The New York Times

The pressure is mounting on Thomas Frank after Tottenham Hotspur suffered a painful 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. It was a miserable performance which prompted Frank and Guglielmo Vicario to apologise to the fans for a lack of “fight”.

The fact that Spurs’ chief tormentor was Eberechi Eze, the player they came close to signing in the summer, only for him to rejoin his boyhood club, just made the result sting that little bit more.

Spurs are somehow only three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, but they have taken four points from their last five league games. Here, The Athletic breaks down what is going wrong.

Defensive setup

How do you concede four goals after starting with a back five?

Frank’s formation was designed to frustrate Arsenal, and it is the latest version of a tactic he used successfully during his time with Brentford, recording memorable victories over Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. It is a riskier system to deploy when you are in charge of Spurs because the fans demand entertaining, attacking football.

This pragmatic approach worked for Spurs against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup and in August’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City. Crucially, they took the lead in both of those games, but their masterplan was ruined against Arsenal when Leandro Trossard scored first.

“We tried to come here and be aggressive and press high and in spells go after them,” Frank said in his post-match press conference. “We didn’t succeed with that. We didn’t manage to get near enough to them in the situations we could. It means we got pushed back and got a little too passive.”

Frank was asked multiple times if the system was to blame, but he rejected that theory.

“I’ve seen lots of teams, including my own team, playing also 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, being very aggressive, positive, forward-thinking,” he said. “That was not the case today. So I don’t think it’s about the system.”

It is hard to agree with Frank, though, because it felt like the formation encouraged Arsenal to take the initiative. Even allowing for Arsenal’s form this season, he showed them far too much respect.

Lack of invention

Frank is trying to make Spurs defensively solid before he turns them into a slick, possession-dominant side, but this was the third league game in a row where they struggled up front. They were awful against Chelsea, while the dramatic climax to their 2-2 draw with Manchester United made a lot of people forget about their struggles in the first 83 minutes.

Did Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur need to play ahead of three centre-backs? If so, how were Spurs supposed to progress the ball in central areas? Arsenal were missing their captain, Martin Odegaard, first-choice striker Viktor Gyokeres, and defensive leader Gabriel. Piero Hincapie was making his first start in the Premier League after joining on loan from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, but Spurs did not test him at all.

They registered a ghastly xG (expected goals), which measures the quality of the chances they create, of 0.05 in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. They managed to increase that figure to 0.07 against the league leaders. They are the two lowest xG totals any team has registered in the top flight this season.

Spurs had no shots at all in the first half. By full time, Arsenal’s tally of four goals matched Spurs’ touches in the box. Richarlison’s spectacular lob made the scoreline less embarrassing, but it was a freak occurrence that capitalised on mistakes from Declan Rice and David Raya. Spurs should be competing with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal at the top of the table instead of rolling over against them.

Frank abandoned his 5-4-1 formation at half-time by bringing on Xavi Simons for Kevin Danso, but less than a minute later, Eze scored again. Simons did look dangerous and there were a couple of occasions where he powerfully drove forward, including one occasion where he earned Declan Rice a booking.

Simons has been inconsistent since he joined Spurs from RB Leipzig in August, which is understandable as he adapts to a new competition. The Netherlands international needs to be trusted because he offers that spark of magic this team needs and draws defenders towards him to create space for others.

Injuries

The absence of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke is hurting.

Solanke is an intelligent striker who is capable of dropping deep to link up play or sprint in behind opposition defences. Maddison and Kulusevski are both exceptional dribblers who possess an impressive passing range. Maddison will probably miss the entire season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but there is hope that Solanke and Kulusevski could return soon. They are experienced players who would instantly offer more quality in attack.

There is too much pressure on Mohammed Kudus to create chances at the moment. Wilson Odobert is showing flashes of potential, but his first season in north London was wrecked by hamstring surgery, and he is still finding his feet at this level.

Is it fair to judge Frank when so many of his key players are unavailable?

Squad building

Spurs prioritised signing players with Premier League experience in the transfer window, but ended up with Xavi Simons after failing to sign Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White.

In Frank’s defence, it is not his fault that Spurs’ then chairman Daniel Levy lacked any urgency in his negotiations with Crystal Palace’s Steve Parish. They signed Mathys Tel on a permanent basis after an underwhelming six-month loan spell, and he was then left out of their Champions League squad. Kota Takai has not played a single minute due to a foot injury.

After finishing 17th under Ange Postecoglou but qualifying for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, Spurs needed quality reinforcements. Simons should flourish with more game time, but it feels like spending €35m (£30.8m) on Tel was a bad decision. Randal Kolo Muani’s loan spell has been disrupted by a dead leg and a fractured jaw.

Frank deserves criticism for this team’s underwhelming performances, but Levy, chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham, and co-sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici should face questions about whether they equipped Frank with a good enough squad.

October and November were always going to be challenging with fixtures against Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa. After Spurs face PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday, their next four league games are Fulham, Newcastle United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest.

They should offer Frank an opportunity to regain some momentum. If they do not, even more pointed questions will be asked.

Arsenal stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League table to six points by thrashing rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in the north London derby on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.

The first half was conducted almost entirely as an attack versus defence experiment. Spurs boss Thomas Frank went with a back five and challenged Arsenal to break his side down — something they nearly did early on when an Eberechi Eze scoop to Declan Rice was well saved by Guglielmo Vicario. The visitors’ tactics weren’t pretty but did frustrate Arsenal for much of the opening period.

Such a defensive approach only looks wise if it works, though — and two well-constructed goals, from Leandro Trossard on 36 minutes and Eze five minutes later, put the hosts in the driving seat.

And within a minute of the second half starting, Arsenal were three up — Eze again, with a lovely left-footed finish. The scoring hadn’t finished there, either. Richarlison reduced the deficit with a sensational long-range goal that caught David Raya way off his line but this was Eze’s day, and he completed an excellent hat-trick on 76 minutes to cap off a memorable day for both him and his new team.

Art de Roché, Jay Harris and Dan Sheldon break down the key moments from the game.

A seismic weekend in the title race?

As rounds of Premier League matches go, this one could not have gone better for Arsenal.

With Manchester City and Liverpool both losing on Saturday, it created a significant opportunity for Arteta’s side to extend their lead at the top of the table. They are now seven points clear of third-place Manchester City and 11 ahead of Liverpool, whose title defence seems over before anyone has even had the chance to open the first door on their Advent calendars.

And the fact they did this comfortably against Tottenham, who had not lost away from home in the league this season until losing at the Emirates on Sunday, will only make the weekend even sweeter.

Dan Sheldon

Where does this result leave Frank?

Tottenham enjoyed a relatively kind start to the season, which meant October and November was going to be the period when they were truly tested, with fixtures against Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. The fact they have failed to win any of those games only underlines the scale of the job on new head coach Frank’s hands.

What will be truly frustrating for the fanbase is that they failed to produce a good performance against any of those opponents. They had an impressive 10-minute spell at home against United but threw it away by allowing Matthijs de Ligt to snatch a draw in added time. Spurs offered barely any attacking threat against Chelsea and were torn apart today by Arsenal.

They are struggling without injured attacking trio Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, but still possess enough quality in their squad to pose Arsenal more problems than they did.

This result leaves Frank in a challenging position.

Supporters are becoming restless because this team seems to have plateaued over the past month. Frank needs to be bolder and more adventurous with his tactics. Awkward questions will be asked over how he started with a back five here, yet Spurs conceded four goals.

He cannot be blamed for everything, though. The squad lacks quality in key areas, and that was painfully clear when Eze, who Tottenham tried to sign from Crystal Palace in the summer, scored a hat-trick. If Spurs had been more clinical in the transfer market, he would have been playing for them in this one, instead of embarrassing them.

The worst thing is that things do not get any easier, as they are away at holders Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday. Fans will be fearful that another chastening 90 minutes awaits.

Jay Harris

Just how good was Eze?

What an afternoon this was for Eze. Just like when he was presented on the pitch after signing from Palace in August, the 27-year-old’s face told the story after his second goal.

Arsenal’s No 10, a boyhood fan of the club, seemed in utter disbelief at what he had just done by putting them 3-0 up against their big local rivals, with two exceptional goals in his first north London derby as a player.

For his first, the close control on the edge of the box to create the opening is exactly what Arsenal have been looking to open games up for in recent years. The clinical strike off his left foot for his second was just indicative of someone who was in a flow state. Sitting down yet another Spurs defender before completing his hat-trick was the icing on the cake.

Eze is the first player to score a hat-trick in the north London derby since Alan Sunderland did it for Arsenal in 1978.

The backdrop of this game being the love triangle-like transfer saga that involved Eze and these two clubs in the summer will only make these goals sweeter.

While Spurs seemed to be in the driving seat, Eze’s last-minute phone call to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta showed just how much he wanted to rejoin the club — 14 years after they released him as a kid.

He has since spoken openly about regularly asking whether Arsenal were interested in him when links to other clubs were brought to his attention, most recently with veteran striker turned podcaster Adebayo Akinfenwa earlier this week. He also spoke to actor Idris Elba for Sky Sports in the build-up to this game, so there’s no doubt the spotlight was on him.

Spurs boss Frank had replied “Who?” when asked about Eze in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

It’s fair to say he won’t need any reminders now.

Art de Roché

Was Spurs’ first-half approach too meek?

Tottenham set up in a 3-4-3 system which was all about frustrating Arteta’s side. It was the same game plan Frank used against them with previous club Brentford. The problem is that you have to show more bravery when you are in charge of Tottenham and playing away to their fiercest rivals.

There have been a few occasions this season when Frank’s pragmatic tactics have worked — the best examples being the 2-0 victory at Manchester City in August and the preceding UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain. But Spurs took the lead in both of those games, which forced their opponents to push up higher and allowed them to play on the counter.

Tottenham’s game plan worked for the first half an hour on Sunday but it was in tatters from the moment Trossard put Arsenal in front. They did not have the right blend of players on the pitch to be more expansive and take control of the game. Eze’s first goal, Arsenal’s second, hammered that point home.

Spurs did not have a single shot in the first half and only registered two touches in Arsenal’s penalty area. Frank abandoned the back three at half-time by bringing on forward Xavi Simons for centre-back Kevin Danso. That plan self-destructed less than a minute into the second half as Eze scored the third.

Richarlison’s spectacular lob might have made the scoreline look slightly better but it was a freak goal, as opposed to something which came from Spurs exerting dominance.

Frank desperately needs to find a way to make this team more confident in possession. They have produced three meek Premier League performances in a row against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Jay Harris

How did Arsenal break through Spurs’ back five?

With Viktor Gyokeres out through injury, Arsenal could not rely on anyone to repeatedly stretch Tottenham’s back five through energy alone.

But they found another way to break it down: the scoop.

In only the third minute, Eze played in Rice with a beautiful lofted ball over the top, which led to Vicario making a good stop to prevent Arsenal taking an early lead.

However, when you have as many players as comfortable on the ball — and in tight spaces — as Arsenal do, then it is only ever going to be a matter of time before they try that move again. So, when Mikel Merino received the ball in front of the Spurs penalty area, looked up and spotted Trossard’s run, there was only going to be one outcome.

The Spaniard played a perfectly-weighed pass over the defence into Trossard’s path, with the Belgian taking a touch and spinning his body before directing a shot into the bottom corner for the opening goal of the game.

Dan Sheldon

How did Piero Hincapie get on?

With Gabriel now out for the foreseeable future, the biggest selection dilemma for Arteta would have been how to replace the Brazilian in central defence. He had three options in Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera and opted for the most logical in Hincapie.

This was the 23-year-old Ecuador international’s first league start for Arsenal after signing from Bayer Leverkusen on loan late in the summer transfer window, but he stepped in without missing a beat.

The William Saliba/Gabriel partnership is defined by their differences, as the latter tends to be the more aggressive defender of the two. That was the case with Hincapie in his place, as Saliba’s new partner was extremely comfortable defending in higher areas of the pitch.

Early on, his interventions helped Arsenal pin Spurs into their half of the pitch, stopping the visitors gaining any momentum in the game. It was his battle with Mohammed Kudus that was particularly impressive, as he continuously disrupted the Spurs forward, negating any chances for him to carry Tottenham upfield.

That combative approach was vital to setting the tone for Arsenal, and gave them a solid platform before they scored their two first-half goals.

Art de Roché

What did Mikel Arteta say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.

What did Thomas Frank say?

The Tottenham manager was understandably upset at his side’s showing at the Emirates on Sunday. “Where should I start? This is of course hugely disappointing that we didn’t perform better in the game against Arsenal our biggest rivals. I can only apologise to the fans for that. I was very confident on Friday when we spoke that we would be competitive today. We tried to come here and be aggressive and press high and in spells go after them. We didn’t succeed with that bit. We didn’t manage to get near enough them in the situations we could.

“It means we got pushed back and got a little too passive. It looks like we are running after them. When we finally got on the ball we were not good enough to get out of those situations. No matter how painful it is to admit, they are definitely six years down the line and we are four months down the line but even with that I was still expecting much more from us today. Not that we could dominate over 90 minutes but that we could be as competitive as we were against Manchester City and PSG.”

Frank was also asked whether Tottenham’s lack of creativity this season (only three teams have a lower expected goals figure) was a concern. “It is concerning, of course. We are working very hard to try to make that better but sometimes it’s not only playing out and finding a nice pass but also in a game like this if you see some of the situations where they won it high, Arsenal, then there was a little bit more open space. We didn’t win it enough in those situations and then create from that.

“For me the creativity, I know it was very low, but it was not my biggest concern today.”

What next for Arsenal?

Wednesday, November 26: Bayern Munich (home), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET

What next for Spurs?

The north London derby takes place on Sunday at the Emirates, with league leaders Arsenal hosting rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who went into the weekend in fifth.

Mikel Arteta’s side have lost just once this season, though drew their last league game away at Sunderland, while Thomas Frank has made a mixed start to his time in charge at Spurs. Both managers have serious injury issues to contend with this weekend after the international break brought little respite.

Here, Arsenal writer Art de Roche and his Tottenham counterpart Jack Pitt-Brooke look ahead to the game.

How confident will each team be going into this derby?

Art says: I’m fairly confident that Arsenal will come away as winners. Part of that comes from Arsenal winning five of the last six games between the sides and not losing against Spurs in three years — their last loss coming at the end of the 2021-22 season in a 3-0 away defeat.

Sunderland shocked Arsenal with two goals before the international break. Despite missing Gabriel for this match and beyond, their collective defensive solidity has been exceptional this season — particularly at home.

They have conceded just one goal at the Emirates all season, Erling Haaland’s strike in September. Cristhian Mosquera has stepped up when needed, but this may be a chance for Piero Hincapie to make a true introduction in place of Gabriel.

Jack says: Not especially. Tottenham have a historically dismal record in this fixture, not having won at the Emirates in the league since 2010. Better Spurs teams than this one have gone to Arsenal and come back with nothing.

While Spurs’ results this season have been pretty good, the performances have been unconvincing. Perhaps the only cause for optimism is that all of Spurs’ best league displays have all come away from home, when there is no onus on them to dominate possession, and their reactive game can flourish.

How damaging have injuries been this season?

Art says: Looking at the table, the assumption would be not so much, but that is more of a testament to Arsenal’s squad building. They rank fifth in the Premier League for injuries this season, while Spurs rank second.

In defence, midfield and attack, multiple players have stepped up to make the absences of William Saliba, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres subplots as opposed to major narratives.

Even so, these injuries have still held Arsenal back in other ways. With Havertz and Jesus injured, Gyokeres was left to play more minutes than he may have expected, which resulted in him suffering a muscle injury. Elsewhere, Mikel Arteta hasn’t had a proper chance to try out different tactical setups.

Despite that, they are top of the league and players returning during the festive period could be just what is needed.

Jack says: Very bad. Tottenham’s best centre-forward, Dominic Solanke, has not started a game so far this season, restricted to a few substitute appearances in August before he had to have ankle surgery. Neither of their two best creative midfielders, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, have kicked a ball yet, both still recovering from knee operations in the summer.

This has made Frank’s job even harder. And his squad was not exactly brimming with world-class attacking talent, even with everyone fit.

Who is the opposition player you fear could really inflict damage in this game?

Art says: This may be dependent on who is actually fit. Frank gave positive fitness updates on Mohammed Kudus and Pape Mate Sarr, who could cause different types of problems for Arsenal.

Arsenal will need to make at least one change to the left side of their defence, and if Kudus is fit and firing, containing his dribbling could be a tough ask for someone coming in fresh. Sarr showed in pre-season that he can be a problem at unexpected moments, when Arsenal are in possession, so if he is fit, they will need to be alert at all times.

Jack says: Is it too obvious to say Declan Rice? Tottenham struggle to impose themselves on big games in the middle of the pitch and while Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha can form an effective shield, they will have to be at their absolute best to deal with the England midfielder. If he can take control of the game, and Tottenham get forced further and further back, then they will have a lot of defending to do, and may eventually wilt under the pressure.

Why do you think Arsenal have finished so far above Spurs over the past three seasons?

Art says: Consistency. It should not be forgotten that early on under Arteta, Arsenal were very streaky. When they were in a run of good or bad form, it usually ran for a few weeks before something drastic happened to change it.

In the last three years, there have been fewer fluctuations in form, with a blend of time and quality being the main reasons. That has enabled Arteta to nail down what he expects to see from his players each day, which is seen every matchday.

Tottenham simply haven’t had the same consistency.

Jack says: Tottenham finished ahead of Arsenal six years in a row, but in the last three seasons, the advantage has swung dramatically back the other way, Arsenal finishing ahead of Spurs by three huge margins.

They have found a clear identity, the perfect manager to deliver it, and, crucially, have backed him with money to sign top players. Meanwhile, Tottenham have never settled on an identity, jumping from one idea to another, and have never been able to shop at the top end of the market to sign the players that they need to improve the team.

What is your match prediction?

Art says: I’ll go 2-0 Arsenal. Even with the attacking injuries, I think Arsenal will have enough control of the game to fashion multiple scoring chances.

Bukayo Saka has been in strong scoring form for club and country and tends to show up in north London derbies, so he will remain a major threat. The winger’s six goal contributions against Spurs are the most he has against another top-six side, and he often scores a similar type of goal on the break in these games.

Elsewhere on the pitch, it will be interesting if the attack can truly click into gear or whether it will be another slow burn.

Tottenham Hotspur Women have completed the signing of Norway international Signe Gaupset for a club-record fee of £378,000.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder will join Tottenham on January 1 from Norwegian club SK Brann, where she played under Spurs head coach Martin Ho from summer 2023 until he moved to north London in July this year.

It is the third time this season that Spurs have broken their transfer record, having committed to landmark fees for Toko Koga and Cathinka Tandberg over the summer.

Gaupset, a Norway international, was named player of the year in the Norwegian top flight this season after scoring 15 goals and registering 14 assists in 26 appearances to help Brann to their second league title.

“We worked really well together,” Gaupset said of Ho. “He demands a lot, but I like that, I think he can get even more out of me.”

Ho said Gaupset’s “professionalism, ambition and personality” would bolster Spurs’ squad, and believes she is an eye-catching addition for the WSL club.

“A player with her potential naturally attracts attention, so we’re incredibly proud she chose our project and believes in the direction this team is going. We’re excited for everything she will bring to Tottenham Hotspur Women,” he said.

A signing of ‘many statements’

Analysis

Securing Gaupset’s signature is a signing with many statements.

Gaupset was destined to leave Norway in the next year, but for her to choose Spurs as a landing spot demonstrates not only her faith in her former manager Ho but in the overall Spurs project as something worthwhile for one of Europe’s most promising.

It is quite the image overhaul from earlier this year, when Spurs were trundling towards the bottom of the WSL, avoiding relegation by virtue of Crystal Palace having already secured the drop spot.

Now, Spurs sit fifth in the league, level on points with Arsenal and are playing smart, compelling football. They have broken their club transfer record for the third time this season, first for defender Toko Koga and striker Cathinka Tandberg in the summer.

Gaupset’s signing reflects the increasingly obvious coup that was securing Ho as manager. Ho worked with Gaupset during her time at Norway and her decision to re-join her former manager is the latest indication from a young player of Ho’s merits as a talent-developer. A significant influence in Spurs’ recruitment of the former Manchester United and Everton assistant manager was positive feedback direct from former players.

For Gaupset, opting for some familiarity after making the leap to an unfamiliar city and league is a smart one, likely to help quickly integrate her into the team and the WSL.

Gaupset’s talent is known but her ceiling is not. She can play in midfield and out wide and is hugely influential in attacks, something that will only bode well for Spurs as they look to improve in the final third.

For Gaupset’s personal improvement, the decision to forego overtures from teams higher up in the league or around Europe can be viewed as a demonstration of savvy maturity. Players such as Olivia Smith are case in point: a player who opted to develop for a year at Liverpool under the guidance of Matt Beard, before making the record £1million move to Arsenal in the summer.

Gaupset imbues the Spurs project with even more European pedigree and potential, and is the latest show of faith in the women’s project from the ownership.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed several injury doubts, including Randal Kolo Muani, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr, are “ready and available” for Sunday’s fixture against Arsenal.

Kolo Muani was replaced at half-time in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United on November 8, having sustained damage to his jaw. The injury prevented him from joining up with France over the international break, but, having been fitted with a mask, he is available for the north London derby.

Bergvall is available after training on Friday, having been sent home from international duty with Sweden. The midfielder was replaced early in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea this month, having sustained a concussion after being hit in the head with a pass.

He may be joined in midfield by Sarr, who is fit after going off injured in the 49th minute of Senegal’s 2-0 defeat to Brazil.

“Pape (Matar Sarr) trained today and is ready and available,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “Lucas (Bergvall) trained today, available. Kolo Muani trained today. Available, of course he has a mask he needs to play with.”

Kolo Muani is yet to score his first goal for Spurs but will be hoping to repeat the heroics of Tottenham’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane who, wearing a protective mask after breaking his nose, ripped it off in celebration after scoring against Arsenal in a 2-2 draw in 2015-16.

Archie Gray, who has missed three matches with a calf injury, trained on Friday, as did Mohammed Kudus, Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai.

Dominic Solanke is “not ready yet” with “no timeframe” on his return. He has not played since Tottenham’s 2-0 away win against Manchester City in August.

“(We’re) very aware that when we put him out there, we want to be absolutely sure that, as sure as we can be, that (there will be) no setback going forward,” said Frank. “So I’m comfortable he will (return) soon. But I’ll not put a timeframe on it.”

Frank added he is “super excited” for his first competitive match against Arsenal as Spurs coach. The Dane got the better of Mikel Arteta in the first North London Derby played overseas, with Spurs winning 1-0 in Hong Kong in pre-season.

“This is the real one,” said Frank. “Super excited, of course. Before I stepped into the club, of course, I knew about the North London Derby. But it’s when you are in it, you sense it and feel that this is important. You feel from the fans, feel from the staff members, the players, the people that have been working here for years that this is the big one.

“I always say the next game is the most important game, and we’ll always have that, but I’m very, very, very aware there’s two games in a year that’s even more important, and this is the first of them.”

Arsenal are the league’s most dominant side from set-pieces, but are set to be without centre-back Gabriel following his injury on international duty.

“It’s a big challenge,” said Frank. “I think we hold a record of the fewest goals conceded from set pieces. So that’s not a bad stat either. But there’s no doubt that one of the battles we need to win in this game, to win the game, is a set piece battle.

“So if we can win that battle then we’re halfway there. Because they are strong, we are strong — that will be a battle in itself. And then there’s a lot of other battles, the high pressure, the defending, the building up and all that. But the set pieces will be a battle.”

Immediately following Tottenham Hotspur’s disappointing 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat away to Newcastle United in October, Pedro Porro, wearing the captain’s armband for the night, demonstrated his leadership credentials.

Having been knocked out in the competition’s round of 16, Spurs duo Djed Spence and Randal Kolo Muani headed for the tunnel. Noticing them leaving the pitch, Porro waved them over to the group of team-mates instead, ensuring they joined the visitors’ other players in applauding the near-3,000 strong away section at St James’ Park, many of whom had travelled long distances from north London to the north-east of England for a midweek fixture.

It’s fitting that the 26-year-old would first captain Tottenham in the 3-0 home defeat of Doncaster Rovers from third-tier League One in the previous round of the Carabao Cup in September, before being named for the second time in that tie against Newcastle.

In English football’s second-tier cup competition, where clubs prioritising success in the Premier League and Europe tend to rotate their nailed-on starters, the Spain international led the group and played the full 90 minutes in both fixtures. If the best ability is availability, Porro is Tottenham’s machine-like MVP.

Since making his debut in February 2023, he ranks 21st in game-time minutes among outfield players in the Premier League, and leads all right-backs, with 7,702 across 94 matches. The next most-active Spurs player is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, and he’s played 21 fewer games and logged 1,132 fewer minutes than Porro, who is the only player to have made 90 or more league appearances for the club during this period.

It’s also worth remembering that Ange Postecoglou consistently rested his starters in the Premier League once Spurs reached the latter stages of the Europa League last season, with Porro sitting out five of nine league fixtures before the May 21 victory over Manchester United in that competition’s final.

As Tottenham have struggled against a seemingly never-ending barrage of injuries since Postecoglou’s summer 2023 arrival and into successor Thomas Frank’s era, Porro’s reliability cannot be overstated.

He has a near-perfect availability record, having missed just two Premier League games through injury since joining from Lisbon’s Sporting CP, and can be relied on to complete 90 minutes consistently. With Spurs now competing on two elite fronts having qualified for the Champions League as Europa League winners, being assured of his availability at right-back is aiding Frank’s early efforts at building a formidable defensive structure.

But with Spence now providing international-calibre competition at his position, Porro has had to step his game up, too.

Compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five domestic leagues as well as the Champions League and Europa League, the Spaniard ranks in the 85th percentile or better per 90 minutes in assists (0.22), expected assists (0.18), shot-creating actions (3.3), passes attempted (64.5) and progressive passes (4.99).

The data details his versatility. Porro is Tottenham’s only defender as adept at creating opportunities from the wing as he is at helping build through central positions, and he is crucial to Frank’s plan to move the ball up the pitch.

His importance in aiding Tottenham’s progression through the thirds has been particularly evident when Destiny Udogie has been absent from the team, with the right-sided combination of Porro and summer signing Mohammed Kudus tasked with providing the lion’s share of creativity without the balance of the Italian left-back’s threat on the other wing.

Their connection hasn’t always been fluid, with Frank yet to land on a system that retains defensive solidity while maximising their attacking talent, but that relationship has been as influential as any in keeping Spurs near the top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.

He’s also among the best in Europe in his position at providing the final ball. Porro has three assists this season, and his delivery from set pieces has been essential in Spurs’ impressive growth from dead-ball situations under Frank. Xavi Simons, who has been in and out of the side since joining this summer from RB Leipzig, is the only other obvious right-footed set-piece taker. Given that 32 per cent of Tottenham’s Premier League goals have come directly from corners and free kicks, Porro’s availability has a direct relation to the team’s attacking potency.

As one of the league’s outstanding attacking right-backs, a reductive narrative has grown around Porro which overlooks his defensive value.

He ranks within the 98th percentile across the same sample size for blocks per 90 (1.84), and is in the top 11 per cent of players for clearances (3.89). While he’s not as strikingly dominant as Spence as a defender, the data — which, admittedly, does not always paint the whole picture — is very comparable, aside from 6ft 1in (185cm) England international significantly outperforming his 5ft 8in team-mate in aerial duels won, 1.7 to 0.55.

Undoubtedly, Spence’s emergence over the past year has pushed Porro to improve as a defender.

That consistency at both ends of the pitch with his club has been rewarded in the form of further international recognition, with Porro now an established member of Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad less than seven months from the World Cup — which, of course, means even more game time.

He started the European champions’ first four World Cup qualifiers in September and October, playing at least an hour in each, and was also in the XI for last week’s 4-0 away win against Georgia, before being replaced at half-time with Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente. Spurs will welcome that he was then rested for their 2-2 draw at home to Turkey on Tuesday in the sixth and final group match, a rare opportunity for a player who is one of the first names on the team sheet at club level.

International windows had once been a chance for a breather for Porro — as recently as their Euro 2024 triumph, he was being left out of the Spain squad completely — but now they just mean more football. This could prove to be the biggest test of his consistency of availability yet.

Against arch-rivals and Premier League leaders Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday, Tottenham will need the best of Porro if they are to leave the Emirates Stadium with a result.

Given his importance to their attacking potency and defensive solidity, he could prove a key difference maker.

Dominic Solanke has endured a frustrating start to the season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s club-record signing, a £65million ($82.5m) arrival from Bournemouth in August 2024, came off the bench in the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain and their opening two games in the Premier League before suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury which initially caused him trouble during pre-season. The England international’s last appearance was in a 2-0 victory at Manchester City on August 28.

Before Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 27, head coach Thomas Frank said: “It’s an ankle injury which has just been a little bit tricky. It’s nothing big. We are positive it will be relatively quick.” A few days later, Frank announced Solanke needed to have surgery but it was a “small procedure” and “I don’t expect (the recovery) to be long.”

Solanke has been forced to watch from the sidelines as Spurs find their feet under Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou in June. The 28-year-old is slowly edging closer to a comeback but will not be available for this weekend’s north London derby or Wednesday’s Champions League tie with PSG.

“It’s been very difficult,” Solanke tells The Athletic in an interview at the Fanatics Collectibles store in central London, a couple of days before Spurs’ 2-2 draw with Manchester United. “At first, I didn’t think I would be out for too long but we didn’t really understand the extent of the injury. I was trying to get back as quickly as I could but it didn’t happen, so I had to have surgery. Since then, I have been working to get back.

“I’m not putting a timeline on it because I’ve been telling everyone ‘I’m going to be back soon’ for the last few months. I’m taking it day by day but hopefully I won’t be much longer.”

Solanke has seen external specialists over his injury. He has been back in the gym building up his strength and should be available soon.

Spurs sorely miss Solanke. They have struggled to create chances from open play without him, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, who are both recovering from long-term knee injuries. During his time in Chelsea’s academy, Solanke rotated between the No 9 and No 10 positions, and he is therefore comfortable dropping deep and turning with the ball or sprinting into space behind the opposition’s defence. Spurs crave his ability to link together midfield and attack.

Solanke scored nine goals in 27 top-flight appearances last season but it was his work rate that stood out. He would chase and harass defenders into making mistakes, allowing Spurs to turn over possession high up the pitch. Randal Kolo Muani is recovering from a fractured jaw he suffered against Manchester United, although that injury will not require surgery, while Richarlison and Mathys Tel have been inconsistent throughout their time in north London. Frank desperately needs his first-choice striker fit and healthy.

“I haven’t had the chance to work with (Frank) too much but he is a great man manager,” Solanke says. “All the players are loving having him around. He speaks with us all and has meetings every day. Even with the coaching staff he has brought in, everyone gets on so well. It’s a great environment.

“We have had a good start to the season. When a few of us come back (from injury) and strengthen the squad, hopefully we can do some big things.”

One of the reasons Solanke joined Spurs was to compete for trophies and play regularly in European competition. He scored crucial penalties in the quarter- and semi-finals of their victorious run in the Europa League, and can recall the exact moment when Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought.

“(Manchester United) had a goal kick and I asked the referee, ‘What is going on?,” Solanke recalls. “He said, ‘It’s done.’ So when (Andre Onana) kicked the ball I said to myself, ‘Damn, we did it.’ I was so happy we won and then I realised Sonny (Son Heung-min), who had been at the club for so long, actually did it, so I went over to congratulate him. After that, I went to see my family. They have been through everything and it was nice to share that moment with them.

“It was the best feeling I have ever had in my life. Even this season, I keep thinking back to it because I want to have that feeling again. Going through football, you never know if you will actually win a trophy. When you do, the feeling is crazy.”

Solanke has had a lot of spare time while he recovers from injury. It has given him an opportunity to indulge his love of anime, the Japanese form of animation. It is now well documented that some of his goal celebrations have even been inspired by characters from Naruto, One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen.

In August, he hosted an early screening of the film Demon Slayer Infinity Castle at Soho Hotel in London. He recommends watching Death Note and Attack on Titan.

Surprisingly, he draws the most inspiration from Vegeta in Dragon Ball. Surprising because Vegeta is an antagonist at the beginning of the series before he develops a friendship with the main character Goku. Solanke has a tattoo of Vegeta on his right arm.

“He knows that Goku is the strongest warrior,” Solanke says. “Vegeta is the underdog but always believes he can be the best. His mindset is crazy and something you can take from.”

The best example of Solanke adopting Vegeta’s attitude is in relation to his international career. Solanke helped England to win the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and was named the player of the tournament. At the end of the year, he earned his first senior cap under Gareth Southgate in a friendly against Brazil at Wembley. He had to wait seven years to make another appearance.

“At times, it was difficult to understand how, but I always believed that when I found my feet again, I would get back there,” he says. “My career has not been straightforward. I was at Liverpool when I received my first call-up and then went to Bournemouth. I loved my time there. They gave me the opportunity to learn, grow and express myself. I felt like, when I had those minutes and goals behind me, I could make it back to the top.

“My move to Tottenham was my way of feeling like I got back. It was a long time but I finally made it back (to the England squad) and I want to stay there now.”

Solanke has three caps but is yet to feature under Thomas Tuchel, having been included in the German’s first England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia in March, only to be an unused substitute.

“Another reason why I have been so frustrated is because it is a World Cup year and everyone wants to show why they should be going. There have been three international breaks this season and I have not been available for any of them. It’s been difficult but it is part of football.”

Solanke’s other hobbies include collecting figurines and trading cards. It is an interest he rediscovered during the Covid-19 pandemic after collecting football cards and playing the popular game Yu-Gi-Oh! during his childhood. He would take books packed with cards, including Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician, into school to trade with his friends. He plans to put them on display along with the figurines and his football shirt collection in a special custom-built studio in his house, which has nearly been completed.

Instead of buying individual cards, Solanke prefers to purchase boxes. The most he has spent in one day is around £4,000 on a crate of boxes containing One Piece cards. He is trying to find special-edition versions of every single member of Tottenham’s Europa League-winning squad so he can display them in his studio around a replica trophy he has ordered, and hang a framed, match-worn shirt from his former captain Son.

Just before our interview started, Solanke found a card of himself.

“I enjoy doing this and I like to share that with the world and speak to the community,” Solanke says. “In this day and age, everyone wants us to focus on football but we are humans and have our own passions. A lot of players are starting to show their interests, which is great for us because the more people who express their passions outside of football, the more comfortable we can feel and the more people can understand we are not robots.”

Solanke can spend hours opening boxes of cards and his wife, Erica, knows to leave him alone in the studio he describes as “my little den”. Another family member frequently disturbs him, though.

“My little daughter, she doesn’t care,” Solanke says. “She comes in anyway but I can’t say no to her. I need to put the valuable stuff out of her reach.

“The shirts are my prized possession. They are something I will look back on forever because all of the shirts I have are from people I played with or against. Son’s is my favourite. I had the pleasure of playing with him in his last year at the club. I was only with him for one year but I was so happy to be part of the team that helped him to win a trophy.”

Watching anime shows and collecting trading cards have been helpful distractions for Solanke while he recovers from surgery but it should not be too much longer until he is back doing what he does best — scoring goals.

Despite there being no Premier League football last weekend, two notable sporting events were taking place only a few miles apart.

At Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Brazilian men’s national team played a friendly against Senegal in front of 58,657 people. Across north London that night, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosted a boxing rematch between Chris Eubank Junior and Conor Benn.

There were around 65,000 people in Spurs’ home ground to witness Benn win by unanimous decision in a fight that fell short as a spectacle when compared to their brutal first bout — won by Eubank Jr — in April.

This Sunday, however, there will be drama aplenty as top-flight football returns to the Emirates, with Arsenal hosting Tottenham, their fierce local rivals.

As the current Premier League table indicates, Arsenal are in the ascendancy out of the two clubs. They have a fantastic manager in Mikel Arteta, a brilliant squad, and have already shown themselves to be the team to beat in the English top flight this season as they attempt to win a first league title since the 2003-04 season.

Although Arsenal are far superior to Tottenham on the pitch, it is no secret that they are playing catch-up off it when compared to their closest neighbours.

Spurs’ state-of-the-art stadium is the envy of the Premier League and has been widely considered one of the best venues in Europe since it opened in April 2019 — after a three-year build — at a cost of £1.2billion ($1.6bn).

The Emirates, now nearly 20 years old, remains a spectacular ground in its own right, and one of the best in England, but it has aged quickly over the past six years due to the competition it faces from the blue-and-white part of north London.

Whether it is hosting the biggest music artists, annual NFL matches, boxing events or housing the F1 Drive — an electric go-karting track — under the South Stand, Spurs’ stadium is light years ahead of Arsenal’s home.

“They (Tottenham) make an awful lot of money (from the stadium),” Frank Warren, a boxing manager and founder of Queensberry Promotions, tells The Athletic. “Look at what they derive from football and compare that to what they get from other events.

“And that is money that Arsenal, for example, won’t be getting.”

As part of their agreement with Islington Council, Arsenal can host six non-football events attended by more than 10,000 people per calendar year. Only three of these are allowed to be music concerts.

Spurs, on the other hand, can host up to 30 non-football events. That is an increase on the 16 Haringey Council’s Planning Committee previously permitted them to stage after the club were granted permission to increase the cap in December last year. Under the original agreement, music concerts were limited to a maximum of six.

This followed on from Spurs, as reported by the BBC, breaching its licence after Beyonce added a fifth show in 2023, meaning the stadium would be hosting seven concerts, not six.

As part of the new agreement between the club and Haringey Council, there is no longer a cap on the number of such gigs they can host, so long as it remains within their limit of 30. When it comes to boxing, however, the stadium is only allowed to stage two events a year.

One other important detail is that the Emirates has a noise curfew of 10.30pm, meaning any event would need to have finished by then, whereas the curfew at Spurs — something that is granted by the local authority — is 11pm.

“I personally think Tottenham is one of the best stadiums in the world,” Frank Smith, the CEO of Matchroom Boxing, told The Athletic. “Hospitality offerings are a key part of the commercials on our events, and Tottenham is unrivalled in that respect.

“An issue we have also always had with Arsenal is their strict curfew of 10.30pm, compared to 11pm at a number of stadiums. This is restrictive for us for the main event times.”

Since opening in 2019, Tottenham have hosted multiple boxing events and NFL matches, as well as some of the biggest names in music, including Guns N’ Roses, Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Post Malone and Kendrick Lamar.

Beyonce returned there in June for a run of six sold-out shows as part of her Cowboy Carter Tour.

“The groundbreaking series of concerts welcomed over 275,000 fans and grossed over £45,000,000, making it the most tickets and highest gross for any artist in the stadium’s history,” a statement on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s website read.

To ensure they attracted the biggest names in music, Tottenham left no stone unturned by hiring an acoustics specialist who had worked with U2 to make sure the sound inside their new home would be great for football and concerts.

The Emirates tends to host a couple of concerts each year after the football season ends in May, having welcomed Robbie Williams this June and previously hosting Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Green Day and The Killers. Boyzone will play two dates at Arsenal’s stadium next summer.

But an advantage Tottenham have over the rest of the Premier League is that they can host such events during the football calendar, due to their retractable pitch. This is a feat of engineering now replicated by Real Madrid as part of their renovation of the Bernabeu, and a reason why Arsenal have to wait until the summer before hosting non-football shows.

The LED boards at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are an important factor when hosting other events because, instead of having to take physical posters down and put the relevant ones up inside the ground, it is all done digitally in a matter of seconds.

In this regard, Spurs built their stadium with technology — be it by installing wi-fi or LED boards — in mind. But when the Emirates was being built in the early 2000s, the first iPhone hadn’t even been released, and people weren’t living their lives online to the extent they do today.

The accounts football clubs publish at Companies House do not state how much they are making from hosting non-football events.

But because Tottenham’s ground — via Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Limited — is registered as a separate entity with Companies House, there is a disclosure of the revenues being generated by third-party attractions.

For the financial year ended June 30, 2024, there were revenues of £126.5million, resulting in an operating profit of £29.2m ($38.4m). From Premier League gate receipts alone in 2023-24, the stadium generated £45.1m, with their premium (hospitality) revenue totalling £52.9m. And although not every third-party event is broken down, the collective hosting of NFL matches and concerts led to £25.5m in revenues.

Even though there will be costs associated with putting on these events, they are turning a profit, and that money can be spent on whatever Spurs want to spend it on — including new players for Thomas Frank’s first-team squad.

“We even did a (boxing) show there in December, which is nuts when you think about it because of the weather,” adds Warren. “Hospitality sales are normally retained by the stadium. Food and drink (sales income) is retained by Tottenham, for example. That is normally what happens. We’ve done deals with stadiums where we get a percentage of those sales, but Tottenham want to retain all of the hospitality sales and so on.”

What Spurs have been able to do over the past six years has prompted other clubs to try to go down the same route. Manchester United have unveiled plans for a new stadium, Chelsea have been thinking about moving for some time, and Everton moved into the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier this year.

The powers that be at Arsenal, most notably their American owners the Kroenke family, have been giving some thought to what could be done at the Emirates from a redevelopment standpoint as they seek to maximise the club’s revenue streams. There will be multiple options on the table in terms of increasing the capacity and modernising and digitising the stadium experience, but, as it stands, there is no formal plan.

The big question for Arsenal on this front is how big and how far they want to go when it comes to redevelopment. They are constrained by the space available at the site so, realistically, they have to either build up or dig down.

But until Arsenal decide on what they want to do, how much they want to spend to do it, and get the required permission from their local authority once they have a plan in place, it all remains theoretical.

“I would love to do it there (put on a boxing show at the Emirates), because I am an Arsenal fan,” Warren adds. “After one stadium is built, you learn from it and they keep improving — and that is what happened with Tottenham.

“It looks like Arsenal are going to get consent to add to the capacity, which will make the Emirates a better proposition, but the problem they have will be what the local authorities do to help them make it more viable.”

Antoine Semenyo started his season with a double against Liverpool at Anfield and has continued on the same goalscoring path.

As we head into the Premier League’s return this weekend, he is the joint-third top scorer in the division, having bagged six in 11 games. Semenyo has also provided three assists (joint-fourth), marking him out as an incredibly effective player in the final third.

It would be no surprise if teams were circling Semenyo, and The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on Monday that Bournemouth have reluctantly accepted that they might struggle to stop him from leaving the club in the January window.

Semenyo was wanted by Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the summer. Though the signed a new contract until 2030, there is a limited-time release clause worth £65million, as reported by David. The figure drops even lower in the summer.

Semenyo has recently been linked to Liverpool, Manchester City and Spurs.

Here, The Athletic’s experts explain whether the 25-year-old would fit in at their clubs — and why he might benefit from a longer stint at Bournemouth.

Manchester United

Why would they want him?

Semenyo is an intelligent, two-footed ball carrier with plenty of speed to burn, so he ticks many boxes on Ruben Amorim’s shopping list. The head coach is well acquainted with the goalscoring threat of Semenyo, who scored against United home and away last season.

He would ideally work as the right-sided attacking midfielder in United’s 3-4-3, but can play on either wing and has the defensive acumen to adapt to one of the wing-back positions. Amorim is fond of two-footed wide players, allowing him to coach greater rotations between his front three and wing-backs in the final third and better break down stubborn defences. The Ghana international’s pacey dribbling and much-improved shooting form, as demonstrated in the graphic below, which shows how he has become more selective with his shots, would also make him another excellent counter-attacking option on a team that is at its most dangerous in attacking transitions.

Furthermore, he would fit into INEOS’ recent approach to the transfer market as a young, Premier League-proven football player with a desire to work hard in and out of possession.

Can they afford him in January?

At £65million, a January deal would be difficult. United spent more than £200m on a trio of attacking purchases in the summer, so might have to wait to make another big signing in the forward positions.

United held talks on Semenyo before signing Bryan Mbeumo in the summer, having decided Bournemouth’s £70m valuation was too high.

Amorim will likely be underpowered in attacking areas following Mbeumo and Amad’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations (Semenyo’s Ghana did not qualify for this year’s edition), but may have to make-do with existing options within his squad, rather than push for another attacker.

That Semenyo’s best position is taken by Mbeumo at United further complicates matters. Semenyo fits within United’s squad, but to properly use him in the starting line-up, the club may first have to solve issues in central midfield, most likely with another expensive signing.

Carl Anka

Tottenham Hotspur

Why would they want him?

Spurs were in the market for a left-winger in the summer, with Semenyo one of their early targets. After he signed a contract extension in early June, their focus was directed toward Manchester City’s Savinho, but their interest could be revived.

Having addressed the right side of their attack by signing Mohammed Kudus, adding an outstanding forward to play on the opposite side should be among their top priorities in the forthcoming window. Semenyo fits into Tottenham’s plan to complement their young talents with international stars coming into their prime years, and would bring an X factor to an attacking line that has relied heavily on Kudus and Xavi Simons, who is adjusting to English football, to create.

Given Spurs’ need for an outstanding left-winger and their longstanding interest, pursuing Semenyo seems a no-brainer.

Can they afford him in January?

Alongside and after the pursuit of Simons, Tottenham were in the market for further attacking reinforcements, eventually completing the deadline-day signing of Randal Kolo Muani on a season-long loan deal.

They are on track to comply with the league’s profit and sustainability regulations, so Spurs could explore a deal to sign Semenyo in January. Due to the pressing need for a left-winger and the opportunity to sign one of the league’s outstanding players at a price many consider to be below market value, Spurs fans will be keen to see their club approach this deal with urgency.

Elias Burke

Liverpool

Why would they want him?

Liverpool only have two senior wingers that head coach Arne Slot trusts — Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. Opting against signing a like-for-like replacement for Luis Diaz, who was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer, has left them short in wide areas.

Had Salah and Gakpo replicated the form that helped Liverpool win the league last season, then this may be a different debate. Instead, both have struggled and Slot has been reluctant to use Federico Chiesa or 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha. Liverpool played down any links to wide players in the summer as they wanted to avoid blocking Ngumoha’s pathway, but that has been detrimental in the short term.

Summer arrivals Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike could shift to the left, but it is neither player’s natural position.

Slot wants his wide forwards to carry a goal threat and be strong in one-on-one situations, an area Semenyo excels in. His pace would be a welcome addition to Liverpool’s front line, and he is two-footed, so could play on either flank. As the graphic below shows, Semenyo is positionally versatile.

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth are a pressing side who are strong in transition, and those characteristics were pivotal to Liverpool’s success last season. He would also add another piece to the ‘Life after Salah’ jigsaw Liverpool are putting together.

Can they afford him in January?

Given the club spent just under £450million on new players in the most recent transfer window, you might assume the answer would be no.

However, their attempts to sign Marc Guehi on deadline day showed there were more funds available for the right player. That was helped by what was recouped from player sales, a figure that could rise to £260million.

Liverpool remain in a strong financial position, but the bigger question is whether a winger would be the club’s top priority in January. If they do make a new signing, centre-back depth — especially after Giovanni Leoni suffered a long-term knee injury in September — may be what they decide to address instead.

One of Liverpool’s problems this season is appearing to have changed too much, too quickly. Another big-money addition does not guarantee all of their issues will be fixed.

Andy Jones

Manchester City

Why would they want him?

A hallmark of every Pep Guardiola team has been incisive wide players who can eliminate opponents in one-versus-one situations and contribute double figures in goals.

As much as Jeremy Doku looks to be improving his end product, Guardiola admitted in his press conference after the 3-0 win against Liverpool that it is unlikely the Belgium winger will ever be one of City’s top scorers.

Savinho and Oscar Bobb do not quite have the killer instinct in the final third yet, either. It means City have not quite replaced the output of Riyad Mahrez, or even Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.

The reliance on Erling Haaland has become pronounced, and Semenyo would offer a direct threat from either wing, improving City on the counter-attack.

City are developing into title contenders. Adding Semenyo would be a statement, the arrival of a peak-age player who could be relied upon to be a match-winner.

Can they afford him in January?

They have spent heavily in the last two windows, but they also allowed some high earners to leave.

It is a younger squad, and there would be enough financial headroom to do a deal. Any addition would likely require a forward to leave to free up space, though, as Guardiola has a wide range of options for his front three positions.

Jordan Campbell

Bournemouth

Why should he stay?

It now seems inevitable that Semenyo will make the step up to a bigger Premier League club in the near future. But how many of the interested parties would offer a better environment for the 25-year-old to thrive?

Semenyo’s thrilling skill set is put to optimal use at Bournemouth. He’s a powerful, two-footed winger who can blast through disorganised defensive structures — no player has scored more goals on the counter-attack this season than Semenyo, while only Liverpool have taken more shots from fast breaks than Bournemouth since Iraola took charge. He is a head coach who places a real emphasis on hard-hitting attacks whenever his team turn over the ball.

That’s not to say that Semenyo can’t help break down a lower block. Take a look at his first goal against Fulham this season; receiving the ball out wide, drawing defenders in with a series of stepovers and shimmies, before bursting through the gap, driving to the byline, and somehow slamming a finish under the goalkeeper at the near post.

Semenyo’s imposing physique and ability to strike the ball cleanly on either side mean he has all the tools to dominate crowded penalty areas, but patience would be required should he move to a more possession-dominant club.

At Bournemouth, Semenyo is the spearhead of an exciting project, working under a coveted manager, with state-of-the-art facilities opened in April. While they don’t (yet) offer the glitz of the Champions League, 60,000-seater stadiums and premium paydays, they do provide a trusted base for Semenyo to get even better, even if it’s just for a couple more years.

Thom Harris

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has described being interviewed by Manchester United and Chelsea on the same day in May 2024.

The 52-year-old Danish coach, who was still managing Brentford at the time, has described meeting with United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in London before walking across Battersea Park to speak with Chelsea at a hotel in the English capital.

Erik ten Hag was the incumbent United manager at the time, while Mauricio Pochettino was in the Stamford Bridge dugout. Ultimately, Ten Hag stayed at Old Trafford until his sacking in October 2024 — being replaced by Ruben Amorim — while Chelsea appointed Enzo Maresca that summer after parting company with Pochettino.

“Sitting down to talk to two of the ten biggest clubs in the world — two hours apart — is quite unique,” Frank told Danish outlet TV 2, ahead of the release of his forthcoming book that details the meetings.

“I know I didn’t get either job, but it was still huge. I remember walking through Battersea Park between the two interviews and thinking: “Thomas Frank from f***ing Frederiksværk – am I really experiencing this?”

Frank remained at Brentford for the 2024-25 season ahead of his appointment at Tottenham this summer, which he describes as “a crazy job and a crazy challenge”.

He spent seven seasons at Brentford, including overseeing their promotion to the Premier League in 2021, and has won eight of his 18 matches in charge of Spurs so far this term.