Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League • England
Tottenham ace rocks Postecoglou by deciding to terminate contract early, with eye-opening move ‘close’
A senior Tottenham star has left manager Ange Postecoglou shocked by opting to end his contract with the club a year early and gunning for a move out of Europe’s top five leagues, according to one journalist.
Tottenham have brought in two new players this summer, with Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison arriving from Empoli and Leicester respectively. They have also completed a permanent deal for loanee Dejan Kulusevski.
In terms of outgoings, Brazilian forward Lucas Moura was allowed to leave on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract, while Spurs have sold midfielder Harry Winks to Leicester.
Talismanic striker Harry Kane could follow Winks out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Bayern are preparing a second offer for him. After having an opening £60m bid rejected, they are planning to return with an improved proposal worth £80m plus add-ons.
And Postecoglou might have to operate without wide man Ivan Perisic next season, too. As per respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the Croatia international is preparing to end his Spurs contract this summer, rather than waiting for it to expire in June 2024.
And rather than remaining in one of Europe’s biggest divisions, Perisic is aiming to go back to Croatia by signing for Hajduk Split. The move is ‘close’ to being completed, with Perisic just waiting for Spurs’ approval before undergoing a Hajduk medical.
READ MORE: Tottenham to test Inter resolve by launching significant bid for potential Hojbjerg replacement
The 34-year-old will be delighted about returning to Hajduk as it is where his career began. He was a part of their academy setup but never actually made a senior appearance before moving to French club FC Sochaux in 2006.
Perisic has had a hugely successful career since then, representing major clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Inter, Bayern and most recently Spurs.
Ivan Perisic set to leave Premier League
Despite Perisic being towards the end of his career, it will still be a blow if he departs Spurs. His versatility is useful as he excels while playing as a left winger or left wing-back.
Perisic also boasts a wealth of experience, both at club and international level. Indeed, he has won league titles in Germany and Italy, while also picking up a hugely impressive 127 caps for Croatia.
With Postecoglou looking to operate with a 4-3-3 formation at Spurs, it is likely the north London outfit will bring in a new left-back this summer.
Sergio Reguilon has returned from his loan with Atletico Madrid, though it remains to be seen whether he can revitalise his Spurs career. There have been rumours Ben Davies could find a new club, while youngster Destiny Udogie does not have enough experience to be fully relied upon by Postecoglou.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s Euro Paper Talk claims Spurs are ready to trigger the release clause of a Danish centre-half.