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Thomas Frank has outlined the thinking behind Conor Gallagher’s decision to join Tottenham, offering insight into what ultimately convinced the midfielder to make the move to north London.

Tottenham Hotspur had shown interest in Conor Gallagher back in 2024 when Ange Postecoglou was manager, but failed to land the former Chelsea man.

However, this winter, with Spurs in desperate need of reinforcements amid an injury crisis and poor form, they moved to secure the services of the midfielder, who arrives with a wealth of Premier League experience.

Tottenham did not have a free run at Gallagher either, having to fend off interest from Aston Villa, who had reached a verbal agreement with Atletico Madrid, and Thomas Frank has now highlighted three reasons why Gallagher opted for a Spurs move.

Thomas Frank explains why Conor Gallagher chose Tottenham

Speaking to the club’s official Tottenham channels, Frank was asked directly why Gallagher chose to sign for Spurs, with the head coach outlining the factors that appealed most to the midfielder.

He said: “I think, of course, one thing is the Premier League, secondly is the project and the opportunity here, the role he could get in the team.

“I think, first and foremost, as a player that can help the team with his abilities, the character and the culture architect I think he is as well, in terms of pushing the group every single day, in training and in matches. I think you could see he is very exciting, there is some very exciting potential in this club.”

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Frank on Gallagher’s development and long-term motivation

Frank was also asked whether Gallagher had evolved as a player during his time in Madrid, with the Tottenham boss reflecting on the midfielder’s experiences abroad.

He said: “Yes, I think every experience makes us better in a way, either clear impact or reflection over it and learning from the experience.

“Quite a few conversations I had with Conor, he really liked the experience at Atletico. He really liked working with Diego Simeone, he really liked everything about it.

“Of course, we were pleased that he would like another chance and it was possible. But I think that experience added to how he ended his last year at Chelsea.

“I think he was at times unplayable. I think he was a fantastic player for Chelsea that season. So that is the Conor Gallagher we are looking at. That is the Conor Gallagher that I think can step straight into this team and help us straight away.”

Speaking on whether an England World Cup call-up played a role in Gallagher’s thinking, the Dane added: “To be fair, that we did not speak about. Sometimes you could do that, he did not mention it, I did not mention it.

“I could imagine it is a very important thing for him. But for me, it was all about Tottenham. What can he add to us, short term and long term? What is the plan, what is the vision for him and the club?”

Tottenham Hotspur are not giving up on a highly-rated winger even though the deck is stacked against them in the transfer race.

Until a little over a week ago, it appeared as if Spurs were among the clubs leading the race for Yan Diomande, who has exploded at RB Leipzig this season, with seven goals and four assists to his name.

However, the situation appears to have changed drastically over the last few days, with Tottenham thought to have fallen behind their rivals in the race for the Leipzig man.

To make matters worse, Diomande himself has named Liverpool as his dream destination, which seemingly leaves the Lilywhites with a mountain to climb.

Tottenham ready to go toe-to-toe with Liverpool for Yan Diomande

However, journalist Alan Nixon has now claimed that Spurs have not given up on their hopes of landing the Ivory Coast international just yet.

He suggested that the North London club are prepared to battle it out with the Reds for the 19-year-old’s signature, and are willing to splash the cash on the winger.

Nixon wrote on his Patreon: “Tottenham are taking on Liverpool in the race for Red Bull Leipzig wing sensation Diomande. Spurs are keen to splash out in this window and could top any offer for the Ivory Coast talent, who is just 19.

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“Liverpool have been hovering and see Diomande as a long-term capture, but Tottenham could make the big offer that lands him now. Diomande has shot to prominence with his speed and skills, and Spurs think a buy would work for them now and be an investment too. The auction may take the deal over £40 million, but Tottenham are backing Thomas Frank as they go for it in the market.”

Spurs may have to forgo Diomande January dream

It appears that Thomas Frank’s men may have to give up this deal for now and revisit it in the summer.

This is because it has been widely reported that Leipzig are unlikely to let Diomande leave before the end of this month.

Thomas Frank has spoken candidly as pressure continues to mount in north London, addressing whether collective trust and backing are required if Tottenham are to arrest their slide in form.

It has been anything but a perfect opening six months for Thomas Frank in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout.

The Dane, who enjoyed a relatively strong start to life in north London that included a London derby victory against West Ham United, has since seen his side’s form and performances take a significant downturn.

Spurs’ struggles make the next five months of the campaign absolutely crucial for Frank, who has made it clear that support from all sides will be important if momentum is to shift.

Thomas Frank on trust and backing at Tottenham

Speaking via the club’s official channels, Frank was asked directly whether he needed the trust and backing of everyone at Tottenham to help turn the club’s fortunes around.

The Spurs head coach offered a detailed and candid response to the question, highlighting the recent results, progress and culture of the club in recent weeks.

He said: “Yes. I am very aware of how this football world works, no doubt about that. I know that we have not got enough of the results we want.

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“I can see the small steps we are constantly taking. I still refer to the last six games with more positive, consistent performances, not perfect, but there are some good signs of a team.

“We talk about sometimes not being able to deal with enough setbacks or resilience, the two second-half performances against Bournemouth and Villa.

“It is so easy to fall apart but the team actually sticks together and adds more. I think that talks about a culture that is getting a little bit stronger, a little bit more, come on, let us do everything we can to turn this momentum. In football, sometimes momentum changes like that.

“I can see the small signs in the culture, the training, how the boys have been training here, especially Tuesday and Thursday.

“Very intense, focused, working very hard on the offensive part of the game because we know the defensive in many ways looks quite good, not through the roof, but quite good.

“It is the offensive we need to do better and that is what we are working hard on. I think all the small steps we are taking with everything from signing Conor [Gallagher], signing John Heitinga as an assistant coach, an excellent signing, Rafi as a Football Operations Officer, I think that is the correct title, a key member in the direction of how we want to do things.

“So everything is moving forward. We just need to add a top performance and a win on Saturday.”

Frank addresses pressure ahead of West Ham clash

While the Dane is eager to turn things around, Spurs fans are still not convinced that the 52-year-old is the man for the job.

A protest has already been organised by supporters ahead of Tottenham’s clash with West Ham on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Frank also spoke about handling the growing personal pressure, again via Tottenham’s official channels, with the focus firmly on performance levels rather than external noise.

He added, “Yes, that is fine. I am happy to take that. It is all about how we can get the players out there full of confidence, brave and playing forward. We need to.

“I know it is a big London derby, of course, against West Ham, with the rivalry and everything, but it is all about us. For me, it is all about us.

“It is how we come out with energy, positive, forward, adding, hopefully, the first half against Sunderland and the second half against Villa. If we can do that, then we will put a top performance out there and then we will win the game.”

Tottenham Hotspur have told Mathys Tel whether he will be able to leave the club on loan in January amid interest from Paris FC.

Brennan Johnson has departed Tottenham for Crystal Palace, but he may not be the only wide player to leave N17 before the end of the month.

It has been widely reported over the last few days that Mathys Tel is open to a loan move away from Spurs in order to get regular game time under his belt.

We have heard over the last 48 hours that Tottenham are not keen on offloading Tel, and it appears the club have now communicated their stance to the player.

What Tottenham have told Mathys Tel about his future

TEAMtalk now report that Thomas Frank’s men have now ‘put their foot down’ and have informed Tel that they have no plans to let him go this month.

The Frenchman has reportedly voiced concerns to the club earlier this month about his lack of game time, and various clubs have expressed an interest in signing him.

Tel sees his long-term future at the North London club, but he wants to leave on loan so that he can have a shot at making the France squad for the World Cup.

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However, Spurs have now informed the 20-year-old as well as his suitors that a deal is currently not being considered.

One industry source told the outlet that while Tottenham respect Tel’s situation, they do not feel they are in a position to let him go right now.

Spurs could change their mind on Tel under one condition

Interestingly, TEAMtalk assert that the former Bayern Munich man could still be loaned out before the end of the window, as long as one condition is fulfilled.

Tottenham will be open to greenlighting a temporary move for Tel if they can sign another forward, which they are currently attempting to do.

Tottenham Hotspur are now exploring a surprise move for a German international winger who has been in good form at Borussia Dortmund.

Conor Gallagher and Souza are expected to be the first two players to arrive through the door at Spurs this month, but they are not expected to be the only ones.

Reports indicate that Tottenham are keen on making more signings over the coming days, with an attacking addition being a priority.

Spurs have shortlisted seven wingers that they like and are prepared to be flexible on who to pursue, but it has now emerged that another wide player has been added to the list.

Tottenham enter race for Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi

According to a report in TEAMtalk, Spurs are now exploring the situation of Borussia Dortmund star Karim Adeyemi, whose future at the Bundesliga club is thought to be in doubt.

Adeyemi, who can play on either flank or lead the line, has notched up 32 goals and 22 assists in 130 appearances for Dortmund.

The 23-year-old had previously attracted interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, and the Lilywhites have now become the latest club to enter the race.

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However, the report makes it clear that the Dortmund man is viewed more as ‘a situational opportunity’ for the North Londoners, who are prioritising other wingers over the German.

Who is Spurs’ number one winger target?

TEAMtalk back up what we have heard from other sources by revealing that Leipzig are refusing to sell Spurs’ top target, Yan Diomande, this window.

As a result, Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche has become ‘the leading candidate’ for Tottenham, who have regularly scouted the 23-year-old this season.

There is a feeling among some at N17 that Monaco will cash in on Akliouche if the Ligue 1 club manage to sign a replacement.

The FA have now given their verdict after the unsavoury scenes that followed Tottenham’s FA Cup exit against Aston Villa on Sunday.

There was a mass brawl at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following Villa’s 2-1 win, with both sets of players and staff getting into a confrontation.

The incident was instigated as a result of Joao Palhinha taking issue with the way Ollie Watkins taunted him as the Villa forward attempted to celebrate the win in front of the away fans.

There was the risk that the FA would intervene following the incident, and that has now happened.

Both Tottenham and Aston Villa hit with FA charge

The FA have now charged both teams with misconduct for the scenes after the final whistle.

They accused both clubs of having “failed to ensure their players and/or officials did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way after the final whistle”.

English football’s governing body has given Tottenham Hotspur and Villa until Friday, January 16, to respond to the charge.

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Thomas Frank says Ollie Watkins was ‘provoking’ against Spurs

The Tottenham head coach conceded that his players could have kept cooler heads, but he felt that it was Watkins who was the instigator.

The Dane suggested that the Villa striker purposely decided to celebrate in front of Palhinha instead of walking around the Spurs midfielder.

Reacting to the incident, Frank said (via ESPN): “Of course, it is all about keeping a cool head. The players gave everything out there, losing a tight game, the season is not going perfectly, and I think Ollie is very provoking in the way he’s going down to celebrate in front of the Villa fans.

“He is just walking into Joao and he could just easily walk around. Everyone who has been of a competitive nature, it is difficult, that can trigger things.”

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed a deal to sell Alejo Veliz to Bahia, but they are still waiting on a thumbs-up from the player.

There have already been questions asked of Tottenham Hotspur since the January transfer window opened. Brennan Johnson completed a move to Crystal Palace for a fee in the region of £35m, which saw them make a £12.5m loss on the winger.

Johnson is still only 24 years old, and he made a notable contribution in the Europa League final, causing confusion as to why Spurs settled for a low transfer fee.

However, moving unwanted players on appears to be a priority at Tottenham, and this is set to continue with a striker who could be on his way out.

Tottenham agree transfer fee with Bahia for Alejo Veliz

It has been reported that Spurs could recall Alejo Veliz from Rosario Central in order to seal his permanent exit from the club, with Brazilian side Bahia launching a bid.

German Garcia Grova has confirmed Tottenham’s plans to cut the 22-year-old’s loan deal short, and they have reached an agreement to sell him for £8.7m.

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However, the player himself is reportedly yet to comment on the matter, and his approval is required in order for the move to take place.

Spurs have done well to seal a deal for Veliz

Even though Tottenham are losing money on Veliz, who cost them £13m in 2023, they have actually done well to agree an £8.7m deal.

The centre forward has had two underwhelming loan spells in La Liga and even his five goals in 16 appearances for Rosario Central is nothing extraordinary.

Spurs are ultimately pocketing a transfer fee for a player who is never going to play under Thomas Frank, so it is the right decision to let him go.

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for a 21-year-old Serie A centre-back, but they face competition from a whole host of their rivals.

Radu Dragusin continues to be heavily linked with an exit from Spurs this summer, with the Romanian thought to be keen on playing regular football.

Kota Takai has joined Borussia Monchengladbach on loan, which means that Thomas Frank could be left short of options in the heart of the Spurs defence.

It has now emerged that the Lilywhites are turning their attention to a youngster who has made an impressive start to his career in Italy.

Tottenham battling several Premier League clubs for Jacobo Ramon

According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham are fans of Como’s rising star Jacobo Ramon, who has impressed since joining the club from Real Madrid in the summer.

The Spain U21 international has made 16 appearances for Como, and it is revealed that Spurs have been watching his progress closely.

However, they are not alone, with Chelsea also fans of the player and Liverpool admiring his pace and composure.

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Additionally, Newcastle, Brighton, and Crystal Palace have been impressed by Ramon’s maturity and believe he can thrive in the Premier League.

Spurs face one complication in Jacobo Ramon pursuit

CaughtOffside point out that Real Madrid may have a big say in the young centre-back’s future after the La Liga giants sold Ramon to Como for just €2.5m (£2.17m).

This is because Los Blancos have a €8m (£6.9m) buy-back option and a 50% sell-on clause on Ramon, raising the possibility that they could buy him back and sell him on for a profit.

Sol Campbell has revealed who Tottenham Hotspur should appoint if Thomas Frank gets the sack, and his suggestion could well have Spurs fans wondering if he is joking.

The Premier League season is little more than halfway through, yet six managers have already been put out of a job by their respective clubs.

Former Tottenham Hotspur bosses Nuno Santo and Ange Postecoglou were both shown the door by Nottingham Forest. More recently, Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim have been removed from their posts.

Thomas Frank remains in his position at Spurs for now, but rumours continue to swirl about whether the club will pull the trigger on the manager who is failing to get results.

Sol Campbell calls on Tottenham to appoint Ruben Amorim

Spurs will have no desire to take advice from Sol Campbell, but their infamous ex-captain has decided to offer his take on the Frank situation regardless of this fact.

According to Campbell, Tottenham should part ways for the former Brentford boss and bring in Amorim, despite his disastrous spell at Manchester United.

He told the Daily Mail: “Ruben Amorim [would be the ideal manager for Tottenham]. They’ll be looking at him. They’re probably talking to him now; it wouldn’t surprise me.

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“I don’t think he’ll go back to Portugal. Tottenham will be talking to him to see if there’s any situation going on. There’ll be people talking behind the scenes.

Campbell then turned his attention to Frank and added: “Thomas Frank is a top manager, but he’s not at Brentford anymore. It’s a different animal.

“Tottenham is a big club and people are demanding. They want success and they want to keep moving forward in a successful way. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re talking to other managers.

“Obviously, if he starts turning it around and winning games and having good performances, that helps.

“Sometimes you don’t need to win, but if you can have good performances and show you’re moving in the right direction, that can help.

“But they will be talking to other managers. It’s part and parcel until you show who you are and start winning on a regular basis.”

Campbell’s argument about Frank does not make sense

While Campbell is not wrong that Frank has failed to make the step up from Brentford to Spurs, he neglects that Amorim failed going from Sporting CP to the Premier League.

The Portuguese manager did a poor job at Manchester United. He even lost the Europa League final to Postecoglou’s Tottenham, so why would they want him?

Spurs should learn from their mistake appointing Frank and go for a coach who will not be out of their depth and Amorim has shown nothing during his time in England to meet that criteria.

Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig both want to do business again after their Xavi Simons deal, but for very different reasons.

Radu Dragusin is available for action after returning from an injury which sidelined him for almost a full year. However, the defender has only featured once for Tottenham Hotspur since his comeback.

This sparked rumours about Dragusin’s future, and it did not take long after this for Spurs to enter transfer talks with Roma to agree a deal.

Despite this, Spurs have rejected an offer from Roma to sign Dragusin, which means it remains uncertain whether he will leave North London in January.

RB Leipzig want to sign Radu Dragusin from Tottenham

Roma have not been the only club interested in Dragusin. In fact, the player himself rejected the chance to join Fiorentina due to their low position in Serie A.

According to Gianluigi Di Marzio, a third team has now come out of the woodworks in a bid to sign the Romanian, and Tottenham did business with them as recently as last summer.

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RB Leipzig are the side interested in Dragusin, and they are said to be making moves in order to complete a deal.

Spurs signed Xavi Simons from the Bundesliga outfit in August, so this could be their chance to return the favour.

Spurs want to do more business with RB Leipzig

Even if RB Leipzig had no interest in Dragusin, Tottenham were likely to enter negotiations with the club anyway due to their interest in Yan Diomande.

Unfortunately, Diomande favours a move to Liverpool over Tottenham. However, the chance to be reunited with Simons could be an incentive for the young forward to join Spurs, so they will not have given up hope yet.