Eric Dier has held talks with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy after being frozen out by new head coach Ange Postecoglou.
Dier is yet to feature in a matchday squad for Spurs during Postecoglou’s first five games in charge, including the Carabao Cup defeat to Fulham for which the Australian made nine changes.
The treatment of Dier has come as a surprise, given he has been at Spurs for the past nine years and had been part of the club’s leadership group in recent years.
Telegraph Sport understands that Dier has held a frank conversation with Levy over the past week, although there is no suggestion of any row or fall-out.
The details of the meeting have been kept private, but it is likely that Dier wanted answers over his status in the squad and talks over what the future might hold.
The 29-year-old’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and Tottenham are yet to offer him a new deal.
Postecoglou overlooked Dier for the Tottenham captaincy following the departure of Harry Kane and with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also frozen out.
Dier has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, where the transfer window shuts at 10pm, UK time, on Thursday night, but the defender will be a free agent next summer.
Tottenham this week sold Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele to Galatasaray, which should ensure that Dier gets a place in Postecoglou’s 25-man Premier League squad should he stay.
The departure of Sanchez could even see Dier return to the substitutes’ bench under Postecoglou, with Spurs short on cover for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Meanwhile, it is believed Lloris has also spoken to Levy regarding his future. The goalkeeper has one year remaining on his contract and turned down a deadline day move to Nice.
Like Dier, Lloris has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.