Ange dishes out debut in Spurs’ predicted lineup vs Villa

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action with a mouthwatering match-up against an in-form Aston Villa side on Sunday, with the two clubs currently separated by just a point in what is likely to be an intense top-four battle this season.

The Lilywhites go into tomorrow's clash at N17 having lost each of their last two league outings, however, notably suffering a shock late collapse away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, prior to the recent international break.

In need of a positive result to help stop the rot, Ange Postecoglou's task has not been made any easier as a result of the mounting injuries and absences that have impacted his squad, with options rather thin on the ground all across the park.

With that in mind, the Greek-Aussie could make three changes from the side that lost at Molineux, ahead of the visit of Unai Emery's men…

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

A lesser-known quantity before his arrival in north London, Guglielmo Vicario has been an "absolute revelation" since his £17.2m move from Empoli – as per Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher – and is a certainty to start once again this time around.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro.

Having started every game this season since the opening-day draw with Brentford, Pedro Porro – who has racked up two assists thus far – will keep his place at right-back.

3 CB – Eric Dier

alfie-dorrington-eric-dier-tottenham-opinion

With Cristian Romero still suspended – while Micky van de Ven remains out with injury – Eric Dier will have to keep his place at centre-back, despite having been tipped for an exit in January.

4 CB – Ben Davies

ashley-phillips-ben-davies-tottenham-opinion

Alongside the long-serving Dier will be fellow stalwart, Ben Davies, with any thought of shaking up the backline having been hampered by the further loss of 18-year-old, Ashley Phillips, due to injury.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

Destiny Udogie for Tottenham.

One of the few positives for Postecoglou will be the likely return of Destiny Udogie at left-back, with the Italy international having served his one-game suspension against Gary O'Neil's men last time out.

6 CM – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

alejo-veliz-pierre-emile-hojbjerg-tottenham-opinion

Previously touted for an exit over the summer, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could once again be able to establish himself as a key figure in the side, with Yves Bissouma set to miss out tomorrow after already picking up five yellow cards this season.

With James Maddison also out until the New Year and with doubts persisting over Pape Matar Sarr's fitness, Hojbjerg will likely retain his place in midfield.

7 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Alongside Udogie, the second alteration could well be the inclusion of Rodrigo Bentancur, the Uruguayan international seemingly nearing full fitness after featuring for his country during the international break.

Having been sidelined for much of 2023 with an ACL issue, the £75k-per-week "unsung hero" – as dubbed by Jamie Redknapp on the Sky Sports Football Podcast – may be in contention for his first start of the campaign.

8 CAM – Jamie Donley

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.

In the absence of Maddison, a new creative spark will need to be found in Spurs' playmaking berth.

Spurs have "fantastic" 18 y/o with 11 assists ready to take Maddison's place

This “fantastic” teenager with 9 assists in 9 games could be the perfect replacement for James Maddison.

ByAdam Scully Nov 8, 2023

After registering 11 assists already this season in the youth ranks, 19-year-old Jamie Donley could be deserving of his first senior bow as the final alteration from the side that lost at Wolves – with football.london's Rob Guest suggesting that the teenager is now 'impossible to ignore'.

9 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

samuel-iling-junior-dejan-kulusevski-tottenham-opinion

In truth, the lack of attacking options – amid Richarlison's injury woes – will ensure that the frontline essentially picks itself, with Dejan Kulusevski lining up on the right flank to continue his run of starting every game in the top flight in 2023/24.

10 ST – Heung-min Son

florian-wirtz-heung-min-son-liverpool-opinion

Fresh from scoring three goals on international duty for South Korea, Spurs' top scorer and captain will lead the line once again, having found a neat new home for himself through the middle.

Mason Mount sends message to Man Utd fans after finally scoring maiden Red Devils goal in Premier League draw with Brentford following injury struggles

Mason Mount sent out a message to Manchester United fans after scoring his maiden goal for the club against Brentford.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Mount's message for Man Utd fansScored maiden goal for clubBrentford held Red Devils to 1-1 drawWHAT HAPPENED?

Mount, who played his first Premier League game since November 11, scored his maiden goal for United as he broke the deadlock against Brentford in the 95th minute. The hosts, however, restored parity with a last-gasp equaliser to snatch away important points from the Red Devils.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The former Chelsea midfielder expressed 'mixed feelings' after the match as he sent out a message to fans and thanked them for their support. He was also elated to score his first-ever goal for the club.

WHAT MASON MOUNT SAID

Taking to Instagram, the England international shared a couple of photographs of him celebrating the goal as he wrote in the caption, "Mixed feelings, but I’m proud to celebrate my first goal for this club! We’ll continue to work on finishing the season on a high. Thank you for all the support."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Erik ten Hag's side will aim to get back to winning ways on Thursday as they next take on Chelsea in an important Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham: Irons now "ready to buy" £25m "soldier" for Moyes in January

West Ham United are now reportedly "ready to buy" a £25m "soldier" for manager David Moyes in January, after telling his club they're very interested.

Who will West Ham sign in January?

The Hammers, as highlighted by their dismal 4-1 defeat away to Aston Villa on Sunday, could be in need of some fresh faces to bolster Moyes' squad. While West Ham's start to the Premier League campaign has been promising overall, remaining unbeaten in Europe on a record-breaking 17-game run, they're lacking significant depth in certain areas; namely the striker, full-back central defensive positions.

West Ham United manager David Moyes.

Doubts surrounding the futures of both Nayed Aguerd and Kurt Zouma hints that West Ham could be left even more short at centre-back, as the defensive duo allegedly attract interest from the Middle East. A plethora of Moyes' squad will also be out of contract next summer, including full-back aces Vladimir Coufal, Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell; making the signing of a new one pretty high up on the priority list.

Striker Danny Ings appears to have done little to earn Moyes' trust, so Michail Antonio is currently being heavily relied upon going forward. This has lead to reports that West Ham are eyeing up new options for 2024, including Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy.

West Ham – Trevoh Chalobah transfer update

The east Londoners can be fragile at the back on occasion; displaying carelessness during their 4-1 humiliation at the hands of Villa. Moyes, as per recent reports, is eager to sign a new centre-back for West Ham if one of Aguerd or Zouma leave – and Chelsea star Trevoh Chalobah is now seemingly attracting his attention.

Trevoh Chalobah

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the defender is now "90%" likely to leave in the winter window, saying this on a recent Daily Briefing.

"I can confirm now that my information is that he will leave Chelsea in January," wrote Romano.

"You may remember that Chelsea were prepared to let him go to Nottingham Forest in the final hours of the transfer window, only for the player to say no. Bayern Munich were also interested in Chalobah and their interest remains, while there are now other clubs as well. Chalobah loves Chelsea but he wants to play, so he is prepared to go. A January exit now looks 90% guaranteed."

Now, following these rumours, an interesting report from Calciomercato.it claims West Ham are "ready to buy" the 25-year-old in January and have already informed Chelsea that they're "strongly interested" along with Tottenham. Sharing a Chalobah transfer update, the outlet reports he has a host of other sides on his trail; including the likes of Bayern Munich, Roma and Juventus.

Trevoh Chalobah strengths

Holding on to the ball

Passing

Tackling

The Englishman, who Romano says could cost around £25 million, has been praised by the likes of Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge in past seasons.

"Very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football," said Potter last year to the Chelsea website.

"He’s a bit of a soldier. He’s played in all the games, we’re having some problems in terms of availability for players, but he’s stood up, stood in and he’s performing at a really good level."

Roelof van der Merwe's late impact secures Somerset last-over win

ScorecardSomerset strengthened their position at the top of the South Group after claiming their seventh win in ten games in the Vitality Blast with three balls to spare against Sussex Sharks at Hove.Sussex appeared to be in course for their first home win in this season’s tournament when they reduced Somerset to 134 for 7 in the 17th over chasing 170.But David Wiese, whose four overs were hit for 52, conceded 16 in the 18th as Roelof van der Merwe hit him for two boundaries before depositing a full toss into the pavilion. Five were needed off the final over by Chris Jordan and van der Merwe edged the second ball to the fence before hitting the winning runs to backward point off the next to seal a three-wicket win.Somerset had been well placed at 112 for 3 from 12 overs before Sussex took three wickets in successive overs which looked to have turned the tide in their favour.Jofra Archer’s yorker proved too good for Tom Abell, whose stand of 56 in 6.1 overs with James Hildreth had put his side in a good position. Danny Briggs claimed Hildreth in the next over when he was stumped trying to clear the leg-side boundary for the third time before the irrepressible Rashid Khan, who had earlier claimed Peter Trego with his first ball, bowled Lewis Gregory with a fizzing leg break.Khan had figures of 3 for 29 when Corey Anderson was superbly caught by Chris Jordan at long on. Sussex appeared to be in control but van der Merwe’s unbeaten 33 off 18 balls, with three fours and two sixes, proved decisive.Earlier, Laurie Evans had top scored with 96 in Sussex’s 169 for 5 after they had been put in. Evans fell off the penultimate ball of the innings trying to clear midwicket for the boundary that would have brought him his hundred.Instead, he had to settle for a career-best which included ten boundaries and two leg-side sixes, off Overton and Jamie Gregory, as he dominated a Sussex card where the next best score was Tom Bruce’s 21. As well as some powerful blows on both sides of the wicket he also ramped successive deliveries from Abell to the rope. Evans now has 343 runs in this season’s competition.Somerset’s spinners Max Waller and van der Merwe were the pick of their attack. Waller bowled Phil Salt in the first over and also had Delray Rawlins stumped when he too came down the pitch to the legspinner.Somerset’s quicks liberally used the short ball on a pitch offering decent pace and carry, often to good effect. Luke Wright pulled Gregory’s bumper to deep midwicket and Jamie Overton was successful when he dropped short and Bruce was held at deep cover after making his highest score in this season’s Blast.

Man City reach agreement to sell "world-class" star permanently this time

Manchester City have reached a verbal agreement to sell a "world-class" who Pep Guardiola doesn’t want, according to reports.

Who is leaving Man City?

The Sky Blues had a relatively busy summer in the transfer market following a historic treble-winning campaign in 2022/23.

Those at the Etihad made four big-money signings in recent months, with Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes and Josko Gvardiol all moving to the blue side of Manchester. In total, the club spent over £200m on refreshing their squad, with the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Cole Palmer, Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan moving on.

Another player who departed, but only on loan, was full-back Joao Cancelo. The Portugal international joined Barcelona on a season-long loan after spending part of the previous campaign with German giants Bayern Munich.

A permanent transfer to Spain may already be on the cards, though, with an update emerging. TEAMtalk relayed reports from Spain regarding Cancelo’s future in the last 48 hours.

It has been claimed that a verbal agreement has been reached with Barcelona to make a loan move permanent in a deal worth around €35m (£30.4m), with Guardiola willing to offload the defender.

joao-cancelo-barcelona-leeds-united-transfer-academy-farke-jamie-shackleton-value-market

How has Joao Cancelo been doing for Barcelona?

Cancelo has been a regular in Xavi Hernandez’s side since moving to the Catalan giants, starting four games in all competitions. He hasn’t missed a game so far and has even scored two goals and provided an assist in La Liga, with Barcelona making an unbeaten start to their title defence.

Hailed as “world-class” earlier this year during his loan spell in Munich, Cancelo has already been praised by Xavi, alongside fellow new loan signing Joao Felix.

"We are talking about two players whose individual quality is beyond doubt. You see them train and you see their greatness.

"Cancelo comes from a coach (Pep Guardiola) who for me is the best and he interprets everything very well. We have spoken to him and he has understood. With Joao Felix we watched a video with him yesterday. They both give variants that make the team better. Physically, they are strong. They raise the quality of the team, which in general has been very good."

Cancelo has been used as a right-back so far this season, an area of the pitch City are currently well-stocked in with the likes of Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis and even centre-back John Stones all capable of featuring in the role.

Cancelo, who seemingly appears to have fallen out of favour under Guardiola and is on a contract worth more than £200,000-a-week, looks likely to make a permanent Etihad exit.

You could argue that it is what is best for all involved. City will be receiving a big fee for a player who isn’t in their plans, Barcelona will be getting a top-quality player and Cancelo himself may get the chance to become first choice once again, so it’ll be interesting to see if a permanent deal goes through in January or next summer, but it appears as if a full-time transfer is all set.

Newcastle: Eddie Howe now planning January clear out

Newcastle United are now planning a January clear out, with multiple players now in line to leave, in order to raise funds for Eddie Howe.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Newcastle are making progress towards agreeing new contracts with two key first-team players, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Bruno Guimaraes has agreed to extend his stay at St. James' Park until 2028, despite interest from Liverpool.

The Magpies are also set to open talks over a new deal with Joelinton, with the 27-year-old "very happy" at the club, and now "ready to commit" to a new contract, so Howe is set to secure the long-term futures of two of his midfielders.

However, potential new arrivals are still being considered, with it recently being reported that Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie could be brought in, as CBS reporter Ben Jacobs believes they will be in the market for a new centre-back at some point in 2024.

Hincapie is expected to cost around £35m, so Newcastle would need to be willing to spend a sizeable amount to secure his signature in January, at a time when they have to be careful due to Financial Fair Play.

Speaking to CaughtOffside, Jacobs said: "It’s important to understand that Newcastle can’t break the bank because of Financial Fair Play. Just because they got into Europe once they can’t necessarily just change their model.

“Now that they have Champions League football, players will want higher wages, but Newcastle have done well to ensure they don’t have one stand-out earner. They have to be conservative, and that’s why I also sense they’ll be in for a quieter January.”

As such, the Magpies may need to make a few sales to raise funds for the January window, and Football Insider report they are now ready to sell multiple fringe players. With Howe's side aiming to adapt to the addition of European games to the calendar, they are considering adding multiple players in the January transfer window, but abiding by Financial Fair Play rules is a real concern at St. James' Park.

Who could Newcastle sell in January?

The report names Martin Dubravka, Mark Gillespie, Emil Krafth, Javi Manquillo, Loris Karius and Paul Dummett as the players who could potentially be sold this winter, having failed to play a single minute this season.

It makes sense to allow the majority of those players to leave, besides the back-up goalkeeper options, who could be called upon in the cup competitions. It is clear that Newcastle are having a hard time abiding by FFP, as they were unable to bring in Kieran Tierney or Marc Cucurella on permanent deals in the summer transfer window, instead being forced to consider signing them on loan.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.

The deal to sign Lewis Hall from Chelsea was structured to defer the payment, with Howe confirming they had to be "creative" to get the move over the line.

As such, the Magpies should undoubtedly look to move on a number of their fringe players in January, particularly considering they are eyeing some exciting new signings, including Hincapie, who could cost £35m.

Wolves: Lage struck gold on ‘phenomenal’ £9.5m signing who’s now worth £17m

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a trialling time since the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, having seen three managers take charge of the squad since his farewell in 2021.

The Portuguese coach restored Premier League football at Molineux, as well as taking the Old Gold on a European journey, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019/20 Europa League just two seasons after their promotion.

After four years in the Midlands, the 49-year-old left by mutual decision after Wolves hit poor form, replaced by Bruno Lage who was dismissed just 16 months later when the club were in the relegation zone last season.

julen-lopetegui-wolves-tottenham-hotspur-live-updates-manager-nuno-espirito-santo-levy

Former Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui stepped in to save the day before being swiftly replaced by Gary O’Neil this summer, after struggling to accept the financial burdens the club were struck with.

Over the last few years, Wolves have seen a decline in performance and direction, however have remained in a far better position than what could have been, thanks to some of the talent in the ranks.

Despite ending their times at Molineux as a result of bad form, Lage and Nuno combined to hand the Old Gold one of their top performers in recent times, delivering Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Midlands.

How much did Rayan Ait-Nouri cost Wolves?

Signed on a loan deal from French outfit Angers in 2020 by Nuno, the Algerian was snatched up permanently by Lage after impressing during his season-long spell in the Premier League.

Wolves paid a £9.5m fee to secure the youngster on a five-year deal in 2021, with the option for an additional year, a small cost for a talent with so much potential.

Lauded as “phenomenal” aged just 19 by journalist Tim Spiers, the full-back settled in quickly in the English top-flight, recording 21 appearances in his debut campaign before making his move permanent.

Now, the 22-year-old has made 70 Premier League appearances for Wolves, scoring three goals and registering five assists as he continues to show his worth in the Midlands at left-back.

How much is Rayan Ait-Nouri worth now?

Having made five appearances for O’Neil’s side already in the 2023/24 league campaign, the £10k-per-week maestro is excelling on the flank, showing his ability to play in the ever-popular inverted role to exploit his attacking strengths.

Sporting an expected transfer value (xTV) of €6.6m (£5.7m), as per Football Transfers, in the summer of 2020, just prior to his loan move to Wolves, the one-cap Algeria international has seen his value soar since his arrival in England.

Currently, the 22-year-old is valued at around €20m (£17m) by CIES Football Observatory, showing a gradual rise in his market value, telling of his improvement and rise to prominence at Molineux.

At left-back, Ait-Nouri has performed as one of the standout full-backs in Europe as supported by FBref’s statistics.

The defender ranked in the top 3% of fullbacks in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for his rate of successful take-ons, averaging a mammoth 2.21 per 90, as well as ranking in the top 7% for his 2.95 tackles per 90, via FBref.

Lage certainly struck gold by welcoming the dynamic Algerian on a permanent deal, with the defender having the potential to make the Old Gold millions in the future.

Burnley Could Sign "Terrific" Brownhill Replacement For £5.5m

Burnley are reportedly eyeing their next acquisition, as manager Vincent Kompany looks to make way for his 14th summer arrival in the bid to make the Clarets’ return to the Premier League a memorable campaign.

Despite being without a game last weekend due to Luton Town’s ground, Kenilworth Road, undergoing improvements to keep up with their meteoric rise to the top, it came to light that the new arrivals to the top-flight had beat Manchester United 3-0 in a fixture behind closed doors.

After comfortably winning the Championship last campaign, Burnley have seen multiple squad changes, with rumours speculating that further additions could be welcome to Turf Moor before the close of the window.

Who could Burnley sign this summer?

This week, the Clarets welcomed former Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Ramsey to the side marking Kompany’s 13th new addition, with rumours building that another arrival may be in the pipeline.

Earlier this week, journalist Dominik Schnieder took to social media to report that the Lancashire outfit are making a “push” to sign Sporting Lisbon B midfielder Renato Veiga, with FC Basel and Standard Liege also holding interest.

The reporter also relayed that a fee in the region of £5.5m to be paid in three instalments has been put on the table by the Premier League side, and a five-year contract for the 20-year-old starlet to consider.

Who is Renato Veiga?

Born in Lisbon, the versatile defensively-minded machine has risen through the ranks at Sporting where he is now a member of the side’s B team.

In January, the 20-year-old gem got his first taste of playing the top-flight, endeavouring on a half-season loan to FC Augsburg, where in which he made 13 appearances in the Bundesliga.

Deployable at both centre-back and left-back, the combative starlet is most prominently fielded in defensive midfield at his boyhood club, however, his versatility was exploited in Germany, where he was positioned in central defence.

Having been lauded as a “terrific footballer” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the midfielder could be the perfect capture for Kompany at Turf Moor, as he braces for potential change in the midfield areas before the end of the summer.

Josh Brownhill has been linked to a host of clubs in both the Championship and Premier League, including Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United, and after three-and-a-half years could leave the claret and blue this window.

Josh-Brownhill

The Englishman has been used in defensive midfield by Kompany, making a potential swoop for Veiga a smart one should the 27-year-old indeed move onto pastures new.

The Portuguese starlet is a defensively competent player, as highlighted by his averages in the Bundesliga last term, in which he averaged 1.27 tackles, 2.82 blocks and a mammoth 4.08 clearances, via FBref, suggesting the dominant presence he could bring to the Premier League.

While Brownhill is more of a progressive player, the Englishman’s departure along with the potential capture of the Sporting B sensation could give Kompany the freedom to juggle his midfield, with new arrival Sander Berge having a pass to roam with the assurance of an anchor.

In signing the 20-year-old, the Belgian manager can have a young and versatile star at his disposal, in a player that could prove to be a secret weapon for the Clarets due to his ability to take on a variety of tasks on the pitch.

Stunning Footage Of 17 y/o Jeremy Doku Resurfaces Online

Stunning footage of new Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has resurfaced online, showing just how strong he was even as a 17-year-old.

What's the latest Man City transfer news?

Earlier this week, the young Belgian completed a reported £55.5m move from Rennes to City, signing a five-year deal with the Premier League champions.

Now 21 years old, the former Anderlecht player is seen as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez and arrives with high expectations having also been wanted by West Ham United this summer (via Sky Sports).

Speaking to the Man City media team immediately after his transfer, Doku seemed excited to get started in his new environment, saying: “This is a great day for me, both personally and professionally. Manchester City are the best team in world football, so to be joining them is something very special for me and my family.

He added: “Watching City last season was amazing. To win the Treble is the hardest thing in football and they did it. You cannot imagine how exciting it is to be joining this team.

“I cannot wait to get started. Hopefully I can make the fans happy.”

Well, for those fans who have seen footage that has re-emerged on Twitter this week, they'll also be extremely excited to watch their new man in action.

After all, as you can see in the clip below, despite only being 17 years old at the time, Doku goes toe-to-toe with City legend Vincent Kompany, showing incredible strength as he battles with the now-retired centre-back.

Initially, Doku falls down but quickly gets up to his feet and knocks Kompany to the ground as the Anderlecht teammates cry out in delight. After the exchange, former Man City player Samir Nasri can also be spotted flexing his muscles and pointing to the young winger, making a show of how strong the Belgian had proven himself to be.

How old is Jeremy Doku?

While he was just 17 at the time, born on 27 May 2002, Doku is now 21 years of age and will be, in theory, even stronger now than he was before.

Of course, though, his game isn't all about strength. In particular, his ability to beat opponents with the ball at his feet has been highlighted by many to have seen the winger up close.

As quoted on the Man City website, Thierry Henry, who coached the player when working as assistant manager for Belgium, said: “Rarely in my life have I seen a player come out of a dribble so quickly, extraordinary. Now, injured, not consistent, does he replace himself? We are harder on players like that. If he is good, he is really impregnable.”

Former City and France star Nasri, who played alongside Doku during his time at Anderlecht, added: "I think he has a great future. He has crazy quality in one-on-ones and is an explosive dribbler.

“He can be one of the best 20 players in the world one day."

Ligue 1 opponent and Paris Saint-Germain ace Kylian Mbappe even praised Doku himself, saying: "Recently, I was speaking with my father about a player who impressed me because of his speed qualities, that is (Jérémy) Doku, at Rennes.

"In five years as a professional, I have never seen someone from a standing start demonstrate so much power.”

Adding to this, after seeing this old footage resurface on Twitter, fans couldn't help but comment how impressed they were. Here are some of the best reactions…

Tottenham: Spurs May Strike Deal For Country’s 75-Goal Star

Tottenham Hotspur have started talks for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku as La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Davide Chinellato shares a transfer update.

Who will Spurs replace Kane with?

Ange Postecoglou could be set for a busy final few weeks of the summer after star striker Harry Kane completed his potential £103 million move to Bayern Munich.

The north Londoners must now find a replacement for Kane heading into the last fortnight of this transfer window, and there have been many linked, including the likes of Montpellier striker Elye Wahi, Gent's Gift Orban, Chelsea forward Lukaku and Juventus ace Dusan Vlahovic.

ange-postecoglou-1

Postecoglou has admitted that Spurs must focus on outgoings for now, as the squad is currently too bloated, but the 57-year-old did express that he knew Kane would leave before deadline day.

“I had a conversation with Harry the first day he arrived and he was up front and honest, and I was the same,” the 57-year-old said ahead of their opener against Brentford on Sunday.

“You get an indication there that he kind of made up his mind: that if the clubs agreed he would go, particularly if it was before the first game. That was my preference as well.

“There's nothing along the way that's sort of made me feel there's anything other than this outcome. None of these things happen in isolation, everyone is pretty clued into to what's going on, so from my perspective I hadn't received anything from Harry, the club or anyone else to suggest to me anything had changed about his stance."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Kane's haul of 30 league goals in 38 appearances last term will be very hard to replicate for any incoming striker, but one man who has reached similar figures in England before is Lukaku.

The 30-year-old's best Premier League campaign came during his time at Everton, where he managed 25 in 36 league starts over 16/17. Lukaku, most recently, also managed an impressive 24 goals and 11 assists during Inter Milan's 2020/2021 title-winning campaign.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reporter Chinellato, sharing an update for the Italian newspaper on Spurs' links to Lukaku (via Sport Witness), says club-to-club talks have started.

Indeed, it is believed Tottenham "contacts have started and an agreement is possible" for Lukaku, who is said to prefer them over a potential move to Saudi Arabia.

If chairman Daniel Levy wishes to sign the forward, a €45 million (£38.6m) fee is needed, while Juventus remain in contention for a swap deal involving Vlahovic.

How good is Romelu Lukaku?

Belgium's RomeluLukakuwalks off the pitch after being substituted

The Belgian is an international star for his country, having bagged 75 goals for the Red Devils in total since his making his debut against Croatia in 2010.

Former Spurs boss Antonio Conte has also previously praised the player for his contribution during Inter's impressive Scudetto win in 2021.

“Right now, he is one of the best strikers in the world,” said Conte that year (L'Equipe via Sport Mob).

"He already had important physical and technical skills, but in these two years we have made him progress even more. His presence in the match, his teamwork and clarity in front of goal [has improved]."

Game
Register
Service
Bonus