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Tottenham are back in Premier League action almost immediately, with selection calls now firmly in focus as Thomas Frank prepares his side for a demanding away test against Brentford. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI to face the Bees.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a swift return to league action following their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Spurs sit in 11th place in the Premier League table, four points off the top five and will be desperate to secure another win as they aim to close the gap on London rivals Chelsea.

However, standing in their way on Thursday night is an in-form Brentford side, fresh from a 4-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.

With suspended Romero back and Dragusin working his way to full fitness, Thomas Frank has a few selection decisions to make on Thursday, and we have now attempted to predict the Tottenham XI to take to the pitch.

Tottenham predicted XI vs Brentford in the Premier League

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian earned himself a clean sheet last time out against Palace as he was barely troubled, and he will be hoping for more of the same against Brentford during the week.

Right-back – Pedro Porro: It was a solid defensive performance from the Spaniard, who stuck to his task last weekend while picking the right moments to bomb forward, and he should continue here.

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Centre-back – Cristian Romero: Kevin Danso impressed and held his own against Jean-Philippe Mateta and company when he came in for Romero, but with the Argentine available for selection, we expect him to return to the starting XI.

Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: It was another strong defensive display from the Dutchman, who helped sweep things up against the Eagles, and he should keep his starting spot.

Left-back – Djed Spence: Tottenham still needs better balance down the left, but with Destiny Udogie out with a hamstring problem, Spence should retain his place.

Pivot midfielder – Rodrigo Bentancur: Frank is a coach who values a pivot midfielder, and so far this season, Bentancur has been his go-to man. We expect him to start once more.

Pivot midfielder – Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese has been left on the bench in recent outings due to Archie Gray’s impressive form, but we expect Palhinha to return to the Tottenham midfield.

Centre midfielder – Archie Gray: The youngster was the goalscorer against Crystal Palace while operating from the pivot; however, with Lucas Bergvall injured and Xavi Simons unavailable, we expect him to take up a more advanced role.

Right winger – Mohammed Kudus: The Ghana international has been a mainstay for Frank on the right, and we expect him to continue against Brentford.

Striker – Richarlison: He was unlucky not to score against Palace, with two efforts ruled out for offside, but he showed encouraging signs and should start here.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told whether they stand a chance of landing Manchester City star Omar Marmoush in the January transfer window.

The Egyptian international, who arrived in a £59m deal from Eintracht Frankfurt 12 months ago, has found game time hard to come by this term.

He has played just 389 minutes of football across all competitions this season, and it has been reported that Tottenham are sensing an opportunity to swoop for Marmoush in January.

In fact, some sources have even claimed that Man City are likely to sell one of their attackers if they land Antoine Semenyo in January, but a new update has rubbished that claim.

Tottenham could sell one of their own attackers, Brennan Johnson, for £35m in January as Crystal Palace lead the race for the Europa League hero.

Tottenham will have to wait until next summer to land Omar Marmoush

A couple of days ago, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that Man City are not likely to sell Marmoush mid-season, and that has now been backed up by another source.

A new report in The Daily Briefing has now confirmed that City do intend to trigger Semenyo’s £65m release clause in the opening days of the January window.

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The outlet says that the Ghanaian’s arrival could mean that one player leaves City and backs up the claim about Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Marmoush.

However, the report adds that despite his struggles for game time this season, City will not listen to offers for the 26-year-old.

It is suggested that the forward, who is currently away at the AFCON, is only likely to be sold at the end of the season.

Man City are also not expected to sell Savinho

Some reports have suggested that Spurs could reignite their interest in Savinho, who has also found starts hard to come by this season.

However, this new update from The Daily Briefing states that the Brazilian is not the attacker that Guardiola’s men are likely to let go.

Thomas Frank has addressed growing questions around Tottenham’s recent attacking turnover, amid rumours that Brennan Johnson could be sold.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson looks set to depart the club after spending just two seasons in north London.

The Welshman made a move from Nottingham Forest to Spurs, joining for almost £50m, and since that switch, he has enjoyed a largely impressive spell at Tottenham.

Johnson is known for his ability to grab goals at the back stick, often scoring with one-touch finishes thanks to his reading of the game.

A striker’s instinct, some might call it, but despite scoring 18 goals in all competitions last season, the most of any Spurs player, the Welshman looks set to join a list of previous top scorers to have been transferred out.

Thomas Frank on Tottenham potentially selling their last three top scorers

In the past two seasons, Spurs have lost their two top scorers, with Harry Kane departing in the summer of 2023 and Heung-min Son leaving last summer. Should Johnson depart, it would mark another leading goalscorer heading out the door – three in three years.

Addressing the importance of goals and how Tottenham approaches replacing them, Frank explained why scoring output remains central to the club’s thinking.

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Thomas Frank was asked: ‘If Brennan were to leave, it would be three years in a row that Tottenham have sold their top scorer from the previous season, with Kane and then Son. How difficult is it for a club to keep replacing those goals each season?’

He told football.london: “Goals are very important and they are very difficult to find. There is no two ways about that. That is very important. So it is important how we make sure we have enough goals in the team and players that can score goals. That is the key thing.

“That is, of course, also what we are looking at to try to improve. I think the positive bits from this season so far are that Richarlison has done well and been fit and available for more than almost eight months since we started.

“But we need to have enough players with goals, both developing them and also finding players that can score goals for the future.”

Johnson’s struggles at Spurs so far

There is no denying the fact that Johnson is capable of finding the back of the net, but the wide forward is often criticised for his overall play.

The Wales international often struggles to beat his man one v one and can be guilty of being a passenger during games, which reduces his impact when he does not find space at the back stick.

Tottenham midfielder Alfie Devine, who is on loan at Preston North End, found the back of the net with an excellent strike on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Spurs midfielder, who made his senior debut for the Lilywhites, aged just 16, is quietly having an impressive season in the Championship.

Alfie Devine has produced some moments of real quality for Preston North End this term as the youngster continues to fight for his future at Tottenham.

The attacking midfielder showed again on Tuesday just why so many at Hotspur Way rate him so highly.

Watch Tottenham youngster Alfie Devine’s brilliant strike for Preston North End

Devine played all 90 minutes for Preston on Tuesday as they travelled away to Wrexham.

The Tottenham academy graduate bought the away side back into the game with his 84th-minute strike, but the goal proved to be just a consolation as Wrexham emerged 2-1 winners.

Devine was given time and space just outside the edge of the box by the Wrexham defenders, and he slammed the ball into the bottom corner.

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Watch the Spurs midfielder’s strike below:

Does Devine have a future at Spurs?

Back in the summer, Alasdair Gold said that this could be a make-or-break season for Devine, and the youngster is certainly impressing at Deepdale.

He has been getting regular starts at the Championship side and has managed three goals and two assists in 21 league outings.

However, it remains to be seen if those kinds of numbers are enough for Tottenham to keep faith in the youngster, who will turn 22 when the 2026-27 campaign begins.

Scouts from Real Madrid were in attendance at Selhurst Park on Sunday to watch three players as Tottenham overcame Crystal Palace 1-0.

Spurs delivered a gritty performance to emerge with three points on Sunday despite missing several key players.

While Tottenham were still not entirely convincing in their build-up play and looked lost for ideas at times in attack at times, Thomas Frank praised his players for the resilience and discipline they showed.

The Spurs boss was also over the moon with the clean sheet, but one of the players responsible for it has emerged as a target for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Real Madrid impressed by Micky van de Ven in Tottenham’s win against Crystal Palace

According to a report in Defensa Central, Los Blancos sent their scouts to South London to watch three players, only one of whom was a Spurs star.

The report claims that representatives from Madrid were at Selhurst Park to watch Micky van de Ven, Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton.

The outlet states that Van de Ven earned positive marks in the scouting report, with the Tottenham defender impressing the La Liga giants with his presence at the back, his strength and his pace.

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The scouts returned a favourable review of the centre-back, who captained Spurs on the day, with his work in defensive transitions particularly being noted by Xabi Alonso’s side, who want to improve in that area.

Spurs prepared to make a big Van de Ven statement

The interest of Real Madrid in the Tottenham centre-back is now new, but according to recent updates, the Lilywhites are prepared to make a big statement to ward off the interest.

It was reported by TEAMtalk over the weekend that Spurs are prepared to more than double Van de Ven’s salary to tie him down to a new deal.

Talks are soon expected to accelerate with the Dutchman’s representatives, with the North London club prepared to make the former Wolfsburg man their highest earner alongside Cristian Romero.

David Ornstein has provided an update on the future of two Tottenham Hotspur January targets, Omar Marmoush and Savinho.

Over the last few days, a number of reports have suggested that Tottenham have stopped pushing to land Semenyo as the reality of the transfer race dawned on the North London club.

The big question now is which alternative the Lilywhites will turn to, and it appears that two Man City players are among their wishlist.

It has been reported that Spurs are plotting an ambitious move for Omar Marmoush after missing out on Semenyo, while it has also been claimed that Thomas Frank’s men could reignite their interest in Savinho.

David Ornstein reveals latest on Tottenham targets Savinho and Omar Marmoush

Some sources have suggested that Man City would be willing to sell Savinho or Omar Marmoush if they land Semenyo.

However, this has been rubbished by Ornstein, who has revealed that Pep Guardiola’s men will not sell either the Brazilian or the Egyptian in January.

Ornstein told NBC Sports: “I’m assured the likes of Marmoush and Savinho are staying as Man City have no desire to see them leave. They want to use all of their available resources to challenge to win trophies.”

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Which other wingers are Spurs after?

Spurs have reportedly held advanced talks over a deal for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who is thought to be valued at £87m.

It emerged last week that Tottenham may turn their attention to Maghnes Akliouche, with the club’s scouts being impressed by the Monaco man’s performances this term.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make big efforts to tie up Micky Van de Ven’s future amidst interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Spurs have managed to tie several key members of their starting eleven to new deals over the past few months.

Cristian Romero signed a new long-term contract at Tottenham in August, while Rodrigo Bentancur has also committed his future Spurs, and so has Djed Spence.

According to reports, Tottenham are now prioritising tying Van de Ven to a new deal in N17, and a new report has now explained just what the Lilywhites are willing to do to make that happen.

Tottenham ready to make Micky van de Ven their highest-paid player

TEAMtalk say that Tottenham are under no danger of losing Van de Ven anytime soon, despite the interest of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as the Dutchman’s current deal runs until 2029.

However, the North Londoners are ready to accelerate contract talks with the 24-year-old in the New Year in an effort to tie him down for longer.

The outlet reveals that Van de Ven currently earns £90,000 a week, but Spurs are willing to more than double that figure.

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They are willing to make the Netherlands international their joint highest-paid player, alongside captain Cristian Romero, who earns £200,000 including bonuses.

Spurs have been in talks with Van de Ven’s camp for many months

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham’s CEO Vinai Venkatesham opened talks with the former Wolfsburg man’s camp regarding a new deal back in the summer.

The discussions are now ready to progress at the start of 2026, with the club willing to showcase their ambition by spending big on new signings and tying down their most important players.

The outlet adds that the view among the Tottenham hierarchy is that Van de Ven is a future club captain.

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed whether Tottenham Hotspur target Savinho is likely to leave Manchester City during the January transfer window.

Tottenham tried until summer transfer deadline day to sign Savinho for around £70m, but Man City refused to budge.

Over recent weeks, some sources have indicated that Spurs could try again for Savinho during the January window as the club will miss out on their top target, Antoine Semenyo.

The Brazilian has found starts to come by at the Etihad this season, but has been regularly used as an impact substitute by Pep Guardiola.

Fabrizio Romano reveals if Tottenham target Savinho could leave Man City

Last week, journalist Pete O’Rourke revealed that Man City are likely to be more receptive to offers for Savinho in January than they were last summer.

However, this has been contradicted by Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that Guardiola’s men would be reluctant to let the 21-year-old leave mid-season.

When asked about the speculation over Savinho’s future, Romano told Men in Blazers YouTube channel: “No, I think it’s more complicated to sign Savinho in January. In the summer, let’s see because we never know. But in January, I don’t think Man City want to change anything in terms of the Savinho situation as they recently signed a new deal with him. So I think they trust him for this season for sure.”

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One factor could help Spurs in their Savinho pursuit

Now that the Lilywhites have lost the race for Semenyo, they will be hoping that the Bournemouth winger ends up at the Etihad Stadium – which now looks likely.

This is because reports indicate that Man City could let Savinho or one other attacker leave if they land Semenyo in January.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly decided to change a key policy that the club had for decades under Daniel Levy.

We could learn a lot about the new Spurs leadership during the January transfer window, which will be the club’s first transfer window in almost a quarter of a century with no Levy at the helm.

The Tottenham top brass have certainly talked the talk ahead of the window. It has been widely reported that ENIC want to make some statement signings to signal their ambition.

The club have now made a big decision that will aid them in their efforts to secure top talent.

Tottenham set to push up their wage structure ceiling

Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has now revealed that Spurs CEO Vinai Venketesham is discovering that the job on his hands at the North London club is much more challenging than he initially thought.

The Spurs chief is expected to follow a similar blueprint to the one that brought success to him at Arsenal.

It is revealed that the Tottenham leadership have decided to push up the ceiling on their wage structure ahead of the transfer window.

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The club have done this to give themselves a better chance of competing for top-end talents, who will demand top dollar to come to N17.

However, Gold points out that Tottenham will still have challenges attracting world-class talent as the club’s current position does not make them an attractive proposition for big players.

Spurs are willing to pay big transfer fees in January

This update by Gold comes on the back of reports suggesting that Tottenham are willing to make big investments in key positions across the squad.

According to some sources, Thomas Frank will be handed a transfer war chest of £150m for January to reinforce his squad.

Alasdair Gold has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur believe that two of their young guns are good enough to make the left-wing spot their own over the coming years.

No one has managed to nail down the left-wing spot this season at Spurs, with Thomas Frank trying several options in the position since arriving at the club.

Randal Kolo Muani has been given that responsibility over recent weeks, but the Frenchman has certainly not set the world alight.

It has been widely reported that signing a top-class left-winger is one of Spurs’ main priorities in January, but it has now emerged that two young wingers at the club are rated very highly.

Tottenham hopeful about Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore

Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has revealed that Wilson Odobert is viewed as ‘a strong future candidate’ for the left-wing role by Thomas Frank.

The Frenchman has been in and out of the starting eleven this season and has produced many bright moments.

Gold adds that there is also big hope that Mikey Moore could push for the left-wing spot next season when he returns from his loan spell at Rangers.

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However, the journalist reveals that Mathys Tel is currently seen as something in between a left-winger and a striker.

Some Spurs fans want to see Odobert given a run in the team

Odobert was electric at Selhurst Park after replacing Randal Kolo Muani in the 63rd minute on Sunday, giving Crystal Palace all sorts of problems.

The 21-year-old was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as he saw his volley come off the inside of the post.