Sport Witness

Tottenham are very interested in Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel and are ‘now in direct talks’ with his agents about a move.

That’s according to journalist Florian Plettenberg, who reports that it is an ‘open race’ for Tel’s signature before the end of the transfer window.

The French forward has been linked with a move way from Bayern throughout this month but appeared set to stay despite interest in him.

That changed over the last few days, though, after reports in Germany made it clear that Tel had told Bayern he would now like to leave before the window closes.

Tottenham are one of his long-term admirers, having regularly been linked with a move whenever an exit from Bayern has been suggested.

Plettenberg now reports they are firmly in the race at this moment in time and are ‘definitely very interested’ in securing his signature. In fact, they are ‘now in direct talks’ with the forward’s management about a transfer. This was prompted by Tel’s decision to leave Bayern.

The bad news for Tottenham is that he’s not made a decision on his future yet and it is very much an open race for him at this moment in time.

However, they have firmly put themselves in contention and after opening talks with Brentford for Yoane Wissa too, appear to now be actively working on multiple signings.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs said to be interest in Chelsea target Mathys Tel.

The striker made only two starts this season and was limited to one appearance in 2025. He was reluctant to leave in the winter market but changed his mind and is looking for a new club.

Bild state the 19-year-old wants to leave and Chelsea and Tottenham are named in the report.

Over the past weeks, Chelsea’s interest in the France U21 international has been reported in his country and Germany.

Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku is of interest to the Bundesliga giants, but recent claims have said they can only sign him if Tel were to move elsewhere.

Bild state the Bayern frontman has received inquiries from England, France and Germany.

With regards to the Blues, the outlet explains Tel has made it clear he ‘doesn’t want to go to Chelsea’. He feels there’s a lot of competition at Stamford Bridge and that he’d be unlikely to get regular minutes. They then state Tottenham are said to be interested in the teenager, before also throwing in Manchester United and Arsenal as possibilities.

At this point in time, there isn’t anything to indicate Tottenham have made a move to sign him.

Should Timo Werner leave Tottenham Hotspur in this transfer market or the next, he can hardly say he wasn’t given a chance to succeed with Spurs.

The Premier League club carried his loan through to this season with a purchase option for the summer, but despite being given minutes repeatedly by Ange Postecoglou, and totalling 937 minutes in total this campaign, he’s only scored once.

He has managed three assists, which is a little more impressive, with the last of those coming against Fulham in December.

In recent weeks, Werner has been linked with a move to MLS and SportBild cover that in their magazine this week.

Tottenham can buy the 28-year-old for around €12m in the summer, and SportBild say the signals have been ‘very clear’… Spurs will not sign him permanently.

All parties involved have therefore considered a winter move, which is why RB Leipzig, who still own the player, were said to have thought about a move to their sister club New York Red Bulls.

However, SportBild dismiss all of that as baseless.

MLS is an option and the player is keen on a US adventure, but there’s nothing in it right now and it’s likelier he returns to RB Leipzig when his Tottenham loan ends and sorts out his future from there.

West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are among the clubs showing interest in Ajax’s Brian Brobbey.

Three days ago, De Telegraaf stated West Ham are willing to go to great lengths to sign the striker. It was reported Tottenham and Everton are also in the mix for the 22-year-old.

Later that day, Brobbey’s agent confirmed he’d made a trip to London but didn’t dwell whether it was related to a potential move.

De Telegraaf reporter Mike Verweij has now covered West Ham, Tottenham and Everton chances of securing his services. He talked about it for the newspaper’s podcast, Kick-off, and his comments are relayed by Voetbal Primeur.

The journalist states the Netherlands international isn’t keen on joining David Moyes’ side in this window because the Toffees ‘don’t appeal to him’. Verweij adds if the player has to pick between West Ham and Spurs, he will pick Ange Postecoglou’s side.

“If a Premier League club like West Ham United or Spurs comes along, he doesn’t really want to go to Everton, then he wants to leave. If Spurs are going to continue, then yes, he wants to go there,” he said.

“West Ham have already indicated, and it was not an official offer, that they would be willing to loan him. If Brobbey plays five games from the fifteen to the winter break, then they wanted to take him over permanently.”

Recent claims from elsewhere have stated Tottenham aren’t keen on signing Brobbey. If this is true, West Ham can secure his services if they can find an agreement with the frontman and Ajax.

At the weekend, we covered claims from Spain which insisted Tottenham Hotspur remain well placed to sign Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso in the summer.

Last summer, the Premier League side sold Giovani Lo Celso to Real Betis and as part of the agreement, negotiated a deal to buy Cardoso for €25m in June.

This gives Tottenham power to sign Cardoso as long as he finishes the season at the La Liga side.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have tried to sign the American in the winter market. AS state Manuel Pellegrini’s side have no plans to sanction a move for him in the coming days.

The Spanish club want to retain him until the end of this season, and this should please the north London club.

It’s claimed Real Betis are ‘determined to honour their word’ with Tottenham regarding the 23-year-old.

AS explain the English club have continued to follow the player and can secure his services by exercising the €25m clause valid in June. They add Tottenham exercising this option will depend on who the manager is at the time, with them appearing to believe Ange Postecoglou, who is thought to be keen on the Cardoso move, could be shown the door in the coming months.

Spurs have failed to win their last seven league matches and picked up four points from the last 10. They are 15th in the table and their recent poor run has raised questions about Postecoglou’s future.

Arsenal and Manchester United were keen on signing Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall, according to Fotboll Direkt.

The midfielder spent 18 months at Djurgårdens IF Fotboll before arriving at Spurs last summer.

His performances in Sweden had caught the attention of several clubs including Tottenham Arsenal and Manchester United.

Fotboll Direkt now state Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal and the Red Devils were among 24 clubs that wanted to sign the 18-year-old.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus, Atalanta, RB Leipzig, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, AS Monaco, Marseille, FC Midtjylland and Stade Rennais are among the 24.

These clubs and several others were in the race to sign the Sweden international and all of them lost out to Ange Postecoglou’s side, according to the Swedish report.

In February 2024, Tottenham agreed a deal with Djurgårdens IF for Bergvall to arrive in north London last summer.

It was the Swede’s decision to join Tottenham Hotspur over all other options after being convinced by what Spurs proposed to him, this has worked out well as he’s played 27 matches so far this season.

In the summer, Tottenham Hotspur sold Giovani Lo Celso to Real Betis and as a part of this deal, they secured an option to buy Johnny Cardoso.

At the start of this season, Real Betis president Ángel Haro confirmed negotiations with Spurs over a deal for the midfielder. Tottenham can exercise the clause to buy him for €25m in June.

On Boxing Day, Diario de Sevilla stated the 23-year-old has attracted interest from other clubs, but Tottenham are the ‘most interested’.

Recent claims stated Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to sign the American in the winter market. Saturday’s edition of ABC Sevilla explains the La Liga side will not let him leave until the end of this season.

The newspaper points out Tottenham have a ‘preferential’ option to buy Cardoso for €25m in June.

Mundo Deportivo are also reporting on Vítor Pereira’s side showing interest in the Real Betis player. They and other clubs have tried to sign him in January, but the Spanish club are refusing to sanction a move unless there’s an offer much higher than €25m.

The report claims none of Cardoso’s suitors want to meet Real Betis’ request. Therefore, he will continue at Real Betis until the end of this season. This is good news for the north London club, who look well placed to activate their clause in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are among the clubs in the picture for Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié.

The Ecuador international was part of Bayer Leverkusen’s title winning squad last season and has featured regularly this season, making 27 appearances in all competitions.

This week’s edition of SportBild claims Tottenham, Chelsea and other clubs are keen the centre-back.

They point out the 23-year-old is called ‘El Kaiser’ in his homeland and this is ‘in reference to greatest German footballer of all time, Franz Beckenbauer’. The same view isn’t shared by Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso.

“For me, Piero is more of a fighter than an emperor. I’m very happy to work with him,” he said.

Last month, the German club rewarded the defender with a new deal until 2029. Despite the renewal, the report suggests the South American could leave the Bundesliga winners.

The weekly magazine claims Alonso’s side are expecting to collect €70m from his sale, with summer obviously likelier.

Atlético Madrid showed keen interest in 2021 and even tried to sign Hincapié last summer. SportBild add Tottenham and Chelsea have him high on their lists while Napoli are also keen on signing the player.

Hincapié, for his part, is happy with his life in Germany. If Spurs were to beat the Blues and other clubs, they have to convince him and offer €70m to Bayer Leverkusen.

That’s a big ask given their season so far.

Slavia Prague manager Jindřich Trpišovský insists he’s pleased Antonín Kinský was able to join Tottenham Hotspur in the winter market.

Monday’s edition of Dnes has published a detailed interview with the coach and one of the topics discussed was the goalkeeper.

On January 5th, Tottenham signed Kinský from Slavia Prague for a reported fee of around £12.5m and secured him to a contract lasting until 2030.

Ange Postecoglou has started the 21-year-old in all four matches since his arrival, ahead of Fraser Forster.

Kinský spent four years at the Czech side, during which he had two loan spells at MFK Vyškov and FK Pardubice, before joining Tottenham.

Trpišovský brought him to Slavia Prague from Dukla Prague and only started to give the stopper regular opportunities in the first half of this season. The manager was specifically asked whether he could have asked his side to block Kinský’s sale to Tottenham.

He said: “Certainly not, it couldn’t be done. I can’t imagine the coach’s right of veto in any departure. Except in the best clubs in the world, which are secured, and their players practically have nowhere to go.

“I myself was very happy, what kind of story Tonda [Kinský] is writing. I saw him for the first time on the pitch of Admira in Prague.

“I was behind the goal when he was winning the cup for Dukla. He was 17. Now I turn on the TV and the same Tonda is playing against Liverpool. I’ll admit I’ve rarely had such a feeling in front of the TV.

“Now I will be very brave, but I am convinced that Tonda has the quality to one day become the best goalkeeper in Czech history.”

That is a big shout, given Petr Cech’s existence.

The new Spurs signing’s former teammate from Pardubice, Viktor Budinský, recently stated Kinský’s dream is to join Real Madrid. Budinský even said the Tottenham player is learning Spanish.

Dnes asked the Slavia Prague manager if the Czech Republic U21 international’s ‘dream’ is really to join the Champions League winners.

“I know his dream, but I can’t reveal it. Anyway, in a year and a half in our league, he made such a name for himself that Tottenham bought him, which says it all. It was a pleasure to work with him. From the first moment I arrived, I’ve been interested in the limits of how far we can go,” Trpišovský

Sunday’s edition of Catalan newspaper Sport has a big article on the fight Barcelona put up to sign Vitor Roque from Athletico Paranaense.

The Blaugrana agreed a deal to sign the Brazilian in July 2023, but he didn’t physically make the move until January 2024. He struggled to have a quick and consistent impact with Barcelona and in the summer he was loaned to Real Betis for two seasons with a €25m buying option.

Barcelona paid more than that. Their deal was worth €30m plus a potential €31m in bonus payments, and Sport have now suggested Tottenham competition was part of the reason they paid so much and rushed the signing through.

Sport explain intermediary André Cury was working on behalf of Barcelona and ‘stopped an offer from Tottenham’ getting through. Deco, who was then simply working as an advisor to the Catalan club, was also involved.

Tottenham were offering the player €4.8m in wages, according to Sport, and that compared to the €1.8m he got at Barca. However, a job had been done on the youngster and he was convinced to snub Spurs.