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Spurs have been linked with a January move for a striker allegedly worth £70m - but would it make sense for them?

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The good news for Tottenham Hotspur fans is that few Premier League teams have so much money to spend of PSR headroom to play with. The bad news is that they clearly need to use it. As the January transfer window looms, few teams may be as busy as an ailing Spurs side which has struggled desperately for consistency.

Much of the gossip doing the rounds has focussed on Thomas Frank’s apparent desire for new attacking players, which isn’t especially surprising given how disjointed Spurs’ work in the final third has been since the summer. Dominic Solanke is struggling with injury, Randal Kolo Muani has shown little more than the occasional flash of quality since signing from PSG and Richarlison seems likely to leave before long anyway. Change is required in some capacity.

Which makes one of the more recent rumours concerning Spurs unsurprising – that they’re interested in Brentford’s Igor Thiago after a superb start to the season in which he has already scored 11 goals. But is he really a realistic transfer target, do the rumours have any weight behind them, and is he really the kind of striker Spurs need?

Is Igor Thiago the kind of striker Tottenham Hotspur should sign this January?

Regardless of whether Thiago is available or affordable, it’s fair to question whether he’s precisely what Spurs need – although the fact that he clearly knows his way to the back of the net suggests that he is in possession of at least one of the major attributes that Tottenham are lacking at the moment.

Not that it’s necessarily clear that he can maintain his recent prolific form. His scoring rate is being bolstered by a flurry of penalties (five of his 11 league goals have come from the spot with one miss) and he’s scoring at a rate which comfortably exceeds his expected goals – a good thing over time, of course, but also a potential sign of a player who will revert to the mean when the sample size is so small.

From open play, Thiago has scored six goals from exactly 4.0xG, which is a much better conversion rate than we saw in Belgium. He scored plenty for Club Brugge, too, but wasn’t necessarily the most lethal finisher, and there have been some moments of fortune for Brentford – his opening goal against West Ham, for instance, which span viciously and improbably into the goal after an initial save, or his deflected strike into the roof of the net against Burnley.

That isn’t to say that Thiago scores goals because he is lucky, but to observe that his strength has generally been in the quality of the positions he gets himself into, not because of his technique. It’s also to suggest that he isn’t yet proven to be the kind of striker who will score 20 goals every season. That may well be the case, but it’s hard to know for certain after he missed almost the entirety of his debut season through injury.

What we can say for certain is that right now, the 24-year-old has clear weaknesses which would make him an awkward fit for some teams – especially in his passing and link-up play, which is sub-par for the Premier League and which explains why he has yet to register an assist, and his dribbling and technique. Only two players with at least 10 top-flight appearances this year have completed fewer carries with the ball. Admittedly, one of them is Erling Haaland, so clearly that isn’t a requisite to be an effective striker.

Indeed, Haaland is in many ways a rather useful comparison. Like Haaland, he won’t be effective dropping deep into the midfield and nor will he ply the channels and find space in wide areas. Thiago will stay central and score goals when given good service, but he needs to be served to succeed.

Can Spurs succeed with such a traditional centre-forward? That’s not yet clear. Frank has yet to settle into a tactical groove in North London – when Kolo Muani has played up front, he has generally lead the line in an appropriately central position, near the shoulder of the last man. When it’s Richarlison in that role, he tends to drop deeper in behind the wingers. The former system might suit Thiago, the latter likely wouldn’t. Thiago isn’t a number nine who would flourish in every system, and it’s not entirely clear whether Spurs would be an ideal home for him or not. Either way, would he even be available in 2026?

Will Spurs be able to sign Igor Thiago from Brentford?

The story connecting Tottenham Hotspur with Thiago has gone around the rumour mill a few times now, with a wide variety of print and online sources picking it up – but it originates with a social media post from ESPN Brasil journalist Felipe Silva, and that appears to be the only primary source for the story so far.

Silva claimed that Spurs and Aston Villa were both interested and had “made enquiries” while Brentford (who are said not to want to sell but to be expecting offers) would expect £70m for a player who has quickly become central to their gameplan. Later reporting from Caught Offside added Newcastle to the list of alleged suitors.

It’s mentioned that Brentford expected bids in January despite the fact that it’s highly improbable that Villa, who narrowly escaped a PSR sanction this summer, would be able to afford him. West Ham would be stretching their budget, as well. Spurs, however, could afford £70m as they have significant PSR headroom this season.

That makes it plausible from a financial point of view, even if it’s hard to credit Brentford as being willing to sell their leading goalscorer mid-season – and it would certainly be nice to have some corroboration from other sources who don’t also include Aston Villa, whose interest (in the short term) is considerably less plausible.

Realistically, this is a deal that would be more likely to take place next summer, but which time we have more evidence that Thiago is as good as his recent form suggests he is – or evidence to the contrary, of course. £70m is a lot to gamble on a forward who can’t be guaranteed to be a hit.

In any case, as it stands, there simply isn’t enough evidence from the media to suggest that a bid for Thiago is imminent. It’s possible, but there are far more reasons for such a deal to fall through than there are for it to take place, and there isn’t enough corroboration from reliable sources as yet be confident that it’s even a transfer that Spurs are likely to attempt to make. But they are, surely, going to bolster their attack in some way and if Thiago can indeed keep scoring goals, then the temptation to make an offer would be very understandable.

The latest transfer headlines from the Premier League - including updates from Crystal Palace, Man Utd, Sunderland and more

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The transfer window is just around the corner, and the gossip is flying thick and fast from both the top and bottom of the Premier League as each team prepares for the mad scramble of the January sales.

We start our roundup with a story from The Telegraph which claims that Crystal Palace have placed Tottenham Hotspur star Brennan Johnson near the top of their January priorities. The Eagles currently sit fourth in the table after one of their best ever stars to a league season and after winning the FA Cup last season are targeting a first ever appearance in the UEFA Champions League.

The Selhurst Park outfit are understood to be in the market for a winger to replace Eberechi Eze after his blockbuster £67.5m move to London rivals Arsenal. They currently have Jeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr as their main options on the wing but lack squad depth and are keen to add another top calibre operator to their team to boost their hopes of succeeding both domestically and on the continent.

Should Crystal Palace make the move for Brennan Johnson?

Johnson signed for Spurs during the 2023 summer window in a £47.5 million transfer. He made the move from Nottingham Forest, where he established himself as a star for the future.

Thanks to his impressive performances for the Trick Trees , the 24-year-old secured his move to North London. However, since his switch to Tottenham, he hasn’t been always been able to fully secure a permanent starting role.

He did a fairly steady job in his first season, scoring five goals and contributing 11 assists as Ange Postecoglou’s side finished in fifth position. He stepped up with a solid tally of 18 goals and seven assists across all competitions last term, including the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United as well. However, he’s not had much game time since Thomas Frank’s appointment, and has started just two of the team’s last 12 league matches.

The 3AM verdict: Still only 24-years-old, Johnson is a player with plenty of potential, who should still have his best years ahead of him. For the right price he’d be a fantastic addition to Crystal Palace’s team if Tottenham decided to sell, but it’s hard to see him going for any less than the £47.5m they paid after last season’s heroics despite his recent dip in form.

Man Utd ‘hold talks’ to sign Sunderland gem amid Chelsea interest

Champions League hopefuls Manchester United are reported to be holding talks over a deal to sign highly-rated Sunderland prospect Noah Sadiki, Sky Sport Switzerland.

The outlet explains that Chelsea have already made a formal approach to sign the youngster after the defensive midfielder impressed in Sunderland’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on October 25. United, however, are also said to have approached Sadiki’s representatives at the start of the season and view the DR Congo international as a cheaper alternative to Carlos Baleba.

The 20-year-old signed a five-year contract when he joined the club in the summer and has featured 15 times in the Premier League so far in an impressive start for the newly-promoted side.

The 3AM verdict: Manchester United undoubetedly need a defensive midfielder to compete with Casemiro in the near future. For some reason, the club don’t seem to want to give Kobbie Mainoo that responsibility while Manuel Ugarte has also struggled to make the position his own. Signing Sadiki could make a lot of sense, but he won’t come cheap given his contract status and his importance within the Sunderland team.

Ultimately, he’d suit United and should in theory get minutes if he was to move. Chelsea, however, have such a high number of players in that position it’d be slightly harder to see him getting the opportunities.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to reports

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Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as strong contenders to sign highly-rated Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in 2026.

Football Insider understands that Thomas Frank is in the market for a new centre forward that can fire his team to silverware, and Mateta is understood to be the man that fits the bill.

The French forward is enjoying another strong season with Crystal Palace. He’s scored nine goals in 24 matches across all competitions, has helped the club win the Community Shield against English champions Liverpool and he notably scored the goal that secured Palace’s status as a Conference League outfit after a narrow victory over Fredrikstad in qualifying.

Mateta boasts an overall record of 55 goals in almost six years with the Eagles and has been a man reborn since Oliver Glasner’s appointment, scoring 45 of his goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign. He’s right at the peak of his powers aged 28 and remains a crucial player for the football club.

However, discussions over a new contract have stalled in recent months and it’s reported by talkSPORT that the talented striker faces an uncertain future at Selhurst Park. Mateta’s current deal expires at the end of the 2026-27 season, possibly offering an opening for the Lilywhites to take advantage of the Eagles’ perilous position. Although they are not alone in their pursuit with Italian giants AC Milan also being linked with the former Mainz frontman.

Would Jean-Philippe Mateta be a good fit at Tottenham Hotspur?

Tottenham have a variety of strong options in attack already. Richarilson is their most used central striking option under Thomas Frank while loan signing Randal Kolo Muani is starting to feature more regularly following his loan move from Paris-Saint-Germain after an injury-hit start.

There’s also a young forward in Mathys Tel in and around the team, although he’s often been used out wide due to competition from elsewhere. Also on the books is club-record £65m signing Dominic Solanke. He scored 19 times in 37 matches for Bournemouth in 2023/24, but failed to make quite the same impact in his debut campaign at Tottenham.

He did, however, still manage 16 goals in 45 appearances for the Lillywhites, including nine in the Premier League and notably five in Europe as the club ended their 17-year-wait for silverware. The England international has only appeared twice this season due to a long-term ankle injury and it’s not yet clear when he’ll be back in contention.

Mateta at present has a better goalscoring rate than all of Tottenham’s current options and it’s clear he’d bring something different to their attack in terms of technical skill. However, it’s hard to see them signing him unless one of their forwards departs.

What can Tottenham do to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta?

Football Insider understands Tottenham made an undisclosed bid for Mateta during the summer which was quickly batted away by Crystal Palace, who were keen to avoid losing anymore players after Eberechi Eze’s exit to Arsenal. If there’s substance to these claims than it appears likely that Tottenham could try once again to bring Mateta to North London.

Palace would be reluctant to lose their talisman, but will also be weary of the risks involved with keeping a player that’s planning to depart. For example, they allowed Wilfried Zaha to leave for free, despite at one time having a reported £70m plus James McCarthy and Cenk Tosun bid on the table from Everton.

Meanwhile, they also look likely to lose Marc Guehi on a free transfer after denying Liverpool the chance to sign him for £35m on deadline day, while also rejecting even bigger offers from Newcastle and Tottenham earlier in his contract.

Perhaps the best course of action if Mateta does decide to leave would be to take a transfer fee and potentially a Tottenham player as part of the deal to fill their centre forward void. Solanke could be one options to consider in the summer once he’s regained his fitness. He’s a similar age to Mateta and has been speculated as a player they may look to sell in the near future.

Thomas Frank must let Aston Villa or Newcastle make the mistake

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As the problems mount for Tottenham Hotspur, Dominic Solanke’s failure to fire up front means Thomas Frank is facing down the barrel of needing to throw more money at a problem that should’ve been solved a year ago.

Bought for a club-record potential £65 million after scoring 19 Premier League goals in 2023/24 for Bournemouth and pushing for a place in England’s squad for the European Championship, almost 18 months later Solanke is still yet to match that tally in all competitions. An ankle injury has forced him to miss extended time this season and Frank’s three deputy options - Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel combine for barely more than three expected goals (xG) in the top flight according to Opta via FBref.

Aged 28, Solanke has the runway to return to his best form when he finally recovers, but further questions linger as to whether he can replicate his sensational final season on the south coast consistently.

Since he established himself at Liverpool in 2017/18, when he made 28 senior appearances after being sold by Chelsea, 50% of Solanke’s Premier League goals came in that magic campaign for Bournemouth as he’s returned tallies of one, three, six and nine in four of his five seasons (though he was also prolific in the Championship for The Cherries).

It’s a major issue for the club who desperately need a more creative deep-lying playmaker in the mould of Ruben Neves or Martin Zubimendi, alongside more defensive depth and superstar left winger like Rodrygo. Among Tottenham’s rumoured striker targets sits Igor Thiago, who is expected to cost at least £50m and is their most Premier-League proven option, but could well end up as fools gold for a club who need to strike the real thing in January.

Spurs, Aston Villa and Newcastle all chasing Thiago

You know a striker’s not too bad when he’s being backed to lead the line for Brazil at the World Cup. Though he never represented his country at any age-group, The Selecao’s dearth of options at centre-forward (all their 2025 Copa America goals came from the wing or midfield) means a shock call-up could be on the cards for Thiago.

And it’s not hard to see why. Only Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than the 24-year-old this season and he’s closer to the Norwegian than he is to third place, operating at a strike rate of one every 100 minutes.

It’s no fluke either as Thiago is one of the best in the division for both shot volume (ninth in total, fourth for shots on target) and finishing at +2.5 per goals minus xG which is why not only Tottenham but Aston Villa and Newcastle United have reportedly enquired with Brentford about his availability as several Premier League teams hunt for a star striker.

Thiago isn’t the solution to Tottenham’s problem

Though Thiago has single-handedly scored over half as many top-flight goals as Spurs have this season, he’s actually only netted one more than Richarlison excluding penalties.

Strikers who score lots of penalties are sometimes overly maligned. Plenty of people ridicule Harry Kane for his 2018 World Cup golden boot given half of his tally came from 12 yards but they’re much slower to remember that only one those spot-kicks weren’t won by Kane himself, usually for fouls in goal-scoring positions as the ‘love train’ terrorised the planet’s defenders on that dreamy run to the semi-finals.

And there’s still skill in scoring penalties - as Kane painfully found out during the subsequent World Cup. However, Thiago has already missed one this season and none of those five spot-kicks were won by the Brazilian (four of them, incidentally, were from fouls on Dango Outtara).

And while there’s no denying that Thiago’s underlying shooting numbers are fantastic Frank already has players who match that profile. However, Tottenham need more creativity in all parts of the pitch and that includes at striker - think the mould of Kane or Hugo Ekitike. They’re obviously not going to get players of that calibre for £50m, but someone like Ivan Toney or Georges Mikautadze would fit both the bill and the budget.

Tottenham’s problem is finishing off chances - Richarlison is the Premier League’s best finisher by goals minus xG and Tel is in the top 20 - it’s creating them in the first place as they have the same xG tally as basement dwellers Wolves. And all this is without considering the injury concerns around Thiago or the fact that apart from a magical few months in the Premier League, all his production has come in Bulgaria, Belgium and the Conference League.

Even if he can sustain this level of output, Thiago is the answer to a question Thiago aren’t asked and that’s why Spurs can’t fall into the trap of splashing out for him in January.

Four English clubs are believed to be interested in the Elche youngster

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It was a stunning summer of spending in the Premier League but given the iffy start to the league by at least four of the big six, that’s unlikely to change in the January transfer window and a midfield prodigy from La Liga is catching the eye of top flight scouts in London and the north east.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Elche’s Rodri Mendoza has super-clubs across the continent chasing the 20-year-old who has a release clause of only €20 million (£17.6m), with the journalist saying on YouTube:

“Arsenal had their scouts already at two games between October and November to follow Mendoza,” Romano said. “Arsenal are keeping a close eye on the player. Not only Arsenal, because also Italian and Spanish clubs are monitoring him.

“Spanish, quality player, 20 years old, €20m could be a bargain. Arsenal are very good with these opportunities. There are more clubs interested in him, so let’s see what’s going to happen, but for sure an interesting player to follow.”

The Gunners aren’t his only admirers in England though as according to TEAMtalk, Chelsea value his defensive tenacity and see him as a Moises Caicedo protege while Thomas Frank thinks Mendoza could ignite Tottenham Hotspur going forward with his progressive passing. However, the perfect landing spot for Mendoza - as with almost any talented midfielder apart from Kalvin Phillips - is with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Mendoza can be Manchester City’s next evolution

Without wishing to put too much pressure on a 20-year-old who’s only played 10 top-flight games, Mendoza could have the same impact at the Etihad Stadium as his compatriots Rodri and David Silva.

While Mendoza’s hinted at solidity out of possession, he’s yet to become a true enforcer though standing six feet tall, there’s still plenty of time for that to develop. And even if he can’t, he can still become a master conductor under Guardiola (Kevin de Bruyne and Xavi didn’t do too badly despite their defensive shortcomings after all).

Mendoza’s ability to progress the field either by dribbling or passing is what immediately stands out with the youngster and would help him slot in seamless to The Citizen’s style. Deployed as a six or eight, Mendoza is in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per Opta via FBref, averaging two per game which would put him ahead of a host of stars including Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, Amad Diallo and Jack Grealish if he could replicate it in the Premier League and he’s in the top 3% for progressive passes received too.

Few midfielders (especially so such deep-lying ones) make as many entries into the final third and opposition penalty area as Mendoza who is also in the top 7% for progressive carries, and ranks similarly highly for balls into the 18-yard-box. If he can hone these skills under the tutelage of arguably the best to every coach it then there’s no telling how high Mendoza could fly.

However, if he has that much talent, why can’t he succeed at one of London’s big clubs?

Guardiola presence puts City ahead of London rivals

It might seem strange to discount Arsenal based on their strength in depth in midfield given Manchester City have more options in that area on paper, but it’s hard to imagine Mikel Arteta wanting to disrupt his incredibly settled side. Meanwhile Guardiola is notoriously more predisposed to tinker, and 27-year-old Tijjani Reijnders is his second-youngest front line midfielder excluding out-of-position options like Nico O’Reilly, Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes.

We don’t know if Rodri will ever return to his best in sky blue but Mendoza could expect to be rotated much more heavily for Nico Gonzalez and Reijnders than Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice, while Spurs could be too far towards the opposite end of the spectrum. Given Frank’s struggles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Mendoza could end up shouldering

The much more accomplished Xavi Simons has shown how difficult it can be to adapt to Premier League midfield play and paired in a double-pivot with either Joao Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur, Mendoza would immediately take on most of the responsibility to create from deep.

That leaves Chelsea as the only viable option, who currently boast one of the best midfields in the Premier League and indeed across Europe. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez certainly didn’t come cheap but both aged 24, they can expect to be locking the top flight and Champions League for years to come.

Mendoza wouldn’t be the first ultra-talented player or midfielder to get lost at Stamford Bridge (and ironically the poster boy for that club ended up starring for Manchester City), but Guardiola’s record for developing players like the 20-year-old is unbeatable.

If the Catalan is committed to the Etihad Stadium long-term then he can turn Mendoza into the next Rodri or De Bruyne - what player wouldn’t want that?

Tottenham and Brighton could engage in a stand-out swap deal in the winter window

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Tottenham Hotspur might be one of the more active sides in the top flight in the January transfer window, as Thomas Frank’s men look to improve on an inconsistent first half of their Premier League season.

The Lilywhites currently sit not-so-pretty in the bottom half of the league table – a zone in which they will have hoped never to find themselves again after the domestic horrors of last term – though they are just a couple of good results away from beginning a charge for the Champions League spots once again.

All is not lost, therefore, and a couple of key reinforcements in the winter window could make all the difference as Spurs hope to take their campaign to the next level.

One of Brighton & Hove Albion’s top players has been linked with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and that could open the door for a headline-grabbing swap deal which could see both sides gain an intriguing new face for the latter half of the campaign.

Tottenham links with Jan-Paul van Hecke emerge

As per reports by TEAMtalk, Tottenham have been linked with Brighton centre-back Jan-Paul van Hecke, who has quietly become one of the first names on the Seagulls’ team-sheet in recent years.

The 25-year-old has not missed a single minute in the league this term and almost reached the same fate when available last season, becoming an irreplaceable part of Fabian Hurzeler’s impressive Seagulls outfit. This has, therefore, caught the attention of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, and Spurs are reportedly ready to bid £40 million for the player as part of a transfer ‘splurge’ in 2026.

Considering Brighton bought the Netherlands international for just £3m in 2020, this would represent a significant profit – but the Seagulls have European ambitions of their own and so will be reluctant to sell one of their key players. But Spurs may be able to get their own way if they include one of their own stars as part of a deal for Van Hecke.

Van Hecke could sign for Tottenham as part of major swap deal

As a player who is believed to be surplus to requirements at Tottenham but still fondly remembered at the Amex, Spurs could decide to offer Yves Bissouma as part of a deal in exchange for Van Hecke.

The 29-year-old Mali international has not played a single competitive minute under Frank and is believed to be on the transfer list for January, as long as he can shake off an ankle injury which required surgery in the autumn. While a return to former club Brighton would be an unorthodox step, it could represent a heart-warming homecoming for a player who needs the right surroundings to get his career back on track.

The quality still possessed by Bissouma when fit is undeniable, as he featured 44 times under Ange Postecoglou last season and was key on the way to winning the Europa League. But he is evidently not fancied by Frank due to reported off-field issues, and so he could return to the club which he called home for four years and 124 matches.

A straight swap between the two players would be unlikely due to Bissouma’s lack of recent action and injury record, in addition to the fact that he is in the last year of his contract and set to walk away for nothing next summer.

A price tag of €15m (£13m) was previously touted in the summer, with this likely to drop down towards £10m in the final six months of his deal. Therefore, a bid by Spurs of Bissouma plus around £30m could be enough to secure the signature of Van Hecke, in what would be one of the biggest moves of the window.

England have been drawn into Group L for the 2026 World Cup

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After a lengthy draw in Washington D.C., England finally discovered their 2026 World Cup group stage opponents.

The Three Lions were the final pick from Pot 1, putting them at the top of Group L. Meanwhile, Scotland have been drawn into a tasty pool in Group C, which will see them come up against Brazil, Morocco and Haiti.

As for Wales and Northern Ireland, their position hangs in the balance as one nation must still progress through the play-offs. Whoever qualifies for the tournament - out of Northern Ireland, Wales, Italy, and Bosnia and Herzegovina - will be the final team drawn into Group B against host nation Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

The first match of the 2026 World Cup will take place between hosts Mexico and South Africa.

Who will England face in the World Cup group stage?

England have been drawn against Croatia, Ghana and Panama for their group stage games at the World Cup.

Thomas Tuchel’s side will be thrown straight into the action with a tricky first tie. Their first game of the tournament will be against Croatia on June 17th - a repeat of the 2018 semi-final, which ended 2-1 to Croatia after extra time, knocking England out of the competition.

England will then face Ghana on June 23rd, followed by their clash with Panama on the 27th.

Tuchel will use these remaining months to finalise who he wants on the plane for next summer. It’s going to be a crucial period for all nations, and England have some tough opponents to beat if they want to progress into the knockouts.

In-demand Premier League star to face England at World Cup

Most England fans will be focusing on the 2018 semi-final repeat against Croatia but Ghana could prove to be a sticky rival to come up against as well. The Black Stars boast secret weapon Antoine Semenyo in their ranks, who has become one of the most sought-after players in world football over recent months.

Semenyo has been turning the heads of multiple clubs recently, particularly those at rival clubs in the Premier League. The winger is currently impressing with his performances for Bournemouth but the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are showing huge interest in potentially signing him next year.

After contributing 11 goals and seven assists for the Cherries last season, Semenyo is on track to better his tally. The 25-year-old has nine goalscoring contributions in 13 Premier League appearances, making him hot property at the Vitality Stadium.

The latest transfer rumours surrounding Semenyo claim Liverpool are one of the clubs at the front of the queue hoping to snap up the winger. The Reds are on the market for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, but Tottenham have also been named as keen admirers of the Ghanaian, and they could attempt a move as early as January.

Based on his form, we can expect to see Semenyo in action for Ghana next summer, which could make for a tough outing for England.

Most of England’s starting regulars will know Semenyo well from the Premier League and will be well aware of the threat he poses in attack. Tuchel’s side must focus on keeping the influential wide player quiet when they face Ghana in June.

The latest Spurs team news and predicted starting XI for their Premier League match against Brentford.

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Tottenham Hotspur will hope to snap a five-match winless streak and pick up their first home league win since the opening weekend of the season when they host Brentford on Saturday – but will they have any of their injured players back for the match against Keith Andrews’ side?

Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and Kota Takai are among the players who have been missing for some time but who are pushing to make their comebacks this month, while there are also concerns over the fitness of Destiny Udogie after he was seen limping towards the end of Spurs’ midweek draw with Newcastle United.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, we’ve collected all of the latest Spurs team news and injury updates, along with our prediction for Thomas Frank’s starting line-up below.

Will Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski or Kota Takai be back to face Brentford?

Spurs have six players who are either out or doubts for the game against Brentford, all of whom have been unavailable for some time – and they include key players like striker Dominic Solanke (ankle) and winger Dejan Kulsuevski (ACL).

When asked after the 2-2 draw against Newcastle whether those players could be close to making their long-awaited comebacks, however, Frank poured a certain amount of cold water on the idea, simply saying that “when they are ready to be close to joining the squad, then I will provide an update” – a pretty clear hint that neither will be available this weekend.

Solanke’s return date is unclear, while Kulusevski is expected back before the end of the month, according to his national manager Graham Potter. There’s also no fresh news on the status of midfielder Yves Bissouma (ankle) who could be out for a while longer, while James Maddison (ACL) may not play this season.

There’s better news on the status of summer signing Kota Takai (thigh) and fellow centre-back Radu Dragusin (ACL): Takai played his first minutes for the club in a behind-closed-doors Under-21s match against Dagenham & Redbridge this week, alongside Dragusin. Both are building up towards full fitness but are not expected to be ready for this weekend.

Is Destiny Udogie injured for Tottenham Hotspur?

A fresh worry over the health of Destiny Udogie emerged after he was spotted struggling in the final minutes of the midweek match at St. James’ Park, with Frank unable to replace him having used all of his substitutes.

Frank, however, has moved to play down concerns over the Italian full-back’s fitness, saying that he was “pretty sure” Udogie was fine, adding that he “hadn’t heard anything” to suggest a serious injury concern. Djed Spence could come back in to replace Udogie if required.

Elsewhere, there are no further injury concerns heading into the weekend. It remains to be seen whether Micky van de Ven will be restored to the starting XI after losing his place to Kevin Danso during the week, while Xavi Simons could be handed his first start in five matches.

Tottenham Hotspur must add some firepower to their squad this January transfer window to ease some pressure off Thomas Frank

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Tottenham Hotspur struck late to earn a 2-2 draw away at Newcastle United last time out. Centre-back Cristian Romero scored twice for Thomas Frank’s side in the North East. The London outfit are now positioned down in 11th place in the Premier League table.

They have 19 points on the board from their first 14 fixtures and will be aiming to find some more consistency over the coming weeks. Frank’s men are only five points off the Champions League places and have plenty of time to turn things around. They are back in action this weekend with a home clash against Brentford as they seek to return to winning ways amid simmering pressure on their head coach.

Tottenham Hotspur should target Crystal Palace striker Jean Philippe-Mateta

Spurs have the chance to bring in new signings in the January transfer window next month. They also have the opportunity to let some players head out the exit door as well this winter to free up space and funds in their squad. Frank delved into the market in the summer to snap up the likes of Xavier Simons, Mohamed Kudus and Joao Palhinha, among others, to freshen up his ranks but there are still some gaps to be plugged.

Crystal Palace will ‘consider’ bids for striker Jean Philippe-Mateta, according to The Sun. He is under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2027 but is currently in limbo. Despite holding talks regarding a new deal, nothing has been agreed yet and his long-term future in south London is up in the air. Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Leeds United have been linked with him, according to Caught Offside.

With that in mind, Spurs should now try and lure him over to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of others. The France international, who has three caps under his belt so far in his career, is a proven performer at the top level now and has been a key player for the Eagles. He joined them on an initial loan that was later made permanent in 2022 and he has been excellent overall.

Why Crystal Palace star Jean Philippe-Mateta would suit Tottenham Hotspur

Mateta would give Spurs more firepower at the top end of the pitch, which is what they desperately crave. His strength, pace and power has caused problems to opposition defenders over the past few campaigns. He would give them something different to the likes of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani.

The Frenchman scored eight goals in 35 games during his temporary stint at Crystal Palace. He then properly hit the ground running after his full-time transfer and has found the net on 47 occasions in 138 outings. The forward fired 17 goals last term as Oliver Glasner’s team went on to win the FA Cup against the odds after beating Manchester City in the final at Wembley.

Prior to his move to England, Mateta spent time in Germany with Mainz 05. He was a hit during his spell in the Bundesliga and scored 27 goals in 71 outings. The player has also had spells in the past with the likes of LB Châteauroux, Lyon and Le Havre in his native country.

Spurs need to ensure that they get their recruitment right and Mateta would be perfect. He is experienced, knows where the back of the net is and is in his prime. This is an opportunity that they can’t afford to pass by with Crystal Palace said to be open to bids. It would be a massive blow if he went to a league rival.

Rounding up the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton, Chelsea, Newcastle and more.

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We’re just four weeks away from the start of the January transfer window and the gossip columns are starting to burst at the seams with stories – and to help you keep track of everything, we’re here with our latest digest of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours.

We’ll kick things off today with a tale that may interest fans of both Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur – because TeamTalk claim that Spurs are “working hard” to sign a new goalkeeper to replace Guglielmo Vicario, and are now “huge admirers” of Seagulls stopper Bart Verbruggen.

Verbruggen is one of two players mentioned as being under consideration (the other being Manchester City’s James Trafford) and Spurs are said to be “making checks” on the 23-year-old’s availability. There’s no hint as to how much Brighton might demand to sell their current first choice, although it said that they want to keep him if they can.

There may be a bigger problem for Spurs than Brighton’s asking price and willingness to do a deal, however – Bayern Munich are also “very much in the mix” for Verbruggen as they look for a long-term replacement for Manuel Neuer. Vincent Kompany’s side are said to hold “strong interest” in the Dutchman and could rival Spurs if they do make a move.

The 3AM Verdict: It’s not explicitly stated, but we presume that we’re looking at a deal which would take place next summer, if at all. Either way, we suspect that this is all a little speculative and long-distance – although rumours that Spurs want to move on from Vicario pre-date his being booed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the recent defeat to Fulham, and may well prove to be true.

Chelsea becoming ‘confident’ of double wonderkid deal

Let’s check in with the latest happenings at Stamford Bridge now – according to Caught Offside, Chelsea are “confident” of completing deals for two of the brightest young stars in French football: Ayyoub Bouaddi and Brian Madjo.

Bouaddi – a Football Manager wonderkid par excellence – is also of interest to Manchester United with both clubs “very keen” on the 18-year-old midfielder, but Chelsea appear to believe that they’re in pole position to complete a deal ahead of his other suitors.

They also “really like” 16-year-old Metz forward Madjo and the pair are “high up” in the Blues’ plans for the next two transfer windows. There’s no suggestion that any negotiations have taken place, nor is there a mention of how much either player would cost.

The 3AM Verdict: We’re not sure what evidence there is here to suggest that Chelsea are ahead of other teams in the race to sign these players, to be honest, and it’s all a little thin at the moment. With Bouaddi, in particular, there are bound to be many teams in the mix - we’ve also seen Arsenal mentioned - and he isn’t likely to move until the summer. These are certainly signings that fit Chelsea’s business model, however, so we have every reason to believe that the interest would be there.

Newcastle considering record bid for ‘next Dominik Szoboszlai’

Let’s wrap up with another story from TeamTalk which claims that Newcastle United are getting “serious” about a bid for up-and-coming Hungarian midfielder Alex Tóth, who plays for Ferencváros and already has nine caps for his national team at the age of just 20.

Described as the “next Szoboszlai,” Newcastle aren’t the only team who are keen but the Magpies are said to be “leading the chase.” Most of the big Bundesliga sides are said to be scouting him, Juventus and Brighton are both mentioned, and indeed Liverpool are apparently want to sign Tóth to play alongside the original Szoboszlai.

Supposedly valued at anywhere between €8m and €15m (a rather broad £7-13m range), Tóth’s contract runs out in 2027 which suggests that Ferencváros will look to sell sooner rather than later to maximise his value. A January bid is being “considered” by Newcastle, it’s suggested.

The 3AM Verdict: Tóth is a dynamic midfielder with plenty of technical quality, and Newcastle want some extra depth in their midfield, so why not? With so many teams said to be keeping tabs it’s hard to be confident as to who might be best placed to get a deal done, however, so we’d caution Newcastle fans from getting too excited just yet. The price is certainly affordable for them, though.