Tottenham transfer target extends contract with current club
Tottenham, like PSG and Liverpool, will need to change or adjust their plans for upcoming transfer windows, as one of their targets has decided to renew his contract with his current club. / FRANCK FIFE/GettyImages
Tottenham, like PSG and Liverpool, will need to change or adjust their plans for upcoming transfer windows, as one of their targets has decided to renew his contract with his current club.
Tottenham Hotspur was amid multiple transfer rumours during the last summer window, particularly focusing on names to bolster their attacking options, such as Federico Chiesa, Ivan Toney, and Jonathan David, among others.
One standout name that appeared in media reports was Rayan Cherki, a 21-year-old French winger playing for Olympique Lyonnais. Known primarily for his talent, but also his inconsistency, the young prospect has opted to remain at his current club.
As confirmed by Lyon (h/t PSG Post), Cherki has extended his contract, and according to Transfermarkt, the extension lasts until 2026. Foot Mercato previously indicated that the renewal would be until 2026, with the option to extend to the summer of 2027.
Tottenham transfer target extends contract with current club
In addition to Tottenham, Rayan Cherki was frequently linked to other major clubs, including PSG, Liverpool, and more recently, Borussia Dortmund. In fact, until very recently, Cherki had been separated from the rest of the OL squad, making his return only this Sunday in the match against Marseille, where he scored in the final moments.
If Tottenham or any other interested club had intended to make a fresh approach for Cherki in the upcoming transfer windows, it will now be more complicated due to his contractual situation. However, a renewal until 2026 isn’t overly lengthy, and there could always be an offer that persuades his current club.
Regardless, it’s still early to determine what the priorities will be for Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs management, both in January and next summer. The position where Cherki currently performs best seems well covered by Maddison, for instance. We will have to wait and see if interest in the young French star is reignited.
Down in League Two, George Abbott’s Notts County side welcomed Gillingham to Meadow Lane in a top-of-the-table six-pointer clash.
For this game, Notts manager Stuart Maynard deployed Abbott in a different role than he had played so far, playing him as one of the two ‘number tens’ in his 3421 setup, playing alongside Conor Grant off of veteran striker David McGoldrick.
It was a bitter day for Notts, who fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat, their first of the season, courtesy of a 38th-minute goal from their visitors. The Magpies dominated possession, having 71% of the ball in total, but failed to make it count as they struggled to create consistent clear-cut opportunities against a stubborn and resilient Gillingham defence. Despite this defeat, they remain fourth in the league with 14 points from their opening seven games of the season.
Spurs loan watch: Disappointing day for Tottenham loanee
Abbott played the 90 minutes, which is of course an encouraging sign, even if it was not his best game. The midfielder struggled to impact the game too much from a more advanced position, not having his usual time on the ball and a high volume of touches from deeper areas like he is used to. He went close to opening the scoring after 28 minutes, but could not fire his left-footed strike from inside the box on target.
Next up for Notts County is a trip to Burton Albion in the Bristol St Motors trophy on Tuesday night, 19:45 BST. However, if the rules are the same as other domestic competitions, Abbott will be cup-tied, having played in the penalty shootout win for Spurs U21s against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium back in August.
In that case, the next game for the Spurs loanee will be a trip North to play Morecambe in League Two on Saturday, with kick-off being 15:00 BST.
