Sport Witness

Tottenham Hotspur are keeping a close watch on Luka Vušković’s situation at Hamburg SV.

Last summer, Tottenham let the 19-year-old join the German club on a season-long loan deal.

The centre-back has been one of the standout performers for the German club this season and that has caught Barcelona and Bayern Munich attention.

His league stats this season are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Starts: 25

Interceptions per game: 1.2

Tackles per game: 0.8

Ball recovered per game: 4.4

Clearances per game: 9.1

Duels won per game: 7.6

A knee injury forced the Croatia international to miss last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to VfB Stuttgart.

Two days ago, Sport Witness covered claims from Germany that Spurs medical staff are in contact with their Hamburg counterpart. The source also stated the Premier League side have to give the green light for him to return to the pitch.

Latest updates on Tottenham man’s recovery

Bild now report Luka Vušković hasn’t been part of full training this week.

Instead, he has been ‘receiving treatment’ for his bruised knee and doing individual rehab sessions in the gym.

Hamburg SV face Werder Bremen in a derby clash on Saturday and losing the defender would be a huge blow.

The former are 12th in the table [18 teams in the Bundesliga], three points ahead of 15th placed Werder Bremen.

Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin remains optimistic and considering the importance of this fixture, he’s ready to take a risk with the Tottenham Hotspur owned player.

“Luka is continuing his rehabilitation. I remain optimistic. We’ll do everything we can to make sure he’s available before we leave.” he said.

“He came back from the international matches two or three weeks ago with a few minor niggles. Even just one training session was enough for him to play a great game.”

“We’re trying everything. We’ve been able to gradually increase his workload. We’ll see how he’s doing after Friday’s training session. Given the importance of the game, we’d take a small risk. But it shouldn’t be without reason.”

Our take: Tottenham medical staff won’t be happy

Earlier this week, we relayed news Roberto De Zerbi’s side have to give their approval for Luka Vušković to return to the pitch.

Merlin Polzin’s latest comments indicate that won’t be the case and is even ready to risk the defender.

There’s a possibility of the Croatian aggravating his injury if he isn’t fully fit. Therefore, the Tottenham medical will not at all be pleased if Vušković’s rushed back from injury for tomorrow’s clash.

Last August, Tottenham Hotspur allowed Luka Vušković to join Hamburg SV on a season-long loan deal.

He’s been a regular and has been one of the standout performers for the Bundesliga side.

The Tottenham owned player’s performances have already seen him attract interest from top clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The centre-back played 2,460 minutes from 27 matches, managing five goals and an assist.

His Bundesliga stats this season are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Starts: 25

Interceptions per game: 1.2

Tackles per game: 0.8

Ball recovered per game: 4.4

Clearances per game: 9.1

Duels won per game: 7.6

This gives an indication of the 19-year-old’s importance to the German club this season.

Tottenham medical staff in contact

Last weekend, Luka Vušković missed Hamburg SV’s 4-0 defeat to VfB Stuttgart due to a knee injury.

Bild report the Bundesliga side were like a ‘punching bag’ without the Spurs man, who is doubtful for the clash against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Hamburg are 12th in the table [18 teams in Bundesliga], three points behind 15th placed Werder Bremen. The Croatia international risks missing the crucial relegation battle clash later this weekend due to an injury.

On Tuesday, the defender only trained individually in the gym because of a knee problem.

Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin isn’t willing to give up on the youngster for the next tie.

“We have to take it day by day. He’s undergoing thorough examinations and intensive treatment. I’m staying optimistic until kick off; we’re doing everything we can,” he said.

“Of course it’s going to be tight. There’s no question about that when a player isn’t on the pitch on Tuesday and there’s a game on Saturday.”

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are also keeping a close watch on his injury situation as Bild state the medical staff of the two clubs are in regular contact.

There’s claims Spurs have to give the green light for him to get back on the pitch later this weekend, but the German club haven’t given any confirmation on this. It would not be a surprise if Tottenham were to have a say on when he can play.

What next for Tottenham man

As things stand, Luka Vušković has to return to the north London club after this season.

Earlier, he expressed his desire to extend his stay, to play alongside his brother, Mario. The latter will be eligible to play for Hamburg again after completing his doping ban until November.

However, Luka recently said he will return to Spurs, where he has a contract until 2030.

The last thing Tottenham will want is causing longer term damage with the defender rushing back to play now.

Juventus are moving to secure midfielder Manuel Locatelli’s future, after Roberto De Zerbi reportedly pushed him as a target for Tottenham Hotspur.

Tuttomercatoweb report that Locatelli will be the next to sign a new contract with Juventus. CEO Damien Comolli has himself announced that the deal will be signed shortly.

“We could have some news in the next few days regarding a new contract, but not about Vlahovic,” he said.

“I’ve always said we’d talk about Dusan at the end of the season, and that’s what we’ll be talking about. Discussions have taken place, but don’t expect anything before the end of the season.”

Contract until 2030

TMW now report that Manuel Locatelli will sign a two-year contract extension until 2030. The deal has been agreed with Juventus.

His current contract runs until 2028, but the new deal will extend that. It will also include an option to extend it further to 2031. The Italian club have moved quickly to secure the 28-year-old.

He’s a key player under Luciano Spaletti, who has made him a leader of the team. He will greatly appreciate the effort made to secure his future. That effort may have come thanks to growing interest from Tottenham.

De Zerbi wants him at Tottenham

Sport Witness covered a report at the beginning of the month which stated that Roberto De Zerbi named Manuel Locatelli as a key target to Tottenham’s leadership.

It explained that De Zerbi had spoken to Tottenham’s ownership about transfer targets before his arrival. He reportedly put Locatelli’s name forward as someone who can help improve the team in future.

He has a close relationship with the midfielder, having worked with him between 2019 and 2021 at Sassuolo. His performances under De Zerbi earned him a move to Juventus in 2023. Now he wants a reunion in London, if Tottenham avoid relegation.

But it appears that Juventus have moved to shut down the possibility. Locatelli would have been in the final two years of his deal this summer. Instead, he’ll now be tied down with four years remaining, effectively closing the door to a departure.

Tottenham’s current ‘sporting malaise’ means that Roberto De Zerbi’s chances of reuniting with Brighton and Hove Albion star Jan Paul van Hecke are slim.

Voetbal International report that, despite Van Hecke continuing to resist Brighton’s contract efforts, a move to Tottenham is unlikely.

The newspaper explains that Jan Paul van Hecke appears to be in his final weeks at Brighton. The defender is hoping to capitalise on an excellent season with a place at the World Cup and a transfer.

He halted negotiations with Brighton over a new deal last summer. The situation remains unchanged. The Seagulls remain keen to renegotiate the defender’s contract, which expires in 2027.

Van Hecke has resisted those efforts and now need to cooperate on a transfer. Van Hecke is ‘stoic’ and dreams of playing a the top level in England.

Premier League interest

There has been interest too. Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham have all shown an interest. The latter have now also appointed Roberto de Zerbi.

Van Hecke enjoyed success under the Italian at Brighton. That could have led to a potential reunion in London. But their current ‘sporting malaise’ means it is very unlikely they will sign the Dutch defender this summer.

Their chances will depend on where Tottenham finish this season. They’re currently in the bottom three after the weekend’s defeat to Sunderland. Relegation would certainly make a move unlikely.

If De Zerbi can keep Tottenham up, though, perhaps he can speak to his former player. For now, it seems Spurs aren’t on his radar.

Brighton exit a matter of time

What is clear is that it is ‘only a matter of time’ before one of the top clubs in England make a move. He seemingly wants out and Brighton are growing to accept they’ll have to negotiate because of his contract.

Transfermarkt currently value him at €35m, but with a year on his deal, that might be a hard price for Brighton to get. They’re set for a major profit given they spent just €2m on him in 2020.

Jan Paul van Hecke clearly wants out, though. For now, Tottenham stand little chance of being the club that he wants.

Former Borussia Dortmund director of football Sebastien Kehl is in ‘intensive negotiations’ to take over at Tottenham Hotspur in the coming months.

BILD report that the 46-year-old faces an interesting few months as various clubs battle for his signature.

HSV Hamburg interest along with Tottenham

The newspaper explains that HSV Hamburg are one of the current suitors.

They’re planning for the future, although that will be dependent on where they finish in the Bundesliga. If they stay up, Sebastien Kehl could be brought in as the new board member for sport.

Kehl is on the list of options. There has been recurring speculation about his potential arrival. But there is also competition from Tottenham. Reports have claimed that Kehl is in ‘intensive talks’ with Spurs about a move to England.

The German director of football could replace Fabio Paratici at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He left for Fiorentina in January and is now in another battle against relegation.

There is also speculation about Johan Lange’s future. He’s currently sporting director at Spurs but facing criticism as they battle to avoid the drop.

They’re already looking at other options, such as Stefan Reuter. He’s currently at FC Augsburg but is reportedly ready to take another top management position elsewhere. That’s made him an option if Kehl is unavailable.

Borussia Dortmund questions

The 46-year-old’s stock is seemingly high after eight years at Borussia Dortmund as their head of first team football and then sporting director.

He left the German club earlier this year but faced criticism after several years of disappointing signings and a feeling Dortmund had fallen behind their rivals in the transfer department.

That’s not stopped interest in him though. Tottenham are seemingly keen, as are HSV. The battle for his signature may just be starting.

Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are in the race to sign AFC Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi in the summer.

The Argentina international’s contract expires in June and he won’t sign an extension with Bournemouth.

His contract situation has already caught the attention of a few Premier League sides like Aston Villa and Tottenham and also clubs across Europe.

Earlier this week, Sport Witness covered claims from Italy of Spurs joining Unai Emery’s side and others in the chase. The Premier League duo are willing to offer the same salary to the Bournemouth player.

Argentine update on Aston Villa and Tottenham

Olé, one of the most popular newspapers in Argentine, now cover the latest on Marcos Senesi’s future.

The 28-year-old is starring for Bournemouth, with the hope of making it to Lionel Scaloni’s final list for the World Cup.

His performances and status as a free agent in the summer have seen several clubs make approaches.

There’s been enquires and negotiations with multiple clubs for some time. Among these clubs, those who have shown ‘most interest’ and who are making the ‘strongest push’ are Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea.

The north London club would only be taken into account if they were to stay in the top flight. Spurs are 18th in the table, two points behind 17th placed West Ham United.

In addition to these four Premier League sides, Barcelona and Juventus are also in the running to secure his services.

The defender’s immediate focus is to continue starring for Bournemouth until the end of this season and then decide his new club for next season.

Olé state Senesi wants to make decision on his next destination before the World Cup. Aston Villa, Tottenham and others are all awaiting.

Bournemouth star’s value and stats

Transfermarkt now value Marcos Senesi at €22m, which is €2m less than his highest value in October 2024.

His Premier League stats for Bournemouth this season are as follows:

At the weekend, Tottenham Hotspur‘s Cristian Romero picked up a knee injury in the Premier League defeat to Sunderland.

The Argentina international clashed with his own goalkeeper, Antonín Kinský, and suffered a setback.

On Monday, Sport Witness covered claims from Argentina that the Tottenham star will undergo tests to find out the extent of the damage.

Later that day, we relayed news that the centre-back could be out of action for five to eight weeks.

However, there was no confirmation of how long the 27-year-old will be on the sidelines.

Plasma treatment for Tottenham player

Argentina assistant manager Roberto Ayala has been speaking to Hernán Castillo, Lucas Castromán and Pablo Álvarez.

Olé in Argentina relay his comments on Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero’s latest injury blow.

Lionel Scaloni’s assistant is happy the 27-year-old hasn’t picked up a serious injury and there are no further complications with his knee. He also discussed the type of treatment the Spurs man is set to undergo.

“This morning we found out the results of Cuti’s MRI. Thank God, in quotes, that there’s nothing else wrong with his knee,” he said.

“Now they’re going to immobilise it and will likely give him platelet-rich plasma treatment, which is what’s being used now. We’ll see what happens after that.”

The coach said the national team are in regular contact with their players and Scaloni sent a message to them ahead of the World Cup.

“We started praying every weekend that nothing happens to anyone, that they finish their matches. We’re communicating with everyone via Zoom or directly by phone to see how each one is doing,” Ayala explained.

“The coaching staff has divided up several players and we’re in charge of monitoring them. If there’s anything that requires the doctor to come in, he’ll take care of it. What we did, Leo [Scaloni] told them at some point: ‘Think about the national team’. When you think you have to… think a little bit.”

Romero’s injury big blow for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur are now in the relegation zone, two points behind 17th placed West Ham United.

New manager Roberto De Zerbi’s immediate task is to help the north London club stay in the Premier League. If Cristian Romero is out for eight weeks, the Italian won’t be able to rely upon him for the last six league matches of this season.

Tottenham’s remaining Premier League fixtures:

Tottenham Hotspur’s season is already slipping into a fight for survival, and the situation may now have taken another damaging turn with Cristian Romero’s injury.

Spurs sit in the relegation zone and are struggling for momentum. The defeat to Sunderland only added to that pressure. More importantly, it may have cost them their defensive leader at a critical stage of the campaign.

Romero has been central to Tottenham both on and off the pitch. He wears the armband and remains one of the few consistent performers in a difficult season. Losing him now would leave a major gap in a side already short on confidence and stability.

The immediate concern became clear during the match. The Argentine defender was pushed by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey and collided heavily with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, after trying to shield the ball under pressure.

He attempted to continue but soon signalled to come off. What followed raised even more alarm – Romero left the pitch in visible pain and in tears.

Injury concern grows after emotional exit

At the time, reporting in Argentina suggested real uncertainty. There were fears of a ligament issue in the knee, with tests needed to determine the severity. As we covered earlier, his pain persists.

Now, a clearer timeline is starting to emerge from Argentina after his MRI scan this morning, as revealed earlier by Olé.

Journalist Martin Arevalo reports that Cristian Romero is expected to be out for between five and eight weeks with a knee injury. Another local journalist, Fernando Czyz, claims it is a grade 1 injury to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

While that is still subject to official confirmation from Tottenham, it gives a much stronger indication of the scale of the problem.

For Spurs, even the lower end of that estimate would be damaging. The run-in is already under pressure, and Romero’s absence would remove leadership, aggression and defensive organisation from the side.

What this means for Tottenham

Cristian Romero has been one of Tottenham’s most reliable defenders this season, even while being heavily linked with a summer exit. Without him, Tottenham are likely to turn to less experienced or less consistent options. That could further expose a defence that has already struggled throughout the campaign.

Of course there is also a wider context to consider. Romero’s reaction when leaving the pitch was not only about the injury itself. It came with Tottenham behind in the match and deep in a poor run of form. The emotional weight of the moment was clear.

From an Argentina perspective, the update has been framed more positively, with the expectation that one of their key players will recover in time for the World Cup. But for Tottenham, however, the focus is immediate.

They need results now. And they may have to chase them without their captain and defensive cornerstone for a significant stretch of the season.

What happens next

Tottenham are yet to provide a full medical update. That will be key in confirming the timeline and whether the five to eight week estimate holds.

In the meantime, the club must prepare for a period without Romero. Squad depth, defensive structure and leadership will all be tested.

At a stage of the season where every point matters, losing a player of his profile could shape Tottenham’s fate.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have Beşiktaş’ Oh Hyeon-gyu on their radar for the summer.

The Turkish club invested €14m to sign the striker from KRC Genk in the winter market. This move has worked out well, so much so that Manchester United and Tottenham have taken notice.

This season, Oh Hyeon-gyu managed 10 goals and five assists from 32 matches for the Belgian club.

Since moving to the Istanbul club, he scored seven goals and contributed two assists from 10 matches.

His Süper Lig stats are as follows:

Appearances: 9

Starts: 9

Tota minutes: 802

Minutes per game: 89

Goals: 6

Assists: 1

Expected Goals: 2.87

Expected Assists: 0.54

Shots on target per game: 1.3

Big chances created: 2

Big chances missed: 3

Manchester United and Tottenham in mix

Türkiye now report the Premier League duo as the South Korea international’s new suitors and cover the latest.

Beşiktaş’ initial plan for Oh Hyeon-gyu to be a backup player but plans changed after he scored and assisted on his debut against Alanyaspor.

He again managed a goal and an assist in the second match against Basaksehir and also scored in the third match against Göztepe.

In short, the 24-year-old ‘exploded’ for the Black Eagles, forcing them to change their plans for him. It has also not gone unnoticed, especially in England, where the Red Devils and Spurs are his suitors.

It’s claimed Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur ‘in particular’ are monitoring him closely.

For now, it hasn’t gone beyond watching the South Korean as the English clubs didn’t make contact with his agent or Beşiktaş yet.

The Istanbul club are expecting his value to rise further after the frontman’s participation in the next World Cup.

Our take: Son can help Spurs

He spent 18 months at Celtic before leaving them for KRC Genk in July 2024. Back then, the player revealed his compatriot and former Spurs star Son Heung-min advised him to leave Celtic Park.

For now, Roberto De Zerbi’s side are keeping an eye on Oh Hyeon-gyu. Should they decide to make concrete advances, Tottenham Hotspur could approach Son to help them convince the player.

Oh Hyeon-gyu’s contract expires in 2029, and Transfermarkt value him at €15m. Having invested €14m, Beşiktaş will demand way more to make profit, in the event of a sale.

Apertura Sports GmbH, owned by agent Martin Rath, manage the player. The German agency mainly represents South Korean players.

Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge as Tottenham Hotspur manager ended in a 1-0 Premier League defeat to Sunderland.

The loss at the Stadium of Light on Sunday meant Tottenham now drop to 18th spot, two points behind 17th placed West Ham United.

De Zerbi also saw Cristian Romero suffer a setback in his first match with Spurs.

In the second half, the Argentina international’s keen collided with his own goalkeeper, Antonín Kinský.

He left the pitch crying, raising alarm bells, especially with the national team ahead of the World Cup in June. After the match, the new manager said he’s hoping the defender’s injury isn’t serious.

Tottenham star in pain

Journalist Veronica Brunati took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to now report that ‘pain persists’ for Cristian Romero.

The centre-back is ‘experiencing discomfort and instability’ in his knee and will undergo tests to find out the extent of the damage.

TyC Sports also report the ‘pain persists’ and the medical examinations should give more clarity about his setback.

This is to establish whether he has a medial collateral ligament injury or just a blow to his knee.

Another major Argentine newspaper, Olé, also state the Tottenham Hotspur star will have an MRI scan on Monday.

This is to find out whether he has suffered a serious setback [MCL injury] and if so, how long will the 27-year-old will be out of action.

It looks like three different reports have gathered information from the same source, most probably from someone close to Romero.

Anxious wait for Tottenham and Argentina

Cristian Romero is a starter for both the Premier League side and his country.

Roberto De Zerbi needs him to help the north London club stay in the top flight while he is a key player under Lionel Scaloni for Argentina. Therefore, both Spurs and the world champions will be anxiously waiting for the test results.

Last week, the player’s father, Victor, said Tottenham Hotspur could sell him for €43.4-60.6m.

He’s not short of options to change clubs in the next window. If Romero were to suffer a serious setback and miss the World Cup, it would impact his potential summer transfer.

Spurs’ remaining Premier League fixtures: