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Tottenham are assessing an ambitious move for Brentford striker Igor Thiago, but there is one big hurdle to overcome in pursuit of a deal.

Reports linking Tottenham Hotspur with Brentford forward Igor Thiago have been doing the rounds as the January transfer window edges closer, and the noise surrounding it has only grown.

It has been claimed that Tottenham are eyeing a £30 million swoop for the Brazil international as they look to bolster their attacking ranks.

Reports from yesterday also suggested that a move away from Brentford is highly likely for Thiago, with Tottenham tipped to push for a loan agreement as they weigh up possible options for the winter window.

Tottenham’s interest in Igor Thiago and Brentford’s stance

TeamTalk have now shared further updates on the reports hinting towards a Thiago move this January.

It is believed that Brentford have dismissed suggestions that Igor Thiago could be allowed to depart mid-season, despite Premier League interest from the likes of Tottenham.

Brentford sources also report that the Brazilian is not available, and their not-for-sale stance will be issued to any club that enquires as January approaches. The Bees expect Thiago to attract attention, and that is no surprise given his form.

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Keith Andrews’ side believes their forward is currently as good as any striker in the division, and they remain relaxed and confident, with the prospect of a sale not something they are even entertaining at present.

Igor Thiago’s stocks continue to rise as Brazil watches

This is the Brazilian’s first full season despite having joined Brentford last campaign, with injuries limiting his involvement under former manager Thomas Frank.

This term, however, Thiago has been turning heads with his performances, having scored 11 goals so far, four behind Manchester City forward Erling Haaland.

The Brentford forward stock is rising quickly, and he is now being discussed as a potential option for Brazil at next summer’s World Cup, with Carlo Ancelotti and his technical team understood to be monitoring him closely.

Tottenham are now primed to launch a £40m move for a defensive leader from a Premier League rival as early plans for their 2026 transfer rebuild begin to take shape.

Given how inconsistent Tottenham Hotspur have been so far this season, it is clear there is a need for more reinforcement.

Spurs have struggled to keep pace with several top sides in the Premier League, having been outplayed by Bournemouth, Arsenal, Chelsea and even Fulham.

Rumours indicate that recruitment could arrive across multiple areas of the pitch, with goalkeeping, defence, midfield and the forward line expected to be bolstered.

Tottenham eye Jan Paul van Hecke in £40m transfer push

TeamTalk is now reporting that Tottenham have continued to monitor Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke through the early stages of the campaign.

It is believed that a potential £40m bid could be incoming in 2026, with Spurs having been linked with the Dutchman last summer, although they did not land him.

Van Hecke has already played every minute in the Premier League for Brighton this season and even scored a brace in the Seagulls’ latest 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa.

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The defender’s contract is set to expire in 2027, which means he could be free to leave in the next 18 months.

If Brighton decides to sell the 25-year-old, they could secure a significant profit on Van Hecke, who arrived from NAC Breda for just £3m in 2020.

Spurs interest challenged by Fabian Hurzeler verdict

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has made clear how highly Jan Paul van Hecke is valued internally and hopes he will choose to commit long-term to the south coast club.

Speaking to The Argus, Hurzeler expressed his belief in the players’ development and mentality, saying: “Hopefully he has a long and bright future here in Brighton.

“When you see his past, where he has come from, what he went through to where he is now, you see a really consistent development. That is because of his attitude. That is because of his mindset. His effort is always above the things you can expect as a coach.

“That makes his values so important to us. He is a Dutch guy, so I already like his, he is very straight with you and honest with his opinion. I think that is always powerful in the team.

“He is one of my leaders, he is in the leadership group. He has taken more responsibility and more ownership this season. I think that is the next step for him, to not only be a great performer, but also try to be a leader in this club.”

Archie Gray is beginning to look like the profile of midfielder Tottenham have lacked, and his latest statistical return hints that Spurs may have finally found some balance.

Tottenham Hotspur put in a top performance in their last Premier League matchup against Brentford on Saturday afternoon as Thomas Frank beat his former side.

The Dane will have been pleased with the response from his players, as they looked to take the game to Brentford from the very first minute, despite the pressure in recent weeks.

Frank rang the changes, and coming back to the starting XI was Archie Gray, who played alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in the pivot role.

Underlying stat shows Archie Gray might be the answer to Tottenham imbalance

Gray was impressive to say the least, and his underlying numbers make for interesting reading as Frank looks to find balance in his team.

According to FotMob, the Tottenham youngster was the most accurate passer at 94 per cent amongst players to play 45 minutes or more, with the midfielder completing 31/33 passes.

His forward thinking also saw him play five passes into the final third, with one touch in the opposition box from 50 touches in the game.

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The teenager did balance his attacking play with defensive thinking, as he made two tackles, four clearances, one interception and two recoveries, and he was dribbled past zero times.

Thomas Frank must consider a new pivot pairing

Stats from earlier this season showed that the pivot pairing of Rodrigo Bentancur and Palhinha was hindering Spurs’ attacking play, given how conservative both players are.

Frank had hinted that they were his preferred pairing still, but in the last two games, we have seen the manager try out different combinations.

Gray stats show that he can balance defensive play with attacking thrust, as his five passes into the final third show he is a player capable of starting attacks from deep.

One midfielder is walking a fine line at Tottenham, and with off-field issues resurfacing once again, he may now be closer than ever to an exit under Thomas Frank.

Yves Bissouma is yet to feature for Tottenham Hotspur this season under new manager Thomas Frank, with the Mali international’s last competitive game coming in May last season.

The 29-year-old did not get off to the best of starts with the new boss, who left him out of his UEFA Super Cup squad for disciplinary reasons following repeated lateness to training.

Spurs had tried to sell Bissouma during the summer, but fitness issues put off potential buyers at the time, leaving him to remain in north London.

The Malian has less than one month left on his current Tottenham deal, but his recent actions could very much have sealed his fate as a Spurs player.

According to The Sun, Yves Bissouma is facing the axe after he was filmed allegedly ‘inhaling laughing gas’ at a recent party.

This is not the first time the Spurs midfielder will be seen indulging in such activity, as just last year, a video on his Snapchat saw him doing the same, after which he issued an apology.

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Tottenham are reported to have confirmed they have launched a probe after footage emerged of the midfielder using a nitrous oxide balloon at a party.

Spurs stance as Bissouma deletes club references

The Tottenham midfielder also looks to be cutting ties with the club, as Bissouma has removed all reference to Spurs from his Instagram account.

A Spurs spokesman said of the new video that they are looking into the events and that it will be dealt with as an internal matter.

Bissouma was approached for comment, but no report of him commenting was relayed. It is illegal to supply the class C drug under tightened laws, with offenders facing up to 14 years behind bars.

The use of the substance can lead to brain disorders, depression, memory loss, incontinence, hallucinations and nerve damage.

The recent footage, which looks to have been filmed in the early hours of November 3, was sent to a woman who was invited to join him at the party in London.

Speaking about the incident, she said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “Bissouma was openly inhaling from the balloon even though he had been in trouble before for doing this.”

Amidst rumours linking him with a move away from Tottenham in January, one player has just sent a big hint on social media about his plans.

Yves Bissouma has not played a single minute for Spurs since Thomas Frank walked through the door in the summer.

He was nursing an injury in pre-season, and unfortunately, Bissouma picked up a knee injury in his first game back for Mali during October’s international break.

The Tottenham midfielder has been rehabilitating at the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in Qatar, and he has now done something interesting ahead of the January window.

Yves Bissouma deletes all references to Tottenham from his social media

Bissouma has been linked with a departure from Spurs in January, with a number of clubs in the Premier League and Europe credited with an interest in the 29-year-old.

According to reports, Tottenham plan to activate the one-year extension option in Bissouma’s contract if they cannot offload him in January.

The former Brighton man has now deleted all references to Spurs from his Instagram account, including the posts related to the Europa League win in Bilbao back in May.

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Is this confirmation that Bissouma has played his last game for Spurs?

If he is passed fit, Bissouma will link up with the Mali squad for the AFCON on December 15 at the latest.

Several Serie A clubs are plotting a move for the Tottenham man, and some sources have indicated that Galatasaray are set to reignite their interest in Bissouma in January after deciding against signing him in the summer.

The midfielder’s latest action on social media potentially indicates a fallout with the Tottenham hierarchy and suggests that he does not expect to play for the Lilywhites again.

One Spurs star has admitted that Fabio Paratici has been of immense help to him since he arrived at Tottenham as a youngster.

Tottenham paid just £15m to land Udogie from Udinese, and it was clear as soon as he set foot on the pitch in a white shirt that Spurs had got a huge bargain.

While injuries have curtailed his progress over the last 18 months, at 23 years of age, the Italian still has the vast majority of his career ahead of him.

It was Fabio Paratici who spearheaded Tottenham’s signing of Udogie, and the left-back has now explained the role that the Spurs sporting director has played in his career.

Destiny Udogie says Fabio Paratici has been like a father at Tottenham

Paratici was not at Tottenham in an official capacity for the last two years before returning to the club again recently as a sporting director.

However, the Italian was working as a consultant for the North London club during that time, and Udogie has now revealed that the role the 53-year-old has played in making him feel at home at the club.

Destiny Udogie told The Athletic: “He (Paratici) told me it’s the best league, he said it’s never going to be easy but he prepared me for it. And I think it’s going well.

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“He’s like a big father because we speak every day. When he signed me, I stayed at Udinese (on loan) for one year, so we didn’t speak that much, but as soon as I came to the club, we became close, and he’s helping me a lot today.”

Udogie pleased by how his ‘big brother’ at Spurs has responded to criticism

The left-back has admitted that he is also close to the other Italian at Hotspur Way, Guglielmo Vicario, referring to the goalkeeper as a ‘big brother’.

Vicario was booed by the Tottenham fans after his mistake against Fulham last week, but Destiny Udogie was delighted to see how the 29-year-old responded with a big performance at St James’ Park.

When asked about what the goalkeeper has had to go through recently, the former Udinese man said: “Obviously, it’s never easy when the fans turn against you. It’s always a big challenge, but obviously he’s a grown man and an experienced keeper.

“So he was really strong. Against Newcastle, he showed he’s a great keeper. He’s old enough (to deal with it). He’s a good guy, incredible. We live close to each other, and every day we speak. He’s really like a big brother to me.”

“Last season I was more like an inverted full-back,” he says. “This season, I’m wide. It’s different but I feel more comfortable now because it’s my natural position. So that’s good.

“I feel more like now I understand the league now, I understand the game,” Udogie adds. “The rhythm, the quality of the players, the intensity. I think almost everything (about the Premier League) is hard. Every year, you have to be ready. It’s never easy but I’m getting there.”

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“I think I’m in my best spell right now where I feel strong, I feel really good, I feel healthy,” he says. “I just want to stay fit, keep going and help the team. I feel like I’m getting to a rhythm. I just have to keep going and take care of my body every day.”

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed the full Xavi Simons experience against Brentford, as his display was packed with precision and control.

It was the Xavi Simons show yesterday, with the Dutchman spearheading Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 win over Brentford.

The 22-year-old, who had been dropped from the side in the last four games for Spurs, made his return to the starting eleven on Saturday afternoon count by assisting and scoring his first Tottenham goal.

That proved to be enough for the Lilywhites, who got back to winning ways after a five-game winless run in the Premier League.

Xavi Simons Tottenham numbers vs Brentford highlight complete midfield display

While focus is mainly on goal contributions, the underlying numbers from Simons show that it was a complete performance.

FotMob handed the midfielder an 8.8 player rating, making him the player of the match with no player rated higher.

The Dutchman was influential and showed a desire to get on the scoresheet, taking four shots in total against Brentford.

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He also showed great care with the ball, recording a pass accuracy of 36/43 while also creating one chance and playing five passes into the final third.

Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception and seven recoveries, while winning 4/7 of his ground duels.

Xavi Simons must build on his Brentford performance

Having put in one of his better performances in a Spurs shirt, the Dutchman will now be looking to build on it.

Tottenham’s next clash against Salvia Praha in the Champions League offers an opportunity for that, as they are once again at home in front of their own fans.

Simons also opened up on his goal and what his next steps are after his latest standout performance for Tottenham.

The Tottenham hierarchy have one clear focus during the upcoming weeks, and it has to do with one of their most important players.

Spurs have moved swiftly to tie down several key players to new contracts over the past few months.

Rodrigo Bentancur has committed to a new deal at Spurs, while the Lilywhites have also moved swiftly to tie Djed Spence to a new contract.

The biggest boost for Tottenham came when Cristian Romero signed a new long-term deal, shortly after being announced as the club’s new captain, and the club’s focus now shifts to his centre-back partner.

Micky van de Ven next in line to receive new Tottenham contract

The Athletic have now revealed that the Spurs hierarchy have now shifted their focus to tying down Micky van de Ven to a long-term deal.

The Dutchman has been one of the few shining lights in what has been a poor season for the Lilywhites so far.

Given the 24-year-old’s excellent form this season, Tottenham are now said to be prioritising handing the Netherlands international a new, improved deal.

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Van de Ven is currently on a modest salary at Spurs, and one could thus understand why the club are keen to improve the terms of his contract.

Van de Ven is a wanted man across Europe

Over recent months, it has been reported that Real Madrid and PSG see Van de Ven as their ideal centre-back signing.

Additionally, reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are also thought to be exploring a deal for the Spurs centre-back.

Tottenham will thus be aware that they risk losing out on their prized asset if they do not act quickly and make him one of the highest-paid players in their squad.

There has been a big update on the future of Sergio Reguilon, six months after he was released by Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham had an extremely busy summer, with seven new faces arriving at Hotspur Way during the transfer window and many leaving.

While the likes of Heung-min Son, Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon left in the later stages of the transfer window, Fraser Forster, Sergio Reguilon and Alfie Whiteman were released by Spurs at the end of last season.

Reguilon has been unable to find a new club since his Tottenham exit, but that may be about to change.

Former Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon is heading to the MLS

It has now been revealed by Marca (as relayed by Sport Witness) that Reguilon is about to finally complete his return to football.

The report says that the defender is now ‘on the verge’ of signing for Inter Miami, where he is set to play alongside Lionel Messi.

Inter Miami will be parting ways with Jordi Alba this weekend following the MLS Cup final, and the former Tottenham man is expected to replace him in the squad ahead of next season.

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The 28-year-old has always been the MLS club’s ‘Plan A’, and it is now ‘considered a done deal’ and could be announced in a matter of days.

Reguilon has been training on his own since Spurs exit

Marca say that the left-back has been getting ready for a January transfer since his exit from North London.

It is revealed that Reguilon has been ‘training extensively’ on his own over the past six months, but it is pointed out that he will need time to get up to speed due to his lack of competitive minutes.

The outlet reveals that the former Real Madrid man has already been spotted in Miami over recent days, which adds further credence to the speculation about his impending move to the MLS side.

One Tottenham star says the role he has this season suits him much better than the one he had over the last two years.

There has not been a lot of positive media coverage of Thomas Frank over the last few weeks as Tottenham struggled on and off the pitch.

Many even suggested that Spurs made a mistake by sacking Ange Postecoglou for the Dane, given the kind of football that the Australian produced.

There have been rumours that some Tottenham players were frustrated with Frank’s constant tactical tinkering, but one Spurs man is enjoying working under the new regime.

Destiny Udogie says Tottenham role under Thomas Frank suits him better

Udogie has now opened up on how his role has changed at Spurs since Frank replaced Postecoglou.

The left-back admitted that he feels a lot more comfortable staying out wide than he did inverting, and has confessed that he now feels much more at home in the Premier League.

Udogie told The Athletic: “Last season I was more like an inverted full-back. This season, I’m wide. It’s different, but I feel more comfortable now because it’s my natural position. So that’s good.

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“I feel more like now I understand the league now, I understand the game. The rhythm, the quality of the players, the intensity. I think almost everything (about the Premier League) is hard. Every year, you have to be ready. It’s never easy, but I’m getting there.”

Udogie makes claim which will excite Spurs fans

The 23-year-old’s development has been interrupted by his constant injury problems over the last 18 months.

However, the left-back revealed that he now feels stronger than he ever has and that he is working his way up to some rhythm after putting his injury problems behind him.