TEAMtalk

Former Liverpool star Steve McManaman has claimed that the Reds are making progress in their contract talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Real Madrid are reportedly looking at Tottenham Hotspur star Pedro Porro as a backup target.

Alexander-Arnold, like fellow elite stars Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, has entered the final year of his Liverpool contract. This has led to speculation that the right-back might leave his boyhood club, with Real Madrid and Manchester City both keen on signing him in a bargain deal.

During an appearance on TNT Sports, Liverpool hero McManaman admitted it is a ‘problem’ that those crucial three contracts have not been sorted out earlier.

But the pundit did suggest that Liverpool are firmly in renewal talks with all three of Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk, and it is the Englishman’s fresh terms which are likely to be announced first.

“The circumstances for Trent and how it’s come, this is well-known,” McManaman said.

“The sporting director and Jurgen [Klopp] leaving, so it’s got to this limbo, of sorts. What’s helping is Virgil and Mo Salah are in the same predicament.

“There’s been a problem within the club that it hasn’t been sorted out sooner. Hopefully, it won’t be hard for the three of them – particular Trent – to get it all sorted amicably.

“I know they’ve all been talking in the club. I’ve been talking to the players, so it’s well on the way, the club won’t say anything until it’s signed, sealed and delivered.”

In another boost for Liverpool fans, CaughtOffside report that Real Madrid are eyeing Tottenham full-back Porro as an alternative target in case they are unsuccessful in landing Alexander-Arnold.

The report suggests that Real Madrid could bid €65million (£54.7m / US$71.7m) for Porro. Although, his exit would not please Ange Postecoglou, as the Spaniard has developed into one of Tottenham’s best performers in recent seasons.

Madrid have also shortlisted Manchester United ace Diogo Dalot and Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen as backup targets to Alexander-Arnold.

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Liverpool confident of keeping Trent Alexander-Arnold

McManaman’s comments come after TEAMtalk revealed on Tuesday that Liverpool are confident of tying Alexander-Arnold down to fresh terms.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk transfer insider Fraser Gillan that Man City hold shock interest in the England ace, while there is an obvious attraction for him to link up with friend Jude Bellingham at Madrid. Nevertheless, there is a calm confidence at Anfield that Alexander-Arnold will stay put.

Liverpool are ready to offer the player a big pay rise as they look to tie him down until June 2030.

Alexander-Arnold staying on Merseyside would see him go against the advice of Michael Owen, who swapped Liverpool for Madrid in August 2004.

Earlier this week, Owen suggested Alexander-Arnold should strongly consider Madrid’s advances as it is ‘only a short career’ and such a transfer would allow him to take part in a ‘different experience’.

The former striker added that he did not leave Liverpool ‘because I hated it’, but because he feared he would regret not taking the opportunity to join Madrid. That is the huge decision facing Alexander-Arnold, though at this stage he is leaning towards staying at Liverpool.

Anfield news: Striker battle, Zubimendi speaks out

Meanwhile, Liverpool will face competition from a host of clubs including Arsenal and Juventus to sign Lille centre-forward Jonathan David.

As per Football Insider, Arsenal, Juve, AC Milan and Inter Milan have all joined Liverpool in the hunt for the Canadian, who netted the winner for Lille against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

All of those clubs have been alerted by the fact David’s Lille contract expires at the end of the season, which means he can be signed for a cut-price fee.

Earlier this week, the Italian media suggested Liverpool are leading the charge for the goalscorer, having prepared a five-and-a-half-year contract for him worth €5m per year (£80,000 a week).

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been quizzed on a summer of noise after he rejected the chance to join Liverpool.

“My philosophy is to do what I feel at all times,” he said. “So far, things have gone well for me.

“It is true that there was a lot of noise. I went through uncomfortable moments. The best thing for me was to stay here and I am happy and at peace. There is a lot of noise because of the press but in the end everything is easier than all that.”

When asked if Sociedad’s poor start to the season had him wishing he had left, the Spain star replied: “Of course I don’t regret it, I can’t think that after four or five games at the start of the season. I made my decision from within.

“I thought it was the best thing to do, the results don’t affect me. I see potential in this team, you just have to watch us train and I’m excited about having a good season.”

Tottenham are ready to splash the cash to sign another high profile Bournemouth player in 2025, according to a report.

Tottenham made Dominic Solanke their record signing over the summer when committing to a package worth £65m (£55m plus £10m in add-ons). The ex-Cherries striker endured a slow start in north London, though has since scored in each of his last three matches – all of which Spurs have won.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Ange Postecoglou’s side are ready to raid Bournemouth once again for winger Antoine Semenyo.

The report stated Tottenham above all other suitors are showing the strongest interest in the right-footed forward.

Spurs are said to have identified the 24-year-old as the ‘perfect option’ to bolster their attacking ranks in 2025. Per the report, Semenyo’s signing ‘is shaping up to be one of the most important of the next transfer window.’

Semenyo bagged eight goals for Bournemouth in his first full campaign in the Premier League last term. He’s taken his game to new heights this season, notching three goals and providing one assist in his first six matches.

As such, Semenyo is reportedly valued around the £33m mark and per the report, that is a price Tottenham ‘would be willing to pay.’

IN-DEPTH: The key contract details of every Tottenham first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

Do Tottenham need another winger?

Tottenham already have an abundance of wide options at their disposal and the Spanish outlet in quesion aren’t known for being among the more reliable ones when it comes to transfer news.

Nonetheless, a move for new blood out wide could make sense when casting your eye over Tottenham’s forward ranks.

Timo Werner is only at the club via a loan agreement that contains an option to buy worth £8.5m. The German’s shortcomings in front of goal when squandering two one-v-one opportunities against Manchester United were laid bare on Sunday.

Dejan Kulusevski has primarily been used in more of a midfield role under Postecoglou this term, while captain Son Heung-min is now 32 years of age.

The Spurs icon is out of contract next summer, though his deal does contain an option for an extra season. TEAMtalk understands Spurs do plan to activate the option, but how long Son will remain a world class winger while edging towards his mid-thirties is something the club must carefully consider.

As such, the addition of a lively new winger like Semenyo would make sense. Brennan Johnson – who’s scored four in his last four matches – and Wilson Odobert are Postecoglou’s other options for the flanks.

Eze on the move / Gyokeres to rival Solanke?

In other news, Liverpool have reportedly been granted the green light by Eberechi Eze’s camp to wrap up a deal for the Crystal Palace talisman.

Eze was a transfer target at Spurs over the summer and Football Transfers reported as recently as mid-September that Tottenham have a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with the England ace.

Elsewhere, Tottenham have been linked with smashing their transfer record for Sporting CP hotshot, Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede has been in irresistible form over the last 14 months, notching 54 goals in 59 matches for Sporting since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Given Spurs have only just made striker Dominic Solanke their record buy, a move for Gyokeres would come as a major shock.

The spectacular rise of Antoine Semenyo

Liverpool have received a boost in their hunt to sign Crystal Palace star Ebere Eze, as the playmaker is reportedly open to securing a big transfer, though several other top clubs are also lurking.

As per Football Insider, Liverpool have been given the ‘green light’ by Eze’s camp to strike a deal next summer as the attacking midfielder is ready to take the next step in his career. Eze has shone for Palace since joining the club in August 2020 but he is now ready to challenge himself at a higher level and play in European competitions such as the Champions League for the first time.

The report states that Liverpool held concrete interest in landing Eze during the recent summer transfer window and that interest remains ‘active’ ahead of 2025.

The England ace had a £68million (€81.7m / US$90.7m) release clause in his contract which expired once the summer window shut. Although, that exit clause will be available to trigger again next summer, which means Liverpool know exactly how much they need to pay to prise Eze out of Selhurst Park.

Football Insider add that the 26-year-old has seen former Palace team-mate Michael Olise go on to star for Bayern Munich and now he wants to make an impact at the highest level, too.

Even though a release clause is in place, it will not be straightforward for Arne Slot’s side to land Eze. Tottenham Hotspur are big fans of the player too, having scouted him on several occasions over the past year.

Plus, Arsenal and Manchester City cannot be discounted either. On September 14, Football Transfers claimed that Tottenham have a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place with Eze, though they ‘fear’ that any future move could be ‘hijacked’ by Arsenal or City, currently two of the most powerful clubs in England.

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Where will Eze go next?

It is hard to predict where Eze will end up, given the fact he is being chased by a number of elite sides. Although, it is likely that Liverpool will position themselves at the very front of the queue.

Liverpool’s current central attacking midfielder, Dominik Szoboszlai, has yet to truly justify his £60m (€72m / US$80m) price tag. The Hungary star has shown glimpses of his huge talent but has yet to do this on a regular basis.

Slot has spoken about the need for his attacking midfielder to notch regular goals and assists, and if Szoboszlai fails to improve his numbers then Eze could come in to replace him.

It could be argued that Liverpool have more need for a new No 10 than City, Arsenal and Spurs. After all, City have Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, Arsenal have Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, while Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou can utilise James Maddison in that playmaker role.

While Foden is poised to succeed from De Bruyne at City, it would not be a surprise if Pep Guardiola’s side launch a move for Eze, too. De Bruyne has been so good for City that he may need two top players to replace his influence.

Liverpool round-up: Alexander-Arnold verdict, midfielder link

Meanwhile, Michael Owen, who represented both Liverpool and Real Madrid during his playing days, has explained why Trent Alexander-Arnold might leave for the Spanish capital next year.

“The only other great experience that I could see for Trent is to play for Real Madrid,” Owen said. “That’s nothing to do with liking a team, supporting a team, whatever, that’s just, do you want that life experience or are you happy playing for Liverpool all your life and it’s not a bad choice is it? I mean, what a lovely position to be in if that was the case.”

The former striker added that Alexander-Arnold needs to consider Madrid’s offer as a player’s career is short and such a move would provide a great new experience for him.

Owen then said: “If Trent leaves, it’s not because he hates Liverpool. When I left Liverpool, it’s not because I hated Liverpool, it’s because that might be something that I’ll regret if I don’t try it.

“That was my attitude. My advice to Trent would be ‘If you’re not really interested in seeing a different side of the football in terms of playing in a different country, different team, etc then stay at Liverpool all your life because you’re not going to get any better anywhere else’.”

Liverpool might look to get their revenge on Madrid by finally capturing long-term midfield target Aurelien Tchouameni.

As per Spanish outlet Fichajes, Madrid have decided they are ready to let Tchouameni leave as long as an €80m (£66.7m / $89m) offer comes in.

Liverpool, who were eager to sign the France star when Jurgen Klopp was in charge, are ‘willing’ to spend big to bring him to Anfield at last.

How does Eze compare with Szoboszlai and Diaz?

Eze predominantly played as an attacking midfielder for Palace in the 2023/24 season, making 15 Premier League appearances in that position.

The England international registered six goals and one assist in those games, averaging a direct goal contribution every 167.2 minutes.

Liverpool’s current No.10 is Szoboszlai, who registered three goals and two assists from midfield in the Premier League in 2023/24.

He made 31 appearances in that position and averaged a direct goal contribution every 417.6 minutes.

“I think something that we have to work on with him is that he’s also even more involved in scoring goals and creating chances for us,” Arne Slot said.

“Last season he scored three [in the league] if I remember correctly and for an attacking midfielder at Liverpool his numbers need to go up.”

Eze also showcased his versatility by registering another five goals and two assists from the left wing.

He made nine Premier League appearances in that position last season and averaged a direct goal contribution every 107.5 minutes when playing on the left wing.

Liverpool already have a few left wing options and Luis Diaz registered eight goals and five assists in the Premier League last season.

The Colombia international made 35 league appearances in that position and averaged a direct goal contribution every 192.9 minutes.

Tottenham are reportedly eyeing up Sporting Lisbon’s prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres, despite securing the club-record signing of fellow forward Dominic Solanke this summer.

Solanke swapped Bournemouth for Tottenham in a deal worth up to £65 million (€78m, $87m) in August, as chairman Daniel Levy sought to fill the hole left by record scorer Harry Kane.

After initially failing to get off the mark in his opening matches for Spurs, the 27-year-old is coming good, with three goals in as many games in all competitions.

Despite splashing all that cash on the former Liverpool man, Portuguese publication Fichajes claims Ange Postecoglou’s team are in the market for another hitman – with the Australian targeting Sporting’s Gyokeres.

Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Arsenal, among others, have been linked with the Sweden international, who reportedly could cost up to £83.5m (€100m, $111.4m).

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Tottenham’s transfer plans

TEAMtalk understands that Tottenham are planning to be active in the January transfer window as they seek to crash the top four of the Premier League.

Spurs, who finished fifth last season, saw Solanke as their top striker target this summer and they managed to secure his services on a contract until 2030.

Taking this into consideration, and the fact that the former Chelsea youngster is scoring for Postecoglou’s team, a move for Gyokeres – who has scored 54 goals in 59 games for the Primeira Liga outfit – seems unlikely.

Moreover, after breaking their transfer record fee on the one-time England international, it would, arguably, be strange to fork out an even bigger amount of money a matter of months later on the Lisbon talisman.

If Spurs are to throw around the big bucks in the coming transfer windows, it may be on other areas of the pitch – rather than the one where Solanke resides.

Spurs look to the future

Tottenham have been linked with a move for rising Lecce star Patrick Dorgu, but face competition from AC Milan, Chelsea, and more.

The 19-year-old, who was the subject of interest from Napoli earlier this year, enjoyed a breakout season for the Serie A side last summer. Now, Spurs are reportedly keeping tabs on the left-back, who can also play as a wing-back.

Elsewhere, the north London side are said to be monitoring the progress of Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram.

The 27-year-old helped Inter to the Serie A crown last season with 13 goals and this term he has four goals in seven matches.

Finally, Tottenham and Chelsea are reportedly locked in a battle to sign Bayer Leverkusen youth player Francis Onyeka.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has impressed for the German team’s under-19 side but he is yet to make the step up to the first team.

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Harry Redknapp has tipped Dominic Solanke to score for Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, while Erik ten Hag is looking for a Manchester United win to reduce the pressure on his job.

In quotes carried by the Manchester Evening News, former Tottenham boss Redknapp predicted a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. He discussed how unreliable Ten Hag’s side are and backed Solanke to add to his Tottenham tally.

“Just as soon as Manchester United start to settle down and play, they have a couple of lacklustre performances and everybody’s back to square one,” he said.

“You never know which United are going to turn up. I think they’ll surprise everyone this weekend with a decent performance, but it’ll be frustration time at Old Trafford yet again.

“All credit to Ange Postecoglou in Europe, they [Spurs] went down to 10 men early in the game, but his team produced a professional performance to win the game 3-0.

“Spurs were sensational against Brentford and it’s encouraging to see Dominic Solanke banging them in. That’s just what any new player needs.

“I’m looking forward to this match, but I bet the Man Utd fans will watch it from behind the sofa!

“One to watch: Dominic Solanke has come out of the traps now and I think he’s going on a goal run.”

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Solanke starting to justify price tag

Following a club-record £65million (€77.8m / US$86.9m) move from Bournemouth, Solanke made his debut for Spurs in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City on August 19.

The striker then had a frustrating couple of weeks though as he missed two games with an ankle injury.

Solanke opened his Spurs account during the 3-1 win over Brentford last weekend, finishing from close range after James Maddison’s shot had been kept out.

Solanke also registered a goal and assist as Spurs ran out 3-0 winners against Qarabag in the Europa League on Thursday, despite going down to 10 men.

The 27-year-old will be aiming to either match or better his record from last season, when he found the back of the net 21 times in 42 games to convince Spurs on signing him.

Man Utd defeat could affect Ten Hag

For Man Utd, meanwhile, there was plenty of talk about Ten Hag’s future over the international break following the damaging 3-0 home loss to rivals Liverpool.

Man Utd responded by beating Southampton and Barnsley and scoring a combined 10 goals in the process, but draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente since then have left fans frustrated.

It is unlikely that Man Utd will pull the trigger and sack Ten Hag if they lose to Spurs, but such a result would certainly lead to more speculation about potential replacements.

It has been widely reported that Man Utd chiefs will give the 54-year-old until Christmas before deciding to stick with him or initiate a new era with a different manager.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has spoken out in defence of Erik ten Hag feeling the pressure on the Manchester United job is unjust amid claims he is on the brink of the sack and that the Red Devils are already on the hunt for a world-class successor.

Ten Hag survived the axe by a whisker over the summer with success in the FA Cup seeing him deliver the second piece of silverware of his Manchester United reign. But after collecting just three wins from seven matches so far this season, the Red Devils find themselves in 11th place going into Sunday’s match with Spurs at Old Trafford.

The sloppy midweek draw against FC Twente appears to have accelerated claims Ten Hag could soon face the sack, but Postecoglou has offered his counterpart a strong defence, feeling he has done a good job and that critics will never be happy.

“I think Erik’s in a really tough job and he’s done really well,” the Tottenham boss told reporters ahead of Sunday’s match between the sides.

“He keeps mentioning he’s won two trophies and that’s not insignificant, everyone keeps telling me that’s all I have to do, but it’s not all you have to do, because when you do that there’s always more. He’s done a great job, a difficult job.”

Talking directly about the Man Utd job, the Aussie continued: “I don’t know who coined the phrase ‘the impossible job’, but I think it’s become even more impossible now.

“It seems like success is not enough if it doesn’t have an identity, [and] identity is not enough unless it’s followed by aesthetics. Aesthetics are not enough unless they’re followed by legacy.

“There’s always another layer. It seems like no one is doing a good job unless you win the competition at the end of the year. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of understanding of progress or the circumstances that people have to work under at times.”

Ten Hag sack: New favourite for Man Utd job emerges with axe ‘a matter of time’

Postecoglou insists Ten Hag, like many others, must learn to handle the pressure adding: “It’s just the nature of the role. I don’t think that’s going to change. I guess it’s about how you respond to it, how you react to it, how you let it affect you.

“The more experience you have maybe the better you deal with these things.”

Despite those words of sympathy, Postecoglou could put pile the pressure on Ten Hag with a win on Sunday and deliver what would be a third defeat in six Premier League matches so far this season.

Such a result would really turn the screw and TEAMtalk correspondent Fraser Gillan reported on Thursday that Ten Hag is indeed on ‘borrowed time’ at Old Trafford with the Red Devils already actively discussing potential replacements for the Dutchman.

He revealed that questions are already being asked about just how long they allow their current situation to continue and that the Man Utd board only felt obliged to offer Ten Hag an extension over the summer for a failure to attract a better option.

As a result, Gillan claims that sources have told him there are genuine concerns that little has changed this season and that Ten Hag is incapable of leading United back to the very top. As a result, they are already on the lookout for a coach with it described as ‘just a matter of time’ before the axe falls.

That report followed hot on the heels of a report earlier on Thursday revealing Ten Hag was being heavily backed to lose his job before Christmas and with Ruud van Nistelrooy the new favourite to replace him from a four-man shortlist.

Man Utd to launch fresh bid for dream Ratcliffe signing as Arsenal striker signs

Elsewhere at Manchester United, the Red Devils are being backed to launch a fresh January move to prise Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe ready to make a fresh move for a player he believes is destined for the top.

United made a series of offers for the one-time capped England international over the summer, only for Everton to resist all their bids. But despite the arrivals of both Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro, Ratcliffe’s interest in Branthwaite has not waned and a fresh attempt to prise him away could now arrive in the winter window.

Meanwhile, teenage striker Chido Obi-Martin can officially become a Manchester United player, following reports that the Premier League have finally completed the ‘ratification process’ for his transfer from Arsenal.

The move was agreed over the summer window but a delay in ratifying the move means United have now been given the green light to finalise the transfer outside of the window, though it remains unclear what compensation costs they will need to pay the Gunners.

Miserable European record not helping Ten Hag

Ten Hag has taken charge of 19 matches for United across both the Champions League and the Europa League so far but has only won nine of those games, drawing four and losing six.

This season’s campaign got off to an inglorious side after a draw to the lowest-ranked side, in terms of the coefficient, that United will face at Old Trafford in the Europa League.

After Sunday’s Premier League game with Tottenham, United are back in Europa League action on Thursday with a difficult away match at FC Porto.

Only wins in both games will keep the wolves from the door.

A Turkish coach has incredibly stated that former Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is superior to Liverpool hero Virgil van Dijk.

Sanchez left Tottenham in September 2023 when Turkish giants Galatasaray paid £7.9million (€9.5m / US$10.6m) for his services. The centre-back has since made 37 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions, with five of those outings coming this season.

Sanchez has established himself as an important player for Galatasaray by putting in a host of solid performances, and this has led to stunning praise from Servet Cetin, who represented Galatasaray over 100 times during his playing days and was most recently in charge of fellow Turkish outfit Sivasspor.

In an interview with Ajansspor, Cetin tried to justify why Sanchez is better than Van Dijk, despite the latter being regarded as one of the best defenders of all time.

“Sanchez is a better centre-back than [Van] Dijk,” he claimed.

“In England, centre-backs play locally, they do not disturb their positions. They don’t get into the ranks of the right-back or left-back. They always take a position in the centre. They usually play heavy. Because they are physically good, they intercept the ball in the centre.

“But they falter when they have to open up. Van Dijk had a very difficult time against Baris Alper Yılmaz in the Turkey vs Netherlands national [team] match.

“Sanchez, on the other hand, has a one-on-one game. He has pace, plays in a wider area and doesn’t miss men. He does a much more difficult job. He gets off the ball very well. Sanchez is a much better stopper than van Dijk.

“Maybe people will say come off it, but it doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool. For example, Sami Hyypia came to Turkey and was not liked. So, Sanchez is better than Van Dijk and many other centre-backs in the Premier League.”

Sanchez, Van Dijk claim is absurd

Tottenham fans will be surprised about this claim, as Sanchez failed to live up to expectations after moving to North London in a £42m deal in August 2017, a club record at the time.

It is clear that the Colombia star has improved since leaving England and has started to show the form which prompted Spurs to originally sign him. Sanchez has even won the Super Lig title and Turkish Super Cup with his current team.

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However, Liverpool fans – and most other football fans – will certainly disagree with Cetin’s comments.

Van Dijk is one of the best defenders the Premier League has ever seen, as he regularly keeps top strikers quiet while also spraying out passes from deep and being a threat from set pieces.

The Dutch star, who has been Liverpool’s captain since July 2023, played an integral role as Liverpool won major trophies such as the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup under Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool round-up: Dortmund chase, Guehi boost

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Borussia Dortmund ace Karim Adeyemi is on Liverpool’s shortlist as they eye attacking recruits next year.

The Reds are ‘likely’ to buy a new winger at the end of the season, which is partly down to uncertainty over Mo Salah’s future. Adeyemi is one concrete option, while Liverpool also admire Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad.

TEAMtalk understands that in order to sign versatile Germany star Adeyemi, Liverpool will need to pay Dortmund less than €45m (£37.5m / $US50.2m). Liverpool chiefs view this as a reasonable sum given the 22-year-old’s exciting potential.

Another player Liverpool like the look of is Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. They watched on as Newcastle United failed with multiple bids for the centre-half in the summer.

In a major boost for Arne Slot’s side, Football Insider report that Guehi would rather join Liverpool than Newcastle at this stage.

Tottenham latest: Serie A striker eyed

Spurs only captured Dominic Solanke in the summer, but it seems they are already eyeing up more striker reinforcements.

Fichajes claim that Spurs are poised to battle Aston Villa for Inter Milan ace Marcus Thuram, who has already registered four goals and two assists in five Serie A matches this campaign.

Inter want to keep Thuram which means he will not come cheap. It is thought that the France star has a £70m (€85m / $US94.6m) exit clause in his Inter contract.

A transfer at that price would see Spurs smash their transfer record once again. Solanke is their new most expensive buy, having cost £65m when joining from Bournemouth in the summer.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou admits a late call will be made on the fitness of captain Son Heung-min ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Manchester United.

Son started Thursday’s Europa League opener against Qarabag, which 10-man Spurs won 3-0, but needed treatment before he limped off in the 71st minute to be replaced by Timo Werner.

And, speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, Postecoglou hopes Son’s hamstring issue is not serious and that he will be able to train on Saturday.

“Fair to say the boys are fairly tired, the ones who put in a shift. Apart from Sonny, everybody is okay,” Postecoglou revealed.

“Sonny, I don’t think is too bad. He wants to train tomorrow and we will see how it goes and make a decision from there. We have another day up our sleeve to give him every chance.”

In terms of who could replace Son if he fails to make it, there are two natural contenders in Werner and exciting youngster Mikey Moore.

And when asked if Moore was not yet ready to start for Tottenham, Postecoglou insisted: “No, I wouldn’t say that. We’ll see with Sonny. Obviously with Wilson (Odobert) out, we’re kind of limited and with Richy (Richarlison) out because Richy can play there as well.

“Timo and Mikey can certainly come into the frame. We have Deki Kulusevski who can play wide as well so we’ve got some options there, but firstly we’ll see how Sonny is.”

Postecoglou discusses Son contract situation

This week has seen Son’s future put into sharp focus after he discussed his contract situation on Wednesday ahead of the Qarabag clash and admitted no fresh talks had taken place.

Son’s current terms are due to expire next summer, but Tottenham do hold the option of extending his stay by a further year and are expected to trigger that deal.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, insists he is keen on the 32-year-old forward sticking around for what would be a 10th season in north London.

The Australian added: “I don’t always have the final say but certainly I like to think my input is significant on it.

“I think it is part of a broader discussion around Sonny but the way he is performing and leading the club at the moment, I certainly want him to stick around for a while.”

Tottenham hunting Inter star as Ange makes Bergvall promise

In other Tottenham news, Spurs are reportedly considering a move for Inter Milan’s highly-rated forward Marcus Thuram, but will face a battle with Premier League rivals Aston Villa for his signature.

The France international attacker has taken his game to another level since moving to the San Siro on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2023.

And that has led to rumours of a big-money exit, with the Premier League duo in the mix for the talented forward.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou promised Lucas Bergvall he will get “plenty of opportunities” after being forced to take the summer signing off inside 10 minutes of the Europa League clash against Qarabag.

The Swede was replaced by Destiny Udogie after Radu Dragusin’s early red card and was clearly crestfallen as he walked off.

However, Postecoglou insists there will be no shortage of chances for him to impress throughout the season.

Ange Postecoglou told Lucas Bergvall he will get “plenty of opportunities” after being forced to take the summer signing off inside 10 minutes of Thursday night’s opening Europa League clash against Qarabag.

Bergvall was named in the starting line-up for the game but was the player sacrificed when Radu Dragusin was sent off in the eighth minute for denying the visitors a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Destiny Udogie came on at left-back as Ben Davies shifted into the middle and Postecoglou opted to bring attacking midfielder Bergvall off, with the 18-year-old clearly looking dejected as he trudged off the pitch and sat on the bench.

While Bergvall’s second start for Tottenham ended prematurely, Postecoglou insisted there will be no shortage of chances for him to impress throughout the season.

“That’s football,” the Spurs boss told TNT Sports.

“He’s 18, he’ll get plenty more games. It’s a decision we had to make.

“We needed an extra midfielder in there to make sure we had cover, and we needed to bring a left-back on in Destiny.

“Just an adjustment we needed to make, nothing on Lucas. He’ll get plenty of opportunities.”

Postecoglou finds flaws in Tottenham win

It was an evening on disruption in north London as Qarabag did not arrive at the ground until 7:45pm, 15 minutes before the game was due to start, due to major travel issues.

Kick-off was delayed for 35 minutes before Dragusin’s early red card looked like it would put Spurs on the back foot for the rest of the game.

However, despite conceding numerous chances and Toral Bayramov missing a penalty for Qarabag, Postecoglou’s men ended up winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr and Dominic Solanke.

And despite his side getting the job done in difficult circumstances, Postecoglou was left frustrated by the manner in which Tottenham began the match.

“I wasn’t happy because I just felt we started really sloppy,” he said.

“We spoke really about making sure we started high-tempo, high-intensity. It’s almost like the delay got to us or whatever.

“Leading up to [the red card] we were very passive in our passing. When that happens, somebody switches off and unfortunately Radu had to pay the price of that.

“The reaction after that was good and we still won the game, but not happy with the start.”

Richarlison being tipped for Brazil return

In other Tottenham news, former Brazil international Edmundo claims striker Richarlison is on the radar of another club, with the potential of a major transfer being on the cards.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (as relayed by CNN Brasil), Edmundo spoke about the forward as an option for Vasco da Gama.

Indeed, he’s backing his former club to bolster their squad in 2025 and insists Richarlison is on their list.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min has revealed that he is yet to hold talks with Spurs over a new contract, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season.

While Son’s contract does expire next summer, Tottenham have the option to extend it by another year, which they are reportedly planning to do.

And, speaking ahead of the Qarabag win, the South Korean opened up on his future.

Clubs in Europe’s top five leagues spent around £4.3billion on new players in the summer transfer window and a lot of records were broken.

A lot of players completed big-money transfers during the summer and some had the added pressure of becoming a club-record signing.

We’ve taken a look at every club from Europe’s top five leagues that broke their own transfer record in the summer of 2024 and how those players have fared at the start of the 2024/25 season.

Note: we’ve taken potential add-ons and bonuses into account when deciding who is a club-record signing.

Premier League

Bournemouth

Bournemouth used the funds from Dominic Solanke’s move to Tottenham to sign Evanilson from Porto in a deal worth an initial £31.7million and another £8.5million in potential add-ons.

“Evanilson is a hugely sought-after striker and for us to bring him to the club in a record-breaking deal shows our ambition and intent,” Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake said.

But the striker has had a difficult start to his Premier League career, failing to score in his first four appearances and missing a penalty in a 1-0 loss against Chelsea.

Brentford

Brentford anticipated Ivan Toney’s departure by targeting Igor Thiago and they agreed a £30million deal with Club Brugge back in February.

The deal became official at the start of the summer transfer window, but the striker picked up an injury in pre-season and will miss the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Brighton

Brighton were the second-biggest spending team in the world in the summer of 2024 and they broke their own transfer record twice in the space of two months.

Yankuba Minteh arrived from Newcastle United in a deal worth £30million and the Seagulls then triggered the £40millon release clause in Georginio Rutter’s contract at Leeds United.

Rutter has made two starts and two substitute appearances for the Seagulls but is yet to register a goal or assist.

Fulham

After selling Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich, Fulham were able to sign Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal in a deal worth an initial £27million and another £7million in potential add-ons.

The midfielder has already started to justify that price tag, registering two goals and one assist in his first five Premier League appearances for the club.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich paid Chelsea an initial £20million and another £2.5million in add-ons to sign Omari Hutchinson, who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Portman Road and helped the club win promotion to the Premier League.

“Omari’s certainly had a positive start to the [2024/25] season, he’s contributing well on all phases and he’s a handful for any team,” manager Kieran McKenna said after a 1-1 draw with Southampton.

“Of course, the next steps for him now, and I think as a team, are our execution on certainly big moments, whether it’s in possession phases or on transitions, it can definitely improve so that we can create more clear-cut opportunities.

“He’s doing very, very well and he’s showing he can already cause a lot of problems at this level.”

Tottenham

Dominic Solanke scored 19 goals for Bournemouth in the 2023/24 season and his impressive form prompted Tottenham to fork out a club-record fee to secure his signature.

They paid the Cherries an initial £55million and another £10million in potential add-ons for the striker, who scored his first goal for Spurs in a 3-1 win over Brentford.

La Liga

Girona

Girona were the surprise package of the 2023/24 season as they finished third in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

That allowed them to break their transfer record twice, first by signing Ladislav Krejci from Sparta Prague in a €12million deal and then by paying Watford an initial €18million and €6million in potential add-ons for Yaser Asprilla.

Asprilla arrived at the club as a direct replacement for Savinho and has already shown glimpses of his talent in La Liga.

Serie A

Como

Como – who are managed by Cesc Fabregas – won promotion to Serie A at the end of the 2023/24 season and Andrea Belotti became their club-record signing when he completed a €4.5million move from Roma.

But the striker held that title for just four days as Como then spent €8million to buy Alberto Dossena from Cagliari. They made another €8million deal in the same transfer window, signing Yannik Engelhardt from Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Dossena registered an assist on his debut to help Como secure a 1-1 draw against his former club but Engelhardt is yet to establish himself in the starting line-up.

Bundesliga

Stuttgart

After finishing second in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, Stuttgart broke their transfer record to sign Ermedin Demirovic from Augsburg in a €21million deal.

They then turned Deniz Undav’s loan move into a permanent deal by paying Brighton & Hove Albion a total package worth around €30million.

“The transfer is at another level in economic terms for us, but we’re investing in proven quality,” Stuttgart board member Fabian Wohlgemuth said. “We’re happy to have finalized the deal and look forward to our future with Deniz.”

Undav netted 19 goals in all competitions last season and has made a strong start to the 2024/25 campaign, scoring five goals in seven appearances.

Hoffenheim

After Maximilian Beier joined Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim filled the void left by his departure by paying a club-record €18million to sign Adam Hlozek from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 22-year-old registered an assist in a 3-1 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt but a thigh injury has hampered his start to the 2024/25 season.

Holstein Kiel

Holstein Kiel won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and they bolstered their squad by signing Magnus Knudsen and Armin Gigovic from Russian side FC Rostov.

Knudsen cost €1million while Gigovic cost a club-record €1.8million, and he came off the bench to score a consolation goal in a 6-1 defeat against Bayern Munich.

Ligue 1

Lyon

Lyon spent just under €150million in the summer and the most expensive deal was the signing of Moussa Niakhate from Nottingham Forest, with the centre-back costing €31.9million.

He made an error that led to a goal on his debut as Lyon lost 3-0 against Rennes, but he’s now started to rediscover his best form.

“I demand more of myself than the fans, the journalists, the coach or even the club president,” he told reporters. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve done everything I can to be the best I can be.

“It’s not me who sets the price, it’s football, but it’s true that that price imposes a requirement, but that pleases me and makes me want to surpass myself even more.”

Nantes

Matthis Abline spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Nantes and his performances helped the club avoid relegation to Ligue 2.

They paid Rennes an initial €10million and €2million in potential add-ons to make the move permanent, and he’s since scored one goal in five appearances in 2024/25.