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The 19-year-old is eligible to face his parent club in the Carabao Cup

Man with a plan: Thomas Frank expects no mistakes against Doncaster

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Matt Verri

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Thomas Frank has no issue with Damola Ajayi having the opportunity to knock Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup.

The 19-year-old joined Doncaster on loan from Spurs this summer and could face his parent club on Wednesday night.

Spurs host the League One side in the third round of the competition and have permitted Ajayi to be involved in the match.

He started on the wing in the first round against Middlesbrough and scored in a 4-0 win.

The teenager is yet to earn a first League One start but has featured in both Carabao Cup fixtures, and is in contention to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Asked about the rule that makes Ajayi eligible, Frank said: “I think it's OK.

“He's on loan at another club. I know the Premier League have this if you're on loan from a club, you're not allowed to play [rule].

“We decided to loan him out because it was good for his development. I've done that a thousand times. Maybe not a thousand times, a lot of times at Brentford, but we haven't been that lucky to face one of our own players.

“It is what it is. I think it's a great opportunity for him.”

Homecoming: Damola Ajayai scored for Tottenham in the last season’s Europa League league phase but returns to Hotspur Stadium as the opposition

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The Carabao Cup offers a big opportunity for Spurs to build on their Europa League success last season and lift another trophy.

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While they are overwhelming favourites to get past Doncaster, Frank insisted he would name a “strong team” against the League One side.

“I would like us to get there where we can compete in all four tournaments throughout the year,” Frank said.

“If you want to compete in all four tournaments, you need to be good enough to pick the right team every single time. And I promise you before I pick the team, it looks like an unbelievably good plan. And also to be brave enough sometimes with the selection both ways.

“So I think every single time we put a team out there I think it goes super strong, but I think we're also aware that no players can play 60 games, 90 minutes.

“So it's that balance we need to hit throughout the season, not only because we are facing Doncaster.

“It could be Brighton last week, it was Villarreal, you know, we made some changes and we need to hit that perfect number of players that rotates and then a strong team. And it will be a strong team tomorrow.”

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Fundamental shift in mentality is encouraging for Spurs as they continue impressive start under Thomas Frank

Spurs showed resilience to fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Brighton Saturday

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Matt Verri

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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It is not an in-house media interview from chief executive Vinai Venkatesham that will convince Tottenham fans this could be a new era at the club.

Nor is the more visible presence of members of the Lewis family, or suggestions of a more ambitious, more engaged ownership.

Instead, it will be performances like Thomas Frank's side produced against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. On face value that appears strange to say after Spurs had to come from two-goals down just to earn a point.

This, though, felt like a very different Spurs team. In recent seasons, the Amex has proved to be an unhappy hunting ground, with Ange Postecoglou suffering two painful defeats on the south coast in contrasting manners.

Thomas Frank hailed ‘our best performance of the season’ after Jan Paul van Hecke’s own goal earned Spurs a point

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There was the 4-2 defeat in which Brighton were 4-0 up with ten minutes to play before Spurs scored a couple of late consolation goals that did little to save face. Last season, Spurs went two goals up but collapsed in the second half to leave empty-handed after a 3-2 defeat.

It all felt very familiar, then, when Spurs found themselves 2-0 down on Saturday with barely half an hour on the clock. The visitors had started well but were caught on the counter by Yankuba Minteh and Guglielmo Vicario then allowed Yasin Ayari's strike from distance to beat him.

When only a last-ditch covering challenge from Destiny Udogie stopped Brighton breaking away again with Spurs exposed at the back, the smart money was on another heavy defeat. It was not hard to imagine Spurs collapsing in the manner previous sides probably would have.

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Instead, Frank strolled in for his post-match press conference and was full of pride as he discussed his side's display.

“I think maybe this was our most complete performance so far in the season,” Frank said.

“You can say we conceded two goals, but I think actually there were so many positives overall in the game. The high pressure, the man-to-man, very aggressive. That resilience in the group, that mentality, is good."

He added: "So the mentality, the physical aspect, I thought was key. And coming here, where last year we came here and were 2-0 up, lost 3-2. Now we’re 2-0 down and come back 2-2. I think it's good.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs have 10 points after five Premier League games

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“And if there should have been a winner in my eyes, and maybe I'm slightly biased, I think it should have been us.”

The 2-0 win away at Manchester City was certainly better defensively and Spurs were ruthless in attack that day, but Frank's assessment does make sense, despite the dropped points against Brighton.

After a run of fairly stodgy performances going forward, this was much better from Spurs. Particularly when Xavi Simons come on at No10, there was a threat in the final third that had been lacking.

Mohammed Kudus provided his individual moments of inspiration out wide, Simons controlled things from the middle of the pitch and Lucas Bergvall made dangerous runs from deep. Unlike in many recent matches, it was easy to see how Spurs could hurt the opposition.

That, along with the resilience to come from behind on a ground where they have struggled so much, bodes well for Frank and his players. In many ways, this was more encouraging than the wins over West Ham and Villarreal.

Spurs now have the platform to kick on and next up in the Premier League it is a home match against Wolves, who are yet to pick up a Premier League point. Frank will hope his side do not need to show quite so much resilience again, but the attacking intent must remain.

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Spurs had a new absentee against Brighton over the weekend

Tottenham’s injury list is lengthy even at this early stages of the season

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Alex Dakers

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Randal Kolo Muani was a notable omission from Tottenham’s matchday squad against Brighton on Saturday, as a dead leg ruled the deadline day signing out of contention alongside fellow injured forward Dominic Solanke.

It meant the Frenchman missed out as Spurs came from two goals behind to draw at the Amex Stadium, a result that left Thomas Frank’s side with just one loss from their opening six games in all competitions despite several senior players being side-lined during that period.

Spurs are next in action against League One side Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, with Frank hoping to welcome back a few of his absentees.

Ahead of that midweek cup tie, here’s a look at the latest Tottenham injury news.

Randal Kolo Muani

As mentioned, the reason for Kolo Muani’s absence from the Amex over the weekend was given as a “dead leg” that he had been struggling with “for four or five days”.

“It’s just not settling as we hoped for,” his manager said on Saturday.

Frank added that the French forward, who made his debut from the bench last week against Villarreal in the Champions League, would “hopefully” be available for Wednesday’s match against Doncaster.

Kolo Muani during his debut for Spurs last week

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If he’s deemed fit enough, that evening could bring Kolo Muani’s first start for his new club.

Potential return date: September 24, 2025 vs Doncaster (H)

Ben Davies

Ben Davies was also missing from Tottenham’s matchday squad on Saturday, although that was less of a surprise given the long-serving defender is yet to feature for his club so far this season.

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Still, rather than keep us in the dark, Frank had this to say on Davies’s availability: “Ben got a slight twist to the knee. It shouldn't be anything serious. Hopefully, he will be also available for Wednesday.”

Potential return date: September 24, 2025 vs Doncaster (H)

Dominic Solanke

Solanke’s start to the campaign has been hampered by an ankle injury that disrupted most of his pre-season, but Frank did say last Friday that the Englishman was “progressing” and back training on grass.

The ex-Bournemouth striker is yet to start a match this season and hasn’t featured for Spurs since coming off the bench against Manchester City last month.

Dominik Solanke last played for Tottenham against Man City as a substitute

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"The positive thing is he is back on the grass and has been for three or four days,” the Tottenham boss said before his team’s match against Brighton. “He is progressing forward - slowly, but forward.”

Ruling the player out of last week’s action, Frank added that Wednesday’s game against Doncaster was also “too early”.

Perhaps we’ll see Solanke make a return in the league this weekend, then, albeit most likely from the bench.

Potential return date: September 27, 2025 vs Wolves (H)

Yves Bissouma

Yves Bissouma is also nearing a return, but there’s even less clarity on an exact date for that.

The Mali international midfielder is yet to play any competitive minutes this season, having initially been left out of the Spurs squad to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup for disciplinary reasons. He then picked up an injury in training ahead of the Premier League opener against Burnley.

Speaking to the media last Friday, Frank had this to say: “I think to be fair he has just started to run outside, so he is not part of the group but everything I have seen when I’ve said hello to him and every day with the players, he seems good.

“When could he be back? That I actually don’t know.”

He added: “Of course I know (about his recovery) but that is further down the line.”

The Spurs boss had previously suggested that Bissouma’s return wasn’t too far away, but Doncaster and Wolves this week may still come too soon for him.

Potential return date: October

Dejan Kulusevski

Over the recent international break, Dejan Kulusevski gave fans a slightly graphic update on his recovery from a serious knee injury by posting an image - taken during surgery - of the back of his knee cap.

Appearing upbeat, the Swede also recently told reporters that he wakes up “every day with the same hunger”, adding: “I will be back in the very, very near future. If everything goes according to plan, I am very confident that I will be back in two-three months."

Kulusevski is yet to play for Tottenham this season

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Early next year was the most recent estimate for Kulusevski’s return, and based on the latest from the player himself we’re inclined to stick with that rough timeline.

Potential return date: Early 2026

Radu Dragusin

After he recently joined training with those not on international duty, there was hope among Spurs fans that Radu Dragusin could make an unexpectedly early comeback from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that has kept him out since February.

However, the 23-year-old defender has been left out of Spurs' squad for the league phase of the Champions League; and the suggestion from Frank is that he could still be a few months away from being in contention to play.

Speaking before the September international break, Frank said: "Of course it is an ACL, I'm always a little bit more... not worried, but just aware that it takes time.

“When you've been out of football for nine months, you know, it's not enough to have a six-week pre-season. You need to take a little bit more time, but it's positive and and some surprise and come back quicker, of course."

Potential return date: Late 2025

Kota Takai

Kota Takai is yet to feature for Spurs, who he joined this summer, after picking up a plantar fascia issue.

The Japanese centre-back missed early-summer friendlies against Reading, Wycombe and Luton, before Thomas Frank confirmed: "Kota got a plantar fascia injury, unfortunately we don't know the scale of it... weeks."

Last Friday, we got a slight update from the Danish manager that Takai is “very close to training with the group” - but we’ve not heard much more than that.

Potential return date: Late 2025 or early 2026

James Maddison

The most long-term absentee on this list, James Maddison is set to miss most - if not all - of the 2025-26 campaign after rupturing his ACL during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle.

Maddison has since undergone surgery, but no timeframe has been placed on his absence by the club - although he was spotted in seemingly good spirits during Tottenham’s home tie against Villarreal last Tuesday.

Absent: James Maddison

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A statement from Spurs said that following his surgery, “James will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.

“Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a full and speedy recovery. We will be supporting him every step of the way.”

Potential return date: April 2026

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Thomas Frank’s side recover from torrid start in dramatic Amex thriller

Tottenham have made three changes for today’s Premier League clash with Brighton, with Xavi Simons among those benched as Destiny Udogie makes his first start of the season.

Spurs, who beat West Ham last weekend and then backed it up by seeing off Villarreal in a 1-0 win to start their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, have a new-look left flank at the Amex Stadium today as Wilson Odobert makes a surprise start ahead of Simons on that wing, with full-back Udogie coming in for Djed Spence.

Joao Palhinha is also named in Thomas Frank’s starting XI today after coming off the bench against Villarreal, with Pape Matar Sarr the man to make way.

Spurs look to continue fine start under Thomas Frank as they head to the Amex

Bad memories: Tottenham were 2-0 up at the Amex Stadium last season and went on to lose to Brighton

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Alex Dakers|Matt Verri

Brighton vs Tottenham LIVE!

The new Thomas Frank era continues for Spurs as they travel to the south coast this afternoon. It’s been a positive start to the season for Tottenham, who begin the weekend sitting third in the Premier League table behind only Liverpool and Arsenal having bounced back quickly from a shock home defeat against Bournemouth by easily brushing aside struggling London rivals West Ham last time out.

Spurs then marked their return to the Champions League with a hard-fought win over Villarreal in midweek to continue the early feel-good factor under Frank, who was making his managerial debut in the competition. Now he will want to change Tottenham’s fortunes in a fixture in which they have typically struggled in recent times, losing three of their last four games against Brighton - including both top-flight matches last season despite leading 2-0 away at half-time under Ange Postecoglou.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls have won only one of their first four league games, though that was against Manchester City before they were also toppled by Bournemouth. Follow Brighton vs Tottenham live below, with expert analysis from Standard Sport’s Matt Verri at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton vs Tottenham latest news

Brighton players arrive at the Amex Stadium

The hosts have arrived at the Amex!

With just about an hour and a half to go until kick-off, we’re expecting full team news shortly.

Analysis: Have Spurs struck gold with Simons signing?

There are few 22-year-olds who can say they have faced the glare of football’s spotlight for more than a decade. Attention and expectation are nothing new for Xavi Simons, Tottenham’s statement signing, writes Matt Verri.

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Named after the former Barcelona midfielder and manager, he was a child prodigy at the club’s La Masia academy after joining at the age of seven. With his distinct blond curls adding to the intrigue, Simons had over a million Instagram followers by the age of 14.

“People used to have doubts and say: ‘We don’t know if Xavi can play football well, he just has a lot of Instagram followers’,” Simons admitted in an interview in 2023.

The journey since has taken him from Barcelona to London, via Paris, Eindhoven and Leipzig. It has been an unusual career trajectory.

He was training with Lionel Messi and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain before he could legally drive, having already appeared alongside Ronaldinho and Neymar in a Nike advert at the age of 15.

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Unable to make his mark at PSG, a sparkling season at PSV got Simons’ career back on track and two years at RB Leipzig cemented his status as one of Europe’s brightest talents.

It was a major coup, therefore, for Spurs to complete a £51.8million deal this summer. Chelsea had already agreed personal terms with Simons but their London rivals moved quickly to secure the playmaker.

Find the full piece here!

Frank drops hint over Simons position

Thomas Frank suggested Xavi Simons could move into a more central at Tottenham as the team develops, but explained his decision to use the summer signing on the left wing since he arrived.

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Simons started out wide in the wins over West Ham and Villarreal, with Frank opting to keep Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr in midfield.

The Dutchman was largely quiet against West Ham but there were more promising signs of his partnership with Destiny Udogie in the Champions League on Tuesday, even if Simons was perhaps fortunate to avoid being sent off in the second half when already on a yellow card.

Although results have been largely positive under Frank, Spurs have struggled for large periods to create chances from open play, leading to calls for Simons to be used in the No10 role.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Brighton, Frank again stated he “sees [Simons] in both positions”.

Read the full story here.

Pre-match preview: Frank faced with tricky Brighton test

There are not a lot of recent happy memories for Tottenham at the Amex Stadium, writes Matt Verri.

Spurs fans will all too vividly remember last season's visit, a 3-2 defeat to Brighton and a result that the team's Premier League season never really recovered from.

Ange Postecoglou's side, at the time on a run of five straight wins, were 2-0 up at the break but collapsed in the second half.

It was miserable for Spurs a year earlier, too. They were 4-0 down with ten minutes to go and only late consolation goals from Ben Davies and Alejo Veliz added a modicum of respectability to the scoreline.

Add in a 4-1 defeat on home soil to Brighton last season and it paints an ugly picture of results and performances against this particular opposition under Postecoglou.

Thomas Frank, though, will not be burdened by those defeats. Asked if his preparations for this afternoon's trip to the south coast included watching recent meetings between the two sides, the Spurs boss was clear.

Click here to read more!

Who's in better form?

Tottenham played in the Champions League in midweek for the first time since the 2022-23 season, when they were knocked out in the last-16 by AC Milan.

An own goal from Luiz Junior on four minutes gave them a narrow victory over Villarreal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and they return to domestic action this afternoon against a Brighton side in indifferent form.

Fabian Hürzeler’s team were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth last time out, having stunned Manchester City by the same scoreline the week before.

They thrashed Championship side Oxford 6-0 in the Carabao Cup to follow a 2-0 defeat at Everton and a last-minute draw against Fulham on the opening day.

As for Spurs, a shock 0-1 home defeat to Bournemouth a few weeks ago has been Thomas Frank’s only loss so far this season. The Lilywhites have otherwise beaten Burnley, City and West Ham - all to nil.

Brighton vs Tottenham match odds: Spurs the favourites

Brighton to win: 13/10

Draw: 13/5

Tottenham to win: 2/1

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

Brighton vs Tottenham head-to-head history

Brighton wins: 12

Draws: 8

Tottenham wins: 21

Score prediction

These are two teams that, typically, are consistently inconsistent.

One week they can be near-enough unstoppable, and the next, they can be cut through like butter.

Spurs showed their pragmatic side at times against Villarreal last time out, and they used that to their advantage to grind out an important first win in the Champions League.

Brighton are a much younger side that can be exposed at times, and with their injury issues, they are not at their strongest, particularly when Fabian Hürzeler chops and changes his line-up as often as he does.

This is a game that Spurs - who have four wins and four clean sheets from five games in all competitions so far this season - feel they should win.

Tottenham to win, 3-1.

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Tottenham early team news: Palhinha pushing for start

Spurs remain without striker Dominic Solanke, though he is edging closer to returning from an ankle injury.

James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Kota Takai are also all still sidelined for the visitors.

Joao Palhinha started on the bench against Villarreal during the week but made a significant impact when he came on and there is every chance he earns a starting spot here.

We’d expect fellow summer arrivals Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons to also be named in Thomas Frank’s XI, with the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr also in good form.

Joao Palhinha

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Brighton early team news: Hinshelwood out, De Cuyper a doubt

For today’s hosts, Adam Webster and Solly March remain side-lined for an extended period with serious knee injuries, though Mats Wieffer is back along with Diego Gomez.

Brighton’s left-back Maxim De Cuyper is a doubt, but Jack Hinshelwood is now a long-term absentee after picking up an ankle injury early on in last weekend’s loss to Bournemouth.

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Spurs have not enjoyed their trips to the Amex Stadium in recent seasons

Intriguing clash: Brighton host Tottenham at the Amex Stadium on Saturday

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Oli Gent

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Tottenham return to Premier League action away at Brighton today.

Spurs played in the Champions League in midweek for the first time since the 2022-23 season, when they were knocked out in the last 16 by AC Milan.

An own goal from Luiz Junior on four minutes gave them a narrow victory over Villarreal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and they return to domestic action this afternoon against a Brighton side in indifferent form.

Fabian Hurzeler’s team were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth last time out, having stunned Manchester City by the same scoreline the week before.

They thrashed Championship side Oxford 6-0 in the Carabao Cup to follow a 2-0 defeat at Everton and a last-minute draw against Fulham on the opening day.

Brighton are always tricky customers in the league, especially at the Amex Stadium, and this game will be no different for Spurs, who had the double done over them last season by the Seagulls.

A 4-1 rout ended the domestic campaign at home, which followed a galling 3-2 loss on the Sussex coast earlier in the campaign, in which they were 2-0 up at half-time under Ange Postecoglou.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham vs Brighton is scheduled for a 3pm BST kick-off today on Saturday September 20, 2025.

The match will take place at the Amex Stadium.

Where to watch Brighton vs Tottenham

TV channel: In the UK, the game will not be televised live as it falls during the 3pm TV blackout still enforced across English football.

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Brighton vs Tottenham team news

Spurs remain without striker Dominic Solanke, though he is edging closer to returning from an ankle injury.

James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Kota Takai are also all still sidelined for the visitors.

As for Brighton, Adam Webster and Solly March are out for an extended period with serious knee injuries, though Mats Wieffer is back along with Diego Gomez.

Maxim De Cuyper is a doubt, with Jack Hinshelwood also now a long-term absentee.

Brighton vs Tottenham prediction

These are two teams that are consistently inconsistent.

One week they can be near-enough unstoppable, and the next, they can be cut through like butter.

Spurs showed their pragmatic side at times against Villarreal last time out, and they used that to their advantage to grind out an important first win in the Champions League.

Brighton are a much younger side that can be exposed at times, and with their injury issues, they are not at their strongest, particularly when Hurzeler chops and changes his lineup as often as he does.

This is a game that Spurs feel they should win.

Tottenham to win, 3-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Brighton wins: 12

Draws: 8

Tottenham wins: 21

Brighton vs Tottenham match odds

Brighton to win: 13/10

Draw: 13/5

Tottenham to win: 2/1

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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Thomas Frank has insisted he has "no hard feelings" towards Yves Bissouma, opening the door to a possible return to the Tottenham squad.

Bissouma is out of contract at the end of the season and his time at north London appeared to be coming to an end this summer.

Having barely featured in pre-season, the Malian international was then dropped for the UEFA Super Cup for disciplinary reasons after Frank became frustrated with his persistent lateness.

Spurs were looking to move Bissouma on before the transfer window closed and talks were held with Turkish clubs but no final agreement would be reached.

It still remains unlikely that the midfielder will be a Spurs player next season, but Frank did not rule out the former Brighton man featuring under him before then.

"Not before, not now, not at all. Train well and everyone has an opportunity.”

Bissouma is currently out with an injury he picked up in training ahead of the opening Premier League match of the season against Burnley.

That has meant he is yet to featured in a competitive match under Frank, but he has returned to individual training on the grass as he steps up his recovery.

“I think, to be fair, he has just started to run outside, so he is not part of the group," Frank said.

"But everything I have seen when I’ve said hello to him and every day with the players, he seems good."

On when he could be back to fitness and in contention to make the Spurs squad, Frank added: “That I actually don’t know. The players available now are the players I have available.

Tottenham are expected to name a strong side for their Premier League clash with Brighton today.

It has been a busy week for Spurs, who beat West Ham last weekend and then backed it up by seeing off Villarreal in a 1-0 win to start their Champions League campaign on Tuesday.

However, with many of the first team likely to be rested for the midweek Carabao Cup clash with third-tier Doncaster, Thomas Frank could opt to stick with a fairly similar side for the third time in a week.

The Spurs boss, though, will be tempted to make a change in midfield.

Joao Palhinha started on the bench against Villarreal but made a significant impact when coming on to help Spurs hold on for victory, and there is every chance he comes into the starting team here.

Xavi Simons has started both his appearances for Tottenham so far on the left wing, which Frank has put down to wanting to keep a settled midfield providing the structure for the team.

The Dutchman could therefore continue out wide, with Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr both in strong form and Frank keen on the reliability the pair offer at both ends of the pitch.

There is the potential for things to be freshened up at full-back. Djed Spence has started every match so far this season, but struggled against Villarreal and Destiny Udogie is pushing to earn his first start of the campaign.