Ange Postecoglou could make Tottenham U-turn on Dier and Hojbjerg
Tottenham Hotspur duo Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could find themselves remaining at Hotspur Way until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Tottenham Hotspur duo Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could remain at Hotspur Way until the end of the 2023/24 season, as transfer insider Dean Jones considers the pair’s role in the team in the club’s upcoming fixtures.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou will be delighted with the spirit his Lilywhites team showed in their 3-3 draw at Manchester City on 3rd December and hopes this can get the club’s season back on track.
Dier and Hojbjerg have played bit-part roles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the 2023/24 campaign and could be set for departures during the 2024 winter transfer window. However, Tottenham’s current injury crisis could mean the club will hold on to the duo as they aim for a top-four finish in the Premier League, securing Champions League football during the 2024/25 season.
Tottenham’s current injury crisis
Tottenham had enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2023/24 campaign until the beginning of November. Victory over London rivals Chelsea on the 6th November would have taken the Lilywhites to the summit of the Premier League.
But a disastrous game, which included red cards for Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie and lengthy injuries for Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, resulted in a 4-1 home defeat and several key absences, leaving Spurs short-handed in terms of numbers heading into their next few fixtures.
Despite taking the lead within two minutes in their next game at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 11th November, goals from Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina secured a late victory for Wolves, with Tottenham falling to their second consecutive defeat The Lilywhites surrendered another lead at home to Aston Villa on 26th November, as goals from Pau Torres and Ollie Watkins cancelled out a first-half Giovani Lo Celso strike.
The odds were stacked against Tottenham before their trip to reigning treble holders Manchester City on 3rd December. After falling behind twice, a 90th-minute Dejan Kulusevski goal salvaged a deserved point for Postecoglou’s side at the Etihad Stadium in a thrilling 3-3 draw. The draw leaves Tottenham fifth in the Premier League, two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and six off league leaders Arsenal, ahead of midweek fixtures beginning on 5th December.
However, Dier hasn’t appeared since Spurs’ loss at Wolves, whilst Hojbjerg was utilised as a substitute in recent fixtures with Villa and Manchester City, hinting that Postecoglou could be willing to sanction the pair’s deparutre. Journalist Paul Brown recently told GIVEMESPORT (1st December) that the latter’s lack of minutes may have made him decide to leave the club in 2024.
Dean Jones on Eric Dier and Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg
Having missed out on Postecoglou’s starting lineup in last weekend’s thriller at Manchester City, Jones has indicated that Dier and Hojbjerg will be offered minutes in other fixtures, given their experience. The transfer insider has suggested that the transfer proposals submitted in January could determine their opportunities in the first team. Jones told GIVEMESPORT:
“I think there’ll be other games when he still looks to turn to the control and the experience of Dier and Hojbjerg. It will depend on what doors open for them in January as to whether there will be chances for them in the first team. But, because of this injury crisis, I think there will be more chances, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up hanging around until the summer.”
Tottenham transfer news
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are set to block exits for first-team duo Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp due to an injury crisis in midfield.
Rodrigo Bentancur’s ankle ligament tear, which could keep him sidelined until February 2024, has changed Spurs’ transfer plans and could accelerate the club’s decision to recruit in the middle of the park. The same outlet has named the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as one of the potential destinations for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the 2024 winter transfer window.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are one of several Premier League outfits interested in Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also chasing the 21-year-old, who Manchester City and Manchester United have already scouted.
The report claims that Taylor would be reluctant to leave Ajax in January 2024, given the Eredivisie giants are floundering towards the bottom of the table. However, a move in the summer could be a different question for the Netherlands international, who has been likened to Real Madrid star Toni Kroos.
Meanwhile, Football Insider has claimed that Tottenham and Brentford are in the race to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko. Spurs are eager to add to their forward options in the new year, with Juventus and England U21 star Samuel Illing-Junior on that list.
