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Gallagher returns to the team: Predicted Tottenham Hotspur XI vs Manchester City

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Tottenham Hotspur secured a top eight berth in the Champions League with a win over Eintracht Frankfurt midweek, but return to the Premier League, where they have a huge job on their hands heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City take on the Lilywhites next on matchday 24 of the Premier League at 16:30 local time on Sunday evening with Spurs hoping to secure another success over the Sky Blues in order to ease some pressure off Thomas Frank.

Here is how they are expected to line-up for the game.

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario is expected to continue playing in goal versus Man City.

Defenders – Pedro Porro had a rare rest in the Eintracht Frankfurt match but could come right back into the team in his preferred position on the right side of the back four. Djed Spence, on the other hand, might feature on the left.

Cristian Romero is expected to be in the heart of the backline and while Micky van de Ven missed the European Cup outing owing to a knock, he is likely to make the cut for the upcoming game at Kevin Danso’s expense in the starting eleven.

Gallagher and Solanke start

Midfielders – Joao Palhinha had a decent game in Frankfurt on Wednesday evening but could be back on the bench in the Manchester City clash. £35 million winter signing Conor Gallagher is expected to take his place in the double pivot as he can provide more energy with and without the ball, with the former Atletico Madrid man likely to play next to Archie Gray.

Xavi Simons could play as the number 10, meanwhile. Wilson Odobert might retain his place on the right wing owing to Mohammed Kudus’ injury and Randal Kolo Muani could shift to the left having played as the striker in the previous game.

Forward – Dominic Solanke is expected to be back in the starting eleven as the leader of Tottenham Hotspur’s attack.

Here is how the home side might look on paper.

Tottenham make enquiries to sign Leon Goretzka

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Tottenham Hotspur have made enquiries over a possible deal to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, according to Matteo Moretto.

Goretzka’s time in Munich began with his move from Schalke in the summer of 2018. Since then, the German international has made 292 appearances across all competitions for Bayern, scoring 47 goals and providing 48 assists, while contributing to an extended period of sustained dominance in the club’s history.

Throughout his eight years with the Bavarian side, he has played an important role in securing six Bundesliga titles, three German Super Cups, and two domestic cup triumphs and in lifting both the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup.

Despite regularly featuring in league matches, the midfielder, valued at £12m by Transfermarkt, is not considered crucial to the team, as he has not started any of Bayern’s eight Champions League group-stage matches.

Uncertainty also surrounds the 30-year-old’s long-term future at the Allianz Arena, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season and interest from several clubs emerging.

According to Moretto, the Spanish side, Atletico Madrid, have been keen to sign Goretzka to reinforce their midfield with steel and leadership.

However, it appears Tottenham are set to steal a march on the La Liga outfit, as the journalist claims the North London club have made enquiries over the potential transfer of the 30-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Goretzka to Tottenham

Thomas Frank’s side are looking to make the move imminent as the report adds that Spurs asked for information over his potential transfer ‘in recent hours.’

While Bayern remain undecided about his sale this month, the Bundesliga champions are now expected to decide on a midfielder before the deadline, as his contract expires in the summer amid interest from Tottenham, according to the report.

Spurs’ midfield depth at present includes João Palhinha, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur, with teenage prospect Archie Gray also showing his reliability after featuring in three of the last four matches at the base of midfield.

Even with those options available, there are still apparent shortcomings, particularly in technicality, intensity when closing down opponents, combativeness, and threat in goal-scoring situations, which make a move for a midfielder like Goretzka a no-brainer.

Securing the German during the January window would inject a physical presence and a tested winning mindset into Thomas Frank’s engine room at a bargain price, as Bayern will unlikely demand a steep fee to avoid losing him for free.

Tottenham Hotspur eyeing surprise move for Hugo Bueno

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According to Teamtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are focused on signing Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Hugo Bueno with Liverpool reluctant to part ways with Andy Robertson this winter.

The north London outfit recently opened discussions with Liverpool regarding Robertson. It was anticipated that a transfer could be finalised, but the scenario has changed over the last few days. Reds manager Arne Slot has personally said that he expects the Scotland international to stay for the remainder of his contract (June 30).

Amidst this, Teamtalk claim that the Europa League holders have turned their attention to Bueno, who is eager to continue his career in the English top-flight. The 23-year-old could be available for a package of £20 million before next week’s transfer deadline.

Unlikely

Spurs have utilised the services of Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies at left-back over the course of the campaign. Spence has been a regular in the department, but head coach Thomas Frank may want more solidity.

Bueno may not be Spurs’ solution. The Spaniard has not had a good season with Wolves, who are rooted at the bottom of the league standings and look destined to be relegated to the Championship after a prolonged stay in the top tier.

The Wolves graduate has been a regular figure on the left side of their defence this term, but his performances have been inconsistent. He has a passing accuracy of 82 percent, but has been guilty of losing possession on almost 12 occasions per league game.

Bueno’s positioning has come under scrutiny at the Midlands outfit, and may not immediately improve with the switch to Spurs. We don’t believe he has the capacity to nail down a starting position at Spurs during the back end of the campaign.

The speculation has come out of the blue. It could be agent-driven rather than Spurs contemplating an approach. The club have just signed another young left-back in Souza, who had a good breakout season with Santos in the Brazilian top-flight.

The 19-year-old could provide competition for places alongside Spence, Udogie and Davies. Spurs could sign another left-back during the summer. They are likely to return for Robertson when he becomes available as a free-agent.

Tottenham ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign Omar Marmoush

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush, as per Caught Offside.

The Lilywhites currently have Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, and Mathys Tel as options to deploy in the centre-forward position. However, the Brazilian is set to remain sidelined for a few weeks due to a hamstring problem.

After remaining sidelined for several months, Solanke has returned to action recently. But his minutes need to be managed carefully to ensure he does not suffer any further setbacks.

On the other hand, Tel hasn’t been able to play regularly under Thomas Frank thus far this season; as a result, he is said to be open to leaving to play regularly and develop his career.

Kolo Muani joined on a loan deal from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, and Juventus are reportedly willing to sign him permanently in this window.

So, perhaps, Frank is considering reinforcing the frontline at Tottenham. Caught Offside claim that Spurs are looking for an attacker who can stretch opposition defence and press aggressively, and have identified Marmoush as an ideal option.

Having struggled to find regular game time at Man City, the Egyptian is ‘pushing’ to leave and is keen on staying in the Premier League, with Pep Guardiola prepared to let him leave.

Marmoush to Tottenham

Tottenham are ‘at the front of the queue’ to finalise the operation and are looking to sign him on a loan with an option to make the move permanent next summer.

The report state that Aston Villa are also interested in Marmoush, while Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray are in this race as well. Fenerbahce are even ready to seal the deal for a fee of around £26m.

However, Marmoush’s desire to stay in England has given Aston Villa and Tottenham an advantage in this race.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt star is a versatile forward as he is comfortable playing in the centre-forward and second striker roles. Furthermore, he can provide cover on the flanks if needed.

Guardiola started the 26-year-old against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League last weekend, and he helped them win the game 2-0 by scoring a goal.

Tottenham ‘firmly in the mix’ to sign Omar Marmoush

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ‘firmly in the mix’ to sign Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, as per a recent report.

The Lilywhites currently have Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, and Mathys Tel as options to deploy in the centre-back position. However, the Brazilian has been ruled out for a couple of months, having sustained a hamstring problem against Aston Villa last weekend.

Solanke, on the other hand, made his return last weekend after remaining sidelined over the last few months. Tel is still very young and has found it difficult to play regularly under Thomas Frank.

As a result, he is said to be open to leaving to play regularly and develop his career. Moreover, Kolo Muani has struggled in the Premier League thus far this season, failing to make any goal contributions.

So, as per a recent report (via TEAMtalk), Tottenham are looking to sign a new forward before the February 2nd transfer deadline and are exploring versatile options.

The Lilywhites are ‘firmly in the mix’ to sign Marmoush, having monitored his performances closely in recent times, and could make a concrete approach.

Aston Villa are also interested in the Egyptian international, but after defeating Unai Emery’s side in the race to sign Conor Gallagher, Spurs would be confident to win the Marmoush race as well.

Marmoush to Tottenham

Having struggled to find regular game time at Man City thus far this season, Marmoush is open to leaving following Antoine Semenyo’s arrival from AFC Bournemouth.

However, the 26-year-old, valued at around £56m by Transfermarkt, isn’t looking for a permanent departure; instead, he only wants a short-term loan until the end of this campaign.

Marmoush is a centre-forward by trait but is also comfortable in the second striker role. Furthermore, he can provide cover on the left wing if needed.

After being impressed by his performances for Eintracht Frankfurt, Man City decided to sign him last winter. He showed glimpses of his qualities in the Premier League last campaign but was a peripheral figure this season before joining the Egyptian national team to play in AFCON.

Marmoush helped his country reach the semi-final before losing to Senegal. He is still a top-class player and would be a great coup for Tottenham should they eventually manage to secure his services.

Tottenham battling with Man Utd to sign Hayden Hackney

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly battling with Manchester United over a deal to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, as per TEAMtalk.

Following Rodrigo Bentancur’s serious hamstring problem, the Lilywhites have decided to reinforce the midfield department by signing Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for a £35m fee this month.

Still, TEAMtalk claim that Spurs are planning to add further depth to the engine room and have earmarked Hackney as a serious option. They have been monitoring his development closely before making a potential swoop.

The 23-year-old hasn’t just attracted the Lilywhites’ attention with his recent eye-catching performances in the Championship, as Man Utd, Fulham, and Everton are also keen on him.

Although the Toffees are big admirers of Hackney, they aren’t prioritising reinforcing the midfield in January. Instead, they are looking for a new striker, left-back, and right-back.

Man Utd’s new interim manager, Michael Carrick, is a ‘huge admirer’ of the Middlesbrough star, having previously worked together at Riverside Stadium. Now, he is keen on reuniting with his former colleague at Old Trafford.

Although the midfielder’s existing deal will expire at the end of next season, Middlesbrough have no intention of parting ways with their key player in mid-season as they are in the race to gain promotion, sitting second in the Championship.

Battle

Boro want a club record fee to sell him this month and have slapped a £30m price tag on his head. They believe no one will meet the price tag to sign him.

Hackney is a deep-lying playmaker by trait but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. Furthermore, he can provide cover in the No.10 position if needed.

Man Utd are in desperate need of a midfield rebuild as Casemiro has been displaying inconsistent performances in recent years and has entered the final few months of his current contract.

Moreover, Kobbie Mainoo struggled to find regular game time under Ruben Amorim, but his game time is expected to improve under Carrick, while Manuel Ugarte has found it difficult to find his feet in the Premier League.

Hackney is a talented player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Tottenham should either club eventually manage to secure his service in January or next summer.

Kolo Muani and Romero start: Predicted Tottenham Hotspur XI vs West Ham United

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Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on matchday 22 of the Premier League tomorrow afternoon at 15:00 local time, as they look to get back to winning ways having yet to get off the mark in 2026.

There are voices within the Spurs fanbase asking for Thomas Frank to be replaced, and if the recent trend of results continues, especially against a relegation-threatened side, the Dane will be under untenable pressure sooner rather than later.

That said, here is how Tottenham could line up for the game.

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario is expected to start in goal for the home side.

Defenders – Pedro Porro is expected to continue at right back from last weekend’s FA Cup match, whereas Djed Spence might also play at left back. Cristian Romero could return to the line-up in the heart of the back four to partner with Micky van de Ven after missing out on the Aston Villa fixture last weekend.

Kolo Muani to lead the line

Midfielders – Archie Gray and Joao Palhinha have paired with one another in the double pivot for Tottenham Hotspur in recent outings, and both players are expected to feature once again. Xavi Simons could be the number 10 for the home side against West Ham United.

Wilson Odobert is likely to be given the nod on the right wing once more, with Mathys Tel potentially featuring on the left.

Forward – Richarlison could be replaced by Randal Kolo Muani as the leader of Tottenham’s line on Saturday.

Here is how the Lilywhites might look on paper.

Tottenham ‘definitely’ interested in signing Christos Tzolis

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Tottenham Hotspur are ‘definitely’ interested in signing Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis, as per TEAMtalk.

Since moving to Jan Breydel Stadium from German side Fortuna Düsseldorf ahead of last season, the Greek has showcased his productivity in the Belgian Pro League.

In his debut campaign, the 23-year-old made 34 goal contributions across all competitions. This season, he has continued to display impressive performances, scoring 10 goals and notching up 15 assists in 29 appearances in all tournaments.

Moreover, he has been guiding his side to mount a title charge, sitting second in the league with a point less than table topper USG. Having proven his worth in club football, Tzolis has secured his place in the Greece national team’s starting line-up.

Now, TEAMtalk claim that following Dominic Solanke’s return from his injury, Tottenham are unlikely to make a move for a new striker this month. Instead, they are planning to sign a new left-winger as a potential replacement for Brennan Johnson.

Ideally, Thomas Frank wants a versatile winger who can play anywhere across the frontline like Randal Kolo Muani. The Lilywhites are ‘definitely’ interested in signing Tzolis and could make a concrete approach over the coming days.

However, apart from the Club Brugge star, Tottenham are also interested in Maghnes Akliouche and Oscar Bobb, while they have been offered the chance to sign Borussia Dortmund star Karim Adeyemi.

Tzolis to Tottenham

Tzolis is valued at around £26m by Transfermarkt and still has a contract until 2029. Therefore, the Belgian giants are likely to demand a big fee to let him leave in mid-season.

The Greek is a left-sided forward by trait but is also comfortable on the opposite side. He is quick, technically sound, can dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, is efficient with his wrong foot, and is also efficient in creating opportunities for fellow attackers.

Tzolis is a highly talented young player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Tottenham should they purchase him, with Frank left with very thin wide forward options amid recent injury problems.

Tottenham’s Micky Van de Ven dreams of joining Liverpool

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Tottenham Hotspur star Micky Van de Ven sees Liverpool as a ‘dream’ destination, as per a recent report.

Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk played a key role in the Reds’ Premier League triumph under Arne Slot’s guidance last term. However, both have struggled to replicate last season’s form thus far.

With Konate’s contract set to expire at the end of this season, speculation surrounding his future has been emerging in recent months. David Ornstein has even stated that Liverpool have been struggling to agree on a deal in principle to extend the Frenchman’s deal.

On the other hand, Van Dijk is set to turn 35 this year, and his existing deal will expire at the end of next season. Giovanni Leoni and Joe Gomez are the two backup centre-back options Slot has at his disposal. But Gomez has struggled with fitness problems in recent years, and like Van Dijk, his current deal will also expire next year.

Leoni joined Liverpool from Parma last summer, but his season is over having sustained a serious knee injury on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Ornstein has claimed that the Merseyside club are planning to revamp the defensive department next summer, with Marc Guehi heavily linked with a move.

Van de Ven to Liverpool

Now, as per a recent report (via TEAMtalk), Van de Ven is ready to push for a move away at the end of this season following Tottenham’s downward spiral in recent years, and his ‘dream’ destination is Liverpool.

The Reds reportedly hold an interest in the Dutchman as they were linked with him before his move to Spurs from Wolfsburg a couple of years ago.

He has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League over the years. So, Tottenham have no intention of parting ways with him and are ready to hand him a lucrative new deal to persuade him to stay.

The 24-year-old is valued at around £56m by Transfermarkt and still has a contract until 2029. So, Tottenham are likely to demand a huge fee if they are forced to let him leave this year.

It is going to be interesting to see whether Liverpool eventually make a move for him this year.

Tottenham Hotspur shortlist Xabi Alonso as potential replacement for Thomas Frank

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Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the FA Cup last weekend after a 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa. The result was a picture of how much of their season has progressed as the Lilywhites also sit 14th in the Premier League table 21 matches into the year.

While Spurs are comfortably on track to qualify for the knockout phases of the Champions League, they are far from the favourites to win the competition, and their domestic results have mounted tremendous pressure on Thomas Frank.

It is believed that Frank is facing a race against time to save his job and if Tottenham’s results don’t improve, the Dane will face the same fate that many of his predecessors have, thereby leaving the Londoners searching for another man in the dugout.

Spanish source Fichajes has reported that Xabi Alonso has emerged as an option for Spurs after he was sacked by Real Madrid on Monday in the aftermath of their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah at the weekend.

Alonso’s immediate and free availability will be a welcome boost for the Premier League side, whereas his success at Bayer Leverkusen could compel them into making a move for him now rather than wait for Andoni Iraola or Oliver Glasner till summer.

Alonso could take Spurs job

Xabi Alonso would ideally have liked to join Liverpool, a former club of his, but with Arne Slot churning out the results again, the Dutchman’s position is no longer precarious and therefore, the Reds don’t require a replacement for the foreseeable future.

Having said that, Tottenham Hotspur have an exciting young team and are willing to make newer signings, especially after Daniel Levy’s exit, so Alonso could view joining them as a real challenge which would also give him a fast restart after his sacking.

Even though Real Madrid fired him, he won over 70% of his matches in charge of them and has an invincible Bundesliga triumph under his belt with Bayer Leverkusen, so Alonso remains one of Europe’s top managers who may be an ideal fit for Spurs.