TEAMtalk

Tottenham Hotspur remain keen to strengthen their wide options and have reportedly identified an exciting LaLiga star as an alternative to Manchester City ace Savinho.

Thomas Frank has got off to a good start at Spurs, with the North London side currently sitting joint-second in the Premier League table after picking up 10 points from five games.

The Tottenham hierarchy are keen to back Frank in January following a summer in which they signed exciting players such as Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel (permanent) and Randal Kolo Muani (loan).

However, Frank is still keen to add a new winger to his squad.

Tottenham were keen to bring in Man City star Savinho in the summer window. They were ultimately unable to get a deal over the line, and now they have shifted their attention to Sevilla winger Ruben Vargas instead.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who reported for Football Insider: “It’s an interesting one. Spurs tried for Savinho in the summer, but weren’t able to get a deal done as City blocked that.

“Vargas is a player who’s done really well for Sevilla, Swiss international as well. So he’s obviously, I think, attracting interest from a number of clubs, not just Tottenham.

“Spurs are quite well-stocked out wide after they got a deal done for Simons, who plays in the same position as Vargas.

“They’ve also got Odobert, Tel and even Richarlison who can play out wide, so I don’t think it’s a priority for Tottenham to be signing another wide player.”

Tottenham consider move for LaLiga star

Vargas, 27, joined Sevilla from FC Augsburg in January for just €2.5m (£2.2m / $2.9m) and he has already made a big impression in Spain.

The 54-time capped Swiss international missed a chunk of games last term due to an ankle injury but has now fully recovered.

Vargas has notched three goals and four assists in 15 games for Sevilla so far. At former club Augsburg, he scored 23 goals and made 19 assists in 161 games, and his form caught the attention of several teams.

Sevilla are keen to keep hold of Vargas, but a sizeable bid from Tottenham could force them into making a tough decision.

It is unclear how much Spurs would have to put on the table for Vargas at this stage. Football Insider’s report does not mention a specific price tag, but Transfermarkt value him at €7m (£6.1m / $8.2m).

That makes Vargas a much, much cheaper option than Savinho, who remains a player of interest for Tottenham.

Man City value the Brazilian in excess of £65m. If Spurs opt to go for Vargas instead, they could use the funds saved to invest in other areas of the squad.

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Tottenham Hotspur are emerging as another potential suitor for Yehor Yarmolyuk, TEAMtalk understands, with Thomas Frank keen on a reunion with the Brentford midfielder.

It was reported earlier this week that Manchester United are considering the 21-year-old as part of their 2026 squad planning. Yet Tottenham are also understood to be admirers and are keeping tabs as they weigh up a midfield move of their own next year.

Frank, who took over at Tottenham in the summer, knows Yarmolyuk well from their time together at Brentford. During that spell, the Ukraine international made 66 appearances under his guidance and developed into one of the Bees’ most trusted young performers.

Sources indicate that Spurs are expected to be in the market for a midfielder with a similar profile in the near future, and Yarmolyuk could fit the bill if his progress continues.

His adaptability and work rate have been hallmarks of his game and for Tottenham those traits are viewed as vital as Frank looks to put his stamp on the squad and usher in a new era.

Financially, there is an element of appeal. Indications are that Yarmolyuk could be attainable for £30m or less should he be made available – a figure that would place him firmly within Spurs’ scope of investment.

However, we understand Brentford’s stance is firm for now. They insist that any departure in the middle of this campaign is off the table, with the Bees determined to keep hold of one of their most promising assets while they continue to battle for stability in light of losing Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard last summer…

Tottenham could rival Man Utd for Brentford ace

Brentford’s position is unlikely to deter Yarmolyuk’s admirers from positioning themselves for later opportunities.

Tottenham are expected to keep monitoring the Ukraine international’s progress closely, just as Man Utd will include him on their long-term shortlist as Ruben Amorim looks to strengthen his midfield.

With Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, Morten Hjulmand, Elliot Anderson and others already being watched, Yarmolyuk is now beginning to appear in the same conversations.

Frank is a big admirer of Yarmolyuk, who still has the potential to improve further as he gains experience..

“I am pleased with how he is progressing,” Frank said in an interview in April, when he was still Brentford manager.

“[Yarmolyuk] possesses a fantastic mindset and trains well every day. If you train well consistently and are one of the best in practice, you will eventually make your way to the starting lineup, and I hope he establishes himself there.

“What I appreciate about Yegor is primarily his mentality and focus during training. I see him as a very dynamic player who excels under pressure and in duels, while also being technically gifted.

” I like his personality. He appeals to me both as a player and as a person.”

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Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to unleash an incredible attacking talent onto the big stage, as they aim to showcase their own top youngsters after Arsenal and Liverpool starlets have made big headlines so far this season.

It’s been a strong start to the campaign for Spurs under their new boss Thomas Frank, suffering just the one defeat in their opening five Premier League outings and also claiming victory in their first Champions League contest.

While there has been plenty of noise surrounding Tottenham‘s impressive end to the summer transfer window, as they snapped up both Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani, the club’s young talent continues to make waves.

Lucas Bergvall, 19, is already starting to make big strides under Frank, having initially flourished under Ange Postecoglou last term. Archie Gray, meanwhile, continues to wait in the wings but has now been identified as a midfielder by the new Tottenham manager after juggling many different roles in his first season at the club.

But, looking beneath that, Spurs have another top talent who has been making headlines at Under-18 and Under-21 level, in the shape of Luca Williams-Barnett.

The 16-year-old netted a brilliant first-half hat-trick as Tottenham’s Under-21s thrashed Leicester City away from home on Friday, and there have been calls from many fans to get him involved in the first team set-up sooner rather than later.

Williams-Barnett did actually get a taste of it last season when he was named in the matchday squad for the Europa League clash against Galatasaray, but did not feature.

In last season’s Under-18 Premier League he scored 19 goals in 20 games and also added nine assists, while he also grabbed a goal and an assist in the UEFA Youth League win over Villarreal last Tuesday.

Williams-Barnett is a No.10 by trade who glides past players, is two-footed and is known for scoring spectacular goal after spectacular goal.

Given all the noise surrounding Arsenal’s 15-year-old talent Max Dowman and Liverpool’s 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha so far this season, there is every chance that Williams-Barnett could be handed his first-team bow at some point of Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Doncaster Rovers.

Indeed, back in April, Williams-Barnett admitted that he is dreaming of scoring goals in front of a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That chance could come sooner than he thinks.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s impressive fightback to draw 2-2 at Brighton on Saturday showed up several flaws that Thomas Frank still has to work through, one of which needs to be fixed in the January transfer window, while Randal Kolo Muani’s absence at The Amex has also been explained.

After largely dominating proceedings on the south coast, Spurs found themselves 2-0 down against a team that did the double over them least season. However, strikes from Richarlson and a late Jan Paul van Hecke’s own goal salvaged a point for Frank’s men.

While there were positives to take from that point gained, Tottenham did not look as solid defensively as they have so far this season, while the play in the final third clearly still needs some work.

One glaring issue, though, remains the left wing, where Wilson Odobert was handed a rare start and did reasonably well. But Spurs and Frank need more from a position that was once such a threat when club legend Son Heung-min was destroying opposition defences.

While Son was helping himself to a hat-trick in the less taxing MLS on Thursday night, Tottenham have been trying to plug a gap they should have done during the summer window.

New signing Xavi Simons operated there for the wins over West Ham and Villarreal but, as he showed at Brighton when he come off the bench to play centrally, that is clearly his best position and where he can do plenty of damage.

Brennan Johnson replaced Odobert on the left with 18 minutes to go and had zero impact on the game, as can so often happen with the Welshman despite his incredible stats last season.

To that end, the north London club are expected to make a major push for a new left-sided forward come January, with an offer in excess of £70million being primed for Brazilian forward Savinho after failed bids for the Manchester City star over the summer.

However, if City play hardball again, then there is every chance Tottenham renew their interest in Ademola Lookman, given how the former Everton attacker is currently being alienated at Atalanta.

Lookman would be considerably cheaper in January and is equally effective on the left as he is through the middle, giving Frank another quality attacking option.

Either way, Tottenham HAVE to act in January to fill that gaping Son void and fill what is arguably the only major hole left in Frank’s starting XI.

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How long Randal Kolo Muani could be on sidelines at Tottenham

Another player who could have filled that left-sided role at Brighton, Randal Kolo Muani, was surprisingly absent on the south coast, given there were rumours he was set to be handed his first start for the club.

The deadline day arrival made his debut off the bench against Villarreal and it’s only a matter of time before he eventually forces his way into the side.

However, it’s been revealed that he suffered a dead leg in training ahead of the Seagulls clash, forcing him out of the draw at The Amex.

In clear signs that the so-called ‘Tottenham injury curse’ may have struck yet again, the France international had a near impeccable injury record during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt and PSG.

Indeed, Kolo Muani had missed one game through injury in his senior career to date before Saturday’s clash, while he also missed one PSG outing with a virus.

However, his dead leg should not keep the striker out for long, depending on the severity. The normal length of absence for that sort of injury is 5-7 days, meaning the striker should be good to face Wolves at home next Saturday.

Worst-case scenario, he could be looking at four to six weeks, although that’s unlikely as Kolo Muani looks to make his mark in north London.

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A Tottenham starter has been called “poor” by Clinton Morrison as a number of fans have called for his place to be given to somebody else after his latest performance.

Spurs came from behind to draw 2-2 against Brighton in their latest game in the Premier League. The Seagulls opened the scoring through Yankuba Minteh, before Yasin Ayari doubled their lead, but Tottenham striker Richarlison’s goal was followed by a late Jan Paul van Hecke own goal.

The second Brighton goal has received a poor response from pundits and fans alike, as Ayari’s strike from outside the area was at Guglielmo Vicario, before swerving away slightly, as the keeper flapped at it and it passed into his net.

Morrison said: “Ayari has a shot… Oh my gosh. The ball moves, but Vicario should do way better. It’s poor goalkeeping. It’s a good strike, but it’s poor goalkeeping.”

It comes just a day after the release of a Gazzetta dello Sport interview in which Vicario called for Spurs to continue their good defensive form – as they had only conceded one goal in the five games since the UEFA Super Cup.

He said: “Our ability to recognise the different phases of the game has changed: understanding when to press hard high up the pitch, and when to cover the pitch better.

“In general, we’re more focused on defending the penalty area, also because we have a clearer understanding of the different phases without the ball.

“Against Villarreal, we allowed too many transitions, and we need to take away some of our opponents’ hope when they go on the counterattack, but overall, it was an excellent defensive performance as a team, and we need to continue like this.”

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Fans slate Vicario

Some Tottenham fans are not happy with Vicario, despite his and his defence’s good form prior to the Brighton game.

One said on X: ‘I’m not against trying [Antonin] Kinsky. Not saying he’s better, but I’d try him. There, I said it.’

Another wrote: ‘Vicario f**king useless, been saying it for ages. Would rather Kinsky in goal.’

Kinsky is yet to play a minute for Spurs this season, and when he played last term, while he impressed in flashes, he conceded 11 goals in six Premier League games and four in two in the League Cup.

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Chelsea and Liverpool – who TEAMtalk is aware are resigned to losing Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid in the summer – are keen on Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven.

Spurs are hopeful of tying the Dutchman down to a new deal so he can’t be poached.

Meanwhile, Tottenham themselves are said to have strong interest in Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand.

And, Spurs could have inadvertently frustrated Manchester United, who considered signing Joao Palhinha, but decided against an approach before the north London club landed him.

A Tottenham star has reportedly caught the eye of both Liverpool and Chelsea, and could make a perfect replacement for a man TEAMtalk is aware is destined to leave Anfield for bigger things soon.

Spurs have been one of England’s soundest sides in defence so far this season. Prior to their Premier League meeting with Brighton, which ended 2-2, they had conceded just one goal in the five games since the UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

A vital member of the Tottenham defence is Micky van de Ven, whose speed and strength makes him a very difficult defender to overcome.

He and Cristian Romero have formed a useful partnership over the past year or so, but it’s one which could soon be broken up.

Indeed, The Boy Hotspur reports Van de Ven has ‘caught the eye’ of both Liverpool and Chelsea.

Spurs are said to be moving quickly to tie the Dutchman down to a new contract, increasing from £50,000 to £100,000 per week.

Indeed, were he to stay on his current terms, big hitters like Liverpool or Chelsea would easily be able to entice him with the lure of big money.

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Could Van de Ven replace Konate?

Interest from Liverpool in Van de Ven is particularly intriguing, given Ibrahima Konate looks almost certain to be leaving the club.

He’s out of contract at the end of the season, has been turning renewed deals down from the Reds and TEAMtalk is aware he’s considered the most likely new centre-back at Real Madrid – who are masters at getting players to run their deals down in order to join them.

We are also aware that Real do hold some interest in Van de Ven, but have not made any contact for that move.

The Spurs man and Konate have very similar stats for the season so far, as both have completed an almost identical percentage of their passes, Van de Ven on two fewer tackles, and only around 30 more touches.

As such, should Konate move on from Liverpool, the Reds could do far worse than signing Van de Ven, who also has a very good record with Virgil van Dijk.

In the national team for the Netherlands, they have played 13 games together, conceding fewer than one goal every game, and have won nine of those, drawn two and lost two.

Tottenham round-up: Frank wants Hjulmand

Spurs boss Thomas Frank is reportedly showing strong interest in Morten Hjulmand, amid a belief that he could become a fantastic asset in his midfield.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have been tipped to be frustrated at Spurs signing Joao Palhinha in the summer, as the Red Devils considered signing him.

In more Tottenham and United midfielder news, Spurs or Chelsea have been deemed “more realistic” destinations for Kobbie Mainoo than Real Madrid.

And, if Tottenham want to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, they’ve been told it will take a “huge” sum.

Tottenham are reportedly showing ‘strong interest’ in a star midfielder who’s loved by Ruben Amorim, and Thomas Frank ‘believes’ he could be key to his Spurs side.

Frank has cultivated a good midfield in his first window in north London. He inherited useful players such as Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur, and has added Joao Palhinha, who’s been quality on both sides of the ball.

Tottenham are currently doing well for themselves up towards the top of the Premier League, but that does not mean they don’t want to add more recruits.

The midfield is still an area Frank wants to improve upon, with Conor Gallagher in his sights and a Sporting CP man also on his list.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Spurs have expressed ‘strong interest’ in Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand – a compatriot of Frank’s.

The manager is said to ‘believe’ that Hjulmand could be key to his midfield, and is therefore planning to put €60million (£52.3m) on the table for him.

The report suggests the Premier League could be an ‘irresistible’ opportunity for the midfielder.

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Tottenham could steal Amorim favourite

Hjulmand has connections in the Premier League, as he played 65 games under Manchester United boss Amorim when he was in charge of Sporting – the midfielder scored six goals and assisted five more from his defensive-midfield role.

United have been linked with his signing on a few occasions since Amorim took charge at Old Trafford.

TEAMtalk sources confirmed in August that United retain an interest in the midfielder. But he has a £68million release clause, something Spurs would also have to contend with.

A subsequent report suggested United were ‘fearful’ that spending that sum would hinder them from landing Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, who they also retain an interest in going forwards, after they were unable to sign him in the summer.

If they leave the scene, Tottenham could swoop for Hjulmand.

One could question whether he’s needed in north London, though, given he plays the same role as Palhinha, who’s likely to be signed permanently once his loan spell is up.

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Tottenham completed their move for Palhinha quite simply in the summer, but it’s now been suggested why United could have taken issue with that.

Indeed, Graeme Bailey has revealed United “considered” going after the midfielder, who’s “exactly what they need,” but he ended up at Spurs.

Meanwhile, Tottenham and Chelsea have been deemed “more realistic” locations for United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo than Real Madrid.

And amid interest in Atletico Madrid midfielder Gallagher, Spurs have been told a “huge” sum stands between them and the transfer.

Manchester United fans will be frustrated that Ruben Amorim and Christopher Vivell did not sign an international midfielder who eventually ended up at Tottenham Hotspur, according to a source, who has also claimed that the Spurs star is a better signing than Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard.

Both Man Utd and Tottenham were active in the summer transfer window and made important additions to their respective squads, as Ruben Amorim and Thomas Frank aim to have a successful season. Man Utd and Spurs are aiming to finish in the Premier League top four, with the north London outfit also keen on progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Senne Lammens and Diego Leon were the major signings that Man Utd made, while Tottenham reinforced their squad with the acquisitions of Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani, Kota Takai and Joao Palhinho, while loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso were also made permanent.

Palhinho was a smart signing for Tottenham, with the former Fulham midfielder arriving at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a loan deal from Bayern Munich.

The 30-year-old Portugal international defensive midfielder has made an instant impact at Tottenham, starting three of their four Premier League games already this season and scoring a goal.

Tottenham have the option to make Palhinha’s loan deal permanent for just £27million (€31m, $36.4m) which, according to TBR journalist Graeme Bailey, last season’s Europa League winners plan to take.

Bailey has also noted the frustration among the Man Utd fans for failing to land Palhinha.

Palhinha was linked with Man Utd in the summer transfer window, but manager Amorim and director of recruitment Vivell decided to focus on Carlos Baleba and then Adam Wharton instead, with neither player moving to Old Trafford in the end.

Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed on his YouTube channel on August 2: “I can give you one secret from Man United at the beginning of the window, end of May or the start of June.

“They considered the opportunity to go for Joao Palhinha, who is Portuguese like Ruben Amorim, who knows the player so well.

“Now Palhinha is going to Tottenham on a loan deal with a €30m buy option. Manchester United decided eventually to go for a different player. Less holding midfielder. Still defensive but more intensity. Let’s see what is going to happen.”

Bailey has now told TBR: “He’s exactly what they expected. When he left, he was already one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders.

“Watching Palhinha play in that position probably frustrates Manchester United fans, knowing he was available and could have joined them.

“To make matters worse, he would have been exactly what United needed. But yes, he’s absolutely top class. I fully expect discussions about a permanent deal to begin in January once the transfer window opens.”

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Joao Palhinha better than Christian Norgaard

According to Bailey, Tottenham were ‘fortunate’ that Arsenal did not try to sign Palhinha in the summer transfer window, allowing Spurs manager Frank a relatively easy deal to complete.

Arsenal signed Christian Norgaard from Brentford instead, but Bailey believes that Palhinha is a better player.

Bailey added: “They may even try to finalise the permanent deal sooner. He’s very happy in London, and I don’t see him moving elsewhere.

“Tottenham are fortunate that there’s really no other club in London that could challenge them.

“We’ve seen players like Christian Norgaard move to Arsenal, but he’s on another level: an absolute top-class player, a Rolls-Royce of a footballer.

“From what I hear, he’s as good as they claim. He hasn’t had a holiday in Germany, but he also hasn’t put any unnecessary strain on himself there.

“Since returning, he hasn’t missed a beat. Tottenham are thrilled with him, they genuinely believe they have one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and it seems they do.”

Former Tottenham scout, Bryan King, has also been impressed with Palhinha and believes that the Premier League club will try to make the loan deal permanent ‘as quickly as possible’.

King told Tottenham Hotspur News: “Palhinha is someone that they (Spurs) have to bring in permanently.

“He’s such a good player, and it’s been a great bit of business to bring him in on loan.

“When you get a loan player, it’s always a case of whether he will settle and fit into the system. Top players can handle these situations, and he certainly has.

“I would imagine that the £27m would be money well spent. I think they’ll try and get that deal done as quickly as possible, to then get another couple of seasons out of him.”

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Sources have told TEAMtalk that Tottenham are a ‘more realistic’ club for a Manchester United midfielder than Real Madrid.

TEAMtalk’s Tottenham correspondent, Rob McCarthy, has explained why Thomas Frank has to make one critical change for Tottenham’s Premier League game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Tottenham have to splash a huge amount of cash to get a deal done for a midfielder that Chelsea sold, but TEAMtalk believes that it would be worth it.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are ‘more realistic’ options than Real Madrid for Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, sources have told TEAMtalk, with the youngster also urged to stay at Old Trafford because of what could happen after Ruben Amorim.

Mainoo is one of the best young players in the Premier League and has established himself in the Man Utd first team after coming through the youth system. The midfielder has made 75 appearances for the Red Devils’ senior side, scoring seven goals and giving three assists in the process.

However, Mainoo is not guaranteed a place in the Man Utd starting line-up under manager Ruben Amorim.

Amorim has made it clear that Mainoo is to compete with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team.

Mainoo wanted to leave Man Utd on loan in the summer transfer window, as reported by TEAMtalk at the time.

Sources told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Tottenham enquired about a loan deal for Mainoo, but Man Utd turned it down.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on September 17 that Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United have now taken a shine to Mainoo.

Real Madrid have also been linked with Mainoo in the Spanish media, with Los Blancos chief scout Juni Calafat reportedly planning to keep tabs on him in the coming months.

A new report in E-Noticies has stated that Madrid president Florentino Perez is ‘willing’ to pay €90million (£78.5m, $106m) for Mainoo.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Dean Jones, though, has said that Tottenham and Chelsea are more realistic options for Mainoo, should Man Utd decide to offload him.

Jones said: “It’s important to note that Mainoo would not cost the £70m (€80.3m, $94.3m) I have seen touted recently.

“His contract situation does not reflect that in the market and nor does the importance United are putting on him.

“So, some teams will be looking at him as a potentially good value pick up.

“There’s nothing concrete in the links with Madrid right now, but many teams are watching his situation and this upcoming decision on a transfer is a tricky one.

“Personally, I would look at Spurs or Chelsea as more realistic potential landing spots but I’m told he still really wants United to work out as his priority.”

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Kobbie Mainoo urged to stay at Man Utd

Mainoo has made only two substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season, with Amorim clearly not rating him good enough to play week in and week out in the starting line-up.

With a place in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup finals at stake, Mainoo is aware of the need to play regularly to impress Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel.

However, Dean Jones has noted that with the future of Amorim under doubt, it would make sense for Mainoo to hang around at Old Trafford as he would get the chance to impress the next manager.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Man Utd are not planning to sack Amorim anytime soon and will back him in the January transfer window.

However, it would be remiss to suggest that if results and performances do not improve and deteriorate in the coming weeks, then the Man Utd board will not at least think about a change.

Furthermore, Mainoo also has to consider the reality that there is a good chance that he would outlive Amorim at Man Utd.

Jones said: “If we look at the situation carefully, it might be worth him hanging around.

“If he outlives Amorim at the club, then there is every chance the next boss would embrace him – and suddenly he’s back to being the poster boy.

“He will have to weigh that up by the time January rolls around.”

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Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that Liverpool have joined Man Utd in the race for the Red Devils’ top midfield target in 2026.

Marcus Rashford’s heroics for Barcelona against Newcastle at St. James’ Park in the Champions League is good news for Man Utd, according to TEAMtalk’s Man Utd correspondent, Steve Pearson.

A mega-rich club is ready to raid Man Utd and convince a star player to make the move and will spare no expense to get a deal done.

Tottenham Hotspur head back to the scene of one of Ange Postecoglou’s worst results last season on Saturday, with Thomas Frank primed to freshen up his side to face Brighton following the Champions League win in midweek – with TEAMtalk explaining why one change is coming at the perfect time.

Frank made two changes for the game against Villarreal on Tuesday night, with Joao Palhinha and Mathys Tel both stepping aside, and he is likely to make alterations again to keep that squad fresh ahead of a busy run of fixtures.

Indeed, Tottenham head to the south coast on Saturday before then starting to juggle Carabao Cup, Premier League and Champions League commitments.

In terms of the backline, TEAMtalk believes there is a chance Destiny Udogie gets the nod ahead of Djed Spence after a big week for the new England international. Indeed, Spence was replaced by Udogie with just over 20 minutes to go against Villarreal, in what was perhaps a precursor to what will happen on Saturday.

Spurs were 2-0 up and cruising at half-time at Brighton last season, only to shockingly collapse and eventually lose 3-2. And that was with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both starting.

It would be a huge gamble for Frank to rest either against the Seagulls, especially when it’s hard to imagine them being involved against Doncaster in midweek. Get the result at The Amex and then feet up ahead of next week’s visit of Wolves.

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Palhinha straight back in for Tottenham

In midfield, Palhinha slots straight back in to provide that solid base after Spurs looked too open at times against Villarreal.

The energy of Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall also gets them the nod, with Rodrigo Bentancur putting in a real shift against the LaLiga outfit in midweek and looking shot towards the end of that game.

It’s in attack where the real headline comes as Randal Kolo Muani gets his first chance in the starting XI after his deadline day loan switch from PSG.

The French forward made his debut off the bench against Villarreal, playing 13 minutes, and, having been in full training for a couple of weeks, gets the nod from the start so as not to risk the injury-prone Richarlson in back-to-back games.

Playing away from home, Kolo Muani provides more of a threat in behind with his pace and it’s merely been a matter of time before he was given the nod by Frank.

Completing the forward line, Xavi Simons continues on the left with Mahammed Kudus wide right as Spurs look to make it four wins from five Premier League outings – although it will not be easy on the south coast, it rarely is.

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