The Spurs News

Tottenham have been keen on signing West Ham attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta over the past few months.

Paqueta, a Brazil international, despite his talent, has been extremely inconsistent for the Hammers, and he appears to be in his final season at the club.

Tottenham, given their struggles on the pitch and injury concerns, have been exploring the market for creative midfielders in order to give them the best chance of securing a top-half finish.

Fill in the blank: Tottenham most need to focus on signing a __________________ in January?

🤔 Which position must Spurs target?

Lucas Paqueta now wants West Ham exit

According to talkSPORT, Paqueta is keen on sealing a permanent exit after spending three-and-a-half years at the London Stadium.

The 28-year-old was even left out of the Hammers squad on Sunday, fuelling speculation of his exit.

Tottenham and Aston Villa have been in the hunt for the Brazilian for a while and are keeping tabs on his situation.

While he does want out of West Ham, a move to the Premier League is no longer of any appeal to him.

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The attacking midfielder was previously linked with Manchester City and was even keen on joining them a few seasons ago.

However, now he does not want Spurs or Villa, as he is eyeing a return to Brazil and being close to his family.

Lucas Paqueta does not favour a move to Tottenham…😮

Who would YOU sign instead of him? 🤔

Tottenham expected to find alternatives to Lucas Paqueta

As Paqueta seems to have made up his mind over his next destination, it makes sense for Tottenham to move to alternate targets.

In a way, the Lilywhites are dodging a bullet as the Brazilian’s attitude was not the best and even rubbed West Ham fans the wrong way.

He rarely managed to use his talent to become the player that carried the team on his shoulders, and in recent months, became more of a liability than an asset.

His petulance against Liverpool, which saw him receive two yellow cards in a minute, speaks volumes about his failure to stand up for his side when the chips are down.

There are a number of quality midfielders and wide attackers that would be open to joining Spurs, even on loan, in January, so the focus is now expected to be on them in the next few weeks.

The Spurs News believes that Tottenham’s recent £90 million loan from Macquarie Bank could impact the club’s decision to sack Thomas Frank.

Frank is under big pressure at Tottenham, with the team currently sitting 14th in the Premier League and out of both domestic cup competitions.

Change our mind: Tottenham must pay whatever it takes to SACK Thomas Frank…

The North London club’s season is quickly unravelling, and the Lilywhites need to decide whether they will sack or back Frank this month.

To find out more about the finances behind sacking the Danish head coach, The Spurs News exclusively spoke to the site’s Head of Football Finance, Adam Williams.

How much could it cost Tottenham to sack Thomas Frank

The Spurs News estimates that Tottenham Hotspur would have to pay Thomas Frank £8 million to sack him, roughly one year of his salary.

In total, Frank’s contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is worth around £20 million, given he has two and a half years left.

When asked about the costs, Williams told The Spurs News: “It has been reliably reported that Frank earns a salary of around £8 million at Spurs. When we get figures like this in the press, however, we don’t know whether that is his fixed pay before performance-related bonuses, image rights and so on or whether that £8m figure is an estimate of his ultimate earnings assuming he meets certain targets.

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“In my experience, the figures we see reported are often a sort of best guess, guided by what the club or the manager’s agent – who are the ones briefing the press – think the guy will earn, rather than a concrete number.”

But, as is the case in most circumstances, Spurs will most likely have a liquidated damages clause, meaning they would not have to pay the full amount to remove him.

True or false: Daniel Levy was far from the biggest problem at Tottenham?

Who do you blame for Tottenham’s current malaise? 👀

“But let’s take that £8m as our starting point. He’s under contract until the end of 2027-28, so he has two-and-a-half years left on his deal. The basic assumption is that, if you are disposing of a manager, you have to pay out the remaining value of his deal, which in this scenario would be about £20m.

“However, that is very rarely the case in reality. It’s far more common that the club will have inserted what is known as a liquidated damages clause in a manager’s contract that says the club can pay X amount to terminate their deal if certain targets haven’t been met,” he added.

“That amount will be far lower than the remaining value of the manager’s contract. Looking at where Frank came from and his leverage when he was at Brentford, I think we can probably say with some confidence that there will be that kind of clause in there. The amount in question will move up and down depending on how far into the contract Frank is. This early on, he might be able to expect a year’s salary, though that’s just a guess.”

Tottenham’s £90m Macquarie loan could impact Thomas Frank sack decision

However, Williams believes that a crucial factor in determining whether they sack Frank could be their recent loan with Macquarie.

Back in September, Tottenham took out a £90 million loan with the Australian global financial services group, so adding £8 million to the money they already owe would be far from ideal.

“Spurs have been cash negative in recent years, for example, they have spent more than they have earned, relying on cash injections from the owners, their £50m revolving credit facility, which functions like an overdraft, and, more recently, loans from the Australian lender Macquarie.

“Yes, they had the Premier League’s lowest wages-to-turnover ratio at the last count, but they also had very, very high transfer debt, second only to Chelsea. They’ve also got interest payments of £20-30m per year to keep up with, plus very high operating expenses.

“The fact that they took out the £90m loan from Macquarie in September shows that, even with Champions League income this season, Spurs are having to shuffle things around to meet their cash obligations,” said Williams.

Fill in the blank: Tottenham most need to focus on signing a __________________ in January?

🤔 Which position must Spurs target?

“So adding, say, £8m of compensation to Frank wouldn’t be ideal, especially given that it was only a few months ago that they paid Brentford £10m for him. But if it’s the difference between finishing in Europe or not, it’s a no-brainer, really. I expect each place in the Premier League to be worth about £3m in prize money this season, so if they finish, say, 6th rather than 9th under a new manager, they’ll have pretty much made their money back, even before you account for revenue from European qualification.

“You have to be guided by the football, not the finances. All the best run clubs have this approach. Ultimately, it’s performances on the pitch which dictate your finances anyway, so you’ve got to lead with that. Spurs have got that balance wrong far too often in recent history.”

Micky van de Ven is yet to sign a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur, but his decision should influence Thomas Frank’s future in North London.

Tottenham have been in talks with the Dutch defender over a new deal; however, nothing appears to have progressed as of yet.

Fill in the blank: If I were Micky van de Ven, I would _______________ a new Tottenham contract…

Will Van de Ven sign a new deal with Spurs?

The 24-year-old is one of the most highly sought-after defenders in Europe right now, and his position at Spurs will have many top clubs on high alert.

The North London club should be using his decision over a new contract as a key indicator as to whether they should sack or back Thomas Frank.

Micky van de Ven’s Tottenham contract decision should include Thomas Frank’s future

Should Micky van de Ven opt to reject a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur, that must play a key factor in the club’s decision over Frank’s future.

Just a few months back, the Dutch international looked set to sign a new deal with Spurs, but the team’s lack of progress seems to have stalled proceedings.

Van de Ven is one of Spurs’ most influential players, and if he cannot see a way forward under the current regime, the club must consider a change.

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Cristian Romero signed a new Tottenham contract in the summer, and there will have been hope that his defensive partner would follow suit.

Fill in the blank: Tottenham should ___________ Thomas Frank after losing to Aston Villa…

Would you sack or back the Dane?

But with the Lilywhites 14th in the Premier League, out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, the season already looks to be over.

Romero expressed his frustrations towards Tottenham’s hierarchy after losing to Bournemouth, and Van de Ven is sure to hold similar concerns.

Tottenham cannot afford to lose Van de Ven, and should be looking for a change of direction if he were to reject a new deal.

After the defeat at Bournemouth last week, the defender clashed with several away fans, which will not have helped the situation.

Micky Van de Ven would welcome Barcelona move

Van de Ven is keen to leave Tottenham this summer and would welcome a move to FC Barcelona, according to Sport.

The Spanish giants are hoping to make a statement signing at centre-back next summer, and the Spurs star could be a key target for them.

There aren’t many top left-sided centre-backs in world football, but Van de Ven is certainly one of them, alongside Nico Schlotterbeck, Alessandro Bastoni, and Marc Guehi.

Tottenham will hope Barca look at one of these other options on their list, but if Van de Ven is unhappy, that could put pressure on them to sell.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic continues to shine in the Bundesliga following his impressive loan spell at Hamburg this season.

The 18-year-old is one of the most exciting young talents in Europe, and Spurs will be delighted with his progress once again this season.

True or false: Luka Vuskovic will be starting for Tottenham next season…

Will he take Van de Ven or Romero's spot in the team?

Vuskovic has been flying in the Bundesliga on loan, and the North London club will hope he can have an impact on the first team next term.

One player who will also be pleased with Vuskovic’s progress is Son Heung-min, whose Bundesliga record the defender nearly broke over the weekend.

Tottenham’s Luka Vuskovic produces incredible Bundesliga stat

Luka Vuskovic netted his third goal of the season, making him just the second youngest Hamburg player to reach that number in the Bundesliga, as per Opta Franz.

Aged just 18 years and 320 days, the Croatian international scored for the third time in the league this season, falling just short of Son’s record.

The South Korean superstar was 18 years, 135 days when he reached that landmark for Hamburg, and he will be delighted to see the Spurs teenager now bossing it for his former club.

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Hamburg were the first club to give Son his chance in Europe and gave him the platform to become one of the most talented attackers on the continent.

Finish the sentence: Tottenham’s most promising youngster is _____________

The German club are now enjoying their first campaign back in the top flight in 10 years, largely due to the performances of Vuskovic.

Vuskovic, who has been compared to Josko Gvardiol, has had an impact at both ends of the pitch for Merlin Polzin’s team since his move.

Tottenham might consider re-calling the defender, although it’s unlikely he would want to leave Germany given the progress he is making.

Luka Vuskovic named Bundesliga Player of the Season so far

Vuskovic’s strong performances have earned recognition after he was voted as the Bundesliga Player of the Season so far.

The defender beat former Spurs striker Harry Kane to the award, despite the former Spurs striker having now scored 20 times in 16 matches.

He has already won the Bundesliga Newcomer award twice this term, highlighting the incredible talent the Lilywhites now have on their hands.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without Rodrigo Bentancur for at least three months after the midfielder suffered a hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old is now a doubt for next summer’s World Cup and will require surgery on the issue, which is also a massive blow for Thomas Frank.

Sum up Tottenham’s injury luck in THREE words…

Bentancur was a key player under Frank, having played 28 times this season, but now he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Tottenham have a growing list of injuries, with Richarlison the other to be added to Spurs’ concerns after he was forced off against Aston Villa over the weekend.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffers worrying injury for Tottenham

Rodrigo Bentancur is set to return from injury in April, meaning Tottenham Hotspur will need to start planning for the rest of the season without him, according to TyC Sports.

Bentancur now joins Richarlison, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall on the sidelines at Hotspur Way.

Frank’s midfield options are now rather limited, with Archie Gray and Joao Palhinha the only fit options remaining.

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Tottenham will soon welcome back Pape Matar Sarr from the African Cup of Nations, along with Yves Bissouma, although he will need to be reintegrated into Frank’s plans.

Fill in the blank: Conor Gallagher would start over _____________ in Tottenham’s midfield…

Would Conor Gallagher be a good fit at Spurs?

Bentancur hasn’t had much injury luck during his time in N17, as the player has struggled to recapture his best form since returning from an ACL injury almost two years ago.

Back in the summer, the Uruguayan international signed a new contract with Spurs until 2030, leaving many Spurs fans bemused.

But despite his form, Bentancur has proved to be an important player for the team this term, and his injury in terms of squad depth is a massive blow.

Tottenham are keen on signing Conor Gallagher

Bentancur’s injury update explains why Tottenham are stepping up their pursuit of Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher.

Football.London report that Spurs want to sign the England international this month, but face strong competition from Aston Villa.

The former Chelsea star is keen to return to the Premier League and get more minutes, as he currently finds himself on the bench in Madrid.

Micky van de Ven is one of the best defenders within the Tottenham Hotspur ranks.

The Dutch destroyer has been a regular in the team this season and was unable to prevent Spurs from going out of the FA Cup to Aston Villa this weekend.

Van de Ven has been an influential player at centre-back for Tottenham and Thomas Frank desperately needs him to stay fit as he looks to keep hold of his job.

Recently, the defender has been quizzed on the fact that he’s among the fastest players in the Premier League and he’s conceded that Tottenham used to have a player who would beat him in the pace stakes.

Micky van de Ven says Gareth Bale is faster than him

Van de Ven often finds himself on the list when it comes to naming the fastest players in the Premier League, but he fancies that Bale in his prime was faster than him.

The Tottenham defender was playing a game where he had to stay quiet until he was given the name of a player who was faster than him, with the Dutchman not speaking up until Bale’s name was mentioned.

Bale was a revelation for Tottenham during his peak, with his performances in North London eventually earning him a big move to Real Madrid.

Van de Ven could move to a bigger club too when the time comes for him to leave, and given how much pace he possesses, he would take some serious replacing if he does decide to leave the club.

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🏃Who do YOU think is faster? Gareth Bale or Micky van de Ven?

Let us know in the comments below….

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Tottenham must convince Van de Ven to sign a new deal – even if it means sacking Frank

Player power is rife in modern-day football, and if the Tottenham squad isn’t having Frank, then it might only be a matter of time before he leaves the club.

It’s been claimed that Van de Ven has been uncertain over whether to sign a new contract, but wants to see what ambitions the club holds and that likely means seeing what happens with Frank.

Tottenham can’t become the sort of club that offloads its better players, and that means keeping Frank at all costs, with contract negotiations proving a stumbling block at the moment.

If players are stalling on signing a new contract, then the alarm bells should be ringing over Frank, and with that in mind, it’s time for the club to make a swift decision and relieve him of his duties.

Yang Min-Hyeok looks set for a bright future in the professional game as one of the most talented youngsters on the books at Tottenham Hotspur.

Yang is currently on loan with Coventry City and made his first appearance for Frank Lampard’s team in yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke in the FA Cup.

The winger who can operate on both sides of the pitch is yet to make his senior debut for Spurs and scored three times in 16 appearances with Portsmouth during the first half of 2025/26.

Following his move to the Sky Blues, the 19-year-old has been quizzed on certain aspects of his career and he believes Tottenham sold the best player he’s ever played with.

Yang Min-Hyeok picks Son Heung-Min as the best he’s ever played with

The South Korean performer chose his compatriot as the best player that he’s ever played with, and that perhaps doesn’t come as a surprise.

Son is a modern-day legend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and is arguably the most successful South Korean footballer in the history of the game.

Yang clearly looks up to the player and he might have been sad that he never got the chance to play alongside the player during his time scoring goals for fun at Tottenham.

Son left Tottenham in August to sign for LAFC in the MLS and at 33-years-old it looks as though he will retire from the game in the United States.

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The versatile forward scored 173 goals and registered 101 assists during 454 games for Tottenham and how Spurs would love a player with his lethal touch in front of goal right now.

Yang will almost certainly get a chance with Tottenham

Playing in the Championship this season should put Yang in good shape to get himself a chance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season.

Prove us wrong: Tottenham must trust Mikey Moore and Yang min-Hyeok over a new left winger signing…

Given that Thomas Frank is crying out for an injection of creativity, some fans might feel that Yang was worth keeping around the club for the time being.

However, the first team exposure should prove invaluable for the youngster and he will hope to get a shot with Tottenham when the pre-season campaign comes around ahead of next season.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee Mikey Moore is hoping to become one of the best players in the world and is keen to keep improving at Rangers.

Moore is now flying at Rangers following what was a slow start to his time at Ibrox, with new manager Danny Rohl giving him a new lease of life.

Finish the sentence: Tottenham’s most promising youngster is _____________

The winger netted Rangers’ third goal in their Old Firm Derby win over Celtic last weekend, taking his tally to three for the season.

The teenager now has very lofty ambitions for himself, and Johan Lange cannot afford to add more competition to Spurs’ squad ahead of his return in the summer.

Tottenham star Mikey Moore wants to become one of the world’s best players

Tottenham Hotspur talent Mikey Moore is a firm believer in his own potential and is backing himself to make his mark on the footballing world.

The 18-year-old is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from the academy at Hotspur Way, and he is currently shining at Rangers.

Despite his slow start to life north of the border, Rangers fans now love Moore, given his tremendous attitude to succeed at Ibrox.

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When asked about his potential, Moore told The Rangers Review: “When I’m a young player coming up, I’m obviously aiming to be the best I can be, and if I don’t have that self-belief that I can go and be one of the best players in the world, then what’s the point?

Prove us wrong: Tottenham must trust Mikey Moore and Yang min-Hyeok over a new left winger signing…

“That’s what I’ve always wanted to be as a footballer. I have a long, long way to go before I’m at that level. Game by game, I’m improving, as a person and a player. That’s one of my goals personally.”

Spurs haven’t really had an academy star breakthrough and made an impact on the first team since Harry Kane, or potentially Harry Winks.

That needs to change with Moore, who, as mentioned, is one of the most promising talents to emerge from Tottenham’s academy in many years.

Tottenham cannot overload left wing with more new signings

One area Tottenham appear to be targeting this month is a new left winger, despite already being stacked in that area of the squad.

Spurs have Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, Yang-min Hyeok, Luca Williams-Barnett, and Moore, who are all capable of playing in that role.

Clearly, all five are just emerging young talents, and some experience wouldn’t go amiss, but these youngsters need opportunities to stand a chance of developing.

Williams-Barnett is another major hope for the future at Spurs, but just isn’t getting any minutes, despite showing he is ready for game time.

Therefore, Lange must avoid the temptation of adding to that area of the squad during the January window.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been left furious at Thomas Frank’s second-half substitutions against Aston Villa, especially the withdrawal of the goal scorer, Wilson Odobert.

Spurs are out of the FA Cup in the third round for the first time since the 2013/14 season after being beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa.

Fill in the blank: Tottenham’s current best attack is ____________ + ____________ + ____________ + ____________ +

The North London club produced a frustrating performance in the first 45 minutes as Morgan Rogers and Emi Buenida put them two goals ahead.

In the second half, it was a very different story as Spurs showed great fight to bring the game back to 2-1, with the likes of Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons all showing great promise.

However, substitutions just seemed to kill the team’s momentum, and the Lilywhites fell at the first hurdle in the FA Cup.

Tottenham fans fume at Wilson Odobert’s withdrawal vs Aston Villa

The pressure continues to mount on Thomas Frank at Tottenham following the club’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa.

The Danish coach’s team showed great fight in the second half; however, he opted to bring on Dane Scarlett and Dominic Solanke for Tel and Odobert, which appeared to kill the team’s momentum.

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Tel and Odobert on the wings looked like a strong combination, with the latter scoring the goal to get Spurs back into the game.

The French U-21 duo looked to be dragging the Lilywhites back into the game, but they were taken off, and fans have taken to social media to express their frustration at the manager.

One fan said: “I think we could have won if we had subbed off Gray instead of subbing off Odobert when needing a goal.”

Fill in the blank: Tottenham should ___________ Thomas Frank after losing to Aston Villa…

Would you sack or back the Dane?

“Seems to be a frustrating tactic he keeps deploying. We were getting at them with Odobert, Xavi and Tel behind a striker. He should have stuck to it,” added another.

A third supporter said: “Maybe just maybe he could’ve let the players who were trying on the field. Odobert and Tel were doing great at the wings.”

There was yet more frustration aimed at Frank’s subs: “Players showed up in the second half, and then Frank took Tel and Odobert off and killed us going forward.”

Finally, another added: “Frank ruined the game with his subs. Tel and Odobert were getting the best of their full-backs, and Muani was starting to play better.”

The issue Frank has right now is Tottenham’s growing list of injuries, with Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison recently joining the list.

Xavi Simons was the best player on the pitch during Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Xavi Simons was almost certainly the best player on the pitch, with the Dutch international showing promising signs of showing.

The attacking midfielder completed 30 of his 32 passes and won six duels in total, highlighting his desire to drag the team back into the match.

The 22-year-old has missed the last three games due to suspension, but he showed Spurs what they have been missing.

Frank must now persist with Randal Kolo Muani, Odobert, Tel and Simons as his attacking four moving forward.

One Tottenham Hotspur player who stood out during the team’s defeat at AFC Bournemouth was Mathys Tel, as the Frenchman produced his strongest display to date.

The 20-year-old opened the scoring at the Vitality Stadium with a wicked strike; however, the Lilywhites failed to capitalise on their strong start.

Fill in the blank: During January, Tottenham should _____________ Mathys Tel…

Would you send Mathys Tel on loan or keep him at Tottenham?

Thomas Frank’s team have looked rather underwhelming in attack this season, so any signs of green shoots the manager should be looking to nurture, and that includes Tel.

The French youth international looked rather lively throughout the match and continues to prove why the Spurs boss must utilise him more in N17.

Mathys Tel stands out for Tottenham against Bournemouth

Mathys Tel has proved that he could be one of the players to help save Frank’s job at Tottenham following his display at Bournemouth.

Frank looks under big pressure at Tottenham to turn things around quickly, with just two wins in their last 12 Premier League matches.

The former Bayern Munich star hasn’t really been given much of a look-in this season, but away on the South Coast, he showed much promise yet again.

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In the 1-1 draw with Sunderland, Tel impressed Spurs supporters and did the same again in the defeat at Bournemouth.

According to Sofascore, Tel completed the most dribbles with six, the most key passes with three, and the second-highest duels won with 12.

Fill in the blank: Tottenham should ___________ Thomas Frank after losing to Bournemouth…

Would you sack or back the Dane?

The winger was often looking to drive Spurs forward, but right now, the team looks rather disjointed in possession.

Having just lost Mohammed Kudus to injury and sold Brennan Johnson, Tel’s importance to the team has just increased.

His performance in the defeat was one of the few positives Frank can take from an awful evening in the Premier League, and now he must be utilised to better effect.

Thomas Frank must shut down Mathys Tel speculation

Going into the transfer window, Tel was actually linked with a move away from Tottenham on loan, and the club must ensure that move doesn’t happen.

Reports from Turkish outlet, Yeni Akit, claim that the North London club have been open to sending the player out on loan, amid interest from Galatasaray.

But that was before Kudus’ injury, and surely now that will no longer be the case.

The Frenchman has played just 607 minutes for Spurs this season, which is rather sparse, and this must change if Frank is to save his job.