CaughtOffside

It’s clear that Ange Postecoglou is the most demanding of managers, and that’s precisely what Tottenham Hotspur need if they’re going to be successful in 2024/25.

The Lilywhites have flattered to deceive for years, but with the one or two more additions to their squad, the North Londoners need to get over the line in one of the domestic cup competitions as a bare minimum.

Tottenham hoping to land Angel Gomes

After five games of their Premier League season, Spurs find themselves in 10th position after just two wins.

There’s an immediate improvement that needs to be made, however, it’ll be January at least before the club can add to their ranks.

Whilst current first-team staff might not yet be playing for their places as such, who Tottenham target will hint at the positions within the squad that are under the most scrutiny.

It appears that the club are already looking even further ahead with Give Me Sport noting that the club are ready to battle both Newcastle and Man United for the services of Lille’s brilliant 24-year-old England international, Angel Gomes.

Gomes has history with the Red Devils of course, and that he was unable to make it at Old Trafford in the first instance may rule them out of the running in the early stages.

The outlet also suggest that the Magpies are considered outsiders in this particular race and although it doesn’t necessarily give Spurs a free run at Gomes, it would almost certainly make them favourites for his signature at this stage.

The player was born in Edmonton, North London, so the chance to be back ‘home’ could be too good to turn down.

Given that he would arrive at his new club as a free agent too, a lucrative contract could be offered to tempt the player to sign.

That’s when Daniel Levy will just need to lighten his grip on the purse strings a little.

Southampton winger Tyler Dibling has attracted the attention of the big clubs with his performances in recent weeks.

The 18-year-old has been handed the opportunity to showcase his qualities with the first team and he is looking to establish himself as a key player for Southampton. Has recently impressed with the Premier League side.

According to HITC, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United were scouting the winger in action when Southampton played Ipswich down on Saturday. The match finished 1-1 and the scouts from all three clubs will have been delighted with the winger’s performance. Dibling managed to score a goal and his overall performance was quite impressive as well.

It will be interesting to see if the big clubs follow up on their interest with an official proposal to sign Dibling in the coming months.

Tyler Dibling would be a future investment

Manchester United need more quality and depth in the attacking unit and the 18-year-old winger could prove to be a solid long-term acquisition for them. He is versatile enough to operate it on both flanks and he will add goals and creativity to the side. The winger is still only 18 and he is likely to improve with coaching and experience. He could develop into a top-class player for the club.

It will be interesting to see if Manchester United follow up with an offer to sign him in the near future.

Similarly, Tottenham and Newcastle could use more depth on the flanks as well.

Son Heung-min is in his 30s and he will need to be replaced soon. The 18-year-old winger certainly fits the profile and he could be a long-term asset for the north London club.

At Newcastle, they have been overly dependent on Anthony, Gordon and Alexander Isak for goals and creativity. Another young winger would be the ideal acquisition for them.

Top Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images.

James Maddison and his recent upturn in form has left many pundits, including Gary Lineker, impressed and hopeful the midfielder can help inspire an improvement of results for Spurs.

The 27-year-old signed for Spurs in a deal worth a reported £40 million last summer.

Maddison started very well but his form wained at the tail end of last season and forced Gareth Southgate to leave him out of his final 26-man England squad for this summer’s Euros in Germany.

However, undeterred by his international omission, Maddison has started the season in much better form and looks to be returning to his best.

Featuring during the Lilywhites’ 3-1 win over Brentford on Saturday, the former Leicester City playmaker put in a top performance and scored his side’s last of the game after 85 minutes.

Danny Murphy and Gary Lineker praise James Maddison

And discussing the Coventry-born midfielder during Saturday night’s Match of the Day on the BBC, pundit Danny Murphy gave his assessment of what was a super individual showing.

“I did pick him out because he was the best player on the pitch. Some sections of the media or people have questioned his start to the season, and I think that’s because Tottenham have started poorly,” he said.

“He has started this season very similar to the beginning of the last. He was the best player on the opening day at Leicester. Against Everton, he was superb when they won. Against Newcastle, he helped them dominate the game for long periods and probably should have done, and today in this deeper role that Postecoglou has put him in as a central midfielder, Kulusevski ahead of him, he was absolutely outstanding.

“He is always brave, goes and gets the ball under pressure, and he’s always positive with his passing. And so many times he set them on the attack because he takes responsibility.”

Presenter and former Spurs striker Lineker then added: “He’s a brilliant player, he really is.”

Maddison’s impressive form will be a huge boost for Ange Postecoglou, who, prior to yesterday’s win over Brentford, had won just one of his first four Premier League games of the season and was beginning to feel the pressure that comes with being a top-flight manager.

Ivan Toney is finally off the mark as an Al-Ahli player, putting in a stunning performance on Friday.

The England international was heavily linked with a number of top Premier League clubs over the summer but in the end, switched Brentford for the Saudi Pro League.

It’s been a slow start to life at his new club for Toney, who failed to score in his first two appearances. However, on Friday, things finally clicked into gear.

Within just 13 minutes of Al-Ahli’s home clash with Damac FC — played in front of over 25,000 supporters — Toney played a perfect pass to Spanish midfielder Gabriel Veiga, who made no mistake with his finish to make it 1-0.

Damac hit back just before half-time to make it 1-1. However, almost immediately after kick-off in the second half, Veiga turned provider, finding Toney in the box to prod home his first goal for his new club, putting the hosts back in the lead.

Al-Ahli were once again pegged back just after the hour mark before Roberto Firmino restored their lead in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time.

But even there, there was still time for Toney to double his tally for the night with another poacher’s effort in the 116th minute, which was eventually given after a VAR check for offside.

Toney opens Al-Ahli account after Spurs & Arsenal interest confirmed

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Toney’s double effort came on the same day that Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed he did ‘look at’ the 28-year-old, before eventually settling on Dominic Solanke.

“We did look at him but Dominic was the one we wanted that fit the profile we were looking for at the time,” Postecoglou said.

What’s more, it now appears that Toney held a secret meeting with Arsenal sporting director Edu during the Easter period earlier this year. However, the Gunners clearly felt he wasn’t the right option and have decided to stick with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as their No.9 options for now.

Toney will surely feel much better about his decision to move to the Middle East after his match-winning performance on Friday.

Top photos by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou has admitted Tottenham Hotspur did ‘look at’ Ivan Toney in the summer before settling on signing Dominic Solanke.

The Lilywhites made finally replacing Harry Kane their top priority this summer after battling through the 2023/24 season without an outright No.9.

Spurs were linked with several high-profile strikers, including England international Toney, who was a target for numerous other top Premier League clubs.

In the end, Toney swapped Brentford for the Saudi Pro League, making a profitable move to Al-Ahli.

Instead, Tottenham signed Solanke from Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £65m (per BBC Sport), after the former Liverpool and Chelsea striker scored 19 goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season — and 21 goals across all competitions.

However, Postecoglou has admitted Tottenham did, indeed, have Toney on their shortlist ahead of signing Solanke.

“We did look at him but Dominic was the one we wanted that fit the profile we were looking for at the time,” Postecoglou told reporters on Friday (via BBC Sport).

Tottenham: Ange calls on Solanke critics to ‘take a breath’

Solanke has struggled to get going at Spurs so far, yet to register a goal or assist in three appearances for this new club.

Most recently, he had just 24 touches of the ball and failed to attempt a shot in 62 minutes as Spurs came from behind late on to beat Coventry 2-1 away from home in the EFL Cup.

But Postecoglou has called on Solanke’s critics to ‘take a breath’ and withhold judgement until the player has been given a chance to settle into his new surroundings.

“People are just so quick to judge, mate,” the Australian said.

“It’s a small sample. The guy has played less than two games for us. If he has gone 15 games without a goal then I can answer that question or 15 games where he hasn’t contributed, but I just think take a breath. Do a bit of yoga. Think about the world for a second and make an assessment after that.

“We don’t have to rush to judgement all the time because the alternative is he may have got off to a great start, he is fit, scored in all four games, is flying and then he goes through a patch like all strikers where he doesn’t score.

“I just don’t look at those things. What I look at is he has come in, fitted really well and quite logically has picked up an injury that has disrupted the way he wanted to start his career, but he’s still got plenty of time for that.”

Top photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.

According to Fichajes, Tottenham are preparing a formal offer to sign the 21-year-old central midfielder when the transfer window reopens in January and it remains to be seen whether they are ready to pay the asking price for him.

Valencia are holding out for a fee of around €35 million for the young midfielder and Tottenham are hoping to sign him for a more reasonable price. While there is no doubt that Guerra could justify the investment in the coming seasons, he is still unproven and Tottenham do not want to pay €35 million for him right now.

The North London club sanctioned the departures of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg during the summer transfer window. They need to add more quality and depth in the middle of the park and Guerra would be a solid acquisition in January. He has established himself as a key player for the La Liga club and he has the physical and technical attributes to do well in England as well.

Javi Guerra would be a long-term investment

The 21-year-old is highly rated across Spain and he has a bright future. He could develop into an important player for Tottenham in the long term.

It will be interesting to see if the two clubs can work out a reasonable deal that benefits them both.

The midfielder could be attracted to a move to the Premier League. It would be a huge step up for him, and he will look to prove himself at the highest level. Tottenham have an exciting project and a talented squad. They will look to push for trophies in the coming seasons and Guerra will certainly look to make his mark in English football with them if the move goes through.

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Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing the Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda.

According to a report from HITC, the 17-year-old winger is on the radar of the three English clubs and he could cost around £84 million because of a release clause in his contract.

The young winger is highly rated at the Portuguese club and it remains to be seen whether the three English giants can convince Sporting CP to let him leave for a reasonable price. It is fair to assume that they could demand a premium for their prized prospect.

Manchester United could certainly use more quality in the wide areas and the 17-year-old would be a long-term investment. He is still improving at the highest level and paying £84 million for him seems highly unlikely.

Geovany Quenda would be a superb investment

Quenda is capable of operating as the right sided winger as well as a wing back. He could develop into a quality player for the Red Devils with the right guidance. Antony has been quite underwhelming for Manchester United since joining the club and the 17 year-old could be his replacement in the coming seasons.

Chelsea need more quality in that area as well, especially with players like Noni Madueke struggling to live up to the expectations. It remains to be seen whether the Blues can get the deal done. They could provide him with ample first team exposure and regular football at Stamford Bridge could accelerate the Portuguese attacker’s development.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with the player as well. They have players like Pedro Porro and Djed Spence at their disposal. It would be quite surprising if they decided to move for the Sporting CP wide player any time soon. Spurs have other areas of the squad they need to strengthen and they are unlikely to spend a premium on a wide player.

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The summer transfer window passed by without too much action as far as Tottenham Hotspur were concerned.

If Ange Postecoglou is to bring success back to N17, both in terms of silverware and a way of playing that excites the locals after the turgid periods of stale and defensive football under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, then he needs to be backed in the market.

As with every club nowadays, Financial Fair Play will largely dictate what business can be done in both the January and summer windows, and chairman, Daniel Levy, is thought to be one of the more cautious when it comes to splashing the cash.

Tottenham playing down Zenon links

Surely he will know a bargain when he sees one, with Fichajes noting that the release clause of talented Boca Juniors midfielder, Kevin Zenon, is just £13m.

The outlet note that he already has 11 direct goal contributions in 33 games, and his versatility – he can play down both channels and more centrally – would be of obvious benefit to Tottenham.

According to Fabrizio Romano, however, the North Londoners aren’t confirming their interested in him.

“I have zero information confirmed on the rumours that Kevin Zenon is moving to the Premier League,” Romano said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.

“People close to the player, Boca and even Spurs are not confirming anything on this story.

“Many clubs are scouting Kevin for sure, as always happens with South American talents, but Tottenham are currently not working on this deal.”

For a player that appears so highly-rated and who is clearly in the right price range for the Lilywhites, news that Spurs aren’t trying to at least progress a deal at this point will surely disappoint their long-suffering supporters.

A North London derby defeat at home to Arsenal will have done nothing to lighten the mood at the club, and this latest news is bound to leave a bitter taste too.

Dominic Solanke is struggling with the weight of the Tottenham Hotspur shirt and needs to ‘calm down’, according to Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Spurs completed the £55m signing of Solanke from Bournemouth in August in a move that they hoped would finally replace Harry Kane, who left for Bayern Munich last summer.

Solanke caught the eye with 21 goals across all competitions last season, including 19 in 38 Premier League appearances.

However, that remains the 26-year-old’s best top-flight return to date, with Solanke only managing 10 goals in his previous 96 Premier League outings prior to 2023/24 for Bournemouth and Liverpool combined.

With that in mind, there may well be worries that last season was a one-off for Solanke, whose only previous seasons breaking double figures (2020/21 and 2021/22) both came in the Championship.

Those fears will be exacerbated among Spurs fans, with Solanke yet to register a goal or assist in three appearances for this new club.

Most recently, he had just 24 touches of the ball and failed to attempt a shot in 62 minutes as Spurs came from behind late on to beat Coventry 2-1 away from home in the EFL Cup.

Tottenham shirt ‘too big’ for Solanke?

It’s certainly not been the ideal start to life at Tottenham for Solanke who, according to Agbonlahor, appears to be struggling with the expectations at Spurs and needs to get back to basics.

“You know with Solanke, Solanke has just got to like, have a chat with the manager and just calm down,” former Villa striker Agbonlahor told talkSPORT. “He looks like he’s… the shirt’s too big for him at the moment.

“Just remember what you did last season for Bournemouth, you were outstanding, think about the things you were doing last season.

“Holding the ball up, making runs, being strong, being aggressive, getting in the box because, he doesn’t want to be that player that you go two or three games without scoring.

“When you’re at a new club, the pressure comes on. He got brought off last night again, perfect game at the weekend for him against Brentford at home to hopefully get off the mark.”

Agbonlahor then urged Solanke to believe in his own ability and why Spurs paid so much for his services, while calling on Ange Postecoglou to stick with him.

“The big advice I’d give him is that you’re a top player and there’s a reason why you were bought for big money,” Agbonlahor continued.

“At Bournemouth, he was a menace, he was bullying defenders and putting his body in the way. Just don’t think to yourself that you are at a bigger club now at Spurs that the pressure is on.

“He just needs that first goal now. Ange needs to keep playing him.”

Top photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is attracting interest from Italian champions Inter Milan.

They are prepared to sign the 27-year-old Italian international next summer as a potential replacement for Yann Sommer. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham are willing to sanction his departure.

According to a report from Milan Live, Inter Milan are willing to offer £25 million for the goalkeeper, but the report states that Tottenham will demand a lot more for him if they decide to let him leave.

Vicario has established himself as a key player for Tottenham since joining the club and he has adapted to the Premier League quickly. Even though he has been criticised for his vulnerability while dealing with set pieces, his overall game is quite assured and he will be expected to develop into a top class player for the club in the near future.

Inter Milan want Guglielmo Vicario

Sommer has a contract with Inter Milan until 2026 and the Italian giants are already planning ahead. Vicario is at the peak of his powers and he could prove to be the ideal replacement for the Swiss international. It remains to be seen whether Inter Milan follow up on their interest with an official offer to sign the player in the coming months.

Spurs are looking to put together a squad capable of pushing for trophies and competing in the UEFA Champions League regularly. Selling their best players would be a major blow for the club, and it would not be surprising if they decided to turn down any approach for the Italian.

Meanwhile, the opportunity to return to his homeland could be attractive for the player, especially when a big club like Inter Milan comes calling. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops over the next few months.

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