Football FanCast

There is no denying it: this season has been a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou can end it spectacularly by winning the Europa League, but when it comes to the Premier League, things could not have gone much worse.

In fact, had it not been for some genuinely terrible form from the newly promoted sides, there might have been a real discussion around possible relegation at points, as so far, the North Londoners have lost a staggering 19 games in the league.

It's been so poor that it seems as if Postecoglou will be on the way out regardless of what happens in Europe next, which has, in turn, seen a plethora of names linked with the job, including old boss Mauricio Pochettino and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola.

However, another name has also been linked with the job, someone who could make the board forget about the rest.

Why Spurs would want Poch or Iraola

So, before getting to the manager in question, it's worth looking at why the North Londoners might want to hire Pochettino or Iraola.

When it comes to the former, there are several reasons at play, but they all come back to one thing: familiarity.

Since leaving the club, it would be fair to say that the Argentine has not enhanced his reputation.

First came an unspectacular stint at Paris Saint-Germain, then a dire season with Chelsea and, as things stand, a disappointing spell in charge of the USMNT.

However, during his time in N17, he helped build a squad almost from the ground up, turned them into serious Premier League and Champions League contenders, and, just as importantly, formed a genuine connection with the fans.

Daniel Levy and Co would want to bring him back because they know that Pochettino can deliver at the club because he has done it before.

Iraola, on the other hand, does not have that familiarity with the club or fans, but he has the wind in his sails and is arguably one of the most exciting up-and-coming managers in the league.

For example, he took charge of a Cherries side that looked destined for relegation last year and has turned them into European hopefuls this season, all while losing their talismanic striker to the Lilywhites in the summer.

Moreover, he helped to transform Rayo Vallecano in Spain before coming to England, so he has proven himself in more than one dugout.

With all that said, another manager hasn't been talked about as much, but could be just the man Tottenham needs.

The Manager to make Spurs forget Poch & Iraola

According to reports from Germany earlier this month, as relayed by GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have inquired about Borussia Dortmund's Niko Kovač.

The Croatian coach may not be all that familiar to fans of English football, but for fans of the Bundesliga, he's a well-known and well-respected quantity.

For example, over the last seven years, he has managed Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and most currently Dortmund - while spending a year and a half with AS Monaco.

Described as "one of the best coaches in Europe" by football writer Sebastien C, the 53-year-old is generally regarded as a coach who likes his teams to play vertically, getting the ball forward quickly when possible, but also something of a pragmatist who likes his sides to be defensively sound.

This could see him win over the Tottenham faithful early on, as he wouldn't be as gung-ho as Postecoglou, but he wouldn't want to shut up shop as much as Antonio Conte, for example.

Moreover, he's shown a willingness to switch up his formation to suit his players in the past and is currently employing a 4-2-3-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

This is a set-up that could work wonders in North London as well, with extra cover in front of the club's frequently shaky backline.

Finally, he'd join the club as a proven winner, having picked up the German Cup with Frankfurt and then winning the Cup and League double with Bayern a year later, in 2019.

Ultimately, Kovac might not be the first name that comes to fans' minds when thinking of Spurs' next manager, but thanks to his moderate pragmatism and historical successes in the dugout, he should be.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has now dropped some early team news ahead of Bodo/Glimt, and he has hinted that a key player may not be available.

Europa League or bust for Ange

It was always going to be a daunting task travelling to Anfield to take on a Liverpool side that needed just one point to clinch the Premier League title, but it was yet another dismal performance from Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, suffering a crushing 5-1 defeat.

Courtesy of a third defeat on the spin, Spurs are 16th in the table with just four games left to play, but it appears as though Postecoglou's job could be safe for the time being, given that his side are in a strong position to win the Europa League.

The Lilywhites picked up a rare clean sheet against Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the quarter-final, advancing to the final four after a 1-0 victory in Germany, and on paper they have a kind route to the final in Bilbao.

Postecoglou's side are set to face Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final, with the Eliteserien champions becoming the first Norwegian side ever to reach the semi-finals of a European competition after defeating Lazio over two legs in dramatic fashion.

The Norwegian side defeated the Italians on penalties at the Stadio Olimpico, progressing to the semi-finals despite losing 3-1 on the night, so they will be confident they are capable of causing Tottenham problems.

As such, Postecoglou will be hoping to have Son Heung-min available for the crucial match, but the manager has now hinted the forward may not be available for the first leg, saying: "It'll be touch and go for Thursday. He'll try hard. If [he's not ready] for the first game we think he'll be ready for the second game."

"Incredible" Son would be big miss for Spurs

Tottenham may have seriously underperformed in the Premier League this season, but Son has continued to catch the eye with some of his performances, picking up seven goals and ten assists in 28 appearances.

The £190k-per-week forward has impressed throughout the Postecoglou era, with his manager previously lauding him as "incredible", and he could be a big miss if he is unavailable for the crucial encounter against Bodo/Glimt.

That said, Spurs should have more than enough to progress past the Norwegians regardless, given the disparity between the Premier League and the Eliteserien.

There have been suggestions that Postecoglou is set to face the sack regardless of whether Tottenham win the Europa League, but if they come up short in the semi-final, it would surely be the end of the road for the Australian.

Tottenham Hotspur were hammered 5-1 by Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in a match that confirmed their opponents as the champions of the Premier League.

It was a one-sided contest for much of the evening, despite Dominic Solanke's opening goal in the first half, as the Reds ran riot on Merseyside against a helpless Spurs defence.

Ange Postecoglou will surely be disappointed with the performances from his players on the pitch, as several stars underperformed, including Destiny Udogie.

Destiny Udogie's struggles against Liverpool

The Italy international was tasked with keeping Mohamed Salah quiet at left-back and, actually, did a decent job of it in the opening 45 minutes.

Although Salah played a part in the first goal with a pass in behind the Spurs defence, the Egypt international ended the first half with zero goals or assists.

Unfortunately, however, the Liverpool number 11 stepped his game up in the second half to create one 'big chance' and score a goal, as he cut inside of Udogie from the right flank before rifling an effort into the bottom corner.

Salah also put the Spurs left-back under pressure and forced the defender to convert into his own net for the fifth goal, in what was a dreadful second-half for the Italian dud.

Udogie, however, was not the worst-performing full-back of the afternoon for Tottenham, as Djed Spence was even worse than the former Udinese star.

Why Postecoglou must drop Spence

The English right-back did not enjoy his best day in a Spurs shirt, with a dismal showing, and it started with his involvement, or lack thereof, in the first Liverpool goal.

Spence hesitated and tried to push up to play offside, but it was not an organised line, instead of following his man - Luis Diaz - into the box, and it was his match-up who scored the goal.

He found himself unaware of his man making a run off his back twice in the second half, once to allow Cody Gakpo in behind, but his cross evaded everyone, and the second time to allow Diogo Jota to fire in the cross that forced Udogie's own goal.

Alongside those disappointing moments defensively, Spence's use of the ball was also wasteful in comparison to Udogie's throughout the 90 minutes.

As you can see in the table above, the Italian defender had the better performance out of the two defenders, with his play in and out of possession, even if you include his own goal, which Spence was partially responsible for.

The former Nottingham Forest full-back was weak in his physical battles, made poor decisions defensively, and gave the ball away far too often, losing possession a whopping 14 more times than Udogie. This provided Liverpool with even more opportunities to attack because he could not keep hold of the ball well enough.

Tottenham Hotspur lost for the 19th time in the Premier League this season when they were hammered 5-1 by champions Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Spurs took a shock lead on Merseyside when Dominic Solanke found the back of the net with a brilliant header from James Maddison's corner, but it was not a sign of things to come for Ange Postecoglou's side in the game.

Defensive frailties were on display yet again for the Whites on a dismal afternoon at Anfield, as Liverpool had 25 shots on goal and seven efforts on target.

The Daily Mail recently reported that Postecoglou is 'likely' to move on from the club at the end of the season, and results like this will not do his chances of keeping his job any favours.

Tottenham's manager cannot be spared any blame for the team's poor form this term, because they have lost 19 matches in the division, but he has not been helped by the performances of some of the players on the pitch.

Spurs have an incredibly youthful squad, with the hope that they will develop and improve over time, and that was on display at Anfield, as Archie Gray struggled.

Why Archie Gray has struggled this season

Tottenham reportedly splashed out a fee of £30m to sign the 19-year-old midfielder from Leeds United last summer, and it has been a difficult year for the teenager.

Gray made his 24th appearance and 15th start of the Premier League season against Liverpool on Sunday, and he is still trying to establish where his best position on the pitch is.

It was his fourth start as a defensive midfielder, to go along with five starts at left-back, eight starts at right-back, and 19 starts at centre-back due to the injury issues Spurs have had in that area of the park.

Gray, who played as a right-back typically for Leeds last season, has not had a settled position that he could make his own and deliver consistent performances in, which may be why his campaign has been fairly unimpressive on paper.

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has failed to deliver much in the way of quality on or off the ball, with zero goal contributions and a below-average success rate in duels.

His first-half display against Liverpool before being withdrawn at the break was more of the same. Gray did not create any chances or register a shot on goal, and he only won one duel, whilst completing 80% of his attempted passes.

As you can see in the clip above, Ryan Gravenberch found it far too easy to hold off the midfielder to allow Alexis Mac Allister to fire in from range to put Liverpool 2-1 up.

It was a disappointing display from Gray, who is still learning and adjusting to Premier League football at the age of 19, but his fellow 19-year-old Lucas Bergval was even worse than him.

Why Lucas Bergval was even worse than Archie Gray

The teenage talent was selected alongside the Englishman for the trip to Anfield, leaving Spurs with a very young midfield despite having Yves Bissouma available and on the bench.

It was a difficult match for both Gray and Bergval, and that is reflected in their statistics, as the Swedish flop was even worse than the former Leeds man, notably taking fewer touches (43) than even goalkeeper Vicario (49).

As you can see in the table above, the Sweden international was far more wasteful with the ball at his feet, completing a lower percentage of his passes, failing with his only attempted dribble, and losing the ball almost three times as much.

Bergval did win more duels than Gray but had a worse success rate and was dribbled past once, in what was a disappointing overall display from the youngster.

Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville went as far as to say that his efforts to clear the ball from a corner for Cody Gakpo's goal were "appalling", as his weak headed clearance fell straight to the Dutch forward inside the box.

Going to Anfield to face the champions is never an easy task, and it was a big ask from Postecoglou to put Gray and Bergval in midfield together without an experienced midfielder alongside them, as they only had James Maddison, who is an attacking player by nature, around them.

That resulted in a poor evening for both players and Spurs, who now have to prepare for a first-leg clash with Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday.

Tottenham cannot afford for their midfield to be as below-par as it was against Liverpool, as this is their last chance to win a trophy this season, and that is why Postecoglou must ruthlessly ditch Bergval from the starting XI for the clash with the Norwegian outfit.

Bissouma was an unused substitute against Liverpool on Sunday and may, now, be in contention to come back into the side after Gray and Bergval's disappointing performances in the middle of the park.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 61% of his duels in the Europa League so far this term, which suggests that he could provide some steel at the heart of the midfield on Thursday night.

It is now down to Postecoglou to drop Bergval from the starting line-up in order to make room for Bissouma to come back into the team against Bodo/Glimt.

Tottenham Hotspur are serious contenders to sign an "unbelievable" Premier League forward this summer, and his club are now willing to listen to offers, according to a report.

Spurs looking to strengthen in attack

Tottenham's Premier League campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, but bizarrely, they still stand a good chance of making this season one to remember, given that Ange Postecoglou's side are a two-legged tie with Bodo/Glimt away from the Europa League final.

That said, the underperformance in the Premier League suggests new additions will be needed this summer, and Spurs are particularly keen on strengthening in attacking areas, with AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo among the targets.

The Lilywhites are plotting a move for Semenyo to bolster their wide options, while the same report reveals they are also in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days.

Semenyo and Cunha have shone in the Premier League this season, but Tottenham are also interested in signing a player who hasn't been at his best, with a report from Caught Offside revealing they are now serious contenders to sign Manchester City's Jack Grealish.

Man City are now willing to cash-in on Grealish this summer, and they will entertain offers of £38m - £43m, meaning they are set to make a huge £50m+ loss on the £100m they paid to sign him from Aston Villa in 2021.

Villa are among the rival suitors for their former player, while Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United are also named as potential suitors, so there is no shortage of interest from within the Premier League.

"Unbelievable" Grealish needs fresh start

The Englishman has enjoyed a great deal of success during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and he played a major role in City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, picking up five goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

Perhaps most crucially, the former Villa man scored at the Emirates Stadium to help give his side a major advantage over Arsenal in the title race.

However, it would probably be a wise decision for the 29-year-old to move on this summer, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably, often being limited to appearances as a substitute.

The winger is clearly a talented player, having previously been lauded as "unbelievable" by members of the media, and his ability is underlined by the fact he ranks highly across some key attacking metrics over the past year.

At 29-years-old, Grealish needs to receive regular minutes on the pitch, so it would make sense to move on this summer, and a move to Tottenham would likely be of interest, should they manage to win the Europa League.

Tottenham Hotspur are now believed to be in a good position to seal the astute capture of an "interesting" striker this summer, despite him attracting plenty of attention from elsewhere.

Tottenham play Liverpool as Postecoglou looks to avoid 19th Premier League defeat

Ange Postecoglou's sacking at the end of the season is highly likely as things stand, according to reports, and it could occur regardless of what happens in their Europa League campaign (The Telegraph).

Spurs have tasted defeat a woeful 18 times in the Premier League this season, and a 19th loss against Liverpool today would equal the Lilywhites' record for most defeats in a single campaign since the competition was formed in 1992.

Postecoglou's side will come up against a side who could be crowned champions of England, so Tottenham will have to be at their very best to avoid a rout and bring confidence into their all-important Europa League semi-final clash against Bodo/Glimt.

"I think you want to do more than that," said Postecoglou on whether Tottenham just want to come through Liverpool unscathed.

"You want to go there and compete against, obviously, a very good side, and compete well and its not just about getting through unscathed, you want to get through having played well against the top team. And I think irrespective of what's on the horizon. That's the primary importance.

"They have been brilliant in the league this year. They have been really consistent, maintained a really high level. They have had the best players playing all the time and playing at a really high level. That is a credit to Arne, his coaching staff and the players themselves. They have been close in the last few years and the fact they are on the cusp of potentially winning another title is a credit to everyone involved.

"In the cup game first leg, I thought we were really good, we took the game to them even though again we had quite a few absences and. worked really hard to get a win in that game, so we know it's going to be tough at the weekend, but at the same time I think it's a great challenge for us."

Tottenham "well-placed" to sign Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond

Away from their tough trip to Anfield, news has come to light of the club's transfer activity ahead of this summer.

According to journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, Tottenham are now "well-placed" to seal a deal for Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond - who will leave the Eredivisie side on a free when his contract expires and could be a "bargain signing".

The highly-rated 18-year-old, a Netherlands Under-19 international, has broken into the Feyenoord first team this season, making four senior league appearances, but they now look set to lose him for nothing as Spurs seek to take full advantage.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly have their eyes on an even better talent than midfielder Archie Gray, with Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman sharing what he's heard about the "sensational" youngster.

Archie Gray attracts praise after excellent first Spurs season

Last summer, Spurs sealed a £30 million deal for Gray, with defender Joe Rodon heading the other way in a separate deal but helping to reduce the overall cost.

It has since proved to be an excellent piece of business from chairman Daniel Levy, with Gray taking on a lot more responsibility than was initially anticipated. The 19-year-old handled it extraordinarily well, though, with Ange Postecoglou even utilising him at centre-back during the height of Tottenham's injury crisis.

The teenager has proved ever-reliable, also featuring at right-back and in midfield, and all signs point towards Gray going on to have an exceptional career at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"I think he's been an absolute credit the young lad," said pundit Paul Merson earlier this season.

"I don't know him [personally], I don't know him at all. But from a distance, he turns up every week, he plays in the wrong position, plays in a stinking team, at the moment - with a lorry load of injuries, and he plays every week."

His form has been so good, that reports now claim Spurs are keeping a watchful eye on his younger brother at Leeds, Harry Gray.

Tottenham are said to be monitoring Gray ahead of a potential summer swoop, and could look to replicate the deal which saw his older sibling make the move to north London.

Don Goodman shares what he's heard about Harry Gray at Leeds

Amid these links to the England Under-17 striker, who is apparently making waves behind-the-scenes, Sky pundit Goodman has shared exactly why Spurs supporters can start having a degree of excitement.

Goodman has heard that Gray is a "very special" talent, and could even surpass his older brother at Spurs in terms of potential.

“Personally, I don’t think Spurs are going to be on their own when it comes to high-end clubs scouting Harry Gray," said Goodman to Football League World.

"The reports coming out of Elland Road are sensational, in that this could be a very special talent, maybe even more so than his brother Archie, which would be an incredible feat.

“At the moment though, it’s about playing football week in, week out and learning your trade. I think if Spurs did sign him, you would imagine it would be possible that they would loan him back to Leeds or a team where he would play regular first team football.

“At that age, you need a slow, considered introduction to football, where you’re not overworked, but you get plenty of opportunities at first-team level. That, for me, would be the best thing for him.”

Still yet to make a senior appearance for the first team, it seems like it could only be a matter of time.

Tottenham Hotspur and their search for a new manager continues to take plenty of twists and turns, with a big-name now under discussion in N17 as chairman Daniel Levy plans for life without Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs are staring down the barrel of their worst domestic season in decades, and are just one game away from equalling their record number of league defeats in a single campaign since the Premier League's inception.

Liverpool host the Lilywhites at Anfield on Sunday, where Arne Slot's side could officially be crowned champions of England, so Postecoglou can expect them to throw the kitchen sink at his vulnerable Spurs team during a difficult afternoon on Merseyside.

Meanwhile, in the background, uncertainty continues to surround Postecoglou and his long-term future.

Tottenham's dismal domestic campaign could spell the end for him, even if they end up winning the Europa League and clinching their first major trophy since 2008 (The Telegraph).

Following 18 league defeats, with Postecoglou's men sitting a lowly 16th in the table, it is widely believed Levy and co are already doing their due-diligence on potential replacements for the former Celtic boss.

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) are all managers on Tottenham's rumoured shortlist, while the likes of Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi and Borussia Dortmund's Niko Kovač have been linked from further abroad.

Spurs are admirers of Inzaghi (Fabrizio Romano) and some contact has also been held with Kovac (Bild), while it is believed that former boss Mauricio Pochettino would love a return to Tottenham, and he'd be Levy's personal first choice.

Tottenham hold internal talks over appointing Jürgen Klopp

More recently, a report from GiveMeSport has lifted the lid on Tottenham's wish to be more ambitious in their chase for Postecoglou's replacement.

As per their information, former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, who guided them to their first Premier League title in decades during his tenure in charge, as well as a Champions League triumph, is now being considered.

The German is currently Red Bull's head of Global Soccer, earning around £192,000-per-week in his new role and contributing towards his £39 million net worth. Klopp will go down as one of the Premier League's greatest ever coaches, and now Spurs are thinking about tempting him back to England.

GMS report that Tottenham have held internal talks over appointing Klopp, alongside other prestigious names, with the board determined to be "bold" and go after a proven winner.

The jury is out on whether he'd even consider leaving Red Bull so soon, and for one of Liverpool's Premier League rivals, but there is little doubting he'd do an excellent job there based off his phenomenal CV working with fairly limited budgets.

"The reason why I give incredible credit with the five Premier Leagues we won is because we were battling with unbelievable football club like Liverpool," said Pep Guardiola on Klopp.

"Incredible manager and his staff and incredible players. I will never forget these battles, never ever in my life. It's an honour, for all my career everybody knows Klopp made me a better manager and Liverpool made me a better manager. There is no doubt about that."

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are now discussing the possibility of appointing a "special" manager who's been targeted by Real Madrid as a potential replacement for Carlo Ancelotti, and he'd be a big-name to follow in the footsteps of Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs face the Premier League champions elect, Liverpool, on Sunday - and defeat at Anfield could equal their record for most league defeats in a single season since the competition's inception.

It's been a torrid 2024/2025 for Postecoglou, who's dealt with consistent reports linking him with the Spurs exit door, and it is reliably believed that the Lilywhites could decide to sack him regardless of whether they win the Europa League (The Telegraph).

Tottenham sit 16th in the Premier League table after 18 top flight losses, with Postecoglou suffering from a major player selection crisis midway through the season thanks to a plethora of injuries to key squad members.

This undoubtedly crippled their chances of a respectable league finish, but languishing near the relegation zone is disastrous for a big six side like Spurs. Postecoglou has a saving grace, their promising Europa League campaign, where the Australian could end Spurs' 17-year wait for major silverware.

"You just got to try to deal with what is before you," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's season.

"As you said, we are well aware our league form and league position is not good enough. But we also know there is an unbelievable opportunity on the horizon. I think irrespective of, this club has had many seasons and a lot of clubs have had seasons where they have done outstandingly well in the league but don’t have the opportunity we have right now of being in the final four of a major European competition.

"That is where the focus is and where the focus should be irrespective, especially of a club that hasn’t had a lot of success recently. We have got a wonderful opportunity. The players have and the club has and collectively if we give ourselves every opportunity to progress to a final then I think hopefully the momentum we gain from that will give us a chance to do something special."

Tottenham talking about replacing Ange Postecoglou with Xabi Alonso

In the background, Tottenham are drawing up a shortlist of managers to replace Postecoglou.

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been linked as potential candidates, with a Spurs return for Mauricio Pochettino not ruled out either.

As per GiveMeSport, key decision-makers in N17 now want to show more ambition and be bold in their pursuit of a new head coach, meaning they could now target Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.

The Spaniard guided Leverkusen to a Bundesliga title last season, finishing the league unbeaten and making history. Alonso's side also very nearly finished the entire campaign without defeat, but were handed their only loss of 2023/2024 in the Europa League final against Atalanta.

This stellar job at Leverkusen on a limited budget has prompted reports that Real Madrid are considering him as a replacement for Ancelotti, but GMS now report that Tottenham have been talking about appointing Alonso as well.

There is confidence that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy can sign a record-breaking player at a discounted price, with his club eager to sell him to Spurs this summer as both parties look to strike a solution.

Tottenham's summer transfer plans amid uncertain Postecoglou future

A lot of the noise around Spurs is centered on Ange Postecoglou and his long-term future, with the north Londoners believed to be doing their due-diligence on potential successors for the Australian after a disappointing campaign.

A host of managers are being linked with the Spurs job right now, including former fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino, but technical director Johan Lange and the club's recruitment team must also be mindful of their transfer plans - with or without Postecoglou at the helm.

Spurs want to reinforce their team across multiple areas of the squad, and are believed to be one of the many Premier League sides looking at Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen (Sky Sports), who is widely expected to leave when a club triggers his £50 million release clause.

Meanwhile, GiveMeSport have reported that Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson is a target for Postecoglou's side, and it is believed he'd consider a move to N17 this summer despite reported interest from Man City.

Larsson would cost Tottenham around £50 million, so the 20-year-old rising star wouldn't come cheap, and they've been surprisingly linked with a swoop for his teammate, Kaua Santos, who performed impressively against Spurs during their Europa League quarter-final tie.

Lange has personally held talks over a move for Santos, according to reports in Germany, while there is still some way to go when it comes to Mathys Tel and his long-term future.

The Frenchman joined Spurs on loan with an option to buy for around £43 million, but Tel has arguably had a slow start to life at the club and Levy may not want to pay the full amount to keep him long-term.

Bayern Munich hoping they can agree permanent sale of Mathys Tel to Tottenham

That is according to Kicker, via Sport Witness, who reports that Bayern Munich are hoping they can agree Tel's permanent sale to Tottenham, and could let him join the club for a discounted price.

There is still confidence from both parties that a deal will be struck for the 19-year-old, and work is ongoing to reach a compromise ahead of the summer window. Tel has managed three goals in 13 appearances for Tottenham so far, but his versatility and sky-high potential would make him a useful asset for Postecoglou or any new manager.

The teenager is a record-breaker already, becoming Bayern's youngest ever goalscorer in 2022 at just 17, attracting praise from Germany legend Thomas Müller.

“Mathys should keep doing his thing: firing shots in on goal. He's a superb finisher," said Muller. "He's only 18 and is making the most of it at the moment. He's always positive, always has a smile on his face and has great finishing in training and in matches.”