Spurs line up intriguing £25m winger raid as Aston Villa set to relaunch move for summer transfer target

After another thrilling weekend of Premier League action, the international break awaits and Tottenham Hotspur stand tall at the head of the table. Their narrow win over Luton Town puts them as unexpected leaders as they continue their unbeaten run this season.

Chelsea, Manchester United, and Everton earned big wins, while Arsenal edged out Manchester City with a crucial and resilient performance.

As the months tick down, January is approaching which means just one thing — the return of transfer window chaos. So let’s take a look at some of the latest stories on the rumour mill.

Spurs want to sign ‘unbelievable’ winger

Tottenham are flying in the Premier League right now and will head into the international break at the top of the tree, ahead of reigning champions Man City on goal difference. Despite losing Harry Kane, Spurs have been firing the goals in and are benefiting from summer signings like James Maddison, who has well and truly hit the ground running.

After an impressive summer, Tottenham have started to look ahead to January and according to Football Insider, they are in the running for Al-Ittihad’s Jota, who previously played under Ange Postecoglou at Celtic. During his first season with the Hoops, Jota contributed 13 goals and 14 assists, earning the label of ‘unbelievable’ from the now Spurs boss.

The winger’s time in Saudi Arabia is not shaping up as expected and he could be set to move on, despite only making the move from Celtic in the summer. Right now, he could be ine of the most exciting attackers available on the market.

The 3AM Verdict: Tottenham’s attack is on fire but it’s difficult to ignore the hefty injuries sustained to the left-hand side. Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, new signing Manor Solomon and loan returnee Ryan Gil are all out of action, and with Son Heung-min operating as a No.9 lately, options are very limited. Bringing in Jota would definitely require Spurs to offload some players in the summer, but a high-scoring and assisting winger is a very valuable asset to have, especially if they are going to keep up these performances and potentially challenge for the title.

£73m Man Utd star exit concerns rise

Man United continue to consider their list of outgoings as we approach the January transfer window. The main name doing the rounds is Harry Maguire but the future of Jadon Sancho is also a heavy grey area. ESPN has reported that concerns are rising within the Old Trafford camp that the winger is headed for the door.

Sancho’s clash with Erik ten Hag has resulted in him training away from the group and the manager is said to be waiting on an apology from the £73 million signing. However, the report claims that even if an apology was to come now, it would not have the same impact as expected initially. Sancho has not played for United since August and things aren’t looking too promising.

The 3AM Verdict: Sancho joined United after worldwide interest in his services back in 2021. He became a household name after his astonishing performances for Dortmund but since his arrival at Old Trafford, he has struggled to reach the gears that saw him return double figures in both goals and assists each season.

Ahead of his move to United, Transfermarkt valued Sancho at €100 million (£86m) but he has since plummeted to €32 million (£27.5m). It’s becoming more apparent that the two parties are drifting to a point of no return and it would be wise for the Reds to cash in while they can, and bring in new blood. Any top team would snap up a player like Sancho and now could be the time to land him for a bargain price.

Aston Villa want to ‘try again’ for defender

After their European challenge last season, Aston Villa will be hoping for more of the same this time round and they enter the international break in fifth place, four points off leaders Spurs. Unai Emery and co brought in three permanent new signings and two players on loan, but talks are now being held over potential winter business.

According to Grada3, Villa have ‘not forgotten’ about former target Marcos Acuña of Sevilla, and the manager wants to ‘try again’ to bring him to the club after initially wanting to sign him during the summer. The left-back is contracted until 2025 and while a price tag hasn’t been mentioned, he will likely be available for a reasonable fee once the new year rolls in.

The 3AM Verdict: Lucas Digne’s future at Villa was looking uncertain but he has started every Premier League match this season in the absence of Álex Moreno. What the future holds remains uncertain but back-up options are always important to have, especially for a side like Villa looking to challenge at the top end of the table. With previous interest in Acuña, and Emery being aware of him from his time in LaLiga, plus the possibility of a cut-price deal, it could be a very good match for both sides.