‘Very happy’ director confirms stars will not join Tottenham or West Ham

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Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United look set to miss out on Ko Itakura and Alassane Plea with the Borussia Monchengladbach duo opting to stay in the Bundesliga despite Premier League interest. 

Ange Postecoglou is not the sort of manager to hide his true feelings, and the outspoken Australian is making no secret of his desire to ‘bring in at least one’ new centre-half. Preferably, before the new Premier League season begins in two-and-a-half weeks’ time. 

And while Postecoglou insists that there is ‘no frustration’ regarding the snail-pace discussions with the likes of Micky Van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba, one wonders how the former Celtic boss really thinks about things. 

Ange, welcome to Daniel Levy’s Tottenham. 

A club where much-needed signings are often delayed and delayed in an attempt to save every single penny. Spurs looked well-placed to secure the signing of Wolfsburg’s Micky Van de Ven a fortnight ago and, since then, things have gone quiet. Ditto Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba. 

Tottenham’s centre-half chase goes on

At least, with James Maddison, Manor Solomon and Guglielmo Vicario through the door, Tottenham have brought in a trio of new faces. You cannot say that of West Ham; the only Premier League club yet to make a signing this summer. 

Alassane Plea will not be bringing an end to that long wait, either. Foot Mercato reported that West Ham made contact with Plea’s camp in May but – like the Tottenham-linked Itakura – he will now be staying in Germany for the 2023/24 campaign.

“Both (players) have committed themselves to Borussia,” says Gladbach’s sporting director Roland Virkus, speaking to RP Online. “They said; ‘We want to follow the path that the club has taken. We know it’s not an easy path, but we feel at home at Borussia and want to take responsibility.’  

“Of course, we’re very happy about that.” 

Plea, an experienced and versatile attacker, will be tasked with helping Gladbach adapt to life without Marcus Thuram; last season’s top scorer joining Inter Milan.

Itakura, a left-sided centre-half like Van de Ven and Tapsoba, could have replaced Clement Lenglet at Tottenham, meanwhile (Sky Germany). Postecoglou tried to sign him for Celtic back in 2021, but looks set to miss out again.