Sport Witness

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush on their agenda for the winter market.

On January 7th, Win Win from Egypt reported interest from Spurs and Unai Emery’s side. The Premier League duo were set to intensify negotiations to sign the Manchester City player.

The Turkish press then backed up Tottenham and Aston Villa interest in the forward. Last week, Fotomaç reported of Fenerbahçe joining the race to take Marmoush away from Manchester City.

At the weekend, we covered claims from Turkey that Galatasaray are in the mix. Sabah reported Pep Guardiola’s side had approved a €30m exit.

A fresh report from Win Win provides the latest on the Egypt international’s plans for his immediate future.

Tottenham, Aston Villa, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray are the clubs that have shown interest. Despite recent claims of a potential Etihad exit, the 26-year-old is going to disappoint these clubs.

Win Win makes it clear it’s their own update and they’ve obtained this information from a ‘well-informed’ source’.

‘There is no chance of Marmoush leaving Manchester City’ before the window closes on Monday. This may come as a blow for Tottenham, Aston Villa and the two Turkish clubs.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt man is determined to finish this season at Manchester City.

Although recent claims explained Guardiola giving his approval, Win Win claim that is not the case. The Citizens also aim to have him at the manager’s disposal beyond this window as Marmoush enjoys the manager’s trust.

Tottenham Hotspur are open to selling Alejo Véliz to Bahia – or likely anyone – in the winter market.

Earlier this month, claims from Brazil and Argentina reported Tottenham have accepted the Brazilian club’s €8.6m bid. The move hasn’t gone through yet because of the striker, who is currently on loan at Rosario Central.

Thomas Frank’s side had a recall clause in January. However, this is no longer valid after he played 1,430 minutes from 17 matches. Spurs will need the 22-year-old and Rosario Central’s approval to terminate his loan deal.

Earlier claims indicated Tottenham can cut short his stay by paying compensation to the Argentine club.

At the weekend, claims from Argentina insisted he wants to finish the season with Rosario Central. This came as a huge relief to them. They also reported Bahia will return for the Tottenham owned player after the World Cup.

Argentine journalist Germán García Grova took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to report a fresh twist in this case.

He claims the Brazilian club haven’t given up on signing the attacker in this window.

Bahia continue to insist on securing his services after reaching an agreement with Tottenham. ‘Everything us agreed’ with Spurs.

Tottenham and Bahia in last ditch attempt

Grova reports Bahia have made a formal offer to Rosario Central to terminate his loan stay immediately.

The journalist covered this late on Sunday and said the ‘offer expires tomorrow’, meaning Monday. This is clearly their last-ditch attempt.

He makes no mention of the fee proposed by Bahia, a club owned by the City Football Group, who also own Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur are currently ‘holding back’ on letting Radu Dragusin leave, despite him wanting to depart this month.

That’s according to Corriere dello Sport. They report that Dragusin has ‘expressed’ a desire to return to Serie A this month. Roma are keen to sign him, but Tottenham are keeping them at arm’s length.

They cover the defender today, explaining that Dragusin has been busy as he’s just gotten married. He and his partner, Ioana, were wedded in a civil ceremony in Bucharest today.

That comes at a crucial time in his career. He’s just overcome a long injury lay-off and is keen to get back to action. That seems unlikely at Tottenham, and so an exit could be on the cards.

Roma want him, with manager Gian Piero Gasperini asking the club to prioritise the signing of a centre-back. The Romanian is in pole position and ‘would be happy to accept. The problem is Tottenham, who are ‘holding back’.

Belief Tottenham will accept €20m

According to Correire dello Sport, Spurs now value the defender at €20m despite his recent injury absence. They will also only sell him permanently and are refusing to consider other transfer options at the moment. That, it seems, has led to a transfer stalemate for now.

That tallies with recent reports stating that Tottenham had hit pause on the exit as they wanted better offers to arrive. It also matches with his agent’s recent comments.

Florin Manea is not opposed to public statements about Dragusin and insisted that he was waiting for Tottenham to approve Roma before getting the deal sorted. He, though, had the price at €25m.

Roma may be more encouraged to pay that figure in the coming days, or at least commit to do so during the summer. Mario Hermoso, one of their starting central defenders, getting injured has made the issue something of an emergency.

Maybe the drop to €20m can help.

Tottenham Hotspur are still pushing on Alejo Véliz’s situation, but according to Argentine outlet Cádena 3, it now comes down to a simple question: are Spurs willing to pay in order to solve this problem?

This fresh reporting says Tottenham are seriously considering paying a sizeable compensation fee. The aim would be to end the striker’s loan at Rosario Central before June, so they could sell the striker to Brazilian side Bahia, a CFG club.

Inside the club, the case is seen as one they want resolved, even if it costs more than planned.

Rosario Central, however, continue to stand their ground. Club officials rely on the strength of the contract and show no urgency to soften their stance. Véliz remains in Rosario, trains normally with the squad and even featured in a recent friendly.

The player’s position also helps Rosario Central. As previously covered, Véliz wants to stay until mid-year and focus on his football there. More recent reports have stated his position is wobbling and he may well be tempted, which changes the scenario.

Player source suggests Tottenham tired of dealing with issue

One detail keeps the door open. Cádena 3 says the Argentine transfer window deadline has moved from 20 January to 27 January. That extension gives Tottenham extra time to decide whether they will meet Central’s demands and force an early exit.

For now, the balance stays the same. Rosario Central resist, the player stays committed, and Tottenham weigh the cost. With a few extra days on the clock, the next step depends on how far Spurs are prepared to go to close this chapter.

Cádena 3 state: ‘Sources close to the player describe the scenario bluntly: for Spurs , Véliz is “a problem,” and they would be willing to pay a hefty sum to “fix the broken-down car.”‘

This one got complicated very quickly and Tottenham will wanted it sorted out one way or another within days.

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are chasing Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu, according to claims from Italy.

At the weekend, Calciomercato.it reported Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester United are in the mix to sign the defender. They also stated Juventus will need around €30m to sell him.

Tutto Juve pick up on that and cover the latest on Tottenham and Unai Emery’s side. They report Spurs and the Villans will ‘battle it out for a Juventus big player’.

The Frenchman initially moved to the Serie A side on loan from AC Milan in August 2024. Juventus made his stay permanent a year later and gave him a contract until 2029.

Kalulu has retained his place in the Turin club’s starting XI, even after Luciano Spalletti replaced Igor Tudor in October.

The centre-back’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed in the Premier League where Tottenham and Aston Villa are keen. Both are looking at him for the summer rather than the winter market.

His preferred role is in the heart of the defence while he can also operate as a right-back. His versatility has made him attractive to Thomas Frank’s side, who have circled Kalulu’s name in red.

Tutto Juve report ‘Tottenham on the move’, meaning they are making movements to try and sign the 25-year-old. Spurs will continue to monitor him and ‘be ready should a real deal arise at the end of the season’.

Aston Villa and Tottenham to be asked for €30m

Aston Villa are third in the table and have identified Kalulu as a target. They are pleased with his ability to fit into different systems. The outlet states: ‘This isn’t an imminent move, but a concrete possibility ahead of the upcoming transfer window.’

Calciomercato.it earlier mentioned Juve have set a €30m price. Tutto Juve now report the Old Lady are unwilling to sell even if the battle has begun between Tottenham and Aston Villa.

With Spurs quietly making movements, they are looking to get ahead of Emery’s side in the transfer race.

During the last summer window, Tottenham Hotspur allowed Alejo Véliz to join Rosario Central on a season-long loan deal. The striker struggled since joining Spurs in 2023 and wanted to return to his old club to regain form.

The Argentine has managed five goals and an assist from 15 league matches this season. This was enough to convince Bahia, owned by Manchester City’s owners, the City Football Group, to offer a $10m base fee.

On Wednesday, UOL reported Bahia have reached an agreement with Tottenham. The move hasn’t gone through yet because Thomas Frank’s side can no longer exercise the recall clause. This expired after he played a certain number of minutes this season. Spurs therefore have to compensate Rosario Central to terminate his loan stay in January.

At the weekend, Pagina 12 reported Bahia and Tottenham have already agreed a $10m [€8.6m] plus the same figure as bonuses. However, the 22-year-old has refused to leave this month.

Rosario Central are also reluctant, but the Argentina media explained yesterday that they face a ‘very real risk’ of losing him. There’s a growing acceptance the move will probably happen.

Tottenham cashing in looking likelier

El Ciudadano now report the Brazilian club are desperate to sign the player quickly. Bahia’s offer ‘appears irresistible’ for both Spurs and the frontman.

Rosario Central are well aware the offer has tempted the player. Therefore, they are closely monitoring the situation. Véliz’s loan stay can be terminated, especially if Spurs were to offer compensation.

Meanwhile, the Tottenham owned player continues to train with his teammates, without causing any unrest. Sources close to the attacker insist he’s calm despite the ongoing situation.

Rosario Central manager Jorge Almirón wants Alejo Véliz to stay but knows he and the club can’t put too much pressure on him. The next few days should clarify whether Véliz will leave in January, which is looking increasingly likely.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attempts to part ways with Radu Drăgușin have hit something of a pause.

AS Roma have been keen on the defender for weeks, however, despite a lot of talk they haven’t come close to pleasing Spurs. The price Spurs want is €25m, and we all know that because the player’s agent Florin Manea told everyone a week ago.

At that time, Fiorentina had moved into the picture for Drăgușin. La Viola are fighting against relegation and the plan was Fabio Paratici would help get them the defender. Manor Solomon had already arrived in Florence from Tottenham and the plan was to get another.

However, moving from Thomas Frank’s squad to a relegation battle is not what Drăgușin or his agent had in mind. Manea went public to talk his client up in typical style.

“I’m waiting for Tottenham to say yes to Roma before getting to the heart of the matter,” the agent said.

“There are a couple of offers for him, but Italy is special for Radu. He’s done very well in Serie A. He’s a gladiator, and gladiators thrive in Rome.

“Fiorentina? With all due respect, that wouldn’t be the right path for him. He costs €25m.”

Manea spoke again the next day about his gladiator and waiting for Tottenham: “The decisive days will be between today and tomorrow. I’d like to avoid talking, but we hope to reach a conclusion in the negotiations with Roma.”

Tottenham transfer has paused

Since then not a great deal has happened. Roma would prefer a loan with an option, which doesn’t interest Tottenham

The Serie A club have just signed Donyell Malen from Aston Villa. They’d originally wanted to loan him but interest from Atletico Madrid pushed them into offering a better deal.

That’s been tried with Drăgușin. First with Fiorentina, which the agent killed, and then with RB Leipzig, which the German club have extinguished.

As reported by RBLive, talk of an offer to Spurs from RB Leipzig is ‘not entirely accurate’. The German club have been offered Drăgușin but haven’t moved forward. There’s a belief the claim is ‘is likely nothing more than the result of the player’s agents’ work’.

Another issue comes via Sunday’s edition of Tuttosport. After committing to the permanent deal for Malen, Roma need to shed players before bringing more in.

One of those is Kosta Tsimikas, on loan from Liverpool, and the other is Leon Bailey. Aston Villa loaned the latter to Roma but he’s had a disastrous time with multiple fitness problems.

Frustrating for Tottenham.

Update: A stroke of luck may have just arrived for Spurs. Mario Hermoso, one of Roma’s regular central defenders, was forced off on Sunday against Torino. He left the pitch in the first half and there’s initial fears of a groin injury.

Rosario Central are starting to raise the white flag over Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer intentions.

Alejo Veliz is currently on loan at the Argentine club, where he’s been looking to rebuild his career. The 22-year-old signed for Spurs in 2023, coming from the same club he’s on loan at now.

He couldn’t breakthrough at Tottenham and was subsequently sent on a period of loans. A move to Sevilla was disastrous, as loans often are with the Spanish club, and he was then sent to Espanyol. The spell in Barcelona was bit better, although it didn’t come close to really launching the forward in Spain.

Tottenham’s hopes of a sale within La Liga were hit as a consequence, and a return to Argentina was the next idea. Alejo Veliz moved back to Rosario Central in July, and it’s been his best loan so far. He’s scored five goals in 15 league matches for them, and was expected to build further from there.

However, Tottenham have agreed a deal to sell Alejo Veliz to the City Football Group. They want to place him at Bahia first, even if they know the player isn’t jumping at the opportunity.

Rosario Central and the striker would like to continue together. Tottenham don’t have a valid break clause and earlier claims from Argentina spoke of Rosario blocking it all, with a hint at big compensation to change that.

Tottenham likelier to get their transfer desire

Things are starting to turn the other way.

Sunday’s edition. of Rosario12, specialists on the Argentine club, states: ‘The club’s management is reluctant to let him go, but Tottenham have sold him to an investment group that wants to take him to Brazil to play in the Copa Libertadores with Esporte Clube de Bahia.

‘Veliz’s situation will be resolved next week. There’s the very real risk that Jorge Almirón could be without his starting striker just days before the season begins.’

That is the way the situation is leaning right now.

Alejo Veliz’s refusal to leave Rosario Central is holding up Tottenham Hotspur selling him to the City Football Group.

That’s according to Pagina 12, who provide the latest on the deal today. They explain that it is the striker who is holding up the proposal. He has been linked with a move to Brazil throughout this week, including on Saturday.

They explain that although Rosario Central are denying any deal to take Veliz away, the opposite is true. Tottenham have already agreed a transfer with the City Football Group that can earn them $20m. That would be $10m plus another $10m in potential add-ons.

They’re keen to wrap up the deal but Veliz is refusing to move. His refusal is the only reason the deal hasn’t been finalised. Tottenham can terminate his current loan but would have to compensate Rosario Central, and negotiate the amount of that.

The Argentines, meanwhile, are trying to negotiate keeping Veliz until the end of the season at least. Rosario Central and the Tottenham player are on the same page, which isn’t helping transfer matters.

The City Football Group, though, want to sign the forward and send him to Bahia. His refusal to move right now is creating doubts around the negotiation.

Tottenham, however, are determined to sell as they can recoup a large part of their initial investment on a player who is not a part of their plans. They consider his exit to be a done deal, and are now trying to force matters.

Rosario Central’s board are currently focused on fighting to keep the striker until June because they don’t have a replacement. They also don’t feel that they could bring one in with they money they’ll have available. Tottenham seemingly have other plans, and want to bulldoze the move through.

Tottenham Hotspur’s difficult season continued on Saturday as they lost 2-1 to struggling West Ham. To make matters worse, the relegation battlers scored their winner in injury time, and the clouds following Thomas Frank around became more menacing.

There’s serious doubt over the future of the Danish manager. Tottenham’s terrible home record under his orders hasn’t helped get the crowd on his side, and generally there’s been negativity towards the Dane since not long after he arrived.

Frank’s style may have saw his managerial star rise at Brentford, but it’s not getting the results for Spurs and isn’t exciting supporters either.

One of the brighter notes in recent weeks has been Tottenham’s pursuit of Souza, and the Premier League club securing an agreement with Santos.

Spurs initially made an offer for the 19-year-old at the beginning of January. Santos initially knocked them back for the left-back and an agreement was reached at around €15m.

Souza and his family secured a contractual right to 25% of proceeds from a transfer. Such agreements aren’t unusual in Brazilian football and neither is giving the money up to help a move go through. That’s what the youngster did in the end, and was sent to England with warm wishes.

Tottenham announcement on the way

Since that happened just under a week ago, everything has gone quiet. The Brazilian media consider it a case of just waiting for Tottenham’s announcement.

Souza himself has now sent a goodbye message to the Brazilian club. Globo Esporte present it as: “After ten years defending this badge, the time has come to face a new challenge. The last year was intense, full of growth and overcoming obstacles, but even in the difficult moments, I felt the affection and support of the Santos fans.”

Tottenham can announce the transfer at a time of their choosing.