Football London

Ireland World Cup hero Troy Parrott has reflected on his time at Tottenham Hotspur, who sold the striker to AZ Alkmaar last year

Man of the moment Troy Parrott underlined class as he reflected on his Tottenham Hotspur departure.

The AZ Alkmaar striker has become a national hero after scoring a hat-trick as the Republic of Ireland snatched a World Cup play-off place from Hungary’s grasp with a dramatic 3-2 win in Budapest on Sunday.

Parrott brought the sides back to level twice before securing victory in the sixth minute of added time on a day when only three points were enough to keep their qualification hopes alive.

As a 15-year-old, Parrott was wanted by a host of top clubs in England before plumping for Spurs. However, it never worked out for him in north London and following numerous loan spells, he cut ties for good by joining Dutch outfit AZ in the summer of 2024 for £6.7million.

Parrott has no issue with how things panned out at Spurs and spoke positively about the club earlier this year. He said: “For me it just didn't happen [with Spurs]. I’m OK with that.

“I look back with a smile. It’s a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young, so when I went there, I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that. It helped me become the person and player I am now, so I can only look back on that with good memories.”

Speaking after his heroics in Budapest, Parrott told RTE: “I’m really, really emotional. They’re tears of joy. Ah, what a night, what a night.

“This is why we love football, because things like this can happen. Look, I love where I’m from, so this means the world to me. My family is here. It’s the first time I’ve cried in years as well, I really, really can’t believe it.

“Everyone is crying. I said against Portugal [who Ireland beat a few days earlier] that this is what dreams are made of, but this, tonight, I don’t think I’ll ever have a better night in my whole life.”

Ireland have discovered their qualifying path in the World Cup play-offs. Heimir Hallgrimsson’s will play away to Czechia for the right to face either Denmark or North Macedonia in their path final. Ireland will host their play-off final, provided they beat the Czechs.

Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their semi-final. Craig Bellamy’s side secured their place by finishing second behind Belgium in qualifying Group J and will be the home team for the one-off match.

Should Wales win, they will face either Italy or Northern Ireland for a place at the finals in North America next summer. Northern Ireland, who qualified through the Nations League, have been handed the difficult task of travelling to Italy for their play-off semi-final. The games will take place on March 26 and 31.

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic has been excellent on loan at Hamburger SV in Germany where he has caught the eye this season

Tottenham's teenage defensive gem Luka Vuskovic is reportedly being tracked by German giants Borussia Dortmund.

The 18-year-old Croatian is currently making a huge impression in the Bundesliga after joining Hamburger SV on loan in late August.

The former Hajduk Split prospect has made nine appearances in Germany to date, netting once against Heidenheim.

German newspaper reports from BILD indicate he's now caught the attention of Dortmund, who are managed by former Croatia national team captain Niko Kovac.

Tottenham are currently not interested in a sale as internally, they believe Vuskovic has a massive future in north London after they pounced to land him from Hajduk in September 2023.

While they reluctantly agreed to loan him this season, he is part of Thomas Frank's long-term first-team plans and his future will be re-evaluated at the end of the campaign.

Speaking recently while away on international duty, Vuskovic confirmed he remains in regular dialogue with Spurs despite admitting he is unsure when he return to N17.

Vuskovic said: “I’m happy with everything at HSV. My grades are good, even above expectations.

"My teammates are great, everyone supports me and I have no bad words or criticism. I just need to keep going.

“Tottenham? I hear from them, they follow me. They are a good club when it comes to developing young players. I don’t know when I will be back.”

The Croatia international wasn't short of loan interest this summer as a host of top clubs from Germany, Belgium and France made enquiries.

However, the fact Vuskovic's older brother, Mario, was already playing for HSV helped swing the balance when he was assessing the best potential option for his development.

Mario Vuskovic remains suspended until November 2026 due to a doping ban meaning the pair are unlikely to play alongside each other at club level.

Dortmund are unlikely to be the only side that are tracking Vuskovic as he is widely regarded as one of the best young centre-backs within all of world football.

Tottenham beat Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain to his signature and other parties will also be conscious that he is yet to make his senior breakthrough at Spurs.

The difficulty facing Frank is that when fit, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are the first names on the Tottenham teamsheet and at this moment in time, Vuskovic requires regular minutes to continue his personal growth.

Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke has not featured since the end of August but is close to making his comeback from injury

Dominic Solanke has admitted his time out injured has been "difficult", although the Tottenham striker believes the squad can achieve "big things" when he does return.

Signed from Bournemouth in a club-record £65million deal in August 2024, Solanke has endured a frustrating start to the 2025/26 season under new boss Thomas Frank. An ankle injury has meant the 28-year-old has featured just three times for Spurs this term, with his last appearance coming in the 2-0 win over Man City on August 23.

The former Liverpool and Chelsea man saw his pre-season disrupted by the reoccurring ankle injury and the striker ended up having "minor surgery" to try and rectify the issue at the end of September. Now nearing a return, Solanke has explained just how frustrating the past three months have been.

“It’s been very difficult,” Solanke told The Athletic. “At first, I didn’t think I would be out for too long but we didn’t really understand the extent of the injury.

"I was trying to get back as quickly as I could but it didn’t happen, so I had to have surgery. Since then, I have been working to get back.

“I’m not putting a timeline on it because I’ve been telling everyone ‘I’m going to be back soon’ for the last few months. I’m taking it day by day but hopefully I won’t be much longer.”

Solanke is not expected to return for Sunday's North London Derby against Tottenham, nor the midweek Champions League clash with PSG. He has been back in the gym building up his strength in recent weeks and has also seen external specialists about the injury.

The striker is looking forward to working with Frank, who joined from Brentford in the summer and has already made a number of changes to how the club operates. “I haven’t had the chance to work with (Frank) too much but he is a great man manager,” Solanke said.

“All the players are loving having him around. He speaks with us all and has meetings every day. Even with the coaching staff he has brought in, everyone gets on so well. It’s a great environment.

“We have had a good start to the season. When a few of us come back (from injury) and strengthen the squad, hopefully we can do some big things.”

Elsewhere on the injury front, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray and Ben Davies remain sidelined. There's also fitness concerns over Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani and Pape Matar Sarr going into the North London Derby.

Premier League action returns this weekend, as Arsenal play host to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the first North London Derby of the season, but both clubs will head into the match hindered by injury

As many as 19 players will miss Sunday's North London Derby, as injuries plague Arsenal and Tottenham.

Mikel Arteta's Gunners play host to Thomas Frank's Lilywhites in the battle for bragging rights over their bitter neighbours this weekend, following a two-week international break. And while supporters of both clubs will hope to see their side reign supreme as they make their way down Holloway Road and into the Emirates Stadium, neither team head into the fixture at full strength.

Here, Football.London breaks down all of the latest injury news surrounding both Arsenal and Spurs, as Sunday's game fast approaches...

Arsenal

Arsenal could be without nine key players when they play host to Spurs this weekend. Despite surging in the Premier League standings at present, currently occupying the league's top spot with a four-point lead on Manchester City, Arteta's stellar run of form hasn't come without its setbacks.

Gabriel found himself subbed off 64 minutes into Brazil's friendly with Senegal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday with a knee injury. As a result of the knock, it is thought that the 27-year-old could miss a minimum of four weeks of action as fears emerge that he could be absent from play until January.

It comes as a major blow for Arteta, given that the centre-half is seemingly one of the first names on his team-sheet week in, week out. Elsewhere, Jurrien Timber required treatment for what looked to be a knee problem during the Netherlands' clash with Lithuania on Monday.

The Dutchman looked to be in significant pain as he sat on the floor, but was able to play on up until the hour mark when he was swapped out. However, he did post a reassuring message on social media after the match, and it is thought that the knock isn't any cause for major concern.

Meanwhile, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard continue to recover from respective knee injuries but Sunday's clash could come a little too soon for a return for either. Viktor Gyokeres wasn't included in Sweden's squad for World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland or Slovenia after suffering a hamstring injury against Burnley at the turn of the month, while Riccardo Calafiori was sent home from international duty with Italy as a result of a hip issue.

Gabriel Martinelli is still recovering from a thigh injury sustained against Crystal Palace in late October, and is not expected to be fit until early December, while Noni Madueke remains side-lined with a knee injury of his own which he picked up in September.

Finally, Gabriel Jesus is yet to feature for Arsenal since sustaining an ACL injury in January which required surgery. While he is nearing a return to the first-team, reports suggest that he will not be available for selection until December.

Spurs

Spurs, meanwhile, head into Sunday's match with Arsenal with a 10-strong injury list at present. Lucas Bergvall dropped out of the Sweden squad as a result of further concussion issues, and an update from his national team suggests that he may still be dealing with the issue, meaning he is a doubt to face Arsenal.

Reports from France also suggest that Randal Kolo Muani fractured his jaw during Spurs' 2-2 stalemate with Manchester United ahead of the international break, which will see him out of action until December at the earliest, while Dominic Solanke is yet to play for the Lilywhites since picking up an ankle injury in August.

James Maddison isn't expected to return until May 2026 courtesy of his ACL injury, while Dejan Kulusevski is nursing a knee injury of his own from May and should return in January. Radu Dragusin isn't expected to play for Spurs until next month as he continues to recover from an ACL injury, while Archie Gray could miss the short trip to Arsenal through a minor calf issue.

Tottenham are preparing for a huge North London derby against Arsenal - but have a few major problems on their hands

Tottenham have lost much of their early-season rhythm - and at a particularly inconvenient time too. A massive North London Derby against Arsenal is looming, quickly followed by a crucial Champions League clash with PSG.

Thomas Frank's side began the season at a decent pace, winning five of their opening seven fixtures across all tournaments after coming within touching distance of a memorable Super Cup triumph over PSG.

However, a taxing stretch in recent weeks - losses to Aston Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea, plus a stoppage-time equaliser conceded against Manchester United - has sapped a significant portion of their earlier confidence and energy.

Spurs are still well placed, occupying fifth in the Premier League and sitting 10th in the Champions League table after going unbeaten so far in that competition, but it's clear that Frank must find solutions to re-energise his group following a stuttering run. With that in mind, here is a summary of the most recent Tottenham-related news stories.

Tel 'unhappy' in London

Mathys Tel is reportedly unsettled in London only months after joining Tottenham. The French attacker, who arrived on loan from Bayern Munich at the start of the year before completing a permanent move in the summer, is said to be open to a January exit after failing to earn consistent minutes in Frank's preferred line-up.

Tel has played just 24 minutes over the last four weeks, with rivalry for places in Tottenham's frontline extremely intense. Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski are all competing for similar roles, leaving minimal room for rotation.

Gazzetta dello Sport report that AS Roma are weighing up a loan proposal - and Spurs are willing to consider letting him leave. Still, Tel's goal against Manchester United earlier this month could persuade Frank to increase his involvement - potentially altering both the club's and the player's outlook in the near future.

Nightmare injury scenario

Tottenham may have to cope without Pape Matar Sarr for Sunday's showdown with Arsenal. The midfielder, a consistent presence in Frank's line-up this season, hobbled off during Senegal's 2-0 loss to Brazil on Saturday.

Initially the setback seemed slight, with Senegal manager Pape Thiaw minimising the problem. But Sarr was then left out of Senegal's 8-0 victory over Kenya on Tuesday, raising major concerns about his readiness for the weekend.

"We left him in London," Thiaw confirmed. "He took a knock, and we felt it would be difficult for him to recover in just two days. Since we were in his home city, we preferred to leave him with his club so he could receive treatment there."

Tottenham's squad is already depleted, with Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin all out injured. Yves Bissouma, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray are also uncertain for the North London Derby, leaving Spurs worryingly light in central midfield.

Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri pulled off a brilliant goal which had echoes of a Robert Pires classic ahead of big week for the Gunners

Ethan Nwaneri scored a wonderful goal while on duty with England’s under-21s this week, as he again cements his place in the mind of Mikel Arteta. Discussion over minutes and potential loan moves has dominated the discourse of late.

However, the player again showed exactly why Mikel Arteta has the confidence to keep him in the group, knowing he will get minutes. However, it was the finish against Slovakia that drew parallels to a certain Arsenal legend and the Invincibles.

While it might have lacked the beautiful piece of skill Robert Pires executed, dinking the ball over George Boateng’s head in 2002, the chipped finish over Peter Schmeichel is what Nwaneri would recreate. Adam Hrdina was left helpless, running back watching the ball fly over his head to nestle in the back of the net.

Nwaneri’s minutes have been mitigated by the arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, in addition to the arrival into the senior setup of Max Dowman. Arteta has been open in his criticisms of Nwaneri in some ways.

Citing the duels he has lost or the lack of impact in some moments. However, there is no doubt about his keenness to get the best from a talent that he has shown belief in since he allowed him to become the Premier League’s youngest-ever player when he made his debut against Brentford at 15.

For the North London Derby, even with Martin Odegaard out, it is unlikely that Nwaneri would start the game, but with the clash with Chelsea just a week away, it wouldn’t be a surprise should Arteta decide to rotate in midweek.

Arsenal have won four out of four in Europe this season, and although Bayern Munich are by far the most challenging side they have faced this season, the desperation for points in the league phase pales in comparison to the Premier League right now. There are some other players returning from injury, as mentioned, but Nwaneri could still be in with a chance to start against the German champions.

Thomas Frank has had a solid start to life at Tottenham and is being backed to take Spurs high up the Premier League table

Tottenham have been backed to finish second in the Premier League, just behind Arsenal, ahead of the first North London Derby of the season.

Spurs make the short trip to face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday knowing they must turn around their horrific record in this fixture in recent years. The Lilywhites have lost five of their last six games against the Gunners and have not won against their arch rivals since May 2022.

Under Thomas Frank this season, though, Tottenham have been more solid defensively and currently find themselves fifth in the Premier League. They are still eight points behind league leaders Arsenal but know a win or draw will help them in their quest to finish in the top four.

In fact, Frank's side have been backed to finish second by former Gunners defender Bacary Sagna. When asked for his top four prediction, Sagna, speaking to Reece Mennie on his podcast, said: " Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man City.

"People will say, but why would you say Tottenham? I saw them playing against Arsenal on pre-season. It's a long time I didn't see Tottenham playing this way. It's a long time I didn't see the intensity they put in defending, in reshaping the team, in taking players on one-on-one, technically, players at that level.

"And I was impressed. I was like, woah, you know what, this season they're going to be competing. I'm happy because I'm a football lover, to see them coming because I like competition.

"So I'm looking forward to see the Arsenal vs Tottenham game because this is what I like the most. And, of course, I support Arsenal, but as a football lover and for what it takes and for the showcase they will put on, I think it's good for football in general. So I'm happy to see them at the level they are because I love football more than anything and I like to see competitive games."

Under Frank this season, Tottenham have won five, drawn three and lost three of their 11 games in the league. While they have recorded an impressive win against Man City, they suffered embarrassing defeats to Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Chelsea at home.

The players were booed after that loss to Chelsea and Frank already knows how difficult it is to be consistent in the Premier League. "All the players are of course frustrated," Frank said after the 1-0 loss. "They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that.

"I think it is difficult to be consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that."

Tottenham performed much better in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United just before the November international break and Frank will be hoping his side can build on that against Arsenal. The goal remains finishing in the top four but whether that happens may well just depend on consistency.

Mathys Tel joined Tottenham on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich during the summer window following a six-month loan spell in north London

Italian side Roma are said to be eyeing a January swoop for Tottenham winger Mathys Tel. The France U21 international has struggled for regular minutes so far this season under Thomas Frank after being omitted from Spurs' Champions League squad at the beginning of the campaign.

However, prior to the international break, Tel had a huge impact from the bench against Manchester United and netted in the pulsating 2-2 draw.

The former Bayern Munich starlet has scored just two goals in all competitions this season, however, having also netted in Tottenham's 2-1 triumph over Leeds at Elland Road in October.

Meanwhile, reports in Italy have indicated that Tel has been identified by Roma as a possible transfer option this winter.

But it's also been claimed that Spurs wouldn't be willing to listen to loan offers and would instead only consider permanent bids.

Given Frank's squad has already been depleted by injuries this season, it seems unlikely the Dane would be prepared to weaken his squad before strengthening it.

Roma also have Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee on their radar with Gian Piero Gasperini's side currently second in the Serie A standings and level on points with first-place Inter Milan.

There is also a chance that Tel could soon be added into Spurs' Champions League squad after Randal Kolo Muani suffered a fractured jaw against Manchester United.

Kolo Muani is projected to miss around six weeks of football, though UEFA rules state that participants can replace players with long-term injuries.

The threshold is that any player that is replaced must be scheduled to miss around 60 days through injury and at this moment in time, there is hope Kolo Muani might return sooner as he does not require surgery.

Tel joined Tottenham on a permanent deal for around £30million in June after helping the club achieve Europa League glory in Bilbao under Ange Postecoglou.

He joined Spurs late in the January window on an initial six-month loan despite widespread interest from the Premier League.

Back in September, the Frenchman shared his disappointment at being left out of the club's Champions League roster.

He said: "It's clear that when you're not on a list, it definitely hurts. But I'm someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I've worked a lot on the mental aspect.

"So today it's definitely a disappointment, I would have liked to be there. But the coach's choice is the coach's choice, we can only respect it and we're going to work to come back in the best possible way."

Thomas Frank will be assessing his Tottenham players as they return from international duty over the coming days, with Sunday's North London Derby against Arsenal to come

Brennan Johnson's impact at Tottenham last season perhaps does not get the recognition it deserves.

The winger was Spurs' top goalscorer in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign with 18 goals in 53 appearances. The Welshman also managed seven assists in that period, which means he ended the season with 25 goal contributions. Not bad at all, all things considered.

Despite that, the 23-year-old has his critics. Since signing from Nottingham Forest in a £47.5million deal in the summer of 2023, some question the Welsh international's end product and ability to make the right decision consistently.

The signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in the summer has meant Johnson no longer is a guaranteed starter, although both players have played a fair bit of football already this season due to their versatility.

With Johnson scoring four goals for Spurs in 17 appearances heading into the November international break, the former Forest man added another goal to his name in Wales' 7-1 demolition of North Macedonia in Cardiff on Tuesday. Captain Harry Wilson scored a hat-trick, with David Brooks, Johnson, Daniel James and Nathan Broadhead also on the scoresheet as Wales secured their place in the World Cup play-offs.

The win means Wales will play at home in their play-off semi-final, with the match to be played at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26. “That’s massive. The fans really get us through games and were amazing again," Fulham star Wilson said after the match.

“When we conceded in the first half to make it 2-1, their response to that goal gave us a boost, and Brennan (Johnson) produces an amazing goal to give us that breathing space again. From then onwards we were the dominant team.”

Receiving the ball on the left hand side, Johnson dribbled inside before unleashing a fierce strike which found the top right corner. It was a moment of magic from the Tottenham man and Thomas Frank will be hoping he can do that on a more frequent basis, starting with Sunday's North London Derby against Arsenal.

With Dejan Kulusevski out injured and there being doubts over the fitness of Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani, Johnson may well find himself in the starting line-up against the Gunners at the weekend.

The winger should be in a confident mood after his performance for his country and Frank has already outlined what his biggest strengths are. “I think one of Brennan’s big strengths is the ability to arrive in the right areas. That’s a key strength, and the ability to score goals is quite good," the Dane said.

“I agree, I think he was positive when he came on the pitch (against Monaco). I think he had the biggest chance we had. He arrived in some good areas, he also worked hard in the recovery runs which he needs to do. So, yes, that is his key strength.”

Tottenham's players will likely arrive back at Hotspur Way on Wednesday and Thursday and all involved at the club will be preparing for Sunday's huge clash against Arsenal. Johnson will be hoping he is not only involved from the start, but can also make an impact just like he did with Wales on Tuesday.

Uruguay were thrashed 5-1 by the United States in an international friendly in Tampa on Tuesday evening

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was shown a straight red card in Uruguay's embarrassing 5-1 capitulation at the hands of the United States on Tuesday night.

The Spurs maestro was already on a booking when he made the strong challenge on USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. Berhalter required treatment and the force of the tackle was notably audible during the TV broadcast.

Guatemalan referee Julio Cesar de Jesus Luna Guzman was quickly surrounded by a host of United States players including former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who began waving an imaginary card in a bid to get Bentancur sent off.

Following some deliberation, Guzman then showed Bentancur red and sent the former Juventus man for an early bath.

Uruguay were already 4-1 down at the time following first-half goals from Berhalter, Alex Freeman (two) and Diego Luna.

To compound Uruguay's misery, the hosts then added a fifth just four minutes after Bentancur's dismissal through Lyon's Tanner Tessmann.

After the game, the Uruguayan media hit out at the national team's torrid display in Tampa, claiming Marcelo Bielsa's side are in crisis ahead of next summer's World Cup finals.

Depending on respective governing bodies, in this case CONMEBOL, red cards in international friendlies can lead to suspensions in future friendlies.

It's currently unclear whether Bentancur will serve a ban following his dismissal in Florida, though he will be available for this weekend's North London Derby against Arsenal.

Former Leeds boss Bielsa took responsibility for the defeat during his post-match press conference, stating: "Obviously, our team played with players who play more frequently against players who don't play as frequently in the United States and the differences were what they were, what you saw.

"So, what's clear is my management of a team that was outplayed, as Uruguay was today. I don't see or feel that there's any need to make an individual or collective complaint and not having that feeling only increases my share of the responsibility, which in this case is all of it."

Uruguay have already booked their ticket to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer after finishing fourth in South America's World Cup qualification standings.

They won seven of their 18 games, also drawing seven and losing four times to finish ahead of Brazil.

Bentancur's side have not performed well in recent times though, drawing 0-0 with Mexico, scraping past Uzbekistan after narrowly pipping the Dominican Republic 1-0.