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Chelsea were hoping to sign Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United during the summer transfer window, with Fabrizio Romano explaining why he joined rivals Tottenham Hotspur instead.

Kudus had been targeted by Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion before arriving at West Ham in August 2023. The Irons paid Ajax £38million to bring Kudus to the Premier League.

The versatile forward, who can play as a right winger or central attacking midfielder, went on to make 80 appearances for West Ham. Kudus became one of West Ham’s best players in that time, notching 19 goals and 13 assists.

He left the London Stadium in the summer, signing for Tottenham on a six-year deal.

Kudus had an £85m release clause in his contract, while West Ham rejected an initial £50m offer from Spurs before accepting an improved £55m bid.

But the Ghana ace could have been representing Chelsea this season instead.

After previously missing out on Kudus in 2023, Chelsea returned for him over the summer. They entered ‘negotiations’ for Kudus but could not convince West Ham on a player-plus-cash deal.

“I’m getting many questions today on what happened between Mohammed Kudus and Chelsea,” Romano said on his YouTube channel. “Kudus was a potential target for Chelsea at the beginning of the summer transfer window, but from what I’m hearing the deal was never really close.

“They tried, they negotiated. There was a conversation with West Ham, there was a conversation with the agents. Kudus was considered as one of the players who could have been part of the Chelsea project ready for the Club World Cup.

“But it was never something that was really close to being agreed because West Ham didn’t want to include a player in the deal. They preferred to do the deal with Tottenham.

“Kudus was more than enthusiastic to go to Tottenham because he trusts the project, he spoke to Thomas Frank. Thomas Frank was a really important factor in this story.

“Tottenham also offered what West Ham wanted in terms of [the] transfer fee. So not including players but just putting the money on the table and letting West Ham decide.

“This was probably the crucial factor, and also the player [was] more than happy to go to Tottenham. [He is] very happy about his start at Tottenham so far.”

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Tottenham ‘feared Chelsea hijack’

According to The Athletic, Spurs wanted guarantees from Kudus that he would join them in the summer as they ‘feared a Chelsea hijack’.

The 25-year-old subsequently ‘gave Spurs his word’ as he ‘felt he would get more playing time there’ than at Chelsea.

Kudus has got off to an exciting start at Spurs, playing all three of their Premier League games so far and registering two assists during the opening 3-0 win over Burnley.

While Chelsea missed out on Kudus, they did make several other additions to their forward line. Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Buonanotte all joined.

Estevao Willian is also competing for a starting spot under Enzo Maresca. Chelsea agreed a £29m deal for the Brazilian wonderkid in May last year and he continued his development at Palmeiras before moving to west London in August.

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Tottenham believe the benefits of their summer recruitment drive are already beginning to show, while a star who struggled under previous manager Ange Postecoglou is starting to shine.

Spurs have begun the campaign well, picking up impressive wins against Burnley and Manchester City, before suffering a defeat to Bournemouth before the international break.

This leaves Frank’s side fourth in the Premier League table as they prepare to face West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday.

The permanent signing of Mathys Tel, the loan arrival of Randal Kolo Muani, and the marquee additions of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus were all made with a view to padding out the top end of the pitch.

That has already eased the pressure on Dominic Solanke’s return from injury, with the striker not having to be rushed back into action as he edges closer to fitness.

Thomas Frank confirmed ahead of the West Ham clash that Solanke remains just short of being ready, admitting: “I get a feeling he is not too far away, but he’s just fallen short for this week.”

In previous times, that might have left Tottenham light on options or having to get Solanke back onto the bench sooner – but Frank now has an abundance of attackers to lean on.

Thomas Frank has reignited Tottenham star

Richarlison has been given a fresh lease of life under Frank.

TEAMtalk sources say that the manager has embraced the Brazilian’s qualities and intends to keep him central to the starting XI, even as competition intensifies.

Richarlison, 28, notched two goals in Tottenham’s opening 3-0 win over Burnley – one of the strikes being a sensational overhead kick.

The forward finally seems to be rediscovering the form that saw him earn the £60m (including add-ons) move to Spurs from Everton in the summer of 2022.

With new signings about to make their mark and Solanke close to a return, Tottenham feel their strategy is already paying off and the pressure is not going to fall on a single goal scorer to carry the burden.

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Latest Tottenham news

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Chelsea are showing an ambitious interest in a Tottenham Hotspur star, according to a report, which has revealed Vinai Venkatesham’s plan regarding the Spurs ace, who is said to be so good that he can easily play for Arne Slot at Liverpool or Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid.

Tottenham and Chelsea are bitter London rivals who are aiming to have a successful 2025/26 campaign. After winning the Europa League last season, under new manager Frank, Tottenham are determined to finish in the Premier League top four and also progress from the League Phase of the Champions League in 2025/26.

As for Chelsea, manager Maresca is aiming to win the Premier League title with the Blues this season after clinching the Conference League in the 2024/25 campaign and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the summer.

Chelsea were very active in the summer transfer window and signed the likes of Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and Alejandro Garnacho, among other players.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Dean Jones, has reported that Chelsea could make two more signings in the January transfer window.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Chelsea manager Maresca wants a new defender because of the injury to Levi Colwill and could also sign a new goalkeeper, if Robert Sanchez does not continue to impress.

It has now emerged that Tottenham central defender Micky van de Ven is on Chelsea’s radar.

According to TBR, Tottenham are aware that Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are all keen on Van de Ven.

This has led Tottenham CEO Vinai Venkatesham to take action regarding the future of the Netherlands international defender.

Tottenham reportedly plan to ‘open dialogue’ with Van de Ven and hand the 24-year-old a new contract that will see him double his wages from £50,000 per week to £100,000 per week.

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Micky van de Ven good enough for Liverpool and Real Madrid

Van de Ven has been on the books of Tottenham since the summer of 2023, when he joined from Wolfsburg in a deal that could rise to £43million (€49.7m, $58.2m).

The defender has been one of Tottenham’s best players during his time so far and is one of the first names on the teamsheet when he is fit and available.

Van de Ven has impressed with his pace and reading of the game and has forged a formidable partnership with Cristian Romero at the back for Tottenham.

Like TBR, the Spanish media have reported Real Madrid’s interest in Van de Ven, as Los Blancos aim to sign more centre-backs in the upcoming transfer windows.

Van de Ven’s agent, Jose Fortes, himself has publicly said that the defender is good enough to play for Madrid.

Fortes told Marca in April 2025: “Micky also has the level to one day play for a big club like Real Madrid.”

Van de Ven’s agent added: “For my players, effort is non-negotiable. I wasn’t a good footballer, but that’s why I know how to help them.

“Micky fits this quality; he’s a born worker. After his injury, he’ll return to a high level, on par with any big club.”

Former Tottenham player and talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara is a huge fan of Van de Ven, and believes that he is better than Arsenal defender William Saliba and would start for Liverpool under Slot.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT in October 2024: “He (Van de Ven) is unbelievable. I would go as far as to say the best centre-half in the world right now.”

When fellow host and former Chelsea player Jason Cundy mentioned Saliba, O’Hara replied: “He is better than Saliba. Come on, mate. He has got way more than Saliba. Come on, don’t compare him to Saliba.”

O’Hara further added: “Saliba is brilliant, he is fantastic, don’t get me wrong. Great centre-half. But, don’t tell me Saliba has proved it. He has won nothing. Van de Ven is better than Saliba right now.

“Don’t compare him to Saliba, compare him to Van Dijk or Rudiger at Real Madrid or a top centre-half in the world.

“Saliba is a really good player, a top player, but let’s calm down a little bit, Arsenal have won nothing yet.

“Van de Ven is the best centre-half in the world right now. Right now on form, he walks into any team.

“He gets into Liverpool’s team, he gets into Real Madrid’s team, he gets into Manchester City’s team, he walks into any team in the world. Does Saliba play over Rudiger?”

Latest Tottenham news: Frank wants £20m forward, Liverpool competition

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is ‘confident’ that the club will sign a £20million forward in the January transfer window after they decided against a bid for him on deadline day.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, that Tottenham are competing with Liverpool and Manchester United for a robust midfielder who is a combination of Declan Rice and N’Golo Kante.

TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, has revealed why Lucas Paqueta did not join Tottenham from West Ham in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is ‘quietly confident’ that a top Serie A forward that Daniel Levy did not sign in the summer transfer window will move in January, according to a report, but the north London club are facing competition from Juventus for his signature.

After winning the Europa League last season and appointing Frank as the manager, Tottenham were busy in the summer transfer window, as Levy, who has since departed as the club’s chairman, was keen on strengthening the squad to enhance their chances of finishing in the Premier League top four and progressing from the League Phase of the Champions League this season.

Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were among the major signings that Tottenham made in the summer.

Kolo Muani arrived at Spurs on the final day of the summer transfer window, with the 26-year-old France international striker signing on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham were also in for Ademola Lookman on deadline day, with TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, reporting on September 1 that the Premier League club has asked for details about the Atalanta forward.

Atalanta were willing to sell Lookman, who was named the 2024 African Player of the Year at the Confederation of African Football Awards in Marrakech in December 2024, for £43.3million (€50m, $59m).

However, Tottenham never made a bid for Lookman, who is still at Atalanta and is set to train for the first time under manager Ivan Juric after he was frozen out of the team and trained separately in August after trying to force a move out of the Serie A outfit.

According to SportsBoom, Tottenham manager Frank is still keen on a January deal for Lookman, who scored 20 goals and gave seven assists in 40 appearances for Atalanta last season, playing predominantly as a second striker.

Frank is ‘a big admirer’ of Lookman and is ‘quietly confident’ that Tottenham will be able to sign the Nigeria international forward for £20million after telling the north London club to make a bid.

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Tottenham face Juventus competition for Ademola Lookman

It remains to be seen if Tottenham bid for Lookman in January and, indeed, if Atalanta are receptive to selling him, especially for just £20m (€23m, $27m).

Spurs will also face competition for the former Everton forward, with TuttoSport reporting that Juventus are keen on the 27-year-old.

Dusan Vlahovic is out of Juventus at the end of the season and is very likely to leave.

Juventus, who are aiming to win Serie A this season, plan to sign Lookman as a replacement for Vlahovic.

Lookman has been a star for Atalanta for a number of years now and is at the top of his game.

The forward won the Europa League with Atalanta in the 2023/24 campaign and was named the club’s best player in 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

If Tottenham are able to sign Lookman for £20m (€23m, $27m) in January, then they should go for it.

Latest Tottenham news: Midfield sensation wanted, target wins award

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has reported that Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a midfield sensation who is a mix of Declan Rice and N’Golo Kante.

Our transfer insider, Dean Jones, has revealed why Tottenham could not complete a late deal for West Ham United and Brazil international attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

A playmaker that Tottenham made a massive bid for in the summer transfer window has won a major individual award.

Tottenham Hotspur flirted with the idea of signing Lucas Paqueta in the summer transfer window, sources have told TEAMtalk, and if manager Thomas Frank had got his way, then the Brazilian playmaker would have been lining up in Spurs colours this weekend instead of for West Ham United.

Spurs will take on West Ham at London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday. The London derby between Tottenham and the Hammers is already shaping up to be a spiky clash, with Mohammed Kudus preparing to face his old club after switching to Spurs in the summer.

The match would have carried an extra charge had Paqueta been allowed to cross the London divide.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Tottenham identified Paqueta as a target in the summer, with manager Frank of the opinion that the 28-year-old playmaker could be the kind of player to add guile and authority to his midfield.

TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham ran the rule over Paqueta seriously. For a spell late in the window, there had even been whispers that West Ham might be forced into selling the 28-year-old, who can also play as a winger.

Aston Villa came closest to luring Paqueta away from West Ham, but the thought of him walking out eventually unsettled Hammers co-owner and co-chairman David Sullivan.

Sullivan dug in, aware of the uproar it would cause to let one of West Ham’s crown jewels to strengthen a rival such as Tottenham or Villa.

A slow start to the season sharpened his resolve, and Paqueta’s strike against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground before the international break – celebrated with relish – was a pointed reminder to the West Ham fanbase that he was not going anywhere.

Meanwhile, Spurs have been left to wonder what might have been.

Paqueta would have been the kind of high-level operator to lift Frank’s project up a notch, but the reality is that the Brazil international is still in West Ham colours, with Spurs still seek another midfielder in the January market.

Instead of building around Paqueta, Tottenham’s immediate job is to contain him, as they try to bounce back from a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League before the two-week international break.

West Ham know that they dodged a bullet in terms of optics – and Tottenham are aware they missed out on a player who could have transformed their midfield.

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Latest Tottenham news: Target wins award, Sunderland raid

A playmaker that Tottenham made a massive bid for in the summer transfer window has won a major award in his league.

Frank wants Tottenham to put in a bid for a Sunderland left-back after the north London club decided not to make an offer for him.

Tottenham have set a price-tag for a gem that Real Madrid have taken a shine to.

One of Europe’s best young attacking midfielders is going from strength to strength after turning down the chance to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, as TEAMtalk analyses whether Spurs would be able to convince him to join Thomas Frank’s side following the departure of Daniel Levy.

Tottenham were very active in the summer transfer window, as the north London club aimed to enhance the squad that won the Europa League last season. Under new manager Frank, Spurs are aiming to finish in the Premier League top four and also progress from the League Phase of the Champions League in the 2025/26 campaign.

Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were among the major signings that Levy made for Tottenham in the summer before stepping down as the chairman of the Premier League club.

Tottenham also made an ambitious bid for Nico Paz, with trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano revealing that Como rejected it, with the former Real Madrid playmaker himself keen on staying at the Italian club.

The Italian transfer guru noted that Paz wants to play for Madrid in the long run, having come through the Spanish and European giants’ youth system before turning out eight times for the first team, scoring one goal in the process.

Paz joined Como from Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, with Los Blancos holding buy-back clauses for 2025 (now expired), 2026, and 2027.

Romano wrote on X at 9:55pm on August 24: “EXCLUSIVE: Tottenham bid worth €70m package for Nico Páz has been turned down tonight. Páz wants to stay at Como with view on Real Madrid future + Real were gonna match any proposal in any case. Real have €10m buy back clause in 2026 but will compensate Como in future.”

Paz made 30 starts and five substitute appearances in Serie A for Como last season, scoring six goals and giving eight assists in the process.

The youngster also made his debut for Argentina in October 2024, with the great Lionel Messi subsequently describing his maturity as “crazy and beyond his age”, adding that the youngster “has an impressive head”.

Paz won the Serie A Best Under-23 player award for the 2024-25 campaign and was included in the Serie A Team of the Season.

The Como playmaker has made a strong start to the 2025/26 campaign and has scored one goal and given one assist in two Serie A matches.

Paz’s goal came in the 2-0 victory over Lazio when he scored from a direct free kick with his left foot.

The Tottenham target’s impressive start to the new Serie A season has led to him being bestowed with the honour of being the Rising Star (Best U23) of the month for August in Serie A.

Paz will receive the award ahead of Como’s Serie A game against Genoa at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia next Monday.

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Tottenham have to move on from Nico Paz

One has to laud former Tottenham chairman Levy for his ambitious bid for Paz, but that ship has sailed now.

Paz has publicly made it clear that his dream is to return to Real Madrid, and it is hard to see him make a U-turn on his stance and switch to Tottenham, should the Premier League club come back for him in January or next summer.

The playmaker told Provincia di Como: “The transfer market? I didn’t listen to anything.

“I stayed focused on preparing for the season. Let’s hope everything goes well and that we can reach the highest possible level.”

Spanish publication, AS, reported in on August 27 that Real Madrid have made a ‘promise’ to Paz to bring him back to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2026.

Madrid, who appointed Xabi Alonso as their new manager at the end of last season following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, have ‘told’ Paz that they are ‘counting on him for 2026’, as Los Blancos aim to exercise their buy-back clause of €9m (£7.7m, $10.5m).

Latest Tottenham news: Thomas Frank instruction, Real Madrid raid

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has told the club to make a bid for a defender in January, after the north London outfit decided not to make an offer for him in the summer transfer window.

Real Madrid have made a Tottenham star a major target, with the Premier League club setting a price-tag on him.

New Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou has been tipped to raid Tottenham for four players, but two of them are no going to swap clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank wants a Premier League star that the north London outfit decided against signing in the summer transfer window when Daniel Levy was the chairman, according to a report, but his club’s stance suggests that Spurs will struggle to get a deal done in January.

Following their success in the Europa League last season, Tottenham were very active in the summer transfer window, as the Premier League club get ready for a Champions League adventure. Under new manager Thomas Frank, Tottenham will also aim to end up in the Premier League top four in the 2025/26 campaign.

Tottenham strengthened their squad with the acquisitions of Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Kota Takai, Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani.

While Luka Vuskovic went out on loan to Hamburg, Tottenham made the loan deals of Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanent.

According to TBR, Tottenham were also interested in signing Dennis Cirkin from Sunderland in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham sold Cirkin to Sunderland in 2021 and were keen on bringing him back in the summer.

However, a move never materialised, but with Daniel Levy now having left as the Tottenham chairman, Spurs manager Frank is keen on a deal for the 23-year-old left-back, who missed all of pre-season because of injury and is out of contract at Sunderland at the end of the season.

TBR has reported that Tottenham are ‘considering’ making a bid for Cirkin in the January transfer window, with the left-back said to be ‘frustrated’ at his situation at the Stadium of Light.

Reinildo and Arthur Masuaku joined Sunderland in the summer transfer window, which means Cirkin will have a fight on his hands to regain his place in the starting line-up once he is fully fit and ready to feature.

Not only do Tottenham view Cirkin as a valuable cover option at full-back, but he would also count as a homegrown player for the Premier League club, having come through their youth academy – an important factor for Spurs if they progress from the League Phase of the Champions League.

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Sunderland stance on Dennis Cirkin future

While Tottenham will feel emboldened in their quest to re-sign Cirkin from Sunderland because of his contract situation, last season’s Europa League winners will be disappointed to learn that the Black Cats have no intention of cashing in on him in the January transfer window.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has gone public with the promoted Premier League club’s stance that talks are going on over a new deal for Cirkin.

Like the former Tottenham defender, 23-year-old midfielder Dan Neil is also out of contract at Sunderland at the end of the season.

Speakman told The Northern Echo on September 3: “No, I wouldn’t say it’s a concern. We’ve had similar situations in the past.

“It’s never really been a concern for us because we’re on top of the conversation. So there’s no ambiguity on where it’s at.

“It’s just so difficult over the transfer window to do everything, and we’ve got some outstanding topics to discuss and to resolve, and they’re two of them.

“So we’ll do as we’ve always done. We’ll continue to have those conversations and get to a consensus and a decision on it.”

When asked whether he’s optimistic extensions can be agreed for both players, Speakman responded: “I’m always optimistic!”

Latest Tottenham news: Real Madrid threat, Ange Postecoglou raid

Tottenham have set a price-tag on a top star whose consistent and impressive performances have made him a target for Spanish and European giants Real Madrid.

Newly-appointed Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou has been tipped to raid Tottenham for four players, but two of those stars are unlikely to swap Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the City Ground.

After Michael Owen’s criticism, former Tottenham striker Harry Kane has given four reasons why he left the north London club for Bayern Munich.

Real Madrid have identified Micky van de Ven as a potential target, with Tottenham Hotspur naming their price for the star defender, according to the report, which has also revealed how the Dutchman views a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu, as TEAMtalk analyses why this is good news for Arsenal.

Madrid have embarked on a new era under Xabi Alonso, who took over at the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of last season following Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to step down and take charge of the Brazil national team.

Los Blancos made three major defensive signings in the summer transfer window, with centre-back Dean Huijsen, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and left-back Alvaro Carreras making the moves from Bournemouth, Liverpool and Benfica, respectively.

The Spanish powerhouse are still on the hunt for another centre-back for the long term, with Liverpool and France international star Ibrahima Konate a key target for Real Madrid.

Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, and Madrid plan to snap him up on a free transfer next summer.

According to Fichajes, Madrid have taken a shine to another Premier League defender, with Micky van de Ven being viewed as ‘an ideal fit’ for Los Blancos president Florentino Perez’s project under manager Alonso.

The Spanish news outlet has reported that Madrid are ‘closely monitoring’ the development of the Tottenham and Netherlands international centre-back.

Real Madrid have been impressed with the 24-year-old’s consistency, with the Spanish and European giants’ coaching staff admiring ‘his ability to anticipate, his clean ball movement, and his decisive command of his own penalty area’.

The report has noted that Tottenham do not want to sell Van de Ven and hope that he stays part of manager Thomas Frank’s team for years to come.

However, Tottenham have set a price on Van de Ven, which, according to the report, is €80million (£69m, $93.6m).

Fichajes has added that Van de Ven’s ‘entourage’ have welcomed Madrid’s interest in the defender, with the report speculating that the Spurs star would find it hard to turn down the chance of joining arguably the world’s biggest club.

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Why Arsenal will be happy with Real Madrid pursuit of Van de Ven

While Fichajes is not among the most reliable media outlets, it must be noted that this is not the first time that Real Madrid have been linked with Van de Ven, who, according to former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou on the Premier League club’s official website in March 2024, has “no ceiling” and is “growing all the time”.

Another Spanish news outlet reported in December 2024 that Van de Ven was on Madrid’s shortlist of targets for January 2025 when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of Los Blancos.

In April 2025, Van de Ven’s agent, Jose Fortes, said that the defender is good enough to play for Madrid and told Marca: “Micky also has the level to play one day in a big club like Real Madrid. In addition, Madrid need a player behind him with his characteristics”.

Van de Ven is just 24 now and can still grow and develop as a footballer, so a move to Real Madrid is not impossible.

While Tottenham fans will be worried about Madrid’s reported interest in Van de Ven, Arsenal will be overjoyed.

Arsenal defender William Saliba is Real Madrid’s ‘dream target’, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Saliba is out of contract at Arsenal in the summer of 2027, and the two parties are in talks over a new deal.

While Arsenal are confident that Saliba will put pen to paper on a new deal, everyone in the industry is aware that the lure of Madrid is hard to resist.

If Madrid sign Van de Ven, then they would not have any need to bring in Saliba, too, especially with Konate looking very likely to move to the Santiago Bernabeu and Huijsen joining Los Blancos in the summer.

Latest Real Madrid news: Arsenal midfielder wanted Los Blancos, Konate boost

A top Arsenal star wanted to join Real Madrid in the summer transfer window before he moved to the north London club in the summer transfer window.

Real Madrid have received a huge boost in their quest to sign Ibrahima Konate as a free agent next summer, with the defender out of contract at defending Premier League champions at the end of the season.

Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed the name of the Real Madrid playmaker that Arsenal wanted to sign when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of Los Blancos.

Ange Postecoglou is being tipped to potentially raid his former club Tottenham Hotspur for four first-team stars in the January transfer window, but TEAMtalk can reveal why two of those potential moves will not happen.

Following weeks of speculation, Nottingham Forest finally pulled the plug on Nuno Espirito Santo’s time as manager after the former Spurs boss revealed that his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had soured after just one game of the new season.

It was confirmed on Monday night that Nuno had gone, with Forest announcing Postecoglou as his successor after the Australian was sacked by Tottenham following the club’s Europa League success.

And with Postecoglou back in the Premier League at the first available opportunity, it’s no surprise that he is being linked with raids on his old club.

The Express has named four players who could all be on Postecoglou’s radar come the new year, as he looks to bolster a Forest squad that secured a seventh-placed finish last season.

To that end, TEAMtalk have assessed the players named by the outlet and whether or not they could actually make the move to The City Ground.

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Destiny Udogie ❌

The Italy international played his best football in a Tottenham shirt during Postecoglou’s first 10 games in charge of the club before injuries started to strike.

Udogie has yet to start a game for Thomas Frank early in the campaign and is spot is currently being filled by new England squad member Djed Spence.

However, Udogie showed flashes in pre-season that he was looking more like his old self, being used as more of a conventional full-back rather than pushing into central midfield to cause overloads.

Spence’s emergence has put pressure on Udogie’s spot, but the former is not a natural in that position and it would be a huge shock if Frank let the better left-sided option leave midway through the season.

Ben Davies ✅

This is one that actually makes a fair bit of sense when you factor in Postecoglou’s recent for Davies’ ability to play in multiple positions.

The Wales star can operate as a left-back, a left-sided centre-back in a two or in a three and has always been a consistent performer at Premier League level.

The 32-year-old will be out of contract in the summer of 2026 and could move in a bargain deal this January or even be loaned to Forest ahead of becoming an eventual free agent.

The fact that Tottenham are still looking at bringing in a new left-sided central defender who can also operate as a full-back also appears to have put the nail in Davies’ coffin, and Postecoglou could be willing to strike.

Radu Dragusin ❌

Postecoglou was at the helm when Dragusin arrived in January 2024 in the midst of a Spurs injury defensive crisis.

While he flashed some potential at times, the 23-year-old Romanian international also had his struggles before he suffered an ACL injury in January of this year.

Dragusin is expected to return to light Tottenham training very soon but it would be a huge surprise if the club let him leave so early in his return from a serious injury – an issue that The Express failed to mention as they claimed he was just ‘out of the picture’ under Frank.

Mathys Tel ✅

As TEAMtalk mentioned in our feature on three Tottenham stars who could be on the way out in January, Tel’s exit could very much be on the cards.

Having been brutally left out of Spurs’ Champions League squad, there is every chance that Tel gets a loan move in the new year to find some regular game time – especially if the north London outfit are able to seal the signing of Manchester City’s Savinho.

Whether that is Forest or not remains to be seen, but the fact Postecoglou knows him very well clearly means that could be an option.

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With Tottenham Hotspur in the midst of a significant shift to inject more funds into improving the first-team squad after Daniel Levy’s exit, TEAMtalk has identified three of their top targets that need to be signed in January, as well as a trio of players who need to be offloaded.

Major funds are expected to be at the disposal of Thomas Frank to improve his squad further, after a summer in which they missed on to top targets but still managed to bring in the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.

While Palhinha and Kolo Muani only arrived on loan, there is every expectation that the former will seal a permanent £27million deal next summer. However, there was no option or obligation to bring in the PSG forward, which will likely leave a gap to fill come 2026.

A new striker will not be the focus for January, though, after Tottenham still left a few of holes that clearly needed filling over the summer – leading to TEAMtalk picking out the players best served to fill them.

And while Frank does need more strength in depth going forward, there are also Spurs players who will be deemed surplus to requirements come the new year – but we’ll look at that later.

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Three to sign for Tottenham

Nathan Ake

Current club: Man City

Position: Centre-back/left-back

Age: 30

Likely cost: £15-20m

Having been linked with the Netherlands international late in the window, when they were also still in the market for Etihad attacker Savinho, Ake fits the exact profile of the player Tottenham have to be looking to sign for Frank.

His ability to cover both centrally and at full-back is priceless, especially with the contract of long-serving Spurs star Ben Davies coming to an end next summer.

Ake has been a serial winner at City and Tottenham are crying out for more players with that kind of mindset, as they look to build on their Europa League win last season.

Much will obviously depend on how much game time Ake gets at City over the next few months, but if that is limited then Spurs transfer chiefs have to strike.

Conor Gallagher

Current club: Atletico Madrid

Position: Midfielder

Age: 25

Likely cost: £40-45m

While this one might not be all that popular with some Tottenham fans, just think of the improvements Gallagher would have made to his game playing under one of the top coaches in European football, Diego Simeone, since he moved to the Spanish capital.

The England midfielder is exactly the type of all-energy No.8 that Spurs are crying out for, especially all the while hugely talented teenager Lucas Bergvall continues to develop his game.

What was hugely evident in the home loss to Bournemouth before the international break was how out-worked Frank’s engine room was, with the Cherries midfield running all over Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr.

Indeed, Tottenham don’t really have a box-to-box midfielder capable of hitting double figures in terms of goals, something Gallagher came close to doing during his season on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021/22.

His game has gone up a level since then, and he would be an incredibly shrewd signing at this stage of his career. In short, he’s just a Thomas Frank-style player.

Savinho

Current club: Man City

Position: Left winger

Age: 21

Likely cost: £70-80m

Tottenham made no secret of their interest in the Brazilian attacker over the summer, having seen at least two offers rebuffed by City for his services.

Frank is a huge fan of Savinho and sees him as the perfect man to replace club legend Son Heung-min wide on the left, despite his stats last season not really aligning with the quality of his overall play.

There is a growing feeling that City will buckle when it comes to the skilful forward, especially if Pep Guardiola is unable to give him the starts he craves.

Expect Spurs to return with a huge club-record offer in the new year, which could even go as high as £80m.

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Trio of Tottenham stars who need to leave

Ben Davies

Position: Left-back

Age: 32

Transfer value: £3.8 (as per Transfermarkt)

The longest-serving player in the current Tottenham squad, having signed in 2014, Davies’ versatility has been valued for a number of years.

However, with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2026, Spurs would be wise to cash in on a player who is two years Ake’s senior and fills that same central and left-sided cover role.

Davies is more suited to playing centrally now but is better in a back three than a two, as has shown to be the case over the last few seasons when he has filled in.

It’s time to thank the Welshman for his service and move on.

Brennan Johnson

Position: Winger

Age: 24

Transfer value: £35m (as per Transfermarkt)

Johnson will end up on the bench once Savinho comes through the door, and with Wilson Odobert and the returning Dejan Kulusevski as backup options out wide, not to mention Simons’ ability to also play on the left, now could be the time to cash in on the Wales international.

There is no arguing with Johnson‘s stats since he arrived in north London in a £47.5m switch from Nottingham Forest, particularly last season when he chalked up 18 goals and seven assists.

However, as many Tottenham observers are fully aware, he offers very little else to the team and often drifts through games delivering nothing to the party.

Yes, he would be a great addition coming off the bench when a goal is needed, but Tottenham are better off trying to cash in on the 24-year-old while he is approaching the peak of his powers.

Indeed, there is every chance that Postecoglou comes calling for a City Ground return when January rolls around, although Spurs will certainly be demanding more than that Transfermarkt valuation.

Mathys Tel

Position: Forward

Age: 20

Transfer value: £30m

Let’s be clear from the off, this is not a sale but a loan, in order for Tel to continue his development for the second half of the season.

Being left out of Spurs’ Champions League squad will have come as a crushing blow to the young French forward and it makes sense for Spurs to give him guaranteed game time elsewhere.

The proposed arrival of Savinho would leave him as third-choice on the left flank, also behind Odobert, while he will not get a look in through the middle either as Kolo Muani, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke all battle for the No.9 spot.

Tel remains a major talent, though, and one that Tottenham still need to look to try and develop, as they play the long game of his future.