TEAMtalk

Manchester City are preparing for a blockbuster raid on Tottenham Hotspur as they look to re-sign Pedro Porro, according to reports.

Football Insider claim that Man City are ‘laying the groundwork’ for a deal to capture Porro. City chiefs views the right-back as someone who would fit ‘like a glove’ in Pep Guardiola’s system amid his excellent form with Tottenham.

While the report does not provide too much specific detail on City’s pursuit of Porro, the fact they are ‘laying the groundwork’ suggests they have contacted his agent to discuss a potential move.

It was claimed last week that Tottenham would surprisingly be open to selling Porro for £60million (€72m / $78m), despite him being one of their biggest stars, but Football Insider reinforce the fact the Spaniard’s price tag as is actually £80m (€96m / $104m).

City have set their sights on Porro as a successor to Kyle Walker on the right side of defence. Walker is now 34 years old and City are ready to sell him for £15m (€18m / $19m), with Saudi Arabia a possible next destination.

City will face competition from Real Madrid for Porro, however. Madrid are keeping tabs on the 25-year-old as a possible replacement for Dani Carvajal in case they are unable to sign Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It remains to be seen whether Porro would be happy to re-join City, having failed to make a single senior appearance when previously on their books.

City signed Porro from Girona in August 2019 but he went on to have loan spells at Real Valladolid and Sporting CP before joining the latter permanently in July 2022.

Walker is not the only club icon City must replace in the near future, as Kevin De Bruyne has entered talks with San Diego FC over moving to MLS when his contract at the Etihad expires next summer.

City have been linked with Turkey sensation Arda Guler, but it is hard to see Real Madrid selling the 19-year-old even if he is not a regular starter in their side.

City landing Bayer Leverkusen ace Florian Wirtz is a more likely solution, though they will face competition from Madrid and Bayern Munich for his signature.

DON’T MISS: Arsenal made stunning attempt to sign Tottenham ace now thriving under Postecoglou

Porro verdict and Aguero prediction – Man City news

On Friday, former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson backed the North London side to ‘fight tooth and nail’ to keep Porro.

“[I] wouldn’t like to see it from a Tottenham point of view. He’s certainly one that is on the radar for Manchester City,” Robinson said.

“From Tottenham’s point of view, they are fighting tooth and nail to keep him.

“If they want to be competing in those Champions League places, you need players like that and you certainly don’t need to be selling, I’m going to say, to ‘rivals’.”

“Now Tottenham aren’t really title contenders are they? So they’re not really a direct rival, but actually a player like Porro would fit into that Manchester City team.

“When he plays in that hybrid role, he’s a player who often finds himself isolated up the pitch, high up the pitch, but his quality lies in the final third with his delivery, with his vision, with his passes.

“And he’s got great delivery as well and he’s not afraid to shoot.

“He’s definitely a player that you could see working in that Pep Guardiola system, as much as that pains me to say it.”

Meanwhile, former City striker Sergio Aguero has predicted Guardiola to join an international side such as Brazil or Argentina next.

“There is no longer a team for Pep after Barca, Bayern or City. It would mean going back to doing what he did at City by making signings and I don’t see him starting that routine except for a national team,” he said.

“He would have less daily work and could analyse more. In a short time he could introduce his playing style to internationals who already have talent, although that depends on which country he chooses.

“In addition to Brazil and Argentina, there are teams [countries] in Europe that could fit his style.”

A top source has revealed Arsenal were beaten to the punch by Tottenham for a forward now thriving under Ange Postecoglou, though the Gunners might not have too many regrets given the player they signed one year later.

Arsenal pushed to sign striker Dusan Vlahovic – then of Fiorentina – back in the winter window of 2022. Ultimately, the Serbian would go on to join Juventus and has remained a player of interest to the Gunners ever since.

According to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal responded to the disappointment of missing out on Vlahovic by attempting to poach a player from Juventus – Dejan Kulusevski.

But per the reporter, Tottenham – led by Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte – barged their bitter rivals aside to strike a deal with Juve.

Kulusevski would join Spurs on an 18-month loan on January 31 of 2022, with the deal containing a loan fee worth €10m along with an option to buy worth €35m.

Kulusevski officially joined Tottenham outright in the summer of 2023 and after being converted into a central playmaker under Postecoglou, has quickly developed into a chance-creating machine.

The 24-year-old – who is also a growing presence for his country having captained Sweden during the last international break – sits fifth in the Premier League this season in the chances created category with 23.

Bukayo Saka leads the way with 27, with second, third and fourth spots taken by Dwight McNeil, Andreas Pereira and Cole Palmer.

Who Arsenal signed instead

It’s a case of what might have been for Arsenal, though the the position Kulusevski is now thriving in is wrapped up by the imperious Martin Odegaard at the Emirates.

Kulusevski was originally a right winger at the time the two north London clubs were battling for his signature. As such, he would’ve originally come in direct competition with Saka if brought to Arsenal. It’s possible his transition into a central playmaker may have happened far sooner at the Emirates.

Nonetheless, Arsenal would go on to sign Marquinhos six months after Kulusevski joined Tottenham. The Brazilian has made zero impact at Arsenal, though Leandro Trossard – who arrived six months after that – has exceeded all expectations.

The Belgian has come in for criticism in recent weeks, with his errant back-pass resulting in William Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth. Trossard also missed a penalty last time out against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Nonetheless, it is inarguable Trossard’s impact at Arsenal has been an overwhelmingly positive one and he’s become synonymous with scoring important goals off the bench.

Latest Tottenham and Arsenal news

In other news, Tottenham are reportedly desperately trying to fend off Manchester City’s interest in right-back Pedro Porro.

The Spaniard has been identified as a viable replacement for Kyle Walker who has been transfer-listed for £15m.

Elsewhere, Arsenal have been told the form of Gabriel Jesus is a “big problem” for Mikel Arteta. The Brazilian has not scored or assisted despite making 10 appearances this season.

Finally, German outlet Kicker claim Tottenham won’t stand in Timo Werner’s way if exit opportunities arise in January.

Werner is part-way through a season-long loan, though has made little impact this season. Amid the emergence of 17-year-old sensation Mikey Moore, Werner’s minutes are only going one way.

Tottenham have reportedly been informed that they will have to smash their transfer record if they want to sign a brilliant Bundesliga winger in 2025.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is catching the eye of many top clubs in the Premier League after a sensational start to the season in German football.

And it looks like he could be the latest English starlet to make a mega-money move away from Dortmund as big clubs circle ahead of the January transfer window opening.

Tottenham are reported as a good fit for Gittens, according to Football Insider, although Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have also been heavily linked with the 20-year-old attacker.

German outlet Bild has now provided an update on the player’s future after previous reports suggested a fee of between £40-50million could convince Dortmund into a sale.

That’s no longer the case as Bild states that Dortmund have made it clear to these clubs that they would have to pay a whopping €100m (£83.4m, $108m) if they want to prise the former Man City youngster away from Westfalenstadion.

Indeed, Dortmund will look to drive a hard bargain given the number of clubs in the market for one of their top talents and are not under pressure to sell at this stage.

At this stage though, it’s hard to see Tottenham spending that sort of fee on another winger, given the money they have invested in the likes of Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert along with emergence of electric teenager Mikey Moore.

Dortmund likely to rebuff January offers anyway

Meanwhile, journalist Christian Falk has revealed that any hopes the likes of Spurs have of even considering a move for Gottens will have to wait until next summer anyway – as BVB have no desire to sell in the winter window.

“Dortmund won’t sell him in the winter, but if a Premier League club is willing to pay €100million (£83.2m / $108.5m), they will open negotiations and let Gittens go if he wishes to. Otherwise, they’ll wait and keep educating him with the goal of increasing his asking price,” Falk told CaughtOffside.

“”He’s currently contracted until 2028 without a release clause. I don’t know if he’s worth €100m right at this moment, but otherwise, he has to play another season at Dortmund next year and prove that he is!”

“If you previously played in England, you always want to go back and prove you’re good enough to play in the Premier League and just made a step in between. Jude Bellingham would have also returned to England had Real Madrid not been in the picture.

“If you go to Dortmund, you always know this isn’t the final step in your career. That’s why players like Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland joined BVB.

“Gittens would be dreaming of going to a club like Liverpool and Manchester City – but he’s not cheap!”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Brugge winger eyed / Spurs fighting Porro exit

Interest from Premier League rivals is pushing Tottenham into ramping up their efforts to sign a winger likened to Mohamed Salah.

Spurs spent big on attacking additions during the summer transfer window, yet it seems the north London side’s drive to improve the frontline options at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal will continue in January.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have been scouting Club Brugge winger Andreas Skov Olsen. And with Aston Villa and West Ham also monitoring the 24-year-old Danish forward, Spurs are weighing up a swoop for the player who scored 26 goals in 50 all-competitions appearances in Belgium last season.

Meanwhile, former Tottenham man Paul Robinson has revealed the club are “fighting tooth and nail” to keep Pedro Porro from the clutches of Man City, where he feels the defender would “fit”.

IN FOCUS – Gittens causing a stir

Gittens showed off his talents again on arguably the biggest stage of them all at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

The winger scored Dortmund’s second goal to give them a shock 2-0 lead at the 15-time winners only to be taken off 10 minutes into the second half, after which Real scored five unanswered goals to secure a stunning turnaround.

Gittens was also unable to help his side as they slipped to another Bundesliga loss on Saturday, crashing to a 2-1 defeat at Augsburg to leave them sitting seventh in the table, seven points behind leaders RB Leipzig.

Interest from Premier League rivals is pushing Tottenham into ramping up their efforts to sign a winger likened to Mohamed Salah.

Spurs spent big on attacking additions during the summer transfer window, with the £25million (€30m/US$32.5m) signing of Wilson Odobert from Burnley and the club-record £60m (€72m/US$77.7m) acquisition of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

Yet it seems the north London side’s drive to improve the frontline options at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal will continue in January.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have been scouting Club Brugge winger Andreas Skov Olsen. And with Aston Villa and West Ham also monitoring the 24-year-old Danish forward, Spurs are weighing up a swoop for the player who scored 26 goals in 50 all-competitions appearances in Belgium last season.

What’s more, GMS noted a decision one way or the other is expected to come ‘imminently’ from Tottenham. That’s because the report concluded Olsen is ‘on course to consider the ideal destination for the next phase of his career’ very shortly.

Skov Olsen had previously been linked with Arsenal, but Tottenham’s north-London rivals decided against pursuing a deal last summer for the former Bologna attacker.

At the time, Skov Olsen was valued at around £25 million (€30m/US$32.5m). And according to this latest report, Brugge’s valuation of their star man is unlikely to have fallen since then after fine start to the 2024/25 campaign has seen him notch four goals from 10 league games.

However, the fact that Skov Olsen will be entering the final 18 months of his contract by the time the transfer market reopens in January could force the Belgian side into accepting a reduced offer.

It is claimed that Postecoglou would view the 35-cap Denmark international’s arrival as adding competition for the likes of Brennan Johnson in the wide areas.

Tottenham’s attacking options

Spurs have made an indifferent start to the 2024/25 season, with four wins and three defeats from their opening eight Premier League fixtures.

With aims of breaking into the top four and earning a place in next season’s Champions League, they currently sit eighth in the table.

But Tottenham have been one of the most entertaining sides to watch in the English top flight so far this term. With 18 goals already to their name, only reigning champions Manchester City (19) have outscored them.

Their fine form in front of goal reflects Postecoglou’s gung-ho, attack-minded tactics, but it is also down to the wealth of options Spurs boast in attacking areas.

Johnson and Son Heung-min each have three Premier League goals already this season, while Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have two apiece.

With, Timo Werner, Odobert and Richarlison providing depth and versatility in the attacking positions, Tottenham’s January budget might be better spent on defensive reinforcements.

Spurs round-up: Gray and Dragusin linked with January exits

There have been reports that some underused Tottenham players could be allowed to leave the club in January.

Radu Dragusin, a £21.5m (€25m/US$27.8m) signing from Genoa in January, has struggled struggled to make an impact since his arrival. However, the player’s agent insists the 25-cap Romania international is “focused” and wants to play for Spurs.

One player who could be set for an exit, though, is Werner. The German winger is in his second loan spell in north London and Spurs have the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. But his inconsistent form means he could be allowed to leave in the winter if the opportunity arises.

Meanwhile, Sevilla director Victor Orta, who previously worked with Archie Gray at Leeds, wants to take the teenage full-back/midfielder Spain. A loan deal is being eyed, which would see the youngster given more playing time after he has struggled to break into the Tottenham team.

Does Skov Olsen live up to lofty comparisons?

According to Danish journalist Klaus Egerlund, is a left-footed right winger in the mould of Arjen Robben and Mohamed Salah in that he prefers to cut inside on to his stronger foot.

Last season was something of a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old, with his return of 24 goals his highest mark his his final season with FC Nordsjaelland in 2018/19.

As per to fbref.com, Svok Olsen ranks highly over the last year compared to attacking midfielders and wingers in what they term to be the “the next 14 competitions”, i.e. the next-best leagues outside of Europe’s traditional major five.

He ranks in the 91st percentile for non-penalty expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes (0.37), the 97th percentile for progressive carries per 90 (5.87) and the 82nd percentile for shot-creating actions (4.82).

Skov Olsen also demonstrates sound defensive instincts, ranking in the 88th percentile for interceptions per 90 (0.8).

A direct player who is more scorer than creator, he ranked only in the 52nd percentile for successful take-ons per 90 (1.37) and the 47th percentile for assists (0.16).

Tottenham will reportedly not put any obstacles in the way of Timo Werner if he wants to leave in the January transfer window.

After spending the second half of last season at Tottenham, the German international headed back to the north London side this summer for a season-long loan – with an option to buy for around £8.5m (€10.1m, $11m).

Werner contributed two goals and three assists last term over 14 appearances, but this season he has just one assist in nine matches in all competitions.

The 28-year-old has started a paltry two of Spurs’ eight Premier League matches in 2024/25, with manager Ange Postecoglou preferring Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, and Son Heung-min on the flanks.

Although the Australian defended Werner from recent criticism, saying he’s “not hopeless” and is a “very good footballer”, German publication Kicker claims Tottenham will let him go in January if an opportunity arises.

The report adds that parent club RB Leipzig would sanction another loan deal or a sale if they could find any potential suitors.

Conflicting Werner reports

Earlier this month, fellow German publication SportBILD stated Werner would not be going anywhere in the coming months despite his lack of game time.

Regardless of that, Postecoglou is still backing the former Chelsea player. He compared the criticism Werner has received and the flack that Johnson and Dominic Solanke took – both of whom have been in good form of late after slow starts to the season.

In early October, the ex-Celtic boss said: “It was 14 days ago those questions were asked of Brennan. It’s where we’re at in this world. We just think, ‘he’s missed two chances, so he’s hopeless’. No, he’s not hopeless. All footballers at this level are very, very good footballers.

“Fourteen days ago I was sitting her answering questions about Dom Solanke and Brennan. Now we’re talking about [Solanke] in the England team and Brennan’s scoring, so it’s that fine balance.

“I think [Werner’s] performances in the last two games have been better for us in terms of doing his role as a winger in our team. Yes, a goal would be great for him but [that’s] not to say I expect more from him in that position.”

Spurs youngster wanted by ex-Leeds director

Sevilla sporting director Victor Orta is reportedly considering an ambitious approach to sign Archie Gray from Tottenham in January.

The 18-year-old swapped Leeds United for Spurs this summer and now the Whites’ ex-director of football is keen to bring him to the Spanish side in 2025.

Elsewhere, Manchester City and Real Madrid are said to be interested in Spurs’ Pedro Porro, but the 25-year-old could cost up to £80m (€95.8m, $103.7m).

City are keen to find a long-term successor for 34-year-old right-back Kyle Walker while Madrid may turn to him if they can’t land Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The agent of rarely-seen Tottenham centre-back Radu Dragusin has lifted the lid on both the player and club’s stance on a January transfer.

Tottenham paid £21.5m to sign Dragusin from Genoa in the winter window of 2023. The Romania international has provided adequate cover in the rearguard, though has found it difficult to break into Ange Postecoglou’s starting eleven.

Dragusin’s lack of action has prompted speculation he and/or Tottenham would be willing to part ways in the not too distant future.

Indeed, links to Napoli have been widespread, with a move to the table-topping Serie A side potentially offering Dragusin an opportunity to compete for league titles.

But when speaking to Italian outlet Gonfialarete.com, Dragusin’s agent, Florin Manea, has insisted both Dragusin and Tottenham intend to continue their relationship.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone (potential suitors) and I don’t think Tottenham want to let him go,” explained Manea. “Radu is focused and wants to play his chances with Spurs. I’ve seen the news too, but – I repeat – I haven’t heard from anyone.

“We like that so many teams are following him, but I’ve also told the others who have called me that – as of today – we’re not interested.”

The agent added: “No player is happy if he doesn’t play a lot, but he wants to fight for his place. We’ll see later how many games he’ll play and we’ll evaluate, at this moment it’s premature to think about a transfer.”

Dragusin agent responds to Napoli links

Manea was also asked about the links to Napoli in particular, and while he praised the Italian side, he doubled down on the claims Dragusin’s future remains in north London.

When asked if he and his client will explore the market if opportunities don’t come, Manea concluded: “There is this possibility. If he doesn’t play any games until this winter, it’s normal to look around. But I don’t think it will happen, Tottenham also believes a lot in him and we don’t intend to leave.

“Napoli is certainly a great team, first in the Italian league (a championship that Radu knows) and would be a valid alternative.

“He only thinks about Tottenham and I deny the rumours that have been circulating: no offer has arrived.”

InterLive also raised eyebrows recently when touting a potential swap deal involving Dragusin and Inter Milan centre-back, Yann Bisseck.

Manea’s comments suggest those rumours are pure speculation and will not come true.

Latest Tottenham transfer news – Porro eyed / Archie Gray exit?

In other news, Football Insider state Pedro Porro has been identified by Manchester City as a worthy replacement for the declining Kyle Walker.

Porro is also on Real Madrid’s radar in the event they fail to lure Trent Alexander-Arnold over to The Bernabeu.

Elsewhere, Sevilla are reportedly enquiring about the possibility of signing Tottenham midfielder, Archie Gray, on loan in January.

Sevilla’s sporting director is Victor Orta who was previously in charge at Leeds – the club Spurs signed Gray from.

Finally, Tottenham are understood to be favourites to sign ex-Man City striker, Liam Delap. The 21-year-old has shone since leaving City for Ipswich Town over the summer and is valued around the £33m mark.

Dragusin’s career has stalled since joining Tottenham

Per year, Dragusin’s minutes in league football are only going one way. He was clearly a vital asset at Genoa having played all 38 league games in their 2022/23 campaign in Serie B.

He racked up 19 appearances in the first half of the 2023/24 season before joining Tottenham mid-season where he made a further nine appearances.

This term, however, he remains firmly behind Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in the pecking order, with the pair clearly earning Postecoglou’s favour and trust.

Barring injury, it’s difficult to see where Dragusin will be given further opportunities to add to his two appearances in the Premier League this season.

Sevilla sporting director Victor Orta is reportedly considering an ambitious approach to sign Archie Gray from Tottenham in January – and reports in the Spanish media believe the deal is not quite as unlikely as it may initially seem.

The 18-year-old is considered one of the best young stars in English football, having made 52 appearances for Leeds United last season as they narrowly missed out on an instant return to the Premier League. That failure to secure promotion, though, was to ultimately cost the Whites dear, with Gray the first of three big-name sacrifices the club were forced into making to balance the books.

Leeds’ loss proved Tottenham‘s gain and Ange Postecoglou’s side pounced to bring the England Under-21s star to north London in a £40m deal, beating fellow suitors Brentford to his signature.

However, while Gray has made seven appearances so far for his new club, he has only racked up 304 minutes in that time, with just three of them coming as starts in the Europa League (two) and the Carabao Cup.

Now, Spanish outlet Mucho Deporte outrageously claims Sevilla’s sporting director Orta is ‘already asking about’ signing Gray in the January transfer window, albeit on a loan basis.

They explain that Sevilla are already positioning themselves as an option for a possible deal if Spurs decide they are open to the idea of sending the teenager out over the second half of the season to further his experience. Having already registered their interest with Tottenham over a possible deal, they have also made clear that they have a loan space ready to use on Gray.

Somewhat sycophantly, the article claims Orta was the man mainly responsible for Gray’s rise at Leeds, though quite how they come to that conclusion given the Spaniard worked as director of football at Elland Road and had no role to play in either his coaching or his first-team involvement, with his senior debut not coming until Orta’s exit at the West Yorkshire club.

Spurs unlikely to be willing to loan out Archie Gray

So far for Spurs, Gray has shown his versatility by covering a variety of roles for Postecoglou. So far, Gray has appeared as both a right-back and a central midfielder for Tottenham, started at centre-half in the Europa League clash against Ferencvaros in Hungary and has also come on at left-back to cover for Destiny Udogie on a couple of occasions.

And given his tender years, it is easy to understand why the Aussie boss has taken a softly, softly approach to bedding the 18-year-old into their first-team plans this season.

However, his game-time will surely increase as the season unfolds and Spurs will also hope to still be alive in at least three competitions by the time the January window rolls around, meaning any sort of exit – even if only on loan – would be highly unlikely.

Furthermore, Sevilla do not have a great track record when it comes to the temporary capture of players from Spurs, with Argentine youngster Alejo Veliz being sparingly used and only appearing six times for the Andalusians after signing on loan in January.

Latest Tottenham transfer news – Ange eyes powerful striker / Serie A tipped

Meanwhile, Tottenham are being linked with a surprise move to sign Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap with the England Under-21 man showing a rich vein of form for the Premier League new boys so far this season.

TEAMtalk revealed earlier this month that Delap’s form has also alerted Chelsea to his future possible signing, but now a report has revealed Postecoglou is also an admirer and keeping tabs on the powerful striker’s progress with regards a future move.

Elsewhere, Spurs’ need for left-back cover has been highlighted by the fact Gray has covered there for Udogie on more than one occasion. According to recent reports in Italy, the Spurs boss is keen to bring in specialist cover and has set his sights on a move for Denmark starlet Patrick Dorgu, who is now ‘very likely’ to leave Italian club Lecce next summer.

Another Serie A star Spurs are tracking is Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck.

Tottenham Hotspur are in pole position to sign Ipswich Town ace Liam Delap despite the centre-forward also being eyed by several other Premier League clubs including Chelsea, it has been claimed.

On October 3, TEAMtalk exclusively revealed that Chelsea are considering a January move for Delap as they look to add another option to their striker ranks. But the Blues are not alone in admiring the England U21 international, as the transfer race is intensifying.

As per CaughtOffside, Tottenham, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Delap’s former club Manchester City are all keeping tabs on the player following his excellent start to life in the Premier League with Ipswich.

Delap has managed four goals in eight league appearances so far, which includes a great brace during the 2-2 draw with Villa on September 29.

CaughtOffside state that Tottenham are ‘leading the race’ for the 21-year-old as things stand. Ange Postecoglou’s side are ‘particularly keen to snap him up’, and they will have to act fast if they are to keep the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and City at bay.

It is claimed that Ipswich will consider offers worth around €40million (£33m / $43m), despite Delap’s importance to them potentially staying in the top flight. The report suggests Ipswich may cash in and sell their prized attacker this winter, having captured him from City for an initial £15m rising to £20m (up to €24m / $26m) in the summer.

Delap could replace Tottenham flop

Spurs look set to continue revamping their striker ranks even after the summer addition of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

Signing Delap would push fellow striker Richarlison further down the pecking order. Spurs spent £60m (€72m / $78m) to sign Richarlison in summer 2022 but he has not lived up to expectations.

It was recently claimed that Spurs will slowly integrate Richarlison back into the team following his injury with a view to selling him in January.

Delap could be a great option to provide Solanke with cover and competition up front, as he is a rising star who already possesses a small amount of top-flight experience.

England U21 coach Ben Futcher recently sung Delap’s praises after he caused Ukraine all sorts of problems during the international break.

“He’s given their centre-halves a real rough night,” Futcher said.

“Liam was an absolute handful. If you want to go and fight him, he’ll match you. If you want to race him, he’ll win the race.

“He’s very difficult to deal with, he’s quick, he’s powerful, he’s in good form in the Premier League. Liam’s a top number nine and he’s going to keep developing.”

Futcher added that Ipswich ‘are very lucky to have such a good striker on their hands’, though Premier League rivals are beginning to circle.

DON’T MISS – Premier League Signings of the Season Power Ranking: Arsenal star 6th, Tottenham striker 7th…

Tottenham news: Serie A raid; player-plus-cash offer

Meanwhile, Spurs are best-placed to sign Denmark starlet Patrick Dorgu, who is now ‘very likely’ to leave Italian club Lecce next summer.

Spurs remain interested in capturing the left winger – who can also play as a left-back – after previously missing out on him during the last summer transfer window.

Lecce have managed to tie down the 19-year-old to a long-term contract which runs until June 2029, but that is simply to protect his transfer value.

Spurs can beat other clubs such as Chelsea to Dorgu by offering Lecce €35m (£29.5m / $39m) for the versatile wide man.

Another Serie A star Spurs are tracking is Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck.

The Italian press have claimed that Spurs could send Inter a player-plus-cash bid for the centre-half. Surprisingly, January arrival Radu Dragusin is named as the player who could be involved in that proposal.

TIMELINE: Liam Delap’s journey to Portman Road

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is being tipped to make some tough decisions when it comes to James Maddison’s place in the starting line-up going forward.

Saturday’s superb come-from-behind win over London rivals West Ham did not come without a little controversy after the Spurs boss revealed that Maddison’s substitution at half-time of that game was purely tactical.

Despite providing the assist for Dejan Kulusevski’s first-half equaliser, Maddison was replaced by Pape Matar Sarr at the break with the score level at 1-1.

That decision proved a correct one as Tottenham dominated in the second period, with Sarr outstanding as the home side netted three times in eight minutes to secure all three points and a return to winning ways after the debacle at Brighton last time out.

And, speaking about Maddison’s situation ahead of upcoming games against AZ in the Europa League and Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, former Spurs scout Mick Brown told Football Insider: “I appreciate what James Maddison can do. But it’s almost as if the game has to be run for his benefit, whereas the elite players in his position put their stamp on the game and dictate the way it’s played.

“If it’s a 50/50 battle of a game, he can go missing. From what I’ve heard, the manager could look to drop him from the starting XI from time to time. He won’t be afraid of making big calls and that is one that he may have to make.

“Postecoglou will be looking at who they’re playing against, and will change his system to suit the game. Maddison might be able to take advantage of teams that are weaker in midfield, for example, but in games like the one at the weekend they can leave him out.

“We saw against West Ham the difference that dropping him out of the side can make, and I’d expect to see that on a more regular basis now.”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Spurs still eyeing Udogie competition / Inter man on Ange’s radar

Tottenham Hotspur are once again leading the race to sign a Destiny Udogie left-back alternative after failing with a move for the player during the summer transfer window.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano revealed how the north London outfit tried to bring in Lecce star Patrick Dorgu during the last window, only for the Serie A outfit to scare off clubs with their £29.5m (€35m, $39m) valuation of the player who recently signed a new deal.

However, FiorentinaNews reports that Dorgu’s new contract does not rule out an exit from the club and that Lecce are confident it will, instead, drive up his transfer fee next summer.

Meanwhile, Spurs are keen on landing Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck and could even offer a recent signing as part of a player-plus-cash deal, it has been claimed.

Tottenham Hotspur are once again leading the race to sign a Destiny Udogie left-back alternative after failing with a move for the player during the summer transfer window.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano revealed how the north London outfit tried to bring in Lecce star Patrick Dorgu during the last window, only for the Serie A outfit to scare off clubs with their £29.5m (€35m, $39m) valuation of the player.

Dorgu has emerged as one of the most exciting young wing-backs in Italy over the past 18 months, sparking interest from across Europe for the talented 19-year-old.

Gazzetta dello Sport revealed recently that Tottenham remain keen on securing Dorgu’s services, while TuttoJuve confirmed significant Chelsea interest as they look to replace the outgoing Ben Chilwell in their squad.

For their part, Lecce are thought to be doing all they can to keep the defender on board, having announced a new deal for the player until 2029.

However, FiorentinaNews now reports that even though Dorgu has extended his stay at Stadio Via del mare, that does not rule out an exit from the club.

Indeed, they state that Lecce offered the defender a new contract so that they could get a bigger fee for him when he departs and that Dorgu is expected to see out the remainder of the season at Lecce but he is ‘very likely’ to depart the club in the summer of 2025.

The Serie A side certainly look primed to make a massive profit on the player, having signed the Denmark international for just €200k from Nordsjælland in 2022. Indeed, it’s reported that Lecce are hoping that a bidding war ensues for the exciting full-back to recoup an even bigger profit.

How Dorgu fits in at Tottenham

If he did arrive at Tottenham next summer, Dorgu would likely replace veteran Wales defender Ben Davies in Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

The 31-year-old has plied his trade in north London for the last decade but will be out of contract next summer and it’s highly unlikely he will be offered an extension if a younger alternative is brought in.

Davies does offer the versatility of playing at centre-back too but that role now appears to have gone to summer Archie Gray, who has already played right-back, left-back, centre-back and central midfield for Tottenham in pre-season and since the regular campaign started.

At 19, Dorgu is two years younger than Spurs’ current first-choice Udogie but the former Udinese man will have had two full seasons playing in England by the time the Dane eventually arrives.

However, it will be good for Udogie to have strong competition on his heels as he’s not quite showed the same level of performance as he did during Tottenham’s stunning start to last season when they led the league after 10 games.

Udogie has had his injury issues and is currently being eased in and out of the side by Postecoglou so as not to risk any further issues, but he is still regarded as one of the best attacking left-backs in England on his day.

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Spurs eye Inter ace / Porro Real concern

Tottenham are keen on landing Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck and could even offer a recent signing as part of a player-plus-cash deal, it has been claimed.

According to Italian source Inter Live, Tottenham hold ‘strong interest’ in the defender amid his rise at Inter and could – surprisingly – offer Radu Dragusin as part of the deal.

Meanwhile, Tottenham would consider selling Real Madrid target Pedro Porro if bids of roughly £60m are tabled, and whether a move is made will hinge on what happens with Trent Alexander-Arnold up at Liverpool, according to reports.

In the event Liverpool manage to keep Alexander-Arnold in situ, Real Madrid will simply turn to an alternative. Per the latest from Give Me Sport, Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) is on their radar, as is Tottenham ace Porro.

IN FOCUS – Dorgu v Udogie stats last season

Those stats give a clear indication of who the more experienced player is on the defensive side of things, but a telling one is how many completed crosses Dorgu was able to get in compared to Udogie – despite the latter having three assists and Dorgu none.

That conversion rate of goals and assists suggests Udogie has more end product, but Dorgu is still a teenager and clearly a huge talent who is on the rise and would be a potential threat to Italy star Udogie going forward.

It just remains to be seen whether or not Tottenham win any transfer war that potentially erupts for the Lecce man next summer.