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There has been ‘no sign’ of Pedro Porro at Tottenham Hotspur‘s open training session today, according to journalist Sam Tabuteau.
Tottenham slipped to 14th in the Premier League and now are only eight points off the relegation spots after the weekend fixtures, raising some concerns about a relegation battle.
The north London club have had more joy in the Champions League though, and sit fifth ahead of the final round of matches in the group stage.
A 2-0 win last week against Borussia Dortmund has left direct qualification for the knockout rounds in Tottenham’s own hands.
Spurs will travel to Germany to take on Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening.
Eintracht Frankfurt are already out of contention for the playoff spots, and a win will ensure a top eight finish for Spurs, meaning they can avoid having to play two more games in February.
Frank will want to ensure his side’s progression in the competition, while also managing fatigue and injury concerns.
Porro was taken off at half-time against Burnley on Saturday, as an injury for the right-back was feared initially.
Frank allayed any concerns post-match, stating that his game time was being managed, with Porro having started Spurs’ last 14 games.
It has now emerged that there was ‘no sign’ of Porro during Spurs’ open training ahead of their Champions League fixture.
Porro’s absence does not necessarily mean he will not travel to Frankfurt though, with prior instances proving otherwise.
Micky van de Ven, who played and scored against Burnley, was another notable absentee from training.
Porro had emerged as a ‘very expensive’ target for Italian giants Inter Milan, but the rumours have since died down.
Tottenham have been intent on bringing in Andrew Robertson, but Liverpool have been reluctant to sanction a move, being already light at the back.
Conor Gallagher and left-back Souza have been signed during the January window, as Frank seeks to avoid a fate in which his side is stuck in relegation mire.
Before turning his attention to domestic issues, Frank will want to ensure qualification for the round of 16 in the Champions League and tidy up Spurs’ business in the January window.