GIVEMESPORT

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move to sign Lecce star Patrick Dorgu ahead of the January transfer window, and Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that they are continuing to monitor him after showing an interest last summer, writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter.

Spurs have been heavily focusing their recruitment on signing up-and-coming stars from around the world in the last few years. The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert all arrived in the summer transfer window, and the north London club could continue their long-term recruitment strategy.

Dorgu has been heavily linked with a move away from Lecce, with Romano previously reporting that Spurs explored a deal to secure his signature earlier this year. Tottenham were originally put off by the price, but Romano has now provided an update on a potential pursuit in 2025.

Tottenham Continue to Monitor Patrick Dorgu

He was a target last summer

Writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter, Romano has confirmed that Dorgu was a previous target for Tottenham, and they are continuing to monitor him ahead of a potential move...

"Patrick Dorgu was a target for Chelsea (via Strasbourg) and Tottenham last summer, both clubs keep monitoring him."

At the age of 20, Dorgu fits in with Tottenham's recruitment policy of targeting young talents from around the world. The Lecce full-back isn't just a young player with potential, but he's also making an impact at senior level, which means he could be beneficial to Postecoglou's senior squad immediately if they did make a move.

Dorgu has made 16 appearances for Lecce in Serie A so far this season, providing three assists. His versatility also makes him a useful option for any interested party, having played on either side of defence and also further forward as a wide midfielder or winger.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is under increasing pressure after a mixed bag of results at the north London helm in recent weeks - but former Spurs scout Mick Brown believes that despite the Australian's leaky defence and Daniel Levy's trigger-happy nature, he is not under immediate threat of being sacked just yet.

Tottenham matches have rained goals in recent weeks, with 21 in their past three outings - including a 5-0 win over Southampton, a 4-3 win over Manchester United in the League Cup and a 6-3 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday evening. It's the frantic manner of their games which have drawn neutrals, but Tottenham remain 11th in the table with more losses than wins this season - and that could see Postecoglou lose his job.

Brown: Postecoglou 'Not in Imminent Danger' Over Tottenham Sack

The Australian boss has had some damaging results in recent weeks

However, despite being the league's top goalscorers and boasting the fourth-best goal difference in the division, Brown has claimed that Levy's typically trigger-happy nature could pose a threat to Postecoglou if results continue.

However, he doesn't bear any danger of losing his job just yet. The former Tottenham scout spoke to Football Insider, stating:

“The chairman there, when the pressure come on, tends to pull the trigger. He takes the pressure off of himself by sacking the manager and diverting the attention.

“I don’t think Postecoglou has done himself any favours by insisting on playing the way they do. He doesn’t seem to have convincing answers to some of the problems they have struggled with ever since he took over there.

“People have started asking questions of him, and he’s not giving the answers they’re looking for. From what I understand, he’s not in any imminent danger of being sacked.

“They’ve got the nucleus of being a very decent side, and I accept they’ve got injury problems at the moment, but they’ve got to help themselves and adapt."

Postecoglou is undergoing a defensive crisis at present, being forced to field Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray as his centre-back pairing which, naturally, will lead to more goals conceded - as seen by their six goals shipped to Premier League leaders Liverpool on home turf.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Ange Postecoglou has won 34 of his 67 games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

His insistence on playing all-or-nothing football does leave the former Celtic boss open to criticism, but when it works, it works well. That could keep him in the job for a little while and once his key defenders return, Postecoglou will have to improve results wise - otherwise he could be the latest manager to find himself on the managerial scrapheap.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has stopped short of giving his approval to progress a move for Nicolo Fagioli despite being gifted the opportunity to lure the Juventus star to Hotspur Way during the fast-approaching winter transfer window, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs will go into Christmas sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table after suffering a 6-3 thumping at the hands of table-topping Liverpool last weekend, while they have struggled to deal with a defensive crisis after conceding 13 goals over the course of their last three home fixtures in all competitions.

Postecoglou was given the chance to splash the cash during the summer, which led to Dominic Solanke becoming the most expensive signing in Tottenham's history thanks to completing a £65million switch from Bournemouth, and the Greek-Australian tactician is working closely with technical director Johan Lange to formalise recruitment plans.

Postecoglou Holds Off Finalising Fagioli Move

Midfielder desperately seeking mid-season exit from Juventus

Postecoglou and other influential figures at Tottenham have not given the green-light to wrap up a deal for Fagioli, according to GMS sources, even though he is still being offered to Premier League clubs as he seeks a mid-season escape route from Serie A heavyweights Juventus.

Although the 23-year-old has previously been described as the 'new Pirlo' by Bianconeri legend Andrea Pirlo, he has been starved of regular game time since Thiago Motta headed into the Allianz Stadium dugout during the summer and is desperate to embark on a fresh challenge to reignite his career.

Tottenham are in the market for a central midfielder of Fagioli's type as they aim to challenge for Champions League qualification in the second half of the campaign but, in a significant twist a matter of days before being able to head to the negotiating table, GMS sources have been informed that Postecoglou has not looked to finalise a deal.

There is already a strong relationship between the two clubs as Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur joined the north Londoners from Juventus close to three years ago, in deals worth up to £59million, and they have another opportunity to raid the Italian giants in the coming weeks.

Fagioli is being touted to Premier League sides as he goes in search of moving onto pastures new instead of putting himself in danger of still being on course for limited game time, GMS sources have learned, but Tottenham are refusing to rush into finding an agreement as they continue mulling over their plans for the winter transfer window.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Nicolo Fagioli has been restricted to just 211 minutes of Champions League action this season

Fagioli Interested in Making Switch to London

Crystal Palace and West Ham also aware of Italian's availability

GMS sources have been told that Fagioli's preference is to make London his next destination if he heads to the Premier League for the first time, giving Tottenham further optimism that they would win the race for his signature if they make the call to formalise their interest with a bid before the winter window's February 3 deadline.

The Italy international still has more than three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, which allows him to pocket just shy of £45,000-per-week in Turin, but his determination to walk away from his current surroundings means it is unlikely that Juventus will stand in his way if a proposal meets their demands.

Fagioli's desire to potentially head to the English capital could materialise in the coming weeks as GMS sources understand that Crystal Palace and West Ham United have joined Tottenham in being offered his services as intermediaries attempt to facilitate a move midway through the campaign.

Juventus are prepared to contemplate a deal worth in the region of £20million, GMS sources recently revealed, while they have also refused to rule out the possibility of accepting a bid which falls below that figure as it would allow them to get the wantaway academy graduate off their wage bill.

Tottenham Hotspur star Djed Spence will not be heading through the exit door during the fast-approaching winter transfer window after his performances since being handed more regular game time have resulted in boss Ange Postecoglou being eager to keep him on board, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

A convincing 6-3 defeat to Liverpool last weekend means that Spurs will be in the bottom half of the Premier League heading into Christmas, while they have also conceded 13 goals in their last three home fixtures after struggling to overcome an injury crisis in the defensive third of the pitch.

Postecoglou will be looking to bolster his squad next month, despite making Dominic Solanke the most expensive acquisition in Tottenham's history when he completed a £65million switch from Bournemouth in August, and he will also have the opportunity to sanction departures ahead of the February 3 deadline.

Spurs Not Entertaining Winter Exit for Spence

North Londoners have been fielding enquiries from suitors

Tottenham will not entertain offloading Spence during the winter transfer window after proving he is capable of stepping up to the plate in their hour of need, according to GMS sources, with him profiting from the likes of Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies spending time on the sidelines during the jam-packed festive period.

Although the 24-year-old joined in a deal worth up to £20million from Middlesbrough in July 2022, he has been forced to spend spells on loan with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa since arriving in north London after being starved of opportunities and struggling to win over those in the dugout.

But GMS sources have been informed that influential figures at Tottenham have been impressed with how Spence has performed after being frozen out of Postecoglou's plans for a significant period, and it has resulted in performing a major U-turn as the decision has been made to keep him on board instead of listening to offers.

The right-back only penned a new three-and-a-half year contract - which allows him to pocket £50,000-per-week - in October, meaning that Spurs are in a strong negotiating position and under no pressure to cash in ahead of suitors potentially testing their resolve with a formal proposal in the coming weeks.

Admirers have been enquiring about the possibility of being able to land Spence in a mid-season deal as they put their recruitment plans in place, GMS sources have learned, but an upturn in first-team prospects has resulted in Tottenham being on course to frustrate interested parties by rejecting their advances.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Djed Spence has been averaging 1.7 tackles and 1.2 clearances per Premier League outing this season

Postecoglou to Hand Spence Further Chances

Right-back's commitment set to be rewarded with more game time

GMS sources have been told that Spence will be given further chances to prove his worth after committing his long-term future to Tottenham, resulting in Udogie having a tough task to regain his place in Postecoglou's preferred starting line-up after picking up an injury and being left on the bench for the defeat to Liverpool.

The Italy international sustained a quad problem earlier this month, resulting in him having to be substituted in the first half of Spurs' 5-0 thumping of Southampton, but he escaped a serious problem and returned to the matchday squad last weekend after missing the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United a matter of days earlier.

Tottenham's decision to keep Spence on board has come after GMS sources recently revealed that admirers were being forced to play the waiting game before discovering whether he would be made available for transfer as he had been pinpointed as a potential recruit thanks to a lack of game time.

"I said it last week. I’ll say it again. Can we please give Postecoglou a break? Did anyone notice three of his regular back four were missing v Liverpool. Oh - and his first choice keeper. Not once did I hear him make an excuse for the defeat nor list his injured players. City haven’t stopped whining about missing just one - Rodri, despite the fact they won six and drew one of their first seven games after his injury."

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to activate the option to extend Heung-min Son's contract until 2026, according to Fabrizio Romano, writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter.

As it stands, Son will be leaving the club at the end of the season due to his contract expiring in the summer of 2025. Spurs do have the option to extend his deal by an additional year without having to offer him fresh terms. In order to protect his value, it would make sense for Spurs to activate the option.

Son will turn 33 next summer, so Spurs will have a decision to make as to whether to offer him fresh terms and a longer-term contract. The South Korean international has been a key player for Tottenham for many years now, but he's reaching the latter stages of his career.

Tottenham Set to Activate Option in Son's Contract

He will extend his stay until 2025

Writing in his newsletter for GIVEMESPORT, Romano has confirmed that Tottenham are expected to activate the one-year option in Son's contract, keeping him at the club until 2026. That's the internal feeling at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and they are waiting on the formal steps to seal the deal...

"The expectation is still to activate the option and keep Son at the club until June 2026. That's the internal feeling at the club since October, waiting for formal steps as it's always important."

Son is still producing regularly for Tottenham and his impact has been vital over the years, especially with talisman Harry Kane departing for Bayern Munich. Son has taken on more responsibility for the club, including becoming club captain.

Ange Postecoglou will be desperate to keep him at the club, and it's a win-win situation for Tottenham to be able to extend his contract without having to offer a pay rise. The north London outfit will be in a tricky situation in 2026, but there's no guarantee Son will be performing at the same level by then.

Tottenham Hotspur are showing interest in Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey ahead of the January transfer window, according to Football Insider.

Spurs have reportedly been in contact with the Serie A club about signing the former Everton centre-back next month on a short-term loan deal, and have emerged as the front-runners for his signature in early 2025, despite other Premier League sides also being keen.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have earmarked Godfrey as a temporary solution to their recent defensive crisis, with stars Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both out injured until 2025.

Tottenham are now said to be pushing hard to get a deal over the line, having prioritised bringing in a new defender heading into the January market.

Godfrey’s versatility could prove to be a useful asset for Postecoglou, as the Englishman is able to play anywhere across the backline and has significant Premier League experience, with 112 top-flight appearances to his name.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Godfrey has yet to start a game for Atalanta since joining from Everton in the summer.

The 26-year-old, who Rio Ferdinand called 'outstanding', has struggled to settle into his new surroundings in Italy and has only made five substitute appearances for Atalanta this season, including one in the Champions League.

Godfrey joined the Bergamo-based side in an £11m deal from Everton in June, penning a five-year contract, but he has already been linked with a departure, with multiple English sides reportedly showing interest.

Tottenham could well benefit from a new defender in January, having been in disappointing form ever since losing both Romero and Van de Ven to injuries again.

Postecoglou’s men have suffered a humiliating 6-3 defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday and will now be looking to return to winning ways in their last two fixtures of 2024, facing Nottingham Forest and Wolves.

Spurs could welcome midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur back for their next game, as he has now served his seven-game suspension, but are going to be without Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert for the remainder of 2024, with the trio also out injured.

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara has slammed Daniel Levy in a fiery rant after their defeat at home to Liverpool on the weekend.

Spurs conceded six against Liverpool on Sunday in what was a catastrophic defensive performance from Ange Postecoglou's men. It's been a difficult few weeks for the north London side, with the likes of Micky Van de Ven, Christian Romero, and Guglielmo Vicario all out injured at the moment.

Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin lined up as a centre-back pairing against Liverpool, while Djed Spence, who has struggled for game time this season, was at left-back. Destiny Udogie has just returned from injury, but he was only fit enough to be on the bench on Sunday.

Reacting after the defeat to Liverpool, O'Hara has called out Levy due to the current state of the playing squad...

"Men against boys, Levy needs to sort it out, got a 38 year old keeper, an 18 year old midfielder playing CB a right wing back playing left back, we are miles off read between the lines this is a poor Spurs squad with a massive lack of quality, build up players who are average."

Although Levy is one of those who is in charge of recruitment and the building of Postecoglou's squad, there's no doubt Tottenham are going through a tricky period due to injuries. Losing your centre-back pairing and goalkeeper is always going to be a struggle.

O'Hara wasn't holding back with his assessment of the current playing squad, with Fraser Forster between the sticks at 38 years old. Without injuries, there's no doubt Tottenham would have been able to handle the deadly attack of Liverpool better, and having an 18-year-old midfielder playing out of position in defence certainly isn't ideal.

Liverpool ran Tottenham Hotspur riot with a thumping 6-3 victory after two goals each from Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz ensured the Reds extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points, whilst Spurs sit in 11th place leading into Christmas.

This heavyweight clash may have served as somewhat of a preview for what is to come, with the two sides having been drawn against each other in the League Cup semi-finals set to take place early on in the new year.

Having made two errors in their mid-week fixture against Manchester United, Fraser Forster gifted Mohamed Salah a ball in the box inside three minutes, but the Egyptian was unable to hit the target with his effort. The Reds continued to mount the pressure on the home side, forcing Spurs to crowd the box and defend.

Salah thought he had broken the deadlock inside 20 minutes when his effort clipped the top of the crossbar after a sloppy pass from Yves Bissouma fell into his path once again for his fifth shot of the match. But it was his opposite wing Luis Diaz who found the back of the net first, with a delicious ball whipped in from Trent Alexander-Arnold finding the Colombian's head with pinpoint precision.

The visitors doubled their lead before half-time with Alexis Mac Allister gambling that a ball would drop into his path to head onto, aided by Forster's decision-making to come out and try and beat the Argentine to the punch in what appeared to be a dominant display by Liverpool in the first half.

However, Mac Allister was picked off by Spurs inside his own half, with James Maddison pouncing on a loose ball and slotting the ball past Alisson. But Liverpool marched way out in front again with Dominik Szoboszlai finding himself in acres of space, slotting the ball through Forster's legs to restore their two-goal lead on the stroke of half-time.

The second-half got off to a rampant start with a sublime counter-attack, and after multiple scrappy attempts at clearing their lines, Archie Gray, who was left in no man's land on the floor, could only kick the ball away to Salah, who tapped the ball home and gave his team a commanding 4-1 lead with 35 minutes left remaining.

Szoboszlai had a glorious chance to make it five, finding himself in a 1v1 against Forster, and after doing the hard part in rounding the keeper, he failed to hit the target. But it wouldn't be long for Spurs' defensive frailties to be exploited once again, with Szoboszlai and Salah combining for Liverpool's fifth goal of the afternoon in an emphatic performance by Arne Slot's men.

The man in form for Tottenham - Dejan Kulusevski - gave the fans something to smile about when he clawed one back with a volley after a very good one-two with Dominic Solanke. Then, it was Solanke's turn to get on the scoresheet with a very neat finish whilst battling with van Dijk to cut the deficit to two goals...for a few minutes.

Luis Diaz continued his good performance netting again, and gave Liverpool their sixth goal of the afternoon in what was a wild and thoroughly entertaining contest in N17.

Match Highlights

Tottenham Player Ratings

GK - Fraser Forster - 4/10

Problems with distribution from his feet continued to mount, with him inviting pressure early on. Not much he could do about Liverpool's opener. However, he arguably could have done much better to prevent the other two goals - or, at the very least, made the visitors work harder for them. Disappointing way to follow up a nightmare game in the mid-week.

RB - Pedro Porro - 5/10

Kept his place in the side despite recent inconsistencies in his last few outings in all competitions. Didn't quite look at it again, with Liverpool finding a lot of success down his side. If they didn't have so many injuries, it would be intriguing to see whether he would have been selected.

CB - Radu Dragusin - 4/10

Showed some unorthodox defending at times. Largely at fault for the third goal, having been caught out of position and run past far too easily. Needs to be much more commanding as Spurs' only recognised centre-back on the field.

CB - Archie Gray - 5/10

Yes, he is still playing out of position, but still just 19-years-old, his inexperience was exploited by the league-leaders. The positive coming out of the match, though, is that it will be an invaluable experience as he continues to develop.

LB - Djed Spence - 7/10

Had the tough task of defending Salah, but stood his ground well on multiple occasions, including an impressive double-block in the first half. Looked good on the ball going forward too - great to see him finally get some game time and could establish himself as a key figure for Postecoglou in this hectic festive schedule over the next few weeks.

CM - Yves Bissouma - 5/10

Flew out the blocks with high energy in going to win back the ball, but this fizzled out very early on in the contest. Struggled to maintain possession and string passes between the lines.

CM - Pape Matar Sarr - 5/10

Lost the run of Luis Diaz in the run up to the first goal, and like Bissouma, struggled up against Liverpool's midfield trio that looked on top form.

CM - James Maddison - 6.5/10

Hung in there during the first-half and his goal to cut the deficit appeared to instill some energy into the legs of his teammates. Was a great finish, but not enough to help his team overcome the flurry of goals by the visitors.

RW - Heung-Min Son - 5/10

Didn't offer too much going forward - often slowed down the play when receiving the ball in advanced attacking areas. Expected more from the skipper.

ST - Dominic Solanke - 7/10

Lacked service as a result of Spurs' struggles in the midfield areas. Spent more time in the opposition's half than in his own, though he alone cannot be at fault for that. Came to life more in the second-half, and managed to get himself on the scoresheet, and assist another, even if it was all for no points.

LW - Dejan Kulusevski - 7/10

Looked the most likely player to get Spurs back into the game after finding themselves in a two-goal hole, and it was his effort in dispossessing Mac Allister that led to the goal, though it was in vain, as Liverpool restored their two-goal lead just a few minutes later. Continued to show his desire to will his team forward despite being behind in the game, and was rewarded with a goal for his efforts.

Sub - Lucas Bergvall - 6/10

Played some good balls forward, but was thrown into the deep end with Liverpool midfielders surrounding him at every available opportunity.

Sub - Brennan Johnson - 6/10

Couldn't impact the game as much as he would have liked to. Had an opportunity on goal, but put the ball wide of the target.

Sub - Timo Werner - N/A

Not on the field long enough to impact the game.

Liverpool Player Ratings

GK - Alisson Becker - 6/10

On such a cold day in north London, he probably wished he had slightly more to do between the sticks. However, with his teammates in front of him staying compact, it was a rather lonely game for Liverpool's No. 1.

RB - Trent Alexander-Arnold - 9/10

Looked very much at his best with his full range of passing on display, including his cross hit with purpose that assisted Diaz for the opener. Looked to be his team's biggest attacking threat for the majority of the game, using his feet to take his opponents out of the game. Defended just as well.

CB - Virgil van Dijk - 8/10

A solid performance by the Reds captain, reading everything that came his way and putting himself in the right place at the right time every time.

CB - Joe Gomez - 7.5/10

Like van Dijk, Gomez looked very comfortable in Liverpool's back line, dealing with Spurs' attacks - albeit limited - when they were presented with them.

LB - Andy Robertson - 7/10

Solid performance by the left-back, and while he put in some good balls into good attacking areas, he was left looking average after his teammate's masterclass on the opposite flank.

CM - Ryan Gravenberch - 8/10

Another very impressive performance from the Dutchman, with him yet again showing that he is one of the best in the world in the no. 6 position. Read the play excellenty, and recorded some vital interceptions which translated into Liverpool attacks.

CM - Alexis Mac Allister - 7/10

Had to gamble for his goal, but it was certainly one which paid off as it just strung his team into a new gear, and left it impossible for Spurs to recover. However, he was at fault for Spurs' goal, and whilst he claimed it was a foul, the contact was soft at best.

CM - Dominik Szoboszlai - 9/10

A very impressive display from the Liverpool midfielder, getting on the scorehseet and assisting one. His work defensively should not go unnoticed, preventing the ball from going through behind him on multiple occasions, whilst his passes forward put Liverpool in dangerous positions to attack.

RW - Mohamed Salah - 9/10

There are not enough superlatives to describe just how much Mo Salah means to this team. Two goals on the night, and an assist, the Egyptian put in another dazzling performance in what has been a hugely impressive 2024/25 campaign. At this point, he is expected to perform like he did tonight on a weekly basis, and more often than not, he does.

ST - Cody Gakpo - 7/10

The quietest of Liverpool's attacking three which started the contest, and the only one not to get on the scoresheet. However, he helped move the ball forward well, and opted to play the team game when he could have had chances to score himself.

LW - Luis Diaz - 9/10

Made the right run into the central channel to meet Alexander-Arnold's cross with his head for the opening goal, which kick-started Liverpool into action, and they never looked back. Caused problems for Spurs' makeshift backline all afternoon long, and got his reward by also scoring Liverpooll's sixth goal - and the game's ninth.

Sub - Diogo Jota - 7/10

Offered another attacking outlet for Spurs to have to defend, but couldn't quite replicate what the starters had done, though he did register a key pass.

Sub - Curtis Jones - 6/10

Looked comfortable on the ball when he came on, but didn't have too much of an impact in the time he was on the pitch.

Sub - Darwin Nunez - N/A

Not on the field long enough to impact the game.

Sub - Harvey Elliott - N/A

Not on the field long enough to impact the game.

Man of the Match

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Whilst Szoboszlai had arguably his best performance of the 2024/25 season so far, with two goals and two assists on the night, Salah snatched the Man of the Match award away from him in the last moments of the match. There was also a shout for Luis Diaz, who scored a double and was mightily impressive throughout the contest too.

The Egyptian winger ran Spurs' defence riot all game long, not giving them any room for error, and making them pay at virtually every opportunity. While he missed multiple chances early on, he never lost confidence, and was back to his glistening best in virtually no time at all. There is simply no winger like Salah in the Premier League, and he was crucial to Liverpool extending their lead at the top of the league table heading into Christmas.

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly promised Archie Gray the desired game time he's been handed this season to see off competition from Manchester City and Liverpool for his signature, according to The Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel.

Since arriving from Leeds United in the summer, the English youngster has made an eye-catching start to life at Spurs.

Gray, 18, joined the Lilywhites in a £30 million deal, with defender Joe Rodon heading in the opposite direction for around £10 million. He was among English football's hottest commodities amid a meteoric rise at Elland Road.

City and Liverpool joined Tottenham in the race to sign Gray. Pep Guardiola's Cityzens held talks with the Durham-born defender over a potential move to the Etihad.

Yet, Spurs prevailed after promising the eight-cap England U21 international immediate first-team football, and the North Londoners have stuck to their word. They were willing to fast-track Gray into Postecoglou's senior team, while City's stance was that the player would arrive as a development talent.

Gray has displayed his incredible versatility with the Lilywhites that City are currently crying out for. He's played across Posteoglou's defence and in defensive and central midfield in 18 outings across competitions.

Tottenham's Faith In Gray Has Paid Dividends

The English starlet looks set to become a superstar

Gray's adaptability has been remarkable given his age and he's on the right track towards a potential run in the England senior team. He debuted for the national team's under-21s in March under Lee Carsley while he was making a name for himself at Leeds.

Tottenham have a history of signing youth talent who quickly establish themselves as first-team regulars. Dele Alli arrived at Spurs from MK Dons aged 18 and broke into the senior team around a year into his spell with the Lilywhites.

Gray is similarly viewed in high regard and English journalist Henry Winter thinks he's the 'future of the club' but also a player who is helping in the present. City may rue missing out on the teenager as they have injury problems of their own at the Etihad. The son of former Leeds striker Andy Gray could be vital as Spurs look to finish in the top four.