Tottenham Hotspur have made an approach to sign a £54 million attacker who Ligue 1 giants Lyon are already in talks for, with the Lilywhites prepared to compete for his signing and potentially hijack their discussions.
Spurs targeting new forwards for Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou’s side are fresh off the back of a 2-1 win over Premier League champions Man City, which knocked Pep Guardiola and co out of the Carabao Cup, but there are still many issues to address after a mixed start to the campaign.
Spurs’ loss to lowly Crystal Palace handed Oliver Glasner his first win of the season last weekend, and the north Londoners slumped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Brighton after throwing away a two-goal advantage just before the international break.
Postecoglou has also been criticised for his tactics lately, and there have even been some suggestions from many supporters that the Australian could be facing a precarious situation in regards to his job if things don’t turn around on a consistent basis (Football Insider).
The January transfer window could represent an opportunity for the club’s recruitment team to shore up glaring holes in Postecoglou’s squad, in an effort to assist the 58-year-old’s chase for a first piece of major silverware in 16 years.
It is believed Spurs are monitoring Javi Puado of Espanyol ahead of a potential January swoop, with the Spaniard impressing alongside loanee Alejo Veliz in La Liga. He could be available on a very cheap deal, considering his contract expires in the summer, or Daniel Levy could elect to sign the player on a pre-contract ahead of next summer.
Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo is a transfer target for Spurs as well, according to some reports, with the north Londoners prepared to pay as much as £50 million to seal a deal for the Ghanaian.
He’s a lovely footballer to watch”, said Jamie Redknapp on Semenyo to Premier League productions.
“The manager’s taken him to another level, he obviously has that capability because you saw it with Solanke. I’m just seeing him elevate his game right now, we’ll talk about why does that happen, a lot of it is purely on confidence.
“He looks like he’s enjoying his football, his shoulders are back, he’s relaxed, every time he gets it, he plays with a bit of a swagger. He’s actually a joy to watch right now.”
Tottenham make approach for Rayan and prepared to hijack Lyon talks
According to South American news outlet Vascaino, Vasco de Gama forward Rayan is on Tottenham’s agenda, and they’ve made an approach to seek information about the player’s availability.
They face stiff competition from Lyon, though, who are apparently already in talks to sign the 18-year-old. However, Vascaino goes on to suggest that Tottenham are willing to compete with Lyom to sign Rayan, potentially hijacking their discussions for the highly-rated teenager.
Rayan’s deal includes a release clause set at around £54 million, but his club are willing to sell for a bit less than that in a boost for Levy and Postecoglou.
RELATED NEWS
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has been at the centre of discussions this season due to his performances and early substitutions.
Former Spurs scout Bryan King recently weighed in on Maddison’s performances, which, despite flashes of brilliance, have left some questioning his endurance and consistency under manager Ange Postecoglou.
The 27-year-old midfielder has yet to see a full 90 minutes on the pitch in his nine Premier League appearances this season.
He was taken off at half-time against West Ham as the club turned the game around in the second-half, scoring 3 goals in 10 minutes to win 4-1.
And he was taken off early once again during Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, last weekend.
Bryan King slams James Maddison
King with his latest remarks suggested that if Maddison is aiming for a spot in the England squad, he may need to deliver top-level performances that fully showcase his capabilities consistently.
RELATED NEWS
Heung-Min Son has been named the AFC Asian International Player of the Year for 2023 – the fourth time he has claimed the honour.
Widely regarded as the greatest player to hail from Asia, Sonny has continued to shine on the world stage for South Korea and in our colours – and his efforts have been rewarded with his fourth title.
Previously a winner of the award in 2015, 2017 and 2019, the Korean’s consistency at the highest level has seen him recognised once more in the continental awards.
Made our captain by Ange Postecoglou ahead of the 2023/24 season, our number seven had a fine first campaign under our Head Coach in which he was involved in 27 goals in just 35 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 17 and assisting 10.
It was a season also full of milestones for Sonny. Not only did he reach the landmark of 400 appearances – just the 14th player to do so in our 142-year history – he also moved into our top five goalscorers of all time. Later in the campaign he also moved passed 300 appearances for us in the Premier League – something only two other players have done for us in our history.
This term, he has also moved into the Premier League’s top 20 goalscorers of all time with 123 goals in 309 appearances in the competition.
On the international stage he has also shown his quality. Also captain of his country, the forward reached the landmark of 125 caps back in March. He now has 129 caps and 49 goals for Korea.
Tottenham celebrated a huge victory midweek, beating Manchester City 2-1 in the Carabao Cup to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the tournament. However, the win came with a significant setback, as defender Micky van de Ven was forced off the pitch just 14 minutes into the game due to a hamstring injury.
The Dutchman’s distress was visible as he left the pitch in tears, raising immediate fears about the extent of his injury.
Physio Scout, a trusted source on X for injury analysis and updates, has now provided an insight into van de Ven’s condition.
Expert analysis on Micky van de Ven’s injury
According to the expert, the injury likely stemmed from an intense sprint and deceleration, which could have worsened a pre-existing tightness in his hamstring.
Physio Scout suggests that this may not be as severe as initially feared. The recovery times vary significantly depending on the type and severity of a hamstring injury.
If it is merely a case of tightness, van de Ven could be back in action within a week. However, if scans reveal a Grade 1 strain, he might need two to four weeks of recovery, while a more serious Grade 2 strain could see him out for up to six weeks.
He shared the following update:
“…There is a possibility he did his hamstring on the sprint/deceleration phase too. Physio was seen performing hamstring tests on him.”
“Possible Recovery Times: If tightness: Less than a week. Grade 1: 2-4 weeks. Grade 2: 4-6 weeks…”
Though the scan results are still pending, the assessment hints at a minor issue, largely because the 23-year-old displayed pre-match signs of tightness.
Radu Dragusin’s time to step up
In van de Ven’s absence, Tottenham are set to lean on Radu Dragușin as a centre-back option. The Romanian defender has seen limited minutes this season, mostly due to the regular pairing of Cristian Romero and van de Ven.
Dragusin has been linked with a move away due to lack of playing, but he now has a valuable opportunity to step up and make an impact in Spurs’ defence, showcasing his abilities and potentially solidifying his spot under manager Ange Postecoglou.
As the Lilywhites face a busy fixture schedule in the coming weeks, van de Ven’s recovery will be closely monitored.
