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Tottenham fans will love what Xavi Simons has said after training with his new Spurs teammates for the first time.

The Dutchman was announced as a Tottenham signing a few days before the end of the transfer window, and Simons got a fantastic reception from Spurs fans ahead of the club’s 1-0 loss to Bournemouth.

However, with the international break following his arrival at N17, the 22-year-old has had to wait nearly two weeks to meet and train with his new teammates for the first time.

Simons had an outing to forget against Poland during the international break, coming under criticism from the Dutch media, but he is evidently raring to go at his new club.

Xavi Simons reacts after first Tottenham training at Hotspur Way

The former RB Leipzig man will be looking to acclimate quickly to his new surroundings, and Spurs fans will be hoping that he can hit the ground running.

Apart from Micky van de Ven, Simons also knows another Tottenham man very well, having played alongside Wilson Odobert for the PSG youth sides, and the pair’s presence at the club should make the transition easier for the midfielder.

The 22-year-old is clearly excited to get going, taking to social media after his first training session to write: “happy boyyyyy”.

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Thomas Frank has a selection dilemma against West Ham

Frank has shown faith in a midfield three of Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha so far, but he faces a selection dilemma after Simons’ arrival.

Sarr may be the most obvious candidate to miss out, but the Tottenham midfielder scored twice for his country during the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur have released footage of new signing Xavi Simons being put through his paces in his first training session at Hotspur Way, and it makes for very interesting viewing.

Following Tottenham’s 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, where the Lilywhites failed to create any chances, Thomas Frank identified Simons as the man to solve Spurs’ creativity issues.

Based on that comment, one would expect the Danish coach to throw the new £51m Tottenham signing straight into the starting eleven.

It is certainly a tough start to be thrown into the deep end in a London derby away at West Ham, and Spurs fans will be hoping that the Dutchman can rise to the occasion and showcase his class.

Video: Xavi Simons takes part in interesting Tottenham training drills

After returning from the international break, the attacking midfielder met his new Tottenham Hotspur teammates for the first time, with the club sharing footage of his first training session.

Simons has said that the number ten role is his preferred position, and based on the drills he was involved in, it looks certain that he will be used centrally by Thomas Frank.

The drills predominantly show the new Spurs signing trying to wiggle free of his marker centrally and play the wide players through on goal.

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Would Frank be tempted to start Simons on the bench?

The one thing to keep in mind is that the Netherlands international would only have had a couple of training sessions with his new teammates before the clash against West Ham.

Additionally, Pape Sarr has continued his impressive form during the international break, scoring two in two for Senegal and once again showcasing his knack for arriving late into the box.

It is thus not out of the question that Frank will persist with a midfield trio of Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Joao Palhinha for a tough away fixture and introduce Simons for the final 30 minutes.

Ange Postecoglou has spoken openly for the first time about how he felt after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur, with the former Spurs boss revealing the emotions that came with his unexpected return to Premier League management.

It did not take long for Ange Postecoglou to make a return to the Premier League following his sacking from Tottenham Hotspur back in July.

The former Tottenham manager is now in charge at Nottingham Forest, replacing another ex-Spurs boss in Nuno Espirito Santo, who enjoyed an impressive campaign at the City Ground last season, guiding Forest to a Europa League finish.

Just as Postecoglou might have felt hard done by after losing his job so soon after lifting a European trophy with Tottenham, Nuno could also feel similarly aggrieved, given the progress he oversaw with Forest.

Ange Postecoglou reflects on replacing Nuno at Nottingham Forest

Speaking to BBC Sport, Ange Postecoglou admitted that stepping in after Nuno’s departure was a reminder of how ruthless football can be, with managers rarely given time despite previous success.

On the nature of the transition, Postecoglou said: “It is the nature of football. You do not really know what circumstances you will take over.

“Until Steve Cooper took over the club, they were not looking as though they were going to be in the Premier League. They have had two excellent managers who have done fantastic work.

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“You certainly do not know when these things come to an end. I certainly did not think I would finish up [being sacked] after winning a trophy.”

Ange Postecoglou reveals emotions after Tottenham sacking

Ange Postecoglou also described how unusual the experience of being dismissed by Tottenham was for him, as it marked the first time he had ever been sacked.

Speaking again to BBC Sport, he revealed how he approached the period of uncertainty and what he was looking for in his next role.

“It was unusual because it has never happened to me before. It is the first time I have been sacked. It is the first time I have had an off-season off.

“You wonder about the next opportunity. What I did know was that I was really keen to go to a club that would give me the platform to continue what I have been doing in my career.

“If you asked me at the start of the year if a job with Nottingham Forest was a possibility then I would have said no because of the job Nuno had done. The opportunity presented itself and I was here to take it.”

Ben Foster is scratching his head as to why another Premier League club has not picked up a player whom Tottenham Hotspur let go earlier this summer.

Spurs strengthened their squad with seven new signings in the summer, but the club had mixed success in terms of getting players out of the door.

Tottenham waited until the last moment to find a buyer for Bryan Gil, while Spurs have been unsuccessful in their attempts to sell Yves Bissouma so far.

Gil and Heung-min Son were the only players the Lilywhites got a fee for this summer, with Manor Solomon joining Villarreal on loan in the final hours of the transfer window.

Ben Foster is surprised that a former Tottenham man has not found a new club

Tottenham also released three players at the start of the summer, one of whom was Fraser Forster, who left the North London club after three years when his contract ran out.

The England international served as Hugo Lloris’ understudy in his first season at Tottenham before deputising to Guglielmo Vicario in the next two seasons, but Ben Foster is surprised that no club has picked up the 37-year-old yet.

The former Watford man said on The Football Fill-In podcast: “I don’t understand why they don’t have a team already. Scott Carson and Fraser Forster, for me, seem like the easiest choices in the world.

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“Because you’ve got to get that English core, that British homegrown talent, that’s your third-choice goalie straight away. They’re just absolute gimmes, [they] tick boxes.”

Some will look at the unforced errors that Forster made last season and see it as evidence that he is past his sell-by date.

However, those errors were all down to the Englishman being asked to play out from the back, which has never been his forte. His shot-stopping was still more than serviceable.

One former Spurs player has opened up on his feelings about leaving Tottenham and whether the club ever really considered terminating his contract.

It was reported by several outlets over the summer that Bryan Gil had his heart set on a return to Girona, and the winger eventually got his wish on transfer deadline day.

In the final days of the window, it was even suggested that Tottenham may terminate Gil’s contract and allow him to join the La Liga side on a free transfer.

However, in the end, Spurs did get a fee for the Spain international, with Girona paying £8.5m to sign Gil permanently on the back of his impressive loan spell at the club last season.

Bryan Gil admits he was desperate to leave Tottenham

The 24-year-old’s Tottenham Hotspur nightmare is finally over, and he confessed that he had his heart set on returning to Estadi Montilivi from day one.

Gil admitted that he was never happy at Spurs due to his lack of game time and revealed that the North London club never considered terminating his contract.

The winger told AS: “I want to thank everyone for the confidence shown and for being here today. I was very clear about coming here and continuing what I did last year. It’s a very important step for me, and I’m happy to sign as a permanent player. We’re all where we want to be.

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“It’s been an important summer, but what I wanted happened, and I’m happy. There was talk of terminating my contract with Tottenham, but they never wanted it. If that had been the case, I would have been here by July, and everyone would have felt more at ease.

“The most important thing is to be happy somewhere. Thank God, I was very happy and comfortable last year, and now being part of this project for the next five years is important.

“I’ve changed teams a lot; I couldn’t be happy at Tottenham because if you don’t play, you’re not happy, and I’m going to be happy here. It’s important to be happy to be able to perform at the highest level and make it back to the national team.”

Girona director admits a deal was difficult to reach with Tottenham

According to reports, Spurs had been working to find a buyer for Gil all through the summer, but in the end, they had to wait until transfer deadline day to get a deal over the line.

Girona’s porting director, Quique Carcel, has said that negotiations with Tottenham had been ongoing for a long time, revealing that in the end, the player’s desire to return to the club proved crucial for the deal.

Carcel said about Gil’s signing: “It’s been a very long summer; we talked about his return from the very beginning. We knew it would be complicated due to the current transfer market.

“Tottenham had their arguments. He was the key because we spoke to him from the start, and he wanted to return. It’s appreciated that a player who has had many offers was willing to wait for Girona.”

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly raised £90m through a receivables financing deal related to the club’s future broadcasting rights.

Since Daniel Levy’s exit, there have been plenty of reports that the Lewis family are ready to inject over £100m into Tottenham so that the Lilywhites can go toe-to-toe with the biggest clubs in Europe.

Many Spurs fans have been sceptical about these claims of a big investment from ENIC, given that the owners have barely pumped any money into the club over the last 24 years.

A few days ago, Tottneham CEO Vinai Venkatesham hinted that investment may be on the way to Spurs, suggesting that the Lewis family know that a cash injection is needed for the club to compete for the biggest trophies.

Tottenham have raised funds but not through owner investment

Bloomberg have now reported that Spurs have added £90m to their coffers, but it has not come as equity from their owners. Instead, the money has been raised through a receivables financing deal with Macquarie Group Ltd.

Tottenham have agreed to give Macquarie Group income from their future broadcasting rights in exchange for a lump sum of cash upfront. The rights are tied to money due to Spurs from the Premier League from December 2025 to May 2026.

Other Premier League clubs have also struck similar deals with Macquarie Group in the past, including Nottingham Forest, who loaned £28m from them in 2023, backed by a transfer fee from a future player sale.

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Why this may be an alarming sign for Tottenham fans

ENIC have invested only £122.1m into Tottenham since buying the club in 2001, which is why many were sceptical about claims that they are suddenly prepared to change the way they operate.

If this deal with Macquarie was the investment that the media have been referring to over recent days, it is a massive let-down, as the Lewis family has once again shown that they are not prepared to invest their money into the club.

What they have done is borrow against the club’s future broadcast earnings, which comes with risk. ENIC have to put their money where their mouth is if they do intend to make Tottenham a real force on the pitch.

After the closure of the transfer window, Tottenham are accelerating talks to tie down a player to a new contract, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham leading those efforts.

We have already seen two Tottenham Hotspur players being handed new contracts at the start of the Thomas Frank era.

Djed Spence has signed a new four-year contract, less than a year on from his last new deal, while new club captain Cristian Romero has also put pen to paper on an extension.

It has been reported over recent weeks that Rodrigo Bentancur is next in line to be handed a new deal at Spurs, with the Uruguayan now into the final year of his contract.

Vinai Venkatesham wants to tie Rodrigo Bentancur down to new Tottenham deal

TBR Football have now claimed that following the exit of Daniel Levy, Venkatesham has been tasked with tying down the Uruguayan to a new deal.

Now that the transfer window has closed, there is said to be urgency at Tottenham to reach an agreement with Bentancur as soon as possible.

The report says that Thomas Frank has already made it clear that the former Juventus man is a key part of his plans.

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As a result, Venkatesham is now working hard to tie up Bentancur to a new long-term contract, with Tottenham hoping to have an agreement in place before January.

Why Tottenham fans can be relatively optimistic about Bentancur’s future

There were murmurs of transfer interest in Bentancur this summer, but the midfielder did not come close to leaving.

There are also continuing suggestions that Atletico Madrid are big fans of Bentancur, which might be a cause for concern for Tottenham fans.

However, the fact that the North London club have not shown the same urgency in tying the midfielder down to a new deal as they did with Romero suggests that they are relatively confident that the 28-year-old will commit.

It was a very busy international break for many Tottenham stars, the majority of whom were involved in World Cup qualification action across different parts of the globe.

Thomas Frank and his coaching staff would be hoping that his entire Spurs squad returns from the break unscathed, and at this point, there do not appear to be any additional injury concerns.

Cristian Romero was suspended for Argentina’s clash against Ecuador, which meant that the Tottenham defender returned to Hotspur Way early.

However, a number of players have been in action over the last 48 hours, thus potentially giving Frank things to ponder over ahead of the London derby against West Ham in a few days.

Total minutes for each Tottenham player during the international break

The one positive for Spurs is that among the 18 players who were on international duty over the last week and a half, only two players played 180 minutes of football.

That was Rodrigo Bentancur for Uruguay and Ben Davies for Wales, while Mohammed Kudus also had a heavy workload, playing 166 minutes for Ghana across two matches.

Pedro Porro played a total of 152 minutes for Spain, starting both games, while Micky van de Ven got 118 minutes of football in his legs as a left-back across the two games for the Netherlands.

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Will this impact Thomas Frank’s selection decision?

Frank will be relatively pleased with the fact that many of his key players were not run into the ground during the international break.

The only concern for the Dane might be Bentancur, who had a long travel to South America and completed both matches, including the intense 0-0 draw with Chile on Tuesday.

New analysis has revealed that two Tottenham Hotspur stars perform better at home than they do away in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur have an abundance of attacking talent this season, with a variety of traits and attributes across their frontline that make each player unique.

Thomas Frank will no doubt be delighted by this, as it provides him with a wide range of options to turn to in different game states and tactical scenarios, allowing for greater flexibility across competitions.

Already this season, we have seen Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson regularly occupy the wide positions, but a new statistic has shed light on an intriguing detail about two Tottenham wingers.

Tottenham wingers among top five for home advantage

This report comes from Ticket-Compare, who carried out an analysis of performance data that reveals which current Premier League players tend to perform better at home compared to away fixtures.

According to their findings, Tottenham’s Wilson Odobert ranks fourth on the list, with his performance improving by an average of 6.10% when playing at home compared to away. His Sofascore rating goes from 6.71 away to 7.12 on home ground.

Completing the top five is another Tottenham player, Brennan Johnson, who records a 6.08% rise from a 6.51 rating away to 6.91 at home, underlining his stronger displays at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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The study used player and team ratings from Sofascore across the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, comparing home and away performances across the Premier League, before averaging and calculating the percentage differences.

Spurs home and away performance compared

Interestingly, Tottenham’s summer transfer target Savinho ranks first among players who see their performance improve at home, recording the biggest rise in average rating when playing in front of his own fans, moving from 7.11 away to 7.58 at home – a 6.59% increase.

However, Tottenham as a club also fall into the category of teams that perform better at home than away, ranking ninth in the league for this particular metric, showing a consistent trend across several seasons.

One Spurs defender is attracting interest from Real Madrid, causing Tottenham Hotspur to take action.

Micky van de Ven has been a crucial first team player since making the move from Wolfsburg to Tottenham Hotspur. His agility and pace, coupled with defensive attributes, have made the Dutchman one of the best defenders in the Premier League.

Brennan Johnson is remembered as the hero of the Europa League final, but had it not been for van de Ven’s goal line clearance late in the game, Spurs might not have sealed the victory. van de Ven has revealed Tottenham supporters still thank him for his vital contribution, which is surely his greatest moment at the club up to this point.

The longer van de Ven is around in N17, the better. Therefore, Spurs fans will be delighted that van de Ven hopes to be Cristian Romero’s centre-back partner at Tottenham for a long time. However, news has emerged that Real Madrid are interested in the 24-year–old, a move which would be difficult to turn down.

Tottenham want to tie Micky van de Ven down to a new contract

Van de Ven is contracted at Spurs until 2029, but TBR Football report that the North London club are ready to recognise the progress he has made since joining.

As a result, Tottenham are looking to double van de Ven’s wages in order to keep him happy. They are aware of interest from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, so Vinai Venkatesham is ready to begin talks with van de Ven about the prospect of an improved deal which is more in line with his market value.

Van de Ven is currently on £50,000 per year, so this would likely make him the fifth highest earner at the club, narrowly behind Dejan Kulusevski. However, the Netherlands international would still be earning far less than Cristian Romero, who is on £195,000 per week.

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Micky van de Ven would be difficult for Spurs to replace

There is something unique about van de Ven as a central defender. Some similarities could be drawn between Romero and those behind him in the pecking order, but no one else at Spurs can offer what van de Ven does.

Even if Real Madrid or another team were to place a bid amounting to £100m or more, it is difficult to see why Tottenham would even consider van de Ven leaving North London.

It is good they are recognising his brilliance by offering an improved wage, but regardless of whether he accepts or not, there is no reason to listen to offers in the immediate future.