Tottenham now eyeing £67m Chelsea star as agents hold crunch talks over future

Tottenham head to Chelsea on Saturday with a chance to give their difficult season another much-needed lift.

The London derby gives Roberto De Zerbi’s side a quick opportunity to show they can start climbing the Premier League table.

Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Monday’s 3-1 victory over Coventry finally delivered their first league win of the campaign, while Dejan Kulusevski’s return from the bench provided and James Maddison’s superb strike provided more welcome boosts.

De Zerbi liked the way his players recovered after conceding an equaliser, although he also felt their overall performance needed improvement.

Chelsea will provide a fresh test of that progress, with Spurs still working around several fitness concerns.

Lucas Bergvall is recovering from a knee problem, while Savio has a muscle injury, and De Zerbi said last Sunday that the winger would be missing for several weeks.

Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Pedro Porro, who has been linked with an exit this week, could be back following his hamstring problem, having been pencilled in as a possible returnee for this fixture by De Zerbi last weekend.

His availability would give Tottenham an important option on the right, a position now attracting attention away from the pitch as well.

Tottenham eye Malo Gusto as Chelsea hold talks over defender’s future

Flashscore’s Dean Jones has named Spurs among the sides following Malo Gusto as the Chelsea defender’s camp holds talks with his club.

Jones says those discussions concern the player’s future, with Chelsea seeking clarity while considering their own recruitment.

The Blues have started checking potential right-back signings across Europe, and Gusto’s smaller role this season has put a possible 2027 departure into the picture.

January could offer an opening, although a summer move is also considered possible, but for Tottenham, the cost would be a major factor.

Chelsea put a £67 million asking price on Gusto during the summer, but Jones reports that valuation is being reconsidered, and that could make a difference for interested clubs, although Chelsea are still weighing up their options rather than pushing him towards a sale.

The link arrives amid separate speculation over Porro.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has reported this week that the Spaniard would be receptive to an approach from Barcelona or Real Madrid, having become concerned about Tottenham’s direction.

That gives Spurs another potential reason to assess the right-back market, even if Porro’s situation remains unresolved.

Chelsea also used Gusto on the left and in midfield last season, and that versatility could interest De Zerbi, who explained after the Coventry game that midfield absences had influenced his decision to select three centre-backs.

Tottenham would still need to decide how any signing fits their wider plans before committing serious money. Adding competition could help, but the case for a major purchase like this would become stronger if they were facing a significant departure like Porro’s.

For now, the immediate challenge is turning Monday’s relief into another positive result.