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Tottenham are prepared to roughly double the salary of a critical player in order to get the potential future captain to sign on the dotted line, sources have confirmed.

A busy winter window is anticipated in north London, but perhaps the most important deal might involve a player already in situ.

Tottenham are looking to accelerate contract talks key defender with Micky van de Ven in the new year, TEAMtalk can confirm.

Van de Ven is under contract to Spurs until 2029, so there is no danger they lose the outstanding Dutchman – despite interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the last 12 months.

However, Spurs recognise Van de Ven’s progress since he joined the club in 2023 – becoming one of the Premier League’s most highly-regarded defenders.

We can reveal that Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham opened initial conversations with Van de Ven’s camp in the summer, and now after further discussions, they are ready to progress heading into 2026.

We understand that Venkatesham is willing to put Van de Ven on the same terms as team-mate and captain Cristian Romero – whose new deal, which he signed in August, saw him become the highest paid player at the club.

Romero is understood to earn around £150,000-a-week basic but bonus payments make it closer to £200,000-a-week over the duration of the contract and a similar deal is being prepared for Van de Ven.

At present, Van de Ven earns around £90,000-a-week at Spurs, and can expect to roughly double his money if committing his future to the club.

Spurs, are willing to spend in the January window on the right targets, but they are equally keen to make sure their key men are tied down and Van de Ven is seen as just that.

Sources explain that the club’s hierarchy see Van de Ven as a future club captain in the long-term.

Latest Tottenham news – Savinho / Brennan Johnson / Lucas Bergvall

In other news, Tottenham are making fresh explorations around whether Savinho is genuinely interested in leaving Manchester City.

That comes at a time when Man City are expected to sign Antoine Semenyo in January, thus pushing the already rarely-seen Savinho even further down the pecking order.

Elsewhere, Brennan Johnson has various chances to leave Spurs, with the latest side to make contact with his representatives revealed.

Tottenham Hotspur are making fresh explorations around whether Savinho is genuinely interested in leaving Manchester City.

Spurs are having to rethink their transfer plans for January as top targets appear to be out of reach – just as they were in the summer.

Tottenham sources say the club are accepting of Antoine Semenyo’s snub – months after both Mohammed Kudus and Eberechi Eze turned them down – but admit it could impact their other choices moving forward.

We understand Spurs have recently touched base about Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, but early signs suggest they will not have much chance of signing him either as he pursues a new contract in Turin.

We have also reported how Maghnes Akliouche and Yan Diomande are ambitious transfer targets for 2026 but Savinho – who was pursed in the summer – is back in the thinking.

Spurs have been keeping an eye on how he fits at City and, now that they are winning the race for Semenyo, a door could open.

But before Spurs attempt to formally test the water with any offers, they want to understand just how keen Savinho would be on the switch.

There were good indications that he fancied a move to Spurs before he penned a new deal in the summer.

He has struggled to tie down a role though and now intermediaries are expected to uncover what the future holds in his mind.

It should be that Savinho is still willing to fight for his place, in which case Spurs will not bother making a renewed bid to sign him.

But if they sense frustration then Tottenham may genuinely look to unlock a deal to take him to North London.

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Tottenham transfer news: January budget, Johnson exit…

Elsewhere, Tottenham’s rumoured transfer budget for January has been leaked by one of the tabloids.

In terms of departures, Aston Villa have been making a move for Brennan Johnson but they aren’t his only admirers.

A reliable outlet has confirmed Tottenham are presiding over a deal that ‘would be more important than any new transfer’, and agreeing terms will sting Real Madrid.

Tottenham need help in several areas of the pitch right now, and would benefit greatly from upgrades at goalkeeper, central midfield, on the wings and striker.

Spurs do have cash to splash next month and were prepared to make Antoine Semenyo their highest paid player.

Unfortunately, Semenyo is gearing up to join Manchester City, though that could pave the way for Savinho to depart. The Brazilian is a long-time target at Spurs.

A fresh update from The Athletic ran the rule over Tottenham’s transfer plans next month and touched on both potential incomings and outgoings.

However, the report was keen to stress Spurs are also actively working on a different deal that per the publication, would be even more important than any transfer.

Tottenham are seeking to tie centre-back, Micky Van de Ven, down to a new and improved contract.

The Dutchman has arguably been Spurs’ best player this season and remarkably, is their second-top scorer with six goals, trailing only Richarlison (eight goals).

Van de Ven is contracted until 2029, though is understood to earn around £90,000-a-week at present. For a player of his calibre and influence in north London, a pay rise is a must.

And amid growing interest from Real Madrid who have veered away from signing Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, Tottenham sense they must act to avert disaster.

The report read: ‘Away from the window, Spurs want to tie Van de Ven to a new and improved long-term deal, which, if they could, would be more important than any new transfer.’

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Latest Tottenham news – January budget leaked / Yildiz, Johnson, Bergvall

In other news, Tottenham’s January transfer budget has been leaked and it could go a serious way to strengthening three key positions, according to a report.

Elsewhere, Tottenham are interested observers as Kenan Yildiz awaits clarity on his next contract with Juventus.

The attacking midfielder has been waiting for Juventus’ new sporting director to be in place, but now that’s all sorted he can determine his future.

Meanwhile, Brennan Johnson has various chances to leave Spurs, with the latest side to make contact with his representatives revealed.

Tottenham Hotspur’s January transfer budget has been leaked and it could go a serious way to strengthening three key positions, according to a report.

Spurs could be one of the busiest clubs in the January transfer window, with the Thomas Frank era yet to ignite. Finding themselves in the bottom half of the table again, the club know they need to make some improvements to their squad to get back up the table.

Doing business in January isn’t always easy, but Tottenham fans are hoping for an exciting first transfer window since Daniel Levy’s departure from the club.

And a report in The Sun has revealed how much the club are willing to spend in January: £150 million.

It would be a phenomenal winter spend by Spurs, and it remains to be seen if they actually do go on to spend anywhere near that amount – after all, some targets could reject them – but it attests to how much work they still have to do on their squad.

According to the report, there are three main positions they are ready to pump money into. First and foremost, getting a new left winger remains their top priority.

Additionally, they are in the market for another centre-forward and also a left-back.

It’s likely the two attacking players they’re after will cost more than the extra defender. Thus, if Spurs have to make one bigger spend than for other areas, the money should go towards the left wing.

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Two attacking targets identified

In that regard, they could reactivate their pursuit of Savinho from Manchester City, who they tried to take in the summer. With City now set to sign another ex-Spurs target Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, Savinho is expected to be more readily available.

The reasons for wanting a new striker and left-back both stem from injury issues in their current squad, rather than a natural shortage. Dominic Solanke has been sidelined for months, while Destiny Udogie has had some issues of his own.

Therefore, Spurs will need to weigh up carefully what calibre of players they want to invest in as cover there, and whether they still see Solanke and Udogie as the respective regular starters when fit or if they would prefer to upgrade on them.

One striker target mentioned in the report is Porto’s Samu Aghehowa, but he would cost more than £50m, taking up more than a third of the budget.

An area that isn’t covered in the report is the goalkeeping department, although there have been whispers in recent days of Inter Milan making a move for Guglielmo Vicario.

The Italian has been under pressure to remain Spurs’ first-choice keeper in recent weeks, so an opportunity could arise to replace him, even if a summer change had previously seemed more likely.

Tottenham transfer news: Yildiz, Johnson, Bergvall…

In other news, Tottenham are interested observers as Kenan Yildiz awaits clarity on his next contract with Juventus.

The attacking midfielder has been waiting for Juventus’ new sporting director to be in place, but now that’s all sorted he can determine his future.

Meanwhile, Brennan Johnson has various chances to leave Spurs, with the latest side to make contact with his representatives revealed.

The January transfer window is fast approaching and Premier League clubs will be finalising their plans for where to strengthen – so who’s set to do the most business?

As the midway point of the Premier League season nears, clubs will know if they’re where they want to be in the table or not, and in turn if they need to reinforce their squad. However, January isn’t always the easiest time to do business in the transfer market.

That said, the January 2025 window was much busier than a year before, so it remains to be seen how the upcoming 2026 window will pan out.

We’ve predicted which clubs have the most to do in the transfer window, ranking them from who’ll have to be the busiest to who should be the quietest.

West Ham United

It has been a challenging first half of the season for West Ham, who have already replaced head coach Graham Potter with Nuno Espirito Santo and will have to have some changes to their squad up their sleeve to boost their chances of survival.

Sky Sports News claimed in October that West Ham want at least one striker, midfielder and defender – clearly indicating their need to strengthen the spine of their team.

The striker position will be the main priority, which will be frustrating for a side who’ve been saying the same thing for years and struggling to bring in a solution that actually works as they’d want.

Niclas Fullkrug is on his way out to AC Milan and will need replacing as the first port of call.

Tottenham Hotspur

If Spurs are to threaten the top four by the end of the season, they’ll need more than they have now.

Question marks have recently been asked of their main goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who could be replaced for an upgrade.

But there are just as many doubts at the other end of the pitch, with Spurs lacking a left winger to rely on and being mindful that they could do with a more reliable striker.

Midfield is another department they would top up in an ideal world.

Fulham

Marco Silva emerged from the summer transfer window a frustrated figure after seeing Fulham wait until deadline day to do most of their business.

“I don’t want to put a number on it,” Silva said at the start of December when asked about how many signings are still needed.

“These three, four months created a different scenario for us. Of course, we had one or two things last summer that were not possible for us to do, because we had some players in the last days of the market.

“We are working together, myself, staff and the board to see if we can do it and if we can do it quick in the first days of the market.”

Fulham are known to be exploring ways to strengthen their attack, among other areas such as midfield.

Wolves

Wolves’ status as the basement side in the Premier League implies they have several weaknesses in their squad and could improve with new additions.

According to The Athletic, areas they are seeking to improve include in goal, in midfield (potentially with a no.10) and right wing-back.

However, any business conducted will have to be with the prospect of Championship football for 2026-27 being on the back of their mind.

Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner wasn’t thrilled with Palace’s approach in the summer and has implored the club to boost their options in January, since they are still juggling European commitments as well.

“If you play European football for the first time in your history, you should invest and not save,” he said after their loss to Manchester United at the end of November.

“We are doing well, we are still in a good position in the league and in all four competitions. I think January is too late. We will have played more than 50% of our games. Ismaila [Sarr] we lost him today with an injury and also he goes to AFCON so everything we are facing now, it’s not surprising.

“Everything was pretty clear and I didn’t say anything but today I think it is also time to speak about it that we missed the chance to play an even better season in the summer.”

Moreover, Marc Guehi is set to enter the last six months of his contract and would need to be replaced if Palace take their last chance to cash in on him.

Right wing-back is another area of concern depending on the severity of Daniel Munoz’s injury.

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Liverpool

Despite embarking on their biggest ever transfer window in the summer, Liverpool have shown themselves to still have gaps in their squad throughout their faltering title defence.

On deadline day, they were close to signing Guehi but didn’t. A subsequent injury to Giovanni Leoni means centre-back is an area they lack depth in.

Liverpool could also consider adding another winger after failing to replace Luis Diaz, not to mention the Mo Salah fall-out, while cover in defensive midfield might be beneficial – although whether they choose to go down that route in January or wait until the summer remains to be seen.

And keep an eye on whether they find short-term cover at centre-forward after Alexander Isak’s injury.

Manchester United

The main area for Man Utd to strengthen in 2026 is their midfield, with plans to sign one reinforcement in January and another in the summer.

But United might not stop at just one signing for January, since Ruben Amorim may also like to improve his wing-back options again.

Furthermore, there have been calls for a more experienced striker to add to the ranks.

There’s also AFCON now underway, which has taken Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo away from availability for a short while. Cover may be needed.

Manchester City

City were the big spenders last January, boosting their squad with the likes of Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush.

They could be attentive to opportunities to strengthen this time around too, although it would mainly be for depth.

For example, they are over-reliant on Erling Haaland to get the goals up front – which should soon be relieved with the capture of Antoine Semenyo – and suffer without Rodri in defensive midfield.

Finding a more natural right-back than Matheus Nunes would also look like a logical move.

Newcastle United

Newcastle haven’t had the best of luck on the injuries front recently and how their players recover may have an impact on their January business.

Keep an eye on their goalkeeping situation, with Aaron Ramsdale currently on loan from Southampton but rumours persisting about interest in finding a more permanent successor to Nick Pope.

According to The Athletic, Newcastle have also shown interest in strengthening at full-back and in midfield.

Everton

David Moyes will be celebrating a year back in charge of Everton in January and he will be hoping to be backed again in the transfer window.

Everton would benefit from signing a more established right-back, while they also could have room for another midfielder – and will need to work out whether to fill that space with a new signing or by recalling Harrison Armstrong from his loan at Preston.

Finally, an experienced striker could make a difference for Everton after summer signing Thierno Barry waited until December to open his Premier League goalscoring account.

Brentford

Brentford are feeling the strain of having a thin squad impacted by injuries at the moment, so Keith Andrews is interested in exploring their options for the winter window.

“I think the club are always looking at options, and it’s been well-documented at the last window,” he said. “I’m sure there’s going to be options that we will look at and look to do in January if we feel it’s right.”

The attack will be where Brentford do the most work, given their over-reliance on striker Igor Thiago and the long-term injury suffered by Fabio Carvalho.

But Sky Sports News has also highlighted their hopes of strengthening in defensive midfield.

Aston Villa

Villa have built some serious momentum recently to recover from their slow start to the season, so the January window could help them preserve their form.

Depth in the striker department seems to be their main concern, a year on from the sale of Jhon Duran. Ollie Watkins won’t be sold, but he could soon have a new teammate vying for his position.

Keep an eye on whether they manage to send Harvey Elliott back to Liverpool as well, amid his lack of gametime, and whether that could open up space for a new winger to arrive.

This will be the first window Villa have navigated since Monchi stepped down from his role as their president of football operations. It’s worth remembering that PSR issues may still be on the back of their minds.

Leeds United

To give themselves the best chance of avoiding relegation, attack is the main area Leeds will need to upgrade in January.

They were keen to add another winger towards the end of the summer window, but a recent switch to a 3-5-2 formation might mean a centre-forward will come back onto the radar instead.

The new shape could also lead to them exploring their options at centre-back to ensure they have enough depth.

Burnley

Burnley were one of the busiest clubs in the summer after earning promotion back to the Premier League, but they find themselves in the relegation zone and among the lower scorers in the division.

Staying in the Premier League after getting there is a tall order these days, so they might not be able to let the January window pass them by without some attempt to salvage their situation – but it depends on how much room they have left after their post-promotion recruitment drive.

Bournemouth

January may have to be a reactive window for Bournemouth, who are faced with mounting interest in their star forward, Antoine Semenyo.

If Semenyo does leave – as is now expected, with Manchester City confident they’ll be his final destination – they would have to look for a replacement to help retain their goalscoring edge.

There are also clubs queuing up for midfield prodigy Alex Scott, so that could be another position that would need replenishing.

Sunderland

Sunderland impressed with their summer business after earning promotion to the Premier League, with plenty of eye-catching additions to their squad.

They’ve impressed on the pitch too and have every reason to believe in a top-half finish.

It could encourage them to add extra sparks to their squad – maybe in midfield – but they can also be content with what they’ve built to get to this point.

That said, they are the club most affected by absences for the Africa Cup of Nations and may need some short-term reinforcements.

Brighton

Brighton’s main concern will be the centre-forward role after a season-ending injury to Stefanos Tzimas.

Addressing whether a new signing could be the solution, head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: “It can be, yes, but regarding the transfers I always emphasise that we will make decisions together. So, we are in exchange, we try to understand the situation, what do we need and then try to find the best solution.”

A recall for Roma loanee Evan Ferguson has been touted, but he has also been linked with other clubs.

Other areas they have been tipped to look at by Sky Sports News include midfield, with a view to a succession plan for Carlos Baleba.

Nottingham Forest

Sean Dyche has started to turn Forest’s form around, but is well aware that January can be an ‘awkward’ transfer window.

Finding cover for injuries will probably be the manager’s main expectation, such as in midfield or at left-back.

“January is always an awkward window anyway,” he said. “There are no guarantees you get the right players who fit and all that in January.

“The way that football is, everyone is open-minded – all clubs. That is certainly the way me and my staff work, and we have already been speaking to the powers-that-be about options with the recruitment side of things.

“It is an ongoing process now – keeping links with players, possibles, probables, availability, contractual situations, all of that. It has become part of the business.

“Most clubs, including this one, are constantly keeping an eye out for what-ifs. We have been very stretched with injuries, everyone knows that; there comes a point where we can’t keep getting this stretched and we are going to need everyone to be fit.”

Chelsea

You can never rule out Chelsea under their current regime from being active in the transfer window and spending big sums in January, but The Athletic has claimed they aren’t planning to add to their squad this winter.

One area that could come into focus is the goalkeeping department, but current first-choice Robert Sanchez has enjoyed some resurgent form recently, so any change might be to who backs him up if Filip Jorgensen pushes for an exit.

Chelsea will also have to weigh up their striker depth after Liam Delap’s injury issues.

Arsenal

Arsenal had an excellent summer in the transfer window, filling most of their areas of need with strength in depth.

As such, they don’t have much left to do to improve their squad. However, after falling short in the past few title races, they would be wise to stay alert to potential signing opportunities.

ESPN have reported they could go for a creative midfielder to ease the burden on Martin Odegaard, although the summer signing of Eberechi Eze negates that to a degree.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to make a beeline to sign a now-unwanted Manchester City star in the wake of Pep Guardiola’s move for Antoine Semenyo, according to sources, with the knock-on effect set to see a £47.5m man allowed to leave Spurs.

The first major transfer of the winter window will be completed early on after it emerged on Tuesday evening that Manchester City have won the race for Semenyo, beating off interest from Manchester United and Tottenham, who had also made strong proposals, as well as other big-six suitors Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

The real reason the Bournemouth flyer has been chosen by Guardiola was exclusively revealed by a source close to the club on Tuesday evening, just hours after the deal was confirmed.

Ultimately, Semenyo has been won over by the chance to win silverware. We are told by sources close to the player that he was open to Old Trafford, but the fact that City’s project would see him pushing to win both the Premier League and Champions League has tempted him to the Etihad.

He is now set to complete a £65m (£60m plus £5m in add-ons) move to the Etihad quickly after the window opens.

While Tottenham’s interest in Semenyo was quickly batted off – we understand they were willing to put up wages that would have made the departing Bournemouth man their highest-paid player – Thomas Frank and Co. could soon land a left-wing upgrade of their own, which we understand is their number one priority for the January window.

And speaking last week, our transfer correspondent Dean Jones believes there will now be an overhaul of Man City’s wing department – leaving one of them, in Savinho, to head to Tottenham.

Spurs initially held talks with the Brazilian over the summer, without failing to agree a deal. Now, according to Jones, the 21-year-old now looks likely to get clearance to leave and make a long-awaited move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

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Tottenham on standby for Savinho move; another City star could leave too

Per Jones, Semenyo linking up with Guardiola was always likely to start an overhaul of City’s winger ranks.

And when asked about the situation, Jones told us that Savinho and Oscar Bobb are both under threat.

“Savinho got 20 minutes off the bench against West Ham United, and recently that’s been about the best he can hope for in the league,” the journalist said.

“If City win the race to sign Semenyo, I really do think there is fresh doubt about Savinho’s place in the squad.

“It’ll be a big decision because they only just gave him a new deal, but I still question why they did that.

“Tottenham definitely made a mark on him, and from what I’m told, he seemed interested, because he would become such a significant player for them.

“City also have a decision to make on Oscar Bobb if offers come in, and it’s a situation where I can potentially see some movement.

“But I do think the interest in Savinho is still there from Spurs if their other targets like Semenyo, Maghnes Akliouche and Yan Diomande prove out of reach.”

However, Jones has since explained why moves for Akliouche and Diomande will prove beyond them in January.

Back in the summer, Spurs failed to meet City’s €70million (£61m, $82.5m) asking price, which saw the Brazilian stay put and sign a new contract at the Etihad.

Bobb’s price tag has yet to emerge, though previous reports have valued him at €25m (£22m, $30m).

And with the winger merry-go-round set to go into full swing, Savinho’s potential arrival at Spurs is likely to see Brennan Johnson depart the north London club.

Frank does not rate the Wales winger and has recently emerged as a target for both Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. However, we understand it is Aston Villa who have now jumped into the race and would appear favourites for his signature.

Man City ready to spend again with defender in sights; Bergvall, Liverpool denials

City sources also believe the club are beginning to seriously consider strengthening their defensive depth next month, too, with Etihad chiefs open to adding a top-level centre-back to Guardiola’s squad.

Any swoop could be funded by the departure of a £41m man, who has interest from Fulham, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Bournemouth ahead of January.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea target Kenan Yildiz is finally set to receive clarity on his next contract, our sources have confirmed.

The formal appointment of Marco Ottolini as Juventus’ new sporting director is expected to trigger negotiations with Yildiz over a new deal. The situation should now become clear by the end of the year, as Yildiz waits to see whether the club truly recognises his value.

The forward is seeking a salary increase to around €6million (£5m) per year, and if Juventus fail to come close to that figure he could become available on the market.

Clubs in England are aware that Yildiz’s preference is to remain in Turin, but that has not dampened their interest.

Tottenham and Chelsea are among the most keen suitors, while Arsenal have also monitored his situation.

This season, Yildiz has primarily featured off the left flank or as a second striker and is widely regarded as one of football’s most exciting breakout talents.

The Turkish international embodies the qualities required to stand out as a modern attacking player, and within Juventus there is a realisation that they cannot afford to risk losing him.

We revealed on December 12 that Yildiz is a dream attacking target for Spurs, though a Plan B option is still in play.

Sources confirmed to us in November that Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are all keeping tabs on Yildiz’s contract talks in Turin.

Fraser Fletcher has reported for TEAMtalk that Chelsea failed with a €70m (£62m) approach for the 20-year-old in the summer, as Juve are holding out for at least €90m (£79m).

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Spurs get Mateta clarity; Chelsea in for ‘generational’ talent

Meanwhile, Spurs have been linked with a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta to increase their attacking threat.

Graeme Bailey has revealed Spurs’ chances of raiding Palace for the 28-year-old Frenchman.

The bad news in the transfer market is set to keep on coming for Tottenham with sources revealing there’s likely to be three further rejections by forwards after Antoine Semenyo.

Tottenham have set their sights higher in the post-Daniel Levy era, though while the will is there to spend bigger sums and pay higher salaries, the club are finding it difficult to attract the calibre of player they crave.

Morgan Gibbs-White didn’t end up joining despite Tottenham triggering his release clause over the summer. In truth, that failure was more to do with Nottingham Forest refusing to play ball amid legal threats.

The same cannot be said regarding Eberechi Eze, however. Spurs had a club-to-club agreement in place with Crystal Palace but Eze showed no hesitation aborting a move to Spurs once bitter rivals Arsenal thundered in.

An ambitious move for Savinho fell flat, and multiple sources including David Ornstein have confirmed Antoine Semenyo does not wish to join Tottenham.

Sources have informed our insider, Fraser Fletcher, that Spurs are now looking into an audacious move for Savinho’s teammate at Man City, Omar Marmoush.

That comes at a time when Spurs are also exploring moves for Maghnes Akliouche and Yan Diomande.

But according to transfer insider, Dean Jones, Tottenham stand very little chance of landing ANY of those three targets.

“Tottenham’s plans for 2026 are already beginning to look too ambitious,” began Jones.

“They have had a couple of tough moments this year, first with Eberechi Eze going to Arsenal, Morgan Gibbs-White staying at Nottingham Forest, and now they’ve been given the cold shoulder by Antoine Semenyo.

“I don’t think he will be the last. They are scouting players like Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco) and Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig) but those players have top, top teams looking to sign them.

“The likes of PSG, Bayern Munich… and no one is likely to choose Spurs over those clubs, are they?”

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So… who could Spurs ACTUALLY sign?

Jones went on to state a reignited move for Man City winger Savinho could be one route into giving Thomas Frank new blood out wide.

Savinho was open to joining Spurs last summer, but City blocked the move, fearing the calibre of player they hoped to sign as his replacement – such as Real Madrid’s Rodrygo – would not be available.

Since then, Savinho has continued to be a bit-part player under Pep Guardiola and the chance to play regularly at Spurs would appeal. The biggest issue will be finding common ground with City on the fee.

“I like the fact that Spurs want to raise the ceiling of what is possible but obviously they are not helped by the fact this season has not started well,” continued Jones.

“They want new attacking edge but they know they also need a back-up list of options. Savinho is one player who is part of that.

“The feeling is he might be more attainable than the others, but the problem will be finding a price-point that is agreeable to Manchester City.”

Latest Tottenham news – Mateta decision / Bergvall bid?

In other news, reported Tottenham target Jean-Philippe Mateta has been told by Crystal Palace that he won’t be leaving Selhurst Park under any circumstances in January, with sources able to provide a key update on the Frenchman’s new deal talks.

The usually mild-mannered Arne Slot took aim at Micky van de Ven for the challenge that fractured Alexander Isak’s leg, and the Liverpool boss also provided what appears to be a positive update on the Swede’s return timeline.

Liverpool took all three points when squaring off against Spurs last weekend, but it came at a cost.

Tottenham were unusually aggressive and physical in the contest, with Jeremie Frimpong busted open by a rogue elbow and Xavi Simons raking his studs down Virgil van Dijk’s Achilles.

Simons and captain Cristian Romero both saw red, but the most contentious moment came when Van de Ven scissored Isak’s left leg in the act of the frontman scoring what was only his second Premier League goal in Liverpool colours.

Isak was in visible agony and subsequent tests showed the striker sustained a fractured leg as well as an ankle injury.

Isak has since successfully undergone surgery and now faces an extended spell on the sidelines.

Van de Ven’s scissor tackle has become a talking point in recent days, and on Tuesday morning, Liverpool boss Slot commented on the challenge.

The Dutchman uncharacteristically hit out at the Spurs defender, claiming if that type of tackle were made 10 times, it could result in a serious injury 10 times too.

“It was for me a reckless challenge,” said Slot (as quoted by the Liverpool Echo). “Xavi Simons [tackle on Van Dijk] was completely unintentional, I don’t think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.”

Referring back to Van de Ven’s tackle once again, Slot added: “If you make that tackle 10 times, then 10 times there’s a chance he could get a serious injury.”

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Alexander Isak return timeline

Isak’s injury comes at a brutal time for Liverpool, who are without Mohamed Salah too.

The winger is representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations and provided a timely reminder of what he’s capable of when scoring a last-minute winner in Egypt’s opener versus Zimbabwe.

Liverpool’s official statement confirming Isak’s successful surgery set no timescale on his return. That led to some within the industry speculating he won’t play again this season.

However, touching on how long he’ll be without his £125m frontman, Slot suggested the absence will be a “couple of months.”

He said: “It’s going to be a long injury. A couple of months. That’s a big, big big disappointment for him and also for us.”

While losing Isak for a few months is unquestionably a blow, the signs do suggest he will still have a big part to play in the final months of Liverpool’s season.

Our own insider, Graeme Bailey, has been informed Isak is already targeting Sweden’s crucial World Cup qualification matchup with Ukraine on March 26.

Latest Liverpool news – Guehi / Semenyo / Konate

In other news, two of the most respected reporters are aligned in what they believe will happen with Marc Guehi amid new claims Liverpool could land the Crystal Palace defender in January.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are indirectly doing Manchester United a huge favour and it could result in the Red Devils completing the biggest signing of the winter window by landing Antoine Semenyo.

Reported Tottenham Hotspur target Jean-Philippe Mateta has been told by Crystal Palace that he won’t be leaving Selhurst Park under any circumstances in January, with sources able to provide a key update on the Frenchman’s new deal talks.

The three-times capped France striker has been on the Eagles’ books since a January 2021 loan from Mainz, which soon turned into a permanent €18m (£15m, $21m) deal. And having excelled at Crystal Palace under the management of Oliver Glasner, Mateta has become one of the first names on the Austrian’s teamsheet.

Despite now having scored 47 times in 143 appearances for the club, Mateta has been left hugely frustrated by a lack of a new deal from Palace and has been demanding improved terms for much of 2025.

Mateta, though, was handed an extension in late 2024 and Palace believe that was good enough for him to continue without another deal until the summer of 2026.

However, after the 28-year-old came up in conversation over the summer as potential transfer target for Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – the latter who continues to be heavily linked – we’re told that Mateta and his camp made the point to Palace that he needs to be paid more in like one of Europe’s top strikers, which he believes he is.

Palace have had talks with Mateta, but the terms they are willing to offer are understood to be some way off what is being asked for by the striker.

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Palace source provide update on Mateta contract talks

Despite that, sources close to Palace, have confirmed to us that even if a new deal is not agreed in the meantime, the club will not entertain his exit in the January window.

“The club are comfortable with how things are; they are open to Mateta getting some sort of extension, but the player is demanding somewhat more than what is on offer,” the source confirmed.

“Palace have him under contract until 2027, they don’t need to sell him in January or even next summer, they won’t be forced into anything.”

Palace head into January battling on four fronts, and Glasner’s squad is being tested, and they look highly unlikely to sell any of their top names and despite strong interest in the likes of Adam Wharton, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz and Mateta.

Guehi, who is out of contract in the summer, remains a possibility to leave in January, but as we have revealed, the England defender is in no hurry to leave Selhurst Park before the summer.

Latest Palace news: Johnson hijack threat; battle on for Man City star

On the subject of Guehi, Sky Sports reports that Liverpool will re-enter talks to sign the defender in the new year, having already agreed personal terms with the player back in September, only to see that move break down.

The England defender is wanted by the Premier League champions as part of a triple coup, while their main competition for Guehi has also been named.

On the incoming front, Palace’s hopes of signing Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson in January have been thrown into doubt after Aston Villa made contact with the player’s representatives regarding a potential deal, as they look to replace an unwanted star.