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Tottenham Hotspur have submitted a formal offer to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, according to Fichajes.

Barrios progressed through Real Madrid’s youth setup before transferring to rivals Atletico Madrid in 2017. Following his move to Los Rojiblancos, he swiftly advanced through the ranks and earned promotion to the senior squad at the beginning of 2023.

The Spaniard became a vital squad player last season, making 41 appearances across all competitions. This season, he has remained a mainstay in the middle of the park for Diego Simeone’s side, featuring in 16 of their 17 LaLiga games and all six Champions League games.

Having alternated between different positions due to already established players in the middle of the park, the youngster has now claimed a place in his favoured midfield role, with the other pivot being shared between club captain Koke, Conor Gallagher and Johnny Cardoso.

This season, Barrios has shown a high octane level of relentless work rate, efficient passing ability, creative qualities and intelligence to intercept and read dangers, which has drawn widespread plaudits and keen interest from several clubs.

One of the clubs looking to sign him is Tottenham, according to Fichajes, which claims that the North London club have earmarked him as a viable option to reinforce their midfield ranks.

Formal offer

It appears Spurs have made their interest concrete and are now accelerating efforts to sign him, with the Spanish outlet adding that the Europa League champions have submitted a formal £61m offer to Atletico for his possible transfer to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2026.

However, amid their firm offer, Atletico are keen on retaining the 22-year-old at the Wanda Metropolitano, as he’s a key part of the team and the club’s future, and have now set a £105m price tag on the Spaniard, according to the report.

Despite Atletico’s outrageous valuation of the four-cap Spain international, the report adds that Tottenham are not relenting in their efforts and believe their initial offer will pave the way for further negotiations with the Rojiblancos over Barrios’ transfer.

Tottenham have several midfield options, but inconsistent performances and a lack of technicality have left them struggling to withstand opponents of greater quality, as seen in their defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Barrios would be a brilliant addition to Thomas Frank’s side to offer that youthful exuberance alongside Lucas Bergvall, while also potentially serving as an ideal replacement for Yves Bissouma when he departs the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are on a two-game winning streak after their success against Slavia Prague in the Champions League midweek, and will look to build on that as they return to Premier League action this weekend.

Nottingham Forest stand next in their way at The City Ground at 14:00 UK time in the fixture corresponding to matchday 16 of the English top flight. Here is a look at the team Thomas Frank could employ for the clash.

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario is expected to retain his place in between the sticks for Spurs.

Defenders – Pedro Porro is expected to continue at right back, whereas Djed Spence could also be in the side on his preferred left side in the back four.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are likely to start at centre back, therefore rounding up an unchanged backline for the Lilywhites.

Kolo Muani expected to start

Midfielders – Archie Gray has been having more minutes in recent matches than he did earlier this season, so the 19-year-old might be used in the middle of the park once more with Joao Palhinha again expected to partner with him in the double pivot.

Meanwhile, Xavi Simons might play at number 10, a position he has excelled in over the left wing.

Mohammed Kudus might play on the right flank for Tottenham Hotspur, whereas Paris Saint-Germain loanee Randal Kolo Muani, who has two goals and two assists for the team this season, might replace Wilson Odobert on the left flank.

Forward – With no positive news over Dominic Solanke’s return to action yet, Richarlison is expected to lead the line for Tottenham against Nottingham Forest.

Here is a look at how the visitors could feature on paper.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly battling with Premier League rivals to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, as per former Everton CEO Keith Wyness.

The Lilywhites decided to purchase Guglielmo Vicario as a potential long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris a couple of years ago. However, the Italian has struggled to showcase his best consistently enough in the Premier League, making a few costly errors already this season.

Now, speaking on Football Insider, Wyness says that Tottenham aren’t completely satisfied with their goalkeeping department and are willing to upgrade this position.

Trafford is on their radar and Thomas Frank’s side could make a concrete approach to lure him away from the Etihad Stadium in January or next summer.

The 23-year-old isn’t happy with his situation at Man City, as he hasn’t been able to play regularly thus far this season since Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival. So, he would be open to leaving.

However, purchasing the Englishman won’t be straightforward for the North London club as Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also plotting a swoop.

Trafford is valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt and still has four and a half years left in his current contract, having recently joined from Burnley. So, Man City are in a strong position to demand a big fee to let him leave.

Trafford to Tottenham

Trafford came into the spotlight having displayed impressive performances for Burnley last term, helping his side gain promotion. In 45 Championship appearances, he kept 29 clean sheets and conceded just 16 goals.

The youngster, standing at 6ft 6in tall, is a brilliant shot-stopper, comfortable playing out from the back, good in the air, and efficient in saving penalties.

He is a highly talented player and could be a great coup for Tottenham with a view to the long-term future, should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services in January or next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘prepared’ to trump Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, as per TEAMtalk.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a stellar start this season, scoring six goals and registering three assists in the first seven Premier League appearances. However, he hasn’t been able to make any goal contributions in the last seven league matches.

Still, the Ghanaian’s potential suitors haven’t been put off by his lean patch as TEAMtalk claim that Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Man Utd are all keen on securing his service in the upcoming winter transfer window.

The Citizens are currently the frontrunners in this race after reaching advanced talks over this deal. Pep Guardiola has been impressed by Semenyo’s recent eye-catching performances, and agreeing on personal terms with the player won’t be an issue for Man City.

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his current contract, which will run until 2030, and the clause is only valid in January. That figure is set to decrease at the end of the season. Guardiola’s side are even ready to trigger his release clause to lure him to the Etihad Stadium next month.

However, Liverpool haven’t been deterred by the Citizens and are ready to match their every move to finalise the deal, as Arne Slot sees the forward as the perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Although Semenyo might prefer a move to Anfield, he wouldn’t oppose the chance of joining Man City and playing under Guardiola.

Battle

The report further state that Man Utd are interested in the Ghanaian as well, however, Tottenham are ‘prepared’ to break their wage structure to persuade the forward to join and beat other clubs in this race.

Spurs’ owners are ready to back Thomas Frank to help him compete with the big six teams, after recently injecting £100m equity into ENIC.

The Lilywhites and Man Utd were said to be keen on purchasing Semenyo last summer before signing other targets. However, it appears they haven’t given up on their hopes of sealing the deal.

Semenyo has been one of the most in-form players in the Premier League this season and would be a great coup should Man Utd, Liverpool or Tottenham eventually manage to secure his service in January.

Tottenham Hotspur have earmarked Real Madrid winger Rodrygo and Juventus versatile forward Kenan Yildiz as alternative options if they fail to land Atalanta star Ademola Lookman, as per TEAMtalk.

The North London club broke their 14-year transfer hiatus with West Ham United to sign Mohammed Kudus from their London rivals, which marked the first transfer between the two clubs since Scott Parker’s 2011 move to White Hart Lane following the Hammers’ relegation that season.

They also secured a big-money move for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig on deadline day, while Randal Kolo Muani signed on loan alongside Mathys Tel, whose move was made permanent after spending the last six months on loan.

However, while Kudus has been the club’s best creator with six assists in the Premier League, none of the newly signed attacking trio have shown prolific form in front of goal, with the highest individual tally being two.

Hence, Thomas Frank is now looking to add a goalscoring forward to his attack, with the Lilywhites now eyeing several options.

One of the options the club are looking at is Lookman, according to TEAMtalk, which claims that Tottenham are keeping tabs on the Nigerian international over a possible January transfer, having shown ‘genuine interest’ in signing him on loan last summer.

However, their interest has cooled, and the club are now looking at other, more ambitious options they could sign in the next two transfer windows.

Ambitious targets

As a result, the report adds that Tottenham have now shortlisted Rodrygo and Yildiz, valued at £52m and £65m by Transfermarkt, as potential reinforcements for Frank’s attack.

For Rodrygo, Spurs have long held an interest in the Brazilian international and have now reignited their interest in the winger, who is also of keen interest to Arsenal and Liverpool, as per the report.

On the other hand, the Europa League winners will be boosted in their pursuit of Yildiz, as TEAMtalk claims that Arsenal have dropped their interest. However, they’ll still have to battle with Chelsea and Liverpool for the 20-year-old versatile forward, who is also in contractual negotiations with Juventus.

Either Rodrygo or Yildiz would be viable options to replicate the goalscoring and creative qualities that have been missing at the club since the departures of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, so it’ll be interesting to see which of the forwards the club will prioritise ahead of the next transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly battling with West Ham United and Everton over a deal to sign Ivan Toney, as per TEAMtalk.

The Lilywhites currently have Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, and Mathys Tel as options for the centre-forward position. However, Solanke has been out injured since the start of this season.

Amid the Englishman’s absence, Richarlison has played the majority of the matches as the striker, but he hasn’t been able to showcase consistency. On the other hand, Kolo Muani has looked sharp at times but has joined Spurs on loan and could return to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season.

Tel, meanwhile, is still very young and needs time to develop. So, TEAMtalk claim that Thomas Frank is keen on purchasing a new striker and Tottenham are ready to fulfill their manager’s wish.

The Danish boss wants to reunite with his former colleague, Toney, and Spurs have already held informal talks to learn about the details of purchasing him. However, the North London club aren’t the only club interested in the Englishman, as West Ham and Everton are in this race.

Toney might be open to returning to the Premier League, and his only desire behind this decision is to secure his place in the England national team for next summer’s World Cup.

Battle

However, the former Chelsea boss wasn’t impressed with the 29-year-old when he was called up to the national squad last summer, so the forward is unlikely to feature in England’s World Cup team.

As a result, Toney, valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt, may decide against returning to the Premier League, as the move would require him to take a pay cut – something he’s unwilling to do if he isn’t going to the World Cup.

West Ham reportedly want a new striker as Niclas Fullkrug is set to leave in January, while Everton are planning to reinforce the frontline as Thierno Barry and Beto have displayed below-average performances thus far this season.

Therefore, it is going to be interesting to see who Tottenham, West Ham, and Everton decide to sign to bolster the frontline should Tonay reject a move away from Al-Ahli in January.

Tottenham Hotspur ended their winless run with a 2-0 win over Brentford at the weekend and will look to replicate the result in the Champions League tonight as they face Slavia Prague at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 20:00 UK time on matchday six.

Heung-min Son is expected to be present at the stadium for his farewell having joined Los Angeles FC in the summer, and Thomas Frank’s men will look to grace the occasion with a win against Slavia.

Here is how the team could line-up for the game.

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario is expected to be the shot-stopper for Tottenham tonight.

Defenders – Pedro Porro has been indispensable at right back for the Londoners this season, whereas Djed Spence has emerged as the primary option for Frank over Destiny Udogie at left back. The duo are expected to start once more.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven may also retain their berths in the heart of the back four.

Palhinha in for Gray

Midfielders – Joao Palhinha played only 25 minutes as a substitute against Brentford but he could be back in the starting eleven against Slavia Prague at Archie Gray’s expense. The Portuguese international may partner Rodrigo Bentancur in the double pivot. Xavi Simons, who bagged his first goal for Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend could be the number 10.

Mohammed Kudus might start over Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert on the right wing, and the left might belong to Randal Kolo Muani, who has been playing decently in the last few matches.

Forward – With Dominic Solanke still injured, Richarlison is expected to lead the line for Tottenham once more.

Here is how the Lilywhites could look on paper.

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo Goes has now gone over 30 matches without a goal in all competitions for the Spanish giants, but there is no denying his quality, especially if he gets a consistent run of minutes unlike what has happened under Xabi Alonso.

He is expected to depart the Bernabeu next summer should Alonso continue as the head coach and according to Football Transfers, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all keeping tabs on his situation.

Moreover, it is believed that Madrid have decided that they will let the Brazilian international depart for £62 million, with the Premier League looking increasingly likely as his next possible destination after potentially departing the La Liga outfit.

Arsenal and Liverpool could be favourites for Rodrygo

Arsenal are playing exceptional football and are in pole position to win the Premier League, while being among the favourites for the Champions League too. With a left winger on their radar, they will fancy their chances of landing Rodrygo Goes.

In the recent past, the Gunners have spent big money and a left winger is possibly the only role in their squad where there is room for an upgrade, with Rodrygo, a Champions League winner promising to be a worthy addition to Mikel Arteta’s side.

Liverpool also would feel confident about securing a swoop for the player with Mohamed Salah set to leave the club sooner rather than later, more so with the Reds having a relationship with Rodrygo’s agents having tried to sign him in 2019.

Though Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have a fair chance at signing him, the Blues already have extensive quality on the left flank whereas Spurs, who might miss out on the Champions League, might not have as strong an appeal compared to their rivals.

With that said, Rodrygo staying at Real Madrid remains on the cards, especially if Xabi Alonso is fired as the head coach with many sources claiming the Spaniard could be relieved of his duties if the team loses to Manchester City later this week.

His performances and role potentially under newer management over the next few months will be crucial in deciding the player’s future, whereas his impact in the World Cup next year for Brazil could also play a part in determining his price tag.

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a swoop to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to Football Insider.

Mateta joined Palace on an initial loan move from Bundesliga side Mainz, where he impressed during his six-month stint with the club, prompting the South Londoners to make the deal permanent in the summer of 2022.

The 28-year-old has been one of the most prolific forwards not just for Palace but in the Premier League, and his form in front of goal has also earned him three international caps for France, where he has netted twice, putting him in strong contention for Didier Deschamps’ final Les Bleus squad for the World Cup.

After an outstanding 2024-25 campaign in which he netted 17 goals across all competitions, the 28-year-old has continued his form this season, providing two assists and scoring nine goals, including in the Community Shield final against Liverpool. In the Premier League, only Erling Haaland (15) and Igor Thiago (11) have netted more goals than Mateta’s seven, underscoring why Spurs are now looking to sign him.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are closely monitoring the France international’s situation at Selhurst Park over a possible move to North London.

With his contract set to run out in 2027, Palace are currently in a contractual standoff with the France international and could consider selling him, with Tottenham now hoping to take advantage of the situation, according to the report.

Mateta to Tottenham

The report adds that Spurs are looking to bolster their attack to salvage their goalscoring struggles and have now made Mateta a ‘priority’ in the January transfer window.

Thomas Frank eased some of the mounting pressure by overseeing a 2-0 win against Brentford on Saturday, a result that delivered the club’s first Premier League home victory since the dominant opening-day win over Burnley.

Spurs rarely looked threatening at the back, while Richarlison was a constant threat upfront, netting the opener to mark his sixth goal of the season.

However, Frank’s remaining centre-forward options have struggled to find any cutting edge. Randal Kolo Muani is still searching for his first Premier League goal, and Dominic Solanke has featured just three times in all competitions due to a niggling ankle problem.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are in battle over a deal to sign Anderlecht’s highly rated winger Nilson Angulo, according to TEAMtalk.

The 22-year-old moved to Belgium from Ecuadorian side LDU Quito in 2022 and has grown to become one of the best players not just for Anderlecht but in the Jupiler Pro League this season.

He has been a reliable player for Besnik Hasi’s league-chasing side this campaign, featuring in 15 of Les Mauve et Blanc’s 16 league games, netting three goals and scoring in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.

While his dribbling and specialist ability to take on players have attracted interest from several clubs, what’s more impressive about the left winger is his creativity, as he has been a key part of the team’s creative unit, making eight assists across all competitions.

According to TEAMtalk, Man Utd and Tottenham have expressed interest in signing the Ecuador international in 2026.

The report adds that the Premier League duo are now closely monitoring Angulo’s performances in Belgium ahead of a potential move to England, having been present at the Lotto Park on November 30th, where he netted the winner against Union Saint-Gilloise.

However, with the transfer window fast approaching, the Ecuadorian winger is being courted by more Premier League clubs, with TEAMtalk adding that Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Leeds United are also keen on signing Angulo.

Battle

Both United and Tottenham spent significantly to reinforce their attack in the last summer transfer window.

For United, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko joined Ruben Amorim’s side in big-money moves, while Randal Kolo Muani, Mohammed Kudus, and Xavi Simons all joined, while Mathys Tel’s move was made permanent after spending last season on loan from Bayern Munich.

However, four months into the season, it is evident that attacking reinforcement is still needed in both teams’ attack, particularly on the left wing, with United utilising Mason Mount on several occasions on the left, while Spurs, on the other hand, are yet to find a viable replacement for Son Heung-Min.

Angulo would be a viable option for either club, as he’d provide creativity and a consistent goalscoring threat with his dribbling.