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Tottenham Hotspur predicted line-up vs. Wolves: Nine changes as Solanke & Kolo Muani face fitness battles

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Spurs predicted line-up vs. Wolves: Solanke & Kolo Muani face fitness battles - 3 Added Minutes
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The latest Spurs team news and predicted line-up, including updates on Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani and Pape Matar Sarr.

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Tottenham Hotspur will aim to make it five games unbeaten when they welcome a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side to North London this weekend – but Thomas Frank may be without several big-name players for the Premier League clash.

Striker Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani are among the players battling to be fit in time for Saturday evening, while there is a further question mark over the involvement of key midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, who was left out of the midweek EFL Cup win over Doncaster Rovers due to injury.

We’ve got all the latest Spurs team news and injury updates below, along with our prediction for Frank’s starting XI, which is likely to be much-changed from Wednesday’s rotated line-up.

Will Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani be fit to face Wolves?

England international Solanke has missed the last four Spurs games due to an ankle injury sustained prior to the September international break, but returned to full training this week and could be in line for a place in the matchday squad to face Wolves.

Summer signing Kolo Muani, meanwhile, who has yet to start a match for his new side, has been suffering with a dead leg that has ruled him out for the past two matches. Frank said after last week’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion that he had been hopeful that the French forward would be available to play against Doncaster, suggesting that he has a strong chance of being fully fit in time to play Wolves.

With Kolo Muani’s fitness also hampered by the effects of a pre-season which was limited by long-running transfer negotiations, the loanee is unlikely to start and with Solanke only just coming back to health it is likely that Richarlison gets the nod at centre-forward once more.

Is Pape Matar Sarr injured for Spurs?

Senegalese midfielder Sarr was a surprise exclusion from Wednesday evening’s 3-0 win over Doncaster, with Frank explaining to the press that the 23-year-old had suffered a “minor” thigh strain. His absence was described as being a “precaution” and Sarr is expected to be available on Saturday.

Other fitness doubts include veteran defender Ben Davies (knee), new arrival Kota Takai (foot) and midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has yet to play this season due to an undisclosed fitness problem which also scuppered a proposed move to Galatasaray. There is no return date set for the Cameroonian, but both Davies and Takai should be back soon and have at least some chance of being available to face Wolves.

Spurs will also be without the services of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin (all ACL). Dragusin is back in light training and could return in October, Kulusevski is expected back in November and Maddison may miss the rest of the season.

Full Spurs predicted line-up vs. Wolves: Vicario; Udogie, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro; Palhinha, Bentancur, Sarr; Simons, Richarlison, Kudus.

Manchester City and Arsenal to battle for rising star as Spurs prepare sensational £57m striker bid

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Man City & Arsenal eye rising star as Spurs prepare sensational £57m striker bid - 3 Added Minutes
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The latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Arsenal, Manchester City, Spurs, West Ham and more.

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We’re back with our regular morning round-up of some of the biggest Premier League transfer rumours from the past 24 hours – and today, we’re kicking things off with a story which should be of interest to supporters of Arsenal and Manchester City.

Caught Offside claim that the pair are “weighing up the possibility” of making a bid for Eintracht Frankfurt full-back Nathaniel Brown, who was a member of the German Under-21 team that reached the final of the European Championship in Slovakia this summer.

The left-sided defender is under contract with Frankfurt until 2030, but that hasn’t stopped him from ending up “firmly on the radar” of Manchester City and Arsenal. They aren’t alone, mind you, with Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester United also said to be “closely monitoring [Brown’s] progress.”

It’s strongly suggested that City and Arsenal are at the front of the queue, however, and they could open negotiations in the near future. There’s no word on what kind of fee Frankfurt might demand, however, and nor is it clear as to whether he has a release clause baked into his contract.

The 3AM Verdict: Brown has been linked with a move to Manchester City on a few occasions, but they’re pretty well set at left-back as it stands so it’s hard to imagine the 22-year-old being a priority right now. He’s a highly talented player with excellent technique, however, so we don’t doubt that all of these teams and more are watching him.

Spurs could make sensational £57m move for former star

Let’s move on to a potentially massive story from TeamTalk now – they allege that Tottenham Hotspur “could jump at the chance” to re-sign striker Harry Kane next summer, after details of a release clause in his Bayern Munich contract emerged.

A report from Bild had suggested that Kane can leave Bayern for €65m (£57m) next summer should he announce his intention to do so before the end of the January transfer window, and Spurs are said to be “keeping a very close eye on the situation” as they consider whether to try to bring one of their greatest forwards home to North London.

Chelsea and Barcelona are also said to be interested parties, too, and could make a bid of their own should Kane decide to put himself in the shop window this winter. Crucially, there’s no word on whether the player himself would actually want to force a move or change club – even to head back to the team with which he made his name.

The 3AM Verdict: This all feels a little far-fetched, even if the reporting over the release clause is correct. Kane has given every indication of being happy at Bayern and there are no indications that the club would even want to move on – but it’s hard to resist such an emotionally resonant story. We’re sceptical, but it would be quite the story. Surely there’s no chance he goes to Chelsea, mind you.

£26m striker brushes off West Ham links

Let’s wrap up with a story concerning West Ham United, who aren’t just struggling to pick up points but also to sign their transfer targets – at least, according to Sport Witness.

They’ve picked up on stories from Brazil which suggest that supposed January target Kaio Jorge, a centre-forward who currently plays for Cruzeiro, “has made it clear” that he is ignoring any transfer talk and that he has “stressed both his happiness in Belo Horizonte and his desire to stay put” despite the links with a Premier League move.

Kaio Jorge is currently the leading scorer in Brazil and is valued at €30m (£26m) by his club, although West Ham supposedly “signalled” that they would be looking to pay around €5m less for the 23-year-old, who had an unhappy and ultimately unsuccessful three-year spell with Juventus. Cruzeiro apparently hold 100% of the players’ image rights, meaning that there are no third parties involved to push for negotiations to take place.

The 3AM Verdict: Kaio Jorge has been linked with West Ham sporadically since the start of the summer but his comments certainly seem pretty comprehensive – still, plenty of players say these sorts of things and take the cash when it comes. We may find out the truth of the matter in January.

Solanke, Kolo Muani and Davies: Latest Spurs injury news and return dates ahead of Doncaster & Wolves matches

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Solanke, Kolo Muani and more: Latest Spurs injury news and expected return dates - 3 Added Minutes
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The latest Tottenham Hotspur injury news, including updates on Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani.

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Tottenham Hotspur play twice this week, with an EFL Cup third round tie with Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday preceding Saturday evening’s Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers – but Thomas Frank’s options may be limited by a growing number of injury concerns.

Six players were already absent through injury ahead of the recent 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, including striker Dominic Solanke, but two new names have now been added to the list of potential absentees – new signing Randal Kolo Muani and veteran defender Ben Davies.

We’ve got updates on all eight of Spurs’ stricken players below along with their expected return dates when available.

Is Randal Kolo Muani injured for Spurs?

Loanee Kolo Muani was surprisingly left out of Spurs’ squad for the game against Brighton, with Frank explaining that the Frenchman had sustained a dead leg during the week which was “just not settling as we hoped.”

Kolo Muani had been in discomfort for “four or five days” prior to the game at the Amex Stadium and was eventually ruled out, but Frank added that he was hopeful that his deadline-day signing would be fit to feature against Doncaster, a game which could offer him the chance to make his first start since joining from PSG.

While Davies’ absence was less surprising given that he has yet to play under his new manager, Frank did explain that the experienced defender had “a slight twist to his knee,” adding that “it shouldn’t be anything serious.” Davies is expected to be fit to face Doncaster and may get his first chance to impress Frank with the Dane likely to rotate his players wherever possible.

Another player hoping to make his first appearance of the season in the near future is summer signing Kota Takai, who has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis since pre-season. The most recent update on his fitness suggested that he was likely to return to team training this week, but the game against Doncaster is expected to come too soon for the centre-half.

Will Dominic Solanke be fit to face Wolves or Doncaster?

The other major question mark hangs over the head of striker Solanke, who has missed the four matches thanks to an ankle problem. Solanke returned to light training last week, but was not deemed fit enough to be involved against Brighton.

Frank has already told the media that Wednesday’s game against Doncaster will come “too early” for his return, but added that he was “positive” about the progress that the former Bournemouth forward had made. There is a good chance that he will be involved in some capacity against Wolves.

There is uncertainty over the condition of midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has been sidelined for undisclosed reasons. He has been taking part in light training, but Frank has told reporters that he does not know when the Cameroonian would be available to play again and no return date has been set.

Long-term absentee Radu Dragusin is closing in on his return from an ACL injury and is now back in team training, but Spurs are taking their time to rehabilitate the Romanian, who is still some way short of full match fitness. He is expected back in mid-October, although a precise target has not been set.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, meanwhile, are still some way from returning from their own ACL injuries. Kulusevski will be back first and could be available from late November if all goes according to plan. Maddison will miss most or all of the season after undergoing successful surgery, and it is far too early for a return date to have been set.

I was Tottenham's wonderkid set to be ‘the next Courtois’ – now I’m a free agent with no club at 27

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I was a Spurs starlet set to be ‘the next Courtois’ – now I’m a free agent at 27 - 3 Added Minutes
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A former Spurs wonderkid who was compared with Thibault Courtois as a teenager is now without a club - so just what happened to him?

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Shortly afterwards, that 14-year-old goalkeeper was on a plan to north London for a trial. Two years later, he signed his first contract with the club and was compared by his coach to Thibault Courtois. Everything seemed set fair for a glittering career to follow.

Now, at the age of 27 and in his theoretical prime, Thomas Glover is without a club after being released by Middlesbrough. He’s gone from a future star to a player in search for a new home via two continents and a full-blown riot. So what happened?

Why Thomas Glover was meant to be ‘the next Thibault Courtois’

Glover was a junior playing for Australian side Sutherland Sharks when their goalkeeping coach, former Arsenal player and England youth international Ron Tilsed, decided he was simply too good to be kept as a secret in New South Wales.

Tilsed got in touch with Jennings – and Glover impressed to the extent that Spurs moved quickly to make sure that they tied the towering young goalkeeper down to the club for the foreseeable future. He was earmarked for greatness, with Spurs’ goalkeeping coach at the time, Perry Suckling, apparently comparing him to Thibault Courtois due to his huge frame and commanding presence.

Already 6’4” as a teenager, Glover went through his youth career ticking all the relevant boxes – a run to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup, a goalkeeper of the tournament award at an Under-19 level event in Europe. He was even called up to Spurs’ first-team squad on occasion as a back-up to Hugo Lloris and Michael Vorm.

As well as Tilsed, Suckling and the legendary Jennings, Mark Schwarzer, one of Australia’s greatest goalkeepers, was a fan and sought him out to offer coaching, and Glover played at both Under-20 and Under-23 level for his country.

For five years, Glover stayed at Spurs and waited for his chance. There were loan moves, a year at Australian side Central Coast Mariners and a brief stint with Swedish outfit Helsingborg, but they yielded just four senior appearances between them as Glover – an advert for the power of nominative determinism if ever there was one – found himself stuck behind more experienced stoppers time and again.

He never got his chance at Spurs. At the age of 21, he was released, without ever making his debut for the club that saw him as such a sparkling prospect. Glover’s career wasn’t done though, and neither has it been entirely uneventful.

A riot in Melbourne and struggles at Middlesbrough

Having left Spurs, Glover returned to Australia where he signed with Melbourne City, a member of Manchester City’s multi-club stable, making 109 appearances over the course of four seasons with the club as their first choice.

He even earned his first call-up to the senior national team in 2023, ahead of a friendly match against Mexico – but he didn’t get on the pitch, and still awaits his first cap. Still, everything was mostly going well, apart from the riot.

In December 2022, fans of local rivals Melbourne Victory entered the field of play during a derby game as part of a planned protest against a decision to sell the A-League Grand Final hosting rights to the government of New South Wales. What hadn’t been planned, at least officially, was the rapid descent into violence.

Objects were hurled at Glover, who responded by throwing a flare back towards the offending supporters. He stood still, staring them down as they attacked him, a couple attempting to grab him despite the best efforts of security before a large bin sailed through the air and smashed into his face.

Glover, who was not punished for throwing the flare, was left with a concussion while the referee, who also stood between Glover and the onrushing Victory fans, was also hurt. It was a chaotic scene to punctuate an otherwise steady career back in Australia.

Eight months later, Glover left Melbourne and found himself back in England – this time with Middlesbrough. Signed as a back-up, he ended up starting 17 league games over two seasons due to injuries – and perhaps demonstrated why he had never quite made the breakthrough that had been expected at Spurs.

Although a commanding presence in the box and excellent at dealing with high balls, his handling skills came under scrutiny and errors and misjudgements meant that by the end of the 2024/25 campaign, he was credited with having conceded three goals more than he ‘should’ have done according to expected goals in the space of those 17 matches.

Few Middlesbrough fans were kind about Glover when it was announced in early September that his contract had been terminated by mutual consent, with local reporting suggesting that the goalkeeper had been keen to move on for some time.

As it stands, Glover is without a club and waiting to work out what comes next in a career that has never quite taken off despite his physical attributes and the many experienced stoppers who believed he could become something special in his youth. At just 27, at least, he still has the time to find a way to prove them right.

Chelsea target stunning raid for £35m Tottenham superstar as Man United eye genius free transfer deal

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Chelsea among teams targeting Spurs star as Man Utd eye big free transfer deal - 3 Added Minutes
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The biggest new Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester United, Leeds and many more.

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It may be a while before we clubs can sign players again, but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from turning – and we’re back with our latest round-up and review of the latest Premier League transfer rumours to help keep you in the loop, starting with a story which might worry some Tottenham Hotspur fans.

According to Spurs-specific outlet The Boy Hotspur, the club are “moving quickly to secure the future” of £35m centre-back Micky van de Ven as he finds his way onto the shortlist of several big teams, including Liverpool and cross-capital rivals Chelsea.

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are supposedly “circling” as well, but Chelsea seem to be “pushing” harder as Enzo Maresca demands a player who can replace long-term injury absentee Levi Colwill – suggesting that Van de Ven could even be a target for the Blues in January.

Spurs, as one might imagine, aren’t all that keen to sell the Dutchman and are said to be “keen to act before the situation escalates”. As such, they are preparing a contract offer which would double his wages to £100,000 per week. There’s no word on what clubs like Chelsea might be prepared to pay, or what Spurs could demand if Van de Ven won’t sign.

The 3AM Verdict: All rather speculative, perhaps, but it’s inevitable that Spurs would either have to pay Van de Ven a salary in line with his performances or risk losing him sooner rather than later. We doubt a move would take place in January anyway, given the financial and footballing implications. At least two of the teams mentioned – Liverpool and Real Madrid – definitely have other players higher on their lists, incidentally, although that could change.

Manchester United in race for big-name free transfer

One of the most players we’re most surprised didn’t leave their current club over the course of the summer was Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the 2025/26 season – and Manchester United are said to be one of the teams that want to sign him for free in a year’s time.

Football Italia claim that Vlahović “is expected to leave” the Old Lady at the end of next June, and United are one of three European clubs “monitoring his situation” along with Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

The Serbian will supposedly demand €10m (£8.7m) up front plus the same as an annual salary to join a team, but Atléti are already said to have “sounded him out” while United are among the teams keeping a keen eye on developments. There’s no word on the player’s preference or any suggestion that he could leave Juventus in January.

The 3AM Verdict: All signs do indeed point to Vlahović being a very high profile free agent in a year’s time, and United have been linked with him persistently – with issues up front still visible despite the signing of Benjamin Šeško, we wouldn’t be at all shocked if they were indeed in the running come 2026. We doubt only three teams will be in the conversation, however.

Leeds have ‘reasons to believe’ in second chance at Fulham swoop

Let’s wrap today’s digest up with a story for fans of Leeds United and Fulham which comes courtesy of TeamTalk – who claim that the Elland Road outfit have “reasons to believe” that they can still get their hands on Harry Wilson despite the collapse of a proposed deal at the end of the transfer window.

A January bid “remains on the cards,” it’s claimed, because Fulham still “very much intend to cash in” on the Welshman before his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

It is observed in the article that Leeds managing director Robbie Evans has claimed that winter signings are rather unlikely with their transfer budget spent, but there does still seem to be a pressing need for a winger. Apparently a story from SportsBoom, whoever they are, claims that Everton are also interested in Wilson and could launch a bid.

The 3AM Verdict: We genuinely haven’t previously heard of SportsBoom so we’ll reserve judgement on the accuracy of their reporting, but we suspect that a January move for Wilson is less likely than signing him on a free transfer next summer due to the need to managed Leeds’ finances. We also wonder if Fulham really are keen to ‘cash in’ given that they nixed a summer move at the last minute.

Tottenham predicted XI vs. Villarreal: three changes made amid Kolo Muani debut decision

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The latest Spurs injury updates and team news ahead of their Champions League opener against Villarreal.

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Tottenham Hotspur make their Champions League return on Tuesday night when they welcome Villarreal to north London for the first of eight league stage matches – but Thomas Frank will be without several key players as they look to get their European campaign off to the best possible start.

Not only will have to continue to navigate long-term injuries to the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, but there are doubts over the availability of striker Dominic Solanke as well. In total, as many as six Spurs players could be absent this evening.

We’ve got all the latest team news and our predicted starting XI for the showdown with Villarreal below ahead of the 20:00 BST kick-off.

Will Dominic Solanke be fit to face Villarreal?

There has been some confusion over the severity of a recent ankle injury which sidelined striker Solanke for the last two league matches – but while a journalist’s report which suggested that he could be set for surgery seems to have been wide of the mark, he is still expected to be unavailable for the game against Villarreal.

Solanke was absent from Monday’s open training session and Frank has now confirmed that he is “not ready to be involved” in the Champions League opener – but the Dane did state that the 28-year-old is “taking steps in the right direction.”

Solanke aggravated an ankle injury that he sustained in pre-season ahead of the recent defeat to his former club Bournemouth and hasn’t returned to training since, but the injury is not expected to be long term.

Richarlison is likely to start as Spurs’ centre-forward having been rested for the start of the recent 3-0 win over West Ham United. Randal Kolo Muani could make his debut for the club but is likely to start on the bench as he builds up to full match fitness having not played since the Club World Cup in July.

Will Xavi Simons start for Spurs in the Champions League?

New signing Xavi Simons made his first Spurs appearance in the West Ham match, setting up Pape Matar Sarr’s opening goal before being replaced by Richarlison late on, and could be in line to start out wide again with Mohammed Kudus taking the right-sided role.

Simons’ introduction to the squad led many pundits to suspect that Frank would switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation but instead the head coach stuck to the 4-3-3 that has worked well for the early phase of the campaign and played Simons as a winger. The Dutchman’s performance was strong enough that he may well get the nod again ahead of Brennan Johnson.

Rodrigo Bentancur, who was rested for the game against West Ham, was expected to return to the line-up to face Villarreal but an impressive outing for youngster Lucas Bergvall means that competition for a place in midfield may be fierce than expected.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevseki (both knee) remain out, with Kulusevseki not expected back until the winter, defender Radu Dragusin (knee) is also out until late 2025 and Yves Bissouma is still sidelined with an unknown injury. He is likely to be available for selection around the end of the month. Summer signing Kota Takai is expected to return from a foot injury in the near future, but Tuesday’s match is likely to come too soon.

Manchester United plot £50m Nottingham Forest raid as Spurs pick out ‘priority’ midfield target

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The latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Spurs and Crystal Palace.

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Once again, 3 Added Minutes have pored over the global gossip columns to bring you our regular morning round-up of all the biggest and juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours – and today, we start off with a story from Manchester United.

Football Transfers combine stories from a couple of different outlets to suggest that United are “preparing” a January bid for Nottingham Forest standout Elliot Anderson as the Red Devils work to rebuild their midfield.

Apparently they are getting ready to launch “an opening offer of €58m” – that’s roughly £50m – and United see Anderson as a “cheaper and more viable” alternative to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, who could cost twice as much if they make a bid next year.

The bad news for United fans is that Forest are said to be “unlikely to grant a sale mid-season” – but the club are still prepared to “test [Forest’s] resolve” once the winter transfer window opens in a few short months.

The 3AM Verdict: The key source for this story is Spanish outlet Fichajes, who provide the financial details, and their track record doesn’t inspire much confidence in us – nor do we think that Forest are remotely likely to permit a move in January unless the fee is absolutely outrageous. Finally, we doubt that United have enough PSR room left to make a £50m bid for anyone unless there’s an unexpected sale. In short, we doubt the entire story.

Spurs make England star their ‘priority’

Having just slated Fichajes, we’ll give them a second chance after they printed a story which could interest Tottenham Hotspur supporters – they claim that Spurs have “shown the most interest” in arranging a deal for former Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, and have made him a “priority”.

Apparently, Spurs are “planning a move in the next transfer window” after a summer in which a number of rumours connected Gallagher with a move back to England, with several sides alleged to be interested in securing his services a year after he left to join Atlético Madrid.

Manchester United were said to have been “very close” to signing the England international, too, but Atléti are still unsure how to proceed and are “carefully analysing” their next move as they decide whether to negotiate with other teams or keep hold of Gallagher. The player is said to be “comfortable” in Spain but won’t rule a move back home out.

The 3AM Verdict: We suspect that a few teams did indeed enquire about Gallagher over the summer but with nothing happening we doubt that he’s a “priority” for any clubs right now – not to say that Spurs aren’t interested to some degree. The next few months will determine whether Atléti decide to keep or sell, we suspect.

‘Talks ongoing’ over Crystal Palace deal

Let’s round off today’s digest with an update on a potential transfer deal involving Crystal Palace – Sport Witness state that Turkish side Besiktas are “planning a late move” for Jefferson Lerma, which can take place immediately as their transfer window remains open.

The Istanbul side have “started talks” with Lerma’s representatives, although the outcome is “still open” according to one of the journalists quoted in the article. Palace’s stance on the potential deal is unknown and there is no suggestion that formal bid has been lodged.

The Colombian winger, who is entering the final year of his Palace contract, is said to be one of several names on Besiktas’ shortlist, but they have “intensified” talks as they work to get a deal done.

The 3AM Verdict: A plausible enough story, and one that seems to be corroborated by several sources in and outside of Turkey, which usually hints that it’s more than just paper talk. Whether or not the deal actually takes place, it seems as though the interest is very genuine.

The audacious wonderkid transfer bid that Tottenham and Chelsea could be set to make in January

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Chelsea & Spurs are among the sides to have been linked with a talented teenager who has already scored a famous goal.

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With the summer transfer window freshly closed behind us, stories are starting to trickle through that tell us about the deals that didn’t quite get done, the failed bids made around the Premier League which could get revisited in the near future – and one audacious enquiry from Tottenham Hotspur, in particular, sets up an interesting story line.

According to TeamTalk’s sources, Spurs made a late enquiry concerning the availability of 19-year-old midfielder Senny Mayulu, best known for scoring PSG’s fifth and final goal against Inter Milan in May’s Champions League final – and while their advances were rebuffed, it sounds as if they will continue to monitor a sensationally talented player’s future.

They won’t be alone. Both Chelsea and Manchester City are said to be tracking Mayulu, who has just two years left on his contract at PSG. But just how good is the young Frenchman, and how likely is it that he moves to the Premier League in the near future?

Why Spurs & Chelsea are both chasing Senny Mayulu

Mayulu made a name for himself when he slashed the ball inside Yann Sommer’s near post with the confidence and poise of a player who plainly felt perfectly comfortable on the biggest stage in club football – but French football fans were familiar with him long before he put the cherry on top of PSG’s record-breaking 5-0 win in Munich.

Although the teenager has only made 16 senior starts, he already has seven goals to his name (including that fine finish against Inter) and four assists, and since making his debut as a 17-year-old last January has dazzled with his quick feet, vision, precise passing and poise under pressure.

His movement is remarkably fluid for such an inexperienced player and he is capable of finding sudden pockets of space that defenders simply can’t cover. His only apparent weakness is that he isn’t especially effective out of possession – a slight figure, he hasn’t shown that he can force turnovers and wouldn’t suit a team looking to produce consistent pressure off the ball.

As an attacking midfielder, though, his combination of creativity, technique and ability to play through and around far more experienced defenders makes him increasingly lethal. There’s little question that he is a special talent, and it’s no surprise that PSG knocked Spurs back.

Still, even though PSG have the funds to ensure that they keep him for the foreseeable future there is also a reason that three Premier League teams could be monitoring him – and there must be a good reason that they believe that the youngster can be lured away from the Parc des Princes. But are Mayulu’s suitors right to be so optimistic?

Will PSG sell Senny Mayulu?

Assuming TeamTalk’s story has its fact straight, PSG have made their present position on Mayulu’s future pretty plain – that he won’t be leaving. Get French Football News also reported back in June that they planned to offer the youngster a new contract off the back of his success in the Champions League final.

That contract remains unsigned, however, and his current deal – which expires at the end of June 2027, has little enough time left on it that clubs will have every reason to suspect that he might become available if he doesn’t agree an extension sooner rather than later.

The reasons that Mayulu has yet to agree a new deal remain obscure, and it’s unclear whether it is simply a matter of haggling over fine details or whether the French Under-20 international is demanding more money than PSG are willing to pay – or even whether he is actively looking to engineer a move in the near future.

It’s also unclear whether Mayulu will get any more game time this season. An adductor injury has prevented him from playing since the Club World Cup, but he in order to become a regular starter he will have to force his way past the likes of Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz. He may well reach a point, like many young talents before him, at which he sees a transfer as a sensible investment in his development.

All of that is speculation, of course, but Spurs are perhaps unlikely to have made an enquiry if they didn’t have some reason to believe that there was a realistic prospect that a deal could be struck. They were wrong in this instance, but the longer the midfielder goes without a contract extension, the more that the pressure will mount on PSG to sell him.

Mayulu is a special talent and it may well be that the clubs watching him are simply doing their due diligence in case the circumstances ever arise in which they can sign him – but with several sides supposedly circling, there may be slightly more to it. If the teenager remains on his current contract come January, this could be a transfer story to keep an eye on.

Spurs predicted XI vs. West Ham: Dominic Solanke update as big decision made on new signing debuts

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The latest Spurs team news and predicted line-up - with updates on Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani & Xavi Simons.

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Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this Saturday when they make the short trip across the capital to face rivals West Ham United – but will be forced to travel without several key first-team players due to fitness problems.

Up to six players could be absent through injury, with striker Dominic Solanke among the doubts for the match at the London Stadium – and there are question marks over the fitness of deadline day signings Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.

We’ve got all the latest team news, injury updates and a predicted starting line-up for Frank’s side below as Spurs look to build upon a solid start to the new campaign.

Is Dominic Solanke fit for Spurs – or will Randal Kolo Muani play instead?

It’s not yet clear whether summer signing Kolo Muani is considered to be fit enough to start for Spurs. The versatile forward had only limited involvement in pre-season while a transfer away from PSG was being negotiated, and hasn’t played a match since his loan side Juventus were knocked out of the Club World Cup in July. It’s probable that he starts from the bench against West Ham with Richarlison in fine form.

Elsewhere, there are conflicting reports concerning the fitness of striker Solanke, who picked up an ankle injury that manager Frank initially described as “minor” when the forward missed the 1-0 defeat to his former side Bournemouth.

Since then, journalist Jake Sanders has claimed that Solanke’s injury is more serious than first anticipated and that surgery could be required, in which case he could be set for a long spell on the sidelines. That report has yet to be confirmed by the club, making the situation extremely unclear heading into this weekend.

Another doubt for the game is Japanese defender Kota Takai, who has yet to make his debut for the club due to planar fasciitis. He has returned to training over the international break, but it isn’t clear that he will be available this weekend. Fellow defender Radu Dragusin has returned to light training this week following an ACL injury, but is still some months away from full fitness.

Will Xavi Simons start for Spurs?

Dutch playmaker Simons became Tottenham Hotspur’s record signing when he moved from RB Leipzig shortly before the end of the summer transfer window, and could be ready to start against West Ham having enjoyed more game time and a more complete pre-season than fellow new arrival Kolo Muani.

Simons played two competitive matches for Leipzig before his move and started for the Netherlands against Poland during the recent international break. He should be close to full fitness and Frank will have to decide whether to put him straight into the first team or whether to integrate him gradually from the bench. If he doesn’t start, then Spurs will likely continue in a 4-3-3 system and revert to 4-2-3-1 when Simons is available.

Simons is set to act as the long-term replacement for James Maddison, who will miss most of the season with an ACL injury, while another key playmaker – Dejan Kulusevski – is not expected to return from his own knee injury before December. Yves Bissouma is another doubt in midfield as he works his way back from a muscular issue which scuppered his proposed move to Galatasaray.

The £60m Tottenham gem Ange Postecoglou could sign straight to Nottingham Forest to supercharge side

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Ange Postecoglou has been announced has Nottingham Forest’s new manager

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The drama at Nottingham Forest surrounding Nuno Espirito Santo and owner Evangelos Marinakis was confusing at worst, downright irrational at best.

One of the greatest success stories in the Premier League last season as Forest qualified for Europe for the first time in 30 years, Nuno had earned every right to continue building a dynasty at the City Ground. Or, at the very least, to guide them into the Europa League this season.

Tensions with famously hands-on owner Marinakis escalated over the summer, to the point where Nuno was speaking publicly about his issues with the ownership by the start of the Premier League season. From there, it was only going to end one way.

On Monday, Forest announced that Nuno had been sacked just over 18 months after his appointment. Mere hours later, former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou was, perhaps predictably announced as his successor. It will be fascinating to see how Postecoglou does in his new job in the coming months, as he looks to impose his distinctive playing style on Nottingham Forest.

Ange Postecoglu arrives - and could raid Spurs in January

On face value, this appointment does make some sense, though controversy may inevitably arise at some stage between the two outspoken figures of Postecoglou and Marinakis.

Postecoglou, Australian by nationality but Greek by birth, name and heritage, could be seen as a potential ally by Marinakis as he attempts to take Forest to the next level. Postecoglou plays a famously-exciting brand of football, too, and recently won the Europa League as his final act at Spurs, so he certainly has the pedigree to succeed Nuno.

It is a distinct possibility that Postecoglou returns to his former club to secure new signings for the City Ground in January. Many Spurs players expressed sadness at Ange departing the club and may be tempted by their former boss to reunite with him in the red of the Tricky Trees. There are several stars Postecoglou could attempt to lure away from north London, but Richarlison could be a huge signing if the Australian aims to secure a former player who would elevate his new side at Forest.

Postecoglou could reunite with Richarlison at the City Ground

This move may seem ambitious given that Richarlison has started for Spurs in their opening three Premier League fixtures and scored an opening-day double against Burnley. But that comes in the context where Dominic Solanke is only just returning from an injury, while deadline-day signing Randal Kolo Muani may well limit the Brazilian’s minutes if he makes a fast start to football in England.

In a World Cup year, former £60 million signing Richarlison will be determined to play enough football to earn a spot on the plane to represent his nation next summer. His performances at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were arguably the pinnacle of the 28-year-old’s career so far and he will be keen to get the chance once again.

Another key factor could be Richarlison’s close relationship with Postecoglou. He said in a recent interview with Mail Sport: “Ange is a spectacular guy. He was very important to me and is very loved by everyone at the club. He’s tough, he said he always wins championships in his second year, and he kept that promise.

“Ange always talked a lot with me during his time at the club. In my worst moments, he always tried to help, and I’m very grateful for that. He knew about my desire to help the team but also understood the tough moment I was going through. Honestly, I have nothing to complain about. When I had a run of games after my pubis surgery, I was performing well and scoring goals. It’s a shame I couldn’t do more for him on the pitch because of the injuries I had while he was manager.”

With Forest aiming to go deep into multiple competitions this season, some help to take the load off 33-year-old Chris Wood could be just what they need in January. While strikers Igor Jesus and Arnaud Kalimuendo have arrived this summer, neither have any Premier League experience and may take their time to adapt to the league. A loan move for Richarlison, with a view to making it permanent if things go well, could be the perfect remedy as Postecoglou looks to make an impact at the City Ground.