Spurs change stance on full-back

Tottenham Hotspur face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday evening. 

Ange Postecoglou’s side will face a tough test against the Citizens, who won the competition last term after defeating rivals Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

The Lilywhites have been in good form of late, overturning a brief blip in form to put themselves firmly back in the hunt for a place in the Premier League’s top four.

The Australian will also be keen to put together a cup run for his side, with Tottenham having not won a trophy for more than 15 years.

Ahead of the game, it appears that Postecoglou and those in charge of the club have changed their mind on the future of one of their defenders.

As reported by Football Insider, Tottenham have now decided to keep hold of full-back Emerson Royal despite previously looking to offload the player.

Royal has established himself as an important player for Postecoglou

The report suggests that last summer, the North London club were looking to sell Royal, but they have now changed their stance after establishing himself as a regular in Postecoglou’s side.

The Brazilian joined Spurs from Spanish giants Barcelona in 2021 and has since made 95 appearances for the club across all competitions, including 73 in the Premier League.

He has played 18 times this season, starting seven of Spurs’ 21 games so far and playing pivotal roles in a number of key victories for the Lilywhites.

Earlier this month, Tottenham rejected an offer from Saudi Arabian Pro League side Al-Nassr for the 25-year-old.

The full-back’s current contract is set to run until the summer of 2026 but, despite Spurs having previously been open to selling the defender, it appears that they are now insistent on keeping him.