Italian giants considering January swoop for struggling Tottenham star who has “done nothing” since arriving in North London

Tottenham Hotspur's Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Tottenham have endured a miserable 10-day spell.

A bruising 4–1 defeat to Arsenal in the North London Derby — capped by a hat-trick from Eberechi Eze, who came close to joining Spurs in the summer — was followed by a chaotic 5–3 loss to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, where Vitinha bagged a treble of his own.

The slump continued at the weekend with a 2–1 reverse against Fulham, as two early goals and a costly error from Guglielmo Vicario handed the Cottagers all three points.

With form dipping sharply, Thomas Frank is already turning his attention to January — both for reinforcements and potential exits.

Tribuna report that AS Roma are stepping up their push to sign Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee in January, with a loan-and-buy option dependent on Champions League qualification.

The 24-year-old wants regular minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and Roma are hopeful of striking a deal.

But if United refuse to sanction a mid-season departure, Roma are prepared to pivot toward Tel. The 20-year-old Frenchman could be made available on loan until the end of the season, with Spurs unwilling to commit to a permanent sale but open to a temporary switch.

Tel has managed just two goals in 12 appearances this campaign and has grown increasingly frustrated by his limited role. His struggles extend back to last season’s internal January loan, where he scored only twice in 14 Premier League games — prompting former Spurs scout Bryan King to claim the youngster has “done nothing for me since he arrived in North London.”

Roma see Tel as a viable alternative to bolster their attack as they chase the Serie A title, with discussions still active as the winter window approaches.

A fresh start in Italy might be exactly what the young forward needs — and Tottenham may benefit from hitting the reset button too.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.