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Tottenham v Aston Villa live: Solanke returns to offer under-pressure Frank boost for FA Cup third-round tie

Spurs bid to turn their season around through the FA Cup as they host high-flying Aston Villa

Tottenham host Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round as Thomas Frank faces a pressure clash in the all-Premier League tie.

Spurs have one win in six games and fell to a 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in midweek to add to the unhappy atmosphere in north London. With the club struggling in the Premier League, the FA Cup represents Tottenham’s best chance of success this season but they face a tough tie against high-flying Villa.

Unai Emery’s side remain in an excellent position in the Premier League despite Arsenal recently ending their 11-game winning run, as well as the midweek draw at Crystal Palace. Villa’s last silverware was 20 years ago, in the 1996 League Cup, while their last FA Cup triumph was in 1957.

Both of these clubs have a proud history in the FA Cup, with Tottenham winning the trophy eight times to Villa’s seven. Follow live updates from the FA Cup third-round tie, which is live on BBC One, below:

FA Cup, Europa League or Premier League top four?

Aston Villa have a 10-point cushion to fifth-placed Brentford in the Premier League, so their position in the top four is looking secure.

So do Villa stick or twist? Focus on the Premier League and try and catch leaders Arsenal, or go for silverware in either the Europa League or FA Cup?

“Winning the FA Cup,” Morgan Rogers said, without a second of doubt, when asked by the BBC.

“I’ve been here when we’ve been in the top four. To win the FA Cup, something different, I’ve never won a trophy, would be really nice.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 17:00

No Martinez but Rogers starts for Aston Villa

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez does not make the squad due to injury, with Marco Bizot stepping in. Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans are rested but the likes of Morgan Rogers and Ezri Konsa start. Emi Buendia and Lamare Bogarde come in.

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde,Kamara, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Malen

Subs: Wright, Lindelof,Mings, Tielemans, Watkins, Digne, Garcia, Sancho, Hemmings.

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:56

Solanke returns for depleted Tottenham

There’s no Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur or Lucas Bergvall for Tottenham but Thomas Frank has at least been boosted by the return of Dominic Solanke, back in a Spurs squad for the first time since August. Frank has gone as strong as he could, given the absences.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Davies,Joao Palhinha, Gray, Odobert, Simons, Tel, Richarlison.

Subs: Kinsky, Solanke, Scarlett, Byfield, Spence, Dragusin, Udogie,Muani, Williams-Barnet

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:54

Tottenham v Aston Villa team news and line-ups

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Palhinha, Gray; Tel, Xavi, Odobert; Richarlison

Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Pau, Maatsen; Bogarde, Kamara; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Malen

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:47

Dominic Solanke returns to Tottenham squad? Team news coming up

Oh, hello? Is that Dominik Solanke with the Tottenham squad? Full team news coming up shortly.

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:42

Thomas Frank confirms Mohammed Kudus out until April

Tottenham’s dwindling midfield options have taken a mammoth blow after Thomas Frank confirmed Mohammed Kudus will be sidelined until April with injury.

Kudus went down with a thigh injury in last weekend’s draw with Sunderland, with Frank revealing the problem involves a tendon in his quad and will therefore require a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

"Mohammed Kudus unfortunately is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” he said ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Aston Villa. “That is one where we expect him back after the March international break."

Thomas Frank confirms Mohammed Kudus out until April in huge Tottenham injury blow

Kudus went down off the ball with a thigh injury against Sunderland last weekend

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:30

Cristian Romero given further ban for behaviour in Liverpool defeat

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has been given a further one-match ban and been fined £50,000 for his behaviour in his side’s defeat to Liverpool last month, in which he was sent off.

Romero admitted to a Football Association charge of "acting improperly by failing to leave the field of play promptly" after he was shown red in the 93rd minute of Tottenham's 2-1 home loss on 20 December.

The Spurs captain was dismissed for a second bookable offence after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate late into the contest, which came after the Argentinian had been fouled by the Liverpool defender.

He already had a yellow card to his name for dissent earlier in the second half and was then alleged to have behaved in a "confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the referee" after being sent off.

Following a hearing, an independent regulatory commission has now imposed a one-match suspension and a £50,000 fine.

Cristian Romero given further ban for behaviour in Liverpool defeat

Romero was sent off against Liverpool before failing to leave the field in a proper manner

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:15

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank explains gaffe after holding Arsenal-branded coffee cup

Thomas Frank defended himself after a picture emerged of the Tottenham manager holding an Arsenal-branded coffee cup before Spurs’ defeat by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Frank walked around the pitch before kick-off holding the cup, which displayed the club crest of Tottenham’s bitter north London rivals.

Leaders Arsenal were the previous visitors to the Vitality Stadium, having celebrated a 3-2 success at the ground on Saturday.

“I definitely didn’t notice it,” Frank said of the cup. “I think it’s fair to say we’re not winning every single football match so it would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal’s (emblem on).

“They have been in the changing room the game before us. It’s normal to take a cup, give me an espresso, I do that before every game, so I think actually it’s a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that.

“We’re definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to be worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club. Of course I would never do that. That’s extremely stupid.”

Thomas Frank explains gaffe after holding Arsenal-branded cup before Spurs defeat

The manager was seen holding a cup bearing the club crest of Tottenham’s bitter north London rivals

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 16:00

Thomas Frank on 'opportunity' of facing Aston Villa in FA Cup

"We're working very hard every single day to make sure we perform well. We want to land in the best possible position in every season. The thing we need to look at is the game on Saturday. The FA Cup, a good opportunity against Villa, a very good team that is flying at this moment in time, but a good opportunity to progress in the FA Cup, a tournament that is very important for the club, for the fans, that we have won eight times in our history.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 15:45

Unai Emery looks ahead to facing Tottenham in FA Cup

“Difficult, very difficult. Firstly, because it’s Tottenham, with the players they have, with the coach they have. We are playing in their stadium. They’re going to have their supporters helping them. Of course, they have travelled, a lot of supporters of us, and it’s important to feel them here with us, and how we are competing is the objective. To compete, to get our structure strong with the players in the starting 11, and with the players being subs in 90 minutes, and enjoy the way we are doing.”

Jamie Braidwood10 January 2026 15:30

Tottenham host Aston Villa in an all-Premier League FA Cup tie, with Thomas Frank’s side in desperate need of a result to restore morale at the club.

The Dane’s side suffered a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth last time out and have only won one of their last five games.

Villa meanwhile are flying under Unai Emery, having won 12 games on the bounce and sitting third in the Premier League table.

In a further blow to the hosts Villa have also won three times on the spin against Tottenham, so will be confident of progressing to the fifth round.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When is Tottenham v Aston Villa?

Tottenham host Aston Villa on Saturday 10 January at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off at 5.45pm GMT.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the game live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the BBC starting at 5.30pm and TNT at 5pm GMT.

UK viewers can also catch the fixture on streaming services BBC iPlayer and discovery+, and the BBC Sport website.

Team news

Spurs suffered a major blow in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland as Mohammed Kudus picked up a quad injury that will rule him out until April.

Captain Cristian Romero will also miss out for disciplinary reasons, having been handed a one-match suspension by the FA for his reaction to being sent off against Liverpool last month.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury against Bournemouth and is another relegated to the sidelines, while Lucas Bergvall is a doubt after coming off with a muscular issue.

Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain out, while Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Aston Villa meanwhile are missing Amadou Onana with a hamstring injury and Tyrone Mings is not yet back after hamstring trouble of his own. Ross Barkley is also out injured while Evann Guessand is in action at Afcon.

Predicted line-ups

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Tel, Richarlison; Kolo Muani

Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins

Martin Chivers, the revered former Tottenham Hotspur and England forward, has died at the age of 80.

A formidable presence leading the attack for Bill Nicholson’s iconic Spurs team in the early 1970s, Chivers was instrumental in securing two League Cup triumphs and a memorable UEFA Cup success for the club.

Tottenham confirmed the news in a heartfelt statement, expressing "immense sadness" at the passing of their "legendary former striker."

A statement from Tottenham read: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of our legendary former striker Martin Chivers.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to Martin’s family, friends and former team-mates at this incredibly sad time.

“Our players will wear black armbands during this evening’s fixture against AFC Bournemouth. Rest in peace, Martin. One of the all-time greats.”

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Transfer news live: Arsenal told to pay £86m for Spurs target, Liverpool rival Man Utd for Baleba, Guehi latest

All the latest January transfer window news, gossip and rumours

Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are some of the early movers and shakers in the transfer market – though it’s Manchester United and Chelsea who have grabbed the headlines amid their managerial turnover.

Ruben Amorim was dismissed by the Red Devils less than 24 hours after his extraordinary rant following United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds. But as one manager left, another arrived as Chelsea confirmed Liam Rosenior as their new head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day.

This could be only the start of a busy January for both clubs, though Man United’s pursuit of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba could be harmed by Liverpool joining the mix. United also face stern competition in the race for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham also set to battle it out.

Big-money transfers and superstar moves are often few and far between during the winter window but there are already suggestions that this month could be different to the norm, with Manchester City on the verge of signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. That move – which it has been suggested will hit around the £65m mark – is set to be wrapped up imminently with the player’s medical penned in, which could lead City into ramping up their interest in Marc Guehi amid a defensive injury crisis.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid are said to be interested in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton who has plenty of suitors in the Premier League including Liverpool while Arsenal are touted to reignite their long-standing interest in Los Blancos star Rodrygo.

Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals in The Independent’s live blog below:

Solskjaer and Carrick set for further talks over Man Utd interim role

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are set for further talks with Manchester United later this week as the club work to appoint an interim head coach, according to Press Association.

The pair - both former United players - are understood to have held a first round of informal discussions with sporting director Jason Wilcox on Tuesday and are set to hold further talks, though not on Wednesday with the focus being on United's Premier League match at Burnley.

It’s understood there could be roles for both Solskjaer and Carrick in the new backroom team. Another former Red Devils player - Darren Fletcher - will lead the team at Burnley.

United are believed to be considering other options too - including ex-United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Will Castle7 January 2026 13:30

Antoine Semenyo set for last Bournemouth outing tonight

Antoine Semenyo is booked in for his Manchester City medical on Thursday, as has been widely reported by reputable sources.

But before that, Andoni Iraola has confirmed that he is set to feature for Bournemouth tonight against Tottenham in the Premier League.

“Antoine will play tomorrow, yes,” Iraola said at a news conference on Tuesday. “I can give you my opinion, from my experience, but there is nothing signed with Antoine Semenyo.

“If you ask me personally, ‘What do you think?’ With all the noise, I think it could be the last game, but I cannot guarantee it.”

Will Castle7 January 2026 13:15

Brighton's Cashin swaps Birmingham for Blackburn

Eiran Cashin is joining Blackburn Rovers on loan for the rest of the season, after being recalled from his spell at Birmingham City.

The defender made 13 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham during the first half of the season and his first assignment for Rovers will come in the FA Cup against Hull this weekend.

Will Castle7 January 2026 13:00

Liverpool and Tottenham join Carlos Baleba race

Liverpool and Tottenham have joined Manchester United in the race for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, according to Teamtalk.

The two Premier League sides are believed to be the latest sides keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, who was heavily linked with a move to the Red Devils in the summer.

However, a realistic move may need to wait until the summer, with the Seagulls unlikely to consider any offers below £80m.

Will Castle7 January 2026 12:45

West Ham striker makes loan move

West Ham striker Callum Marshall has completed a loan move to German side VfL Bochum.

The Northern Ireland international, 21, has made two first team appearances for the Hammers this term, making cameos against West Ham and Brentford.

Will Castle7 January 2026 12:30

Arsenal told to stump up £86m for Yan Diomande

Arsenal will have to break the bank to sign highly sought-after RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as they continue to consider a move, according to The Athletic.

The Gunners are reportedly monitoring the 19-year-old's situation, although any deal would need to take place in the summer, with the Bundesliga side unwilling to let him go this month.

Arsenal join north London rivals Tottenham and Manchester United in the race for the Ivorian, who has starred at Afcon.

Will Castle7 January 2026 12:24

Josh Cullen injury set to force Burnley into transfer market

Scott Parker says Burnley may look to the transfer market to strength this month in the absence of captain Josh Cullen, who is out for the remainder of the season with cruciate ligament damage.

When asked if the injury could force Burnley’s hand in the market, Parker said: “I think it will be definitely an area we’ll be looking at now to try and strengthen.”

Will Castle7 January 2026 12:15

Oliver Glasner says Marc Guehi will move if asking price is met

Oliver Glasner has admitted that Marc Guehi will move to Manchester City if Crystal Palace’s asking price is met.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner on Tuesday. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay. The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“Everybody wants him to play for Crystal Palace, sign a new contract and stay here forever. That’s what everybody will tell you.

“There’s the situation that his contract ends in the summer and if somebody comes…there will be a moment when the club says: now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue.

“We have to do it and try to get the best one (replacement) we can get to be as successful as possible. That’s where we are.”

He added: “There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says I want to leave, because the final decision is always with the player.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield. Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.

“If somebody had arrived and said, we pay you 80 million for Marc and Marc said: ‘I want to go’. Marc wouldn’t be a Crystal Palace player.”

Will Castle7 January 2026 12:00

Former Arsenal midfielder set to move to Fenerbahce

Former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is set to move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce, according to Fabrizio Romano.

He’ll join from Lazio in a deal worth approximately £25m, with paperwork now being drafted.

Will Castle7 January 2026 11:45

Erik ten Hag lands new role

Erik ten Hag has been appointed the technical director of Eredivisie side FC Twente.

It comes after the former Man United’s manager’s short-lived spell in the Bayer Leverkusen dugout.

Will Castle7 January 2026 11:30

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Transfer news live: Liverpool set to sign Austrian wonderkid, Arsenal eye €65m star, Spurs chase Diomande

Manchester City’s deal to sign Antoine Semenyo is edging closer to completion, while Real Madrid are interested in in Premier League midfielders Adam Wharton and Rodri

Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are some of the early movers and shakers in the transfer market – along with Manchester United following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

Big-money transfers and superstar moves are often few and far between during the winter window but there are already suggestions that this month could be different to the norm, with Manchester City looking most likely to secure a deal for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.

That move – which it has been suggested will hit around the £65m mark – could be wrapped up in the coming days, and the usual suspects are also looking to make moves to improve their squads, with Liverpool considering Marc Guehi as well as a couple of star young defenders in Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Joel Ordonez.

Plenty of eyes are on Manchester United too, who were reported to be monitoring Carlos Baleba before Amorim’s dismissal.

Real Madrid are said to be interested in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton who has plenty of suitors in the Premier League including Liverpool while City’s Rodri has once again been linked with a move to the Spanish giants.

Elsewhere, Chelsea are set to appoint Liam Rosenior as their new boss after the sacking of Enzo Maresca and Arsenal are touted to reignite their long-standing interest in Rodrygo of Real Madrid.

Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip, rumours and done deals in The Independent’s live blog below:

Andoni Iraola expects Semenyo to play against Tottenham

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said he expects Antoine Semenyo to feature against Tottenham on Wednesday, in what would be his third game for the Cherries since the January window opened.

Speaking after the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal, in which Semenyo played the full match despite his much-mooted move to Manchester City, Iraola said: “I expect that. The situation hasn’t changed. I expect him to play against Spurs. There is a lot of noise around him but this is the situation."

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 23:00

Liam Rosenior 'calm' over Chelsea links

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior has not ruled out replacing Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, with the 41-year-old saying on Friday that he could not guarantee he would remain at the French club until the end of the season.

“I’m calm. There is a lot of noise and speculation,” Rosenior told reporters.

“If you pay attention to it as a coach, you go crazy. We are working on the preparation for the Nice match. I’m the coach of Strasbourg and I hope we get a good result.”

Strasbourg and Nice drew 1-1 and speculation over Rosenior’s future continues to grow.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 22:00

Manchester City consider Marc Guehi move

Manchester City’s injury hit defensive line may force them into the market in January.

BBC Sport say that the club are now looking into a possible move for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi though it will be tough to convince him to leave the London club before the end of the season.

Liverpool were big suitors for Guehi and almost signed him in the summer. They would be hoping to renew their interest at the end of this season but any insistance on a January could force their hand into a bid as well.

One to keep an eye on for this window.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 21:30

Manchester City suffer injury blow with Josko Gvardiol set for leg surgery

Manchester City have suffered a major injury blow as Josko Gvardiol broke his leg in Sunday’s draw with Chelsea.

The Croatia international will undergo surgery later in the week as City wait to see how long their reigning player of the year will be sidelined.

Gvardiol suffered a tibial fracture which leaves City short of centre-backs in a busy time of the season.

Pep Guardiola may now be granted more spending money in the transfer window to make up for their defensive crisis.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 21:00

Martin O’Neill back as Celtic boss after Wilfried Nancy sacked

Martin O’Neill has returned to lead Celtic for the rest of the season after Wilfried Nancy was sacked.

Celtic moved quickly to take O’Neill back after his successful interim spell before Nancy’s appointment.

O’Neill and Nancy both had eight games in charge and contrasting fortunes. The 73-year-old won seven matches, while Nancy lost six.

The former Republic of Ireland boss said on Celtic’s website: “I am really pleased, in fact, very honoured to be asked back to manage the team again and I am looking forward to getting back to work again with the players.

“I know we would all have hoped for things to have worked out differently under Wilfried and I personally want to wish him good luck with everything he does in the game. He is a fine man and I am sure he will go on and achieve success again, I have no doubt of that.

“For me, I’ve been asked to take this great job on again and my focus will be to try and get us back to winning ways if we can. We will need everyone right behind us.”

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 20:30

Real Madrid to challenge Liverpool for Adam Wharton

Crystal Palace’s creative midfielder Adam Wharton is a prime target for plenty of Premier League clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United.

He is valued at around £60m but is unlikely to move away from Palace in January despite the growing interest in his skills.

Some of that interest comes from abroad with AS claiming that Wharton has been offered to Real Madrid who would then challenge Liverpool - seen as the English club in pole position - for his signature.

This is all speculation as, in another report, AS say that Madrid will not be making any moves in the January window meaning the path is clear should some of the Premier League big hitters want to make their move before the month is out.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 20:00

West Ham winger joins Sporting

West Ham winger Luis Guilherme has joined Sporting for £17.5m.

The 19-year-old Brazilian moves to Portugal having made 18 appearances for the Hammers since joining from Palmeiras in June 2024.

The move is a decent injection of cash for the struggling Premier League side who may hope to strengthen this month.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 19:40

Man United star linked with Napoli move

Napoli have enjoyed reviving a Manchester United midfielder’s career previously, after Scott McTominay’s sensational impact in Serie A.

And now the Azzurri want Kobbie Mainoo, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 20-year-old could emerge as a target this month, but only if Dutch winger Noa Lang can find a move away from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Flo Clifford5 January 2026 19:20

Ruben Amorim sacked by Man United to end miserable reign

Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United to end a turbulent spell in charge at Old Trafford after just 14 months, less than 24 hours after going on an explosive rant at the club’s hierarchy.

A flashy hire in November 2024 after a spectacular reign at Sporting, Amorim struggled to implement his preferred 3-4-2-1 system, remaining loyal to it despite apparent alternatives.

Ruben Amorim sacked by Man United to end miserable reign

The Portuguese boss went on an explosive rant after Sunday’s draw with Leeds and has now been removed from his position after 14 months in charge at Old Trafford

Miguel Delaney5 January 2026 19:00

Do City need reinforcements?

“We have a lot [of injuries],” said Pep Guardiola. “John Stones is missing for I don't know how many months. Ruben [Dias] now will be out, Josko [Gvardiol] will be out.

“Always we know with Nathan he cannot play regularly. It's the situation. Of course I have concerns. Have you seen the bench today? Four players from the academy and now we will have more.”

Will this injury crisis force City into the market during the January transfer window?

Mike Jones5 January 2026 18:45

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Crystal Palace have agreed a deal in the region of £35m to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Brennan Johnson.

The 24-year-old scored the winner in last season’s Europa League final against Manchester United as Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought.

Yet Johnson has fallen out of favour under new manager Thomas Frank, starting just six Premier League games this season, with his position on the flank being taken by summer signing Mohammed Kudus.

However, Johnson is yet to make a decision on any move away from north London, with other clubs also interested in his signature, according to The Athletic.

Wales international Johnson signed for Tottenham in the summer of 2023 for £47.5m and finished as the club’s top scorer last season with 18 goals in all competitions.

Palace are in the market for attacking reinforcements given their Europa Conference League ambitions in the new year, alongside Premier League and FA Cup commitments.

Should Johnson’s deal be finalised, it would be Tottenham’s fourth-highest sale in their history, behind Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Kyle Walker.

Johnson appeared off the bench in the 86th minute of Tottenham’s 1-0 win against Palace on Sunday and, after the match, Frank insisted Johnson was still “very important” for his team.

“Maybe he didn't get many minutes, but unfortunately, we can only play 11 players,” Frank said.

“We spoke about it before with Mo (Kudus), he's coming in and put his stamp on that right-winger position.

“Then [on] the left, we tried different solutions. [He has] still started quite a few games. I think Brennan is an important player for us.”

The January transfer window opens on Thursday, 1 January.

Archie Gray’s first goal for Tottenham ensured they ended a rollercoaster 2025 with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace to ease the pressure on Thomas Frank.

Spurs fans had started to turn on Frank after a run of five defeats in eight left them 14th in the Premier League on Christmas Day.

While there had been no suggestions internally that Frank’s job was under immediate threat, Tottenham needed to return to winning ways and Gray’s 42nd-minute header settled the contest between the current FA Cup and Europa League holders.

It moved Spurs up to 11th but crucially they are only four points off fifth-placed Chelsea ahead of Frank’s return to old club Brentford on Wednesday.

Oliver Glasner watched his weary Palace team lose a third consecutive league game to further highlight the need for January reinforcements.

Both clubs had celebrated eagerly-awaited cup wins in May but Spurs were without one of their heroes from Bilbao with Cristian Romero suspended.

Kevin Danso replaced Romero and received a late Christmas present in the shape of a yellow card from referee Jarred Gillett after five minutes as Palace made the early running.

Chances remained limited, though, and Tottenham thought they had taken the lead in the 17th minute through Richarlison only for their celebrations to be cut short after Lucas Bergvall was deemed offside in the build-up.

Jean-Philippe Mateta signalled his intentions with an effort dragged wide from 20 yards soon after before a short free-kick routine created another chance for Palace’s number nine but he nodded over from Maxence Lacroix’s header.

Justin Devenny and Adam Wharton tested Guglielmo Vicario with tame efforts before Will Hughes curled wide after a slick move by the hosts.

It appeared a matter of time before Palace broke the deadlock but Spurs struck against the run of play in the 42nd minute.

After Randal Kolo Muani’s blocked shot forced a corner, Pedro Porro’s delivery to the back post was kept alive by Kolo Muani and then flicked on by Richarlison for Gray to head home from close-range to open his account for Tottenham.

Spurs’ slender half-time lead was immediately under threat as stand-in away captain Micky van de Ven blocked Yeremy Pino’s volley before an even better opportunity was created.

Pino produced a sumptuous outside-of-the-boot cross which was knocked down by Nathaniel Clyne but Devenny fired over on the turn.

Glasner turned to his bench with Eddie Nketiah introduced and another Palace chance was squandered with 20 minutes left when Jefferson Lerma teed up Lacroix but he sent his header wide.

Five minutes later and Tottenham had the ball in the net again through Richarlison after a wonderful Mohammed Kudus cross only for VAR to deny the visitors again as the Brazil forward was marginally offside.

Palace captain Marc Guehi went close next after he headed over but no grand finale occurred as Spurs defended resolutely, with substitute Wilson Odobert unlucky to hit the inside of the post from range before Dean Henderson denied Rodrigo Bentancur as it finished 1-0.

PA

Used pyjamas, rotten fruit, and a Tottenham Hotspur book for a Chelsea fan rank among the most "disappointing" Christmas gifts, a new survey reveals.

Consumer group Which? found around a fifth (21 per cent) of people received an unwanted or unsuitable present during Christmas 2024, according to research conducted in January 2025.

Other notable examples of the worst gifts ever received included a helicopter ride for someone with vertigo, and a rotten coconut and pineapple.

One person surveyed had received a Tottenham Hotspur book even though they supported Chelsea and another was gifted a helicopter ride despite having vertigo and a fear of flying.

When asked what they did with their unwanted gifts, a third (33 per cent) of people had kept it and will use it. One in six (15 per cent) had kept it but would not use it.

Instead of returning or exchanging the present, 34 per cent had disposed of the gift, with some presents being re-gifted to family members or friends, given to a charity shop or sold on online marketplaces.

Less popular ways of getting rid of unsuitable gifts included giving it back to the person who gifted it (1 per cent) and throwing it away (2 per cent).

Many retailers extend returns policies during the festive period.

Which? said people will usually need to provide proof of purchase to return an unwanted item.

Some retailers do not allow refunds to credit or debit cards unless the original card holder is present, but they may allow gift recipients to return gifts in exchange for a gift card, voucher or credit note if the item was marked as a gift at the time of purchase, the consumer group said.

Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which? said: “It’s hard to think of a more disappointing present than used pyjamas or rotten fruit but our research shows that a fifth of us have been left wondering what to do with an unwanted gift.

“It’s always worth getting a gift receipt so your loved one has the option to return their gift if needed.

“Sometimes, for online orders, only the buyer can request a refund or exchange. But if the item was marked as a gift when ordered, the retailer’s returns policy may enable a recipient to return or exchange it.”

Deltapoll surveyed more than 2,000 people across the UK for the research.