Tottenham Hotspur have got off to a flyer in the Premier League this term and sit just two points adrift of Manchester City at the summit of the table.
Much of their success is due to Ange Postecoglou, who arrived from Celtic in the summer. The Australian has completely reshaped the culture and implemented a new and exciting brand of football.
Gone are the days of the pragmatism under Antonio Conte. A new era has begun and fans are loving it. Many are tentatively tipping the Lilywhites as outsiders for the title and as it stands, they're still in the race.
Postecoglou has a number of first-teamers sidelined which could dent those hopes but with the winter transfer window fast approaching, preparation will already be underway to bolster his squad.
Read more: Latest Tottenham Hotspur injury new
And, he'll also have to deal with the contract situation of five players, who all become free agents next summer. They are therefore free to negotiate pre-contract agreements in the January transfer window.
Football FanCast takes a look at the five Tottenham Hotspur players who are leaving on a free next summer.
5 Brandon Austin
Goalkeeper, 24
Brandon Austin is a graduate of Tottenham Hotspur's academy but has never actually made a competitive senior appearance for the north Londoners.
Austin, who has been capped at youth level for USA, has been on loan twice, firstly with top-flight Danish side Viborg FF in 2020 and then with MLS's Orlando City the following year.
He penned fresh terms with the club in March 2022 but has now entered the final year of his contract and will become a free agent next summer.
It appears unlikely that a new deal will be offered to the 24-year-old, with Fraser Forster the preferred understudy to No. 1 Guglielmo Vicario, who has been a colossus since arriving from Empoli.
4 Fraser Forster
Goalkeeper, 35
Fraser Forster is one of three goalkeepers at the club, along with Austin, due to become a free agent next year upon the expiry of his contract at Hotspur Way.
The former Southampton shot-stopper has been with the Lilywhites since July 2022 and has made 21 appearances, with 14 of those coming in the Premier League.
Forster is in the twilight of his career at 35-years-old and will perhaps be allowed to move on in the summer, with 25-year-old Alfie Whiteman potentially stepping up as the No. 2.
3 Hugo Lloris
Goalkeeper, 36
Postecoglou may have a slight goalkeeper dilemma next year, as Hugo Lloris is also set to leave at the end of the season after over 11 years at the club.
The former Spurs skipper has made a colossal 444 appearances and has established himself as one of the best keepers in the world during his time in North London.
The Frenchman was told by Daniel Levy that he could leave on a free transfer in the summer and missed the pre-season tour in Australia, Thailand and Singapore to find a new club, but nothing materialised, despite offers from Saudi Arabia, Lazio and his home town club Nice on deadline day.
“The supporters (of Nice) and the team deserve better than a split-second decision based on a phone call without expectations or a clear sporting project with one hour until the closure of the window at a time where I wasn’t expecting it,” Lloris explained.
The 36-year-old has had no involvement in Postecoglou's matchday squads this year and looks set to end his glittering Spurs career in January.
Lloris's career in numbers
Team
Appearances
Clean sheets
France
145
63
Tottenham Hotspur
444
151
Olympique Lyon
202
11
OGC Nice
78
30
2 Ivan Perišić
Left midfield, 34
The former Inter winger has probably already played his final game for Spurs as he continues to recover from surgery on his ACL, which is expected to keep him out of action until June 2024.
The 24-year-old sustained the serious injury in non-contact training, the club confirmed in a statement, which read: "We can confirm that Ivan Perisic has suffered a complex Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee.
"The experienced Croatia international sustained the injury in non-contact training and will undergo surgery.
"Ivan will then commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season."
Perišić was signed during Conte's reign in June 2022 and has made a half-century of appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring one goal whilst laying on 14 assists.
According to sportske novosti, the 129-cap Croatia international will be permitted to leave on a free transfer in January with a return to his former youth club HNK Hajduk Split being mooted.
Perišić's career path
Date
Left
Joined
Fee
July 1st, 2006
HNK Hajduk Split U17
FC Sochaux B
£314k
January 1st, 2009
FC Sochaux
KSV Roeselare
Loan
June 30th, 2009
KSV Roeselare
FC Sochaux
End of loan
August 26th, 2009
FC Sochaux
Club Brugge
£174k
July 1st, 2011
Club Brugge
Borussia Dortmund
£3.4m
January 6th, 2013
Borussia Dortmund
VfL Wolfsburg
£6.9m
August 30th, 2015
VfL Wolfsburg
Inter
£16.5m
August 13th, 2019
Inter
Bayern Munich
Loan fee: £4.3m
August 31st 2020
Bayern Munich
Inter
End of loan
July 1st, 2022
Inter
Tottenham Hotspur
Free
1 Eric Dier
Centre-back, 29
Eric Dier arrived in North London in 2014 after completing a £4m move from Sporting and has appeared 362 times for the Lilywhites.
During his nine-year stay, Dier established himself as an England international, collecting 49 caps whilst featuring at three major tournaments.
The defender's impressive performances over the years have piqued the interest of Manchester United, who reportedly made a bid in 2017, though, that deal never came to fruition.
Now, aged 29, Dier's career has somewhat stagnated as he has been reduced to a bit part role under Postecoglou's stewardship.
Sporting are said to be planning a January move for a cut-price deal whilst Crystal Palace and Celtic were thought to be monitoring his situation in the summer and could revisit a deal this winter.
Read more: Latest Spurs transfer news
