TEAMtalk

It’s no secret that Man Utd need a new left wing-back for Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system and some strong claims are emerging from Italy that the new boss has picked a new top target for the role.

Wing-backs are a crucial part of how Amorim prefers to play, but Man Utd’s options on the left are especially lacking. With that in mind, it will be a priority position to reinforce in January – and if not, in the summer for definite.

Now, a new target seems to have ended up on the radar of Man Utd boss Amorim – and their intentions seem strong. Patrick Dorgu is the latest player being linked and it sounds like Man Utd might be willing to make a serious bid for him.

According to Italian reporter Gerardo Fasano, Man Utd have joined the race for Dorgu after he was linked with Tottenham and Chelsea in recent days.

Fasano told Area Napoli: “Manchester United, on the precise indication of their manager Amorim, would like to sink the blow on Patrick Dorgu. The English club needs a left wing-back, and the Dane would be the ideal profile.

“The incoming offer is between €30-35m plus easily achievable bonuses, already in this market session.”

That means Man Utd could put £25m-£33m on the table for Dorgu, who has scored three goals from 14 games for Lecce this season – thanks to him also being used as a right winger.

Serie A side pose threat for Dorgu deal

It’s not just the Premier League where Dorgu could end up. As you may have guessed from the source, Napoli are also showing an interest in the 20-year-old.

And the Serie A title challengers – coached by Antonio Conte – could have an ace up their sleeve to try and tempt Lecce into choosing to do business with them instead of a Premier League side.

Fasano added: “Napoli could perhaps close at €30m but leave him on loan. Generally English clubs don’t leave him on loan, they buy immediately.”

However, it isn’t unheard of for English clubs to sign a player and keep them developing on loan at the same club – think of Liverpool and Giorgi Mamardashvili with Valencia, or Tottenham and Destiny Udogie with Udinese.

Udogie has become Tottenham’s main left-back since, which might lessen their need for Dorgu, but TBR Football yesterday claimed they were leading the race for his signature.

Man Utd might have something to say about that, but they have been linked with other left-backs like Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth, Antonee Robinson of Fulham, Alphonso Davies of Bayern and Theo Hernandez of AC Milan, while they have a buyback clause for Alvaro Carreras at Benfica, so it remains to be seen how serious they actually are about Dorgu.

Man Utd transfer roundup

Meanwhile, Man Utd have also joined Tottenham in the race for PSV and USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman, according to various reports.

Tillman has 12 goal contributions already this season and can play in attacking or defensive midfield roles, with Man Utd reportedly scouting him recently.

However, an issue with his release clause means they may have to wait until the summer to stand a better chance of signing him for a decent price.

In other news, Joshua Zirkzee has reportedly ruled out a January exit from Man Utd, despite his recent struggles, since he is intent on proving himself to Amorim.

Zirkzee had been linked with a reunion with Thiago Motta at Juventus but, although TEAMtalk understands he could be made available on loan still if it’s right for his development, he could well see out the season at Old Trafford.

IN FOCUS: The rise of Patrick Dorgu

Lecce originally acquired Dorgu from Nordsjaelland in his native country, where he was yet to make his first-team debut.

He spent a year in the Italian side’s academy ranks, but once he was promoted into the Lecce first team, there were no second thoughts as he went on to record 34 appearances between Serie A and the Coppa Italia last season.

The teenager’s potential has long since attracted some clubs of serious stature – with his agent namedropping Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona before he had even made his Lecce debut – while he made his senior international debut for Denmark during the September break.

This season, he has split his gametime between playing as a left-back or a right winger, developing his output considerably.

Lecce will hope to benefit from their faith in his potential, with Dorgu a candidate to become their record sale when he leaves (eclipsing Morten Hjulmand after his €19.5m move to Sporting CP in 2023).

For now, he remains under contract until 2029. It seems unlikely he will stay at Lecce for all that time, with a big club almost certainly in his destiny.

Manchester United have joined the race to sign an American midfielder with 12 goal contributions from 19 games this season – and while Tottenham and Aston Villa will pose a threat, another contender could be backing away.

Malik Tillman is enjoying arguably his best season to date, backing up his nine-goal and 15-assist effort with PSV last term with even more efficient metrics. This season so far, he has provided eight goals and four assists from 19 games.

That form appears to have caught the attention of Manchester United, whose interest follows on from Premier League rivals Tottenham and Aston Villa also taking a look at the versatile midfielder.

According to Sky Sports Germany, those clubs are now in a three-horse race to offer Tillman the next step in his career, making ‘concrete inquiries’ over a January move for the 22-year-old.

Man Utd are preparing for their first transfer window since Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in the dugout, with midfield seemingly identified as an area worthy of regeneration.

However, the problem is that in January, his release clause will not be active. It only comes into effect in the summer, when clubs will be able to sign him for somewhere between €30m and €40m (£24.9m-£33.2m/$31.7m-$42.3m).

Until then, PSV have the power to set whatever price they like for Tillman, who is under contract in Eindhoven until 2028.

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Tillman’s transfer view revealed as one suitor withdraws

Man Utd’s newly developed interest in Tillman was first reported by Give Me Sport earlier this week, when it was revealed that they had been sending scouts to monitor the former Rangers loanee.

That report suggested Man Utd could ‘[test] PSV’s resolve with a formal proposal in January’ – although the Eredivisie champions are in a strong position to reject offers.

The update from Sky Germany – who credit information from their own sources – backs all that up, while providing some insight on Tillman’s own stance on a future transfer.

It’s claimed that Tillman envisages playing for an ‘ambitious top club’ in the ‘long term’, which is a signpost of his ambitious but perhaps also a suggestion of his willingness to wait for the right opportunity.

Tillman has actually played for one of Europe’s biggest clubs before, coming through the ranks at Bayern Munich and earning seven senior appearances.

Bayern still have a buyback clause for Tillman after selling him to PSV in the summer after a loan spell, but Sky Germany concludes a return is ‘currently considered unrealistic’ – which paves the way for a Premier League move instead.

Man Utd and Tottenham in transfer battles

Another player to have been linked with both Man Utd and Tottenham recently is Chilean winger Dario Osorio.

Reports in Denmark this week revealed that the Midtjylland winger would be watched by scouts from both of those clubs – as well as three others – in their 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.

And a legendary German footballer has advised a Bayern midfielder Man Utd are tracking to consider Tottenham as a potential destination too.

In other news, the ‘most obvious’ candidate to leave Man Utd in January has been named.

Tottenham are reportedly leading the race for Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu, who is on the radar of Chelsea, but the Blues are not currently planning to push for another left-sided defender.

Spurs have a good left-back in their side in the form of Destiny Udogie. While consistently decent, the Italian is not pulling up any trees, and his side want to take the step to the next level.

While that could see players in many positions replaced, it seems eyes are currently on giving competition to Udogie.

TBRFootball reports Spurs are currently the leaders in the race for Lecce man Dorgu.

The north Londoners have been linked with him for a while, and though it’s not clear why exactly they’re in the best spot, it is said that Chelsea, though keen, are happy with the performances of Marc Cucurella and Renato Veiga, and are therefore not planning to push for a new left-sided defender.

With Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and West Ham other named sides with interest in Dorgu, it seems that Tottenham are the bigger club might well be the reason for their leading position.

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Tottenham have long-term interest in Dorgu

TEAMtalk reported in September that Spurs have been following Dorgu for over a year.

At the time, it was believed the Blues could make a move in January, the form of their current left-back seems to have lessened the chance of that.

It was also revealed that Lecce see Dorgu as a €40million (£33m/$42m) asset, and that’s unlikely to have changed much, though he has bagged three goals this season, so his price could be rising slightly.

In any case, the Denmark international – who can play as a winger as well as full-back – would seemingly make a good addition to most Premier League sides.

Tottenham round-up: Porro replacement sought

Pedro Porro apparently wants to go to Real Madrid, and Tottenham therefore have concrete interest in Lutsharel Geertruida.

Spurs have also scouted Midtjylland trio Dario Osorio, Oliver Sorensen, and Franculino Dju.

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed there will be no goalkeeper signed in January, with faith in Fraser Forster, and his team-mate, Dejan Kulusevski, has hailed Brandon Austin as a very good asset in net, too.

Postecoglou has also stated he is “so excited” by Archie Gray, as he hailed him for his maturity and calmness at being made to play left-back in Europe, a position he has never played before.

Tottenham signings from Italy

Dorgu could become the latest Tottenham player to join from the Serie A.

In recent seasons, it’s been a happy hunting ground for Spurs, with multiple players joining from there.

Ange Postecoglou did not hold back in his praise for Archie Gray after once again asking the Tottenham summer signing to fulfill a difficult role in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The former Leeds United talent was handed his seventh start in a Spurs shirt when he lined up at left-back against Roma in the 2-2 draw in north London.

And while Gray has yet to start a Premier League game, Postecoglou has been delighted with the progress he is showing – especially when he is not getting more time in his preferred positions of central midfield or right-back.

Speaking after the Roma contest, in which Tottenham threw away the lead twice to only claim a point, Postecoglou told Football.London: “There’s a real maturity at only 18. We asked him to play left-back, he has never played that position in his life but does it with a real efficiency & calmness.

“I am so excited by Archie and that’s another positive for us that we have another 18-year-old who just plays and no one mentions that he is 18, they just measure his performance and, like I said, I am asking him to do different jobs.

“It would probably be more comfortable for him if he was settled in one position but he is playing football at a really high level in Europe and the Premier League.

“That’s going to set us up really well for the player that he is going to become.

“I thought Lucas [Bergvall] was really good when he came on last night, he made an impact. With everything else we’re building, there is some real excitement around the young players as well.”

Latest Tottenham news: Kulu not fretting over keeper struggles / Ligue 1 centre-back eyed

Tottenham midfielder Dejan Kulusevski claims the club are still in a strong position when it comes to goalkeepers in the squad despite No.1 Guglielmo Vicario being ruled out for months after undergoing ankle surgery.

Veteran stopper Fraser Forster stepped in for Thursday night’s Europa League draw with Roma, with both Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman were on the bench for the game – and Kulusevski clearly has great faith in Austin, should he be needed to step up.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly facing a potential battle with French giants PSG over their interest in signing a powerful Ligue 1 centre-back in the January transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou wants another top central defender on board to provide more competition and cover for first-choice trio Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin.

And, according to Foot Mercato, Spurs are ready to raid French club Lens for Abdukodir Khusanov.

Tottenham reportedly have ‘concrete interest’ in the signing of RB Leipzig defender Lutsharel Geetruida, given their star right-back Pedro Porro reportedly wants to join Real Madrid.

Porro has been one of Spurs’ most important players since joining the club. The right-back has consistently chipped in with goals and assists, while also being a solid defender.

Both of those assets were on show in the 4-0 romp against Manchester City, in which he scored and helped Tottenham keep a clean sheet.

But there’s a chance, amid interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid, that the Spaniard moves on, and Spurs are looking for reinforcements if that happens.

According to Caught Offside, there is concrete interest from the north Londoners in Leipzig right-back Geertruida.

He only moved in the summer, though it’s believed the Dutchman has expressed an interest in moving to the Premier League.

As such, the report states his value could be just €40million (£33.3m/$42m), which would give them a decent profit on their initial investment.

Porro wants Real

Alternatives are being sought given it’s believed Porro himself wants to join Real.

It was reported of late that the La Liga giants believe he has a desire to play for them.

As such, it seems their push has been stoked, and they’ll continue to make attempts to make the signing.

Along with competition from United, it’s little surprise that Tottenham are looking to find a replacement right-back.

Tottenham round-up: No goalkeeper issues

Spurs have seen first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario ruled out for months after suffering an ankle injury, and Ange Postecoglou has confirmed there will be no keeper signed in January.

Winger Dejan Kulusevski has confidence in Fraser Forster and Brandon Austin, with the latter, who will be the reserve to Forster, labelled a “very good goalkeeper”.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are among the sides said to have scouted Dario Osorio, Oliver Sorensen, and Franculino Dju from Midtjylland.

And it’s believed the chances of Spurs loanee Timo Werner being signed permanently have risen after he cooked Kyle Walker for the final goal in the 4-0 victory over Man City of late.

Geertruida can succeed in Prem

Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan thinks that Geertruida has the attributes to be a success in the Premier League.

“I think the chance that Geertruida will go there is greater than fifty per cent,” Van der Kraan told De Telegraaf.

“He’s on the radar and has done a fantastic job in the Dutch national team and in the Champions League, he’s a guy who is the best fit for the Premier League physically of all Feyenoord players.

“I don’t have any doubts about Geertruida, I’ve seen him play so much.”

Tottenham midfielder Dejan Kulusevski claims the club are still in a strong position when it comes to goalkeepers in the squad despite No.1 Guglielmo Vicario being ruled out for months after undergoing ankle surgery.

Veteran stopper Fraser Forster stepped in for Thursday night’s Europa League draw with Roma and will continue as Ange Postecoglou’s first choice until Vicario returns after the Spurs boss admitted that the club would not be pursuing any free agent options.

The likes of Keylor Navas and Loris Karius have been mooted as potential options for Tottenham but Postecoglou is ready to keep faith with Forster and the club’s younger options as back-ups.

Both Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman were on the bench for the game against Roma and Kulusevski namechecked the former when asked about Vicario’s injury and Forster’s ability to step up following the Thursday night encounter.

The former England stopper was blamed by some Tottenham fans for his role in Roma’s first goal but Kulusevski had nothing but praise for Forster after the game, while also revealing that the club are in good shape with Austin as his deputy.

“He’s [Forster] really good and he made some big saves today [Thursday]. It’s great to have him and I think he’s ready to play,” Kulusevski told the media.

“And I also feel confident that we have Brandon Austin , who’s a very good goalkeeper.

“We miss Vicario because he’s a fantastic guy, but now it is time for Fraser to step up and help the team.”

Austin yet to earn his spurs

Despite how highly the club rates both Austin and Whiteman, there have still been reports of a move for a new keeper in January to eventually replace Forster who will be out of contract in 2025.

Indeed, two highly-rated Championship stoppers have been touted as strong options in that regard as the club has one eye on the future of the position.

In terms of Austin’s time at the club, the 25-year-old has never been used in a competitive game by Postecoglou although he has had minutes during pre-season.

Postecoglou did, however, admit Austin, who has been at the club since 2007, is improving constantly at Hotspur Way but it seems Forster has nailed down the spot between the sticks.

“Brandon (Austin) is improving all the time and Alfie (Whiteman) has been at the club for a while,” Postecoglou told the media this week.

“We’re happy with what we’ve got. I don’t think us signing a free agent now is going to help us.”

Latest Tottenham news: Spurs eyeing Lens centre-back / Bayern star urged to make Prem switch

Tottenham are reportedly facing a potential battle with French giants PSG over their interest in signing a powerful Ligue 1 centre-back in the January transfer window.

It’s common knowledge that Ange Postecoglou wants to add another central defender to his squad in the new year after Micky van de Ven suffered another hamstring problem, while Cristian Romero has been struggling with a toe issue.

One player who has been tipped to make the move to Tottenham is impressive Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov. TT understands that the Uzbekistan international is also on the radars of the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle amongst others and now Foot Mercato reports that reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on making a move for Khusanov.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka has been told to consider a move to Spurs amid Manchester United keeping tabs on his situation.

Throughout most of his time at Bayern, Goretzka has generally been a mainstay in central midfield. However, the German had a frustrating start to the season as he was largely left on the bench by new manager Vincent Kompany.

That has led to speculation he could be on the move and Germany icon Lothar Matthaus sees Tottenham as a good fit.

Two Manchester City veterans with 12 Premier League titles between them could both be shunted out in 2025, while doubts are also creeping in over the long-term future of Jack Grealish, according to a report.

Man City have been the dominant force in England throughout Pep Guardiola’s reign at the club. However, stagnation in the transfer market has led to key members of Man City’s squad all ageing at the same time.

Ederson, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are all in their thirties. Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Jack Grealish are all aged 29.

According to a fresh update from The Athletic, Man City planned to rejuvenate their squad in 2025. However, their dramatic loss of form this season has sparked fears they’ve left their big push in the market a year too late.

When running the rule over City’s transfer plans in 2025, The Athletic revealed club stalwarts Walker and De Bruyne could both be in the final year of their trophy-laden spells at The Etihad.

Walker, 34, looks to have lost a yard of pace and was memorably torched by Timo Werner for Tottenham’s fourth goal last weekend.

Per the report, Walker ‘could be moved on, having been close to an exit in 2023 (Bayern Munich), linked with one this summer, and struggling on the pitch.’

Walker’s is contracted until the end of next season, though the situation is even more immediate with De Bruyne.

The Belgian maestro is a bona fide Premier League legend, though persistent injury issues have severely limited his impact of late.

De Bruyne is in the final year of his deal and per David Ornstein, three options are in play.

The first is De Bruyne signs a one-year extension. The second is the 33-year-old moves to Saudi Arabia. The third is De Bruyne leaves for MLS.

City fans will no doubt hope De Bruyne stays, though per the report, ‘he will most likely have to get through the season without any further injury setbacks to get an extension.’ Keeping injury-free is not something De Bruyne has been able to do in recent times.

Providing an exclusive update on De Bruyne’s situation, journalist Rudy Galetti told TEAMtalk earlier on Friday that Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr are both on the midfielder’s trail.

However, PIF are concerned that Major League Soccer clubs are starting to move for De Bruyne. PIF therefore want to speed up talks with the Belgium captain so he does not follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi.

Messi had been close to heading to Saudi Arabia in July 2023, only to join Inter Miami instead.

Jack Grealish future uncertain

Other ageing Man City stars whose futures in Manchester are from from certain are Ederson, Stones, Gundogan, Silva and Grealish.

Of that quintet, Grealish is the biggest surprise given he’s not yet over 30 and is contracted until 2027. The report stated there are ‘some doubts’ within Man City about whether Grealish should be moved on or not.

Grealish cost £100m when bought from Aston Villa back in 2021. The tricky winger has chipped in with vital contributions at times, but a return of just 14 goals and 20 assists in 137 matches is well below the expectations of a £100m player.

Stones’ issues relate primarily to difficulties in staying fit. Gundogan, meanwhile, looks a shadow of the player he previously was during his first stint at The Etihad.

Gundogan signed a one-year deal with a club option for a second season upon returning from Barcelona. The Athletic concluded is it now ‘in the balance’ as to whether City bother to trigger the option in lieu of the German’s sub-par displays.

Latest Man City news – Neville, Wharton, McAtee

In other news, Gary Neville has predicted Liverpool will “run all over” Man City in the crunch Premier League clash on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Caught Offside state Arsenal have opened talks over signing Man City target, Adam Wharton, in January.

TEAMtalk was recently informed City intend to launch an approach for the Crystal Palace midfielder who’d cover Rodri’s injury absence. They now face stiff competition from the Gunners.

Finally, City are said to be on a collision course with James McAtee, with the midfielder desperate to get more minutes under his belt and reported to be pushing for a move away in the January window.

Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly among a number of European giants sending scouts to watch a trio of rising stars in a Europa League clash.

Although the transfer window doesn’t open until January, teams such as Man Utd and Tottenham are always on the lookout for a transfer bargain or a must-have signing.

And one side that is seemingly under the microscope is Danish Superliga outfit FC Midtjylland as they prepare to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night in the European competition.

According to reports in Denmark, Spurs, United, Leicester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona are sending scouts to watch players from both teams.

The most obvious one is Frankfurt’s in-form striker Omar Marmoush but according to Tipsbladet, Midtjylland winger and rumoured Liverpool target Dario Osorio, midfielder Oliver Sorensen, and forward Franculino Dju are also on the aforementioned teams’ radars.

The report adds the young trio are ‘good bets’ to leave the club for ‘large sums of millions’, while scouts will also be keeping an eye on Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké, too.

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Who are these Midtjylland stars?

The Danish team appear to have three young gems on their hands at present. Osorio, 20, is a Chile international and has been at Midtjylland since 2023.

So far, he has scored 10 goals in 45 games for the Jutland side and played a key role in their Danish Superliga triumph last season.

Sorensen, 22, had to be patient before making his break at Midtjylland, with the midfielder heading out on loan to lower league side Frederica and Norwegian team HamKam.

Now, he is an important cog in Thomas Thomasberg’s side, scoring 10 goals over the past season and a half.

And forward Dju, 20, is coming good after leaving Benfica’s academy in 2023. The Guinea Bissau youngster bagged 17 goals in 32 games last season and this term he has nine goals in 23 matches.

Man Utd offered duo

Juventus technical director Cristiano Giuntoli reportedly met with United and Manchester City in Manchester to try and offer them two fringe players this week.

Reports suggest Juve want to sell midfielders Nicolo Fagioli and Douglas Luiz for €20-25m (£16.6-20.8m) and €50m (£42.35m) respectively in the January transfer window.

Elsewhere, United are said to be confident of beating City to the signature of Ruben Amorim favourite and Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand.

The Denmark international, whose contract runs until 2028, is said to have a release clause of around €80m (£66.6m, $84.4m).

A speedy winger has enhanced his chances of securing a Tottenham move at season’s end after his eye-catching display against Manchester City last week, according to a report.

Tottenham produced arguably the result of the season last weekend when thumping Man City 4-0 on their own patch. City have struggled mightily of late, failing to win in each of their last six matches across all competitions. Nonetheless, the manner and margin of defeat against Spurs was out of the ordinary.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison ran the show, though another attack-minded player – Timo Werner – made a major impact late on.

The 28-year-old latched on to a loose ball on the left flank and opted to test his pace against Kyle Walker – one of the fastest players in Premier League history.

Werner blazed past Walker before squaring for Brennan Johnson to tap home the fourth. It was a major highlight in what has otherwise been a quiet second loan spell in north London for Werner so far.

And according to Give Me Sport, Werner’s electrifying cameo has enhanced his chances of securing a permanent switch to Tottenham when the loan concludes next summer.

Firstly, GMS declared Ange Postecoglou has decided Werner’s loan will NOT be cut short in January.

Furthermore, despite recent speculation to the contrary and on the back of Werner torching Walker, Werner has ‘boosted his chances of having a long-term future at Tottenham.’

Will Tottenham sign Timo Werner outright?

GMS clarified Tottenham are yet to make a final decision one way or the other on the player’s £8.5m option to buy.

But in lieu of showing how devastating his pace can be, Spurs are now ‘entertaining the possibility of keeping Werner beyond the end of the campaign.’

Werner’s biggest issue throughout his career has always been wastefulness in front of goal. Now aged 28, that aspect of his game is unlikely to improve any time soon.

Nonetheless, at just £8.5m he could prove a worthy pick-up and his pace off the bench is sure to frighten tiring full-backs whenever he’s introduced.

Latest Tottenham news – Khusanov, Goretzka, Forster

In other news, reports in France state Tottenham and PSG are vying for the signature of Lens centre-back, Abdukodir Khusanov.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka has been told to consider a move to Tottenham Hotspur amid Manchester United keeping tabs on his situation.

Throughout most of his time at Bayern, Goretzka has generally been a mainstay in central midfield. However, the German had a frustrating start to the season as he was largely left on the bench by new manager Vincent Kompany.

Goretzka could put himself in a good position to secure a transfer in summer 2025 by refusing to sign a new contract, with his current deal due to expire in June 2026.

And Germany icon Lothar Matthaus has now mentioned Tottenham and Man Utd as being potential suitors for Goretzka.

Finally, Postecoglou has declared Tottenham will NOT sign a new goalkeeper in January despite Guglielmo Vicario undergoing surgery to repair a fractured ankle.

Instead, Postecoglou is prepared to put his faith in back-up stopper Fraser Forster until Vicario returns.

Tottenham are reportedly facing a potential battle with French giants PSG over their interest in signing a powerful Ligue 1 centre-back in the January transfer window.

It’s common knowledge that Ange Postecoglou wants to add another central defender to his squad in the new year after Micky van de Ven suffered another hamstring problem, while Cristian Romero has been struggling with a toe issue.

And while backup pairing Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies performed exceptionally well in the shock 4-0 win at Manchester City last weekend, they have also had their struggles in other contests when stepping up this season.

Add in the fact that No.1 keeper Guglielmo Vicario faces months on the sidelines after suffering a fractured ankle against City, and bolstering his backline has become a priority for Postecoglou and the club in January.

One player who has been tipped to make the move to Tottenham is impressive Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov. TT understands that the Uzbekistan international is also on the radars of the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle amongst others and now Foot Mercato reports that reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on making a move for Khusanov.

PSG are currently dealing with the possibility of losing Milan Skriniar in the coming weeks, with other key centre-back options in Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez currently out injured.

With the above three also nearing 30s and club captain Marquinhos already in his 30s, the Parisians are looking at finding younger options for the future – having already used Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho this season.

Khusanov, 20, has made 12 appearances for Lens this season across all competitions and is valued at a bargain €5million by Transfermarkt. He also earns just €140k-per-year, with his current contract running out in June 2027 – making him a really affordable signing.

Powerhouse Khusanov a tough man to beat

Khusanov has been described as a defender who rarely gets caught out by opposition attackers, the 6ft 1in is physically strong and anticipates well. Indeed, up until recently the Uzbekistan star had made the most interceptions since the start of the season in Ligue 1, tied on 17 with PSG’s Willian Pacho and current Tottenham loanee Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at Marseille.

Current Lens boss, Englishman Will Still, is clearly a big fan of the centre-back and thinks he can go far.

Speaking recently, Still said: “He scares me. He’s calm, powerful, he’s fast. He doesn’t talk but he’s good.

“He has very, very impressive potential.”

At the age of just 20, Khusanov is an obvious target for Spurs given their recent push towards signing younger players under Postecoglou.

PSG, however, have the much-revered Luis Campos working for them in an advisory capacity, with the former Portsiguese coach already giving his stamp of approval for Khusanov’s signing in the French capital.

To that end, the Lens defender will be an interesting one to watch when the January window rolls around.

Latest Tottenham news: Bayern star tipped for Spurs switch / Championship keepers on radar

Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka has been told to consider a move to Tottenham Hotspur amid Manchester United keeping tabs on his situation.

Throughout most of his time at Bayern, Goretzka has generally been a mainstay in central midfield. However, the German had a frustrating start to the season as he was largely left on the bench by new manager Vincent Kompany.

Goretzka could put himself in a good position to secure a transfer in summer 2025 by refusing to sign a new contract, with his current deal due to expire in June 2026.

And Germany icon Lothar Matthaus has now mentioned Tottenham and Man Utd as being potential suitors for Goretzka.

Meanwhile, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy could reportedly attempt to bring in one of two top Championship goalkeepers in January following the news of Guglielmo Vicario’s serious ankle injury.

IN FOCUS – Khusanov’s career so far

March 2022 – After playing for the youth teams of Uzbek club Bunyodkor, Khusanov moved to Belarus and joined Energetik-BGU Minsk.

He made his senior debut a few days later, starting in a 3-1 win against Vitebsk in the Belarusian Premier League.

May 2022 – The centre-back scored his first senior goal in a 4-1 win over Neman Grodno and also registered two assists in the game.

November 2022 – He finished his debut season with three goals and four assists in 27 appearances and was also named in the Team of the Season.

March 2023 – Khusanov was part of the Uzbekistan Under-20 side that won the AFC U-20 Asian Cup, playing every minute in all six games at the tournament and conceding just one goal.

June 2023 – He made his senior debut for Uzbekistan, coming off the bench in a 3-0 win over Oman in the CAFA Nations Cup.

July 2023 – The defender completed a €100,000 move to RC Lens and signed a four-year contract, becoming the first Uzbek player to play in Ligue 1.

September 2023 – Khusanov made his Ligue 1 debut, starting in a 1-0 win over FC Metz.

November 2023 – He made his Champions League debut against Arsenal, coming off the bench in a 6-0 defeat at the Emirates.

July 2024 – The 20-year-old made three appearances for Uzbekistan at the 2024 Olympics.