The Spurs Web

Ange Postecoglou has delivered good news on Oliver Skipp, revealing that the midfielder is expected to be fit for Saturday’s friendly against Bayern Munich.

Oliver Skipp picked up a knock this week

Tottenham continued their Asia Tour with an entertaining 4-3 win over Team K League on Wednesday, with the game being an end-to-end affair.

Although Postecoglou would have been pleased to see some of his side’s enterprising attacking play, some of Spurs’ defending, particularly in the second half, may have raised some concerns.

There was another concerning development late in the game as Skipp was caught on the knee with five minutes left on the clock and looked to be in some discomfort.

However, the Tottenham academy graduate played on until the final whistle after receiving some treatment, although he did appear to be moving a little gingerly.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Skipp should be fit for Bayern Munich

Postecoglou has now assuaged Spurs fans’ fears by confirming that there is nothing to worry about with Skipp and that the midfielder is expected to be fit for the clash at the Seoul World Cup Stadium this Saturday.

The Tottenham head coach told the club’s official website about the 23-year-old: “I think he will be fine. It was just a knock. I think the important thing is everyone should have got through the game okay so it’s more minutes for the lads.”

Postecoglou was also delighted that Radu Dragusin got his first minutes of pre-season and is hopeful that Destiny Udogie can do the same on Saturday.

He added: “It was good to get Radu some minutes as well. Hopefully, Destiny comes back into it in the next few days.”

Spurs Web Opinion

If there were even some slight concerns with Skipp’s injury, he would not have played on until the final whistle. It was thus quite clear that the issue was not a serious one.

According to HITC, Conor Gallagher was never particularly keen on joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer, given that he is a boyhood Chelsea fan.

Atletico Madrid move for Conor Gallagher

While Atletico Madrid have been in advanced talks with Chelsea over a deal for Gallagher over the last few days, reports continue to insist that Spurs are eyeing a late hijack of the transfer (Football Insider).

However, HITC now report that Spurs’ hopes of landing the midfielder are over as Atletico have fully agreed on a deal worth £40m with Chelsea for the player.

The two clubs are now awaiting a final decision from Gallagher himself, but the Englishman is said to be ready to move to Spain once personal terms are agreed.

Gallagher did not want Spurs move

The report claims that Diego Simeone’s men are confident of agreeing those personal terms with the 24-year-old.

MORE SPURS STORIES

It is explained that Spurs were willing to match Atletico’s offer for Gallagher had the player shown a willingness to push for a switch to N17.

However, the publication adds that the Chelsea academy graduate ‘never had a real desire’ to join one of the Blues’ fierce rivals this summer.

Spurs Web Opinion

One would have thought that Chelsea also would not have been overly keen on selling Gallagher to Tottenham, fearing the potential fan backlash that such a move might have created, given how popular the midfielder is among the Blues faithful.

It gives flashbacks of when Spurs chose to sell Luka Modric to Real Madrid instead of Chelsea.

Football Insider report that Tottenham Hotspur have not given up hope of hijacking Atletico Madrid’s pursuit of Conor Gallagher.

Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid?

The report backs up what we have already heard from a number of sources by stating that Atletico are now in advanced talks with Chelsea over a deal for Gallagher.

However, the report makes it clear that the two clubs are yet to fully agree on a fee for the 24-year-old, with the Blues keen on securing over £40m for their academy graduate while the La Liga side have only offered £30m so far.

But could Tottenham attempt to hijack a deal? That’s the phrase Football Insider are using.

Tottenham and Aston Villa are still keen

The report points out that Spurs have been chasing Gallagher for a while and are yet to give up on the midfielder as they look to bolster their squad with homegrown talent ahead of the new season.

MORE SPURS STORIES

However, Ange Postecoglou’s men face one further complication in their pursuit, which is that Aston Villa also remain interested in the England international.

Finally, the publication adds that Atletico remain confident of winning the race for Gallagher despite the interest from the two Premier League sides.

Spurs Web Opinion

It sounds like Atletico are currently in the driver’s seat but the door is still open for Spurs to come in and make a bigger offer.

As things stand, it does not appear as if the Lilywhites are overly keen on entering the race.

According to Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre, Tottenham Hotspur are expected to prioritise player sales before they make a move for their next summer signing.

Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid

Over the last 24 hours, several outlets have revealed that Atletico Madrid are now close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea for the transfer of Gallagher, with the talks between the two clubs thought to be in the final stages.

This information was also carried by The Athletic, who suggested that the development comes as a blow to Spurs since the 24-year-old has been a long-term target.

However, it seems the Lilywhites want to wait for player sales before they make a move for their next target, whoever that may be.

Spurs were expected to bid for Gallagher

Sky Sports have suggested that Atletico still do not have an agreement in place with Chelsea and that the La Liga side are aware Spurs are also circling.

MORE SPURS STORIES

In fact, it is explained that Chelsea expect Tottenham to enter the race and make an offer for the England international.

The outlet adds that at the moment, Postecoglou’s men are prioritising outgoings first before they push ahead with a move for their own targets.

Spurs Web Opinion

This makes it sound like Chelsea want to wait and see what sort of offer Tottenham make for Gallagher.

However, one would have thought that the West London club would prefer to sell the player abroad than to a direct rival.

Darren Ambrose has questioned whether Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski should be starting for Spurs next season, describing the Swede as a ‘bit slow’.

Kulusevski’s struggles at Tottenham

Kulusevski had a dream start to life at Spurs when he first arrived from Juventus on a loan-to-buy deal in January 2022 (BBC Sport).

With five goals and eight assists in just 18 Premier League appearances, the Swedish international looked the real deal (Premier League).

Unfortunately, the 24-year-old has struggled to live up to his early form at Spurs. In his first full season at Tottenham, Kulusevski only managed two goals and seven assists and while his performances improved last season, he still failed to hit double figures on goals, while getting just three assists (Transfer Markt).

Some supporters have questioned whether Kulusevski would be better suited to the attacking midfield role rather than out wide, which Postecoglou appears to be experimenting with this pre-season.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Ambrose critical of Kulusevski

Darren Ambrose has gone further than merely suggesting a positional change for Kulusevski. He told talkSPORT (27/07/24 at 4:00 pm) that the Sweden international could lose his place in the starting XI altogether this season.

Ambrose said: “The consistency is the keyword there. I think when he [Kulusevski] first arrived, he came with Bentancur, and he really transformed the season.

“But then last season, he has been caught out a few times, ponders on the ball and is a little bit slow.

“Maybe someone that could become an impact player, as supposed to a starting player. Depending on who comes into the team. But would he want that? Would Ange Postecoglou want a player that’s unhappy to be on the substitutes bench?

“If he can get back to the original form when he first arrived. I thought he was fantastic. That’s key, you need to be progressive and to progress you need your best players.”

SpursWeb Opinion

When Ange arrived at Tottenham, I mentioned in an opinion piece that Kulusevski may be too slow on the ball to fit into Postecoglou’s system (Spurs Web).

While these fears have been realised, he is still a player with quality who has had some standout performances for Spurs. He has arguably been our best performer during pre-season.

If someone better comes along then it is fair enough for Kulusevski to be benched and it is up to him to respond to that, but at this point in time he is Tottenham’s strongest right-wing option and I cannot see him being dropped altogether this season.

Caught Offside report that former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham remains an option for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with other Premier League sides also taking a look.

Tammy Abraham for Roma

With rumours linking Richarlison with a move away from Tottenham (The Athletic), the North London outfit have been linked with a number of strikers this summer, including Roma’s Tammy Abraham (GiveMeSport).

Abraham missed most of last season, after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in Roma’s final match of the 2022/23 season, only returning in March this year.

In his last full season, Abraham scored nine goals and got six assists in 52 appearances in all competitions (Transfer Markt), as Roma finished in the top 6 of Serie A and reached the Europa League final, where they were defeated by Sevilla on penalties.

Tottenham not alone in Abraham interest

Tottenham are not the only side interested in Abraham, with Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham all also reportedly considering a move for the 26-year-old (CaughtOffside).

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs are believed to be in a stronger position than Everton, as the Merseyside club have faced financial fair play issues which saw them face a points deduction in the Premier League last season. The Toffees are also said to be interested in Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra, who will cost between £25-£30 million.

SpursWeb opinion

Although Spurs failed to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League, they still have European football to offer. And if Richarlison does leave, there could be a path to the first team for Abraham, which is less likely to be the case at Aston Villa, whose first-choice striker is Ollie Watkins.

If Tottenham are to sell Richarlison then they should be replacing him with a proven goal scorer. Abraham has had a couple of strong seasons in the past in both the Premier League for Chelsea and in Serie A for Roma, but he has achieved little more recently.

There are better options available to Tottenham such as Ivan Toney and other players who can be relied on to consistently bring goals to the team.

According to The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur are now considering loaning out academy striker Will Lankshear after tying him down to a new long-term contract earlier this summer.

Will Lankshear is impressing for Tottenham

Lankshear netted 25 goals in 26 matches across all competitions last season, playing a vital role in taking Tottenham’s Under-21 side to the Premier League 2 title.

The centre-forward was rewarded for his impressive showing with a new five-year contract back in July and there is plenty of excitement around Hotspur Way about his potential.

The 19-year-old has trained with the first-team squad during pre-season and has even got some opportunities in the friendlies, finding the back of the net in Tottenham’s 5-1 win over Hearts.

Alasdair Gold said on his YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago that Ange Postecoglou and his coaching staff had been impressed by the striker’s attitude in training this summer.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Loan move on the cards for Will Lankshear?

It has now been revealed by The Athletic that Spurs are open to sending Lankshear out on loan so that he can get some competitive minutes during the upcoming season.

After tying the youngster down to a long-term deal, it is alleged that the Lilywhites will review any loan interest that comes their way for the player.

The publication explains that several sides from the Championship, League One and around Europe have already expressed an interest in a temporary deal for Lankshear.

Spurs Web Opinion

Johan Lange and co will be keen to avoid a repeat of the Alejo Veliz situation last season and would likely seek guarantees of regular game time for Lankshear before giving the green light for any loan move.

The last thing Tottenham would want is for the 19-year-old to spend the next six months warming the bench.

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Tottenham Hotspur have fallen behind the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in the race for Rennes sensation Desire Doue.

Desire Doue was linked with Spurs

Doue hit the limelight after breaking into Rennes’ starting eleven last season, with the versatile attacking midfielder quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best young players in Ligue 1.

Until a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham, with various outlets suggesting that Spurs are among the clubs at the front of the queue for the teenager’s signature.

In fact, it was even alleged by CaughtOffside two weeks ago that both the Lilywhites and Chelsea had held talks with Doue’s agent regarding a summer move.

Tottenham no longer expected to compete for Doue

However, the speculation linking Doue to Spurs has since gone quiet and Romano believes that the Premier League side are now unlikely to win the race for the youngster.

MORE SPURS STORIES

In fact, the journalist explained that both PSG and Bayern have already launched massive offers to land the Rennes star.

When asked about Tottenham’s pursuit of Doue, Romano told The Debrief: “I think he will not go to Spurs, it will be between PSG and Bayern.

“Bayern already presented a new bid €55m package, PSG’s bid is around €60m, exactly what Rennes want. I think it could be this week, but it’s not guaranteed yet.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Hopefully, Tottenham’s abandonment of the Doue deal is a sign that they are planning a major assault to sign Eberechi Eze, who appears to be one of Ange’s top targets.

However, it is going to prove extremely difficult to get the 25-year-old out of Selhurst Park.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur may look to challenge Chelsea for the signature of Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

Is Victor Osimhen on his way to England?

Osimhen is widely thought of as one of the best centre-forwards in world football and he is now being backed to swap Napoli for the Premier League this summer.

Football Insider explained that Chelsea have started working on a deal to sign the Nigerian, with the Blues currently thought to be locked in negotiations with Napoli over the player.

It is alleged that the West London club are willing to offer cash plus Romelu Lukaku in exchange for the prolific Serie A marksman.

Tottenham to enter the picture?

If Football Insider’s latest update is to be believed, Spurs are also keeping close tabs on Osimhen and are now ready to compete with their London rivals for the player.

MORE SPURS STORIES

It is explained that Tottenham want an ‘A-list striker’ to fill the void left by Harry Kane, with Ange Postecoglou ‘obsessed’ with the idea of signing a top-class number nine.

As a result, the Lilywhites are now expected to turn their attention to Osimhen, with the North London club also allegedly willing to include their own players in the operation.

The publication adds that the other centre-forward on Spurs’ radar at the minute is Lille forward Jonathan David.

Spurs Web Opinion

The only way Tottenham can possibly afford a deal for Osimhen is if they are willing to offer a massive sweetener to Conte and Napoli such as Dejan Kulusevski or Radu Dragusin.

Jonathan David seems like a much more realistic target than the Nigerian.

Girona sporting director Quique Carcel has confirmed that there is no option to buy in the club’s loan move for Bryan Gil, revealing that Tottenham’s demands were too excessive.

Bryan Gil to Girona

Gil completed his loan move to Girona on Monday and the winger will hope to get his career back on track and prove himself at the Catalonian side ahead of their first Champions League campaign.

It was initially reported that Tottenham had accepted an initial loan offer from the La Liga side after the 23-year-old agreed to extend his contract with the Lilywhites, which now contains a €15m (£12.6m) release clause (Fabrizio Romano).

However, this was subsequently rubbished by multiple sources, including George Sessions, who stated that no contract extension had been agreed.

The reliable Alasdair Gold also took to social media to make it clear that he had heard nothing about any extension or an option/obligation to buy in the deal.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs purchase option was too high for Girona

Carcel has now confirmed that it is merely a straight loan move but he did insist that the La Liga club would try to sign Gil permanently if he impresses this season.

He told Mundo Deportivo about the deal: “They (Tottenham) wanted the purchase option to be very high, inaccessible for us, and we have reached an agreement with the agents and, if Bryan has a good year, we will have more access to be able to sign him.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Not having a release clause or an option to buy works in Tottenham’s favour as it ensures that if Gil does shine for Girona, Spurs can get top value for him next summer by getting a bidding war going.