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Tottenham Hotspur were able to sign two of the biggest impact attacking players in the summer transfer window in winger Mohammed Kudus and attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, and these are two young men who can develop into superstars for Spurs over the next five years.

But while Tottenham have struck gold with these two signings and the loan acquisition of defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, they were still ultimately one transfer short in terms of fulfilling all of their biggest summer needs.

Spurs were unable to acquire a shiny new left winger to replace legend Son Heung-min, who departed for the United States this summer. They were highly interested in Manchester City winger Savinho, but the Citizens grew increasingly reluctant to sell the 21-year-old, possibly because they saw Spurs as an emerging threat. And rightfully so.

Tottenham fans had high hopes that Savinho would be available in the January transfer window, as he's barely featured for Manchester City to start the 2025/26 season. But apparently, the lack of minutes and Spurs lurking interest were not enough to dissuade Savinho from committing to the Etihad Stadium for the foreseeable future.

Tottenham transfer target taken off the market

According to a rather surprising report from top transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are now "closing in" on a new contract for Savinho, and talks are actually in their "final stages" now. He is set to commit his long-term future to Manchester City despite Tottenham making, per Fab, two total transfer approaches for the Brazilian this past summer window.

It's a huge blow for Tottenham, as it is apparent that a Savinho extension with Manchester City is imminent. That shows Savinho is ready to stake his future at the Etihad, and maybe Pep Guardiola has given him indications of a big role despite him being buried on the Man City bench to start the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

And even if Savinho were to somehow be made available for a transfer after a contract extension is agreed upon, his transfer price would only go up since Manchester City would have no need to sell the player quickly.

Tottenham are going to have to look for other players on the wings, such as another significant summer transfer target this year in Atalanta left winger and center forward standout Ademola Lookman. But while Lookman is a superior goal threat, he's quite a few years older than Savinho, who was the No. 1 dream target for Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur got back to winning ways quickly on Wednesday night, but the result was nothing less than they would have expected - or accepted, for that matter.

Spurs took down lowly Doncaster 3-0 in the League Cup, with Brennan Jonson getting on the scoresheet in the 94th minute to put an exclamation point on a match that was never in doubt, unlike the narrow League Cup win over Lincoln City by Chelsea or Liverpool's 2-1 win over Southampton the night before.

Credit Tottenham and Thomas Frank for getting the job done without any fuss, and also credit opening goal-scorer Joao Palhinha for another monstrous game in the middle of the park next to young standout Archie Gray.

Palhinha led the team by example on Wednesday night, functioning as the main star in the lineup with heavy rotation and showing why he is as much of a Premier League Player of the Season candidate as any Tottenham player.

It may sound like a stretch to consider a true defensive midfielder a Player of the Season candidate, but when Palhinha is shutting things down so well defensively while also passing at a high level and even chipping in goals, it's hard to deny that he's in the conversation.

Obviously, a match against Doncaster literally isn't in the Premier League, and Doncaster are well below the standard of a Premier League team. But, well, Grimsby Town not being in the Premier League didn't stop Manchester United from getting upset in the League Cup.

Palhinha enhanced his candidacy as Spurs best player of the year with that display, scoring and leading the team with 70 pass attempts, completing 90 percent of his passeswith two tackles, an interception, and six clearances thrown in for good measure.

Such a dominant force defensively, Palhinha's solid work on the ball is often overlooked, but that wasn't the case against Doncaster, especially with the additional goal to his tally to open things up.

Throughout the first seven games of the season in all competitions, Palhinha has elevated Tottenham significantly. He has stabilized the entire team from the deep midfield position, cleaning up all sorts of tackles while holding his position and making simple passes accurately without fuss.

With each passing solid performance by Palhinha, all the Portuguese international does is make it even more difficult for Tottenham to deny him a permanent transfer at the end of the 2025/26 season from Bayern Munich.

Tottenham Hotspur have a much deeper squad than they did last season, and although they could still use some more attacking talent on the wings in the January transfer window, it's already clear that Spurs are better equipped to go the distance in the Premier League and Champions League this season than in previous years.

They really shine in the middle of the park now with the number of options they have after signing Joao Palhinha and Xavi Simons, and with Archie Gray and Pape Matar Sarr now playing more prominent roles as key players under Thomas Frank's stewardship.

But where Spurs truly shine is at the center back position, and even though it was against lowly Doncaster in the League Cup, backup central defender Kevin Danso once again showed why he is a great player in his own right.

Stuck on the depth chart behind two literal world-class star center backs in Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Danso only occasionally gets to shine because of how much those two have their jobs locked down. But every time he starts, whether in a back four or a back three, Danso reminds everyone why he was considered a burgeoning world-class talent in Ligue 1 for Lens.

He always delivers the goods for Tottenham

Danso was stellar on Wednesday night, putting his body on the line with multiple blocked shots, snapping into tackles when needed, and clearing the ball at a moment's notice. He reads the game so well and isn't far off from Romero in terms of his ability on the ball as a passer, and he was crisp again in this matchup, preventing Tottenham from suffering even the slightest hint of a letdown.

Again, it was just Doncaster, but Danso has been so good for Tottenham time and time again, including in crucial Europa League knockout stage games last season, that you really have to say on quality alone, he is one of the best players on the entire Tottenham roster.

It's just that Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are so good we don't get to see much of the big Austrian defender. But when we do get to see him, Danso never has a bad game, and, more often than not, he is outright great.

There are legitimately only a few starting center backs outside of the Tottenham around the Premier League who are unequivocally better than Danso. He would easily get into the Manchester City, Manchester United, or Chelsea starting lineups if everything were solely based on quality of play, and he's honestly been more impressive than Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate since the start of the 2024/25 campaign. Danso is one of the league's best hidden gems, but Spurs supporters certainly know how good he is first hand.

Tottenham Hotspur turned in another thorough performance at mid-week in the League Cup, avoiding any potential letdown - like many of their colleagues in the Premier League Big Six - with a professional 3-0 win over Doncaster.

Joao Palhinha and Brennan Johnson were the two goal-scorers for Spurs (the other goal was an own goal), but the real standout of the evening for Tottenham was someone who didn't score a single goal or even have a huge statistical output.

The 19-year-old center midfielder Archie Gray came to Tottenham from Leeds last summer with a lot of hype, but he didn't really get to show what he could do in the Ange Postecoglou system, which mostly made use of Gray as a makeshift center back. And when he did get a rare start in the middle of the park, he was left helplessly exposed by the cavernous gaps that Big Ange facilitated.

Under Thomas Frank, Gray drew the start on Matchday 1 and impressed against Burnley, but this match against Doncaster was the teenager's first real appearance since then. And once again, the England youth international made the most of it.

Gray looked like a classic holding midfielder for Spurs. He was difficult to dispossess, accurate with his passing, and more than competent at progessing the play and keeping Tottenham in full control of the match.

Obviously, Gray will have to be tested against much more difficult opponents for a Tottenham midfielder, but he still stood out above his peers, forming a great pivot with Palhinha that should get more trust from Frank against bigger opponents.

Tottenham were interested in signing Gray because of his quality on the ball, and he showed that ability against Doncaster, who couldn't touch him. Gray's ability to consistently stand out for good reasons this season on the two occasions that Frank has trusted him thus bodes well for future opportunities.

Going forward, Gray is now one to watch, as Frank will have to make use of the full depth of his midfield options this season. Gray, alongside fellow teenage sensation Lucas Bergvall, has as much long-term upside as any of them, and what Tottenham will like the most is his ability to keep the ball and turn it into progress forward up the pitch. That's the name of the game for Spurs, and, well, that's exactly what they signed Gray to do for them in the future.

Tottenham ensured they were in the hat for the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night, beating Doncaster Rover 3-0 in N17.

Thomas Frank opted for seven changes to his starting XI from Saturday's draw at Brighton, with the boss dropping João Palhinha into his defence to partner Kevin Danso, while Pedro Porro captained the side from right-back.

Seemingly liberated by his new role, Palhinha opened the scoring with a tidy acrobatic effort after Doncaster goalkeeper Ian Lawlor failed to properly clear Xavi Simons' inswinging corner.

The hosts then threatened to take the game away from Rovers, as a Wilson Odobert cross was converted into his own net by Jay McGrath, three minutes after Palhinha’s strike. However, Doncaster just about remained in the tie come the interval, and even forced the otherwise quiet Antonín Kinský into an outstanding reflex save towards the end of the first half.

A sluggish opening to the restart doubtless would've infuriated Frank, although the spritely visitors, who had success playing through our press throughout, were unable to test Kinský despite a spell of pressure.

Normality was eventually restored amid an entertaining bout, and there was a special moment for 16-year-old Lucá Williams-Barnett late on, as he made his bow for the club off the back of an excellent run at youth level. Then, after Lucas Bergvall had a stoppage-time tap-in ruled out for offside, the impressive Brennan Johnson rounded off proceedings with a third Spurs goal.

Into the fourth round we go!

Tottenham 3-0 Doncaster player ratings

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Antonín Kinský (GK) – 7/10 - That save alone in the first half meant he was deserving of a clean sheet. Always so calm with the ball at his feet.

Pedro Porro (RB) – 6/10 - Much of Doncaster's joy in the second half came down Porro's flank, even if the Spaniard did a decent enough job of ensuring Glenn Middleton was limited to hopeful crossing moments. Booked late on for a dive.

João Palhinha (CB) – 7.5/10 - Not sure whether I'm completely sold on Palhinha in centre-back, but it did the job here. Thought he was more progressive than usual in possession, and his goal was superbly taken.

Kevin Danso (CB) – 8/10 - Struggled a bit early on, but quickly settled down and produced a tidy display. Dominant in the air, and that long throw is such a weapon.

Djed Spence (LB) – 6.5/10 - An up-and-down night for Spence, who defended with the nonchalance of a man who thought his opponent was beneath him. Still, he had few issues when matched-up one-on-one.

Midfielders

Rodrigo Bentancur (CM) – 6.5/10 - Probably needed more from him on the ball when we were builiding up, but mopped up effectively on occasions and got himself out of trouble with some tidy footwork.

Archie Gray (CM) – 8/10 - Was that Archie De Bruyne out there? In a more natural midfield role, the young Englishman shone. His performance was laden with effective bursts through the right half-space, and moments of sumptuous technical work with the ball at his feet.

Xavi Simons (AM) – 7/10 - The orchestrator of some lovely sequences in the first half, taking control of the tie after Spurs took a 2-0 lead. His set-pieces were on the money, too, but a first goal remains elusive.

Forwards

Brennan Johnson (RW) – 8/10 - Capped a fine display with a goal. Johnson was dangerous early, performing with the drive and assurance he so often lacks. Encouraging.

Mathys Tel (ST) – 6/10 - A couple of wild swings and miscommunications clouded what could've been a good display from Tel, who didn't get his goal, but held the ball up effectively in the first half and brought others into play.

Wilson Odobert (LW) – 7.5/10 - The second goal sequence is exactly what you want to see more of from Odobert. The Frenchman was decisive after his directness and excellent footwork created the separation. Quieter in the second half before Frank withdrew him on the hour.

Substitutes

Richarlison – 5/10

Lucas Bergvall – 6.5/10

Destiny Udogie – 6/10

Lucá Williams-Barnett – N/A

Player of the match: Brennan Johnson

The idea of Harry Kane returning to Tottenham Hotspur was one that surfaced almost immediately after the club's all-time record goalscorer left for pastures new in 2023.

Kane sought a new challenge after Antonio Conte's initially exciting project fell flat on its face, with Daniel Levy negotiating a deal with Bayern Munich for the Englishman's services. The German giants needed a Robert Lewandowski successor, and they couldn't have snatched a more apt replacement.

Kane, as expected, has dominated German football since his move. He's scored 98 times in 103 Bayern appearances, having claimed his first piece of major silverware in the form of the Bundesliga title last season.

But how long does he want his Bavarian adventure to last? There's a panging desire to break Alan Shearer's Premier League scoring record, and while he has multiple years left at the highest level, Kane could opt for a swifter-than-expected return to his homeland.

And a Spurs reunion is thought to be on the cards.

Thomas Frank keeps dream of Harry Kane reunion alive

There has long been a suggestion that the Lilywhites boast a buy-back clause for one of their all-time greats, and recent reports out of Germany have stated that the 32-year-old has a £56.7m release clause, which can be activated next summer.

While Spurs boss Thomas Frank said he "didn't know" such a clause existed, he spoke glowingly of Kane and would welcome him back to N17 with open arms if the opportunity arose.

“He is an unbelievable player who did fantastic for Spurs and is doing fantastic for Bayern. Top player. I think there’s a lot of Tottenham fans, including myself, who would like to see Kane back.

“I don’t know what he’s thinking. Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years, so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more? But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome!” he added, with quotes taken from The Guardian.

Kane recently placed 13th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or, and looks poised to make a push for the Golden Ball next year, given how he's started the 2025/26 campaign. Vincent Kompany's Bayern have gone up a few gears since last season, and the striker has a genuine shot at inspiring Die Roten to Champions League glory next May.

And if that success plays out, wouldn't it be the perfect time to call it a day in Germany? His legacy would be absolutely secure at one of football's grandest institutions, and he'd leave himself enough time to break Shearer's record. He needs 48 goals to do it, so, what's that? Three ’good’ seasons?

Kane surely wouldn't risk tarnishing his lofty standing in north London by donning anything but Lilywhite if he were to make a comeback. While the 32-year-old has remained coy over a potential reunion, he has said he will "always keep an eye" on his former club.

We'd have you back in a heartbeat, old friend.

Remember when Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa were fighting neck and neck for European places? And remember when Villa were actually beating them, trouncing them in the battle for the Champions League? There were people who legitimately thought that the Lions would be replacing Tottenham as the new Big Six club under the leadership of former Sevilla Europa League mavens Unai Emery and Monchi.

Well, well, well, look at how quickly things change back again now. Aston Villa are in an even worse way than Tottenham were last season, buried so far down the Premier League table through five Matchdays that they are only superior to Wolves, who are beyond an embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are Europa League champions, back in the Champions League, and currently among the teams fighting behind Liverpool for second in the Premier League table. They also signed marquee transfers in the summer window in Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus and have a highly talented, ascending squad.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, can't buy a single goal, they flouted PSR, they have very few sellable assets in their squad, and the lack of star power in comparison to the big clubs in the Premier League is downright appalling. And they certainly didn't add to that pool this summer either.

Aston Villa chose poorly

Tottenham have Aston Villa to thank for handing them a boost that allowed them usurp Villa in the table and leave them in the dust. Once competitors, the gap between Tottenham and Aston Villa is back to the status quo, and perhaps the swing was when Villa canned Johan Lange, giving him the opportunity to join Spurs.

Wheres Monchi has tanked his reputation as a sporting director and left Villa in a rough spot, Lange has made smart move after smart move, including endearing himself permanently to Tottenham supporters by being part of the push to oust Daniel Levy out the door.

But even with Levy around, Lange still made the moves count for Spurs. Mathys Tel and Joao Palhinha were two other wise moves from Bayern Munich that Spurs made this summer to upgrade their squad in the 2025/26 season and beyond.

Lange was the one who turned Aston Villa into a top team in the Premier League, not Monchi. He was the one who signed Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins, and other key players, with Dibu and Watkins being the clear standouts for Villa and world-class players in multiple seasons.

Tottenham are going to get arguably better signings than those two under the Lange reign, as Kudus and Simons alone are already crushing it. So as Tottenham fans bask in the renewed success of their club, they should consider sending Villa a thank you card for replacing Lange with Monchi.

Although the majority of Tottenham's focus is on the current season and making an outside charge at the Premier League title while upgrading their stock in European competition now that they are back in the Champions League, any well-run big club always needs to keep an eye peeled keenly on the horizon and future transfer windows.

Current performance on the pitch and tracking future signings go hand-in-hand, and that couldn't be more true for the player Tottenham could try to sign first when the summer 2026 transfer window opens up next year.

Tottenham acquired defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich this past summer, bringing the top-class No. 6 back to the Premier League, where he was arguably the league's best ball-winning midfielder while at Fulham. Palhinha was stuck rotting on the bench in Bavaria, but like Ryan Gravenberch, he's been a top midfielder away from Bayern.

Spurs like their chances of finishing in the top four this season, and Palhinha has a ton to do with that. And Palhinha seems to be loving his time at Tottenham. According to a report from Give Me Sport's Ben Jacobs, Palhinha would like to obtain a permanent transfer to Tottenham at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Tottenham have an easy route to this transfer

Tottenham's loan agreement with Bayern Munich includes a 27 million pound option to buy. While Palhinha is 30 years old now, he is in such great shape and covering so much ground as a midfield monster that age, for him, is nothing but a number - as former Tottenham icon Luka Modric likes to say about his own success near the age of 40.

Palhinha is no Modric, but he's not far off from being a world-class midfielder. He's certainly playing around that level so far for Tottenham, opening so much for the other players on the team like Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall, and Rodrigo Bentancur.

If Palhinha keeps playing like this, Tottenham will, for the second season in a row, pick up an option to buy on a Bayern Munich player in the summer transfer window. The Portuguese international has been everything Thomas Frank could have hoped for from the defensive midfield position, and there are many Spurs fans who are already smitten with both his defensive quality and attitude, seeing him as a perfect fit for the club over the next few seasons. Palhinha would be an easy enough deal to complete for Spurs, too.

There's a thirst for silverware in N17 after last season's Europa League glory, and the club will fancy enjoying a deep Carabao Cup run under Thomas Frank this term.

Spurs begin their domestic cup campaign at home to Doncaster Rovers, who have enjoyed a bright start to their League One campaign but enter this cup tie off the back of successive defeats.

The visitors are preparing for their first clash with the Lilywhites since 2009, and a special night out at our glamorous modern amphitheatre beckons Grant McCann. A stunning 4-0 victory at Championship leaders Middlesbrough and a 2-0 triumph at Accrington Stanley helped Rovers into the third round, but they haven't progressed beyond this point since 2005/06.

Ange Postecoglou guided Spurs into the semi-finals of this competition last season, and we rank among the most successful teams in League Cup history. However, we've only endured heartbreak and damp squibs since our last triumph in 2008.

Here's our preview of Wednesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie.

Tottenham vs Doncaster: Preview, Prediction & Lineups

What time does Tottenham vs Doncaster kick off?

Tottenham vs Doncaster kicks off on Wednesday 24 September at 19:45 BST.

When is kick off? Wednesday 24 September, 2025

What time is kick off? 19:45 BST

Where is it played? Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Referee:Â Andy Madley

Tottenham vs Doncaster head-to-head record (last five games)

How to watch Tottenham vs Doncaster on TV & live stream

Tottenham team news

There's been a mixed bag on the injury front for Spurs since Saturday's draw at Brighton, with Frank confirming that Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies haven't recovered in time to feature. Both likely would've been started had they been fit.

The absence of Davies leaves the manager with a conundrum at left-back. 16-year-old Ju'nai Byfield is a centre-back by trade, but could be used there to ensure Frank's senior options aren't risked. Kota Takai is also in line to make his debut for the club, having recovered from a foot injury.

Xavi Simons could get an hour under his belt after his excellent cameo on Saturday, and Mathys Tel will likely lead the line. He'll probably be flanked by Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Doncaster:Â Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Takai, Byfield; Gray, Sarr, Xavi; Johnson, Tel, Odobert.

Doncaster team news

Tottenham have granted Damola Ajayi to play against his parent club on Wednesday night, but the teenager was on the bench for the visitors at the weekend and may be limited to a cameo appearance here.

Ajayi was sent on loan at the start of the summer window, having opened up his Lilywhite account with a fine finish in the 3-0 victory over Elfsborg in January.

Doncaster have 39-year-old Billy Sharp leading the line, and they should have Jamie Sterry available after recovering from a back injury. However, they've lost Harry Clifton to a significant hamstring injury.

Doncaster predicted lineup vs Tottenham: Lawlor; Sterry, McGrath, Pearson, Maxwell; Bailey, Close; Molyneux, Crew, Gibson; Sharp.

Tottenham vs Doncaster score prediction

I might be wrong, but it feels like a while since we've had a lower league opponent in N17. These games are typically enjoyable evenings out for the family, with youngsters and fringe players given the chance to showcase their stuff.

There's going to be enough quality within Spurs' ranks to win this cup tie with some comfort, and I dearly hope we see Archie Gray and Mathys Tel produce strong performances on Wednesday night. An hour of Xavi would be lovely, too, and surely too much for the visitors to handle.

The thirst for silverware isn't quite so desperate in N17 anymore, but that special night in Bilbao may have sparked a hunger within the Lilywhites.

The League Cup was our previous trophy success before Ange Posetecoglou guided the club to Europa League glory last term. We've since reached the final on three occasions, and were defeated semi-finalists under Ange.

Thomas Frank's domestic cup record is spotty, to say the least, and whether the Dane can adequately mitigate a demanding schedule remains up for debate. However, the boss has far shuffled his pack smartly enough, and he has an opportunity to hand an array of fringe players chances to impress on Wednesday night, as we welcome League One side Doncaster to our glamourous modern home.

Here's how Spurs could line up for their Carabao Cup third round tie.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Doncaster (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Antonín Kinský (GK) – Some still suspect Kinský has a chance of developing into Spurs' No. 1 rather swiftly, and he should make his first start of the season here. However, he may not be particularly busy.

Djed Spence (RB) – There's a distinct lack of options at full-back, with Frank reluctant to use Archie Gray there as Postecoglou did last season. With Pedro Porro deserving a rest, Spence, who replaced the Spaniard late on at the weekend, will start at right-back for the first time this season.

Kevin Danso (CB) – Lucas Bergvall's are fine, but I've missed Danso's missiles into the box from the touchline. Ideally, though, we're not reliant on long throws to cause chaos against a side two tiers below.

Kota Takai (CB) – The Japanese international was set back by a foot injury in the summer, but he's returned to training ahead of this cup tie. The manager's desire to rest his two starting centre-backs means Takai could be thrust into the mix.

Jun'ai Byfield (LB) – I'm not sure where Frank will turn at left-back. He'll want to preserve Destiny Udogie for the weekend, Spence is already in, and Ben Davies is out injured. Can 16-year-old Byfield play there?

Midfielders

Archie Gray (CM) – Frank is an admirer of the young and versatile Englishman, but we've barely seen him since he started the first league game of the season against Burnley. Thus, this is a particularly important outing for Gray.

Pape Matar Sarr (CM) – I thought Sarr would be getting the evening off in midweek, but the manager instead opted to leave him out of his team at the Amex, and the dogged midfielder didn't feature at all. He could be used in a different role than what he's excelled in so far this term.

Xavi Simons (AM) – There could be minutes for the exciting Lucá Williams-Barnett on Wednesday night, given his form for at youth level and, most recently, the U21s. However, Frank may fancy giving Xavi an hour in the No. 10 role after his game-changing cameo on Saturday.

Forwards

Brennan Johnson (RW) – Johnson hasn't looked comfortable off the left thus far, and while he's pretty awkward down the right, the Welshman did much of his damage last term from this side of the pitch.

Mathys Tel (ST) – A 'dead leg' kept Kolo Muani out of action at the weekend, and Frank has confirmed he'll miss Wednesday's cup tie. So, with Dominic Solanke out and Richarlison likely to earn a breather, there will be another chance for Tel to impress. Let's hope Xavi provides him with ample service.