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Tottenham Hotspur have discovered their UEFA Champions League opponents after a two-year absence from the competition, setting the stage for a long-awaited return to Europe’s biggest stage.

After a two-year absence from the UEFA Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur are now back in the big time, thanks to Brennan Johnson’s goal, which saw Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final and seal their return to Europe’s premier competition.

A lot has changed since Tottenham last featured in the Champions League, with the group stages now replaced by a league phase comprising 36 teams.

It was revealed earlier today that, ahead of the League phase draw, Tottenham were placed in pot three, which ultimately matters little, as they are set to face two teams from each pot, but no English sides in the league stage.

Who Tottenham will play in the League Phase of the Champions League

With the draw now completed, Tottenham know who their eight opponents in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League League phase will be.

The opening round of matches is scheduled to kick off during the week of 16 to 18 September, while the final League phase fixtures will take place on 28 January 2026, with every team in action on the same day.

Spurs’ opponents for the League Phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League are as follows:

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Tottenham hope Thomas Frank can deliver in Europe

The Europa League winners will be looking to secure passage through to the next round, and they are not entirely unfamiliar with this format, having competed in the Europa League last season, where they finished in the automatic qualifying spots.

Thomas Frank, however, will be managing in the Champions League for the first time in his career, and he will be determined to guide Tottenham towards success on the biggest stage.

Spurs have made a strong start to life in the Premier League this season, and the hope will be that when the Champions League begins in September, they can replicate that form in Europe.

When will Tottenham’s Champions League fixtures be played?

Matchday 1: September 16-17, 2025

Matchday 2: September 30-October 1, 2025

Matchday 3: October 21-22, 2025

Matchday 4: November 4-5, 2025

Matchday 5: November 25-26, 2025

Matchday 6: December 9-10, 2025

Matchday 7: January 20-21, 2026

Football finance expert Adam Williams has taken a closer look at Tottenham’s finances and whether the club can afford to make some big moves in the final days of the transfer window.

While Tottenham have had a solid start to the season under Thomas Frank, most Spurs fans will feel that the squad is in desperate need of at least two more top-class additions.

That is the only way that Frank can fulfil his stated desire of competing on all four fronts this season.

Given that Tottenham were ready to spend big on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze this summer, it appears that the Lilywhites do have the funds for a late spending spree.

Tottenham’s debt and expenses are expected to rise

Adam Williams has now explained that Tottenham’s transfer debt, which was already one of the highest in the Premier League, is about to go up even further.

He claimed that the club’s wage bill and their expenses are also likely to increase, predicting the Lilywhites would need around £630m to cover their costs.

Williams told TBR Football: “Historically, Spurs have funded most of their transfer business through instalments. That means they have very high transfer debt. In 2023-24, which is the last published financial year, it was £337m. That was behind only Chelsea in the Premier League.

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“At the same time, they were only owed £58m by other clubs. So you have a net commitment of nearly £280m there. £146m of that was due before the end of 2024-25, so that will have significantly impacted cash flow in a year with no Champions League income.

“If they spend another £100m or so on Savinho and another midfielder, their spend this summer is going to be close to £200m if they don’t make any further sales. It’s likely that at least a third of that has been paid upfront. Looking at the business they’ve done, I don’t think that transfer debt figure is going to move too much.

“The annual wage bill is going to rise above the record £251m in 2022-23. My conservative forecast would be about £300m. On top of that, they had operating expenses of £160m in 2023-24. Costs have risen since then. Being back in the Champions League costs a lot in terms of logistics, while services and utilities are more expensive than ever. Let’s say £175m. So that’s £475m in costs before any fees associated with transfers. Add £150m there and they’re over £600m in terms of total costs. Then, you’ve got interest at about £30m per season.

“These are very rough calculations and there’s some margin for error, but they won’t be too far off. So they need £630m or so to cover those costs, plus investments in infrastructure, like the on-site hotel.”

A good Champions League run will help Spurs balance their books

All through the summer, it has been reported that ENIC have injected some cash into Tottenham in order to allow the club to spend freely this summer.

However, Williams doubts that any cash injection has come from Spurs’ owners, pointing out that a decent Champions League run would help the North London side cover their rising costs.

The football finance expert added: “So how are they affording this? Personally, I don’t think they need any financial help from the owners just yet. They’ll be aiming for revenue of £650m with a good season on the pitch. Getting out of the league phase in the Champions League is absolutely key here. Commercial revenue is going to continue growing, as is matchday.

“They have a credit facility – which is basically an overdraft – with about £50m of capacity they can draw from, although that comes with interest. Their cash balance was £79m at the end of the last accounting date too, though that will have come down in the last 12 months

“So while I think they’re probably pushing the limits of what’s available with their current cash reserves and revenue, I don’t think their current level of spending necessarily requires a cash injection from ENIC. If there had been an injection of money through equity, that would be documented in Companies House. They would have one month to file that with Companies House, so unless it has taken place in the last month, we would know about it.

“It’s possible that there could have been an investment from ENIC via a loan agreement, but that would be a complete departure from what we have seen from ENIC in 25 years at the club. I think it’s possible that there could be a plan to inject money into the club at some point in the season, depending on revenue projections, but I’m fairly confident it hasn’t happened yet.

“There was talk of a naming rights deal being close, but there have been many, many false dawns in the past. I don’t think we’re likely to see that until next season at the earliest. It would be a left-field move to do it mid-season.”

Tottenham duo Alejo Veliz and Will Lankshear have both been getting regular game time out on loan, while Alfie Devine is also continuing his fine start to life at Preston North End.

A number of Tottenham’s youngsters have been loaned out this summer, but they have had mixed starts to their respective loan spells.

Alejo Veliz admitted that he wanted to return to Rosario Central after two difficult years in Europe, and Spurs granted the striker his wish, sending him back to the club they signed him from in 2023.

Some Tottenham fans were bewildered by Tottenham’s decision to loan Veliz back to Argentina, with many feeling that he would have been better served being loaned out to a European side.

However, the striker would certainly be happy with his decision, given how life has been for him back at Rosario.

Alejo Veliz continues leading the line for Rosaria Central

The 21-year-old once again played all 90 minutes as Rosario won 1-0 at home in their big derby against Newell’s Old Boys over the weekend.

Veliz had found the back of the net in the 1-1 draw against Deportivo Riestra with a powerful header the previous week, which remains his only goal in six appearances back at the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito.

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However, the 21-year-old was overjoyed to help his boyhood club win their big derby match, writing on Instagram after the win over Newell’s Old Boys: “ROSARIO IS FROM CENTRAL. Thank you for every moment God.”

Tottenham’s Will Lankshear and Alfie Devine continue to impress

Lankshear did not have the best of loan outings at West Brom last season, but things have been going much better for the centre-forward at Oxford United.

The 20-year-old striker had scored his first Championship goal last week in United’s 3-2 defeat at Hull City, and the Tottenham academy graduate got another 68 minutes under his belt on Saturday as Oxford lost 1-0 at Birmingham City.

The Oxford Mail rated Lankshear’s performance at six out of 10 and wrote about the striker: “Battled hard to hold up the ball and feed off the scraps that came his way against two robust centre halves.”

Alfie Devine is also continuing his impressive start to life at Preston. The attacking midfielder opened his account in front of goal for the club last week in their 2-1 win against Leicester City.

Devine started again as the number ten and got 73 minutes in Preston’s 1-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday.

Tottenham would have been hoping to see Mikey Moore ply his trade in the Champions League this season with Rangers, but that dream is officially over.

Moore revealed that his desire to play in the biggest competitions was one of the reasons he signed for Rangers, and Tottenham fans would have been looking forward to watching him in action in the Champions League.

However, the Scottish club’s hopes were hanging by a thread after they fell to a 3-1 loss at home in the first leg against Club Brugge last week.

Moore got 20 minutes of action in the first leg, and he may have hoped to play from the start in the return leg as Russel Martin’s men were eyeing a famous comeback, but they came apart quite spectacularly in Belgium.

Rangers thrashed by Club Brugge as Moore watches on from the bench

The Tottenham Hotspur winger was an unused substitute at Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday as Rangers were torn to shreds by a rampant Brugge side.

The tie was over by half-time, with the home side putting four past the Scottish giants before the interval.

They scored two more times in the second period to complete a 6-0 win and 9-1 demolition on aggregate, which means that Moore will play in the Europa League this season, a competition he won with Tottenham last term.

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Should Mikey Moore’s lack of starts be a concern for Tottenham?

So far, the 18-year-old’s only start for Rangers came in the Scottish League Cup against Alloa United, where he grabbed an assist to help his side emerge 4-2 winners.

Russel Martin has said that he has been very impressed with Moore, but the former Southampton boss has not used the teenager much.

However, it is still early days for the youngster at Ibrox, and he may soon get an opportunity to showcase his quality, particularly given how recent results have gone for the Glasgow club.

Tottenham fans are all saying the same thing following reports that former sporting director Fabio Paratici could be returning to the club.

The summer transfer window so far has been a frustrating one for Tottenham Hotspur fans, who have watched their side struggle to land a number ten with less than five days to go in the British transfer window.

Despite edging close to sealing deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, Tottenham were left empty-handed instead, with both players favouring Spurs’ rivals.

Reports broke out yesterday stating that Tottenham’s former sporting director, Fabio Paratici, will return and be given an official role once more at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after his suspension from football.

This will now see the Italian responsible for all transfer matters, once the current window has closed, and Spurs fans have been quick to give their reactions.

Tottenham fans react to Fabio Paratici return news

Tottenham Hotspur supporters who have caught wind of the latest report have not held back in their reaction to the potential return of Fabio Paratici, who signed the majority of the current spine of the Spurs squad.

One supporter was relieved, posting: “Thank goodness the don is coming back. We need him more than ever. This window has been an embarrassment.”

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Another kept it short, stating: “Finally, the boss is back.” One more was not convinced, commenting: “Too little too late!” while another bluntly replied: “Hope January window is better than this crap.”

Some Tottenham fans pointed out the timing, with one remarking: “After the window closes! Useful. Saves Levy money until January.”

Another acknowledged the good news but added: “Good news. Unfortunately, not going to help this window.” There was also frustration with the current recruitment team, as one fan put it: “Finally. Now send Lange to the gallows.”

Spurs transfer struggles highlight need for a change

Of course, it has been a disaster of a window so far for a club of Tottenham’s stature, who are Europa League champions and are also in the UEFA Champions League this season.

Tottenham’s recruitment has been laughable at times this transfer window, with their supporters having to watch on as bitter rivals Arsenal pipped them to the signing of Eberechi Eze, even when it looked certain that he was on the verge of joining Spurs.

The appointment of Fabio Paratici does seem like a step in the right direction, but with only five days left before the window shuts, the feeling among many is that it is simply too late to change the outcome of this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have made a decision on Bilal El Khannouss after Leicester City changed their transfer stance.

With just over four days left until the window slams shut, Tottenham Hotspur are still trying to sign an attacking midfielder after missing out on Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White earlier this summer.

El Khannouss is alleged to be one of the options on Tottenham’s radar, with the Moroccan impressing in his debut Premier League season last term despite Leicester City’s relegation.

Some sources have even suggested that Daniel Levy has personally stepped in to tie up a deal for El Khannouss, but there appears to be a twist in the transfer race.

Tottenham no longer expected to pursue Bilal El Khannouss

A couple of days ago, it emerged that the Leicester star may be leaning towards a move to Tottenham over Crystal Palace, but a new update has now suggested that the player is not expected to join either club.

This update comes from TBR Football, who say that the Foxes are now trying to sell the attacking midfielder to a Saudi Pro League side in the final days of the transfer window.

The Championship outfit believe that they can get over £40m from a Saudi club for the Moroccan, which is more than what both Palace and Spurs are willing to pay.

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As a result, the two London clubs have walked away from a late deal for the 21-year-old.

Leicester City are hoping El Khannouss changes his mind

TBR Football say that the attacking midfielder prefers remaining in the Premier League over moving to the Middle East.

He had previously already agreed on a move to Palace, who were willing to pay £34m for his services, and was keen to play under Oliver Glasner.

However, Leicester are hoping that El Khannouss will change his mind about a move to Saudi Arabia and are thus sticking to their valuation.

Tottenham Hotspur have been left in a difficult position in the transfer market and must now decide whether splashing the cash on secondary options is really worth it.

Much will be said in the coming days about the performance of Tottenham Hotspur in the transfer market. From failed signings to minimal revenue, the whole window has been a complete disaster up to this point.

Spurs now have a decision to make with just days remaining to sign players. Should they go for second or even third choice options and potentially overpay to get them, or just wait until January to revisit the possibility of getting a player or two who they actually want?

The answer to this question is a complex one because there are obvious needs in the Tottenham first-team squad. However, spending more money now could mean there is reluctance to empty the club’s pockets further down the line when a more favourable option becomes available.

Tottenham must sign a new left winger at all costs

Some needs are so great that it is worth paying the necessary price to fulfil them. This is especially true when considering Tottenham’s shortage on the left wing. Mathys Tel does not yet look up to the standard of first-team football and while Brennan Johnson is scoring for now, once the goals stop, his general play will begin to cause frustration.

Spurs do not want to be in a position where wingers who are naturally suited to the right wing keep having to shift to the left. Therefore, it is critical that a new signing is made. Of course, Manor Solomon is somehow still at the club, but even if he comes good, another option would be useful as Tottenham look to compete across four different competitions.

The decision to sell Heung-min Son ought to have been the right one and yet this is hard to believe, looking at the lack of left-wingers Thomas Frank has at his disposal.

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Then there is Mikey Moore, who could have been given the chance to get some minutes at Tottenham. Instead, he is at Rangers, where he was not even selected as they were thrashed 6-0 by Club Brugge in Champions League qualifying.

Tottenham have got themselves into this mess and now they need to get themselves out of it. If that means paying a premium fee on a panic buy left winger, then so be it. After all, leaving Frank with the team as it is now would be nothing short of a disgrace!

Spurs could survive without an attacking midfielder

After all the time wasted on attempting to agree moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, failing to bring in a new attacking midfielder would be a shambolic state of affairs.

However, there is a way to mitigate these circumstances. Pape Matar Sarr may not be an attacking midfielder in the traditional sense, but he has upped his game. Spurs could look to him as their more forward-thinking player in the middle until Dejan Kulusevski returns from injury. Once the Swede is back he can be played centrally, as there is already depth on the right flank.

Lucas Bergvall could always be tested in a more forward-thinking role. His lack of goal contributions since joining Tottenham might be a concern, but he is a great dribbler and could look to draw in defenders before releasing the ball to players in space.

Of course, none of these scenarios are ideal and if Spurs are able to pay a reasonable fee to sign a new midfielder – like Xavi Simons – by all means do. Some of the names being mentioned at the moment are actually quality players.

However, the last thing the club need is to bring in a bang average player who never plays once Kulusevski and James Maddison return and then ends up sticking around for years. Players such as Bryan Gil come to mind.

What other positions in the Tottenham first-team squad are lacking?

Spurs have their clearest needs in attack and on that note, it would have been useful to sign another striker. If Richarlison gets injured, which literally happens every season, Dominic Solanke and Dane Scarlett are the club’s only options up front. Tel could play as a centre-forward, but that just thins resources on the left wing even more.

At the other end of the pitch, Tottenham have failed to sign a new full-back. This will likely be mitigated by Ben Davies playing on the left when needed, while Archie Gray will play some matches on the right.

However, the Europa League winners should not be having to make compromises like this. Spurs had better hope for as few injuries as possible or there are going to be real challenges again this season.

Tottenham Hotspur are also looking at a prolific Serie A star, who found the back of the net 20 times last season, in case their Xavi Simons pursuit hits a snag.

Over the past 24 hours, a number of outlets have reported that Tottenham are trying to hijack Chelsea’s move for Xavi Simons.

According to various sources, Chelsea are concentrating on landing Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, thus opening the door for Tottenham to poach Simons.

In fact, Bild have even claimed that Simons is currently in London, discussing a move to Spurs, with the publication adding that ‘everything points’ to the RB Leipzig star ending up at N17.

Tottenham eyeing Ademola Lookman and Xavi Simons

However, Ben Jocobs has now revealed that Leipzig want a bidding war between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea for the Dutchman, who is still waiting on a move to Chelsea.

As a result, Spurs have also identified Atlanta star Ademola Lookman as a potential target.

Lookman, who scored 20 goals and provided seven assists for Atalanta across all competitions last term, was wanted by Inter Milan earlier this summer.

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However, Jacobs reveals that the Nigerian international’s move to the Nerazzuri is dead, and adds that Spurs can land the versatile forward for around €50m (£43m).

Why Lookman is not a great alternative for Simons

Lookman is an extremely talented forward, and Thomas Frank’s system might get the best of the 27-year-old.

However, he is more of a second striker than an attacking midfielder in the mould of Morgan Gibbs-White and Xavi Simons.

It thus appears unlikely that Tottenham have identified him as a backup to the Leipzig man. However, that might speak to the paucity of options at this stage of the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur may have one factor working in their favour in their efforts to beat Chelsea to Xavi Simons, but wages could prove an issue.

Over the last few hours, it has been reported that Chelsea are prioritising other attackers over Simons, which has opened the door for Tottenham to complete a late hijack.

However, earlier today, Florian Plettenberg revealed that Simons is still waiting for Chelsea despite Tottenham’s serious efforts to hijack the deal.

The journalist claimed that Spurs have reached out to Leipzig to express a serious interest in a deal for the Dutchman, with the Bundesliga club telling Thomas Frank’s men to pay up £60m for the player.

Daniel Levy’s relationship with Leipzig could help Spurs in Simons deal

It has now been reported by BILD that Tottenham’s pursuit of the Netherlands international is ‘getting really hot’.

It is explained that when Spurs approached Simons’ agent earlier this summer, they were told that the player wanted a move to Chelsea, but the move to Stamford Bridge has now stalled, thus opening the door for the Lilywhites.

The report says that the Tottenham hierarchy have an excellent relationship with Leipzig, with Daniel Levy knowing the German club’s supervisory board chairman, Oliver Mintzlaff, very well.

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This could help facilitate the transfer, and it is suggested that Spurs will not have issues meeting Leipzig’s asking price for the 22-year-old.

Tottenham wage structure may struggle to convince Xavi Simons

However, Bild say that Spurs still have work to do to convince the attacking midfielder regarding a switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Additionally, it is revealed that Simons is on a contract of €11m (£9.5m) per year at Leipzig, and he is thought to be demanding a significant pay rise, and it is suggested that meeting the former Paris Saint-Germain star’s salary demands may be a problem for the Lilywhites.

Amidst speculation that Tottenham Hotspur are looking to complete a last-minute deal for Xavi Simons, we take a look at how much the attacking midfielder earns at RB Leipzig and whether he will fit into Spurs’ wage structure.

Tottenham are desperate to sign an attacking midfielder after being snubbed by Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, but they are quickly running out of time to do so.

It emerged on Wednesday morning that Spurs are considering hijacking Chelsea’s pursuit of Xavi Simons, who is expected to leave Leipzig before the window slams shut.

This was backed up by Bild, who claimed that Tottenham have entered the race for Simons after Chelsea’s move for the player stalled due to the West London club’s issues in getting players out of the door.

It was reported on Thursday morning that everything is now pointing towards Spurs winning the race for Simons, as the player arrives in London for talks.

Will Xavi Simons fit into Tottenham’s wage bill?

It was previously reported that Leipzig want £60m for Simons, which is perhaps not as outrageous a fee as what the Lilywhites’ other top targets are being valued at.

Additionally, his salary will also not be a problem for the North London club. According to Capology, Simons earns €115,835 per week at the Red Bull Arena.

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That equates to roughly £100k per week, and while the attacking midfielder would want a pay rise at his next club, that should still put him well within Tottenham’s wage structure.

Why Simons might be the perfect answer to Spurs’ conundrum

It has been reported by a number of sources that Spurs want to sign an attacking midfielder and a winger before the window slams shut.

However, the North London club have less than five days to pull off those deals, which makes it a hard ask.

Simons might thus be the perfect answer for Tottenham Hotspur, as while the 22-year-old is naturally a creative midfielder, he has also played at either flank for Leipzig, thus potentially solving two problems in one for Thomas Frank.