Hotspur HQ

Everything is on the line for Tottenham Hotspur coming out of the November international break, because Spurs will be facing off against hated rivals Arsenal on Sunday in the North London Derby, which will be the first of Thomas Frank's career.

There is literally no bigger game in English football than this one in terms of emotions, and for Spurs, there's a lot on the line sporting wise, too, because they don't look like a team that is ready to stay in the Champions League next season.

Just last week, Tottenham were outplayed by Manchester United, and with Randal Kolo Muani and Lucas Bergvall joining the list of injured players, it may not get any easier for Frank and his men on Sunday vs. Arsenal.

Tottenham need him against Arsenal

Tottenham suffered another potential injury blow over the weekend of international football as well, as breakout midfielder Pape Matar Sarr went down with an injury in Senegal's 2-0 friendly loss to Brazil.

The good news is that it appears Sarr isn't actually injured or in any doubt for the upcoming North London Derby. That's based on what Sarr's Senegal national team manager Pape Thiaw told reporters after the game, via Football.London's Matt Maltby. It seems like Sarr just got knocked a bit and got taken out as a precaution from Senegal, which Spurs will much appreciate.

Sarr is going to be vital to Tottenham against Arsenal, and there are many Spurs fans who want Sarr to be the starter over Rodrigo Bentancur next to Joao Palhinha. The Senegalese international is a real box to box maven who works so hard for the team to break up play defensively and progress it offensively, and especially for Senegal when he actually gets the chance to do so, Sarr has shown that he can make an impact in the final third as well.

Tottenham are going to be up against one of the best midfields in world football, as the pivot of new Real Sociedad signing Martin Zubimendi and long time Premier League star Declan Rice looks like the elite of the elite in English football.

In order to have a prayer at stopping the two of them, Tottenham are going to need Sarr to be healthy and out there, so this is a huge relief to hear Thiaw tell reporters that Sarr's injury concerns are not so serious after all. Even if Frank doesn't start Sarr, he could still have a big say on the derby.

Tottenham Hotspur have their biggest game of the season so far next on the schedule, as they must do battle with Premier League leaders Arsenal next Sunday in their first match after the November international break.

Their performance in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United simply will not cut it against Arsenal, who have been easily the best team in the Premier League and are literally flirting with history defensively. And even if Gabriel Magalhaes doesn't play, Arsenal will still have an elite defense to go up against a Tottenham attack that has been abhorrent in the 2025/26 season.

The writers on the official Premier League website have seen the 2025/26 season so far, and they believe Arsenal are indeed the favorites to win the title. Out of the five writers who predicted the remainder of the season's table, three of them chose the Gunners to take home the title for the first time in decades.

Tottenham are in the Aston Villa zone again

Meanwhile, Spurs fans should be concerned and a little miffed by how the Premier League's official writers view Tottenham. Literally none of the five even ranked Spurs in the top five. Their highest ranking was sixth behind Manchester United. Two of the writers placed Spurs in seventh, while one of them had Tottenham ranked eighth behind even Aston Villa and Newcastle.

That is massively disrespectful to have Tottenham, a current Champions League team that most pundits have finishing in the top five, not even in the top five at all and as low as eighth. Then again, Spurs have literally lost to Aston Villa and Newcastle head to head this season in either the Premier League or League Cup, and they were honestly not better than Man United either.

So while the Premier League site is disrespecting Spurs, the most honest of Tottenham fans has to reflect on this and state that it is deserved, and there can be no qualms about Arsenal being either first or second in the running.

All of that sets Tottenham up as major underdogs in the North London Derby, and the official site's valuation of the team should be bulletin board material for manager Thomas Frank, captain Cristian Romero, and rest of the key Tottenham players to refer to in the build up to next Sunday's all important battle. Because right now, Spurs are miles behind not only Arsenal in first in terms of quality and perception, but they are even behind the likes of Man United.

Tottenham Hotspur have so much to prove on Sunday when they face bitter rivals Arsenal in the North London Derby, and whlie they could benefit from the absence of star center back Gabriel Magalhaes, who recently suffered an injury for the Brazil national team, Spurs now have another injury to worry about of their own, too.

It's a real injury crisis for Spurs. They already were carrying big absences in James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke in the attack. And then on the Saturday before the November international break, striker Randal Kolo Muani went down with a jaw injury in the first half vs. Manchester United.

Archie Gray is injured in midfield, as is an even more important young midfielder in Lucas Bergvall, who could be out against Arsenal with a concussion. And to make matters worse in that same friendly between Brazil and Senegal, breakout star midfielder Pape Matar Sarr became the latest Spurs injury casualty as he left the pitch with an unspecified injury from Senegal's tough 2-0 loss.

Tottenham need the veterans to step it up

Sarr has been a key player for Spurs this season whenever he has actually played, and given his motor and all-around work rate in midfield as a true No. 8, losing him as an option to neutralize the world-class Arsenal midfield axis of Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice is huge.

Overall, Tottenham have to like the trade between Gabriel and Martin Odegaard being new injuries for Arsenal vs. Spurs now having Bergvall and Sarr issues to worry about, but the Sarr injury is just a reminder of how cursed Spurs are right now and makes it that much more difficult for them to score an upset three points over Arsenal.

The Premier League leaders, Arsenal will be overwhelming favorites again on Sunday against Spurs, and now fans need to see Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur really step it up for potentially 90 minutes together in lieu of the best options being able to come in. Sarr would have been a preferred starter for Bentancur, but if he can't start or play at 100 percent against Arsenal, then that option is now out the window for Frank to work with.

Next Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur will get to show the rest of the Premier League what they are made of, as Thomas Frank will have to face his most important match as Spurs coach yet. Because for as big as a UEFA Supercup battle with PSG is or a matchup against Chelsea may be, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - bigger than the North London Derby, maybe not even in the entire Premier League as a whole.

Spurs are reeling a bit after drawing Manchester United 2-2 in the Premier League in the final matchup before the November international break, but they recently got a boost that they should not take for granted going into next Sunday vs. Arsenal.

In the Brazil national team's 2-0 friendly win over Senegal, Arsenal star center back Gabriel Magalhaes had to leave the pitch during the match with an adductor injury, as confirmed by national team manager Carlo Ancelotti. Further testing will reveal the true extent of the injury to Gabriel, but with just about a week before the North London Derby, Gabriel's injury is a massive result for Tottenham and Arsenal in very different ways.

All eyes will be on Mathys Tel then

Because even if Gabriel is able to play against Spurs and recover in time from this, adductor injuries have a way of lingering. It may make Arsenal more hesitant about playing him, and if he does play, he won't be at his full 100 percent best, which is something Tottenham can try to take advantage of.

Now, Arsenal do have an amazing new third choice center back in Cristhian Mosquera, who they shrewdly picked up in the summer transfer window from Valencia. But nobody can replace Gabriel, who has honestly been the best pure defensive player in the Premier League this season, as much as some Spurs fans may hate to admit that fact.

Any injury to Gabriel, even if it ends up being just a little nick, is a big deal. And Tottenham need any attacking advantage they can get, since they have been absolutely putrid in that sense with not even Frank being able to pick them up out of their slump.

With Richarlison struggling again last week vs. Manchester United, young Mathys Tel, who scored an important goal off the bench as a striker, is expected to draw the start at the 9. Not having to face Gabriel - or facing a less amped up Gabriel - will be huge for the young Frenchman, who can't afford to be bullied out of the game.

Tottenham's sporting director Fabio Paratici returned to the club in an official capacity last month, but the Italian has disclosed how close he was to opting for a different venture earlier this year.

First hired by Daniel Levy in 2021, Paratici was initially tasked with finding José Mourinho's long-term successor. A chaotic managerial search culminated in Nuno Espírito Santo getting the job, but the current West Ham United boss lasted just ten Premier League games in the role.

Antonio Conte was subsequently appointed, allowing Paratici to team up with an old friend from Juventus. However, the director, who quickly emerged as a popular figure among supporters, found himself in trouble with the law for some of the business he conducted with the Bianconeri.

Paratici got caught up in the 'Plusvalenza' scandal and received a 30-month ban from FIFA in March 2023, forcing him to resign from his role in north London a month later. However, there was a sense that the 'Don' never really went away. He operated as a consultant to the club during his suspension, and an official comeback was seemingly inevitable upon the expiry of his ban.

Paratici was confirmed as Spurs' co-sporting director alongside Johan Lange in mid-October, with the Italian saying he was "delighted to be returning to a club that I love."

However, that isn't to say the former Juve director didn't flirt with alternative opportunities.

Fabio Paratici reveals he was 'very close to joining Milan' before Spurs return

There was a point earlier this year when it seemed as if Paratici would take a high-profile job in his homeland.

The highly-regarded director held talks with Milan over a hierarchical position, and was ready to join the Rossoneri, but the club pulled the plug on his appointment at the last, much to Paratici's surprise. He maintains that he "doesn't know" why the deal fell through.

“We were very close [to agreeing a deal with Milan]," the 53-year-old told Sky Sport. "Then, if the marriage wasn’t completely concluded, I don’t know why. Diplomatic? No, I’m not, and I’m not getting any better at it. But I can’t stand there wondering why, after everything I’ve been through, if this influenced a club’s decisions.”

A rather messy situation culminated in Milan appointing long-time Lazio director Igli Tare instead.

Paratici thus remained in touch with the Lilywhites before joining forces with Lange in N17. There's hope that their combination of skills will prove fruitful in the market, with the Italian's eye and Dane's number-crunching potentially combining the great effect.

Don't worry, fellas, it'll all be over soon. To be honest, I'm quite enjoying the break—the last until next March.

Amid my bid to "find myself" during the November international break, I almost forgot that I'd committed to a monthly Power Ranking of the Tottenham squad. Our first was produced during last month's internationals, with Thomas Frank's side taking to the field seven times between the two intervals.

Thus, there have been plenty of opportunities for our top five to change. You must be desperate to find out, I can sense it through the screen. Your scrolls per second are increasing exponentially.

To be honest, I'm done with the introduction. So, let's get into the good stuff. Here's our Tottenham Power Ranking for November 2025.

Honourable Mentions: Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, Pape Matar Sarr.

The Italian shot-stopper is not perfect, but I won't tolerate Guglielmo Vicario being made a scapegoat.

There will come a time when Spurs may need to think about an upgrade, but that time isn't now. Plenty wanted to see more of Antonín Kinsky between the posts, including this writer, but the Czech only reasserted Vicario's status as Thomas Frank's No. 1 with his performance against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.

A big character in the dressing room and on the pitch, Vicario, statistically, has been one of the best-performing goalkeepers in the Premier League this season. According to FBRef, his save percentage ranks third in the division, and he only sits behind Dean Henderson for 'goals prevented'.

Vicario's shot-stopping has been stellar, but he still leaves much to be desired as a ball claimer and distributor.

João Palhinha may struggle to pass a football, but boy, does he know how to win it back. We've always known this, to be fair.

Palhinha's success in north London will ultimately be determined by Frank's utilisation of him. He should be limited at home, but at the forefront of the manager's thinking for big away days.

The Portuguese international supplies steel in the middle of the park, and is a profile we've sorely lacked for years. Since the October break, Palhinha starred off the ball against Monaco and Everton, before adding to his impressive scoring tally this season in the emphatic triumph over Copenhagen.

The captain moves down a place primarily because of his injury absence. Cristian Romero missed four games in October, before returning to play a makeshift centre-forward role in the defeat we all want to forget to Chelsea.

The Argentine then didn't produce his best work in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United before the interval, but I'd suggest that was the only time Romero has looked off colour all season.

He remains an imperious presence and a critical figure for Frank's side in possession.

Also moving down a spot is Mohammed Kudus, who topped our Ranking last month after enjoying a fine start to his Tottenham career.

There have been no goal contributions over the past month, though, with the Ghanaian suffering from a couple of knocks he sustained against Everton and Newcastle. Kudus missed the final two games before the break as a result.

It was a quieter period for the winger, who continued to operate as a one-man outlet in Tottenham's attack. As I've alluded to several teams, an improvement in balance and connectivity down the left will help Kudus re-emerge on the opposite flank.

Leapfrogging Romero and Kudus into our esteemed No. 1 spot is the former's centre-back partner, Micky van de Ven. How could he not?

Since our last Ranking, Van de Ven became the first Tottenham defender since Jan Vertonghen in 2013 to score a Premier League brace. If that wasn't impressive enough, the Dutchman then decided to put himself in the hat for the Puskás Award with a stunning solo goal in the Champions League win over Copenhagen.

Micky's one of a kind, and he may take some serious dislodging at the top of our Power Ranking.

Tottenham Hotspur are staring down all the flaws in their squad at the November international break, and it's abundantly clear to the vast majority of Spurs supporters that the most pressing issues plaguing the squad are the same ones they were already most worried about coming into the 2025/26 Premier League and Champions League seasons.

Spurs lack goals. Son Heung-min left for MLS, and Spurs were already struggling in the scoring department even before his decline and subsequent departure to the United States. Dominic Solanke has been unable to get healthy, and new loan signing Randal Kolo Muani has been essentially in the same boat, leaving Spurs in quite the lurch.

So it should come as no surprise that, per a report from Sky Sports News editor Lyall Thomas and reporter Mark McAdam, Tottenham are trying to sign one more forward in the upcoming January transfer window, with their main focus being a left sided player who can upgrade that position. Specifically, Spurs are poised to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool for breakout superstar Antoine Semenyo.

An old transfer target for Spurs

Now, the Semenyo links are not new for Tottenham. Spurs were after Semenyo earlier this year but decided not to make a serious play for the Bournemouth winger due to his price tag. But now that Semenyo is playing even better and scoring more goals from the left side, having been moreso on the right last season, for an even more dangerous Bournemouth side, he's really piqued their interest as a transfer target.

The thing is, Semenyo is only more expensive now, and with two Premier League title contenders after him in Man City and Liverpool, he definitely isn't going to get any easier for Spurs to acquire, especially not in the winter with the Cherries still very much in European football contention.

If it isn't Semenyo, Tottenham fans will want to see a real star brought in to play the left wing. That's the least that can be done after losing a player of the stature of Son Heung-min in the summer. Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel have shown some promise on the left wing, but, obviously, Spurs need someone who can shine in the here and now, especially if they want to make a big push for one of the Champions League places at the end of the 2025/26 campaign. It's nothing less than what Spurs supporters expect from their club.

Fabio Paratici must be casting a watchful glance over the ongoings at Juventus, with a potential contract dispute playing out between club and its most prized asset, Kenan Yıldız.

Paratici's return to the club in an official capacity in the summer has some of us dreaming that Turkish sensation Yıldız could emerge as a legitimate target for Tottenham, thanks to the director's connections with the Bianconeri.

Paratici turned to his former club to appease Antonio Conte midway though the 2021/22 season, helping the club acquire Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur. However, Juve will be far less willing to part ways with Yıldız, even if they're unable to reach an agreement with the 20-year-old over a new deal.

Kenan Yıldız contract dispute opens door for hopeful Tottenham

Yıldız's contract in Turin doesn't expire until 2029, but there's a recognition on behalf of both sides that the winger is deserving of a reworked deal.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Forza Juventus on X), Yıldız currently earns €1.5m a year with the Old Lady, but wants a new deal worth €6m a year. As it stands, Juve are willing to offer the 20-year-old €5m.

While this wouldn't seem a major issue, other Italian outlets, including Corriere dello Sport (via Forza Juventus on X), write that if no renewal is reached by the time the summer transfer window rolls around, Juve would consider selling Yıldız "for around €100m."

The club's need to sell would likely depend on whether they qualify for next season's Champions League, and it's currently hard to gauge whether the Bianconeri are well placed to do so. The appointment of Luciano Spalletti should help, but they entered the international break sixth in Serie A.

Yıldız's breakout over the past 18 months has doubtless been impressive, with his direct running and ferocious ball-striking suggesting that the 20-year-old will enjoy a stellar career at the highest level. Plenty are reportedly interested, and he plays a position that Spurs may look to upgrade via the purchase of a potential superstar next year.

Son Heung-min hasn't yet been adequately replaced, and while Wilson Odobert is developing nicely, Spurs undoubtedly need another option down their left-hand side.

The youthful Yıldız would be a wonderful fit for Thomas Frank's frontline, but it'll likely take some Paratici magic for Spurs to have any chance of pulling such a deal off. The sharks will circle if word gets out of Yıldız discontent, and the Lilywhites must place themselves in the best position possible to land a dream target.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has done an admirable job with what he's inherited, all things being equal, because he took the position of a team that finished 17th in the Premier League and lost its most important players to either exit (Son Heung-min) or serious injuries (Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, and James Maddison).

Spurs attack already had holes in it coming into the 2025/26 season, but the attack had been ravaged further, with only Mohammed Kudus standing out as a true star up front. Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert have potential, but they are too young to be entrusted as stars of the team.

So Tottenham are fully expected to be active in the winter and summer 2026 transfer windows when it comes to bolstering both the left wing and even striker positions, as new loan signing Randal Kolo Muani has yet to make the desired impact.

Kolo Muani was a standout for Juventus last season, and Spurs have been linked back to Fabio Paratici's favorite well for a less impressive 2024/25 striker performer in Dusan Vlahovic, who, on paper, is a prime bounce back candidate when looking at his physical tools and past track record before joining the Bianconeri.

Tottenham doesn't want Fabio Paratici's guy

But despite Vlahovic's obvious upside and minuscule price tag on an expiring contract, it appears Thomas Frank is disinterested in taking a gamble on the Serbian international. According to a report from TEAMtalk's Dean Jones, Frank wants to move in a different direction on the striker transfer market than Vlahovic, leaving the 25-year-old open to join another club, such as London rivals Chelsea and West Ham.

Juventus are amidst another sea of change this season with the legendary Luciano Spalletti stepping in to spell the, quite frankly, entirely overmatched Igor Tudor. Vlahovic has shown signs of returning to stardom this season in spurts, but, by and large, the striker looks like a man who wants a change of scenery to wash away the sourness of a move to Turin that he so desperately envisioned turning out differently.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters probably aren't doing a whole lot of relaxing during this November international break, because as is customary, Spurs are heading into the break coming off a poor result, blowing what would have been a comeback win by allowing Matthijs de Ligt to score a wide open header at the back post in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

When Spurs come out of the break, they will face a much stronger opponent in the literal best team in the Premier League right now, hated rivals Arsenal. And after how badly a lesser rival in Chelsea embarrassed them in their last derby, Spurs are under immense pressure for their first North London Derby of the mixed Thomas Frank era.

Tottenham may be getting a real boost, though, ahead of the Nov. 23 battle against the Gunners. Arsenal have been tight lipped about the injury status of Martin Odegaard, who is traveling with the Norway national team as moral support this international break but won't be playing.

Tottenham have to prepare for a summer enemy

Well, Norway manager Stale Solbakken just let it slip that Odegaard is still far away from returning from his injury, dropping a major hint that as much as Arsenal are hiding things in an effort to keep Tottenham on their toes, their captain isn't likely to play in the North London Derby. Solbakken said, via Football.London's Ryan Taylor, “It is steady. It is going in a steady direction, but he is some distance away.”

It sounds an awful lot like Tottenham are going to have to prepare for Eberechi Eze, the man who burned them this past summer by flirting with Spurs before choosing childhood club Arsenal at the last second.

Eze is a good player, but he's honestly a fraction of the footballer that Odegaard is in terms of his creativity and ability to find the pass. Both are clutch players, but Odegaard is a different league to Eze, so not having to face him as a player and leader would be massive for Spurs.