21 October 2023 , 21:30
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Tottenham will seek a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg before sanctioning his departure in the January transfer window.
Spurs had been ready to cash-in on the out-of-favour Dane earlier this summer but the landscape has now changed - despite his lack of minutes.
That's because Tottenham are poised to lose first-choice defensive midfield pairing Yves Bissouma [Mali] and Pape Matar Sarr [Senegal] to the Africa Cup of Nations in January. The duo will miss a minimum of two - potentially four - Premier League matches due to their involvement in the competition, including the crunch trip to Manchester United on January 13.
Atletico Madrid and Fulham failed with late approaches for Hojbjerg on transfer deadline day in early September while Manchester United also made enquiries for the 28-year-old before landing Sofyan Amrabat on loan. Now he is attracting fresh interest from Juventus, who are in the market for midfield reinforcements due to Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli's respective suspensions.
Hojbjerg recently parted company with super-agent Pini Zahavi after their contractual agreement expired but he is expected to assess any offers that land on the table this winter. Despite Hojbjerg's frustration at his lack of playing time - he insists he has maintained a strong professional relationship with Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
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"There has been good dialogue throughout and there has been great respect for both parties," Hojbjerg told Danish outlet Bold during the international break. "Right now I am not among the starting XI. It is what it is. I will try to show my best side if the coach points to me."
Spurs have previously demanded up to £35million for Hojbjerg, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2025. The north London club would also be due to pay Southampton an extra £2m in bonuses if they were to secure Champions League qualification this season.
Tottenham have previously shown strong interest in Chelsea's Conor Gallagher but the England international is now expected to hold formal contract talks with the Blues as he bids to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge. Gallagher was deemed to be available at the right price this summer but he has since won over Mauricio Pochettino after being handed the captain's armband on a number of occasions.
Meanwhile, Rodrigo Bentancur could finally make his long-awaited return to action in November to bolster Postecoglou's midfield ranks following an eight-month injury lay-off. The Uruguay international was forced to undergo knee surgery after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the 4-1 defeat at Leicester in February.