TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur supporters would perhaps unanimously agree that their side have been one of the most disappointing teams in the Premier League this season.

Despite their season tailing off at the end of the previous campaign, Tottenham seemed like they were on the right track under Ange Postecoglou.

However, Ange Postecoglou is struggling to help Spurs pull off a turnaround in their fortunes as exemplified by their 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest followed by their latest 2-2 draw against Wolves.

Postecoglou’s job as Tottenham boss is safe, however, despite how poor his side have been this season.

The Lilywhites are languishing in 11th place this season and the prospect of them failing to qualify for Europe seems like a realistic possibility.

However, in Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Foster believes Tottenham have a star who is doing his talking on the pitch.

Ben Foster says Dejan Kulusevski has been Tottenham’s “best player” this season

Kulusevski is good enough to play for Liverpool, as per Tim Sherwood, which goes to show how much his stock has skyrocketed this season.

Dominic Solanke raved about Kulusevski as well, marvelling at how “phenomenal” he has been this campaign.

Ben Foster claimed on his YouTube channel that the £25 million (BBC Sport) man has been Tottenham’s best player this season and by some distance.

“[Dejan] Kulusevski is the man, he’s incredible. I think you’re kind of seeing the real Kulusevski now.”

“When he first signed, he was phenomenal, a lot of injuries, it’s held him back but now you’re seeing Kulusevski, he’s been without a doubt their best player of the season so far.”

Glenn Hoddle raved about Kulusevski as Spurs’ “best player” this season by a “country mile” as well.

Gary Neville’s verdict about Kulusevski is that elite clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona will begin to consider him as a potential transfer target as well; such is the leap he has taken in a Tottenham shirt this season.

Ange Postecoglou named Dejan Kulusevski as Tottenham’s “best player this year”

Ange Postecoglou lauded Kulusevski as Tottenham’s standout performer in 2024 as well.

“You’ve always got to make decisions you think are right. I am never going to make decisions to alleviate or appease people’s opinions.”

“Deki has been our best player this year and I want to protect him because there is no chance he can play all these games we’ve got. Like I say, even if they can play, performance will invariably drop because it is not sustainable.”

In the new year, the Swedish international will be determined to set the same high standards.

Judging by his form throughout the season, it seems likely that Kulusevski will continue to soar.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a lot of injury issues over the past few months, which has hamstrung their efforts this season.

Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Wilson Odobert are currently unavailable.

However, one Tottenham player has taken to Instagram with a story suggesting he’s nearing a return from injury.

Wilson Odobert appears to be back in Tottenham training

The player in question is Wilson Odobert, who has struggled with injury since his £30million move from Burnley this summer.

Odobert made several appearances early on in the season before a hamstring injury ruled him out in September.

Though he returned to action against AZ in the Europa League, Odobert suffered a setback which has kept him out ever since.

Odobert underwent surgery in mid-November and has been undergoing rehabilitation, and now it looks as though he’s close to a return to action.

The 20-year-old took to Instagram stories to post a picture of himself in the changing rooms at Hotspur Way, wearing his football boots and socks.

Odobert’s picture suggests he’s about to head out to training, which in turn hints at a return to action sooner rather than later.

What everyone at Tottenham thinks of Odobert

If Odobert is indeed closing in on a return from injury, it would be a major boost for a Tottenham side seriously struggling on the personnel front.

Earlier this season, Alasdair Gold shared exactly what everyone at Tottenham thinks of Odobert on his YouTube channel.

“Odobert has been a big success behind the scenes so far, in terms of impressing Postecoglou and the coaching staff.

“He’s just got this terrific ability, technique, pace, he dribbles without fear and goes, and goes, and goes.”

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori is attracting interest from Tottenham and various other Premier League clubs ahead of the January window.

The England international has many options across the continent with the former Chelsea man understood to be considering his future at the San Siro.

Tomori’s name has been circulated to a host of clubs in recent weeks and several top-flight clubs from England are keen on the 27-year-old.

Tottenham and Newcastle discuss Fikayo Tomori move

Tottenham and Newcastle have discussed Fikayo Tomori in recent weeks, meanwhile, Brighton, Brentford and West Ham are firm admirers, sources have told TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.

Ange Postecoglou and Eddie Howe are looking to add a defender to their squads in the winter window and Tomori is a player they are both considering.

Tomori has played just 11 minutes of Serie A football since 19 October forcing him to start thinking about his future at the San Siro. However, his situation at AC Milan could soon change following the recent arrival of new manager Sergio Conceicao.

There is also big interest from Italy in Tomori as Napoli are being kept informed of his situation. Juventus also like him as they look at bringing in a couple of central defenders in January.

The Old Lady have already made a move for Benfica’s Antonio Silva and hope to conclude a loan with an obligation, whilst Feyenoord’s David Hancko, himself linked with Tottenham, is also on their radar.

What has gone wrong for Fikayo Tomori at AC Milan?

Tomori has spent five very successful years in Italy, however, this season things haven’t quite gone as well. The defender won the Serie A title with Milan back in 2022, now the Italian giants are struggling down in eighth place.

The former Chelsea academy star has lost his place in the team at Milan and hasn’t played a great deal of football over the past few months.

Tomori will be keen to secure more game time as he looks to work his way back into the England setup under Thomas Tuchel.

Former Three Lions boss Garth Southgate was not a fan of his, having told the media back in March 2023: “There have been quite a few errors [from him] this season. The great thing is he is playing at a big club. There are high expectations every time. We have one or two just ahead of him.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of January reinforcements with the team languishing down in 11th place following a 2-2 draw at home to Wolves.

Ange Postecoglou’s team have been so unfortunate with injuries this term and this has played a big part in such poor results. Against Wolves, Spurs were missing Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Djed Spence, Ben Davies, Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Wilson Odobert.

The North London club must help their manager out during next month’s transfer window by making several new additions to the squad.

Tottenham set to target five different positions

Tottenham are monitoring five different positions heading into the January transfer window, according to Football.London. Two defensive positions are being targeted: left-back and centre-back.

Central defence appears to be the biggest priority with 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray having to fill in there with three of their four options sidelined. Left-back has long been another priority and an injury to Udogie against Wolves will only increase the need for an addition there.

Elsewhere, a midfielder is being targeted and that would most likely be a number six with Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both disappointing. Postecoglou has previously spoken about signing an attacker although Tottenham are soon expecting Moore and Richarlison to return from injury along with summer signing Yang min-Hyeok now available.

Finally, a goalkeeper could also be targeted with Fraser Forster having produced mixed results since replacing the injured Guglielmo Vicario. The 36-year-old has proven to be a good shot-stopper but he’s been very poor with his feet, as demonstrated when he gifted Manchester United two goals. He has also conceded 25 goals in his 13 matches this season.

Tottenham could either bring in a short-term option to cover Vicario’s absence or a long-term challenger for the Italian could be brought in, although signing a top goalkeeper in January will be tricky.

Who are Tottenham actually looking at?

TBR Football has reported that Tottenham are looking at three different central defenders. Tottenham have opened talks with Lens over a deal for Abdukodir Khusanov although they face competition from Newcastle. Leeds’ Pascal Struijk is also a target for Spurs and David Hancko from Feyernood is also being considered.

Earlier this month, TBR Football reported that Tottenham had started talks to bring forward their deal to sign Johnny Cardoso. The Lilywhites agreed a £20.7 million option to sign him next summer with Real Betis as part of a deal for Giovani Lo Celso.

Randal Kolo Muani is set to be on the move in January with PSG ready to offload him. The Premier League looks like his most likely destination and TBR Football revealed on Monday that Kolo Muani’s camp had spoken to Spurs.

Ange Postecoglou’s team will head into the second half of the season sitting in 11th place with question marks now really hanging over his future at Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham were held to a 2-2 draw at home with Wolves meaning the hosts have now won just once in their last seven matches. The stats are quite damming for Postecoglou with 15 months having now passed since Spurs last managed to win three league games in a row.

Supporters are growing frustrated and want answers as to how the North London club are planning to save the season. Following the tough run, the current stance of the board and the player regarding their manager has been made known.

Why Tottenham are giving Postecoglou the benefit of the doubt

Ange Postecoglou does not appear to be in any immediate danger of the sack. According to Football.London, Tottenham are understanding of the tough situation the manager finds himself in.

The Australian head coach has several first-team players missing due to injuries and suspensions. Spurs’ list of absentees for the draw with Wolves included Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Djed Spence, Ben Davies, Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Wilson Odobert. Rodrigo Bentancur and Destiny Udogie will now join that list for the game against Newcastle.

The Lilywhites accept that playing his high-octane football becomes very tricky when his squad is so limited and having to play every three days or so. This has also been the case for the last few months and quite frankly, many of the players who remain standing just look shattered.

The big question facing Spurs is if they were to sack Postecoglou, would a new manager be able to navigate their way through the same tough situation? Perhaps a more pragmatic approach to matches might help, but would that bring about sustained success in the long term?

What the Tottenham dressing room think about Postecoglou

Another important factor keeping Postecoglou’s job safe for now is the understanding that the boss retains the backing of the dressing room. Usually by now, the Tottenham players have turned on the coach, however, that is not the case with Postecoglou.

The Spurs players are still playing for him and have shown him their support despite a tricky run of results and questionable performances. After the draw with Wolves, Brennan Johnson revealed that the squad are still giving their all in the face of adversity which suggests the players have not given up on their current boss.

Johnson told Spurs Official: “I’m not going to lie and say we’re all buzzing, it’s been tough and the minimum we can do is give our all and that’s what we’re all doing. I don’t think I can doubt anyone’s belief and work rate to the cause, obviously, it’s just disappointing when results like that happen so late on.”

Tottenham made it three Premier League games without victory after conceding a late equaliser to Wolves on Sunday.

Goals from Rodrigo Bentancur, Brennan Johnson, Hwang Hee-chan and Jorgen Strand Larsen meant the points were shared in a 2-2 draw, with the latter netting an 87th minute equaliser.

The result moves Wolves up to 17th in the Premier League – out of the relegation zone – while Tottenham sit 11th.

Ange Postecoglou will surely be furious that his side failed to hang on – and the Australian may be especially upset with Fraser Forster when he watches the game back later on.

Fraser Forster accused of turning his back on Jorgen Strand Larsen’s shot

Speaking on BBC Final Score while covering the 2-2 draw, Stephen Warnock accused the Tottenham No.20 of turning his back to Larsen’s shot.

The 43-year-old said: “Fraser Forster has been done near post. The run from Jorgen Strand Larsen is lovely, as is the pass from Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Strand Larsen lashes the ball as hard as he can near post, top corner.

“Forster almost turns his back on it rather than standing tall and being brave. He should not be beaten from there.”

The England international did appear to turn his head away from the action when the Denmark international fired the ball goalwards, and given his towering 6ft 7in frame, there is no way he should have been beaten at his near post.

Tottenham fans will have to wait for Guglielmo Vicario

Forster is struggling while deputising for the injured Guglielmo Vicario – conceding 12 goals in his last four appearances – but Spurs fans will have to wait a little longer for the Italian to return.

When asked for an update on the Tottenham No.1 ahead of Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Wolves, Postecoglou revealed: “He’s still a fair bit away, but whatever timeline it is he’ll make sure he’s back as soon as possible. He’s still very much around the group. He’s at training every day. He’s one of the leaders, and he’s progressing well.”

Jose Mourinho is plotting a move to reunite himself with Heung-min Son at Fenerbahce with the winger’s contract with Tottenham still undecided.

Son enjoyed some of the most prolific seasons of his career under Mourinho as he managed 29 goals and 25 assists in 70 matches under him at Tottenham.

The 61-year-old was a big fan of Son at Spurs and he is keen to work with him again at Fenerbahce. The Turkish club are now putting plans together to try and lure him away from North London.

Jose Mourinho keen to reunite with Heung-min Son

Fenerbahce are expected to be one of the biggest clubs in the next two transfer windows and Jose Mourinho is targeting three big names, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Heung-min Son is one of the players the Portugese coach wants to bring to Istanbul, along with Joao Felix and Nicola Zalewski.

Mourinho believes the lure of trophies could be enough to tempt the South Korean forward to The Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Mourinho is a big fan of the South Korean having told EA Sports FC: “I look at Son as one of the best players in the world. Maybe Tottenham supporters aren’t going to be happy with what I’m going to say, it’s not disrespectful. He could win titles, he could play for the best teams.”

At this moment in time, Son will be free to talk to foreign clubs in January with the Tottenham captain’s current contract due to expire next summer. Mourinho could therefore have the chance to sign the 32-year-old for nothing in July 2025.

What is the latest on Heung-min Son’s Tottenham contract?

TBR Football reported back in November that Tottenham had decided not to offer Son a new contract, although they are planning to take up their one-year contract extension. However, with just a few days until January and nothing being announced, it just leaves the door open to other clubs getting involved.

Son’s camp were left unhappy with Spurs’ decision to end talks over a new deal and perhaps that has caused issues over the extension option being activated.

Tottenham Hotspur will look to get back to winning ways when they face a resurgent Wolverhampton Wanderers side in Sunday’s Premier League clash in North London.

Spurs have lost their last two Premier League games and, to make things worse, all four of their senior central defenders are either injured or doubts.

Tottenham will take on a Wolves outfit who have enjoyed a new manager bounce under Vitor Pereira, beating both Leicester City and Manchester United.

TBR Football looks at who Ange Postecoglou could name in the Spurs starting XI for the visit of the Molineux side.

Tottenham team news v Wolves

Radu Dragusin injured his ankle against Nottingham Forest and faces a late fitness test ahead of the Wolves game.

Meanwhile, Ben Davies is set for an extended stay on the sidelines after suffering a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury in training.

Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Mikey Moore, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are still injured, while Djed Spence is suspended.

Alfie Dorrington backed to start for Tottenham as Brennan Johnson drops out

Fraser Forster is expected to start once again in goal while Vicario remains on the sidelines.

Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie are likely to start at full-back, while Archie Gray should continue at centre-back.

Postecoglou then has to decide who will partner Gray, assuming that Dragusin won’t be available to start.

The Tottenham boss could opt to hand Alfie Dorrington his first ever start for Spurs at senior level, just weeks after making his debut against Southampton.

Postecoglou has more leeway in midfield, and we predict that Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur will get the nod, with James Maddison as the No. 10.

Finally, Tottenham’s front line could be made up of captain Son Heung-min on the left, Dejan Kulusevski on the right, and Dominic Solanke leading the line.

Brennan Johnson would drop out of the starting XI from the Forest game, with Kulusevski moving over to the right to replace the £48million man.

Tottenham Hotspur are in dire straits at present as their injury issues continue to mount.

Spurs lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, leaving them a lowly 11th in the Premier League table.

In addition, Tottenham are now without all four of their senior centre-backs after Radu Dragusin was forced off against Forest.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain on the sidelines, while Ben Davies has suffered a setback and will be out for some more weeks.

As a result, Ange Postecoglou could now find himself handing a Tottenham academy defender his first ever start in the senior setup.

Alfie Dorrington could make full Tottenham debut against Wolves

The player in question is Alfie Dorrington, who made his Spurs debut in the 5-0 win over Southampton earlier in December.

The 19-year-old has been going from strength to strength in the Tottenham academy and is now in and around the first-team picture.

Prior to his debut against Southampton, Dorrington had made the matchday squad in three Europa League games and a Carabao Cup match.

And after his debut, Dorrington was among the subs against Liverpool, which shows that he’s rated highly by Postecoglou.

With Tottenham’s centre-back ranks now completely depleted, Dorrington could well make his full debut for Spurs against Wolves on Sunday.

What Tottenham fans could expect from Dorrington

Last year, Alasdair Gold described Dorrington as “terrific” and said he was “pushing his claims” for more first-team involvement.

Meanwhile, Superhotspur wrote a detailed scouting report about Dorrington in 2022.

“Alfie Dorrington is a good passer of a football,” they wrote. “And he is very capable of making long and accurate cross field diagonal passes.

“A strong defender, Alfie is a brave central defender who keeps good defensive positioning on the pitch.

“He is very good at making blocks and is also strong and decisive in the challenge.

“A passionate player on the pitch, Dorrington makes it difficult for forwards to get good chances on goal, as he is clever in his defending.”

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are both having a very difficult season.

Spurs suffered their ninth defeat of the campaign in the Premier League on Boxing Day. Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest beat them 1-0.

Manchester United too ended up on the losing side on Boxing Day. They were beaten 2-0 by Wolves after Bruno Fernandes got himself a red card early in the second half.

Both clubs are expected to do some business in the January transfer window. Jamie O’Hara has claimed that he would love to see Tottenham sign a Manchester United player.

Jamie O’Hara wants Tottenham to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United

Marcus Rashford has no place in Manchester United’s squad anymore.

Ruben Amorim has left him out in each of his side’s last four games, and it is very clear now that he does not have a future at Old Trafford.

TBR Football revealed recently that Atletico Madrid are interested in Rashford and would be open to signing him on loan in the January transfer window.

We also confirmed that Barcelona have been offered a chance to sign the Manchester United man, as have Bayern Munich and Fenerbahce.

While discussing the 27-year-old’s future, Tottenham supporting pundit O’Hara claimed that he would ‘love’ to see Spurs sign Rashford.

However, he admitted that a move to North London is unlikely.

He said on talkSPORT: “I’d snap your hand off for him. But I don’t think he’d sign for us. I would love him at Spurs but I just don’t think we’d be able to afford his wages.

“One of the big teams in Europe will have him. Bayern Munich, Dortmund, someone will pay his wages, 100 per cent, PSG… He will go somewhere.

“At the end of the day, Marcus Rashford is a big name in football, so I think he will definitely still have the opportunity to go and play football somewhere.

“And he needs to. He needs to get out of Manchester United. It’s done, it’s over, move on. He needs to get away from it.”

Should Tottenham try to sign Rashford in January?

Tottenham are in a lot of trouble at the moment.

Spurs have lost nine of their first 18 games in the Premier League. They are 11th in the table and many people including O’Hara are calling for Ange Postecoglou to be sacked.

The Australian has to strengthen his squad in January to turn things around. He could do with a new attacker, and a player of Rashford’s quality is definitely someone they should consider.

If Postecoglou believes he can get Rashford to perform at the level he is capable of, a move in January should be a no-brainer.

However, there’s no way Daniel Levy will pay Rashford his near-£400,000-a-week wages – he will have to agree to reduce his pay and Manchester United may have to chip in too if a potential loan deal is to go through.