Postecoglou prepares brutal Tottenham clearout with nine up for sale – but offers olive branch to major flop

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to transform their squad for incoming head coach, Ange Postecoglou, according to reports.

Postecoglou is on the verge of becoming the new Tottenham manager after Celtic granted permission for him to speak to the Premier League club. Now, the Australian tactician could be announced by Spurs within 24 hours.

The squad he will be inheriting could only finish eighth in the Premier League this season. Therefore, he will have his work cut out to get them competitive again.

And it appears that before building up his new squad, Postecoglou will have to focus on deconstructing what is already there.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the 57-year-old is ready to oversee a clearout of the Tottenham squad, by which nine players could be sold and two others sent away.

Per the report, the first two casualties will be goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and winger Ivan Perisic. Two of the most senior players at Tottenham, they are both about to enter the final year of their contracts.

Lloris will likely be replaced as number one next season, though, and has already admitted an interest in a new challenge. Perisic, for his part, was an Antonio Conte signing, so has now lost his main backer at the club.

Next, Spurs will listen to offers for Ben Davies and fellow defender Eric Dier. They have also highlighted centre-back Davinson Sanchez and wing-back Ryan Sessegnon as two players with major question marks hanging over them.

The seventh, eighth and ninth sales speculated in the report are of players who have already been out on loan away from Tottenham this season. Indeed, Spurs are now trying to sell full-back Sergio Reguilon and midfielders Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks.

And the tally of exits could come to 11 when factoring in players who have been on loan at Tottenham. A permanent deal for winger Arnaut Danjuma will not be pursued, while they could return defender Clement Lenglet to Barcelona.

Postecoglou gives Tottenham lifeline to Ndombele

Interestingly, though, there is one Tottenham outcast that Postecoglou could give a second chance to. According to the report, the new boss wants to have a closer look at Tanguy Ndombele after his spell with Napoli.

Ndombele was previously Tottenham’s record signing, but failed to match the positive form from his Lyon days. He has won Serie A this season, although not as a regular starter for Napoli.

Spurs are yet to decide whether to reintegrate the 26-year-old, but it appears Postecoglou wants to have a look at him.

If the verdict is negative, Ndombele could yet become the 12th player on Tottenham’s pile of players to discard, but as things stand, he still has a chance to redeem himself.

The midfielder’s contract with Tottenham still has another two years remaining and other sources have recently suggested he too would be open to a return.

READ MORE – New Tottenham manager: Ange Postecoglou to bring Celtic trio with him as boss sends thanks to Scottish giants