Football365

Unai Emery wants to ‘betray’ former club Villarreal by signing ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth, according to reports in Spain.

Emery brought Foyth to Villarreal from Tottenham for around £11million in July 2021.

The Argentine made 74 appearances under the ex-Arsenal head coach and was in the team that reached the semi-final of the Champions League in 2022, losing out to Liverpool 5-2 on aggregate.

Rated for his versatility, Foyth is capable of playing anywhere in defence and also as a defensive midfielder.

He failed to impress during his four years at Spurs but might earn a second bite at the Premier League cherry.

That is because Emery is keen to reunite with the 27-year-old, according to reports in Spain.

Indeed, it is claimed that Emery is willing to ‘betray’ Villarreal by taking Foyth before the January transfer window closes.

👉 READ MORE: Premier League five-year net spend table: Man City above Liverpool; Man Utd second

The Spaniard is ‘determined’ to sign Foyth, whose ‘hours are numbered’ at the La Liga club following an ‘offer’ from Aston Villa.

The club’s hierarchy are currently ‘evaluating’ the Villans’ bid, with the Argentine eager for an agreement to be reached to ‘close his signing as soon as possible’.

Despite the player’s desperation to play Champions League football at Villa Park, the ‘operation seems complicated’ due to Foyth’s injury problems.

It is not clear how much Villa have offered Villarreal but the report says the latter ‘do not rule out accepting the offer’ as it is ‘close to their economic demands’.

MORE ON ASTON VILLA FROM F365

👉 Graham Potter has made West Ham unrecognisable already as soft lads become fighters

👉 The 20 biggest transfers in the world in the 2025 January transfer window

Foyth’s future could be decided ‘in the next few hours’, with Villarreal presented a ‘an economic opportunity that cannot be refused’, but also reluctant to lose a ‘key player’ mid-season.

Emery discussed incoming transfers on Sunday and was asked specifically about Foyth, confirming that he wants to sign him. He also defended Villa’s decision to sell centre-back Diego Carlos to Fenerbahce.

“Monchi (sporting director) and the club are looking at different players, the profile,” he said.

“Of course I know Juan Foyth because I worked with him. He is one player, with his quality, he can unite and play with the qualities and the performance we want to add in the squad.

“We’re doing everything we can and we have to control everything that’s in our hands.

“This transfer window is not easy, we did not want him to leave but he decided to leave because he accepted an offer from Turkey and we’re trying to get one centre-back to replace him.

“But there are still days to decide how we can do it.

“We are trying to be intelligent and make the better decisions transfer window.

“It’s not easy to change some players in this window. We did with Jaden [Philogene] and [Donyell] Malen and with Kosta [Nedeljkovic] – he is close to leaving – and a centre-back we didn’t do because we are now involved in it.

“If we can then add some players to improve the squad we have to do it, but how we are performing, we’re in the right way.”

Tottenham are lining up a move for ex-Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag as they warn Ange Postecoglou that his job is ‘in danger’, according to reports.

Spurs reached a new low this season with relegation-threatened Leicester City coming from a goal down in north London to beat Postecoglou’s side 2-1 on Sunday.

Brazil international Richarlison gave Tottenham the lead on 33 minutes and went into the half-time interval leading the Foxes 1-0.

However, Leicester turned the game on its head within the first five minutes of the second half with Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss both scoring, as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side grabbed all three points.

Tottenham have now won just one of their last 11 Premier League matches and haven’t tasted victory in their last seven matches in the English top-flight.

That form has piled pressure on Postecoglou with the Spurs boss now the favourite to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked.

One report today indicated that Tottenham are ready to stick with Postecoglou as they have sympathy with him over the injury crisis they are experiencing.

Numerous players are currently out injured, including Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma and more.

But now Spanish publication Fichajes insist that the defeat to Leicester left the Tottenham board ‘with serious doubts about the Australian manager’s future’.

And now Spurs have ‘already have their sights set on a replacement’ for Postecoglou with former Man Utd boss Ten Hag said to be in the frame.

They claim that ‘sources’ at the club have revealed to them that Tottenham ‘have already informed the manager that his position is in danger’.

Fichajes adds: ‘Ten Hag’s experience and ability to rebuild teams could be key in Tottenham’s decision, as they seek stability and immediate results. However, the club has not yet made a final decision and, for the moment, Postecoglou remains in charge of the team.’

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365…

👉 Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Ange Postecoglou?

👉 Mailbox: Postecoglou proves he wants sacked but ‘assault’ overlooked by referee amid Arsenal discourse

👉 New York Red Bulls ‘in talks’ with Tottenham forward over immediate exit from north London

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara is baffled as to how Postecoglou is still in a job after recent results and performances as it has been “nowhere near good enough”.

When asked on Sky Sports if Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham was now at an end, O’Hara said: “Maybe. I mean, this is unacceptable, the performance in the second half has been nowhere near good enough.

“I would love to say it’s been an onslaught and two goals conceded early on and Spurs have come out and tried to win a game, but they haven’t really done anything.

“Leicester keeper’s had nothing to do. No real clear cut chances, terrible performance again.

“I said in the first half, Tottenham weren’t great, they were a bit flat. Richarlison gets on the end of a great cross, but apart from that, they didn’t really do anything.

“Over the course of the 90 minutes, it’s been a really, really bad performance. I don’t know how Ange can keep losing games and keep his job.

“At the moment, this is nowhere near good enough and we could be looking at Postecoglou’s last game.”

O’Hara added: “I’ve never seen a team give the ball away so much in my life, it’s unbelievable.

“Lack of ideas, lack of quality, lack of creativity, been a terrible performance. The Leicester goalkeeper can’t believe his luck.

“I’m really starting to believe that Ange might have to go.

“13 games now that Spurs have lost in the Premier League. It’s unacceptable. You can’t lose that many games, I know there’s injuries, I understand that, there’s a bit of a crisis – to lose 13 games as the Tottenham manager is unacceptable.”

Tottenham will continue to stand by Ange Postecoglou despite their 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Leicester City on Sunday, according to reports.

Richarlison gave Spurs the lead on 33 minutes before Leicester caught them cold after the break, with Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss scoring two in the first five minutes after half-time to turn the game on its head.

Spurs have won just one of their last 11 matches in the Premier League and are winless in their last seven outings with Postecoglou’s side now 15th in the Premier League table.

Tottenham have been hit hard by injuries, particularly in their backline, with Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie all missing.

And there have been growing calls and rumours among fans on social media that Postecoglou could be close to the sack after a terrible run of results.

However, Football.London claim that, although it’s ’embarrassing’ for the Tottenham hierarchy, they ‘are sticking with Postecoglou amid the injury crisis his squad is engulfed in and will try to sign at least one player for him in the week ahead to ease that, even if that should have happened long ago’.

Postecoglou was also missing Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma, amongst others with injury, against Leicester and the Tottenham boss insists everyone at the club is still “totally supportive” about what he is trying to achieve.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365…

👉 Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Ange Postecoglou?

👉 Mailbox: Postecoglou proves he wants sacked but ‘assault’ overlooked by referee amid Arsenal discourse

👉 New York Red Bulls ‘in talks’ with Tottenham forward over immediate exit from north London

When asked if the results were hitting him hard, Postecoglou replied to reporters: “Yes, it does, but at the same time I’m kind of responsible for it, so you’ve got take that on board.

“When you’re in this kind of position, you are looking at the people around you, I just feel the players, the staff, the people at the football club I deal with, they’re still totally supportive of what we’re trying to do, and that’s all you can ask for as a manager.

“That gives me the energy and I put aside my own disappointment and feelings and make sure I support the people who are trying as hard as they possibly can to turn this around.”

On the game-changing five minutes after half-time that saw Leicester score two goals, the Tottenham boss added: “You come out for the second half, know they are going to have a little energy, they are 1-0 down, we got caught a bit cold. It’s not just the physical fatigue; it’s the mental fatigue for this group of players who are constantly at it.

“They put in a massive shift on Thursday night to get the job done, had to back it up today, same group of players, some of them probably shouldn’t have been out there, we’re asking them to dig in as much as they can, and they are. From our perspective, that’s all you can ask for.”

Tottenham Hotspur are slipping into a relegation battle under Ange Postecoglou and Sunday’s home defeat to Leicester City should be his last.

It was 18th v 20th in the Premier League form table at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Leicester went into Sunday’s clash having lost seven top-flight matches in a row and with head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy on the brink, while Spurs were winless in six and only had three league wins since the start of November; hilariously, one of those victories was the 4-0 at Manchester City.

Leicester’s record this season has not come as a surprise. All three promoted teams came up expecting to go straight back down and the Foxes hierarchy decided to sack Steve Cooper in November, bringing in Van Nistelrooy after his exploits as Manchester United caretaker, which included two comfortable wins against his current employers.

He has been in the job less than two months, yet we feared for him going into this fixture. Home chants at the King Power of “you don’t know what you’re doing” and seven abject losses in a row suggest he is on borrowed time, but the Dutchman might have just bought himself a lifeline with an unlikely victory at Spurs.

It is a victory likely to see one of his peers relieved of his duties. Ange Postecoglou has lasted a lot longer than a lot of other managers would have, perhaps convincing Daniel Levy to give him more time after his trophy promise back in September.

Injuries have played a part as well. The crisis has been unprecedented, with several key defenders and first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario missing and now big-money summer signing Dominic Solanke out for six weeks. They have hindered Spurs massively yet are probably the main reason Big Ange is still in a job.

But for how long? What will it take? Being thumped by Everton last week was not enough. Needing extra time to beat non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup didn’t move Levy. Neither did giving Ipswich Town their first win of the season, or any number of yet more abysmal results and performances.

Losing at home to a miserable Leicester team so soon after edging past Hoffenheim in the Europa League should be what ends Postecoglou’s reign in north London.

The first half was fairly even but Spurs went into the break ahead thanks to a Richarlison header, which was assisted by a world-class Pedro Porro cross.

An inspiring Van Nistelrooy half-time team talk flipped the game on its head. The Foxes were 2-1 up within five minutes of the second half kicking off. Jamie Vardy’s tap-in – followed by a Premier League title mocking celebration – and Bilal El Khannouss’ terrific strike put the visitors in front and they held on. In fact, they never really looked like losing their advantage.

Spurs unsurprisingly dominated possession after going behind but their inability to break down a low block was punished – not for the first time this season. Taking Richarlison off in the 53rd minute did not go down well; the injury-prone Brazilian must have been on a minutes restriction.

Postecoglou’s side are now only six points above Leicester and remain one ahead of Everton, who have a game in hand, albeit against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Take nothing away from the Foxes, who deserved their win and are out of the relegation zone, but this is all about Postecoglou and Spurs. The boos at the end were deafening and with Levy in attendance, a Postecoglou sacking before tea time would not be a surprise.

Thirteen league defeats is absolutely unacceptable, and being ahead in their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool is not a reasonable reason not to pay him off and find a new manager. The way Postecoglou sets his team up means they will get trounced by three or four goals at Anfield anyway.

You look at their upcoming domestic fixtures and it is hard to see where the next win comes. They are absolutely rotten and need to make a chance before a potential relegation battle becomes a reality. It should be silly to say Spurs could be in a position where they are fighting relegation, but it absolutely is not at this stage.

This match between Spurs and Leicester had a real El Sackico feel to it, and while Van Nistelrooy only had to avoid an eighth defeat in a row, Ange had to win. He didn’t – and if Levy does not make a change, his negligence could see Spurs stumble into a genuine relegation dog fight.

MLS side New York Red Bulls are reportedly ‘in talks’ with Timo Werner over his exit from Tottenham, in a move which could be confirmed soon.

Werner has not played often for Spurs this season. He has featured in the Premier League for 500 minutes and has started just four games.

In all competitions, he has been involved in just four goals. It has been suggested that there is little chance of Tottenham deciding to sign him permanently after his loan period is up.

In fact, they could allow him to leave immediately, with Foot Mercato stating that Werner is in talks to head to the MLS, with New York Red Bulls in discourse with the German.

It is not stated whether he would again be loaned by RB Leipzig, or if the forward would leave permanently, but the report mentions his current loan, and states he ‘could continue his career across the Atlantic’.

The report is seemingly unclear on the chances of the move being confirmed, with it stated it ‘remains to be seen’ whether all parties will manage to find ‘common ground’.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

👉 Two reasons why Tottenham could ‘pull the plug’ on striker deal as Postecoglou issues transfer update

👉 Man Utd ‘offered’ Spurs, West Ham target in ‘significant transfer twist’ with INEOS ‘switching attention’

👉 Man Utd target ‘wants to join’ Spurs with Big Ange ‘confident’ despite ‘significant West Ham twist’

Given how little impact Werner has had at Tottenham this season, it would not be a surprise if they were ok with letting him leave.

That said, Dominic Solanke is going to be sidelined for around six weeks through injury, and Spurs might want as many options up top as they can have.

In any case, at 28 and with his latest venture to the Premier League going down somewhat poorly – with two goals and six assists in 30 appearances – it is unlikely that Werner will return to England, and America would be a new challenge for him.

Guglielmo Vicario has been tipped to “angle for” a transfer away from Tottenham, with Antonin Kinsky believed to have taken his spot as first-choice goalkeeper.

Vicario was one of Spurs’ most important assets in his first season and part of the next. He did not miss a single minute of action during the first 50 Premier League games he was available for.

But he was then injured against Manchester City in November – even making it to the end of the game on a broken ankle – and has been out since.

Though he’s taken to social media to suggest he’s not far from returning, his understudy, Kinsky, who was signed at the beginning of January to ease the fact Vicario was missing, has made a decent start, saving seven shots in his first two Premier League games.

Though it must be said he’s also conceded five times, journalist John Wenham, who often covers Tottenham, feels the Czech goalkeeper will remain the No.1 when Vicario is back, leading to the Italian heading out the door.

“I believe Kinský will be our first-choice goalkeeper moving forward,” Wenham told Tottenham News.

“Therefore, do you think Vicario is happy about being the number two? Absolutely not. He will have ambitions of his own. Since joining Spurs, he has become an Italy international player. Therefore, I think Vicario might be angling for a transfer away from the club in the summer.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

👉 Two reasons why Tottenham could ‘pull the plug’ on striker deal as Postecoglou issues transfer update

👉 Man Utd ‘offered’ Spurs, West Ham target in ‘significant transfer twist’ with INEOS ‘switching attention’

👉 Man Utd target ‘wants to join’ Spurs with Big Ange ‘confident’ despite ‘significant West Ham twist’

“Kinský has a great opportunity to establish himself with some winnable games coming up. As a result, it would then be difficult for Vicario to get himself back in the side.”

Spurs’ next two games are against Leicester and IF Elfsborg, both of which appear simple, but the north London outfit did recently lose to Everton, who are teetering above the relegation zone, and conceded three goals in that game, so there are no guarantees Kinsky establishes himself as the man to dethrone.

A pundit has picked out the “only thing” saving Ange Postecoglou from being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur, who have been told to “look at” two alternatives.

The Spurs boss is the clear favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked as the North London outfit have endured a poor first half to the 2024/25 season.

Injuries have dogged Tottenham, but some of their performances have been unacceptable as they sit 15th in the Premier League after 22 matches.

Spurs have fared better in cup competitions as they have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals and are set to advance in the Europa League. They also remain in the FA Cup.

Despite this, former Premier League striker Emile Heskey “can’t see Postecoglou being at Tottenham next season” and has picked out Andoni Iraola and Thomas Frank as potential replacements.

“I can’t see Ange Postecoglou being at Tottenham next season,” Heskey said.

READ: Tottenham ailments treated if not quite cured by welcome visit to Dr Hoffenheim

“They’re in a poor run of form and it’s a difficult one for both the owners and the board. I believe they like him, but the performances and results on the pitch really don’t look good.

“They play really open football, so for the neutral it’s great to watch but it’s difficult to watch as a fan when the team can’t keep the ball out of their own net.

“Finding a long-term replacement for him at this point in the season will be difficult so I think they will stick with him, but it’s tough to imagine Ange in the dugout at the start of next season.

“As far as replacements go, I really like Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola. He’s doing some great work there; however, you are going from a club like Bournemouth where there is no real pressure other than staying in the league, to a club where the expectations are super high, and they must be met.

“Thomas Frank is also an option; he deserves praise for the job he’s done at Brentford. They’ve been defensively sound, and their home form is brilliant, Tottenham could do worse than looking at either Iraola or Frank.”

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Two reasons why Tottenham could ‘pull the plug’ on striker deal as Postecoglou issues transfer update

👉 Man Utd ‘offered’ Spurs, West Ham target in ‘significant transfer twist’ with INEOS ‘switching attention’

👉 Man Utd target ‘wants to join’ Spurs with Big Ange ‘confident’ despite ‘significant West Ham twist’

Ex-Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson suspects their strong displays in cup competitions is the “only thing keeping Postecoglou in the job”.

“I think he’s bang under pressure,” Robinson said. “Short-term, I think he’s okay. Progression you’d argue is not there, but you can put it down to injuries.

“However, you’d be adaptable, you’d change your system, you’d change your style, you don’t go gung ho against teams that are clearly better than you when you don’t have the players to go up against them.

“Ange is very adamant he’s going to play one way and that’s the only way his team is going to play, but you need to plug gaps and get results.

“The only thing that’s keeping him in the job at the moment is that they’re in the League Cup semi-final, they’re still in the FA Cup, they’re doing well in the Europa League and they’re still in with an outside chance of the European places in the Premier League.

“A few weeks is a short time in football and we could be sitting here at the beginning of April and all that’s gone and then it’s a different conversation about whether the manager is there or not.”

Tottenham are still reportedly interested in signing Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap as Ange Postecoglou gave a Spurs transfer update on Friday.

The Spurs players and Postecoglou were booed and jeered by their own supporters on Sunday after they lost 3-2 to Everton at Goodison Park with Tottenham 3-0 down at half-time.

There were rumours afterwards on social media and elsewhere that Postecoglou could face the sack but widespread reports indicate that he will stay at Tottenham for now.

The Spurs boss, who guided his side to a 3-2 win over Hoffenheim in the Europa League group stage on Thursday, has had to deal with a huge injury crisis, especially in his backline with Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie among the players currently missing.

Dominic Solanke missed the trip to Germany to face Hoffenheim on Thursday and Postecoglou confirmed after the match that he will miss around six weeks. The Tottenham boss said: “With Dom, the information now is around the six-week mark with him.”

That has seen Spurs ramp up their interest in bringing in a new striker in the January transfer window with Ipswich Town’s Delap on their wishlist.

Delap has provided eight goals and two assists in 21 Premier League appearances for the Tractor Boys this term with Kieran McKenna’s side in the relegation zone.

And TEAMtalk claim that Tottenham are ‘still desperate to sign another striker this month and are continuing to chase’ for Delap before the transfer deadline.

However, it is understood that ‘two issues’ in particular could see Spurs ‘pull the plug’ on a potential transfer for the Ipswich striker.

Our friends at TEAMtalk add:

‘The obstacle to an agreement is that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy isn’t willing to overpay for any player and is reluctant to join a battle for Delap that could see his price ramp up.

‘Ipswich also have no desire to sell the talented forward this month so that may be the roadblock as they will demand a premium fee for a mid-season sale.’

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Man Utd target ‘wants to join’ Spurs with Big Ange ‘confident’ despite ‘significant West Ham twist’

👉 Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham told asking price for ‘stalling’ Southampton teen ‘unlikely to stay’

👉 The Famous F365 Friday Quiz: January 2025 transfer window edition…

And now Postecoglou has issued a transfer update about finding a potential replacement for Solanke with the Tottenham boss insisting “nothing’s changed in the last 24 hours”.

Postecoglou said at his pre-match press conference on Friday: “All those things are known, nothing’s changed in the last 24 hours.

“We knew with Dom probably a few days back, I had a press conference in the meantime, so all these things are known.”

When asked about injuries and mentality of his Tottenham group, Postecoglou added: “We should have light at the end of the tunnel in a couple of weeks, it’s not as dire but at the same time there’s always a possibility that before those guys come back we might lose a couple of these guys [current players in form].

“That’s always the challenging bit, that’s what we’re going through.

“It’s been two months of hard grind for the players, just trying to support them as much as we can. Our schedule is not going to ease up at all.

“The resilience and the determination of the players to get out there and perform is a fantastic thing for me to witness, couldn’t be more proud of them.”

According to reports, Manchester United have ‘indicated’ that they are ‘making an increased bid’ to sign Lecce star Patrick Dorgu.

The Red Devils have been focused on outings this month as INEOS look to raise funds for potential signings, but they could make a couple of additions before the transfer window closes.

Ruben Amorim‘s priority is to sign a natural left wing-back and Dorgu has reportedly emerged as one of their preferred options.

The 20-year-old has already made 56 appearances for Serie A outfit Lecce since breaking through for his boyhood club at the start of last season.

The Denmark international has four goal involvements in his 20 Serie A outings this term and his performances have not gone unnoticed.

Man Utd are reportedly leading the race to sign Dorgu and have a ‘basic agreement’ in place, though they have to iron out a couple of issues to complete a deal.

READ: Man Utd ‘dream’ January transfer window involves 13 deals in 13 days and signing three left-backs

Man Utd and Lecce remain apart on Dorgu’s valuation, but a report from GiveMeSport claims they have ‘indicated they are set to make an improved bid for Dorgu’.

While it’s noted that they are ‘set to test Lecce’s resolve with an improved bid’, it is also revealed that they are willing to ‘walk away’ amid competition from Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur.

The report explains.

‘GMS sources have been informed that Manchester United have indicated they are poised to head back to the negotiating table with a fresh offer worth close to £30million for Dorgu, having had their opening proposal in the region of £25million including add-ons rejected on Tuesday night, but they may walk away if their next bid is not accepted.’

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Fabrizio Romano confirms Man Utd want Benfica star who is the ‘perfect signing’

👉 Man Utd star slammed for being ‘completely hopeless again’ as he looked like a ‘boy among men’

👉 Man Utd urged to ‘be brave’ and sell their own ‘whinging’ version of Mesut Ozil

‘Although the Serie A strugglers have been seeking close to £34million – which is more than Manchester United are prepared to pay for Dorgu – GMS sources have been told there is confidence that all parties can reach an agreement for less than that figure, and it has resulted in Red Devils holding further talks on Wednesday.

‘Amorim has been facing stiff competition to recruit the Denmark international as Tottenham Hotspur have also been among the sides keeping tabs on his situation after being forced to contend with Destiny Udogie sustaining a hamstring injury which could keep him out of action until March, while Napoli are prepared to loan him straight back if they win the race.

‘But Dorgu wants to complete a January move to Old Trafford, in a significant boost for Manchester United, and GMS sources recently revealed he has a verbal pact to leave Lecce if a big club comes calling and lodges a suitable offer ahead of the winter transfer window slamming shut.’

Sacking Ange Postecoglou would give Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy ‘an even greater problem’ this month, according to reports.

The Spurs players and Postecoglou were booed and jeered by their own supporters on Sunday after they lost 3-2 to Everton at Goodison Park with Tottenham 3-0 down at half-time.

There have been rumours on social media and elsewhere that Postecoglou could face the sack but widespread reports indicate that he will stay at Tottenham for now.

The Spurs boss has had to deal with a huge injury crisis, especially in his backline with Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie among the players currently missing.

And now the Daily Mail has named four potential options to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham but one of the reasons the Spurs boss is still safe is that there is no viable ‘no-brainer’ appointment.

The report claims:

‘While getting rid of Postecoglou would appease some fans, it would present Daniel Levy with an even greater problem, with no clear candidate to replace him mid-season.

‘Despite their struggles, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is set to stand by the under-fire boss.

‘Club chiefs appreciate that Postecoglou’s side has been hamstrung by injuries this season.

‘Central defenders Micky van de Ven (left) and Cristian Romero (right) have been unavailable.

‘Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth is one of the best managers in England, but why would he jump ship when his team are flying well above Spurs in the table?

‘Kieran McKenna at Ipswich has links to Tottenham, having coached in the academy and played for the club at junior level. But would he leave Portman Road in the middle of a relegation fight? Mail Sport also understands extracting McKenna from his contract would command a sizeable compensation fee.

‘Spurs sporting director Johan Lange, who led the pursuit of the club’s only January signing so far — goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky — is believed to admire Brentford boss Thomas Frank. Frank deserves a crack at a bigger club, but you wonder how Spurs fans would view the appointment.

‘Fulham’s Marco Silva would also be a contender, while the club’s evolving data-led recruitment team would identify more candidates from abroad.

‘Yet joining a team in the lower reaches of the table and one gripped by an injury crisis is hardly the most enticing of proposals. There is no viable ‘no-brainer’ appointment.’

MORE SPURS COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Five post-Tottenham move options for Ange Postecoglou include Bournemouth, Everton, Leeds United

👉 Big Midweek: PSG v Man City, Postecoglou on sack watch, Liverpool saviour Darwin, Man Utd…

👉 Spurs tumble out of top ten spenders as Manchester City crash a January list they should top

When Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge was asked why Postecoglou is being given time at Tottenham, he replied: “I think there’s an acceptance that these injuries are seriously derailing the side. They’re not just the odd injuries, they’re bad injuries.

“People can blame him on the style of play which has led to hamstring injuries. You cannot blame Postecoglou on Dominic Solanke kicking a ball in training and his knee going.

“Postecoglou has said for the last two or three weeks to me and colleagues: Dom needs help. And now Dom is injured.

“It’s the 20th of January and no outfield signing has come in. Yes, January is difficult, but he really does need some help now.”

On whether Postecoglou will get backing in the January transfer window, Bridge added: “I do believe so. They have to bring players in. January is not easy, but it is achievable. Spurs have had some good January windows.

“For example, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur were January signings and now they’re Tottenham’s two best players. So it can happen.

“But European clubs aren’t as keen to give away their players in January. We’ve got European football in January now, which has never happened before.

“But even so, I still believe that Spurs will bring in at least one player, but it needs to happen quite soon.”