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Tottenham are pushing to strengthen their defensive options before the window closes - could a rare swap deal help them out?

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Cristian Romero's last-gasp header rescued a 2-2 draw, rescued Thomas Frank’s blushes and saved Tottenham Hotspur from an embarrassing defeat against the division’s second lowest-ranked club. However, the full-time whistle at Turf Moor and the last-minute equaliser didn’t save Frank and his team from being booed off the pitch by the away end as the pressure intensified on the Dane, with Spurs having now won just two of their last 14 league games.

As it stands, Spurs are in 14th position, Frank is battling to save his job and the problems that have haunted the capital club since the end of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure continue to damage the club’s chances of finishing in the upper echelons of the league table. But can they improve matters before the end of the January transfer window?

Tottenham hope to sign defender before the window closes

Spurs remain winless in the Premier League in 2026 despite an encouraging display against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, and they’ve failed to control games - and have at times switched off defensively, particularly from set plays despite both Romero and Micky Van de Ven’s habit of netting at the other end of the pitch.

Calciomercato understands they are in the market for a central defender to help sort things out at the back, and have turned their attention back to a star that has been on their radar since last season when Postecoglou was still in charge.

The outlet explains Spurs are keen on signing Alessandro Buongiorno from Napoli. The 12-time Italian international has played in Naples since 2024 when he left Torino and formed part of the club’s Serie A title winning side last season. Overall, he’s played 49 matches for Napoli and has looked extremely solid, earning himself a place in the Serie A Team of the Season last year.

The blockbuster Spurs and Napoli swap deal which could define the winter window

Buongiorno has the ability to be a strong addition to the Tottenham team, but he’s under contract with Napoli until 2029 and is unlikely to depart for a cheap figure given that he’s a regular for the club. However, his Napoli side are in fourth position and unlikely to challenge for the title this season while they are also at risk of dropping out of the Champions League unless results go in their favour in the last game. Tottenham, who are on course to stay in Europe a little while longer, could use this to their advantage as they aim to once again go to the latter stages of an elite competition.

One way Tottenham could look to entice Buongiorno to North London is by striking a deal with their former manager and perhaps giving him a player that he wants in exchange for the defender as a sweetener. A viable option for this sort of deal could potentially be out-of-favour defender Radu Dragusin, formerly of Genoa, who is reported to be the subject of strong interest from clubs in Italy - including Conte’s Napoli - despite his injury-hit spell in North London.

Il Corriere dello Sport in Italy understands AS Roma have already tabled a loan move but add that Conte’s side are also interested. With Dragusin thought to be unsettled in North London and perhaps surplus to requirements it could make sense to try and include him in negotiations to cut down the overall figure and fill a void in both manager’s squads.

It looks to have worked for Aston Villa in their pursuit of Tammy Abraham, with Yasin Ozcan going in the opposite direction, and could be something we see from more top-flight clubs moving forward, particularly if it helps from a PSR point of view. Perhaps Spurs could repeat the trick, especially as their need for defensive reinforcements has been sharpened by the apparent failure of their reported bid for Andrew Robertson.

Tottenham Hotspur have the opportunity to bolster their ranks before the end of the January transfer window.

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is under mounting pressure amid their poor run of form. The Dane was picked as their head coach last summer following their decision to part ways with Ange Postecoglou but has endured an inconsistent start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs find themselves positioned in a disappointing 14th place in the Premier League table after losing 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened West Ham last time out. Next up for the North London outfit is a Champions League clash on their own patch against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night - but could they make any additions to their squad once that match is out of the way?

Tottenham Hotspur eye Brahim Díaz after AFCON blunder

Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz has made the headlines recently after his missed Panenka penalty and subsequent tears in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations for Morocco against Senegal. He has also been linked with a £52million switch to Spurs before the end of the January transfer window, as per a report by TEAMtalk. His contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires in June 2027, but his time in Spain could be coming to a premature end.

Díaz, 26, has been on the books of his current club since 2019 but his long-term future with the La Liga giants is up in the air right now amid reported attention from elsewhere. He has made 139 appearances for them in all competitions to date, 18 of which have come this season, scoring 21 goals. - but has never fully established himself as a regular starter. The attacking midfielder has also been loaned out to AC Milan on three separate occasions in the past.

He was a hit during his time in Italy and fired 18 goals in 124 outings altogether. The Serie A club weren’t able to snap him up on a permanent basis, though, and he subsequently returned to Real Madrid. He caught the eye during his days at the San Siro though and Milan legend Alessandro Nesta was full of praise for him: “Díaz has these fantastic plays in tight spaces… I’m sorry for him to have this problem, deciding between Milan and Real Madrid!”

Would Real Madrid man Brahim Díaz suit Tottenham?

Spurs need more quality in their squad if they are to rise up the division. Despite his recent spot-kick shocker for Morocco, Diaz had an impressive AFCON and was one of the stars of the tournament and its leading goalscorer with five strikes. He has scored 14 goals in 23 caps for Morocco since switching his allegiance from Spain.

The forward would be a shrewd addition by Frank and would give him more firepower going forward, as well as additional competition and depth at the top end of the pitch. In the long-term, he could battle it out with their attacking players like Mohamed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Richarlison - but with two of those now long-term injury absentees, he would likely be an instant starter.

Díaz rose up through the academy at Málaga and was a regular for them at various different youth levels. Manchester City came calling for his services in 2015 and he spent four years at the Etihad Stadium. He went on to play 15 times for their senior team under Pep Guardiola and scored twice before he was given the green light to head out the exit door to Real Madrid.

His first spell in England was a bit of a learning curve for him and he may feel like he has a point to prove in this country now. He didn’t get as many minutes as he would have hoped to at City but he was young and inexperienced. Time will tell whether Spurs will be able to snap him up before the deadline on Monday 2 February.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours analysed - with news from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and more.

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We’re already over the halfway point of the January transfer window, but there’s a lot of business left to be done – and to help you keep track of all the likely comings and goings, we’re back with our latest round-up and review of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours.

Today, we start things off with a story for Tottenham Hotspur fans, who probably need a bit of exciting transfer news more than most – well, according to TeamTalk, they now “plan to convince” Real Madrid and Morocco winger Brahim Díaz to move to North London this month.

Díaz just finished the Africa Cup of Nations as the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals, but also missed the last-gasp penalty in Sunday’s final which cost his side the trophy. At least that means he has some experience of dealing with disappointment, which wouldn’t do a potential Spurs signing any harm.

Apparently Spurs are “keen” on the 26-year-old and have “already begun making moves” to make a transfer happen, although there’s no suggestion that serious negotiations have yet taken place. It’s said that discussions over the future of Thomas Frank won’t stop Spurs from making deals this month, and a winger like Díaz is “on Tottenham’s agenda.”

The 3AM Verdict: Díaz is one of those players who crops up in the gossip columns every window without fail and also without ever moving to the Premier League, but given that he’s only started three league games for Real this season, it’s hardly an implausible story. That said, we haven’t seen much corroboration of this story from sources we’d view as being more reliable, so we’ll stay sceptical for now.

Michael Carrick eyes former favourite for Manchester United move

Up to Old Trafford now, courtesy of a story from eager gossipmongers Caught Offside – who reckon that Manchester United could make a move for Hayden Hackney, a Middlesbrough and England Under-21 midfielder of whom interim manager Michael Carrick is a “long-term admirer” having coached him at the Riverside.

Spurs had been favourites to make a move for Hackney, apparently, but have “cooled their interest” after securing the signing of Conor Gallagher. That could put United at the head of the queue for the young holding midfielder, as the Red Devils “continue to track the player closely.”

Apparently Everton, Brighton and Fulham are all “monitoring Hackney closely” as well, but there’s no suggestion that any of his apparent suitors have yet made a move. Nor is any evidence provided that they will before this month’s deadline.

The 3AM Verdict: United seem to want to hold fire on signing a new midfielder until the summer, when starrier and frankly more expensive players such as Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba could be on the menu. Hackney will surely get a Premier League move eventually, but we haven’t seen anything to convince us it will happen this winter or that United are particularly strong candidates. Stranger things have happened, mind you.

Nottingham Forest ‘agree terms’ for striker signing

Let’s wrap up with a transfer tale from Fabrizio Romano, who took to social media earlier today to state that Nottingham Forest have "agreed all terms” on a transfer deal which would see them sign Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca – although the deal isn’t over the ‘here we go’ line just yet, apparently.

The deal would see them sign the 25-year-old forward on an initial €1m loan deal with a purchase option worth €35m (£30m), with Forest’s offer accepted after “many clubs’ calls.” Romano doesn’t name the other teams interested, but half of Serie A has been linked with a move in recent weeks, as have Besiktas and Benfica.

The decision now rests with Lucca himself, after Forest made their “best salary proposal so far” to the forward, and it’s not clear whether a better deal could wind up on the table before he makes his call.

The 3AM Verdict: Given the financial stature of the teams linked with Lucca in recent weeks, we suspect that Forest will make the most lucrative offer and get the deal over the line, but it’s always possible that he would prefer to stay in his homeland. We’ll find out soon enough, by the sound of it.

Thomas Frank faces an uncertain future at Tottenham after a disappointing defeat to London rivals West Ham

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Thomas Frank’s future as Tottenham Hotspur boss is reportedly hanging by a thread following his side’s demoralising home defeat to relegation strugglers West Ham United.

The home side fell behind after just 15 minutes when Crysencio Summerville scored but looked on course to get back into the contest when Cristiano Romero levelled on the hour mark. However, the visitors, who hadn’t won a match since 8th November, consigned Spurs to another disappointing home defeat by scoring a dramatic winner in the last moments through Callum Wilson.

Frank, who left Brentford to join Tottenham was the subject of jeers from his own supporters, with some chantinh about him getting ‘sacked in the morning’. It’s the latest in a long line of damaging results for Frank in what has been a grim first seven months in charge for the Dane.

Will Tottenham sack Thomas Frank?

Frank earned his big move to Tottenham after seven impressive years at Brentford which saw him lead the club to the top-flight for the first time since 1935 while consolidating the Bees’ position as a competitive outfit. However, he’s so far failed to achieve expectations at Tottenham with the club languishing 14th in the table, ten points above the drop zone.

The north London side are also out of both domestic cup competitions, meaning that the Champions League is their only possibility of silverware, although that seems highly unlikely at this stage given the team’s current form. Frank has been backed in January transfer with the signing of ex-Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, and he’s also been allowed to bolster his backroom team by bringing in ex-Liverpool coach Johnny Heitinga.

But neither had the desired effect on Saturday as Spurs were embarrassed by their relegation-threatened London rivals, and with his win record at home currently sitting at 18.2%, it’s going to need a huge turnaround for Frank to even see out the remainder of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s ideal next manager choice is clear

It might appear far-fetched for a club in the bottom half of the table and who finished 17th last season, but during the summer the Spurs hierarchy outlined that their ultimate goal was to be challenging for the Premier League title in the near future.

Levy, who has since departed, said via Sky Sports: "You saw the outpouring of emotion with the parade. It was just incredible. We've won a European trophy. But it's not enough. It's what we haven't done that is more important. We need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win."

These were seriously ambitious comments and and outcome which feels like a pipe-dream at the moment, however, it’s worth noting that from a commercial standpoint the Lilywhites are in a fantastic position while they also boast one of the best stadiums the country has to offer. Based on that alone, Tottenham should still be able to attract the best-in-class when it comes to managers if they can show the right ambition and sell their project.

In the past they’ve had names like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, so it perhaps might not be too much of stretch from them to at least try to attract ex-Liverpool favourite Xabi Alonso if Frank does depart. Alonso is currently out of work after leaving Real Madrid earlier this month, but is regarded as one of the most exciting young managers in world football.

He’s achieved most of his success at a club with a similar kind of reputation to Spurs in Bayer Leverkusen, who were often ridiculed for their failure to get over the line in vital moments and ultimately turned them into a well-oiled machine with a never-say die mentality and an ability to win trophies.

Alonso joined Leverkusen for his first managerial gig in October 2022 with the club in 14th position, which is ironically where Spurs are at present. He led Leverkusen to a sixth place finish during the remaining months, and in his first full season won the league and cup double whilst also reaching the final of the Europa League.

His side, who were mockingly referred to as ‘Neverkusen’ due to their long-standing reputation for repeatedly finishing runners-up in major competitions became the first team in history to win the Bundesliga without losing a single match, finishing the competition with 28 wins and 6 draws, while across all tournaments they managed to record 51 matches without a defeat.

That team had a reputation for scoring late, netting 17 goals during stoppage time and 34 goals from the 80th minute onwards. They assembled a rock-solid team without spending huge sums of money and were able to completely outclass an imperious Bayern Munich side that had dominated the league for a number of years.

Alonso’s availability should be something that every top club is keeping an eye on. Liverpool have been linked but for the time being are standing by Arne Slot, and at the moment there’s not a lot of openings at top Champions League clubs although that could change in the near future.

Tottenham could use this to their advantage by acting quick to try and attract Alonso if they don’t feel Frank’s the man to take them forward. He’d arguably be more popular with the fanbase than Oliver Glasner despite his incredible career at Crystal Palace, and wouldn’t cost anything in terms of compensation to another club after losing his job at the Bernabeu.

Tottenham have been linked with a talent Bournemouth midfielder

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Bournemouth are expected to face a late battle to retain their services midfield ace Alex Scott as rumours linking the 22-year-old with a move away from the Vitality Stadium continue to circulate.

Scott joined Bournemouth from Bristol City for £25m in the summer of 2023 despite sustaining a knee injury in the final weeks of his stay at Ashton Gate which delayed his debut by a number of months.

The Guernsey-born midfielder didn’t become a regular starter straight away as the Cherries finished in ninth position during Andoni Iraola’s first season in charge, but over the course of the last 18 months has developed into one of the first names on the team sheet for the south coast club.

Overall, Scott has played 73 times for Bournemouth registering four goals and as many assists while playing in the defensive midfield position. He’s renowned for his excellent composure in possession, his eye for a pass and his ability to break up opposition attacks.

He has already helped England win European Championships at Under-19 and Under-21 level, and in November last year earned his maiden call-up for Thomas Tuchel’s senior squad.

Scott is an outside contender to make it on the plane to North America this summer and his recent form has earmarked him as a top talent with room to grow as both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur show interest.

Tottenham plot transfer move for Alex Scott

According to TEAMtalk, Scott is a transfer target for Tottenham this summer despite the club already bringing in Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for £35m. Thomas Frank is thought to be an admirer of the Bournemouth midfielder and reportedly has been watching his progress closely.

Tottenham sit 14th only one point and position above Bournemouth heading into Matchday 22, but see Scott as someone that could help the team gain greater control in matches and potentially climb the table.

Scott has admitted in the past that he’s a Tottenham fan making it potentially an attractive proposition, although Bournemouth will be reluctant to sell one of their main players.

The mega swap deal Tottenham could look to strike with Bournemouth

Bournemouth have had a challenging time retaining the services of young talents despite their superb record of finding and developing footballers.

Antoine Semenyo, who has been on fire all season, recently joined Manchester City for £65m after his release clause was met, following the likes of Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen out of the door from the summer along with striker Dominic Solanke to Tottenham a year earlier.

The Cherries are in 15th and will be reluctant to sell Scott due to their desire to remain in the Premier League, particularly after their recent dip in form, which has seen them win one of their last 11 league matches - ironically a 3-2 win over Spurs.

However, Bournemouth could have a difficult job retaining Scott particularly if Tottenham accelerate their interest in the footballer. The Cherries would likely demand a lucrative fee to sell Scott, but Tottenham could potentially sweeten the process with a swap offer. Tottenham are already stacked with midfield options - and one that could appeal to the Cherries is Archie Gray.

The former Leeds United man moved to North London from Elland Road for £40m but hasn’t really established himself as a regular. Overall, he’s made 64 appearances, but the majority of those came last term, under Ange Postecoglou.

He’s made 18 appearances so far this season but has started just eight in the league. That number could reduce following Gallagher’s arrival, with the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur all being on the books.

Rounding up some of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and more.

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Every morning, 3 Added Minutes works to help you stay in the loop with our round-up and review of all the latest Premier League transfer rumours – and today, we’re kicking things off with a potentially explosive story concerning Tottenham Hotspur.

According to TeamTalk (who base their report largely off a story from Alan Nixon’s Patreon), Spurs are “ready to make an offer” this January for RB Leipzig’s in-demand winger Yan Diomande – a decision which has supposedly “rocked” Liverpool, who also have designs on the young Ivorian.

Several elite European clubs are keen on the 19-year-old, who has made a massive impression since moving to the Bundesliga over the summer, but most clubs wanted to wait until the summer due to the cost of making such a move. Spurs, it would seem, have decided that they need to move now in order to follow up their “keen interest” and are now “taking on Liverpool” with a bid.

Spurs are “keen to splash out” but recent stories had suggested that Leipzig would demand as much as €100m (around £87m) – it remains to be seen whether Spurs are prepared to go quite that high, or whether Liverpool would follow suit. Nixon apparently simply said that an auction “may take the deal over £40m,” which sounds like an understatement if reports elsewhere are accurate.

The 3AM Verdict: It seems so unlikely that Leipzig will sell Diomande this month for anything less than top dollar, and we simply don’t think that a deal in the £40m region is remotely realistic. Spurs do, however, have a huge amount of PSR room and know that spending heavily now is the best way for them to beat other big-money Premier League teams with better league positions to a player they really want. Are they willing to splash quite that much cash? We’ll find out soon enough. We should also mention recent stories which claim that Manchester United have already had a bid rejected - although we were sceptical of those.

Manchester City ‘plot move’ to sign Brentford star

Over to a story from Football Insider now, who allege that Manchester City are “plotting a move” to sign Brentford’s impressive young right-back Michael Kayode in order to deal with their “long-standing concern” regarding the position.

Apparently City have sent scouts to watch him “on multiple occasions” and as such the Italian has been added to a shortlist which also includes Newcastle’s Tino Livramento. A January move is apparently seen as “unlikely” but City are keeping tabs on the situation nonetheless.

The main reason that a winter move is considered implausible is simply that Brentford don’t want to sell, according to this article – they’re well positioned for a run at a European spot and Kayode has been among their best players. It’s said that the Bees would demand a “significant fee” for him regardless of when a bid was made, but no specific amount is mentioned.

The 3AM Verdict: We’ll agree that a January deal is extremely unlikely but if City really are interested then Brentford would be willing to sell for the right fee – their transfer strategy still makes them a selling club, even now. We haven’t seen much corroboration of the claim that they are interested, however, although given that Kayode is regularly well-ranked in our weekly Wonderkid Power Rankings, we would certainly be on the same page as them if they were.

Nottingham Forest make ambitious ‘enquiry’ for Bournemouth man

Let’s wrap up with a quick story from The Daily Mail, who claim that relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest have “made an enquiry” as to the availability of Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier with a view to January move.

The Cherries, for their part, are said to be “insisting he is not for sale,” perhaps unsurprising given that their options on the wings are limited after Antoine Semenyo’s departure and injuries to players such as Ben Gannon-Doak and Justin Kluivert. It’s suggested in the report that he is too “important” to be sold at the current time.

What’s not in the story is how much Forest might be willing to offer, and what kind of transfer fee could change Bournemouth’s mind – either way, it’s unclear whether Forest will attempt to twist their arm or simply walk away and accept defeat.

The 3AM Verdict: It would certainly not make much sense for Bournemouth to sell Tavernier right now, so it’s really the kind of deal which would involve Forest being prepared to pay well over the odds. Which does happen in the Premier League, to be fair, so perhaps it’s not all that improbable. We doubt that he leaves Dean Court, however.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank will be looking to freshen up his squad between now and the end of the January transfer window

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Tottenham Hotspur find themselves sat down in 14th place in the Premier League table after 21 fixtures. They are also out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup already. Aston Villa dumped them out of the latter over the weekend after their 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank was appointed as Spurs’ head coach last summer after catching the eye with fellow top flight outfit Brentford. He was picked as their replacement for Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked after a poor run of form. However, Frank’s side have struggled for consistency this season and pressure is starting to grow on him.

Tottenham Hotspur target Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher

Spurs are being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher. According to TEAMtalk, they could hijack Aston Villa’s swoop for the former Chelsea man between now and the end of the January transfer window. They have until the deadline on Monday 2nd February to complete any incoming or outgoing bits of business.

Gallagher, 25, was snapped up by his current club in 2024 for £34 million. He is under contract in Spain until June 2029 but his long-term future is up in the air at this moment in time amid attention from elsewhere. The England international, who has 22 caps to his name, has made 77 appearances in all competitions since his switch to La Liga, 27 of which have come this season, and he has scored seven goals.

The Surrey-born man rose up through the academy at Chelsea and was a regular at various different youth levels. He went on to play 95 matches for the first-team during his time at Stamford Bridge and found the net on 10 occasions. The Blues also loaned him out to the likes of Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Brom and Crystal Palace to help him get some experience under his belt and boost his development.

Would Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher suit Tottenham Hotspur?

Spurs could see Gallagher as someone to bolster their midfield department. If he joined, he would give them more competition and depth in the middle of the park. In addition, he could inject some valuable quality into Frank’s starting XI.

The London outfit would benefit from another body in his position. They are having to juggle European football with their domestic duties right now and the games are coming thick and fast. Gallagher is someone who is proven at the top level and his energy in the heart of the pitch would come in very handy.

His transfer to Spain will benefit him in the long run and has seen him leave his comfort zone. He will have learned a lot from working under someone with the stature of Diego Simeone. Most signs point towards a return to England at some point though but his next destination remains unclear.

Spurs will have to see off competition from Aston Villa in pursuit of Gallagher’s signature. Unai Emery appears to be keen on luring him to Villa Park if possible this winter. His team are in the title race along with Arsenal and Manchester City and have been in impressive form of late, as Spurs found out last time out.

The latest transfer stories, including updates from Tottenham and Newcastle United

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With the January transfer window in full swing, the reports and rumours are coming in thick and fast - and to help you stay up-to-date with all the latest news, we’re back with our daily round-up.

Kicking things off we start with a story involving Tottenham Hotspur - a team which once again have a challenging season despite spending an estimated £180m on new recruits.

Tottenham are out of both domestic cup competitions and are languishing in 14th position in the league table after more than half the season’s matches being played. They are faring slightly better in Europe in 11th position but still face a battle in the last two matches of that competition to assure that they make the last 16.

When it comes to the league, Tottenham are six points behind Newcastle United in the Europa League spots. Meanwhile, Thomas Frank’s old club Brentford are remarkably in fifth position with a seven point cushion over the Lilywhites in what’s likely to be the final Champion League spot.

Spurs have been criticised for failing to excite fans, and a bid to change this it’s reported that the club are interested in making a move for Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz.

Tottenham ‘table’ £52m offer for Diaz

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have made an offer of £52m to sign Diaz back to the Premier League. The Moroccan international, who is currently representing his country at AFCON, came through the academy at Manchester City after also having a spell at Real Malaga earlier in his youth career.

Diaz played 10 times across all competitions as a youngster during the 2017/18 campaign when the club reached the 100-point mark, but struggled to ever become a regular. He joined Real Madrid for £15m in June 2019 and has played 129 times in total, scoring 21 and assisting 23.

He’s also played a number of seasons at AC Milan on loan, making 124 appearances in total while scoring 18 and assisting 15, and notably forming a part of the club’s last title-winning team in 2021/22.

The 3AM verdict: Diaz has never quite been a regular at Real, but has consistently proven he’s a high-class footballer. He’s scored five times at AFCON and has played a pivotal role in helping the team progress to the semi-final.

He’s the type of player that could bring much greater excitement to the Tottenham side that have struggled without James Maddison for most the season. He has the potential to be a smart signing if an agreement can be reached.

Newcastle United target eight-time Italy international

TEAMtalk return with another rumour on this round-up - this time involving Newcastle United and a renewed claim of interest in Atalanta gem Giorgio Scalvini. Scalvini was heavily linked with the Magpies over the summer before they eventually opted to bring in Malick Thiaw from AC Milan.

The eight-time Italy international is considered one of the most promising defenders in Serie A. He helped Atalanta win the Europa League in 2024 and reach the Coppa Italia final in the same year. Reports of renewed interest in Scalvini come at a time when the Magpies are dealing with an avalanche of injuries, with Dan Burn, Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar all being on the sidelines.

The 3AM verdict: TEAMtalk report that Scalvini is valued at around £35m which is significantly less than the fee touted over the summer.

The fact that Scalvini’s name keeps getting mentioned in transfer stories around Newcastle suggests the interest is genuine - and the Magpies will hope that if he does sign he’s another that can enhance the team after the success of previous Serie A signings like Malick Thiaw and Sandro Tonali.

Scalvini has great potential and is an excellent talent, but one Newcastle must be cautious about as well due to his recent injury-record.

Your latest dose of Premier League transfer rumours, including Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Aston Villa and more

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We are already a third of the way through the January transfer window, with the rumours coming thick and fast as clubs across the Premier League look to improve in key areas ahead of the spring run-in.

The winter window is notoriously a difficult one, which means clubs rushing around to sign players quicker than ever. Or, if you are Manchester City, you secure the window’s most coveted player in Antoine Semenyo without even breaking a sweat.

We begin our latest Sunday morning round-up of the latest transfer gossip with a story which will certainly be enjoyed by Liverpool fans…

According to reports by Caught Offside breaking on Saturday afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur star defender Micky van de Ven has reportedly given the ‘green light’ to a shock transfer to Liverpool.

The 24-year-old is said to be ‘keen’ on a move to Anfield as he considers his future at Spurs following another below-par season for the north London side. Van de Ven is a long-term Reds target and has been touted as an ideal replacement for Netherlands team-mate and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. Real Madrid have also been linked with Van de Ven, who can play at left-back in addition to centre-back.

The 3AM verdict: We see no circumstance in which this deal could go through in January, but it might not entirely be out of the question for the future. Van de Ven deserves better than what Spurs can offer him at present, and Liverpool will need to sign a world-class left centre-half at some point soon. Real Madrid could provide serious competition, but we see the possibility of a big-money transfer in summer 2026 or 2027. Unless Spurs can secure a new deal, that is - it will be interesting to see which way this one goes.

Aston Villa may target surprise Tammy Abraham move

Meanwhile at Villa Park, The Telegraph report that a surprise option for a new centre-forward could be targeted by Aston Villa in the shape of Tammy Abraham.

The 28-year-old made a name for himself when he scored 25 Championship goals on loan at Villa in 2018/19 as they were promoted, before going on to shine for Chelsea in the Premier League. Now on the books at Roma, Abraham has scored 12 goals in 24 appearances on loan with Besiktas this term after falling out of favour in Serie A.

Reporting states that Unai Emery is looking for a ‘specialist striker’ this January to provide support and competition for Ollie Watkins as Villa look to ‘keep their title challenge alive’. But Besiktas’ reported £11.2m buy option could complicate a deal.

The 3AM verdict: There is no guarantee this move would pay off for Villa, as the last time Abraham played in the Premier League was back in 2020/21. The former England international has the ability to be a prolific goalscorer in the right environment, though, and Emery’s Villa outfit tends to offer just that to players who need a fresh start. It is likely they would need to secure a permanent deal, considering Abraham’s current loan situation at Besiktas. An Abraham Villa Park reunion would certainly be intriguing.

Mathys Tel ‘explores his options’ at Tottenham

Finally, we return to Tottenham once again amidst reports by BBC Sport that Mathys Tel is set to ‘explore his options’ away this January in hope of gaining a place in France’s World Cup squad.

The 20-year-old has made 19 appearances under Thomas Frank this season, but has struggled to nail down a place in the XI with just five starts, scoring three times. The former Bayern Munich forward only joined in a permanent £29.8m deal in the summer and it is unclear whether Spurs would sanction a departure, following the £35m sale of Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace.

The 3AM verdict: Tel’s time at Spurs has never quite sat right with us, or seemed like a perfect match for either player or club. But the recent sale of Johnson indicated that Frank had faith in his remaining forward options.

While we respect Tel’s self-belief in seeking the move, it seems a little ambitious to target the World Cup since he has yet to make his debut for the French senior side. He may well reach a new level elsewhere, but we deem it unlikely that Spurs sanction an exit unless they can bring in a replacement first. No prospective destinations are noted, either, though Roma were previously said to be interested.

Rounding up the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester United, Spurs, Everton, West Ham and more.

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The weekend may mean a welcome break for many of us, but the rumour mill never takes a breather, especially in the middle of a transfer window. With stories flying thick and fast, we’re hoping our regular daily round-up and review of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours will help keep everything in order – and today we start with a story that concerns Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and just about every other elite club in Europe.

Caught Offside allege that managerless United have “made their move” to sign RB Leipzig wonderkid Yan Diomande, a 19-year-old wide forward who has scored seven goals in his first 16 games for the club and blown many observers away – but while Leipzig are happy to let United discuss a salary with the Ivorian, it won’t be easy to get a deal done this January.

Leipzig are demanding a “huge offer” of around €100m (£87m) to sell Diomande, more than the €60-70m that United are said to have tabled so far. The German club apparently see a summer deal as more realistic, and are only open to selling sooner if the offer is colossal.

United have offered a wage package worth around €3.5m per year for up to six years, apparently, but it’s not clear whether Diomande is keen on the move or not. In any case, they may not be alone in the bidding if a deal does start to materialise – Spurs are one of several sides “closely monitoring” the situation, alongside Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and PSG.

The 3AM Verdict: We agree with the tone of this article, which strongly suggests that Diomande – who is in currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations – isn’t likely to move this winter, but it’s interesting to see a story that United have made a formal offer. For starters, we aren’t sure that they have the money to make such a deal happen this January. Spurs, Liverpool, and City, on the other hand, all do…

Everton ‘hesitating’ over major La Liga move

Let’s head over to a story from Sport Witness now, which summarises stories from Spain which suggest that Everton have the chance to sign Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sánchez – but are “hesitating” about making a move.

Everton and Bayer Leverkusen are both said to “have him on their radars” but neither side has made a bid and it’s not clear whether he’s a priority purchase for either team despite Everton needing reinforcements at right-back. Napoli, who had a deal for Juanlu collapse over the summer, could also come back with another offer.

The 3AM Verdict: The key piece of missing information here is, of course, how much Sevilla are demanding for Juanlu – if it’s a reasonable fee, we’d be surprised if Everton weren’t sincerely interested as he’s a talented player who fills a position of need. If multiple teams are hesitating, however, there must be a valid reason. One to watch, nonetheless.

Brentford man emerges as West Ham target

Let’s wrap today’s digest up with a story which suggests that West Ham United are looking to sign an experienced defender from Premier League rivals Brentford this January – 32-year-old Ethan Pinnock.

The Daily Mail’s Mike McGrath took to social media on Friday to state that the Jamaican international was “emerging as a potential target” for the Hammers, whose defence has let them down for much of the season so far.

There’s no word on how much Pinnock, whose contract has 18 months left to run, would cost West Ham, but McGrath does claim that if Brentford decide to sell him then “competition [is] expected,” although the other clubs who could be interested are not named. There’s no suggestion that a formal offer has yet been made.

The 3AM Verdict: There’s not a ton of detail for us to go on here but McGrath is a reliable source for such stories and the deal certainly seems like one that could easily get done given that Pinnock has lost his starting spot at Brentford under Keith Andrews.