Tottenham transfer news

JAMES MADDISON has been forced out of the England squad due to injury.The former Leicester City star suffered the blow during Tottenham’s 4-1 home defeat to Chelsea on Monday.
James Maddison suffered an injury blow in Tottenham’s defeat to ChelseaCredit: Getty
He has now pulled out of the England squad due to the blowCredit: Getty
He was substituted in the first half after picking up the problem.
Despite that, Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate still named him in his latest squad when he announced it on Thursday.
However, Tottenham have now announced that their playmaker will not be involved and will stay at the club to continue his recovery as fears mount that the damage he suffered is worse than first thought.
A statement from Spurs read: “We can confirm that James Maddison has been withdrawn from the England squad due to an ankle injury.
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“The midfielder will not feature in the Three Lions’ Uefa Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, and will remain at Hotspur Way for rehabilitation with the Club’s medical staff.”
The news will come as a bitter setback to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, who gave an update on Maddison’s fitness ahead of his side’s trip to face Wolves on Saturday.
He said: “Madders is a lot worse than we thought. He came off with an ankle injury and the next day [he] wasn’t great so we sent him for a scan.
“It’s not great for him and it’s probably [out] into the new year.”
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Meanwhile, Micky van de Ven is likely to avoid surgery after his hamstring injury but is unlikely to play again this year.
The 22-year-old was another casualty of Monday’s dramatic derby against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Van de Ven, who joined last summer for £43million from Wolfsburg, sustained the injury in first half stoppage time and was forced off.
The Dutch defender and Maddison now join Ivan Perisic, Manor Solomon and Ryan Sessegnon on the sidelines for high-flying Spurs.
And forward Richarlison has undergone surgery on his pelvis.
Postecoglou’s team head to Molineux severely depleted and are also without both Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie after their sending-offs against Chelsea.
Romero will be out for the next three games while Udogie was slapped with a one-match suspension.
Southgate’s England have already secured their spot at the summer’s European Championship in Germany ahead of their final qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Maddison has won five caps so far for his country and will no doubt be desperate to return as quickly as possible to lay down a marker for a spot in the side for the upcoming international showpiece.
James Maddison has five caps for England so farCredit: Getty More

BRENNAN JOHNSON has already proved he can mix it with the best at Tottenham.That’s the view of Johnson’s Wales boss Robert Page, who has hailed the forward’s early promise since his £47.5million move from Nottingham Forest.
Brennan Johnson has had a stop-start season for Spurs since his deadline day move from Nottingham ForestCredit: https://www.instagram.com/spursofficial/
Johnson has scored just two goals in 22 caps and will look to add to his tally in Euro 2024 qualifiers in Armenia and at home to Turkey this month.Credit: PA
The 22-year-old impressed in Monday’s chaotic 4-1 Premier League loss to Chelsea before he was sacrificed in the 34th minute by Ange Postecoglou for Eric Dier following Cristian Romero’s red card.
Johnson is set to have a bigger role to play for high-flying Tottenham at Wolves on Saturday with Richarlison out with a pelvic injury and James Maddison struggling with an ankle knock.
But Page reckons the signs are positive for Johnson, who set up Son Heung-min for a first-half goal against the Blues which was disallowed for offside.
When asked if the Wales star now belongs at the same level as Spurs captain Son, Page replied: “Absolutely. We’ve all seen the potential.
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“When I worked with him at the 21s and the younger age groups I could see he was going to go there.
“It’s taken him a little bit of time to get up to that standard, he’s shown glimpses of it.
“What is important now is that he sustains that level by playing with those players and the demands of the manager (Ange Postecoglou) there and he will absolutely do that.
“He’s at a big club now pushing for the top four so the demands on him will be extreme.
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“The squad of players he’s got around him now will be slightly different to what he is used to but even by training with the players he’s with will bring him to another level.
“He looked good for half an hour against Chelsea.  The goal he set up for Son was incredible. He’s finding a position that suits him.
“When you go down to 10, it has an impact on the team and unfortunately it was Brennan who was substituted.
“From a selfish point of view I was quite pleased.”
Following Saturday’s trip to Molineux, Johnson will link up with Page for Wales’ crunch Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey. 
Two wins will book a finals spot for the Dragons in Germany next summer.
Johnson missed last month’s 2-1 win over Croatia due to a hamstring injury and has only made five Spurs appearances so far since the deadline day move in September
But Page has no concerns over his fitness this season.
Ex-Sheffield United defender Page, 49, added: “When you go to a new club with different methods and different training sometimes you pick up niggles because you are used to training in a certain way.
“That’s all he’s had. I’m not concerned at all.” 
Versatile forward Johnson can play on both flanks as well as through the middle as a number nine. 
But what is his best position?
Page said: “I’m not going to pigeon-hole him as a nine. Brennan is proving at club level that he can play a multitude of positions. He can play one of the front three easily.
“We’ve got Kieffer (Moore) as a nine but Brennan can play that as well. He did that for us in Latvia. I like him as a nine purely because of his pace. 
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“There’s not a defender out there who’s going to want to play against him and DJ (Daniel James) because pace frightens defenders.
“He’s showing it at Tottenham on the left and again that suits us with the way we play now and it’s good to have that competition for places.” More

TOTTENHAM star Micky van de Ven is likely to avoid surgery after his hamstring injury.However, Spurs were still dealt a significant injury blow as Van de Ven is unlikely to play again this year.
Tottenham star Micky van de Ven is likely to avoid surgery after his hamstring injuryCredit: Getty
Van de Ven, though, is unlikely to play again this year and will be out until JanuaryCredit: Getty
According to The Telegraph, early indications show the centre-back will be sidelined until January “at the earliest”.
However, the Evening Standard report the Netherlands international is unlikely to go under the knife and will work on his rehabilitation with the North Londoners’ medical staff at Hotspur Way.
The 22-year-old appeared to have popped his hamstring during the first half of Monday’s dramatic derby against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Van de Ven, who joined last summer for £43million from Wolfsburg, sustained the injury in the first minute of stoppage time and was barely able to stand on his feet as he was carried away by physios.
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Tottenham endured an intense encounter against the Blues, who ended their undefeated run in the Premier League with a 4-1 triumph.
Manager Ange Postecoglou saw his injury list grow significantly with Van de Ven’s blow as star man James Maddison also came out with an ankle knock.
The Dutchman and Maddison join Ivan Perisic, Manor Solomon and Ryan Sessegnon in the physio room.
To make matters worse, Richarlison revealed he will soon undergo surgery on his pelvis.
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This has left Postecoglou’s squad quite depleted as he also lost Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, who were both sent off.
Romero will be out for the next three games while Udogie was slapped with a one-match suspension.
The Australian tactician is now seriously short of centre-backs as he may have to call upon 18-year-old Ashley Phillips to team up with Eric Dier.
Another option is to play the likes of Emerson Royal, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg or Ben Davies out of position. More

BEN DAVIES has been included in Wales’ squad as Tottenham pray he can provide a boost to their current defensive crisis.The Spurs defender has not played for his club since coming off at half-time in the 2-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on October 27 with an ankle injury.
Ange Postecoglou will hope Ben Davies is for Saturday’s trip to Wolves on Saturday after defensive crisisCredit: Reuters
Micky van de Ven appeared to pull his hamstring in the chaotic 4-1 home loss to Chelsea on Monday nightCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
But, with Aaron Ramsey still out injured, the Wales captain leads Robert Page’s 23-man squad for the crunch Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey this month.
Two wins for the Dragons would seal their spot at the Germany finals next summer.
Davies missed the chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday night which has left Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou with a severely depleted defence ahead of the trip to Wolves on Saturday.
Cristian Romero is suspended following his first-half red card against the Blues while centre-back partner Micky Van de Ven appeared to pull his hamstring before the half-time break.
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First-choice left-back Destiny Udogie is also banned after his second half dismissal which will place more reliance on back-ups including Davies if he is fit enough to play at Molineux.
Postecoglou turned to Eric Dier and Emerson Royal against Chelsea in a bid to plug the gaps but the Aussie boss will hope Davies can provide another option at a time of need.
Davies’ Tottenham team-mate Brennan Johnson returns for Wales after missing the superb 2-1 victory over Croatia last month.
Johnson had a hamstring injury but the £47.5million summer signing looked a real threat in his first home start for Spurs before he was sacrificed by Postecoglou after 34 minutes for Dier following Romero’s red card.
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Ramsey is still not fit after the knee injury he sustained in September so Davies is expected to captain Wales once again when they travel to Yerevan on November 18 before hosting already qualified Turkey three days later at a sold-out Cardiff City Stadium.
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Joe Morrell of Portsmouth returns to the squad after his two-match suspension following his red card against Turkey back in June.
Sunderland full-back Niall Huggins, 22, is called up for the first time after a series of impressive displays in the Championship. Portsmouth’s Regan Poole has a knee injury.
Wales squad
Goalkeepers: Ward, Hennessey, King
Defenders: B Davies, Rodon, Mepham, Williams, Roberts, Lockyer, Cabango, Huggins
Midfielders: Ampadu, J James, Morrell, Sheehan, Wilson, Brooks
Forwards: D James, Cullen, Broadhead, Johnson, Moore, Bradshaw More

JUVENTUS want to sign Tottenham outcast Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, according to reports.This comes as Paul Pogba was provisionally suspended last month having tested positive for banned substance DHEA which naturally boosts testosterone production.
Juventus’ midfielder Paul Pogba faces a four-year ban for a doping offenceCredit: AFP
Hojbjerg has become somewhat of an outcast this seasonCredit: Rex
Hojbjerg, 28, has been frozen out in North London this season – starting just once under Ange Postecoglou this season.
The Australian manager has instead favoured a midfield pairing of Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr.
His one start this season only came after Bissouma was forced to serve a one-game suspension following his red card for simulation at Luton Town.
And now, according to the Telegraph, Hojbjerg is seeking a way out of the capital after slipping down the pecking order.
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He is high on the list of targets for Juventus as they look for a central midfielder with Paul Pogba currently suspended after returning a positive drugs test.
Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night along with his assistant Giovanni Manna.
Pogba also tested positive in a second sample and now faces a lengthy ban which could see the end of his career at the top level.
The Frenchman will face an anti-doping tribunal, and if found guilty, he could be banned for up to four years.
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Meanwhile, Juventus have been dealt another blow after Nicolo Fagioli was slapped with a seven-month ban for breaching betting rules.
Hojbjerg was valued at £25million in the summer window when Fulham came knocking.
The Dane – who has one season left on his contract – has racked up 156 appearances for Spurs since arriving from Southampton for £15m in 2020.
He came on at half-time for Spurs in their thrilling 4-1 defeat by Chelsea on Monday evening, after James Maddison lipped off injured.
SunSport previously revealed he is not a natural fit in the free-flowing system of new boss Postecoglou.
Hojbjerg was a guaranteed starter under former bosses Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte.
Another player believed to be on Juventus’ radar ahead of the January window is Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips. More