know, three, four, five years.

“It’s just a natural consequence of that. You’re looking at a younger demographic, a team that will grow, that will improve, that will adapt to the challenges ahead. So, like I said, when I got here it was a team that, even from a demographic point point of view, looked like it was at the end of a cycle.

“A lot of players who had had great careers but were either ready to move on or getting to the end of it. So that combination with a different approach for me, it was definitely part of it to go younger.”

Tottenham, meanwhile, are still weighing up some potential exits, with Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon the likeliest to move on before the window shuts as Postecoglou admits the club are “exploring their options”.

However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Spurs are currently unhappy with the conditions of Lo Celso’s return to Real Betis.

With his contract running out in less than 12 months, Tottenham want to sanction his departure before the end of the transfer window in order to recoup some sort of transfer fee.

But as the clock ticks down to 11pm, it looks increasingly unlikely that they will be able to get a permanent transfer done.

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are among the clubs who have missed out on Lutsharel Geertruida, with RB Leipzig poised to sign the Netherlands star.

Geertruida has emerged into one of the most coveted players in the Eredivisie in recent years. He is versatile and can shine either in central defence or at right-back.

The 24-year-old was a crucial part of Arne Slot’s Feyenoord side which won the Dutch title in the 2022-23 season, while he also managed a hugely impressive nine goals and five assists from 47 games in defence last term.

Geertruida’s excellent performances for Feyenoord have seen him force his way into the Dutch national team and also emerge as a target for top clubs.

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Liverpool were swiftly linked with Geertruida after announcing Slot as their new head coach, though Reds sporting director Richard Hughes had different targets in mind.

Aston Villa admire Geertruida and have had him on their shortlist since July, while Tottenham have also been weighing up whether to launch a bid for the player.

However, both of those Premier League sides look set for disappointment. Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Leipzig are on the verge of capturing Geertruida first.

The transfer has been given his ‘here we go’ confirmation, with a ‘flight booked’ and a medical scheduled for Friday, transfer deadline day.

Tottenham transfers: Lutsharel Geertruida heads elsewhere

Leipzig have agreed a deal worth more than €25million (£21m) to sign the Rotterdam-born ace.

The Bundesliga side have moved quickly to bring Geertruida in after allowing current defender Mohamed Simakan to move on.

Both Liverpool and Newcastle United have looked into capturing Simakan amid uncertainty surrounding Marc Guehi, but the Frenchman will actually be heading to Saudi Arabia instead.

Al-Nassr are close to signing Simakan for €45m (£37.8m), in a move which will see the 24-year-old play alongside Manchester United and Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

Leipzig have been tipped to replace Simakan with Benfica starlet Antonio Silva in a surprise twist, but Romano states that was never a real possibility.

Instead, once they learned that Simakan wanted to move on, Leipzig installed Geertruida as their No 1 target to strengthen their defensive options.

It will be interesting to see whether Spurs or Liverpool come back in for Geertruida in the future, should he impress for Leipzig.

After all, Leipzig often sell their best players to help them continue signing the best young talents around, and both Spurs and Liverpool have used this to their advantage in the past.

Plus, Slot knows Geertruida very well and would be able to ensure he gets the best out of him, should an Anfield switch be completed.

Nottingham Forest are in for a frantic deadline day as they look to complete a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, per reports.

The Egyptian international is rated highly in Germany and scored an impressive 17 goals across all competitions last season, as well as contributing six assists.

Marmoush, 25, generally plays as a striker but can also feature as a winger on either flank when required.

His pace, versatility and agility have caught the attention of multiple clubs. Tottenham were linked with Marmoush earlier this summer but they decided against a bid for him.

Nottingham Forest are now pushing to get a deal done for Marmoush and according to Bundesliga transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg they’ve already had two bids rejected for him.

Plettenberg claims that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have now submitted a third bid worth between €20m and €25m (£16.8m to £21m) but that falls short of Frankfurt’s valuation.

The German club would prefer to keep Marmoush, who was their top scorer last season, and therefore will only entertain offers in the €30m (£25.2m) range.

Frankfurt signed Marmoush on a free transfer last summer in what has proven to be a fantastic bit of business.

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Frankfurt rival Nott’m Forest for Roma star

Marmoush could become Forest’s 10th signing of the summer if they increase their bid, but whether they do so still remains to be seen.

Nuno is still keen to bolster other areas of his squad though, and admitted as much following their loss to Newcastle on penalties on Wednesday night.

“It’s all about the profile of the player, it’s not easy but we as a club are working to bring in some players,” the Forest boss said.

“It’s about taking our time and not making any mistakes.”

Forest are also keen to strengthen in the midfield department and Roma centre-mid Edoardo Bove has emerged as a target in recent days.

Everton have also been linked with the 22-year-old but they have opted to move for former Tricky Trees star Orel Mangala instead.

However, according to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Frankfurt have made a late attempt to hijack Forest’s move for Bove.

He claims that the German side are now ‘ahead’ for Forest in the race for Bove, but the Premier League club aren’t out of it yet.

Frankfurt want to sign Bove on loan and want to include an option to buy in the agreement, whereas Forest are pursuing a permanent deal.

Meanwhile, Forest are also looking to bring in a new goalkeeper and per the Daily Mail, they are considering a shock move for Bournemouth’s Neto.

The Cherries have signed Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea and therefore, could be open to offloading Neto.

Two Tottenham exits are expected before Friday night’s 11pm transfer deadline, with both Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon wanted in Spain, according to reports.

Reguilon, 27, is surplus to requirements under Ange Postecoglou and the writing was on the wall last season when loaned out twice. The left-back was initially sent to Manchester United before spending the second half of the season with Brentford.

Reguilon has entered the final year of his Tottenham contract and an exit is being sought with all haste.

Elsewhere, 28-year-old Lo Celso does not feature prominently in Postecoglou’s plans either.

The creative midfielder remains a key performer for world champions Argentina, though his club career in north London has stalled.

According to fresh updates from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, both players are likely to move on over the next 36 hours.

Movement on Lo Celso could come first, with the midfielder installed as the No 1 transfer target at Real Betis.

Taking to X, Romano stated Lo Celso has actually been Real Betis’ primary goal all summer long. Their delay in acting was due to their inability to shift Nabil Fekir, though the situation is changing.

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Lo Celso to replace Fekir at Real Betis?

“Real Betis are pushing to sign Gio Lo Celso as top target for midfield since June,” wrote Romano.

“Lo Celso’s expected to leave Spurs in the final days and negotiations can now start as Nabil Fekir is on his way out.

“Al Jazira (Abu Dhabi-based club in the UAE Pro League) advancing in talks for Fekir.”

Like Reguilon, Lo Celso is also in the final year of his Spurs deal, meaning only a permanent switch makes sense.

But given the contract situation and Spurs’ lack of bargaining power, any transfer fee is likely to be well below Lo Celso’s true market valuation.

It’s a similar story with Reguilon who Romano subsequently confirmed is expected to leave.

Barcelona sizing up Reguilon after Cancelo miss

“Not only Gio Lo Celso: Sergio Reguilon also prepared to leave Spurs before the end of the window,” added the reporter. “Talks ongoing to pick the best option.”

Romano did not name which clubs are hovering over Reguilon, though prior reports have pointed to Barcelona.

Hansi Flick’s side initially hoped to re-sign Joao Cancelo from Manchester City following a successful loan spell last term.

But their inability to finance the move opened the door for others to strike and Cancelo sealed a £21m transfer to Al-Hilal on Tuesday.

A prior report from Sky Sports revealed Reguilon was being targeted as a back-up to Cancelo at Barcelona.

Football Insider later backed up claims Barcelona are circling and missing out on Cancelo will only embolden the club to act.

Of course, financing the move – even in a cut-price transfer – isn’t straightforward for the cash-strapped Catalonians.

Indeed, Barcelona attempted to hijack Stefan Bajcetic’s loan switch to RB Salzburg on Wednesday night. Barca offered a loan proposal of their own that contained a €4m loan fee.

However, their inability to fit the move within Financial Fair Play restrictions has torpedoed their hijack attempt.

Whether they can piece together a deal for Reguilon that is also deemed satisfactory by Spurs remains to be seen.

Tottenham are reportedly considering joining the race to sign a top Bayern Munich attacker in the final days of the window, but face competition from Arsenal, Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League.

Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new additions before Friday’s deadline, with a midfielder and a centre-back the main areas Spurs are currently focusing on. However, if the chance arises to improve his starting XI, the Australian will try and take it – no matter the position.

And that could be the case following developments in Germany, where France international winger Kingsley Coman could be on the move.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that an offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal has already been received by Bayern, which they are prepared to accept.

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The decision is now up to Coman as Premier League clubs, namely Spurs and Arsenal, and Barca have also shown interest in recent days.

It’s also reported that the Gunners are the favoured move for Coman, who prefers a move to England over the other options being mooted.

Speaking about the 28-year-old attacker, Romano told YouTube channel: “A player to watch in the final 24 hours, 48 hours, 56 hours or whatever. In the final days is Kingsley Coman because interest in Coman is still there.

“It’s a strong interest from Premier League clubs, from Barcelona. Barca are considering Coman and Federico Chiesa.

“Kingsley Coman has several possibilities also in England. So he’s going to be one to watch for the final days because there is still an expectation for Coman to leave Bayern. There could be a surprise with Coman.”

Coman swoop not without its risks

An issue for any suitors though will be Coman’s high wage demands and also that fact that he has a history of injury problems.

Last season, Coman missed 21 games due to various problems, scoring five goals and providing three assists in 27 appearances across all competitions. However, his overall record in Munich is a good one with 64 goals and 66 assists in 296 games.

In terms of where Coman would fit in at Tottenham, the likelihood is that be would be preferred on the right side of the attack.

Brennan Johnson has been quiet in the first two games of the season, while Dejan Kulusevski was utilised in more of a central role in the rout of Everton on Saturday.

Wilson Odobert has already made a dazzling first impression on the left after Son Heung-min filled in for the injured Dominic Solanke against the Toffees.

But, with Manor Solomon on his way to Leeds on loan and Timo Werner hardly pulling up any trees despite having his loan stay renewed, there could still be an opening for Coman if Tottenham make their interest concrete.

Leeds United will complete their second raid on Tottenham and the third permanent switch between the clubs this summer on Tuesday, according to a top source.

Leeds fans were more than a little miffed when Spurs swooped for Archie Gray back on July 2. Gray was already a guaranteed starter at Elland Road despite being a teenager and is widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects English football has produced in recent years.

However, there was a silver lining for Leeds, with centre-back Joe Rodon securing a permanent switch to west Yorkshire at the same time as Gray left for north London.

Rodon thrived during a season-long loan with Leeds last term and sealing his return was made a top transfer priority at Leeds.

Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter subsequently followed Gray out when completing moves to West Ham and Brighton respectively.

But thankfully from a Leeds perspective, the final few days of the window have centred on incomings and a major coup is on the way.

News broke late last week of Leeds being best-placed to sign Tottenham winger, Manor Solomon, via the loan route.

The Israel international, 25, had already rejected Spanish side Getafe in favour of remaining in England.

Tottenham had given the green light to loaning Solomon out on the back of signing Wilson Odobert from Burnley.

And with a direct promotion rival in Burnley weakened through Odobert’s sale, the good news has continued to roll in for Leeds regarding Solomon.

Leeds to officially complete Manor Solomon signing on Tuesday

The attacker passed a medical on Saturday and per the latest from the Athletic’s David Ornstein, Solomon’s move will be officially confirmed on Tuesday.

Ornstein wrote: ‘Manor Solomon is set to complete his move from Tottenham Hotspur to Leeds United on Tuesday.

‘The 25-year-old winger is joining the West Yorkshire club on a season-long loan, which does not include an option to turn the deal permanent.

‘There was late interest from elsewhere but Solomon is set to join Leeds.’

Where will Solomon play?

Solomon missed the vast bulk of his debut season at Spurs with a knee injury.

However, he showed he was more than capable of making the grade in the Premier League the season prior when starring on the left wing while loaned to Fulham from Shakhtar Donetsk.

There has been some confusion as to where Solomon will play given Leeds have thus far been successful in retaining wingers Wilfried Gnonto and Dan James.

However, Gnonto has been given license to drift off the left flank and into central areas during recent contests. As such, that could offer a clue as to manager Daniel Farke’s plans.

Solomon could be deployed in his customary left wing position where he is most comfortable. Gnonto would serve as the de facto replacement for Rutter at No 10, with James remaining a potent threat from the right wing.

Recent signing Largie Ramazani will also provide Farke with another option for the flanks.