Tottenham eye two transfer reunions as Postecoglou looks to navigate Europa League hurdle

Tottenham are interested in signing two of their former players to help with squad registration for the Europa League next season, according to reports. The north Londoners are widely expected to be active in the summer market as Ange Postecoglou looks to prepare his squad for a renewed top-four challenge.

Spurs will also be playing in the Europa League, which means they will need to comply with UEFA's squad rules for the competition. Teams must include a minimum of four ‘club-trained’ players who were on their books for at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21.

The rules could see Tottenham attempt to sign two of their former players in a bid to avoid having to name under-21 prospects in their Europa League squad. Marcus Edwards and Kyle Walker-Peters have both emerged as potential transfer targets for this reason, according to the Evening Standard.

Edwards did not make the grade at Tottenham but has impressed at Sporting since joining the Portuguese outfit two years ago. The report states that he could be available for a 'cut-price' fee but it remains to be seen if a return to Spurs will materialise over the coming weeks.

Walker-Peters, meanwhile, was among the best players in the Championship last season as Southampton secured an immediate return to the Premier League via the play-offs. He is only tied down until the summer of 2025, meaning the Saints face a dilemma over whether to sell him or risk losing him for nothing in a year's time.

Tottenham must also name at least four ‘association-trained players’, who were on the books of another English or Welsh club for three years between the ages of 15 and 21, in their Europa League squad. They currently have seven eligible players in Fraser Forster, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence and Ashley Phillips.

Several of those players could leave this summer, though, with Rodon and Spence not expected to stay in north London for much longer. Phillips is also reportedly set to go out on another loan deal, having spent the second half of last season at Plymouth Argyle.

Ange Postecoglou dismissed concerns over Tottenham's club-trained contingent when quizzed on the topic earlier this year, saying: "We're quite comfortable in that situation. Decisions about individual players will all be made in the context of what's good for the club and what's good for the player and hopefully there's some sort of alignment there.

"From our perspective we're comfortable that with the squad we have we'll make decisions that are going to be beneficial for us in terms of our growth. A lot of those individual things about individual players won't be made until post-season."