Sport Witness

Tottenham Hotspur can sign Borussia Dortmund star Felix Nmecha for just over £50m this summer.

That’s according to BILD. The German newspaper cover the midfielder today. According to their information, Nmecha ‘would probably leave’ Dortmund this summer if a €60m offer were to arrive.

BILD cover the situation at Dortmund and how it is likely to be a busy summer in terms of exits. While the team focus on applying pressure to Bayern Munich on the pitch, the club continue to work behind the scenes on personnel

The belief is that the current spine of the team will find itself under focus in the coming weeks and months. Nmecha is a part of that group. In fact, his future ‘hangs in the balance’.

Tottenham interest not going away

According to BILD’s information, numerous clubs are monitoring the 25-year-old. Tottenham are one of those that are keen. Sport Witness covered a report on January 21st that stated they were planning a transfer attack on the midfielder.

That report at the time stated €60m, around £50m, would get a deal done. BILD now back that up. The newspaper states that if a club offers that amount, then Nmecha ‘would probably leave’.

That would be against Dortmund’s plans, though. They intend to use him as a key player moving forwards. That has increased the pressure on them to sort out a new deal, as his current contract runs until 2028. In the meantime, Tottenham lurk in the background.

Tottenham Hotspur are seeing a clearer outline around Richarlison’s future, with fresh details from Brazil spelling out the player’s priorities, preferred markets and the factors shaping his next move.

As explained by ESPN Brazil journalist Bruno Andrade, Richarlison remains one of the strongest fits for their plans later in the year. Even so, the situation carries more layers than simple interest.

Player preference points away from Brazil

Despite Flamengo’s monitoring, which we previously covered in detail, Richarlison’s main aim is to stay abroad. ESPN report that the Tottenham striker currently favours options outside Brazil, with Turkey and Saudi Arabia emerging as the two main markets under consideration.

There is also a clear ranking between those destinations. With several Saudi Pro League clubs cutting spending as budgets tighten, Turkey now looks the more realistic path. A return to Brazil remains possible, but it is not the player’s first option at this stage.

Conditions for a Flamengo move

That door stays open under specific terms. Richarlison has a verbal agreement with Tottenham to leave after the World Cup for a fixed fee of €25m. ESPN add that he would be willing to sit down with Flamengo if the Brazilian club formally meet that valuation.

From Flamengo’s side, the figures align. The club have €30m set aside to sign a high-profile striker. They planned to use the same budget in an attempt to sign Kaio Jorge from Cruzeiro, before that deal collapsed.

Injury concerns and Tottenham outlook

Richarlison’s physical situation also influences the timeline. He is currently injured and is expected to return only in the final stretch of the 2025-26 season.

Speaking on TNT Sports, journalist Fred Caldeira offered a direct assessment. He stressed that Richarlison staying at Tottenham looks unlikely, largely due to his ongoing fitness issues.

“It’s very difficult for Richarlison to stay at Tottenham next season. He just can’t get physical continuity,” Caldeira said.

He then added: “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for him at Tottenham. So I imagine the club already see Richarlison as a player they could make a good proposal for in the next transfer window.”

For now, Richarlison remains a Tottenham player. However, with a set price, a clear preference to stay abroad and Turkey emerging as a strong option, the post-World Cup window looks set to be decisive.

Dejan Kulusevski last made an appearance for Tottenham Hotspur in May 2025. He picked up a knee injury and underwent surgery later that month.

The setback forced the Sweden international to miss Spurs’ Europa League final win over Manchester United.

In September, Sport Witness covered claims from Sweden about the possibility of him returning to the pitch in two to three months. The Tottenham player then provided positive updates on his recovery.

The attacking midfielder is yet to play under Graham Potter for the national team. Two months ago, the Sweden coach said Kulusevski is desperate to return to action. He was optimistic of having him in the squad for March’s World Cup play-offs.

However, he hasn’t regained full fitness yet. On Monday, Thomas Frank said the 25-year-old will visit a specialist later this week.

Sportbladet now cover the latest on his current injury situation, and it is ‘grim news’ for Sweden and Spurs.

Kulusevski worry for Tottenham and Sweden

The former Juventus man is unlikely to be available to face Ukraine in March. The newspaper states the Tottenham attacker is ‘nowhere near stepping out’ on the pitch as he’s still working on his rehabilitation.

According to Sportbladet, Kulusevski is ‘expected to be out longer than expected’. There is genuine fear in his country of him missing the clash against Ukraine on March 26th.

He could make it to the squad if ‘something miraculous happens’. Even if that were to happen, the Tottenham star won’t be able to start for Sweden.

Kulusevski’s injury situation is also a concern for Frank and the Premier League side.

Potter will also be without Kulusevski’s Tottenham teammate, Lucas Bergvall, for the World Cup play-off. Last month, the 20-year-old midfielder underwent surgery and could be out for three months.

Tottenham Hotspur’s deal to sign Souza from Santos has already produced off-pitch effects in Brazil, as the club moved quickly to bring forward its share of the transfer fee to ease cashflow pressure.

Santos used an international banking operation to bring forward the money owed by Tottenham. As a result, the club secured immediate access to the funds instead of waiting for instalments.

The structure follows a similar move made in 2024, when Santos anticipated income from striker Marcos Leonardo’s transfer to Benfica.

Upfront Tottenham funds secured through international operation

From the total fee paid by Tottenham – around £15.7m (€18.5m) – Santos are entitled to 87.5%. That share amounts to just over £13.7m (€16.2m), which the club received upfront through the banking deal.

The interest rate stood at 3%. Internally, Santos consider those terms favourable given the club’s financial position.

Tottenham’s financial credibility played a decisive role in the process. The low perceived risk allowed Santos to structure the operation outside Brazil and secure better conditions than those usually offered domestically.

Behind the scenes, club officials see the anticipation of future receivables as one of the few viable ways to keep the club operating in the black at this stage.

Limits of the strategy and payment risk

Club sources admit the strategy cannot apply to every sale. The bank released the funds with limited requirements largely because of Tottenham’s reliability.

In contrast, Santos failed to advance a similar operation in the past. During negotiations involving Nottingham Forest centre-back Jair Cunha last year, concerns over payment risk stopped the process from moving forward.

Debt pressure and financial restructuring

The move comes at a delicate moment for Santos. The club’s total debt stands close to £165m (€195m), while annual revenue sits around £79m (€93m). That imbalance leaves little room for manoeuvre.

At the same time, Santos recently extended its agreement with an investment fund for another six months. The firm helps manage cashflow and financial planning during the restructuring process.

For Tottenham, the episode underlines how their financial standing continues to carry weight abroad, even after the transfer itself has been completed.

Tottenham Hotspur could be ready to fight Arsenal for the signing of Leon Goretzka in the summer transfer window after showing interest in January.

That’s at least according to journalist Heiko Niedderer. BILD cover comments from him today and the potential battle for the 31-year-old.

Goretzka will become a free agent in the summer. In January, he revealed that he plans to leave Bayern Munich on a free transfer after deciding not to sign a new contract with the German giants.

His plan is to see out the season with them before starting fresh in the summer. But reports at the end of the January transfer window had Arsenal making a bid. According to the Bayern Insider podcast, Arsenal made Bayern an offer just before the window closed.

Goretzka rejected this approach. He didn’t want to entertain the interest at that late point. His focus is on the summer and, according to Niedderer, Tottenham will also be in the mix.

They were also linked at the end of January. A report at that point stated their efforts were being pushed back until the summer. That came after reports in Italy stated they had made a surprise move for the 31-year-old.

Leon Goretzka: Tottenham in mix after Arsenal offer

Now eyes turn to the summer transfer window instead and Niedderer believes Tottenham will be back at that point too.

“We know about the negotiations with Atlético Madrid, which were quite advanced,” he said.

“Arsenal also jumped in and made an offer. But Goretzka had already decided to make a clean break and look for something new in the summer.

“In this case, it worked out well; it sounds like a clean break. Arsenal could be another exciting option in the summer, though. England in general is his preferred destination.

“And I think that’s where he belongs with his style of play. Tottenham is also a possibility; I’d be happy with that as well.”

That could leave Goretzka with an interesting choice to make in the summer. Arsenal would appear to offer the stronger option based on their current season compared to Tottenham’s, but they also face far greater competition for places.

Most Tottenham fans would argue that Goretzka would walk into their midfield, but they’ve also just spent big on Conor Gallagher.

The situation remains one to watch over the coming months. Goretzka’s free agent status will have clubs lining up. Arsenal and Tottenham seem likely to be among them.

Manor Solomon’s agent Shlomy Ben Ezra remains hopeful the Tottenham Hotspur player can join Fiorentina permanently in the summer.

The representative has been speaking to Sport 5‘s ‘Five in the Air’ about a few topics related to the 26-year-old.

Thomas Frank left the attacker out of his core plans at Tottenham this season. This saw Salomon move to Villarreal on a season-long loan deal on summer deadline day.

The Israel international had a good start to his La Liga career. Villarreal boss Marcelino then started overlooking the Tottenham owned player and this didn’t please him. He had a clause to terminate his loan stay in Spain in the winter market.

At the start of January, Solomon activated the clause to leave Villarreal. He then moved to Fiorentina on loan until the end of the season.

The Serie A side are 18th in the table, a point behind 17th placed US Lecce. The forward wants to help La Viola avoid getting relegated. He managed a goal from 241 minutes from seven matches for Fiorentina, who also secured a purchase option with Spurs.

€10m to Tottenham represents a bargain

His agent has now confirmed the purchase fee, which he insists is affordable. He also said Salomon can stay at the Italian club beyond this season, provided Fiorentina stay in the top division.

“Fiorentina was a good choice. You can see that he has played significant minutes in the last two games. They have an option to buy him, he lives in an amazing place, so the decision was very easy,” he said.

“He signed for half a seasons with an option to buy for €10m. If they are relegated, he will leave. We hope that Fiorentina will remain in the league and we will move on.”

“By today’s standards, I think €10m is a bargain for Manor Solomon.”

Tottenham Hotspur may yet see Richarlison’s future take a clearer shape later in the year, with Flamengo still keeping a close eye on the striker from afar.

According to ESPN Brazil, Richarlison remains firmly on Flamengo’s radar. Manager Filipe Luís, the former Chelsea defender, is a big fan of the forward and feels he ticks the right boxes for what the club want in a centre-forward. That admiration has kept the name alive behind the scenes.

Numbers start to match

On Tottenham’s side, the picture is already fairly tidy. As we have covered, Richarlison has an agreement with Spurs to be sold in the middle of the year if the right offer arrives. The price range sits between €25m and €30m, which brings a new wrinkle to the story.

That matters because Flamengo is reportedly holding exactly €30m to invest in a striker. Earlier talk centred on a fixed €25m fee. Now, the figures line up almost perfectly, at least on paper.

Why everyone is waiting

Timing could be key. ESPN suggest Richarlison’s situation may gain real traction after the World Cup, when clubs usually reshuffle plans and budgets. That delay suits the current mood, with no rush from Tottenham and no formal move yet from Flamengo.

For now, the Brazilian club are still in information-gathering mode. Still, the logic is easy to follow. Filipe Luís wants a statement forward. Richarlison remains open-minded, including about a return to Brazil. Tottenham already know the price.

Not just a Brazil-only story for Tottenham player

However, Flamengo is not alone in watching from the sidelines. Richarlison continues to attract interest from clubs abroad, which could complicate things or push the market along.

Nothing is close, nothing is signed. But with the numbers agreed and the timing slowly approaching, this is one situation worth keeping an eye on once the season dust settles.

Tottenham Hotspur have now completed Alejo Véliz’s sale to Esporte Clube Bahia, with the final fee coming in below the figures previously discussed in South America.

According to Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo, Bahia agreed to pay around €9m (£7.6m) for the striker and closed the deal directly with Tottenham, who own the player’s rights.

As we covered earlier from Brazilian sources, despite the transfer being finalised, Véliz will stay on loan at Rosario Central until June and complete his current spell in Argentina.

The final numbers add important context to the story. In recent weeks, reports from Argentina and Brazil placed the deal between €10m and €20m, depending on the structure. City Football Group were said to be exploring more complex solutions. Those ideas included compensation payments, buy-back clauses and other mechanisms to force a January exit.

In the end, the clubs did not need any of that. Rosario Central kept the player until the end of the loan and will not receive any fee. Tottenham accepted a lower fixed amount to settle the situation and remove uncertainty. The agreement also confirms that Véliz will sign a contract running until December 2030.

Tottenham can now move on from deal

For Tottenham, the deal brings clarity after months of noise around the striker’s future. Rather than chasing an expensive January solution, Spurs secure a permanent exit and close the file.

From Bahia’s side, the outcome fits a longer-term plan. Operating as Manchester City’s satellite club in Brazil within the City Football Group structure, they secure a striker they have tracked for years while avoiding a mid-season financial battle.

With the fee agreed and the timeline set, the negotiation phase is over. Alejo Véliz’s move is done. Now, it is simply a matter of waiting until the summer.

Fabio Paratici’s second period at Tottenham Hotspur lasted just over three months.

A ban imposed by FIFA cut short the Italian’s first spell at the north London club in April 2023.

After serving a ban, the sporting director returned to Tottenham in October. Towards the end of December, reports in the Italian media started covering Fiorentina interest.

Last month, Tottenham announced the 53-year-old would move to the Serie A side after the winter market. The Italian media made clear he’d already started work for La Viola, with Manor Solomon’s transfer seen as part of that.

Paratici has been speaking to the reporters today and TuttoMercatoWeb have relayed his comments.

Fiorentina are 18th in the table, a point behind 17th placed US Lecce. Thomas Frank’s side are 14th in the league and qualified for the Champions League last 16.

Despite Fiorentina being in the relegation zone, he insists the decision to leave Tottenham for them wasn’t reckless. The director also explained when the Italian club first made an approach.

“I’ll immediately get some more questions out of the way. I chose and decided to come to Fiorentina on December 15th or 16th. Fiorentina had six points, Ferrari came to London to meet me, and there I decided to come to Fiorentina,” he said.

“It might have seemed reckless, but it was actually just courageous. A reckless person doesn’t know what they’re doing; a courageous person evaluates and weighs things.”

“I thought Fiorentina has a great and very serious owner, it has world-class infrastructure, and a group of people with whom I’ve always felt in symbiosis. And then it has a city that is a super international brand that we must respect and bring to the world, because it gives us visibility. I decided it was the right time to return to Italy.”

Fabio Paratici thanks Tottenham Hotspur

Paratici accepts the club’s current position but insists Fiorentina deserve better. He also backs himself for the big challenge.

“It’s a huge challenge, but I’m facing it with enthusiasm and with a lot of belief,” Paratici explained.

“Florence and Fiorentina deserve a higher level than the current one. That said, we must face reality and accept that for the next four months. We’ll have to put our heads in the tank to save ourselves.”

“We won’t solve the problem in one go. week or a month, from today until the last match of the championship we will have to stay inside the tank, focused and aggressive, then we will think about everything else.”

Another report from TMW has covered additional quotes from Paratici thanking Spurs.

He added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank President Commisso and Ferrari for choosing me. I thank the entire Commisso family and congratulate Giuseppe on his new role.”

“I also thank Tottenham Hotspur for giving me this opportunity to enjoy five wonderful years in the Premier League, waiting for me during difficult times.”

Antonio Vergara has emerged as a key player for Napoli over the past few weeks. Tottenham have now been mentioned as a suitor for the versatile attacker.

In a way, the young Italian was never meant to be in Naples. He had never played in Serie A before this season.

The 22-year-old spent loans at Reggiana and Pro Vercelli and could’ve departed Napoli some months ago. But just when the Partenopei were in an injury crisis, he found form.

In 2026, Vergara started regularly in Serie A. He scored against Chelsea and also found the net against Fiorentina at the weekend.

TuttoSport now report that Tottenham tried to sign him in the January transfer window.

An offer came ‘directly’ from London, with Spurs left captivated by the Italian. They put forward €20m for Vergara but the move didn’t go through.

Tottenham were specifically left impressed by the talent’s goal against Chelsea. The attacker had left Wesley Fofana for dead, scoring a delightful strike.

All of this is a dream come true for him, with Napoli keen to keep him.

The report says ‘bye bye Spurs’ with Tottenham now moving away as a suitor. There is a belief that the best is yet to come, with Vergara’s prominence in the side quickly rising.