There has been a transfer twist at Tottenham concerning the future of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, coming after he failed to seal a move elsewhere during the summer window.
Which players have left Tottenham?
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has, so far, managed to trim his squad by offloading Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett.
All of the aforementioned players are currently away from north London permanently or out on loan, with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy also selling star striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for a potential £103 million fee (dependent on certain add-ons).
Outside of the transfer market's closure on September 1, Spurs have managed to do deals for defender Davinson Sanchez and midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who've both made a move to Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray.
Postecoglou's decisions have paid dividends thus far, as the north Londoners currently sit second in the Premier League table after winning three out of their opening four league matches.
Under the Australian, Spurs have showcased an exciting, fast-paced and electric new brand of football; with their latest 5-2 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor putting it on full display.
Hojbjerg, who was heavily linked with a move away over the summer, has actually featured in almost every game under Postecoglou so far – making three league appearances from the bench.
The Dane also started their Carabao Cup second round tie against Fulham a fortnight ago, and there has now been a transfer twist concerning his future in north London.
Journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, says Hojbjerg is "set to remain" a Spurs player and the club will block any attempts from Saudi or Turkish sides during their open transfer windows.
According to the reporter, a January exit is "now by far the most likely outcome" for Tottenham's midfield ace, with Postecoglou preferring the in-form duo of Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma.
Rodrigo Bentancur's pending return from a long-term injury absence is also a crucial factor, O'Rourke writes, but any Hojbjerg departure right now would leave Spurs short of numbers.
How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?
The 28-year-old has been a mainstay for Tottenham for the last few years.
His 2020 arrival from Southampton has resulted in 149 appearances over all competitions; managing to rack up 10 goals and 16 assists in that time.
Hojbjerg has been a phenomenal servant for Spurs during his stay, with members of the media even calling him "sensational" at times.
Spurs podcaster Bardi said this on Hojbjerg from when he first joined:
“Our track record of defensive midfielders hasn’t been great," said Bardi to The Extra Inch Podcast (via TIF).
"So now all of a sudden we’ve got Hojbjerg there who’s very smart, very talented, [a] very skilful player, we’re looking at him going ‘he’s like the new Deschamps’ or something.
“I like him, it’s great. I’m just concerned with someone so combative and someone who does get around the pitch whether or not he’s going to go injury-free this season, because when he went down for the extended period, my stomach went kind of like when it does when [Harry] Kane goes down.”
