Sports Mole

Bayern Munich are allegedly keen to remove any Tottenham Hotspur clauses in a new contract for Harry Kane.

The England international is currently preparing to discover whether he will become the winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Sports Mole's reporters have given their take ahead of the awards ceremony in London on Monday evening.

However, the 33-year-old has more to consider than the Ballon d'Or, with Bayern eager to tie him down to fresh terms.

Previous reports have suggested that the Bundesliga champions are closing in on an announcement.

© Imago / Kirchner-Media

Bayern push for specific Kane contract term

As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Bayern want to end Spurs' position in Kane's current deal.

The Premier League outfit - Kane's former club - are currently able to match any bid made for their club-record goalscorer.

That essentially keeps them in the race to re-sign Kane should he ever wish to leave the Allianz Arena.

Nevertheless, Bayern seemingly want Kane to give the green light for the clause to be removed.

At this point in time, Kane's stance on Bayern's request is unclear.

© Iconsport / Heiko Becker, HMB Media / Alamy

Kane in no rush for Premier League return

There was once the perception that Kane may jump at the chance to return to the Premier League once he entered the final 12 months of his Bayern contract.

Instead, 156 goals from 159 appearances and two Bundesliga titles have helped Kane remain settled in Germany.

He also views Bayern as giving him his best chance to win a Champions League trophy before retirement, essentially ending any realistic hope that Spurs fans may have had over a reunion in the future.

The first major twist of the 2026-27 Premier League title race took place in gameweek eight, as Manchester City's perfect start to the campaign came to a bitter end in a 2-1 loss to Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

The Sky Blues still sit at the summit of the Premier League standings, but only goal difference is separating them from reigning champions Arsenal, whose 2-0 victory over Everton drew them level with Enzo Maresca's men on 21 points.

Brighton & Hove Albion remain in the bronze medal position despite going down 2-0 to Liverpool, who have leapfrogged Chelsea into the coveted fourth spot after the Blues' shock 2-0 home loss to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Brentford squandered the chance to move level on 13 points with Chelsea as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hull City, and Leeds United similarly failed to capitalise on the Bees' slip-up, only mustering a goalless stalemate at Sunderland.

Newcastle United join Leeds, Brentford and Villa on 11 points after a straightforward 2-0 success at Crystal Palace, bumping Ipswich Town out of the top half after the Tractor Boys' 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

Elsewhere in the bottom half, Michael Carrick's second Manchester United reign may very well be in tatters after a shocking 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, while Fulham eased the pressure on Alvaro Arbeloa once more by eking out a 1-0 win at Coventry City.

Here, Sports Mole presents the Premier League Team of the Week for round eight of the 2026-27 season.

Premier League Team of the Week

GK: James Trafford (Leeds United)

Staking his claim for the England number one shirt ahead of November's international break, James Trafford repelled Sunderland time and time again during Leeds' hard-fought draw, making four saves, three high claims and 12 recoveries at the Stadium of Light.

RB: Daniel Munoz (Nottingham Forest)

The full-backs stole the show for Nottingham Forest against Ipswich, as Daniel Munoz delivered the assist for Neco Williams's opener and also won four of his five tackles at Portman Road.

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)

Marking his 200th Premier League appearance with a Premier League first, Arsenal rock Gabriel Magalhaes scored his first non set-piece goal in the English top flight, in addition to making a staggering 14 defensive contributions against Everton.

CB: James Hill (Bournemouth)

Gabriel's 14 defensive contributions pale in comparison to James Hill's outstanding feats for Bournemouth against Man Utd, though, comprising six tackles, four interceptions, seven clearances - two of which were off the line - four blocks and three recoveries in the Cherries' latest three-goal Old Trafford triumph.

LB: Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest)

Latching onto the end of Munoz's delightful cross with an even more delightful finish, Williams executed his Ipswich volley to perfection to put Forest ahead on Friday night, while also creating two chances in the two-goal stalemate.

CM: Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth)

The Theatre of Dreams has been James Tavernier's playground in recent seasons; the Bournemouth attacker provided two assists in a 3-0 win in 2023, scored and assisted in last year's 4-4 stalemate, and doubled the Cherries' lead in Sunday's thrilling victory.

CM: John McGinn (Aston Villa)

Home wins against Man City are now bread and butter for Aston Villa and John McGinn, who teed up Nicolas Jackson's opening goal and created four chances in total against the current league leaders.

CM: Julio Enciso (Ipswich)

After forcing Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic into a rare mistake, Julio Enciso made no such mistake when one-on-one with Matz Sels, convincingly drawing Ipswich level with his first top-flight goal of the campaign.

RW: Oscar Bobb (Fulham)

In a game largely devoid of individual shining lights, Oscar Bobb provided the one decisive moment for Fulham against Coventry, skilfully working the angle for a strike and finding the far corner with aplomb.

ST: Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa)

A penny for a Joao Pedro-less Chelsea's thoughts as Jackson produced his latest Lions masterclass against City, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post before squirming the ball underneath the Italian to snap the Sky Blues' 100% start to the season.

LW: Mathys Tel (Tottenham)

Brought back into the Spurs XI at the expense of Dominic Solanke, Mathys Tel justified Roberto De Zerbi's initially controversial call with a perfectly-placed strike at Stamford Bridge, where he also completed four dribbles to help run the Chelsea defence ragged.

A former Chelsea defender, speaking exclusively to Sports Mole, has highlighted two ways that the Blues can improve their defensive numbers after their latest dismal rearguard showing.

Xabi Alonso's men welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge on Saturday night after belatedly keeping their first clean sheet of the Premier League season in last weekend's 2-0 victory away to Everton.

Chelsea were strongly favoured to get the better of their bottom-half London rivals, potentially with another clean sheet in tow, but a Mike Penders own goal and Mathys Tel strike launched Tottenham to an unexpected 2-0 win in the London derby.

Chelsea have now conceded 15 goals in just eight Premier League games this season, the most of any team in the top nine of the Premier League table and the joint third-most in the division, level with Coventry City and only below Crystal Palace (17) and Ipswich Town (16).

Alonso's side have also conceded at least twice in seven of their 10 matches across all tournaments this season, as the former Real Madrid boss struggles to find a consistent solution to his side's defensive woes.

Two ways Chelsea can fix leaky defence after Tottenham disappointment

© Iconsport / Mark Pain/Alamy Live News

Asked by Sports Mole how Chelsea can fix their leaky backline, ex-Blues left-back Tony Dorigo - who made 164 appearances for the West London giants - implored Alonso to work with his defenders on their concentration and with his midfielders and forwards on tracking back effectively.

"It’s a team game and they must defend from the front," Dorigo said. "You can’t just put this on the defenders. I am sure Alonso is always looking to address this.

"More concentration from the defence, and more work from the forwards and midfielders to get behind the ball will help as this will stop the opposition from being able to create chances.

"Having more quality back in [Moises] Caicedo will help, but Chelsea have enough top players to improve their defensive record."

Chelsea's 0-2 Tottenham: Blues' dismal defence highlights major experience problem

© Iconsport / Alex Ferrelly / Crystal Pix / Sports Press Photo / Alamy

Moises Caicedo has been limited to just four appearances in all tournaments this season due to injury, and Chelsea have conceded 12 goals across the six games that the Ecuador international has been unavailable for.

In the three games that Caicedo has started this season, Chelsea have let in three goals, while he was only on the pitch for 14 minutes of their chaotic 4-3 win over Brighton & Hove Albion before picking up another injury.

The Blues have also been hamstrung by Reece James's perpetual fitness woes, but with the captain in the side in their opening four games of the Premier League season, they still shipped nine goals in games against Fulham, Brighton, Arsenal and Hull City.

Emiliano Martinez's serious jaw injury and subsequent surgery also deprives the Blues of an experienced World Cup winner, and Penders's inexperience was on full display when he inadvertently punched a Tottenham corner into his own net on Saturday night.

The 21-year-old will continue to be protected by a Chelsea central line without a single player over the age of 26 - Maxence Lacroix is the most experienced member of the defence - so there will seemingly be no solution to the Blues' rearguard problems in the short-term.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been backed to challenge Jude Bellingham for the England number 10 spot in the next six months despite his senseless red card against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 24-year-old has not represented his nation since March due to various reasons, missing out on the World Cup for tactical reasons and then withdrawing from Thomas Tuchel's September/October squad owing to fitness troubles.

Tuchel has made no bones about his frustration regarding Palmer's situation, admitting that the Chelsea attacker misses too many England camps, and he did himself no favours of a November call-up on Saturday evening.

After escaping a straight red card for barging into Mateus Fernandes face, Palmer picked up a second yellow for treading on Conor Gallagher's leg, as Xabi Alonso's men slipped to a dreadful 2-0 defeat against their London rivals.

Palmer will now miss Wednesday's EFL Cup fourth-round clash vs. Liverpool before returning against Manchester United on October 31, shortly before Tuchel selects his squad to face Croatia and Spain in November's Nations League games.

Chelsea's Cole Palmer sent fresh England message after Tottenham red card

© Iconsport / PA Images

Ex-Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has now spoken exclusively with Sports Mole about Palmer's situation, admitting that the 24-year-old could be as low down as seventh in the number 10 pecking order one month, but he has expressed his view that Palmer can be a direct competitor for Bellingham before the season is over.

"Put yourself in Cole’s position," Nevin said. "He was injured for much of last season, did not have the season he wanted and then missed out on the World Cup. He had been close to the front of the queue with England, and now he is further down the pecking order.

“Tuchel has been clear that he needs players to turn up, both in the sense of being physically available and performing at the level required. If Cole were sulking about it, that would be the wrong response. But I do not think that is what he is doing. I think he is getting himself back to the player we know.

“The injuries seem less of an issue, Chelsea’s new style suits him and, since Enzo Fernandez left, he has become more central to the team. Without European football, he is not being overworked either. He has an opportunity to rebuild.

“He is further out of the England picture at the moment, but would I be surprised if he were right back challenging Jude Bellingham in six months? Not at all. He is a brilliant player.

“The problem is the competition. England have an extraordinary number of outstanding players who can operate in that No.10 role. Cole might be second in the queue one month and fifth or seventh another.

“Bellingham is clearly first choice at the moment. I have never questioned his ability, but I have previously wondered whether he was playing for himself or for England. Now, I think he is clearly playing for the team.

“Whether that is maturity, Tuchel’s influence or both, I do not know. But it makes things difficult for Cole. Looking at his personality, though, I do not think he will sit around feeling sorry for himself. He will try to give himself the best chance."

How does Cole Palmer compare to England's other number 10s?

As well as trying to usurp Bellingham, Palmer is also wrestling the likes of Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze for the right to start as England's creative focal point behind Harry Kane.

Comparing all five options using data from the 2026-27 domestic seasons, Bellingham tops the overall goal contributions charts, coming up with six in total courtesy of three goals and three assists.

Palmer (two goals, three assists) and Rogers (four goals, one assist) only just trail the Real Madrid star, though, and the former has also registered the most attempts on goal of any member of the quintet.

However, Palmer also possesses the worst dribble success rate so far, while Bellingham leads the way in that regard and also boasts the best shots-on-target ratio, before Real Madrid face Barcelona in Sunday's El Clasico.

Palmer's Expected Goals (xG) total of 2.06 is the highest among the five, but so is his 10 fouls, and his misdemeanour against Tottenham would have done his chances of getting back into Tuchel's good books no good at all.

Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge without conceding for the first time since December 1986.

The Blues lost for the first time at home this season, with Spurs emerging as 2-0 victors on Saturday in the Premier League.

An own goal from shot-stopper Mike Penders and a late strike from Mathys Tel ensured Chelsea would suffer their third league defeat of the campaign.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the performance was how easily Tottenham outplayed their hosts, and boss Xabi Alonso cannot dismiss the loss as simply another game considering the nature of the clubs' rivalry.

The fact that Tottenham won without conceding at Stamford Bridge for the first time since December 1986 will be a major concern to the Spaniard, whose side have been frustratingly inconsistent.

Why Xabi Alonso should be alarmed by Chelsea's loss against Tottenham

Losing against a rival like Spurs may ordinarily be understandable, but Chelsea welcomed a Tottenham side that had taken just six points from their first seven league games prior to the weekend.

The visitors were especially dominant in the middle of the pitch, though perhaps it should have not come as a surprise considering Jordan Henderson has been a regular starter in recent weeks.

Alonso brought the 36-year-old to Stamford Bridge following the club's failure to land Granit Xhaka in the summer, and the fact he has had to play the Englishman so often is a damning indictment of his squad depth.

The manager will no doubt highlight that his team's defeat was partly self inflicted given Penders scored an own goal and Cole Palmer was sent off.

However, the Blues have already conceded 15 goals in the league and have failed to win half of their eight matches in the top flight, and there are still major problems for the head coach to address.

© Imago / Sportimage

Cole Palmer concern: Red card and lack of goals for Chelsea

While Palmer should not be expected to be at his best in every game, he has often struggled to impact games against the best teams in the division.

The attacker has registered just four goal involvements in his last 18 league appearances against the Premier League's big six.

There are more pressing concerns in areas of the pitch other than the frontline, but Palmer's contributions in the final third must also improve if Chelsea are to climb the table.

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Chelsea 2-0 on Saturday night, securing a rare Stamford Bridge victory.

Neither team were able to break the deadlock during a largely uneventful opening 45 minutes, with Omar Marmoush's saved effort from close range the only truly notable chance of the first half.

Tottenham's dominance of possession continued after the restart but both teams continued struggling for quality in the final third, but the deadlock was eventually broken with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Mike Penders, making his full Premier League debut, misjudged the flight of a Tottenham corner and punched the ball back into his own goal, giving Spurs a late lead.

It quickly went from bad to worse for Chelsea as Cole Palmer received his marching orders for a second yellow just minutes later, and Mathys Tel then sealed Spurs' victory with a fantastic solo goal.

The victory at Stamford Bridge is a rarity for Tottenham Hotspur, who have now won at Chelsea's home ground for just the second time in Premier League history.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Chelsea and Tottenham both lacked any real quality in the final third for much of the encounter, with the game-changing moment even coming via an own-goal rather than as a product of any creativity.

Spurs were dominant in possession and often pinned Chelsea deep inside their own half for large spells, with a lack of a natural striker's presence in attack stopping the Blues from being able to get forward.

Xabi Alonso's decision to not start Danny Welbeck in attack given Joao Pedro's absence looks even more peculiar given Chelsea's performance today.

Despite being hugely helped by Penders' own-goal opening the scoring, Roberto De Zerbi will be delighted by Tel's second to seal the victory, which has been a rarity for Spurs at Stamford Bridge.

The performances have been steadily improving for Tottenham throughout the season, and the results are now also starting to go their way, with Spurs climbing to 12th after recording back-to-back Premier League triumphs.

CHELSEA VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR HIGHLIGHTS

Mike Penders own-goal vs. Chelsea (77th min, Chelsea 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur)

Tottenham have the lead! Nightmare for Penders!

Mateus Fernandes delivers an in-swinging corner, and Penders looks to come and punch clear.

The goalkeeper is under pressure by the advancing Jan Paul van Hecke, and Penders fails to make the correct contact, punching the ball backwards and over his own goalline.

It goes from bad to worse for Chelsea! Palmer has been sent off!

Conor Gallagher slides for the ball and Palmer steps on the midfielder's ankle, with Chris Kavanagh swiftly dispatching a second yellow and red card to the Chelsea man.

Mathys Tel goal vs. Chelsea (87th min, Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur)

Tel seals the win for Tottenham! That is a fantastic individual goal!

Tel drives from inside his own half deep into Chelsea's territory and to just outside the Blues box, where the forward lets fly.

Tel's effort fizzes across the surface and nestles beautifully in the bottom left corner, giving Penders no chance.

MAN OF THE MATCH - MATHYS TEL

Tel had arguably one of his best performances in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt tonight, including scoring a stunning solo goal to seal all three points for the Lilywhites.

The forward completed the most dribbles (four) of any player during the match, and had more touches in the opposition box (10) than any other player.

Alongside also creating two chances and scoring the second goal of the match, Tel is a deserving winner of this award.

CHELSEA VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MATCH STATS

Possession: Chelsea 32%-68% Tottenham Hotspur

Shots: Chelsea 7-15 Tottenham Hotspur

Shots on target: Chelsea 4-4 Tottenham Hotspur

Corners: Chelsea 4-6 Tottenham Hotspur

Fouls: Chelsea 14-14 Tottenham Hotspur

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Up next for Chelsea is a challenging trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, were eliminated in the third round by Liverpool, meaning they will have a full week break before returning to action against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed their starting lineups for Saturday's Premier League London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Blues boss Xabi Alonso has made two changes to the team that began last weekend's 2-0 win over Everton, and there is no Joao Pedro in the hosts' squad to face Spurs.

The Brazilian completed 92 minutes of last weekend's triumph at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and his absence from the ranks is yet to be explained by Alonso.

Pedro's omission deprives Chelsea of a man with five goals and three assists in six Premier League matches this season, but rather than replace him with a like-for-like striker in Danny Welbeck, Alonso has handed a surprise start to Geovany Quenda.

The 19-year-old winger makes his full Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge and joins Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers in the front three; the latter is ostensibly set to operate as a false nine.

Chelsea's only other alteration from their triumph at Everton is an inevitable one, as Mike Penders replaces first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after the Argentine suffered a broken jaw last weekend.

Chelsea vs. Tottenham lineups: No Joao Pedro as Spurs make two changes

As for Tottenham, Roberto De Zerbi has also made two changes to the team that started Monday's 3-1 win over Coventry City, the Lilywhites' first top-flight triumph of the season.

Spurs have lost former Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo to the calf injury he picked up against the Sky Blues, so De Zerbi has seemingly switched to a back four with Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven operating centrally.

In Tosin's place, Mateus Fernandes comes back into the starting side alongside Sandro Tonali in midfield, and there is another role in the number 10 slot for James Maddison.

The second Tottenham change sees Mathys Tel replace Dominic Solanke, an alteration that will free up Omar Marmoush to operate as the visitors' number nine.

Pedro Porro is back on the Tottenham bench after recovering from a muscular injury, joining Dejan Kulusevski and ex-Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher in the away dugout.

Chelsea can move level on points with third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League table by taking all three points against Tottenham, who conversely could rise from 19th to 11th with a first away top-flight success this term.

Chelsea XI: Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Caicedo, Henderson, Hato; Palmer, Quenda; Rogers

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Fofana, Gusto, Palestra, Barco, Lavia, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Welbeck

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Kudus, Maddison, Tel; Marmoush

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be preparing to discuss a possible contract extension with experienced defender Ben Davies.

The 33-year-old is in his 13th season in North London, having joined from Swansea City in July 2014.

After making only five appearances in all competitions last season, many fans expected the Welsh international to leave during the summer.

Instead, Davies agreed to a surprise one-year extension in June, extending his long spell in the English capital.

The seasoned full-back remains the club’s longest-serving player by some distance and continues to demonstrate his value behind the scenes.

Spurs to 'revisit' Ben Davies contract situation

© Imago

According to Football Insider, the North London club are hoping to hold talks with Ben Davies and his representatives over the coming months.

The club’s senior figures are expected to discuss a possible further 12-month extension, which would keep the defender at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until June 2028.

Both sides are understood to be willing to return to the matter towards the end of the season and assess whether there is scope to reach a new agreement.

A one-year deal would appear to suit all parties, given Davies’ standing as a loyal servant to the club.

Davies is reportedly happy with his current role on the pitch, while Tottenham are keen to keep him if he continues to make a contribution.

How important is Davies for De Zerbi?

© Iconsport / SUSA

Despite his advancing years, Davies could still have an important role to play under head coach Roberto De Zerbi this season.

The Italian believes Davies’ leadership and wealth of experience could prove crucial as Tottenham look to climb the Premier League table.

The defender has made more than 350 appearances for Spurs over the past 12 years and has earned 104 caps for Wales.

Today's Premier League predictions include a Big Six battle between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, following the fascinating lunchtime kickoff between Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Aston Villa vs. Man City (Sat, 12.30pm)

Premier League leaders Manchester City will endeavour to preserve their perfect top-flight record when they travel to Villa Park to face a resurgent Aston Villa outfit on Saturday lunchtime.

The two teams meet just five months after they locked horns for Pep Guardiola’s final match as Citizens manager at the end of last season, with Villa running out 2-1 victors at the Etihad.

We say: Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester City

An energised and improving Aston Villa side will carry immense confidence into this weekend's clash, buoyed by a strong upturn in form and a stellar recent track record against Man City.

However, a relentless Citizens outfit, who have talisman Haaland fit to lead the line and consistently grind out positive results even when they do not perform at their optimal level, have our backing to claim a slender victory, keeping them clear at the top of the table.

> Aston Villa vs. Man City preview

Arsenal vs. Everton (Sat, 3pm)

An Arsenal outfit going in search of a third straight Premier League win host an Everton side at risk of a third straight Premier League game without a win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's men stayed within touching distance of Manchester City courtesy of a 1-0 success at Nottingham Forest last weekend, while the Toffees were subjected to their first loss of the top-flight campaign, a 2-0 reverse vs. Chelsea.

We say: Arsenal 2-0 Everton

Arsenal are now clocking up the air miles in Europe and have lost one of their most influential attackers over the past five seasons, but Arteta's cavalry have stepped up at both the City Ground and the Allianz Arena over the past week.

Against a confidence-zapped Everton side who have averaged less than a goal a game over their last five matches, we can only picture the Premier League champions making it three top-flight wins on the trot.

> Arsenal vs. Everton preview

Coventry City vs. Fulham (Sat, 3pm)

Seeking to build on their first Premier League win of the campaign, Fulham travel to the CBS Arena to face Coventry City on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams currently occupy a place in the bottom four of the Premier League table, with the Cottagers sitting just inside the relegation zone in 18th spot, one place and one point behind the Sky Blues in 17th.

We say: Coventry City 2-1 Fulham

Five of Coventry’s last six home games have produced over 3.5 goals, while Fulham have found the net in seven of their nine matches across all competitions this term, suggesting plenty of goalmouth action could be in store on Saturday.

A close contest between two sides desperate to climb away from danger is anticipated at the CBS Arena, but we are backing the Sky Blues to rise to the occasion on home soil and pick up all three points.

> Coventry City vs. Fulham preview

Chelsea vs. Tottenham (Sat, 5.30pm)

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to build on their first Premier League win of the season when they travel to Stamford Bridge for an intriguing London derby against Chelsea on Saturday evening.

These two teams most recently butted heads just over five months ago when the Blues claimed a 2-1 home victory at the end of last season, courtesy of goals from former midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos.

We say: Chelsea 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Both teams will enter this Stamford Bridge battle in buoyant mood following victories last time out, but Chelsea must still be regarded as firm favourites given their historically dominant home record against their rivals.

Having scored at least two goals in seven of their last 10 meetings with Spurs, we are backing Alonso's free-scoring Blues to showcase their superior firepower once again and outscore the visitors en route to claiming maximum points.

Tottenham Hotspur would be open to offloading Destiny Udogie if they receive a substantial offer for the left-back's services during the 2027 transfer windows.

The 23-year-old has endured a frustrating start to the 2026-27 campaign after a persistent knee issue restricted him to just two starts across the opening seven Premier League fixtures.

That problem kept him sidelined for Monday's 3-1 victory over Coventry City, and he will again be unavailable when Spurs travel to Stamford Bridge to face London rivals Chelsea on Saturday.

Despite his recent lack of availability, the former Udinese defender impressed in his last outing during a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Spurs demand 'huge' fee to sanction Udogie sale

© Imago / Visionhaus

According to Pete O'Rourke on the Football Insider Transfer Insider podcast, the North London club still plan to retain Udogie but could be tempted to cash in if their valuation is met next year.

The journalist noted that it would require a "huge offer" to persuade the Lilywhites to part ways with a player who remains crucial when fit and firing.

O'Rourke added that the Italy international would likely be Roberto De Zerbi's primary option on the left side of the defence if he could string together a consistent run of games without breaking down.

The Italian manager is reportedly a big admirer of the young full-back and views him as an important long-term component of his tactical setup.

Can Udogie overcome his persistent fitness woes?

© Imago

Udogie's ongoing physical problems have been a major stumbling block since he officially joined the club in 2023, causing him to miss approximately 36 games for club and country over the past three years.

The source above hints that the Italy international's injuries kept him out of action for 136 days last season, restricting him to just 20 Premier League appearances as Djed Spence nailed down the left-back berth.

The 23-year-old now faces an even tougher battle for regular minutes following the summer arrival of Andy Robertson, who currently sits ahead of him in De Zerbi's pecking order.

Udogie is expected back against Crystal Palace next week, accoring to Premier Injuries, giving him a shot at competing when I am down.