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A string of encouraging displays for Spurs resulted in Kolo Muani being recalled by France for last month's camp

Randal Kolo Muani knows only good performances and goals for Tottenham will help him realise his World Cup dream.

Kolo Muani featured for France in the Qatar edition and unfortunately had a one-on-one effort crucially thwarted by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez during extra-time before a penalty shoot-out loss in the final in 2022.

Argentina claimed World Cup success and although Kolo Muani earned a move to Paris Saint-Germain six months later, a lack of game-time saw him drop out of international reckoning.

A string of encouraging displays for Spurs resulted in Kolo Muani being recalled by France for last month’s camp, but a broken jaw denied him the chance to feature under Didier Deschamps again.

Quizzed on his motivation for 2026 with the World Cup only six months away, Kolo Muani insisted his full focus was on life at loan club Tottenham, who travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

“I feel very good and my team-mates are good with me,” Kolo Muani told the Press Association.

“For the moment I just want to play really good at the club. This is really important and after we will see for the World Cup.

“That is why I need and want to show more my quality and want to score also.

“We need to win more games and if I want to go to the World Cup, I need to do some (more) good performances.”

It has been a challenging period for Spurs with inconsistent form under Thomas Frank, which meant they were 14th at Christmas.

Nevertheless, Kolo Muani’s dynamism has quickly earned him a rapport with the fanbase and earlier this week he attended the club’s One Hotspur Junior Christmas Party at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Kolo Muani added: “It is fun and for the kids it is a great moment. This is just magic for Christmas and everybody is happy, so that’s good.

“Yeah, I feel that (support) when I go out to the games and before. I saw a lot of fans and I’m happy. I feel good.”

France international Kolo Muani also offered his support for Frank amid fan criticism.

“Yeah we have a good relation(ship),” Kolo Muani explained.

“We talk together so much and he has good coaches, so I am happy with him.

“All the team, my team-mates, we have trust with the coach and everybody is happy with him. Now we work a lot to go hard (for this period).”

The Tottenham Hotspur boss has high hopes for one of the club's gifted teenage midfielders and has compared him to a Liverpool star

Thomas Frank believes Lucas Bergvall can become his version of Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai and a big part of Tottenham's future.

The 19-year-old arrived from Swedish side Djurgarden last summer but has already played 66 times for the north London side, scoring twice and laying on eight assists. So impressive was his adaptation last season under Ange Postecoglou, playing his part in Spurs' Europa League victory despite missing the semi-finals and final with an ankle injury, that he was handed a bumper new long-term contract in April within nine months of arriving in the Premier League.

Bergvall swept the fans' Player of the Year awards at the end of his debut campaign and now Frank believes the versatile teenager will become a star for the long term at Tottenham and compared him to one of Arne Slot's title-winning stars.

"Lucas is very talented. I think he will end up as what we call an eight, that’s where I think he will end, but who knows?" he said. "He’s more than capable of playing as a 10 or he can play a more midfield role from the side as he did against Liverpool.

"He’s a player we can use in different roles which is hugely beneficial and important, to have that player who can run in behind, he’s very good at pressing, good on the ball and he can drive forward with the ball.

"You need different types. For example against Liverpool, they came in with five midfielders so he moved in ahead of the extra midfielder. The way he defended for the first half hour was a big reason why I felt we were slightly on top in those 30 minutes. It was a big reason for doing that instead of playing with two main wingers."

He added: "To have a player like Lucas who can be that flexible is very important. Over time he will fall into a more fixed position. It’s completely normal for a young player to play in different positions.

"To be that flexible is a huge boost. Look at Szoboszlai, who we all think is one of the best midfielders in the league. He’s playing 10, eight, six, right-back, right-winger, nine, centre-back… maybe not nine and centre-back, but he played all the other roles! It’s very important to have a player like that."

When asked whether Bergvall reminded him directly of the 25-year-old Hungarian, the Spurs boss admitted that from the outside there are similar traits.

"That’s maybe the one, as you asked me and I’m on the spot here, because both have fantastic running power and both drive with the ball," said the Dane. "I don’t know Szoboszlai, it looks from the outside looks like he’s a good personality. Lucas is a great personality and a great character. He’s a big part of the future we are trying to create here."

Thomas Frank's debut season at Tottenham has not gone according to plan so far, but his side could be boosted with a new defender come the January transfer window

Thomas Frank has been slow out of the gates as Tottenham manager. The Danish head coach left Brentford for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

On the back of their Europa League success, Spurs sent manager Ange Postecoglou packing and brought in Frank, who had done wonders in west London with the Bees.

He was handed some new tools to work with, including Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, but so far he has yet to get his squad firing on all cylinders as they dwell in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have proven to be quite the impressive centre-back pairing, but with a handful of injuries at the position, it is only really Kevin Danso and Ben Davies who can cover. football.london takes a look at what could be Tottenham's first January move: the recalling of a promising young defender.

A proposal was agreed for young Luka Vuskovic when he was just 16. In 2023, Spurs struck a deal with Hajduk Split that would see the defender join the club in 2025.

Before he arrived at Tottenham this year, Vuskovic had impressed on loan in Poland and Belgium. He was handed an unofficial debut in pre-season, assisting a goal and scoring, and fans quickly realised Spurs have a special talent on their hands.

However, Vuskovic wanted to head out on loan in order to get game time and Hamburg came calling. Since he arrived in Germany the Croatian has been nothing short of a phenomenon.

The 18-year-old was voted the Bundesliga's Rookie of the Month for both September and October, dazzling with goal-scoring and defensively superb performances.

He made headlines in his side's last game, rushing to the aid of Frankfurt star Rasmus Kristensen who was left in serious danger of swallowing his tongue after a clash. For his exploits in Germany, Vuskovic has been valued at £35million by Transfermarkt, which makes him the second-most valuable Croatian in world football.

The possibility of recalling Vuskovic from his loan, to help him integrate into a first team that he is expected one day to lead if nothing else, has been suggested by pundits and fans alike.

In October, recalling Vuskovic was discussed by Hamburg chief Claus Costa, who said: "They're closely monitoring the player, which shows how they assess Luka. Tottenham isn't interested in weakening us or ruining the loan.

"I believe Tottenham also knows how good the situation here is for Luka. That's why I hope we never get into a situation where we have to think about anything else."

But with FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League matches to contend with and Frank's squad looking thin at centre-half, calling back the prodigious Vuskovic and seeing what he can do for Spurs seems like a wise choice.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has taken to social media after being shown a red card against Liverpool

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has posted a 15-word message on social media after receiving an FA charge following his red card during the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Romero was sent off during the match against Arne Slot's side last Saturday (December 20), with the defender receiving two yellow cards. It means he will miss Sunday's trip to Crystal Palace.

The Argentina international has since been charged by the Football Association for allegedly failing to leave the pitch promptly and behaving improperly towards referee John Brooks after being sent off. A statement shared by the official spokesperson for The FA reads: "Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero has been charged following their Premier League match against Liverpool on Saturday 20 December.

"It's alleged that he acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off in the 93rd minute. Cristian Romero has until Friday 2 January 2026 to respond."

Romero has since taken to Instagram and posted a number of pictures of himself with his wife and their two children as the family enjoy time together over the Christmas period. Romero said in the post: "Christmas reminds us that the greatest gift is our family. I love you my loves."

As things stand, Romero will miss Sunday's match at Palace but will return for the clash at Brentford on New Year's Day. Tottenham then host Sunderland three days later before travelling to Bournemouth on January 7.

Thomas Frank was asked about his captain this week and the Dane defended his actions. He said: "We're talking about a player, a very passionate player, that, when he is at his absolute top, he carries the team on his back, like he did in the Europa League final. Without him, we wouldn't have won the trophy, like he did away to Newcastle, like he's done many times.

"When you're very passionate, sometimes you can maybe, in a few moments, lack the extra coolness. Sometimes, maybe. Something he's working on. I think you have a player where the second goal for me still is a clear, clear, clear foul. And, OK, I haven't played on the highest level.

"Everyone who played on the highest level, if they know there's a foul, they know it's a foul. And they're very, very reactive. It's a clear foul. So he felt hard done by.

"So the mistake he did there was he was running, unfortunately, touching John Brooks. That means he, when he touched the ref, you know, unfortunately, you need to have a yellow. But let's say it was a foul given, don't give the first yellow. You don't get the second yellow.

"The second yellow is a mistake, obviously, from Cuti, which he's agreeing on. But before that, he was the one that competed, like, very passionate for the first corner, competed on that duel, and the second duel, when we scored to make it 2-1. So you need to accept if you have passionate players that, you know, it's part of it.

Ivan Toney is currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia but the former Brentford striker has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the January transfer window

Thomas Frank has been told Tottenham need "three or four established footballers" in order to turn their season around.

Following back-to-back defeats to Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, Spurs are 13th in the Premier League. Frank's side have struggled with consistency this season, winning just six of their 17 league games so far.

Injuries have played a part, with the likes of Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin missing large chunks of the 2025/26 campaign. Frank's side has been stretched as a result and the Dane confirmed earlier this month that the Lilywhites will "definitely" be active in January when the transfer window opens.

One player who has been linked with a move to north London is Ivan Toney, with Frank working with the Englishman during their time at Brentford. Toney is currently at Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli and has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances this season. The 29-year-old has his sights set on a place in England's World Cup squad and the striker may look to return to England's top flight this winter to prove to Thomas Tuchel he deserves a spot on the plane to the US.

Chris Waddle is unsure if Toney is suited to Frank’s tactical approach in north London, however. Speaking to BestBettingSites, Waddle said: "I liked him at Brentford. I was surprised he went away, but we know why players go to Saudi Arabia and that’s not a criticism. He’s been away a year or two now, and the big question is whether he would still have that sharpness and whether he could adapt back to the Premier League.

"Centre-forward is a very difficult position to fill. You’ve got to look at how you play and whether the striker suits that style. Thomas Frank may say he has a certain way of playing, but Tottenham are tactically very different from his Brentford team. That’s partly because the crowd demands attacking football. They want entertainment. I know what it’s like to play for Tottenham. In an ideal world, Thomas Frank might not want to be as offensive as he is, but fans want results and they want excitement. It’s got to be entertaining football.

"He’s probably fallen into that trap of thinking, how do I please the fans? I’m not saying Ivan Toney wouldn’t do a job. We know he did very well at Brentford. He’s not the paciest, but he’s a good target man, links play well and scores goals. He proved that.

"The question for Tottenham is whether they look at his age and whether they think they can sell him on in three years’ time. That’s how they tend to think. They’ll ask if they’ll get their money back, and let’s be honest, I don’t think they would. That’s how Tottenham operate in the market. They’re always looking to make money.

"They even got rid of Son, probably at a time when his legs were just starting to go, and sold him to America for good money. A lot of fans would say, ‘Why get rid of him? You could have had another year out of him.’ But the club see it as an opportunity to make money."

It is unclear how much Al Ahli would demand for Toney if the Englishman were to leave, although the Saudi Arabia club did pay around £40million for the striker 18 months ago. Whatever happens, Waddle insists Spurs need "proven quality" through the doors in January.

"With Ivan Toney, it depends on the price," he said. "Tottenham are crying out for a centre-forward at the minute. If they’re going to go down that road in January, that’s fine, but they need proven quality.

"Whether that’s players from Italy, France, Germany or Spain, they need to identify them and say, ‘We’re buying him now.’ If they haven’t got the money and they’re still paying off debts from the stadium, then put your hand up and say so. Fans will understand.

"But if they do have the money, they need three or four established footballers. If they get them, Tottenham’s season and future could change massively."

Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all want Antoine Semenyo, so Spurs face a fight to sign the Bournemouth forward during January

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly have £150million to spend during the winter window on multiple transfer targets.

Spurs are said to be desperate for a left winger while also prioritising the signing of another defender in January. The Sun claims Antoine Semenyo tops their wish list, while acknowledging that any move appears unlikely amid interest from Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

They suggest that City's signing of the Bournemouth forward could aid Tottenham's attempts to sign Savinho after missing out in August. Persistent links to Samu Aghehowa are also mentioned, with the Porto striker reportedly valued at a minimum of £50million.

A left-back is said to be a priority to cover Destiny Udogie 's absence. An addition would also facilitate Djed Spence 's return to right-back.

Failing that, they highlight the possibility of adding a left-sided centre-back. That would then see Micky van der Ven moving to left-back.

Aghehowa could conceivably cost £50million, and the assumption is that any signing of Semenyo would be for his £65million release clause. City also reportedly rejected a £60million offer for Savinho in the summer.

The latter amount presumably would not have increased due to the player's indifferent form so far this season, hence their intention to sign the Ghana international. However, signing Aghehowa and one of Savinho or Semenyo would seemingly leave around £30million to spend on a defender.

Thomas Frank has acknowledged that Spurs will be active during the winter window. Tottenham's coach said earlier this month: "We will definitely be in the market, no doubt about that.

"We want them as early as possible, like every other time, and let's see if we can have them before 31 January." Frank also spoke about the future of Brennan Johnson amid links to Crystal Palace.

He said: "We haven't done too much in terms of [preparation for moving] players out. I think he's a big part of what we have when we're playing a lot of games."

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, understandably, also wants Semenyo to stay. He said: "Antoine Semenyo right now is with us. He has trained today (23 December) with us very well.

"I understand that there is a lot of noise around Antoine. But my concern is that it doesn't affect him, his performances, and we are seeing that it is not affecting his performances.

"He is very committed to the team, and I hope we can keep him there. There are situations that we cannot control, but right now, Antoine is our player, and he's going to continue playing for us."

Thomas Frank and Tottenham must resolve the futures of four Spurs stars ahead of January

Tottenham are likely to be very busy in the January transfer window as Thomas Frank aims to add to his squad for the second half of the season.

Injuries have plagued Spurs' campaign so far, with a number of key players not even featuring as of yet. Plans are likely already in place for the winter window but as well as signing new recruits, the club must take a look at the contract situations of a handful of players.

One star who looks set for an exit either in January or the summer is Yves Bissouma. The midfielder underwent surgery in October after he damaged ankle ligaments in Mali's 4-1 World Cup qualification win over Madagascar.

The 29-year-old has not played for Spurs this season and was even close to joining Fenerbahce in the summer transfer window. Bissouma's contract is due to expire in June, although Spurs do have a one-year extension option they can trigger to protect the player's value, should they wish.

The player is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations with Mali and Spurs may hope the former Brighton man plays well in the competition, which may entice clubs to move for the midfielder. Considering Bissouma has no future at Tottenham under Frank, getting a fee for him in January would be the dream scenario.

Ben Davies is another whose contract is set to expire next summer. The Welshman has made just two appearances under Frank this campaign, playing 53 minutes of action in total. The 32-year-old has missed a large chunk of the season due to a hamstring strain, though, but has continued to play for Wales when fit.

The defender's contract was due to expire in June earlier this year but Spurs exercised the option to extend it by a further year. While he is Spurs' longest-serving player, having joined from Swansea City in 2014, it may well be his last handful of months in north London as he really should be playing on a regular basis. It may well be that Davies leaves the club in January, should a side come in for him.

As well as Bissouma and Davies, Tottenham will also have the futures of Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani to sort out. Palhinha joined on loan from Bayern Munich in August and has been a mainstay in Frank's midfield so far, making 25 appearances and even contributing with four goals.

The club have the option to make the move permanent next summer for €30million (£26.2million) and given his impact on the side, all signs at the minute point towards this happening.

Kolo Muani, meanwhile, is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain but the 27-year-old has struggled to make the desired impact so far. In 16 appearances for Tottenham, the forward has scored two goals and contributed with two assists.

No buy option was included in the deal and Tottenham will have to decide at some point whether or not they want to make an offer for the Frenchman.

It all points towards a busy January for Spurs, with potential incomings and exits on the agenda, as well as sorting a few contract situations out in the background.

Tottenham could use the January transfer window to sign some world class talent for nothing

Tottenham are likely to be busy in the January transfer window. Thomas Frank has said so himself.

"We will definitely be in the market, no doubt about that," said the Dane earlier this month. "We want them as early as possible, like every other time and let's see if we can have them before the 31st of January."

The winter window is not just for signing players for the here and now, though. Premier League clubs can have talks with players in foreign leagues whose contracts are up in the summer, to come to a pre-contract agreement with them over a free transfer in the summer.

Tottenham could use this to their advantage as there are a number of players who can be signed for nothing ahead of next summer.

Here are three such players that may interest Tottenham in January...

Ruben Neves

Neves left Wolves for Al Hilal in 2023 but his contract at the Saudi Arabian club is set to expire next summer. The 28-year-old captained Wolves to promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and played more than 250 times for the Molineux club in six years so has plenty of experience. Al Hilal paid a reported £47million for the midfielder so getting him for nothing would be a real coup for the Lilywhites. He is likely to have plenty of options, though, and Spurs may even choose to try and buy the Portuguese star in January in a cut-price deal.

Dusan Vlahovic

The Serbian could potentially be a surprise pick. Vlahovic is said to have no intention of renewing his contract at Juventus and that means he is set to leave the Bianconeri club next summer. The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League before, most notably Arsenal in 2021, and would add to Frank's options of Dominic Solanke and Richarlison. The striker has scored six goals in 17 appearances for the Italian giants this season and given Fabio Paratici's links, a deal certainly seems possible.

Leon Goretzka

This would be a real statement. The Germany international has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent weeks, with the midfielder seemingly content at the minute to walk away from the Bundesliga champions. At 30 years old and with nearly 300 appearances for Bayern, Goretzka would add real quality to the Spurs squad as well as a winning mentality.

The Premier League icon could've become a legend with Manchester United if he'd avoided one simple conversation

Paul Gascoigne admits he wished he'd given Manchester United a shot over Tottenham after snubbing the Premier League giants in 1988.

The former Tottenham man spent three seasons in north London, scoring 33 goals and nine assists. He joined Spurs from Newcastle in 1988 on a deal worth £2.2million at the time.

The only problem was United had also submitted the same offer and were keen on securing Gazza's services for boss Sir Alex Ferguson. However, Gascoigne ended up having a chat with former teammate Chris Waddle who convinced him to move to London over Manchester.

Waddle spoke to FourFourTwo in 2023 and claimed his discussion with Gazza swayed the star to join him at the Lilywhites instead. He said: "I went up to the North East one weekend. Terry had given me an additional day off and said that if I saw my pal up there, to have a word about him potentially coming to Tottenham, because everyone knew he was leaving Newcastle.

"I got in touch with Gazza and arranged to meet in a pub at midday on the Sunday. He strolled in with his entourage, all his mates. I asked him who he was going to sign for and he replied, ‘Manchester United’.

"I said, ‘Why don’t you come to Spurs?’ I told him he could get lost in London and no one would find out half the stuff he’d do.

"If he moved to United, he’d have Alex Ferguson on his case all of the time, along with some senior players. I said Terry Venables was really knowledgeable and would look after him.

"He said, no, he was still off to Manchester United. I said, ‘Fair enough’ and wished him the best of luck."

However, Waddle's conversation ended up being more important than he thought. He added: "I left the pub, then he came out with his friends shouting, ‘Waddler, see you at White Hart Lane on Monday!’

"I thought he was joking around, but when I returned to London on the Tuesday, I was told Gazza had been at the club the previous day and signed a contract."

Despite Gazza's success at Spurs, where he won the FA Cup in 1991, he told Sky News years after his retirement that United could've potentially been the better choice for his career.

Discussing the potential of moving to Old Trafford in 2009, Gascoigne said: "Maybe if I had stayed at Man United I might have still been there.

"I don't know, you just look at these players and the squad of young kids that play, young Rooney that's there, the Neville brothers and Becks, the way he [Ferguson] just brought them on and there are so many.

"It took me six years to get back talking to Sir Alex, I called him from Lazio and asked him would he re-sign us. He was with Eric Cantona and he said he would see what Cantona was going to do but I think everyone knows if you do something to Sir Alex Ferguson the way I did you don't get a second chance."

Tottenham no longer appear to be genuine suitors for Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo despite their desire to strengthen their wide options during the January transfer window

While Tottenham have great affection for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, they look poised to miss out on the explosive Ghana international this winter.

Semenyo's £65million release clause - made up of an initial £60million plus £5million in contingents - will be active from the start of 2026 until January 10.

At this moment in time, both Manchester City and Manchester United appear to be leading the charge for the 25-year-old, who turns 26 on January 7. A late swoop from Liverpool after Alexander Isak's injury cannot be ruled out at this stage, either.

Tottenham looked into signing Semenyo in the summer but were quoted a massive figure which saw them cool their interest and while there have been enquiries ahead of January, The Athletic's David Ornstein reports the winger has already 'politely' rejected the Europa League winners.

With that in mind, football.london takes a look at five hypothetical alternatives that might be worth considering after Thomas Frank recently claimed Spurs would "100 per cent" be active in the market.

It's important to note, some of these are purely fanciful and just because they're mentioned below during our analysis, it doesn't necessarily translate to genuine interest.

Savinho - Manchester City

It's a signing that would make plenty of sense. Tottenham sources say they never bid for Savinho during the summer but there were firm indications their interest was very serious.

However, Man City decided they did not want to sell but the Brazilian's playing time has remained limited ahead of next summer's World Cup finals.

Savinho is believed to be open to the move, even though he has played the majority of his football on the right flank at the Etihad Stadium.

He's a versatile forward and can operate on either wing or alternatively, in a central role. At 21, he is still so young and there is huge room for growth.

If Tottenham were to strike a deal, it's a transfer that would certainly lift the mood around the club, though City would surely demand a premium fee.

Said El Mala - FC Koln

Germany U21 international El Mala is perhaps a wildcard option. However, he's been a revelation in the Bundesliga this season with FC Koln, scoring six goals and looks destined for stardom.

Crucially, he's both-footed and is a natural left-winger with slick dribbling. From a profile perspective, he would certainly tick a lot of boxes for Spurs but it's important to note they have already signed two promising young talents in Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert, who have both flattered to deceive.

They've struggled for regular opportunities due to their dips in form and Tottenham need a signing that's going to make a real difference this winter, otherwise they may as well stick with what they have.

Kang-in Lee - PSG

More naturally a No.10, Kang-in Lee is easy on the eye but is more of a creative attacking midfielder as opposed to an out-and-out winger.

He of course scored against Spurs during August's UEFA Super Cup final in Udine and is a player that can unlock opposition defences.

He's said to be frustrated with his lack of playing time at PSG and could be available during the January window.

However, he does not solve Spurs' glaring need for a top left-winger, even if he could probably do a job on the left flank.

He's left-footed and is far more effective from the right and as we've already seen this season, Frank appears reluctant to move Mohammed Kudus from that position.

Maghnes Akliouche - AS Monaco

Similarly to Lee, Akliouche is naturally a No.10 that can also play on the right flank.

He's not a left-winger and that is ultimately what Spurs need at this moment in time.

Nonetheless, he's another potential signing that would create excitement and he'd certainly improve Tottenham's attacking options.

When asked by football.london what he made of links with Spurs last summer in October ahead of the 0-0 Champions League draw, Akliouche told us: "I thought it was very flattering to have these kind of stories and links but I'm a Monaco player and I'm playing against Spurs tomorrow, so I will give my best.

"In terms of playing in the Premier League, why not? We will see in the future."

If Frank was prepared to shift Kudus inside or to the left, Akliouche would certainly be worth a punt, though Monaco are unlikely to warm to a mid-season sale.

Rodrygo - Real Madrid

This one seems far-fetched but given his lack of regular playing time under Xabi Alonso, you never know whether money would talk.

A transfer as big as this feels somewhat unlikely in January though, particularly ahead of the World Cup.

Rodrygo has consistently made it clear he wants to stay and fight for his place at Real Madrid and there's a sense Alonso's future remains uncertain.

You cannot rule out a new manager arriving in the summer and then Rodrygo would be handed the chance to wipe the slate clean at the Bernabeu.

He has always wanted to operate from the left but that has proven problematic in Madrid because Vinicius Jr has had that role locked down for many years.

It also feels like in the summer, Manchester City and Arsenal, potentially even Liverpool, might be interested, too and if we're to be realistic, Rodrygo would likely favour moves to any of those clubs over Spurs.