TEAMtalk

Tottenham have again been backed to re-sign one of their former players in the summer, with his current club ‘resigned’ to losing their man.

It’s been another chastening season for Spurs, with the club languishing in 14th in the Premier League table and exiting both domestic cup competitions over the past seven days.

However, Tottenham could yet salvage their season and secure Champions League qualification by winning the Europa League.

Despite the club’s dismal form, Spurs remain one of the bookies’ favourites for that competition, with Champions League sides no longer dropping into the tournament for the knockout rounds.

Whether Spurs are in next year’s UCL will have a bearing on the calibre of player they sign next summer. But according to two separate reports, Spurs already have their eye on re-signing Kyle Walker-Peters.

The 27-year-old left Spurs for Southampton in a £12m deal back in 2025. Walker-Peters penned a five-year contract and hasn’t signed an extension since.

As such, the versatile full-back – who can play on either side – is primed to become a free agent at season’s end.

Walker-Peters rejected the chance to join Turkish giant Galatasaray in the winter window to ensure he has his pick of clubs in free agency come the summer.

TBR Football recently claimed Tottenham are ready to offer their former full-back a return to north London.

A fresh update from talkSPORT added weight to those claims when talking up a Walker-Peters reunion at Spurs.

And encouragingly for Tottenham, the report also stressed Southampton are ‘resigned’ to losing their right-back even if they miraculously avoid relegation.

The report stated: ‘Saints chiefs have already resigned themselves to the fact they have no chance of keeping the 27-year-old.’

London rivals West Ham and Fulham are reportedly ‘tracking’ the two-cap England international too. But it’s a return to Tottenham that could turn the player’s head.

Latest Tottenham news – Leroy Sane…

In other news, CaughtOffside claim Tottenham are one of two ‘serious contenders’ to snap up Leroy Sane, also via free agency.

The 29-year-old’s deal at Bayern Munich is up in the summer and per the report, the club’s attempts to iron out an extension have failed.

The left-footed Sane is now ‘highly likely’ to be on the move and Spurs along with Barcelona are considering a swoop.

But with Barca’s well-documented financial woes putting a dampener on their chances, Tottenham may have a free run at forging a deal.

Sane has added three Bundesliga titles to his trophy cabinet since joining Bayern and bagged 107 goal contributions (56 goals, 51 assists) in 202 appearances for the club.

At 29, Sane would not represent a long-term option for Spurs, though not having to pay a transfer fee would soften that blow.

Tottenham are ‘serious contenders’ to beat Barcelona to the signature of a veteran Germany international in a colossal coup for the club, according to a report.

Spurs left it late, though did provide Ange Postecoglou with the reinforcements he craved in the final stages of the winter window.

With Antonin Kinsky banked much earlier in the piece, Tottenham landed Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel – both via the loan route – before the window drew to a close.

Spurs have an option to buy Tel for roughly €55m/£45m. Danso’s deal contains an obligation to buy worth €25m/£20.8m.

As such, it’s entirely possible both players join the club outright in the summer and per the latest from CaughtOffside, Tel could be joined in north London by a teammate from Bayern Munich.

It’s claimed Spurs are one of two clubs – Barcelona being the other – showing serious interest in Leroy Sane.

The 29-year-old has remained an elite-level performer since the days of winning two Premier League titles with Manchester City.

He’s added three Bundesliga titles to his CV with Bayern and bagged 107 goal contributions (56 goals, 51 assists) in 202 appearances for the club. However, the expectation is he’ll embark on a new chapter next season.

The left-footer’s current contract in Munich is due to expire at the end of the current campaign. Per a prior update from Sky Germany, Bayern have attempted to thrash out a new deal, but were demanding Sane reduce his base salary.

And per the update from CaughtOffside, those talks have not borne fruit, with Bayern ‘all but giving up on keeping Sane.’ Accordingly, it’s stated the winger is now ‘highly likely’ to move on via free agency.

Tottenham could thus sign a proven and readymade winger without having to pay a transfer fee. What’s more, the other confirmed suitor, Barcelona, may not put up that strong of a fight.

The club’s financial strife is well-documented, with an inability to finance a move the reason why they didn’t act on their interest in Marcus Rashford last month.

Furthermore, Barcelona already possess two of world football’s finest wingers in Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

The latter is already regarded as one of world football’s premier talents despite still being a teenager, while Raphinha is enjoying a Ballon d’Or-worthy year with 24 goals and 15 assists to his name in just 34 appearances this season.

If Barcelona do take a pass on Sane, Tottenham may have a free run at an ageing yet still highly effective forward who could make an instant impact in their final third.

Latest Tottenham news – Postecoglou replacement, Romero uproar and more…

➡️ Fabio Paratici primes perfect Postecoglou replacement as new name emerges on Tottenham radar

➡️ Tottenham fans in uproar over huge Cristian Romero contract update as Real Madrid links bubble up

➡️ Tottenham explode into race to sign £84m Arsenal attacking target in summer transfer coup

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly joined north London rivals Arsenal and a host of other clubs in the race to sign a massive Borussia Dortmund attacking talent this summer.

Injury-hit Spurs managed to get three new players on board during the winter window although two of them, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, are only on loan with respective obligations and options to buy.

However, money was available to spend, as was evidenced by the failed £70million bid to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. To that end, Tottenham are expected to be very active in the summer market – given all their glaring issues this season – whether it’s Ange Postecoglou still in charge or not.

And one player they are now being tipped to move for is £84m-rated Dortmund star Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who has made a huge impression with the Bundesliga outfit this season and would smash their transfer record if they forked out anything like the sort of figure being mooted.

GiveMeSport reports that the Spurs have placed the England Under-21 international among the names at the top of their summer wish-list, although they are wary of a potential bidding war involving the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.

The report adds that Tottenham have been given fresh optimism in their pursuit of a deal due to Dortmund struggling down in 11th in the Bundesliga table, although they do have one foot in the Champions League last 16 after a 3-0 win at Sporting in the first leg of their playoff clash – a game in which Gittens started.

In terms of his price tag, it’s unlikely that Dortmund will recoup his full exit clause, even though Gittens remains under contract until the summer of 2028, so any fee will still be a big one.

The 20-year-old, who is right-footed but can operate on both flanks, has scored an impressive 11 goals and added five assists in 31 games in competitions this term.

Gittens lined up as Son replacement

All but one of those appearances have come on the left wing, suggesting that Gittens is being targeted as Son Heung-Min’s long-term replacement in north London.

The South Korean has extended his stay for another season but looks a shadow of the player who once terrorised defences with his pace and movement.

Tottenham also have Wilson Odobert who can play off the left, while Tel is comfortable out wide or through the middle – although major doubts remain over whether the French attacker will agree to a permanent stay.

To that end, landing Gittens would be a major coup for a Tottenham side who are building a young, vibrant squad but just need their senior stars back as soon as possible to give Postecoglou the best chance of keeping his job and carrying on his project.

That starts with Sunday’s massive clash against Manchester United in north London, with Spurs able to leapfrog Ruben Amorim’s men in the table with a win.

Postecoglou’s men could also be boosted by the return of one of their key defenders for the game, with Destiny Udogie set to return to training on Wednesday after the players who featured at Villa were given two days off.

Former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is reportedly pushing for a current Serie A coach to take over from Ange Postecoglou, if Daniel Levy does decide to pull the trigger on the Australian’s time in north London.

The pressure is piling on Postecoglou after Spurs crashed out of two cup competitions in the space of just four days, while they continue to sit just 10 points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

At this stage, it appears that only the club’s strong position in the Europa League, where they’ve already booked a knockout round spot, and the fact that key players could return from injury soon is keeping Postecoglou in a job.

However, another home defeat to a Manchester United side also struggling and just above them in the table on Sunday could end up being the final straw for the former Celtic boss.

As we’ve stated previously, the Tottenham board have plenty of sympathy for Postecoglou, given the unparalleled injury crisis at the club this term, and are desperate for him to turn things around.

That being said, they are also doing their due diligence on potential replacements and TT understands that Andoni Iraoli, Thomas Frank, Edin Terzic, Kieran McKenna are all in contention for the role – although a return for Mauricio Pochettino is less likely.

However, a new name has now entered the frame, with Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi also on their radar.

According to Inter Live, Paratici, who still has influence at Spurs, is pushing Inzaghi for the role – with the 48-year-old having established himself as one of Europe’s top coaches while at the San Siro.

The Italian tactician has led Inter to a Serie A title and also guided them to the Champions League final, proving his ability to compete at the elite level.

The report adds that Tottenham are believed to be prepared to offer Inzaghi a lucrative deal to try and lure him to north London. Additionally, he will then be heavily backed in the summer transfer window.

There is no mention of what sort of compensation Spurs would have to pay, but the fact that Inzaghi is under contract until 2027 means he will not come cheap.

Latest Tottenham news: Fans react to Romero new contract claims / Moore backed after harsh treatment

Tottenham fans have not reacted positively to the news that the club are ready to make Cristian Romero their top earner in order to fend off growing interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The central defender has experienced just one season of Champions League football during his three-and-a-half years in north London but has also had his fair share of injury issues in that time.

Romero has been sidelined since early December with a thigh injury and, although he has been spotted back in Tottenham training, it appears that he is no closer to returning to action.

Despite that, TBR Football reports that Spurs are ready to make the 26-year-old their highest-paid player in a bid to keep him out of Real’s clutches.

Meanwhile, pundits appear to have criticised Ange Postecoglou over his handling of exciting Tottenham attacking talent Mikey Moore in recent outings after reacting to the FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa.

How low can they go? Tottenham when they sacked recent managers

Postecoglou currently has Tottenham sitting 14th in the Premier League table, which is significantly lower than they would expect to be. But how far down the table have they been when sacking other managers in their recent history?

Antonio Conte: 4th

Despite some early optimism, Conte never seemed the right fit for Tottenham when they were hoping for a progressive future. A mutual agreement was reached in March 2023 for the Italian tactician to step down after what had been an emotional season on and off the field for him.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club had “a fight on [their] hands” to qualify for the Champions League, but they were actually in fourth place at the time of Conte’s exit.

Chaos was to come, though, with Spurs next sacking their acting head coach Cristian Stellini and placing Ryan Mason back in caretaker charge as they sank to an eighth-placed finish.

Nuno Espirito Santo: 9th

The search for a new permanent manager ahead of the 2021-22 season was a nightmarish one for Tottenham, who were turned down by several of their preferred candidates before deciding to go for ex-Wolves boss Nuno – someone they had originally ruled out of the running.

Nuno won the Premier League Manager of the Month award in August 2021, but Spurs’ form spiralled and he lasted only until the start of November before he was ousted for Conte.

Tottenham were ninth at the time of the switch, but Conte steered them back up to fourth by the end of the season.

To add insult to injury, Nuno is now working wonders back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest – a club who weren’t even in the top flight in the season when he was in charge of Spurs.

Jose Mourinho: 7th

Mourinho has always made a big deal of the fact he was sacked by Spurs on the verge of a cup final, but it must have been their league form weighing on the club’s decision makers when they got rid of him in April 2021.

Tottenham were seventh in the table at the time – and that’s where they would finish as well, under the stewardship of caretaker boss Ryan Mason.

Mason’s first game in charge was the Carabao Cup final Mourinho had been looking forward to, which Tottenham lost to Manchester City to prolong their extended wait for silverware.

Mauricio Pochettino: 14th

The only manager to ever get Tottenham to a Champions League final, Pochettino had some credit in the bank for how he had inspired a resurgence in north London over his five-year reign. But it wasn’t enough to spare him from the sack when Tottenham found themselves languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League by November 2019.

“We were extremely reluctant to make this change. It is not a decision the board has taken lightly, nor in haste,” Levy said at the time. “Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing.

“It falls on the board to make the difficult decisions – this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff – but we do so in the club’s best interests.”

Replacement Mourinho ultimately led Tottenham to sixth in the final standings that season.

Tottenham fans have not reacted positively to the news that the club are ready to make Cristian Romero their top earner in order to fend off growing interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Argentina World Cup winner is currently under contract until the summer of 2027 but is attracting plenty of interest from the LaLiga outfit as they reportedly prepare a big-money summer bid for his services.

The central defender has experienced just one season of Champions League football during his three-and-a-half years in north London but has also had his fair share of injury issues in that time.

Indeed, Romero has been sidelined since early December with a thigh injury and, although he has been spotted back in Tottenham training, it appears that he is no closer to returning to action.

Despite that, TBR Football reports that Tottenham are ready to make the 26-year-old their highest-paid player in a bid to keep hold of him – although the report does not mention any actual numbers involved.

TBR states that Spurs remain hopeful that they can persuade Romero to sign a new long-term contract and that there has been communication between the player’s camp and the club.

Indeed, Tottenham are fully aware of Real’s desire to sign the former Juventus man as they look to upgrade an aging back line at The Santiago Bernabeu, with Arsenal’s William Saliba also a target.

Romero himself has already hinted at a Spurs exit after speaking out against the club’s hierarchy, suggesting that they were the ones responsible for the team’s struggles this season.

It’s also no secret that Tottenham are actively looking to sign another central defender this summer after Radu Dragusin’s long-term injury, despite the fact they brought in Kevin Danso in the winter window on a loan-to-buy deal.

Offers for both Marc Guehi and Maxime Esteve were both rejected on deadline day, while the club have also been linked with the likes of Dean Huijsen, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, Antonio Silva and Tomas Araujo.

Tottenham fans not all on board with Romero rumour

However, despite all the talk of a lucrative new deal for Romero, it appears that many Tottenham fans are not actually on board with the idea.

There is a strong argument that the defender performs far better for his country than his club, with Romero often caught out of position – even when he’s alongside the outstanding Micky van de Ven.

Reacting to the news on X, one fan said: “He has not earned it to be honest, I’d rather sell and buy another top-class defender who wants to play for us and not just his country.”

Another added: “Why would you make someone who’s missed a whole campaign’s worth of games in three and a half seasons your highest-paid player?”

Indeed, plenty of question marks are certainly being raised by the rumours of a new contract, with anorther fan stating: “Is this worth it? He has missed half a season for the past three seasons with injuries. Phenomenal player, deserving of being our highest earner and can lead us for the next five years for sure, but with all these injuries, I’m not sure.”

“I love Cuti so much but why would they try if he is determined to leave? Not to mention that he spent half of last season and this season injured! This club is being ridiculous, to be honest,” claimed another fan.

Another Spurs supporter commented: “No thanks. Never available, has never improved our defence, and like most Argentinians we’ve had, doesn’t care about our badge, just wants to be near Messi. Let him leave.”

Rangers are set for a busy summer window as they look to build a team capable of beating Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title and several players could be sold to fund a rebuild.

There are also question marks over manager Philippe Clement and replacing him is a possibility, but regardless Rangers are planning for a big window in terms of outgoings and incomings.

Striker Cyriel Dessers is one player Rangers have looked to sell over the last two windows and he is one who could go in the summer.

The Nigerian international has been very hit and miss since joining in 2023 and is on big wages which Rangers would be happy to recoup and invest in other places.

TEAMtalk understands there is interest in Dessers from Italy and conversations over a potential deal have taken place with his agents as Rangers look to drum up interest.

Fellow striker Hamza Igamane is another who will be subject to bids but for different reasons. The 22-year-old has been sensational since breaking into Rangers; first team and is wanted by clubs in England and around Europe. As previously reported, Tottenham and Everton have both sent scouts to watch him in action.

The Glasgow side hope to bring in £25million for the Moroccan who has lit up the SPL and Europa League this season, since joining for around £2.5m last summer.

EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool plotting summer move for electric Ligue 1 winger Everton let go

James Tavernier very likely to leave Rangers – sources

Rangers captain James Tavernier, meanwhile, is suspected to be in his final season at Ibrox.

The full-back has been vital for Rangers over recent years but at 33-year-old is coming to the end of his career and one of the biggest earners at the club.

Tavernier’s contract is set to expire in 2026 and there are no signs of a renewal of any kind on the horizon, per TEAMtalk sources.

Midfielder Tom Lawrence is also expected to leave the club at the end of the season and there were hopes of getting him out the door in the January window.

A move away ultimately didn’t materialise for Lawrence and he is now set to leave for free in the summer window when his contract expires.

Dujon Sterling, Jefte and Mohamed Diomande are also generating interest from multiple sides and could be subject to bids from clubs.

Rangers’ transfer philosophy is to sign promising players for low fees and sell them on for a big profit. Igamane is the man with by far the biggest valuation at this stage.

If Rangers are able to move on some stars it’s expected that multiple new faces will arrive as they look to fight for silverware on all fronts next season.

Tottenham Hotspur look set to welcome back at least one of their key defenders for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United in a rare piece of good news for Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs were still missing Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie in the two Cup defeats to Liverpool and Aston Villa, while Radu Dragusin is expected to be out until the end of the year with his ACL issue.

Van de Ven did return for 45 minutes against Elfsborg in the Europe League but has not been seen since as Tottenham manage his workload over concerns of another setback.

And while there is a slim chance of the Dutchman taking on the Red Devils, given that Spurs actually have a free midweek week for only the second time since August, Romero appears to be further away as he continues to build up his fitness after his quadriceps injury.

However, there is better news on Udogie, who has been out of action for the last six weeks after damaging his hamstring against Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 29.

Spurs have only won once in the league since that 2-2 draw, with Postecoglou desperate to get some of his key performers back as he battles to secure his job in north London.

Italy international Udogie has played 23 games across all competitions this season, although his form prior to his injury was not the best and his return would give Postecoglou a real selection dilemma.

During the club’s struggling run of results, Djed Spence has arguably been Tottenham’s best player – largely playing out of position at left-back to cover for Udogie.

If Udogie is fit, Postecoglou could always switch Spence back to his natural right side and drop Pedro Porro down to the bench, given the number of games that the Spaniard has played during the club’s injury crisis.

In terms of who else could return against United, it’s looking unlikely that the likes of Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Timo Werner and Dominic Solanke will be available for what is arguably a must-win game given the club’s poor league position.

Tottenham are currently 14th in the Premier League table after 24 games, 10 points off the relegation places as they look to get back to winning ways.

Postecoglou adapts training schedule

After admitting that his players were too fatigued to play a full press in the Villa FA Cup defeat, it’s emerged that Postecoglou has made a decision to help his squad regain some freshness before they return to league action after defending them for their efforts in Sunday.

Speaking after the match, he said: “People can judge me. They can say I’ve done a bad job, I’m not up to it or whatever. That’s fine. What I’m saying is you can’t be critical of our players’ performances at this time.

“If you want to measure anything on what they’re doing at the moment, other than the extreme situation they’re dealing with, then I think your analysis is skewed and it’s not objective.

“If it’s to get rid of me that’s fine. Good on you. Go for it a million times. But in terms of this group of players, what they’ve given over the past two and a half months has been outstanding.”

The Telegraph has now revealed that the Australian has decided to give his players both Monday and Tuesday off as he attempts to hit the reset button on the season.

The majority of the squad are expected to return to Hotspur Way on Wednesday to restart their preparations for the upcoming clash against Man Utd.

Ange Postecoglou is now in growing danger of the sack at Tottenham following their defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday, with sources confirming three replacement options are already being looked at by the club.

Spurs have had a dismal season and find themselves 14th in the Premier League table and out of both domestic cups, with the Europa League their only chance of salvaging anything this term.

Postecoglou has always won a trophy in the second season of his tenures at previous clubs and was hopeful of doing so with Tottenham, but the chances of that are diminishing.

Many are now asking questions about Postecoglou’s future. There is an acceptance behind the scenes that Tottenham’s injury problems this season have had a major impact, but ultimately football is a results business.

Tottenham have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and now find themselves 10 points outside the relegation zone, after losing to third-bottom side Leicester City two weeks ago.

TEAMtalk understands that there are options on the table should Tottenham be forced into making a managerial change. Sources point towards their home game against Manchester United on Sunday as being crucial for Postecoglou’s future.

An elite European manager who reached the Champions League final last season is on Tottenham’s shortlist, along with two current Premier League bosses.

Tottenham keeping close tabs on three managers – sources

As we reported in January, former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic is on Tottenham’s radar. The fact that he is currently out-of-contract and available is attractive to the club.

The 42-year-old left Dortmund last summer after guiding them to the Champions League final, and now he’s ready for a new challenge. Terzic would be very interested in joining a Premier League club for his next job.

TEAMtalk sources state that Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is ‘liked a lot’ by Tottenham and he would be considered should Spurs choose to sack Postecoglou.

However, luring Iraola away from Bournemouth would be very difficult mid-season and we understand he is fully focused on helping the Cherries finish as high as possible this term.

Sources close to the situation have also confirmed that Brentford boss Thomas Frank would be a top managerial target should Tottenham part ways with Postecoglou.

The London side looked at Frank before they appointed Postecoglou in 2023 and he is highly regarded by club chiefs.

Sources suggest that Frank could leave Brentford at the end of the season and he is set to be a big target for a number of top sides should they change manager.

The suggestion from sources is that Frank is ready to take the next big step in his career and take charge of one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

DON’T MISS: SEVEN Tottenham players fighting for their futures amid frenzied Ange Postecoglou sack talk

How low can they go? Tottenham when they sacked recent managers

Postecoglou currently has Tottenham sitting 14th in the Premier League table, which is significantly lower than they would expect to be. But how far down the table have they been when sacking other managers in their recent history?

Antonio Conte: 4th

Despite some early optimism, Conte never seemed the right fit for Tottenham when they were hoping for a progressive future. A mutual agreement was reached in March 2023 for the Italian tactician to step down after what had been an emotional season on and off the field for him.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club had “a fight on [their] hands” to qualify for the Champions League, but they were actually in fourth place at the time of Conte’s exit.

Chaos was to come, though, with Spurs next sacking their acting head coach Cristian Stellini and placing Ryan Mason back in caretaker charge as they sank to an eighth-placed finish.

Nuno Espirito Santo: 9th

The search for a new permanent manager ahead of the 2021-22 season was a nightmarish one for Tottenham, who were turned down by several of their preferred candidates before deciding to go for ex-Wolves boss Nuno – someone they had originally ruled out of the running.

Nuno won the Premier League Manager of the Month award in August 2021, but Spurs’ form spiralled and he lasted only until the start of November before he was ousted for Conte.

Tottenham were ninth at the time of the switch, but Conte steered them back up to fourth by the end of the season.

To add insult to injury, Nuno is now working wonders back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest – a club who weren’t even in the top flight in the season when he was in charge of Spurs.

Jose Mourinho: 7th

Mourinho has always made a big deal of the fact he was sacked by Spurs on the verge of a cup final, but it must have been their league form weighing on the club’s decision makers when they got rid of him in April 2021.

Tottenham were seventh in the table at the time – and that’s where they would finish as well, under the stewardship of caretaker boss Ryan Mason.

Mason’s first game in charge was the Carabao Cup final Mourinho had been looking forward to, which Tottenham lost to Manchester City to prolong their extended wait for silverware.

Mauricio Pochettino: 14th

The only manager to ever get Tottenham to a Champions League final, Pochettino had some credit in the bank for how he had inspired a resurgence in north London over his five-year reign. But it wasn’t enough to spare him from the sack when Tottenham found themselves languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League by November 2019.

“We were extremely reluctant to make this change. It is not a decision the board has taken lightly, nor in haste,” Levy said at the time. “Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing.

“It falls on the board to make the difficult decisions – this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff – but we do so in the club’s best interests.”

Replacement Mourinho ultimately led Tottenham to sixth in the final standings that season.

Pundits appear to have criticised Ange Postecoglou over his handling of exciting Tottenham attacking talent Mikey Moore in recent outings after reacting to the FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa.

Spurs crashed out of their second cup competition in the space of just four days after going down to a 2-1 loss at Villa Park, a game in which Moore was handed another start but hauled off at half-time.

It’s the second time that has happened to Moore in his last two starts, having also been taken off in the much-needed Premier League win at Brentford. But in the case of the Villa loss, it was down to Postecoglou getting his midfield set-up wrong again and being forced into a change.

The home side had so much room to play in the opening period of the cup contest as Tottenham‘s three-man midfield of Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski failed to have any impact on the game.

That forced Postecoglou to turn to turn to Yves Bissouma off the bench, with Moore hooked having arguably been one of the team’s better players in a poor opening period.

And Sky Sports and BBC Sport pundit Micah Richards was not particularly impressed with how the 17-year-old talent was treated.

Speaking alongside Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer on The Rest Is Football podcast following another early substitution, Richards has explained why Moore had been thriving in Europe but hadn’t quite found his comfort zone against Premier League sides just yet.

He said: “Mikey Moore, unfortunately, I think he’s been taking off at half time in his two last games. He’s doing really well in Europe, but he’s finding it difficult.

Lineker replied: “He did hit a great cross for Son’s chance, though. That was a really good ball in his, you know. And he’s only 17, isn’t he?”

Richards: “But he’s really good, but because Spurs have been struggling, he’s not been able to show his best self.

“And when you’re playing in sometimes a lesser team in Europe, he looks really good. So I was gutted when he got brought off at half time.”

Shearer critical of Tottenham midfield set-up

Former Newcastle and England striker Shearer was particularly critical of Tottenham’s midfield balance at Villa Park, something that has been a major issue for much of the season.

Central midfield has been the least affected of all the injury issues that Spurs have endured this season, but it’s arguably been the biggest problem for Postecoglou – given his side’s failure to control games at all in the middle of the park.

The Tottenham boss has tried numerous different combinations in his engine room but nothing has really worked, a clear indication that he probably doesn’t have the right personnel on board to implement what he wants from his midfield.

And Shearer added, when speaking abot that particular issue: “You’re right about the midfield. I made the point in core comms about how easy it was for Villa to just play right through the middle of Tottenham, because there was no bite in there.

“So he had to do something at half time and change that.

“And it was a bit harsh on young Mikey Moore, but someone had to come off, because they had to stiffen up in the midfield, because it was too easy for Aston Villa.”

One answer could eventually be Archie Gray playing as a No.6 but defensive woes mean he continues to operate at the back. Indeed, it’s very likely that Tottenham address their midfield in the summer, whether Postecoglou is in charge or not.

An option to buy Real Betis Johnny Cardoso remains in play early in the summer, with a deal being struck for the USA international as part of Giovani Lo Celso’s return to Spain.

Tottenham have been warned as to why they should not even try to bring back former fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, as the pressure continues to mount on Ange Postecoglou.

It was very clear to hear Spurs fans chanting Pochettino’s name as Spurs crashed out of their second cup competition in the space of just four days to compound what is turning into a disastrous campaign.

The 2-1 loss at Aston Villa came off the back of a 4-0 rout at Anfield on Thursday night as Postecoglou‘s claim that he “always wins a trophy in his second season” is now down to just one chance – the Europa League.

The way that Tottenham were largely outplayed by a Villa side who, like Tottenham, were also missing some key players through injury was a telling factor in Postecoglou’s inability to outmatch a rival manager – in this case Unai Emery – as has been the case for much of the season.

The north London outfit currently sit 14th in the Premier League, 10 points above the drop zone, and face a Manchester United side just above them at home on Sunday in what is likely to be a pivotal game for Postecoglou’s future – if he lasts out the rest of this week.

But former Celtic striker Chris Sutton, having previously backed Posteecoglou, thinks Tottenham should re-hire Pochettino on a short-term deal, given that he previously elevated the club from a dark place.

While there is no questioning that if Pochettino did return to Spurs, it would give their supporters an incredible lift after the club’s collapse this season, former centre-back Ramon Vega has explained why the Argentine will not take the role.

Vega wrote on X: “There’s no point in calling for [Mauricio] Pochettino. 1. He is already contracted and committed to the US Men’s national team and it would be disrespectful both to the US Men’s national team and to him. 2.

“He was sacked without proper support after achieving the remarkable feat of reaching the Champions League final in Madrid.

“This was a significant opportunity to establish a real football project, but the board missed the chance and failed to support him. We are currently facing the revolving issue for years a lack of genuine support in the football department. Changing Ange [Postecoglou] will not solve anything. The solution lies in changing the mentality and commitment at the top regarding football.”

Vega’s comments referring to things ‘at the top’ are clearing regarding Daniel Levy’s overall running of the club and the failure to support Pochettino after the Champions League defeat and let him try and build a new team – as well as everything that has since followed.

Levy backed Postecoglou in January

Levy did at least show some commitment to Postecoglou in the winter window with the additions of Antonin Kinsky, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel – although the latter two did come in the final days of the window when it was clear and obvious that an injury-plagued Spurs squad needed help sooner than that.

Injuries have certainly been the main factor behind the club not pulling the trigger on the manager for now but, bar the recent win over Brentford and qualification for the knockout phase of the Europa League, things have been on a downward spiral for a number of weeks.

However, for his part, Postecoglou is continuing to fight and praised his players again for their efforts in the loss at Villa.

Speaking after the game, he told reporters: “People can judge me. They can say I’ve done a bad job, I’m not up to it or whatever. That’s fine.

“What I’m saying is you can’t be critical of our players’ performances at this time.

“If you want to measure anything on what they’re doing at the moment, other than the extreme situation they’re dealing with, then I think your analysis is skewed and it’s not objective.

“If it’s to get rid of me that’s fine. Good on you. Go for it a million times. But in terms of this group of players, what they’ve given over the past two and a half months has been outstanding.”

Latest Tottenham news: Tel hint over Spurs future / Teenage striker fight

Tottenham legend Harry Kane has hinted that new boy Mathys Tel could extend his stay in north London beyond the summer after revealing a phone conversation between the pair after the Frenchman completed his initial loan switch on deadline day.

Daniel Levy and co. were only able to sign Tel on loan for now, due to the player’s reluctance to sign permanently, although they do have a £45million option to buy come the summer.

And, despite reports that Tel is already lining up a move to Man Utd instead when the season ends, Kane has revealed how excited Tel was to seal his switch and the immediate impression Tottenham had made on him – hinting at an extended stay in the process.

Meanwhile, Spurs are reportedly in danger of losing one of their top academy attacking stars as Serie A heavyweight duo Juventus and AC Milan prepare to make their moves for the teenager.