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Grealish loan unlikely as Tottenham must pay a big fee for his signing

Tottenham Hotspur have recently been linked with Jack Grealish’s transfer from Manchester City. The Lilywhites have reportedly been meaning to take advantage of his situation at the Etihad Stadium, where he has fallen down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola and the manager hinted at further dissatisfaction at the former Aston Villa man by hinting that he was misfit.

Grealish has failed to live up to the billing at Manchester City after a lucrative move a couple of years ago and while there was less concern about his qualities in 2022/23, Jeremy Doku’s signing and rapid development thereafter have seen the Belgian prodigy usurp his English counterpart to a starting role on the left wing.

However, City are still believed to be keen with holding onto Grealish as Fichajes has claimed that they will not let him leave on loan, as previously rumoured. Additionally, it would take an extremely enticing offer from any side, Spurs included, to land Grealish given that his contract in Manchester runs through to June 2027, which would ensure that his employers have the upper hand in any potential transfer negotiation.

While Tottenham may have been interested in Grealish who is without a doubt an incredible player, it remains to be seen if they require him. Son Heung-min is perhaps a better forward, who is more direct in his approach and has a better eye for goal. Moreover, his contract extension until 2026 is more or less secured, so Grealish’s signing could be a backward step.

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The next year and a half would be a good time for Mikey Moore to continue his development beside the South Korean international, and Grealish’s possible arrival could spill water on any of Ange Postecoglou’s plans of integrating the 17-year-old as a regular fixture into the first team setup.

Tottenham star Archie Gray shines for England Under-21 vs Spain in a friendly fixture

Tottenham Hotspur stars have been impressing for their respective countries over the international break, much to the liking of Ange Postecoglou.

Archie Gray was in international action on Friday evening as England Under-21s faced Spain Under-21s away in a friendly fixture at Estadio Municipal Ciudad de La Línea. It was an entertaining 0-0 affair, but Archie Gray did benefit a lot from the valuable minutes after barely featuring for Spurs in the Premier League.

The teenager, who arrived from Leeds United in a £30 million deal, has mostly been used as a squad player by Ange Postecoglou this season. He has started all of Spurs’ Europa League and Carabao Cup fixtures, playing almost in every position across the backline.

However, the Englishman has now demonstrated to Big Ange that he might be ready for some regular Premier League minutes after his strong performance for England’s Under-21s in their 0-0 stalemate with Spain’s Under-21s.

Starting at right-back, the 18-year-old made four tackles, two clearances, won five of his seven ground duels and two out of two aerial duels. Gray showed good composure on the ball, completing 91 per cent of his passes and also winning a foul for his team. While his two attempted crosses in the box were not accurate, there was still plenty for Big Ange to like about the Spurs starlet’s full 90-minute display in a Three Lions shirt. (Stats courtesy: SofaScore)

Gray’s strong showing away on international duty comes at a juncture where his Tottenham teammate Rodrigo Bentancur is likely to be suspended for seven games. The Uruguayan international’s domestic ban looms large, following the FA’s decision to charge him with an “aggravated breach” of conduct for remarks he made about his teammate Son Heung-min.

Though the decision is yet to come officially from the FA, reports suggest it is likely to stand and Bentancur, who opened up for the first time on his potential ban, is set to miss critical games across the next two months. Without his presence in midfield, Big Ange will need to rely on other options to negotiate a tough run of domestic fixtures after November’s international break.

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Bentancur’s potential absence certainly opens the door for young talents to step up, and this could not be a better time for Gray to prove his talent for Spurs. The youngster deserves opportunities to show the Spurs gaffer what he can offer from his natural No.6 position.

And after his display for England Under-21s on the international stage, Big Ange should not hesitate to give Gray his first Premier League start for Spurs and subsequently a run of games in his preferred midfield position.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has been enduring a difficult time with injury problems off late, with the Argentine narrowly escaping long-term injury ahead of the ongoing international break.

The Argentine defender was struggling with injury ahead of the injury break and got the Lilywhites faithful sweating with potential long-term concerns; however, he returned to the side as the injury appeared to be not as serious as initially suggested.

With the Spur star already struggling, he was called up to the Argentine squad, something that the North Londoners supporters didn’t understand.

Romero injury scare for Spurs

Now the defender faces injury concerns after being taken off at halftime in Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Paraguay.

And per Argentine journalist Gaston Edul on X, he is set to undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury.

John Wenham, owner of the reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, doesn’t expect the former Atalanta defender to be fit for the Lilywhites next game against Manchester City following the international break. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, he has asked other players in the squad to step up in Romero’s absence.

He said:

“As soon as Romero featured against Ipswich, he was always going to travel with Argentina. That is how he is, he is incredibly passionate about his country. He is also well-received there, playing for Argentina is a massive thing for him.

“As long as he plays in the game before, he will never miss out on an international break. Unfortunately, it does mean we will probably be without him against Manchester City. However, we went to City last year with Ben Davies and Emerson Royal as centre-backs, and we didn’t lose the match. Other players just need to step up.”

Tense days for the supporters

At the moment, Tottenham Hotspur will once again hold their breaths with the latest injury blow to Cristian Romero, and the concerns would be more intense if the Argentine defender’s situation has worsened.

Now it is only about waiting and testing results as Ange Postecoglou goes to the drawing board with Romero’s fitness in question for Spurs’ upcoming fixture against Manchester City.

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Who do you think will step up if Romero is absent from squad vs. City? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Emerson Royal’s exit from Tottenham in the summer had raised questions about the team’s viability at right-back. But the fact that Pedro Porro, Archie Gray, and Djed Spence could occupy those roles meant Spurs could still make do.

In the months since Royal’s departure, however, two of the players have been surrounded by uncertainty regarding their future at the club, while one is not preferred by the manager.

And so, Spurs are in a position where they need to reinforce their right-back slot regardless of what happens to their players.

Tottenham targetting Tariq Lamptey amid Pedro Porro exit speculation

As reported by TeamTalk, Tottenham are considering making a move for Brighton right-back Tariq Lamptey.

Spurs’ situation at the right-back slot is particularly dire. Their leakage of goals has not been fixed since Emerson Royal’s departure, and both Pedro Porro and Archie Gray have been subject of exit speculation from North London in recent days, with Djed Spence all but a fringe presence in the first team.

Under new head coach Fabian Hürzeler, Lamptey has featured sporadically, having registered a goal and assist each in four matches across all competitions. He has been nursing persistent injury issues over the past two seasons.

The 24-year-old’s £35k-per-week contract at Brighton expires at the end of the season. He is currently valued by Transfermarkt at €12 million.

Profile is not an issue, but injuries are

Injuries are a concern with Lamptey, naturally, especially when you consider Ange Postecoglou’s intense football.

But even taking that into account, given his contract situation, not much argument can be made against exploring a move for the Ghana international. That he is in the final year of his contract means Brighton are not convinced about giving him a new deal, so if Spurs are interested, the Seagulls will be more than willing to reach an agreement for a small fee instead of losing the player for free next summer.

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Tottenham star Cristian Romero has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid

Tottenham Hotspur’s underwhelming start to the season could suggest they need reinforcements during the January transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou has a couple of weeks to right the wrongs after Spurs’ shock 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Ipswich Town last weekend. Injuries have not been kind to the north Londoners with some key players currently on the treatment table.

Tottenham are also holding concerns with Cristian Romero’s fitness, with the centre-back only narrowly dodging a long-term injury just before the November international break. Piling further misery to the Lilywhites, recent reports suggest Real Madrid are planning to revive their interest in Cristian Romero.

Real Madrid had already been thin at centre-back this season. Recently, Eder Militao suffered a serious knee injury that will keep him out of action for an extended period, leaving Los Blancos with no option but to dip their toes in the winter window for a central defender. And the Tottenham star appears to be at the top of the La Liga giants’ list.

Earlier this week, reports suggested that Spurs will not entertain bids for Romero in January as Real Madrid plans to reignite their interest. However, in a twist of events, Football Insider claims Tottenham are open to selling the 2022 World Cup winner but will demand a ‘huge offer’ during negotiations.

Romero has a contract at the Hotspur Way until 2027 (Transfermarkt), and even if there are no advances from Madrid in 2025, they face losing the star defender in the coming windows. The Argentinean international is yet to extend his deal since arriving at the club in 2022. He has gone on to feature 111 times for the North London side thus far, scoring seven goals and assisting once.

The Cordoba-born star has made 13 appearances across all competitions this season, although he hasn’t been close to his best as Big Ange’s side have struggled defensively. Barring Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with a move for Romero.

Tottenham’s change of heart about Romero is extremely surprising. Perhaps, Daniel Levy and Johan Lange feel they could get a substantial fee for the defender from Madrid, who are in desperate need of a quality centre-back to partner Antonio Rudiger. This may force the Spanish champions to pay over the odds for the South American.

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Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move to sign Lille midfielder Angel Gomes in the 2025 transfer intervals as Daniel Levy looks to compound on the options in the middle of the park at Hotspur Way.

There is a need for a new midfielder (maybe two) at N17 given how the Lilywhites have filed to replace the influence that the departures of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Gio Lo Celso in the off season have had on the roster. And they have been looking at bringing in the England international who has been playing some impressive football since moving to the French top tier.

The Manchester United academy graduate is a highly technical player that can feature in an attacking midfield role (eight as well as ten roles) and would fit perfectly in Ange’s playing style. However, a move for him wouldn’t be as easy given how multiple clubs have been vying for his signatures.

Gomes could join Spurs for a bargain fee

The 24-year-old’s contract with his current employers comes to an end at the conclusion of the ongoing season, and clubs would be able to land his signatures on a pre-agreement from January. And John Wenham, owner of the reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, speculates that the North Londoners would be looking to land the midfielder for a cheap £3 million fee in the winter window.

He insists that Tottenham would initially secure a pre-agreement and then leverage that into a bargain transfer.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, Wenham said:

“Once Spurs have a pre-contract agreed, they could negotiate a deal with Lille. Therefore, I’d suspect they would offer £3million to make the deal happen in January. Alternatively, they could just wait until July and sign him for free. Gomes is a recent England international and someone I could see Tottenham moving forward with as a club signing, rather than someone Ange Postecoglou necessarily wants.

“He would tick many boxes in terms of the kind of club signings Spurs have historically made.”

If Tottenham are able to find an agreement with the player, the Lilywhites could soon find themselves with a major advantage in the transfer market, and with Gomes’ contract at Pierre Mauroy Stadium running down at the end of the season, Lille may be forced into accepting a cut-price deal in the winter window.

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This will give Spurs a rare opportunity to sign highly acclaimed England internationals without breaking the bank, and if manager Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy play their cards right, a mid-season transfer could change Spurs season at minimum cost.

Cristian Romero was withdrawn at half-time for Argentina against Paraguay on Thursday

Tottenham Hotspur have suffered greatly with injury problems since the start of the season, having seen the likes of Micky van de Ven, Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert visit the treatment table at various points.

The Lilywhites are also holding concerns with the fitness of Cristian Romero, with the experienced defender only narrowly escaping a serious foot injury in the 4-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa. He was barely able to get called up to the national team for the November international break.

Despite not being 100 per cent fully fit, Cristian Romero was selected to start in Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying loss to Paraguay on Thursday evening. And now Tottenham gaffer Ange Postecoglou will be sweating on the fitness of the central defender after he was taken off at half-time.

Reliable Argentine journalist Gaston Edul has revealed that Romero has sustained a foot injury, which could prevent him from featuring against Peru on Tuesday.

Despite sustaining an ankle injury that saw him miss the trip to Galatasaray in the Europa League, Ange Postecoglou took a bold decision to start Romero against Ipswich Town last weekend. He managed to complete the full 90 minutes as Spurs were beaten 2-1 by the Tractor Boys at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 26-year-old came unscathed against Ipswich and teamed up with the national team earlier this week. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni handed him a start and now both he and Postecoglou face a nervous wait on the defender’s condition.

Romero should be frustrated and angry at the same time by our club and the national team’s mismanagement that led to him being forced off at half time against Paraguay. He played with pain in his right foot, which means the Cordoba-born star was not 100 per cent fit to start the game on Thursday.

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This could not come at much of a worse time for Tottenham with Micky van de Ven also sidelined through a hamstring injury. We can only hope that Romero’s withdrawal against Paraguay was nothing more than precautionary.

Real Madrid want Tottenham Hotspur star Pedro Porro to bolster their right-back position amid the injury to Dani Carvajal. The Spanish club sees Porro as an ideal addition, given his experience in La Liga and consistent performances for Spurs. Carvajal’s absence has left Madrid’s defence vulnerable, prompting them to intensify their pursuit of reinforcements.

The Lilywhites have experienced an inconsistent season of ups and downs but remain competitive in all competitions under Ange Postecoglou. Out of 17 games played, Spurs have recorded 10 wins, one draw, and six losses, showcasing their problems with complacency.

The lack of conviction to take every game seriously has consequences as they have conceded 19 goals in 17 games. Nevertheless, Porro has played a pivotal role for Postecoglou in his style of play which demands offensive and defensive contributions from the fullbacks.

The Spain international has made 13 appearances in all competitions, contributing with two assists and one goal so far. The 25-year-old’s energy, precision, and tactical awareness have helped the Spurs create chances while remaining solid in defensive phases.

According to Fichajes, Madrid considers Tottenham star Porro a top priority in the upcoming transfer window to bolster their defence. Their defensive struggles this season, exacerbated by Carvajal’s injury, have made recruiting a right back essential.

Madrid are also monitoring Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Sky Sports reports that he remains committed to Liverpool for now. With competition intensifying, Madrid’s pursuit of Porro could accelerate as they look to address their vulnerabilities at the back.

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Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur set to be hit with a huge ban for comments made on Son Heung-min

Tottenham Hotspur are still waiting for the official confirmation from the FA for the length of Rodrigo Bentancur’s ban for his “aggravated breach” of their rules over his comments made on Son Heung-min during a television interview in Uruguay earlier this year.

It is reported that the FA is set to hit the Uruguayan international with a seven-game domestic ban for his conduct. Rodrigo Bentancur later apologized on his official Instagram account and said his comments were a “very bad joke”.

Son Heung-min accepted the apology and insisted that the Tottenham midfielder had “made a mistake”. Although the pair have moved on from the incident, the FA conducted their own survey and decided to charge the 27-year-old.

Now, Bentancur has opened up for the first time since the news broke out earlier this week that the English football’s governing body is set to punish him with a hefty domestic ban. The South American revealed that he has been informed by his agent about a potential lengthy ban but now remains fully focused on international duty.

Bentancur has played an important role for Big Ange this campaign, featuring in 10 of Tottenham’s 11 Premier League games so far, starting seven. The only league match the central midfielder has missed this campaign was Spurs’ home clash with Everton on the second weekend after being concussed in the season-opener at Leicester City.

The £75,000 per week star’s ban could last until the end of 2024 based on the fixtures currently scheduled until then. He featured for Big Ange’s side against newly promoted Ipswich Town last weekend, scoring in the shock 2-1 defeat, but that could be Bentancur’s last game for the north Londoners for over a month.

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As he is expected to be slapped with a seven-game domestic ban and if that starts from immediate effect after the international break, the 27-year-old will next be available for Tottenham’s trip to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

Tottenham Hotspur wide forward Timo Werner has endured a difficult time at White Hart Lane in the ongoing 2024/25 campaign, with the German international coming under scrutiny for the lack of clinical presence in front of goal.

While the 28-year-old has pace and ability to stretch defences out wide, he has struggled to make a significant impact when it mattered, and that has raised questions about his role at White Hart Lane.

Spurs brought him from RB Leipzig on a loan move in the summer of 2024 for the season following his successful half season at N17 in the previous campaign, and the former Chelsea forward was expected to rejuvenate his career and find his feet in the English top tier, where he did struggle with Chelsea, albeit his performances have often been inconsistent in the ongoing campaign, with several missed opportunities that have raised concerns about his future at N17.

Wage concerns?

And John Wenham, owner of the reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, acknowledges his belief that the Lilywhites won’t sign the German forward on a permanent deal, insisting that his high wages would be a cause of concern.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News, Wenham said:

“I don’t see Tottenham signing Werner permanently.

“Even if he goes on to have a great season this year, considering his wages, I just think it is too much of an outlay to commit to permanently.

“Therefore, if the season were to finish next week, he would just be released. That would be the end of it, and Spurs would move on.”

Moreover, Tottenham have already been subject to links with multiple wide forwards who can take up his spot in Ange Postecoglou’s roster.

Will Spurs bite the bullet on Timo Werner permanent deal?

To feature for a club in the headspace of Tottenham, it’s important to have players that can deliver week in and week out, and Werner hasn’t been doing so; he has been at best a hit-and-miss to consider signing him on a permanent deal.

For Daniel Levy and Spurs to commit to having Timo Werner on books at Hotspur Way, especially given his mighty wages complemented by his inconsistent performances, should be enough to justify not making investment in his signatures.

The German does have the raw qualities, no doubt—his pace and ability to stretch defences are valuable—but is that what Ange needs? Given how thin they have been in front of goal, Tottenham need some clinical edge in the final third.

As mentioned above, his speed remains a potent weapon that Ange can use in the counterattack; Werner is yet to find his stride in front of goal. Spurs faithful have seen flashes of his potential (for example, that performance against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup), but have also seen his poor finishing and struggles to make decisive contributions in tight games that have come back to bite the Lilywhites on multiple occasions.

With the likes of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and even Moore (to a certain extent) offering more consistency and diverse attacking threats, the German international looks like he doesn’t belong.

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A former UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea, the German has never quite fulfilled his potential in England. Do you think Tottenham should sign Werner on a permanent transfer?