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As Tottenham Hotspur suffered another defeat this weekend, it has become clear that Spurs need to find a Cristian Romero replacement for next season.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford left Spurs in 15th position, just six points above West Ham United in the Premier League relegation zone.

Red Devils and England legend Wayne Rooney says Tottenham are in a relegation battle this term, with two big matches against Newcastle United and Arsenal coming at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this week.

Thomas Frank knows he needs results, but he will be without his captain Romero for both games.

Romero is a Liability Tottenham Don't Need

While there is no doubting Romero's quality when he is at the top of his game, Tottenham simply cannot afford to rely on him when they are struggling so much.

His red card against United at the weekend was his second of the season - and his sixth since he joined Spurs in 2021 - and means he will now miss their next four games.

In fact, the Argentina international won't be available for selection again until mid-March, when the north London club face Liverpool with Romero's other red card coming in the reverse fixture against Arne Slot's side.

In a further damning statistic, the 27-year-old actually should have been dismissed on two more occasions - both against Brentford - according to the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel.

The latest red also followed hot on the heels of more public criticism of the Tottenham board in a scathing Instagram post following the draw with Manchester City previously.

Tottenham Make Bid for Ideal Romero Replacement

It was reported on deadline day that Spurs had made an offer worth £30m to sign Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo.

While a move obviously failed to materialise, it is clear that Tottenham are beginning to look at how they can strengthen their central defence after Romero, with a reliable Argentine journalist reporting last week that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

In addition, there will be further worries over the future of Micky van de Ven, who is attracting interest from elite clubs such as Liverpool ahead of the summer, as per GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs.

Araujo meanwhile, has been described as 'one of the best defenders in the world' by Barca legend Carles Puyol and praised for his 'cheat code' recovery pace, although his game time has been limited this season because of issues off the pitch as well as injury problems.

Nevertheless, you don't make 200 appearances for a club the size of Barcelona unless you are a good player.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank needs to unleash 17-year-old youngster Luca Williams-Barnett to try to save his job.

Spurs are on a dismal run of form in the Premier League, and Frank is under increasing pressure to turn things around as they sit just six points above the relegation zone. Tottenham's recent disappointment certainly isn't all down to Frank, with Spurs finishing in 17th position in the Premier League table last campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

Frank was tasked with turning things around this term, and although they are in a higher position than they were last season, it's not the kind of improvement that the board would have been expecting. Their recent injuries certainly haven't helped the situation, with their squad seriously depleted, but that's why it's the ideal opportunity for the manager to call on some of his youth players.

Frank Could be Saved by Tottenham Youth Star

With Tottenham's squad depth incredibly low, it's time for Frank to try something a little different. The Tottenham boss has been relying on the senior stars that he has remaining, but there are players in the youth academy who will be chomping at the bit to be given a chance in the senior squad.

Williams-Barnett, described as an 'elite talent', is a player that many supporters who follow the Tottenham academy are talking about at the moment. The 17-year-old has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in just 18 appearances for the youth sides, regularly contributing at U21 level despite his age.

The youngster was named on the bench against Manchester United, but failed to come on, and it's time for Frank to bite the bullet and take a risk on the talent who has been described as one of the most exciting in England.

The youngster is one of the best young talents in England, and there's little reason for Frank not to give him a chance now.

Tottenham Should Take Leaf Out of Wolves and Brighton's Book

Plenty of managers in the Premier League are willing to take risks on some of their youngsters. Rob Edwards has recently unleashed Wolves star Mateus Mane, and the young midfielder has emerged as one of the brightest talents in England.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler also started 17-year-old Harry Howell in a huge game against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Both Brighton and Wolves have been struggling, and their respective managers opted to take risks in order to try and turn things around. Frank needs to do the same to try to save his job.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will go head-to-head in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford in a huge game for both teams.

Michael Carrick's side have won their last three in a row since he took over as manager, claiming a late 3-2 win over Fulham at Old Trafford last weekend. Thomas Frank's side, on the other hand, have struggled for results in recent weeks, but came from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw with Man City last time out.

Both sides have some injury concerns heading into the game too, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expects both teams to line up.

Man Utd Team News

Man Utd's squad will remain unchanged from last week's win over Fulham according to Carrick, with Matthij De Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu all ruled out by the manager.

Striker Benjamin Sesko is pushing to start after his winning goal as a substitute last time out.

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

"Probably, Mason [will be available] sooner. He's not too far away really. We're hopeful it won't be too long.

"Matta [De Ligt], he's working his way back, taking good steps and improving. It's a little bit too soon at the moment but, hopefully, it won't be too long [before De Ligt is back].

"The boys have worked well this week, they've got their feet on the ground and are not getting carried away with what's going on. It's a big challenge ahead."

Man Utd Predicted XI

Man Utd Predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.

Man Utd Predicted Substitutes: Bayindir (GK), Mazraoui (DEF), Yoro (DEF), Heaven (DEF), Malacia (DEF), Ugarte (MID), Lacey (FWD), Zirkzee (FWD), Sesko (FWD).

Tottenham Team News

Tottenham are able to welcome back first-choice centre-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven for this game, after the skipper went off ill at half-time against Man City, while the Dutchman missed the game with a knock.

Djed Spence is 'touch and go' with a calf problem, but James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison, Pedro Porro, and Kevin Danso are all ruled out.

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

"Everyone, mostly, is okay. Micky [Van de Ven] trained today and is available for selection for Saturday, so that’s good.

"Djed [Spence] is getting closer, it will be touch and go and there's a good chance he'll be ready.

"Yes, I do [expect Romero to be available]."

Tottenham Predicted XI

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has regularly shown that he's a liability to the club, and with Spurs now eyeing Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva, he could be the ideal replacement.

Romero was recently sent off in the first half against Manchester United, giving them a mountain to climb for the rest of the game against Old Trafford. Spurs went on to lose 2-0, which was no surprise considering they were down to 10 men and already going through a tricky spell in terms of form and confidence.

The Argentinian defender is their captain, and his recent social media activity has also been controversial. Romero seemingly made a dig at the board, labelling the fact that they have a lack of options in their squad as 'disgraceful'.

Tottenham Eyeing Antonio Silva

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are eyeing Benfica defender Silva, which is interesting timing after Romero's recent antics. The future of Romero has been a topic of conversation over the last few weeks, and news emerged about Spurs' interest in Silva shortly after his red card against United.

Romero's comments about the board and his recent, needless red card against the Red Devils show he's someone that you simply can't trust to be relied upon. The Argentine defender has been a reliable performer since his arrival overall, but it's time for Spurs to move on to avoid any of this controversy going forward.

Benfica defender Silva could be the ideal replacement for Romero, a young, up-and-coming centre-back for the future who is already making a significant impact at senior level. In the future, Silva could potentially be an upgrade on Romero, and he's unlikely to come with the controversy that the current Tottenham skipper brings.

Tottenham Need a Reset

Realistically, Tottenham need a huge reset after two dreadful seasons on the bounce, and their supporters shouldn't be too against a host of their current squad leaving. Something is clearly not right, regardless of who the manager is, and offloading some of their current players shouldn't be frowned upon as they look to head back in the right direction.

Many supporters have questioned the suitability of the manager in charge at the moment, and although a change in the dugout could improve things, questions have to be asked of the set of players.

Southampton made a strange move to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon during the January transfer window, according to the player's agent.

It was a largely uneventful window for Saints until deadline day, when top scorer Adam Armstrong departed for Wolverhampton Wanderers and was replaced by the loan addition of Cyle Larin from Real Mallorca.

Prior to that, the only arrival at St Mary's had been Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz on loan from Bayern Munich, although there were plenty of other Southampton exits during the month-long window.

Gavin Bazunu, Damion Downs, Joe Aribo and Juan Larios were among the first-team players to leave on loan, while Ryan Fraser, Ronnie Edwards and Armel Bella-Kotchap left on permanent deals as Saints finally reduced their squad size.

Solomon Rejected Chance to Join Southampton

Following an impressive loan spell with Fulham that brought the Israeli winger to Spurs' attention, it's fair to say that his move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hasn't worked out.

The 26-year-old only has six Tottenham appearances to his name after joining them in 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Solomon had joined La Liga side Villarreal on loan last summer following a fruitful season in the Championship with Leeds United as they gained promotion, but after one goal and four assists in 11 appearances, he was recalled by Spurs in January.

According to his agent, Shlomi Ben Ezra, the forward had the opportunity to join Southampton, but the player wasn't keen to play in England's second tier again despite his fruitful spell there with Leeds.

Instead, Solomon has moved to Florence with Fiorentina alongside former Spurs chief Fabio Paratici, where he is already playing significant minutes for the Serie A relegation battlers.

Southampton Move for Solomon Strange

While you can see the rationale of a move for Solomon given his record and the fact that Southampton are lacking depth in wide areas, the addition of the 26-year-old would have brought its own issues too.

The Israeli wide man often plays from the left-hand side, which would have seen him competing for a spot in the starting XI with Leo Scienza.

Most would agree that the 27-year-old is Southampton's best player and while we've seen that he can't play 90 minutes every game, he will be expected to start most of their matches if fit and available.

Given Solomon's stature and his refusal to play in the second tier, if he had been convinced to drop down to the Championship again, there is no doubt he would have wanted to be a starter.

Even if you considered switching Solomon or Scienza to the right, there is then the strong competition from Tom Fellows, leaving Eckert with selection headaches to deal with.

While there is no doubting the Spurs man's quality, it would have been a strange move.

Mauricio Pochettino has 'said yes' to taking the Tottenham Hotspur job after an update emerged on Thomas Frank's future, according to TEAMtalk.

Spurs would have been hoping that the Dane would improve their fortunes in the Premier League following a 17th-placed finish last term, but Tottenham currently lie 14th and just three points above 17th-placed Nottingham Forest with 14 matches of the season left to play.

The pressure has been rising on Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the 52-year-old bouncing back from bad results against West Ham United and Burnley last month with positive results in the Champions League which potentially saved his job.

His long-term future is more uncertain though.

With Tottenham a way off the Champions League qualification they desire, the board's patience with Frank is said to be wearing thin, according to TEAMtalk.

Despite an impressive comeback against Manchester City last weekend, the pressure is rising on the Danish boss and a poor run of results could see him get the boot.

Spurs have set themselves up with an immediate replacement for Frank should the axe fall before the end of the season, following the recent appointment of Johnny Heitinga as Frank's number two.

The North Londoners see the Dutchman as a steady pair of hands who could guide them through until the summer, when superior managerial options could be available to them.

The World Cup aftermath could see many big names become available, including Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann and, of course, Pochettino.

Tottenham Place Pochettino Top of Their List

As Spurs begin to weigh up their manager options for an important 2026-27 season, Pochettino tops the list according to TEAMtalk.

While the Argentine will lead the USA in their home World Cup this summer, he could be available to return to club football afterwards, and Tottenham are waiting in the wings as they see him as an instant upgrade on Frank.

The report adds that despite expected interest from Manchester United, who are looking to appoint a permanent manager after Michael Carrick's caretaker stint, Pochettino's 'deep affection' for Spurs is said to be 'unshakable'.

The pull of Tottenham is strong for the 'world-class' 53-year-old, who feels he has unfinished business at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the 2019 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.

Spurs fans loved Pochettino, and it is a return that could unite a club that has appeared more divided than ever at points this season.

And that blockbuster reunion is very much on the cards according to 'whispers' in the corridors at Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romano has 'never really wanted to be at the club', according to Spurs legend Chris Waddle.

The Argentina international made the headlines again following an outburst online after the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

The Tottenham captain appeared to aim a dig at the club's owners following the closure of the transfer window on Monday, by saying it was 'unbelievable' and 'disgraceful' that Thomas Frank only had 11 senior players available to face Pep Guardiola's side, with Romero himself feeling under the weather.

It isn't the first time Romero has been outspoken either.

Romero Keeps Taking Aim at Tottenham's Ownership

Earlier this season, Romero also took to social media to vent his anger towards the Spurs board following defeat to Bournemouth.

The Argentine said: "At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don’t – as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.”

The 27-year-old later deleted the reference to the 'lies', but it was a damning comment from the club captain.

Waddle has reacted strongly to Romero's latest outburst in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

He said:

"He likes to say what he thinks about Tottenham at times, but as a captain, you’ve got to be a bit of a diplomat. Captains in the past have tried to play it down a bit and say we’re trying to get there.

"The manager always gets the blame, but there’s not really one player who can really hold his head up high and say, ‘well I’ve been playing well’. They’ve all been inconsistent.

"They’re not going to win the league this year, I’m sure they’re going to finish a lot higher than where they are at the minute. They’ve got a massive squad when you look at it on paper. Whether it’s good enough is a different reason. In my eyes, it’s not good enough.

"Cristian Romero has always been outspoken. It’s looked to me like he’s never really wanted to be at Tottenham. I was very surprised he signed a four-year contract and they made him captain. I think he thinks he’s better than what he is at times, but that’s the way he is."

Will Romero Still be a Tottenham Player Next Season?

As Tottenham continue to stutter in the Premier League, it's hard to see how Romero can stay at the club beyond this season given what he has said and the interest in his services.

Earlier this week, reliable Argentine journalist Gaston Edul reported that the 27-year-old will leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

The main interest in Romero is coming from La Liga, with the centre-back being linked with a move to Real Madrid for years. The Spanish giants are looking to bring in a player in that position this summer amid links to Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate.

One worry for Spurs is that Romero's centre-back partner Micky van de Ven is also likely to attract interest from big clubs this summer following his performances alongside the South American.

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Everton midfielder Dele Alli is being lined up for a shock return to a former club, according to SportsBoom.

But rather than rejoining Spurs or the Toffees in the coming weeks, the 29-year-old could instead be on his way back to the club where he made his name, MK Dons.

Alli's career since leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022 has been nothing short of a disaster, with the Englishman leaving Como in September 2025 having made only one appearance for the Serie A club, which came a year earlier.

Alli is running out of opportunities to revive his career, but returning to Milton Keynes might be exactly what he needs.

Alli Has Had Interest From La Liga Clubs

Despite attracting interest from four Spanish top-flight clubs including Elche, according to SportsBoom, Alli is actually considering rejoining MK Dons as he looks to rebuild his career.

For many years with Tottenham and England, Alli looked like he was going to be a star in the Premier League and internationally for many years, before his form dropped massively following the 2019-20 season for Spurs.

The 29-year-old has never really recovered and underwhelming spells with Everton and Besiktas followed, before the latest disaster with Como under the leadership of Cesc Fabregas.

But he is wanted by MK Dons, with the Kuwaiti consortium-owned club chasing promotion back to League One this season.

The club currently lie one point outside the automatic promotion places, and the addition of Alli would provide the whole club with a big boost in the remaining weeks of the season.

Alli was a key part of the Dons side who won promotion to the Championship in 2015, before he earned a £5m move to Tottenham, leaving the club seven years later after scoring 67 goals in 269 appearances for Spurs.

Where Did it All go Wrong for Alli?

Alli's decline is one of the biggest disappointments in English football in recent years.

Things clearly started to go wrong at Tottenham when Jose Mourinho was in charge, with the Portuguese manager honestly telling Alli he would regret it if he didn't reach his potential in a famous scene on the 'All or Nothing' documentary.

His situation off the pitch was clearly affecting him on it, and Alli has later revealed that he had an addiction to sleeping pills, while the childhood abuse he suffered had led him to check into rehab.

Everyone will be hoping that Alli's next move works out and we start to see glimpses of the player who impressed so many in his peak at Tottenham.

Tottenham could save themselves millions of pounds by promoting Luka Vuskovic to their senior squad in the summer, rather than bringing in a new centre-back.

Vuskovic signed for Spurs back in 2023, with the north London club bringing in him from Hadjuk Split. The Croatian centre-back signed a deal until 2023, and he was sent out on loan at the beginning of the season after failing to break into the senior side after his initial arrival.

At the age of 18, it was no surprise that he wasn't trusted to be a regular for the senior squad, but he's now being given his opportunity in the Bundesliga by Hamburger SV. Despite his age, Vuskovic has made 17 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, and has even found the back of the net on four ocassions.

Tottenham Must Promote Vuskovic Next Season

Tottenham will already be preparing for the summer transfer window, and they'll be hoping some of their key stars don't plan on heading through the exit door. Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are two players who have been linked with a departure, and it would feel like a disaster for Spurs fans if they both departed.

One player who would soften the blow of losing the centre-back duo is Vuskovic. The 18-year-old centre-back is already proving to be one of the best centre-backs in the Bundesliga, despite his age, and after a full season of development, he's going to return to Tottenham an even better player.

The Croatian youngster is already being tipped to become one of the best in the world, and ENIC could save themselves millions by giving Vuskovic a chance heading into the 2026/2027 season, rather than spending hefty amounts of money on a new centre-back.

Everyone is Talking About Vuskovic

Vuskovic is receiving rave reviews in the Bundesliga, and it's almost unheard of in terms of the level he's producing at the age of 18. Tottenham simply have to give him a chance in the senior squad in the summer, especially as they have struggled over the last two seasons.

Speaking on the defender, former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who has worked with some of the best players in football history, has suggested that 'everyone is talking about' Vuskovic, and he could go on to become one of the best in the world.

There is a new name at the top of the list to replace Thomas Frank as Tottenham head coach - Roberto De Zerbi.

Frank has been under increasing pressure for much of the 2025/26 campaign since replacing Ange Postecoglou at the helm. Much like his predecessor, performances in Europe have served to ease that pressure, with Postecoglou having won the UEFA Europa League last season and Frank overseeing Spurs finishing fourth in the UEFA Champions League league phase table so far.

But all the while domestic performances continue as they are - Spurs are 14th in the table and nine points clear of the relegation zone - the heat will be on the Dane.

Tottenham Fans Demand Better From Thomas Frank

Tottenham have been booed off the pitch countless times this season, with diminished attendances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for some games and a planned walkout due to take place during the Manchester City game that was halted somewhat by Spurs' comeback from 2-0 down in the second half.

Frank is not entirely to blame for everything going wrong in N17 - Spurs had finished 17th under Postecoglou last season don't forget - but the head coach is always the one in the firing line.

Internal talks were held at the north London club following the defeat to West Ham United about the Dane's position at the club, with plenty of talk that he would be sacked.

Tottenham In The Champions League Are A Different Beast

However, an impressive win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League eased the pressure, with victory over Eintracht Frankfurt doing similar after an equally disappointing Premier League draw with Burnley.

For some time Spurs legend Robbie Keane has been amongst the frontrunners to take over should Frank be sacked with the bookmakers, with Xavi, former manager Mauricio Pochettino and Xabi Alonso high on the shortlist too.

Now, De Zerbi has moved in front of all of them to the head of the queue, and is in fact odds-on to be the next Spurs manager with Willilam Hill at 4/5.

Marseille were eliminated from the Champions League in extraordinary circumstances last week when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored an injury-time goal for Benfica against nine-man Real Madrid to drop the French side down to 25th in the standings.

De Zerbi Could Be Sacked By Marseille

And, according to a report from journalist Fabrice Hawkins, De Zerbi is in "serious danger" as a result. That would open the door further for Tottenham to make a move, although Manchester United have also been linked with the former Brighton boss.

Speaking last week, De Zerbi said cryptically: "Marseille is the ideal place for me, without knowing if I’m the ideal coach for Marseille.”