Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League • England
Surgery for Tottenham attacker prompts step up in January chase for two quality wingers
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Wilson Odobert has undergone surgery on his right hamstring after a series of injury setbacks, which could prompt the club to step up their chase for a new winger in January.
Odobert has been incredibly unlucky with injuries since joining Spurs from Burnley over the summer, making only five appearances for the club in all competitions so far this season.
The 19-year-old was out for a month with his hamstring problem earlier in the campaign, only to return against AZ in the Europa League and be forced out of the game with a recurrence of the same problem.
And now Tottenham have confirmed that Odobert has been forced to have surgery on the issue but have not given a timescale on his return.
A statement on their official website read: “We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday (Saturday 16 November).
“The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training.”
The news will come as another blow to Ange Postecoglou, with Spurs having been hit hard by injuries for much of the season so far. Indeed, the Australian was keen to utilise Odobert in a rotation with sipper Son Heung-min and Timo Werner wide on the left as the club continue to balance domestic and European action.
With no timeframe on Odobert’s return and Son himself also spending time on the sidelines, there is every chance Tottenham will move for a new winger in January – with Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Real Sociedad sensation Takefusa Kubo both reported to be on their radar.
Tottenham considering January winger raid
Odobert’s prolonged absence, to add to concerns over Son, leaves Spurs light on options on the left wing – so perhaps it’s not that surprising to see the club once again being linked with Jack Grealish.
The England forward, who has been sidelined with a groin issue for the last three weeks, was a major target for Tottenham back in 2019 and was keen on a move that was quickly put to bed by his then employers Aston Villa.
Two years later, Grealish moved to City in a record £100million deal, but he has struggled to show his best form despite the club’s unparalleled trophy success during that time.
There is no mention of what sort of fee could be involved, although Grealish remains under contract until 2027 so won’t come cheap despite his overall lack of productivity at City.
Meanwhile, Tottenham and Bayern Munich have reportedly joined Liverpool on the hunt for Takefusa Kubo, who Real Sociedad could find it ‘difficult to retain’.
Former Real Madrid man Kubo is into his third season with Sociedad. Now with 25 goals in his La Liga career, the Japanese international has been a consistent performer for his current club every season.
That has piqued the interest of some clubs in other big European leagues.
Liverpool have been linked for a while, but Fichajes reports that Tottenham and Bayern Munich are both now interested in his talents, as well as the Reds.
Spurs are said to want to add versatility and depth to their attack, and feel the speed and dribbling ability of Kubo make him a fantastic asset for Ange Postecoglou’s system.
The winger has a €60million (£50m/$63m) release clause, and as a result, it’s believed that will make him ‘difficult to retain’ for Sociedad.
If it came down to a choice between the pair, then Grealish is the more natural fit on the left but Kubo is six years his junior. And, given Postecoglou’s admiration for Asian players, a move for Japan star Kubo appears to make more sense, while also fitting in with Tottenham’s current policy of bringing in younger players.
Latest Tottenham news: Spurs eye shock Winks return / Greek striker on Ange’s radar
Tottenham are reportedly entertaining the option of bringing a former midfielder back to the club in the January transfer window for what could represent a potential £22million loss on his original sale.
Leicester City star Harry Winks is being linked with a sensational return to north London after being the standout performer for the Foxes so far on their return to the Premier League.
Indeed, Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Spurs are ‘determined’ to bring Winks back to the club and are willing to pay a whopping £32m (€38m/$40m) for his services – a deal that would see them net a loss of £22m on the original transfer.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are among the Premier League sides who are said to have signalled interest in signing Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas, who Nurnberg are planning to sign for an ‘absurdly high’ fee before selling him for a profit to one of the interested clubs.