Football London

Even Djed Spence's Tottenham team-mates cannot escape his "penitentiary", so what hope do his opponents have?

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season under new head coach Thomas Frank after turning his Spurs career around under Ange Postecoglou last year when it seemed like his Premier League dreams might take longer to get going than he expected after struggles in his first couple of years at the north London club.

Spence roared back though and worked his way into the Tottenham starting line-up, mostly providing another option on the left rather than his natural right-back role, and his form not only earned him his England debut last month but on Thursday night he made his first start for Thomas Tuchel.

England kept a clean sheet as they swept aside Wales with three goals in the opening 19 minutes and that allowed Spence to add a very familiar name to the list of wingers he has in his "penitentiary".

The full-back had started to hint on social media about dispensing with the wingers he came up against in pre-season with an image of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka after Spurs' 1-0 win in Hong Kong. Spence used a photo of the England winger on the floor in front of him with the caption "On to the next one".

That of course may just have meant Tottenham's next friendly in South Korea against Newcastle, but the captions began to get clearer. After the 2-0 win at Manchester City, Spence was up against Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis down his flank and he posted after the game at the Etihad Stadium "Bring me your favourite winger" along with a devil's face emoji.

A few weeks later and another future England colleague got the treatment with Jarrod Bowen pictured, along with the first reference to Spence's winger prison after the 3-0 victory at West Ham with the caption "Who doesn't love a derby win. Penitentiary expanded".

Even his Spurs team-mates did not escape being locked up on social media. In Tottenham's 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup, the visitors had 19-year-old Tottenham winger Damola Ajayi on loan and playing on the right. Spence later posted an image of the teenager behind bars with the words "I'm sorry Lil bro. Welcome to the penitentiary". To his credit, Ajayi responded to it well with a gif of Neil Warnock, a rather pivotal character from Spence's past.

It was no holds barred for Spence now and that mean Brennan Johnson got the treatment after Thursday night's England win against Wales.

Spence has begun tucking the penitentiary images at the end of his Instagram collages and there it was with the Spurs winger's head on a leashed dog with the full-back holding the chain, using the Grand Theft Auto V meme.

"Very happy to get my first England start with a great win, but forget about all that emotional stuff for a second.. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE INEVITABLE. LETS TAKE A WALK TO THE PENITENTIARY BROTHER," posted Spence in the captain alongside.

So who is next to be potentially locked up in the Tottenham defender's infamous penitentiary?

Next up after the international break is Aston Villa, who will arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 19. If Spence plays at left-back then he will likely be up against 24-year-old Ivory Coast attacker Evann Guessand.

The Corsica-born forward was signed for £30million in the summer from Nice and is yet to get off the mark with a goal or assist for Villa and has mostly been playing off the right for Unai Emery's side. Spence will be hoping to prevent him from getting his landmark first goal for the visitors.

Spence is likely to rotate with Destiny Udogie, and even Pedro Porro on the right, with games coming every three days but for the purposes of this article we're selecting Spence as the left-back for every match and running the England international into the group.

That means he would likely come up against a much-linked Spurs target in the summer window, Maghnes Akliouche, as the north London club travel to Monaco in the Champions League on October 22. The 23-year-old France international has two goals and one assist to his name in six Ligue 1 games so far and will present plenty of trickery and ability down the right-flank for Monaco.

Up next is a trip to Everton on October 26 and potentially another Tottenham transfer target from the past 12 months in the shape of Tyler Dibling. The 19-year-old has played on the right in the past couple of games for Everton, although David Moyes had been using Iliman Ndiaye a fair amount in the role and the Senegal international has three goals and an assist from his seven Premier League games so far so could get the nod against the Lilywhites.

October 29 brings the Carabao Cup fourth round trip to Newcastle, where Sweden international Anthony Elanga has mostly been the right winger of choice but has failed to provide a goal or assist yet in the Premier League since his move from Nottingham Forest. Jacob Murphy has also been turning out on the right for Eddie Howe, so Spence could come up against either if he starts at St James' Park.

To complete the run of the next five matches is a home derby on November 1 against Chelsea when Spence, if he is at left-back, will likely have to deal with Neto and his array of talents. November brings plenty more challenges with games against Manchester United, Arsenal and PSG among the bunch.

That means Spence will have plenty of opportunities to add more names to his penitentiary and Thomas Frank will be hoping he does, because the more wingers who get locked up behind those social media bars, it can only mean good things for Tottenham.

Thomas Frank's tenure at Tottenham has started strongly and some of his players have begun the new campaign well while others are yet to find their feet under the Dane.

Going into the October international break, the 51-year-old head coach has got Spurs sitting third in the Premier League table, unbeaten in the Champions League so far and through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup where they will face Newcastle at St James' Park.

With a string of new faces, some injury problems and a range of differing performances across his opening 11 matches at the helm, Frank has used 22 players so far for Tottenham.

We're going to rate all of the ones who have played 90 minutes or more so that means three miss out on ratings because there's just not a strong enough of a sample size to go off for Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, who have played 49 and 13 minutes respectively, while 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett got his debut against Doncaster Rovers in the 87th minute and will hopefully get plenty more minutes over the coming months and years.

Here are our Spurs player ratings for the season so far plus the head coach, and yes we're using half marks to help us out. As usual we're rating the players against their own expectations for this season rather than against each other.

Guglielmo Vicario

Vicario has appeared in 10 matches and kept clean sheets in four of those games. The Italian has had some sticky moments, occasionally in not pushing the ball far enough from danger with reaction saves, but his mistakes have been somewhat exaggerated when on the whole he's been solid enough. His stats up against other Premier League goalkeepers have him top for prevented goals, save percentage, touches, passes completed and short passes completed. The stats from DataMB suggest no goalkeeper has completed more passes or short passes in Europe’s major leagues this season. He's not perfect but some of what he's done has gone under the radar, such as the huge late save at Leeds to help Spurs win the game last weekend. 7

Antonin Kinsky

Just the one game for the Czech keeper with a clean sheet against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup and he made a terrific save during that otherwise quiet encounter in goal. Not much of a sample size but the 22-year-old will get more minutes this season. 6

Pedro Porro

One of only three players to have played in all 11 matches for Spurs and has played more minutes than anyone else with 907 which is no surprise after last season. The Spaniard has contributed two assists and should have had more. Defensively he's helped Spurs to five clean sheets even if he's had some tough moments with wingers, not least in the matches against Bodo/Glimt - although he did grab an assist and play a part in the late equaliser - and Bournemouth, although Porro won't be the last full-back to struggle with Semenyo. 6.5

Djed Spence

Spence keeps going from strength to strength. He hasn't been perfect and definitely looks better on the left but he's played in 10 of the 11 Tottenham matches and has added plenty of wingers to his penitentiary. His form has been rewarded with his England debut and first start on Thursday night as well as a new Spurs contract. Just needs to add some assists and better final third play to his game while his European performances haven't been his best, but this has been overall a good start to the season. 7

Destiny Udogie

The Italian returned from injury to play in eight games this season and has looked bright with some strong displays as his fitness has improved. 6

Cristian Romero

The new Tottenham captain has led by example across the nine matches he's played in and very little has got past him as he's played his part in the clean sheets. Fresh from that new contract he also scored in the UEFA Super Cup and provided that perfect assist for Bergvall's goal at West Ham. Spurs missed him when he didn't play in Bodo and that says plenty. 7.5

Micky van de Ven

Stepped up another level this season under Frank and has added goals to his game with three in his 10 matches after the Dane challenged him to score more. Van de Ven captained the team against Bodo and scored that night before taking his place in the new leadership group ahead of older players like Porro and Bentancur. That leadership ability might have come as a surprise for some but Frank saw it immediately in the young Dutchman. Has the second highest amount of minutes for an outfield player in the squad with 890 and that shows his growing fitness. 8.5

Kevin Danso

In and out of the team with seven appearances, but only three starts and none in the Premier League. He's helped close out some games but his lack of rhythm has showed at times, especially with his passing. 5.5

Joao Palhinha

One of the bargains of the summer transfer window and he's been pivotal to Spurs playing well with his assured, combative displays in anchoring the midfield. The Portuguese has appeared in all 11 games and scored three goals, which has been an unexpected bonus with important strikes at Manchester City, against Wolves and that acrobatic effort against Doncaster. 8.5

Rodrigo Bentancur

Another to get a new contract, the Uruguayan has been inconsistent this season so far. At times, he's been superb with his composure on the ball, at other times that composure has vanished as the games have worn on and he's put Spurs in trouble at times. Frank loves him though and he should benefit from that trust to get back to some consistency. 6.5

Lucas Bergvall

Another season of development for the young Swede, often playing in a more advanced number 10 role than he was last season. He's contributed one goal and three assists, while also forcing the Villarreal own goal that ended up being the winner that night. It's easy to forget Bergvall is still only 19-years-old because he's played 55 times for Spurs since arriving last year. So much more to come which will frighten opposition players everywhere. 8

Pape Matar Sarr

Started the season well and has one goal and two assists to his name, but has lost his rhythm a little bit in recent weeks after a little thigh issue kept him for a couple of games. 7

Archie Gray

Finally getting the chance to play in midfield and Gray has mostly impressed when he's got his chances across five matches, albeit often coming off the bench late on, including playing a key part in forcing the late own goal at Bodo. Just the 188 minutes so far under his belt this campaign. 6

Xavi Simons

Just the seven games at this point and he's been mostly put out on the left. The Dutchman is adjusting gradually to the pace and power of the Premier League, with one assist to his name, but there's been recent signs that he's starting to pick up the rhythm required, especially when played in the number 10 role. 6.5

Wilson Odobert

Just the one assist from nine matches but the young Frenchman has also started to show signs of getting into the swing of Frank's system. The Dane really likes the winger and if he improves his strength and decision-making then he could become a real handful on the left as he hasn't got the end product right now that his skills suggest he should have. 6

Mohammed Kudus

Spurs' player of the season so far with five assists and that first goal last week from his opening 10 games in a Tottenham shirt. So much strength and trickery and he's been the outlet for the north London side when the going has got tough. His team-mates always look for him because they know he can hold the ball-up. There's a more advanced and goal-threatening Mousa Dembele vibe to Kudus with his ability to twist and turn with the ball at his feet. He's going to become a Spurs star because there's even more to come. 9

Brennan Johnson

Kudus' arrival has impacted Johnson the most even though he started off well with back-to-back goals in the opening two Premier League games and the 24-year-old bagged another against Doncaster Rovers. It says plenty about the Wales international that he's had a disappointing season so far yet is Spurs' joint top scorer - behind Mr Owen Goal - after topping the goal charts last season. Needs to add more to his game, especially his one-vs-one play and grab any opportunities that come, wherever Frank uses him. 6.5

Mathys Tel

Everyone was delighted for the 20-year-old Frenchman when he scored at Leeds last weekend after a tough few weeks, including being left out of the club's Champions League squad. He's being used though across the other competitions with seven appearances so far and he's adjusting to that striker role with each passing appearance. The key though will be how much game time he gets, and where he plays, when Solanke and Kolo Muani return. 6

Richarlison

Started the season superbly, including that brace against Burnley, and he netted to spark the comeback at Brighton while also grabbing an assist at Manchester City, but he's looked like a player overplayed because of the injury situation up front. The Brazilian's consistency has dropped, as has his movement into dangerous areas. He's staying fit though at the moment which is a huge plus and he will benefit, even if he might not like it, from the other strikers returning to give him a rest. 7

And the manager...

Thomas Frank

You can't really argue with 11 opening matches that have brought just one defeat since that UEFA Super Cup penalty shoot-out. The Dane has come in and tried to build a strong foundation to the team and he hasn't been helped by the injuries up front at the other end of the pitch.

Yet to be third in the Premier League table at this point, unbeaten in the Champions League so far and in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is exactly what the 51-year-old was asked to come in and do - compete across all competitions.

It hasn't always been pretty and Frank's team is definitely still trying to figure out how to create and play more fluid football going forward, even if they've scored the joint-third most goals in the Premier League.

You can see the development in some players already and what will now be key is building on the manner of the attacking performances and how the Dane deals with the inevitable injury crisis to come with so many fixtures in the schedule.

Thomas Frank has enjoyed a bright start at Tottenham. The ex-Brentford manager has brought a welcome mix of consistency and tactical flexibility - qualities that were missing under Ange Postecoglou last season.

A record of six wins, four draws, and a single loss from their first 11 matches reflects a strong start, highlighted by an impressive 2–0 triumph at Manchester City in August. Yet after a promising early streak, Spurs' momentum has slowed, with three draws in their last five fixtures.

Clean sheets have become rare. After conceding only once in their opening four Premier League games, Frank's side have let in four goals in their last three outings and six across their last five matches in all competitions.

Overall, Tottenham's outlook remains positive, though a demanding sequence of fixtures is looming. They face home games against Chelsea and Manchester United, as well as challenging away trips to Monaco, Everton, and Newcastle.

Frank will need to have every detail finely tuned to navigate this period successfully. With that in mind, here are four major priorities for the Dane as he prepares for the rest of the season.

Get Xavi Simons firing

Tottenham's capture of Xavi Simons from under the noses of Chelsea this summer felt like a coup. Yet while the Dutchman's arrival generated significant excitement, his North London debut has been steady rather than spectacular. He hasn't performed poorly, but he also hasn't justified his £52million price tag.

Part of the challenge is that Frank has yet to determine Simons' best position. The 22-year-old, who has contributed just one goal involvement (an assist against West Ham) in seven appearances, has been deployed in multiple positions - No. 10, left wing, and No. 8 - but has struggled to find proper rhythm in any of them.

Simons is not a like-for-like replacement for James Maddison, the creative heartbeat he has stepped in for following Maddison's ACL injury. Where Maddison thrives with invention and flair, Simons is more of a passing midfielder - someone who keeps the game flowing and links attacks rather than producing solo moments of magic. This isn't a weakness, but he requires the right system and support to shine.

For Frank, the priority is clear: pinpoint Simons' best position and structure the team around him to unlock his potential. Once he settles into a defined role and builds confidence, Tottenham could finally witness the talent that dazzled at Barcelona and PSG academies and impressed in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig last season.

Find a reliable No. 9

For Spurs to progress under Frank, they require a reliable, clinical centre-forward - a true No. 9 capable of converting half-chances. Currently, that profile is absent from the squad.

Dominic Solanke has shown glimpses of quality, but injuries have hindered his consistency. Richarlison works hard but remains unpredictable in front of goal, while Mathys Tel, though talented, is still a long-term prospect rather than a reliable weekly scorer.

Randal Kolo Muani, on loan from PSG, remains largely untested. Once hailed as a rising star after his breakthrough at Eintracht Frankfurt, his stint in Paris didn't pan out, and although a loan spell at Juventus was an improvement, it wasn't remarkable. He's currently injured, limiting his impact on Spurs.

Among these four, there is talent and potential, but not the ruthless finishing needed to compete for top-four positions. Tottenham need a striker capable of scoring 20+ goals per season - someone who can turn tight games into wins and lift the team when form dips.

That is the kind of edge Harry Kane once provided, and it's what Spurs have missed since his exit. Kane is often linked with a return but has poured cold water on the idea of a Premier League comeback any time soon, meaning alternatives must be sought.

Frank's task is twofold: either get one of the current forwards performing consistently or recruit a striker who can deliver elite output.

Samu Omorodion is one possibility. Since joining Porto in 2024, he has scored 24 goals in 37 league games. The Spain international, previously linked with Chelsea and compared to Didier Drogba and Victor Osimhen, has an £84m release clause.

Though costly, his current form suggests he could be worth it. Similar fees were paid this summer for Hugo Ekitike and Nick Woltemade, who both turned out to be smart investments.

A January move may be unlikely, but Tottenham could start planning for a summer transfer now. Meanwhile, Frank must aim to get at least one striker firing immediately. Without that, Spurs' potential ceiling remains frustratingly limited.

Work out the midfield

Despite a promising start, one major question persists: what is Tottenham's best midfield? Rotation is necessary, but establishing a consistent central trio is vital for rhythm and cohesion.

So far, Frank has experimented with various combinations involving Joao Palhinha, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Xavi Simons, and Archie Gray in different trios. Sometimes he deploys a flat three, other times two sitting behind a No. 10. That adaptability is part of Frank's appeal. But excessive flexibility can breed uncertainty.

Palhinha and Bentancur provide a disciplined base but may lack the creative spark to unlock tight games. Sarr offers energy, while Bergvall and Gray bring composure, but none have firmly established themselves. Maddison's eventual return raises further questions: does he slot in as a pure No. 10, or will he be better suited deeper?

These decisions are crucial. The midfield is the engine of any successful side, and while depth is valuable, stability fosters understanding. To evolve from a promising team into a cohesive unit, Frank must identify his preferred trio and give them time to gel.

Get going in the Champions League

Tottenham could benefit greatly from making a strong European statement this season. A deep Champions League run would enhance their reputation and reassert their status among the continent's elite, a position they have not fully occupied the Mauricio Pochettino era.

The campaign began modestly. A narrow 1–0 win over Villarreal was followed by a lacklustre 2–2 draw with Bodo/Glimt, leaving Spurs with work to do in the group stage. Momentum is essential - a sequence of wins could push them toward the knockout rounds and restore belief at this level.

They have already shown they can compete with Europe's finest, nearly beating PSG in the Super Cup before conceding two late goals and losing on penalties. Such performances prove Tottenham have the quality; now they need consistency.

For a young squad, a strong European campaign could boost confidence and build a winning mentality. While Spurs have shown flashes domestically, transferring that form to Europe would mark real progress.

With Champions League qualification for next season not yet guaranteed, there is every reason to push for it. A confident approach could not only elevate Tottenham's season but also reaffirm that they remain capable of mixing it with the best.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence has taken a brutal dig at club teammate Brennan Johnson after England secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Wales in a friendly at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions ended the match as a contest inside 20 minutes after a blistering display from Thomas Tuchel's men.

Aston Villa duo Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins bagged the opening two goals inside 11 minutes. The first came thanks to a neat finish from Rogers, while Watkins showed his poacher's instincts at the back post to double the advantage.

The result was taken out of all doubt when Arsenal's Bukayo Saka curled home a third for England as Tuchel's side prepared for their next World Cup qualifier against Latvia, which could see them advance to the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada. From a Spurs perspective, the result was a mixed one for their players.

For Spence, it was a night to remember as he made his first appearance for the England first-team at Wembley Stadium. As for Johnson, it was one he would like to forget in a hurry.

Sadly for the winger, Spence was not letting him off that easily. Post-match, the defender sent a brutal message to his club teammate, celebrating the result.

"Very happy to get my first England start with a great win," he wrote on Instagram. "But forget about all that emotional stuff for a second.

"You cannot escape the inevitable. Let's take a walk to the penitentiary brother."

The post was accompanied by a compilation of images showing Spence in action, including one of him alongside Johnson during the game. He also included a superimposed picture of himself walking Johnson on a leash that was used in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise.

Spence is no stranger to social media antics and was recently asked about it in a sit-down interview with TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch. When shown some of his recent activity, including references to the penitentiary, the defender explained that he creates the posts with players that he has a personal friendship with.

After the 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers, Spence posted an image of Damola Ajay 'behind bars'. Ajay is currently on loan at the South Yorkshire club from Spurs and the Tottenham defender admitted that it was merely a joke and not done to cause offence.

It has been a great season so far for Spence at Tottenham. In the September international break, the 25-year-old became the first Muslim player to represent England.

Former Tottenham Hotspur chief football officer Scott Munn is closing in on a new role at Serie A side Parma, according to reports in Italy.

football.london reported back in June that the Australian had been placed on gardening leave by Spurs after less than two years at the club. The 51-year-old was a key ally of Ange Postecoglou during his time at the club. However, when the head coach was sacked following the Europa League win in Bilbao, along with the arrival of a new chief executive officer in Vinai Venkatesham, Munn's time at the club headed towards its close.

The decision would come amid a summer of change at Tottenham with chairman Daniel Levy departing after 24 years at the north London club as well as his long-time advisor and Spurs executive director Donna-Maria Cullen, a long-time advisor, while the Lewis family, who injected £100million into the club on Thursday, took a more prominent ownership role.

Now Gazzetta dello Sport and Parma Today has reported that Munn is finalising a deal to join Parma as the new head of the Krause Group's football division. The decision is said to have been made by Parma president Kyle Krause to strengthen the Serie A club's organisational structure.

When Munn joined Tottenham back in 2023 from the City Group, after a delay following his initial announce, he joined in the newly-created chief football officer role.

At that point Levy said of him: "Scott has a unique and broad experience of running sporting organisations at the highest level and will take responsibility for the leadership and management of our football activities to instil best practice both on and off the pitch."

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall will soon make it impossible for Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson to bench him, reckons his long-time former coach.

The 19-year-old has made a huge impression at Spurs since joining in January 2024 and despite his age has already played 55 times for the Premier League club, contributing two goals and seven assists. After playing in a deeper role under Ange Postecoglou, Bergvall has been employed in a more attacking role by Thomas Frank and continues to be a regular under the Dane.

The teenager is seen as one of Sweden's big rising talents yet his international boss Tomasson appears yet to be convinced by his readiness despite his appearances in the Premier League, Champions League and last season's triumphant Europa League run to the final, which he missed in Bilbao through an ankle injury.

Bergvall has just four international caps for Sweden and has not played a single minute for his country since November last year. He was not named in the squad in March and then missed the June games with his ankle damage. While the young midfielder was called up for the World Cup qualifiers last month, he watched on unused as Sweden drew 2-2 in Slovenia and then lost 2-0 away against Kosovo.

Bergvall will now be hoping to get minutes as the under-fire Tomasson's Sweden welcome Switzerland on Friday evening before hosting Kosovo on Monday night.

His former coach at both Djurgarden and Brommapojkarna, Peter Kisfaludy is among those frustrated in his homeland at the lack of minutes for the teenager and told fotbolldirekt in an interview this week that it will soon become impossible for Bergvall to be left out of the starting XI.

"It is the national manager who decides, but I think many people, including me, feel that it will soon be impossible to keep Lucas out of the team any longer," said the coach, who has worked with Bergvall since he was a small child. "He should start now, considering how he is growing in both the Premier League and the Champions League and with such offensive qualities – he should only start in a Swedish national team.

"Look at what he does at a club that is at the top of the Premier League. You have to understand that he ran 12km in Tottenham's match with Villarreal and I don't think anyone else in our senior national team does that. The drive he has in his running... and he's just getting more and more powerful."

He added: "If there's something that Tottenham loves [about him], it's his transition game. He can play as both a number six and a number ten and can equally take on the defensive work. I'm convinced that his drive with the ball will eventually make him a high-level scorer for both club and national team."

Son Heung-min believes he's finally found an arena that is "so much better" than the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Los Angeles.

In July, Son left Tottenham after 10 years at the north London club, having scored 173 goals and registered 101 assists in 454 appearances. He became the first Asian player to score 100 goals in the Premier League and in May the South Korean star managed to do what so few before him have managed at Spurs in lifting a European trophy as captain of the club.

The 33-year-old told his new head coach Thomas Frank that he wanted a new challenge and joined LAFC in an MLS record fee of more than £20million and has quickly brought his superstar quality to the American stage with eight goals and three assists in his first nine matches.

Son has also been doing the rounds in getting to know the other Los Angeles sports teams and after throwing the first pitch at the Dodger Stadium in August before making another visit last month, he switched from baseball to NFL to make a recent trip to watch the LA Rams in action at the SoFi Stadium in the city.

In a video released by the Rams from his visit, the South Korea captain can be seen on the touchline wowed by his surroundings and saying in conversation: "I've never seen a better stadium than Tottenham but this one....So much better."

Son then met up with the Rams' star wide receiver Puka Nucua before the duo exchanged shirts.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the best football stadiums in the world and cost £1.2billion to build before it was opened in 2019 but that cost is just over a quarter of what was required to construct the arena in Los Angeles.

The SoFi Stadium opened its doors about 18 months after Spurs' home in 2020 and hosts both the Rams and the LA Chargers. It holds 70,240 people, compared to Tottenham's 62,850, and it cost a whopping $5.5billion (£4.1billion) to build. With that price tag it is the most expensive stadium ever built and Spurs' former captain could certainly see where the money has gone.

The Lewis family, Tottenham's owners, have injected £100million into the club and that has plenty of knock-on effects going forward for head coach Thomas Frank and CEO Vinai Venkatesham.

On Thursday it was announced by Spurs that "we are pleased to announce that our majority shareholder, the Lewis family trust, has, through ENIC Sports & Development Holdings Ltd injected £100 million of new capital into the club".

The statement went on to say: "This equity injection will further strengthen the club's financial position and equip the club's leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success. This additional capital is part of the Lewis family's ongoing commitment to the club and its future."

Here are some of the key questions surrounding the new injection of money and as many answers as possible.

Who has splashed the cash?

This has come from the Lewis family, who have taken a more public-facing role in backing the club since the departure of chairman Daniel Levy last month after 24 years at the helm. Siblings Vivienne and Charles Lewis, the children of former Tottenham owner Joe Lewis, have come to the fore alongside Vivienne's son-in-law Nick Beucher.

All three have been spotted in the director's box regularly at recent Spurs matches, with Vivienne accompanying the club on their summer pre-season tour to Asia and Beucher joining her in Bodo last week for the Champions League game and at Sunday's NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What have they said?

The Lewis family have not spoken publicly but a source close to them said on Thursday: "This is initial additional funding. As the club's management decides what's needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful."

Has anyone at Spurs spoken?

Tottenham's new non-executive chairman, Peter Charrington, has given his view about the cash injection as part of the initial club statement.

"As I stated a few weeks ago, our focus is on stability and empowering the management team to deliver on the club’s ambitions," he said. "I know the Lewis family are also ambitious for the future. Today’s capital commitment reflects that ambition and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support. We will continue to do all we can to ensure that Vinai [Venkatesham] and his team are supported in the best way possible to take this club forward."

Do ENIC own more of the club now?

Fractionally yes. football.london understands that the new percentage of ownership for ENIC is 87.62% with documents filed at Companies House reflecting an allotment of millions of shares.

Before today's events, ENIC's ownership was 86.91 per cent, which was up from 86.58 per cent after shares were allotted back in December 2024. Of that ENIC slice of Spurs, the Lewis family trust owns 70.12 per cent of it while Levy and certain members of his family are potential beneficiaries of discretionary trusts which own the other 29.88 per cent.

How did the new investment come about?

This has been in the works for a long while and football.london reported back in June about a likely cash injection into the north London club. That's because it came after a thorough independent review of the club's operations and running from the top, initiated by the Lewis family, which resulted in those changes at the helm.

There have also been recent takeover expressions of interest that were all rejected and eventually withdrawn. On Monday, Brooklyn Earick and his 12-strong consortium from the USA announced that they would not be proceeding with a takeover approach despite claims of a planned £3.3billion bid and a further £1.2billion set aside as transfer funds for head coach Thomas Frank.

Earick was the third and final interested party to withdraw their interest in the past month, after Amanda Staveley and PCP International Finance did the same along with an Asia-based consortium of investors led by Dr Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings.

Those rejected approaches and this big cash injection with more to come appears to be further backing to the statement that the club is not for sale and the Lewis family are in it for the immediate future at least.

How does the cash injection help the club?

This is about improving Spurs' financial strength, sustainability and solidifying the financial foundation at the north London club. It's not just about creating transfer funds, although certainly it will help Venkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and Frank when it comes to moves in the future.

The money is going into the club now to strengthen the squad, both its current iteration and in the future, and what's important about this for Tottenham is that it's investing in the club through additional equity, not adding to the debt, so it boosts the balance sheet and financial strength.

The Lewis family's plan is understood to be for the club to have more equity and less debt, helping to ensure it's sustainable for generations to come. That is hoped to come through better structured capital and a reduction over the long term in reliance on debt funding.

Is this connected to the recent loan?

In case you missed it, Spurs took out a loan last month from the Australian-based Macquarie Bank in a practice known as industry standard receivables factoring.

In layman's terms it's the common practice of selling outstanding invoices to a third party to get the money up front for something that a club expects to get over a period of time. So for instance, in many cases football clubs have used banks like Macquarie to get their expected television revenue in advance.

In this case with Spurs, while the amount was not stated, the Companies House document at the time referred to receivables being "all of the central funds due or owing to or which maybe due or owing to or purchased or otherwise acquired or received by the borrower from the Premier League for the period from and including December 2025 up to and including May 2026 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the amounts from the Merit Payments Funds (as defined in the Premier League rules) payable around May 2026), in each case together with all ancillary and security rights thereto."

The document was signed at its end by Venkatesham as well as operations and finance director Matthew Collecott.

Macquarie are one of a number of global investment companies that Premier League and Championship clubs have used over the years to get money from things like future TV earnings up front.

So in short that's a separate thing. The bringing forward of TV money is debt to be serviced over time but this additional money from the Lewis family is not to pay that off.

What does it mean for the January transfer window?

With £100million coming in and more to follow, Spurs fans will immediately be dreaming about how that translates into the transfer market to help Frank and first up the January window.

It's fair to say this will help in the transfer market but it's not going to suddenly turn Tottenham into Chelsea-like huge spenders in the next window. January is rarely a time that anyone spends big, even those with the deepest pockets, because clubs are reluctant to sell, even at big prices because they can lose more in other ways if they sell their best players.

The current profit and sustainability rules will also govern what teams, including Tottenham, can do over the coming years, particularly with the north London club's inability to sell players for good money.

This immediate cash boost might however help Tottenham line up some deals they want to do in advance. The absence of Levy from the front line of negotiations will also be an interesting new development in how that impacts matters in club-to-club talks, either positively or negatively.

The extra capital could also bring about an increase to the club's wage structure, if Venkatesham sees that as the way forward having come from a club in Arsenal that had a higher ceiling for weekly wages. If that change were to occur at Spurs through the new investment then that could also influence who they could target in the January window and beyond.

There was lots of talk about a big transfer kitty as part of Earick's noisy approach, and plenty of Tottenham supporters' eyes will be on what the current owners now provide. This £100million move is certainly a start, but the fanbase will be keen to see whether this new leadership is truly something bright and shiny or simply an extension of what came before.

The Lewis family have pumped £100million into Tottenham Hotspur with the promise of more support for the Premier League club in the future.

Spurs and the family, through the controlling company ENIC, have rejected three approaches from potential takeover candidates in the past month. Now the Lewis family trust, through ENIC Sports & Development Holdings Ltd, have injected £100million of new capital into the club.

Tottenham said in a statement: "This equity injection will further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success. This additional capital is part of the Lewis family’s ongoing commitment to the club and its future."

Spurs' new non-executive chairman, Peter Charrington, added a promise for more backing in the future: "As I stated a few weeks ago, our focus is on stability and empowering the management team to deliver on the club’s ambitions. I know the Lewis family are also ambitious for the future.

"Today’s capital commitment reflects that ambition and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support. We will continue to do all we can to ensure that Vinai [Venkatesham] and his team are supported in the best way possible to take this club forward."

USMNT centre-back Mark McKenzie has claimed he and Mauricio Pochettino are "constantly speaking" about Tottenham captain Cristian Romero. The no-nonsense Argentine is now widely recognised as among the best defenders in all of world football.

So much so, he has become somewhat of a reference point for ex-Spurs boss Pochettino. McKenzie, who is currently playing in France with Toulouse, revealed while away on international duty: “I think it’s about having a certain level of toughness, a certain level of aggression, when you’re on the pitch.

“At Tottenham, there’s a player like Cuti Romero. He’s a player Mauricio and I talk about constantly. It’s a balance between being a good guy off the pitch, very humble and calm, but as soon as he steps on the pitch, you feel his presence.

“He has a special aura. Any player who faces him will think it’s going to be a long day. So that’s an example of a player Mauricio and I sit down together and watch videos of. That’s the style he wants me to adopt. Once on the pitch, it’s about doing everything possible to benefit the team and get a win.”

McKenzie is looking to consolidate his place in Pochettino's squad for next summer's World Cup. Studying Romero will certainly help his cause given the 27-year-old appears to have taken his game to the next level in 2025.

Any lingering questions over the World Cup winner's club future have now been put to bed after Romero penned a new long-term contract with Spurs in August.

The deal will keep him in N17 until the summer of 2029 and Romero has since clarified that he never wanted to leave Spurs despite interest from Atletico Madrid.

He said: "I never said I wanted to leave the club. Nothing came from me to that effect. It is important what the manager and president say.

"I am very happy here, it is like a family. I like the manager. I like the way we work, the way we train. Things can always improve, but I think everyone here is taking the right steps to improve. I am very happy here."