Tottenham News

Tottenham’s latest announcement may mean action is needed in the January transfer window.

After Tottenham’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Thomas Frank has clear improvements to make on his side.

The Lilywhites are expected to sign some new players in January after Joe Lewis’ family revealed their intent to help Tottenham progress.

Plans may already be in place following Tottenham’s latest reveal.

Tottenham fans react to Alfie Whiteman’s retirement

Tottenham confirmed Alfie Whiteman’s retirement on their official X account on Friday, after the goalkeeper spent roughly two decades at the club, joining the academy in 2005.

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During his time at Tottenham, Whiteman has mainly been used to keep the Lilywhites’ goalkeeper union healthy.

Spurs fans have now reacted on social media to pay tribute to the 27-year-old’s long spell at N17, as the goalkeeper has decided to take up a career as a director and photographer.

One Tottenham fan claimed “he was one of us” after the departure of the goalkeeper.

They said: “He was one of us. A Tottenham fan living his dream of wearing the shirt. All the best in the future, Alfie, with the photography.”

Another Tottenham fan said: “At least he’s won a European trophy, unlike the players of the other North London club.”

Tottenham will most likely sign a new goalkeeper in January

As Guglielmo Vicario is the concrete number one for Tottenham, Antonin Kinsky is the clear backup.

However, Tottenham are rumoured to be signing a new goalkeeper, potentially as early as the January transfer window.

Whiteman’s departure may have been anticipated by Tottenham, as an injury to either Kinsky or Vicario will leave Brandon Austin as the only other deputy.

While it’s not clear yet if Spurs are in the market for a first-choice goalkeeper or a second-choice, Whiteman’s exit has now only meant that the Lilywhites are almost certain to sign a new goalkeeper come January.

It is always a feisty affair when Tottenham meet Chelsea in the Premier League.

Chelsea are the favourites to beat Tottenham in Saturday’s latest encounter, with the Blues enjoying a dominant record over the Lilywhites in recent meetings.

This season so far, however, Thomas Frank‘s side sit three points above Enzo Maresca’s men, and will feel confident about their chances.

The teams go into Saturday’s clash in opposite ways after Tottenham lost 2-0 to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, while Chelsea beat Wolves 4-3.

Last week in the Premier League, however, Tottenham beat Everton 3-0, while Chelsea were handed a last-gasp defeat at the hands of Sunderland.

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Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie see red

Tottenham lost 4-1 to Chelsea in Ange Postecoglou’s first season, with the game marking several high-profile moments.

High-flying Spurs had taken the lead through Dejan Kulusevski, before Cristian Romero saw red and gave away a penalty when he lunged in on Enzo Fernandes.

Postecoglou refused to let his team drop back towards their own goal, however, keeping his 10-man side’s defensive line high on halfway.

For much of the second half, the plan seemed to work, with Chelsea constantly caught offside as they attempted to play through.

But when Udogie, who was perhaps lucky not to be sent off in the first half, dove in on Raheem Sterling and received his second yellow card, the task became impossible.

Chelsea would score three more goals in a seriously damaging defeat for Postecoglou’s side.

Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte clash

It was just the second game of the 2022-23 Premier League season when Tottenham travelled to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.

Kalidou Koulibaly opened the scoring with a superb volley, before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg equalised.

Tensions were already high between Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel, with the pair squaring off after the goal, but that would not be the last time the pair would clash before the day was done.

Reece James would put Chelsea back in front, before Harry Kane touched home to deny the home side the three points in the final moments. But the drama was not over.

Tuchel and Conte would go to shake hands at the final whistle, but one of, if not both of them, refused to let the handshake go, squaring up and triggering a mass swarm which engulfed the pitch.

Both managers were shown red cards, and were later charged by the FA for their actions.

The battle of the bridge

Undoubtedly among the most iconic games in Premier League history, the battle of the bridge will go down in folklore – for all the wrong reasons, in the case of Tottenham.

Mauricio Pochettino‘s side had managed to keep in touch with Leicester City in their hunt for the 2015-16 Premier League title, but travelled to Stamford Bridge needing a win to keep up the fight.

Tottenham would go 2-0 up in the first half, before Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard scored to level the game and hand the title to the Foxes.

But it was not the goals that caught the headlines. Clashes between Danny Rose, Willian, Mousa Dembele, Diego Costa and Jan Vertonghen marred the first half, before the scenes exploded in the second.

Tottenham would receive nine yellow cards for their part, with a further melee erupting between Costa and Michel Vorm before the players could walk down the tunnel.

Both teams were handed record fines following the clash, and Dembele was banned for six games after cameras caught him appearing to gouge the eye of Costa.

The nine yellow cards dished out to Tottenham remain the most ever shown to one team in a single match in Premier League history.

Thomas Frank has delivered a clear injury update on his Tottenham squad ahead of their clash with Chelsea on Saturday evening.

The Lilywhites are aiming to secure a victory that could take them second in the Premier League table, provided that Bournemouth drop points away at Manchester City.

Clashes between Tottenham and Chelsea always produce sparks, as their pair of bitter rivals prepare to renew a rivalry that has delivered countless iconic moments over the years.

Frank will be desperate to get one over his opposite number Enzo Maresca this weekend, and he has received a huge boost ahead of the game.

Cristian Romero fit for Tottenham amid three returnees

Archie Gray was absent for Tottenham in their defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup in midweek, and he has joined a lengthy injury list that feels as though it is constantly growing in N17.

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James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero are all still sidelined, as Frank’s group continued to be stretched to the bare bones.

However, Frank confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Friday that the Lilywhites have several timely returnees ahead of this weekend’s clash.

Cristian Romero is ready to return to action, while Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert are also fit enough to play a part.

“The positive news is that Romero, Destiny and Wilson are available for selection for Saturday,” Frank said, clearly excited by the prospect of having his captain fit and available.

Romero’s return is simply massive for Tottenham, and his influence cannot be underestimated.

The Argentine leads his team in terms of interceptions so far this season, while only Joao Palhinha has won more tackles than the skipper.

He is a player who relishes these derby clashes, and with that in mind, Frank will be delighted to welcome him back.

Thomas Frank suffering Ange Postecoglou repeat

Ange Postecoglou’s second season at Tottenham was seriously marred by an unprecedented injury crisis, as several senior stars were stricken with long-term issues.

Frank has still only been in the job for a matter of months, but he will already be terrified by the thought that a similar scenario is starting to play out.

Solanke has suffered setback after setback, while the likes of Dragusin and Kulusevski are seemingly tantalisingly close but unable to make the final step in their recovery at the moment.

Others, such as Maddison, are effectively ruled out for the majority of the campaign.

It’s an issue that is threatening to hinder them once again, and the boss simply didn’t have the same level of depth from the bench as Newcastle did in midweek, which ultimately contributed to the competition being written off for Spurs.

Things have been looking all too familiar on the injury front for the Lilywhites at the moment, but they will be hoping that their injury woes have turned a corner from now on.

Jarrod Bowen has already previously heaped praise on Thomas Frank in the past amid links with a move from West Ham to Tottenham.

Tottenham are preparing a huge bid for Bowen, with the figure set to be around £52million.

West Ham are currently sitting in 19th place, and Bowen is far too good to be part of a team that is scrapping for relegation.

Bowen wasn’t prepared to leave West Ham in the summer, yet with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, a move to Tottenham would be beneficial for everyone involved.

Thomas Frank is incredibly keen on the England international, and it’s clear that he would be suited to Tottenham‘s style of play.

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Jarrod Bowen full of praise for Thomas Frank in the past

Frank has overseen Tottenham’s promising start to the Premier League season, with the Lilywhites at third in the table.

Bowen has previously expressed praise for Frank, and it leaves Spurs fans even more hopeful that deal can be agreed in January.

After Tottenham’s 3-0 win over West Ham, Bowen was impressed with Frank’s intelligence from set-piece situations.

He said: “We knew Thomas Frank from Brentford. We knew he’s inventive with set-pieces. He had some real success over the years with it.”

Whilst some may argue that it is an extortionate amount of money to pay for someone who turns 29 in December, the quality Bowen has shown for West Ham is something very few other players have replicated in the Premier League.

In Tottenham’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle on Wednesday, it was clear that not only is there a lack of depth in the squad, but there is a glaring issue when it comes to their chance creation.

Tottenham are 12th in the Premier League when it comes to creating big chances, and Bowen’s arrival would definitely change that for the better.

Frank has also been a huge admirer of Bowen throughout the last few years.

Thomas Frank shares equal admiration for Jarrod Bowen

Bowen’s consistency at this level has been extraordinary, particularly for someone who has been playing for a struggling team.

Ahead of West Ham versus Brentford on 14 February, Frank said: “I remember Bowen from the Championship. He has been their go-to, main threat, more or less, from the first season he signed.

“He is the guy that drives the team, he can score all sorts of goals – outside of the box, counter attack, dribbling, finishing, arriving in the box – there’s no doubt that he’s a key player we need to keep quiet.”

The move seems to be a win for all parties, and based on the admiration, this would be a huge statement of ambition for Spurs to get the deal over the line.

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has weighed in on a match-defining moment which Tottenham fans were up in arms about.

Tottenham lost their game against Newcastle 2-0 on Wednesday night, as an expectedly loud St. James’ Park roared the home side on to victory in the Carabao Cup.

Thomas Frank failed an experiment with Joao Palhinha when he played the midfielder in centre-back against the Magpies, as full attention now turns to Chelsea on Saturday.

However, before then, Tottenham fans will be enraged to hear what Shearer had to say about the controversy surrounding Djed Spence’s situation against Newcastle.

Alan Shearer takes old-school stance on Djed Spence boot situation

During the game against Newcastle, Frank would have known that the first goal was always going to be a crucial one.

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Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, it came for Newcastle, as Fabian Schar’s goal was surrounded by controversy after what happened with Spence.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer said “he wasn’t having” Tottenham fans’ excuses for the goal Newcastle scored.

Shearer said: “He had to take his boot off, and had to put it back on and took nearly a minute to do that.

“Just as he got it on and was running back into the box to pick up whoever, Newcastle took and scored the corner, and all the Spurs fans were going mad.

“I mean, I’m not having that, get you’re position and then if you have to put your boot on a minute later, then do, but get your position first.”

Regardless of whether Shearer is right or wrong, one thing is true in the fact that if the goal hadn’t gone in, the game would have had a different complexion.

What did Thomas Frank think of the situation?

Tottenham fans and Spence were obviously seething about what happened in a game that carried such great consequences.

After the loss, Tottenham now have to focus on the Premier League and the Champions League, but the Lilywhites did have a good chance of lifting silverware in the Carabao Cup.

Unsurprisingly, Frank was also disappointed with Kavanagh’s decision in the game, which ultimately cost Spurs a chance of victory.

Now, with Tottenham playing Chelsea on Saturday, they will hope for better decisions to come their way.

Thomas Frank will not be unaware of just how terrible a record Tottenham hold against Saturday’s opponents Chelsea.

Tottenham will take on Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Dane looking to make it consecutive Premier League victories.

The Lilywhites bounced back spectacularly from the loss to Aston Villa by smashing Everton 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last week.

Micky van de Ven scored a brace against Everton, nodding in twice from set-pieces before Pape Matar Sarr put the finishing touches on a superb away day victory.

But on Wednesday, Tottenham lost 2-0 to Newcastle United and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup, going out with a whimper at St James’ Park.

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Tottenham’s appalling record vs Chelsea

Tottenham lost 4-1 to Chelsea under Ange Postecoglou almost two years ago to the day, in a match that halted all of the Australian’s early momentum.

The 60-year-old had enjoyed a sensational start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, leading his side to eight wins from their opening 10 Premier League games.

But the visit of Chelsea saw red cards for Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, injuries for Van de Ven and James Maddison, and four goals for the Blues in a chaotic 90 minutes.

Tottenham would fail to win any of their next four league games, and lost all of the excitement that had been promised with their early performances.

Frank will hope to avoid the same fate, but the Dane will also be aware of his side’s horrific record in this fixture.

Of the last 17 meetings between the sides, Tottenham have lost a staggering 13, winning just twice across the last six years.

All problems point back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

In Tottenham’s final two games against Chelsea at White Hart Lane, they emerged victorious.

Then came the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the losses followed. Both of the North London club’s wins over the last six years in the fixture have come at home, but so have six defeats.

It is a problem that no Tottenham manager has been able to fix, with Frank also struggling to see his side perform at home.

The Dane’s side have won just once at home in the Premier League this season, despite playing four games there.

Saturday’s game will undoubtedly garner a different atmosphere, however, one that Frank will hope to utilise to his team’s advantage.

Supercomputer predicts Tottenham vs Chelsea result in London derby showdown

Chelsea have been given the edge over Tottenham by the supercomputer ahead of this Saturday’s London derby.

Tottenham lost 2-0 to Newcastle United on Wednesday, with goals from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade putting an end to any hopes of a Carabao Cup run this season.

Thomas Frank‘s main focus will be on the Premier League, however, where his side have endured a mixed bag of results.

Tottenham beat Everton 3-0 to go third on Sunday, but the visit of Chelsea will provide a more difficult task.

Frank is expected to make several changes to face Chelsea, with the Dane keen to win his second London derby of the season.

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Chelsea favourites vs Tottenham

Tottenham were heavily criticised after the defeat to Newcastle, with Richarlison taking much of the flak for squandering several key chances.

The striker somehow failed to get on the end of Lucas Bergvall‘s low cross into the box, and fired an open header straight into the gloves of Aaron Ramsdale.

The striker is unlikely to feature in the starting line-up against Chelsea, but, in the absence of Dominic Solanke, Frank does not have the option of an obvious replacement.

The Dane opted for Randal Kolo Muani against Everton, but the Frenchman was barely involved.

The former Brentford manager will have to find a solution, however, with Chelsea the favourites for the clash, according to Opta‘s supercomputer.

The Blues have been given a 38 per cent chance of victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the home side only given 35 per cent.

The supercomputer has given a 25 per cent chance of a draw on Saturday – a result that would likely benefit Chelsea more than it would Tottenham.

Tottenham have a woeful record vs Chelsea

Chelsea have been an incredibly unkind opponent for Tottenham over the years. In the last 12 times the two sides have met, the Lilywhites have emerged victorious just once, with the Blues winning nine.

That solitary win came in 2023, when Oliver Skipp opened the scoring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a smashing strike from distance, before Harry Kane‘s smart finish sealed the three points.

Managers for both clubs have changed several times since that day, with Frank and Enzo Maresca now set to face off for the first time in charge of the two London giants.

The Dane will be hoping that victory in a fixture so close to Tottenham fans‘ hearts can set his team up for a positive run to the end of the year.

Tottenham could look to recall Jamie Donley if his situation at Stoke City does not improve.

The youngster was one of several rising stars loaned by the Lilywhites over the summer to continue their development plans.

Some of the transfers have been a success thus far. Tottenham’s Tyrese Hall is performing so well for Notts County that fans want him back.

Meanwhile, supporters have demanded Mikey Moore return to Spurs after managerial changes and fluctuations have made adjusting to life at Rangers difficult. Unfortunately for Donley, his time on loan mirrors Moore rather than Hall.

Tottenham are reviewing Jamie Donley’s situation

Tottenham loaned Donley to Stoke City along with Ashley Phillips over the summer.

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Phillips has been flying for the Championship side, starting almost every game for them this season.

Meanwhile, the attacking midfielder has played just four games and 77 minutes in the Championship this season.

As a result, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham believes Spurs will be assessing his situation and could even recall Donley if his situation does not improve.

“Hopefully, he can continue getting some more minutes and some opportunities because otherwise, on 1 January, Tottenham needs to recall Donley and put him somewhere else,” Wenham said.

“It’s a waste of an outstanding talent. He’s got to be playing and carry on developing after his outstanding year last year.

“So I imagine they’ll be reviewing his situation carefully over November and December, and if it doesn’t change, then absolutely, another championship club will take him. No dramas and give him time.”

What will happen to Jamie Donley in January?

Donley impressed while on loan to Leyton Orient last season, which led many to believe that he would only reach new heights this season.

A return to his former loan side may be something the Lilywhites consider in January.

However, the North London club also have a good relationship with Notts County, and given how Hall has performed so far this season, Spurs could be tempted to call on them once again.

With the midfielder desperate for loan time, a team aiming for a top finish in their respective leagues will probably be avoided, and a mid-table club will be the likely destination for Donley if he departs Stoke this January.

Thomas Frank will be looking to issue a positive response when Tottenham face Chelsea on Saturday.

Newcastle defeated Tottenham 1-0 at St. James’ Park in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, in what was a poor all-around performance from the Lilywhites.

Comparatively, Frank’s side have been solid in the Premier League, with Tottenham’s recent 3-0 win over Everton lifting them to third on the table.

But given their previous result, the Dane will be going into the confrontation against Chelsea on 1 November with a point to prove.

Form guide

Tottenham: W, L, D, W, L

Chelsea: W, W, W, L, W

Team News

Cristian Romero was unavailable for Tottenham against Newcastle after injuring his abductor moments before facing Villa.

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As a result, he will not be ready for selection against the Blues.

Meanwhile, Wilson Odobert remained on the bench against Everton and was in the squad to face the Magpies. While there is optimism for him to return in time for the clash, it is unknown whether he’ll be fit for the game.

Archie Gray has been ruled out for Tottenham for several weeks after suffering a calf injury, which comes as another blow for Frank and this Spurs side. Yves Bissouma recently underwent ankle surgery and will be unavailable for weeks.

James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie and Kota Takai all remain sidelined for the North London side.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are still without Cole Palmer, who is not set to return until late November.

Benoit Badiashile and Dario Essugo are both unavailable for Enzo Maresca, while a red card in their win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup means Liam Delap will also not feature.

Likely lineups

Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur, Sarr; Kudus, Tel, Johnson

Chelsea: Sanchez; Cucurella, Chalobah, Acheampong, James; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Pedro, Neto, Guiu

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham

Tottenham’s 4-0 defeat against Chelsea in Ange Postecoglou’s first season back in November 2023 is where it all seemed to go wrong for the Australian.

Given Spurs’ recent record against the Blues around this time, Tottenham News predicts a 2-1 defeat at home.

With the Lilywhites relying on set pieces to score this season and three home wins in their last 17 games, the odds are far from in their favour at the moment.