Football365

‘Let down by VAR’? This was never how VAR was supposed to work and Spurs know that; the only person angry works for the Telegraph.

VAR from being angry

Ange Postecoglou is obviously in a whole heap of trouble as Tottenham manager; there’s really no need for the Telegraph to imply he is also a massive hypocrite after raging against VAR last week.

‘Ange Postecoglou left rueing lack of VAR as Arsenal fuel title hopes’ is their headline.

Except he wasn’t, was he?

He was asked about the error that led to Arsenal being awarded a penalty and said: “It did (come off the Arsenal player), but I don’t want to talk about referees because I think I’ve got to take responsibility for my team, I’ll let the referees be responsible for theirs.

“It wasn’t a corner, but that’s how things are going for us at the moment. That aside, we weren’t anywhere near the level we needed to be in the first half in such a big game.”

No mention of VAR. Absolutely no rueing.

You know who was doing all of the rueing? Jason Burt, that’s who; he wrote: ‘Ange Postecoglou has made clear his disdain for technology in football, but how the Tottenham Hotspur head coach will have wished VAR could have intervened as Arsenal completed a hard-fought and deserved Premier League double.’

Hmmm. We think Postecoglou will probably save his disdain for his players who were – in the Australian’s words – too “passive” in a game that really could have and possibly should have been beyond them by half-time.

Burt admits that nobody could deny Arsenal deserved their victory (‘anything short of an Arsenal win would have been a travesty’), but why linger on that notion when you can get fixated on one corner?

‘The rules state that the VAR could not intervene because such incidents do not fit the criteria of deciding between a goal and no goal, even though it resulted in a goal. Given how the tightest of offsides is micro-managed and scrutinised how can that be? Arsenal scoring from a corner that was not even a corner when they won 10 corners and their fans serenade them as “Set-piece FC” is somewhat cruelly ironic.’

How can that be? Because the line has to be drawn somewhere, Jason. And it’s drawn just before the phase that leads to a goal. Sometimes a foul on the half-way line can result in a goal. Sometimes a beach ball can result in a goal. And sometimes, we should be talking about the misery of Tottenham’s current form rather than a referee’s decision. The Tottenham manager evidently thought so.

‘But it will surely stick in the craw for Postecoglou who has passionately railed against how VAR is ruining the game even if, afterwards, he took it on the chin and accused his team of “not being good enough” in an “unacceptable” performance. After his declarations, maybe he felt it would have been hypocritical to claim Spurs were let down by VAR rules.’

And pointless. Because Spurs were not ‘let down by VAR rules’. We all know that VAR does not intervene in the award of corners; it’s just a convenient line to peddle when you don’t want to write about the Tottenham boss being under severe pressure.

Here’s a journalist who has previously written that ‘we have reached a stage where we must pause the use of VAR in the Premier League’ now advocating that it should be even more far-reaching.

Burt is not letting go of this notion…

‘Maybe Spurs, hanging on throughout as Postecoglou acknowledged, were delaying the inevitable but the fact is they were 1-0 up when the rules let them down. Where does that leave the wild claims of some Arsenal fans that they are victims of a PGMOL-inspired conspiracy?’

It leaves them equally as ridiculous as they were before the game, Jason.

But once more for those at the back: The rules did not let Tottenham down; the manager and players did.

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Hey, has anybody noticed…?

Jason Burt’s Daily Telegraph colleague Oliver Brown is approaching this from a completely different direction – that of a man who has only just noticed that Tottenham are really quite rubbish and are 13th in the Premier League table.

‘Ange Postecoglou’s record is indefensible – his job should be at risk’

Yes, that’s probably why he leads the Premier League sack race, fella.

‘It is remarkable, in the circumstances, that Postecoglou has yet to come under more public pressure to keep his job.’

He is literally the bookies’ favourite and #AngeOut was trending on X after the game. What’s remarkable is that you think you’re the first to notice.

Bizarre love triangle

Pesky fact: The last time that triangle played a full 90 minutes, Tottenham lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace.

Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has suggested that Ange Postecoglou looks “really alone” at Tottenham and he’ll be sacked, with the club’s players “miserable” at the moment.

Postecoglou has cut an isolated figure after a few games this season. It’s little surprise that a loss to rivals Arsenal would mean that to be the case.

Spurs went 1-0 up at the Emirates through Heung-min Son, but their rivals were level 15 minutes later, and went a goal up just before half time, with 2-1 the score it would finish.

It leaves Tottenham 13th in the Premier League, and calls for Postecoglou to be sacked are getting no quieter. Former Arsenal man Petit has suggested it would be a kindness to the manager and his players to let him go given the current situation.

“I was watching Ange Postecoglou and he must be feeling really alone on the pitch tonight,” Petit told talkSPORT.

“I think things are probably coming to the end for him. I think that something has to change.

“We can see the league, we can see the faces of the players tonight on the pitch and they look so miserable, nobody looks like themselves.

“As I said, I think something has to change at Spurs so I think he will get the sack.

“Look at the players on the pitch, look at Son – he was amazing on the pitch for five years. [James] Maddison this season – Maddison last year was such a great player, what has happened to him?

“Something is broken in this team and you can’t sack all of the players and so you have to make the easiest decision and that’s to sack the manager.

“I don’t like saying that and I feel for Postecoglou, but he deserves to be sacked because they’re going down game after game so change something.”

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F365 has looked into the potential replacements for Postecoglou, with a few Premier League manager towards the top, but former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic taking top spot.

The Tottenham boss is now top of our sack rankings, too.

Tottenham are very much the crisis club now after yet another defeat. Will the story of Ange Postecoglou echo that of Jose Mourinho?

Send your mails on any of these midweek games to theeditor@football365.com

Ange to do a Jose?

Wonder if Ange will have the Jose experience; Being able to say they always win trophies but being binned off by Levy before that assumption was technically tested at Spurs.

Tom G

Big Three to go down

There’s been talk about MU getting relegated, but a quick check shows Spurs only 1 point ahead of them in the Premier League table.

Imagine if both teams got relegated along with Everton (unlikely as it is as Southampton is too far gone). That would be 3 of the 6 teams to never be relegated from the PL going down in the same season. Epic.

Jason (If MU lose to Saints tonight, I may place that bet)

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That Arsenal conspiracy

Gonna get in there nice and early for this one Gunners…..helluva conspiracy tactic giving the Gunners a corner to score from when the ball came off Trossard. It’s obviously just the refs playing the long game, giving the Gunners the odd call to fly under the radar…the clever refs.

Patricio Del Toro

Really angry about VAR

VAR. How the f*** have they managed to make the game so much worse? Access to cutting-edge tech means nothing to PGMOL. These utter pricks see tech as an excuse to make more stupid decisions, not less. But hey, 3 min delays are ‘better’. Are they f**k.

It’s OK though, let’s roll out Howard “f**king” Webb to spout bland platitudes on a popular podcast. Let’s have him admit the decisions are f**king awful. No need for any improvement. It’s the tech that is limited, not the bellends padding their paychecks in questionable oil rich countries. It’s OK though, those paymasters don’t own football clubs, do they?

Oh, what’s that? The referees of the most popular sport in the country have been bought and (literally) paid by one of the teams competing? Well, surely that wouldn’t be allowed – that would make the entire organisation not fit for purpose. And the organisation tasked with applying the rules would be cancerous and corrupt.

Nope, all OK. “Good process lads”. Don’t look too hard at how we are consistently and repeatedly failing. Tough this, applying the rules of a game fairly.

One might think, crazy notion I know, that with the rather large amount of money rolling around professional football, referees of the league should not be allowed to be paid (bribed) by an outside entity. No matter who the f*** they are. And especially if they own a ‘franchise’ in that league.

Used to hate ‘games gone’ pricks. But bloody hell, if ever regulation of a regulatory body was required…

Spoons LFC

Why Man Utd might be right on Mainoo

I hate to disagree with a Professor and Doctor, but I think that football clubs generally sell the players for whom there’s a market.

So Manchester United are unlikely to gain much in the way of transfer fees for Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony or even Rashford, and their form this season and very high wages might deter interested clubs from bidding for them.

Mainoo, by contrast, is on a low salary, and could conceivably, with the right coaching, compete for a place in the squad at a club vying for the Champions League places, such as Nottingham Forest or Fulham. Big Sir Jim is first and foremost a rapacious capitalist, and will maximise the revenue available to him.

Dara O’Reilly, London

…Responding to the Professor, everything I see suggested that United don’t want to sell Mainoo but would for the right price. That goes without saying, doesn’t it? Every player has a price where it makes more sense to sell and reinvest – see the famous Coutinho example.

I’d be loath to see Mainoo go but, to be honest, I’d be more disappointed if the club buckled and gave him £200k a week for five years that he’s reportedly asked for – that’s more than Cole Palmer is on – Mainoo has done nothing to earn it.

And I know, you could rightly point to “well, Antony is on that” and I get why Kobbie may want parity, but the whole point is that those contracts were massive mistakes. United are trying to reset their culture and their wage bill to more sensible levels- the whole footballing world has been rightfully taking the piss out of them for years.

If that means they can’t strike a deal with Mainoo and sell, so be it. Frankly, its probably just all a negotiation tactic anyway – he’s got three years left on his deal – no one else in the world is paying United the sort of fee they’d command and then offering him anything like the salary he’s after, so United shouldn’t pay him it either.

Andy (MUFC)

Laughing at Tickner

Laughed heartily at the recent headline from the famously impartial and not at all one-tracked Dave Tickner’s latest column: ‘Arsenal, Man City and Spurs all have some dream squad number availability’.

Reminded me of Blackadder’s quote “I asked if he’d been to one of the great universities, Oxford, Cambridge, Hull”, and, perhaps even better, Alan Partridge’s ‘From the Oasthouse’ (which I am currently thoroughly enjoying) where he fevourishly shouts out the world’s greatest cities “New York, Norwich, Paris, Berlin, Hong Kong and Caracas”.

Keep doing you Dave. To be fair, you guys have some of the better players outside of The Top 12.

Mike WHU (years since last trophy, 1)

We’re not for Les

Good Evening

This has to be the worst sports channel on the planet.

It’s confusing full of adverts popups and genuinely very amateurish

Ange Postecoglou admitted his side’s performance was “unacceptable” against Arsenal on Wednesday, with Spurs “too passive” to get a result in the North London derby.

Captain Son Heung-min gave the visitors the lead against the run of play as his shot was deflected past David Raya, but Arsenal turned the game on its head at the end of the first half, with Dominic Solanke getting the last touch on a Gabriel header to score an own goal, before Leandro Trossard’s low shot bobbled past Antonin Kinsky to give the Gunners a deserved lead.

Tottenham were fortunate not to lose by a bigger margin and Postecoglou is well aware his side need to be a whole lot better to drag them out of a rut which has seen them win just one Premier League game since the start of December.

“Nowhere near good enough, especially in the first half, we were just too passive,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.

“We let Arsenal sort of dictate the game, we hung in there, but that was all we were doing.

“I guess the responsibility lies with me and how we prepared the players. Yeah, of course they [the defeats] hurt me, it is not acceptable.

“We have had too many losses this year, let too many games get away from us, and it needs to stop. If you give up now, there is no point, but it needs to stop.

“Right now we have got a big game on the weekend against Everton. That is our focus and we will look at what happens beyond then after that.”

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Spurs were again without several experienced players due to injury, with teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray again impressing.

TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch believes that Tottenham’s more experienced players should feel “embarrassed” after relying on two teenagers to get them on the front foot.

“It does [increase the pressure on Ange Postecoglou],” said Crouch.

“We all know the injury problems, but as you said, I think the two 18-year-olds, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, for me, were the two best Spurs players.

“What does that say for the experienced players? I know if I were a more experienced player in that team, I would feel embarrassed.

“I would feel like we should be helping players like this through a difficult time.

“They [the young players] are kind of leading the rest of them.”

Son’s goal was the only highlight during a difficult evening for Spurs fans and the forward thinks that their position in the table is simply not good enough.

“This game means a lot to the club and fans. Conceding goals like this is more painful. The manager is right, we were too passive,” said Son.

“We always want to press and play as high up as possible. In the first half, we were way too passive.

“It’s up to the players as well. You have to listen to what we want to do. I think we were not disciplined enough.

“We have to do better in every aspect. When you look at table, it’s not good enough.”

Ange Postecoglou has been failed by those above and below him at Spurs but his position is untenable as Mikel Arteta and Arsenal made their transfer point.

Ange Postecoglou would not be the first to talk up “a night to remember” before delivering on a fraction of that promise. For a quarter of an hour Tottenham led this north London derby. Within four minutes of carelessly misplacing that advantage they were behind. At no point before, during or after did they resemble a team in control.

He described this as anything but “just another game” in the build-up yet there was the same old Spurs, dropping points from a winning position, exuding an air of inferiority and panic, running out of ideas almost as soon as the final gamble of a half-time double substitution was made.

Neither Brennan Johnson nor James Maddison could turn the Arsenal-coloured tide when thrown into the eye of the storm and Postecoglou sacrificing his entire central midfield said more than enough. Any semblance of system and shape was surrendered in the name of attack; the visitors did not have another shot on target after Heung-min Son’s opener.

The injury crisis caveat will be pushed again but eight of the players Spurs used were signed by Postecoglou and five points from nine games sounds uncomfortably Juande Ramos-adjacent. There are arguments to be made that he has been failed by those above and below him but as coach of the only non-promoted side in the bottom half not to change managers within the last year, the Australian knows where the axe ultimately falls.

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When the solution to an insatiable Arsenal press is to double down on passing it out from the back then the problems become awkwardly apparent. It would have been an incredible experience to witness Fraser Forster in this game as even Antonin Kinsky struggled at times against the waves of players in red and white.

Jurgen Klopp once said “no playmaker in the world can be as good as a good gegenpressing situation” and it was certainly the chief creator for Arsenal against Spurs. The German also described himself as a proponent of “heavy metal football” in opposition to Arsene Wenger’s “orchestral” approach and the Gunners channelled both philosophies, taking the cliche of trying to pass the ball into the net to infuriating lengths considering the margin of their lead.

Kai Havertz almost caught Kinsky out twice in possession. Djed Spence lost it in a dangerous area. The phenomenal Myles Lewis-Skelly pushed high to win the ball and play in Raheem Sterling to no avail. Yves Bissouma, in a sign of things to come, controlled a pass out of touch under immense pressure.

Yet Arsenal underlined the transfer narrative to almost comedic effect by not only wasting those opportunities but failing to actually turn them into opportunities at all. Once Spurs settled into their defensive drills they grew confident enough to launch a couple of counters and Son’s goal, while theoretically against the run of play, could hardly have been honestly described as undeserved.

Son’s strike had taken a deflection off William Saliba in the sort of fortune slice Arsenal were lacking. It arrived when they were awarded a corner that never was after Leandro Trossard’s cross rebounded back onto him off Pedro Porro, and after a few tries Nicolas Jover had his moment. When Gabriel’s back-post flick took a touch off Radu Dragusin and then Dominic Solanke it already felt like Tottenham’s moment might have passed.

Bissouma certainly should have but once again was caught out of focus, tackled by Thomas Partey when Spurs were at their most vulnerable and naive. Both full-backs had pushed forward and Dragusin took an age to drift out to Trossard, who fired past Kinsky to restore normality.

The closest Arsenal came to panicking was when a fan audibly bellowed at Sterling to “stop f**king walking” when he again received the ball wide on the right and slowed play down to stand up his defender. He remains entirely out of rhythm and Mikel Arteta ensured the point could not be missed by the board when he sent the outgoing Kieran Tierney on for an actually solid stint on the left wing as Trossard’s replacement.

Liverpool will be kept honest and Arsenal’s inability to capitalise on any of their slightly more frequent stumbles had become exasperating. Four points having played a game more remains a daunting gap but last season was closed out so impeccably – against the backdrop of Liverpool’s late-campaign collapse, no less – that momentum has shifted more than a little.

Perhaps the same cannot be said for Postecoglou in the context of this game alone; defeat away to the best home team of the past few years can be explained away easily enough. But this is sustained relegation form from a Tottenham side which has lost more Premier League games than West Ham since his summer 2023 appointment. That alone is a sackable offence, especially considering the Hammers are on their third boss since.

Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin has become Paris Saint-Germain’s top transfer target in the January window, according to reports.

Spurs are currently missing their two main starting centre-backs in Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, while other defenders Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie are also missing.

That has given Dragusin more of a regular place in Ange Postecoglou‘s starting XI this season after just four Premier League starts last term.

There were reports in November that Napoli and Juventus were interested in the Romania international but the Tottenham centre-back’s agent Florin Manea ruled out any potential transfer.

Manea said: “It is an honour for Radu to be wanted by teams like Napoli and Juve, but right now they are just rumours.”

He continued: “We are focused on Tottenham. He still has five years left on his contract. It is not easy to go to a top club and impose yourself right away, he is still 22-years-old.”

Manea added: “If he never plays this season it is normal that other evaluations will be made: in January he won’t move, in June he will be evaluated.”

But now Spanish publication Fichajes claim that French giants PSG are ‘interested’ in Dragusin and the Ligue 1 side ‘consider him a priority target to strengthen their defence’.

PSG are ‘preparing’ an offer for the Tottenham centre-back and that bid ‘would be around 50 million euros (£42m), although the London team does not seem willing to facilitate his departure’.

For Spurs’ part, it is understood that ‘losing a player with his potential would be a hard blow, something that the board wants to avoid at all costs’.

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One player who has been linked with move to Tottenham is Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and former Manchester United defender Paul Parker reckons a move to Spurs or Newcastle United would be good for the stopper.

Parker told SpilXperten: “I think he’s been really good. It’s a bit difficult to be a goalkeeper for Leicester because their defense allows so many chances.

“I can definitely see him at a top club. Both Newcastle and Tottenham need a new goalkeeper, so I think they should take a look at him. It would be a great step for him.

“He’s not English, so he probably doesn’t feel the absolute need to play in the Premier League. And if we look at other leagues, he could easily play for a top club there as well.

“He’s a modern goalkeeper but also exceptional on the line, so I think he has the complete package. I really believe he has the potential to become one of the best in the world, but that also requires him to move away from Leicester.”

Premier League duo Manchester United and Tottenham both look set to miss out on signing Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani, according to the latest reports.

The French striker is said to be close to agreeing a loan move to Juventus after starting just two league games in Ligue 1 this season.

As confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on X, Muani has rejected interest from across Europe to join Thiago Motta’s Juventus side in a straight loan deal.

He wrote: ‘After Portuguese RB Alberto Costa last night, today will be Randal Kolo Muani’s day at Juventus.

‘Juventus and PSG set to check documents today then time to travel for French striker. Loan move, salary 100% covered by Juventus, no buy option clause.’

Muani joined PSG in 2023 for an initial fee of £64.2m (plus £12.2m in add-ons) after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt. His final season in Germany saw him accumulate 23 goals and 17 assists in 46 games which made him a wanted man.

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However, despite being a regular for France, he has failed to replicate that form for the Parisian side managing 11 goals and seven assists in 54 games.

Interestingly, he will join a team who are currently unbeaten in Serie A and they extended that run with a draw against Atalanta last night. However, they sit fifth in the table, some 13 points off leaders Inter Milan.

Across the past week, we saw reports that both English clubs were interested in a move. Tottenham were said to be close to agreeing personal terms but the two clubs hadn’t engaged in any discussions.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were hoping to strengthen their attacking areas despite already boasting Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Heung-min Son Richarlison and Wilson Odobert to call upon.

In terms of United, it is said they were ‘doing everything’ to secure him but they were reportedly one of several clubs to register an interest that also included Chelsea, Aston Villa and AC Milan.

With Marcus Rashford seeking a move away during the January window, there could be space in the squad for an attacking addition to help bolster Ruben Amorim’s side after a recent turnaround in form.

According to reports, Aston Villa have reached a “total agreement” with Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund to sign Netherlands international Donyell Malen.

The 25-year-old is in his fourth season with Dortmund and he’s attracted interest from the Premier League after he scored 13 goals in 27 Bundesliga appearances in 2023/24.

Malen has been linked with several Premier League sides but Aston Villa have emerged as his most likely destination after they stepped up their interest in the forward at the start of this month.

The Dortmund star – who is often used as a winger or centre-forward – is due to be out of contract in 2026, so the Bundesliga side have opened the door to letting him leave this month.

Last week, a report from Caught Offside revealed Spurs were considering hijacking Villa as they ‘weigh up a move’ for the Dortmund star.

READ: ‘Rubbish’ Aston Villa win but Graham Potter and West Ham are clearly right for each other

The report added:

‘One name Spurs like in attack is Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen, who is expected to leave this month and who is also on Aston Villa’s list, CaughtOffside understands.

‘Tottenham are also keen on Malen, but Villa look to be ahead in the running for the Dutchman’s signature at the moment as they are already well underway in negotiations, with talks now at the final stage on the player side

‘Some distance remains between the clubs in terms of the player’s valuation, so that could still leave room for other teams interested in being able to join the negotiations. Tottenham are now discussing internally whether or not to enter strongly into the conversation.’

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However, it appears Spurs did not move quickly enough as German journalist Patrick Berger revealed on Monday morning that Aston Villa have reached a “total agreement” with Dortmund to sign Malen this month.

He said: “TOTAL AGREEMENT between Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa over a permanent deal for Donyell Malen (25/🇳🇱). Clubs have agreed on a transfer fee of €25m plus €5m add-ons, with €3m guaranteed. Only minor details remain to be finalized.

“Malen is not expected to travel with the team to Kiel today as he prepares for his move to Villa Park.”

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is also reporting that Villa are set to land Malen. He said: Aston Villa agree deal to sign Donyell Malen from BVB, here we go!

“Agreement reached with Borussia Dortmund for €23m plus €3m add-ons fee. Medical and formal steps to follow soon to seal the deal. The total agreement also with the player.”

According to reports, Manchester United are ‘doing everything’ to beat Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani.

The Red Devils need signings in various positions and it’s been reported that one of their priorities is to sign a new forward.

Man Utd are only seven points clear of the relegation zone and one of their main problems has been that they lack a goal threat.

Ruben Amorim’s side have only scored 23 goals in 20 Premier League games, while Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes are joint top scorers with four goals apiece.

United could do with signing a new striker and Kolo Muani has emerged as a potential target.

The 26-year-old was linked with several Premier League clubs after he scored 23 goals in 46 games for Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt during the 2022/23 season, but PSG won the race to sign him for around £76m.

READ: Manchester United induce sleep again despite Sky’s ’embarrassing exaggeration’ – the football week on TV

Kolo Muani has struggled over the past 18 months as he’s largely been a bit-part player for PSG. He only has eleven goals in 54 appearances for the Ligue Un giants across all competitions.

The France international has been made available for a transfer this month and Fabrizio Romano has revealed Man Utd, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus are in the race to sign him.

It’s also been suggested that Tottenham are leading the race as they are ‘close to agreeing’ personal terms, but a new report from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reveals Man Utd are ‘doing everything’ to snatch the signing.

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Plettenberg said: “Manchester United’s efforts to sign Randal Kolo Muani are becoming more concrete!

“The Red Devils are now determined to do everything possible to secure his transfer in the winter. Recently, there have been very specific talks with his management, and direct negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain are expected to follow.

“#MUFC are considering a loan deal, ideally with an option to buy.

“Other clubs still in the race include Chelsea, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Juventus, AC Milan, and others.”

Despite this, former Man Utd defender Paul Parker thinks they should be targeting a new wing-back and he’s named an ideal signing.

“I never look at it that way, people say things to me and I sway my head around and say yes or no,” Parker said.

“Although, if I’m looking at a wing-back, someone who can play as a natural wing-back because they’re tenacious when they defend and they’re aggressive when they go forward.

“I’d say somebody like Alphonso Davies. In my opinion, you need someone who is athletic, doesn’t need to be asked to run and just loves working up and down the pitch and loves the freedom.

“If people try to man mark him, he will take them away and affect their game as well and not accept being marked.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been told why they should “go and sign” Liverpool star Caoimhin Kelleher “now” as their “plans should be brought forward”.

Earlier this season, Kelleher was praised for his performances as he filled in brilliantly for Alisson Becker while the Brazil international was injured.

The Liverpool shot-stopper is one of the best back-up goalkeepers in the Premier League and he’s proven that he deserves to be a No.1.

Despite this, he has slipped behind Alisson in the pecking order at Liverpool following his return from injury and his long-term future is in doubt.

Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili is joining Liverpool in the summer as he’s been chosen as Alisson’s long-term replacement, while Kelleher likely needs to leave to be a No.1 elsewhere.

Chelsea have been mooted as a potential destination, but Spurs reporter John Wenham – despite the recent arrival of Antonin Kinsky – thinks they should sign Kelleher this month.

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Wenham has urged Tottenham’s hierarchy to “spend some money” as they “need to realise the significance of the situation” they are in.

“If there was a plan to get a genuine alternative to Vicario in the summer, then those plans should be brought forward,” Wenham said.

“The club have got the money to do it now. Therefore, I don’t understand why they wouldn’t. Those in control need to realise the significance of the situation we are in and spend some money.

“For example, it looks as though Kelleher might be available this summer, with Giorgi Mamardashvili due to arrive at the club and Alisson likely to stick around. Therefore, go and sign him now, pay the money.”

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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock recently explained why he thinks Kelleher “wants to leave” the Premier League giants.

“I don’t think Caoimhin Kelleher will leave Liverpool in January,” Warnock said.

“Giorgi Mamardashvili only joins the club in summer, so they will need two options between now and the end of the season.

“Arne Slot needs to make a decision in the summer however and it’ll be interesting to see what his long-term plan for the two of them is.

“I personally think Kelleher wants to leave the club. He’s someone who wants to play week in, week out and he’s good enough to be doing that. I have to agree with him in that regard – he’s been exceptional for Liverpool and his form has been quite brilliant – apart from that one mistake against Newcastle.

“I know there was a lot of chat about him moving last summer, but the right bid didn’t come in, so let’s see what happens between now and the start of next season.”