GIVEMESPORT

Tottenham Hotspur are among multiple Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, with Manchester United and Chelsea also making checks on the highly-rated Frenchman, according to TBR Football.

The 23-year-old, considered ‘one of the best young goalkeepers’ in the world, has captured the attention of several English clubs lately, after impressing between the posts in Ligue 1.

Manchester City and Newcastle have been linked with Chevalier earlier this season, while Tottenham are also ensuring they are aware of the best available on the market.

Spurs are reportedly not looking for a new number one at the moment, but they have growing doubts over Guglielmo Vicario’s recent performances.

The Italian shot-stopper has kept only two clean sheets in the Premier League this term and struggled to impress on international duty as well.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Chevalier has kept seven clean sheets and conceded 19 goals in his 19 appearances for Lille across all competitions this season.

Chevalier, meanwhile, has been impressive lately for Lille and was rewarded with a maiden call-up to the France squad for their Nations League tests against Israel and Italy.

The 23-year-old has been a key player for Les Dogues this term, making great efforts in Lille’s 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League last month.

Chevalier prevented a staggering 1.99 expected goals from going in and made five saves against the European champions.

The Frenchman rose through the youth ranks at Lille’s academy before making his first-team debut in September 2022. He has amassed 98 senior appearances since, keeping 38 clean sheets.

Lille would be in a strong negotiating position if any of the interested Premier League clubs came calling for Chevalier’s services in 2025 – the 23-year-old still has almost three years left on his contract, running until June 2027.

European sides, including Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Bayern Munich, have also been watching him this season.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to appeal the length of Rodrigo Bentancur's suspension after the FA confirmed that the Uruguayan midfielder would be banned for seven games, according to Matt Law of The Telegraph.

Back in September, the FA charged Bentancur over a remark he made regarding Heung-min Son. Earlier this week, it was confirmed that the FA had opted to issue Bentancur a seven-game domestic ban, meaning he would be unavailable until late December.

Bentancur is set to miss crucial fixtures against the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, but he will be able to play in the Europa League due to his suspension only being for domestic competitions. The former Juventus man will be able to return on Boxing Day, when Spurs face Nottingham Forest away from home.

The Telegraph reporter Law has now reported that Tottenham are set to appeal the length of ban given by the FA for Bentancur. Spurs won't be appealing the guilty verdict, but they are set to challenge the length of ban which exceeded the minimum six games applied by the FA for racial abuse.

Law claims that the severity of the ban has shocked rival clubs who felt that the north London club have been made an example of. The report adds that Bentancur's suspension is unlikely to be reduced below the minimum of six games.

After the incident, Bentancur apologised to his Tottenham team-mate in a social media post, reiterating that he 'loves' him and would never do anything to purposely disrespect or hurt him...

"Sonny brother. I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke. You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!"

In response, Son confirmed that he had spoken to Bentancur, suggesting that the Uruguayan midfielder would never mean to intentionally say something offensive. The South Korean international said that they are brothers and nothing has changed in terms of their relationship.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are both considering making a move for Fulham defender Joachim Andersen, with both clubs expected to be in the market for a new centre-back in the near future, according to CaughtOffside.

Andersen only joined Fulham in the summer, leaving Crystal Palace after spending three years at Selhurst Park. The Dane has impressed this season for the Cottagers, making eight appearances, and playing a pivotal part in Marco Silva's side's promising start to the campaign, which sees them sitting in seventh after eleven matches.

Liverpool and Spurs are said to have been monitoring Andersen, and both clubs have shortlisted him as a potential option to explore when they begin pursuing a centre-back either in January or the summer. The Reds are looking for a long-term replacement for the potentially departing Virgil van Dijk, while the Lillywhites feel they need additional depth at the heart of their defence.

Liverpool and Spurs Interested in Andersen

It could be difficult to lure him away from Fulham

After spending time at FC Twente, Sampdoria and Lyon, Andersen settled in London in 2020, spending a season on loan at Fulham, before joining Palace in 2021. Making over 100 appearances for the Eagles, the Denmark international returned to West London in the summer, resigning for Fulham.

Immediately a prominent part of Silva's team, Andersen has committed his future to the Cottagers, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal, worth £90,000 a week, upon arriving at the club. Thus, with CaughtOffside reporting that both Liverpool and Tottenham are interested in the 28-year-old, it may be difficult for these potential suitors to pry him away from Fulham.

The West Londoners have no reason to sell their talismanic centre-back, although a substantial offer from either of the two interested parties could test their resolve.

Van Dijk is yet to agree a contract extension at Liverpool, and even if he is to, given he's 33, Arne Slot is keen on finding a successor sooner rather than later. While a younger option than Andersen is likely to be the priority, the former Lyon man is on the Merseysiders' list, and could be deemed a smart stop-gap solution.

Meanwhile, Spurs were said to be battling it out with Newcastle to sign Andersen in the summer, and could reignite their interest in a future window. Ange Postecoglou is eager to bolster in this position, to reduce his team's reliance on Cristain Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Archie Gray is 'very unlikely' to join Leeds United on loan in January, with the player's versatility deemed too important for Ange Postecoglou to let go of in this winter window, according to Football.London.

Gray only arrived at Spurs from Leeds this summer, but will have been left frustrated by his lack of game time in North London. The 18-year-old has managed a total of 46 minutes of Premier League football thus far this season, limited mostly to outings in the Europa League.

GMS sources revealed in October that Tottenham are 'expecting January loan offers' for Gray, with recent reports emerging suggesting that a temporary return to Leeds could be on the cards. Despite such a deal potentially suiting the player and his development, as he'd likely play more regularly in West Yorkshire, Football.London claim that this move is unlikely to materialise, as the outlet anticipate that Postecoglou will begin to utilise the starlet more frequently.

Gray 'Very Unlikely' to Leave Spurs in January

Postecoglou is a huge admirer of the player

Leaving boyhood club Leeds for £30 million in the summer, Gray joined Spurs as a highly-thought of young player, likely expecting to play a prominent role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from the offset. However, three months into the season, and he's yet to start a Premier League game.

Naturally a central midfielder, most of Gray's minutes in European and cup competitions have come at centre-back and full-back, another facet of the player's situation that could be frustrating for him. On paper, a rumoured January loan move back to Leeds makes sense, with Daniel Farke a huge admirer of the prospect, and likely to pick him regularly at Elland Road.

However, Football.London believe that this deal is 'very unlikely' to ensue, with Postecoglou expected to increase Gray's minutes gradually across the season. The Lillywhites' squad is already thin in certain areas, and the Englishman's ability to be deployed in multiple roles makes him a useful asset to the Australian manager.

The FA confirmed on Monday that midfielder Rodrigo Bentnacur will be banned for seven games for comments he made about Son Heung-Min, and Football.London cite this ban as a potential route to minutes in midfield for Gray in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are fearful that their hopes of Richarlison boosting his market value and potentially being the subject of a big-money offer have been jeopardised thanks to him being forced onto the Hotspur Way treatment table with a problem which could see him sidelined for the remainder of the year, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou conceded that the Brazil international is poised to be out of action for a sustained period after suffering a hamstring injury during the win over Aston Villa earlier this month, meaning he is not in contention to feature against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday.

Richarlison was provided with fresh competition for a regular starting berth when Tottenham made Dominic Solanke the most expensive acquisition in their history by agreeing a £65million deal with Bournemouth in August, but he is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines instead of battling for game time.

Richarlison Injury May Jeopardise Spurs Plan

North Londoners were counting on striker to attract lucrative offers

Tottenham are concerned that Richarlison's time out of action will reduce their chances of being able to sell him for a big-money fee, according to GMS sources, as they had initially been counting on him to rediscover his best form and impress suitors enough to make a lucrative offer after he had potentially become an important part of their frontline.

The striker attracted interest during the summer transfer window and Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal were among the admirers toying with the idea of testing Spurs' resolve with a bid, but he ended up remaining in north London instead of embarking on a fresh challenge in the aftermath of Solanke's arrival.

GMS sources have been informed that Tottenham are fearful that a prolonged spell on the treatment table will result in them struggling to shift Richarlison in upcoming transfer windows as his market valuation will be on course to drop if he is not enjoying game time and finds himself on a long-term rehabilitation programme.

The 27-year-old has been on Spurs' books since completing a £60million switch from Premier League rivals Everton in July 2022, and there has been determination among key decision-makers behind the scenes to recoup the entirety of that fee if he moves onto pastures new in the coming months.

Tottenham have been desperate for Richarlison to become more potent in front of goal as he has been pinpointed as an asset who could be offloaded for a considerable amount of cash at the end of the season, GMS sources recently revealed, but his latest injury setback has complicated matters.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Richarlison has been limited to just 95 minutes of Premier League action this season, while he has been averaging 0.2 shots per outing

Richarlison Faces Questions Over Future Role

Brazil international could be out of action until next year

GMS sources have been told that Tottenham are worried Richarlison could be missing from first-team action until next year as a result of picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month, while there are doubts over his long-term role under Postecoglou despite their chances of being able to sell him taking a hit.

The frontman is poised to enter the final two-and-a-half years of his contract, which allows him to pocket £130,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, and being on the sidelines heading into the January transfer window is expected to deter admirers from heading to the negotiating table.

Tottenham fear that an extended period out of action will result in them being left with a headache over his market value, GMS sources understand, and they are eager for him to make a swift recovery before having the opportunity to return to form and tempt interested parties into lodging an offer in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur are among several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Aston Villa striker Louie Barry, who is currently on loan at Stockport County, according to Fichajes.

Spurs, alongside Leicester City, are said to be keen admirers of the 21-year-old, who has taken the third tier of English football by storm this season, netting 11 goals in his first 16 appearances for Stockport, matching Bayern Munich star Harry Kane's league tally so far.

Tottenham, who secured multiple exciting youngsters in the summer transfer window, have reportedly identified Barry as their next opportunity to add fresh talent to their forward line.

The North London giants have welcomed the likes of Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert before the new campaign to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s frontline ahead of his second season in the Premier League.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Barry has scored 12 goals and registered one assist in 17 appearances for Stockport across all competitions this season.

Barry, who is now on loan at Stockport for a second consecutive season, rose through the youth ranks at West Brom and spent a year in Barcelona’s academy before joining Aston Villa in January 2020.

The 'outstanding' 21-year-old made just one appearance while at the West Midlands club, scoring a goal in their 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in the 2020/21 Carabao Cup season.

It remains to be seen how genuine Tottenham’s interest in Barry is, after they welcomed two new strikers in the transfer window in Solanke and Odobert.

Solanke has had a promising start in North London, scoring six goals in his first 15 appearances, as well as registering two assists.

His efforts up front will be even more needed after Odobert’s latest setback – the 19-year-old recently underwent surgery on his hamstring and is expected to return to action in March.

After suffering a shock 2-1 loss to Premier League strugglers Ipswich Town just before the international break, Postecoglou’s men will face a tough test on their return this weekend, visiting champions Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.

Jamie O'Hara has criticised Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson for not contributing enough for the Lillywhites, claiming that the Welshman is 'frustrating' and that he 'stands behind players'.

Johnson has enjoyed a prolific start to the new season, netting seven times in 17 appearances for Ange Postecoglou's side. Despite this, the 23-year-old has been lamented for some of his displays, while Alan Pardew claimed last week that the wide man shouldn't be starting regularly for the North Londoners.

O'Hara has added to this discourse by venting his exasperation with Johnson, feeling that in spite of his impressive goal-scoring record this season, he could be producing more in his all-round game.

O'Hara: Johnson is 'Frustrating'

"He stands behind players"

Signing for Tottenham last summer in a £45 million deal, leaving boyhood club Nottingham Forest, Johnson experienced an inconsistent debut campaign in N17. Netting just five times in 34 appearances, he's kicked on in front of goal this term, scoring seven goals already.

However, having converted six of these strikes in six consecutive games between mid-Sepember and early October, a run which prompted Alan Shearer to dub him 'undroppable', it would appear that this may have merely been a hot streak. Scoring once in his last seven games prior to the international break, he's struggled to have the same impact in the final third in recent weeks.

With Tottenham reportedly ready to move for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, it's possible that the Lillywhites' hierarchy are already eyeing a replacement for Johnson. While such a cut-throat move may seem harsh to many, O'Hara would appear to agree that the player has limitations, expressing his frustration over him on talkSPORT on Saturday:

"He's frustrating Brennan Johnson, isn't he? I watch him for Spurs all the time, [he's] quick, he's got a flurry of goals for Spurs, but there's still moments in those games where I'm like, 'give me more', you know?

"Make something happen. When he gets the ball, he stands behind players. But fair play to him, his goal record for Spurs has been unbelievable this season, but, I still feel like there's more you need to get out of him."

Jamie O'Hara believes Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has been a 'liability' for Ange Postecoglou's side this season, claiming Micky van de Ven has been 'ten times better' than the Argentine.

Spurs have endured an inconsistent start to the new season, losing five of their opening eleven Premier League matches. This return sees them sat tenth, having conceded 13 goals, the same tally as Fulham, and more than the likes of Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle.

It's fair to suggest that Postecoglou's team have looked vulnerable at the back, with Van de Ven and Romero starting the bulk of the games together at the heart of the Lillywhites' defence. This has prompted O'Hara to lament the latter, claiming Romero's counterpart has performed significantly better this him this season.

O'Hara: Van de Ven has been 'Ten Times Better' than Romero

The pair haven't been effective together

Since Van de Ven joined Tottenham for £43 million last summer, the Dutchman and Romero, earning a purported £165,000 a week, have formed a consistent partnership at the centre of Spurs' back-line. Largely performing well together last season, the duo haven't been as effective as unit so far this campaign.

Shipping three goals away at Brighton when deployed next to each other, the North Londoners' defensive record has seen a more stark decline when Van de Ven has been out injured. The 23-year-old is currently suffering from a hamstring injury, and missed defeats to Galatasaray and Ipswich.

Inevitably, negative results are sparking discussions about who is the issue at the back for Tottenham, with different narratives circulating. Discussing the topic on talkSPORT on Saturday, Dean Saunders and Jamie O'Hara both lambasted Romero, while that latter claimed the Argentina international has been significantly outshone by his partner this season:

Saunders: Do you think Van de Ven makes more mistakes than Romero?

O'Hara: No, Romero makes a mistake every game.

Saunders: He's rash, isn't he?

O'Hara: Romero is a World Cup winner. You'd say he's not world-class?

Saunders: He's not world-class, no. I'd get him sent off in ten minutes.

O'Hara: He's been a liability for Tottenham this season. Van de Ven has been ten times better than him this season. He's a better player.

Tottenham Hotspur have unveiled their new badge, which sees a subtle change from the logo fans have become used to over the past decades. While the design has changed many times over the north London club's history, the cockerel standing on top of a football has become synonymous with Spurs.

Supporters will be delighted to know the bird won't be going anywhere, and it will still be stood upon a football. Instead, a very minor detail has been removed from the crest. Since 2006, the club name 'Tottenham Hotspur' has been present below the logo, but that will no longer be the case going forward.

Fabrizio Romano took to social media to confirm the new Spurs emblem, with the club confirming the change by saying:

“We have removed the curved Tottenham Hotspur text from beneath the cockerel.

“This enables us to increase its scale across different environments and stand proud as a true icon for the club.”

The new direction is part of Tottenham's attempt to completely re-brand the club digitally. The club's website goes into more detail surrounding other alterations to its brand. As part of the announcement of the new crest, the club statement read:

"The world-famous cockerel stands prouder than ever and is supported by a silhouette version, along with the reintroduction of the THFC monogram and new colours, patterns and hallmarks linked to the Club’s heritage."

Spurs aren't the first Premier League side to alter their identity this season, as Liverpool changed their iconic badge before the start of the 2024/25 season to make the Reds more marketable to an online audience. This is a less extreme change and is unlikely to attract too much negative attention from supporters as the fundamental elements of the previous badge still remain.

Spurs have claimed to be a pioneer in modernising their badge, first doing so in 2006. The club website reads: "A Club of firsts, Tottenham Hotspur took an unprecedented step in 2006 to modernise its identity by simplifying the badge around its world-famous cockerel, that has since stood alone in minimalistic, iconic fashion and which other clubs are now doing."

TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara says Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven ‘would walk into Manchester City’s team’ and has praised the Dutchman as ‘world-class’.

Van de Ven has impressed since his move to Spurs from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023, with his pace and defensive strength proving crucial to Ange Postecoglou’s backline.

Despite enduring extended spells on the sidelines due to injuries, the Dutch international has still managed to win over fans in North London during the last 18 months.

O’Hara seems to be an admirer of the 23-year-old as well, suggesting he would be a sure starter under Pep Guardiola at Man City in a heated debate with his TalkSPORT co-host Dean Saunders:

“I think Van de Ven is a world-class player. He walks straight into Man City’s team, he walks into any team.”

To which Saunders responded:

“Not a chance, not yet. He needs to show for a couple of years that he can keep playing in the Premier League at that level without making mistakes. No mistakes.

“Top players don't make mistakes. Van Dijk hardly makes a mistake. He does now and again, but not as many as others. That's why he's Van Dijk. Konate doesn't make that many mistakes, Man City centre-backs don’t.”

Van de Ven has established himself as one of the first names on the Tottenham teamsheet when he is fit and available, as well as a threat in front of goal, scoring three times in his 35 appearances in the Premier League.

The £34m-rated 23-year-old limped off in the Carabao Cup win over Man City last month and has not featured since, but Postecoglou later admitted his injury is not too serious and he is expected to return soon after the international break.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Van de Ven has made eight appearances in the Premier League this term, assisting twice in 711 minutes of action.

Postecoglou, however, is no closer to having a fully fit squad at Tottenham, following Cristian Romero’s latest injury on international duty and Wilson Odobert recently undergoing surgery on his hamstring.

Spurs will face reigning champions Man City next in the Premier League, followed by a Europa League clash against Roma in mid-week.