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Dominic Solanke's ankle injury has seen the striker play a limited role at the start of Thomas Frank's tenure, and his return from the nagging issue is not yet imminent.

While Frank was keen to play down the severity of the problem, the Dane has now confirmed that Solanke has undergone minor surgery.

The former Bournemouth star has been dealing with the injury since the start of pre-season. He only played a bit-part role in the summer, meaning he only appeared off the bench in the first three competitive fixtures of Frank's tenure against Paris Saint-Germain, Burnley and Manchester City.

Solanke had enjoyed an up-and-down debut season in north London, scoring 16 times in all competitions. He wasn't exactly prolific, but the tactical function he performed for Ange wasn't predicated on goalscoring, and he surely would've been Frank's first-choice centre-forward at the start of 2025/26 if it wasn't for his ankle issue.

Dominic Solanke undergoes ankle surgery – return date unknown

Tottenham's medical team certainly hasn't covered itself in glory in recent years, with fitness setbacks plaguing Ange's tenure. There have been plenty of changes in that department since 2023, and more have been overseen since Frank's arrival.

However, frustration is simmering among supporters again, with Solanke wasting a month of the sidelines before it was deemed necessary to undergo what Frank has described as "minor surgery".

"Dom we know got that ankle issue that's been bothering him for a little while. Decided to have minor surgery. Small procedure. More news about time frame after the international break," the boss said in his pre-match press conference for Tuesday's Champions League clash against Bodø/Glimt.

Frank doesn't believe the striker will be out for much longer, but that has been his stance for the past however many weeks.

With Mathys Tel missing from the Champions League squad, Richarlison is poised to lead Spurs' line in the Arctic Circle, having struggled in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Wolves. Frank is still without Randal Kolo Muani, although the Dane has said the loan signing is finally "on top" of his ’dead leg' that has kept him out for the past two weeks.

Significantly, Cristian Romero hasn't travelled to Norway after missing training on Monday. Frank has played down the news, which undoubtedly means we won't be seeing our captain until the new year.

On a brighter note, that does mean plenty of Kevin Danso missiles.

Tottenham Hotspur are basing their new sporting project on signing the best young players in world football, and with Daniel Levy out, they aren't planning on being cheap about it either. Just this past summer transfer window, Spurs signed two of their three most expensive signings of all time in Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons. Both are already paying dividends and can be world-class players for Spurs for the next 5-10 years.

But Tottenham have also nailed less expensive young signings, too. Look no further than Lucas Bergvall, who just might be the best teenage center midfielder on the entire planet and is already among the best players in the Spurs squad alongside the likes of World Cup winner Cristian Romero and the two marquee summer signings.

Next up after Bergvall could be homegrown talent Luka Vuskovic. The teenage center back would have been capable of making the Tottenham first team squad on talent alone, but Spurs elected to loan him to Hamburg in the Bundesliga so that he could start every game.

Well, the move is paying dividends already. Vuskovic is turning in defensive monsterclass after defensive monsterclass to start the season in order to help keep the Bundesliga dinosaurs afloat in their return, and he was beyong brilliant this past weekend against Union Berlin.

A GOAT-tier nickname

In fact, Sofascore states that Vuskovic was so good that he set a record. He became the first player in five years in Europe's top five leagues to record 18 aerial duels won in a single match, which is an absurd level of dominance through the air.

The Hamburger Abendblatt and some Hamburg fans have joined in the fun, taking note of Vuskovic's aerial dominance and now endowing him with the moniker "Air Vuskovic" in honor of his ability to completely shut down the aerial attack of the opposition.

After scoring a great goal last weekend and injuring his finger in the celebration, Vuskovic's legend at Hamburg is only growing, and it is absurd how good he is as a center back at the age of 18. He and goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes are the two best players on Hamburg right now.

Tottenham have to be loving all the statistics and rave reviews that Vuskovic is already garnering in the Bundesilga, and, at this rate, he'll be ready to give Tottenham the best quartet of center backs in the world alongside Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Kevin Danso in no time.

Tottenham Hotspur will face an old foe on Matchday 2 of the Champions League. After outlasting La Liga side Villarreal 1-0 to get their return to European football's premier competition off to a winning start, Spurs will battle Bodo Glimt on the road on Tuesday night.

Spurs defeated Bodo Glimt in the Europa League semifinals, ending their underdog story before finishing their own with a Final triumph over Manchester United. So while Tottenham have experience beating Bodo Glimt and will once again be the favorites in this matchup, a road trip victory is not something Thomas Frank will take for granted.

And that's especially because he won't have his best player out there. According to Football.London's Alasdair Gold, Tottenham star center back Cristian Romero is not traveling with the rest of his teammates for the match in homely Bodo, Norway. Spurs manager Thomas Frank doesn't seem to be overly bothered about it, as he says Romero's absence against Bodo Glimt is more of a precautionary measure.

Romero is one of the best center backs on the planet and the new Tottenham captain, so his absence will always be massive. But Spurs don't need to panic for two reasons. Firstly, Romero doesn't appear to be seriously injured, and the speculation is that he suffered a minor knock while making a particularly rough tackle in the gritty 1-1 draw with Wolves on Saturday in the Premier League.

Tottenham are strong in this position

But secondly, Tottenham have such great center back depth. Micky van de Ven is already a world-class center back, and Romero's backup, Kevin Danso, isn't actually far off from the top-class level either, given he was arguably the best defender in all of Ligue 1 with Lens before making a smart transfer to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Danso was excellent in the Europa League last season in his own right, and the strong and handsome Austrian international should be more than enough for Tottenham as Van de Ven's center back partner against Bodo Glimt.

If there is any concern about Spurs going into this battle in Bodo in the Champions League, then it is an anemic attack that, once again, disappointed badly over the weekend vs. lowly Wolves. Romero's absence won't help the attacking matters, as he contributes a lot more offensively than just about every other center back on this entire planet, but if Spurs don't get three points this week, it won't be because the World Cup winner is out for a bit.

Tottenham are back in continental action on Tuesday night, as Thomas Frank takes his team to the Arctic Circle for our second league phase encounter.

Bodø/Glimt’s quaint Aspmyra Stadion was visited amid the club's journey to Europa League glory last term, with a mature 2-0 triumph in the second leg of our semi-final seeing Ange Postecoglou's side progress into the competition's showpiece event.

Much has changed since that night in Norway, with several likely starters on Tuesday night poised to experience the idiosyncrasies of Bodø for the first time. Our opponents are competing in the Champions League for the very first time, earning a 2-2 draw at Slavia Prague in their opening encounter.

Here's how Spurs could line up on Tuesday night.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Bodø/Glimt (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Guglielmo Vicario (GK) – It wasn't a good week for Vicario, who produced a panicked display in possession on Saturday. However, Frank is unlikely to make a drastic change between the posts anytime soon.

Pedro Porro (RB) – The Spaniard needed a breather at the weekend, but was called upon to help salvage the game. There's no doubt that he'll be back in the XI on Tuesday night.

Cristian Romero (CB) – The skipper played a major role in our previous Bodø success, leaping highest from the set-piece that Dominic Solanke eventually scored from.

Micky van de Ven (CB) – Van de Ven was outstanding alongside the equally brilliant Romero during our successful continental campaign, and he was perhaps the star of the Gameweek 1 victory over Villarreal two weeks ago.

Destiny Udogie (LB) – There weren't too many positives to take from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Wolves, but Udogie's thrust contributed to a decent first-half showing. He should get the nod over Djed Spence.

Midfielders

João Palhinha (CM) – Frank has to go with either Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur here. We don't need both. Given his heroics on Saturday, the Dane will likely lean towards the former.

Lucas Bergvall (CM) – The Scandi midfielder is used to the artificial turf and the biting temperatures, with Bodø projected to be nine degrees celsius at kick-off on Tuesday night.

Pape Matar Sarr (AM) – Sarr teed up Palhinha's equaliser at the weekend, having come off for the bench for a late cameo. Given how good he's been at the start of the season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in the XI here.

Forwards

Mohammed Kudus (RW) – That first Tottenham goal is surely just around the corner for Kudus, who was good again on Saturday. His two years at Nordsjælland may have helped him for prepare for an occasion like this.

Richarlison (ST) – Even if Frank is able to welcome alternatives back into his matchday squad, Richarlison will likely get the nod up top again with Mathys Tel unavailable.

The defence wobbled in a few games and there were matches where the attack was missing. As October looms, a few regulars need to find more consistency and step up.

In the 1–1 draw with Wolves, the issues from those earlier games reared their head again. Santiago Bueno scored from a defensive mistake to put Wolves ahead early in the second half.

Tottenham had a Mohammed Kudus goal ruled out for offside and Sam Johnstone made a great save to deny them further control. After the game, Thomas Frank said his team didn’t reach the level required ,  especially after the break , and needs to be sharper in the coming weeks.

 Here are three players who now need to up their game in October.

Bentancur is expected to hold everything together for Tottenham in midfield, extremely so if the team is having difficulty controlling the ball. Against Wolves, Tottenham lost a bit of control in the second half, and a few important transitions did not come off well.Â

He’ll need to limit mistakes, discipline himself within the overall shape, and offer support as teammates move forward. With a busy October coming up, Tottenham is going to need him to provide a calm, collective presence in midfield.

Xavi Simons has demonstrated glimpses of his ability, but is still settling in at Spurs. In matches like the 2–2 draw with Brighton, he was more vibrant in the first half but quietened in the second.Â

Thomas Frank has noted that at times Simons seems to take a fraction too long to get the ball moving and could be quicker to make an impact. Frank sees Simons as versatile, being able to play wide or centrally, but with Tottenham requiring more creativity, Simons could be asked to do more centrally and really push the team forward.

Richarlison has shown flashes of his talent this season, but has not been a consistent performer. There have been games like the Wolves draw, where he hardly impacted the game at all and seemed to drift in and out of the fixture.

With the Spurs missing some of their creative flair, Richarlison will need to be more involved   and will need to be more intelligent with his runs to capitalize on any chances. If Tottenham wants to remain competitive in October, Richarlison needs to be a constant threat in the front line and lead the way in attack.

GK Guglielmo Vicario

Another game where Vicario had little to do thanks to the solid defending in front of him. There is an argument that he should have done better with the goal, either coming for the ball or a stronger save on the initial header. I think that would be unfair, given it was such close range, and he was a little unlucky with the deflection after his save. Vicario and the defenders were not the reason for our struggles in this game. Rating: 6

RB Djed Spence

Back to playing in his original position of right back, Spence actually looked a little more subdued than recently. He did not have too many problems with Hwang Hee-chan but also found going forward more difficult. Was substituted for Pedro Porro, presumably for the reason of this lack of forward play. Rating: 6

LB Destiny Udogie

Offered more going forward than Spence on the other flank. Had some good driving runs, but not enough of them, certainly not as many as in our recent game vs. Brighton. Like a lot of the team, he was lacking some spark in attack but played well defensively. Made an excellent recovery run and block in the first half to stop what would have been a clear chance. Rating: 7

CB Cristian Romero

His positioning and reading of the game continues to work so well with Micky van de Ven. Even when Wolves attacked, it felt as if we were in control. Perhaps was a little static for the goal but, overall, it was another consistent performance. Rating: 7

CB Micky van de Ven

Consistency is also a good way to describe Micky van de Ven. Like Romero, his positioning allows him to deal with attacks in their early stages, but he has the added advantage of using that unbeatable pace when needed. Looks a threat when he is forward, which is where he spent a lot of the early part of the game. Our fast start was one of the few encouraging moments of this game, and Micky staying up is something we should encourage more, particularly in games where the opposition is defending deep. Â Rating: 7

CM João Palhinha

This will of course be a game where Palhinha’s contribution is mostly remembered for his goal. He had a decent performance up until that point but not as dominant as he has been in other games, such as away at Man City or at Brighton. Was unlucky with the Wolves goal. Excellent finish for the equalizer, which was his third goal of the season. This has been a welcome surprise for a player whose main role is defensive. Rating: 6

CM Rodrigo Bentancur

This was a game where we needed more from Bentancur. While not making many mistakes, it was also a game where he did not take enough risks. We looked comfortable at the back, and it would have been an advantage to have more attacking play from Bentancur. He was subbed for Brennan Johnson, which made sense for that reason. Bentancur’s calmness on the ball is an asset, particularly when breaking up opposition attacks near our area, but when attacking, we need more urgency and decisiveness against stubborn opposition. Rating: 5

CM Lucas Bergvall

Bergvall started well but faded quickly in the second half. Had a good early chance but missed his shot completely. Combined well with Kudus in the first half, and a great flick led to the chance that was just offside. Bergvall was playing much farther forward than he often does, almost as a second striker at times. He can do this and has the ability to play anywhere, but I would still prefer to see him deeper, where his vision and ball-carrying ability can help to start attacks. Bergvall is already an important player and will get better. He was marked out of the game in the second half and the impact on our attacking was play was very apparent. Rating: 6

RW Mohammed Kudus

Like the whole team, Kudus was far better in the first half than the second. Even in the second half, it still felt like he was our best creative source. He has great strength on the ball and the ability to beat players in tight spaces. Looked a real threat in the first half and was unlucky with his strike after interplay with Bergvall was deemed (correctly) to be offside. Had that gone in and given us the first goal, this game likely would have gone very differently. Rating: 6

LW Xavi Simons

Industrious performance from Xavi without providing enough goal threat. Always looked to get on the ball and is another in the team who can carry the ball forward with intent. With Xavi, Bergvall, and Kudus all in the side, this can be a strength. A harsh booking meant he had to be more careful in his challenges. The ability is clear, and there is certainly more to come from him this season. Rating: 5

CF Richarlison

The formation we are playing really needs a striker who can link the play, hold the ball up, bring the wide players in, and provide a threat in the middle. Richarlison was only occasionally able to do this, and we needed much more. He was too easily beaten to the ball and did not have enough movement to bring any defenders out of position. Provided lots of effort, as always, but too often attacks through him broke down. Injuries to Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani have left few options in attack, and Thomas Frank needs to address this area of the squad in the upcoming transfer windows  Rating: 4

Substitutes: Mathys Tel, Brennan Johnson, Pedro Porro, Wilson Odobert, Pape Matar Sarr

There's no overlooking Mathys Tel's struggles at the start of the 2025/26 season, but the young French forward has vowed to improve a key part of his game in response to a social media comment.

Spurs opted to sign the talented Frenchman permanently in the summer, off the back of a six-month loan spell which merely flashed Tel's distinct talent.

The Rennes academy graduate had failed to make the grade at Bayern Munich despite arriving with huge promise, with Tel ultimately succumbing to the stiff competition for places. Moreover, it's not yet clear what the 20-year-old's best role is.

While new Spurs boss Thomas Frank has an impressive track record of maximising Tel-like profiles, the forward has endured a tough start to the Dane's tenure, and his woes continued on Wednesday night, as he whiffed a couple of big chances in the 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers.

Mathys Tel responds to social media comment with promise

While Tel's overall performance was anything but disastrous, the 20-year-old did have a bit of a mare in front of goal. Most notably, the striker completely miskicked two presentable chances.

The first whiff was a lack of anticipation after the defender missed his interception, and the second depicted his desperation to find the back of the net. Brennan Johnson did superbly well to burst down the right and cut it back for Tel, who moved well off the left to find the space in the box. However, he failed to make contact with his stronger right foot.

Those two sequences were enough to confirm, for some, that Tel will never deliver on his potential in N17. However, there's undoubtedly reason to believe in the Frenchman.

On his more personal Instagram account, @therealtel, the forward responded to a comment on his latest post after the Doncaster win, which read, "Yess Mathys but pls work that finishing." A white heart emoji accompanied the message, emphasising its supposedly kind intentions.

"I will." Tel responded.

The 20-year-old is a wonderful ball striker who's deadly in front of goal when he's purring. He's entered the phase of 'needing one to go in off his backside' to potentially spark something at his new home, with Tel's desperation for a goal only likely to compound his current issues.

However, there's no doubting that there's a supreme finisher inside Mathys Tel, and the kid's fierce mentality means it surely won't be long until those who have so quickly written him off are eating their words.

Tottenham Hotspur signed two real difference-makers to their attack in the summer 2025 transfer window, bagging Mohammed Kudus from rivals West Ham United and then Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, signing both from right under the noses of Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Simons and Kudus have already paid massive dividends for Tottenham to start the 2025/26 season, and you could hardly imagine the Spurs attack even functioning without both players. Kudus, in particular, has been a standout and is a legitimat Premier League Player of the Season candidate through five matchdays.

However, Tottenham still could use more help. Their attacking midfield and right wing positions are now filled up with Simons and Kudus, respectively, but the striker position remains a question mark, as is the left wing spot. Spurs still haven't replaced either Harry Kane, who left for Bayern Munich in 2023, and Son Heung-min, who just moved to MLS this summer.

Kane, though, has been rumored as a possible transfer target for Tottenham in 2026, and Spurs fans have been reminiscing over the iconic English striker, who would obviously be the ultimate dream target for Tottenham if available.

Tottenham legend crushes transfer dreams

The problem is that Kane has already killed the dream dead before it could even become more than just a fleeting rumor. Per Fabrizio Romano, Harry Kane downplayed the transfer links to Tottenham after Bayern Munich's 4-0 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, with Kane's bracing tying Cristiano Ronaldo's and Erling Haaland's record as the fastest player to reach 100 goals with a team.

Kane said, “No, I’m not thinking about PL return at the moment. I'm really happy here. I have two years left on my contract. I'm enjoying every moment. Bayern is the best place to win trophies, absolutely”.

That last line, in particular, hurts the most, as it is a case of Kane, whether he means to or not, twisting the knife in the heart of Spurs fans. Obviously, Bayern is the best place to win titles, and that's no slight on Tottenham; it's honestly a diss of the Bundesliga for making it so easy for Bayern to win, though, of course, Kane didn't win the title in his first season in Bavaria because Bayer Leverkusen made history by going undefeated.

Still, Tottenham just won the Europa League title, but because Kane spent so many years in North London and never won anything, you can't help but feel this is a potshot at Spurs. Kane is taking himself off the table, and while you can never say never as far as the transfer market is concerned, it's honestly better for Spurs supporters to take the legendary No. 9 at his word. Don't get your hopes up.

Although it's been a successful start to the 2025/26 Premier League and Champions League seasons for Tottenham Hotspur as a whole, not every Spurs player is currently enjoying a strong start to the campaign.

Specifically, there are a few young players and attacking players who have been held back by injuries or have been unable to make a consistent impact on the pitch. And no single player has been more disappointing to the fans than left winger Mathys Tel, who has not built on a decent ending to the 2024/25 campaign.

Tel was an asset in relief of an injured Son Heung-min, and he played a pretty important role as a regular starter for Spurs in the final weeks of the 2024/25 season as Spurs won the Europa League title.

The Frenchman parlayed those displays, as well as a whole lot of heart for the team, into a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich this summer transfer window. But while there were high hopes for Tel and a hefty price tag to go along with it, he has failed to deliver on even reasonable expectations to start the season.

Mathys Tel is unsure of himself

Even though Tel is filling the shoes of club legend Son Heung-min, who is now in MLS, no Spurs fan expects Tel to be playing at a world-class level. But he's looked like a fish out of water for Tottenham this season, which is a regression from what we saw at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Tel looks raw and unsure of himself. He works so hard on and off the ball to make things happen, but, paradoxically, the harder he works, the less things come off for him. He's getting into dangerous positions and doing the right things, but his end product is nowhere to be found. Tel is missing sitters, scuffing shots in embarrassing fashion, and he isn't translating his runs into tangible chances created for his teammates.

What it all boils down to is that Tel is trying too hard. He's doing everything he can to impress Tottenham fans, teammates, and coaches, and what is really happening is that he's second-guessing himself. He thinks too much before shooting, and instead of letting his training and instincts take over, he gets flustered and flubs the chance.

Tel is doing all the right things off the ball with his running, but when it comes time to go for the killer pass, he hesitates and the pass is no longer on. He has all the technique and athletic traits, but nothing comes off because he's caught in a mental spiral.

Tottenham fans aren't helping matters by piling on him, exaggerating his mistakes, and feeding into that negative self talk. Tel wants to perform for Spurs supporters, but the more he plays to impress, the worse he gets. A loan could help take the pressure of and give Tel the confidence, but, before all that, Frank and his teammates need to have a chat with him and unburden his mind by giving him the grace to fail and rid that imposter syndrome of being the next guy on the left wing after Son.

Tottenham Hotspur's active summer 2025 transfer window is only looking better now that the players are on the pitch, because all three of their big signings - Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Joao Palhinha - look like absolute home runs thus far.

Kudus and Simons are obviously the headliners as two of the three most expensive Spurs transfer signings ever, and they are going to be foundational pieces for the attacking core for the foreseeable future. It's honestly hard to imagine the Tottenham attack without them, and it's merely been a matter of weeks.

But for everyone's money, the best signing Tottenham made was the loan acquisition of Joao Palhinha, who was already established as one of the best defensive midfielders in all of European football during his time in the Premier League with Fulham.

He fell off the radar a bit at Bayern Munich whilst being stuffed on their bench, but now that he's back in the spotlight and starting every week, Palhinha has been a weekly Man of the Match candidate for Tottenham and has completely stabilized this team's previously jelly-like spine.

All signs point to a Tottenham transfer

According to reporting from Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook at talkSPORT, Tottenham Hotspur are already having serious conversations about activating the 27 million pound option to buy clause in Joao Palhinha's loan deal from Bayern Munich. In fact, they are reportedly "inclined" to agree to keep Palhinha permanently.

Even though Palhinha is 30, he is in such great shape athletically and is covering so much ground defensively that his advanced years won't scare off Tottenham. We are seeing more and more midfielders aging well into their 30s, and Palhinha has the profile of someone who can play effectively until he is around 35.

Palhinha is fitting the Tottenham culture wonderfully, and he even already wants to be a part of the team permanently, too. Spurs need guys who want to be a part of a project, fit Thomas Frank, tactically, and are willing to work their socks off for the team. Not only does Palhinha do all of that, he is also playing at close to a legitimately world-class level since joining Tottenham this summer.

Tottenham have to feel like 27 million pounds is a great price to pay for a player who went for close to double that from Fulham to Bayern just a year ago, and there isn't a better player Spurs could sign for less at the position.