VAVEL.com

With Deadline Day fast approaching, many transfer rumours have been swirling around who could join Thomas Frank’s refreshed Tottenham Hotspur squad.

If the start of the season has been difficult for Frank, he certainly has not made it obvious, with the Lilywhites kicking off their 2025/26 Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins.

However, it is undeniable that new additions are necessary in this transfer window for this Spurs squad to have the attacking force and defensive depth necessary to compete in all competitions – which Frank made clear in his first press conference as team boss was the case.

Particularly, if there is to be a fighting chance in the Champions League, considering many of Tottenham’s key players are out injured with unknown return dates – and crucial striker Heung-Min Son having left the club.

What sort of players do Tottenham need most?

Before the 2025/26 Premier League season commenced, Spurs announced the departure of Son, the club’s fourth all time goal scorer – taking this position behind the well-known club names of Harry Kane, Jimmy Greaves, and Bobby Smith, a formidable position to be in and one which the club will no doubt be experiencing the void of quite strongly on the pitch.

Despite beginning his playing career as an attacking midfielder, Son quickly solidified his position as a forward, and at times also a striker – a flexibility which greatly benefitted the club.

Frank’s tenure has begun with injury, as he currently has Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison out, both with extensive return dates not scheduled until at least the new year.

It should also be noted that as of the 2024/25 season, Spurs’ three most successful playmakers were Son, Kulusevski, and Maddison – with a combined 34 assists amongst the trio.

So, with one of these players out of the squad permanently, and two more with unknown return dates, the arrival of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig has come at a good time for Frank.

With the €60m Simons deal confirmed and Tottenham’s pursuit for an attacking midfielder complete, Frank’s attention should now turn to his defence.

The search for a defender…

Frank has already shown that his Tottenham side can be a formidable defensive force, adapting his squad in their Super Cup clash against PSG – and progress has already been made with maintaining players already a main feature in the squad.

This summer marked a series of defensive reinforcements for Frank’s Spurs squad – with centre-back Kevin Danso’s loan from Lens had been made permanent, with a fee of £21m.

Additionally, club captain Christian Romero signed a new contract with the Lilywhite’s which will keep him in north London until at least the 2028/29 season. To accompany this, Djed Spence also signed a new long-term deal with the club in a move which will hopefully recover his confidence.

Spence endured a difficult start with Tottenham after joining in 2022, being loaned out to Rennes, Leeds United, and Genoa after former team boss Antonio Conte labelled him an ‘investment signing’.

The full-back made a resurgence under previous boss Ange Postecoglou and under Frank it was announced he would be remaining in north London.

However, Spurs will still be looking to bolster their defensive depth, so a central defender should be included in Frank’s search, and this could come at the hands – or more correctly, feet – of Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji.

Manuel Akanji

Akanji has reportedly taken the interest of Spurs, according to TalkSport, and if the deal does go through will make a pivotal addition to Frank’s refreshed defensive line-up – alongside captain Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Kevin Danso.

The 30-year-old has not featured in Pep Guardiola’s squad yet this season, however last season achieved 26 Premier League appearances, keeping nine clean sheets and only receiving three bookings – and, according to stats from FBref, the Swiss defender has a tackle success rate of 64% and an aerial success rate of 54%.

Being a young player, with the correct development and opportunity to learn and grow under Frank, Akanji could turn into a key player for the Lilywhites, and they are not the only club who appear to have noticed him with a battle seemingly ensuing with London rivals Crystal Palace, who has also been linked to the City defender.

Nathan Ake

Reportedly, Tottenham are being linked with a deadline-day sweep of City, with GiveMeSport reporting that the north London club have held discussions over signing Akanji’s teammate, 30-year-old centre back Nathan Ake.

The Dutchman has a tackle success rate of 67% and aerial success rate of 57%, making him a credible threat on the pitch for Spurs’ refurbished defence.

Last season, Ake made 10 Premier League appearances, contributed to two clean sheets and made 22 clearances, however he was out for much of the season due to a foot fracture.

In the 2023/24 season prior, he played in 29 matches, with nine clean sheets out of these and made 50 clearances – and has been an imperative player for City since he joined Guardiola’s side in 2020.

Despite being older than his teammate and Spurs target Akanji, Ake has the experience and skills required to hugely bolster Frank’s Tottenham squad, and alongside Danso, Romero, and Spence, could prove to be the support Tottenham needs for their competition push and return to the Champions League.

A winger on the horizon…

With the midfield sorted and some defensive options lined up, Spurs will be hoping for a winger to complete their summer transfer window, particularly in the wake of Son’s departure from the club and in a supporting role for strikers’ Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham were reportedly interested in signing Savinho from Manchester City, with their offer allegedly being snubbed due to Guardiola not wanting to lose the player.

The Brazilian, however, is still interested in a move to Spurs, according to Spurs Web, with journalist Pete O’Rourke stating that a deal cannot be ruled out but maintaining it would take an extraordinary offer.

If Savinho was to join Tottenham, he could bring a burst of fresh energy, with his record of eight assists in 29 Premier League appearances last season, and a pass accuracy of 87.3% making him a significant chance creator.

Thomas Frank will visit the Parc des Princes in a rematch against Paris Saint-Germain in his first UEFA Champions League campaign as a head coach.

The Dane's first competitive match in charge at Tottenham was the UEFA Super Cup final, where a gallant performance was eventually undone by a penalty shootout defeat to the Parisians.

Spurs qualified for this season's competition as UEFA Europa League winners, having beaten Manchester United 1-0 back in May, and will play two sides they met on their journey to glory.

It is an away trip to Germany to take on Eintracht Frankfurt and another trek to the frozen north of Scandinavia to meet Bodø/Glimt again.

There are more than just familiar faces, however, as debut European outings against FC Copenhagen and Villarreal were also generated.

Tottenham have met the remaining three teams before in Europe. Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco have provided some memorable and not so memorable experiences for Spurs fans in the last decade.

Spurs have a 100% win record against the Black and Yellows in four Champions League matches. It is a different story against the Monegasques, however, having lost both encounters in 2016/17.

In fact, of the eight teams drawn, Monaco - now home to former defender Eric Dier - are the only ones to have beaten Tottenham in the Champions League.

Slavia Prague, meanwhile, were narrowly dispatched by Juande Ramos' side over two legs in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup.

Tottenham Champions League opponents

Paris Saint-Germain (a)

Borussia Dortmund (H)

Eintracht Frankfurt (a)

Villarreal (H)

Bodø/Glimt (a)

Slavia Prague (H)

AS Monaco (a)

Copenhagen (H)

*Full dates and match times will be released by UEFA on Saturday.

Frank's adaptability key to success

Although it is very much the early days of Frank's Tottenham career, he has exhibited a tactical flexibility that could be perfect for European tournaments.

The Super Cup final saw him deploy a back three system with Kevin Danso joining Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, which did a superb job of congesting the defensive third and marshalling much of PSG's attacking threat - for 85 minutes.

But the recent 2-0 win over Manchester City further showed Frank's nous. Many expected him to revert to the back three/wing-back formation after a more conventional 4-3-3 against Burnley.

He instead continued with that convention, asking van de Ven and Romero to not give City's forwards a moments peace. Even if that meant following them deep into the attacking third.

It is the kind of bravery and aggression that Spurs so often lacked at the end of Ange Postecoglou's tenure. Though the Europa League journey the Australian lead did showcase one aspect of the squad that Frank has yet to experience - seeing games through while being under the cosh.

Nevertheless, it is only three matches in for the former Brentford manager and he is able to count on a squad that have progressed through continental matchups in that fashion before.

Ultimately, Frank wants Tottenham to be an attacking outfit, and the eight fixtures ahead should provide him ample opportunity to put that into practice as well. Namely in the ties against Copenhagen, Slavia Prague and Bodø/Glimt.

The precarious nature of the new format means that bold approaches may hold more power, given the number of wins and goal difference were vital to many teams' fortunes last year.

Dinamo Zagreb and VfB Stuttgart, for example, left the competition at the first hurdle last season despite both winning three matches.

It may seem straightforward to aim to win as many games as possible, but in the Europa League, with its generally weaker calibre of opposition, meant Spurs could not shy away from that.

This time round, against more consistently stronger sides, being tactful will be crucial to sealing a place in the knockout stages, and Frank looks primed to deliver that.

Manchester City came into this game in good spirits after a comfortable and routine win for Pep Guardiola at Molineux, following a 4-0 victory.

Started the game on the front foot and controlled the game and handled the high press of Thomas Frank's Spurs, and forced Guglielmo Vicario into a few good saves early on.

But with mistakes from John Stones and James Trafford, they found themselves two down at half time.

The second half flew by and Manchester City failed to show any sign of urgency.

James Trafford - 4

Struggled throughout the game, had a few good saves but when asked to play out the back, he didn't have the ability to do so, which lead to Tottenham's second goal.

Rico Lewis - 4

Had problems dealing with Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence and Wilson Odobert. Let Johnson get in behind him which allowed the Spurs man to get his second goal of the season.

John Stones - 4

Couldn't deal with the Tottenham press and let the ball bounce too many times, which caused his team problems and encouraged Mohammed Kudus and his team mates to attack.

Ruben Dias - 5

Similar to Stones couldn't deal with the press but had a few chances from set pieces, however he failed to convert.

Rayan Ait-Nouri - 5

Didn't make any real difference after suffering an ankle injury early on and had to be replaced by Nathan Ake, however linked up well with Omar Marmoush on the left hand side.

Nico Gonzalez - 4

Failed to impress again after a poor performance, with many mistakes and was partly the cause for Tottenham's second goal after asking for the ball in a dangerous area.

Tijani Reijnders - 5

He got into a few good positions to hurt Tottenham but lacked the attacking threat that he showed last weekend.

Oscar Bobb - 4

Was completely shut out by Djed Spence, due to his speed, and couldn't create any chances for himself or his teammates. But is still a young player who is coming back from a lengthy injury.

Rayan Cherki - 5

He struggled to create chances, after an impressive debut last weekend, had no shots on goal but showed good desire to defend from the front with his press.

Omar Marmoush - 6

Showed great pace down the right hand side and caused Pedro Porro problems. But failed to show any signs of scoring.

Erling Haaland- 5

Couldn't get out of the pockets of Cristian Romero and Micky Van De Ven, however he showed a side that many aren't used to and tried to drop back and create chances for the wingers.

Substitutions:

Nathan Ake - 4

Lacked the attacking threat that Ait-Nouri has and made the job easier for Porro as he only had really one player to worry about.

Jeremy Doku - 5

Tried to cause problems and attack his full back but again didn't cause the Tottenham keeper any problems.

Bernardo Silva - 6

He created a couple good chances himself but lacked that clinical edge that we have seen from the Portuguese.

Rodri - 6

Changed the game slightly as he drove forwards with the ball and pushed the Spurs backline back towards their own goal.

Phil Foden - 4

Didn't really do much as the midfield of Tottenham dealt with the midfielder with ease.

Tottenham Hotspur came into the game with confidence after a 3-0 win against Burnley in Thomas Frank's first league game in charge of the club.

A very impressive performance saw goals from Brennan Johnson, Joao Palhinha.

With a high press that caused Manchester City problems and make mistakes, and a solid defensive performance gave Spurs a great platform to build on.

Guglielmo Vicario - 8

Didn't have an awful lot to do but showed great confidence when he was called upon, great distribution and knew when to play it long and when to play out from the back.

Pedro Porro - 8

Dealt with Omar Marmoush and Jeremy Doku well and nullified any threat down that side and prevented any byline crosses.

Cristian Romero - 8

A great captains performance at the Etihad, prevented Erling Haaland from having any real chances, was determined from being to the end to keep that well earned clean sheet.

Micky Van De Ven - 8

Another fantastic performance from the Dutchman, threw himself at shots and composure on the ball.

Djed Spence - 8

Despite playing on his weak foot against a talented Oscar Bobb, had him, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva quiet and like the rest of the squad a real desire to defend.

Pape Matar Sarr - 7

A great performance all round, helped the front line and showed strength when winning headers from Vicario and won the ball at the edge of the box, which lead to a Joao Palhinha goal.

Joao Palhinha - 8

After a poor pre season, Palhinha looked like his usual self, and the type of player we saw when he was a Fulham. A solid all round performance, keeping the Man City attackers quiet and helping out with a goal after a great press from the Manchester City goal kick.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 7

A great overall midfielders performance. Showed real composure with his back to play and knew where every player was.

Mohammed Kudus - 8

Didn't have much input in the goals but an overall great performance, showed great desire with and without the ball, helping out Porro with the threat of Marmoush and Doku before coming off with five minutes left.

Richarlison - 7

A good performance all round, the only thing lacking from the game today was a goal, pressed the Manchester City back line well and was happy to chase lost balls and showed great strength when needed.

Brennan Johnson - 7

Another impressive showing from the Welshman and caused Rico Lewis problems all afternoon, and scored a good goal after a relative poor pass from Richarlison.

Substitutions:

Wilson Odobert - 6

Had a couple of chances at the end to finish the game but made Trafford make great saves and attacked well down the right hand side.

Dominic Solanke - 5

Couldn't have any real impact in an attacking sense but pressed from the front well.

Lucas Bergvall -

Had no attacking threat but put his body on the line on several occasions and despite the Manchester City high press, the young Swedish midfielder showed great composure.

Kevin Danso - 5

Not had any impact after coming on in the 90th minute for Palhinha.

Eberechi Eze has been balling out for Crystal Palace over the last five years, but the talisman, who turned 27 years old in June, might be jumping ship to try to write the next chapter of his career.

The Guardian has given an update that the attacker is engaged in talks with Tottenham Hotspur.

This news comes after weeks of a saga involving interest from their North London rivals Arsenal. Eze was formerly on their books as an academy player, rising through the ranks at QPR before breaking out in the top tier with the Eagles. The Gunners gave consideration to buying him as an option who could offer creativity from the left, but the sticking point always seemed to be the price.

Arsenal were unwilling to trigger a release clause that expired in Eze's contract last week, thinking that an outlay of £68 million was too steep to shell out for him. But Eze's representation, the CAA agency, has good ties with Tottenham, who hope to bring him in for a fee of £55 million plus bonuses.

What would Eze offer Tottenham?

Arsenal fans would still suggest their squad has a lot to gain from getting a second creative presence in the centre of the park, who is not Martin Odegaard. But the club continues to prefer players who have not hit their peak age, and Hale End is already providing some alternatives to their club captain.

Ethan Nwaneri has signed his first long-term contract with his boyhood club, and with Bukayo Saka back from his hamstring tear, minutes in the lineup are likeliest to come as a pocket player in the ten.

Max Dowman, who is only 15, should slowly integrate into the squad, but he dazzled in preseason with the first team. He stands out as another bright option for the role of an attacking midfielder.

On the other hand, Spurs would benefit from Eze now. James Maddison will be missing for months with an ACL injury. At the same time, Dejan Kulusevski continues to rehab from his knee surgery.

Pape Matar Sarr has become a trusted lieutenant for Thomas Frank and can contribute in the final third. But he is much more of a 'do it all' midfielder, far different from the traits of the 27-year-old.

Eze would be a specialist creative force for Tottenham. He drives through the middle of the pitch and is a talismanic presence for Palace as the primary ball handler in their front three. His body swerves, technique, and bravery bring smiles to supporters, but he also knows how to land a knockout blow.

The attacker hit double-digit goal tallies in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns in the Premier League. Last season, he started slowly, but still finished with eight goals and assists apiece. On top of that, he scored against Aston Villa and Manchester City on the way to lifting the FA Cup trophy.

Arsenal have had a busy transfer window so far, signing six players before an opening day victory against Manchester United in the Premier League. However, the Gunners need to sell players to ensure more signings can be brought in before the September 1 deadline.

VAVEL will look to provide the latest Arsenal news until the window slams shut.

Incomings

Eberechi Eze

The Gunners got their work in the transfer window done before the start of August, and it looks like the prospects of pushing for a former member of the Hale End academy are dying out by the day.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Eberechi Eze has informed Crystal Palace about his interest in moving to Tottenham Hotspur. The club will be without James Maddison due to an ACL injury, and would benefit from bringing in the talismanic figure with his spark as a creative midfielder.

It is one of the latest reports to put a dent in the dream of seeing the 27-year-old feature for the first team of the Gunners. Earlier in the week, Palace chairman Steve Parish had admitted the club would not want their captain, Marc Guehi, to run down the last year on his deal and become a free agent.

If Guehi goes, the Eagles would be even more reluctant to allow Eze to leave with him this summer.

Arsenal have fresh faces for their academy who could take some minutes as the number ten. It will not make up for the failure to buy Eze, but it appears that is all fans can look forward to from here.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere

Outgoings

Fabio Vieira

Excitement about Eberechi Eze might be cooling off for good, but the exit door is still calling for another attacking midfielder. Fabio Vieira is veering closer to the end of his time in North London.

David Ornstein (The Athletic) has stated that Stuttgart has shown an interest in signing the Portuguese player. The Bundesliga outfit have sold Enzo Millot to Al-Ahli and want a new offensive midfielder.

Vieira is surplus to requirements. He signed in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £34 million, but he has never threatened to displace Martin Odegaard as the creative spark of the side. A spell at the left eight soon flamed out in his second season, and he spent the last year on loan at his old club, Porto.

According to the report, a switch to Stuttgart would mark a permanent move away from the Gunners. A fresh start would be best for the 25-year-old, who has never asserted himself in the English game.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Football is a cut-throat industry, and someone at Arsenal has felt the full force of its ruthlessness.

James McNicholas (The Athletic) has shared the thoughts of Oleksandr Zinchenko about the last twelve months. The Ukrainian has updated his autobiography with an honest account of his struggles.

He had been struggling with a series of calf complaints, but over time, the 28-year-old has simply fallen out of favour. Riccardo Calafiori came in from Bologna as the most expensive signing of the summer, and Myles Lewis-Skelly was the first-choice option at left back from the start of 2025.

Zinchenko has developed a "sense of rejection" from this experience, which is the "worst season he ever experienced as a professional." Could it compel him to choose more minutes over the money?

There is one year left on his contract, and a rumoured loan to Fenerbahce will do little for the balance sheet unless he extends his deal. But it seems that a parting of ways would work best for all involved.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Leandro Trossard

The arrival of Noni Madueke at Arsenal has seemingly paved the way for Leandro Trossard to depart the North London club.

When Gabriel Martinelli came off after another disappointing performance away at Manchester United, Trossard would have normally been the replacement for the Brazilian. However, Madueke entered the field of play instead, leaving the former Brighton winger on the bench without playing a single minute.

Trossard has garnered a lot of interest from the Turkish Super Lig, with the likes of Fenerbahce; however, Football London has reported that Aston Villa may look to fund the purchase of the Belgian via the sale of Leon Bailey.

Arsenal need to sell further players, but the departure of Trossard would ensure that the Gunners cash in on a player who is only going to decrease in value over the next 12 months.

While ultimately Spurs fans will have to suffer the same tired, cliched insults about the club's identity, Thomas Frank's first competitive match was in many ways a success.

Yes, forgoing a two goal lead to lose on penalties will hurt, but for the majority of the match Paris Saint-Germain were outplayed despite being overwhelming favourites ahead of this fixture.

This is what we learned from the European Super Cup final:

Midfield Balance

One of last season's great failings for the North London outfit was a midfield lacking any balance.

Yes, at times there was slick passing football and when it came off without retort it produced moments such as the heavy four goal victory over Manchester City. However, the common theme of Spurs' midfield was the ease in which it was played through.

One regular starter who took his fair share of criticism out of possession was Rodrigo Bentancur, with it never apparent whether he was playing at the base of the team, somewhere in the middle, or joining the attack. He was often chasing the ball wherever it went and exposing his defence in the process.

Last night he not doing that much differently, though perhaps with more purpose, fitness and confidence. Wherever the ball went, Bentancur followed.

However, he wasn't paired with the talented but still developing Pape Matar Sarr, who performed brilliantly in a more advanced role, nor with Yves Bissouma, a player whose discipline on the pitch mirrors his timekeeping.

Bentancur was paired with João Palhinha, making his first competitive start for Spurs, and the Portuguese anchor lived up to his reputation as one of the game's finest defensive midfielders.

The Uruguayan operates best when playing at full speed, with Palhinha's ability to read the play in front of him and extinguish Parisian fires early liberated Bentancur to do just that.

The result was something not often associated with Tottenham: a mostly untroubled defence and goalkeeper.

Scoring Set Pieces

Much as before, not the go to topic when talking about Spurs in recent times, but for the first time since Gianni Vio was deemed unnecessary, the Lilywhites looked very dangerous from set pieces. Romero and van de Ven both scored as a result of a new, more assertive approach and it could have happened on several other occasions too.

Tottenham's supporters would grimace at the thought of being known as a set piece team, but this wasn't the case, there was plenty of clever, well worked attacking football in play.

However, to actively decide against using such a fruitful route to goals is negligent, regardless of football ideals. It is good enough for Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, so there is no excuse for Spurs to under utilise free kicks and corners when Pedro Porro has such a sweet cross and the squad is blessed with several tall, powerful footballers, not to mention the formidable throwing arm of Kevin Danso.

Set piece goals at Spurs? Get used to hearing about it as under Thomas Frank they are here to stay.

Richarlison: Is now the time?

Richarlison has been something of an enigma in his three seasons at Spurs. When fit and with confidence, which was limited to a few months in the 2023/24 season, his relentless pressing, bravery to try more than his talent suggests possible, and willingness to put his body on the line have seen him a worthy number 9 producing goals and assists.

Unfortunately this has been seldom seen, with his career at the club spent mainly injured or recovering (slowly) from injury. This version is cumbersome, ineffective and seemingly lost.

Needless to say this has frustrated Spurs fans.

However, last night saw a pressing demon, a player determined to both win the ball quickly and hold onto the ball under pressure. He also retained his position as well as we've every seen, running smart instead of hard, and needed close attention at all times from compatriot Marquinhos.

The cherry on the cake would have been a goal, but his snapshot from distance had to be acrobatically saved by Lucas Chevalier. A Richarlison in this mood, however, will be a welcome alternative to Dominic Solanke in the coming season.

The question mark remains regarding Richarlison's fitness, - and with good reason - but if his injury problems are behind him then this season will see genuine competition to start up front for Spurs, something not seen since times that predate Harry Kane.

Need to go deeper

Perhaps not a completely new learning, but last night did expose that this Spurs squad still needs reinforcements. The Tottenham defence was 'mostly' untroubled, and that was because eventually trouble did come and punish Thomas Frank's side. The reason? Pahlinha, Sarr, Kudus and Richarlison were withdrawn, but the replacements were inadequate.

Archie Gray, Mathys Tel - who sadly received racist abuse following his penalty miss - and Lucas Bergvall are in isolation all talented young footballers with great futures. They all will start important matches in the coming season, but for them to make up 80% of the changes in a high pressure match does not back up Daniel Levy's claims of wanting sustained success.

Add in that Dominic Solanke, while experienced, was returning from injury, and these changes left Spurs unable to keep up with PSG for the remainder of the match.

The result was that Spurs were left without the success it had earned for the majority of the match, which even opposing manager Luis Enrique acknowledged in the aftermath. However, teams win matches, squads win titles, and last night the deeper squad won the title in question.

If Tottenham Hotspur is to become a name synonymous with silverware again, if the club is to build on last season's glory, it is now time to dare and to do, not just take calculated risks. Training at Hotspur Way is littered with exceptional young footballers, but that is mostly the future.

In the present, this squad is not fit for purpose and Frank, like his predecessor, will need to decide which competitions to prioritise if this does not change by the end of the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have secured the services of João Palhinha for the next year on a loan from Bayern Munich. The two clubs come up against each other for the second year in a row in preseason, and ahead of the meeting, Thomas Frank admitted he "was a bit surprised" the move has happened.

‘It was an opportunity for us’

Palhinha has already made an impression in the English top tier. With 147 and 154 tackles, he had completed the most of any player in the Premier League in his two years with the Cottagers, and was their Player of the Season in his debut campaign. Frank feels that he still has many valuable assets.

“His defensive qualities, his ability to be in the centre of the pitch, very disciplined, his distribution, short, diagonals, passes in behind and his ability to break up play. If you are playing away from home or against good counter-attacking teams. It’s very important to have one that is not running away or gets attracted to something. His set-piece ability in both boxes is key thing and he has experience,.”

The midfielder had completed a medical for Die Roten in the summer of 2023 ahead of a transfer for a fee of €65 million, but the deal collapsed due to the failure of Fulham to find a replacement. So, his inability to break into the team once he switched allegiances last year was a surprise to the manager.

“Yeah, I was a bit surprised. Bayern Munich went hard for him for two years, and for whatever reason, which I actually don’t care about because we can get him, it was an opportunity for us.”

The 30-year-old only played in half of the Bundesliga fixtures last term, sitting behind Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Leon Goretzka in the pecking order. Admittedly, Thomas Tuchel was the man who desired him, and Vincent Kompany has been happy to have Kimmich as the fulcrum of his midfield. But the reasons why the move did not go to plan are not worrying Frank.

“He is a top player. He impressed everyone in the Premier League in his two years at Fulham. He is a regular for Portugal. Whatever the reason he left, maybe it’s the coach, the culture, the club, or himself. It is difficult to say. My concern is that he wanted to come, and we wanted him to come.”

‘We need him and his profile’

Supporters of Spurs have watched their side try to play fearless football with Ange Postecoglou. Yves Bissouma is the man who was closest to their idea of a six, but he has not fulfilled their desire for someone willing to sit and screen the back four. Now, they have acquired a player who fits that bill.

“Sometimes everything goes a little bit in circles. Sometimes it is impossible to get a number nine. Sometimes it is impossible to get a number six. Sometimes it is impossible to get a right-back. At this moment in time, there are not many number sixes in the market, so we are quite lucky to get him.”

At the same time, Frank thinks it is a good idea that the club has not fully committed to Palhinha.

“That was important for all of us. We need him and his profile, but let’s see how he settles in. The loan with an option gives us the opportunity to go one step further. When we sign a player, no matter loan or permanent, it’s always for the long term. It gives us a bit more wriggling room in a year’s time.”

The Dane declared that this loan gives the more youthful options in the middle of the park twelve months more to grow. Lucas Bergvall, who played 45 times for Spurs in his first season, and Archie Gray, who shone in the last game of the preseason tour against Newcastle United, are both only 19.

“Yes, that is a very good point. These are two big talents that I am really pleased we have here in the building, but it’s also clear they need to grow. Pape Matar Sarr has shown that. It’s not about age.”

The Senegalese midfielder stands out as one of the winners of the team's preseason preparation.

“They are 19, he is 22. It’s not that. Some are ready when they are 19, some at 20, some 22 or 23, but you can see Pape is just a tiny bit ahead and is a big talent. We have been very pleased with him.”

Bayern Munich are gearing up for the start of their season in Germany after a well-earned vacation.

The Bavarians battled to wrestle their Bundesliga crown away from Bayer Leverkusen and start what they hope to be a decade of dominance. But they still fell short against Die Werkself in the Round of 16 of the DFB Pokal, and exited the Champions League quarter-final against Inter Milan.

In big games, the full throttle approach of Vincent Kompany could not overwhelm opponents, and fine margins went against his group in the Club World Cup. An even duel against Paris Saint-Germain played out in the quarter-final. The Parisians had gone down to nine men by full time, but they had the efficiency to punish the Rekordmeister, who would leave the USA at the start of July.

After a relentless ten and a half months of action, the team received four weeks of rest from their boss. Grasshoppers are their last opponent before the DFL Supercup againstStuttgart next weekend, and the Bavarians look to build on the 2-1 victory from their first game back against Lyon last weekend.

Tottenham also come into this clash in good spirits. They drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in Seoul as the curtains came down on the ten year career of their club captain Son Heung-min with the club.

At the end of July, Spurs sealed a historic 1-0 triumph over Arsenal in Hong Kong, taking bragging rights in the first foreign North London derby. That was their only victory in their last four outings, with draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town before their preseason trip to South Asia.

Spurs shift their focus towards the UEFA Super Cup next midweek against Paris Saint-Germain, and then they host promoted Burnley on the first matchday of the new Premier League campaign.

This fixture marks the last friendly for Thomas Frank, who took the place of Ange Postecoglou as the manager in June, to try and tinker with his new squad before the stakes significantly increase.

Team News

Bayern Munich

Jamal Musiala must pull through his recovery after surgery on a dislocated ankle from the loss to PSG at the start of last month. He joins two of the defenders on the roster as long-term absentees.

Hiroki Ito is out of action as he rehabs from fracturing a metatarsal at the end of March. Earlier that month, Alphonso Davies tore his ACL with Canada, and he has been absent since that incident.

Their only incoming is Luis Diaz, whom Liverpool let go for a fee of £65 million. He came off the bench in the victory over Lyon, and he will expect to earn more minutes as he continues to integrate.

Tottenham

Two old members of the Die Roten roster could feature against the Bundesliga champions for Spurs.

Mathys Tel grew tired of a lack of minutes in Germany and moved to North London at the start of the year on a loan deal until the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He did not stand out in the side, but the Frenchman felt his future was better away from Bavaria, signing with Spurs for a fee of £30 million.

Similarly, João Palhinha has paled into the background at Bayern after two strong seasons at Fulham, playing in only half of the Bundesliga fixtures. The 30-year-old has returned to English shores on a year-long loan and he might get his first minutes for Spurs against his parent club.

Against the Toon, James Maddison aggravated the knee injury that ruled him out of the Europa League final. Frank felt in the immediate aftermath of the incident that it was a "bad" injury, and the attacking midfielder joins Radu Dragusin and Dejan Kulusevski as men missing with knee issues.

Likely Line-ups

Bayern Munich

Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Min-jae, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Kane

Tottenham

Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Bergvall; Kudus, Sarr, Odobert; Richarlison

Key Players

Bayern Munich – Harry Kane

Bayern have benefited from many exports from England recently, and few more so than their nine.

Harry Kane came to Bavaria with the agenda of earning major honours. As fate would have it, he was part of the team that went trophyless in 2024, and his trophy tally is level with that of Tottenham since his departure. Yet, in every other regard, the striker has been a resounding success in Germany.

For the second season in a row, the 32-year-old was the top scorer in the Bundesliga. He hit the back of the net 26 times in the league and added another 11 strikes across 13 Champions League fixtures.

Spurs have moved on, but would love what the striker brings to the table. His ball striking, finishing, and playmaking are spearheading Die Roten and should offer a talismanic presence in their attack.

Tottenham – Pape Matar Sarr

Fans of Tottenham have hoped for a midfielder to sit and screen their back four. But while they will wait to see what happens with Palhinha, a familiar face has got Frank's faith in the middle of the park.

Pape Matar Sarr signed for Spurs in 2021, but the Senegalese midfielder has only been a mainstay in the starting eleven in the last two years. It looks like he has taken a step forward under the new boss, having scored twice against Wycombe Wanderers and the winner against Arsenal from long range.

Able to affect the game in many ways between both boxes, he might not strike supporters as an attacking midfielder. But he has shown he can contribute output in the final third on top of his ball winning, movement, and passing, and could be one option in the role in the absence of Maddison.

An "amazing" player with a "top" all-round game, Sarr shall hope to deliver more of the same here.

Match Details

Where is the game being played?

The game will take place at the home of Bayern Munich, the Allianz Arena.

What time is kick-off?

Kick-off is scheduled for 17:30 BST on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.

How can I watch?

Footage will not be available on terrestrial TV. However, it is accessible through SPURSPLAY.

Tottenham Hotspur have officially confirmed the signing of Joao Palhinha from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The Portuguese midfielder has joined on an initial loan, however, various reports have stated that there is an option to buy.

Palhinha joins Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai on the list of reinforcements added to Thomas Frank's squad so far this summer.

As has been the case with other signings made under Technical Director Johan Lange - appointed in November 2023 - the deal moved quickly. That is partly down to the fact that Spurs have developed a great relationship with the Bavarian club following moves which saw Harry Kane and Eric Dier move to Germany, and Tel arrive in North London in January, before making the loan move permanent earlier this summer.

Another factor is that the Dane likes to move in stealth mode. Rarely are transfers leaked to the media until they are at the very final stages, such as the Wilson Odobert move last summer, which saw the Frenchman officially announced just minutes after it was first leaked. Another case would be the proposed deal for Morgan Gibbs-White, which was nearly wrapped up within 24 hours before Evangelos Marinakis and Nottingham Forest foiled that by threatening legal action, creating a saga which lasted roughly two weeks before he signed a new contract with The Reds.

Career to date

The now 30-year-old came through the ranks at Portuguese side Sporting CP, although he didn't join their youth system until he was aged 17. It took five years for him to make his senior debut with Leões; however, it wouldn't be until 2020 that he finally made his mark.

He became an instrumental part of Ruben Amorim's side, anchoring the midfield in a side which became the first Sporting team to win a Portuguese top-flight title in a staggering 19 years. His excellent performances earned him a £20m move to the Premier League, as he joined Fulham.

Again, he stood out, this time under Marco Silva, and established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the division, which brought plenty of interest from top clubs around the world. Bayern Munich came swooping, but the deal collapsed after he had already undergone a medical, with The Cottagers unable to seal a replacement in time.

He signed a new contract, but his continued form meant that Die Roten came swooping a year later, and he eventually got his dream move to a UEFA Champions League club for a deal in the region of £47.5m.

Under Vincent Kompany, things were very different, and it's safe to say he struggled to fit in with the proposed playing style, leading to limited minutes, but he now has an opportunity under Thomas Frank to rediscover the form he showed during his previous spell in England, in a system which will suit his capabilities far better.

What will he offer?

Palhinha is a battling midfielder, he'll break up the play, destroy opposition attacks and help launch counter-attacks for his own side, whilst a yellow card is almost a guarantee too!

At Fulham, he consistently ranked amongst the Premier League's top players for tackles, interceptions, and duels won, making him the perfect stylistic fit for Tottenham, who have been crying out for a midfield destroyer for some time.

Cottagers captain Tom Cairney regarded him as 'one of the best players he has ever seen without the ball, in terms of getting back, recovering and trying to win the ball back.' Whilst it isn't abnormal for Palhinha to chip in with a goal or two either, as he is a dangerous threat from set-pieces - an area which Thomas Frank is trying to severely improve at The Lilywhites.

However, one thing that may prove to be an issue is his discipline. The Portuguese midfielder became just the third-ever Premier League player to be shown a measly THIRTEEN yellow cards in two separate seasons, meaning he may tend to miss a fair amount of games.

That isn't to say it is necessarily a bad thing, with his role often linked to moments of transition for the opposition, where the only choice may be to commit a 'tactical foul' to thwart an attack.

OPINION: It seems like a very shrewd piece of business from Tottenham. It is a low-risk, high-reward deal, with the option to buy rumoured to be around the £25m mark, but it also means Spurs can take a good look at him before rushing into a permanent move, whilst it may also offer the opportunity to find a long-term solution.

As Tottenham take on Newcastle United in Seoul, a much bigger story has been brewing. Son Heung-min, captain of his club and country, is leaving Spurs after a decade. He admitted, "it was one of the toughest decisions I ever made", but he goes with no regrets and goodwill from the locker room.

‘I just need a little bit of change’

For the second year in a row, Spurs are partaking in the Coupang Play Series in their preseason prep. Another trip to South Korea means a return to his native country for Son, and he appreciates the love.

“Thank you so much for having us again here in Korea. I think it’s the second year in a row we have come here. Everybody’s appreciated it. Even in the airport we felt welcome. Everybody loved this.”

It was also the backdrop for the announcement that everyone had been waiting for from the captain.

“I have decided to leave this club this summer and the club is helping me with this decision.”

The 33-year-old is set to sign for LAFC, and he believes it is time for a new challenge in his career.

“It was the most difficult decision I made in my career: 10 years in a beautiful club with beautiful fans and having such amazing memories. After that leaving this club I think it was just so hard to make that decision but I felt like I need a new environment to push myself and get more out of me.”

He is right to remind people that he is a very different person from the one who arrived in North London. The forward had left South Korea in his youth and spent seven years at Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, but he was not a household name in the sport when he became a part of Spurs' squad.

“I just need little bit of change. I mean 10 years is a lot of time when we thinking about. I came to London as a kid 23 years old very young age, young boy came to London who didn't speak English.”

He now departs as one of the most respected two footed finishers of the last decade. He only failed to hit double digits in the Premier League in his first and last seasons and is a member of the '100 Club.'

Son is a calibre of player that Tottenham have not been blessed to have a lot of in more recent times.

‘He fully respected my decision and so did everyone’

But memories of Son go further than his 173 strikes in all competitions, the contributions to the run to the 2019 Champions League final in the absence of Harry Kane, or even the Europa League title.

He took on the duty of wearing the armband as club captain in 2023 once Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris left the camp. It was a role of responsibility that not only reflected his seniority in the squad and service to the club but also the humility of character that has earned admirers across England.

He has fond feelings for the respect of Spurs' supporters, whom he hopes can respect his choice to go.

“Leaving this club as a grown man is a very proud moment. I want to say thank you to the fans that gives me so much love. I felt like it was my home. It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made.”

The exits of Kane and Lloris left two men from the Mauricio Pochettino era. Ben Davies is one of the players with whom Son has spoken about his future plans in private. It is not easy for the Korean to pull himself apart from the fullback, but he could confide in a person who respects his headspace.

“I spoke with a guys with whom I spent a long time. Everybody would be disappointed if somebody decided to leave the club but I mean in a very respectful way. I am very close with Ben and obviously we talked about the future a lot of times but he fully respected my decision and so did everyone else.”

Son had settled on a future away from Spurs for some time before he made his decision public. The intimacy within the group meant there were some telling signs, but there is no bad blood in the camp.

“It’s very hard to tell your teammates but sometimes I spend more time than with my family because we're traveling together. We spend time every single day in a training ground maybe five, six hours every single day. So yeah, I think we can tell more than what everybody thinks.

“Everybody was a bit disappointed but in a very happy way. So that is what was my feeling.”