Hotspur HQ

Tottenham know exactly what they need to do to land Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window, with the Bournemouth winger's release clause set at £65m.

Spurs were priced out of a move for the two-footed Cherries star in the summer before they moved on to alternative targets. Bournemouth were reportedly asking for £70m, which was regarded by the majority of supporters as a wildly inflated fee based on what we'd seen of the Ghanaian in the top flight up until that point.

However, Semenyo has since emerged as one of the Premier League's stars this season. A powerful wide man with game-breaking attributes, Semenyo is a force to be reckoned with in full cry.

We know Spurs were interested ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, but Semenyo has caught the eye of multiple admirers, and the Lilywhites will have to do some serious persuading if they're to land their man this winter.

Antoine Semenyo's Bournemouth release clause for January revealed

The Athletic's David Ornstein reports that Bournemouth could be "powerless" to prevent Semenyo from leaving the Vitality Stadium in January.

The winger signed a new contract in July that contains a £65m release clause, which must be activated by a specific date (not revealed by Ornstein) to allow the Cherries to find a replacement in the event of his departure.

Man Utd were linked in the summer, while Liverpool have also been touted as a potential buyer. Semenyo is a self-professed Arsenal fan, too, and if there's one position the Gunners could bolster to aid their title tilt, it's down the left flank.

Semenyo is exactly the sort of profile Spurs should be after to bolster an attack that's attracted plenty of criticism at the start of Thomas Frank's tenure. We desperately need a sharpshooter in the final third, and Semenyo may well be the xG defier who'd help the Lilywhites move on from Son Heung-min.

Little effort was made to replace the South Korean icon in the summer, and this may well be the deal ENIC has to make in January to convince those still sceptical of the club's newfound ambition that they are prepared to put their money where their mouth is.

£65m for a burgeoning Premier League star who's yet to climb into his apex is far from extortionate, but the Arsenal connection does leave me uneasy. I don't want another Eberechi Eze episode. A Gunners pursuit concluding on New Year's Day would be preferred. Rip the plaster off swiftly.

If there is one thing Tottenham Hotspur fans have on their Christmas wish list for the January transfer window, then it is a top class left winger who can bring goals to the table and help change games for Spurs, who have not signed a top left winger to replace Son Heung-min.

Savinho was not made available by Manchester City despite strong transfer interest from Tottenham this past summer window, while Spurs did not make a serious enough approach for Ademola Lookman, who was on his knees begging for a transfer away from Bergamo.

Because of Lookman's quality as one of the best players in Serie A over the last three seasons and his eagerness to leave Italian football, Tottenham fans have been expecting Fabio Paratici and Thomas Frank to circle back to Bergamo for another high profile swoop from Serie A.

Tottenham need a winter upgrade

However, Atalanta just fired the woeful Ivan Juric, mercifully ending the reign of an overmatched manager they should have never hired. They have replaced him with Raffaelle Palladino, the young genius who transformed Fiorentina back into a top team.

According to a report from TEAMtalk's Dean Jones, that switch in manager may be enough to pull Lookman back in and convince him to stay with La Dea. And per Jones, Palladino is already trying to convince Lookman of the project, his importance to the team, and the reasons for him to stay an Atalanta player through the January transfer window.

It looks like Tottenham are about to lose out on their most convenient left wing target - someone who can score double digit goals and even assists while winning one on ones. Spurs fans had Lookman earmarked as an easy upgrade they could achievably sign in the winter window, but now that is all cast in doubt by Atalanta being smart enough to hire a competent, player centric manager in Palladino.

Anything can happen between now and January, but under that anything can happen mantra is the inclusion of Lookman staying with Atalanta. Palladino has done great things in Serie A and is the kind of manager who can turn Atalanta back into a powerhouse after the slow start from the awful Juric, and he isn't as hard to work with as Gian Piero Gasperini, who turned on Lookman just the same way he had turned on players like Papu Gomez in the past. Spurs need to be wary now.

There is nothing in English football quite like the North London Derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, and with the Gunners sitting in first and Spurs in fifth, there will be a lot on the line this Sunday when Thomas Frank gets to learn the nature of this beastly fixture for the first time in his career.

Already, Tottenham and Arsenal fans are wondering how key injuries may shape this high octane fixture between the bitter rivals. Coming out of the November international break, Tottenham fans may be especially curious about the status of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who has been slowed again this season by injuries.

Odegaard was unable to play for the Norwegian national team this November international break, and early comments made by his national team manager seemed to point towards the world class playmaker being unlikely to suit up for Arsenal against Tottenham.

Tottenham need to step up

But according to remarks from Odegaard himself after Norway's Sunday game against the Italian national team, that may not be something Spurs fans should hold out hope for. Speaking to Norwegian outlet TV 2 Sport, via AFC Xtra, Odegaard seemed to indicate that he has a great chance of returning from his knee injury in time to face Tottenham, “It's moving forward. The match today came a little too early... But it's starting to look better, so hopefully I'll be back soon.”

So it sounds like Odegaard is progressing well from his injury, and while there is no real reason to rush him with Eberechi Eze available as a top Premier League playmaker with a point of his own to prove against Tottenham after snubbing them this summer for Arsenal, there is no question that Odegaard offers the Gunners that something extra as a leader and player, especially in a fixture as massive as the North London Derby where there is that added pressure element emotionally.

Tottenham have not been particularly great in midfield under Thomas Frank, and if Odegaard does play, this is going to be more incenetive for Frank to finally roll with Pape Matar Sarr over the mediocre Rodrigo Bentancur in order to get that extra bit of midfield running, dynamism, and defensive quality to battle up with the world class Odegaard.

The real focus, though, will be Joao Palhinha. He is an amazing defensive midfielder and has the quality to blanket Odegaard out of the game. But even for him, an Arsenal game it not half as easy against O as it is against Eze.

Even though he didn't get credit for it, that go ahead goal Tottenham Hotspur scored to go up 2-1 on Manchester United - which should have resulted in a victory - was mostly all down to the individual quality Wilson Odobert in getting that shot off that Richarlison deflected into the back of the net.

After a pretty rough start to the season, Odobert is starting to come into his own in his second campaign in North London, as the former Burnley man is showing the class on and off the ball that made Spurs invest in him in the first place.

The best option Tottenham have on the left wing, Odobert is starting to show the flashes in the Premier League of the brilliance he has quite consistently displayed at the youth international level for France. And now, Thomas Frank isn't the only high profile coach in world football who is prepared to feed the U23 standout some more chances.

Wilson Odobert is breaking out this year

According to a report from L'Equipe's Loic Tanzi, Wilson Odobert is now on French national manager Didier Deschamps' radar as a possible player in the main senior squad, as he has caught Deschamps' eye from his recent performances for Tottenham in the Premier League - and presumably for all the great things he has been doing for the French youth national team.

Good things happen to humble players who put their heads down, perform, and are coachable and consistently improve. Odobert is a highly intelligent player tactically and technically who is all of the above, and if Thomas Frank and Deschamps can nurture that talent and put him in positions where he can use his technical quality and short area quickness to facilitate play, he could blossom into one of the best inverted wide playmakers in club and international football.

Playing for the French national team is hugely prestigious with all the talent that country has at their disposal, particularly in the attack, so it is a feather in Odobert's cap that he is working his way into contention. A huge opportunity is awaiting Odobert, and he can use that positivity and potential experience with the French national team to continue to improve his play and importance to Tottenham as well.

It's been a joy watching Odobert quietly grow into his own this season. Former Tottenham transfer target Rayan Cherki and current target Maghnes Akliouche have already debuted this year, so it would be fitting for Odobert to join them soon.

Arguably no player for Tottenham Hotspur will be more important on Sunday against bitter rivals Arsenal in the North London Derby than Mohammed Kudus, who has been one of the best signings of the summer 2025 transfer window in the entire Premier League on a team that has otherwise struck out on the rest of its attacking signings.

Kudus has been the one real bright spot for Spurs attack, and his return from injury against Arsenal on Sunday will be a massive boost for the Lilywhites. But Arsenal are getting a boost, too, that will make Kudus's job against the Gunners a little more difficult.

Per a report from Fabrizio Romano, the injury concerns around young Arsenal left back Riccardo Calafiori are meaningless. Fab says that while Calafiori left the Italian national team during the November international break with an injury, the Arsenal star defender isn't actually injured at all and is expected to be a full go for the upcoming North London Derby against Spurs.

A tough matchup for Mohammed Kudus

Calafiori playing for Arsenal against Tottenham is a huge deal. He is one of the most talented defensive players in the Premier League both as an actual defender in terms of his ball winning and marking, as well as in the build up play as a passer and progressor on the ball. He has been arguably the best left back all around in the entire Premier League this season.

As Tottenham fans know, there is a big drop off in technical and tactical quality between the Italian international and England international Myles Lewis-Skelly at the left back position. So now, knowing Kudus has to go to battle against Calafiori is a much tougher proposition and a potential match winning advantage for Spurs that is now no longer something they can count on this Sunday afternoon.

Spurs are going to be heavy underdogs going up against an Arsenal team that has literally been the best in the Premier League this season, whereas Tottenham are pretty fortunate to be in fifth. Kudus is a big reason why they have been in fifth, and Calafiori is going to be a great challenge for him to contend with, in addition to whoever he matches up with at the center back position after another Arsenal defensive star, Gabriel Magalhaes, did pick up an injury over the international break that could knock him out of this upcoming Premier League fixture.

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.