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

Romero is a guaranteed starter with both Tottenham and Argentina and losing the 26-year-old would be a bitter pill to swallow for the north London club.

However, according to numerous reports including the latest from Football Insider, Tottenham are at risk of losing Romero to Real Madrid in 2025.

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 (Arsenal) and Romero.

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

It’s clarified Romero wishes to play at the highest level and compete for – and ultimately win – major trophies. Tottenham haven’t won a major trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2008 and are competing in the Europa League this term – not the Champions League.

As such, the pressure is seemingly on Postecoglou to deliver trophies and chairman Levy to spare no expense on high quality additions in the transfer market. Failure to do so could result in Romero angling for an exit if Real Madrid do come calling.

Tottenham’s plan to thwart Real Madrid

A recent report from the Independent stated Saliba is Real Madrid’s favoured option between he and Romero.

However, they also stressed Real Madrid believe prising Saliba out of the Emirates would be a difficult undertaking. As such, Romero may well be the player Carlo Ancelotti’s side wind up pursuing.

A separate update from Football Insider recently revealed Tottenham’s plan to fend off interest in Romero.

Spurs reportedly plan to sit down with the defender next summer in the hopes of ironing out a new contract extension. His current deal expires in the summer of 2027.

The newest update from FI stressed that if Tottenham are backed into a corner and reluctantly green light a sale, they will ‘demand a huge fee.’

Precisely how high Tottenham would aim is open to debate, though journalist Paul O’Keefe previously cited a monstrous £150m (€178m / $199m) price tag.

If Tottenham were to stick to their guns and demand such a lofty fee, they would almost certainly force Real Madrid into moving for an alternative.

Perisic signs / Tottenham eye Boca Juniors midfielder

In other news, former Spurs star Ivan Perisic has joined PSV Eindhoven as a free agent.

Perisic re-joined boyhood club Hajduk Split upon leaving Spurs earlier in 2024, though has returned to a bigger league through signing with Eredivisie champions PSV. The move also allows Perisic to play Champions League football once again.

Elsewhere, Tottenham are reportedly ‘determined’ to sign Boca Juniors midfielder Kevin Zenon.

The 23-year-old’s current deal with the Argentine giant contains a modest £13m release clause.

Finally, former Spurs winger Erik Lamela has been surpassed in the salary stakes at AEK Athens.

Lamela became the Greek side’s highest paid player ever when joining over the summer. But following confirmation of Anthony Martial’s signing as a free agent, the former Man Utd striker has now taken top spot.

Romero next? Every player to play for Tottenham and Real Madrid

Jonathan Woodgate

Woodgate made just 14 appearances in all competitions during an injury-plagued two-year spell at Real Madrid and was sold to Middlesbrough in 2007.

He joined Tottenham in January 2008 and made a brilliant start to his Spurs career, scoring and producing a Man of the Match performance in their 2008 League Cup final win over Chelsea.

But the centre-back spent a lot of time on the sidelines due to his recurring injury problems and was released in 2011.

Sergio Reguilon

A Madrid academy graduate, Reguilon made just 22 appearances for their first team before joining Tottenham in a £27.5million deal in 2020.

The left-back failed to cement a place in the starting line-up and has spent the last two seasons out on loan, playing for Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford.

Roberto Soldado

Soldado also came through the academy at Real Madrid, and he had successful spells at Getafe and Valencia before joining Tottenham in a £26million deal in 2013.

But the striker failed to live up to expectations during a two-year stint in north London, scoring just 16 goals in 76 appearances in all competitions.

Emmanuel Adebayor

After falling out of favour at Manchester City, Adebayor joined Real Madrid on a six-month loan deal in January 2011 and scored eight goals in 22 appearances.

He spent the following season on loan at Tottenham and his 18 goals earned him a permanent move to White Hart Lane.

The former Arsenal striker netted another 24 goals for the club before being released from his contract in September 2015.

Rafael van der Vaart

Van der Vaart was deemed surplus to requirements by Real Madrid following the arrival of Mesut Ozil in 2010, and he joined Tottenham on transfer deadline day.

The former Netherlands international became a fan favourite during his two years at White Hart Lane and registered 28 goals and 18 assists in 77 appearances in all competitions.

Luka Modric

One of two players that Madrid have bought from Tottenham, Modric completed a £30million move to the Spanish side in 2012 after a four-year stint in north London.

He has since made over 500 appearances for Madrid and has established himself as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Gareth Bale

After winning the Premier League Player of the Year award in 2012/13, Bale left Tottenham and joined Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee of £85.1million.

He registered 106 goals and 67 assists in 258 appearances for Madrid, helping them win three La Liga titles, five Champions Leagues, a Copa del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA World Club Cups.

The former Wales international re-joined Spurs on a season-long loan deal in 2020 and scored 16 goals during his second spell in north London.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has given his signature ‘here we go’ confirmation to a former Tottenham star’s return to the big time in European football.

Croatian veteran Ivan Perisic joined Tottenham at the ripe old age of 33 back when Antonio Conte was at the helm. The pair had previously worked wonders together at Inter Milan.

After a change of manager, tumbling down the pecking order and suffering an ACL injury, Perisic was loaned to boyhood club Hajduk Split in the winter window of 2024.

The loan agreement took Perisic to the end of his Spurs contract and came with an understanding he would spend the 2024/25 season with Hajduk Split too.

However, Perisic parted ways with the Croatian side on August 30 via mutual consent. The left-footer went in search of a fresh challenge and per Fabrizio Romano, he’s agreed to join reigning Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven.

Taking to X, Romano stated: “Ivan Perisic to PSV Eindhoven, exclusive story confirmed and here we go!

“Medical completed today and contract set to be signed, it will be valid until June 2025. Croatian winger joins PSV as free agent.”

Perisic can help PSV make Champions League dent

PSV romped to the Dutch title last term at the expense of Arne Slot’s Feyenoord. PSV finished with a record of 29 wins, four draws and just one defeat. Even more incredible was their mind-boggling goal difference of plus 90 in just 34 matches.

Perisic will now get the chance to help PSV defend their Eredivisie crown. The Eindhoven club have picked up where they left off last season, winning five from five with an aggregate scoreline of 20-3.

Perisic will also get another crack at the Champions League – a competition he previously won with Bayern Munich in 2020. Had he stayed with Hajduk Split, Perisic would have missed out on European football altogether after the club bowed out of the Conference League in the third qualifying round.

PSV suffered a 3-1 defeat in their UCL opener with Juventus in Turin on Tuesday evening, though that was unquestionably one of the club’s more difficult fixtures.

Liverpool and PSG will also provide PSV with stern challenges, though there are winnable games to come against Sporting CP, Girona, Shakhtar Donetsk, Brest and Red Star Belgrade.

More free agent moves / Cristian Romero plan

In other news, fellow free agent Adrien Rabiot is also off the market having signed with Marseille. Another high profile free agent – former Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip – is courting interest from three Premier League sides.

Tottenham have hatched a plan to keep Cristian Romero out of the clutches of Real Madrid. Spurs intend to sit down with the Argentine next summer and iron out a long-term contract extension.

Romero is one of four players Real Madrid are targeting in the summer of 2025. If Tottenham successfully retain Romero, Arsenal’s chances of losing William Saliba will increase.

Elsewhere, Ange Postecoglou has been told his position as Spurs manager could come under serious threat if he cannot solve the club’s defensive woes.

Ivan Perisic’s glittering career in numbers

Perisic’s extensive career has seen the left-footer operate in all manner of positions. Much of his early career was spent in more advanced roles, leading to Perisic incredibly breaking the 100 barrier in both goals and assists despite subsequently being known for becoming a specialist at left wing-back.

How and when Tottenham plan to thwart Real Madrid’s attempts to sign Cristian Romero has been revealed, and success for Spurs would enhance the chances of Arsenal losing William Saliba instead, according to reports.

Real Madrid sent super scout Juni Calafat to north London to observe the derby clash between Tottenham and Arsenal on Sunday. The two players who came under Calafat’s watchful eye are understood to be Cristian Romero and William Saliba.

The Independent recently confirmed both centre-backs are on Real Madrid’s radar for 2025, though the plan is to sign one and not both. Per the report, Saliba is Real Madrid’s favoured option.

According to online outlet Football Insider, Tottenham have hatched a plan to ensure Romero stays put.

If successful, Real Madrid’s back-up plan would be removed from the equation, thus enhancing the chances they spare no expense for No 1 target Saliba.

FI stated Spurs plan to sit down with Romero next summer and discuss a bumper new contract extension.

The Argentine’s deal doesn’t expire until 2027, though Tottenham will offer a new deal next summer in an effort to quash exit speculation once and for all.

Romero’s alleged stance on joining Real Madrid

A recent report claimed Romero would be ‘willing’ to join Real Madrid if they came calling. However, it’s important to note the reliability of the source of that claim is not particularly high.

Of course, a move for Romero would only come into focus if Real Madrid admit defeat on signing Saliba first.

Per the Independent, Real Madrid are aiming to revamp their backline next summer with moves for Trent Alexander-Arnold and either Saliba or Romero. Los Blancos also want Manchester City ace Rodri to anchor their midfield.

But per the report, Real Madrid actually believe prising Saliba out of Arsenal would be the most difficult deal of the three to pull off.

Explaining why, Arsenal’s re-emergence as a genuine footballing power was cited. The Gunners came close to winning the Premier League title in each of the last two seasons and the bulk of their best players are either in their primes now or are still to reach the peak of their powers.

Indeed, the average age of Arsenal’s starting elevens across the first four Premier League matches this season is just 26.25.

Losing Saliba at a time when Arsenal look ready to win major trophies would be the bitterest of pills to swallow for Mikel Arteta.

Tottenham eyeing Argentine / Postecoglou pressure building

In other news, Tottenham are reportedly ‘determined’ to sign Boca Juniors midfielder Kevin Zenon.

The 23-year-old’s current deal with the Argentine giant contains a modest £13m release clause.

Elsewhere, former Spurs winger Erik Lamela has been surpassed in the salary stakes at AEK Athens.

Lamela became the Greek side’s highest paid player ever when joining over the summer. But following confirmation of Anthony Martial’s signing as a free agent, the former Man Utd striker has now taken top spot.

Closer to home, Ange Postecoglou has been told his position as Spurs manager could come under serious threat if he cannot solve the club’s defensive woes.

Romero next? Every player to play for Tottenham and Real Madrid

Jonathan Woodgate

Woodgate made just 14 appearances in all competitions during an injury-plagued two-year spell at Real Madrid and was sold to Middlesbrough in 2007.

He joined Tottenham in January 2008 and made a brilliant start to his Spurs career, scoring and producing a Man of the Match performance in their 2008 League Cup final win over Chelsea.

But the centre-back spent a lot of time on the sidelines due to his recurring injury problems and was released in 2011.

Sergio Reguilon

A Madrid academy graduate, Reguilon made just 22 appearances for their first team before joining Tottenham in a £27.5million deal in 2020.

The left-back failed to cement a place in the starting line-up and has spent the last two seasons out on loan, playing for Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford.

Roberto Soldado

Soldado also came through the academy at Real Madrid, and he had successful spells at Getafe and Valencia before joining Tottenham in a £26million deal in 2013.

But the striker failed to live up to expectations during a two-year stint in north London, scoring just 16 goals in 76 appearances in all competitions.

Emmanuel Adebayor

After falling out of favour at Manchester City, Adebayor joined Real Madrid on a six-month loan deal in January 2011 and scored eight goals in 22 appearances.

He spent the following season on loan at Tottenham and his 18 goals earned him a permanent move to White Hart Lane.

The former Arsenal striker netted another 24 goals for the club before being released from his contract in September 2015.

Rafael van der Vaart

Van der Vaart was deemed surplus to requirements by Real Madrid following the arrival of Mesut Ozil in 2010, and he joined Tottenham on transfer deadline day.

The former Netherlands international became a fan favourite during his two years at White Hart Lane and registered 28 goals and 18 assists in 77 appearances in all competitions.

Luka Modric

One of two players that Madrid have bought from Tottenham, Modric completed a £30million move to the Spanish side in 2012 after a four-year stint in north London.

He has since made over 500 appearances for Madrid and has established himself as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Gareth Bale

After winning the Premier League Player of the Year award in 2012/13, Bale left Tottenham and joined Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee of £85.1million.

He registered 106 goals and 67 assists in 258 appearances for Madrid, helping them win three La Liga titles, five Champions Leagues, a Copa del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA World Club Cups.

The former Wales international re-joined Spurs on a season-long loan deal in 2020 and scored 16 goals during his second spell in north London.

Tottenham are reportedly considering making a move to sign Boca Juniors midfielder Kevin Zenon but could face competition from Newcastle for his services.

Midfield is certainly an area Ange Postecoglou still wants to address come the January transfer window, having offloaded Tanguy Ndombele (released), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (loan), Oliver Skipp and Giovani Lo Celso, while only Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall were added to the Australian’s engine room.

And now a fresh report from Spain suggests that the north London outfit are pushing to sign Zenon, with the 23-year-old having a £13million release clause in his contract.

Spanish outlet Fichajes states that Tottenham ‘determined’ to secure the player’s signature, although they might have to overcome strong opposition from St James’ Park to get their man.

In 34 appearances, the South American has made 11 goal contributions this season for Boca Juniors, scoring four goals and registering seven assists.

If he did arrive in north London, Zenon could be joined in the Spurs midfield by USA international Johnny Cardoso.

In selling Lo Celso back to Real Betis, Tottenham secured a deal to sign Cardoso in the future that can be triggered with a £21m (€25m / $27.7m) fee. However, The Telegraph reports that the window for Spurs’ option lasts for just two weeks during 2025, with other teams able to compete for him when it expires.

Adding both Cardoso and Zenon would bring even more young talent to Postecoglou’s midfield, although Tottenham fans have been ruing not seeing a more established name come in after a tough start to the season so far.

Zenon adaptability a plus point for Postecoglou

Zenon is a versatile midfielder as he can play in the engine room but is also comfortable playing out wide.

The Argentine is excellent technically, strong in tight areas, capable of making defence-splitting passes between the lines and can produce quality from set-pieces.

He is considered a shrewd bargain acquisition, if Tottenham do indeed make a concrete offer for his services in the January window.

Zenon has scored 10 goals in 143 career appearances, although he has only featured 28 times for Boca so far after joining them in January of this year.

The Argentina Under-23 international’s contract runs out in December 2028, which leaves Boca in a strong position if his release clause figure is not met going forward.

Barca target emerges for Tottenham as Romero fears grow

Another midfielder on the club’s radar, meanwhile, is reported to be Barcelona star Fermin Lopez after a report revealed they made an approach in the summer.

As revealed by Relevo, Tottenham were at the front of the queue for Lopez this summer after making an approach to Barca.

However, Lopez’s current club closed the door by pointing to the player’s €400m (£337.8m/$443.3m) release clause, which was obviously never expected to be activated.

And Barcelona are now actitvely working on upgrading Lopez’s contract to end Tottenham’s hopes once and for all.

In other Totttenham news, as the club continue to weigh up the players they can try and bring in next, a damaging report suggests they could end up losing Cristian Romero to Real Madrid.

Transfer insider Ekrem Konur has stated that Real are ‘planning to make a move’ for the Argentine centre-back in January and that they have been given confidence that they can get him.

That’s as Romero is said to be ‘willing to join’ the Spanish giants if an offer comes his way.

Midfield conundrum causing problems for Postecoglou

There is a growing feeling that Postecoglou was let down over the summer by Tottenham not making a move to sign a world class central midfielder capable of running games.

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are top young talents who are likely to have successful careers, but that is in the future and it’s painfully obvious that Spurs are missing a midfield general in a team full of talented individuals.

Yves Bissouma has been nothing like the player he was at Brighton, while Rodrigo Bentancur is still not at his best after his ACL injury in early 2023.

Pape Sarr remains another promising talent but while Postecoglou playing Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison centrally alongside Bentancur against Arsenal worked well in possession, without it Tottenham were so vulnerable to the transition and need to provide more cover for the over-worked central defensive pairing of Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Now might be the time to give Gray his chance to show the qualities he did in pre-season and prove why he was a generational talent at Leeds United.

Playing the England Under-21 alongside Bentancur would give more of a solid base for Spurs to work from and allow the attacking players to do their thing without making life a nightmare for the back two when the ball is lost.

AC Milan have been linked with a move for Tottenham target and Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso, but Ange Postecoglou’s side hold a telling advantage over their Italian rivals.

Tottenham agreed to sell attacking midfielder Giovani Lo Celso to Betis late last month for a fee in the region of £8.4m (€9.9m / $11m), with the Argentina international returning to the club he left permanently in January 2020.

This deal was partly done to secure the services of United States international Cardoso, but according to Italian publication Calciomercato, Tottenham could risk ‘losing out’ on the 22-year-old to Milan.

The report claims the Serie A side have ‘every intention of initiating’ contact with Cardoso, especially after losing defensive midfielder Ismael Bennacer for four months due to a calf injury.

Milan recruited full-back Emerson Royal from Spurs earlier this summer and he and Cardoso share the same agent – which, typically, could help in a possible deal. However, this is, seemingly, not a typical transfer.

Earlier this month, Betis president Angel Haro confirmed Tottenham had negotiated an option to buy the former Internacional ace in next summer’s transfer window.

During the talks for the Lo Celso move, the Spanish club accepted an offer on Cardoso that can be triggered with a £21m (€25m / $27.7m) fee.

The Telegraph claim that the window for Spurs’ option lasts for just two weeks during 2025, with other teams able to compete for him when it expires.

“Johnny is a player who is of interest not only to Tottenham, but to many other teams, who has great potential and in this case, within the Gio [Lo Celso] operation, they asked us for an option to buy for a value that was important and interesting for us and we did give them that option,” Haro said.

Milan may try and find a way round this agreement with a move in January but Spurs are likely to hold the upper hand in negotiations.

DON’T MISS: Postecoglou told ‘pressure’ is mounting, with Tottenham ‘so susceptible’ in one area

The United States’ rising star

Cardoso was born to Brazilian parents in New Jersey, United States, but moved to Brazil when he was three months old.

After stints at the academies of Criciuma and Avai, he joined Internacional in 2014 and went onto make his first-team debut just before he turned 18 in September 2021.

The 6ft player went onto make 144 appearances for the Brazilian outfit, scoring seven goals along the way – and that caught the attention of teams in Europe.

In December 2023, Cardoso made the switch from Internacional to Betis on a five-year deal for a fee of approximately £4.7m (€5.6m / $6.3m). But off the back of his performances over the past six months – which have included 23 appearances, one goal, and two assists – he is worth a great deal more than that now.

Back in May, when links with Barcelona began to emerge, Cardoso pledged his future to Betis.

“My head and my goals are in Betis. I arrived a short time ago. I want to continue working and evolving. My head is in Betis and the other things are for my agents,” he said.

How long he stays there remains to be seen.

Postecoglou under pressure

Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to bitter rivals Arsenal on Sunday condemned Postecoglou’s team to a second-straight Premier League defeat as they fell to 13th in the table.

Once again, Spurs’ inability to deal with set pieces came back to haunt them as Gabriel Magalhaes’ second-half header settled the contest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After spending more than £350m (€415m/$462m) during his tenure as Tottenham boss, pressure is mounting on Postecoglou to take the team forward and challenge for trophies this season.

Despite only Nottingham Forest (23) conceding more set piece goals than Spurs (18) this season and last, the former Celtic boss downplayed it as an issue in a prickly post-match press conference.

“I know for some reason people think I don’t care about set-pieces, and it’s a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages. I understand that,” he said. “Like I said, we work on them all the time, like we do with every other team.

GO DEEPER: Tottenham pushing to sign perfect Solanke foil as cut-price January deal emerges

“It is what it is. It’s my burden to carry and I’m happy to do that. Like I’ve always said, for me there’s a bigger picture that’s at play here that’s much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to. For us, the way forward is to, as I said, try and turn the football we’re playing now into something meaningful.

“We’re a team that’s progressing in many areas. With all that sort of progress, there’s always kind of new challenges and new things that you need to overcome. When I look at the four games in isolation this year, our football’s been more consistent and more compelling than it was in our first four games last year. Obviously the results don’t reflect that.

“I think we’ve made progress in certain areas, but there’s other areas, like I said, we still need to improve on. That’s my job, to kind of fill those gaps as quickly as possible.”

Tottenham ‘getting more creative’ with transfers

Incidentally, according to former Manchester City financial advisor and football finance expert Stefan Borson, Spurs’ priority option to sign Cardoso is an illustration of the north London team’s creativity.

He told Football Insider: “I think clubs are getting more and more creative with the deals. If you are selling to Betis, you know that you are probably not going to maximise your cash inflow from the deal.

“There are going to have to be other bits and pieces, be that sell-on clauses or other pieces like first options on other players you are potentially interested in.

“I think you will see more and more creativity around that when people are selling outside of England. Where it’s an English deal, I think you are going to see more deals where people are focused on the headline amount.

“But where clubs are not going to be able to pay huge headline amounts, then they are going to want some additional value within the deal and I’m sure people will get more and more creative around it.”

Clinton Morrison has revealed he thinks “pressure is going to build” on Ange Postecoglou, given Tottenham are “so susceptible defensively that it’s a real problem”.

Tottenham were handed their second Premier League loss in four games on Sunday, meaning they are now 13th in the Premier League. To make matters worse, it was against local rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners are flying high in second, and were too strong for Spurs in the 1-0 victory.

And while it was only a one-goal swing, Morrison feels in the crucial areas of the pitch, at the back and up top, Tottenham are not offering enough.

“Tottenham are so susceptible defensively that it’s a real problem. They are not being clinical enough either, which is what the real hammer blow is,” Morrison said on BBC Radio 5 Live

“If you’re going to be that offensive and that open and free, you’ve got to bang the ball in the back of the net, and they’re not doing that. Dominic Solanke is having a rough start. He was playing against two of the best today.”

As a result, he feels Spurs boss Postecoglou could be in some danger.

“The pressure is going to start to build a bit on the manager,” Morrison added.

DON’T MISS: Tantalising Tottenham XI to lead Postecoglou to promised land and end 16-year trophy wait

Postecoglou is convinced he can bring success

But Postecoglou himself does not feel that he is currently under any pressure.

In fact, he is eager to replicate a feat he has achieved at many of his other clubs, such as Celtic, Yokohama F Marinos and Brisbane Roar, in achieving silverware in his second campaign.

“I will correct myself: I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed,” he said after the loss to Arsenal.

That pressure will begin to ramp up if he does not string a run of form together, though.

New signings can help ease pressure

If by January things are not looking up, Postecoglou will almost certainly look to improve his side in the transfer market.

He has eyes on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who could help to get the best out of Dominic Solanke, by giving him competition.

Another striker on the radar is 15-year-old Harry Gray, whose brother Archie is already at Spurs. The former bagged eight goals for Leeds under-18s last season.

Further to those pursuits, Tottenham are keen on Eberechi Eze and Noah Okafor.

Postecoglou’s side feel that another Premier League giant may have budged in front of them for the former, but a move for the latter is being planned for January.

How does Postecoglou compare with Conte

Postecoglou was the first permanent Spurs manager to follow Antonio Conte, when he left the club.

The Italian had essentially a year and a half at the helm, and managed 76 games in that time.

He won 41, drew 12 and lost 23. That means his Tottenham side achieved an average of 1.78 points per game, and they also achieved a fourth-placed finish in his first season.

Postecoglou has managed just 45 Tottenham games so far, winning 21, drawing seven and losing 16. His points-per-game tally is 1.62.

In his one full season so far, he guided Spurs to fifth in the Premier League. But he’s currently performing worse than how Conte did, and he did not last all of his second season, so Postecoglou will hope he can go one better.

He clearly feels it’s possible, but there needs to be change from how the season has started for that to be true.

Ange Postecoglou stated “I always win things in my second year” after his Tottenham side lost to Arsenal, and he feels “nothing has changed” as he entered his second campaign with Spurs.

Postecoglou’s Spurs side were dealt a 1-0 loss by rivals Arsenal in the north London derby. It’s their second loss in four league games this season, which means they are now 13th in the table.

Speaking after the game, the Tottenham manager made it clear he knows there is improvement needed, but is adamant that his side can win a trophy this term, his second in charge.

“We need to fix the areas we need to fix. Otherwise all our dominance, we’re going to keep opposition teams in the game. All teams will think they’re in the game. We need to have more conviction in the front third to finish teams off,” he said on Sky Sports.

“We could rotate the squad, give players opportunity. I prefer it that way. After the international break, the last loss puts you in a pause mode. But we have plenty of games this month.”

“I will correct myself: I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed.”

DON’T MISS: Tantalising Tottenham XI to lead Postecoglou to promised land and end 16-year trophy wait

Tottenham in worse place than last season

At this point last season, Spurs were second to Manchester City, having gained 10 points from a possible 12.

Their first league loss last season did not come until the 11th game.

They have lost both of the last two games, so to some, Postecoglou’s confidence may feel misplaced.

However, he seems unfazed by the challenges his side – who have not won a trophy since 2008 – face.

Tottenham transfers could help

If middling form continues until January, some inbound transfers could help Tottenham on their quest for silverware.

According to reports, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on Postecoglou’s radar at the moment.

As is Harry Gray, the younger brother of Spurs teenager Archie, who was bought from Leeds in the summer.

But outgoings will not help the cause, and one big one could be on the horizon.

Real Madrid are said to be planning an attempt to sign centre-back Cristian Romero in January, and the Argentine is apparently ‘willing to join’ the La Liga giants.

Postecoglou’s second season triumphs

At Postecoglou’s last club, Celtic, he failed to win anything in 2020/21, his first season in charge, but in his second campaign, 2021/22, he guided them to both the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish League Cup title.

One job further back, he was appointed manager of Yokohama F Marinos in 2017/18, and a season later, they won their first J League title for 15 years.

He also won the Asian Cup with Australia in 2014/15, having gained the job in 2013/14.

He was inserted as manager of Brisbane Roar in 2009/10, and they won the A League in both 2010/11 and 2011/12.

In some locations, he has not won a trophy, but it must be said that Postecoglou certainly has a knack of winning things in his second season.

But the English top flight and the cups in the country are harder to win, so there’s a chance he has bitten off more than he can chew. Whether that is the case or not remains to be seen.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero is reportedly ‘willing to join’ Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants ‘planning to make a move’ for him in January.

Real decided against bolstering their defensive ranks in the summer. That was despite the fact they lost long-term asset Nacho Fernandez on a free transfer, and sold Rafa Marin.

Links to Aymeric Laporte arose, but were shut down, with Carlo Ancelotti adamant that he did not need to strengthen at centre-back.

But now, it seems he has changed his tune. Indeed, transfer insider Ekrem Konur has stated that Real are ‘planning to make a move’ for Tottenham central defender Romero in January.

And they have been given confidence that they can get him.

That’s as the Argentine defender is said to be ‘willing to join’ the Spanish giants if an offer comes his way.

DON’T MISS: Top 10 most expensive Tottenham signings ever: Two future legends mixed with disastrous flops

Romero strongly linked with Real

That Real are now eager to sign Romero is not a surprise. Links between the defender and the La Liga club have existed for quite some time.

In the summer, it was suggested that a bid was going to come in for the important Tottenham man.

It did not, but he will be watched closely by Real throughout this season.

Indeed, it’s said they are to send their chief scout to attend Sunday’s north London derby, to check on the performance of the Spurs centre-back.

Real keen on talent in England

It is believed that William Saliba is also one of the reasons for the attendance of a Real scout.

Indeed, he has also been strongly linked with them, with it being suggested they could also soon move for the Arsenal defender.

Meanwhile, Championship star Chris Rigg is on the radar of the Spaniards, as a result of some good performances for Sunderland, while still just 17 years of age.

Further afield, goalkeeper Mike Maignan is of interest to Real, despite Andriy Lunin recently penning new terms with the club.

Interest in the AC Milan man was exclusively revealed by TEAMtalk.

Romero could be next Spurs talent to join Real

There are a couple of very notable examples of players who have taken a huge step in their career, joining Real from Tottenham.

Luka Modric did so in 2012, and he is still representing the Spanish giants, 540 games, 39 goals and 86 assists later.

The Croatian midfielder has won 26 team honours in his time as a Real player, as well as winning the 2018 Ballon d’Or award.

Gareth Bale headed to Madrid from north London in 2013. He immediately became a star in Spain after his £85million transfer.

In 258 games, he bagged 106 goals, as well as 67 assists, while also winning 16 team honours with the Spanish giants.

If Romero is to move, he is likely to have a much more successful time of it in Spain than in north London, with Tottenham not having won a trophy since 2008, a triumph which Bale was part of.

Tottenham are reportedly ready to renew their interest in signing Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the January transfer window in Ange Postecoglou’s search for a more physical No.9.

Dominic Solanke was signed in a club-record £65million deal over the summer but has only played one game so far after picking up an injury during his debut at Leicester.

However, reports from Spain suggest that Postecoglou is looking for a partner for Solanke or at least a player who is capable of providing a different dimension in the Tottenham attack.

To that end, Fichajes reports that Spurs are looking to take advantage of Calvert-Lewin‘s contract situation at Goodison Park, with the England forward set to be available on a free transfer in the summer of 2025.

The Toffees frontman, who now appears to be over the injury issues that have plagued him in recent seasons, certainly showed his aerial threat again as he scored from a header in Everton’s 3-2 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

And Fichajes states that Postecoglou is keen on having that different point of attack, even if having a front two does not necessarily match up with the Australian’s normal attacking formation.

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Everton could be forced into Calvert-Lewin sale

As TT has previously reported, everything is currently pointing towards Calvert-Lewin turning down a new contract offer on Merseyside as the 27-year-old looks for a fresh challenge at this stage of his career.

If he does reject a chance to stay, then Everton could look to cash in on the player in January for a cut-price fee rather than lose him for nothing next summer.

Newcastle are also known admirers of the striker, so Spurs will certainly not have it all their own way in any potential transfer chase.

Calvert-Lewin can hardly be called prolific, having scored 84 goals in 295 career outings, but his injury issues have to be taken into account in terms of the player building on seasons that have gone well.

Indeed, the attacker had back-to-back campaigns of 15 and then 21 goals in 2019/2020 and 2020/21 before two seasons where he struggled to get on the pitch due to one injury or another.

Quite what that all means for Richarlison remains to be seen, although the Brazilian continues to be heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in 2025.

Postecoglou also hunting another midfielder

While the focus on this piece surrounds Tottenham’s interest in bringing in another striker, it’s no secret that Postecoglou wanted to get another midfielder on board before the summer window shuts and that is expected to be one of his main priorities when the new year rolls around.

And the latest reports suggest the north London outfit are now the main suitors for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez after an approach was made over the summer.

However, Lopez’s current club closed the door by pointing to the player’s €400m (£337.8m/$443.3m) release clause, which was obviously never expected to be activated.

Meanwhile, Tottenham also ‘fear’ their chances of signing Crystal Palace talisman Eberechi Eze have been dashed by one of two bigger Premier League sides, while Manchester United may also have missed out amid confirmed interest.

It’s claimed that England star Eze is content to play for Palace for one more season before moving to Arsenal or Man City next summer.

Calvert-Lewin a luxury Tottenham signing

When fully fit, Dominic Calvert-Lewin can be force to be reckoned with but signing him as a partner for Solanke makes little sense given the importance Postecoglou puts on his wide players in his attacking formation.

The article also references Calvert-Lewin’s preference as a more imposing physical threat but Solanke is also strong in the air and was brought in to convert the plethora of crosses Tottenham get in the box every game.

Son Heung-min is also a more than able deputy centrally, even if Richarlison does eventually move on, while the club also have the highly-rated Will Lankshear waiting in the wings.

The talented young forward has been likened to the club’s all-time record scorer Harry Kane and could get his chance in the senior stage at some point on the near future.

Former Tottenham midfielder Didier Zokora has revealed why he decided to snub Arsenal in favour of a move to north London rivals Tottenham despite talks with Arsene Wenger back in the day.

Zokora joined Spurs from Saint-Etienne for £8.2million in the summer of 2006 after impressing for Ivory Coast at the World Cup in Germany that year.

But at the time, Zokora was also on the radar for Wenger’s Arsenal, who had just pipped Spurs to Champions League football after the infamous ‘lasagna-gate’ incident.

A sickness bug swept through the Tottenham squad on the eve of the final game of the season, leading to a 2-1 defeat that saw them lose fourth place to rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners had also been Premier League champions just two years earlier and were about to move to the Emirates. However, despite holding talks with Wenger, Zokora has revealed why White Hart Lane was the right place for him.

“When I signed for Spurs, Arsenal also wanted me,” he once told the Telegraph. “I spoke with Arsene after the World Cup but I preferred to come to Spurs because it gave me a good option for my life. I am very happy.”

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Zokora’s Tottenham trophy legacy

Zokora’s decision actually ended up being vindicated as became one of the players who last tasted silverware for the club as Tottenham beat Chelsea in extra-time to win the League Cup in 2008.

Arsenal, meanwhile, where on the nine-year trophy drought which eventually ended with an FA Cup triumph back in 2014.

Zokora’s form at Spurs also saw him linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid, but after signing a new deal in the white half of north London in 2008, the midfielder revealed why it was important to stay.

He added: “Everybody knows Real Madrid wanted me but I signed a new contract for this club and, if they want me, I stay.

“The club needs me, my life is here. Real are one of the best clubs in the world so that is good for me, no? That means I am not a bad player!”

Zokora actually only lasted another year at Tottenham after losing his place to Wilson Palacios as a regular starter, moving to Sevilla in the summer of 2009.

Spells in Turkey, India and Indonesia followed as his playing career drew to a close and the 43-year-old is now back in his homeland and was most recently assistant manager at AFAD Djekanou.

Tottenham midfield balance one of the keys to cup final win

Zokora made 88 Premier League appearances for Tottenham without scoring but offered a fine balance with Jermaine Jenas at the heart of Juande Ramos’ midfield in that final win over Chelsea.

Indeed, that engine room had a bit of everything with Zokora’s driving runs, ability to break up play and dynamism aided by Jenas’ more technical quality play but also his willingness to stick his boot in when it mattered.

Out wide there was the technical ability of Frenchman Steed Malbranque, who only spent two seasons in north London but walked away with a League Cup winners’ medal, and the searing pace and energy of Aaron Lennon on the right.

The latter spent a decade at Tottenham and was a hugely popular figure at the club, scoring 30 goals in 364 games under numerous managers.

In truth, the spine of that Tottenham team was very strong with Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate, who scored the extra-time winner, an outstanding centre-back pairing while club legends Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane formed the front two.