TEAMtalk

Feyenoord centre-back David Hancko is attracting interest from Tottenham and Chelsea and a race for his signature could take place in 2025, per TEAMtalk sources.

The Slovakian international thrived under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot and has continued his excellent form this season, catching the attention of several top clubs.

Hancko, 27, is ready to test himself in an elite league and is open to leaving Feyenoord if the right opportunity presents itself.

Sources have exclusively revealed to TEAMtalk that Tottenham have shown interest in Hancko in recent weeks, while, to a lesser extent, Chelsea are also keeping tabs on his situation.

Hancko also has suitors from outside the Premier League, with Italian giants Juventus plotting a move for the defender as Thiago Motta looks to bring in cover for injured centre-back Gleison Bremer.

We understand that Juventus’ sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has had Hancko on his radar for two years, after trying to sign him at previous club Napoli.

Giuntoli wants to bring Hancko to Juventus but may have to contend with competition from Tottenham, Chelsea and also Atletico Madrid, who are keen to make defensive reinforcements of their own. A transfer is more likely at the end of the season, rather than in January.

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Tottenham, Chelsea want defensive reinforcements

We revealed last week that Tottenham are planning to back manager Ange Postecoglou in the January transfer window and a new centre-back is their main priority.

TEAMtalk understands Getafe star Omar Alderete is someone Spurs are looking at as a potential signing in January. The 27-year-old could be relatively affordable this winter, has experience at a high level and would be a solid back-up option.

In the longer term, we understand that 21-year-old Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande is a player to keep an eye out for, although it could take at least £70million to lure him away from Portugal – this is usually beyond what Levy is comfortable spending.

Hancko has now been added to Spurs’ wishlist and he could be available for around €50million (£41.4m / $52m) next summer, per our sources, making him more expensive than Alderete and cheaper than Diomande.

As for Chelsea, they are willing to sell Axel Disasi in January but only IF they are able to sign a new centre-back to replace him, which could explain their interest in Hancko.

TEAMtalk sources say that the Blues’ two top Benfica’s Tomas Araujo and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and now Hancko has emerged on their radar.

Juventus prepare Hancko contract offer

It’ll be interesting to see how this story develops in the coming months, with Juventus considered to be ahead of the Premier League duo in the race, for now.

TEAMtalk can reveal that the Italian club are willing to offer Hancko a multi-year contract worth €5million (£4.1m / $5.2m) per season and personal terms aren’t expected to be an issue.

The challenge for Juve and all of Hancko’s suitors will be reaching an agreement with Feyenoord, as the defender is under contract with the Dutch club until 2028.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have both been called ‘clowns’ after they played out a seven-goal thriller in the League Cup on Thursday night.

Ruben Amorim was left with his head in his hands after Tottenham went 3-0 up in the 54th minute courtesy of goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke (x2). But Tottenham gifted Man Utd a route back into the quarter-final as the likes of Archie Gray and Fraser Forster struggled to play out from the back.

Joshua Zirkzee pulled a goal back for United after Bruno Fernandes intercepted a poor Forster pass towards Radu Dragusin.

The second goal was even worse from a Spurs perspective. Forster took an age to clear after being given the ball by Gray and Amad Diallo slid in to make it 3-2.

Son Heung-min then alleviated Spurs’ fears with a sensational goal from the corner spot. United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir complained that he had been impeded, but the referee ignored his pleas.

Jonny Evans scored in second-half stoppage time to give United some hope of a dramatic equaliser, but Spurs ultimately managed to hold on and book their place in the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-3 home victory.

It should have been far easier for Spurs though once they went 3-0 up. Both teams looked awful at the back and pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has now given his verdict.

“It was like two sets of clowns playing each other. The defending… Spurs going forward were very good,” he said on talkSPORT.

“Manchester United woke up a little bit in the second half thanks to some mistakes from Forster, but the defending, wow.

“I hammered Southampton’s defence, but wow. I don’t blame Forster at all, I blame the manager and the rest of the players.”

Agbonlahor added: “Forster, how long has he been around now, he’s 37. He’s always been a shot-stopper, he’s never been a keeper to play with his feet.

“I played with so many goalkeepers that if they were playing now they’d be exactly like Forster. They don’t want it.”

Pundits Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp were not impressed by what they saw, despite Spurs going through.

Carragher slammed the Spurs team for being ‘robots’ and playing the same style even when the flow of a game changes, while Redknapp said it was ‘a masterclass in how not to see a game out’.

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Postecoglou defends crazy Spurs performance

But Postecoglou does not agree. He said in his post-match interview: “I like the whole bit mate. Are you not entertained? Do you want a scrambling 1-0?

“I know the studio’s probably going into meltdown over my lack of tactics, but I love the fact we go out there and take it to opposition even though we’ve got so many absences at the minute. I really like the way we played tonight.

“I love football and I love watching teams that go out there and entertain. Obviously we want to be successful as well and we won’t be if we make things difficult for ourselves like we did tonight.

“We’re keeping all you folks entertained, creating plenty of discussion and I can’t see how that’s a bad thing.”

Asked if he wants to cut out the errors, Postecoglou added: “Of course, but your asking for perfection in human beings and that doesn’t exist, sometimes they stuff up just like I do and you do.”

Tottenham are reportedly hoping to sign Feyenoord centre-back David Hancko in January, with the Dutchman’s price tag dropping from his summer valuation.

Spurs have a few defensive problems to overcome at the moment. They have had to play with Radu Dragusin and makeshift centre-back Archie Gray in the heart of the defence of late.

That’s as a result of injuries to each of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies.

Tottenham have been linked with a few centre-backs to help their situation, and Feyenoord’s Hancko is one of them.

As per TBRFootball, they want to land a left-sided defender to be a backup for Van de Ven, and it’s believed Hancko could be available in January.

Tottenham have scouted the Slovakian on multiple occasions, and are seemingly willing to move on him.

It’s believed his price tag is dropping, too, with it now suggested to be lower than it was in the summer, when he was £35million.

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Zabarnyi another target

The report reiterates that Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi is also on Spurs’ radar.

However, it’s believed he’s only going to be available in the summer, and would be a replacement for Cristian Romero.

Hancko is wanted for the other side of the defence, so those two pursuits are not likely to be mutually exclusive.

The north London outfit will have competition, though, with Juventus also tracking Hancko, but they want to loan him in initially, which could give Tottenham the upper hand if they are to make a permanent bid.

Tottenham round-up: Kelleher move unlikely

Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson has suggested a move for Caoimhin Kelleher is unlikely, as the club would not see the point in paying for him when they have Guglielmo Vicario.

A goalkeeper move could be made, though, with Spurs expected to open talks for Botafogo’s John Victor.

Meanwhile, it’s been stated by insider David Ornstein that Tottenham are backing manager Ange Postecoglou despite the club’s current position.

And a move for Leeds defender Pascal Struijk could be made by the north London club.

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has rated the chances of Spurs landing Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who looks likely to leave his current club.

Soon at Liverpool, there will be three top-class goalkeepers fighting for one spot. Currently, it’s Alisson and Kelleher who do that, but Giorgi Mamardashvili will arrive at the club in the summer.

That Kelleher is only really given his chance when Alisson is injured suggests his prospects will worsen when the new man joins the club.

The Irishman has been linked with some big clubs for if he’s to leave Anfield, with it having been suggested he could be an option for Tottenham. Former Spurs keeper Robinson does not feel that’s likely, though.

“[Tottenham] won’t spend that money because Kelleher wants to go somewhere and be No.1. [Guglielmo] Vicario is the No.1 at Spurs so they won’t see the need to spend money,” Robinson told Tottenham News.

“Liverpool have made forward plans for the future with Marmadashvili coming in, which is a clever signing, so Kelleher won’t want to go somewhere and fight for his place.

“He’s proven his ability to be first-choice this year and he’s a top-quality goalkeeper. I don’t see the club investing the money needed to buy him and I don’t think it’s an option for Kelleher. It’s a bit of a non-starter, in all honesty.”

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Robinson feels it’s time to go

Robinson does imagine that Kelleher will be leaving, though, having recently suggested the star need to realise his potential away from Liverpool.

“I was asked to rank the top three goalkeepers in the Premier League this season, and Kelleher was my number one,” Robinson told Football Insider.

“Next year, I think he wants to be a No.1. With the opportunities he’s had and the age he’s at, he doesn’t want to compete with Mamardashvili or be on the bench.

“It’s his time to go to another club and go and be the number one goalkeeper. So, Liverpool fans, enjoy him while you’ve got him because I think he will be moving on come the end of this season.”

Tottenham round-up: Goalkeeper talks incoming

Talks for a goalkeeper are expected to be incoming at Spurs, but for Botafogo’s John Victor, rather than Kelleher, to set up a very cheap deal.

Spurs are also hopeful of improving their defence, with Leeds’ Pascal Struijk on the radar.

Meanwhile, an appeal for Rodrigo Bentancur’s ban to be shortened has been dismissed by the FA.

And though results aren’t going as they’d expect, Tottenham are said to be fully backing manager Ange Postecoglou.

Caoimhin Kelleher quiz

Tottenham are reportedly set to open talks with a Brazilian goalkeeper over a potential January transfer window switch, while they have also learned the result of Rodrigo Bentancur’s appeal to reduce his seven-match ban.

Spurs No.1 Guglielmo Vicario has been out injured since the 4-0 rout of Manchester City, with veteran stopper Fraser Forster taking over his spot for the last six games in all competitions.

Although the 36-year-old has performed very well in those outings, Forster will be out of contract next summer and there was always a feeling that Tottenham might try and find another stopper to compete with Vicario in the new year and beyond.

And a report from CaughtOffside claims that the north London giants are expected to open talks to sign Botafogo’s John Victor, who has been attracting interest from big clubs recently.

The report claims that Manchester United are also eyeing a move to sign the giant 6ft 5in stopper, along with top Turkish outfit Galatasaray.

It has further been revealed that Victor will be available for as little as €9-10million (£7.4-8.2m) in the January transfer window, which is more than affordable for a Tottenham side who are expected to be fairly active in the winter window.

This news comes as no real surprise, given that Vicario is likely to remain sidelined until February or March time with the fractured ankle that he actually played on and made worse against City.

As for Victor, the 28-year-old former Brazil youth international has spent a fair bit of his playing career as a backup option but has now made over 50 appearances for Botafogo as their first-choice stopper in the Brazilian Serie A. If he does sign, Victor could become the second Brazilian goalkeeper to play for the club after Heurelho Gomes spent three years in north London between 2008-11.

Bentancur has ban appeal rejected

Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur will serve the final two matches of his seven-match ban after the Football Association dismissed his appeal.

The Uruguay midfielder was given the ban in November for using a racial slur about team-mate Son Heung-min on television. Spurs accepted the judgment but then appealed against the severity of the suspension.

However, the appeal was dismissed following a hearing and Bentancur will now miss the upcoming matches against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Thursday and Sunday’s Premier League clash against leaders Liverpool.

The former Juventus star is, however, able to continue in the Europa League as his ban only applies to domestic competitions.

Anti-racism organisations Kick It Out and The Frank Soo Foundation reflected on the matter coming to an end and revealed that have received more reports about Tottenham’s decision to appeal Bentancur’s ban than the original incident itself.

In a shared statement, the groups said they hope Spurs “reflect on its decision” as the episode has been “upsetting for many fans”.

Latest Tottenham news: Postecoglou future update / Leeds defender on January radar

Reliable reporter David Ornstein has delivered an emphatic update on the future of Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham manager.

Spurs thumped Southampton 5-0 on Sunday to deliver the club’s first Premier League win since November 23 (Manchester City – 4-0) – a timely win given the pressure that was starting to mount on Postecoglou.

However, when speaking to NBC Sports Soccer, trusted journalist David Ornstein revealed what TT have already reported about Tottenham’s belief that Postecoglou remains the right man for the job.

Meanwhile, Tottenham could be back in business with Leeds United in 2025 after a crucial defender in Daniel Farke’s squad supposedly caught their attention – and that of two Premier League rivals.

Spurs are really struggling for depth at centre-back at the moment and are expected to be in the market for another defender in the new year, with Leeds standout Pascal Struijk said to be on their radar.

Reliable reporter David Ornstein has delivered an emphatic update on the future of Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham manager.

Tottenham thumped Southampton 5-0 on Sunday to deliver the club’s first Premier League win since November 23 (Manchester City – 4-0). Spurs had gone five games without a win across all competitions before demolishing the Saints in what proved to be Russell Martin’s final match at St. Mary’s.

Martin paid the price for dire results and failing to adapt his side’s style of play. Over in north London, Postecoglou’s position had come under the microscope amid his own unwillingness to adopt a more pragmatic approach in the face of key injuries and suspensions.

However, when speaking to NBC Sports Soccer, trusted journalist David Ornstein revealed Tottenham’s view is and continues to remain Postecoglou is the right man for their project.

“The pressure is external,” declared Ornstein. “Ange Postecoglou is squarely being backed by the Tottenham hierarchy.

“Every bit of dialogue that I’ve had so far suggests that he is fully supported and that they are not thinking about changing Postecoglou.

“Some sections of the fanbase and the wider public might not like to hear that, but it is the case, as things stand.”

Ornstein then offered insight into why Postecoglou is safe when referencing the “different strategy” the club are banking on.

“Tottenham have taken a different strategy in recent years,” continued Ornstein. “They’ve not gone for experienced, big-name players in the transfer market. They’ve gone for younger players.

“Look at the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and bringing Mikey Moore through… they’ve put their faith in Ange Postecoglou to develop a younger squad that they hope will pay dividends in the future.

“Patience is a word that nobody likes, it’s in short supply, but they (Tottenham) are confident and that is why they and and Daniel Levy as the man at the top of the tree are standing by Postecoglou.

“They’ve tried the alternative route with Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, it hasn’t worked and it’s come down in pretty spectacular fashion.

“There’s been a huge churn of players leaving the club and new players coming in – it’s still relatively embryonic in terms of their settling in process.”

Ornstein concluded by saying Postecoglou’s recent criticism of loanee Timo Werner shows the Australian is feeling the heat.

Nonetheless, he is safe in his position as Tottenham boss and Ornstein suggested Spurs are in a position to strengthen in the January transfer window if they desire it.

“They do have finances, they’re in a decent position, “added Ornstein. “They could dip into the market in January or summer, but I think their focus will be on getting their injured players back and using the resources at their disposal.”

Which positions Tottenham want to strengthen in January

Ornstein’s update reflects what TEAMtalk were told and duly reported on December 9.

Our insider, Fraser Gillan, was informed Postecoglou is safe and the manager will be allowed to splash the cash in January.

While results this season haven’t met expectations, there is a belief within the club that Postecoglou must be presented with a stronger squad for his vision to succeed.

Additions to Spurs’ injury-hit backline are on the agenda. A new centre-back is the primary focus, though a new signing at left-back hasn’t been ruled out.

Beyond the rearguard, the central midfield and striker positions will be addressed at some stage. Whether that is in January or is left to the summer remains to be seen, though stiff competition for Dominic Solanke will eventually be signed.

A younger goalkeeper to replace Fraser Forster – who is out of contract in the summer – is also being sought.

Latest Tottenham news – Struijk, Son

In other news, TBR Football state one defender emerging on Tottenham’s radar is Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk.

Struijk is left-footed and can play at left centre-back or left-back, though his alarming lack of pace is an obvious drawback for a team that plays with an ultra-high line.

Elsewhere, Spurs legend Harry Kane was recently asked which current Tottenham star he’d most like to reunite with at Bayern Munich.

“Sonny,” replied Kane, and the South Korean is out of contract at season’s end. However, Tottenham have already initiated the process of activating a one-year extension in Son’s contract.

Tottenham could be back in business with Leeds United in 2025 after a crucial defender in Daniel Farke’s squad supposedly caught their attention – and that of two Premier League rivals.

Spurs are really struggling for depth at centre-back at the moment and have had to use some players out of position as cover, such as Archie Gray, who arrived at the club in the summer after making his name as a midfielder or right-back for Leeds.

Clearly, it would be beneficial for Tottenham to bring in more expertise at centre-back – and to do so, they could turn to Leeds again.

That’s because they are now monitoring Pascal Struijk, according to a report from TBR Football.

Struijk has played every minute of Leeds’ Championship campaign so far, usually partnering former Tottenham man Joe Rodon. And now, a battle is forming for Struijk’s services.

The report claims Tottenham are ‘following Struijk closely’ – as are fellow Premier League sides Brighton and Wolves.

The fact that Struijk is left-footed makes him especially appealing to Tottenham, since Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have both suffered hamstring injuries.

Can Leeds keep Struijk away from Tottenham?

Leeds have Struijk under contract until 2027, but are trying to convince him to extend his stay at Elland Road via a new deal.

It would be highly unlikely for them to allow him to leave in January while they are chasing promotion from the Championship, but their fate by the end of the season could prove critical.

If Leeds – who lost the play-off final last season – fail to secure promotion to the Premier League, Struijk could leave them for a top-flight club.

And Tottenham might be in a better position than Brighton or Wolves to sign him, since they have good relations with Leeds thanks to the Gray, Rodon and Manor Solomon deals this summer.

Should they need an immediate boost in January, though – and it looks like they do – a more attainable target for Tottenham might be Getafe’s Omar Alderete.

TEAMtalk can confirm Alderete is under serious consideration by Tottenham, while in the longer term they are keeping an eye on Sporting’s Ousmane Diomande.

Latest Tottenham news

In a prediction that their last buy from Leeds is going to pay off in the long run, a respected journalist has detailed why Gray is ‘the future’ of Tottenham.

Meanwhile, in other news, TEAMtalk can confirm that Ange Postecoglou is in no immediate danger of being sacked – but also that a current Premier League manager could be tempted if the Spurs job does become available.

As for transfers, two players who could leave Tottenham are Richarlison – linked with a groundbreaking return to Brazil – and fellow forward Timo Werner, after a decision was made about the latter’s loan from RB Leipzig.

Harry Kane has revealed he would like to raid Tottenham for Heung-min Son if Bayern Munich were to sign any of his former Spurs team-mates.

Kane has continued the sensational form he showed in north London since moving to Bayern. He bagged 30 Premier League goals in his final season with Spurs, and in his first with Bayern, he notched 36 Bundesliga goals along with four assists.

This term, Kane has already reached 20 goals and nine assists in all competitions, making him one of the form attackers in all of Europe.

Though he has continued to thrive at Bayern, he still has an affinity to Tottenham, and asked by a fan who he’d most like to sign from his former club, his answer was an obvious one.

“Sonny,” Kane replied, as per journalist Nico Linner.

Though perhaps not a direct order to go and sign him, Son is out of contract at Spurs at the end of the season, and has previous experience in Germany, with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, so if it was possible, could be a useful asset for Bayern to land.

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Kane and Son’s fantastic partnership

Over the course of 297 games played together with Tottenham, Kane and Son combined for 54 goals in all competitions.

Kane bagged 26 goals assisted by Son, and the South Korean was assisted by his team-mate on 28 occasions.

The pair won 556 games playing together, earning 1.78 points per game.

They also finished their time as team-mates as the most prolific partnership in the history of the Premier League, surpassing Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba’s 36 goals together, to eventually end on 47 in the English top flight.

Son is clearly Kane’s best ever attacking partner, and if he joined him at Bayern, there is little doubt they’d continue to cause havoc for defences as they both get deeper into their thirties.

Bayern Munich round-up: Potential Rashford raid

The signing of Marcus Rashford could be made at Bayern, with the club’s interest reportedly piquing after Manchester United decided they would sell him.

United could lure Bayern star Alphonso Davies away, though, with major interest in the left-back, who’s coming to the end of his contract at the Allianz.

It’s been suggested United and Real Madrid will both get the chance to meet with Davies before he decides if he wants to pen a contract renewal with Bayern.

And Leon Goretzka could leave Bayern for the Premier League, with Tottenham named as a good destination for the midfielder, who United also have one eye on.

Ange Postecoglou is reported to have decided to waive his option of turning Timo Werner’s loan move to Tottenham into a permanent deal next summer in the wake of his stinging criticism of the Germany star this week – while Spurs are being linked with a surprise raid on Fulham for an in-form star.

The Lilywhites have endured an inconsistent campaign so far, cruising to wins at Manchester United and Manchester City, but then suffering frustrating losses to the likes of Bournemouth, Ipswich and Crystal Palace, with the latter two struggling at the wrong end of the Premier League table. As a result, speculation has begun to build on the Australian coach, who suddenly sees his long-term future at Tottenham coming under the spotlight.

Postecoglou allowed his frustrations to bubble to the surface on Thursday evening when, after their 1-1 Europa League draw against Rangers at Ibrox, he publicly hung Werner out to dry after condemning his “unacceptable” display.

Now according to Givemesport, the north Londoners have decided as a result to not take up their option to sign the Germany star, currently in his second season on loan from RB Leipzig, permanently, even though the bargain option on his signing is set at just £8.5m (€10m, $10.7m).

Meanwhile, reports in Brazil claim Postecoglou wants to add more steel to his midfield in the January window and is plotting a surprise raid on Fulham for Andreas Pereira.

According to Trivela, Postecoglou has set his sights on the Brazil international, who has become a figure of real consistency at Craven Cottage since moving to London from Manchester United in July 2022 for a fee of around £10m.

The nine-times capped Brazil midfielder is approaching 100 appearances for Marco Silva’s side and would not be sold on the cheap, with his current deal running to 2026, though the Cottagers do have a one-year option on top of that. Trivela reckons though that a huge bid is under consideration by Spurs with the January window opening for business in 18 days time.

Pereira says leaving Man Utd has aided career surge

The midfielder has not commented on his chances of leaving Craven Cottage, though the Brazilian outlet suggest the move across London would tempt him were Spurs to make a concrete offer for his services.

In the meantime, Pereira is clearly enjoying the responsibility Silva has afforded him in SW6, having admitted earlier this year that he is enjoying the chance to prove Manchester United wrong for not giving him a regular opportunity at Old Trafford.

“I think it was the best decision I made in my life,” the 28-year-old told the Evening Standard. “To come to live and play here, to enjoy my football, to get back into the national team with great players, to enjoy my football in the Premier League, leaving is the best decision I made.

“The time I was [at Man Utd], I really enjoyed being at a fantastic club. But I don’t regret leaving. We [the players in my situation] have this desire to show it was wrong that we didn’t play.

“With everyone’s help around me [at Fulham], I achieved a great season. We started the season by losing a very important player, [Aleksandar] Mitrovic.

“We had to search for the way we have to play without him. In January, Rodrigo [Muniz] came in, scored all the goals and made my life easier!”

Latest Tottenham news: More backing for Postecoglou; LaLiga defender targeted

Much of Tottenham’s struggles in recent weeks have come off the back of the injury issues suffered by first-choice centre-halves Micky van der Ven and Cristian Romero. As a result, Postecoglou was forced to field a makeshift central defensive line of Radu Dragusin and teenage midfielder Archie Gray at Ibrox on Thursday.

With that in mind, it is no surprise to see Postecoglou being linked with a few options to strengthen their rearguard – and sources confirmed that Spurs have a genuine interest in signing Omar Alderete, with the Getafe star having a tempting exit clause in his deal.

Any move could be funded by potential sales and one of those strongly linked with an exit is Richarlison amid claims Newcastle United are considering a raid in the January transfer window.

Eddie Howe wants another No.9 on board despite the club’s ongoing PSR concerns and transfer insider Ben Jacobs claims that a surprise raid on Spurs for the Brazilian could be on the cards – for the right price.

Elswhere, Teddy Sheringham has pleaded with Daniel Levy to stay faithful to Postecoglou in the wake of growing speculation over his future. The iconic former Spurs man has urged the Tottenham chairman to remember the more pragmatic football served up by Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, having stated exactly why they need to stay loyal to the Aussie.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been advised to stay loyal to the under-fire Ange Postecoglou after insisting the Aussie is more than capable of turning their poor form around and that sacking him would be a significant mistake and despite their apparent interest in luring Brentford boss Thomas Frank across the capital.

Spurs have endured a difficult season so far with the club a disappointing 11th heading into the weekend’s latest round of Premier League fixtures and with their inconsistencies really coming to the fore so far. Having enjoyed monumental away wins at both Manchester United and Manchester City, Tottenham have also shown their frailties in losing to strugglers Ipswich and Crystal Palace, while also blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 3-4 to Chelsea last Sunday.

As a result, speculation over Postecoglou‘s future has gathered pace in recent weeks and it’s been suggested that, with Levy having set the Aussie a target of finishing in the top four this season, he could fall on his sword even sooner if results do not start picking up.

Reports that Levy is also strongly considering a move for Bees Frank as his replacement has also not helped matters.

However, former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham has told Levy in an interview with the Daily Express that axing the 59-year-old would be a big mistake – especially after the more pragmatic football served up by both Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

“I am firmly on Ange’s side. I love the way that he gets bums off seats when they’re playing,” Sheringham said.

“He’s had a lot of injuries recently that he doesn’t like to mention until it’s all coming on top. And, over the last four years, when you’ve had Mourinho and Conte, the football hasn’t been great.

“I know that if I go watch Tottenham, I’m going to see 12 chances being made and that hasn’t happened over the last few years. And that could happen in the first 10 minutes at Tottenham.

“That’s the way they play. He’s on the front foot. It’s exciting. I’m sitting down, I’m on the edge of my seat and that’s how I want to watch a football match, to be entertained. And I love his manner.

“Yes, there are one or two things that could be worked on, but I think he’ll get there.”

GO DEEPER

▶️ Carragher fears Postecoglou sack with Tottenham excuses ‘starting to wear a little thin’

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Sheringham tells Postecoglou how he can spare himself from Spurs sack

Despite Sheringham’s advice, we understand that Spurs will review their manager’s position at the season’s end and will consider a change if they decide the Aussie has fallen short of what is expected of him.

To that end, our reporter Fraser Gillan has revealed that Frank would be swayed by the Tottenham vacancy if they came calling and amid our understanding that West Ham are also casting admiring glances towards the Gtech Community Stadium.

As it stands, Postecoglou retains the backing of Levy though and it would take a monumental decline for a change to be made mid-season.

One of the biggest criticisms levelled at Postecoglou has been Tottenham’s defensive frailties. They have conceded 19 goals this season which, while by no means the worst, is five more than Ipswich, who currently find themselves sat in the relegation zone.

Now Sheringham has advised the former Celtic boss that he might need to slightly alter his tactics to both shore up at the back and ensure he keeps the pressure building on his shoulders.

“Of course, results mean everything,” he added. “It’s very much like Ossie Ardiles’ reign at the moment, you’re entertaining, but losing 4-3 and 5-2. I loved playing for Ossie. He’s a legend as a man and a legend as a leader of people.

“The tactics needed to be tweaked and I think that’s the same with Ange. I would want to play for him [Postecoglou] because the chances are being made.

“Yes, results are very important because confidence will soon go if you carry on playing the way he’s playing, but getting beaten. You’ve got to be careful to counteract both.”

Latest Tottenham transfer news: Formidable LaLiga centre-back targeted

Spurs have certainly suffered in the absence through injury of both Cristian Romero and Micky van der Ven in recent weeks, with teenage midfielder Archie Gray forming a makeshift central defensive line with Romania international Rady Dragusin at Ibrox on Thursday.

As a result, it is no surprise to see Postecoglou being linked with a few options to strengthen their rearguard – and our sources have been able to back up reports from Spain that their interest in Getafe star Omar Alderete is in fact genuine.

It’s reported that Alderete’s power and quality on the ball has caught Postecoglou’s attention, with the 27-year-old’s exit clause making his signing an even more exciting proposition for the Spurs boss.

Any move could be funded by potential sales and one of those strongly linked with an exit is Richarlison amid claims Newcastle United are considering a raid in the January transfer window.

Eddie Howe wants another No.9 on board despite the club’s ongoing PSR concerns and transfer insider Ben Jacobs claims that a surprise raid on Spurs for the Brazilian could be on the cards – for the right price.

Postecoglou’s startling fall from grace with Tottenham

Postecoglou made an instant impact after arriving at Tottenham from Celtic in summer 2023.

With the club reeling from the sale of Harry Kane to Tottenham, a sharp decline was expected. But what was to follow was a brilliant start to the season which saw Spurs win eight of their first 10 games, drawing the other two, to sit top of the table and ensure the Aussie made the best-ever start to a Premier League season by a debutant manager.

Since then, though, it’s been a pretty sharp decline for Spurs, who eventually finished fifth last season to qualify for the Europa League.

Indeed, he has more losses than wins since then, with a win percentage rate sitting at just 42%.

Thankfully, a trip to tackle Southampton awaits them on Sunday evening – and a chance to get themselves back to winning ways after a run of just one win from their last eight games.