'He's fantastic': Director not surprised Tottenham want £35m ace after he confirmed Liverpool talks

In the build up to Tottenham Hotspur’s EFL Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United, Ange Postecoglou had yet more bad news regarding Micky van de Ven’s fitness.

Both the Dutchman and centre-back partner Cristian Romero, Postecoglou said, are likely to be out of action until the New Year. The defensive duo suffered injury setbacks during Tottenham’s 4-3 home defeat to Chelsea.

And Tottenham, it seems, will be without either Micky van de Ven or Romero against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Wolves, not to mention Man United.

Ben Davies’ own issues, meanwhile, meant Postecoglou started teenager Archie Gray against Rangers and Southampton in an unfamiliar left-sided centre-back role. And while the former Celtic boss could hardly speak more fondly of the £35 million summer signing from Leeds United, this is obviously not something Spurs are keen to make into a long-term solution.

As such, TBR understands that Tottenham are watching Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk ahead of the January transfer window. Spurs are pursuing Feyenoord southpaw David Hancko too.

Tottenham have watched the Slovakia international – an Eredivisie champion in 2023 under Arne Slot – on a number of occasions this term.

Feyenoord boss sends David Hancko warning as Tottenham eye defender

Hancko impressed up against Erling Haaland in a thrilling 3-3 Champions League draw with Manchester City.

What’s more, the £35 million fee Feyenoord were demanding over the summer, when Hancko came close to joining Atletico Madrid, is understood to have dropped a little.

Dennis te Kloese, Feyenoord’s technical director, is not surprised to see interest emerge. However, he believes that January is a far from ideal time either for Hancko to move, or for a club like Spurs to spend heavily on reinforcing a key position.

“I think it is very understandable that there was interest in Hancko last summer, and now too,” Te Kloese tells RTV Rijnmond. “He is a fantastic player.

“But that does not mean that he wants to make a transfer now, or that we want him to make a transfer. I think this is more something for the future.

“The winter transfer market is different from the summer one. [In the summer] it is often better for a player to transfer. Then, the family can also move, there is time to adjust.

“In the winter, it is often a panic action from a club, or a transfer to replace an injured player. These are different arguments to get a player. You have to be careful with that.

“The fact that there is a lot of talk about players and there is interest, that means that we are going in the right direction,” Te Kloese adds, confident that Feyenoord could bounce back from Hancko’s departure.

“I think that we have shown that, if someone leaves, we can replace them in a good and responsible way.”

Hancko explains why he didn’t join Arne Slot’s Liverpool

TBR understands that both West Ham United and Aston Villa looked at Hancko over the summer. The Hammers then snapped up Max Kilman from Wolves, while Villa have been strengthened by the return of Tyrone Mings from injury.

Hancko also confirmed, via the  SFZ podcast, that he discussed a potential reunion with Slot at Liverpool. The Premier League leaders decided against making a move, however, with Liverpool targeting longer-term additions than the 27-year-old former Sparta Prague stopper.

“I was in contact with the coach,” Hancko said. “But [Slot] immediately told me that it was not possible. Liverpool have a certain transfer philosophy. Age was one issue, the other was price.

“Both factors were negative for me.”

In addition to Hancko and Struijk, Tottenham have been made aware of Getafe’s Omar Alderete. The La Liga outfit will only sell if the Paraguayan’s £13 million release clause is triggered.