GIVEMESPORT

There was plenty of VAR controversy during Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup but it appears as though one key incident was missed. During the second half, Virgil van Dijk appeared to rake his studs down the back of Dominic Solanke's calf but avoided a potential red card.

In the end, a single goal from Lucas Bergvall was enough to settle the first-leg of the cup tie. However, the Spurs player was lucky to even still be on the field having committed a clear bookable offence while already on a yellow card.

Speaking after the game, Liverpool captain Van Dijk could not hide his frustration, telling the press: "It was quite obvious, I think, and everyone on the sidelines knows exactly that it was supposed to be a yellow.”

However, footage from around the 60th minute of the match shows that the Dutch centre-back was perhaps fortunate to also remain on the pitch.

As the replay shows, Solanke clearly had the ball under control and Van Dijk comes in from behind with his studs high, pressing down on the Tottenham forward's calf. Per FA Law 12, S1 and S2 a player can be sent off for 'serious foul play' and 'violent conduct'.

With Van Dijk clearly not close to the ball and with his studs raking down the back of Solanke's leg, there could certainly be a case made for a red card. It will serve as a major source of frustration for Spurs fans then that VAR failed to even check the potentially dismissable offence.

Fans online couldn't believe the Dutchman had got away with the foul. One wrote: "I'm convinced these refs are terrified of him"

Another added: "Gets away with murder. Should have been sent off for a assault on Gordon in December as well."

A third said: "That is one the FA should look at if he escaped a card during the game. As blatant as they come."

Finally, one referenced other fouls the Liverpool man avoided punishment for, saying: "Havertz, Gordon, now this. When will Virgil van Dijk be punished for these kinds of dirty actions? Punishments need to start being about the incident, not the individual."

Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of agreeing personal terms with Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani, according to a report from TBR Football.

Despite signing Dominic Solanke during the summer transfer window, Spurs are now in the market for another forward. Richarlison has struggled with injuries this season, leaving Solanke as the only natural striker option in Ange Postecoglou's squad. Heung-min Son has regularly featured through the middle at times over the last few years, but there's an argument to suggest he's better playing out wide.

Adding a versatile forward to Postecoglou's attack could be smart, with Wilson Odobert also spending a lengthy spell on the treatment table. Injuries have completely decimated Spurs' squad this campaign, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they were busy during the January transfer window.

According to a report from TBR Football, Tottenham are now on the verge of agreeing personal terms with PSG attacker Kolo Muani. The north London outfit are hoping to conclude a deal this week and have been actively working on securing his signature over the last few days.

GIVEMESPORT sources recently confirmed that Kolo Muani is now keen on making a loan move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Postecoglou is pushing to complete a deal. Kolo Muani, described as 'exceptional', will reportedly be available for around £55m to sign him on a permanent deal.

Signing a centre-forward might not seem like an immediate priority for the north London club, but they've already acted fast by bringing in Antonin Kinsky to provide competition between the sticks, with the young goalkeeper already impressing against Liverpool in the EFL Cup. Postecoglou won't just want one top player in each position, but strong competition and cover.

Kolo Muani's move to PSG hasn't worked out as he might have expected so far, but there's a reason the Ligue 1 outfit paid a hefty fee to bring him to France. If Postecoglou can help rediscover Kolo Muani's form from his Eintracht Frankfurt days, then it could be a smart addition for Spurs, especially if they secure his signature on a risk-free loan.

Spurs were victorious in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Liverpool on Wednesday evening and have the advantage ahead of their visit to Anfield for the second leg.

The home side started the better of the two sides and just five minutes into the match, Alisson was forced into a very good low save after a good attempt from Spurs centre-back Radu Dragusin. Following the Brazilian's save, Rodrigo Bentancur went down inside the Liverpool area after going for a header and there was immediate concern. After almost 10 minutes of being attended to, the Uruguayan was stretchered off and replaced by Brennan Johnson.

After 30 minutes it was Liverpool who now had an injury to deal with. Jarell Quansah went down with an injury and was replaced by Wataru Endo who is a defensive midfielder but he slotted in as the left-sided centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk. In what up to this point was a pretty nervy end-to-end game, the early changes for both sides would have been less than ideal for both Ange Postecoglou and Arne Slot.

The visitors nearly found the opening goal just before half-time when Konstantinos Tsimikas entered the box and played a dangerous low cross into the box which was cleared away well by Lucas Bergvall. This was probably Liverpool's best chance of the first half up to this point and goalscoring attempts were in short supply for both teams which was a bit of a surprise as many people were anticipating a free-flowing and attacking game of football.

The first half ended 0-0 but the Premier League leaders ended the half in full control however they still could not find the back of the net despite their efforts.

In the 56th minute, Alisson almost cost his side a goal. The Brazilian was hunted down by Bergvall playing the ball out and the midfielder won the ball back leading to a Spurs shot which was excellently blocked by van Dijk and then Pedro Porro chipped the ball wide in a chance that he probably should've put away. The Liverpool manager, Slot, made several big changes on the hour mark, freshening up his attack by introducing Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, with the latter forcing a save out of the new Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky shortly after coming on.

Liverpool would've found the back of the net in the 71st minute if it wasn't for an excellent goal-line clearance by Dragusin. Alexander-Arnold connected perfectly with a strike which would have buried into the back of the net but the Romanian was positioned perfectly and cleared it off the line to keep the game 0-0.

Spurs had the ball in the back of the net just minutes after when Pedro Porro played a perfect pass through to Dominic Solanke who slotted it into the goal. After several minutes of review, VAR deemed the goal offside and the match was restarted at 0-0 to the relief of the Liverpool defence.

Despite being sucker-punched by VAR ruling out Solanke's goal, Spurs kept going and in the 86th minute put themselves in front thanks to a goal from Bergvall which was met with outrage from the Liverpool dugout as they felt that he shouldn't have been on the pitch.

In stoppage time, Spurs' new goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky made a phenomenal save to deny Nunez and retain his side's lead. This save from the new man proved to be key as this was the last significant action of the game and secured Spurs a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg at Anfield.

Match Highlights

Spurs Player Ratings

GK: Antonin Kinsky - 8.5/10

The debutant had a very good first showing for Spurs and made some very good and important saves. He had some nervy moments in possession and when claiming crosses, but considering this was his debut against arguably the best team in the world, he did very well.

RB: Pedro Porro - 6.5/10

One of his quieter performances in a Spurs shirt. Porro didn't have as much attacking output as he normally does but would have had an assist to his name if it wasn't for VAR.

CB: Radu Dragusin - 8/10

Made an excellent goal-line clearance to deny Alexander-Arnold a goal and was very good throughout the match.

CB: Archie Gray - 7/10

A very solid performance from the youngster despite once again being played out of position. Gray dealt with the Liverpool attack well and was valuable for his side bringing the ball out of defence also.

LB: Djed Spence - 7/10

Linked up with Heung-Min Son well and was a threat going forward and carried the ball very well at times.

CM: Yves Bissouma - 7.5/10

A commanding midfield performance. Bissouma protected Dragusin and Gray well and made many excellent tackles to break up Liverpool's attacks.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur - N/A

Was unfortunately stretchered off after just 15 minutes after going down inside the Liverpool penalty area. Didn't have an impact on the game in the time he spent on the pitch.

CM: Lucas Bergvall - 8/10

Played the box-to-box position very well and was very active both offensively and defensively. The Swede scored the winning goal for Spurs with a calm finish into the bottom corner.

RW: Dejan Kulusevski - 7.5/10

Caused problems for Tsimikas all evening. His performance was very impressive considering he was shifted into midfield following Bentancur's substitution.

ST: Dominic Solanke - 7/10

Solanke thought he scored but VAR ruled it out but he made up for it with an assist for Bergvall's winning goal.

LW: Heung-Min Son - 6/10

Didn't see as much of the ball as he usually does. Son was substituted after 72 minutes after failing to make an impact.

SUB: Brennan Johnson - 6.5/10

Worked hard and didn't stop battling against Tsimikas. His end product wasn't the best of quality but he was involved in the game a fair bit.

SUB: Timo Werner - N/A

Didn't have much of an impact after entering the pitch.

Liverpool Player Ratings

GK: Alisson - 5.5/10

Had some really nervy moments on the ball and almost cost Liverpool a goal by giving the ball away playing out of defence.

RB: Conor Bradley - 6.5/10

Bradley was energetic and determined to go forward when he had the ball and battled well against Son. The Northern Ireland international was replaced after an hour by Alexander-Arnold.

CB: Jarell Quansah - N/A

Substituted due to an injury after just 30 minutes. He didn't do much in the time he had on the pitch.

CB: Virgil van Dijk - 8/10

Once again held the Liverpool back-line together. Van Dijk had to do a lot of covering for his defensive partners who were out of position and he did not put a foot wrong.

LB: Konstantinos Tsimikas - 5/10

Really struggled at times against Kulusevski and was clearly a target for Spurs.

CM: Ryan Gravenberch - 7.5/10

Another calm and classy performance from the Dutchman. He commanded the midfield well even in moments of chaos from his defence.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister - 7/10

Mac Allister worked hard and ran his socks off for Liverpool. If it wasn't for him, their midfield probably would have been a lot more overrun than they already were.

CM: Curtis Jones - 6/10

The Englishman had a lot of the ball but didn't really do much with it and was anonymous at times.

RW: Mohamed Salah - 6/10

One of his quietest performances of the season. Liverpool played the ball down the left-hand side more than they normally do and this isolated Salah at times.

ST: Diogo Jota - 6/10

Didn't really have that much involvement in the match and was substituted after an hour.

LW: Cody Gakpo - 7/10

Liverpool's most dangerous attacking outlet in the first half but was somewhat surprisingly taken off after an hour despite putting in a good performance.

SUB: Wataru Endo - 7/10

Slotted into the left centre-back role nicely considering he was playing well out of position. Endo was calm and composed on the ball but also physically held his own in the position.

SUB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6/10

Went close to scoring but Dragusin cleared it off the line. Other than that he did not have much of an impact on the match.

SUB: Luis Diaz - 6.5/10

Had a few good chances but failed to find the back of the net.

SUB: Ibrahima Konate - N/A

Did not have much of an impact on the match after entering the pitch.

Man of the Match

Antonin Kinsky

Despite being just days into his time at Spurs, Antonin Kinsky may have just become a fan-favourite. The Czech, who signed from Slavia Prague earlier this week put in a heroic goalkeeping performance in his debut and arguably won the game for his new side.

Kinsky had some nervy moments on the ball at times but his shot-stopping was immense and kept his side in the game while they were under some spells of pressure. After a performance like this, Kinsky will surely become Spurs' new number-one goalkeeper at least while Guglielmo Vicario recovers from his injury.

Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ko Itakura is open to joining Tottenham Hotspur after receiving an approach from the North London club, TEAMtalk has reported.

The Japan international has reportedly been earmarked by Spurs as a potential signing in the January transfer window and remains one to watch this month.

However, Tottenham could face competition for the 27-year-old centre-back from Eredivisie giants PSV, who are understood to also be keen on Itakura this month.

Spurs are said to be targeting a new central defender following injuries to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and have several names on their radar, including Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

The English international’s departure in January remains difficult, considering Everton will demand at least £80m to even contemplate selling their key player mid-season.

Ko Itakura Targeted by Spurs

PSV among the 27-year-old’s suitors

Tottenham were linked with a move for Itakura last month, with GIVEMESPORT sources suggesting the Lilywhites are beginning to seriously consider rekindling their interest in the 27-year-old in January.

Spurs initially looked at the Japanese defender in 2023 and have continued tracking him this season, with Ange Postecoglou on the lookout for reinforcements to his backline.

Itakura has been a key player for Monchengladbach this season, starting in all 15 of their Bundesliga games and scoring one goal.

The ‘unbelievable’ defender is most suited to playing at centre-back but was also utilised in defensive midfield on multiple occasions last season.

Itakura spent more than three years at Manchester City between 2019 and 2022 but departed without making any first-team appearances, having been loaned out to clubs in the Netherlands and Germany during his spell in England.

Tottenham are expected to be targeting further signings in January after welcoming goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and are reportedly eyeing Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, who is also keen to join.

Sign up to The GIVEMESPORT Report to get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to trump two of Europe's biggest clubs in a potential race to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan - with Manchester United and Juventus also thought to be in the race for his signature, according to David Ornstein.

Tottenham fans have seen their club struggle defensively, but one shining light this campaign has been their attacking output. Dominic Solanke, Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson have especially impressed, whilst Dejan Kulusevski has dropped into a midfield role under Ange Postecoglou - but the Australian boss may not be done there in terms of attacking recruits, with Kolo Muani continuing to be touted as a potential option.

Ornstein: Tottenham 'Frontrunners' to Sign Kolo Muani

The Frenchman has struggled for minutes at Paris Saint-Germain this season

Timo Werner has failed to impress at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, including a public beration from Postecoglou after his side's 1-1 draw at Scottish Premiership side Rangers in the Europa League back in December, whilst summer signing Wilson Odobert remains out for the long-term after an injury suffered in the League Cup back in September.

Alongside competition being needed for Solanke, that could force them into the transfer market for Kolo Muani, according to Ornstein.

The Frenchman has failed to garner regular first-team minutes in the capital, and a move to the Premier League could be on the cards - with Ornstein stating that Tottenham are frontrunners for his signature ahead of a potential January steal.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Randal Kolo Muani has eight goals in 27 caps for the French national team.

The Athletic journalist stated on NBC Sports' YouTube channel:

"I'm told Tottenham see him as their top target for a versatile attacker, Manchester United are looking at multiple options, and Juventus are in the equation too.

"Those three clubs are being presented to me as being the leading contenders at this moment in time. And when you look at the market for January, which is never easy, and you look at available options for top level attackers, they don't come much better on paper than Kolo Muani.

"So it's a big decision for all of the parties involved in this, and there will be financial considerations as well, of course.

"Let's see if other clubs come to the fore in the next few days or in the weeks ahead. But for the moment, Tottenham, Manchester United and Juventus are the front-runners for Randal Kolo Muani."

Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 08-01-24.

Manchester City are now advancing on a deal to sign Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov and are currently ahead of Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.

The 20-year-old defender is a highly-rated talent in Europe at the moment, attracting the interest of a host of clubs, not just Newcastle, Man City, and Tottenham. Considering the impact Khusanov has made in the early stages of his career, Lens understandably won't want to lose him on the cheap.

Adding a defender to Pep Guardiola's squad could be a priority for City in the January transfer window due to their ageing options at the back. Defenders John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Kyle Walker are all 29 or over, so it could be time to bring in a young star for the future.

Man City Ahead of Newcastle and Spurs for Khusanov

They are advancing on a deal

GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that Manchester City are now advancing on a deal to sign Khusanov from Lens. The 20-year-old is attracting interest from a host of different clubs, but Guardiola's side appear to be ahead of Tottenham and Newcastle in the race to secure his signature.

Lens are demanding over £30m to allow the young defender to head through the exit door in the January transfer window, and Man City are willing to meet their asking price. It's a competitive race to sign the 20-year-old, but Man City are now advancing as they look to secure a deal before the deadline in early February.

Khusanov could be set to be Man City's first signing of the window if they get this one over the line as Guardiola's side are yet to splash the cash in January. It'll be a disappointing blow if Tottenham and Newcastle are unable to win the race, but Man City have shown they are happy to meet his asking price.

It will be interesting to see whether Guardiola plans on integrating him into the first team instantly if they do finalise a deal considering his age and lack of Premier League experience.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly earmarked Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou, with the Lilywhites having suffered some shocking results in recent weeks - and although the Australian gaffer is safe for now, the side from the capital have done their 'due diligence' on a potential replacement.

Tottenham have suffered some shocking results in the Premier League this season, including a 6-3 loss at home to Liverpool, a 3-2 loss to Brighton after being 2-0 up at half-time, and a 2-1 home loss to promoted outfit Ipswich Town, which remains as just one of the Tractor Boys' three wins in the current campaign. That could see Postecoglou sacked if they don't improve their results, but whilst the club have shown understanding of his current situation, it hasn't stopped them from lining Iraola up as a potential replacement.

Report: Tottenham Line Up Iraola as Potential Postecoglou Replacement

The Spaniard has certainly caught the eye at Bournemouth in his reign

The report from TBR Football states that, whilst Daniel Levy remains 'fully supportive' of Postecoglou, he has identified Iraola as a potential candidate to replace him if his stance on the Australian tactician changes.

Underwhelming performances would usually see Postecoglou sacked, but with a growing injury list in defence, the club are understanding of the situation. Regardless, Tottenham sit just 12th after 20 matches in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of the Champions League places and nine points behind seventh-placed Bournemouth, which would act as the final European spot if teams in the top seven win the two domestic cup competitions.

However, as is usually the case when things aren't going well, Tottenham's top brass have begun doing their due diligence on potential replacements should they feel the need to relieve Postecoglou of his duties - and that has seen them earmark Iraola as a potential replacement.

Iraola's overachievement with a young Bournemouth squad has been one of the biggest success stories in the Premier League this season, with the Cherries boss being called 'one of the best managers in the world', having beaten Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League, whilst their expected goals-per-game tally sits at the second-highest in the division - so the Athletic Bilbao hero is evidently doing all the right things on the south coast.

Whether Tottenham would be able to attract him remains uncertain, but whilst Postecoglou's job is safe in north London for now, tabs being kept on Iraola shows that a succession plan is in place for a like-minded manager with more defensive proficiency, given that the Cherries have the fifth-best defensive record in the Premier League.

Postecoglou Winning the League Cup Would Give Him Real Credit

Tottenham have infamously failed to win trophies for a number of years

Tottenham finished fifth last season, and whilst it appears unlikely that they will suffer that level of success again, they have reached the League Cup semi-finals - which fans will be vying for them to win to end what will be a 17-year trophy drought if they don't.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Ange Postecoglou has won 34 of his 70 games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lilywhites have made four finals in that time, losing all four - including the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool. And with their lack of success becoming the brunt of a running joke, Postecoglou could give himself real credit in the bank if his side were to finally land a piece of silverware after almost two decades.

Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 08-01-25.

Tottenham Hotspur have been very impressed with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap and are among several Premier League clubs keen on the ex-Manchester City forward, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Spurs are reportedly ‘not to be discounted’ in the race to sign the 21-year-old next summer, although Chelsea are considered the early front-runners for his signature.

According to Jacobs, Delap’s style of play would fit well with Ange Postecoglou’s philosophy – his hold-up play, physicality and work rate are seen as his standout qualities.

Moreover, his intelligence and ‘monster mentality’ could also appeal to the Australian tactician, considering his focus on an attacking approach in North London:

“Don’t discount Tottenham, they have been very impressed with Delap as everyone has been this season, it’s eight Premier League goals and don’t just look at his goals you look at his hold-up play, the physicality, the hard work he does for his team off the ball, the intelligence and the monster mentality we know Ange Postecoglou likes.

“So keep an eye on Delap, there will be several Premier League and Europe clubs in the mix. Chelsea are the early front runners but Tottenham are not to be discounted.”

Delap has been in scintillating form this Premier League season, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 19 appearances for Ipswich, ranking joint 10th among the division’s top scorers.

Even if the Tractor Boys manage to avoid relegation this season, keeping the 'exceptional' 21-year-old for another season now seems like a very difficult task, with multiple Premier League heavyweights circling already.

Tottenham have spent heavily on new strikers before the season, breaking their transfer record to sign Dominic Solanke and welcoming promising forward Wilson Odobert.

However, they have disappointed recently, winning just once in their last eight Premier League games, and are 12th in the table ahead of next week’s North London derby.

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Tottenham are expected to target further signings in January after welcoming goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and are thought to be eyeing a new centre-back after losing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to injuries.

Sign up to The GIVEMESPORT Report to get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox.

Tottenham Hotspur have earmarked Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as an option in their centre-back search this January, TEAMtalk has reported.

Spurs are reportedly admirers of the 22-year-old England international, though a deal in the next few weeks remains difficult, considering Everton will demand at least £80m for Branthwaite’s departure mid-season.

The 'superstar' centre-back is seen as one of the Toffees’ most important players and is considered key to their Premier League survival hopes this term.

Everton were reluctant to sell Branthwaite before the season, despite receiving multiple bids from Manchester United that fell short of their valuation, with the final offer reaching £50m.

Tottenham may now have to look elsewhere to find a new central defender for Ange Postecoglou, who has been playing with a depleted backline recently, with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both out injured.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Branthwaite has made 12 appearances for Everton in the Premier League this season, starting in 10 games.

After securing promising goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, Tottenham are thought to be eyeing Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani and a new central defender, with Borussia Monchengladbach’s Ko Itakura now being considered.

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Spurs have refused to rule out the possibility of testing the Bundesliga club’s resolve by launching a formal proposal for the Japan international, who has entered the final 18 months of his contract.

Tottenham initially looked at landing Itakura in 2023 and have continued tracking the 27-year-old this season, with the likes of Napoli and PSV also showing interest.

Postecoglou’s men are 12th in the Premier League table, having won just once in their last eight games, and will face Liverpool next in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Spurs are likely to be without Romero, Van de Ven and Ben Davies at centre-back for their Wednesday clash, as well as Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, who are all dealing with injuries.

Sign up to The GIVEMESPORT Report to get exclusive daily updates from Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert sent straight to your inbox.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou could be set to add a second signing to his ranks in the January transfer window, according to reports - with Lens midfielder Andy Diouf being lined up amid contact from the north London club to the French outfit.

Diouf joined Lens last summer from Swiss side Basel, and has thoroughly impressed at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis under English-Belgian boss Will Still. Naturally, that has led to interest from elsewhere, and with Tottenham in need of a squad revamp owing to their numerous injuries over the past few weeks, Diouf has been earmarked as a potential target for the Premier League club.

The Lilywhites have been active already and could make a second signing

The report from TBR Football states that Tottenham have been in touch to ask about a move for Diouf, having already been active in the January transfer window.

The Lilywhites have already signed goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague in a £12.5million deal, which will alleviate fears over the injury Guglielmo Vicario picked up earlier in the season - and they may not stop there, with Diouf potentially being in their sights to strengthen their midfield ranks.

The report claims that Tottenham have made contact with Lens to ask about the 'incredible' French midfielder, which has been followed up by Crystal Palace making an enquiry to sign the 21-year-old. However, whilst Lens would prefer to hold on to the former Basel star in the winter window, the bleak financial outlook throughout Ligue 1 means that they may need the money now and that has alerted Postecoglou.

Lens paid £12.4million for his services, where Diouf has featured 48 times for the north-eastern French outfit, but Tottenham have had success in Ligue 1 in recent years when it comes to midfield recruitment. The likes of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and more have excelled at the club, and Diouf could potentially be the latest instalment into that contingent.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Andy Diouf has 29 caps for France's youth teams.

Spurs will be hard-pressed to sign anyone that clubs don't want to sell in January, but with Lens' financial picture not looking rosy, they could take advantage of that to add youth and quality to their ranks for the second half of the campaign and beyond.