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Fulham are showing interest in Hayden Hackney, sources have told TEAMtalk, but Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are already ahead in the race for the midfielder.

Hackney has been one of Middlesbrough’s standout performers over the past 12 months, and his strong start to the season has only added to his growing reputation. Rob Edwards’ side are four points clear at the top of the Championship table at the moment after eight rounds of matches, with Hackley scoring one goal and giving two assists in those games.

Fulham, who are managed by Marco Silva and finished 11th in the table last season, are the latest Premier League club to be showing interest in Hackney, but insiders suggest that their best chance of landing the midfielder may already have passed.

There had been an expectation he might leave during the summer transfer window, but a move never materialised and Boro managed to keep him.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that period was probably the best window of opportunity for a mid-table Premier League side such as Fulham to strike a deal.

With Hackney continuing to impress, there is now a growing sense that only bigger clubs will be in a position to tempt the 23-year-old away further down the line.

Tottenham and Manchester United are among those who have kept a close eye on his progress and could be tempted to firm up their interest in 2026.

For now, Middlesbrough’s plan is to keep Hackney beyond January, but it remains to be seen whether their resolve might be tested should firm offers arrive.

Hackney last signed a contract extension in June 2023, with his current deal at Middlesbrough running out in the summer of 2027.

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What Michael Carrick said about Hayden Hackney

Hackney came through the Middlesbrough academy and has established himself in the first team.

The 23-year-old midfielder has made a total of 122 appearances for the Boro first team so far in his career, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists in the process.

Michael Carrick managed Hackney during his time as the Middlesbrough manager, and the former Tottenham and Man Utd midfielder raved about the 23-year-old.

Carrick told The Northern Echo in March 2024: “You couldn’t ask for much more from Hayden.

“He’s grounded, he’s humble, he’s down to earth and loves to learn. He loves the place and he loves the club as well.

“To have that, added with the talent he has got, it’s the perfect scenario. I think it just shows his consistency really, over a long period of time. It’s not easy when you’re a younger player, but he’s certainly done that.”

Carrick added: “There is a level of talent out there in and around football and sometimes it might not be that different player to player, but levels can be jumped, or not, if your head is not in the right place and you don’t go about your business in the right way and treat your profession with respect.

“Hayden certainly does that. He’s been exemplary really since I’ve been here and I really enjoy working with him.

“He’s desperate for more, desperate to learn, and he’s a real credit to his family, to himself and to the club.”

Liverpool’s top centre-back target remains Marc Guehi but Tottenham could swoop in and beat them to his signature in a dramatic twist, with a report revealing why Thomas Frank is keen to bring him in.

The Reds came very close to signing the Crystal Palace star after reaching an £35million agreement with the Eagles, before the deal collapsed in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

Guehi, 25, was keen to complete the switch to Anfield but has performed admirably for Palace this season, and captained his side to victory over Liverpool last weekend.

Liverpool still view Guehi as a top target amid the uncertainty surrounding Ibrahima Konate, but reports suggest that Tottenham could scupper their plan to sign him.

According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham are ‘leading contenders’ to sign the England international with a January move to the London side a concrete possibility.

Palace are said to be ‘open to offers’ given that Guehi has entered the final six months of his contract at Selhurst Park and is unlikely to pen an extension.

Spurs are planning to strengthen their defensive options this winter, and Guehi is seen as an ‘attractive, cost-effective option’. Frank believes Guehi could add ‘leadership and stability to their backline’, though along with Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also circling him.

Tottenham, Liverpool primed for ferocious transfer battle

TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones has consistently reported that Tottenham are keen to bring in a new centre-back in January, who can provide competition for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

We exclusively revealed on September 29 that Frank is keen on a reunion with Brentford centre-back Nathan Collins. However, the Bees are NOT willing to entertain offers for Collins, so Spurs will be forced to look elsewhere.

It is therefore logical that Guehi will be considered by Tottenham, but the competition from Liverpool will be tough to contend with.

Jones revealed in a separate update on September 29 that Guehi remains Liverpool’s top target, despite links with other stars such as Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano.

There is a risk, however, that Guehi’s head could be turned by other clubs before the January window – or indeed next summer – when he is set to become a free agent.

“Guehi is the preferred option for Liverpool, there is no doubt about that,” Jones told TEAMtalk. “Their stance on him has not changed since the failed move in the last transfer window and there is a very strong belief that he would fit well with their playing system and future vision.

“Obviously they cannot control Guehi’s thoughts from this moment and there is always a chance another club could turn his head, but they very much hope to sign him next year.

“Through the blueprints they have for how this team evolves and the data they have on Guehi and how their defenders need to play, he completely fits. It’s not even just his defensive ability that excites them, it is also his decision making on the ball and his ability to play out of defence. He really is a good all-around fit.

“I still believe they want Guehi and would take him over any other option.”

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Latest Tottenham news: Archie Gray request / New striker wanted

Meanwhile, Tottenham fans have urged Frank to start Archie Gray against former club Leeds United on Saturday.

The young midfielder made a huge difference when he came on against Bodo/ Glimt in the Champions League, helping his side come from behind to earn a 2-2 draw.

Frank has been told to start Gray ahead of Rodrigo Bentancur at Elland Road – a stadium he knows very well.

In other news, TEAMtalk insider Jones revealed on September 30 that Spurs are one of several clubs interested in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

The 21-year-old Spain international has made an impressive start to the season in Portugal, netting five goals in his first six appearances, and is regarded as one of the brightest young forwards on the continent.

Tottenham fans have been left awestruck by Archie Gray’s late cameo appearance for Spurs in the Champions League, demanding that he needs to replace a struggling star in the engine room for Saturday’s trip to Leeds and with manager Thomas Frank making a somewhat surprising admission about his side.

The Lilywhites were far from their best on Tuesday evening, but still managed to escape with a point after fighting back to draw 2-2 with Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League in Norway. Having fallen 2-0 down on the night, goals from captain for the night, Mickey van den Ven and a late Jostein Gundersen own goal, helped salvage a very welcome draw for Tottenham, which, at one stage, had looked hugely unlikely.

While Van den Ven’s header had already set Spurs on the path to redemption, it was the 82nd-minute introduction of Gray that helped get Frank’s side over the line.

And the 19-year-old’s performance in those eight minutes or so has been enough to convince several Tottenham fans that he needs to start Saturday’s trip to tackle his former club, Leeds.

Addressing his performance on X, one Spurs fan commented: ‘Putting myself forward for chairman of the Archie Gray must start over Bentancur Commission.’

Agreeing with him, another commented: ‘We need to try SOMETHING else. I just don’t think Bentancur brings anything to the team at the moment. Archie brings energy, movement, impetus and takes the responsibility with the ball that Lolo won’t.’

A third chipped in: ‘It was obvious after 10; it should have been done at 45. I can’t believe I watched it until 81. Insanity.’

A fourth simply added: ‘I mean, he’s young, he’s English. What’s not to like?’

Another Spurs fan also had a simple message for Frank, stating: ‘Give him the keys.’

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Frank makes admission as Tottenham build for Leeds clash

With Tottenham due at Elland Road for the Saturday lunchtime game, Frank will not have too long with his players to prepare for the clash and the trip north to West Yorkshire.

Travelling up on the Friday afternoon, Frank will effectively have all day Thursday and then Friday morning with his players to build for the clash.

In the build-up to the game, though, and in the wake of Tuesday’s draw, the Dane has admitted he does not know his best side yet some 10 games into his reign.

“I think it’s overall, you can say with a lot of games, that go-to starting XI you like to find at a certain stage, that’s something I’m looking into, which is normal,” Farke told the media.

“New coach, new players, and we still need to do a little bit of rotation.”

Whether that translates into a start for Gray in the clash at his former club Leeds on Saturday remains to be seen, though Frank will not have been impressed by his efforts in those eight minutes or so he appeared in Norway.

Frank’s record with Spurs so far reads five wins, four draws and one defeat, making them favourites to take the victory at Leeds on Saturday.

Tottenham latest: Harry Kane deal ‘commercially possible’; FC Porto star eyed

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur have been told that “commercially” a deal to re-sign “ultimate pro” Harry Kane would tick a lot of boxes for the club and would be ‘commercially possible’, with an expert revealing his chances of signing for several other Premier League sides.

Meanwhile, Spurs have been told a double January signing is a must now for Frank after Tuesday’s poor display at the Aspmyra Stadion

Elsewhere, sources have revealed that Spurs are keeping an eye on a prolific FC Porto forward as part of long-term plans to strengthen their attacking options, sources have told TEAMtalk.

And finally, a top Frank target is reportedly ready to stall on fresh contract talks with his current club in the hope of securing a switch to north London, and TEAMtalk has detailed how the move would help the Dane.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told that “commercially” a deal to re-sign “ultimate pro” Harry Kane would tick a lot of boxes for the club amid links to several other top sides, while Fabrizio Romano has raved about the Bayern Munich striker’s “insane” start to the season.

The England striker has taken his game to another level after ditching Spurs for the Bundesliga giants two summers ago, having scored an astonishing 102 goals in 105 games for Bayern Munich. Satisfying that desire to win trophies after their Bundesliga success last season, Kane and Co look well placed to retain their status as champions of Germany this season after a 100% start to the campaign.

However, there have been growing suggestions that Kane and Bayern could be set for a parting of ways this summer. The 32-year-old frontman is contracted to the Bundesliga giants until 2027, though a clause in that deal does allow for an exit a year earlier.

And while a number of top sides have been linked as potential destinations, it is Tottenham Hotspur who retain a first refusal option on a potential deal.

Now, football financial expert, Adam Williams, has talked up the merits of Spurs paying that hefty release fee for a player who will turn 33 this summer.

“£57m for a 33-year-old looks like an extortionate sum on first reading, but elite-level footballers are playing longer these days. Harry Kane looks after himself,” Williams told TBR Football.

“He’s one of the ultimate pros, and I’m sure he’s invested a lot – both financially and psychologically – in keeping himself in the best possible condition to keep his career going as long as possible.

“He may rely on his physicality less than other players of his vintage, which probably means he has more left to give even if his body starts to slow down. At 33, he’s still the one, if not the best striker in the world.

“I’m no expert on tactics or anything like that, so I can’t say whether or not he would fit in with what the football department are planning at Spurs, but commercially, a return to Tottenham for Kane would clearly be a huge success. He’s going to sell a lot of shirts, attract a lot of sponsors and so on…”

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Williams believes that, were Spurs to re-sign Kane this summer, the fee would take care of itself owing to the player’s commercial value.

“The transfer fee also probably wouldn’t be a problem – just look at what they spent this summer. One thing they will be conscious of is transfer debt, however, which is very, very high at Spurs. It was £337m at the last count, which was the second highest in the league behind Chelsea. Sometimes a release clause can specify that it has to be paid in one go, but there are ways around that. You can go through a transfer creditor, for example.

“Instalments are a perfectly logical way to pay for transfers, but if your debt keeps increasing faster than revenue, that’s not really sustainable in the long term. That is not something that would inherently stop them from signing a player like Kane, though, of course, he’s not going to have any resale value at this stage in his career.”

It’s not just Spurs who have been linked with the England captain, however, with fanciful reports in Spain also suggesting either Real Madrid or Barcelona could get in on the act.

There is also ongoing speculation linking Kane with a move to Old Trafford, having long been on the Red Devils’ radar.

However, another financial expert, Stefan Borson, has seemingly suggested why Kane moving to Old Trafford makes no sense, while also ruling Liverpool and Chelsea out the equation.

“I don’t think it’s feasible that Manchester United would do it,” Borson told Football Insider.

“I know they’ve been talked about. He doesn’t fit with United with their direction of travel.

“It doesn’t fit with City’s direction of travel. It definitely doesn’t fit with Liverpool’s direction of travel. He’s not going to Arsenal. Chelsea again, they’re going young.

“I don’t think he’s coming back to the Premier League unless it’s to Spurs under a situation where they’ve just gotten new ownership, and I think even that’s pretty unlikely, so who does that leave in terms of the options for him?”

Citing the most realistic scenario for Kane, Borson says he can see the player seeing out his days in Bavaria.

“I don’t think he’s going to Real Madrid. I don’t think he’s going to Barcelona. I doubt he’s going to Atletico Madrid. I doubt he’s going to PSG.

“I think the most likely thing is that nobody activates that clause and he ends up staying at Bayern Munich for the rest of his career, probably.”

Fabrizio Romano lauds ‘insane’ Kane; Real Madrid claims laughable

Meanwhile, Kane’s brace for Bayern on Tuesday night in a 5-1 victory at Pafos took his tally to a staggering 17 goals and three assists in nine matches this season.

In a post on his X channel, transfer guru Romano proclaimed: ’17 goals and 3 assists in 9 games for Harry Kane this season. Insane start.’

Elsewhere, claims that Real Madrid or Barcelona will look to sign Kane this summer have been branded ‘illogical’ and a potential financial disaster.

And finally, in the wake of their own disappointing 2-2 draw at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, Tottenham have been told they will need to spend big on two new attacking players in the January transfer window if they are to have serious aspirations about challenging for major honours under Thomas Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur will need to spend big on two new attacking players in the January transfer window if they are to have serious aspirations about challenging for major honours under Thomas Frank, after major issues were flagged up again in the gutsy 2-2 draw at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.

Spurs came from two goals down after largely being outplayed in Norway, as strikes from skipper for the night, Micky van de Ven, and a late own goal from Jostein Gundersen rescued a point for Frank’s men.

While Frank will certainly take plenty of heart from the character his side showed, the result once again highlighted the major flaws in the Tottenham squad when it comes to coping with the demands of domestic and elite-level European football.

Yes, the Spurs boss did not field his strongest side as he felt the need to rotate due to the busy schedule, but he still had last season’s top scorer Brennan Johnson and his current first choice No.9 Richarlison up front – although you would not have known it in a woeful first-half display.

Indeed, it wasn’t until the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus came on that the away side actually started to look a threat, while Archie Gray’s energy from midfield also gave Tottenham something they had lacked severely.

It must be pointed out that Frank’s hands are tied when it comes to his striking options, with Dominic Solanke and loan signing Randal Kolo Muani both on the sidelines. And, while it remains to be seen if the latter can be the prolific goalscoring No.9 the club are craving, Kolo Muani is only a temporary fix with no option or obligation to buy.

To that end, Tottenham need to seriously think about giving Frank a central striker who is a genuine threat in behind and can cause panic among opposition defences.

One such player is prolific Porto attacker Samu Aghehowa, who TEAMtalk can reveal is a major target for the club in 2026.

The Spanish forward has scored 32 goals in 52 games in Portugal and TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones has detailed the assets Aghehowa has that could make him a big hit in north London.

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Left-wing issues continue to trouble Frank

Another glaring issue to come out of the game, among quite a few it must be said, is the continuing lack of production from the left side of the front three since Son Heung-min’s departure.

Even in a final season in which the club’s legendary former star was far from his best, he would still have offered more than what is currently on display.

Wilson Odobert was once again given the chance to fill that Son void but, bar a header that hit the woodwork in the second half, did next to nothing – while Brennan Johnson was arguably worse on his preferred right side before being replaced by Kudus.

Frank has to find more thrust and end product from that side of his attack, but with Simons better operating centrally, that will not come from the players currently at his disposal – meaning another January raid is critical to Tottenham having a productive second half of the season.

Fresh reports on Tuesday are once again linking Spurs with a £70m swoop for Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo, a player who has so many of the attributes that Frank wants from his wingers.

Imagine a Tottenham side with Semenyo on the left, Kudus on the right and an actual goalscoring No.9 through the middle – now that would cause panic among opposition defences.

To do that, Spurs must make good on the noise that has been coming out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since Daniel Levy’s sudden exit and back Frank to the hilt over the next two windows – starting in January.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to launch a big-money offer for a top Premier League left-sided attacker in the January transfer window, although TEAMtalk explains why a swoop could prove hazardous.

It’s been a decent start to the Thomas Frank era for Spurs, although there has been a glaring issue that almost certainly needs a January fix when it comes to the left-wing position.

The failure to truly replace legendary trophy-winning skipper Son Heung-min is growing ever more obvious, with a feeling that Frank is using summer signing Xavi Simons out there because his other options are simply not good enough.

Simons was signed off the back of what he was doing in the No.10 position at RB Leipzig, but he has so far mainly been eased into his new environment playing out wide in the problem left-wing role.

Brennan Johnson started the new campaign in Son’s old position, while Wilson Odobert has also been given a shot at making a mark there, with neither convincing.

To that end, Tottenham are expected to add to Frank’s attack and give him a more natural left-sided option to balance out his attack.

One player who continues to be linked wth a witch to north London is Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, who has the ability to play on the left and right flanks.

And now a fresh report from TBR Football has detailed how the likes of Spurs, Manchester City and Aston Villa could all make moves for the player in the new year – although they may end up disappointed.

The 25-year-old only signed a new deal with the Cherries back in July, penning a contract that will go through to 2030, although it’s been reported that there is no release clause attached – sparking rumours of a potential bidding war as a result.

Semenyo has started the new campaign in spectacular fashion, scoring four goals and laying on two assists so far for a Bournemouth side currently sitting in the top six in the Premier League table.

In a caveat to those transfer links, however, the report adds that Adoni Iraola’s men are expected to resist any offers for a player who could cost as much as £70million (€80m / $94m). Money talks, though, and Bournemouth have shown in the past that they will cash in on their top stars at the right price.

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Literal Semenyo red flag for Tottenham

One major thing that Tottenham will have to take into account, if they do indeed launch a concrete offer for Semenyo, is his affiliation to Arsenal.

Spurs learned an incredibly harsh lesson over the summer when they thought they had a deal signed, sealed and delivered for Eberechi Eze, only for the Gunners to jump in at the 11th hour and snatch the England attacker.

When everything came to light, it was no real shock as to why Eze changed his mind and snubbed a move to the white half of north London, given that he was discarded by Arsenal as a youngster but remained a huge fan of the club.

Similar concerns are also there with Semenyo, although not quite to the same extent.

Speaking to The Athletic previously, the 25-year-old openly admitted his dream is to eventually play for a club in the Champions League or Europa League – and that he is an Arsenal supporter.

“I am an Arsenal fan,” Semenyo said last October. “I don’t conflict the two with my job.

“It is great to play against Arsenal, a team I have watched all my life and I want to play for the top clubs as well. In order for that to happen I need to prove it.”

While not exactly an admission that he wants to join an Arsenal side who arguably don’t need him anyway, Spurs need to be careful that Semenyo does not use them in any way to secure a better deal elsewhere – whether that is in January or potentially next summer instead.

Indeed, something similar happened when it came to Morgan Gibbs-White securing his new contract at Nottingham Forest, while Savinho, who Spurs bid for more than once last summer, is set for a new contract at Manchester City too.

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to have been keeping an eye on FC Porto forward Samu Aghehowa as part of long-term plans to strengthen their attacking options, sources have told TEAMtalk.

Spurs’ forward strategy is a growing area of focus around the club, particularly with the possibility of Harry Kane one day returning to north London from Bayern Munich.

While a sensational reunion with the England captain remains possible, Tottenham have been laying the groundwork for alternative targets across Europe for a while.

It has seen them track a number of emerging strikers under the age of 24 – with Aghehowa believed to be one of those on the radar.

The 21-year-old Spain international has made an impressive start to the season in Portugal, netting five goals in his first six appearances, and is regarded as one of the brightest young forwards on the continent.

It is early days of the process, but insiders say Spurs’ recruitment vision is such that, if Kane does not make a dramatic comeback, the club would look to invest in a forward who still has their peak years ahead and can be moulded into a star with them.

Samu combines raw pace and power with sharp finishing, and his development continues to be monitored.

Talk of new investment arriving at Tottenham in 2026 has only heightened ambition behind the scenes, but club officials stress that this process of identifying future talent has been underway across this year.

His progress in Porto has not gone unnoticed, and Spurs – as well as other top clubs around Europe – are keeping tabs on his rise.

Indeed, Samu has scored 32 goals and added three assists in 52 games since moving to Portugal, showcasing his ability to get the ball in the back of the net.

It could be argued that Tottenham’s need for another No.9 is growing, given Richarlison is currently the only recognised one available to Thomas Frank – although Dane Scarlett remains an option if required.

There are hopes that Dominic Solanke, who has undergone minor ankle surgery, and loanee Randal Kolo Muani (dead leg) should be available again soon, but bringing in another attacker as early as the new year certainly makes sense.

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Latest Tottenham news: Defensive target blow; January move given hope

Brentford will not entertain any offers for a top star in the January transfer window despite renewed interest expected to arise from Tottenham Hotspur, TEAMtalk understands.

Meanwhile, a top Tottenham January transfer window target is reportedly ready to stall on fresh contract talks with his current club in the hope of securing a switch to north London, and TEAMtalk has detailed how the move would help Thomas Frank.

Thomas Frank has revealed that striker Dominic Solanke will undergo a minor surgical procedure to fix his ankle problem in a further injury blow to a Tottenham Hotspur side already missing some key men, while TEAMtalk also assesses how the Spurs boss can get more from his current frontmen.

Solanke has not featured since the 2-0 win at Manchester City in the second game of the season and has not travelled to Norway as Tottenham prepare to take on Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Norway on Monday evening, Frank gave an update on the England international, who now faces a potentially longer stint on the sidelines.

“Dom has got that ankle issue that’s been bothering him for a little while so now it’s time to make a minor surgery,” he said.

“It’s a small procedure, so that we means he’s not ready for (tomorrow). We will have more news about timeframes after the international break but I don’t expect it to be long.”

Frank, meanwhile, also revealed that skipper Cristian Romero also missed Tottenham‘s open training session ahead of the game, although it was ‘just a precaution.

Solanke’s ankle injury, no matter how minor it is, comes as another injury blow for Spurs as they prepare to do without James Maddison for what is likely to be the whole season. Dejan Kulusevski is also out until January with his knee issue, while Randal Kolo Muani is struggling to shake off the dead leg he suffered in training that has forced him to miss the last three games.

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Solanke the missing link for Frank

This may be a statement that could raise some eyebrows, but Solanke is the penalty-box finisher Frank needs, and the sooner he returns for this Tottenham team, the better.

One thing that Frank teams do very well is bombard the opposition with crosses into the box, and Solanke is excellent at identifying space and finishing off quality deliveries.

That is not always the case with Richarlison, who is capable of scoring spectacular goals, but it’s the bread and butter stuff that he struggles with.

The number of times already this season that the Brazilian has been sliding in on superb crosses from Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Poro on the right, in particular, but has failed to get his timing right is numerous.

Obviously, Tottenham have not really had a sample size of what Kolo Muani can do as yet but, given the amount of balls that are going in the box, Solanke would surely been able to get on the end of some of them.

To that end, Frank will be hoping the forward is able to return quickly after his surgery, and all indications are that that should be the case.

Latest Tottenham news: Key star set to be dropped; Savinho disaster

Thomas Frank is reportedly ready to drop a key Tottenham Hotspur attacking star to the bench in favour of a controversial change to his starting XI for Tuesday night’s Champions League trip to Bodo/Glimt.

Meanwhile, Brentford will not entertain any offers for Nathan Collins in the January transfer window despite renewed interest expected to arise from Tottenham Hotspur, TEAMtalk understands.

And finally, Manchester City have reached a crucial agreement with exciting winger Savinho, with Fabrizio Romano revealing the details of a new contract that’ll frustrate Tottenham.

Thomas Frank is reportedly ready to drop a key Tottenham Hotspur attacking star to the bench in favour of a controversial change to his starting XI for Tuesday night’s Champions League trip to Bodo/Glimt.

Spurs return to the scene of their Europa League semi-final triumph as they head to Norway for their second Champions League outing of the season, having beaten Villarreal 1-0 in their opening contest in north London.

The 4G surface at Bodo is sure to present its challenges again, although Tottenham coped with it fairly well last season as they won 2-0 courtesy of strikes from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro.

And while the former is likely to remain on the sidelines, as he ramps up his fitness ahead of a return to action, Porro is set to be one of three potential changes from Spurs’ disappointing 1-1 draw with Wolves at the weekend.

The Spain international will return at right-back in Norway, with Destiny Udogie set to line up on the left ahead of Djed Spence.

Bodo’s energetic style of play is set to see Pape Sarr return to Frank’s engine room, probably at the expense of Rodrigo Bentancur, with the in-form Lucas Bergvall continuing as the more advanced of the midfield three ahead of Sarr and Joao Palhinha.

It’s up from where Frank looks set to make a controversial call, with several predictions claiming that big-money summer signing Xavi Simons will drop down the bench in favour of Brennan Johnson’s work-rate and knack of popping up with crucial goals – especially away from home.

That decision is sure to annoy a number of Tottenham fans who are calling for Simons to be given an extended run as the No.10 in the absence of both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Rounding out the front three are Richarlison through the middle, with Randal Kolo Muani still not recovered from his dead leg, and the outstanding Mohammed Kudus on the right.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Bodo/Glimt

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Latest Tottenham news: January swoop ruled out; left-back signing hopes boosted

Brentford will not entertain any offers for one of their top stars in the January transfer window despite renewed interest expected to arise from Tottenham Hotspur, TEAMtalk understands.

Elsewhere, a top Spurs January transfer window target is reportedly ready to stall on fresh contract talks with his current club in the hope of securing a switch to north London, and TEAMtalk has detailed how the move would help Thomas Frank.

And finally, Harry Kane has moved to distance himself from reports claiming he could quit Bayern Munich at the end of the season and return to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur – despite an insider dropping the truths on the clause that would make such a move possible.

Brentford will not entertain any offers for Nathan Collins in the January transfer window despite renewed interest expected to arise from Tottenham Hotspur, TEAMtalk understands.

We revealed on September 26 that a new centre-back has become a top priority for Spurs and the 24-year-old figures highly on their shortlist, having sparked interest in North London during the summer.

Thomas Frank is understood to be keen on a reunion with Collins, who featured in all 38 of the Bees’ Premier League fixtures under the now-Tottenham boss last season.

The Republic of Ireland international has established himself as a dependable performer and is seen as a vital figure for Brentford at a time of transition under new manager Keith Andrews.

The club have already been forced to deal with the departure of key players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa in recent months and are determined to avoid further disruption.

While Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk remains on the radar of Tottenham and Manchester United as a longer-term target for 2026, as TEAMtalk revealed on September 21, insiders admit Collins is another name rivals are likely to keep close tabs on across the next two windows.

However, the message from within the club is clear that there will be no negotiations over the defender’s exit in January, forcing Spurs to look elsewhere.

Brentford send strong hands-off message to Tottenham

Andrews, who is just beginning his tenure in charge of Brentford, has been assured by the club’s board that Collins is off limits.

The 45-year-old is attempting to steer his squad clear of the relegation picture after a difficult start and last weekend’s victory over Manchester United has provided a crucial platform for momentum.

The Bees currently sit 13th in the Premier League table, four points clear of the bottom three, though that could change if West Ham get a result away at Everton under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo tonight.

TEAMtalk understands that protecting Collins is viewed internally at Brentford as vital to building on their win over Man Utd and their fight to stay in the top flight.

FULL BREAKDOWN ⚪ The key contract details of every Tottenham first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

Latest Tottenham news: Savinho off limits / Star to return?

Meanwhile, there is more bad news for Tottenham’s transfer plans, with confirmed target Savinho reportedly penning fresh terms with Manchester City.

Fabrizio Romano revealed yesterday (September 29) that the Brazilian has ‘approved’ a new six-year contract at the Etihad.

Savinho was ready to join Tottenham over the summer and Frank’s side remained interested after having two offers rejected, but the winger has now committed his long-term future to the Cityzens.

In other news, reports suggest that former Spurs youngster Dennis Cirkin is hopeful of returning, with the club showing genuine interest in the Sunderland left-back.

Cirkin’s contract with Sunderland expires at the end of this season and he is set to put renewal talks on hold as he eyes a Tottenham return.