Your morning Tottenham Hotspur digest on Sunday, February 5.
Fabio Paratici 'ready' for bargain summer transfer move
Tottenham are already ‘ready’ for a bargain summer transfer tussle over France striker Marcus Thuram, according to reports.
Spurs star Harry Kane’s future at the club is uncertain as things stand, with the England international now well into the final 18 months of his contract. The 29-year-old’s deal expires in 2024, and while there has been noise of a potential renewal, nothing has been signed as things stand.
According to a report by AS, via Sport Witness, the Lilywhites are ‘set’ for a transfer tussle to sign Borussia Monchengladbach star Thuram this summer. Alongside Spurs, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal are displaying an interest in the 25-year-old, who is available on a free deal as things stand.
READ MORE: Porro question, Sessegnon starts - Tottenham lineups Conte and Stellini should pick vs Man City
Djed Spence impresses on Stade Rennes loan debut
Tottenham defender Djed Spence has earned rave reviews from Rennes fans after making his debut for the loan club, as per the Evening Standard. Spence will spend the rest of the season at the Ligue 1 club, joining Spurs team-mate Joe Rodon in the team, after a deadline-day move from north London.
The summer signing at Spurs struggled for chances under Antonio Conte, playing less than 10 minutes in the Premier League over minimal substitute appearances. The right-back picked Rennes over a number of other interested clubs, including Atletico Madrid, due to the increased chance of playing minutes, and the move appears to have already paid off.
Spence was little tested defensively in the first half but showed his attacking talents with marauding runs down the wing, almost forcing an own goal from a Lille defender. He later drove into the area and hit the side netting from 12 yards. Lille equalised in the second half.
Rennes fans and commentators have already been impressed, with journalist Hortense Leblanc calling the move "very clever" of the French side to snap him up, while Rennes' fan account described the defender's attacking exploits as "more than validated".
Spence was also described as "steeped in talent", "very strong" and a "beautiful discovery" by viewers across the Channel. One Rennes fan asked: “Does Djed Spence have a brother who plays left-back by any chance?” while another said "...why did Tottenham lend [Spence] to us, they are crazy."
Gareth Bale impressing in golf tournament during retirement
Former Tottenham and Wales legend Gareth Bale produced one of the top highlights from the amateur ranks while playing at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Bale recently retired from professional football in January after spending six months in America with MLS club LAFC.
The 33-year-old is currently playing in his first PGA Tour event having been partnered up with Korn Ferry Tour Championship winner Joseph Bramlett, who he said he met around a year ago and has kept in contact with since.
"We met about a year ago and we have just been speaking over the year," the former Spurs star said. "I said to him last week 'let's prepare for this week' – he had a great week last week, and what a player."
Bale played one of the shots of the day earlier this week after hitting a stunning up-and-down off the cart path. "I am more worried about how I found myself [on the path] in the first place, but I guess a lot of amateurs find themselves in that position," Bale said.
"It was a great shot and I just tried to play into the bank and hope for the best like most amateurs do. It was nice to see it roll up nice and close, and he was pretty much in for par so I was like 'I will pick it up' and [Bramlett] made me putt it because he was like 'this is going to be the greatest up-and-down'."
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