Just too much? Expanded Club World Cup plans revealed as fears for player safety emerge<\/a><\/b><\/p>\nAfter taking over at White Hart Lane in June, Postecoglou made nine signings in his first transfer window (though two of those were turning two loan deals permanent). That reshaping of the squad was funded in large part by the sale of superstar striker Harry Kane to German giants Bayern Munich. <\/p>\n
That included a new goalkeeper in Guglielmo Vicario, a proven playmaker in Leicester City\u2019s James Maddison, and a host of young talents including midfielder Pape Matar Sarr (21), attacker Brennan Johnson (22), centre-back Micky van de Ven (22), and winger Manor Solomon (23).<\/p>\n
Besides 26-year-old pair Vicario and Maddison, all of Spurs\u2019 signings were aged 23 or younger \u2013 part of a clear long-term strategy to sign promising talents (that often come at a more affordable price point).<\/p>\n
But while van de Ven slotted into the first-team immediately, the only other centre-back arrival was 18-year-old Ashley Phillips \u2013 viewed as one for the future, rather than being capable of taking on a regular starting role.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Davinson Sanchez left Tottenham for Galatasaray after the English transfer window ended – a \u2018risk\u2019 that backfired on Spurs.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd Spurs lost plenty of depth at the heart of defence. Clement Lenglet finished his loan deal and returned to Barcelona before being loaned to Aston Villa. Fringe player Joe Rodon, who had spent the last season on loan with French side Rennes, was sent out to Leeds United on another loan deal. Japhet Tanganga was loaned to FC Augsburg on deadline day (with a conditional purchase obligation next season) before Davinson Sanchez was allowed to leave to Turkish club Galatasaray after the English transfer window had closed.<\/p>\n
That meant that Spurs did not have the ability to sign a replacement for the 207-appearance veteran, who had played twice under Postecoglou early in the season before his late departure.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou had tried to sign another centre-back before the window closed. According to football.london, Perr Schuurs, Gleison Bremer and Tosin Adarabioyo were all centre-backs identified by Postecoglou \u2013 but a deal couldn\u2019t be done.<\/p>\n
So while Postecoglou needed to trim the bloated Spurs squad he inherited, selling Sanchez was a risk.<\/p>\n
And when Spurs were cut down by a horrid smattering of injuries in the last couple of months, that risk backfired. Van de Ven was ruled out until January, Eric Dier and Ashley Phillips were also injured, and vice-captain Cristian Romero copped a three-game suspension.<\/p>\n
Spurs were so short of centre-backs that they have been routinely forced to name a backline with four fullbacks.<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nGF rematch provides 6 goal thriller | 01:00<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cWhen you think about it,\u201d Postecoglou told Sky Sports this weekend, \u201cwe let Davinson Sanchez go after the window closed. We kind of knew we were taking a bit of a risk; we couldn\u2019t get the extra centre-back that we were trying to get in, and for the early part of the year that was fine.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut once we lost Micky [van de Ven], and Eric Dier\u2019s had some issues as well, we don\u2019t have another centre-back.<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung Ash Phillips had just joined the club, so it\u2019s fair to say that we can\u2019t run the risk of that happening again, so that\u2019s obviously a priority for us in January.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut again, we\u2019ve got to get the right person. It\u2019s not just about bringing another body in, it\u2019s about getting the right one in and hopefully that\u2019ll happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van de Ven started the season in sensational fashion, making him an early contender for the league\u2019s defensive signing of the season, before suffering an unfortunate hamstring injury. He is set to return in mid-January, but there\u2019s no doubt that Spurs need more depth at the position. <\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, we still need to sign another centre-back because at the moment we are a little bit on tenterhooks because if something happens again we are short and we are already short,\u201d Postecoglou said in a recent press conference.<\/p>\n
As Postecoglou says, signing a centre-back is the \u2018priority\u2019 for Spurs this window.<\/p>\n
The club could even look to land two centre-halves if Eric Dier is sold. Dier is entering the final six months of his contract and reportedly plans to depart at the end of the season. But The Mirror claims Tottenham boss Daniel Levy intends to sell him in January rather than lose him on a free transfer in six months\u2019 time.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Micky van de Ven\u2019s injury was a major blow to Spurs.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFootball Insider claims that Bournemouth\u2019s Lloyd Kelly, Fulham\u2019s Tosin Adarabioyo and Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s Edmond Tapsoba are on the Tottenham shortlist, after Spurs were linked to all three in the off-season transfer window.<\/p>\n
Tapsoba has recently signed a new long-term contract until June 2028 and would therefore be an expensive acquisition, but both Kelly and Adarabioyo are out of contract at the end of this season. That should make signing them easier, with those clubs likely open to selling rather than losing them for free at the end of the season.<\/p>\n
Liverpool and Newcastle are both in the race for Kelly (rated at around 25 million pounds), but Bournemouth have reportedly handed the 25-year-old a club-record contract offer in an attempt to convince him to stay.<\/p>\n
Spurs sent a scout to watch Benfica\u2019s 3-1 Champions League win over RB Salzburg last week, reportedly to watch Brazilian centre-back Morato.<\/p>\n
The Sun claims Spurs scouts have watched the Benfica star four times in a month and will be Spurs\u2019 top target, though the North London club will be unwilling to pay the 22-year-old\u2019s release clause of \u00a368m (A$127m).<\/p>\n
Galatasaray\u2019s Victor Nelsson has also been linked to the club, as well as Genoa centre-back Ragu Dragsusin. Ben Godfrey of Everton is also reportedly on their shortlist.<\/p>\n
Sky Sports claims that Everton\u2019s Jarrad Branthwaite, Crystal Palace\u2019s Marc Guehi and Nice\u2019s Jean-Clair Todibo are also defensive targets for Spurs.<\/p>\n
All three are 23 or younger, meaning they fit into Spurs\u2019 long-term squad-building approach.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou told Sky Sports his focus is on signing and hungry players: \u201cYeah, because that\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to build at the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven Vic [Guglielmo Vicario], he\u2019s only 26 [which is young] for a goalkeeper, and the only one we\u2019ve kind of signed who isn\u2019t in that bracket but I still think he\u2019s got the best in front of him is Madders [James Maddison], but all the rest are all young.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys like Pape Sarr, Destiny [Udogie], Pedro [Porro] and [Dejan] Kulusevski \u2013 who both [Porro and Kulusevski] became permanent \u2013 they\u2019re all in their early 20s, so we\u2019re in the first phase of building something.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when you\u2019ve got young guys and you start building something and they grow together, I think it gives you more chance of having sustained success down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Ange Postecoglou speaks to young midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, who has become a regular contributor for Spurs this season.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTHE KEY ISSUE THAT WILL FORCE SPURS TO ACT<\/b><\/p>\n
While a centre-back is a clear priority, Postecoglou is also facing a significant hurdle in January that will almost certainly push him into the market for other signings. <\/p>\n
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and Asian Cup both take place in January \u2013 meaning three Spurs stars will be missing for lengthy periods. Midfielders Yves Bissouma (Mali) and Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal) will be at AFCON which starts January 13, while captain Son Heung-Min (South Korea) will be in Qatar for the Asia Cup from January 12. Both tournaments last just under a month and players will likely depart a few days before the tournaments begin. If those three teams make a deep run in their respective competitions, Spurs could be significantly weakened. Senegal, as the reigning champions, are expected to again contend for the title.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou said recently: \u201cAll of those three players will be a big loss to us but that\u2019s kind of been the story of our season \u2013 we\u2019ve had to cope without significant players so far and as I said that\u2019s kind of what we\u2019ve been dealt and we have to deal with it as we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bissouma on the weekend received his second red card of the season and will serve a four-game ban, which means he likely won\u2019t be available to play until after AFCON and could miss up to ten fixtures!<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Yves Bissouma was shown his second red card of the season. (Photo by Oli SCARFF \/ AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe absences of Bissouma and Sarr mean that Postecoglou could look to bolster his midfield stocks. Spurs came close to signing Chelsea\u2019s Conor Gallagher in the off-season, and The Daily Mail reports that the Blues are now willing to sell the England international.<\/p>\n
Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino appeared to hint that the club wouldn\u2019t sell Gallagher, saying on the weekend: \u201cAt the moment, Conor should be an important player who is still with us so that is the feeling now between the club and the player.\u201d <\/p>\n
But Chelsea need to balance their books after a year of big spending, while Pochettino is desperate to clear funds to sign a striker.<\/p>\n
Spurs star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has also been linked with an exit \u2013 Manchester United and Atletico Madrid were interested in the off-season \u2013 and the Telegraph claims that Manchester City\u2019s virtually-in-exile star Kalvin Phillips will be on Spurs\u2019 radar if Hojbjerg does depart. Meanwhile, reports out of Turkey in October said that Postecoglou personally recommended the signing of Fenerbahce defensive midfielder Ismail Yuksek. <\/p>\n
A little further forward in the midfield, James Maddison\u2019s injury has revived the Tottenham career of Giovani Lo Celso in recent weeks, with his creativity and playmaking filling a crucial gap in Postecoglou\u2019s team. But Spurs will have to fend off offers for the technically-gifted Argentine, with recent reports that Barcelona are interested in bringing him to the Camp Nou.<\/p>\n
But Spurs could look to Barcelona\u2019s biggest rival for reinforcements. El Nacional in Spain claimed that Spurs are interested in signing Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid, with the former Arsenal loanee having tumbled down the pecking order and hardly being spotted in the team this season.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be sold.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSon\u2019s absence could be the most damaging of the lot, given the South Korean is very much a talisman in the Tottenham attacking line. Spurs\u2019 forward stocks have been savaged by injuries this campaign. According to multiple reports, Spurs are still looking for another number nine to replace Harry Kane, while a winger has also been touted.<\/p>\n
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano added weight to claims that Feyenoord\u2019s 22-year-old Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez is Spurs\u2019 number one target up front.<\/p>\n
Romano told The Debrief: \u201cFor January a really interesting proposal is needed. I think it could be around \u20ac45m guaranteed package to Feyenoord, I\u2019m not sure it will be easy at the moment. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe is for sure a player monitored by Tottenham because they are following the Dutch League with big interest after they wanted Arne Slot last summer. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe relationship with Tottenham and Feyenoord after what happened with Arne Slot last summer has some problems, some small issues, nothing big and serious, but that is also a point to consider.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have also been linked to the player, but TodoFichajes reports that Spurs are in advanced negotiations for his signature.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Postecoglou with Son.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAnd Sky Sports also claims that Juventus\u2019s Samuel Iling-Junior is Tottenham\u2019s primary target when it comes to a winger. <\/p>\n
It could be a busy transfer window for Spurs \u2013 but it is always a tricky one, too, with clubs unwilling to lose important players midway through the season.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou said it is a \u2018challenge\u2019, but he is hoping to bring players through the door as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cObviously with where we\u2019re at injury-wise, the players we\u2019re going to miss, we\u2019ve got some significant games in January and signing somebody late in January could mean they haven\u2019t been able to make an impact in those other games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re pushing hard but you need all parties to agree to that \u2026 It is a challenge, I get that, but everyone at the club is working hard to get the best outcomes for us and we\u2019ll see how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Given Spurs still have eight players injured plus another two suspended, and with AFCON and the Asian Cup on the horizon, the transfer window can\u2019t come soon enough.<\/p>\n
The real question will be just how much Spurs\u2019 thrifty hierarchy backs the Australian manager. After missing out on some key targets in the last transfer window, the Tottenham bigwigs have the chance to make amends \u2013 and it could make or break their top-four hopes in the second half of the season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a sensational first six months at Tottenham Hotspur, but it hasn\u2019t all been smooth sailing. Injuries and suspensions have had devastating impact on Spurs in recent weeks, seeing the Australian\u2019s side slide from the top of the Premier League after a five-game winless streak. Spurs have since turned it around with 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