FootballFanCast.com

They might not have the trophies to show for it, but Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with some extraordinarily talented players over the last decade or so.

The names that probably jump out to most would be Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, who created one of the best goalscoring partnerships in Premier League history.

However, both of them get the plaudits they deserve from the wider footballing public, which cannot always be said for another sensational star of the 2010s: Mousa Dembélé.

Interestingly, one of the club's biggest flops in recent history was compared to the brilliant Belgian before things went terribly wrong for him.

Dembélé's Spurs career

After making a name for himself in the Premier League with West London outfit Fulham, Dembélé secured his big £15m move to Spurs in August 2012 at 25 years old.

The Antwerpen-born star scored on his debut for the club in a 1-1 draw with Norwich City and would go on to make 42 appearances in all competitions that year, firmly establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.

The next few seasons would see the former AZ Alkmaar gem further entrench himself as one of the most talented players at the club, and when Mauricio Pochettino was appointed manager in May 2014, he got even better.

The Argentine's appreciation for the midfielder was evident, and in April 2017 he dubbed the then-29-year-old a "genius" before going on to compare him to greats such as Diego Maradona, Jay-Jay Okocha and Ronaldinho.

If that wasn't enough, the former Southampton boss also boldly claimed that had he signed "him at 18 or 19 years old, he would have become one of the best players in the world."

Unfortunately, Dembélé was also rather injury-prone, and after a couple of years of constant setbacks, he was finally sold to Chinese side Guangzhou R&F for around £11m in January 2019.

In all, he made 249 appearances for the club, scoring ten goals and providing ten assists, and some suggested that one of their targets that summer would be his replacement, only for said player to become one of the biggest flops in recent history.

Tanguy Ndombele's Spurs career

Yes, the former Spurs flop who was compared to the incredible Dembélé was Tanguy Ndombele, and no, the comparison didn't come from us.

Instead, it was a reasonably common one made in the summer of 2019, with articles from the Metro and the Guardian as just a few examples that told fans the former Lyon star would replicate the tough yet technical style of play the Belgian could regularly produce for them in years prior.

Unfortunately, we know that didn't happen, and instead, the club essentially wasted £63m as the then-22-year-old couldn't get to grips with life in North London.

Over the next five years, he would make just 91 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists while also going out on several loans.

He spent the second half of the 21/22 season back with Lyon, the whole of 22/23 with Napoli - where he didn't even play - and the whole of 23/24 in Turkey with Galatasaray.

However, perhaps worst of all, Daniel Levy and Co weren't even able to recuperate any money from his failed stint with the club as he moved to OGC Nice for free this summer following the expiration of his contract.

Ultimately, while Ndombele was unlucky at points, he has to go down as one of the worst flops in Spurs' recent history, which makes the comparisons to a player as incredible as Dembélé look even more ridiculous in retrospect.

It has been a roller coaster of a season for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year.

Ange Postecoglou's side currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League, and while they have picked up some impressive wins against the likes of Manchester United and West Ham United, they have also lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and, most recently, Crystal Palace.

However, while the North Londoners have been frustratingly inconsistent in the league, they have been exceptional in the cup competitions and are currently undefeated in both the Europa League and Conference League.

Moreover, Postecoglou got one over Pep Guardiola in the former on Wednesday night and now has a real chance to end the club's trophy drought in the coming months, but a problem is brewing under the surface, and it involves Son Heung-min.

Spurs' Son Heung-min problem

Okay, let's get straight to the point here before the pitchforks come out. Spurs' issue with Son is not his form or ability; it is his age and the need to find a long-term replacement.

The South Korean legend is still a productive member of Postecoglou's squad, but at 32 years old, he is far closer to the end of his career than the start.

As fans will attest, he is less effective on the wing than he used to be, and that's not surprising as, according to research conducted by The Athletic, wingers typically enter their peak years at around 26 years old.

So, with the former Bayer Leverkusen star in the latter stages of his career, Daniel Levy and Co need to find another long-term replacement, as the burden cannot fall exclusively on Timo Werner due to his ability or Mikey Moore due to his age - he's too talented to risk burnout.

So, the ideal way forward would be to sign a replacement for Werner in the summer, who could compete with Son for game time now and then compete with Moore in a few years when the 32-year-old retires or moves on.

The good news is that the club were supposedly interested in the perfect candidate earlier this year, a player admired by Zinedine Zidane.

Why Takefusa Kubo would be a brilliant option for Spurs

Yes, the player in question is Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo, who was touted for a £51m move to Spurs during the summer, and while that's no small fee, it's a transfer Levy and Co should look at again in 2025.

The Japanese international has been impressing for La Real for a few seasons now, racking up 18 goals and 14 assists for the club in just 98 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 3.06 games.

Moreover, while the 23-year-old, whom Zidane once described as a "very interesting player", has spent most of his career playing off the right, he is no stranger to playing off the left either, suggesting that he'd have no trouble slotting into Son's role in N17.

On top of that, as the "insane" winger, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, is 23 years old, he strikes the perfect balance between being experienced and still young enough to further develop, meaning he could be the ideal long-term competition for Moore when he's old enough to start for the first team regularly.

Lastly, the former FC Tokyo prospect already knows Postecoglou, as he played under him during a previous loan stint with Yokohama F. Marinos, so he'll have a rough idea of the Australian's methods and demands.

Ultimately, Son is a Spurs icon and should remain a productive first-team member for at least a couple more seasons. However, time comes for us all, and to make sure the burden of replacing the South Korean does not fall squarely on the shoulders of Moore, Levy and Co should look to bring Kubo to the club in 2025.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are on alert as one marquee Tottenham star expresses a behind-the-scenes worry over staying in north London, with Vincent Kompany's side looking to potentially take advantage of the situation.

Players who could leave Spurs in January and next summer

There are a few players facing uncertain futures in north London, with both January and summer exits mooted in the last few weeks.

Sergio Reguilon, Ben Davies, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman are out of contract next summer, so the quartet are on course to leave as free agents when their contracts expire with no long-term future in store.

Davies has served the north Londoners well during his 10-year stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and once he departs next year, it'll be 11 years of service since he joined from Swansea City in 2014 - so perhaps a testimonial is in order for the Wales international.

Meanwhile, it is believed Getafe are eyeing a Bosman move for Reguilon, who doesn't feature in Postecoglou's plans and spent last season on loan at both Man United and Brentford.

Despite training with the first team, the Spaniard, on a reported £120,000-per-week, is yet to make a single Premier League matchday squad. The likelihood right now is that Timo Werner will leave Spurs at the end of his loan spell too, with Postecoglou's side erring towards letting the German return to RB Leipzig, rather than taking up the option to sign him permanently.

Archie Gray could also be loaned out by Tottenham in January, amid the growing clamor for his services across clubs in both England's first and second tier, with the Englishman struggling to accumulate consistent top-flight minutes.

The Lilywhites' defence is attracting admiring glances from abroad too. Napoli are ready to attempt a January move for Radu Dragusin, even if Tottenham are unlikely to let the Romanian leave mid-season, while star defender Cristian Romero has been linked with a move to the likes of Real Madrid.

Bayern on alert as Romero expresses private worry over Tottenham stay

Spurs want to tie Romero down with a bumper new contract to ward elite suitors off the Argentine, according to reports, and initial talks have been ongoing for some time.

According to The Boot Room, Bayern Munich are eyeing a move to sign Romero from Tottenham, alongside Real and Inter Milan. This comes amid the £100 million defender's concerns, with Romero expressing a private worry over remaining in north London.

It is believed the former Atalanta star wishes to compete regularly in the Champions League, and he's told the club that their lack of participation has been a real sticking point for him as Spurs attempt to push new contract talks along.

Tottenham Hotspur have been sent a warning that Napoli and former Spurs boss Antonio Conte are "ready" to move for an "outstanding" starlet in Ange Postecoglou's squad.

Spurs prepare for tough test against Aston Villa

Following on from their uplifting 2-1 win over Man City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, which was much-needed after their slump to lowly Crystal Palace last weekend, the Lilywhites take on high-flying Aston Villa in another very tough test.

Unai Emery's side have lost just once all season so far, a defeat to Premier League title-chasing Arsenal back in August, and appear on course to be sure-fire contenders for a place in the top four yet again.

Spurs, meanwhile, have endured a very mixed start to the campaign under Postecoglou - winning four, losing four and drawing one of their opening eight top-flight matches as the Australian aims to galvanize a consistent winning run from his side.

Timo Werner's been singled out for criticism amid his lacklustre form, but the German scored his first goal in all competitions since March by opening the scoring against Man City in midweek.

The 28-year-old will be hoping to build upon that strike by regaining full form, amid reports that Werner is likely to return to RB Leipzig at the end of his loan spell as things stand, with Spurs edging towards not taking up the option to sign him permanently.

While the likes of Dejan Kulusevski have seriously impressed, with the Swede arguably showcasing his best-ever run of form in a Lilywhites jersey right now, other members of the squad like Werner haven't been able to help Tottenham's cause as much.

Summer signing Archie Gray could be loaned out by Spurs in January, as intermediaries apparently tell Postecoglou's side that many clubs in the Premier League and Championship are considering winter approaches for the teenager (GiveMeSport).

Gray has struggled for game time in the top flight, and those within the club apparently believe they have a decision to make in regard to loaning him out (GiveMeSport).

Tottenham warned that Napoli are "ready" to move for Dragusin

Another player who's been forced to play more of a bit-part role in the squad is January signing Radu Dragusin.

Dragusin is attracting interest from Serie A, as per other reports, and it is believed that Napoli are seriously keen on the "outstanding" 22-year-old. That is according to journalist Paolo Paganini, who told Rai 2 (via CalcioNapoli) that Napoli are ready to move for Dragusin in January - sending a warning to Tottenham.

"Be careful because Napoli is ready to make a double move in January," said Paganini.

"One is Dorgu from Lecce, and the other is Dragusin from the Premier League. Be careful because Raspadori can leave, but [Aurelio] De Laurentiis will hardly give him to Juventus. Atalanta also like him."

Tottenham Hotspur have made an approach to sign a £54 million attacker who Ligue 1 giants Lyon are already in talks for, with the Lilywhites prepared to compete for his signing and potentially hijack their discussions.

Spurs targeting new forwards for Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou's side are fresh off the back of a 2-1 win over Premier League champions Man City, which knocked Pep Guardiola and co out of the Carabao Cup, but there are still many issues to address after a mixed start to the campaign.

Spurs' loss to lowly Crystal Palace handed Oliver Glasner his first win of the season last weekend, and the north Londoners slumped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Brighton after throwing away a two-goal advantage just before the international break.

Postecoglou has also been criticised for his tactics lately, and there have even been some suggestions from many supporters that the Australian could be facing a precarious situation in regards to his job if things don't turn around on a consistent basis (Football Insider).

The January transfer window could represent an opportunity for the club's recruitment team to shore up glaring holes in Postecoglou's squad, in an effort to assist the 58-year-old's chase for a first piece of major silverware in 16 years.

It is believed Spurs are monitoring Javi Puado of Espanyol ahead of a potential January swoop, with the Spaniard impressing alongside loanee Alejo Veliz in La Liga. He could be available on a very cheap deal, considering his contract expires in the summer, or Daniel Levy could elect to sign the player on a pre-contract ahead of next summer.

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo is a transfer target for Spurs as well, according to some reports, with the north Londoners prepared to pay as much as £50 million to seal a deal for the Ghanaian.

"He's a lovely footballer to watch", said Jamie Redknapp on Semenyo to Premier League productions.

"The manager's taken him to another level, he obviously has that capability because you saw it with Solanke. I'm just seeing him elevate his game right now, we'll talk about why does that happen, a lot of it is purely on confidence.

"He looks like he's enjoying his football, his shoulders are back, he's relaxed, every time he gets it, he plays with a bit of a swagger. He's actually a joy to watch right now."

Tottenham make approach for Rayan and prepared to hijack Lyon talks

According to South American news outlet Vascaino, Vasco de Gama forward Rayan is on Tottenham's agenda, and they've made an approach to seek information about the player's availability.

They face stiff competition from Lyon, though, who are apparently already in talks to sign the 18-year-old. However, Vascaino goes on to suggest that Tottenham are willing to compete with Lyom to sign Rayan, potentially hijacking their discussions for the highly-rated teenager.

Ange Postecoglou is now a few months into his second season in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, and while it hasn't been the smoothest of rides, it would be fair to say the majority of fans would rather be where they are now than where they were before he joined.

The Australian has taken a team that was playing dull and ineffective football under the previous string of managers and has turned them into arguably one of the most entertaining sides in the country.

Granted, there are still some problems with defending and wilting under pressure, but overall, the team look far more effective when in the swing of things, and some of his additions, like Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven, have made a real difference.

That said, a few players are still underwhelming and should probably be moved on next year, including Richarlison. Fortunately, the club were linked to the perfect upgrade in the summer.

Richarlison's Spurs career

In the summer of 2022, while Antonio Conte was still at the helm, Tottenham opted to spend £60m on Everton's star attacker Richarlison, who had just come off a strong season in which he scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

So, there was an expectation that in a stronger team like Spurs, he would only improve his attacking output, but that didn't happen.

Instead, he ended his first campaign in the capital with a paltry return of three goals and four assists in 35 appearances.

Things did improve slightly under Postecoglou last season, as a hot streak midway through the campaign saw him finish with a more reasonable tally of 12 goals and four assists in 31 games, but he still wasn't justifying his massive price tag.

Injuries have limited the former Toffees star to just six appearances this season, in which he's scored once.

However, cameo appearances like the one against Manchester City last night have only further entrenched the idea that he is simply not clinical enough. So it's probably time he was moved on next year, and the good news is that his ideal replacement should be available for free.

Why Spurs should replace Richarlison with Jonathan David

Yes, the striker in question is Canadian international and LOSC Lille star Jonathan David, who was heavily touted for a move to N17 during the summer for fees in the £20m to £25m range.

However, the 24-year-old ultimately opted to remain in Northern France for another season, and while that's good news for Les Dogues on the pitch, it might not be off of it, as David's contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning he can start negotiating with foreign clubs in January for a free move in the summer, and Spurs should be all over this.

The former Gent star might not be a household name in the UK, but he has been a consistent and reliable scorer of goals in France over the last few years and would be a dream upgrade on Richarlison as well as someone who could even challenge Dominic Solanke for a starting berth.

For example, in 47 appearances last year, the "world-class" forward, as dubbed by ex-Canada manager Iain Hume, scored 26 goals and provided nine assists, and in just 16 games this season, he's racked up a haul of 11 goals and two assists - talk about efficient.

Moreover, the New York City-born marksman has scored six goals in just 11 Champions League appearances and racked up two goals and two assists in four qualifiers, so he is not someone who'll wilt under pressure.

Ultimately, Richarlison is a talented player, but he has only been able to show it in glimpses since moving to North London.

In contrast, David has consistently demonstrated that he's an elite goalscorer, and considering he'll be available on a free next summer, this is a transfer Spurs cannot afford to miss out on.

An exit from Tottenham Hotspur is beckoning for one member of Ange Postecoglou's side, as a Madrid-based side look to take advantage.

Players likely to leave Spurs in 2025

Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange could decide to offload a few members of the Lilywhites squad when the turn of the year comes around - and there are a few interesting names in the frame to leave.

Timo Werner scored his first goal since March in Tottenham's much-needed 2-1 win over Premier League champions Man City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, helping to guide Spurs into the quarter-finals, where they will face off against City's cross-town rivals Manchester United in north London.

While this could go some way into eventually redeeming himself to the club's hierarchy, depending on how he builds upon the strike against Pep Guardiola's men, it is believed Werner is likely to leave Tottenham and head back to RB Leipzig at the end of his loan spell - as things stand.

It has also been reported this week that summer signing Archie Gray could head out on loan in January, with the former Leeds United star struggling to establish himself as a regular Premier League starter as he's relegated to a bit-part, cup-playing role in the squad.

Levy and Lange managed to shift plenty of deadwood in the summer window, with Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso, Eric Dier, Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic, Tanguy Ndombele, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Japhet Tanganga all departing N17 permanently.

One player they didn't manage to offload, though, was left-back and forgotten man Sergio Reguilon. On a reported £120,000-per-week, according to the Manchester Evening News, the Spaniard has been deemed surplus to requirements by Postecoglou - who gave the green light for Reguilon to spend last term on various loan spells at United and Brentford.

Reguilon was attracting interest from Turkey and other European clubs in the summer, but a move never materialised for the former Real Madrid starlet.

Reguilon seriously considering Tottenham exit to Getafe

As per Spanish media, it is now believed that Reguilon is seriously considering a Tottenham exit to Getafe - who could offer him the opportunity to make a return to Madrid by signing him as a free agent in 2025.

It is a golden opportunity for the La Liga side to snap him up at zero cost, with Reguilon's contract set to expire in the summer and up for grabs at zero cost. The ex-Sevilla star could technically sign a pre-contract in January, so Getafe may have an opportunity to nip in ahead of other interested sides to secure his signature.

Once tipped to shine under Antonio Conte, with pundit Noel Whelan calling him a "quality player" (Football Insider), things haven't exactly gone to plan for Reguilon and the writing now appears on the wall for his departure next year.

Whilst the player has been spotted training with the senior squad, he is yet to make a single appearance in all competitions this season, and has been named in just one matchday squad so far - Spurs' trip to Coventry City in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a defeat at Crystal Palace to knock Premier League champions Man City out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and it is believed that a player who starred in the game is now attracting real attention.

Tottenham 2-1 Man City - match report

Lilywhites supporters couldn't have asked for a better response after their damaging loss at Selhurst Park on Sunday, with a victory against one of Europe's best teams going some way to restore faith in manager Ange Postecoglou following Spurs' mixed start to 2024/2025.

Timo Werner opened the scoring early doors with a thunderous finish past Stefan Ortega in the City net, restoring some much-needed confidence and recording his first successful attempt since March.

Uncertainty surrounds Werner's long-term future at Tottenham, as reports suggest Postecoglou's side may not take up their buy option, so the Germany international's display was a much-needed one - even if he did miss a gaping chance to double their lead.

Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was then on hand to double Spurs' advantage with a powerful, long-range effort past Ortega and into the bottom corner - gifting some breathing room between the home and away side.

Matheus Nunes grabbed one back for City just before half-time, and did threaten a last-gasp equaliser in the second half's dying moments, with Yves Bissouma clearing a late effort right off the line. However, the north Londoners eventually managed to hold on and seal their place in the Carabao quarter-finals, where they will host Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"It was an important win," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's 2-1 victory over City.

"Obviously in the cup competitions you have to win to continue in it so that is the first thing. Look, you're playing against an unbelievable side and they're going to ask you all sorts of questions and they did today. I thought we defended well as we didn't give away many clear-cut opportunities but we did have to defend and I thought we did that well.

"In our attacking moments we had some really top quality moments and we had some really good chances to finish the game off what we didn't take. But great resilience from the boys to sort of hold out. When you play City they're going to ask you every question there is and for the most part I thought we handled it ok."

Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin's agents fielding approaches

One player who really impressed during the contest was Radu Dragusin, helping to keep City at bay for the entirety of the second half.

The Romania international was called "outstanding" for his display by journalist Graeme Bailey, who also shared an update on his future.

Indeed, it is believed Dragusin's agents are fielding enquiries outside of Tottenham ahead of January, but this is only to keep their options open, as both the player and club currently have no desire for him to change scenery.

Napoli, AC Milan and Juventus are all apparently keen to bring him back to Serie A, but it is believed Postecoglou and co are eager to keep hold of him now, as his N17 career starts to steadily get off the ground after a difficult start.

It's been an interesting start to the campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou's side have been flawless in the League Cup and Europa League, but have looked a little disjointed in the Premier League.

However, given that it's only the Australian's second year in charge, these issues shouldn't come as a surprise, and with a few more transfer windows under his belt, he could have the personnel to match his game plans.

In fact, based on recent reports, the club look set to sign a dream midfield addition next year, although that could be bad news for Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are expected to sign Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso in 2025.

The report claims that the Lilywhites had a €25m - £21m - option to buy the American included in the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Betis in the summer.

However, Daniel Levy and Co will have to act fast if they want to bring the midfielder to N17, as the story also claims that the option expires in either late June or early July and, after that, the La Liga side will be able to demand whatever price they want.

With that said, by all accounts, this looks like a transfer that will happen, so the Spurs faithful likely have nothing to worry about, although given how well he's played in Spain, Bissouma should be a little concerned, as the American could be his upgrade.

How Cardoso compares to Bissouma

Okay, so if Spurs act on their option to sign Cardoso, as expected, the fact that he primarily plays as a defensive and central midfielder means he'd likely compete with Bissouma for a place in the starting lineup.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up against one another? Well, when it comes down to the pair's raw output this season, the Mali international comes out on top with two goals to the American's zero, but at the end of the day, goals aren't what make a good holding midfielder, and when we look at their underlying numbers, it's a very different story.

For example, while the Spurs ace has better passing numbers, the Betis star comes out miles ahead in the majority of relevant defensive metrics, including tackles, shots and passes blocked, clearances, interceptions, ball recoveries and aerial duels, all per 90, which is what you want from your six.

Moreover, something that the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was guilty of last season was picking up unnecessary red cards, and when we compare the pair's disciplinary record, the 23-year-old "ball winner", as he was dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, once again comes out on top.

For example, in his 10281 minutes of football across his career to date, the former Internacional gem has picked up 22 yellow cards, averaging one every 467 minutes, and zero red cards or second yellows.

In contrast, the Issia-born Lilywhites man has picked up 58 yellow cards in his 16799 minutes of football, equating to an average of one every 289 minutes, and four red cards - including one-second yellow - which works out as one every 4199 minutes.

Ultimately, Bissouma is a talented footballer, and one who should be playing in the Premier League, but his defensive numbers are notably worse than Cardoso's, and when we take into account the disciplinary side of things as well, the American looks like he'd be an ideal upgrade.

Tottenham Hotspur insiders theorise that they may be forced into a decision over letting a "superb" player leave in January, following a message from intermediaries behind-the-scenes at N17.

Spurs take on Man City in Carabao Cup clash this evening

The Lilywhites face off against Premier League champions Man City in the Carabao Cup this evening, with manager Ange Postecoglou aiming to put their disappointing 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday firmly behind them.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's only goal of the game cemented Oliver Glasner's first win of the new season and another damning loss for Postecoglou, who also watched his side suffer a 3-2 capitulation at Brighton just before the international break.

This comes after Postecoglou appeared to make a promise to end Tottenham's 16-year wait for a major trophy, doubling down on comments he made in the summer by stating he "always" wins trophies in his second season.

"I'll correct myself - I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing's changed," said Postecoglou on his interview with Sky Sports, which caused a stir.

"It's amazing, isn't it? I just stated a fact. Am I supposed to just lie or just say it never happened? But do you really think it's me sort of boasting?

"It's just confusing to me that people are making a big deal out of something. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to answer something that is true. I've just said something that's true, and it seems like it's upset a lot of people for some reason."

The EFL Cup represents a golden opportunity for Postecoglou to make good on his pledge, but he must first pass one of Europe's toughest tests with a face-off against Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Australian will be without both Son Heung-min and Wilson Odobert for the tie, with right-back Djed Spence also just returning to training. Meanwhile, reports claim Postecoglou is likely to drop Mikey Moore in favour of Timo Werner for their bout against City, despite the pair's contrasting form.

It is unclear whether summer signing Archie Gray, who has struggled for consistent game time under Postecoglou since arriving from Leeds in the summer, will start or remain on the bench.

Key Tottenham chiefs think they'll be forced into Gray transfer decision

Speaking of Gray, outlet GiveMeSport have shared an update on the teenager and his immediate future at Hotspur Way.

The English sensation's fight for minutes has amounted to three starts in the Europa League, one start in the League Cup and zero starts in the top flight - with all of his appearances in the latter contest coming from the substitute's bench.

Intermediaries have apparently warned Spurs that Gray will be subject to many enquiries before the January transfer window, as clubs in the Premier League and Championship weigh up approaches to take him on a temporary deal.

That is according to GMS, who also claim that key Tottenham figures think they'll be forced into deciding whether to loan Gray out in the winter, amid this growing clamor of interest for his services.