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According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur face a significant ‘compensation bill’ to pay Ange Postecoglou if/when they sack the head coach.

Postecoglou has been under intense scrutiny over the past season as Tottenham massively dropped off in the Premier League after they came close to Champions League qualification at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Injuries have ravaged Spurs over the past season, but their performances have been far from good enough as they finished 17th in the Premier League.

Spurs sacrificed the Premier League as they put all their eggs in the Europa League basket during the run-in and, luckily for them, this paid off as they beat Man Utd in the final to end their trophy drought, secure Champions League football and earn a huge injection of cash.

Still, it was reported ahead of the final that the north London outfit had decided to part ways with Postecoglou ‘regardless’ of what happens against Man Utd.

READ: Jack Grealish is ‘very, very Spurs’ while Son can have perfect ending…

Postecoglou’s exit is yet to be announced, but a recent report reinforced previous claims that they have ‘decided to sack’ the former Celtic boss.

While sacking Postecoglou would be the right call, it is a difficult decision considering he has fan support after their Europa League triumph.

A report from The Telegraph insists Daniel Levy is ‘facing one of his hardest decisions’, but ‘clarity is expected soon’ and the Postecoglou sack ‘bill’ has been revealed.

Last week, it was suggested that Spurs face paying up to £7m to get rid of Postecoglou, but this new report claims Levy will have a ‘compensation bill of around £4m’ and this would be ‘on top of the £2m bonus’ the head coach received for ending their trophy drought.

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The report adds:

‘Postecoglou still has two years remaining on his Tottenham contract and it is understood the terms of his exit before that date were agreed prior to his appointment two years ago.

‘It is understood that Postecoglou has now returned to England from holiday and the expectation is that the Australian will soon be provided with clarity over his future.’

Premier League quartet Thomas Frank, Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner have been mentioned as possible contenders to replace Postecoglou.

A report from Football Insider claims Brentford boss Frank is in ‘pole position’ to succeed Postecoglou as he has become Tottenham’s ‘No.1 choice’.

Spurs are said to be ‘increasingly convinced’ by Frank, who ‘ticks boxes’ amid his ‘ability to develop players’ and ‘proven record in the Premier League’.

It is also noted that club chiefs have been ‘impressed’ by his ‘staying power’ as one of the longest-serving managers in English football.

You’ve got to hand it to Spurs, really, haven’t you? They just can’t help themselves.

It’s been only two weeks since the club experienced the moment of catharsis it had longed for so desperately for a decade and a half.

Even now, there are somehow still new videos of new angles emerging of the celebrations in Bilbao and in Spurs’ own stadium and during the parade two days later.

There is simultaneously more content from that night than can ever be viewed, yet not enough to sate the hunger of Spurs fans who had waited so, so long for that relief and release. They are still buzzing and will be for some time to come.

And yet, just two weeks later, that buzz has been harshed by the club finding itself in a familiar pickle and not quite sure what to do with itself.

The manner of the season that has delivered that long-overdue success is an impossibly confusing, incredibly funny and was, if anything, Clive, almost too Spurs. Nobody now seems entirely sure what to do.

Ange Postecoglou is the manager who dared and did, but also the manager whose daring involved 22 league defeats, more than any other non-relegated team has ever managed in a Premier League season.

Deciding which one of those things weighs heaviest has split supporters down the middle, caused us to flip-flop so many times we’re genuinely not sure at all what Spurs should actually do, which more worryingly also appears to be the current state of affairs at boardroom level. And because this is Spurs, that boardroom is also one in the midst of significant upheaval with the departure of long-time Daniel Levy ally Donna Cullen.

Throw in the mooted return of Fabio Paratici in some capacity, official or otherwise, and you’ve got a club experiencing an awful lot of change and uncertainty at a critical time.

The upshot is that in a summer where transfer business across the board has been shuffled forward by the Club World Cup – even for those clubs not directly involved – Spurs are in very real danger of missing the spectacularly unexpected opportunity that has presented itself.

As other teams begin their rebuilds in earnest, Spurs exist in a state of limbo, not knowing where the summer may take them.

But one idea that has been floating around is that they might sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City, and we have to say that this strikes us as such a perfectly Spurs transfer that it doesn’t even matter who the manager might end up being. Unless it’s somehow Pep Guardiola.

Grealish is very, very Spurs. We struggle to think of a current player who is more Spurs but who hasn’t actually played for Spurs. Eberechi Eze, perhaps.

Whether Spurs are actually interested in Grealish, or even in a position to know who they’re interested in at all, we don’t know. It doesn’t really matter, because all we know is that we suddenly have a powerful need for this to happen.

It just makes sense.

Grealish would, in a World Cup year, get a Champions League stage on which to reassert his talent and credentials, at a club where the spotlight is plenty bright enough and there are fewer stars competing for it.

He would bring much-needed flair and a point of difference to an attack that, even when working well, is all too often mechanical and slightly lacking in joy and wonder.

For all the Angeball talk, Spurs really haven’t been that side in any meaningfully successful way for at least half a year. They’ve spent that time getting absolutely paddled in the league week after week, while steering a course through the Europa League playing an entirely different kind of enormously functional and incredibly effective football quite at odds with their reputation for flaky, maverick, entertaining nonsense.

There are pragmatic concerns around wages, because Spurs simply do not pay what other clubs with their levels of income pay, but even here there is a route around it.

One report about Spurs possibly selling Son Heung-min described it as a ‘desperate bid’ to raise funds; we would contend whoever wrote that watched very little of Son last season.

He has been a wonderful player for a very long time, but his decline last season was swift and, frankly, deeply upsetting. He suddenly looked a very old and very leggy 32. Grealish, meanwhile, is a far lighter-raced 29-year-old.

Son finally getting that magic moment in Bilbao after a decade of selfless, loyal service to a club that only very occasionally deserved it was a wonderful moment, one of our favourites of last season. Or any season.

But even there he was able only to play a bit-part role in the final, when it was Cristian Romero who provided the on-field leadership Spurs needed to coax them through the second-half stresses as they sought to protect their scrappily-won lead at all costs.

It’s easy to draw comparison between Son’s still very reasonable contribution in goals and assists during such a difficult campaign and another year of almost nothingness from Grealish, but context is vital here. Grealish has had no rhythm for the last two years of his career. No chance to really get his teeth into the game.

There is every reason to believe he still has something more to offer the right club in the right spot, and Spurs just look a superb fit. It’s far harder to see how Son can get back to anything approaching his best with another year in the legs.

Perfect endings are rare in sport, and Son has the chance for one at Spurs. Go now, as the legend who lifted a major trophy. The first Spurs captain to do that since Ledley King, for crying out loud. It won’t get better than this for him at Spurs.

He has a year left on his contract after Spurs exercised an extension which always looked to be more about protecting his value than anything else.

He would be a perfect signing for any Saudi club, who would only need to look to Spurs themselves to realise there are millions of fans who will follow Son wherever he goes.

There’s a huge summer of change coming for Spurs in more ways than one whatever happens, and moving on from one of their greatest players of the modern age should really be part of it.

Middlesbrough have announced that they have ‘parted company’ with Michael Carrick amid claims the Man Utd legend could do the Tottenham job.

A report on Sunday insisted that the Spurs board have now ‘decided to sack’ Ange Postecoglou despite winning the Europa League after a dismal season in the Premier League.

There has been a lot of speculation as to who will replace Postecoglou with Brentford boss Thomas Frank one of the names linked the most.

But former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole said earlier this week that Tottenham should appoint Carrick with Glenn Hoddle working above him at Spurs.

Cole told Paddy Power: “At Tottenham, Daniel Levy is running out of managerial candidates for the job. He’s gone big, he’s gone bold, and he’s gone off the beaten track, but none of them seem to have worked.

READ: Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Postecoglou sack?

“Michael Carrick could be a good option for the manager’s job. An ex-Spurs player, who understands the club, would be quite nice.

“Also, I’d like to see Glenn Hoddle back at the club in some capacity. I know Tottenham fans would love to see him back and he’s got the best football brain I know.

“I’d love to see Glenn Hoddle back in the club in some capacity, maybe supporting Michael Carrick. The club needs bringing together because it was really torn at times last season.”

And now that Middlesbrough – who finished 10th in the Championship this season – have sacked Carrick maybe the stars are aligning for a return to Tottenham as manager, or probably not.

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A statement on the Middlesbrough website read: ‘Middlesbrough Football Club has today parted company with head coach Michael Carrick.

‘Michael’s assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick have also departed the club.

‘We’d like thank Michael, Jonathan, and Graeme for all their hard work and unwavering commitment. We wish them all the very best for the future.

‘The club will be making no further comment at this stage.’

Football Insider have a more realistic idea of who could be in charge of Spurs next season with the website claiming Brentford have ‘set their sights on appointing Kieran McKenna if Thomas Frank quits to join Tottenham’.

It is understood that there are ‘growing fears’ that Frank will leave to replace Postecoglou in north London after emerging as Spurs’ ‘number one choice’.

Tottenham are among the sides interested in an Inter Milan defender, whose price tag is said to be ‘well within reach’ for them, with the Serie A side ‘willing to evaluate offers’.

That Ange Postecoglou does not feel his Spurs backline has ever been entirely solid while he’s been at the club is evident. He signed centre-back Micky van de Ven in his first window, then Radu Dragusin the following January, and then Kevin Danso a year later.

Still, Spurs are looking at defensive reinforcements, given it’s expected Cristian Romero could leave this summer, with Atletico Madrid on his tail.

According to Inter Live, recent reports have confirmed Tottenham‘s desire to land Inter centre-back Yann Bisseck, who played in all but two Champions League games this term, including the final.

Inter are said to be ‘willing to evaluate offers’ for the German defender. His price will start at ‘a base of’ €40million (£33.6m), which is said to be ‘well within reach’ for Spurs, as well as fellow interested sides Manchester United and West Ham.

But a final decision over the future of Bisseck will be made after the Club World Cup. Whether Bisseck plays much of a role in the competition for Inter remains to be seen.

After he was introduced in the second half of the Champions League final, he sustained an injury which meant he had to go off again after just nine minutes.

It’s stated Bisseck is undergoing tests to understand the severity of his injury. In any case, he is not expected to be available for the first few games of the Club World Cup campaign.

The length of his injury could shroud a potential transfer in doubt.

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One of his Inter team-mates, Davide Frattesi, is also being courted by Tottenham. As with Bisseck, it’s stated Frattesi will cost at least €40million (£33.6m).

They will have competition for the midfielder, as the report states Serie A champions Napoli will try for his transfer. The Italian club would likely be the more attractive location for a current Serie A star.

Frattesi would be able to continue playing Champions League football at either Napoli or Tottenham, but the former won their division, while the latter finished 17th in theirs this season, and it’d take a huge jump to be competitive next term.

He’d also, of course, remain in a league he knows well if he were to move to Napoli.

Taking the Tottenham job once Ange Postecoglou is dismissed is reportedly ‘appealing’ to a Premier League manager given their ‘big-six’ status, after another big name at his club decided on a similar move.

A lot of reports are now giving Postecoglou very little chance of survival in north London. For months while Spurs edged closer to Europa League glory, it was suggested winning the trophy was the only way he’d keep his job.

Indeed, Premier League results were not giving Tottenham fans a lot to shout about, given they finished 17th. The club did win the Europa League under Postecoglou, but it’s felt by many that was eventually not enough.

One journalist has in fact stated that the club ‘have decided to sack’ Postecoglou, and Brentford manager Thomas Frank is ‘leading the race’ to take over from him.

Frank has long been mentioned on a list of potential successors, and as per Football Insider, he’d be open to the move.

They state he ‘is interested in the job’ after initial talks were held in recent days. After seven years with Brentford, it’s believed the chance to make the jump to a ‘big-six club and manage in the Champions League will be appealing’.

The Bees have been hit with similar ambitions twice in a matter of days, then. Indeed, it was reported on June 2 that Bryan Mbeumo – who scored 20 Premier League goals this season – has decided he wants to join Manchester United.

The Red Devils are of course another big-six side, who can lure in players with bigger contracts and the potential of better finishes in the league and progress in cups.

While Brentford outperformed both United and Tottenham in the league this season, they have far less money, which means they cannot jump as far as the pair can nearly as quickly as they might soon be able to from their current positions.

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Indeed, Frank will surely be given more funds to make a competitive side in north London than he would be at Brentford, who it’s felt could sell the aforementioned Mbeumo and fellow star Yoane Wissa this summer.

Frank’s best finish with Brentford was ninth, so it will be interesting to see, if he does take the Tottenham job, how he fares with what should be a better squad, and better resources available to him.

Tottenham could reportedly allow for the ‘high-profile departure’ of an iconic player this summer in order to raise funds and reshape their squad for the Champions League.

Spurs had a poor season, but somehow managed to qualify for Europe’s elite competition. The entire success of their season rested on Europa League glory, given they finished 17th in the Premier League.

Though they were very poor in domestic football, they managed to overcome Manchester United 1-0 to secure their place in next season’s Champions League.

As such, they’ll want a much more competitive squad, which won’t be embarrassed in a higher level competition.

As per The Telegraph, Tottenham seek to ‘generate funds and reshape their squad’ ahead of the Champions League campaign, and Son Heung-min could be a ‘high-profile departure’ so that can happen.

Indeed, there’s an opportunity to generate a fee from him, given he has a year left on his contract, and has Saudi Pro League clubs on his tail.

Spurs could have let Son go for free this summer, as his contract would have expired, but the option to extend his deal for a further year was triggered.

That gives them the opportunity to sell him, and it looks as if they are now considering that. It will be a toss up between losing a player who, while ageing, is still a good asset, but could bring in good funds to spend on the next generation.

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Indeed, Son was directly involved in 23 goals in all competitions last season, but is now 32, and Tottenham know if they don’t sell him now, they won’t have a chance to do it again.

A sale could be worthwhile if they can finance moves for players who can have a similar impact to what the South Korean has had for the club, but they won’t know if that’s the case until they’ve pulled the trigger.

The report also states that the future of manager Ange Postecoglou is ‘very much in doubt’. The decision on selling Son could come down to who is in charge throughout the summer.

Some managers may feel they can still get good returns out of him, while some might benefit from a fresh start with a new group of players.

Tottenham should appoint Man Utd legend Michael Carrick to succeed Ange Postecoglou as Spurs manager, according to ex-Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole.

Postecoglou has been under pressure for most of the season with Spurs finishing the campaign 17th in the Premier League after a 4-1 defeat to Brighton in the final match of this campaign.

The Tottenham board had been sympathetic to his cause earlier in the campaign with Spurs suffering an incredible amount of injuries that decimated Postecoglou’s squad.

However, the negative results have continued since many of those players have returned with a large amount of supporters now turning on the manager too.

Postecoglou did end their 17-year long wait for a trophy in May with Europa League final victory over Man Utd in Bilbao to give Tottenham fans a night to savour.

A report on Sunday insisted that the Tottenham board have now ‘decided to sack’ Postecoglou with Brentford head coach Thomas Frank currently ‘leading’ the race to replace him.

READ: Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Postecoglou sack?

But former Chelsea, Liverpool and England midfielder Cole reckons former Man Utd star Carrick – who is Middlesbrough manager – would be a good choice.

Cole told Paddy Power: “At Tottenham, Daniel Levy is running out of managerial candidates for the job. He’s gone big, he’s gone bold, and he’s gone off the beaten track, but none of them seem to have worked.

“Michael Carrick could be a good option for the manager’s job. An ex-Spurs player, who understands the club, would be quite nice.

“Also, I’d like to see Glenn Hoddle back at the club in some capacity. I know Tottenham fans would love to see him back and he’s got the best football brain I know.

“I’d love to see Glenn Hoddle back in the club in some capacity, maybe supporting Michael Carrick. The club needs bringing together because it was really torn at times last season.”

While former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy gave his opinion on Spurs’ next boss to talkSPORT BET, he said: “Should Spurs get rid of Ange Postecoglou, they’ve got Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner on their doorstep.

“They’re all very capable managers, they know the Premier League and they’ve all produced fit, well-organised, adaptable teams at their respective clubs.

“I think any of those three would thrive in the Spurs job with the players they’d have at their disposal.

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“They may look further afield for a new manager and then who knows where they might go? Ultimately, if they make a change then I feel like it should be someone who is already working well in the Premier League – if they can get them, that is.

“You can come in from abroad and have success, we’ve seen Arne Slot do it this season. However, I just think it is more practical to have a manager who knows what he’s coming up against straight away.

“I think one of Frank, Silva or Glasner will end up at Spurs.”

Murphy added: “Tottenham have tried so many different types of managers in the past.

“From experienced winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, to more pragmatic coaches like Nuno Espirito Santo, and then the complete opposite in Ange Postecoglou.

“It’s difficult to nail down what kind of manager they’ll go for next. You of course want a manager with a philosophy, but they also need to be adaptable.

“You want someone who’s experienced and knows how to win – there are a lot of boxes you want ticked.

“In the end, the only one who has actually brought silverware to the club is Ange, so there will be a good section of the fanbase who want the club to stick with him.

“The irony is, they won the Europa League final by being solid and pragmatic. He obviously knows how to win like that, as do the players, which makes you wonder why he doesn’t do that more often.”

Liverpool are pouncing on a deal to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after he rejected a move to Tottenham, according to reports.

The Reds secured the Premier League title at the end of April as they enjoyed a relaxing end to the season under Arne Slot.

Slot and Liverpool‘s sporting director Richard Hughes are already looking at ways to make changes to their squad in order to give the Reds the best chance of succeeding again next season.

Jeremie Frimpong completed a move to Anfield on Friday and Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Florian Wirtz look set to join, while Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez has reportedly agreed personal terms.

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike had looked like their next priority after completing those three signings but Chelsea are now ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign him.

In that case, Crystal Palace defender Guehi could be the next through the door at Anfield with Football Insider claiming that Liverpool are now ‘accelerating’ a deal to sign the England international after he ‘rejected’ Tottenham.

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Guehi, who had another great season at Crystal Palace, ‘has turned down a move’ to Spurs this summer and ‘is on the radar of multiple leading Premier League clubs’.

The centre-back is ‘expected to leave Selhurst Park over the coming months’ but Tottenham ‘will not take any further part in the race for his signature’.

Guehi ‘wants to join a club that will consistently challenge for top trophies’ and that’s where Liverpool come in, with the Reds ‘understood to be at the table’ as well as Newcastle United, who ‘are expected to make another move for the 24-year-old’.

When asked recently about Guehi’s future at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: “I don’t want to comment on individual players.

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“We could talk about Marc Guehi, we could talk about Dean Henderson, we could talk about Adam Wharton, we could talk about Jean-Philippe Mateta, Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr who played an incredible, outstanding season for us. We won’t sell all of them.”

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook reckons Newcastle will no doubt go back in for Guehi after failing to convince Palace to sell last summer.

Crook said: “We know he spent last summer determined to try and get Marc Guehi.

“I think by the end Crystal Palace were quite angry and exasperated by the way he went about it. That made it virtually impossible for Newcastle to get the deal done.

“It’ll be interesting once Paul Mitchell leaves whether Newcastle revisit their interest in Guehi. I don’t see that deal being done all the time Mitchell is still in situ.”

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur have ‘decided to sack’ head coach Ange Postecoglou and there is a ‘leading’ target to replace him.

The writing has been on the wall for Postecoglou for months as it’s been reported that he would be dismissed even if Spurs win the Europa League.

After a successful debut season at Spurs, Postecoglou has come under immense scrutiny as his side produced a string of shambolic performances en route to finishing 17th in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s injury crisis was a contributing factor, but most of their displays were far from good enough as they massively underachieved in the Premier League.

Spurs also came up short in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, but their run in the Europa League saved their season. Their 1-0 win against Manchester United in the final secures a trophy, Champions League football and huge prize money.

READ: Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Postecoglou sack?

Still, this triumph is not enough to save Postecoglou as a report from Football Insider claims the club have ‘decided to sack’ the former Celtic boss.

It is noted that this decision had been delayed because Daniel Levy was ‘out of the country for weeks’, but they are ‘now pressing ahead with finding a new manager and it is expected that they will formally announce the departure of Postecoglou in the next few days’.

There are said to be three managers in the frame to replace Postecoglou.

The report adds:

‘Tottenham are believed to have already made some progress in sounding out potential replacements for Postecoglou once his sacking is confirmed, Football Insider has been told.

‘Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola all have admirers in the Spurs boardroom, with proven Premier League calibre and the ability to develop players among the most desired attributes for candidates.’

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Journalist Sacha Tavolieri is also of the understanding that the current Spurs boss is set to lose his job and he has named the ‘leading’ contender to repalce him.

He tweeted: “Told Tottenham decided to sack Ange Postecoglou. Thomas Frank is leading the race to substitute him.

“Marco Silva (Fulham FC) also on the list… Wait and see.”

Earlier this week, ex-Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy named three managers ‘on their doorstep’ who should be considered.

“Should Spurs get rid of Ange Postecoglou, they’ve got Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner on their doorstep.

“They’re all very capable managers, they know the Premier League and they’ve all produced fit, well-organised, adaptable teams at their respective clubs. I think any of those three would thrive in the Spurs job with the players they’d have at their disposal.

“They may look further afield for a new manager and then who knows where they might go? Ultimately, if they make a change then I feel like it should be someone who is already working well in the Premier League – if they can get them, that is.

“You can come in from abroad and have success, we’ve seen Arne Slot do it this season. However, I just think it is more practical to have a manager who knows what he’s coming up against straight away. I think one of Frank, Silva or Glasner will end up at Spurs.”

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur could miss out on one of their leading summer targets as their current agreement is ‘not valid’.

Spurs are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer as they need to strengthen ahead of their return to the Champions League.

Tottenham ended their prolonged trophy drought by winning the Europa League this season and this huge victory saved an otherwise shambolic season as Ange Postecoglou‘s side finished 17th in the Premier League.

The north London outfit could do with sorting their manager situation quickly so their focus can switch to transfers, but it seemed that they had one signing in place ahead of this summer.

It had been suggested that the Premier League side secured an agreement with Real Betis to be Johnny Cardoso’s first transfer option in a €25m deal when they offloaded Giovani Lo Celso to the Spanish side last summer.

READ: Who will be the next manager of Tottenham after Postecoglou sack?

However, Spurs could be hijacked in the race to sign the defensive midfielder as Atletico Madrid are keen to sign the 23-year-old.

A report from ABC Sevilla claims Real Betis are holding out for €40m, with Tottenham’s option allowing them to sign Cardoso any time in June. Should he move elsewhere next month, it is also suggested that the English outfit would receive 20% of the fee.

This agreement has been disputed, though. Spurs could miss out amid claims that their deal with Real Betis is ‘not valid’ as they do not have terms in place with Cardoso.

ABC Sevilla add: ‘As there is no closed agreement between the London club and the player, this pact between entities is not valid, according to sources involved in the negotiations, and the transfer to another entity, such as the aforementioned Atlético, can take place without taking the English club into account.’

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Atletico Madrid could deal a second blow to Spurs this summer as they are among the clubs interested in World Cup winner Cristian Romero.

Romero has been one of the standout centre-backs in the Premier League in recent seasons, but he’s been dogged by injuries this term as he’s barely featured.

However, he retains a strong reputation and has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, with a fee of around £43m tipped to secure a deal.

Despite this, another report in Spain claims Spurs chief Daniel Levy feels he has ‘two weapons’ to tempt Romero to commit his future to the Premier League side.

It is claimed that Champions League football and an upcoming offer of an improved contract are in Tottenham’s favour, but it remains to be seen whether they will be successful in their attempts to keep Romero.