Calling True or False on 3 Recent Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Rumours

October is not halfway over and the Premier League season has not even reached the 10-game mark. Yet, unsurprisingly, the January transfer window is already on the minds of many.

Tottenham Hotspur were active throughout the summer negotiating period, attempting to strengthen their defence and rejuvenate their attack.

Toby Alderweireld and Heung-Min Son have started positively (the January-signed, but July-arriving Dele Alli has, too) but limited playing time means it is too early to tell with Clinton Njie, Kieran Trippier and Kevin Wimmer.

Heading into the winter months, we will find out whether Tottenham could do with making any further changes to their squad. But from where things stand right now, here is a look at the likelihood of three recent transfer rumours coming to fruition.

First up, the oft-speculated deal that will just not seem to go away.

Tottenham Are Preparing a January Bid for Saido Berahino

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Although it is speculation linking Spurs with Gent's Laurent Depoitre that takes up the majority of a recent Telegraph article, it is writer Matt Law's suggestion they are still interested in West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino which is most noteworthy.

The north Londoners' pursuit of the forward this past summer did not go down well with West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace.

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"Tottenham’s offers failed substantially to reflect Saido’s true value while the timing made no allowance for our own recruitment of a suitable replacement for a proven Premier League goalscorer," he reflected post-window, via his club's website, of a situation that left the club in dispute with their player.

Without naming names, Peace's Spurs counterpart, Daniel Levy, dismissed the accusations in his own official website statement.

The Baggies and Berahino have since re-established their working relationship and James Nursey of the Mirror reports the two parties have agreed not to further discuss a transfer until the campaign concludes. Any further bids from Spurs in January will almost certainly be met with short shrift.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad could still benefit from the addition of another striker. Son's arrival has already helped here, and Njie may soon come to provide sufficient backing for Harry Kane too. The South Korean's current injury lay-off shows how precarious Spurs' situation here still is, though.

Expect Spurs to look at final-third reinforcements in January. Just not Berahino, who they must realise is off limits for the time being.

Verdict: False.

Napoli Want Mousa Dembele

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You are hesitant to read too much into a transfer rumour where two of the more prominent outlets citing it are partly doing so on the basis the subject is not currently playing much for Tottenham. Especially when one of them then acknowledges the actual reason he has not been involved is because of injury.

But then again, both Football Italia and the Daily Express are referring to Tuttosport and Calciomercato, who, presumably, have more legitimate reason for linking Napoli with a move for Mousa Dembele.

The Belgium international's status will be worth keeping an eye on. He began the season in decent form for Spurs, filling in a more unusual right-midfield role with an energy level that had been lacking in 2014-15.

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However, since getting injured in late-August's 0-0 draw with Everton, Dembele will have watched on and seen competition for places increase.

Njie and Son getting their minutes in attacking midfield alongside the likes of Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela. Alli making a formidable partnership with Eric Dier in the Belgian's more familiar central-midfield position in the absence of the also-injured Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason.

A lot of football is still to be played before January and a fit Dembele will almost certainly be called on by Pochettino. Available again now, he was a late substitute in Spurs' most recent 2-2 draw with Swansea City. That he has been kept around when several other midfielders departed in the summer suggests the boss still has plenty of use for the versatile 28-year-old.

Others performing well enough to keep Dembele out of the team, and Napoli showing genuine interest could see the situation change come January.

Spurs would get a tidy sum for their player, and what, by then, could be the opportunity for more regular football could tempt him also.

It is too early to say if this one will happen, but Napoli looking at Dembele is not out of the realms of possibility.

Verdict: True.

Tottenham Hope to Sign AC Milan's Honda

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David Wright of the Daily Express also refers to sources in Italy when reporting Tottenham and Everton are after AC Milan's Keisuke Honda.

Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic is in the process of trying to revitalise the dormant Serie A giants, and Honda may yet be one of the past-regime recruits to be offloaded.

Whatever the Japan international's future in Italy, it is very unlikely Spurs will be after him. Pochettino has more than enough to call on in attacking midfield

Eriksen remains his chief playmaker, while Lamela maintaining his strong September performances will see him competing for an even more influential role in the creative department.

Honda, 29, coming in would also stifle space for youngsters like Alli and Alex Pritchard to impress; the latter is out until January now but remains someone Pochettino will be keen to test when fit again.

Barring some serious problems arising in their current ranks, Honda will not be arriving at White Hart Lane in January.

Verdict: False.