TEAMtalk

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to test the waters with a Premier League rival over a potential summer swoop for a striker who is now being valued in the £50million range by his current club.

The north London outfit are expected to be in the market for a new No.9, given Dominic Solanke’s inability to find the net on a consistent basis since his switch from Bournemouth last summer, while Spurs are also expected to try and cash in on injury-plagued Brazilian frontman Richarlison.

Numerous options have been touted for a switch to Tottenham but now a fresh report claims that Daniel Levy and co. are primed to try their luck with Fulham in an effort to get Rodrigo Muniz on board.

Less than 12 months after Ryan Sessesgnon swapped the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Craven Cottage, Spurs are now being tipped to engineer a transfer in the opposite direction in the shape of the 23-year-old Brazilian attacker.

GIVEMESPORT sources claim that a host of Premier League clubs have been contemplating whether to make a move during the summer transfer window for a player who will be entering the final 12 months of his contract soon.

Muniz joined Fulham in 2021 but has only really made his mark with the club over the past two seasons, scoring a total of 21 goals over that span while also impressing with his all-round displays.

Marco Silva links to Tottenham also have to be factored into any discussions when it comes to a potential move for Muniz, given how the Cottagers boss continues to be tipped as a replacement for the under-pressure Ange Postecoglou.

The report adds that Fulham are starting to view Muniz as a £50m talent due to his age, profile and potential, while he certainly showcased what he handful he is in Fulham’s outstanding win over runaway Premier League Liverpool on Sunday – a game in which he tormented Reds centre-back duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

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Fulham ready to fend off Muniz suitors

However, GIVEMESPORT adds that Fulham are set to issue a hands-off warning to any suitors for their striker, especially with Chelsea and West Ham also said to be showing an interest as well.

Indeed, the report adds that it’s increasingly likely that Muniz will be rewarded with the opportunity to sign an improved contract ahead of next season, as Fulham look to persuade him to commit his long-term future.

He currently pockets a lowly £7,500-per-week at Craven Cottage, meaning he is among the lowest-earners on the books at Fulham and it’s been acknowledged behind the scenes that he deserves a pay rise following a prolific run of form.

Indeed, it’s stated that Fulham are seriously considering putting their push to bring in a new centre forward on the back-burner thanks to the performances of Muniz and fellow striker Raul Jimenez.

Muniz will be looking to keep up his fine goalscoring form – having netted in each of his last three Premier League outings – when Silva’s men head to Bournemouth in their next outing.

As for Tottenham, they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night in a fixture that could ultimately decide Postecoglou’s fate.

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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined a growing list of clubs chasing a Torino midfielder who is turning plenty of heads with his outstanding displays in Serie A this season.

Midfield is an area of the pitch where Spurs are expected to undergo major surgery this summer, especially given that Ange Postecoglou has failed to find the right mix in his engine room to properly compete against the better teams domestically this season.

A deal is in place to sign Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis for £21million as part of Gio Lo Celso’s return to Spain last summer, but Tottenham are expected to sign at least two new midfielders as they prepare for a clearout.

Yves Bissouma will almost certainly be moved on, while there is a growing feeling that Rodrigo Bentancur could be offloaded to Spain given Atletico Madrid’s interest in the Uruguay international.

Signing Cardoso would certainly add more steel to the Spurs midfield, but they still lack a player capable of orchestrating games centrally – and that is where the links to Torino star Samuele Ricci come in.

A report from The Boy Hotspur states that Tottenham have joined a transfer race that includes the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Manchester City to land the 23-year-old talent.

Ricci has showcased his versatility in Torino’s engine room this season, dictating play with his impressive passing range and astute positional sense.

The report adds that Torino want €35-40million (£30-35m) for the player and that Premier League clubs, including Spurs, are closely monitoring his situation with a view to making a concrete move.

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Torino ready to play ball over Ricci exit

Torino president Urbano Cairo is reportedly willing to sell Ricci if a suitor meets that asking price, while the player himself is eyeing a project that suits his growing development.

If he did arrive in north London, Ricci would be working with a younger group of midfielders that includes the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr – along with Cardoso, also 23, if he puts pen to paper.

His overall stats this season make for impressive viewing, with Ricci completing almost 90 percent of his passes in Serie A while playing as either a defensive pivot or further forward in the No.8 role.

The Torino star has also won eight caps for Italy, with the media in his homeland comparing his playing style to that of Azzurri legend Andrea Pirlo.

Indeed, speaking after Torino drew with Udinese back in January, former Serie A coach Giacomo Ferri was gushing over Ricci’s ability to dominate a game from the middle of the park.

He told reporters: “Samuele [Ricci] has become a real gem.

“He now handles both phases of the game: he directs, creates, and finishes. His consistency is exceptional, and he has reached the level of the most celebrated midfielders seen at Torino.

“I expect the national team coach to make him a key player for the upcoming matches. Moreover, Samuele is also a serious and modest guy, truly a treasure for the club.”

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly showing considerable interest in signing the latest Brazilian wonderkid, Rayan, who has been earning rave reviews at this boyhood club Vasco da Gama.

The north London club are said to have been tracking the teenage striker since the age of 16 after he had a meteoric rise at Vasco, where he’s quickly established himself as a first-team regular in his homeland.

The versatile 18-year-old is capable of playing through the middle or on either wing and appears destined for a European switch, as Tottenham are one of numerous clubs monitoring his situation.

Indeed, TBR Football lists Spurs as well as Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Wolves among the Premier League teams looking to snap up the teenage talent.

Tottenham have made a real push towards trying to bring in some of the top teenage talent from around the globe in recent transfer windows, after snapping up the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, South Korean winger Yang Min-hyeok and Ireland forward Mason Melia.

That approach has also seen them heavily linked with Southampton attacker Tyler Dibling, although Manchester City and Manchester United are also firmly in the mix for the Saints star.

As for Rayan, the Brazilian starlet has been likened to former Selecao frontman Adriano in terms of his playing style.

He has appeared for Brazil’s Under-20s on 10 occasions, managing two goals, and was the top scorer during the U-17 South American Championships in 2023.

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What Rayan could bring to Tottenham

The report adds that Spurs are looking at the Brazilian youngster to provide competition for first-choice No.9 Dominic Solanke in north London, especially Richarlison heavily tipped to head to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

Despite only being 18, Rayan has already made 50 competitive appearances for Vasco da Gama, and has two international youth trophies to his name.

The left-footer spent much of his early years playing off the right wing and cutting in on his favoured foot, but is equally at home playing centrally or on the left.

Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig has described Rayan as a “complete forward”, very much in the mold of Brazil legend Adriano, while he is also described as “powerful and determined” with “killer-instinct, great technique on the ball, and cleverness at his off-the-ball movements”.

The question now remains whether or not Tottenham can convince the player that a move to London is the right one for him, especially with so many other clubs keen on his signature.

Latest Tottenham news: Perfect Postecoglou successor tipped up / Kolo Muani chase back on

Tottenham’s new search for a new manager is now being tipped to lead them towards a London rival, after they were urged to shun an approach for their top target Andoni Iraola.

With Ange Postecoglou looking increasingly likely to exit the club in the summer, speculation over how will replace him continues to grow.

But, according to a former Premier League CEO, Fulham chief Marco Silva is the perfect fit for what Daniel Levy’s wants in a manager.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have decided to turn back to an attacking target they wanted to bring in during the January transfer window, per a report – and that’s irrespective of what happens with Ange Postecoglou and the alternative they signed instead.

Randal Kolo Muani is the player in question, with the French forward having started his loan stint at Juventus strongly before falling away.

That has not deterred Spurs though, with GiveMeSport stating they are ready to launch another raid for the player.

Tottenham Hotspur are being tipped to snub an expected approach for top managerial target Andoni Iraola and instead move for a fellow Premier League manager who is ‘more of a [Daniel] Levy character’.

Postecoglou is seemingly drawing ever closer to the axe in north London after a disastrous season domestically and is only clinging onto his job as Spurs face a two-legged Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt, which begins with the home leg this coming Thursday.

Tottenham suffered their 16th Premier League defeat of the season at Chelsea on Thursday evening to further ramp up talk of the Australian being shown the door, while he failed to help himself after yet another incident involving the Spurs support.

TT can reveal that Bournemouth chief Iraloa is the man most admired behind the scenes at Spurs and would be the first name on their list if and when Postecoglou is booted out.

However, the likes of Thomas Frank, Edin Terzic and Marco Silva also continue to be linked with the role, and it’s the latter who is being tipped up as someone who would work well under Tottenham chairman Levy going forward.

There have been some suggestions that internal talks regarding appointing Silva have already been held and former Everton CEO Keith Wyness believes Silva’s track record fits the profile of what Spurs may be looking for.

Speaking on the Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, the pundit said: “Silva is probably more in the running than Iraola. I think he’s more of a Levy character, he’s got the London experience – performing well with Fulham.

“He’s been with Everton, Watford – he’s got the runs on the board. I think he would operate at Spurs quite well. He’s done well on a tight budget with Fulham, and that’s what Levy will be looking for.

“We’ve seen the numbers at Tottenham, they’re not spending much on wages or fees – it’s very low.”

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Solid Silva viewed as safer Spurs bet

Silva’s ability to deliver consistent results without heavy spending certainly ticks a big box for Levy and Tottenham, while it’s previously been reported that the Portuguese coach is open to quitting Craven Cottage if the right opportunity presents itself.

The 47-year-old’s coaching journey has spanned multiple leagues, from guiding Estoril to Portugal’s top division and winning a cup with Sporting CP, to achieving league success at Olympiacos.

He also gained valuable experience in English football with Hull City, Watford, and Everton, before transforming Fulham into a competitive side in England’s top flight.

He currently remains under contract at Fulham until 2026 and it’s expected that a concrete approach will be made, if Tottenham, as expected, do move on from Postecoglou.

One former Tottenham player is also a fan of a move for Silva as the club’s next coach, with Jamie O’Hara calling for his old club to make that move after a defeat to Nottingham Forest back in December.

Speaking to talkSPORT at the time, the outspoken O’Hara said: “I’m starting to come around to the fact that we should nick Fulham’s manager Marco Silva. He’s good. They are organised, have a structure. They haven’t got world beaters, but they have good players.”

One thing that would be a concern to Tottenham fans, however, is Silva’s struggles when he did step up to a bigger challenge at Everton.

Silva was sacked in December 2019 with the Toffees sitting 18th in the table, while he won just 40 percent of his games in charge at Goodison Park.

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Tottenham Hotspur have decided to turn back to an attacking target they wanted to bring in during the January transfer window, per a report – and that’s irrespective of what happens with Ange Postecoglou and the alternative they signed instead.

Postecoglou remains at risk of the sack amid Spurs’ struggles this season, with the Europa League their only hope of having a successful campaign. Changes could be coming in the summer, not just in the dugout but also in the squad. And some information has dropped about a player Spurs are on alert for regardless of Postecoglou’s fate.

Spurs brought in Mathys Tel on loan from Bayern Munich in February, but that was after they hit a dead end in trying to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus won the race to take him on loan instead.

Reports have recently suggested that Spurs are looking likely to sign Tel permanently, but now the same outlet that said so has added that they are thinking of making a fresh move for Kolo Muani.

The 26-year-old started strongly at Juventus with five goals in his first three games. But he hasn’t scored in eight appearances since and was recently dropped to the bench for a game against Genoa.

That was a sign he could fall out of favour after Juventus’ recent change of coach, with Igor Tudor replacing Thiago Motta. Now, Give Me Sport claims Spurs could swoop for him, whether they make their own change of coach or not.

Juventus only took Kolo Muani on a straight loan, without any option or obligation to buy him from PSG, where he is still under contract until 2028.

What Kolo Muani future depends on

If the Old Lady decide he doesn’t fit their plans, they could send him back to France – but PSG themselves might not have room for Kolo Muani any more.

Indeed, the report claims PSG would accept a lower price to sell Kolo Muani than the £77m they paid Eintracht Frankfurt to sign him.

And even if Juventus did want to keep Kolo Muani, they might not be able to afford a permanent deal if they miss out on Champions League qualification. They are currently fifth in Serie A, one point off the top four.

Thus, Spurs – even though they themselves could realistically only qualify for the Champions League via the Europa League route – are keeping tabs on the situation to see if Kolo Muani becomes available.

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The call Tottenham are expected to make on the future of Mathys Tel has been revealed, with the forward arriving on loan at a time the board have acknowledged as ‘difficult’.

Tel joined Spurs on a loan deal in January, with the north Londoners holding an option to buy him from Bayern Munich for around £45million. The 19-year-old scored on his second game, in the FA Cup, but has not scored since.

In the last game, against Chelsea, manager Ange Postecoglou gave Tel just two minutes of action.

Now, Tottenham have made a decision on the signing of the Bayern Munich forward.

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are ‘likely to seal the deal’ to keep Tel permanently from the summer.

It’s said there’s a ‘strong belief’ among decision-makers that he’ll prove to be money well spent, as they have acknowledged that the forward joined ‘in a difficult period’.

With Spurs 14th in the Premier League after coming fifth last term, that’s an understatement, and it seems they believe Tel can come good when things turn around, understanding that he’s not likely to be firing in the underperforming team at present.

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Bayern could rip up agreement

But Tottenham might not actually get a say in whether Tel stays or not.

His parent club, Bayern, could reportedly be able to bring him back to the club without Spurs having a say.

The Bundesliga giants are in Club World Cup action over the summer, and a report has stated they are considering bringing back every one of their players who is out on loan prior to the tournament, in mid-June.

FIFA has opened up a new transfer window for the first few days of June, so while Tel would technically still be under contract on his Tottenham loan by then, Bayern would be able to recall him with the north Londoners unable to stop it.

Tottenham round-up: Paratici path clear

TEAMtalk recently reported that Fabio Paratici was likely to return to Spurs as sporting director after his football ban is up, and the path has cleared for that return, after AC Milan decided legal matters were obstacles too big to overcome.

Another big change off the field could be in the manager position, with TEAMtalk sources stating Tottenham are ready to move for Bournemouth move Andoni Iraola as soon as Ange Postecoglou’s time comes to and end.

The suggestion is that the Europa League campaign is the only thing keeping the Spurs boss’ career in north London alive.

It comes after Jamie O’Hara suggested he could “do a better job” in the dugout than Postecoglou is doing.

Ange Postecoglou’s time as Tottenham boss is seemingly drawing to an unfortunate end and TT has taken a look at how Spurs could line up if the club’s number one choice to replace the Australian, Andoni Iraola, takes charge this summer.

The north London outfit suffered their 16th Premier League defeat of the season at Chelsea on Thursday night, with a section of the away support once again turning on Postecoglou in what was another woeful display from the strongest XI the Tottenham chief has been able to select in months.

At this stage, Postecoglou is only clinging on to his job due to the upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt, but the way this Spurs side is playing right now they have zero hope of winning that competition and keeping the former Celtic boss in a job.

To that end, TT understands that Iraola remains the top name on the radar of Tottenham chiefs and will be the first man they approach if the axe falls on current incumbent Postecoglou.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at how a Spurs XI could line up with Iraola at the helm in a team that includes four new signings (plus three more on the bench) and is based on affordable options and players that the current Bournemouth boss could be capable of luring to north London – given it’s unlikely there will be European football. The formation would be a 4-2-3-1.

GK: Gugliemo Vicario

The Italian is one of the true vocal leaders in a group that does not currently have many and, despite some ups and downs, has performed pretty well this season.

Yes, his distribution needs to improve dramatically, but Vicario is right up there as one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League and deserves to be Iraola’s No.1 – until he proves otherwise.

RB: Pedro Porro

This might not please some Tottenham fans, given how poorly Porro has performed in the second half of the season, but we are backing Iraola to get the best out of his fellow countryman.

Like Postecoglou, Iraola does invert his full-backs to play in midfield, and it’s hoped that the Spanish chief can get Porro back to his best next season.

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RCB: Dean Huijsen

The newly-capped Spain international nominally plays on the left side of Bournemouth’s centre-back pairing but is naturally right-footed so could easily swap across to partner Micky van de Ven as Cristian Romero’s replacement.

Much will obviously depend on Iraola being able to convince Huijsen to ignore interest from the likes of Real, Barcelona and Liverpool – but the hope is that the 19-year-old will be willing to follow his current boss to north London.

Romero moving to The Bernabeu would certainly help matters in that regard, although the Argentine now looks more likely to team up with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid instead.

Huijsen showed in both games against Tottenham this season that he is a class act and one of the top young central defenders in European football. Plus he fits in perfectly with Daniel Levy’s preference to load up on younger talent in north London.

LCB: Micky van de Ven

The Netherlands defender just needs to get himself fully fit and keep working on solutions to fend off the hamstring issues that have plagued him since moving to Spurs.

On his day, there are not many better centre-backs in the Premier League and the hope is that Van de Ven will be the mainstay for the Tottenham defence for the next five years and hopefully beyond.

LB: Djed Spence

This one is based purely on performance levels this season and the fact that Spence is finally starting to realise the talent he has in abundance.

Despite naturally being a right-back, Spence has performed better on the left side this season and gets the nod ahead of the increasingly inconsistent Destiny Udogie, who has struggled to replicate the form he was showing at the start of last season.

CDM: Archie Gray

Iraola does something that Postecoglou has failed to even try since his centre-backs became available again and trusts Gray to be one of his two defensive midfield pivots.

The former Leeds man has been one of the club’s best performers in a hugely difficult campaign, despite the fact that the majority of his appearances have come at the heart of the defence.

Gray was outstanding in the middle of the park at Elland Road but only three of his 38 games this term have come in that position. Iraola’s decision here gives Tottenham a stronger midfield base to work from and also protection in the front of a back four that has hardly had any all season.

It’s tough on Lucas Bergvall, but the Swede’s time will come again and he will still be heavily involved, while the likes of Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are moved on.

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CDM: Johnny Cardoso

The Real Betis midfielder has a deal in place to join for £21m this summer after an agreement was made when Giovani Lo Celso quit north London for a return to LaLiga in 2024.

USMNT star Cardoso has been a real standout for Betis this season, playing mainly as a defensive midfielder although he can also operate further forward.

The 23-year-old is known for his tactical awareness, calm ball distribution and ability to break up opposition play and would be a great addition to a Tottenham squad that does not have many of that type of midfielder on board.

How Tottenham could look under Iraola

RW: Bryan Mbeumo

This is where the Spurs attack starts its freshen-up, with the current Brentford man providing goals, assists and a consistent level of performance playing from the right wing.

Brennan Johnson has done pretty well statistically but his impact on games as a whole has been average at best and Iraola will want more from his wide players – as he currently gets at Bournemouth.

Mbeumo is ready to take his game up a level and would be a great fit in north London. As for Johnson, he heads back to Nottingham Forest, as has been mooted recently.

CAM: Dejan Kulusevski

This is where the Swede needs to be playing for Tottenham from now on, given it’s where he can affect the game the most.

Kulusevski is a quality right winger but he could be an elite No.10, given room to roam and find pockets of space to do serious damage to opposition defences.

The only problem Spurs might have is not having any European football and trying to keep him on board.

LW: Antoine Semenyo

Another Bournemouth star joins Iraola at his new club, with Semenyo the perfect replacement for Tottenham legend Son Heung-min, who reverts to a squad role in his final season at the club.

Semenyo, who has nine goals and six assists this season, has been linked with Spurs numerous times and opts to follow Iraola to give the Spaniard two new wide men to provide better ammunition for Dominic Solanke through the middle.

ST: Dominic Solanke

An elite new striker could well have been on the cards here, but Tottenham’s failure to secure any European football means they miss out on the likes of Marcus Thuram, Dusan Vlahovic and Jonathan David – to name but a few.

Solanke has had a mixed bad of a first season in north London, but has been blighted with several minor fitness issues. However, reuniting with Iraola, under whom he scored 21 goals in the Spaniard’s first season on the south coast, could make a real difference to his fortunes at Spurs going forward.

Subs: Kinksy, Udogie, Walker-Peters (re-signed from Southampton), Danso (signed on permanent deal), Bergvall, Sarr, Son, Odobert, Evan Guessand (striker signed from Nice).

Notable player exits: Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison, Mathys Tel (option to buy not taken up).

AC Milan have reportedly been forced to exit the race for sporting director Fabio Paratici, as legal issues are seen as obstacles ‘too high’ for the hire of the banned transfer guru.

Paratici was formally banned from working directly in football in 2023, when former club Juventus were found guilty of false accounting. It is believed he has still been consulting on transfers for Spurs.

As such, TEAMtalk is aware that he is on track to return to north London – where he spent a short time as sporting director prior to his ban – when he’s able to, in July. Sources have also stated that AC Milan were vying for the hire of Paratici.

Reports elsewhere have stated that there was an agreement in place for the director to join the Serie A club. Italian journalist Luca Bianchin has since stated things have broken down.

Indeed, it’s stated that legal issues ‘both at the sporting and criminal levels, are now obstacles too high’.

As such, despite an agreement having been struck in recent days, Bianchin states Milan will look elsewhere for a new director.

That seemingly opens the door for Tottenham to land Paratici again, with TEAMtalk recently being told it’s only a matter of time until that happens.

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Paratici has signings lined up

The Italian is already pushing for a couple of signings for the north London side. TEAMtalk sources have stated he has helped with a few Tottenham transfers during his ban, with James Maddison and Micky van de Ven examples.

Now, sources explain that midfielders Samuele Ricci and Ederson, from Torino and Atalanta respectively, have been recommended by Paratici.

The signing of Ricci could sting Milan once more, as they are also interested in the midfielder.

It will certainly be interesting to see who wins the race for the 23-year-old Italy international.

Tottenham news: Postecoglou replacement lined up

TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham are ready to make a move for Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, with pressure mounting on current boss Ange Postecoglou, particularly if he does not win the Europa League.

Pressure has ramped up after a 1-0 loss to Chelsea, which former Spurs man Jamie Redknapp described as “awful” from Spurs.

More former Tottenham boys have taken aim at the current regime, with Jamie O’Hara stating “any other manager” in Postecoglou’s position would have been sacked by now.

He also stated that club captain Son Heung-min is now not “good enough”.

Tottenham are preparing to make a move for Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as pressure continues to mount on Ange Postecoglou, who is in danger of losing his job.

Spurs suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday and the result leaves them 14th in the Premier League table, out of every tournament except the Europa League.

Postecoglou was jeered by Tottenham supporters with chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ before he goaded them back by cupping his ears in their direction after Pape Matar Sarr’s goal was disallowed.

In his post-match interview, Postecoglou said that he wasn’t taking a swipe at the Tottenham fans, but ‘wanted to hear them cheer’.

“Jesus mate, it’s incredible how things get interpreted,” Postecoglou insisted. “We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them cheer. Because we’d been through a tough time, and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.

“I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side]. It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they’ve booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine, they’re allowed to do that. But we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement.

“If people want to read into that, that somehow I’m trying to make a point about something, like I said, we’d been through a tough time, but I just felt there was a bit of a momentum shift there. If they get really behind the lads, I thought we had the momentum to finish on top of them.”

Andoni Iraola tops Tottenham’s manager shortlist – sources

TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham have identified Bournemouth boss Iraola as their top target to replace Postecoglou.

The signs are not good for Postecoglou but the likelihood of him being sacked while they are still in the Europa League is low, as he tries to make good on his promise that he ‘always’ wins trophies in his second season with his clubs.

Tottenham still have a chance of lifting the Europa League, which would grant them entry into next season’s Champions League, but they will have to play much better than they have been when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-finals.

Iraola, meanwhile, has done a fantastic job with Bournemouth so far. He was appointed Cherries boss in the summer of 2023 and guided them to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

This season looks set to be even better, with Bournemouth currently sitting just six points away from a European qualification spot, in 10th.

We reported on January 19th that Iraola is one of the managers Tottenham have taken a shine to, and that remains the case, as the London club’s performances haven’t got any better since.

Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Tottenham view Iraola as an ‘elite’ young coach with whom they could build a Premier League-winning side.

They would have to sell the project to the Spaniard but if he gives the green light to Tottenham, Bournemouth will find it very difficult to keep him.

Sources also state that Brentford manager Thomas Frank is one to watch for Spurs, while Fulham boss Marco Silva and ex-Borussia Dortmund man Edin Terzic have also been looked at.

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👉 Man Utd primed to battle Tottenham for 15 G/A Prem playmaker with mammoth price tag

Micky van de Ven and Son Heung-min have been questioned after Tottenham Hotspur were beaten by rivals Chelsea on Thursday night, with one pundit staggered that the club still has not pulled the trigger on Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham were outplayed and outfought at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea ran out 1-0 winners to pile more misery on Postecoglou. Chelsea hit the post inside the first minute and controlled the game from then on.

Guglielmo Vicario did brilliantly to deny Jadon Sancho shortly before half time, but he could not keep Enzo Fernandez out after the interval. Van De Ven and Destiny Udogie left Fernandez unmarked in the box as he headed home from a Cole Palmer cross.

Moises Caicedo had a stunning volley ruled out for offside, while Spurs were also on the receiving end of a disallowed goal. Pape Sarr won the ball from Caicedo before seeing his effort cannon in off the crossbar, via Robert Sanchez, but he was adjudged to have committed a foul in the build up and was subsequently given a yellow card.

After the match, former Chelsea and England star Gary Cahill said Spurs were ‘dreadful’ and had ‘no game plan’.

Now, Spurs hero Glenn Hoddle has discussed Van De Ven’s positioning for Fernandez’s winning goal.

“His problem is like any defender, he’s attracted to the ball,” the pundit said (via TBR). “I used to say to any defender when it’s acute to you and the ball is in front of you, once the cross is coming in, if you look at the ball for more than two seconds without looking over your shoulder and having a little glance…

“He’s looked at the ball, looked at the ball and looked at the ball, he doesn’t have a clue where the attacker is.”

Son offers ‘nothing’; Postecoglou lucky to be in a job

Ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara has ripped into Son following his latest subdued performance.

“He has done nothing. I’ve been saying it for a while. What I’ve said about him is he’s a squad player,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT.

“For one, he isn’t a captain. He has never been a captain, ever. He’s just not. He’s a player who leads by example and he has done that in the past. But, he isn’t good enough no more.

“He can’t beat a player, he has got no sharpness, he doesn’t go past people, he doesn’t make a difference.

“You see Cole Palmer tonight, he wants to get on it, he wants to make things happen, he’ll take risks with the ball. Son – I’ve been saying it, and I got a load of stick from South Korean fans. That’s the problem, we’ll keep him onside because he brings people through the door.

“But, let me tell you, he isn’t the player for us. He isn’t the player he was.”

O’Hara went on to blast Postecoglou, too.

“Any other manager at Tottenham Hotspur would’ve been sacked, he would’ve been gone,” the outspoken pundit added.

“We’ve lost 16 games. Every team around us has sacked their manager. Every single team has sacked their manager around us. Every one of them. We’re still there with Ange.

“Mate, honestly, I could take over and do a better job. Genuinely. Seriously!”

Postecoglou sack: Possible replacements

TEAMtalk confirmed on March 19 that Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is a top candidate for the Spurs job, should Postecoglou be axed.

Although, it will be tough to convince Iraola to join given the fact Bournemouth are poised to finish well above Spurs this campaign.

Spurs have also been tipped to hold talks with Xavi following his departure from Barcelona last summer.