Tottenham Hotspur are a club still in transition after Thomas Frank’s appointment in the summer, with the full extent of his system yet to be witnessed by the supporters.
The Dane was appointed on a three-year contract after Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, with the 52-year-old only able to win five of his first 11 Premier League outings.
He’s only managed one league triumph on home soil to date, with such an issue needing to be addressed if the Lilywhites are to have any hope of finishing within the top four.
However, some of the players currently in his first-team squad have also done themselves no favours, leading to criticism of the manager for his team selection at times.
As a result, numerous players could be pushed closer to the exit door, potentially creating the additional funds needed to help build on the activity in the summer transfer window.
The Spurs players who could depart during the January window
Yves Bissouma is a player who has constantly been touted with a move away from Spurs in recent times - even before Frank took the reins back in the summer.
The Malian appeared to have burnt his bridges early on with the new boss, after being left out of the UEFA Super Cup final due to various disciplinary problems.
He’s failed to make a single appearance since Frank’s arrival, also struggling with injuries - which makes him an almost certainty to depart the Lilywhites in the winter.
Brennan Johnson is another player who could be pushed closer to the exit door in North London, something which may come as a surprise six months ago after netting the winner in the Europa League.
The Welshman has since lost his starting role in 2025/26, with Mohammed Kudus subsequently becoming the manager’s number one choice off the right-hand side.
He’s struggled to win his place back in the starting eleven of late, even being sent off in the Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen - further highlighting his lack of positive impact under the new boss.
The Spurs player who Conte was “very happy” to sign
Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge of Spurs was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, with the Italian unable to get the best out of the crop of players at his disposal in North London.
The Italian spent just under 18 months at the helm in North London, but was unable to secure any silverware and often became known for his inability to succeed in the role.
The 56-year-old even produced a remarkable rant after the clash with Southampton in May 2023, massively digging out the quality of players and criticising their lack of quality.
It ultimately spelt the end of his time in charge of the Lilywhites, leaving the club after achieving a 53% record - but without any silverware to show for his efforts.
However, he was handed key funds to make changes he desired, as seen by the £60m move to sign Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton in the summer of 2022.
The Italian was extremely pleased with such a move at the time, even stating that he was “very happy” to land the frontman to help bolster the options within the final third.
However, three years on from his transfer to join the Lilywhites, the 28-year-old has struggled to make himself a fan-favourite and has often struggled to produce the goods.
Frank has continued to show faith in the forward during the early stages of 2025/26, but it’s so far been to no avail - especially when delving into his stats from the ongoing season.
He may have scored four times in his 12 Premier League appearances to date, but the fanbase have grown frustrated with his lack of clinical edge - often missing more chances than he’s scored.
Richarlison has also been alien at the top end in numerous matches, as seen against Bodo Glimt in September, where he only registered a total of 10 touches in his 90-minute performance.
At present, he only has 18 months left on his current deal at the club, which could see them run the risk of losing him for nothing if they refuse to sell him in January.
However, the Brazilian certainly hasn’t done enough to warrant a new deal, nor has he been clinical enough to maintain the backing of Frank in the centre-forward role.
Given the circumstances, the hierarchy desperately need to offload Richarlison in January and invest the money wisely in a new talisman to help the Dane in his quest for success at the club.