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Real Madrid are once again circling Tottenham, and this time the focus has turned to one of Thomas Frank’s most important defenders.

Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid are no strangers when it comes to doing business in the transfer market.

Gareth Bale moved from Tottenham to Madrid, while Luka Modric also made a similar switch, with both players elevating their careers following their departure from N17.

Rumours suggest Madrid are once again sniffing around one Tottenham star, Micky van de Ven, although Spurs are now looking to tie him down to a new deal.

Tottenham star Micky van de Ven on Real Madrid radar

Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has now outlined why Micky van de Ven has caught Real Madrid’s attention.

He explained that with injuries troubling Los Blancos in defence and contracts winding down, the club have begun looking at several options, with Van de Ven emerging as one of them.

O’Rourke revealed: “We know that Real Madrid are in the market for a new centre-back next summer. Rudiger is out of contract, Alaba is out of contract and they have had a few injury issues as well, so they have been linked with the likes of Konate on a free transfer.

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“It is not a surprise that Van de Ven is on their radar, he has been a top player for Tottenham and for the Netherlands, but Tottenham are not looking to sell any time soon.

“A move for Van de Ven would seem unlikely as things stand. He is under contract until 2029 and he will be a key man for Thomas Frank going forward alongside Cristian Romero at the back.”

Spurs must show ambition and keep their best players

Tottenham are now operating in a very different era following the departure of Daniel Levy, who stepped down after 24 years at the helm.

The former chairman was the figure who built the strong relationship between Tottenham and Madrid, but with him now gone, it remains to be seen whether Spurs would be open to doing business with Los Blancos in the same way.

Tottenham Hotspur destroyed West Ham United, and certain players really stood out during the Premier League victory.

Tottenham Hotspur travelled to the London Stadium with a point to prove, after slipping up against Bournemouth before the international break. West Ham got off to a dreadful start in the Premier League, but shocked Nottingham Forest in their previous fixture.

Despite these surprising results, Spurs battered their London rivals 3-0 to secure a first victory in Stratford since 2019.

Here are the three winners and losers of Tottenham’s impressive victory against West Ham on Saturday evening.

Pape Matar Sarr got his goal

Pape Matar Sarr began to show his abilities in front of goal last season, and he was a real threat during Tottenham’s summer friendlies. He now has his first Premier League goal of the season, after heading the ball in from a corner as West Ham’s defenders could only stand by and watch.

The fact that Sarr scored in this particular fixture is important because Xavi Simons made his debut. However, rather than playing Simons in attacking midfield and dropping Sarr, Thomas Frank started both, and they combined to open the scoring.

Sarr has given his manager something to think about. Simons may have looked a little limited out on the left, but is it worth playing him there so there is room for Sarr in the team?

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Lucas Bergvall impressed again for Tottenham

Lucas Bergvall had a miserable international break with Sweden. He was called up to his national team only to be an unused substitute in a draw and a defeat against Slovenia and Kosovo, respectively.

Things improved for Bergvall when he returned to North London. The 19-year-old was handed his first start since the 3-0 win over Burnley on the opening weekend of the league season, and he made the most of it.

Bergvall scored a brilliant header and also got an assist. It would be very harsh if he is not awarded another start against either Villarreal or Brighton & Hove Albion.

Tottenham’s defensive duo were key to the victory

This is technically two players, but it is difficult to mention one without commenting on the other. Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were both solid against West Ham and kept yet another clean sheet.

On top of this, van de Ven scored with an exceptional strike. It is not the first time the Netherlands international has displayed his shooting skills. Romero contributed in attack too, assisting Bergvall with an excellent ball over the top of the West Ham defence.

The Tottenham captain would have also been on the scoresheet, but his goal was disallowed due to a shocking decision by the referee, which VAR failed to overturn. van de Ven was shoved into a defender who hit the ground, and just like that, Romero was denied his moment. This was unable to spoil a great display by both centre-backs.

Now, let’s take a look at the three losers from Tottenham’s 3-0 win over West Ham.

Djed Spence did not have his finest game

Djed Spence came off the bench to make his England debut against Serbia and he will have been delighted to come back to Tottenham and start ahead of Destiny Udogie. Unfortunately, he was a long way off his best and received the lowest rating of any Spurs player in the starting lineup on Fotmob.

Spence failed to place an accurate cross and he had one touch in the West Ham penalty box. His 0.01 xA showed his lack of creativity, while he lost possession 22 times. On top of this, the left back only won four of his 11 ground duels and he received a booking.

The left back position is one of the most competitive in the Tottenham team because if one player is underperforming, he will very quickly be replaced. Spence’s performance against West Ham was by no means a disaster, but any underwhelming display could lead to Udogie replacing him in the starting lineup.

Mathys Tel failed to seize a rare opportunity for Spurs

The inclusion of Mathys Tel on Saturday was a surprising decision, but it does make sense considering the French forward has not been selected in the Champions League squad.

Tel started as a striker, the position he was originally supposed to play when he first joined the club on loan. He failed to land a shot on target after 80 minutes on the pitch and was replaced by Wilson Odobert.

Despite frequently scoring goals for France U21s, Tel has been unable to bring that form to Tottenham. Perhaps at this point in time, the Premier League is simply too great a challenge. There is plenty of time for Tel to develop into a fine player, but it is unlikely he will get many minutes this season unless he starts showing the quality we are yet to see.

Brennan Johnson was benched by Thomas Frank

The all-round displays of Brennan Johnson have left much to be desired, but he is still a good goalscorer. The Welshman has already found the back of the net twice this season.

However, Frank made the decision to leave Johnson out of his squad against West Ham and his team were no worse off as a result. Simons and Sarr both made registered goal contributions, while Mohammed Kudus impressed again with his dribbling.

Johnson seemed to have found a first-team safe spot in the left wing position, but Simons could threaten that if Frank decides to keep playing him there. He will have to show he is capable of helping the team as a whole and actively affecting the game, rather than just popping up every now and then to score a goal.

Tottenham Hotspur delivered a dominant display away at the London Stadium to emerge 3-0 winners against 10-man West Ham, and they have subsequently shot up the prediction table of Opta’s Supercomputer.

Spurs needed a statement performance following their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth before the international break, and Thomas Frank certainly got the response he would have wanted from his players.

The first half was a cagey affair, with little to separate the sides, but the game opened up after Pape Sarr headed in Tottenham’s first goal from a corner kick.

A sending off soon followed for Thomas Soucek after a dangerous tackle on Joao Palhinha, and it was one-way traffic after that, with Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven finding the back of the net to add some gloss to the scoreline.

How Tottenham’s win over West Ham has affected Opta’s prediction table

Spurs Web has been tracking the prediction table of Opta’s Supercomputer, which, before the start of the season, predicted that Spurs would finish in 14th place, collecting an estimated 47.92 points.

Those predictions have been seesawing with each result, but after Tottenham registered their third win in four matches, the Lilywhites have now shot up the table.

According to Opta’s algorithm, Spurs are now predicted to finish in eighth place, with an estimated 55.92 points.

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The data analysis platform now gives the North London side a 16.61 per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League, which is up considerably from the start of the season.

Tottenham’s defensive record is a huge positive

What will please Frank the most about the win is that his side managed to keep yet another clean sheet – their third in four league matches.

Tottenham now have the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, alongside Arsenal, having conceded just one goal in four games.

That is a huge turnaround, as this is a side which conceded 65 goals in the Premier League last term under Ange Postecoglou, albeit with their two first-choice centre-backs missing significant chunks of the season.

Cristian Romero has made it clear that not even Lionel Messi will distract him from winning more silverware with Tottenham Hotspur, with the defender insisting his focus is firmly on delivering more silverware for the club.

The season is still in its early stages, and Tottenham Hotspur find themselves with everything to play for across multiple competitions.

Thomas Frank’s side are preparing to battle on four fronts with the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup all offering opportunities for silverware.

Having lifted the Europa League last season, there is an appetite around the club to build further success and add more trophies to the cabinet.

Beyond club football, though, there is also an international dimension for several Tottenham players, as the 2026 World Cup looms large on the horizon.

Cristian Romero speaks on Lionel Messi and Argentina

Tottenham’s squad is packed with internationals who are likely to be involved in next summer’s World Cup, and Cristian Romero is very much expected to play a central role as Argentina look to defend their crown.

The competition could mark the final World Cup for Lionel Messi, yet Romero has made it clear that his head remains with Tottenham, even though he is hopeful of seeing his compatriot feature.

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Speaking to Tottenham’s official channels, when asked if Messi will feature in the 2026 World Cup, Romero said: “I think if he is fit, he could easily take part. He is the biggest player in history.

“I love having him as a team-mate and sharing moments with him. I think he will be right for the World Cup. My head is focussed on the next game though (Villarreal). It is all about concentrating on Tottenham and making sure we get a win tomorrow.”

Romero eyes more silverware with Spurs

Romero must be encouraged by the strong start to the season under Thomas Frank, with Tottenham winning three of their opening four league fixtures and sitting just three points behind Liverpool at the top of the table.

Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of the structure now in place at the club and his belief that Spurs can continue to grow.

Introducing his view on the project, Romero said: “I always want the best for the Club. I see a structure that is really positive and in one we can really grow.

“I see a Club with great organisation and with a manager that is showing real positivity in the short time he has been with us. Our heads are all focussed on tomorrow night’s game.”

When asked what success means for him and Tottenham, the Argentine defender underlined the ambition within the squad.

He added, “You compete at the highest level to win. It would be easy to sit here and say we want to win everything in front of us but you have to be realistic. We have a great group and a great manager. We feel we can achieve this season. It would be amazing if we could lift another trophy, for us and the fans.”

Thomas Frank has provided a fitness update on his Tottenham Hotspur squad ahead of their UEFA Champions League league phase tie against Villarreal.

In a little over 72 hours after their Premier League fixture against West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur are set to return to action, this time under the bright lights of the UEFA Champions League.

It has been a long two-year wait for the north London side, who last featured in Europe’s top competition back in 2022/23, when their run ended in the round of 16.

For Thomas Frank, Tottenham’s tie against Villarreal will be his Champions League debut, representing a significant moment in his career, and although he will want to lead Spurs deep into the competition, ensuring a winning start against Villarreal will be his immediate priority.

The Europa League winners head into this opening European fixture with a handful of injury concerns, as several familiar names remain unavailable. Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai, James Maddison and Radu Dragusin are all sidelined.

However, those absences will not weigh heavily on Frank’s plans for the night, given that none of those players were included in the Dane’s 22-man Champions League squad.

Mathys Tel is another who misses out, having also been left out of the squad, but there is a possibility that loan signing Randal Kolo Muani could make his Tottenham debut, with the striker pushing for involvement after being an unused substitute against West Ham at the weekend.

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Dominic Solanke remains sidelined with an ankle issue, and Frank has now provided a fitness update on his squad ahead of Tuesday’s tie with Villarreal.

Speaking to the club’s official channels, Frank said: “Dom is taking steps in the right directions. He is not ready to be involved tomorrow.

“Randal is ready. How many minutes? He can play 90 minutes but can he play at the intensity. He is available and ready though.”

Thomas Frank has made it clear that Tottenham are not just in the Champions League to make up the numbers, with the new boss setting his sights firmly on trying to win European football’s biggest prize.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in the big time with the Lilywhites now set to play in Europe’s premier competition on Tuesday under the lights in the Champions League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Europa League winners would be looking to get off to the perfect start in their first league phase tie against Villarreal, which would be anything but straightforward.

Spurs have never won the Champions League, but they are no strangers to winning on the continental stage, having lifted four European trophies in their history.

Thomas Frank sets bold Tottenham Champions League target

Thomas Frank will be hoping to surpass Mauricio Pochettino’s feat of guiding Spurs to a Champions League final, with the Dane determined to lead the side one step further, but it will be far from simple, especially for a manager who is only just making his debut in the competition.

Speaking to Tottenham’s official channels, Frank admitted that while he is relishing the challenge of European nights with Tottenham, he also has ambitions of going all the way.

He said: “Obviously it is a big thing. I am hugely looking forward to it. I am sure it will be special when we hear that Champions League anthem playing.

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“We want to try and win it. But the most important thing is to take one game at a time. That begins with Villarreal, a very good team. Huge respect for Marcelino. His team is well structured, well organised and they like to dominate as much as they can on the ball.”

Spurs’ European pedigree and realistic expectations

Of course, it will be baby steps for the Dane, who will look to take it one game at a time, and while Spurs have never won the Champions League, they did reach the final back in 2019.

As Europa League winners, Tottenham do know what it takes to navigate a European competition, but it is rare for Europa League holders to immediately follow it up with Champions League glory.

Following a debut display off the left against Tottenham Hotspur’s London rivals, West Ham United, Xavi Simons has now revealed his best position.

As debuts go, Xavi Simons would have every reason to be proud of his first competitive outing in English football, with the £51m signing immediately making an impact by providing the assist for Tottenham’s opening goal in their derby against West Ham United.

The Dutch international had not played club football for over a month, and although it took him some time to find his rhythm on the ball, he gradually grew into the contest and began to influence the attacking play more as the game went on.

Simons was signed primarily as a number ten, yet his versatility allows him to feature on the left wing as well, and it was from this position that Thomas Frank opted to use the 22-year-old, with Lucas Bergvall operating further up the pitch.

Xavi Simons on his best position after Tottenham debut

Reflecting on his first taste of Premier League football, Simons spoke to Sky Sports after the match and was asked directly where he sees himself playing his best football.

The midfielder revealed that while he has spent most of his career playing as a number ten, he has also embraced another position in recent years.

He said: “I have played my whole life in the number 10 position, but in the last two years I have developed on the left side. I want to help the team with goals and assists. We know set-pieces were so important. I found Pape from the corner and it was a nice goal.”

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Simons focus turns to adaptation and Champions League test

With the nerves of his Tottenham debut now behind him, Xavi Simons also stressed that his immediate focus is on adapting to life in north London and building stronger relationships with his teammates on and off the pitch.

He continued: “I am really happy with the win, and making my debut in the Premier League is such a special moment.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play on the biggest stage in the best league in the world. I am with a magnificent team.

“Even teams who are struggling in the table have top players. Even West Ham today have top players. I am trying to adapt as quickly as possible.

Pape Matar Sarr delivered the breakthrough in Tottenham’s derby win at West Ham, and he has now explained why he pointed to the bench after grabbing Spurs’ opener.

It was derby day delight for Thomas Frank and his Tottenham Hotspur squad, who secured an emphatic 3-0 win against London rivals West Ham United at the London Stadium.

It was a cagey affair from the off at the London Stadium with both sides looking to start brightly, but as the fixture grew on, it was Tottenham who took a foothold on proceedings, keeping West Ham pinned back for large spells.

Set-pieces played a major role in Spurs’ victory, as the Lilywhites won 13 corners, found the net directly from one and even had another goal from a Cristian Romero header disallowed for a foul inside the box.

Pape Matar Sarr explains his Tottenham celebration vs West Ham

It was a combination of Xavi Simons’ delivery from a corner and a well-taken header by Pape Matar Sarr that led to Spurs’ opener a few minutes after the start of the second half.

Following the goal, the Senegalese international wheeled away towards the bench and pointed in celebration, and now he has explained why.

Speaking to Tottenham’s official channels after the match, Sarr revealed that the gesture was a nod to Tottenham’s set-piece coach, Andreas Georgson.

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He explained: “It is for the coach – he is there, he is there. He spoke about it at half-time. He just told me when the ball arrives there, you will score. It was good timing. I scored – and it is for the coach.”

Sarr went on to detail how the move had been worked on in training before the game and how his connection with Simons played a big part in making it happen.

He added, “We worked on it two days ago. I told Xavi yesterday, if you have the ball, put the ball in and I will score. In the first half, we spoke together, I told him to cross the ball, and it was good timing, when the ball arrived, I headed it in. It was a nice goal, always nice to score in a derby.”

Reflecting further on the result, Sarr highlighted the importance of bouncing back after the disappointment before the international break. “You know, we lost against Bournemouth before we went into the international break and today was special for us to win this game, we did it and we are all happy.”

Thomas Frank set-piece influence clear in Spurs win

West Ham United have struggled to deal with set pieces so far this season, and it was clear that was something Thomas Frank and his coaching staff looked to exploit in this London derby.

Tottenham have not always been the strongest from set pieces, particularly last season, where they struggled to defend dead-ball situations and rarely capitalised on their own set plays in the final third.

Thomas Frank’s Brentford side, however, thrived at both ends of the pitch when it came to set pieces, and it is already clear that he and his backroom team are determined to bring that same edge to Tottenham.

Mohammed Kudus may have been booed incessantly by the West Ham fans during Tottenham’s 3-0 win at the London Stadium, but the staff at the East London club did make a classy gesture to the winger after the final whistle.

The derby at the London Stadium was pencilled in as a match to watch as soon as the Ghana international became the first player to move from West Ham to Tottenham Hotspur in 14 years.

Kudus was expected to be greeted by an extremely hostile atmosphere, and that was exactly how things panned out, with the 25-year-old being jeered loudly by the home crowd every time he touched the ball.

In the end, it was the winger who had the last laugh as Spurs walked away with three points and a comfortable win from his former stomping ground.

Mohammed Kudus was handed his iconic wooden stool by West Ham staff

The Athletic have now revealed that not only was he booed incessantly by West Ham fans, but a ball boy also refused to give Kudus the ball before he took a corner.

However, the outlet says that things were very cordial between the Tottenham man and his former employers as he had a brief catch-up with West Ham’s non-playing staff after the final whistle.

He then made his way near the family enclosure area, where he was given his iconic wooden stool, which the Tottenham player was very thankful for.

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Kudus’ custom wooden elephant stool, which he sat on during his goal celebrations at West Ham, is a tribute by the player to Ghanaian chiefs and cultural traditions.

Kudus has not burned his bridges with West Ham players and staff

The comments Mohammed Kudus made when he joined Tottenham have made him enemy number one for West Ham fans.

However, it is clear that he left the club on good terms, as evidenced by his relationship with his former teammates and staff at the club.

In fact, despite all the buildup revolving around the hostile reception he will get at the London Stadium, Kudus said before the game that he was looking forward to seeing his old teammates.

The Tottenham man certainly did not seem flustered by the hostile reception he got, and he was not on the receiving end of any dangerous tackles from his opponents.

Several Tottenham players have been spotted on the training pitches at Hotspur Way as Thomas Frank prepares his side for their UEFA Champions League opener.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attention now swiftly turns to the UEFA Champions League league phase as Thomas Frank’s side look to kick off their European adventure with a win.

Tottenham come into their tie against Villarreal off the back of a rather comfortable 3-0 win against London rivals West Ham United in their last league fixture, and confidence is sure to be high within the Tottenham camp.

This tie marks Spurs’ first match in the UEFA Champions League following their two-year absence from the competition, with their last appearance being a round of 16 tie in the 2022/23 season.

Which Spurs players trained ahead of the match?

Thomas Frank and his backroom staff were seen taking the Tottenham first-team squad through some drills at the club’s Hotspur Way training ground as they prepare for the visit of their Spanish opponents.

Dominic Solanke and Kota Takai were once again absent, while James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Yves Bissouma continued this rehabilitation from the gym, Alasdair Gold revealed on X.

Several players were spotted in Spurs’ first-team training ahead of their tie against Villarreal, with preparations now heating up.

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Among the Tottenham players spotted taking part in training were:

Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Djed Spence, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhina, Xavi Simons, Richarlison, Mathys Tel, Brennan Johnson, Randal Kolo Muani.