Sport Witness

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.

Sporting Club de Portugal are hoping Nottingham Forest will step up interest in Marcus Edwards and take him off their hands, even with a percentage going to Tottenham.

That’s according to Record, who make it clear Sporting want rid of the forward and are hoping for suitors like Nottingham Forest step up.

The newspaper reports that Edwards future will not be in Alvalade. The Portuguese club are evaluating various scenarios to get rid of the forward.

That could be a loan or permanent deal, so long as they can get €8-10m somehow. The fact is, though, they are ‘open to a transfer’.

The hope is that someone will step forward for the 26-year-old before the end of the window. Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos, Al-Nassr and Crystal Palace have all been linked in the past. The player is currently ‘giving preference’ to a return to England.

Any deal for him will see Sporting take 65% of the money while Tottenham would take the remaining 35%. That was the deal the two clubs negotiated when he headed to Portugal in 2019.

He initially joined Vitoria Guimarães on a free transfer then joined Sporting in a €7.75m deal in January 2022. Tottenham have retained their percentage on him since then. Thus, they will receive a cut of any future transfer.

Sporting are now desperate to secure that transfer this month. They appear to have grown increasingly exasperated with the player and his attitude and now want to cut ties completely.

The hope now is that Nottingham Forest or someone else will step forward, hand them a small profit and ensure something goes to Tottenham as well.

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are in the mix to sign Barcelona’s Ansu Fati.

That’s according to Sport, who state the winger is expected to leave the La Liga side in the winter market.

Hansi Flick has left the 22-year-old out of the squad for last three games, and Barcelona are considering letting him leave on loan.

Tottenham and West Ham are interested in bringing him back to the Premier League even though he struggled during his loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion last season. The two Premier League sides are looking to improve their attack in January.

New Hammers manager Graham Potter will be without Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug due to injuries while Spurs missed out on signing Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Munai on loan to Juventus.

Sport point that out and add Tottenham’s defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby has only ‘triggered tension’ and the club will be looking for reinforcements in January.

The report’s summary claims Fati has received two offers from the Premier League, while Tottenham and West Ham are the only two English clubs mentioned in the report.

With Barcelona willing to let the forward leave on loan, the deal could go through if the London clubs can convince Fati.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking for a new striker in the winter market after missing out on Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani to Juventus, according to Tutto Juve.

The France international has decided to leave the Ligue 1 winners after failing to feature regularly this season and Tottenham and Juventus are the two clubs to have shown keen interest in him.

A week ago, journalist Mirko Di Natale stated Ange Postecoglou had called the 26-year-old to give him assurance of a prominent role at Tottenham.

Two days ago, we covered claims from France which stated Spurs have tabled an offer of loan deal with an obligation to buy. On Wednesday, the French media reported Kolo Muani has snubbed Tottenham in favour of Juventus, who have agreed a deal with PSG.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt star has arrived in Italy to undergo medical examinations with the Serie A side.

Tutto Juve explain the Premier League side thought they were ‘close to an agreement’ to sign the Frenchman, after working on this operation throughout this month. They add missing out on Kolo Munai has left Tottenham ‘devastated and disappointed’.

Postecoglou’s side are now ‘desperately looking’ for another striker in January.

There were a number of players PSG wanted to part ways with during the current transfer window, and Tottenham Hotspur appear to have been interested in more than one.

Spurs made real efforts to sign Randal Kolo Muani from the Ligue 1 side, including sending an offer to PSG after a meeting with the French club. Ultimately, Juventus edged ahead of them and could even announce the player’s arrival today.

L’Equipe report Spurs are also keen on Milan Skriniar, with Aston Villa waiting in the wings to pounce. According to the French newspaper, Tottenham have a ‘real desire’ to sign the defender, with their interest presented as more along the road than that of Aston Villa.

PSG are ready to see the back of the 29-year-old, but they want a loan with a purchase option which can be made obligatory if certain ‘easy-to-exercise’ conditions are met along the way.

What type of formula Tottenham or Aston Villa would want isn’t made clear.

Skriniar moved to PSG from Inter Milan in July 2023, having been considered one of the best defenders around during much of his time with the Serie A side.

Should Tottenham or Aston Villa be able to secure a bargain deal, and then get the player back to his best, it could turn out to be a really useful transfer.

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are also keen, with the latter thought to be willing to pay €15m. Salary could be an issue, given Skriniar arrived at PSG as a free agent.

Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain made attempts to sign Cédric Soares when he was at Southampton.

That’s according to the right-back himself, and he revealed this during a chat with DAZN in Portugal and Notícias ao Minuto have relayed his comments.

The 33-year-old joined Southampton from Sporting in 2015 and PSG and Tottenham wanted to secure his services in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Cédric was part of Portugal’s squad that won the European championship in 2016. The Ligue 1 winners wanted to snatch him away from Southampton that summer and Spurs tried to secure his services a year later.

Mauricio Pochettino was then in charge at the north London club and had Kieran Trippier as first choice right-back. Despite this, Cédric insists Spurs wanted another fullback.

“I had negotiations with PSG after Euro 2016 and I didn’t leave [Southampton] and then the following year, in the summer, I had negotiations with Tottenham [laughs] and I didn’t leave,” he said.

“They had Trippier at the time, they had a good right-back, but they wanted to bring one more.”

The defender hasn’t made clear why the transfer to PSG and Tottenham didn’t go through, and the latter ended up signing Serge Aurier from the Paris club in 2017.

Cédric joined Tottenham’s local rivals Arsenal in 2020 and spent four years at the Emirates before leaving them as a free agent at the end of last season. He’s still to find a new club since parting ways with the Gunners.

On Tuesday, L’Equipe reported Tottenham Hotspur have made advances in their efforts to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani. It was also stated Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has held talks with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

The same newspaper then explained Tottenham made an offer to sign the 26-year-old on loan with an obligation to buy.

Later that day, Gianluca Di Marzio reported Juventus are keen and the striker will make a decision between Tottenham and the Serie A side on Wednesday morning.

A fresh report from L’Equipe claims the Old Lady agreed a deal with PSG on loan with a purchase option. The France international had asked time to think because Tottenham are also keen on securing his services.

The report claims Kolo Munai made a ‘quick’ decision to join the Turin club and will carry out medical tests with Juve on Wednesday.

RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to state that Juve have agreed a deal with the French club.

Tottenham now face stern competition from Juventus for Randal Kolo Muani, with the Italian side increasingly confident of signing the striker.

That’s according to Gianluca di Marzio, who say ‘confidence increases’ at the Italian club. They are pursuing Kolo Muani this month alongside several other clubs in Europe.

He is now set to make a decision on his future, with an exit from Paris Saint Germain guaranteed. That decision is set to be made on Wednesday morning.

The race for his signature has heated up quickly, with several sides in Europe moving for him. Tottenham are one of them and have been linked since last month.

The situation has been developing since that point and a report today stated an official bid had been made. This was a loan offer with an option to buy. To be clear, this was not an obligation, and any future transfer would be in Tottenham’s hands.

Negotiations for the striker are being dealt with by Daniel Levy, who has good connections with his counterparts at the Ligue 1 side.

They’re not the only ones in the mix, though. Juventus are also keen and according to Di Marzio, ‘confidence increases’ at the club about the transfer. In other words, the Italians think they’re going to win the race.

That could mean bad news for Tottenham, although it all depends on Kolo Muani, who will make his decision tomorrow morning.

Ajax youngster Rayan Bounida has confirmed his entourage are talking to the Dutch club about an extension, after Tottenham Hotspur scouted him last month.

Voetbal Primeur cover comments from the midfielder today made to ESPN about his future and Ajax’s attempts to keep him.

Bounida is one of the rising stars of Ajax’s fabled youth academy. The 18-year-old has been earning rave reviews after managing 26 goals and nine assists in 67 at various youth levels for the Dutch club to date.

That has already sparked interest in him. Chelsea were credited with an interest four years ago and a report stated Tottenham had scouted him.

That report explained they were free to talk to him from January 1st as his contract with Ajax is due to expire in the summer. He, therefore, is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement for the summer this month.

That is naturally of concern to Ajax, who know Premier League sides can offer big wages to tempt the youngster away. VP state that they face a challenge to renew his current deal. Their financial situation doesn’t support the ‘particularly high salary’ he was given when he signed from Anderlecht in 2022.

They’re making an attempt to keep him, though, with Tottenham and others seemingly circling around their top talent.

“My management is now busy with the club,” he said.

“That’s what I’ll stick to. With Ajax, I meant. But that’s what I’ll stop at. Like I just said, I want to leave it at that. They are working on it.”

Earlier today we covered claims from France, specifically from French newspaper L’Equipe, which stated Tottenham Hotspur are advancing with their efforts to sign Randal Kolo Muani from PSG this month.

Multiple Premier League clubs have been linked with the forward in recent weeks, but it was Spurs presented as being the ones to push forward for a deal.

Daniel Levy was said to be key in the pursuit, with the Tottenham chief having a good relationship with his counterparts at the Ligue 1 side and therefore using that connection to initiate discussions over a January transfer.

L’Equipe have now returned with an update, and according to the French newspaper an offer has now been submitted by Tottenham.

The offer consists of a loan with a buying option on behalf of Spurs. That option isn’t compulsory so it would be totally down to whether Tottenham want to keep the player, and the amount isn’t reported by L’Equipe at this stage.

That obviously sounds weighted in favour of the Premier League club, and L’Equipe say both Randal Kolo Muani and PSG are waiting to see what other proposals arrive.