TEAMtalk

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

The Brazilian forward is once again on the sidelines through injury as his side prepare to face Qarabag FK in their Europa League opener on Thursday night.

Richarlison has been out with an unspecified injury since before the Newcastle game and there is currently no timeline on a potential return for the 27-year-old.

Being consistently available for selection has proved to be a major issue for Richarlison since his £60million switch from Everton in 2022, with the striker featuring 68 times in total for the club so far.

The addition of new club-record signing Dominic Solanke immediately sparked rumours that Tottenham will look to cash in on Richarlison, with clubs from the Saudi Pro League showing significant interest. However, speaking on his YouTube channel (as relayed by CNN Brasil), Edmundo spoke about the forward as an option for Vasco da Gama.

Edmundo graduated from the Brazilian club’s academy and had four spells with their first team. He’s backing his former club to bolster their squad in 2025 and insists Richarlison is on their list.

He said: “Now, the idea is to keep all the main players and hire two or three heavyweight players. One for the defence, one for the midfield and two for the attack. Heavyweight like Richarlison. I’m dreaming and I can guarantee that 2025 will be different.”

CNN Brasil does point out that Edmundo has close ties with Vasco da Gama president Pedrinho, so there is every chance that he has the inside track on a potential high-profile transfer.

Tottenham tipped to cash in on Richarlison

It’s not the first time Richarlison has been linked with a move to Vasco, although his entourage were quick to dismiss those rumours over the summer.

Indeed, the player himself was quick to dismiss a Spurs exit over the summer when asked about his future, telling ESPN Brasil: “There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian national team and in the Premier League speaks louder.”

Since joining Tottenham, Richarlison has been hit with no fewer than six injuries to his calf, hamstring, groin, and knee and missed well over 20 matches in total.

Having available for the start of the Europa League would have been a major bonus for Postecoglou in terms of squad rotation, but it likely means that Solanke and Son will have to share the load as the main striker until he returns.

Quite what happens in January remains to be seen but if Tottenham do receive a significant offer for his services, whether it’s from Brazil or Saudi Arabia, then there is every chance they will accept it for a player who has not justified his weighty price tag.

Son speaks on Tottenham future as shock Vicario exit mooted

In other Tottenham news, skipper 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.

The 32-year-old, who does have the option to extend his deal by a further year, was asked about his contract situation in a press conference ahead of the Qarabag clash and spoke openly about his future.

Meanwhile, a shock new report suggests that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer and view Italy international Vicario as the perfect candidate.

However, it’s claimed that Spurs are debating over whether to sign an established France international defender as part of an exchange deal.

IN FOCUS – Richarlison failing to make his mark at Tottenham

Back to Richarlison and his struggles in north London. The stats show that he has a goal every 4.5 games for Tottenham, which is nowhere near good enough for a £60m signing.

Yes, he had Harry Kane to contend with in his first season at the club, while things did improve during the 2023/24 campaign as 12 of those goals came last term.

However, the best ability is availability and those injury problems could end up deciding what the future holds next for the former Toffees frontman.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing midfielder Harry Winks, who has rebuilt his career at Leicester City after leaving Tottenham in the summer of 2023.

The 28-year-old England international, who has won 10 caps for his country, has been a mainstay of the Foxes midfield since his £10million move to the King Power Stadium after Leicester were relegated during the 2022/23 campaign.

Winks played a major role as the East Midlands outfit bounced straight back to the Premier League under Enzo Maresca, scoring twice in 48 appearances in all competitions.

The former Spurs man continues to be a key cog in Steve Cooper’s engine room after Maresca quit Leicester for Chelsea, although the pressure is mounting on the current Foxes boss after a tough start to the new season.

For Winks though, his stock is back on the rise again and Spanish publication Fijaches suggests that United are weighing up a move for the player in January as Ten Hag is keen to bring in another midfielder.

The Fijaches report claims that Ten Hag believes that Winks would be a great fit for the style of play at Old Trafford, while he would also be a relatively cheap option for sporting director Dan Ashworth to pursue.

The midfielder’s current contract runs out in the summer of 2026 and although that means Leicester could push for a significant fee for his services, they are only likely to recoup what they paid.

Winks does have the ability to play several different midfield roles and is as comfortable pushing forward as a No.10 as he is sitting in front of the defence as the midfield pivot.

Winks no more than a solid Man Utd backup option

The best Winks could hope for if he does move to Old Trafford in the new year would be as a bench warmer, given the player’s currently in United’s midfield.

Manuel Ugarte was signed in a £43m switch from PSG over the summer to play the holding role when is eventually up to full speed.

If anything Winks would be more of a Kobbie Mainoo alternative as he is similar in style to the United No.8, with a decent burst of pace and strong technical ability.

Winks made his Tottenham debut almost a decade ago when he featured in a Europa League group against FK Partizan and went on to make 203 appearances for the club.

After struggling for game time under Antonio Conte he was loaned out to Sampdoria during the 2022/23 campaign but after the Italian outfit were relegated they decided against a permanent deal.

Ange Postecoglou’s arrival could have signalled an upturn in Winks’ fortunes in north London, given that he’s the type of all-action midfielder the Australian likes. However, he was jettisoned to Leicester soon after and has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance at the King Power.

Ten Hag on board with Barella plan as Scholes takes Dutchman to task

In other United news, Erik ten Hag is fully on board with Dan Ashworth’s plans to sign Nicolo Barella and has been convinced to ditch long-standing interest in Frenkie de Jong as a result – while the bumper contract offer reportedly on offer to the Inter Milan star has come to light.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag has once again been accused of wasting United’s transfer money after Paul Scholes explained why Matthijs de Ligt is no better than Harry Maguire – while the pundit has also hit out at the way the Red Devils boss embeds his new signings into the side.

De Ligt was rested for Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with FC Twente but had played in all six of United’s matches prior to that, but Scholes is not convinced by what he has seen.

IN FOCUS – Last five England internationals signed by Man Utd

In the unlikely event that Winks does indeed move to Old Trafford, there’s a worrying trend when it comes to United and buying full England internationals – in terms of how successful they have been with the Red Devils.

Mason Mount (2023)

As he approached the final year of his Chelsea contract, there was widespread speculation about where Mount would go next. Man Utd ultimately won the race to sign him in a £55m deal.

However, injuries have overshadowed the midfielder’s spell so far at Old Trafford and, despite previously playing 36 times for his country, he has not been capped by England yet whilst a Man Utd player.

Jack Butland (2023)

Man Utd needed a new backup goalkeeper in January 2023 when Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle. Up stepped Jack Butland, who joined on loan from Crystal Palace. However, first-choice David de Gea played in every game that followed that season, and Butland moved on to Rangers – where he has thrived as a no.1 – by the end of it.

Jadon Sancho (2021)

United’s pursuit of Sancho was certainly protracted, but they eventually got their man in July 2021. Sadly, his form since has not exactly justified the time and effort his current club put into signing him.

Sancho only scored 12 goals from 82 games before a fall-out with Erik ten Hag, which led to him being loaned back to Borussia Dortmund two-and-a-half years after his move. They patched up their differences this summer, leading to one extra United appearance for the winger, but he is now on loan at Chelsea.

Tom Heaton (2021)

A product of Man Utd’s academy, Chester-born Heaton never played for the first team before embarking on a career including spells with the likes of Cardiff City, Bristol City, Burnley and Aston Villa.

During his time at Burnley, Heaton earned three England caps, but he dropped down the pecking order for club and country and was only a half-regular for Villa too. United promptly brought him back in 2021 to act as goalkeeping cover, and he has made three cup appearances for the club since.

Harry Maguire (2019)

Maguire was one of the Premier League’s most in-demand centre-backs in 2019 thanks to his rise to prominence at Leicester City, and with England at the previous year’s World Cup. So great was United’s desire to win the race for his signature that they forked out a world-record fee for a defender to prise him away from a notoriously tough Leicester.

Maguire initially settled in well at Man Utd and became their captain, but Ten Hag decided to remove that title from him after the pressure became too much. In fairness, despite often being linked with a move away, Maguire has since stabilised his United career.

Tottenham forward 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.

The South Korean international is undoubtedly one of the most important players in Tottenham’s squad and arguably, one of the best in the Premier League.

Son, who is now Spurs’ captain, was asked about his contract situation in a press conference ahead of Tottenham’s Europa Conference League opener against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night.

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.

“We haven’t talked about anything yet,” Son said. “”It is very clear from me. I am very focused on this season. At this age, every second is like a goal, especially this season, we are in a lot of competitions, it feels like I am taking even more care about this.

“As I say, I am fully focused on this year and just want to win something that everybody at the club – the players, all around – deserves. That’s what I’m working for.

“In the future you never know what will happen, but I will give everything for this club because it’s been almost 10 years and I give everything. I still have a contract with the club which is the very important thing and I just want to give everything until my contract [expires].”

Son Heung-min targeted by Saudi Pro League clubs

Son joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. Despite coming close on a number of occassions, he is yet to win any silverware with the North London club.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have got off to a relatively poor start in the Premier League, with just seven points from five matches so far, leaving them 10th. The Europa Conference League is a great opportunity for Tottenham to win a trophy, though.

Son’s future has been speculated for some time. Previous reports suggest that the South Korean has been identified as a target by clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Even if he is tied down until 2026 by Tottenham, as expected, Saudi sides may well try and lure him away from Spurs next summer.

Son, who is now 32, has joined the players who have spoken out against the volume of games elite-level stars are expected to play, like Manchester City’s Rodri and Liverpool’s Alisson.

“A lot of players came out and said the right things and I think it was very important. There are definitely a lot of games. As a football fan, you want to see quality of games, not as many games as possible. You don’t want to see players struggling with injuries.

“There are a lot of games, a lot of travelling. We have to look after ourselves, which is sometimes very hard. Sometimes, mentally and physically you are not ready and then you go onto the pitch, the risk of injury is massive.

“We are not robots so I think we have to look after that, reduce the [number of] games definitely and playing a better quality of games should be the aim.”

Tottenham goalkeeper linked with shock exit

Meanwhile, a shock report has suggested that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer, whose time as a regular starter in one of Europe’s top leagues is coming to a close, at the age of 36.

Inter have reportedly identified Vicario as a target and France international defender Benjamin Pavard could head to Spurs as part of the deal.

Tottenham are also poised to battle the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle for Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling, per reports.

Spurs are scouting the Southampton winger ahead of a potential transfer after he was promoted to the Saints’ first team over the summer.

Dibling scored in Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town last weekend and is widely regarded to be a top talent with high potential.

TIMELINE: Son Heung-min at Tottenham

August 2015 – Son signs for Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m, eclipsing the record of the most expensive Asian player of all time.

September 2015 – Scores his first two goals for Tottenham in a Europa League match.

September 2016 – Equals his Premier League goal tally from the season before in 25 fewer appearances.

October 2016 – Becomes the first Asian player to win the Premier League Player of the Month award.

March 2017 – Scores his first Tottenham hat-trick in an FA Cup win.

May 2017 – Becomes the only player that season to win the Premier League Player of the Month accolade twice.

November 2017 – Becomes the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history.

January 2018 – Matches a club record that had lasted 14 years of scoring in five consecutive home games for Spurs.

June 2018 – Receives the first of four Tottenham goal of the season awards.

July 2018 – Earns a long-term contract extension with Tottenham.

October 2018 – Reaches the landmark of 150 appearances for Tottenham and celebrates by scoring a brace, and soon after scores his 50th goal for the club.

April 2019 – Scores the first competitive goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

May 2019 – Named as Tottenham’s player of the season for the first time.

November 2019 – Scores the first goal of the Jose Mourinho era at Tottenham.

February 2020 – Hits the landmark of 50 Premier League goals.

July 2020 – Picks up the Tottenham player of the season award for the second year in a row.

September 2020 – Scores four goals in a single game for Spurs, all assisted by Harry Kane.

November 2020 – Named the Premier League Player of the Month for the third time in his career.

December 2020 – Wins the Puskas Award for a goal he scored 12 months earlier.

January 2021 – Reaches the milestone of scoring 100 goals for Tottenham.

July 2021 – Extends his Tottenham contract until 2025.

November 2021 – Scores Tottenham’s first goal under Antonio Conte, the third permanent manager in a row for which this was the case.

April 2022 – Enters the top 10 of Tottenham’s all-time scorers after firing in a hat-trick.

May 2022 – Finishes the season as the joint-top scorer in the Premier League along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and is named as Tottenham’s player of the season.

April 2023 – Becomes a member of the Premier League’s 100 Club.

August 2023 – Chosen as the new Tottenham captain by Ange Postecoglou.

September 2023 – Scores a North London Derby brace to bring up 150 goals in Tottenham colours, and eventually earns the Premier League Player of the Month award.

December 2023 – Becomes Tottenham’s top assist provider in the Premier League era.

May 2024 – Finishes his first season as Tottenham captain as their top scorer, for the first time when considering all competitions.

A shock new report suggests that Tottenham are considering an audacious swap deal that would see under-fire goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario head back to Italy and join Inter Milan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a long-term replacement for veteran stopper Yann Sommer, whose time as a regular starter in one of Europe’s top leagues is coming to a close, at the age of 36.

And it’s reported that the Nerazzurri are lining up Tottenham star Vicario as a prime target, having been impressed with his performances in England despite the consistent criticism he has faced when it comes to dealing with set-pieces.

What’s more, Inter Live reports that experienced France international defender Benjamin Pavard could head to north London as part of the deal.

Vicario is currently valued at around €35million (£29m, $39m), with Spurs having spent just £17.2m to secure the player’s signature from Empoli in the summer of 2023.

The report states that adding Pavard to any deal for Vicario would be a tempting proposition for Ange Postecoglou, given the 28-year-old’s ability to play multiple positions across the backline.

The Frenchman, who joined Inter last year, has struggled to fully establish himself in Serie A since joining Inter last summer, although he has started four of their five league outings this term.

The fact that Pavard can play right-back or centre-back, which is his more natural position, would certainly appeal to Postecoglou – although whether he’s prepared for that to happen and lose Vicario in the process remains to be seen.

Vicario still to fully convince at Tottenham

The 27-year-old Italy international kept only eight clean sheets in 40 appearances for Tottenham in his debut campaign, conceding 62 goals in the process.

The 2024/25 season has also seen him draw just one blank from the opening five Premier League outings, but a major flaw in his game continues to be highlighted.

Vicario does not command his area when it comes to set-pieces, especially corners, and that was clear for all to see again in the north London derby loss to Arsenal.

Although some fingers could also be pointed at poor defensive play, Vicario has a real reluctance to try and claim the ball in a packed area and that has cost Tottenham dearly in several games since his arrival.

He is also not overly comfortable in possession – a trait that’s essential in the modern game – although one area that cannot be questioned is his incredible shot-stopping ability.

Vicario currently has four years remaining on his Spurs contract and, at this stage, it’s hard to imagine that Postecoglou is ready to give up on him after just over a season as the club’s No.1 – no matter the prospect of getting Pavard in return.

Cafu raves over Emerson Royal as Spurs target Valencia ace

In other Tottenham news, Brazil legend Cafu has heaped praise on a player Spurs sold for what looks like a bargain £13million during the summer transfer window.

The north London outfit decided to offload right-back Emerson Royal to the San Siro during the final weeks of the window after it became clear that Djed Spence was staying put to provide backup for Pedro Porro.

And, despite his struggles in the Premier League, Cafu has been impressed by what he has seen from Royal at the San Siro so far.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly preparing to make a formal offer to sign highly-rated Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra when the transfer window reopens in January.

Reports from Spain claim that Valencia are holding out for a fee of around £29million (€35m, €39m) for the young midfielder, but that Spurs are pushing to land the player for a more reasonable price tag.

DON’T MISS ➡️ Son Heung-min told ‘proper’ Tottenham fans are ‘finished with him’ as ‘new left-winger needed’

IN FOCUS – Pavard stats compared to Romero, Van de Ven

If there is any substance to the report from Italy, let’s take a look at how Pavard compared to Tottenham’s starting centre-backs in the league last season.

Brazil legend Cafu has heaped praise on a player Tottenham sold for what looks like a bargain £13million during the summer transfer window.

Spurs decided to offload right-back Emerson Royal to the San Siro during the final weeks of the window after it became clear that Djed Spence was staying put to provide backup for Pedro Porro.

The defender struggled for consistency in north London and despite some good performances, there were too many times when he struggled and just did not look suited to English football.

That led to the switch to Milan, and although things have not all gone to plan early in his Milan career, fellow Brazilian Cafu – one of the best right-backs to ever play the game – likes what he has seen from the former Tottenham man and has backed him to be a success at the San Siro.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Cafu said: “He’s very good and, even if he didn’t play much at Tottenham, I am convinced that he will do very well at Milan.

“He’s young and if he gets going, he can give a lot to the team because he has strength, determination and ‘garra’ [grit in Portuguese].”

Despite recently being criticised for his display against Lazio, Royal put in his best performance of the season against Inter this past weekend as Milan won the derby 2-1. The full-back made two clearances, two blocks, one interception, two tackles, won six duels, provided two key passes and created one big chance.

Royal has now made five appearances in total for Milan, which also included a 20-minute cameo in the Champions League defeat against Liverpool.

Tottenham trio put pay to Royal career in north London

Royal scored four goals in 101 appearances for Tottenham, having signed from Barcelona for £25.8m in the summer of 2021.

However, the Brazilian had a real battle on his hands trying to get ahead of the outstanding Porro for the right-back role under Ange Postecoglou.

The Spaniard was much-maligned early in his Spurs career but has now turned into one of the Premier League’s best attacking full-backs, playing a pivotal role for Postecoglou as he regularly pushes into midfield and has also added goals to his assist-making qualities.

Porro now has forgotten man Spence as his backup after the former Middlesbrough defender impressed Postecoglou in pre-season, while he also has the ability to cover left-back as well.

Summer signing Archie Gray also impressed at Leeds operating in a full-back role but his best position remains in central midfield, the role Tottenham signed him to play in.

Tottenham join Dibling chase as shock Son claim made

In other Tottenham news, Spurs have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle in the chase to sign exciting Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling.

Top clubs are now reportedly keeping a close eye on Dibling’s development, given that his current contract will run out in the summer of 2025 and there is a strong chance of landing him for a cut-price fee in January.

Meanwhile, Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min has been told by one pundit that ‘proper’ Spurs fans want him gone and that Ange Postecoglou needs a new left-winger.

The South Korean set up strikes for Brennan Johnson and James Maddison over the weekend as Spurs got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Brentford at the weeknd.

However, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara thinks the 32-year-old forward is now a spent force and feels the club’s fans are also in agreement.

DON’T MISS ➡️ Viktor Gyokeres Exclusive: Premier League quartet remain in the mix but Euro giant also hovering

IN FOCUS – Royal one of the headline Tottenham exits in busy summer

Royal was one of nine players to leave Tottenham on a permanent basis over the summer as Postecoglou looked to further build a squad capable of playing the attacking brand of football he wants in north London.

Spurs banked almost £50m from the sale of four players, while five stars were also allowed to walk away on free transfers and the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon were all loaned out.

Indeed, Postecoglou’s focus now is on making the squad younger and more dynamic across the board, hence the arrivals of the likes of Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert over the summer.

Tottenham have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle in the chase to sign exciting Southampton attacking talent Tyler Dibling.

The north London club have made a significant change to their transfer policy since the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, looking to bring in younger players with huge potential rather than veterans who also have no re-sale value.

Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert were all signed over the summer and now it’s reported that Tottenham are also showing interest in Saints attacker Dibling.

According to a report from HITC, Spurs are scouting the Southampton winger ahead of a potential transfer after he was promoted to their first team over the summer.

While the 18-year-old winger has only had limited game time so far, he impressed against Manchester United and earned his side a penalty which Cameron Archer missed.

The teenager then backed it up with another excellent performance against Ipswich, giving Southampton an early lead in that game until the visitors netted a 95th-minute equaliser to spoil the party.

Top clubs are now reportedly keeping a close eye on Dibling’s development, given that his current contract will run out in the summer of 2025 and there is a strong chance of landing him for a cut-price fee in January.

HITC adds that Tottenham are one of the clubs keen on acquiring his services and their scouts were in attendance at St Mary’s to watch the Southampton graduate in action against Ipswich, while United also had representatives in the stands and are keen on a deal of their own, along with Newcastle.

Dibling making a huge impression

Born in Exeter in February 2006, Dibling signed a professional contract with Southampton in October 2021 and made headlines a few months later after scoring a hat-trick in a Premier League 2 game against Newcastle.

However, Chelsea fought off competition from Newcastle to sign the left-footed right winger in the summer of 2022, but he failed to settle at Stamford Bridge and quickly returned to Southampton.

The teenage talent made five first-team appearances in all competitions in 2023/24 and was recently handed his first-ever Premier League start in a 3-0 loss against Man Utd.

“He’s a really, really talented player,” Southampton manager Russell Martin said after the game. “We have to manage the expectation and his load because he came off with cramp. He’s an outstanding young man and an outstanding talent, we love working with him.”

The England Under-19 international – who grew up idolizing former Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard – is renowned for his dribbling skills and has impressed his team-mates at St Mary’s.

“When I saw his first session, I thought ‘he’s not 18’,” Yuki Sugawara said of his first impression of Dibling.

“I asked ‘how old are you?’ Then he said 18. I said ‘what the f*** is that?’ He’s really crazy (talented), you know?

“But for sure he will be one of the best players in the Premier League and in the world, I think, because his mentality is so cool. Everything will be top level.

“He’s still young, he needs to learn a lot of things, but he just needs to focus on the process and what he wants to be. Then I think he’s going to be a top, top player.”

Son told he is ‘finished’ at Tottenham

Speaking of talented forwards, Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min has been told that ‘proper Spurs fans’ want him gone as the South Korean is now way past his best.

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara did not hold back after tearing into the club legend, who he genuinely believes is finished at the club.

Ironically, Son had two assists in Saturday’s win over Brentford, but that did not stop O’Hara putting the boot in.

In other Tottenham news, TT understands that Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres remains on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs, including Spurs.

Rudy Galetti reports that Tottenham, who consider him among the names at the top of the list to strengthen their attack, are keeping alive the contacts with his entourage, confirming that the Swedish striker would be a very important option for them for next season.

Tottenham wingers need to provide more

Postecoglou relies on his wide players to create and score goals in his ultra-attacking formation but there was not enough of that from the likes of Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Timo Werner last season – especially with Son pushed through the middle for much of the campaign.

After some criticism for his performances so far this season, Johnson has notched two goals in his last two outings while Kulusveski is now excelling in a deeper midfield role.

Dominic Solanke’s arrival has also allowed Son to switch back to his favoured left-wing berth, and the South Korean has two goals and two assists through the first five games of the campaign.

Werner, sadly, continues to be wasteful in possession, although summer signing Odobert should get more game time when he returns from the injury he suffered in the Carabao Cup win at Coventry.

Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min has been told by one pundit that ‘proper’ Spurs fans want him gone and that Ange Postecoglou needs a new left-winger.

Postecoglou’s men got back to winning ways on Saturday as they came from a very early goal down to beat Brentford 3-1 with Son, ironically, bagging two assists in the game.

The South Korean set up strikes for Brennan Johnson and James Maddison to ease the pressure that was starting to build a little on Postecoglou after a poor start to this season bookended a disappointing finish last term.

But despite Son getting his name on the stats sheet twice, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara thinks the 32-year-old forward is now a spent force and feels fans are also in agreement.

Speaking to a Spurs fan on talkSPORT after the game, O’Hara said: “How do you feel about Sonny? I feel like I am over the hill with him now. I just think the fans and everyone is finished with him. The proper fans. He’s not doing it.

“The quality in the final third (has gone). He is 32, is he going to go past people? Listen, he has been a great player and an unbelievable player. A Tottenham great.

“But I just feel like when I am watching him now, have you got that sharpness and edge to your game? I don’t think he has. He has gone clean through there one-v-one. The old Sonny, that’s a guaranteed goal.

“You can’t take him out of the team because there isn’t anyone better than him, but we have to start looking at a new left-winger.”

Son still has a part to play at Tottenham

O’Hara does have a tendency to go over the top a bit when it comes to his old club, although there is no denying that Son is not the same player he was three or four years ago.

Having signed for an absolute bargain £22million in the summer of 2015, the hugely popular attacker has gone on to score 164 goals in 414 appearances for Tottenham, although there has been a clear decline since the 24-goal campaign of 2021/22 – his best in a Spurs shirt.

He did manage to notch 17 Premier League goals last season as he looked to take on the burden of Harry Kane’s exit, having also been captain after Hugo Lloris’ exit.

However, the lightning pace and finishing ability are not quite what they once were, although he remains a clever player who still has an important role to play as a leader in a young squad.

The current alternative options to play on the left wing are on-loan forward Timo Werner and the injured Wilson Odobert, while Johnson, Richarlison and Maddison could also play there at a push.

To that end, Son remains the best option for Postecoglou in the foreseeable future.

Tottenham still keen on striker move as United join Gomes hunt

In other Tottenham news, TT has provided an update on the future of prolific Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres, who remains on the radars of four Premier League clubs as well as French giants PSG.

Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal are all still monitoring the Swedish hotshot, as confirmed by Rudy Galetti, although Chelsea are starting to distance themselves from a move of their own.

The £83million (€100m, $111m) release clause included in his contract makes him an enticing prospect for English clubs, especially since he has scored 52 times in 57 games in all competitions in Portugal.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly in the mix to bring Lille and England midfielder Angel Goms back to the Premier League.

Latest reports suggest that his old club Manchester United have also entered the frame, although Spurs and Newcastle are also keen on a player who performed so well for the Three Lions during the recent international break.

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IN FOCUS – Son stats since 2019/20

While Son’s stats do not necessarily show a massive drop-off in the last five seasons, the eye test tells a different story.

The South Korean does not take on defenders as much as in the past, having seemingly lost that yard of pace and his finishing ability is not quite as clinical.

But, after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, Son bounced back last season with 27 goal involvements and has two goals and two assists from five games this term.

Although he is up and running in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Ahli, this season could have looked very different for Ivan Toney as Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou considered signing him.

Toney, 28, left Brentford in the summer and was heavily linked with a number of Premier League clubs including Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

It was surprising to see him move to Saudi, but no deal could be struck with any English side. Postecoglou, though, admitted he was considered, but they opted to sign Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

“We did look at him [Toney] but Dom was the one we wanted that fitted the profile we were looking for at the time,” said Postecoglou.

It has been a slow start for Solanke, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season and cost £65m, with injuries hampering his progress.

“We don’t have to rush to make a judgement all the time because the alternative is he may have got off to a great start, he is fit, scored in all four games, is flying and then he goes through a patch like all strikers where he doesn’t score.

“I just don’t look at those things. What I look at is he has come in, fitted really well and quite logically has picked up an injury that has disrupted the way he wanted to start his career, but he’s still got plenty of time for that.”

Why didn’t a Premier League side go for Toney?

Toney had made it clear he wanted to leave Brentford this summer with his contract set to expire next year. An impressive Euro 2024 campaign wasn’t enough to generate enough interest in the player.

He has scored twice in the Pro League since joining his new club, where he plays alongside former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and ex-Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez.

Sky Sports looked into why Toney wasn’t high on Premier League teams’ lists this summer despite his obvious credentials and reputation, and his age, value and general slow pace of the transfer market were considered key factors.

Other clubs looked elsewhere, too, with Joshua Zirkzee joining Manchester United and Federico Chiesa signing for Liverpool, as well as Spurs opting for Solanke.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been linked with moves for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Romero a Real Madrid target?

Elsewhere, Real Madrid are plotting a move to sign Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, with the Spanish giants aiming to make a statement signing in defence. Arsenal defender William Saliba is also said to be a target.

Postecoglou is said to be under pressure to deliver trophies at Spurs in order to keep Romero, with Madrid having signed both Luka Modric and Gareth Bale from the North London club over the years,

Tottenham are reportedly preparing to make a formal offer to sign highly-rated Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra when the transfer window reopens in January.

Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new players for his engine room, having struggled to find the right midfield balance through four Premier League outings so far this season.

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall did arrive during the summer, offsetting the loss of the likes of Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (loan), Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele.

With Hojbjerg on loan at Marseille, Yves Bissouma is the only true defensive midfielder available to Postecoglou, although both Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur can fill that role if needed.

To that end, it’s no great surprise to see Tottenham being tipped to make a January move to add more depth to that position, and that’s where Guerra comes in.

Fichajes states that the north London are prepping an offer for the 21-year-old, although it remains to be seen whether they are ready to pay the asking price for him.

Valencia are holding out for a fee of around £29million (€35m, €39m) for the young midfielder but Spurs are pushing to land the player for a more reasonable price tag. Indeed, the report adds that the north London outfit are wary of paying that much for a player who is still relatively inexperienced.

Guerra would add Tottenham midfield depth

The Spain Under-21 international has made just over 50 appearances for Valencia’s first team, scoring five goals in that time.

Guerra is described as a player with great tackling skills who is capable of playing multiple positions across midfield and, standing at 6ft 2in, has the physical capabilities of coping with the demands of English football.

Indeed, TT took an in-depth look at Guerra’s strengths and weaknesses when it first emerged that he was on the radars of a number of top clubs.

Manchester United were previously credited with a major interest in the player, although that has since cooled off after the deal for Manuel Ugarte was struck.

Real reeling in Romero as Rabiot’s mum scuppers move

In other Tottenham news, further reports have talked up Real Madrid moving for centre-back Cristian Romero, and what will determine whether the Argentine stays or goes has been revealed.

Los Blancos are seeking a ‘blockbuster’ signing at centre-back next summer and the two players rising to the top of their shortlist are William Saliba at Arsenal and Romero.

Per the latest from Football Insider, Real Madrid are ‘watching Romero closely’ and whether the centre-back will stick or twist will reportedly hinge on the level of ambition Tottenham show.

Meanwhile, it’s emerged that the mother and agent of Adrien Rabiot has been harshly criticised for ‘incompetence’ amid fresh claims she failed to secure the France midfielder a move to Tottenham or Manchester United shortly before his switch to Marseille.

Rabiot was unable to agree terms over a move to the Premier League – which TEAMtalk had previously confirmed was very much the player’s preference – instead joining Marseille on a two-year deal.

Now French agent Bruno Satin has hit out at the failure to secure Rabiot a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs, pointing the finger of blame firmly at his mother and agent, Veronique.

IN FOCUS – Guerra v Bissouma stats

TT has taken a look at a comparison between how Guerra and Bissouma fared last season and it makes for some interesting reading.

The more experienced Bissouma clearly has the edge in most areas but one thing that stands out is the passing accuracy, with stakes up against the comments about Guerra being a much better player in possession than the Mali international.

And, with Postecoglou wanting his deep-lying midfielder to get heavily involved in playing out from the back, Guerra could end up being a better long-term fit in north London going forward.

Ange Postecoglou is reportedly under pressure just five games into the new season, with his Tottenham team selections and tactics being questioned by fans and the media alike, so TT has looked at changes he could make to give his XI better balance.

The north London club have won only one of the opening four Premier League outings to currently sit 13th in table and, going back to the end of last season, they have lost seven of their last 11 games.

There was a welcome win in the Carabao Cup at Coventry on Wednesday night, although the result did not match what was a disjointed display that produced yet more defensive errors while there was als no cutting edge to the attack. Yes, Postecoglou made eight changes to the side that lost at Arsenal but there was still enough quality on the pitch that Spurs should not have been relying on two very late goals to see off the Championship side.

Four of the back five were changed which led to some shambolic communication times and individual errors which could have ended up costing Postecoglou if the Sky Blues had not been so wasteful.

Dominic Solanke remains without a goal after his big-money switch, although Tottenham are not yet playing to the former Bournemouth man’s strengths, while skipper Son Heung-min is looking a shadow of the player who has been so reliable for so long.

But it’s in the midfield where the balance is seemingly all wrong and that was evidenced in the loss to Arsenal, where Spurs were fine when in possession but out of it they left the two centre-backs continually exposed with the full-backs pushing on.

To that end, it’s time for Postecoglou to go back to basics a bit and have a more solid foundation to launch attacks from and give Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven the protection they need in the process.

The centre-back duo will also benefit from another change at the back when it comes to the issue of defending set-pieces (as highlighted below), an issue that has plagued the team for a number of years.

So here is our take on how Tottenham should line up for the foreseeable future…

Best Tottenham XI (4-2-1-3)

Guglielmo Vicario

The Italian still has a big issue when it comes to commanding his area, especially from set-pieces, but the other option is 36-year-old veteran Fraser Forster and he looked all at sea in the Carabao Cup win at Coventry.

Vicario remains an outstanding shot-stopper but also needs to work on his distribution, with his feet getting Tottenham’s defence into sticky situations a bit too often.

Pedro Porro

One of the real plus points last season has started the new campaign in a similar fashion. His ability to get forward and be a real threat in the box is a real plus point and the defensive side of his game is steadily improving.

Going back to last season the Spaniard has 12 goal involvements in his last 41 games, including five goals and seven assists, and has emerged as one of Postecoglou’s most consistent performers.

Cristian Romero

The Argentine remains an unstoppable force for his country but can be a slight enigma at Tottenham, with lapses in concentration often leading to goals.

Just this season, he lost Jamie Vardy for Leicester’s equaliser in the opening game of the season and was then outmuscled in the box by Gabriel for Arsenal’s set-piece winner last weekend.

Despite that, links to Real Madrid refuse to go away for the World Cup and Copa America winner – although Spurs have other ideas on that front are keen to offer the player a new deal.

Radu Dragusin

The big Romania international has looked good in his rare starts for the club and bringing him in alongside Romero should have a massive benefit in terms of resolving the set-piece issue.

Having the former Genoa man alongside Romero (6ft 1in) and Van de Ven (6ft 4in) at the back should go some way to alleviating what has become a major problem for Postecoglou – despite the Australian admitting he is not overly concerned with the set-piece problems.

Micky van de Ven

Another of the more consistent performers at Spurs and his electric pace often gets the team out of trouble when their aggressive attacking play is hit on the transition.

The Netherlands international filled in superbly at left-back towards the end of last season due to Destiny Udogie’s injury and playing him gives that extra height to deal with those set-piece issues.

That is tough on Udogie, who looked so good through the first half of last season, but his form dropped off and he still does not look fully fit or back to the level that wowed many observers during his early days at the club.

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Archie Gray

The summer signing is the beneficiary of Yves Bissouma’s continued struggles to replicate the outstanding form he showed at Brighton and also in the first 10 games of last season.

Gray was bought off the back of his tremendous showings for Leeds in the heart of their engine room, playing well above his years and earning a £30million switch to north London in the process.

His game intelligence was also on show in pre-season, with Postecoglou often playing him in central defence and it’s time the Australian threw him in – especially with the lack of other quality options to protect the back four.

Rodrigo Bentancur

The Uruguay international is still not the player he was before his ACL injury suffered in February 2023 but he remains the club’s best box-to-box midfielder.

Having Gray alongside him to offer a bit more defensive stability would at least allow Bentancur to play a bit further forward and utilise his creativity a bit more.

That was on show late in the game at Coventry when he broke up play on the halfway line, drove forward and played a perfect through ball for Brennan Johnson to score the winner.

James Maddison

The England man was quiet in the loss to Arsenal but has otherwise started the new season brightly and looked more like the Maddison who was so good in that 10-match unbeaten run to start last term.

There is no denying the former Leicester man’s creativity but he needs to add more goals to his game, with only four in 34 appearances for the club so far.

Dejan Kulusevski

The Swede needs to be pushed back to the right wing for the foreseeable future as the experiment of playing him deeper leaves Spurs too open when out of possession.

Kulusevski lacks the pace to be a genuine winger but getting him in and around the box more where he does all his best work makes far more sense.

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Dominic Solanke

The club-record signing has had a difficult start to life in north London but he has at least looked a threat, without so far taking the chances on offer.

Solanke thrives on crosses and through-balls to utilise his pace and Tottenham have not really played to those strengths yet. However, there is a feeling that once the first one goes in, more will follow.

Son Heung-min

The South Korean remains a threat but that electric pace and finishing power does appear to have deserted him to a certain extent.

Son has been used out wide and through the middle so far this season, as he was last campaign, but has been perhaps overburdened by the captaincy.

After Harry Kane’s departure, Tottenham have become so reliant on their other superstar attacker and that weight of responsibility is potentially starting to have an impact – that and the fact he is now 32 years of age.