CaughtOffside

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly not stand in Timo Werner’s way if the German striker chooses to cut his loan spell short in January.

According to Kicker, the forward is unlikely to see significant playing time in the coming months due to the summer arrivals of Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, pushing him further down the pecking order.

While Werner has been praised by some for his work ethic and defensive contribution, his finishing in front of goal has left many Spurs fans frustrated.

The German international, who has developed a reputation for missing clear-cut chances, has found himself the subject of criticism from both supporters and pundits alike and has even become the target of trolling both online and in person.

This season, Werner’s struggles have persisted, with missed opportunities in crucial matches against Manchester United and Ferencvaros drawing heavy criticism.

Pundit Craig Burley was particularly vocal, calling for Werner to be dropped, labelling his finishing as “atrocious.”

The report claims that the only way Werner gets a good run of games with Spurs going forward this season, is if there is a major injury crisis at the club.

Timo Werner continues to struggle in the Premier League

Werner initially joined Spurs on loan in January 2024 and showed enough potential to earn a one-year extension for the current season. However, his return of just two goals and four assists in 23 appearances has been underwhelming, leading many to question his role in the squad.

This isn’t the first time Werner has struggled in the Premier League. His first stint in English football with Chelsea, after a high-profile move from RB Leipzig in 2020, saw him score just six goals in 35 league matches during his debut season.

His second season at Stamford Bridge was even less fruitful, with only four goals in 21 appearances before he was sold back to Leipzig in 2022.

With his current trajectory at Spurs, it seems increasingly likely that his loan spell will end prematurely, with Kicker indicating that an early exit in January could be on the cards.

Tottenham have placed an £80m price tag on star defender Pedro Porro as the North London club try to fend off interest from Man City and Real Madrid in the Spanish star.

The right-back has been a big hit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since joining Spurs in 2023 from Sporting CP due to his attacking style of play.

Porro has become a crucial part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans at the Premier League giants but his performances have attracted interest from other big European clubs.

Tottenham News reported earlier this year that Man City are monitoring Porro’s development at Spurs and are interested in bringing the 25-year-old back to Manchester having played for the Premier League champions between 2019-2022.

City view Porro as an option to replace Kyle Walker long term – who will turn 35 next year.

The Manchester outfit could have major competition for the Spanish star next summer as The Athletic have reported that Porro is on Real Madrid’s list of targets ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. should the La Liga champions fail to lure Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu.

This interest in the Tottenham defender will worry the North London club and in order to fend off the European giants, Spurs have placed a huge price tag on their right-back.

Tottenham place huge price tag on Pedro Porro amid interest

According to Football Insider, Tottenham value Porro around the £80m mark as the Spanish star has a contract with the Premier League outfit until 2028.

Amid all the interest in the Spain international, the London outfit are under no pressure to sell and are aware that it will be hard to find a replacement for the 25-year-old should they allow him to move to City or Real Madrid.

None of the interested parties will pay Tottenham’s asking price and as a result, fans of Spurs can expect Porro to be at the club next season.

Football continues to evolve as a sport and a business and to that end, Arsenal could be set to make a decision that will see them surpass rivals Tottenham.

Given how well Arsenal have been faring under Mikel Arteta, it could be said that the Gunners are well ahead of their North London rivals in terms of where their projects are at relative to each other.

Indeed, Alan Shearer has already indicated that he believes Arsenal are favourites for this season’s Premier League title, ahead of Man City.

Arsenal looking at making era-defining decision

One area where they they appear to be lacking is with regards to match day revenue, however, with The Times (subscription required) noting that Tottenham make as much as £6m per match at their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Almost 20 years ago when the Gunners took residence at the Emirates, moving from Highbury, the new stadium was seen as ahead of its time and state of the art.

Whilst its overall look and feel has stood the test of time, advances in technology and more has meant that the Emirates is now lagging behind.

With The Times report also noting that West Ham are also thinking of increasing the London Stadium capacity, Arsenal will really be put in the shade if they’re unable to increase their own capacity and upgrade facilities.

The sum total of the same should see that it follows that more money is available for players, as revenue would undoubtedly rise.

For the moment any talks remain exploratory, as it would appear that there are significant barriers to overcome if Arsenal are to push forward and make a bigger home stadium a reality.

Fans will arguably be waiting with baited breath too, as more seats mean more supporters can get to watch their heroes every other week.

Tottenham are considering a January transfer window move for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, who could have an asking price of around €40million, and who is also on the radar of other top clubs.

Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Spurs are leading the race for Delap at the moment, though the 21-year-old’s fine form has also seen him attract some interest from other top Premier League clubs in the form of Arsenal, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and his former club Manchester City.

Delap largely came up through Derby County’s academy, though he also spent five years at Man City, making a total of six appearances and scoring one goal for their first-team, and mostly going out on loan a few times.

Still, Delap has improved a lot in recent times and Tottenham are particularly keen to snap him up, with Ipswich understood to be prepared to evaluate offers for the England Under-21 international this January.

Liam Delap transfer: Tottenham to make another signing up front?

Tottenham signed Dominic Solanke in the summer to give them more of a goal threat up front, but it’s fair to say he’s been a little underwhelming so far.

Solanke shone for Bournemouth last season, but has just three goals in his first eight games for Spurs, so Ange Postecoglou might do well to bring in someone like Delap as an alternative.

THFC sold Harry Kane almost a year and a half ago, and it was never going to be easy to replace him, but it might be worth investing in a talented young English player like Delap, who looks in some ways like a young Kane.

It will be interesting to see if others like Arsenal and Newcastle also step up their interest in Delap in the near future, but it’s felt that Tottenham’s interest is the most concrete for the time being.

Tottenham Hotspur had a quiet summer transfer window but where they did invest heavily was in young talents.

Dominic Solanke was the only major senior arrival of the summer for the Lilywhites. However, Spurs still spent big to secure the signings of four teenagers in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall and Yang Min-hyeok — the latter remaining on loan in South Korea until January.

And Spurs haven’t cheaped out on their young talents’ salaries, either.

According to Capology, Archie Gray is the Premier League’s second-highest-paid teenager, with the former Leeds starlet bagging £75k per week — although that’s still £40k per week short of top teenager earner Leny Yoro of Man Utd.

Spurs also have Odobert in fifth on £25k per week, while Swedish midfielder Bergvall earns £15k per week.

Archie Gray’s eye-catching start at Spurs

Given the talent at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal, you would have been forgiven for thinking Gray would have to remain very patient as he awaits chances at Spurs.

However, the England youth international has made a positive start to life in North London.

Gray has already made four substitute appearances in the Premier League, clocking up 33 minutes so far.

And in the cups, the 18-year-old has enjoyed even more success, playing the full 90 minutes in Tottenham’s Europa League and EFL Cup ties against Qarabag, Ferencvaros and Coventry City, respectively.

Gray was lauded for his versatility during his Leeds days and already this season, he’s played as a centre-back, right-back and central midfielder for Spurs. Against Qarabag, he started at the heart of defence before switching out to left-back.

“It’s incredible how he just adjusts and he’s able to bring his game to wherever we put him,” said manager Postecoglou.

Up next for Spurs is a Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar in which Gray will hope for another full 90 minutes.

Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months.

He has been linked with clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. The 24-year-old’s performances have attracted the attention of the three Premier League clubs and it will be interesting to see if they decide to come forward with an offer to sign him.

The player has now fueled further speculations surrounding his future by claiming that he wants to join a big club in the near future and compete in European football. However, he has also revealed that he is a boyhood Arsenal fan.

“I am an Arsenal fan,” Semenyo said to the Athletic.

“I don’t conflict the two with my job. It is great to play against Arsenal, a team I have watched all my life and I want to play for the top clubs as well. In order for that to happen I need to prove it.

“Yeah, any team that plays Champions League, Europa (League) — that’s the aim. I know that’s not going to come with a click of my fingers, it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take goals. It’s going to take a lot of consistent performances. But I’ve worked all my life for that and I’m just going to continue working hard. That’s my mentality.”

That will certainly come as a major boost for the Gunners who are looking to secure his signature. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can take advantage of the situation and get a deal done for him in the near future. Convincing him to join the club should not be difficult for Arsenal. They have the finances to afford him and the player’s affection towards the club will make it easier for the Gunners to convince him.

The 24-year-old is capable of operating anywhere across the front three, and he will add goals and assists to the side. His arrival will allow Mikel Arteta to rotate his front three more often. Arsenal need more depth in the side if they want to do well across multiple competitions.

Can Tottenham sign Antoine Semenyo?

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for the Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo.

The Magpies are keen on signing the 24-year-old winger and they will face competition from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur as well. According to Football Insider, the winger will be available for a fee of around £40-50 million.

It is no secret that Newcastle need to add more quality and depth to their attacking unit. The 24-year-old winger could add pace, flair and goals to the side. He is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three. He is well-settled in the Premier League and he could make an instant impact at Newcastle if he joins the club.

Newcastle are one of the wealthiest clubs in the country and it is fair to assume that they have the financial muscle to pay the reported asking price. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Arsenal and Tottenham keen on Antoine Semenyo

Meanwhile, Arsenal are in need of a winger as well. They have not been able to rotate players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as often as they would have liked. Signing the 24-year-old will give Mikel Arteta more options to work with.

As far as Tottenham are concerned, they might need to bring in alternatives to players like Richarlison if the Brazilian does not improve in the coming weeks. His time at the club has been quite mediocre and he will be expected to turn things around quickly. The player has now returned from his injury layoff, and it remains to be seen whether he can impress the manager with his performances.

Meanwhile, Semenyo will want to compete at the highest level and the opportunity to play for clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham will be quite attractive for him. It will be interesting to see if Newcastle can convince him to join the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing the Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu in the near future.

A report from Football Insider claims that they are keen on snapping up some of the best young talents in European football, and they are keeping tabs on the 19-year-old Serie A defender.

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham follow up on their interest with an official offer to sign the defender. Dorgu has impressed with his performances in Italian football, and he has the technical attributes to do well in the Premier League as well.

We have recently covered reports stating that the defender is valued at €40 million and It remains to be seen whether Tottenham are ready to break the bank for him.

The 19-year-old is a prodigious talent with a bright future, and he could end up justifying the investment in the long term. He has been linked with other Premier League clubs as well, and it remains to be seen where he ends up.

The defender could be tempted to move to the Premier League. It would be an exciting step up in his career and he would get to test himself against world-class attackers in English football. Regular exposure in the Premier League could accelerate his development as well.

Can Tottenham accommodate Patrick Dorgu?

However, Tottenham are already well-stocked in the left-back department. They have Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies at their disposal. Unless they are prepared to sell the Welsh international, a move for Dorgu would not make any sense.

The 19-year-old will not want to sit on the bench at Tottenham. It is unlikely to benefit his development. He needs to play regularly at this stage of his career and the defender must seek gametime assurances before making a move to the North London club.

Rumours continue to swirl regarding a potential investment in Tottenham Hotspur by Amanda Staveley and others, but Stan Collymore has been scathing of her involvement in the game.

It’s already been contended that if she were to get an ‘in’ to the North London giants, she would get rid of Ange Postecoglou and replace him with Newcastle’s Eddie Howe.

Furthermore, it appears she wants a “position of power” in order to push forward any investment.

Amanda Staveley looks set to invest in Tottenham

Former professional Collymore understands why Spurs would be a target for a potential takeover, but he’s none too happy that Staveley will likely stage another ‘smash and grab’ just as she did with the Magpies.

“I think Amanda Staveley is a new type of leech on the game of football, really I do,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

“She’s obviously very clever because she’s somebody that hasn’t got billions but is extraordinarily well connected to people that use their money to buy big assets, and rumours of an investment in Tottenham would provide her with a very quick and very effective way of making a huge return.

“I get why Spurs would be seen as a a potential hostile takeover with Middle East businessman first buying a small amount of shares, then gradually buying the whole club. The suggestion from recent news reports were that it was 12.5 percent for £700 million, and then the Qataris would chew off the percentages until they bought the lot.

“It makes absolute sense to buy Tottenham too. They’re in London and they’ve got a fantastic stadium which is arguably the best in the country if not the world. They’’re a known and historic name, and are massively underperforming in terms of what people could legitimately expect from them on the pitch.

“[…] Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy could be offered something ridiculous like £6bn to get out, and then Amanda Staveley, by putting in relatively little of her own money, will walk away with an astounding amount.”

Whether traditionalists like it or not, that’s seemingly the way that football is heading, and will likely continue to do so in future.

Collymore’s viewpoint is a particularly harsh one, given that most owners of elite football clubs seem to be in the business of making money – and little else.

Real Madrid are planning to add a new right-back to their squad during the 2025 summer transfer window and it is being reported that Tottenham’s Pedro Porro is on their list of targets.

The La Liga champions are light in the position at present following the serious knee injury suffered by Dani Carvajal before the international break and with the Spanish star turning 33 in 2025, Los Blancos are on the lookout for a long-term right-back.

According to The Athletic, Real Madrid have made Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold a priority target as the England international is out of contract at Anfield at the end of the season.

However, there is still a chance that the 26-year-old pens a new deal with the Merseyside club and the La Liga outfit are prepared for that as they have drawn up a list of alternatives.

On that list is Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro, Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen and Sevilla’s Juanlu. Any of these would be a great addition to Real Madrid’s squad in their own way but the signing of the Spurs man would be an interesting one.

What would Tottenham’s Pedro Porro bring to Real Madrid?

From Real Madrid’s list, it is clear that the La Liga champions are targeting full-backs who are attack-minded and can create chances for Carlo Ancelotti’s team from out wide.

Porro fits this mould perfectly and has shown it on numerous occasions for Spurs as the Spaniard is often very high up the pitch looking to create havoc in the opposition’s final third. The 25-year-old has also put up some good numbers over the last two campaigns, producing eight goals and 10 assists across 62 games for the North London club.

Should Real Madrid fail to land Alexander-Arnold, Porro would be a great alternative; however, with a contract until 2028 with the Premier League club, Tottenham will not allow the defender to leave cheaply given his importance to Ange Postecoglou.