TBR Football

Ange Postecoglou has been speaking to the media ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter-final between Tottenham and Manchester United on Thursday.

The Australian is enduring a tough time in charge of Spurs right now, having gone five games without a win in all competitions before Sunday’s 5-0 victory over Southampton, with work to be done as Tottenham sit tenth in the Premier League.

However, the January transfer window is just days away, giving Spurs a chance to strengthen the squad with new signings – Postecoglou has already said he wants attacking reinforcements amid fitness issues for Richarlison.

Ange Postecoglou will actually have a new forward on his hands as soon as January begins in Yang Min-hyeok, a player he already sounds very excited by.

Tottenham struck a deal with Gangwon FC for the 18-year-old winger back in July for a fee in the region of £3m.

Spurs allowed the teenager to remain in South Korea and see out the K League 1 campaign with Gangwon FC – where he impressively scored 12 goals and provided six assists in 38 appearances.

Now, the South Korean wonderkid is in N17 ahead of his adventure with Tottenham, with the BBC quoting Postecoglou as saying: “We can’t register him until 1st January so he won’t train with us, but I always feel it’s good. I had this experience at Celtic with the Asian lads we brought in, the Japanese and Korean boys, bringing them in before Christmas which allows them to settle in, especially off the field.

“That way by the time we get to register them in a couple of weeks they are already settled and can train fully. It’s good to see him around. He has been doing some English lessons which is great, he’s already sort of conversing and it’s great to have him in the building.”

It sounds like Min-hyeok, who Spurs feel was a bargain, is nearly all ready to go as he attempts to emulate Heung-min Son’s heroics at Tottenham.

Yang Min-hyeok has already sent Tottenham fans a message

The Gwangju-born wonderkid has already told Spurs supporters what he intends to bring to Postecoglou’s squad.

Min-hyeok said: “My goal is to complete the remainder of the season without injuries, participate in matches, and contribute to the team with goals or assists.

“I consider myself a bit smaller and more agile, so I feel confident in my quick bursts of speed.”

With a fellow countryman in Son helping him out, and room for game time in the attack at Tottenham, the teenager could well be the spark Spurs need to ignite their 2024/25 campaign.

Off the back of their 5-0 thrashing of Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou will be desperate that his side put a run of positive results together moving forward this season.

The best possible proof of how unpredictable Tottenham have been this campaign is that they have won the same number of games they have lost (seven) in the Premier League so far.

Ange Postecoglou would have been hoping that his Spurs side kick on after his promising debut season in North London.

For that to be the case, the Lilywhites will need their squad to be as fully-fit as possible.

Ahead of Tottenham’s upcoming clash against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, Postecoglou has provided fresh injury updates involving Mikey Moore, Ben Davies and Richarlison.

Ange Postecoglou confirms Mikey Moore, Ben Davies and Richarlison injury news

The Brazilian forward has been sidelined through injury since November while it was recently reported that Mikey Moore would be ruled out until next year and Davies’ hamstring injury has kept him out since earlier this month.

But in his latest press conference, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Moore, who is back in training and Davies will return from injury next week while Richarlison’s return is scheduled at the start of the new year.

The Spurs manager told Football.London journalist Rob Guest: “Mikey is back in training. The next cabs off the rank are Mikey and Ben Davies potentially next week and Richarlison potentially first week of the new year.”

As a result, the Tottenham trio will be unable to play any part against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side.

However, Moore and Davies could be involved against Nottingham Forest, as Tottenham’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday might come too soon for the pair.

Ange Postecoglou has stated that Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero will return to full fitness in the new year.

“I think both will be in the new year. Not as significant an injury as last time with Micky but obviously having a setback the medical team is going to make sure he is right to go.”

As for Destiny Udogie, Ange Postecoglou confirmed that while he is not injured, the Italian left-back is still sore from a knock he took against Southampton.

“From the other night, Destiny no injury but he is still sore from the game. Not ruling him out but will see how he is with the turnaround.”

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign another central defender in January and have identified one who caused Erling Haaland issues earlier this season.

Ange Postceoglou’s defence has been decimated by injuries this term, with Spurs having lost Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies to long-term issues.

Against Southampton, the Australian had just one fit centre-back in Radu Dragusin and was forced to partner him with Archie Gray.

The North London club must address this glaring hole in their squad in January and they have found a defender who could be a great fit.

Tottenham keen on David Hanko from Feyenoord

David Hancko is one of several centre-backs who Tottenham are interested in signing, sources have revealed to Graeme Bailey, TBR Football’s football correspondent. Spurs are keen to find a left-sided defender who can play as backup to Micky van de Ven.

TBR Football understands that Hancko could be available in January with Feyenoord’s £35 million price tag from the summer expected to have now dropped. The Slovakian international has just 18 months left on his contract which is why the Dutch club are open to letting him leave next month.

The Lilywhites have watched Hancko on several occasions and he is on a list of targets which also includes Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi and RC Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Khusanov is valued at around £25 million.

Zabarnyi is likely to only be available in the summer and would be a replacement for Cristian Romero at £50 million. Last month, TBR Football reported that Spurs are ready to make Romero the club’s new top earner, although the defender ideally wants Champions League football before committing his future.

When Tottenham target David Hancko faced Erling Haaland

Hancko produced a top performance when he was tasked with marking Erling Haaland when the pair met in the Champions League back in November. The striker still managed to score twice, however, it wasn’t enough as Feyenoord snatched a point at the Etihad.

The Tottenham target even managed to get the 89-minute equaliser as he headed home from close range to cap off a strong showing in Manchester.

Heung-min Son was spotted in deep conversation with a player Tottenham Hotspur appreciate and could soon become a key target.

Tottenham have recently been targeting younger players with the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Yang Min-Heyok and Luka Vuskovic being added to their squad.

The North London club now have their eyes on another top young talent and they will hope Son put in a good word for them.

Heung-min Son spotted talking to Tyler Dibling who Tottenham like

Heung-min Son was spotted talking to Tyler Dibling after Tottenham defeated Southampton 5-0. The winger looked to be showing his appreciation for the teenager who has been impressing at St Mary’s.

TBR Football understands that Spurs like Dibling and he ticks a lot of the boxes they are looking to fill. The North London club could target another forward and the right-sided winger could be the perfect fit.

However, the Lilywhites will face competition for his signature as TBR Football reported on Tuesday that many clubs including Manchester United and Newcastle also appreciate Dibling. The 18-year-old is stalling over signing a new deal with the Saints and this has altered many clubs from all around Europe.

Tottenham will be hoping that their captain put in a positive word for them as they look to add yet another youngster to their ranks. Spurs are collecting a core of teenage talents with Ange Postecoglou the man tasked with developing their young squad.

Would Tyler Dibling be an upgrade on Brennan Johnson?

Tyler Dibling compared to Brennan Johnson is an interesting one as the data shows that they are two very different wingers. The Tottenham man has been an output machine this season with ten goals and two assists, however, in terms of his ability as a traditional winger, Dibling appears to be superior.

The teenager’s stats for progressive carries and dribbles are very impressive and show that he could be a great alternative to Johnson in different situations.

Fraser Forster wouldn’t have expected to play many games for Tottenham Hotspur this season, but he has been a regular recently.

Spurs lost Guglielmo Vicario to an ankle injury after the win over Manchester City. The Italian is expected to be out of action until at least February, if not a little longer.

Forster was called into action as a result, and he has started nine games in all competitions – seven of those have come since Vicario’s injury.

There is now an update on the experienced 36-year-old Englishman’s future ahead of the turn of the year.

Tottenham’s stance on Fraser Forster after his recent run of games

Forster joined Tottenham as a free agent in 2022 after he left Southampton.

The Englishman was always just going to be a backup at Spurs. That didn’t change following the departure of Hugo Lloris.

Vicario is Tottenham’s undisputed number one, but Forster has mostly done a good job since replacing the injured Italian over the last month.

Now, GiveMeSport have shared an update on Spurs’ goalkeeping situation.

It has been claimed that ‘Tottenham are beginning to search for a new goalkeeper’ to replace Forster in the coming months.

Ange Postecoglou is said to be concerned with the 36-year-old’s distribution and ability to play out from the back. He wants a goalkeeper who is much more comfortable on the ball.

Forster will enter the final six months of his contract in January. As things stand, it is looking likely that Spurs will let him leave as a free agent next year.

Will Tottenham sign a new goalkeeper in January?

The January transfer window is less than two weeks away, and Tottenham are expected to be active.

Spurs have had to suffer a lot because of injuries to several key players. They are in desperate need of strengthening their squad, and the expectation is that they will sign one or two players next month.

Postecoglou is definitely searching for a new goalkeeper and Tottenham have already been linked with John Victor of Botafogo.

However, GMS claim that Spurs’ plan is to stick with Forster and ignore the temptation of signing a new goalkeeper in the winter window.

But, they are still expected to ‘draw up a list of potential targets before the turn of the year as they contemplate their future options’.

Tottenham have some incredibly skilful players in their squad right now.

Dejan Kulusevski is an immensely talented player, while Yves Bissouma is brilliant on the ball too.

Fraser Forster says Heung-Min Son is the most skilful player at Tottenham, and speaking to Pro Direct Soccer, James Maddison has now named the least skilful player at Spurs.

Of course, Tottenham’s players are all Premier League footballers, so they all have an element of skill, but according to Maddison, there’s one player who just doesn’t quite have it in terms of skill.

James Maddison names Tottenham’s least-skilful player

Maddison named Micky van de Ven as the least skilful player at Tottenham right now.

The midfielder says that while Van de Ven is a very quick player, he’s not the most technical, questioning whether or not the Dutchman could even do keepy-uppies.

“We know who is the most skilled, but when it comes to having no skills on them, who is it?” Maddison was asked.

“I know who it is. I think I’m going to go for Van de Ven, big Micky. He has pace, he has a lot of that, but if you asked him to do a few keepy-uppies. He’s massive, his eyes and his head are so far away from his feet. I love you Micky, I love you,” Maddison said.

How fast is Micky van de Ven?

Van de Ven may not be the most skilful player in the world, but, as Maddison says, he has bags of pace.

We saw Van de Ven’s incredible pace against Manchester United earlier this season for his remarkable assist at Old Trafford.

So, just how fast is the defender?

Remarkably, Van de Ven is the fastest player The Speeds Database have on record at the moment.

Indeed, the £35m defender clocks in at being faster than Gareth Bale, Kylian Mbappe and Adama Traore.

Football is a very technical game, but if you have that sort of lightning pace, you can make up for a lack of skills.

Regardless of the fact Van de Ven can’t do keepy-uppies, he’s still one of Tottenham’s best and most important players.

Dejan Kulusevski has had the pleasure of playing with a whole host of incredible players throughout his career.

The Tottenham Hotspur creator has played with top-class players such as Heung-min Son, James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to name a few.

At Juventus, Dejan Kulusevski trained and played with legends of the game such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Giorgio Chiellini as well.

Ange Postecoglou raved about Kulusevski being a “fantastic player” himself, as he has been Spurs’ shining light in their otherwise difficult season.

A special talent who the Swedish midfielder played with who is also taking the Premier League by storm is Amad Diallo.

Dejan Kulusevski raves about ‘unbelievable’ Amad Diallo

Kulusevski played alongside Diallo at Atalanta, where both players developed as youngsters.

As Tottenham are set to go toe-to-toe with Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, the former Juventus technician has lauded his ex-teammate’s natural talent and the brilliant season he is having.

Kulusevski said via HaytersTV: “I know Amad [Diallo], I went to the same school as him, I went to the same class with him so I know him really well.”

“It’ll be fun and he’ll probably play, so it’ll be fun to play against him.”

“His talent is unbelievable and he’s been by far, one of their best players this season and he has so much talent and it will take him [a] long [way].”

Kulusevski is not the first big name within the game to praise the Ivorian, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lauding Diallo back in 2021 as one of the most exciting talents across world football.

Andre Onana hailed Amad Diallo’s skill as well as the former Inter Milan goalkeeper believes he is the Red Devils’ most skillful player, which justifies the Spurs attacker’s high praise.

Rio Ferdinand names Amad Diallo as Ruben Amorim’s main man at Man United

As Kulusevski stated, the versatile winger has been one of the standout performers in a struggling United side this season.

The youngster has two goals and six assists in just nine starts in the Premier League for Manchester United this campaign.

Rio Ferdinand singled Diallo out as the player who should be the first name on Ruben Amorim’s team sheet.

“And the new manager’s come in and I would go as far as to say he’s the first name on the sheet for this new manager and that’s a testament to this kid’s character, his will to change the tide and swing against the current and say to people, no, no, you can’t leave me out. You can’t!”

“With and without the ball, he’s been brilliant and I think he’s a real footballer. I don’t think that was ever in doubt, everyone could see the talent. But they just didn’t see the other side of him when you look at him.”

Heung-min Son is excited about one of the latest teenagers set to make his mark in North London and believes he could follow in the footsteps of Mikey Moore.

Tottenham have yet another teenager arriving in January as they continue to build a young core of players. Ange Postecoglou is being trusted to lead Tottenham’s young squad having been given the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert last summer.

Spurs have the fourth youngest squad in the Premier League, as per GIVEMESPORT. Now, they have another youngster soon to arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Postecoglou will be delighted to have another body through the door.

Heung-min Son excited for the arrival of Yang Min-Hyeok

Son Heung-min claims he is excited about the arrival of Yang Min-Hyeok and believes he could be just like Mikey Moore. The Tottenham captain is hoping that the winger is given time to settle in and not too much pressure is put on his shoulders.

Yang is just 18 and has left South Korea for the first time as he heads to London to link up with his new teammates. Son told the Evening Standard: “He’s a similar age to Mikey Moore. Everyone loves Mikey and when Yang is here I hope everyone loves him like Mikey.

“He’s been fantastic in his first season in the K-League, scored 12 goals and a lot of assists. He’s bright. He’s not scared. He’s a very bright player so I’m excited he’s coming here and I’ll try to help him as much as I can. But we just have to avoid putting pressure on him.”

How good is Yang Min-Hyeok?

Yang had an excellent season with Gangwon FC last season as he helped them to their highest league finish in the K-League ever. Gangwon finished runners-up and the winger’s contribution was rewarded with the K-League Young Player of the Season award.

Alfie Dorrington made his senior Tottenham Hotspur debut against Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium.

Spurs absolutely battered the Saints. They smashed five past them in the first half and brought an end to their dismal run.

Ange Postecoglou handed starts to Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall against Southampton, and the two youngsters did well.

In the second half, he brought on two more teenagers – Will Lankshear and Dorrington.

What Son Heung-min was shouting at Alfie Dorrington before his Tottenham debut

Son Heung-min is not just Tottenham’s captain, but he’s also a role model to all the young players at the club.

The South Korean has been magnificent for Spurs over the years. He has won them many games on his own and is a joy to be around at Hotspur Way.

Dorrington has been around the Tottenham first team for a long time now. He is a regular in senior training sessions, so Son knows him really well.

Against Southampton on Saturday, when Postecoglou decided to hand the 19-year-old his senior debut, Dorrington was delighted.

He has now revealed what happened on the touchline before he walked onto the pitch.

“It’s amazing to learn from the best, every day,” he told Tottenham’s official website. “Even when I’m not training, I’m still looking at the games, looking at what the players do, to try to continue developing my game.

“The players are so welcoming. I didn’t feel as if I was a young player, as such, with that pressure, they just treated me as normal and that really helped me settle in.

“Just before I went on, Sonny was behind me, shouting at me to be ready, telling me this is what I’d worked for. All the lads on the bench were so encouraging.”

Dorrington could play again for Tottenham very soon

Tottenham’s injury crisis at the back was definitely one of the reasons why Dorrington got to make his debut against Southampton.

Spurs are without Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies at the moment. They are all a big miss, especially the first two, but Dorrington’s debut is definitely a positive.

Tottenham’s next few games are difficult ones – they face Manchester United in the EFL Cup followed by Premier League clashes against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Newcastle United.

Dorrington is unlikely to feature in any of those games, but we think he will definitely get an opportunity when Tottenham face Tamworth in the FA Cup in January.

Dominic Solanke had big shoes to fill when he joined Tottenham in the summer.

Indeed, Solanke arrived as a club-record signing and as Harry Kane’s long-term replacement, and that’s a huge task.

Ange Postecoglou told Solanke how he’d fit into his system when he arrived at Tottenham, and, so far, it’s been working ok.

Solanke has shown glimpses of brilliance, but, by-and-large, he has been inconsistent,

Speaking on the Joy of Football Podcast, Carlton Cole has praise Solanke as a player, claiming that his movement up front is beautiful and reminds him of Hernan Crespo when he was at Chelsea.

Dominic Solanke reminds Carlton Cole of Hernan Crespo

Cole spoke highly of Solanke and the way he leads the line for Tottenham.

The pundit says that Solanke’s movement actually reminds him of Argentina legend, Hernan Crespo.

“I loved Dom Solanke’s movement the other night,” Cole said.

“So I’ll tell you why. Because it reminded me of what I saw. And this is a game I watched from the stands. I was in the squad, Hernan Crespo, against West Ham at Upton Park. I think it was a 2004 or 2005 season.

“He’d gone in front of him, showed himself, then went behind him, then went in front of him like that again. Then the defender moved, then he went behind him, ball come in, goal. For me, that is. Those type of goals there, that is just beautiful for me when I’m looking at football. When I saw Dom Solanke half done what he’d done, I was like, that’s beautiful.”

Dominic Solanke compared to Hernan Crespo

Crespo is known as a football legend, but the comparison to Solanke is interesting.

Indeed, Crespo and Solanke’s records in the Premier League are interesting to compare.

Solanke does have a 19-goal season to his name, but Crespo’s goal-to-game ratio is much greater.

That said, Crespo didn’t play much football in England, and in his first half-season at Chelsea he did get 10 goals in 19 games, a very impressive return.

Crespo was eventually phased out at Chelsea, replaced by Didier Drogba, a striker Wayne Rooney said was perfect.

Of course, Crespo achieved so much in Italy that his CV is so much more impressive than Solanke’s.

If Solanke can achieve half as much as Crespo did during his storied career, Spurs will have a star on their hands here, and, as Cole says, there are similarities in these two players’ games.