Sport Witness

Tottenham Hotspur remain in the picture to sign FC Midtjylland’s Franculino Djú, according to claims from Italy.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports AS Roma are looking for a new striker and have Franculino on their agenda. They add he’s also a target for Tottenham.

Thursday’s edition of Corriere dello Sport backs up Tottenham’s interest in the 21-year-old when covering the latest on Roma.

The frontman has starred for the Danish club this season, managing 19 goals and three assists from 27 matches.

Corriere dello Sport report Roma have been following the Guinea-Bissau international for the last six months. His impressive performances for Midtjylland have seen several other clubs take notice.

According to the newspaper, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund have been added to his suitors list.

The Guinea-Bissau international has a contract until 2029 and Transfermarkt currently value him at €13m. However, interested clubs would have to spend much more to secure his services.

It’s claimed the frontman was valued at €20m last summer and the price has now been increased to €30m. The €10m rise in price sees Roma back away, while Spurs are still in the mix.

Gleison Bremer’s time at Juventus has been disrupted by injuries in the last two seasons, leading to doubts about his future. Tottenham have now been pushed forward as an option for the Brazilian centre-back.

TuttoJuve report the 28-year-old is of interest to multiple clubs. There is a possibility of him departing in the summer – or even in January.

Tottenham are said to see the centre-back as the ‘ideal candidate’ for their backline. Spurs will now all about the player’s situation thanks to Fabio Paratici, and any transfer effort be guided by him.

The report claims that Thomas Frank’s side are ‘closely monitoring’ the player, with a January approach possible. Spurs are said to be ‘ready to make an offer’.

Bremer’s contract in Turin runs until 2029, and it’s believed Tottenham will have to shell out around €40m to sign the defender.

While Juve aren’t looking to sell the Brazil international, their stance could change if the right offer is on the table.

So far this season, Bremer has played only five times in all competitions. He is currently nursing a knee injury, having previously also dealt with similar problems.

Tottenham would obviously need to consider that.

Xavi Simons hasn’t managed to impress at Tottenham Hotspur since joining them from RB Leipzig at the end of August. The attacking midfielder hasn’t scored for Spurs yet and has two assists from 15 matches.

On Tuesday, L’Equipe reported Simons privately admits he can’t cope with the intensity both in matches and training.

Le Parisien report his difficult start at Tottenham won’t dampen his mood ahead of the Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain later today.

The newspaper have interviewed the 22-year-old, who had two spells with the Ligue 1 winners.

Simons left Barcelona to join PSG’s academy in 2019 and was promoted to their first team two years later. He played only 11 matches for the French club before being sold to PSV Eindhoven in 2022.

A year later, PSG exercised a buyback clause and immediately sent him on loan to Leipzig. Earlier this year, the Bundesliga side made the Netherlands international’s stay permanent and sold him to Tottenham.

Despite only making a handful of appearances for PSG, the Dutchman has a fond memory of his spell in Paris.

“I’m really looking forward to it. You know, I had some excellent times in Paris. It’s where I took the first steps of my professional career,” he said.

“Being alongside Neymar, Mbappé, Verratti, such talented players, and seeing how the whole team approached football, not only on the pitch but also off it, was very enriching for me. They showed me what I needed to do to reach the highest level. Playing here was a fantastic experience.”

He’s eager to impress on his return to Parc des Princes with Tottenham on Wednesday.

“I made a lot of friends in Paris. But now, I have to admit that after playing with Wilson Odobert in the PSG youth team, I’m especially eager to return to the Parc des Princes and share that moment with him,” Simons explained.

Earlier this month, Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, his former teammate, praised Simons for leaving PSG. Le Parisien now asked the Tottenham player why he left the Paris club.

“It was the right decision at the time. I needed more playing time to continue developing. I have very fond memories of that period,” he added.

Randal Kolo Muani hasn’t delivered yet at Tottenham Hotspur since joining them on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.

The France international is yet to score for Spurs after nine matches and has one assist to his name.

On Monday, the Tottenham man’s friend said he’ll take revenge when he finally regains his best form. Later that day, PSG manager Luis Enrique insisted the striker has ability to shine.

RMC Sport looks at how his move to Tottenham took shape and his future beyond this season.

Kolo Muani spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus. The two parties were keen on reuniting last summer and the Serie A side had an agreement in principle with PSG.

The move didn’t go through in the end and RMC Sport pin the blame on Juve. They add the relationship between the two clubs was wrecked because of this failed transfer. Months of negotiations saw tensions strained, and it’s still an issue today.

Kolo Muani was the ‘collateral victim’, and it opened the door for Tottenham to sign him.

Despite last season’s struggles in the league, Spurs qualified for the Champions League by winning the Europa League in May. Their project convinced the frontman, who aims to make it to the next World Cup.

Kolo Muani received a call-up earlier this month before an injury forced him to withdraw.

His future beyond this season remains uncertain as his loan deal expires next June. Spurs haven’t secured a purchase option or obligation.

RMC Sport explain Kolo Muani’s agent Moussa Sissoko ‘will likely play a key role’ in the coming months when deciding his future. His contract at PSG is until 2028 but is unlikely to have a future in Paris.

The report states: ‘Given his profile, and if he rediscovers his scoring touch, opportunities will inevitably arise for him. For his own happiness and that of PSG, who would also receive a check for his departure.’

Tottenham Hotspur striker Randal Kolo Muani has received the backing of Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique, despite his struggles at Spurs.

Le 10 Sport cover comments from the PSG boss today. He was asked about his former striker, who joined Tottenham on loan from PSG in the summer.

Kolo Muani enjoyed a successful loan spell at Juventus last season. He’d been expected to stay with the Italian giants, but a deal could not be agreed. Instead, he ended up joining Tottenham on loan for the season instead.

His time with Spurs has not been a happy one so far. His season has been hampered considerably by injuries, with his recent returning wearing a face mask for a jaw injury.

That’s affected his minutes on the pitch, and his numbers to boot. He’s been limited to 10 appearances so far, with no goals and just one assist to his name. It’s been a disappointing return, to say the least, with a permanent deal looking unlikely this point.

Tottenham player has the ability, says Luis Enrique

The Frenchman is unfortunately accustomed to disappointment after failing to secure a regular starting spot under Luis Enrique at PSG. But the Spaniard has nothing but positive things to say about him.

“I can’t say anything about Kolo Muani,” he said.

“He’s an international player, of a very high level. It’s difficult for many players to be important in a team of this calibre. He has the level to be important in any team, but it’s difficult to quantify that.”

Tottenham Hotspur invested around €60m to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig on August 29th.

The Netherlands international has failed to score and has two assists from 15 matches for Spurs.

The Dutch media have repeatedly pointed out the attacking midfielder’s lack of physicality as a likely flaw. His performances for the Premier League side have also been criticised.

Simons should be in the squad when Tottenham face Paris Saint-Germain, his former club, in the Champions League tomorrow. L’Equipe have looked into the reasons why he has struggled at the north London club.

Multiple mitigations for Tottenham struggles

According to L’Equipe, and their senior journalist Damien Degorre, the Dutchman privately admits he’s been ‘surprised by the intensity’ of matches and even training in England.

Simons arrived at Tottenham days before the window closed, meaning he didn’t do a pre-season with his new club. Privately, L’Equipe report the player believes this has been an issue.

Thomas Frank initially used the 22-year-old on the left wing, where he doesn’t feel comfortable. The Spurs boss has since brought him more centrally, but the initial tactical approach is presented as another negative.

Xavi Simons has been highly rated since being a youngster but has often failed to live up to the hype. During those times, it’s not unusual to see defences put forward like this, and blame shifted.

Tottenham Hotspur earned close to €20m from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s sale to Marseille earlier this year. He’d originally moved on a loan basis, but Tottenham made sure the purchase clause turned into an obligation.

The midfielder has become a regular for Roberto De Zerbi’s side, amassing 48 appearances across all competitions, popping up with eight goals along the way.

Juventus have been been considering a swoop for the Denmark international but have been blown away by Marseille’s demands. Sportmediaset report that 30-year-old is of interest to Juventus, who want to bolster their midfield in January.

There have been discussions between the Italian and French clubs but Marseille want a ‘monstrous fee’ of €60m to sell the Dane.

This is seen as ‘prohibitive’ by Juve, who have subsequently dropped their interest. Talks between the two clubs haven’t gone beyond a simple enquiry because of Marseille’s lofty demands.

Marseille making such a profit on what they paid Tottenham would be sensational, something which is especially true given the player’s age.

The Ligue 1 side clearly don’t want to sell and have managed to fight off Turin attempts.

Tottenham Hotspur are again at a stage where many supporters are doubting the manager.

That was the case for much of last season, where domestic form suggested Ange Postecoglou should be shown the door immediately, but the chance of winning the Europa League paused things.

In the end, the coach managed to secure that trophy with victory over a terrible Manchester United in the final. That, and subsequent Champions League qualification, wasn’t able to save Postecoglou.

Thomas Frank arrived in the summer and there’s doubts already. Heavy defeat to Arsenal won’t have helped, but before that his playing style was being questioned.

Tottenham have had six permanent managers since Tim Sherwood left the club in 2014. Jan Vertonghen played under most of them, as well as Andre Villas Boas.

Ajax are facing Benfica today, so Jan Vertonghen has been speaking to the media. Jose Mourinho is now manager at the Lisbon club, and Vertonghen rates him.

Whilst the Portuguese coach didn’t manage to win anything with Spurs, the former defender believes he’s a winner regardless.

Tottenham Hotspur signed Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on September 1st, after he failed to secure a move to Juventus.

The striker assisted in Tottenham’s 4-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen. That has been his only assist and he’s yet to find the back of the net for Spurs.

The France international has picked up two different injuries at Tottenham. This has seen him already spend 60 days on the sidelines.

Didier Deschamps called him up for November’s matches before a jaw injury forced him to withdraw. The national manager’s decision to include him didn’t go down well with other attackers.

Le Parisien, relayed by Foot01, looks at the 26-year-old’s struggles since joining PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023.

They say he had a mediocre [nine goals and six assists] first season in Paris and struggled last season, when he also sent out on loan to Juve in January. Kolo Muani’s situation has not improved since moving to Tottenham.

A source close to the player insists the challenges and difficulties hasn’t ‘dampened his determination’.

The Tottenham frontman’s ‘close friend’ remains confident he’ll regain his best form again.

“He’s been through so much, whether with Paris or the French national team in the World Cup final. When he rises from the ashes, it’s going to hurt. He’ll never give up,” his close friend said.

Kolo Muani will have an opportunity to prove his worth when Tottenham face PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday. That could be just the opportunity to shine.

Over the past few weeks, multiple claims have covered Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in River Plate’s Lautaro Rivero.

Last month, El Intransigente reported Spurs had sent a scout to Argentina to follow him live in action. He has a €100m clause and River Plate’s initial plan is to refer to his buyout clause.

The same outlet also stated an offer from Tottenham is expected to arrive at some point. On November 2nd, La Razón reported the north London club’s interest in the centre-back worries Atlético Madrid, who are also in the picture.

El Desmarque now provide the latest on Los Rojiblancos, Tottenham and Real Madrid. It’s claimed the La Liga duo are following the 22-year-old closely.

Los Blancos are the latest club to be added to the interested parties list. They are showing interest in the defender, due to Antonio Rüdiger’s possible exit when his contract expires in June.

The report claims Tottenham ‘dream’ of having a partnership between Rivero and Cristian Romero in the heart of their defence. Micky van de Ven and Romero are the first-choice pair currently for Thomas Frank.

Speaking to ElDesmarket, journalist Lucas Gatti says River Plate are open to negotiating Rivero’s sale if they receive a convincing offer.

“He’s already a starter at River Plate under Marcelo Gallardo,” he said.

“He has a contract until December 31, 2028, with a €100m clause, but that’s a symbolic figure, since if an offer comes in that’s interesting for all parties, they’ll sit down and analyse it.”