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Tottenham Hotspur have just sent a hint that two teenagers may be part of Thomas Frank’s matchday squad against Doncaster Rovers this evening.

Thomas Frank is expected to name a much-changed starting eleven against Doncaster, with several of the squad players expected to get an opportunity.

The Tottenham boss has already confirmed that Antonin Kinsky will make his first start of the season, while he also opened the door for several of the club’s academy youngsters to make the squad.

With their latest decision on Tuesday, the Lilywhites may have inadvertently confirmed that two youngsters will be part of the squad this evening.

Jun’ai Byfield and Luca Williams-Barnett could feature against Doncaster Rovers

Tottenham’s Under-21 side crashed to a heavy defeat to Plymouth Argyle’s side in the Vertu Trophy on the South Coast on Tuesday evening.

Interestingly, Alasdair Gold pointed out that centre-back Jun’ai Byfield and attacking midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett were not named in the Spurs U21 matchday squad by Wayne Burnett.

The Football.London journalist saw this as a sign that both 16-year-olds could potentially be in line to be part of Tottenham’s matchday squad for their Carabao Cup third round clash.

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Williams-Barnett was the standout performer for the U18s last season, scoring 19 goals and registering nine assists in 20 appearances.

The teenage midfielder has seamlessly made the step up to the U21 set-up this campaign, and is posting similar numbers at the start of the new season.

Thomas Frank has given a very interesting response when asked about Harry Kane potentially returning to Tottenham Hotspur.

According to reports, a clause in Kane’s contract allows him to leave Bayern Munich for £57m next summer as long as he informs the Bundesliga giants of his decision in Janaury.

It has been reported over recent months that Kane wants to return to the Premier League next summer after the 2026 World Cup.

Reports from Germany have claimed over recent months that the Bayern hierarchy fears this will be Kane’s final season in Bavaria.

Thomas Frank would love to add Harry Kane to his Tottenham squad

So far in his Spurs career, Frank has refused to discuss players who do not play for Tottenham, but he made an exception in the England captain’s case.

He admitted that he would love to have Kane back at Spurs, but suggested that the 32-year-old may want to remain at Bayern and continue to win titles.

When asked about the possibility of Tottenham’s record goalscorer returning to N17, the Dane said (via Football.London): “I think there’s a lot of Tottenham fans, including myself, who would like to see Kane back. He’s a top player. Personally, I don’t think he will do it right now, if I’m honest, he’ll probably stay in Bayern and continue performing well.

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“He was top scorer last year and won the championship, he’s doing fantastic now. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more. But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome.”

Frank pleads ignorance about Spure’ Kane clause

It is public knowledge that Tottenham added a first refusal clause when they sold Kane to Bayern back in 2023.

That means that the Lilywhites would have an advantage over other suitors if and when the centre-forward decides to leave the German club.

When asked about Tottenham’s Kane clause, Frank responded: “I didn’t know there was a clause. I see two things, one he is an unbelievable player who did fantastically for Spurs and is doing fantastically for Bayern. Top player.”

A public filing posted by the London Stock Exchange shows that the son of the former Conservative Party deputy chairman, Lord Michael Ashcroft, has bought a minority stake in Tottenham.

Since Daniel Levy’s departure, plenty of investors have shown interest in buying into Tottenham.

According to industry experts, Spurs are valued at around £3 billion, with their commercial income making them very attractive to potential investors.

We have now received confirmation that the ownership of a small portion of the North London club has indeed changed hands, but it has not been brought from ENIC.

Andrew Ashcroft buys a minority stake in Tottenham

The Guardian now reports that Andrew Ashcroft, son of Lord Ashcroft, has bought a 3.4 per cent stake in Spurs.

This is confirmed by a public filing posted by the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, which shows that Andrew, a hotelier and businessman, purchased 8,023,942 Tottenham shares last Friday.

While it is not known how much he paid for the shares, given the estimated value of the club, it is thought that it would have cost around £100m.

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Lord Ashcroft is a longstanding Tottenham shareholder and previously owned around 4 per cent of the club. The report says that it is unclear if he has sold his shares to his son or if Andrew has bought those shares from other minority shareholders.

The Lewis family and Daniel Levy have not sold any of their Tottenham shares

The Guardian make it clear that Andrew has not bought these shares from the club’s majority owner ENIC, or from Daniel Levy, who retain their shares.

The report says that the Lewis family remain adamant that the club is not for sale, despite the growing interest.

Tottenham are becoming a far more dangerous side under Thomas Frank, with the new boss revealing just how much detail goes into their set-piece work and whether his team adapt routines to match opponents.

Tottenham Hotspur look like a much more rounded opponent under Thomas Frank this season, with the Dane improving the team’s defence while also ensuring they maintain a cutting edge in attack.

This has already yielded results, with Tottenham winning three of their opening five games in the Premier League, scoring ten goals, conceding only three, and keeping three clean sheets as they sit third in the League table.

Frank has also improved other aspects of his team’s game, with Tottenham now beginning to look like a genuine threat from set pieces.

Thomas Frank explains Tottenham set piece training

When asked about how often Tottenham trains on set pieces, and whether there are specific routines or if they adapt to the opposition, Frank explained the principles behind his methods while speaking to football.london.

He said, “We have specific principles and also specific routines. No doubt about that. I think it is very important, open play and set pieces.

“It is very important to have those principles in place and then tweak them a little bit towards the opponent, depending on their system, how they defend, let us say corners or wide free kicks.

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“Then we can tweak it a little bit. But we cannot change it too much because then we need to be consistent in the messages.”

Spurs already reaping benefits from set plays

Tottenham have already scored a few goals from set plays, with Micky van de Ven grabbing one in the UEFA Super Cup and Pape Matar Sarr finding the net against West Ham United.

It could very easily have been three goals from corners had Cristian Romero’s header against West Ham not been disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

Frank’s set-piece routines are not just limited to corners either, as Tottenham have also added a throw-in threat, occasionally going long to create opportunities.

Tottenham Hotspur have two good left-back options in Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie, but which player should be starting more often?

Djed Spence has been enjoying his football at Tottenham Hotspur this season. He has started most of their games due to Destiny Udogie struggling with an injury, but the Italian returned to the starting lineup against Brighton.

Udogie has usually started for Spurs when he is available, but Spence’s performances have impressed the masses. This includes Thomas Tuchel, who recently called the 25-year-old up to the England squad for the very first time.

Tottenham supporters have debated which player should be Thomas Frank’s first choice, and it is certainly not an easy decision.

Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence are both good players

Udogie and Spence are not identical in the way they play, but there are some similarities between the defenders. Both are versatile players who can defend well, but Spence has the edge when it comes to defending. This is particularly true when it comes to one-on-one situations.

There is not much to separate Udogie and Spence when it comes to attacking. However, Udogie is left-footed and can easily get balls into the box. He is also more likely to make strong overlapping runs, which are particularly useful when partnered with a winger who likes to cut inside. Spence is good at dribbling, but he is not able to play as directly.

The combination of Spence and Xavi Simons has certainly raised questions, with Frank sharing his concerns after the West Ham victory about the players being out of sync with each other.

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Another of Spence’s weaknesses is making individual errors. He likes to take risks, which often include dribbling on the edge of his own box, and this sometimes causes problems. However, this has been less apparent in recent matches and is likely due to Frank’s influence.

Spence and Udogie should both get starts for Tottenham

Spence took his time making it to the first team, so it can be forgotten that he is actually more than two years older than his fellow left-back. The fact that Udogie has been the player starting most of Tottenham’s matches is impressive. Despite this, the England international has clearly stepped up his game in the past year, and he deserves to be playing.

Then again, so does Udogie. It is simply too difficult to repeatedly start one and bench the other. Therefore, there are other factors to take into consideration. Form is one of the biggest, and that could be used to determine which of the players starts each game.

Another factor is how Frank decided to adapt his tactics depending on the opposition. There could be certain games where it would be useful to have a natural left-footer like Udogie and other matches where Spence’s dribbling and strong defensive contributions are required.

It seems best for Frank to take it on a game-by-game basis. He has two very good left-backs and rather than leaving one feeling isolated, he should continuously assess them before making a decision over who starts and who warms the bench.

A likely well-rotated Tottenham Hotspur side host League One outfit Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

After just beginning midweek matches last week, where Tottenham beat Villarreal 1-0 in the opening game of their Champions League campaign, Spurs are handed another midweek outing straight after. This one, though, should be far more straightforward as they face a side two divisions below them in a far less important competition.

It has been an excellent start under Thomas Frank, with Tottenham now sitting 3rd in the Premier League table on 10 points, joint with Arsenal but only behind on goal difference. Their last outing was a 2-2 draw against Brighton last Saturday, where they came from two goals down to take a point at the AMEX.

Doncaster Rovers, meanwhile, began their League One campaign well and were strongly competing for promotion, but back-to-back defeats in recent weeks have dropped them down to 7th place, just outside the play-off spots.

Their EFL Cup run has been more impressive, however, thrashing current Championship leaders Middlesbrough 4-0 in the first round before easing past 10-man Accrington 2-0 in round two.

What time does Tottenham vs Doncaster kick off?

Location: London, England

Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Date: Wednesday, 24th September 2025

Kick-off time: 7:45 pm BST

Referee: Andy Madley

Tottenham vs Doncaster: Head-to-head record

The only meeting between these two sides this century came in this same competition back in 2009, when Spurs ran out 5-1 winners.

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Going further back, they faced each other a few times in the 1900s, with Tottenham winning all eight encounters since 1935, aside from a draw and a defeat. Safe to say, history holds little relevance going into this one.

Tottenham team news

No changes to the Spurs’ longer-term injury list, as James Maddison, Radu Dragusin and Dejan Kulusevski remain sidelined.

Thomas Frank has ruled Randal Kolo Muani out after missing the Brighton clash due to a dead leg, while recent footage showed both Dominic Solanke and Kota Takai back in training.

Doncaster team news

Doncaster have the advantage of a fully fit squad, with no fresh injuries reported ahead of their trip to North London. Manager Grant McCann is expected to provide further details in his pre-match press conference, but all signs point to him having his strongest side available.

Predicted Tottenham line-up

Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Davies, Spence; Sarr, Gray, Bentancur; Johnson, Tel, Simons.

While Spurs will almost certainly rotate, Frank is unlikely to strip the XI of all regulars. Pedro Porro could retain his spot after being the only defender subbed off in the Brighton draw.

In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur is tipped to start again alongside youngster Archie Gray, who could be handed his first start under Frank and also Pape Sarr, who didn’t start for the first time under Frank at the weekend.

There is a fair chance Dane Scarlett features if Kolo Muani is not deemed fully fit, while academy talents Luca Williams Barnett and Junai Byfield could both be named among the substitutes.

Our prediction

Tottenham supporters have long been desperate for domestic silverware, and the Carabao Cup offers one of the more realistic routes for the new manager to bring silverware this season. Frank will be well aware that his tenure will be judged in part on how seriously he takes nights like these.

Teenagers Williams Barnett and Byfield are certainly ones to watch, while all eyes will also be on Doncaster’s Damola Ajayi, a Spurs loanee who has not had the smoothest of spells with limited game time so far.

Doncaster will no doubt throw everything at the tie, but their defensive vulnerability should prove costly against a Spurs side with far too much quality. This should be comfortable progress for Frank’s men.

Thomas Frank has selected Cristian Romero as his Tottenham captain, but he still needs to identify other players in his squad with the ability to lead.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a fairly positive start to the new season. Sitting third in the Premier League table is a pleasant contrast to the previous campaign, and their Champions League campaign kicked off with a victory.

The Tottenham first-team squad looks to be in good shape and there is a good balance between experienced players and bright prospects.

Thomas Frank will be looking to raise up leaders who can drive the team forward. With Heung-min Son gone and James Maddison likely injured for most of the season, Spurs will need more players to step up and show they can be a strong voice in the dressing room.

Five Tottenham players Thomas Frank should add to his leadership group

Dejan Kulusevski – Amidst the chaos of last season, Kulusevski emerged as a strong voice in the Tottenham squad. He demanded more from his teammates and failed to accept their abysmal domestic form. The Swede led by example for the most part and was exceptional during the first half of the season. He should definitely be considered as one of the team’s leaders when he returns from injury.

Pedro Porro – The Spanish right-back did the complete opposite of Kulusevski last season. He looked way off the required level, leaving ridiculous amounts of space behind him for attackers to exploit. However, Porro has been far better in recent months and is first-choice in his position by some distance. He is now 26 years old and has grown as a player since he arrived at Spurs.

Rodrigo Bentancur – Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou both saw Bentancur as a first-team player and now Frank does too. The midfielder is good at what he does and is one of the most senior players at the club. Bentancur has had his moments of madness, but he has the capabilities to step up and lead.

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Joao Palhinha – Palhinha is technically still a Bayern Munich player, but his move to Spurs could well be made permanent in the near future. The 30-year-old has already become a heavy hitter in the middle of the pitch for Tottenham and looks like he could be trusted handling the responsibility of leadership.

Guglielmo Vicario – When Vicario arrived at Tottenham, he looked like the best sweeper-keeper in the world. Fast forward a few months and he was being heavily criticised for his set-piece struggles. However, the Italian has had a good start to the season and seems to have earned the favour of his manager. Vicario is certainly passionate and while he does not look suited to a captaincy role, he should be considered for some form of leadership in the squad.

James Maddison should resume his role at Spurs when he returns

Maddison is another player who should take his place amongst the leaders at Tottenham. The player says what he thinks. In fact, Maddison recently slammed VAR after Romero’s goal against West Ham was disallowed.

The attacking midfielder already has experience wearing the captain’s armband and he is someone many of his teammates will look to when he comes back from injury.

Luka Vuskovic has received two pieces of good news over the last 24 hours following a moment of madness from the Tottenham starlet in his home debut for Hamburg last Saturday.

Vuskovic found the back of the net in Hamburg’s 2-1 win over Heidenheim, making history by becoming the first HSV player to score in the Bundesliga for seven years.

However, the 18-year-old missed another golden opportunity to double his side’s lead in the first half and proceeded to punch the goal posts in frustration.

After the game, Vuskovic admitted that he may have broken his finger when he punched the goal frame, which would have certainly been an embarrassing way to pick up an injury.

Luka Vuskovic receives good news on his finger

However, according to a report in Bild, Vuskovic has received good news on his feared injury. Examinations have revealed that the Tottenham Hotspur loanee has not fractured his finger and has only sustained minor bruises.

The teenager has thus been given the ‘all clear’ by Hamburg’s medical staff and is available to face Union Berlin on Sunday, and that is not the only piece of good news he has received.

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Vuskovic called up to the Croatian national side

Vuskovic made his senior debut for Croatia in the summer, and it appears that the Tottenham man has impressed manager Zlatko Dalic.

We know that because Dalic has now named the young centre-back in the Croatia squad for October’s World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Gibraltar.

Mikey Moore is now at the centre of a tug of war between two national boards, as attempts have been made to change the Tottenham starlet’s international allegiances.

Moore is the youngest player to ever represent Tottenham, and there are big hopes on the teenager at Hotspur Way, with many seeing him as one of the best young talents to come out of the club’s academy recently.

Moore has not had the best of starts to his loan spell at Rangers, but he did impress in their most recent win over Hibernian, registering an assist.

The 18-year-old now faces a big decision as he has been approached about changing his international allegiance.

Mikey Moore is being asked to abandon England for Wales

Moore, who was born in Central London, has represented England from Under-15s to the Under-19s level.

However, according to The Sun, the Tottenham man qualifies to represent Wales in international football through a grandparent.

Wales manager Craig Bellamy has reportedly spoken to the teenager about changing his allegiance from the Three Lions to the Dragons.

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The Tottenham Hotspur attacker thus potentially faces a very big decision before next summer’s World Cup.

Why Mikey Moore should not be in a hurry to take up Wales’ offer

One would imagine that the Spurs youngster’s ultimate dream would be to play for England, but the opportunity to potentially play in the World Cup next summer would be extremely tempting.

According to The Sun, players are allowed to change allegiances as long as they have played no more than three competitive matches at the senior level prior to them turning 21.

Moore does not need to be in a hurry, and he certainly has the talent to potentially be knocking on the England door within the next 18 months.

Tottenham Hotspur will take on Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup third round and this stage of the competition has sometimes been a stumbling block in the past.

Thomas Frank will begin his first Carabao Cup campaign as Tottenham Hotspur manager and he will be hoping to succeed where other coaches have failed. This may be the only domestic competition Spurs have won, but that does not mean the club have a good record.

Tottenham were the losing finalists in 2009, 2015 and 2021, but many other seasons have seen them crash out in the early rounds of the tournament. Spurs will be looking to avoid this happening in this year’s third round, but Doncaster will be eager to cause an upset.

Here are Tottenham’s Carabao Cup third-round results from the previous 10 seasons, beginning with their most recent campaign:

Tottenham Carabao Cup third round results

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Spurs must improve their third-round record

Spurs have won five and drawn three of their third-round matches in the past 10 seasons, which is not an overly convincing record. On top of this, two of those victories required penalty shootouts and two late goals were needed against Coventry last season.

Doncaster might not seem like a difficult draw, but neither did Colchester in 2019. Spurs could really do with a convincing victory to show they are serious about wanting to win the League Cup.