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Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney is not among Tottenham Hotspur's 'top transfer priorities' ahead of the January transfer window.

CaughtOffside outline that the Englishman, who left the Bees for Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ahli in the summer window of 2024, is not pushing for a return to the Premier League after making an impressive start to life in the Middle East.

After leaving Brentford for Al Ahli for a £40m fee last year, Toney has scored 39 goals and notched seven assists in just 56 games for the Saudi side, starring alongside former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez.

The 29-year-old's success in Saudi Arabia has sparked speculation over a potential return to the top flight, but it appears unlikely that he will return to work under Thomas Frank in January.

Ivan Toney Will Not Join Tottenham In January

Spurs boss Frank is dealing with several key injury issues currently, with one of his marquee strikers in Dominic Solanke sidelined after surgery on an ankle injury and Juventus loanee Randal Kolo Muani returning to the fold after a lay-off.

Therefore, Spurs are in the market for attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, but Frank's former Brentford star Toney will not be returning to the top flight in the mid-season window.

CaughtOffside add that Toney, who scored 72 goals in 141 outings for Brentford between 2020 and 2024, is 'happy' with his current situation at Al Ahli and is not pushing to come back to the Premier League despite the renewed speculation regarding his services.

Although Frank remains a "big admirer" of Toney, Al Ahli have no desire of letting their leading goalscorer leave in January as they look to recover ground in the Saudi Pro League title race.

A return to English football for Toney could bolster his chances of making Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad, but it would mean walking away from his extremely lucrative base pay of just over £420,000-a-week.

What Frank Thought Of Toney At Brentford

After arriving from League One outfit Peterborough United in the summer of 2020, Toney became an instant hit at Brentford under Frank, scoring 33 goals in his debut season to inspire the Bees to promotion to the Premier League.

With Toney playing a pivotal role in Brentford's rise for the Danish head coach, Frank was understandably upset to see his star striker depart in August of last year.

As quoted by The Independent, Frank said of Toney: "Even I was a little bit emotional (seeing Toney leave). I said a few things and then he said something to the players.

He has been a great player for Brentford, a Brentford legend, and I mean that. When you are in a club like ours and you score 72 goals in 141 games that’s incredible, incredible numbers.

He’s been on a fantastic journey with us over the last four years. I enjoyed working together with him on and off the pitch. Ivan has been a key player for us, especially the first three years.

"I think he’s been one of our best players, if not our best player in that period, consistently with the amount of goals for us and I think we played some fantastic football with him.”

Although Frank will be well aware of the goalscoring prowess that Toney possesses, the Spurs boss will have to search the transfer market for other potential mid-season recruits in his attacking ranks.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move to sign both Samu Aghehowa and Dusan Vlahovic ahead of 2026, but Fabrizio Romano, writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter, has confirmed that there is nothing in either link as of today.

We could see Spurs continue investing in their playing squad in 2026, especially after the recent news of a cash injection. Tottenham announced a new £100m capital injection from majority owners ENIC, to boost their financial position, with GIVEMESPORT sources confirming that although the money wasn't going to be solely spent on new additions, it would help bring in reinforcements.

Tottenham have shown signs of improvement this season in the Premier League after finishing 17th last term, but they are still performing inconsistently under Thomas Frank, particularly away from home. The January window could be an ideal opportunity for the north London club to strengthen their squad further ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Writing in his exclusive GIVEMESPORT newsletter, Romano has addressed recent rumours that Tottenham are interested in signing Porto striker Samu and Juventus forward Vlahovic. The respected reporter confirms that there is nothing in these links as it stands, but both players will be names to follow in 2026.

"Nothing in it as of today. Both will be names to follow in 2026 in general, so links are normal, but we'll see many links."

Recent reports claimed that Tottenham are in pole position to sign Vlahovic in 2026, ahead of some of their Premier League rivals. It's also been reported that Fabio Paratici wants Tottenham to bring in Samu in the January transfer window after an impressive spell with Porto.

Tottenham's current striker options include Mathys Tel, Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, and Randal Kolo Muani, but the latter is only on loan as it stands. Tel is still a young, unproven product, while there is an argument to suggest that he might be better suited to playing out wide.

Richarlison has endured injury struggles during his time at Tottenham and has been linked with a departure in recent months, so although Spurs are fairly stacked in the centre-forward position, it could still be an area they look to strengthen in the near future.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has come under a little criticism after their disappointing defeat at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League at the weekend, and he has some selection decisions to make ahead of their Champions League clash.

Spurs have picked up some strong results so far this campaign, but their home form in the Premier League has certainly brought concerns over Frank's style on their own turf. Tottenham have won just once in their opening four Premier League matches at home this season, but they have produced some impressive performances on the road.

Frank needs to try and find a way to get the best out of Dutch international Xavi Simons, and the current setup hasn't seen him flourish just yet, which could mean he's rotated out of the side again. The Tottenham boss could make some changes ahead of their Champions League game against Monaco, and with some potential injuries to contend with, GIVEMESPORT have taken a look at how he should look to line up.

Vicario Keeps His Place

Guglielmo Vicario is likely to keep his place between the sticks, as he has done this season, so there's little reason for him to drop out. The Tottenham goalkeeper hasn't been an issue for Frank this campaign, as it's further up the pitch where Spurs have had some problems.

Romero Likely to Miss Out for Tottenham

With Cristian Romero pulling out of the game against Aston Villa just before kick-off, we're unlikely to see the Argentinian international featuring. Kevin Danso replaced him in the starting XI against Villa, and there's no reason for him not to keep his place in the starting XI.

Destiny Udogie and Romero both missed training ahead of the game against Monaco, so a back four of Pedro Porro, Danso, Micky van de Ven, and Djed Spence should be in Frank's plans. Again, the problems for Spurs have come further forward.

Midfield Conundrum - Palhinha and Bentancur

Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have come under criticism, particularly during home games, not for what they do without the ball, but how they perform on it. The lack of progression from midfield to attack has been a problem for Spurs, but on the flip side, this might not be the game to change things.

Tottenham have performed well away from home, but a little change further forward might help them. Lucas Bergvall should come in to replace the out-of-form Simons. The Swedish youngster can play a little deeper and likes to drop in to receive the ball, which could help Tottenham link play from midfield to attack. When given a chance, Bergvall has impressed, and Simons simply isn't doing enough to warrant a starting place.

Frank Has Striker Decision to Make

With Mathys Tel unavailable for Champions League selection, Frank has a decision to make through the middle of attack. We're yet to see Randal Kolo Muani make a start for Spurs since his arrival, playing just 24 minutes of action, but after returning from injury to come off the bench against Aston Villa, it could be time for him to be given a start.

Tottenham fans know what they're getting with Richarlison, and he's shown plenty of inconsistency, but Kolo Muani was the exciting striker addition many wanted in the summer. He has plenty of experience in the competition, and it could be time for Frank to show some faith in him if he's fit enough.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has been carefully assessing his options at Hotspur Way as he aims to overcome a weekend defeat and maintain his side's unbeaten start to their Champions League campaign when they make the trip to Monaco on Wednesday.

Although Spurs allowed Aston Villa to come from behind and claim all three points last time out in the top flight, thanks to Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia cancelling out Rodrigo Bentancur's early opener, they will head to the Stade Louis II with a win against Villarreal and a draw with Bodo/Glimt under their belt.

Monaco have already grabbed a share of the spoils against Tottenham's Premier League counterparts Manchester City during the league phase, highlighting that the north Londoners are facing a tough challenge, and GIVEMESPORT has predicted who will be involved for both sides.

Monaco Team News

Eric Dier will miss out on the opportunity to come up against former employers Tottenham due to suffering a hamstring injury which is due to keep him on the treatment table until next month, while ex-Chelsea loanee Denis Zakaria is set to be another high-profile absentee for Monaco due to nursing an adductor problem.

Paul Pogba and fellow summer arrival Lukas Hradecky are out of contention after picking up thigh and knee issues respectively. Lamine Camara, Christian Mawissa and Vanderson will also be unavailable for head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, who took charge of Les Monegasques earlier this month.

Pocognoli has confirmed that the clash with Tottenham will come too soon for Pogba to make his Monaco debut as he has only just been integrated into first-team training. The Belgian tactician said:

"Paul is training, but not fully. I think, for Paul, it is a process to take everything step by step. He joined the group for the first time under my coaching [on Monday].

"He was smiling, he was enjoying and interacting with the players. For me, this is the first step and this step can take days, can take two to three weeks, and then we can build on this through performance and consistency.

"That is the first step and here we are. That is the situation, but I am very pleased, for sure, to see him on the pitch."

Monaco Predicted XI

Monaco Predicted XI: Kohn; Diatta, Kehrer, Salisu, Ouattara; Teze, Coulibaly; Akliouche, Fati, Minamino; Biereth.

Monaco Predicted Substitutes: Lienard (GK), Henrique (DEF), Nibombe (DEF), Mokabakila (DEF), Golovin (MID), Idumbo (MID), Bamba (MID), Toure (MID), Cabral (MID), Balogun (FWD), Ilenikhena (FWD), Michal (FWD).

Tottenham Team News

Tottenham will make a late assessment on whether to include Cristian Romero after an injury sustained in the pre-match warm-up resulted in him being forced to miss the Premier League defeat to Aston Villa, leaving Frank with a potential defensive crisis as Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai are unavailable at a time when Ben Davies is also at risk of missing out.

Destiny Udogie did not board the flight to Monaco due to a knee complaint. Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke and Yves Bissouma are on the treatment table as well, while James Maddison is still in the early stages of his recovery from a cruciate ligament tear, meaning that Spurs will be without a host of big-names against Monaco.

Randal Kolo Muani, Brennan Johnson and Pape Matar Sarr - who are pocketing a combined total of £320,000-per-week before bonuses - are expected to be named among the substitutes.

When asked during his pre-match press conference whether Romero or Udogie will be involved for Tottenham against Monaco, Frank said:

"It's an adductor strain [suffered by Romero]. We will assess it more this week before we confirm any timeframe.

"The latest [with Udogie] is that he got that knee irritation after international duty. We are assessing and working very hard to get on top of it. We'll know more day by day."

Tottenham Predicted XI

Tottenham are plotting a move to sign Brazilian sensation Rayan, according to The Boot Room.

Spurs are among a number of suitors for the Vasco Da Gama wonderkid but face significant competition to get the signing over the line.

As per the report, Newcastle United and Brighton have been monitoring the 19-year-old closely over recent weeks alongside Thomas Frank's side. BlueCo — Chelsea's ownership group, The City Group — Man City's ownership group, Arsenal and Liverpool have also assessed his situation in 2025, while a number of suitors from Italy, Spain and Portugal are also interested in a move.

It's claimed that intermediaries are already engaged in preliminary talks with a potential deal lined up for the January transfer window.

Spurs face stiff Rayan competition

Tottenham's interest in Rayan — described as 'an extremely unique' and 'deadly' player—comes as no surprise given his bright start to life in football.

A right-winger who loves coming onto his left foot, Rayan has already scored 18 goals in 86 games for Vasco Da Gama in Brazil, not to mention representing Brazil's star-studded under-20 side on no less than 11 occasions already.

With a contract that expires in December 2026, it seems that Vasco Da Gama are looking to be in an increasingly vulnerable position as interest from Europe's top clubs continues to grow.

Young stars traveling from Brazil to Europe is nothing new, but we have seen a huge influx of stars making the journey in recent years. Notable examples include Estevao joining Chelsea, Victor Roque heading to Barcelona and Endrick joining Real Madrid.

While Tottenham could struggle if Europe's major powerhouses formalise their interest, you certainly couldn't bet against Spurs winning the race given their current track record.

As well as having Rayan's fellow countryman Richarlison on board, Tottenham boast one of football's most exciting young squads as they look to build a team capable of challenging for the future.

Antonin Kinsky, Destiny Udogie and Xavi Simons are all just 22 years of age, while Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mathys Tel - aged 19, 19 and 20 - represent genuine talents who could become world-class in the future.

While Rayan may have to be patient if he goes elsewhere, Tottenham's track record of giving young players a chance to shine could make all the difference as they look to make a move for Rayan.

With an impressive record already to his name, the 19-year-old will be desperate to hit the ground running wherever he ends up next.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in 'pole position' to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, with the Serbian's situation being closely monitored by elite European outfits including Barcelona and Premier League royalty.

Italian outlet Tutto Juve state that Vlahovic is a wanted man in the Premier League, with Tottenham fighting for his services alongside Chelsea and Manchester United.

Vlahovic has scored 62 goals in 154 appearances for the Italian giants since arriving from Fiorentina in January 2022. However, his current contract with Juve is set to expire in the summer, which has some of the top flight's best on high alert as well as Barcelona.

However, with Tottenham holding talks to sign Vlahovic earlier this month, Thomas Frank's side are leading the transfer race to secure the 40-capped Serbian's signature as the mid-season transfer window looms.

Tottenham Leading Race To Sign Vlahovic From Juventus

Tutto Juve outline that Barcelona see Vlahovic as a potential heir to Robert Lewandowski's number nine throne, but that Tottenham are leading the race for the 25-year-old, who is considered as an 'ideal candidate' to spearhead Spurs' forward line.

Vlahovic - who reportedly earns £370,000-a-week - has impressed throughout his five-season stint in Turin, and has made a productive start to the current campaign with six goals and one assist during his first 12 games in all competitions.

Frank has suffered injury woes within his goalscoring ranks so far in his short Tottenham tenure, with Dominic Solanke currently sidelined with injury after surgery and Juventus loanee Randal Kolo Muani struggling with a lay-off since arriving from Turin in the summer window.

Therefore, Spurs are in need of another number nine, and could be in the frame for a cut-price deal on the £22m-rated forward if Vlahovic fails to pen new terms with the Italian top flight outfit with his contract running towards expiry.

Particularly at Fiorentina, Vlahovic established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in European football, with his deft left foot and physical presence an immense handful for Italian top flight defenders to handle.

If the Serbian decides to depart Juventus, he can pen a pre-contract agreement with non-Italian clubs during the mid-season window, but Igor Tudor's side may be more hopeful of recouping some of the £66.6m fee they shelled out to Fiorentina for his services almost four years ago.

Earlier in October, Fabio Paratici returned to Tottenham as the club's sporting director following his ban by FIFA, and the former Juventus figure could hold the upper hand to beat the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona to snap up Vlahovic.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham and Juventus will settle on a fee for the centre-forward, who scored ten goals in Serie A last season, but he would undoubtedly be another exciting addition to Frank's squad.

Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Xavi Simons has endured a difficult start to life in north London, and he's becoming a bit of a problem for Thomas Frank.

The Dutch international made the move to Spurs in the summer transfer window, joining the club from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. The young star was meant to come in and be the creative threat that Tottenham are lacking without the injured Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, but he's struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League so far.

Simons, who is earning around £195,000-a-week, has registered just one assists in the Premier League this campaign, and he's yet to find the back of the net. Frank has given him plenty of opportunities to impress, but he's failing to make an impact, and he's becoming a problem for the Spurs manager.

Xavi Simons 'Miles Off It' for Tottenham

Speaking on Sky Sports, former Tottenham midfielder O'Hara has shared his worries about Simons, suggesting that he is 'miles off it' at the moment.

"Xavi Simons, he ain't started in a Tottenham shirt yet. He's been miles off it, he needs to be better."

It's not all Simons' fault, however, as the midfield two regularly playing behind him in Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur offer little in terms of ball progression. The midfield duo struggle to find Simons in the right areas, meaning Frank has to take some of the blame due to his team selection.

There's no doubt Simons needs to step up himself, whether that be dropping deeper to get on the ball and impact the game, or finding better and more simpler areas for Bentancur and Palhinha to try and find him. It's a problem that needs solving, whether you want to blame Frank or Simons, but there's no doubt they could both be doing something to get the most of the former Leipzig man.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to get back to winning ways as they take on Monaco in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.

Spurs were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, having led the game 1-0 thanks to a Rodrigo Bentancur strike.

Thomas Frank's side sit ninth in the Champions League league phase standings after two games, having beaten Villarreal 1-0 in the opening match before drawing 2-2 in the Arctic circle against Bodo/Glimt on matchday two.

Making the trip to France, they will face a Monaco team without a win in the Champions League yet this season, having lost one and drawn one so far - losing to Club Brugge but drawing with Manchester City.

Players missing

Tottenham will be without a number of players for the trip - Mathys Tel being one because he was not named in the Champions League squad at the start of the season. Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai and long-term injured duo James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are in the same boat

Dominic Solanke and Yves Bissouma also remain sidelined with injuries of their own.

There are also question marks over the fitness of captain Cristian Romero, who was a late withdrawal from the game against Aston Villa having picked up an injury in the warm-up. The Argentine was not in training ahead of the match against Monaco, neither was left-back Destiny Udogie, nor fellow defender Ben Davies.

It does mean the Spurs boss has somewhat limited options when it comes to naming a 20-man matchday squad for the clash in the principality.

As is customary on social media, Tottenham have given us an insight into the make-up of the squad for the game against Monaco with a social media video.

The Tottenham players have been videoed boarding the plane for France and in the video 17 players were spotted.

Guglielmo Vicario was present, alongside defenders Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence and Kevin Danso. Midfielders Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray and Xavi Simons also boarded the plane, with forwards Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, Dane Scarlett, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani also getting on board.

Expected additions

That is about as many first team players as Frank can call upon right now, except for one, maybe two, who were missing from the video. Vicario was the only keeper spotted in the video, with no sign of either Antonin Kinsky or Brandon Austin.

One or both are likely to be part of the travelling squad too, given Spurs cannot go into a big game without a second keeper.

Things were brought to something of a head for Tottenham Hotspur supporters on Sunday as the Lilywhites lost 2-1 at home to Aston Villa.

For the first time in eight attempts, Spurs went into an international break on the back of a win, but turned things on their head by losing on the other side of the two-week sojourn.

Rodrigo Bentancur had given Spurs an early lead, firing home a Joao Palhinha knock down.

But Tottenham were pegged back by a fine Morgan Rogers strike before half-time and then saw the scoreline turned on its head by an equally brilliant Emiliano Buendia strike in the second half.

Spurs had the chance to go second in the table, but instead find themselves sixth and five points adrift of leaders and north London rivals Arsenal.

While results had been pretty good up until that point - the Bournemouth home defeat aside - performances have not exactly been pristine from Thomas Frank’s side and the reverse against Villa led to a fair amount of fan anger.

Criticism was pointed towards his team selection, with Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur both chosen as more defensive-minded midfielders for a home game they would have been expecting to win.

But it was not just those two who had something of a defensive mindset during the game as Frank has created something of a problem with one of his key attacking players too.

Transfer coup

Xavi Simons was signed from RB Leipzig for his creativity and attacking intent. Tottenham were in need of a new No.10, with injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski and bringing Simons in was seen as something of a coup.

He has played on the left of a front three but is at his best centrally, picking the ball up in tight spaces and getting Spurs on the front foot.

But there is an unseen part of his game that certainly endears himself to Thomas Frank and the way he wants to set up and while endearing to the fans in the moment, is not where supporters want to see him.

Simons showed on Sunday that he is not afraid to do the dirty work, which would ordinarily be left to the likes of Palhinha and Bentancur.

Defensive output

The Dutchman made a quite staggering ten defensive contributions in the match - more than all but four other players on the pitch - the two defensive midfielders for both sides.

He also made four tackles, only bettered by Palhinha, and recovered the ball three times. He also made two clearances.

This is not what he is on the pitch to do, and while it is a team game and it is laudable the work he is putting in, which Frank will love him for, Spurs need him higher up the pitch, making the attackers tick and creating chances.

In an attacking sense he created just one chance and passed the ball into the final third on only three occasions.

Frank splashed out £51million to sign the forward, having missed out on players like Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze already in the transfer window. Simons had 17 goal contributions in 25 Bundesliga matches for RB Leipzig last season. It will take time to adapt to a new league, a new head coach's philosophy and new teammates, but Spurs need to get him firing sooner rather than later if they are to really challenge for the Champions League spots come May.

And to have any chance of doing that they need to push him higher up the pitch and leave the so-called dirty work to other players.

Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both believe Mathys Tel should be playing on the left-hand side after struggling to impress in a central role during Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.

The French striker was deployed at centre-forward by Thomas Frank on Sunday and failed to be the focal point of the attack, managing zero shots on goal and just five accurate passes.

With Frank’s move seemingly backfiring, Lineker claimed Tel was not fulfilling the natural striker’s duties well against Villa, as he struggled to exploit the high line that Unai Emery deployed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tel was handed his third Premier League start on Sunday, all of which have come at centre-forward, with the Frenchman scoring his first goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Leeds before the international break.

Tottenham were without injured Dominic Solanke on Sunday, while Richarlison came off the bench for Tel in the final half-hour, and Randal Kolo Muani returned from injury.

Lineker and Richards Agree on Mathys Tel

Lineker, speaking on The Rest is Football, said he preferred seeing Tel on the left following yet another start for Tottenham at centre-forward on Sunday:

“I preferred him, perhaps, on the left-hand side when I'm seeing him play there. But yeah, he wasn't making the natural runs of a striker that understands how to beat an offside trap, which is not that difficult when a team plays that high line with no pressure on the ball.”

Richards responded:

“Yeah, exactly that. I echo your thoughts as well. I like him better off the left.”

Tel, a February arrival from Bayern Munich, has struggled to find form in his first 10 months as a Tottenham player, netting just four goals in 28 appearances for the North London side.

The 'extraordinary' Frenchman initially joined Spurs on loan at the start of the year before his move from Bayern was made permanent for £30m this summer.

Tottenham are dealing with several injury issues in attack, with Solanke yet to feature since their 2-0 win at Manchester City in August.

Dejan Kulusevski also remains unavailable and has yet to play this season, following surgery on his patella before last season’s Europa League final victory in May.