Football Insider

Tottenham ended their five-game streak without a win as Richarlison and Xavi Simons scored in a 2-0 victory over Brentford in North London.

Thomas Frank left Brentford for Tottenham in the summer and faced them for the first time on Saturday (6 December) afternoon in real need of three points.

Spurs looked the most likely early on and took the lead in the 25th minute as Richarlison poked home from Xavi Simons‘ cross following Pedro Porro’s lofted through ball.

Simons has struggled since joining Tottenham, but he bagged his first goal for the club just before half-time with a mazy run and cool finish after winning the ball back on the halfway line.

It ended 2-0 to the hosts and Football Insider have picked out three Tottenham players who impressed and will feel like shoo-ins to start their next game following their strong respective performances.

Mohammed Kudus

Mohammed Kudus has been a shining light for Spurs this season amid some poor form as a team, and he continued his impressive recent run with another top showing against Brentford.

The 25-year-old playmaker was not involved in either of their goals, but that arguably made him stand out even more as he was their main threat going forward and received a standing ovation when going off in the 80th minute.

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Kudus created more chances than any other player (2), completed the most dribbles (5), had 92% pass accuracy (34/37), won eight ground duels and also won two fouls. He was excellent and Spurs will feel lucky to have him in their squad.

Xavi Simons

Simons has needed time to bed into his new surroundings in North London, and this finally felt like the emergence of him onto the Premier League scene after a slow start to the campaign.

The Dutchman was at his dazzling, quick-footed best, particularly in the first-half as he set Richarlison up with an inch-perfect cross and then scored his first Spurs goal with the confidence of a player who had netted 10 times already this season.

The strike saw him win the ball back instantly after losing it on the halfway line before breezing past a number of Bees defenders and slotting it past Caoimhin Kelleher for 2-0.

Manager Frank admitted that he needed the “extra bit of confidence” from scoring, and so Spurs fans will hope that this is the start of him being a key player to their aims of finishing in the top five this season.

Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven has been a standout for Tottenham over the last 18 months and he was at his imperious best against Brentford on Saturday.

Spurs’ other Netherlands international star shone next to captain Cristian Romero once more as he completed 38 of 41 attempted passes and made seven defensive contributions to keep the in-form Igor Thiago at bay.

He put in a pivotal tackle on Thiago just before the hour mark after the Bees’ striker thought he was clean through against Vicario, with a goal potentially set to get the visitors back in the game at 2-1 with 30 minutes to go.

Cristian Romero might have been fortunate to remain on the pitch during Tottenham’s clash with Brentford on Saturday.

Just four days before 6 December, Romero was Tottenham’s Player of the Match as he scored twice against Newcastle United, both equalisers at St James’ Park.

Against the Bees, the Argentine was rarely called upon, at least in the first half, but that did not stop the centre-half from getting involved, picking up a yellow card after just 31 minutes.

Hacking down Brentford’s in-form striker, Igor Thiago, with a reckless challenge, there was a VAR check on Spurs’ captain, but Rob Jones’ decision of a yellow card stood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Reviewing the footage, Mike Dean was on the fence.

Cristian Romero was lucky to only receive a yellow card

Speaking live on Sky Sports (6 December, 3:33pm), the former referee said: “It’s one of those when he’s just come in. It’s just not clever… He’s got a bit of the ball, but it’s a scissor-challenge.

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“It’s just about a yellow card, but it’s borderline. I think they’ll stick to the on-pitch decision,” to which Clinton Morrison responds: “What, is it an orange card?” as he laughs at his own joke.

Michael Kayode and Kristoffer Ajer both went into the referee’s notebook during the first half, but Romero’s challenge was by far the most dangerous during the opening 45 minutes.

Romero had only just returned from suspension against Newcastle, but two games later and the centre-half has already picked up another two cautions, surely leaving Thomas Frank with some concerns.

Tottenham’s captain is already a suspension risk again after missing the Fulham clash

The 27-year-old was missing for Spurs’ clash against Fulham, having picked up too many yellow cards in the Premier League, and that could already be a concern for his manager.

If the centre-back picks up three yellow cards in his next 17 league matches, he will pick up a two-game ban, which would be a major blow as the Lilywhites attempt to climb the table.

Kevin Danso has proven himself to be a smart acquisition, but there is absolutely no doubt that Micky van de Ven looks the most comfortable with Romero alongside him at the back.

Frank is coming under heavy pressure in North London, and if he is to survive the current wave of fan fury, he will need to avoid any further unnecessary setbacks on the pitch.

Tottenham are looking to agree a £20million-a-year stadium naming rights deal after appointing a new commercial chief, sources have told Football Insider.

Tottenham have been in talks over a stadium naming rights deal since their state-of-the-art facility opened in 2019.

The Telegraph reported on Thursday (4 December) Alex Scotcher is set to join Spurs as their new commercial director in January, having previously worked on naming rights deals for Everton and Valencia.

The appointment is viewed as a clear signal Tottenham’s owners are looking to end their long wait to find a naming rights sponsor for their 62,850-capacity stadium.

Sources say the north London giants value their stadium naming rights at around £20m.

Tottenham hire to focus on two new sponsorship deals

Tottenham have missed out on six years’ worth of revenue after failing to agree a deal for their stadium naming rights.

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It is understood former executive chairman Daniel Levy turned down offers worth between £10-15m a year as he waited for the right deal to be tabled.

Scotcher’s arrival is expected to ease the process of landing a lucrative deal for Thomas Frank’s side.

The commercial expert is joining Tottenham from Elevate, where he was senior vice-president of global partnerships for more than three years.

The US-based sports and entertainment consultancy firm was hired by Everton as their sponsorship sales agency, with Hill Dickinson named as the club’s stadium sponsor in May.

It is believed the Liverpool-based law firm is paying around £10m a year for the Toffees’ stadium naming rights over the next decade.

Scotcher is now the man charged with helping Spurs land a similar deal at an increased price.

Tottenham are also looking to agree a new front-of-shirt sponsorship after it was confirmed their deal with the AIA Group, which has been the club’s primary shirt sponsor since 2013, will not be extended beyond the 2026-27 season.

How much commercial revenue do Tottenham generate?

The Lewis family are taking a more active role in the day-to-day operations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Levy’s departure was confirmed in September.

Meanwhile, Peter Charrington is operating as non-executive chairman, with Vinai Venkatesham spearheading the leadership team after joining as chief executive.

Tottenham are looking to build on the strong foundations Levy put in place before his exit as they look to seal a stadium naming rights deal in the near future.

Spurs’ latest published accounts for 2023-24 revealed their commercial income increased from £228m in 2022-23 to £255m.

That helped Tottenham generate the fifth-highest revenue in the Premier League after their turnover stood at £528m for 2023-24.

Thomas Bramall forced himself into the spotlight with his refereeing performance during Newcastle United’s clash with Tottenham.

Thomas Frank is fighting to keep his job at Tottenham, with supporters becoming more and more frustrated by the former Brentford boss, and he will have been desperate for victory at St James’ Park.

After an extremely dull opening 45 minutes, it looked as though the game would be heading for a stalemate draw, that was, until Bruno Guimaraes fired home in the 71st minute.

Cristian Romero came back from suspension to equalise, before also netting a bicycle kick in the fifth minute of added time after Anthony Gordon was able to fire home from the penalty spot.

In between all of the drama, Bramall still managed to make himself visible.

Thomas Bramall ruins the flow at St James’ Park

The first half was unbearably stop-start, with neither side able to get into the game properly, and much of that was down to the referee stopping the play from flowing.

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It seemed like there was a whistle blown every minute, and everyone in St James’ Park was getting very fed up, with boos and whistles during most of the first 45 minutes.

Bramall’s biggest mistake came in Aston Villa versus Man United last season, and fans are not over the moon whenever he is announced to referee their games.

Randal Kolo Muani deserved more after defensive actions

In the 49th minute, Randal Kolo Muani had done extremely well to come back and defend, only for his actions to be completely overturned when Bramall felt there had been no foul on him.

The Frenchman was absolutely baffled after being hauled to the ground, and while the Magpies didn’t make anything of the situation, it was a frustrating moment for the away side.

Dan Burn was awarded an extremely soft penalty against Rodrigo Bentancur

This incident will be up for debate for the rest of the week, and likely one that is covered by Howard Webb in his television show.

Dan Burn and Rodrigo Bentancur certainly tangled inside the penalty area, but when the Newcastle defender looked completely confused by a VAR check, fans knew it should not have been a penalty.

Many will feel that justice was served when Romero scored a second equaliser, because the penalty awarded in Newcastle’s favour looked incredibly soft. Another referee afraid to disagree with VAR?

Thomas Frank’s job at Spurs is not safe unless he achieves a top six Premier League finish this season.

That is according to ex-Aberdeen and Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes Spurs will be expecting to qualify for European football again next season.

Spurs finished 17th under Ange Postecoglou, but qualified for this season’s Champions League by winning the Europa League.

Postecoglou was sacked by Spurs for the poor league finish, and Frank is already under pressure from supporters to improve results and performances.

Thomas Frank ‘is the right guy’ for Spurs

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – does not believe Frank will be safe with a mid-table finish in the Premier League.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insists that Spurs won’t settle for any less than European qualification.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “He’s got to improve on last season. I don’t think even a 10th, 11th, 12th would work for him.

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“I think he’s got to be in the European places and I think Spurs, without stadium, etc. expect to be achieving at least in the top six or seven. And I think that’s where he’ll be judged on. And he’ll be OK.

“I don’t think they’re going to get rid of him. But still, that’s what I think he’s been set. And they’d expect something of that level. And the resources they’ve got, I mean, it’s quite fair to expect that.

“But there’s a lot of history behind that squad, a lot of mistakes at Spurs over the years, and the fans have got to realise it might take a couple of seasons to get this sorted out and move it forward.

“But I’m going to believe that Frank is the right guy. He’s proven it before, and let’s hope he’s given that time to do it.”

Spurs currently in Champions League mix

Spurs currently sit ninth in the Premier League table, just three points off the top four and Champions League qualification.

Frank wants to add a striker to his Spurs squad in January to improve their top four hopes, in what could be an important transfer window for the Dane.

Fulham are the next visitors to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with home form also a concern currently under Frank.

Tottenham are making plans to sign a winger as well as a centre-forward in the January transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.

Thomas Frank’s side have slid down the Premier League table in recent weeks and the former Brentford manager is coming under some pressure.

On Sunday (23 November), Tottenham were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal in the North London derby, and the manner of the defeat highlighted the problems in their squad.

Sources say that Frank would ideally like to add a striker and a winger in the January window, if the funds are available.

Tottenham are struggling without key players

Tottenham have had major problems at centre-forward, with Dominic Solanke out injured and others not performing.

Despite scoring against Arsenal, Richarlison has come in for some criticism over recent weeks and is not seen as the answer to Frank’s issues.

Randal Kolo-Muani is now also facing a spell on the sidelines, increasing the need for Spurs to bring in a new striker in January.

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The north London side are also now eyeing a winger to help address their creative woes, and have been linked with Antoine Semenyo.

Semenyo’s release clause at Bournemouth came to light earlier this month, meaning that the Cherries would be forced to accept a bid of £65million.

With rumours swirling about Frank’s future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Dane will be hoping he is backed in January and allowed to reinforce his squad.

Thomas Frank under growing pressure at Tottenham

Amid the injury issues, Frank is facing growing pressure on his position as Tottenham manager and has not done himself any favours with his press conference claims.

That is according to former Tottenham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who claims that Spurs fans are running out of patience with the manager.

Following the defeat to Arsenal, Frank pointed to the length of his time in charge and last season’s 17th-placed finish as reasons for his side’s struggles.

While Ange Postecoglou‘s side failed miserably during their Premier League campaign, using that as an excuse for their current issues has not gone down well with the fanbase.

Thomas Frank may have to completely forget about linking up with Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta at Tottenham.

Football Insider understood that Palace wanted to tie Mateta down to a new deal at Selhurst Park, and Oliver Glasner’s side have now opened talks with the French striker.

With 44 goals across the last two-and-a-half seasons for the Eagles, it is no surprise to see the interest ramping up ahead of January, but it appears unlikely that Mateta will part ways with Palace.

Tottenham are just one club interested in Mateta’s signature, with Man United also keeping tabs, but Frank might have some better options up his sleeve ahead of the January transfer window.

Thomas Frank will be desperate for a new striker at Tottenham

Despite having three centre-forwards in his squad, nobody would be surprised if Frank threw everything at signing a new one once the next transfer window swings open.

Dominic Solanke’s injuries are frustrating, while Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison have failed to make the striker spot their own in the former Bournemouth man’s absence.

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Even with the injury struggles, Spurs are sitting fifth in the Premier League table after 11 matches, losing just three of those since the change of manager, and it could get even better.

Football Insider understands that Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic is on Tottenham’s shortlist ahead of January, a former Arsenal target, with his future in Italy completely unknown.

Dusan Vlahovic can make a splash in North London

Speaking back in 2022 [Daily Star], as Arsenal were keeping tabs on the striker, Paul Merson suggested that Vlahovic would “make them title contenders”, and Spurs fans will feel exactly the same way.

Even out of form, the 25-year-old has notched eight goals and an assist in 18 games, continuing his prolific record for Juventus, where he has 64 goals in 160 games.

He has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and with the Lilywhites crying out for a goal-scoring forward, ever since Harry Kane‘s departure, he could finally solve their problems.

Mateta would have been a simple solution, given his experience in the Premier League, but it might be time to turn attention to Vlahovic after the latest contract news at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham are eager to sign one-time Liverpool target Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad to strengthen out wide.

It is not the first time the winger has been linked with a move to the Premier League as Everton were interested in Kubo over the summer.

Kubo has been linked as a possible Mohamed Salah successor at Liverpool when the winger leaves but is now being hunted by Spurs.

Sources told Football Insider that Tottenham want to sign a striker and a winger in January to bolster their inconsistent attack.

Tottenham could activate ‘straightforward’ release clause for Takefusa Kubo

As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the former Real Madrid man could be the ideal winger for the Lilywhites.

The 24-year-old is in his fourth season with Real Sociedad yet, may be intrigued by the possibility of heading to the Premier League and following in the footsteps of Japanese stars such as Shinji Kagawa and Kaoru Mitoma.

Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “He’s been continually linked with the move to the Premier League with Tottenham, Liverpool over the years, Aston Villa as well.

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“Top young player who’s done really well for Real Sociedad. So, it’s no surprise that the top European clubs are looking at the Japanese international as well.

“He has got a release clause in his contract, so it would be straightforward if Tottenham wanted to go and sign him in January.

“£52million, it’s not a cheap deal by any stretch of the imagination. So, that will come into consideration if Tottenham are to firm up their interest in Kubo as well.”

Kubo interest stems from Everton’s reluctance to part with Iliman Ndiaye

The increased in interest from the Lilywhites in the number 14 likely comes from the club’s setback in pursuit of another winger target.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that Everton will not let go of Iliman Ndiaye despite Tottenham’s advances.

The Toffees see the Senegalese as vital to their project and attacking ferocity, hence leading to their adamant stance on keeping him at the club.

Thomas Frank will surely monitor the ex-Sheffield United man moving forward, but a deal for Kubo seems to be easier to do out of the two.

Spurs could land a huge financial boost should they be successful in hosting NFL’s flagship game the Super Bowl in the future.

That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley who exclusively told Football Insider the reasons why Spurs should be looking to host the event.

Crystal Palace co-owner Woody Johnson is pushing for Spurs to host the Super Bowl, which has never been held outside of America.

Spurs regularly hosts NFL games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, alongside major music events to increase revenue.

Spurs could land ‘wider exposure’ as Super Bowl hosts

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley believes hosting the Super Bowl could be a major coup for Spurs.

“It would be significant, wouldn’t it,” Plumley said.

“It’s difficult to put a number on it ultimately, and of course, you can only sell out the seats that are in the stadium.

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“We’ve seen them sell out NFL games anywhere you live to the games they’ve already had, but it’s the wider exposure that a Super Bowl gives you.

“We know how many millions of people fly to America to watch that event. We know how many people watch it all the way around the globe.

“It’s one of the single biggest sporting events on the planet, and Spurs would be able to benefit if they were to host that game.

“In those kind of ways, this commercial leverage is over the top. You know, packages and things that you could put together.

“There’s the whole brand of branding of the event. There’s the marketing around it. There’s the exposure.

“And, also, of course, it would benefit London significantly because the people coming in and and spending money in London.

“So, yeah, there there’s benefits all the way through that, but it it’s really tough to pull a figure on it because you’re talking about added value, you know, over the top of the event itself.”

Tottenham could earn £1bn from hosting Super Bowl

It has been previously suggested that Spurs could earn £1billion from hosting the Super Bowl, in a move which could instantly double their revenue.

It would also help Spurs wipe out their stadium debt, having spent £1bn in building their home which opened in 2019.

That could have significant impact on their ability to invest in the playing squad, with the club having not won a league title since 1961.

Tottenham could earn up to £75million from their new sponsorship agreement with the AIA Group, sources have told Football Insider.

AIA has partnered with Tottenham for more than a decade, with its logo featuring on the front of the club’s shirts since 2013.

Spurs confirmed on 4 November the Hong Kong-based insurance group’s shirt deal will not be extended beyond the 2026-27 season and it will instead become the new training kit sponsor.

Tottenham’s existing agreement with AIA is worth £40m a year, making it one of the most lucrative deals of its kind in the Premier League.

Sports business expert Lukasz Baczek exclusively revealed to Football Insider Tottenham will receive around £10-15m a year from their training kit partnership with AIA.

Tottenham plan to agree £60m shirt sponsor deal

Tottenham extended their shirt sponsorship with AIA for a further eight years in 2019, taking its value to £320m over the lifetime of the deal.

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The Asian insurance giant, which has a market cap of more than £80billion, will see its logo feature on Spurs’ training kit from 2027 to 2032 as part of the new agreement, potentially taking the overall value to around £75m over the five years.

Tottenham’s current training kit sponsorship with BetMGM is believed to be worth around £10m a year and expires at the end of the 2026-27 campaign after agreeing a three-year deal with the gambling company in the summer of 2024.

Thomas Frank’s side are now working behind the scenes to find a new front-of-shirt partner to replace AIA.

Football Insider revealed on 7 November Tottenham are planning to agree a £60m deal for their primary shirt sponsorship.

However, that price could be difficult to achieve as Chelsea are yet to agree a new front-of-shirt deal for this season due to their £60m valuation.

How much revenue do Tottenham generate?

Tottenham have been making efforts to boost their commercial revenue since they moved into their 62,850-capacity stadium in 2019.

The north London giants’ latest published accounts for 2023-24 revealed their commercial income increased from £228m in 2022-23 to £255m.

That helped Spurs generate the fifth-highest revenue in the Premier League after their turnover stood at £528m for 2023-24.

In terms of other opportunities to boost their revenue, Tottenham could agree a lucrative stadium naming rights deal after holding talks with various parties.