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Tottenham Hotspur star Randal Kolo Muani will be a prominent figure over the course of the campaign and only missed out on game time against West Ham United because he needs to prove his fitness levels at Hotspur Way, GIVEMESPORT senior reporter Fabrizio Romano has revealed in his latest newsletter.

Lucas Bergvall became the second-youngest player in Spurs' history to find the back of the net and grab an assist in the same Premier League encounter as the north Londoners sealed a 3-0 victory over the Hammers last weekend, while Pape Matar Sarr and Micky van de Ven also got their names on the scoresheet as head coach Thomas Frank continues making his mark.

Kolo Muani Needs Time to Prove His Fitness

Kolo Muani is at the forefront of Frank's thinking, according to Romano, despite the France international being an unused substitute against West Ham. When asked whether Tottenham have big plans for the deadline day recruit from Paris Saint-Germain, the Italian journalist said in his GMS newsletter sent to subscribers this morning:

"Yes. They are just building his fitness as he has been out of the PSG squad for a long time."

Tottenham signed Kolo Muani in the final hours of the summer transfer window, with the loan switch not including an option or obligation to buy, as there was a desire to provide the likes of Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel with fresh competition for a regular starting berth.

Spurs are covering the entirety of the striker's pay package during his temporary spell in north London, allowing him to pocket up to £210,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, and he will have another opportunity to make his debut when Frank's side face Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Randal Kolo Muani registered three shots on target and found the back of the net twice during Juventus' Club World Cup win over Al-Ain in June

Kolo Muani has been described as 'complete' by France teammate Kylian Mbappe, but he was forced to settle for a watching brief when Tottenham emerged victorious against West Ham as Tel was given the nod to lead the line and Richarlison came off the bench in the second half of the clash.

The 26-year-old has struggled to work his way into PSG boss Luis Enrique's plans since joining the reigning Ligue 1 champions from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth up to £76.4million in September 2023, which allowed Spurs to pounce as they aim to build on winning the Europa League last term.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of several Premier League clubs to have an interest in Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, according to Ahad Shaukat via the Daily Briefing.

It was a summer of change for Tottenham Hotspur. Ange Postecoglou guided the club to Europa League glory, but was dismissed shortly after the fact. In his place, Spurs appointed Thomas Frank as their new manager, the move coming mere weeks before Daniel Levy's era in charge of Tottenham came to an end.

Not including signings that were at the club on loan last season, Spurs made four major additions for Frank in his first transfer window. Joao Palhinha was signed on loan from Bayern Munich, just as Randal Kolo Muani joined from Paris Saint-Germain for the season as the Lilywhites spent big on Xavi Simons and Mohamed Kudus to give their squad a much-needed boost of creativity, given the injury problems that have been encountered by both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Now, it would appear that the North London side are keeping tabs on this Premier League defender ahead of a potential transfer.

Tottenham Keen on van Hecke

According to the Daily Briefing, Spurs are one of multiple Premier League clubs that have a "serious" interest in Jan Paul van Hecke. A Brighton player since 2020, van Hecke has been a consistent part of the club's first-team since 2023, having developed in two separate loans away from the Amex Stadium.

GIVEMESPORT exclusively revealed that Spurs had an interest in the defender, with it appearing that Frank would be keen on making van Hecke part of his squad. Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies are Spurs' current centre-back options with senior experience and in van Hecke, who has been dubbed "incredible," the Lilywhites would be recruiting an already-impressive talent who still has room to develop.

At 25 years old, van Hecke could theoretically be a part of Tottenham's defence for years to come should they push for a transfer, which they would aim to complete in 2026. Whether a deal is ultimately negotiated, however, remains to be seen.

Tottenham Hotspur could look to complete a move for Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window, according to reports - with the north London club showing the 'greatest interest' in signing the England international out of any club who remain interested in his services.

Spurs had a big summer transfer window, landing Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani among others, with the club wanting to make a decent dent in the Champions League as well as performing better than they did last season in the Premier League in no uncertain terms. And that could see them land Gallagher, who they lead the race for.

Report: Tottenham Have Shown 'Greatest Interest' in Conor Gallagher

The report by Spanish outlet Fichajes states that Tottenham 'insist' on signing Gallagher, with the north London outfit being the club that have shown the 'greatest interest' in signing the England international in the January transfer window.

Gallagher is currently undergoing a period of 'uncertainty' in the Spanish capital. The star only arrived last summer in a bid to help Diego Simeone's project at the Estadio Metropolitano, but he could be in his final few months at the club after failing to properly nail down a first-team space.

Interest from England hasn't waned, and it's thought that Manchester United came close to completing his signing before talks fell through. And with that in mind, Tottenham have entered the 'bidding war with a bang'. The Europa League holders consider the midfielder to be an ideal addition to their ranks for the upcoming years under Thomas Frank, with the player flourishing in the Premier League in what is his natural environment.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Conor Gallagher has 21 caps for England, scoring once.

The tireless pressing machine massively impressed for Crystal Palace on loan, before cementing his place in the Chelsea side over two seasons, becoming one of their best players and an England regular. Unfortunately, the arrivals of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez pushed him down the pecking order, being relegated to backup choice, and that saw him move to Atletico.

The Cobham graduate would come into Spurs' midfield to battle with Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr for minutes, as well as Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray as their young options, whilst Yves Bissouma could be forced out should Gallagher join.

With a place in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup up for grabs, Gallagher could look to force a move back to the Premier League to keep himself in Thomas Tuchel's plans for the summer.

Thomas Frank is ‘open-minded’ about Randal Kolo Muani’s role in his Tottenham Hotspur squad and feels he can utilise the France international in several roles this season, journalist Graeme Bailey has suggested.

The North London side welcomed Kolo Muani on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day following Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury, which saw the striker miss the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth before the international break.

With Solanke also set to miss Spurs’ clash at West Ham on Saturday, Kolo Muani could be in line for important minutes right from his first few weeks with Spurs, and Frank’s initial plans for the striker have now apparently surfaced.

Bailey claims the Danish tactician likes the fact that he has gained an extra versatile player in his squad with Kolo Muani’s arrival, as the Frenchman can play in multiple positions and swap with Richarlison, Brennan Johnson and even Mathys Tel.

Kolo Muani played the majority of his games as a No. 9 at Juventus last term and also made rare appearances on the right-hand side of the Bianconeri.

Frank ‘Open-Minded’ About Kolo Muani

According to Bailey, there is a sense that Kolo Muani could end up covering multiple positions this season for Spurs, including playing out wide:

“I am told that he arrived with Frank fairly open-minded.

“I think he likes the fact that Richarlison, Johnson, Kolo Muani, even Tel, can mix and match, so you could see Richarlison and Kolo Muani out wide, with Johnson centrally – for sure. I personally believe we see Kolo Muani playing multiple roles.”

Several European clubs were after Kolo Muani in the closing stages of the summer window, including Juventus, who were looking to re-sign the Frenchman after he impressed on loan at the Allianz Arena last season.

The 26-year-old forward scored 10 goals and provided three assists in 22 games for the Bianconeri, who ultimately opted against signing him and instead added Lois Openda from RB Leipzig.

Kolo Muani joined PSG in the summer of 2023 from Eintracht Frankfurt and has since won two Ligue 1 titles and played a part in the club’s Champions League-winning campaign last term.

The Frenchman became Tottenham’s fourth and final new signing of the summer, following Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Xavi Simons.

West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur will go head-to-head in the Premier League at the London Stadium on Saturday evening in a big London derby.

Graham Potter has been under severe pressure this season already but earned himself some time with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest before the international break, while Thomas Frank's side fell to their first defeat of the season in a poor performance against Bournemouth.

Both managers will have some big decisions to make to earn victory after deadline day and the international break, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expects the teams to line up.

West Ham Team News

West Ham were dealt a blow during the international break after Niclas Fullkrug withdrew from Germany duty with a calf problem, but he is expected to be okay after training with the squad this week.

Luis Guilherme is a long-term absentee after breaking his collarbone, but George Earthy could return, making the Brazilian the only absentee. Deadline day arrivals Igor Julio and Soungoutou Magassa are also pushing to make their debuts.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Potter shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

"There are no absentees.

"We've got Niclas Füllkrug, who's had a slight issue with his calf from international duty, so he came [home] early. He's trained lightly today, but we'll see how he reacts, but apart from that, everybody's okay.

"He's [Igor] trained really well, has fit into the group really well, and is a positive character, so we're happy.

“I think we've got good competition there (in defence) now, have good balance left and right, and Igor can cover at centre-back and full-back, so I'm happy with that position and happy that the window has finished and with where we are.

West Ham Confirmed XI

West Ham Confirmed XI: Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf; Ward-Prowse, Fernandes; Soucek, Paqueta, Summerville; Bowen.

West Ham Confirmed Substitutes: Areola (GK), Wan-Bissaka (DEF), Igor (DEF), Magassa (MID), Irving (MID), Potts (MID), Wilson (FWD), Fullkrug (FWD).

Tottenham Team News

Spurs are looking to get back to winning ways and will be able to call upon new signings Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani for the first time ahead of this game.

James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevksi and Kota Takai are long-term absentees, while Radu Dragusin has returned to training after his ACL injury but this game will come too soon. Yves Bissouma is still a doubt with a knock, while there are reports that Dominic Solanke's ankle injury could be more severe than initially believed.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Frank shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

"Both [Simons and Kolo Muani] are looking good, both are definitely in contention to be ready for the squad.

"Xavi, for natural reasons, is further down the line - he just started the first game for Holland (against Poland last week) and a few games for Leipzig.

"Randal, it's a while since he played, the last time was at the Club World Cup (with PSG) and didn't really train with PSG, so he's not as fit as Xavi, but he looks good.

"Dominic [Solanke] won't be available still, but he won't be long. Right now, we're doing everything we can, the medical team is doing everything they can to get on top of it, and that's what we're focusing on. I get the feeling he's not too far away, but he's just falling away this week."

Tottenham Confirmed XI

Tottenham Hotspur completing the acquisitions of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani after Hotspur Way recruitment chiefs made a breakthrough with both deals during unsociable hours were among the highlights of the transfer window, GIVEMESPORT senior reporter Fabrizio Romano has claimed on the latest episode of our Market Madness podcast.

Spurs were not afraid to splash the cash as head coach Thomas Frank bolstered the squad he inherited from predecessor Ange Postecoglou, with Mohammed Kudus rubber-stamping a £55million switch from West Ham United in July, but there were further attacking reinforcements ahead of the September 1 deadline.

Simons and Kolo Muani Deals Were Highlights

Romano has confirmed that he enjoyed breaking the news that Simons was on his way to Tottenham, after a £51million agreement had been reached with RB Leipzig, as well as Kolo Muani joining on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking on the latest episode of our Market Madness podcast, the respected journalist said:

"I think the two Tottenham stories, for me, were really, really funny and good to cover. With Xavi Simons, it was in the middle of the night when the deal had this big change and the player decided to say yes to Tottenham and to complete his move.

"When it's during the night, it is always exciting for me because it's something that doesn't happen that often anymore in the market. That one was a great story. Also, Chelsea had been in control of this deal for a long time and then decided to move onto different plans, so seeing Tottenham sign the player was quite surprising.

"Randal Kolo Muani was another one that started to happen late in the night. Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain were in negotiations around midnight on September 1 and then everything collapsed in the following hours. Tottenham had the opportunity to then go for Kolo Muani.

"It is always fascinating to me when you have these kinds of crazy deals happening overnight. I love that one."

Simons penned a contract which allows him to pocket close to £250,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, having decided to join Tottenham even though there had been interest from London rivals Chelsea, and he could make his debut during the Premier League clash with West Ham on Saturday.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Xavi Simons won five ground duels and registered one key pass during RB Leipzig's defeat to Bayern Munich on the opening day of the Bundesliga season

Kolo Muani's loan switch from Ligue 1 title-holders and last season's Champions League winners PSG does not include an option or obligation to buy, meaning that Spurs will have to enter fresh negotiations with his parent club if they want to keep the centre forward beyond the remainder of the campaign.

All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 12/09/2025

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Tottenham Hotspur may have to shift a lot of their squad in the coming transfer windows after a busy summer under Thomas Frank, with ENIC International spending a lot of money to bring their squad up to speed. But their additions mean that it's already signalled the end of one star's career at the north London club under their new Danish boss.

Tottenham had a huge transfer window in the summer months, bringing Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Luka Vuskovic, Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons in on permanent deals, whilst Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani have arrived on loan deals to properly bolster Frank's squad in the coming campaign.

Report: Tottenham Gave Manor Solomon Chance, Failed to Take it

However, with that comes the brutality of axing some players from their squad. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Son Heung-min and Bryan Gil have all departed on permanent deals, whilst other players such as Alejo Veliz and Vuskovic have left on loan.

More will be needed, given the number of arrivals that have come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and that could mean that one star's future is over after summer activity alongside Yves Bissouma, in the form of Manor Solomon.

Solomon joined Spurs in the summer of 2023/24 on a free transfer after a solid year on loan at Fulham, but he failed to make an impact under Ange Postecoglou as Spurs finished fifth. His career was revived with Leeds United last season, notching double figures as they won the Championship, and that led him to pre-season, where Frank would run the rule over him.

Reports emerged earlier in the summer that he would be able to try to impress Frank in pre-season, potentially winning a place in their first-team squad ahead of the new campaign - giving him real hope of securing a first-team spot.

However, with Spurs signing Tel on a permanent deal - despite the Frenchman struggling for minutes himself - as well as Kudus from West Ham United, there was little space for him to manoeuvre and his late loan spell to Villarreal being confirmed also shuts the door on any future at Spurs.

Arrivals and Youth Options Means Solomon's Spurs Career is Over

Frank now has an array of options to use on the flanks, and if Solomon remained in north London, his chance at garnering first-team minutes would be massively hindered.

Simons can play out wide, whilst Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert and Tel are also options, meaning Solomon could have been as far down as eighth in the queue.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Manor Solomon has eight goals in 46 caps for Israel.

Once Mikey Moore returns from his loan spell at Rangers, a successful spell in Glasgow could elevate him to first-team status - and so Solomon would be ninth, for two slots. Essentially, there would be no way back for the former Shakhtar Donetsk man, and having been given his chance to improve before being loaned out, the writing is on the wall for the £20m-rated star.

At the age of 26, the Israel forward will get a year in La Liga before coming back to Tottenham in the summer, where he will have two years left on his deal to win over Frank one last time, though that could prove to be a mission too far.

Tottenham Hotspur could look to reward one of their current players with a new contract after a rebirth in form under Thomas Frank, according to reports - with Rodrigo Bentancur in line for an extended deal due to his performances for Spurs in the early reaches of the current campaign.

Bentancur, who was branded as 'unbelievable' by former boss Ange Postecoglou, has been an unlikely addition to Frank's midfield in recent times, keeping his place in the squad thanks to some incredible outings in the Premier League season so far. And that could see him extend his four-year stay in the capital under the Danish boss, with the club's re-jigged board looking to reward him.

Report: Rodrigo Bentancur 'in Line' for New Tottenham Deal

The report by TBR Football suggests that Tottenham are planning to accelerate their contract talks with Bentancur in the coming weeks, with the Uruguayan star having impressed manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane has come into Spurs with a clean slate from Postecoglou's two-year reign as boss, and with Bentancur being somewhat of a fringe player under Postecoglou with 21 starts in the Premier League last season, he's started each of Tottenham's last two top-flight games under the former Brentford gaffer.

With a sturdy midfield trio of Bentancur, Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr to choose between, Tottenham have become tough to beat, and they currently sit with two wins from three in the Premier League.

Chief Executive, Vinai Venkatesham, has been tasked with sorting several contracts out for the north London club, and he is currently working on Bentancur's new deal, TBR sources have revealed.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Rodrigo Bentancur has three goals in 72 caps for Uruguay.

The former Arsenal chief arrived at Tottenham over the summer, and he now holds a prominent role at the club after Daniel Levy left last week in one of the shock moves of the summer period, and with Tottenham now in the Champions League, he'll be hoping to continue that in the future.

Bentancur joined Tottenham in January 2022, and has since gone on to record 117 appearances for the club, including nine goals in all competitions for Spurs as a rotation option in the centre of the park. However, his increased vitality to Frank's system could see the 28-year-old prolong his north London stay for the time being, especially with the draw of Champions League football to play.

Bentancur's experience, having made 37 appearances in the competition, means that the two parties could see eye-to-eye on their aspirations going into the demanding schedule of the new campaign.

West Ham United have banned half-and-half scarves from their Premier League game with Tottenham on Saturday, the club revealed in a statement.

The East London side announced the move as part of ‘increased security activity’, which is one of several measures the club has taken ahead of the high-profile London derby.

West Ham said half-and-half scarves will not be permitted inside London Stadium on Saturday, and supporters who have purchased them from unofficial sellers will be required to hand them over to security.

The club has also increased the security presence ahead of the game against Spurs, with fans now facing ‘additional checks at turnstiles’ to ensure the safety of all supporters and to prevent away fans from gaining access to home sections of the stadium.

West Ham Ban Half-and-Half Scarves

West Ham released a statement on Thursday announcing their decision to ban half-and-half scarves from Saturday’s game against Tottenham, stating that scarves must be handed to security and will not be returned:

“Half-and-half scarves or items illustrating the colours/crests of both clubs will not be permitted inside London Stadium on Saturday.

“Supporters who have purchased half-and-half scarves from unofficial sellers will be required to hand them over to security staff at the security checkpoints and these scarves will not be returned.”

West Ham have lost three of their opening four games of the season and sit 16th in the Premier League table ahead of the London derby on Saturday.

The Hammers last claimed a home victory against Tottenham during the 2021/22 season, when Michail Antonio’s second-half goal ensured a narrow 1-0 win in October.

The Hammers are winless in the last three meetings against the North London side, having drawn 1-1 at home last season and endured a 4-1 defeat away.

West Ham’s summer business saw the club sell Mohammed Kudus to Spurs, with the Ghanaian becoming the first senior player to move between the clubs since David Bentley’s arrival at Upton Park on loan in 2011.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Kudus has assisted two goals in three Premier League appearances for Tottenham this season.

West Ham could be without Niclas Fullkrug against Tottenham on Saturday, with the Germany international suffering a calf issue on international duty.

Tottenham, who won twice in their first three league games, are set to be without injured Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Radu Dragusin and Yves Bissouma, while Dominic Solanke is likely to be assessed ahead of kick-off after suffering an ankle issue before the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur fans ended the transfer window absolutely delighted by the business they did during the summer, but it's fair to say that keeping Cristian Romero was arguably the best thing they did.

After Ange Postecoglou led the team to Europa League success and the Champions League he was sacked and replaced by Thomas Frank, who made it a priority to put his stamp on the squad ahead of a big first campaign in north London.

But while the club splashed the cash to bring in Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, their best signing was convincing the Argentine to sign a new contract.

Romero Staying is Tottenham's Best Business

The transfer window saw arrivals, but it also saw captain Heung-Min Son depart after a decade with the club as he moved to join LAFC, which left question marks over the leadership that remained in the dressing room.

Further concerns were raised as it was heavily reported that Spanish giants Atletico Madrid were looking to sign Romero to bolster their defence, with some reports even claiming that the defender had already agreed personal terms.

He also didn't rule out a move, admitting during a public interview that he dreamed of playing in La Liga at some point in his career.

But Spurs worked hard to convince him that the Premier League and Spurs are the place to be for the key years of his career, and eventually the World Cup winner signed a new long-term contract until 2029, which has made him the club's highest-paid player.

In addition to that he has been made the permanent captain of the club, cementing himself as a key player in the manager's plans and now Spurs will be heading into the Champions League with no question marks over the future of key players.

It would likely have gone a long way to convincing some other players to join and stay at the club, as it shows that a world-class player is prepared to commit his prime years to the club, which will always look good.

Spurs have started the season well, with Romero in strong form once more, and that has further contributed to the belief that while they had a great transfer window, keeping him at the club was the best bit of business Tottenham did.