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Tottenham Hotspur had been subject to intensive links with a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers wide forward Pedro Neto in the recently concluded summer transfer window; however, despite aggressive rumours, no transfer materialised, with the Portuguese winger joining the Lilywhites London rivals Chelsea instead.

The North Londoners were keen to bring the now-Blues winger to White Hart Lane following Daniel Levy’s failure to sign Eberechi Eze; however, the North Londoners couldn’t get the deal done as they weren’t prepared to pay money upfront for the 24-year-old winger, per Paul O’keefe.

Spurs regret not signing Neto?

The North Londoners reluctance to meet the Wolves price tag meant the Lilywhites were scrambling for alternatives going into the final stretch of the summer window while Neto eventually moved to Chelsea.

The 24-year-old is a Premier League-proven quality who can take games by the scuff, and adding such quality would have taken Ange Postecoglou‘s roster to another level, as it would have brought much-needed flair in the offensive line alongside a presence who likes to cover the ground and enjoys transitional situations.

And while the window has passed, Tottenham are still in dire need of such a presence in their offensive line, and the Lilywhites will go into the 2025 transfer interval looking to secure such a player as Ange Postecoglou will be looking to add more creative depth and versatility to his squad.

There is a viable lack of a wide forward upfront at Tottenham, and adding Neto’s directness would have been integral in their bid to have a side that can break down deep-lying defences. And the former Celtic manager will hence be looking to identify such a player and acquire him to fill the gap that Tottenham failed to have when that Neto deal scuppered.

-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker

Do you think Tottenham made a mistake by not signing Neto? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Key takeaways as Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Carabao Cup

Tottenham Hotspur progressed to the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup, courtesy of a 2-1 home win over Manchester City in their round 4 clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The match was settled in an entertaining first half as Timo Werner and Pape Mata Sarr gave the hosts a 2-0 lead against an opponent that was relatively depleted with injuries.

Matheus Nunes pulled a goal back in stoppage time during the first 45 and in spite of the visiting side’s probing in the second period, Tottenham held on to earn a vital win. It keeps Ange Postecoglou’s side alive in the hunt for a piece of silverware in nearly two decades with Manchester United up next in the competition for the Lilywhites.

The fixture is scheduled in mid-December with a date and time yet to be confirmed. In the meanwhile, here is a look at the three talking points from the game.

Werner finally breaks his duck

Timo Werner started in several of Tottenham’s last few matches owing to injury problems in the team’s offensive department. Richarlison, Son Heung-min and Wilson Odobert were all on the treatment table, which gave the German the opportunity to have a lengthy run of fixtures under his belt. While he showed glimpses of his quality, some very poor finishing let him down.

Against Manchester City, he confidently placed a brilliant pass from Dejan Kulusevski past Man City’s goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. Postecoglou will be hoping that this was the first of many goals that the former Chelsea forward scores this season as he will remain an important secondary asset for the team especially in the domestic cups.

Solanke and Johnson fail once more

Though Tottenham won against Manchester City, the performances of Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke left a lot to be desired. The duo performed at their peak a few weeks ago but their form has dramatically reduced in recent fixtures as their lack of cutting edge in front of goal was a key factor in Spurs’ last two Premier League defeats against Brighton and Crystal Palace.

It will be interesting to see what formula Postecoglou uses going forward to ensure both players are on a sustainable run in the final third rather than having highs and lows. Son’s return will be imperative, as he will alleviate some pressure off both players. The South Korean’s ability to attract defenders towards him ends up working nicely in favour of the other attacking players, Johnson and Solanke in this case.

Manchester United up next

Manchester United are the next big challenge between Tottenham and their first trophy since 2008. The Red Devils will hope that they are a far better side by December’s meeting, given that Erik ten Hag has been relieved of his duties and Ruben Amorim is the favourite to take over. They have already shown signs of improvement, thanks to a 5-2 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup.

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Tottenham, however, will remain confident having run over United not too long ago. They won 3-0 in the Premier League at Old Trafford and the scoreline could have been far more embarrassing for their opponents were it not for some poor finishing. The quarter final will be an interesting watch and Spurs will look to play as well as they did against Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur is building an exciting roster of young talent, demonstrating a clear focus on future prospects. Under Ange Postecoglou, several youngsters are making their mark in the starting XI, including Mikey Moore, who recently earned his first Premier League start. Meanwhile, some of Tottenham’s promising players have been sent out on loan to gain valuable first-team experience. One loanee, in particular, has caught the attention of his manager, who is optimistic about his potential for a bright future.

Stoke City exited the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 defeat against Southampton on Tuesday night, but Tottenham’s Ashley Phillips showcased his talent with a stunning goal. After the match, Stoke manager Narcis Pelach speaking to StokeOnTrentLive acknowledged Phillips’s potential for a bright future, emphasising that continued development could lead to significant opportunities for the young player.

The Tottenham loanee keeps impressing

Ashley Phillips, the traditional centre-back who joined Stoke City on loan in August this year, has made five appearances to date, earning £15,000 per week. His ability to score a goal, as he demonstrated on Tuesday night, highlights the talent this young defender possesses. However, transitioning to the Premier League with Tottenham presents a significantly greater challenge than anything Phillips has encountered thus far in his career.

Speaking to StokeOnTrentLive after the game, Stoke manager Narcis Pelach admitted Phillips could be in for a big future if he continues to develop.

“He had chances against Sheffield United the other day. I’m impressed with his performance today and the other day and he needs to continue in this direction because I think he’s a good centre-back, can be very good in the future,”

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Antonio Conte had a disorderly tenure as Tottenham boss, resulting in sharp criticisms of the club’s players, owners, and culture. Now the Napoli manager, believes that he achieved the “maximum possible” during his time at Spurs and highlights the team’s decline since his departure. Conte spent nearly 18 months in charge, arriving with the goal of securing European football and breaking Tottenham’s long-standing trophy drought.

Conte successfully guided Tottenham into the Champions League during his first season, but things quickly deteriorated in his final weeks. He inherited a squad featuring talents like Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, yet he asserts that the club expected him to perform “miracles.” Conte believes he maximised the potential of the team, having only one summer transfer window to work with, and points to their inability to qualify for the Champions League after his sudden departure as a significant setback.

Conte believes the expectations set for him was too high

In his final weeks, Conte became visibly frustrated and began to blame others for the team’s struggles. Tottenham suffered a disappointing FA Cup exit to Sheffield United, and his frustration reached a boiling point when they squandered a two-goal lead at Southampton, ending the match in a 3-3 draw. The Italian openly criticised the club, chairman Daniel Levy, and the prevailing culture at the north London club, which ultimately left the club with no choice but to part ways with him.

Speaking to DAZN, The Italian noted

“I realise there are expectations, but if you go where there are difficulties… I think Tottenham did incredibly well, because they were ninth when I arrived and we got into the Champions League. The two years after I left, which was for personal reasons, they did not qualify for the Champions League.

“I think I achieved a lot there too. If people ask me for miracles, then I can speed them up and get the best out of the squad, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we can win. I think I got the maximum possible out of that Tottenham side.”

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Tottenham academy kid Dane Scarlett is slowly starting to impress on loan at Oxford United

Tottenham had a solid transfer window where they not only invested in some exciting players but also offloaded the majority of the deadwood from the squad.

The Lilywhites have lots of young players and academy talents that need to be nurtured by Ange Postecoglou and his coaching staff. The Spurs gaffer has the great responsibility of helping them realise their true potential at the Hotspur Way. As a result, he allowed some of the academy kids to leave Tottenham on loan in the summer to gain regular minutes.

One of those was Dane Scarlett. The striker has already made 17 first-team appearances ever since making his debut at the age of 16, but Tottenham having splashed big money for securing the services of Dominic Solanke meant he would have not enjoyed regular opportunities this season. Thus, it was in the best interests of everyone for him to go out on loan to newly-promoted Championship side Oxford United.

However, Dane Scarlett endured a tough start to life at Oxford United. He initially struggled to break into Des Buckingham’s starting XI, with Mark Harris leading the attack. Things are starting to fall into place for the Spurs loanee now with two goals in his last three appearances for the Championship side.

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson is delighted to see the England youth international finally getting his opportunities at Oxford United. He feels a strong loan spell at the Kassam Stadium could act as a ‘springboard’ to achieve more in his career.

Scarlett started his first Championship game for Oxford on October 22 and it turned out to be a memorable one as he scored in the 1-1 draw with Derby County at home. That followed his late leveller off the bench in a 1-1 draw with West Brom at the Kassam Stadium, once again in the league.

The Spurs youngster did fire a blank in the U’s defeat to Sunderland last weekend but there ought to be inconsistency in his game and he must learn how to bounce back. Scarlett will be desperate to get back among the goals when Oxford host Swansea City on Saturday.

-> Ex-scout thinks Levy will sanction sale for 15 goal ace to buy this £30m Premier League star this winter

A strong loan in the Championship will certainly enhance Scarlett’s chances of featuring in the first team at Tottenham during the 2025/26 season.

Tottenham could reinforce their porous defence in the winter window

Tottenham Hotspur haven’t enjoyed a great start to the 2024/25 season and that is reflected by their eighth position in the Premier League table.

Despite a mixed beginning, only Manchester City and Chelsea have scored more than Spurs’ 18 goals so far this campaign. On the contrary, things have been poor at the other end of the pitch. The north Londoners have kept only two clean sheets in their opening nine Premier League games.

-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker

With that said, behind the scenes, Daniel Levy and Johan Lange are keeping tabs on a central defender ahead of the January transfer window to strengthen the squad. This is the view of former Tottenham scout Mick Brown. He thinks the lack of depth in defence has played a big part in Spurs’ slow start to the campaign and the club are making plans to recruit a centre-half in the winter window.

Brown gave the examples of Manchester City and Arsenal’s defensive stability, urging Spurs to set them as the “benchmarks” if they are to taste success under Ange Postecoglou.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are Tottenham’s undisputed first-choice centre-back pairing. They were solid last season, playing a big role in Spurs achieving a Europa League spot. This campaign the duo haven’t quite been at their best thus far, especially Romero, who has made silly mistakes and had lapses of concentration in games.

Radu Dragusin is their only natural back-up option, having arrived at N17 from Genoa in January. The Romanian international has seen limited action at Spurs, starting just one league game in the ongoing season. And the young defender has been linked with an exit from the Hotspur Way off late.

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Thus, it is extremely clear that Tottenham do need defensive reinforcements to not only enhance the depth of the squad but also to push both Romero and Van de Ven to their limits. Healthy competition within Big Ange’s ranks is critical for success, so don’t be surprised if Levy and Co. decide to splash the cash on a quality centre-half in January.

Former Tottenham academy starlet Marcus Edwards could be heading to Man United

Sporting CP have confirmed that Manchester United will activate Ruben Amorim’s £8.3m release clause to appoint him as their next head coach. It comes after former boss Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday morning following Man United’s poor start to the 2024/25 Premier League season.

The Red Devils are keen to have Ruben Amorim on board ahead of Sunday’s mega clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford. Sporting are currently trying to find a suitable replacement for the 39-year-old. Should Amorim accept the vacant Man United job, he would like to bring three Sporting players with him to Old Trafford next year.

According to an exclusive report from TEAMtalk, ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger Marcus Edwards is one of the three players Amorim wants to be reunited at Man United.

A product of the prestigious Tottenham academy, Marcus Edwards, however, failed to break into the senior side and left the club on a free transfer as a rather unknown youngster for Portuguese side Vitoria in 2019. He was snapped up by Sporting CP in January 2022.

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The winger burst onto the scene under Amorim at Sporting, establishing himself as one of the exciting players in the Liga NOS. The former Portugal youth international has showcased his potential with vision, creativity and goalscoring ability in recent seasons. And having played a huge role in the development of his career, Amorim is keen to bring him back to the Premier League.

The aforementioned report adds Edwards has been identified as the perfect replacement for Antony, who is deemed surplus to requirements and Man United are keen to sell or loan him out in January.

Edwards has flourished after moving abroad but there are chances we could see him back in England, especially if Amorim manages to convince his bosses to splash the cash for his signature. The 25-year-old managed only one senior appearance for Spurs, yet he could help his former employers get some cash.

Spurs would be set to gain from any Edwards movement owing to a 35-percent sell-on clause in his contract that runs until June 2026 at Sporting (Transfermarkt), potentially reaping huge benefits at White Hart Lane. It has turned out to be a smart call.

-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker

Should Amorim become Ten Hag’s successor, he appears to be keen on signing Edwards as one of his first signings at Man United. If he manages to convince INEOS to sign the Portuguese wide playmaker, Spurs will receive a significant windfall which we can use to reinvest in acquiring our targets next year.

Tottenham Hotspur have been doing some slick business off the pitch, with the Premier League heavyweights enjoying a splendid transfer window in the recently conceded summer, where Daniel Levy did a brilliant job to get some highly anticipated incomings while pushing the surplus on Lilywhites books out the door.

Spurs have also tweaked their transfer strategy, where they rely heavily on signing highly anticipated young players and nurturing them within the corridors at Hotspur Way.

And Tottenham have been subject to links with another highly touted South American starlet in Palmeiras wonderkid Vitor Reis, who has been taking massive strides since breaking into the first team for the Brazilian giants, and the player is now linked with a probable move to the English top flight.

Arsenal, Liverpool, and Spurs battle for Reis

Spurs alongside North London neighbours Arsenal have been regarded as potential suitors, with both eyeing a move for the defender in the upcoming winter transfer window.

The player’s agent, Claudio Fiorito, acknowledged the player’s readiness to move to Europe; however, he was quite vocal about the fact that his client wants to end up at a club that offers Champions League football.

Now, NossoPalmeiras insists that Liverpool have also joined the race to his signatures. More importantly, the report states that Reis has a release clause in his current contract with the Brazilian giants, which stands at a whopping €100 million (£83.3 million).

It is difficult to see either Arsenal, Liverpool, or Levy sanction a move for the teenager for such massive fees for someone who hasn’t even had one full season of senior football under his belt. That being said, it is expected that a £25m-30m offer will be difficult to turn down for Palmeiras.

-> Tottenham ‘doing everything to stop’ 25yo Real Madrid-bound ace from joining Man City

Would you want Tottenham to sign Vitor Reis for such hefty fees? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder cum wide forward Dejan Kulusevski has been enjoying a purple patch form at White Hart Lane in the 2024/25 campaign, and his rise in ranks in North London has attracted interest from European elites, with Italian giants AC Milan being the latest team vying for his signatures.

AC Milan advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the driving force behind the Milan Reds pursuit of the Swedish ace, per Juve Live.

Ibrahimovic wants Kulusevski at Milan

Kulusevski moved to the Premier League in 2022, initially on an 18-month loan; however, he was quick to impress, donning the Spurs badge, and the chiefs at Hotspur Way decided to secure his services on a permanent deal. And with the strides that Kulusevski has been taking in his time at N17, he could vouch for a move away with Ibrahimovic, who has been an admirer of his countryman and is looking to bring him to San Siro as the Serie A giants stare at potential for life without Rafael Leao, who has been linked with a move away for a while now.

-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker

Milan have reportedly set their sights on the former Juventus man and are willing to fork out a €50 million fee for his signatures.

That being said, the 24-year-old has ties at White Hart Lane toll 2028, and any potential exit, especially given his current run of form, would take a substantial offer.

For Tottenham, it is difficult to see Levy sanctioning any exit for the Swede at the moment given how he has started to establish himself as a key cog in Ange’s side.

-> Tottenham ‘doing everything to stop’ 25yo Real Madrid-bound ace from joining Man City

However, if a hefty offer were to arrive next summer, would you consider selling Kulusevski? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tottenham Hotspur will turn their attentions to Carabao Cup proceedings as they prepare to face Manchester City in the Round of 16 of the 2024/25 League Cup campaign later today, and injury concerns come as a massive blow to Ange Postecoglou yet again as Heung Min-Son is scheduled to miss the game against the Cityzens.

The League Cup is an ideal opportunity for the Lilywhites to compete for silverware, and given how the proceedings for it end early in the season, it would also prove a needed boost in the midst of the campaign. However, Ange Postecoglou will have to rotate his lineup once again owing to availability concerns.

The North Londoners were hoping that skipper Heung-min Son, who wasn’t among the squad in the weekend’s defeat against Crystal Palace owing to an injury, would be available and fit to face City; however, Tottenham head coach confirmed that the 32-year-old will miss today’s clash. The Australian went on to reveal that Wilson Odobert has suffered another setback in his injury that would keep him on the sidelines for longer.

Son misses City clash, Richarlison to start?

With Son and Odobert serving the treatment room, the former Celtic manager went on to hint that Brazilian international Richarlison may start on the left flank. Ange went on to sympathise with Richy’s injury record and suggested how the 27-year-old is a strong option in Son’s absence.

-> Tottenham ‘doing everything to stop’ 25yo Real Madrid-bound ace from joining Man City

Speaking in his pre-game press conference, Ange said: (via. Football.London)

“I think Richy has obviously played a lot of his football on the left and he’s definitely an option there for us and an option through the middle as well. He’s getting some good match minutes now so hopefully next couple of weeks we’ve still got a good game schedule. Like I said, he’s only just getting his season started so the more we can expose him without overburdening him in the early stages he’ll be able to contribute even more.”

-> Ex-scout doubts winter Tottenham move for £30 million rated Premier League striker

This is an opportunity for Richarlison to get back on good books at Tottenham, and among the North Londoners supporters, if he were to grab this opportunity with both hands, it could end up rejuvenating his time at N17.