GIVEMESPORT

Matt Law has defended Ange Postecoglou and refuted suggestions the Tottenham Hotspur manager is 'delusional' after his side suffered its 10th defeat of the Premier League season.

Spurs were beaten 2-1 at home to Newcastle United in a controversial clash which left Postecoglou 'the angriest' he's 'ever been'. The Australian coach was furious when Anthony Gordon's equaliser was allowed to stand after the ball struck Joelinton on the arm in the build up to the English attacker's goal.

Eddie Howe's Magpies piled more misery on the Lilywhites, and the pressure is growing on Postecoglou. Dominic Solanke gave the hosts the lead before Gordon equalised, and Alexander Isak was on target yet again with a first-half winner. The defeat leaves Spurs 12th in the league with 24 points from 20 games.

Law: Postecoglou Not Delusional Despite Spurs Slump

The Australian's stubbornness has been criticised

Law pointed out the injury curse Postecoglou had dealt with and largely blamed this for the North Londoners' poor run of results. The Daily Telegraph journalist wrote on X:

Tottenham have not lost 10 games because Ange P is ‘delusional’. They’ve lost 10 games because they’ve got a tonne of injuries and the squad can’t cope. Just as Newcastle had lost 9 games this time last season for the same reason.

Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies are among the Spurs defenders to be sidelined this season. Postecoglou has been forced to use Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin as a makeshift centre-back pair but has refused to steer away from his attack-heavy brand of football despite vulnerabilities at the back.

The Daily Mail's Craig Hope argued that Postecoglou was 'trapped in his own delusional world' because of his lack of adaptability. He argued that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is an 'idealist' from whom the Spurs coach should learn a thing or two.

Postecoglou appears to have a lot of credit in the bank despite his side's struggles. He has two years left on his contract, and there doesn't appear to be any drama in the dressing room, and he's got the vast majority of fans still on board.

The 59-year-old can end the club's 17-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup. The Lilywhites are in the semifinals, facing holders Liverpool with the first leg next on Wednesday (January 8) on home soil.

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for Udinese youngster Thomas Kristensen in the Janary transfer window, according to reports - with the young Danish defender potentially being drafted in to solve the Lilywhites' defensive crisis which has seen them down to the bare bones so far this season.

Tottenham's poor form has been representative of their growing injury list, losing three of their last four games and recording just two wins in all competitions over their previous 11 games. One of those came to rock-bottom Southampton and their other victory was in the League Cup, meaning that they've sunk to just 12th in the Premier League table - and that could see Ange Postecoglou take immediate action.

Report: Tottenham 'Look' at Udinese Starlet Kristensen

The London outfit are desperate for numbers in their backline

The report by CaughtOffside claims Tottenham are looking for defensive reinforcements in the January window, having undergone a major defensive crisis this season under Postecoglou.

The Australian gaffer was forced to line up with backup centre-half Radu Dragusin alongside teenage sensation Archie Gray in the heart of defence against Newcastle United on Saturday, whilst Djed Spence appeared at left-back - and it was a first competitive appearance in three-and-a-half years for 25-year-old goalkeeper Brandon Austin as Tottenham fell to their Geordie counterparts.

Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie are all out for some time, which could lead Tottenham to new signings. The report suggests the Udinese star could be available for £16.5million, though Bayer Leverkusen and Leicester City are also interested in his services - and after some strong performances in Serie A, the north London club have an 'urgency' for a signing in his ilk.

Tottenham seemingly boast the 'strongest' interest, though it could be an interesting saga with other clubs able to offer the 'complete' Kristensen more regular playing time in the long-term, as the Dane may find it difficult to oust Romero and Van de Ven from the starting XI in the future once they return from the treatment table.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Kristensen has 11 caps for Denmark's under-21 team, scoring one goal.

Kristensen, who stands at 6ft 6in, only joined Udinese at the start of last season from AGF Aarhus. However, he has burst onto the scene in the Italian top-flight this season with eight appearances being enough to garner interest from some of Europe's biggest leagues.

Tottenham boss, Ange Postecoglou, opted against giving young talent, Alfie Dorrington, an opportunity to impress against Newcastle, despite a plethora of first-team injuries, and the 19-year-old should look to depart for better opportunities instead.

Dorrington was an unused substitute for a second consecutive time, and he watched from the bench as Spurs emerged second-best in a 2-1 defeat to the Magpies. Despite being regarded as one of the best players in the Tottenham academy, the defender has been afforded just a single 13-minute cameo against Southampton this season, even in the midst of an injury crisis at the club. The manager is yet to prove his confidence in the youth prospects, and Dorrington would be wise to demand a January exit in the best interests of his future.

Postecoglou Leaves Highly-Touted Dorrington on the Bench Against Newcastle

The centre-back should consider departing for greener pastures

After signing his professional contract in 2023, it would not be until more than a year later that Dorrington would make his senior debut, coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League. However, that has been his only contribution to the first-team, when he could still have plenty more to offer.

Standing at 1.92m, Dorrington, previously dubbed "terrific", has also been described as a "good passer of the ball" and a "strong defender". Ultimately, a natural in his position, he could have been granted an opportunity to display what he is capable of in the absence of Cristian Romeo and Micky Van de Ven, who have both been sidelined with injury. Instead, Postecoglou utilized the likes of Archie Gray and Djed Spence out of position in desperate attempts to fill the void at centre-back.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Tottenham have conceded 11 goals in their last four matches, losing three and drawing once in the process.

With Dorrington continuously being disregarded, despite being a natural solution to Spurs' defensive woes, it remains to be seen whether the London-born man is able to garner the chances he deserves at this club. The January transfer window is now open, and he should instead look to depart for new pastures if he is to further his development.

Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle in this Premier League fixture. Newcastle conceded their first goal in five games when Dominic Solanke out-muscled Sven Botman to head in a Pedro Porro cross to give Spurs the lead. The advantage didn't last long, with Newcastle equalising two minutes later through Anthony Gordon. Lucas Bergvall gave the ball away 30 yards from the Spurs goal. Bruno Guimaraes then played in Gordon, who fired in low to the left of Brandon Austin. There were question marks over whether Guimaraes had handled the ball, but VAR declared it accidental.

The first-half continued to play out in a frantic fashion, as both sides looked to press high. Newcastle carried more of a threat, and it was they who took the lead after 37 minutes. Jacob Murphy crossed in and Spurs made a mess of defending it. The cross evaded two defenders before Dragusin deflected it in the path of Isak, who made no mistake six yards out.

Radu Dragusin was taken off at the break for Sergio Reguilon. This meant the Spurs back line was made up of three full-backs and a midfielder. It was Spurs who had the better of real chances. Martin Dubravka did well to save from Pape Sarr, with Brennan Johnson hitting the post from a tight angle on the rebound. The game continued to be open. Gordon really ought to have made it 3-1 to Newcastle, but ballooned over.

With 25 minutes left, Spurs went for it with a triple substitution, with both Maddison and Son Heung-Min coming on. In the closing minutes, Spurs had several guilt-edged chances to equalise. Maddison curled a shot wide, then Son Heung-min, Johnson and Reguilon failed to take advantage of an opportunity. Spurs were given hope when the referee played 10 minutes of injury time, but it wasn't enough to avoid defeat.

Match Highlights

Tottenham Player Ratings

Brandon Austin - 7/10

Brought in to make his Spurs debut, after Fraser Forster was announced ill. Made saves in the first-half to boost his confidence. This was his first appearance since joining the club as a 15-year-old in 2015.

Radu Dragusin - 4/10

Was his usual combative self, going into challenges and pushing and shoving the opposition, but was found wanting after another defensive calamity for Newcastle's second goal. Was taken off at half-time.

Archie Gray - 5/10

Had to be on his guard playing in a more central role, particularly when up against Alexander Isak. However, given Spurs's inexperienced defence, he looked vulnerable at times.

Pedro Porro - 7/10

Put in an excellent cross for Solanke to put Spurs into the lead after only two minutes. His level of crossing was excellent.

Djed Spence - 5/10

Should have done better and got tighter to Jacob Murphy, who crossed in for Newcastle's second goal.

Pape Sarr - 5/10

Had a good strike in the second-half, but was brought off with 25 minutes left.

Lucas Bergvall - 6/10

Gave the ball away cheaply in his own half, which led to Newcastle's equaliser. Brought off with 25 minutes left.

Brennan Johnson - 6/10

Fairly quiet in the first-half, but was unfortunate to not have levelled the scores at 2-2. However, his effort hit the post.

Tino Werner - 4/10

Looked out of the game at times. Despite his pace, the German couldn't really get into the game.

Dejan Kulusevski - 6.5/10

Not involved as much as he would have liked in the first half an hour of the contest. Was more lively in the second period as the home side chased the game.

Dominic Solanke - 6/10

Directed his header into the Newcastle goal early on in the game. The striker showed great movement to get himself in a position to score. After that, the England striker was given very little service.

SUB - Sergio Reguilon - 5/10

Came on at half-time to replace Dragusin at the back.

SUB - Son Heung-Min - 5/10

Failed to take a great opportunity to equalise.

SUB - James Maddison - 6/10

Tried to get on the ball and make things happen for Spurs, but the home side continued to look a little disjointed.

SUB - Yves Bissouma - 6/10

Came on to protect and shield the back four as Spurs went hunting for an equaliser.

Newcastle United Player Ratings

Martin Dubravka - 6/10

Other than the goal after two minutes, the goalkeeper had little to do in this contest. Yet he had to be on his toes in the second half with good saves.

Lewis Hall - 7/10

Looked solid and capable in Newcastle's back line and continues to grow in confidence.

Dan Burn - 6/10

Was booked in the first-half, which left him on something of a tightrope. The big defender still contributed well.

Sven Botman - 6/10

Looked rusty having been out with an injury for nearly 300 days, but used his experience to get through the opening half.

Tino Livramento - 7/10

The full-back was involved in a heavy clash with Lucas Bergvall in the opening minute but recovered well to play on. Had Tino Werner in his pocket and assisted in Newcastle's attacking play.

Joelinton - 7/10

Used his strength to hold the ball up well and made life difficult for Spurs at times.

Sandro Tonali - 7/10

Perhaps not as influential as he was in Newcastle's emphatic win at Old Trafford, but still put in a good display.

Bruno Guimaraes - 7/10

Slotted his team-mate Gordon in on goal calmly to create the equaliser. As ever, the Brazilian always looked to get on the ball.

Anthony Gordon - 8/10

Finished well early on when put through by Guimaraes. Got on the ball on plenty of occasions in the first-half. With the new England manager, Thomas Tuchel, watching, the wide player also worked hard defensively. He received a standing ovation from Newcastle fans when he was substituted with 10 minutes left.

Jacob Murphy - 7/10

Worked hard, and it was his cross that led to Isak putting the Geordies 2-1 up before half-time.

Alexander Isak - 7/10

Would have expected to have scored just after half an hour, but his effort ended up just wide of the Spurs goal. The big Swede made no mistakes later when he pounced in the six-yard box.

SUB - Harvey Barnes - 5/10

Brought on for the last 10 minutes for the very effective Gordon.

SUB - Joe Willock - 5/10

Came on too late to make an impact.

SUB - Sean Longstaff - 5/10

Came on too late to make an impact.

SUB - Lloyd Kelly - 5/10

Came on too late to make an impact.

Man of the match

Anthony Gordon

In front of England manager Thomas Tuchel, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon gave an effective and energetic performance. He was heavily involved when Newcastle went to press high on Spurs. This is what led to him getting on the scoresheet. Having been played in by Bruno Guimaraes, he took a touch before firing in emphatically.

Goalscoring is something Gordon has been adding to his game. His work rate continues to be high. Despite the joy he had going forward he was still very much prepared to work back and help his defensive colleagues. All in all, the England man has become a key man for Newcastle.

Tottenham Hotspur are showing interest in Udinese defender Thomas Kristensen, although they face competition from Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen, according to Football Insider.

It's been a difficult season for Ange Postecoglou's Spurs amid the club's defensive injury crisis. The North Londoners' first-choice central defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have been sidelined with injuries, while Ben Davies has also been dealing with fitness problems.

Postecoglou looks set to be backed in the market this month to rectify his side's defensive troubles. AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori has been linked with a return to the Premier League, but Spurs also have Kristensen on their shortlist.

Tottenham Eye Kristensen

The Dane Could Help Postecoglou Fix Defensive Curse

Kristensen is an in-demand young Danish defender who could be on the move in the January transfer window. His fine form in Serie A has earned him a call-up to Denmark's U21 international team, earning 11 caps.

However, Tottenham might be cautious over Kristensen's injury record as he sat out six games earlier this season with a calf problem. If the Lilywhites are to dip into the market for a new centre-back, they will likely make playing availability one of their target's main requirements.

Kristensen is a celebrated young talent, though, and Spurs face a fight for the 6ft6in defender who joined Udinese from Danish outfit Aarhus in September 2023. Leicester also like the look of him, and he could be an option to help strengthen Ruud van Nistelrooy's relegation-battling defence at the King Power.

Udinese have slapped a £16.5 million price tag on the Dane amid growing interest in his services. Tottenham scouts are believed to have watched him in action in his club's 2-1 win over Fiorentina (December 23).

Kristensen impressed in that game, making five clearances and winning two of three ground duels. His potential arrival in North London could coincide with the end of Radu Dragusin's nightmare spell with the Lilywhites. The £27 million-rated Romanian hasn't lived up to expectations, and his future is uncertain.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is fearful of missing out on winning the race to sign Lens star Abdukodir Khusanov as reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are threatening to hijack a potential switch to Hotspur Way this month, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Having already been contending with the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies being on the treatment table, Spurs' defensive injury crisis worsened as Destiny Udogie is set to be out of action for two months thanks to picking up a hamstring problem during the draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Summer signing Archie Gray - who completed a £30million switch from Leeds United during the summer - was utilised at the heart of the backline due to a lack of options in December, but Postecoglou is looking to secure reinforcements ahead of the February 3 transfer deadline.

Spurs Could Miss Out in Bid to Land Khusanov

North Londoners facing stiff competition for Uzbekistan international

Tottenham are facing a significant blow in their pursuit of Khusanov as Manchester City have joined the race for his signature during the early stages of the winter window, according to GMS sources, leading to the north Londoners being concerned that they will fail to secure one of their top targets.

Postecoglou has been plotting a move for the central defender due to there being confidence that Ligue 1 outfit Lens would be prepared to listen to offers in the region of £20million, which fits the bill for Spurs as they have a modest budget, but the Sky Blues are also contemplating whether to attempt to find an agreement.

GMS sources have been informed that Khusanov is being tracked by a host of clubs as he holds good value in the current market and has been considered by intermediaries as one of the best potential signings any Premier League side could make midway through the season, but Tottenham could now face an uphill battle to convince him to move to north London.

An additional attraction for Spurs has been the fact that the 20-year-old Uzbekistan international is on a contract worth less than £2,500-per-week, resulting in there being confidence that he would settle for a lower salary than other options on Postecoglou's shortlist of possible winter recruits.

Lens are prepared to consider selling Khusanov and Wolverhampton Wanderers target Kevin Danso in the same window if they receive bids which meet their demands, GMS sources have learned, but the opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City could leave Tottenham frustrated in their attempts to turn his head.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Abdukodir Khusanov made six clearances and won three aerial duels during Lens' 2-2 draw with Auxerre in his last Ligue 1 outing

Postecoglou Has Competition for Alternatives

Itakura and Boscagli could also be out of reach during winter window

GMS sources have been told that Tottenham are facing stiff competition for alternative targets Ko Itakura and Olivier Boscagli, who are currently on the books of Borussia Monchengladbach and PSV Eindhoven respectively, leaving Postecoglou with a serious dilemma as he aims to secure reinforcements.

The latter is being pursued by Brighton & Hove Albion, having entered the final six months of a contract worth in the region of £10,000-per-week, and Spurs are discovering that they could be dragged into a bidding war even if they opt to turn their attentions away from Khusanov in the coming weeks.

Tottenham will have to move quickly if they want to avoid paying more than they would like for a prime target, GMS sources understand, but they have been left particularly shocked by Manchester City's rival interest as they were initially toying with the idea of moving Josko Gvardiol into centre-back.

GMS sources recently revealed that the capital club are at risk of being priced out of a move for Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu thanks to his price tag being increased beyond the £30million mark, and Postecoglou is poised to have a testing transfer window to contend with ahead of the February 3 deadline.

Injuries should tip the balance in the Magpies’ favour as in-form Newcastle United travel to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime (UK time).

The hosts have a stack of injuries, meaning that manager Ange Postecoglou will struggle to put out a side that will be as competitive as he would like against one of the division’s most dangerous outfits right now.

Newcastle are six places and eight points ahead of Tottenham in the Premier League standings, and much of that is down to Tottenham's dip in form that has coincided with their recent high number of injuries.

With their defence particularly affected, Spurs have been more vulnerable than usual in many of their outings over the past month. Allied to their positive and occasionally risky style of play, they have conceded far more chances in recent games than many of their supporters would be comfortable with.

The form tables tell a story of two sides on different trajectories: Tottenham have picked up just four points from their last five fixtures (W1-D1-L3) and lost five of their last 10 league games as well (W3-D2-L5).

In contrast, Eddie Howe’s visitors are second only to Nottingham Forest in the five-game Premier League form table (W4-D0-L1), and they rank a creditable fourth in the 10-game form table as well (W6-D2-L2).

It says everything about how the two sides’ performances have diverged that Newcastle are clear favourites to win despite being the away side. They are 2.3 (13/10) to collect all three points, while Tottenham are 3.05 (41/20) and the Draw is 4.0 (3/1).

Best Bet

If you are looking for a selection in the Match Odds market, Newcastle would be the smart choice. As outlined above, the visitors on a run of four wins from their last five matches, and that streak of good form includes impressive away victories to nil vs Manchester United (2-0) and Ipswich Town (4-0).

Despite their considerable injury woes, however, we are not prepared to write off Tottenham just yet. For that reason, we prefer other ways of supporting the visitors.

Draw No Bet the Smart Selection

For those of you that, like us, are concerned that an injury-depleted Tottenham may be a wounded but still-dangerous beast, the Draw No Bet market offers a better way to support the in-form visitors on their trip to North London.

The Draw No Bet market does exactly what it says: if you back a team on this market rather than on the Match Odds market, your bet is effectively a ‘no bet’ – i.e. your stakes will be returned – in the event of the game ending in a draw. In other words, you will lose your stakes only if your side loses, rather than if your side loses or if the game ends in a draw.

Naturally, the odds are shorter on Newcastle in the Draw No Bet market than in the Match Odds market, because you have the safety net of having your stakes returned if the game ends in a stalemate.

We prefer this market, however, as we believe Tottenham may well pose a bigger threat than the market expects in this fixture. During their recent injury-hit run, their home form has remained reasonable rather than poor: they drew 2-2 against an upbeat Wolves in their last home fixture, and only narrowly lost at home to Chelsea (3-4) in that dramatic all-London encounter on December 8. In between those two fixtures, they made it through to the EFL Cup semi-finals thanks to their 4-3 home win over Manchester United.

They may have lost 6-3 at home to Liverpool on December 22, but Arne Slot’s Reds are such an outlier at the top of the division at the moment that this particularly heavy defeat has little bearing on Tottenham’s chances of getting something from this encounter against in-form but more limited visitors.

Leave that loss to Liverpool out of your calculations, and Tottenham’s five-game home form across all competitions is W1-D3-L1, showing that, even with a reduced squad available, they remain difficult to beat in front of their own fans.

Best Bet

At the time of writing, Newcastle on the Draw No Bet market is available at a best-priced 1.73 (8/11). That may be too short for some bettors, but we prefer this more conservative selection to backing Newcastle in the Match Odds market.

Top selection – Newcastle United Draw No Bet (1.73)

Unstoppable Isak the Man to Follow

Newcastle are in tremendous form in front of goal, scoring 21 times in seven matches in all competitions since the start of December. Given those figures, naturally their players will attract more interest than Tottenham's in the Anytime Goalscorer market.

The breakdown of players that have scored for the Magpies during their current hot streak in front of goal is as follows: Alexander Isak (eight), Jacob Murphy (three), Anthony Gordon, Joelinton, Fabian Schar, Sandro Tonali (two each), Harvey Barnes and Bruno Guimaraes (one each).

As our table of the latest Anytime Goalscorer odds shows, unsurprisingly, Isak is the runaway favourite in the market. Significantly, five of the eight goals he has netted across Newcastle's last seven matches were scored away from home.

Best Bet

His odds may be short, but the Sweden international is still the player to focus on. He has developed into the dominant figure in the Magpies' attack, and has shown he can score against virtually any opponents, home or away.

No other Newcastle player currently has a track record of finding the net that is strong enough to make them worth supporting.

Tottenham Hotspur have decided not to make a concrete move for Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, as per football.london's Alasdair Gold.

The North London giants are after potential cover for Guglielmo Vicario, who has been on the sidelines since November with a fractured right ankle. Fraser Forster, 36, has filled in for the Italian shot-stopper but endured inconsistent form between the sticks.

Johnstone, 31, could be available this month after being dropped by new Wolves manager Vitor Pereira. He's reportedly 'shocked' to be displaced by Jose Sa, who appears to be Pereira's number one.

The Old Gold are monitoring Sunderland's Anthony Patterson should they need to sign a replacement this month. A move to Spurs for Johnstone had seemed possible, but the Lilywhites look to have pulled the plug on pursuing the four-cap England international.

Tottenham Not Expected to Swoop For Johnstone

The North Londoners have other targets in mind

Gold reports that Spurs aren't expected to make their interest in Johnstone concrete despite their need to find cover for Vicario. He was on the club's radar before they signed Forster in July 2022. The English journalist explained: "Update on this. Johnstone was seemingly one of the keepers Spurs had considered again, as they did back before they signed Forster, but it's not going any further than that."

Johnstone started the season as Gary O'Neil's first-choice shot-stopper, although Wolves were in disappointing form. He's appeared seven times in the Premier League this term without a clean sheet and has conceded 17 goals since arriving from Crystal Palace for £10 million.

Burnley's James Trafford could be targeted now that a move for Johnstone isn't in the offing. The 'outstanding' 22-year-old English goalkeeper has top-flight experience and could be available for around £20 million. He's been in superb form this season, keeping 15 clean sheets in 24 games.

Forster is in the twilight of his career, and Ange Postecoglou is understandably cautious about relying on him to continue as Vicario's temporary replacement. There have been concerns about the former Celtic shot-stopper's distribution, while he's kept just one clean sheet in seven league games and conceded 15 goals.

Tottenham Hotspur are at risk of their Patrick Dorgu pursuit being jeopardised as Lecce have increased their demands for the Hotspur Way target after he has been the subject of widespread interest during the early stages of the winter transfer window, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is in the market for reinforcements after being forced to contend with a defensive injury crisis which worsened thanks to Destiny Udogie being on course for two months out of action due to sustaining a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

But Tottenham spent big in the summer, with Dominic Solanke becoming the north Londoners' most expensive acquisition of all-time when he completed a £65million switch from Premier League rivals Bournemouth, and that could hinder the Greek-Australian tactician in his mid-season recruitment drive.

Postecoglou Facing Dorgu Demands Increase

Lecce seeking higher fee for 20-year-old after widespread interest

Tottenham are in serious danger of being priced out of a move for Dorgu as Lecce have increased their demands beyond the £30million mark, according to GMS sources based in Italy, as a result of being alerted to numerous sides circling ahead of the February 3 transfer deadline.

The Denmark international has remained an integral part of the Serie A side's plans since Marco Giampaolo's appointment as head coach and still has four-and-a-half years remaining on a contract which allows him to pocket less than £10,500-per-week, meaning they are in a strong negotiating position as they prepare for potential bids.

GMS sources have been informed that Dorgu's increased valuation could lead to him being out of Tottenham's reach as Postecoglou is on course to be limited to £25million to spend after being handed a modest budget by chairman Daniel Levy despite playing catch-up in the race to bag a European qualification spot.

The 20-year-old has shown his versatility throughout the campaign by featuring on each side of Lecce's backline and on both flanks, which is an attractive asset after Spurs have been forced to contend with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies and Udogie spending time on the treatment table.

But Dorgu's current employers are adamant that they can fight for a higher fee than they were initially seeking thanks to being tracked by a host of big-hitting clubs across Europe, GMS sources have learned, complicating matters for Tottenham as they attempt to win the race for an agreement.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Patrick Dorgu made three tackles and as many clearances during Lecce's 2-0 defeat to Como earlier this week

Spurs Pinpoint Dorgu Among Leading Targets

North Londoners want fresh left-back option before deadline

GMS sources have been told that Dorgu is among Tottenham's top targets as they look to add another left-back to their options, but there is an awareness that negotiations with Lecce will not be easy as the widespread interest means they have no reason to listen to offers which fail to meet his price tag.

The Italian strugglers' sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has described the former Nordsjaelland youngster as a 'champion' and a high-performer who 'possesses an engine unmatched by anyone else', while there are fears that his mid-season departure could jeopardise their hopes of avoiding relegation.

Tottenham have been joined by Premier League rivals Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea in monitoring Dorgu's situation, GMS sources recently revealed, while Napoli and AC Milan are contemplating whether to hand him an opportunity to move to one of Lecce's domestic counterparts.

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a move for former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori as they look to fix Ange Postecoglou's defensive problems, as per TBR Football.

The Lilywhites have run into a defensive injury curse this season, with Postecoglou's preferred first-choice centre-back duo, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, constantly sidelined. Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie have also dealt with fitness issues, leading to summer signing Archie Gray, 18, moving into defence.

Postecoglou will be eager to use January to get Spurs' season back on track after slipping down to 11th place in the Premier League table. His men have shipped 28 goals in 19 league games, and Van de Ven and Romero's absences have been hugely problematic.

Tottenham Join The Race To Sign Tomori

The AC Milan Star Has Struggled For Game Time This Season

Graeme Bailey claims Tomori has been the subject of recent discussions at Tottenham and Newcastle United. The 27-year-old is also admired by Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and West Ham United and could return to English football after four years in Italy.

Tomori was shining at the San Siro before this season when he lost his place in Paulo Fonseca's side. He's been considering his future with the Rossoneri after spending eight Serie A games on the bench.

However, Sergio Conceicao has replaced Fonseca and could turn to Tomori to help propel Milan back up the table. They sit eighth and have won just three of their last 10 games, in which the English centre-back has played just 11 minutes.

Spurs and the Magpies also face competition from Italian giants Napoli, who are also monitoring Tomori's situation. Juventus, too, are keeping tabs as they prepare to strengthen their defensive options for the second half of the season.

Tomori could be persuaded to return to London, where he started his career with Chelsea before spending spells on loan at Brighton, Derby County and Hull City. He made 27 senior appearances at Stamford Bridge but was sold to Milan for £25 million in June 2021, becoming 'one of the best defenders' in Italian football.

A return to the English capital could also reignite his international career, which was somewhat disrupted after heading to the San Siro. Many questioned former England manager Gareth Southgate's decision to continuously leave the pacey and aggressive centre-back out of his squads for major international competitions.

Tomori played a key role in helping Milan reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2023. This form, surprisingly, wasn't enough to convince Southgate to take the Calgary-born defender to Euro 2024. His last of five international caps was earned in a 2-0 European Championship qualifying win over Malta in November 2023.