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Bayern Munich and Premier League rivals Chelsea are among the other clubs chasing the Real Madrid superstar

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The January transfer window could already be a sliding doors moment for Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur, with the side’s limitations beginning to show themselves particularly in the Premier League. Since Tottenham bounced back from defeat to Bournemouth by emphatically beating West Ham at the London Stadium, they sit joint twelfth in the Premier League form table, level with disaster-riddled Liverpool.

However, while any title aspirations are looking more unlikely with a top-five finish more than adequate progress this campaign following that disastrous 17th place, Spurs still have a chance in the Champions League. In four of the last six seasons since Tottenham themselves reached the final, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Villarreal, and RB Leipzig have all made unlikely runs to at least the last four, and there’s no reason that Spurs can’t be that side this time around.

They’ve already drawn with and beaten two of the last three winners across 90 minutes and though Frank’s conservative style may not be winning over too many fans in North London, there’s no denying it’s effective especially against Europe’s best. Brentford picked up six points against big six opposition in each of Frank’s last two seasons, and a massive 21 in 2022/23 and all the evidence suggests that he’s brought that same effectiveness to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But he’ll need more stardust especially in attack, and hijacking Manchester City’s January move for Rodrygo would be the perfect way to do it.

Tottenham can’t afford to lose out on Rodrygo

Too often, Tottenham’s plan appears to be ‘give it to Mohammed Kudus and hope for the best’, with the Ghanaian having provided 50% of assists by The Lilywhites’ attackers in the league. Spurs need more incision on the left flank with Wilson Odobert having shone in flashes but yet to show the required end product. And though Brennan Johnson scored in that famous win over Manchester City, his underlying numbers aren’t good.

He’s averaging just 1.53 shot-creating actions (SCA) per game - half of Kudus’ tally - and only participates in a goal (GCA) every five matches. By contrast, all three of Pep Guardiola’s frontline wingers this season (Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Oscar Bobb) have higher SCA than Spurs’ top widemen and Johnson sits at the bottom of that combined list too.

And with Rodrygo apparently on the market, he can provide that spark, penetration and most importantly goal threat. In his final season as a regular starter in the capital, Rodrygo was in the top 15 La Liga players for SCA and GCA, higher than any of Spurs’ wingers are doing this season apart from Kudus.

Just as importantly, Rodrygo delivers in the biggest moments. He has 18 goals in senior knockout football - a phenomenal hit rate especially given his age and reduced role last season - and from hitting a hat-trick on his home Champions League debut has thrived the brighter the lights.

Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City are among those who can attest to his ability to break dreams and crush hearts with a timely strike. Which may explain why Guardiola is so keen to land Rodrygo in January.

Can Tottenham outbattle Man City and Europe’s best?

Having initially committed to fighting for his place in the Real Madrid in 2025/26,three starts so far have apparently changed Rodrygo’s mind. Players as talented and established as the Brazilian don’t come along very often and even less so from clubs like Real Madrid, so obviously there are plenty of suitors.

TEAMTalk believe Manchester City are the leaders in the clubhouse but Tottenham are chasing hard while Chelsea and Bayern Munich are reportedly interested.

The Citizens will be hard to beat but they’ll have a tougher job selling Rodrygo on his place at the Etihad Stadium. For all of Guardiola’s undoubted brilliance, he’s not found it as easy to integrate established superstars into his sides (for example Jack Grealish and Zlatan Ibrahimovich) and Rodrygo is undoubtedly in that bracket.

Jeremy Doku has started the season so strongly for The Citizens on the left flank and with the last memory of him in a sky blue shirt being that dismantling of Conor Bradley and Liverpool it seems unthinkable to imagine he could lose his place in the team or be forced out of position in a matter of weeks.

Off the back of finally breaking their trophy drought, Tottenham have the opportunity to truly establish themselves among Europe’s elite on the field as well as off it, but players like Rodrygo are who they must sign to make that happen so this is a chance they can’t afford to miss.

Antoine Semenyo’s recently-revealed release clause makes a January move far more likely - we break down the Bournemouth star’s options.

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Ever since Antoine Semenyo started the season with a brilliant brace against Liverpool, there has been speculation surrounding his future. His scintillating form and continued improvement at Bournemouth has made links with wealthier clubs inevitable, even if it all felt thoroughly speculative – until now, at least.

BBC Sport reported this week that Semenyo has a release clause worth £65m in the contract he signed this summer which activates for part of January. All of a sudden, those reports hinting at interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and others seemed entirely realistic in a way that they hadn’t before.

It’s far from certain that he leaves in January. The negotiating window is small, his release clause reportedly drops and reactivates next summer, and more teams will have more cash to burn then – but the offers may well come in as teams search for ways to bolster their attacks heading into the home straight. But of the teams linked with a bid for Semenyo, which are actually likely to make a move this winter? And at which clubs might Semenyo truly thrive were he to leave?

Why Manchester United, Chelsea & Arsenal are unlikely to sign Antoine Semenyo

It would almost be quicker to list the teams which haven’t been linked with a move for Semenyo than to discuss all of those that have been individually – every team in the Premier League that’s noted as being a significant player in the transfer market has found their name crop up in the gossip columns with regularity, and it isn’t easy to discern which teams are seriously interested and which are merely being thrown into the rumours to add some heft.

No doubt all of the top flight’s biggest spenders have at least some passing interest, but a combination of financial realities and footballing factors are likely to rule some out, at least in January.

Chelsea are one of them. Not only have they invested heavily in Alejandro Garnacho (who is starting to find some form at Stamford Bridge) but they are expected to be cutting it fine financially in relation to UEFA’s spending rules, and that’s likely to reduce their financial flexibility in the near future.

The Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules won’t be a problem for Chelsea, with their sale of the women’s team to their owners’ company buying them a large amount of breathing room, but UEFA’s rules don’t allow the club to make use of that same loophole and there are already worries that they are at risk of sanctions from European football’s governing body. Clubs can always amortise their spending to some degree, but they are unlikely to have the breathing room to spend as much as £65m this winter.

Manchester United and Arsenal have slightly more financial breathing room, but not an immense amount – and both spent significant sums over the summer improving the same areas which Semenyo might.

United are looking at signing a new midfielder and a centre-forward with whatever funds they have available and with Mateus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo on the books, a move for Semenyo would be a luxury. Arsenal, meanwhile, may have questions over the long-term future of Gabriel Martinelli but with Eberechi Eze brought in and Leandro Trossard’s contact extended, a winger is not a priority addition – indeed, it would be unsurprising if Arsenal made no signings whatsoever this January.

All three of these teams are being linked with the Ghanaian on the rumour mill, but none are likely to be in position to make a move until next summer. If Semenyo remains at the Vitality Stadium in the short term, then they may become candidates for his signature down the line – for now, it would be a surprise if any of these three teams were involved in the bidding.

Liverpool, Manchester City & Spurs could be serious suitors

Sky Sports recently reported that the three teams they believed to be in the running for Semenyo were Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur – and here the rumours start to become more plausible.

All three teams in question should have the PSR headroom to make a £65m move (depending on how they chose to amortise their summer expenditure) and all three have good sporting reasons to want to add a new wide forward – although Spurs, who have plenty of PSR space to play with, are reported to be less replete with ready cash due in part to the ongoing costs of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In Spurs’ case, however, the biggest issue may be whether spending £65m on a winger is really the best use of funds. Like United, their priorities are a striker and a central midfielder, and it is likely that the development of players like Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert comes first, especially with Dejan Kulusevski set to return to fitness in December. Semenyo would be a fine addition to the team, but perhaps not an essential one. In any case, they may find it tricky to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool were all three teams to enter the fray.

That probably puts City and Liverpool at the front of the queue. Liverpool may have spent record-breaking sums on attacking additions already and Pep Guardiola may have kicked up a fuss about wanting to reduce his squad size over the summer, but both have issues in the final third that a player on Semenyo’s form could help to clear up.

Liverpool, in particular, have been out of sorts up front and may view themselves as being in something of a sunk-cost situation with regards to the lavish spending that was involved in bringing Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké to the club over the summer – if that hasn’t worked out, then another (relatively unspectacular) splash on Semenyo might make sense.

City, similarly, don’t have a pressing need for attacking reinforcements on paper but have found themselves far too dependent on Erling Haaland for goals – three months into the season, their second-highest scorer in the league is still Burnley’s Maxime Estève after his own goals for them. Semenyo, who has scored six in 11 games in the Premier League, could offer an answer to that issue.

The question Guardiola and his transfer team would have to answer is whether signing Semenyo would stand in the way of the progress of their young corps of wide forwards, many of whom are starting to hit their stride – Jérémy Doku has been excellent of late, Rayan Cherki has the potential to be a hugely productive member of the squad and Savinho is highly promising. If Guardiola is still concerned by his own squad size, he may well be wary of adding Semenyo into the mix.

Which perhaps makes Liverpool not only the most likely candidate to sign Semenyo this January but also the club who would offer him the best landing spot. Cody Gakpo is their only ‘true’ left winger, while Semenyo’s versatility could also make him a natural long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, with whom age finally appears to be catching up. He may make the biggest difference there and have the least impact on starting minutes for other players clubs are keen to develop – although Rio Ngumoha may feel slightly differently.

As it stands, no teams appear to have launched a bid or started discussions with Bournemouth or Semenyo’s representatives. This is still a speculative point in the story, and there is every chance that Semenyo prefers to wait until the summer to leave the south coast, when he may have more options available to him. But don’t be surprised if he’s wearing a red shirt by the middle of January, either. If he maintains his form and scoring rate over the next six weeks, then several sides will be salivating at the chance to sign him.

The latest Spurs injury news - with Mohammed Kudus, Dominic Solanke and Pape Matar Sarr among 12 players who could miss the North London Derby.

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Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this weekend when they face fierce local rivals Arsenal in the North London Derby – but Thomas Frank will be sweating on the fitness of a number of his first-team players ahead of Sunday’s match at the Emirates Stadium.

Spurs were already dealing with a host of injuries and fitness issues heading into the international break and now have fresh concerns about midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, who was hurt while playing for Senegal, and Lucas Bergvall, who was forced to withdraw from the Sweden squad. Several players including Mohammed Kudus, Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, meanwhile, face battles to be fit.

In total, Spurs could be forced to make do without as many as 12 first-team players for the game against Arsenal – we’ve got all of the latest injury news and updates below, along with expected return dates for the stricken players.

How bad was Pape Matar Sarr’s injury over the international break?

The international break added a fresh name to the already lengthy list of players with fitness problems, with Sarr coming off just after half-time during Senegal’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Brazil – a match which somewhat ironically took place at the Emirates.

Sarr went down under a heavy challenge but his national manager Pape Thiaw seemed relatively unconcerned by the problem, describing his substitution as a “precaution” and adding that “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Despite that, Sarr has reportedly left the Senegal squad instead of travelling to Turkey to take part in Tuesday’s planned friendly match against Kenya. Spurs will assess him ahead of the North London Derby but the initial signs are that he will be available – the same can’t be said of another player who went down in that Senegal game, Arsenal defender Gabriel, who is now a major doubt for Sunday.

The only other fresh worry to emerge from the recent international matches concerns Lucas Bergvall, who has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at the start of the month. The young midfielder had been due to join Graham Potter’s Sweden side but pulled out with his recovery not going according to schedule. He remains a serious doubt for the weekend.

Will Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani or Mohammed Kudus be fit to face Arsenal?

Spurs are also waiting on updates on the health of several key players who sustained injuries of varying severity prior to the international break, including strikers Kolo Muani (jaw) and Solanke (ankle).

Kolo Muani is highly unlikely to be involved due to a fracture which Frank initially described as “nothing big” – but The Evening Standard now report that he could be out for as much as six more weeks, meaning the most pessimistic return date for the Frenchman would be late December. The club have not yet provided a full update on the fitness of Solanke, who they had hoped would be able to return to training ahead of the Arsenal match. He remains a major doubt.

There is also some concern over the availability of summer signing Kudus, who missed the last two matches due to what Frank described as a “knock” and eventually missed out on the Ghana squad as a result. The Spurs head coach has, however, said that he is “very confident” that the 25-year-old would be ready to face the Gunners and he is not seen as a major doubt for the derby.

Other doubts heading into the weekend include defenders Ben Davies and Kota Takai (both thigh) who are expected to train ahead of the match, although neither is likely to start if fit.

When Dejan Kulusevski and others could be back for Spurs

Several other Spurs players are set to miss out this weekend, including Archie Gray (calf) and Yves Bissouma (ankle), both of whom are expected back in early-to-mid December, and playmaker Dejan Kulusevski – although the Swede is inching towards a return from a knee ligament injury.

Frank has been coy with details of his return date but the winger is back training on grass and it is hoped that he will be back in the matchday squad at some stage in December. The North London Derby, however, will come too soon.

Radu Dragusin, another victim of an ACL injury, could be back in action this weekend – the Romanian played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient over the break and is now in full training. He could be ready for the bench this weekend. James Maddison, Spurs’ third and final player to sustain an ACL injury, remains some way from a return and may miss the entire 2025/26 campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have expressed an interest in a highly-rated Rangers star

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Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the latest contenders to sign in-demand Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin in the January transfer window, according to Football Insider.

Raskin signed for Rangers in January 2023 and for the best part of two seasons has been considered one of the best players at the football club. He’s made 116 appearances in total, scoring eight times while providing 16 assists.

He plays in the defensive midfield position and has performed so well since moving to Ibrox for just £1.5m that he’s now a regular at international level for the Belgium national team.

Raskin has won all of his eight caps in 2025 and he’s played a solid role in the team’s qualification campaign - starting five of their seven matches so far while scoring once, leaving The Red Devils on the cusp of qualification for the World Cup in North America.

The 25-year-old is viewed as a player that’s ready to make the next step into the Premier League. However, Rangers, who have ambitions of establishing themselves as a force once again under their new owners, are reluctant to sell, particularly based on Raskin’s stellar performances under Danny Rohl since his arrival as manager.

Is Nicolas Raskin likely to leave Rangers in the near future?

Nicolas Raskin has 18 months to run on his contract at Rangers and has previously shown an interest in exploring options elsewhere.

He was bombed out of the squad for the Glasgow derby in August following his conduct behind the scenes, and despite regaining his place under Russell Martin and remaining in the first team under Danny Rohl, remains a player that could depart.

Rangers are keen to keep him for as long as possible but could be willing to listen to offers of around £20m to facilitate a sale.

Tottenham are believed to be the frontrunners, but Wolves, Aston Villa and West Ham have also been mentioned as potential suitors by TEAMtalk, along with two sides in Italy.

Quite where Raskin would fit in at Tottenham remains to be seen. Joao Palhinha, who has been a smart addition on loan, has played regularly. As has, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur.

The wild Rangers and Tottenham swap deal which could suit both

Rangers are beginning to see the benefits of one Tottenham player in Mikey Moore. The youngster has certainly taken time to get to grips with the physical demands of Scottish football since his loan move, but is starting to show signs of the flair and quality which made him such a favourite at academy level.

Spurs have a lot of quality youngsters in their squad but haven’t necessarily been able to give all of them the amount of football required to flourish. Similarly, they also have a few experienced pros in their team that have fallen out-of-favour under Thomas Frank.

One of those is Wales international Ben Davies. The 32-year-old has been with the Lillywhites for 11 years and has racked up 358 appearances, scoring nine times and contributing 26 assists.

He played a small role in Tottenham’s Europa League-winning season with 28 appearances in total and over the last few campaigns has dropped from a regular at left-back to a reliable utility player, capable of doing a job in various different positions such as central defence.

However, he’s not played a single match under Frank since his appointment over the summer and appears to be a player surplus to requirements despite signing a one-year-extension at the end of last term.

Davies, who has 100 caps for Wales, will hope for regular football in the coming months, particularly if the Dragons can sneak into a play-off space ahead of North Macedonia in the run-up to the World Cup.

The Wales international would bring much needed leadership to Rangers’ defence, is arguably an upgrade on what they already have and would offer vital versatility and bags of experience to the Light Blues.

If they are to sell Raskin, it might be worth them trying to get a large portion of cash with Davies as part of the deal. Failing that they could also look to try and agree a six-month loan deal for someone like Archie Gray to fill the void left by Raskin in the short-term and give the former Leeds United man a platform to prove what he’s capable of after limited game-time.

The latest Arsenal injury news ahead of the North London Derby - with updates on new issues suffered by Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori.

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Arsenal will put their 14-match unbeaten streak to the test in the North London Derby this weekend – but their chances of defeating local rivals Tottenham Hotspur may be set to go down after some bad news from the international break.

Defenders Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori both picked up injuries while on international duty over the weekend, which could deepen Mikel Arteta’s selection headache ahead of Sunday’s match. Players such as Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke and Martin Ødegaard are also battling for fitness ahead of the game, and as many as eight players could miss out for Arsenal.

To help their supporters keep track of the team news ahead of the showdown with Spurs, we’ve collected all of the latest Arsenal injury news below along with the stricken players’ expected return dates when available.

Gabriel & Calafiori pick up international injuries for Arsenal

Saturday proved to be a difficult day for Arsenal defenders, with Gabriel injured during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal while Calafiori was sent home from Italy’s camp within hours of each other.

Gabriel was replaced after a little over an hour of Brazil’s win – which happened to be hosted at the Emirates – after going down with what later turned out to be a quad injury (reported, seemingly wrongly, as a knee injury by some media outlets).

The Brazilian FA stated that tests on Sunday had confirmed the problem, with Gabriel remaining in London before the rest of the national squad travelled to France for a friendly against Tunisia. No detailed prognosis has yet been made available and no return date provided, but it is likely that the centre-back misses at least a short stretch of games, including the North London Derby.

Calafiori, who was sent home from the Italian camp on Saturday after failing to recover from a hip injury, is more likely to be involved this weekend. His withdrawal from the squad is not believed to represent a major issue, however, with The Daily Mirror echoing reports from Italy suggesting that he will be ready to play against Spurs despite the knock.

Will any of Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke or Martin Ødegaard be back to play Spurs?

Arsenal have also been sweating on the fitness of four players who weren’t able to take part in national duties this week – with Ødegaard, Madueke and Kai Havertz (all knee) pushing for a return while summer signing Gyökeres and winger Gabriel Martinelli also face potential late fitness tests due to a pair of unspecified injuries.

Arteta has yet to confirm the availability of any of the five, but did say prior to the international break that they were “not far off” and that they should be “very close” to making their comebacks once the November break was over.

Since then, however, Arteta has sounded a more negative note concerning the fitness of club captain Ødegaard, cautioning that he was “some distance away” from making a comeback, with reports suggesting that his return has been delayed until early December. The remaining four should be back in November, with all having a reasonable chance of playing at least some part against Spurs - although the lack of information about Gyökeres’ situation makes it very hard to be sure that he is close to being involved.

One player who will certainly miss out is striker Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian, who is rehabilitating after rupturing his ACL in January during an FA Cup matcha against Manchester United, is back in team training but is not scheduled to return to action until late December at the earliest.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs need a left-wing upgrade and have been linked with stars like Antoine Semenyo and Ademola Lookman

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After Thomas Frank’s era at Tottenham Hotspur began so brightly, he’s starting to lose his lustre in the dugout and will require an impactful January transfer window to reinvigorate the project in north London.

Spurs struggle to play through a press effectively - at least when Micky van de Ven isn’t unleashing his inner Diego Maradona - with Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur not the most creative double-pivot in world football, and can’t break down a dug-in low block easily either.

Despite ranking fifth for the most possession in the Premier League this season, Tottenham are shockingly 17th for shot volume, having taken only three more than Wolves, and over 50 less than both Liverpool and Arsenal who are top of the ranking. They’re also 14th for shot volume, below Aston Villa who couldn’t even hold a goal of the month competition in August, and mid-table in terms of the most touches in the attacking third.

Another area they could target to improve this is the left wing position. Too often Tottenham’s attacking plan seems to just be ‘give it to Mohamed Kudus and hope’ and only five top-flight sides have launched more attacks down the right flank than Frank’s men. And while they’ve been linked with a host of big names like Antoine Semenyo and Ademola Lookman, a more prudent signing could be Vasco de Gama’s 19-year-old Rayan.

Gareth Bale regen Rayan could electrify Tottenham attack

“A technically skilled left-footed player who is fast, powerful, and elegant,” was the CIES Football Observatory verdict on Rayan, a description that could just as accurately be applied to a young Gareth Bale after Harry Redknapp moved him from full-back to left midfield.

And interestingly, their closest player comparison was to another Tottenham January target on the wing, Antoine Semenyo. The analysis also highlighted the teenagers’ versatility (“[he] primarily plays as a right winger, but can perform well in any attacking position”), his finishing being more threatening than his creation at this early stage, both of which are similar to the Welsh wizard who is only a centimetre taller than Rayan.

Bale was shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI while playing on both wings, recorded seven goals to two assists in his first season as an attacking player, and it’s no exaggeration to say Rayan could follow the same trajectory in north London.

Despite Vasco having a poor season in 2025, Rayan scored 12 times in 30 games so he’s already shown his eye for goal, and his ability to beat a defender then turn it into a shot which is an attribute Frank and Tottenham desperately need to electrify their attack. If he could transfer his average of 3.06 shots per full game from Brazil to England’s top flight, he would rank fourth Premier League for shot volume (according to Opta via FBref.com excluding those who’ve played less than five games).

Of course, it’s not realistic to except him to seamlessly adapt to the Premier League but Bale (or Jeremy Doku as a more recent example) show the returns that can be reaped from giving such a talented dribbler the runway to develop in the division.

Vasco star fits Thomas Frank signing profile

While the signing of Mohamed Kudus and Xavi Simons showed Frank will be working a higher calibre of recruit than Brentford, the Dane remains one of the best managers in Europe for Rayan to develop under.

Former Blackburn Rover David Raya, Posh star Ivan Toney, Addick Ezri Konsa and ex-Troyes forward Bryan Mbeumo were among the Bees’ gems signed from outside the top five leagues and even more well-known additions like Kevin Schade, and Yoane Wissa came from clubs who have been in the second tier within a few years of selling to Brentford.

Meanwhile Sepp van den Berg and Christian Norgaard did come from bigger clubs but had combined for less than 600 minutes for Liverpool and Fiorentina, so building up Rayan from a practically unknown prospect to a Premier League star would be far from uncharted waters for Frank.

Despite Rayan’s contract expiring on New Year’s Eve 2026, he’s been valued at €30 million (£26.4m) with a release clause of €40m (£35.1m) according to ESPN, and given the clubs that are interested in him it’s not inconceivable that the bidding will go that high.

Real Betis reportedly considered the Brazilian as an alternative target to Antony while Porto, Fiorentina and Aston Villa were also apparently interested while he was on the radars of Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal before making it clear he wanted a move to Europe.

Vasco de Gama are resigned to losing their star before the start of the next Campeonato Brasileiro season, and Tottenham can be one of his most attractive landing spots. They’re the biggest club confirmed to be chasing Rayan and he can bring

Tottenham Hotspur could secure a massive swap deal with Real Madrid as they aim to sign a world-class Los Blancos star

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Tottenham Hotspur have seen an inconsistent start to life under Thomas Frank as the Lilywhites look to return to where they feel they belong in the Premier League after last season’s 17th-placed finish under Ange Postecoglou.

With that in mind, Spurs have begun the season well as they currently sit fifth. However, their home form has left much to be desired and multiple new signings have struggled to settle in thus far. With the pressures of playing twice a week likely to set in as we approach the busy winter period, Frank and his staff could use this international break to devise a plan for the January transfer window.

A new face or two could ultimately prove the difference as the north London side look to kick on in the spring, with one star in particular taking their fancy as the winter window fast approaches.

Tottenham interested in Real Madrid wing wizard Rodrygo

Spurs were reportedly interested in Real Madrid and Brazil star Rodrygo over the summer, but a move failed to materialise and the Brazilian stayed put at the Bernabeu. He has failed to make a significant impression on new boss Xabi Alonso, though, making just two La Liga starts and playing a measly 255 minutes of football as Los Blancos begin the campaign top of the league.

For a man cited as being worth €100 million (£87m) for much of the summer, the amount of time he has spent sat on the bench is neither good enough for the player nor a good business move by the club, who must be worried that the 24-year-old’s value will depreciate if he continues not to get regular minutes.

In could step Spurs. Frank’s side remain interested in a move for the Brazilian as per Fichajes, while Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed via his YouTube channel that links between Rodrygo and Chelsea are completely false. This could leave the door wide open for Spurs to approach Real with a stunning proposal ahead of rival suitors Manchester City.

Rodrygo and Lucas Bergvall swap deal could be huge solution

If Spurs are to secure a massive deal for a player who would be a massive game-changer for Frank’s side, they may have to reluctantly sanction the sale of one of their own young stars in part-exchange for Rodrygo.

Real Madrid were linked with 19-year-old midfielder Lucas Bergvall earlier this year, and Los Blancos may come calling again if Spurs push forward with their interest in Rodrygo. Sweden international Bergvall is capable of playing in a variety of midfield positions and has caught the eye with his classy displays and ambition in the middle of the park. Real have a history of securing future world-class players such as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale from Spurs, and wonderkid Bergvall could become the latest to swap London for Madrid.

Former Brentford manager Martin Allen recently said of the player: “He’s got his best years ahead of him. Tottenham must have tied him down to a long-term contract because clubs like Real Madrid are going to be looking at him; they are going to be taking an interest. So they’re going to do well to keep hold of him, I think.”

Spurs would likely have to pay a hefty sum on top of the services of Bergvall in exchange for Rodrygo, with the Swedish teenager currently worth €40m according to Transfermarkt. But the inclusion of the wonderkid in a deal could convince Real that north London is the right destination for their Brazilian star, who is likely to attract increased transfer interest as long as his bit-part role under Alonso continues.

Breaking down the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester City, Manchester United, Spurs, Everton and more.

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Another busy day on the gossip columns is in the books and that means it’s time for 3 Added Minutes’ daily round-up and review of the biggest and spiciest new Premier League transfer rumours – starting with a story concerning both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

TeamTalk report that Pep Guardiola’s side have “emerged as frontrunners” to sign Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who is now ready to leave this winter due to concerns over his playing time under Xabi Alonso – and it’s said that Spurs’ chances of getting a deal done have been “quashed” as City establish themselves as favourites to get a deal done.

Real would prefer to wait until next summer to let Rodrygo leave but the player may push for an early exit. City are said to be readying a bid worth between €60m and €80m (£53-70m) and view his wage demands as “within reach” – something which may not be true for Spurs, who are apparently also worried that he wants too high of a weekly wage for their tastes.

Chelsea have also “kept tabs” on the situation but are not likely to make a January bid, apparently, while Bayern Munich have “cooled” initial interest of their own, leaving the path clear for Manchester City unless Spurs make a seemingly improbable late push.

The 3AM Verdict: Extensive reporting on Rodrygo’s future from Spain suggests that a move is quite likely - although Real Madrid are loathe to let him leave mid-season, which could the biggest barrier for City’s bid. We suspect that it’s touch-and-go for a January deal, but that it likely will happen in the summer should it prove impossible to get a deal done in the coming months.

Manchester United could bring £44m midfielder back to Old Trafford

Let’s follow that up with a rather surprising story from Caught Offside, now – they allege that United are among club “eyeing up” a move for none other than Scott McTominay, who was discarded by the Red Devils only to flourish in Italy with Napoli.

They’re now “keen to bring him back,” while Newcastle and Spurs are also said to have some interest in the Scotsman, who is said to be happy in Naples and would apparently command a fee of at least €50m (£44m). There are no indications that McTominay would push for such a transfer to take place.

Curiously enough, McTominay isn’t even the only ball-winning midfielder from Napoli linked with United in the past 24 hours. Italian outlet Tuttosport also reckon that United are “tracking” his 30-year-old team-mate Stanislav Lobotka, although there’s no mention of a price or much detail at all in their story.

The 3AM Verdict: We seriously doubt that this story has much basis in fact and there are few indications that McTominay will be going anywhere any time soon. Perhaps Lobotka is somewhere on the shortlist if he’s cheap, but at 30 years old he’s unlikely to be a priority signing. United will sign a midfielder eventually, but we wouldn’t be on either of these.

Four Premier League teams battling for rising Brazilian star

Let’s wrap up with a story from Sport Witness, who combine media reports to provide us with a report on widespread interest in 21-year-old Palmeiras midfielder Allan Elias. Apparently Fulham, Everton and West Ham United are all “following” the Brazilian’s progress, while Brighton & Hove Albion have also been linked with a bid.

Allan attracted bids from Saudi Arabia and Russia over the summer, it’s said, but Palmeiras rejected two offers in the area of €20m (£17.5m) – so we know that Premier League teams would have to pay more than that, especially given that the youngster’s form has only improved since then.

He has a massive €100m (£84m) release clause which none of the sides mentioned are likely to trigger, but at least three of the four sides mentioned are reported to have “made enquiries” about Allan as they weigh up a bid in the near future.

The 3AM Verdict: There’s no clear indication of whether we’d be looking at a January deal or a summer move, or what Palmeiras would actually demand to make a deal happen, making it tricky to assess which of these teams might be in the best position to sign Allan. We’ll find out more soon, hopefully…

The latest Arsenal injury news ahead of the North London Derby against Spurs - with updates on Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke and Martin Ødegaard.

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Arsenal’s winning streak may have drawn to a close at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, but they will still head into the November international break with a 14-match unbeaten run under the belt. Unfortunately, they are also going to spend the next two weeks fretting over the fitness of several key players.

Five players, including summer signings Viktor Gyökeres and Noni Madueke and club captain Martin Ødegaard, have missed Arsenal’s most recent matches and are doubts for their next Premier League match – which just so happens to be against fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

We’ve got all the latest Arsenal injury news ahead of that massive match next weekend below, along with the expected return dates of all six of the Gunners’ stricken players when available.

Will any of Arsenal’s injured players be back to face Spurs?

Five of Arsenal’s senior players face a fitness battle over the international break, but Mikel Arteta has offered some cause for cautious optimism ahead of the upcoming North London derby.

“Some of them, all of them I don’t know,” Arteta said when asked how many of his injured players could be back in action in time for 23 November. “There are a lot of things that have to happen in the next two weeks, and everything has to be perfect, but I think we’ll be very close with most of them to be in a really strong position.”

Madueke is believed to be the most likely of the five to be fully fit to face Spurs, with media reports suggesting that the winger, who has missed the last 12 games with a knee injury, was close to making the squad for the 2-2 draw against Sunderland before the decision was made to keep him on the sidelines.

He could well be joined by Ødegaard and Kai Havertz (both knee), who both remain doubts but are in line to return by the end of the month, and Gabriel Martinelli (muscular) who has missed two games after limping off after the match against Crystal Palace.

There is far less clarity over the availability of Swedish striker Gyökeres, who sustained an apparent hamstring injury during the recent win over Burnley. Although the club have sent the player for scans, Arteta claimed that there was “no news” on his status going into the game against Sunderland save that he remained unavailable. He was not selected for Graham Potter’s first Swedish national squad. No return date is available as it stands.

Gabriel Jesus closes in on return from ACL injury

There has been recent good news concerning Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus, who has now returned to team training as he ramps up his rehabilitation following a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained against Manchester United in January.

Arteta told the press that Jesus had been “full of energy” since returning to the squad for the first time in 10 months, adding that it was “great to have him back.” Still, Arsenal are unlikely to rush the 28-year-old back into action, with Arteta confirming that they were taking Jesus’ reintroduction one small step at a time.

Assuming all goes according to plan, Jesus could return to the matchday squad before the end of December, but the club have not set a specific target date as yet while they wait to see how he reacclimatises to full training.

Barring further setbacks, Jesus should be Arsenal’s only remaining injured player by the end of the month, with the key question being how many of the players current unavailable will be ready to take on the Gunners’ deadly rivals in a little under a fortnight.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours analysed - with news from Chelsea, Newcastle, Spurs, Bournemouth and more.

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It’s once again time for 3 Added Minutes’ daily round-up and analysis of some of the biggest and juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours – and we’ll kick things off with a story which claims that Chelsea are taking steps towards making a major deal happen.

According to Caught Offside, the Blues have made an “official inquiry [sic]” to Italian outfit Como concerning their rising midfield star Nico Paz – but they’re not alone in their interest in striking a deal for the 21-year-old, and getting a move sorted will apparently be “complicated.”

That’s partly because Real Madrid, whose academy the Argentine international came through, have a buy-back option worth just €9m (£8m) in 2026, and intend to use it, although other sides are hoping that they can buy Real out. Inter Milan, who are said to be “serious contenders” for Paz’s signature, are planning to pay €58m (£50m) to buy the Spanish giants out.

The other problem is simply that so many teams are keen on the player, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur among four Premier League teams “monitoring the situation closely.”

The 3AM Verdict: All indications point to the overwhelming likelihood that Real Madrid sign Paz next summer, and we would be surprised if Chelsea, or any other Premier League team, could sneak in and sort out a deal of their own. The terms Real have to buy Paz back are just too favourable for them to pass up, especially with Xabi Alonso seemingly keen to rebuild the Real midfield over the course of 2026.

Newcastle get ‘encouragement’ over key January deal

Let’s take a trip up to Tyneside next, with a story from Sport Witness – who cite Italian media sources – which claims that Newcastle United are receiving “encouragement” to resurrect a deal which fell through over the summer.

Eddie Howe’s side were linked with a deal for Inter midfielder and part-time Lee Bowyer lookalike Davide Frattesi but a deal failed to materialise in the last transfer window – now, however, the 26-year-old could be available as he sees his playing time in the San Siro diminish.

Apparently Newcastle’s loan-to-buy bid from the summer “wasn’t good enough… at the time” but were they to offer a similar deal in January then “it’s expected a deal will go through.” Inter are even said to want Newcastle to make a move now that the Italy international has dropped down the pecking order.

The 3AM Verdict: It’s worth noting that there is no evidence presented that Newcastle want to rekindle the deal, but their summer interest was sincere so it’s certainly possible that they repeat their offer. Howe may well want to boost his midfield for the rest of the 2025/26 campaign at least.

Spurs ‘very hot’ on Bournemouth starlet

Let’s wrap up in North London with a tale from TeamTalk – who claim that Spurs are “very hot” on sorting out a deal for Bournemouth (and now England) midfielder Alex Scott.

Apparently Spurs were “in the market” for the 22-year-old before he made his move from Bristol City to the south coast, and “remain interested” while they consider options for a midfield move in the near future.

It’s suggested that a January move is relatively unlikely even though several members of Spurs’ recruitment team are keen on the player – attacking reinforcements are said to be the “main focus of attention” this winter, so a deal for Scott would likely be one for next summer.

The 3AM Verdict: This is a very speculative article which doesn’t imply that Spurs are actively pursuing a deal – merely that Scott has admirers at the club. Bournemouth are very unlikely to sanction a sale in January and would demand top dollar in the summer, so there’s every chance that Spurs look elsewhere when the time to sign a midfielder comes.