Ange Postecoglou has warned Tottenham fans to expect plenty of movement between now and the end of the transfer window.
Tottenham will reportedly attempt to negotiate a cut-price deal for Clement Lenglet around their friendly with Barcelona on Tuesday. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy took the centre-back on loan from Barca last season, and the 28-year-old could now return to north London on a permanent basis.
Lenglet racked up 35 appearances across all competitions for Spurs last season. With multiple exits anticipated before the summer transfer window closes on September 1, manager Ange Postecoglou may soon be in need of defensive back-up.
Tottenham have long been linked with a permanent deal for Lenglet, although Mundo Deportivo claim that they are attempting to drag out negotiations until Barcelona accept a lower transfer fee.
Reports indicate that Spurs’ pre-season friendly showdown with Barca on Tuesday will be the perfect setting through which Levy’s transfer team can ‘find a solution’.
Postecoglou could get his hands on the French international for the meagre sum of just £4.2million. The fee would eventually be more significant, but only if add-on clauses are met.
Lenglet is set to be met by fresh competition at centre-back if he completes his return to north London. Outgoing Wolfsburg youngster Micky van de Ven was in the stands to watch Spurs defeat Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday as he closes in on a £43m move.
Read also James Maddison reveals Ange Postecoglou’s brutal four words that could spark Tottenham change
James Maddison has been speaking about his performance against Shakhtar Donetsk and the half-time message the players received from an angry Ange Postecoglou.
James Maddison has revealed that Ange Postecoglou told his Tottenham players to put a “foot on the throat” of their opponents during his half-time message in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Going in 1-1 at the break after Kevin Kelsy had cancelled out Harry Kane’s 38th-minute penalty, the new Spurs boss wasn’t happy with what his side produced in the final few minutes of the first half.
Postecoglou kept his players in the changing room for a lengthy period at half-time, with the Shakhtar players waiting a good few minutes before the second half for the Tottenham players to emerge from the tunnel. Once they did, Tottenham put Shakhtar to the sword with Kane adding another three and Dane Scarlett getting a goal for himself in stoppage time.
Speaking to SPURSPLAY after the game, Maddison opened up on Postecoglou’s half-time speech and the brutal four words he told his players as he looks for so much more from them.
“He’s relentless with the messages the gaffer,” he explained. “At half-time he wants us to do it more and doesn’t want us to score and almost take our foot off the gas. He had a few words to say at half-time about putting a foot on the throat almost, don’t be happy just to get 1-0 up, go for two, go for three.
“That’s why [the second half] why we came out so hot and so fiery in front of goal. It’s still such a learning period for us as players with the new manager but we’ll keep trying to nail that.”
Maddison made a big impression during the 5-1 win as he took the game to Shakhtar and made things happen in the final third. Opening up on his performance, the England international discussed linking up with Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski and why the trio played a key role in his decision to join the club.
“I think I’m at my best when I’m between the lines centrally and getting the ball into my feet, turning and linking with the players you just said [Kulusevski, Kane, Son],” he said. “Deciding on what I was going to do in the summer, looking at Spurs’ front three of Sonny, Kulusevski and Kane, it’s hard not to get a wet mouth at the thought of playing behind them, so much quality to link with.
“I played as the left-sided No.8/No.10 today and linked with Harry really well and me and Sonny have a good understanding as well. Really happy with how it developed.”
