Football FanCast

It's the biggest day of Tottenham Hotspur's season. Ange Postecoglou's side are well-placed to make it to the Europa League final thanks to the two-goal advantage they'll be taking into the second-leg of their semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

Yet, as important as the game is, the North Londoners are set to be without club captain Son Heung-min, who hasn't even travelled to Norway due to a foot injury that has kept him out of the team for a few weeks now.

The unfortunate thing is that while the South Korean is still more than capable of popping up with a goal or assists here and there, his ability to impact games has dramatically decreased, which is to be expected for a winger set to turn 33 in a couple of months.

For example, he's only scored two goals in his last 15 league appearances, and according to FBref, he is in the bottom half of wingers and attacking midfielders in the competition for successful take-ons, which helps explain recent links to someone who could be the ideal long-term heir to the iconic Lilywhites star.

Tottenham transfer news

Before getting to the winger in question, it's worth looking at some of the other exciting players touted for moves to N17 in recent weeks, such as Rayan Cherki and Jonathan David.

The latter is reportedly set to be available for around £30m, which could prove to be an incredible bargain, as the "future Ballon d'Or winner," as dubbed by The Athletic's Alex Barker, has already scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists in just 42 appearances.

Likewise, David would represent a sensational deal, as his contract is running out in the summer, and so far this year, he's already scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 games for LOSC Lille.

However, to replace Son next year, the North Londoners are going to need a natural left-winger, which is where Jamie Gittens comes in.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several sides keen to sign the Borussia Dortmund star.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have maintained their interest in the Englishman since last summer, but to finally get their man, they'll have to contend with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and possibly Liverpool.

Moreover, while Dortmund initially held out for a fee in the region of €100m, which is about £85m, they'll now be willing to listen to offers of around €70m, which is about £59m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gittens' immense ability and potential, it's one worth fighting for, especially as he'd be an ideal Son heir.

Why Gittens would be the perfect Son heir

So, the first thing to say is that Spurs should not expect Gittens to come in and immediately replicate the sort of performances that Son put in at his peak - he's only 20, after all - but even then, he'll be able to contribute in a big way.

For example, despite his age, the Reading-born dynamo, who Sky Sports' Dougie Critchley boldly proclaimed "England's best LW in 24/25," has managed to score 12 goals and provide five assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2783 minutes.

That means the tremendously exciting attacker is already averaging a goal involvement every 2.70 games, or every 163.70 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.

On top of that, he is clearly not a player scared of the biggest stages, as he found the back of the net away to Real Madrid earlier this season.

Now, the reason his age is important in all of this is that, according to research carried out by The Athletic, wide players do not hit their peak until the age of 26, so if the Dortmund ace is already this good now, just think how unplayable he could be in five or six years' time.

Finally, on top of his output, the former City prospect has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for take-ons attempted, the top 7% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Son is only going to become more and more of a peripheral figure at the club next season, so Spurs need to find his heir, and from output to potential, Gittens ticks every box.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with the representatives of a forward once tipped to bag 40 goals per season, as chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team aim to make him their first signing of the summer window.

Ange Postecoglou praises Spurs squad ahead of Bodo/Glimt

The Lilywhites are set to take on Bodo/Glimt in their vital Europa League semi-final second leg this evening.

Ange Postecoglou and the squad travel to Norway knowing that, if they avoid a humbling defeat, Tottenham will book their place in the Europa final and present themselves with a golden opportunity to win the club's first piece of major silverware in over 17 years.

Goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke handed Spurs a crucial win at home in the first leg, and despite a late consolation goal from Ulrik Salnes, the 3-1 victory means Postecoglou's side go into tonight with an important two-goal cushion.

However, Bodo/Glimt's very impressive home record is a cause for concern for Postecoglou. The Aspymyra Stadion, located above the Arctic Circle in freezing-cold temperatures, has become an icy fortress for the Scandinavians, with Kjetil Knutsen's side winning 28 of their last 34 European matches hosted on their artificial turf.

Postecoglou will be wary of this, but the Australian has praised his team's mentality in Europe so far when it comes to these big knockout games.

"I think all the lads have done well and right through the campaign," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's European form.

"Particularly through the knockout stages in the second legs, whatever we've needed to do, they've done it, within the confines of our game plan and being organised, whether that was when we had to beat AZ at home and it could have got nervy and the boys handed that really well.

"We had to go to Frankfurt and win and tough venue and imposing atmosphere, and again I think the lads handled it really well, so it'll be a similar sort of mindset tomorrow."

Tottenham open talks with Mathys Tel over permanent deal

Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel will likely play a role in tonight's clash, and behind-the-scenes, work has begun on making his stay at Spurs permanent.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing in a piece for The Boot Room, Tottenham have opened talks with Tel's camp and are suggesting they want the 20-year-old to remain in north London.

The club have an option to buy him worth around £45 million inserted into his loan deal, but it is believed they aim to whittle down this price tag and re-negotiate more favourable terms with Bayern.

For their part, Vincent Kompany's side are open to selling him for good this summer, though it is unclear what their final demands would be for Tel at this point if they agree to make concessions on the initially agreed £45m fee.

Dubbed "very quick" and "strong" by ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann, the tactician also once claimed Tel could become one of the best strikers in world football, all while backing him to eventually score "40 goals a season".

Tel has taken a while to get going in a Spurs jersey, but immediate adaptation to Europe's most competitive league can often be challenging. Despite his slow start, there is reason to believe the exciting starlet could go on to become an excellent player.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their possible pursuit of a new manager, with a reported target of chairman Daniel Levy's now turning down a new contract at his current club.

Postecoglou could leave Tottenham after dismal Premier League season

It has been a domestic season to forget for current head coach Ange Postecoglou, who's managed to equal Spurs' record for most Premier League defeats in a single season with 19.

The unwanted record could yet be broken with three top flight matches still to play this term, with Postecoglou's saving grace coming in the form of their Europa League campaign.

If Tottenham get past Bodo/Glimt in the second leg of their semi-final in Norway this evening, the Lilywhites will book a place in the Bilbao final later this month, where they have a golden chance to win their first piece of major silverware since 2008.

However, this still may not be enough to save Postecoglou, with some reports claiming the 59-year-old could leave north London regardless of their success in Europe (The Telegraph).

In the event Levy does hand Postecoglou his P45, a succession of candidates are being tipped as potential candidates to replace the Australian, including Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Portuguese has impressed at Craven Cottage this season, nearly guiding Fulham to a European place, and they briefly contended for a spot in next season's Champions League draw.

This is despite the gap in quality between his Fulham side and fellow English competitors, not to mention lack of financial firepower, with Whites vice-chairman Tony Khan admitting that he'd absolutely love to keep Silva after his stellar work in west London.

"Marco is a huge, huge asset to Fulham Football Club," he added. "He is such an amazing person, and he is so important to the football club. Marco has a great relationship with my father and myself, and we really love Marco, and we want him to stay at Fulham Football Club forever. He is a huge part of what we have got going for the future and the present, and he is a great man."

Marco Silva rejects new Fulham contract amid Tottenham interest

However, there are reports that Silva is tempted by a move to Tottenham, with journalist Pete O'Rourke claiming earlier this week that the 47-year-old is open to the prospect of a switch to N17. Now, fellow reporter Graeme Bailey has shared another significant update in a piece for The Boot Room.

It is believed Silva has rejected Fulham's offer of a new contract, amid interest from Tottenham and Saudi side Al-Hilal, which is made all the more worrying given the 47-year-old is about to enter the final year of his current deal.

If Tottenham wish to appoint the former Everton and Hull City boss, this could come as a real boost, and they can bypass any talks with Fulham by triggering Silva's £8 million release clause.

It all comes down to tonight for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou's side might be coming towards their worst domestic campaign in a generation and sit 16th in the Premier League, but much of that will be forgotten if they can get to the Europa League final.

However, for that to happen, the North Londoners need to make the most of their 3-1 lead from the first leg and progress against FK Bodo/Glimt tonight.

That said, it won't be an easy task, and following another dire display over the weekend, Ange must make several changes to the startling lineup, like dropping Wilson Odobert and one of their future superstars.

Why Postecoglou must drop Odobert

Now, there may be some of you scratching your heads and wondering why the manager would want to drop arguably one of the few players who looked good on Sunday and a man whose goal ensured that the loss column didn't tick over to 20.

Well, the simple answer, which is partly down to his injury problems, is that he's yet to prove he can be a reliable source of goals.

For example, the strike against the Hammers was just his third for the club in 18 appearances across all competitions, and the other two came in a single game, at home to AZ Alkmaar.

Therefore, in a game that could come down to incredibly fine margins, the manager should have his most prolific player starting in his preferred position: Brennan Johnson.

The Welsh international might still divide opinion among fans and pundits alike, but his numbers speak for themselves when it comes to a game like this.

For example, in 47 appearances this term, the former "frightening" winger, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has scored 17 goals and provided six assists, which comes out to a pretty impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.95 games.

Finally, it was Johnson who opened the scoring in the first leg, so he's more than earned his place back in the side, as has another star from the home leg, which means dropping a future superstar.

The future Spurs star Ange must drop

While a few players should probably be dropped based on Sunday's game, the starter in question was middling at best against the Hammers and took the place of one of the stars of last Thursday: Archie Gray.

Now, it has to be said that the Englishman is simply not a right-back, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson going as far as calling him a "future £100m cm," so an underwhelming performance at full-back is nothing to be alarmed about for the long term.

However, with journalist Alasdair Gold awarding him just a 6/10 match rating and writing that he 'didn't do much wrong while not particularly shining either,' he also shouldn't keep his place in the team.

We say this because Postecoglou can't afford to have players coasting in a game as crucial as tonight, especially not when he can replace them with others who can make a big difference, like Pedro Porro.

The Spanish right-back was arguably one of the best players in the first leg, with his lung-busting runs and exceptional passes making life impossible for the Norwegian champions.

In fact, it was his pinpoint, accurate cross that led to James Maddison scoring the North Londoners' second on the night.

Moreover, while the former Sporting CP ace has been criticised for some questionable defending in the past, he was solid when it really mattered that night and entirely deserving of the 9/10 match rating he received from Gold at full-time.

Ultimately, in a game like tonight, when there might not be too many chances for his side to score, Postecoglou has to start Porro and Johnson, as the former has the ability to craft chances, and the latter can finish them.

After a middling season in which they ended up finishing fifth in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur decided to splash the cash on a new centre-forward.

Daniel Levy and Co went out and spent a club-record £65m on then-Bournemouth star Dominic Solanke, who had just racked up a haul of 25 goal involvements in all competition.

Now, while the Englishman has not been poor this year, his eight goals in 25 league games is a far cry from the often inhuman exploits of Harry Kane that fans were so used to seeing in campaigns prior.

So, with that in mind, it's not surprising that we have seen reports in the last couple of months linking the North Londoners to another striker ahead of this summer, including one who's won comparisons to the club's all-time top scorer.

Spurs' striker search

Before getting to the free-scoring dynamo in question, it's worth looking at some of the other marksmen linked with Spurs in recent weeks, like Liam Delap and Daizen Maeda.

The former reportedly has a £30m release clause in his current deal, and considering he's scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 34 Premier League games for a terrible Ipswich Town side, he could prove to be a very savvy signing.

Likewise, while the latter is playing north of the border, he's been nothing short of spectacular this season, racking up a simply unreal tally of 45 goal involvements in 48 games, and once again, with a relatively modest price tag of £25m, he may be too good a deal to miss out on.

However, Daniel Levy and Co might be after more of a sure bet to lead the line next year, which would explain some of the links we have seen to Jonathan David in recent weeks.

If the North Londoners do act on this supposed interest, then the good news is that the Canadian international wouldn't cost them a penny in transfer fees, as his contract with LOSC Lille is set to expire at the end of the season.

It could still be a complicated transfer to get done, but David is certainly someone Spurs should be doing all they can to sign, especially as he's won comparisons to Kane.

How David compares to Kane

Before getting into some of the other reasons why David could be looked at as a young Kane, it's worth examining where this comparison has come from.

Well, in this case, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the seventh most similar forward to the Lille gem.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive carries, goals per shot and shot on target key and live passes, carries and more, all per 90.

Furthermore, while we wouldn't want to suggest that the Canadian international is as good as the Lilywhites legend - very few players in world football are - he has shown a level of consistency up top that mirrors the 31-year-old's.

For example, since the start of 21/22, the New York-born monster, whom journalist Tony Marinaro dubbed "one of the best strikers in the world," has scored 96 goals and provided 25 assists in just 182 club appearances.

What makes that continued level of output that much more impressive is that it's come in a traditional top-five league, whereas some of the other aforementioned strikers linked with a move to Tottenham have thrived in comparatively weaker leagues.

Finally, as the England captain did in N17, the "mind-blowing" goalscorer, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has shown a surprising level of loyalty to Les Dogues, as, thanks to his consistently brilliant numbers season on season, he probably could have left earlier than this year but did not.

Ultimately, everything from his underlying numbers and raw output to his commitment to the cause reminds us of a younger Kane, and should Spurs want to supercharge their attack next season, they'll do what they can to sign David in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to enter discussions as they plan an offer to sign an astute Man United and Chelsea target, and he's viewed as a potential snip if they can get a deal done this summer.

Tottenham eyeing new forward amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Amid the uncertain future of manager Ange Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team must also get to work on planning for the upcoming transfer window.

This year, a special edition window will be open from June 1 to June 10 - which gives some clubs the opportunity to sign players before the Club World Cup begins. It could also be an opportunity for Levy to strengthen early doors, but it is unclear whether the Lilywhites plan to make use of this early window.

What's crystal clear, though, is Tottenham's need to strengthen certain areas of the squad.

Their 2024/2025 campaign has been overshadowed by a plethora of injuries to key players, leaving Postecoglou with precious few options at times, and it has undoubtedly contributed to their lowly 16th-placed position in the Premier League table.

Spurs are reportedly in the market for a new striker to bolster their forward line, among other transfer priorities, with Richarlison's long-term future also in question after a season blighted by injury for the Brazilian.

This week, reports claim Tottenham are targeting Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst, following the German's exceptional Bundesliga campaign, and they're ready to pay up to £30 million for his signature (CaughtOffside).

However, he is by no means the only centre-forward being looked at, with Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap coming as another name on their radar.

Tottenham preparing to enter talks for Ipswich striker Liam Delap

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are planning an offer for Delap and preparing to enter talks for the Englishman's signature - but face competition from West Ham, Chelsea, Everton and United in pursuit of him.

The 22-year-old has been a bright spark in an otherwise torrid campaign for Kieran McKenna's relegated side, bagging 12 goals in all competitions, and reports claim Delap's contract includes a £30 million release clause tied with Ipswich dropping back down to the Championship.

Delap is viewed as a "bargain" behind-the-scenes, according to GMS, but a major obstacle could still form in the ex-Man City starlet's wage demands. Indeed, it is believed Delap wants around £150,000-per-week from any new suitor, which would actually make him one of Spurs' highest earners.

This could be tricky to navigate for Levy, who has managed to keep control of Tottenham's wage bill, and may be reluctant to green-light moves for players with extortionate requirements when it comes to personal terms.

That being said, Delap is a homegrown player of serious quality and sky-high potential, so it could be worth the concession in this instance.

"He is a quality player," said former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson.

"He led the line on his own against Chelsea. At times, Chelsea were playing a back five with four players in front, and they defended resolutely, but he was always an outlet.

"He is a pest. He is a nuisance. He is always there on the shoulders of the centre-backs. He is making runs in the channels. He is always available. When it looks like he isn't going to win the ball, he puts his body in between the player and the ball, somehow managing to win a free-kick or something for his team.

"He is a top, top player."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou could be facing his final few games as Spurs boss, according to recent reports, with a former employee of Daniel Levy claiming one tactician will be very keen to replace the Australian.

Tottenham shortlist of potential managers to replace Ange Postecoglou

Postecoglou has a major chance to make good on his promise of always winning silverware during his second term in charge.

Tottenham are just 90 minutes away from the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21st, and if they avoid a humbling defeat away to Bodo/Glimt in their semi-final second leg, it'll guarantee their much-needed spot after a dismal season domestically.

Spurs have equalled their record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign under Postecoglou this season (19), and their form in England has prompted many calls for the Lilywhites boss to be sacked.

Postecoglou could even leave Tottenham regardless of their possible success in Europe, according to reliable media sources like The Telegraph recently, and there are a number of managers who are already being linked with the job this summer.

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) have all been mentioned as Tottenham managerial candidates to replace Postecoglou in the last few weeks, so there are no shortage of options which could be considered.

More recently, there are suggestions that Fulham boss Marco Silva is emerging as a serious frontrunner.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke claimed earlier this week that the Portuguese, who has an £8 million release clause in his contract, has a serious admirer in Levy and Silva is becoming more open to replacing Postecoglou.

Marco Silva "wants the Tottenham job"

Now, Levy's former employee and chief scout, Mick Brown, has told Football Insider that Silva "wants the Tottenham job", but there is no guarantee this will land him the role, as there will be many contenders.

“Marco Silva wants the Tottenham job,” he said.

“No matter what we say, Tottenham is a very lucrative job, and it’s one any manager would be interested in. They’re a big club, regardless of how well they’re doing on the pitch.

“Silva has done a very good job with Fulham, when you look at the stature of the club and the finances he has available to him. But I get the feeling he has taken them as far as they can go by challenging for Europe.

“If they don’t get into Europe, and he’s offered the job, I have no doubt he’ll take it. It’s just about whether Spurs feel he is the right man for the job at the moment, because there are a lot of contenders and people they’ll be looking at."

The 47-year-old has guided Fulham to an impressive campaign yet again, where they briefly contended for a spot in next season's Champions League, which is very commendable work considering their shoe-string budget in comparison to England's elite.

Tottenham Hotspur are now seen as favourites to appoint an "exciting" manager ahead of a significant Bundesliga side, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy allegedly making plans to potentially replace Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham identify new managers amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Postecoglou could lead the Lilywhites to their first European final since 2019, if they manage to get past Bodo/Glimt at their freezing-cold ground in Norway on Thursday.

The prospect of a first major trophy since 2008 is also very much alive for Tottenham, but domestically, it's been a season to forget. The north Londoners could still break their record for most Premier League losses in a single campaign, with Postecoglou's side tasting defeat on 19 separate occasions already this term.

A succession of injuries to key players throughout 2024/2025 have severely handicapped Spurs' chances of success, but only the three relegated sides (Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton) have lost more games overall, which simply isn't good enough for a 'big six' side.

As a result, Postecoglou has been under the microscope, and there are reports the Australian could part ways with Tottenham regardless of their possible success in the Europa League (The Telegraph).

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been mentioned as managerial candidates to replace Postecoglou in the last few weeks, alongside more high-profile names like Carlo Ancelotti, Jürgen Klopp and Xabi Alonso (GiveMeSport).

Another name who's reportedly attracting interest from N17 is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

Last month, German media sources indicated that Tottenham have already made contact with Glasner over a potential move (Sport Bild), but the Austrian is also a top target for RB Leipzig amid their hunt for a new manager.

Tottenham ahead of RB Leipzig in race to appoint Oliver Glasner

The Austrian is turning heads after an excellent campaign at Palace, where he's guided the Eagles to an FA Cup final at Wembley.

The south Londoners have a chance to win their first ever major trophy under Glasner's watch, after coming very close in 2016, when they lost the FA Cup final to Man Utd under Alan Pardew.

This hasn't gone unnoticed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with media outlet Bild now reporting that Spurs are seen as the likelier destination for Glasner ahead of Leipzig, despite the Bundesliga side's "concrete" talks.

Tottenham are viewed as such favourites to appoint the 50-year-old that Leipzig are already considering other targets, which makes for promising reading if you wish to see Glasner make the move across London.

The tactician also guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory before his switch to England, with pundit John Wenham adamant Glasner would be an "exciting" appointment.

"He was flying with Palace last season. I know they made a slow start this season, but they lost some key players. However, since then, he has rebuilt well," said Wenham to Tottenham News.

"He is far more exciting than most names that have been linked. Therefore, he is someone I would be happy for Tottenham to appoint. I think with better players he would excel, and I find him more exciting than Marco Silva or Thomas Frank, to be honest."

Regardless of what happens in the Europa League and with Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur need a massive summer in the transfer market.

From defence to attack, the North Londoners need to dramatically improve their squad to avoid having another domestic season as bad as this one next year.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co seem to agree with this sentiment, as, on top of the near-constant rumours around the manager's position, we are starting to see stories linking the club to some brilliant players.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Lilywhites have now set their sights on one of the most exciting strikers in the Premier League, someone who'd be an enormous upgrade on Richarlison, who looks like he could be on the way out as well.

Spurs' striker search

So, before we get to the forward in question, it's worth looking at some of the other strikers Spurs are supposedly interested in from outside the Premier League, like Jonathan David and Tim Kleindienst.

The former is set to be available for free this summer, and with a sensational tally of 25 goals and 12 assists in 47 games this season, the Canadian international would be an incredible addition to the North Londoners squad.

Kleindienst, on the other hand, could cost around £30m this summer, and while that isn't chump change, it would still represent fair value, as the German international has scored 16 goals and provided ten assists in 32 games this year.

Yet, Levy and Co might prefer to shop closer to home and sign a more Premier League-proven marksman like Liam Delap.

Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are one of several teams incredibly interested in the Ipswich Town goalscorer.

In fact, while the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Ham United are all also keen, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites are now 'planning to make an offer' for the Englishman, who now has a £30m release clause in his contract.

It might be a complicated transfer to get done with how many interested parties there are, but it's one worth fighting for, especially as he'd be an incredible Richarlison upgrade.

How Delap compares to Richarlison

So, if Spurs are able to get ahead of the chasing pack and bring Delap to N17 in the summer, it's almost certain that, to begin with at least, he'd play second-fiddle to club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

Therefore, he'd either be in direct competition with Richarlison or be his replacement should he be moved on, so how does he stack up to the Brazilian?

Well, the most important metric for a centre-forward is their raw output; in this case, the Englishman comes out comfortably on top.

For example, despite playing for a relegated side, the 22-year-old "wrecking-ball," as dubbed by Sky Sports' Lewis Jones, has managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.64 games.

In contrast, the former Everton star has scored five goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games.

Moreover, besides being the more dangerous forward and five years younger, the former Manchester City gem has one other massive advantage over the Nova Venécia-born ace: his fitness.

For example, across his career, the Winchester-born monster has missed just 16 games, and that was down to a single knee injury he suffered last season, which has since not resurfaced.

In stark contrast, the 48-capped Brazilian has missed a whopping 78 games for club and country across his career and suffered from 20 injuries.

Ultimately, while he's still somewhat raw, it's abundantly clear that Delap would be a massive upgrade on Richarlison in almost every way, so Spurs should do what they can to sign him this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur could be on the verge of losing a "world-class" player this summer, with the man in question said to have verbally agreed personal terms on a move elsewhere as he green-lights a north London exit.

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in season-defining Europa League semi-final

On Thursday, Ange Postecoglou faces the most important match of his Lilywhites career to date.

Spurs take on Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt on enemy turf for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, with 90 minutes separating Tottenham from a first European final since their Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2019.

If they get the job done and ease past Bodo/Glimt, taking full advantage of their 3-1 lead from the first leg, then Tottenham have a major chance to make history, and Postecoglou has a chance to fulfill his pledge of always winning silverware during his second season in charge.

Tottenham have endured a tepid Premier League campaign, tasting a dismal 19 top flight defeats across 24/25, but Europe gives them a golden opportunity to take something memorable away from what has been a very disappointing season.

The north Londoners will need every key man to stand up and be counted, even against a side which boasts far less in terms of quality on paper.

Postecoglou completely rotated the back four in their last game against West Ham, perhaps to give star defenders like Cristian Romero a rest ahead of their crunch encounter on Thursday.

According to recent reports, these next few games could even be the Argentine's last in a Spurs jersey, with Atletico Madrid expressing a serious interest in signing Romero this summer.

The World Cup-winning defender, like much of the squad, was unavailable for large portions of the campaign through injury, and therefore unable to replicate the kind of heroics which saw him form a stellar partnership with Micky van de Ven last season.

Romero has since come back into the fold with van de Ven after working his way back to full fitness, but it is believed by some that the former Atalanta star is keen to embark on a new chapter next season.

Cristian Romero agrees personal terms with Atlético Madrid

Now, as per journalist Ruben Aria on his Twitch channel, a seismic development has come to light on the £165,000-per-week defender and his potential switch to Atletico.

According to Aria, Romero has verbally agreed personal terms with Atletico on a five-year contract, with the option of a sixth. As the centre-back gives his green-light, Spurs and Atletico are still yet to come to a club-to-club agreement, so there remains plenty of work to do.

However, this step comes as a "significant" bit of progress in regard to Romero and his potential La Liga switch, but there is a major gap in valuation between Tottenham and Diego Simeone's side.

Indeed, it is believed Spurs want around £50 million to sell, while Atletico are only willing to offer around £34 million. While there have been no formal talks between both sides, that is expected to change "in the coming days", with Postecoglou or any new manager facing the looming threat of losing a truly excellent defender on his day.

"For me Romero is world class," said van de Ven about Romero.

"He’s a leader, he always gives 100%, on the ball and off the ball he’s a top class player and I can promise you this guy is not scared of anyone."