Former Tottenham youth star could make surprise return as club ‘considering triggering’ contract clause

There have been ups and downs for Tottenham Hotspur fans already this season with the club sitting third in the Premier League table but having suffered a derby defeat to North London rivals Arsenal while their form in the UEFA Champions League has been below par.

Away from the action on the pitch it was a busy summer transfer market for Antonio Conte and January could yet prove to be just as active a window if the Italian decided to make changes to his squad for the latter part of the campaign.

One such move that Spurs could make is to bring a former youth academy player back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by activating a release clause in his current contract with EFL Championship side Sunderland - where he has been in impressive form.

Here is what is being reported about Spurs’ potential interest in moving to bring the 20-year old back to his boyhood club.

Tottenham “considering triggering” £6 million Dennis Cirkin buy-back clause

According to a report from The Express, Spurs are considering triggering a £6million buy-back clause for Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin. The 20-year old Irishman came through the youth ranks with the North London club but joined the Black Cats for an undisclosed fee in August 2021 without ever having made a first team appearance.

The then teenager went straight into the first team at the Stadium of Light last season and made 41 appearances in all competitions while helping the club gain promotion from League One to the Championship via the play-offs. He has continued to be a key player in the Sunderland defence after their promotion and has played eight times across all competitions.

On the international stage, Cirkin is eligible to represent Ireland (the country of his birth) and Latvia (the country of his parents’ birth) and England (where he has lived since a young age) and has so far chosen to turn out for England having represented the Three Lions at Under 16, Under 17, Under 18 and Under 20 level with two caps for the oldest of those age grades so far.