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Cristian Romero's future at Tottenham is set to be the subject of plenty of speculation this summer and the club will need to have a succession plan in case the Argentine does leave.

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to La Liga after admitting a desire to play in Spain before his career ends and Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simone has made no secret of wanting to sign Romero with his public statements about the World Cup-winning centre-back.

With two years left on his contract, the Argentine is in an awkward position where Spurs have to make a decision on his future but can also ask for a huge fee still for a player Lionel Messi called the best defender in the world, and that price tag could be the sticking point for many clubs like Atletico.

Romero struggled with injuries last season, mainly with his foot, and took part in only 18 Premier League games. However, he starred in the Europa League and was named player of the tournament and player of the match in the final in Bilbao.

It remains to be seen whether any team gives Tottenham something to think about with a serious offer when it comes to the two-time Copa America winner, but if they did then new head coach Thomas Frank will need to think about who comes in for Romero.

Here are five potential candidates to step into Romero's considerable boots.

Marc Guehi

The most obvious candidate in the transfer market would be Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, who Spurs have admired for a long time and made an approach for late in the January transfer window. That was rebuffed by the Eagles, who had no real time to get in a replacement for the England international at that point.

Now Guehi has just a year remaining on his contract so Palace will have to decide if this is the summer in which he finally departs or risk losing the 24-year-old for nothing. The problem for Spurs is that while they can offer Champions League football next season, all the big clubs would love to have the England centre-back and Liverpool and Arsenal are both very keen.

If clubs can agree a fee then Guehi is expected to make his decision based on the amount of game time he will get. If Romero were to leave then Spurs would be able to offer plenty of that and probably plenty regardless if he remained, but due to the number of centre-backs at Tottenham at the moment, they might not make a move until the exits are clear and by then Guehi, who can play anywhere across a back three or central pairing, could be gone.

Kevin Danso

Spurs would sign another centre-back if Romero departs regardless, but Kevin Danso could also push his claims under Frank to become the new leader of the backline.

The Austrian has a strong personality and showed plenty of promising moments in his first four months of the season despite being thrown straight into a difficult situation. The 26-year-old also showed some wasteful moments with the ball, but will likely have less pressure on him to play some of the passes or make the dribbles that Ange Postecoglou's system called for.

Danso, who played an important late role in the Europa League final in Bilbao, is a strong character and leader and is already popular in the Spurs dressing room. He can fit into a back three as well, and he and Frank are likely to hit it off early on due to their similar mentalities, which could put him in a good position to take advantage if Romero departs.

Nathan Collins

Frank might look back to someone he trusts at Brentford and the most Tottenham-type signing among the centre-backs is probably Nathan Collins. The Republic of Ireland international, who only turned 24 under two months ago, came on leaps and bounds under Frank and became a key man in his defence.

The Dane said midway through last season of Collins, who played on the right of his central defensive pairing: "He got that injury [the previous season] and got that setback. He struggled to get back up to pace and made some mistakes, which didn't help his confidence. At the end of last season, he was more or less back to the good start he had.

"Now he has more consistency and his composure on the ball is good. He can find passes in the pockets, the diagonals and the balls in behind. He is very good. This year, he has made some crucial blocks, defending the goal and the box very well. He has just got more consistency in the way he plays.

"Another important thing is the concentration. I think his concentration levels have gone up and the best players in the world have got the ability to concentrate for 90 minutes."

The problem for Spurs is that Collins has a long contract until 2029 and would not come cheaply. However, if they got big money for Romero then the young Irishman would be able to come in and slot straight into Frank's system after some big displays for the Dane across the last campaign. He would be less of a risk than many foreign signings they might look at in the market.

Luka Vuskovic or Ashley Phillips

There could also be a breakout star in defence under Frank with the new head coach always looking to give young players a chance after his formative years as a coach in the Danish international youth set-up.

The Dane will not have made any decisions yet over the young players as he will want to take a close look at a number of them during pre-season to decide who is ready for his team and which ones must head off on loan again or out of the door permanently.

Luka Vuskovic will finally arrive at Tottenham after two loan spells before being able to join officially after his 18th birthday. The teenager has been a star in Belgium with Westerlo and Spurs beat plenty of Europe's biggest sides to land the Croatian starlet, no doubt with the promise of first team minutes if he impresses.

That will be on Vuskovic this summer but he's certainly got heaps of potential and could be given until at least January to settle in. Spurs' pesky club-trained issues might make it difficult to name the teenager in the Champions League squad, depending on the future of Romero and Ben Davies, but he could get game time in the Carabao Cup to begin with.

The same goes for Ashley Phillips, who could not get a look-in under Postecoglou but has impressed on both his loans to Plymouth and Stoke in the past couple of seasons. Frank might be impressed this summer by the young defender, who turns 20 on Thursday, and that could change what comes next for him. The next move for Alfie Dorrington must also be decided as well after he became a Scottish Cup winner with Aberdeen.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Another big money potential arrival would be Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite with the centre-back, who turns 23 on Friday, linked with Tottenham in recent weeks.

The Toffees defender, who has made one England appearance, has been the subject of interest from Manchester United in the past with a huge price tag on his head because he still has two years left on his deal with an option for a further 12 months.

The other issue for Spurs is that Branthwaite would not be a straight Romero replacement in terms of where he would play on the pitch, because like Micky van de Ven, he is a left-footed centre-back who operates on that side of the defence.

He and the Dutchman would likely be an awkward pairing so while we're adding him as a potential option to replace Romero in the squad, he would not likely replace him in the team.

Tottenham have a number of reasons to be confident they can win the transfer battle for Bryan Mbeumo despite his preference being to join Manchester United.

With the manager situation uncertain for a number of weeks, Spurs may have lost out on certain targets while other Premier League clubs were also able to put in significant groundwork.

Rayan Cherki was one player linked with a move to north London, but he ended up joining Manchester City from Lyon.

It was also made clear that Mbeumo was keen on a switch to Old Trafford from Brentford, snubbing Spurs and Newcastle United in the process. The decision by Tottenham to replace Ange Postecoglou with Thomas Frank, who has coached Mbeumo for the last few years, may have changed things though.

In the meantime, Bayern and Spurs met a compromise for Mathys Tel with the French attacker joining on a permanent basis for £30 million.

Despite bringing in a winger, the Lilywhites are still very much interested in Mbeumo.

Prior to the first summer window deadline, Ruben Amorim's side saw a bid rejected with another verbal offer made during negotiations knocked back. Brentford are holding out for £70m to sell.

In comparison to United, Tottenham are much more likely to meet that figure following on from winning the Europa League and thus qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. have also already sanctioned a big transfer with Matheus Cunha joining from Wolves in a £62.5m deal.

Though that was an early summer deal, there was some delay as United wanted to pay for his services over five years but they ultimately backed down and met Wolves' terms of three instalments over two seasons.

United trying to do that in the first place suggests that financially they are not in that strong of a position. The fact they also accepted what Wolves wanted means that some funds have already been committed elsewhere.

Spurs, and Frank in particular, now arguably face a race against time to convince Mbeumo of a move to north London. That is because later in the trading period United are likely to have more money available to them having sanctioned sales.

Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Marcus Rashford are all free to leave the club this summer with it entirely possible anywhere in the region of £150m is obtained. That would certainly give United the finances needed for Mbeumo.

It took just two seconds or so of football to show exactly why Thomas Frank gave the green light to Tottenham making the permanent signing of Mathys Tel.

The 20-year-old had drifted out to the left-hand side of the pitch in the final five minutes of the European U21 Championships quarter-final against Denmark when he received the ball from substitute Matthis Abline. The Tottenham man took a couple of touches, forcing the defender to step back in concern as he advanced into the box.

Tel used that space to curl an inch-perfect right-footed shot into the far corner of the net. Tottenham fans will have seen the similarities to the goals their captain Son Heung-min curled home most weeks in the Premier League. Tel's strike sparked wild celebrations alongside his Spurs and international team-mate Wilson Odobert and others for within two minutes, France had turned around a 2-1 deficit and the Spurs man's exquisite finish sent them into the semi-finals where they will meet Germany on Wednesday night.

To reduce another livewire performance from Tel into just two seconds would be doing the young attacker a disservice but it was a moment that showed how a youngster with plenty of Champions League experience has no fear of the big stage or the big moments. His professional career so far has been all about him being thrown in and having to sink or swim.

The previous 85 minutes of the game in the Futbal Tatran Arena in Slovakia had brought constant troubles for the Danish defence as they tried to deal with Tel, who began the game in a lone striker role. Forged by those early months thrown in as the target man at Tottenham in Dominic Solanke and Richarlison's injury-enforced absences, Tel used everything he had learned in those tough moments.

He held the ball up well, spreading it out to the flanks or used numerous neat backflicks to send it into his team-mates' paths. Sometimes he would take it on himself and beat a man or two.

Tel showed his terrific technique in the first half with a powerful dipping volley after a headed ball fell his way out wide, just inside the right-side of the Denmark box. It deserved to make the net bulge but was met by an equally impressive flying reaction save from Danish goalkeeper Andreas Jungdal.

The 23-year-old goalkeeper has his own Spurs connection, having spent the second half of the season on loan from Cremonese with Belgian side Westerlo, playing behind Tottenham's soon-to-be-arriving centre-back Luka Vuskovic and academy midfielder Alfie Devine.

Tel had an effort disallowed in the second half when a team-mate was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up by VAR and the French media praised him after the game for the dangerous nature of his performance despite a lack of service at times, as well as the never-give-up attitude he displayed.

For Tel, he knows all eyes are on him after the north London club made his loan move from Bayern Munich a permanent one. It will cost Spurs £29.8million (€35million), plus a potential further £4.2million (€5million) in add-ons. Tottenham to managed to knock around £15million off the original £45million option to buy the player at the end of his £8.5million loan spell.

The transfer only went through because Frank agreed to it. football.londonreported soon after the Dane's appointment that he had analysed Tel and was excited about developing him into the talent that both Spurs and Bayern believed he could become when they signed him.

The new head coach then confirmed that in his first club interview when he said: "Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal. I think he's a very talented player that can play across the front four positions. He's a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I'm looking forward to it."

Sunday's performance for France showed exactly what Tel is capable of when that all-round game clicks and it also showcased a lot of what staff inside Tottenham had felt about the player and why they always believed there was something special to develop despite the difficulties faced in his opening months in a new league, new country and a struggling team when he was being relied upon to be a battering ram in the fastest, most physical competition in the world.

Spurs staff last season saw Tel as strong technically with a top notch training mentality while being a positive character within the squad. With his lack of minutes for Bayern ahead of his move, plenty of fitness and conditioning work was required and he will be benefiting from that now during this tournament with France as he will when pre-season begins next month. He already looks more powerful and broader than he did when he first arrived in February.

The 20-year-old still needs to improve further physically, particularly with his explosiveness on and off the ball, and the stamina required for the Premier League, while continuing to improve his growing ability in one vs one duels against defenders. While this goal did not suggest it, the consistency of his finishing also requires work and while Tel is always eager to track back, the defensive work when he gets there needs more finessing.

football.london reported last week that the youngster's performance against Nottingham Forest at home in April was held up internally as the best of the spell, with great energy and creativity from the flank, and there were plenty of similarities to his performance in Slovakia.

Frank may well have watched Sunday's match while nodding his head happily for his first big decision at Tottenham looks to be a good one. With plenty of work from Tel and coaching from Frank and his staff, the first transfer of his reign could be one people look back on and remember for all the right reasons.

Tottenham fans will be excited by the prospect of the Thomas Frank era and the attacking philosophy that the Dane will bring to the club.

Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou as the Spurs head coach after the Australian was sacked earlier this month.

The Dane arrives at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after seven years at Brentford, during which time he guided them to promotion from the Championship and turned the Bees into an established Premier League outfit.

Much like Postecoglou, Frank's philosophy is about attacking football and he often utilised the 4-2-3-1 formation in west London, with three players behind a frontman.

And he has already hinted that that is the formation he is planning to employ at Tottenham. In an interview after giving the green light to sign Mathys Tel on a permanent deal following his loan spell with the club last season, Frank said: "I think he's a very talented player that can play across the front four positions."

You would not ordinarily speak about the front four positions unless you were planning on employing that 4-2-3-1 strategy. Frank has also used the 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 formations at Brentford, but neither of those formations would really lend themselves to talking about the front four positions.

Tel was mainly used on the left hand side of a front three under Postecoglou, although he did play through the middle too. There are question marks over Son Heung-min's future with the Lilywhites as football.london understands the South Korean is more open to leaving the club than ever before after steering Spurs to the Europa League trophy in 2024/25.

Spurs have been linked with other wide players so far in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo also able to play in multiple positions in the front line.

New Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has already made it clear he is "very, very excited" about Mathys Tel signing a permanent deal with the club. Following the Frenchman's initial loan spell from Bayern Munich, he has signed a six-year deal in N17 for a transfer fee worth £29.8million (€35million), plus a potential further £4.2million (€5million) in add-ons.

Even though the decision over the 20-year-old's long-term future was something that divided the opinion of fans, it was a rather straightforward call for the club. Tel may not have been a Tottenham player when they played Frank's Brentford team at the beginning of February but the new boss quite clearly knows all about the youngster and the areas of his game he can improve.

"Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal," said the Dane in a club interview. "I think he's a very talented player that can play across the front four positions. He's a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I'm looking forward to it."

The reason for some fans not wanting the club to sign Tel on a long-term deal was mainly due to the £45.7million buy option and what he did or did not contribute in the final third in his minutes on the pitch. Tel finished the 2024/25 campaign with three goals and two assists to his name in 20 appearances.

He did show plenty of promise when played, most notably in the home defeat against Nottingham Forest in April, but that clinical cutting edge when it mattered most wasn't always there. A player with bags of potential due to the attributes in his locker, many will have ultimately felt that the club could spend the £45.7million better elsewhere.

It may well be in the 2025/26 season where Tottenham see a different side to Tel. The hope will be that is the case, especially with Frank potentially able to extract even more out of him considering his great record at working with young players.

When it comes to Tel and his first 20 games for the club, it needs to be remembered that he arrived in a brand new country as a 19-year-old and had to very quickly try and get to grips with the pace and intensity of the Premier League. There was no real bedding-in period for the player as he was immediately thrown into Ange Postecoglou's starting XI due to the injury crisis the team were going through.

Tel's first four months in a Tottenham shirt should stand him in good stead to attack the new season and hopefully hit the ground running. What should also help is near enough a full pre-season with Frank and his teammates once his participation at the Under-21 European Championship has come to an end.

Tel's initial loan period and what comes next could be reminiscent of Lucas Moura's first few months at the club after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2018. The Brazilian contributed two goals and four assists in his first ten appearances in all competitions as Mauricio Pochettino elected to ease him in rather than immediately introduce him to the starting XI.

Whereas that wasn't the case for Tel at Tottenham, there may eventually be similarities in terms of what they offered in their first four months as Spurs players and what happened next. In the 2018/19 season, Lucas scored 15 goals in 49 appearances, including a memorable double in a 3-0 win at Manchester United, a hat-trick against Huddersfield Town and that treble at Ajax that sent Tottenham through to the Champions League final.

Before all that occurred, Lucas spoke in the summer of 2018 about the importance of his first few months as a Tottenham player and his adaptation to a brand new country and league.

“My first months at Tottenham were to adapt to the new league, to the city, to the climate of a new country," said Lucas in an interview with Brazilian outlet Lance! in the summer of 2018. "But it was quiet, everyone welcomed me very well, I already knew [Serge] Aurier, with whom I had played in PSG. They treated me very well, the environment is very cool.

"It was easy to adapt and I am very happy to be wearing the shirt of a great team, and to play in the Premier League, which was a great dream. It’s a great opportunity in my life.

“I knew it would be difficult. I arrived at the window mid-season, and there were not so many signings. When I arrived the team was already in place, fighting for the first team places, they were already well into the Champions League.

"It is very difficult to get there and to be a starter. The expectation was to get there, to adapt, to know the environment, the new teammates. Now, it’s time to take advantage of the pre-season, start strong, and be able to clinch a starting spot this season.

“The expectation is to start well, go strong and fight for a place in the starting team. The team is very good with great players, but the season is long with many games. Surely I will have many opportunities. I need to take advantage of the chances that will appear.”

Tel showed glimpses of his quality in his first four months as a Tottenham player and it quite clearly was enough for the club to sanction a permanent transfer. As was the case with Lucas, the best is yet to come.

James Maddison has provided an update on his recovery from injury. The 28-year-old midfielder missed the end of the season with a knee problem, which he suffered during Tottenham Hotspur's win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-final first leg.

Shortly after Spurs confirmed their place in the final against Manchester United, Maddison broke silence on social media with a heart-breaking message. He wrote: "Gutted. Just absolutely gutted.

"We've had our sights on that European final in Bilbao from day one of this campaign. So to accept not being able to take part out on that pitch with the boys is really tough to take.

"Injuries are just part of this game that can be so cruel, at times. But I truly believe that it can be a special night for my football club. Bring on the 21st. All together."

Maddison was in attendance at San Mames Stadium a couple of weeks later, as Tottenham stormed past Ruben Amorim's side, winning their first European trophy since 1983/84. Despite featuring as a pundit for TNT Sports, the England international didn't provide an update on his recovery.

Then, earlier this month, Maddison commented on his progress in a quick exchange with Thomas Frank, who had just replaced Ange Postecoglou as head coach. The duo crossed paths at the club's training ground - and the new Tottenham boss was keen to find out how he's been doing.

"Yeah [working hard]," said Maddison. "Had a little break with the family. Had a nice check-up with the specialist yesterday."

Frank then asked if everything was okay, to which Maddison replied: "Yeah, yeah. It was good.

"Positive to be fair. All about schedule stuff."

BAStraining has since dropped another update on Maddison's recovery on Instagram. The personal trainer - based in Norwich - has been putting the Tottenham vice-captain through his paces ahead of the new season.

Maddison, who has previously worked with BAStraining, will be desperate to be fit for pre-season and impress Frank. Speaking to club media, the new Spurs boss was quizzed on the players at his disposal.

"I think it's a very talented squad. I think it's a very good squad," said Frank. "So, yeah, very excited about starting working with them and, of course, you know, when you follow the Premier League, you see the other teams, of course I've seen Tottenham, I've seen some fantastic performances from the team over the last years, and I'm very excited about that."

The 51-year-old Dane added: "I think there's big, big potential in it, but of course I'm looking from the outside, so I'm looking forward to get to know them, to be around them, to feel them, to understand them, to work with them on a training pitch.

"That's where you really get a big understanding, and understand the relationships between players and how you can get the best out of them. Of course, I've got an idea already, you know, my head is spinning, how can we play, who can I put them together - and all that."

The appointment of a new head coach will represent a fresh start for many Tottenham players. For some who maybe struggled to make their mark and play regularly during Ange Postecoglou's tenure, an opportunity could be there to do so under Thomas Frank.

Key to that will be strong pre-season campaigns, with Tottenham set to return to training at Hotspur Way very soon. football.london understands the first group of players will return towards the back end of the first week of July to start going through their various tests, blood work and then begin training with Frank and his new-look coaching staff.

It will be a staggered return for some of the squad as a handful of players were involved in international football immediately after the season came to a close. Then there are those taking part at the Under-21 and Under-19 European Championships such as Archie Gray, Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert in the former and Mikey Moore and development squad player Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny in the latter.

Due to the sheer size of the Tottenham squad, it could be a crucial summer for some of the players when it comes to ensuring they have a long-term future in N17. football.london takes a look at five players who have to make their mark in pre-season:

Dane Scarlett

It could be a make-or-break season for Dane Scarlett when it comes to his Tottenham career. Making his Premier League debut for the club back in February 2021, it just hasn't quite happened for the striker in a Spurs shirt just yet.

The 21-year-old did score four goals during his time on loan at Oxford United last season but the regular starts he wanted weren't always there for him. He returned to Tottenham in January and chipped in with one goal and two assists as he finished the campaign with a Europa League winners' medal around his neck.

It's going to be extremely hard for him to play regularly at Tottenham but he can be a very good third-choice striker for the club due to the amount of games they will have to deal with in 2025/26. A strong pre-season under Frank could lead to him remaining with the club unless they feel a loan deal is best for his development.

If it doesn't quite happen for the player this season, a permanent move away could be on the agenda come 2026.

Alfie Devine

Alfie Devine is another player who seems to have been around a very long time despite his tender years. The midfielder, who turns 21 at the start of August, made his Spurs debut as a 16-year-old and notably scored in the 5-0 FA Cup win over Marine.

The ex-Wigan Athletic youngster enjoyed a very productive season on loan at Belgian side Westerlo and he will return to Hotspur Way a much better player for his experience. Devine has caught the eye for Tottenham in the last two pre-season campaigns and he will be intent on making it a third.

If he does that then Frank may want to keep him part of his Tottenham squad for the new season. If it is to be a third successive season out on loan for Devine then you have to wonder if his Spurs chance will ever actually arrive.

Ashley Phillips

Two years on from his transfer from Blackburn Rovers, Ashley Phillips is still waiting to make his competitive debut for Tottenham. The youngster just wasn't used by Postecoglou in the first half of the 2023/24 season even though the team were going through a big crisis at centre-back.

Duly heading to Plymouth Argyle on loan in January and then Stoke City last season, Phillips may be in line for a third successive season out on loan. Due to the amount of options ahead of him at centre-back, with highly-rated Luka Vuskovic adding to the numbers this summer, it's hard to see where he gets first-team opportunities at Tottenham.

Even though he's only 19 years of age, this season could be big in terms of his Tottenham career and what comes next.

Alejo Veliz

Alejo Veliz has struggled to make his mark in the European game since joining Tottenham from Rosario Central two years ago. Amid his lack of playing time in north London, the Argentine has spent time on loan with Sevilla and Espanyol but the goals and regular minutes he requires have unfortunately alluded him.

Frank will take a look at Veliz and the rest of the Tottenham squad in pre-season when they return and the striker has to take his opportunity with both hands. That wasn't the case last summer as he failed to make his mark in his playing time and subsequently saw Will Lankshear and Scarlett jump ahead of him.

Manor Solomon

The appointment of a new head coach could change things for Manor Solomon at Tottenham. Restricted to only six appearances in his debut season at the club and heading on loan to Leeds United last season as he needed to play week in, week out after his previous injury woes, the winger's time at Elland Road was a major success.

Solomon finished the season with ten goals and 13 assists to his name, including the goal that won Leeds the Championship title in the final minute of the campaign. Set to return to Tottenham a player full of confidence, Solomon could well be part of Frank's squad for 2025/26 if he catches the Dane's eye.

After all, Tottenham do need options out wide at present and that is something Solomon can offer. If he is not to be part of Frank's plans and can move on, Spurs will not be short on options and could bring in a decent fee for him.

Thomas Frank will have the opportunity to manage in the Champions League for the very first time after taking on the Tottenham job. The Dane has replaced Ange Postecoglou in the hotseat, signing a three-year contract in north London.

Before Frank and his Tottenham players take part in their first Champions League match of the 2025/26 campaign, they have a UEFA Super Cup final to look forward to as a result of their Europa League triumph. Spurs will play Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, August 13 at Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy.

The qualifying stages for next season's Champions League are due to commence the second week in July ahead of the league phase starting on Tuesday, September 16. Tottenham enter at the league phase and will be drawn against two teams from each of the four points to determine their eight opponents.

The league phase draw is due to take place on Thursday, August 28, with the dates and times for Tottenham's eight games likely to be confirmed a day or two after the draw. This season's Champions League final will be played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday, May 30.

As we are now a few weeks on since the league season came to a close for the vast majority of European leagues, we know 29 of the 36 teams who have already qualified for the 2025/26 edition of the Champions League. The pots for August's draw are starting to take shape and six potential Pot 1 opponents are already clear to see as Tottenham cannot come up against fellow Premier League teams Manchester City, Liverpool or Chelsea.

The final seven Champions League places will be determined by who progresses through qualifying and the crucial play-off round in late August. So, now that Tottenham have their Premier League schedule in hand, we have decided to take a look at the 2025/26 Champions League calendar, pots for the league phase draw, their potential opponents and all the key dates fans need to know. You can find all that below:

Teams already qualified and likely pots

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona.

Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt.

Pot 2/3: Tottenham, PSV.

Pot 3: Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Marseille.

Pot 4: AS Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Athletic Club. Newcastle United.

Champions League 2025/26 schedule

League phase

Matchday 1: 16-18 September

Matchday 2: 30 September-1 October

Matchday 3: 21-22 October

Matchday 4: 4-5 November

Matchday 5: 25-26 November

Matchday 6: 9-10 December

Matchday 7: 20-21 January

Matchday 8: 28 January

Knockout phase play-offs

First leg: 17-18 February

Second leg: 24-25 February

Round of 16

First leg: 10-11 March

Second leg: 17-18 March

Quarter-finals

First leg: 7-8 April

Second leg: 14-15 April

Semi-finals

First leg: 28-29 April

Second leg: 5-6 May

Final

Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Puskas Arena, Budapest.

Champions League draw dates

League phase: 28 August

Knockout phase play-offs: 30 January

Round of 16/quarter-finals/semi-finals/final: 27 February

Tottenham supporters are waiting for the club's summer transfer window to kick off to back their new head coach Thomas Frank.

Spurs have upped the expectations on the Dane in not only replacing a trophy-winning manager in Ange Postecoglou but also chairman Daniel Levy publicly stating that winning the Europa League was not enough and that he wants the club to win the Premier League and Champions League.

The Tottenham fans are now expecting such statements to be backed up with a squad capable of achieving those lofty aims. The north London club have made the loan deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel permanent in the early weeks of the transfer window but are yet to sign a new player for the Frank era.

There is still a fortnight until pre-season begins and a little while longer until the first friendly of the summer but the new boss will be hoping to get to work with any new players sooner rather than later.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold answered plenty of questions from our readers on the current goings-on at the club and here's a full transcript with everything he was asked and how he responded.

nickteff: "Have you got any names that Spurs are looking at for the No.6 role?"

Alasdair says: "The problem with that role in particular is the arrival of Thomas Frank brings a reset of sorts in that the number six has to be someone who fits his system compared to Ange Postecoglou's. Spurs were already looking for a number six but some on the list may well have changed in recent days as Frank and Johan Lange decide in their key recruitment chats that would have taken place at Hotspur Way last week as well as subsequent and previous conversations about the best fitting names for his system that are gettable.

"It's a shame (for Frank anyway) that Christian Norgaard signed a new deal towards the end of last season because I would not have been shocked if Spurs had made a move for him as he was one of the more underrated midfielders in the Premier League last season.

"Frank absolutely loves the experienced Dane and thinks he's a special leader and no doubt would have wanted that at Spurs as someone who knows his demands inside out being in the centre of the team. Perhaps they might still test the water with Brentford.

"Timing is also a funny thing when it comes to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg because he's heading to Marseille thanks to that obligation in his loan move when he might have fitted Frank perfectly. The former Brentford boss used to coach Hojbjerg at youth level in the Danish international set-up.

"We'll find out in the next week or two which number sixes are on the radar as Frank's needs get pushed out within the game to agents and clubs. It's always the way it works under a new manager. It takes a little time and various meetings before details start to emerge."

Jack00: "Do you think Marc Guehi would be high on the list of Romero replacements if he was to leave the club this summer?"

Alasdair says: "Spurs have been long-time admirers of Guehi and made an approach in January that was rebuffed by Palace, who also had no time to get in a replacement at that point even if anything had advanced.

"The problem for Spurs is that the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are also among the many clubs interested in Guehi. It's not expected to be easy for anyone to agree a price with Palace, even with just a year left on the England international's contract.

"Guehi's priority is believed to be regular playing time wherever he goes and while Spurs can offer Champions League football as well this season, they are currently packed with central defenders in Romero, Van de Ven, Danso, Dragusin, Davies as well as younger players like Vuskovic, Phillips and Dorrington.

"Of course Guehi likely starts if Romero goes and maybe if he doesn't, and there is the potential that Frank would maybe play with a back three if he didn't, but you would imagine Romero's future would need to be sorted out first and by that time others may have made their move."

Annie27: "Just as a change from the men's team news, are you hearing anything about candidates for the women's team manager? Or what the new CEO's plans are for the women's team?"

Alasdair says: "From what I understand the process is ongoing at the moment so it shouldn't be too long before we find out who will replace Robert Vilahamn. The WSL season obviously starts a month after the men's campaign so there's a bit more time to play with but I don't think Spurs will wait around that long because they need to get moving on building that team for a better season this time around.

"Vinai Venkatesham had plenty to do with Arsenal's women's team and he will continue that down the road at Tottenham. The 44-year-old will be keen to push them on to the kind of levels seen at their local rivals."

macro spurs: "Have you got any information on how many attackers the club will look to sign over the coming weeks? Surely we still need two attackers on top of Tel. We can't go into the new season with the same attack as last season?"

Alasdair says: "One of the priorities is clearly a wide player who can also play through the middle. Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Antoine Semenyo all tick that box with the former and latter both expected to be pushing towards the £70million price mark and Wissa less because he's got just a year left on his contract.

"Lange is likely to have plenty of non-Premier League talent on his list for Frank to sift through as well and whether they need to go for more than one new attacker depends on what happens with those at the club.

"Timo Werner has left while Tel has remained. Then the future of Son and Richarlison needs to be sorted and a lot could depend on what happens next with them. Then there's Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, while Spurs will want a pathway for Mikey Moore's development. Dejan Kulusevski can also play on the right or left of Frank's 4-2-3-1.

"Spurs' attacking players did actually rack up some decent goal involvement numbers across the side when you total it all up. They just couldn't keep the ball out at the other end.

"Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon are likely to move on this summer, with Yang Min-hyeok likely to get another loan because we mustn't forget that frustrating club-trained problem with the European squad which means a big squad will have plenty who can't play in the Champions League.

"So I think due to numbers Spurs may well wait to see what happens with some players before committing to a second attacking signing, not including Tel."

mo_coys: "How many players will be signed before the first pre-season game? Currently July 26."

Alasdair says: "The club moved pretty quickly when Postecoglou was appointed two years ago so hopefully they spring into action soon. I'd expect two or three signings by that point but that might depend on some outgoings as well to ensure there's the space more than anything. Technically I think the first friendly though will be around July 19."

tomkcoys: "What are your expectations of whether Romero, Vicario, and Porro are on their way out this summer? Romero seems the most likeliest but there have been some surprising references to Porro and Vicario leaving too."

Alasdair says: "I'd be very surprised if Vicario or Porro exited the club this summer, unless something major happens behind the scenes. With Romero, I remain to be convinced that any club will pay the sort of money required to prise him away from Tottenham. We'll see."

rogon: "When do you think the decision to change the manager was made, did the trophy win make any difference to the outcome? It felt before the final all the noise and even from Ange it felt a foregone conclusion."

Alasdair says: "It felt like it was always in the pipeline and Postecoglou's manner reflected that in the press conferences in the weeks before the final but the trophy and reaction from the supporters and players clearly threw the cat among the pigeons.

Ultimately, Spurs' hierarchy stuck to their original plan and time will show us whether it was the right move or whether we'll always be stuck with the 'what if'. I really like Frank as a coach and as a person so I hope he can break the two-year sacking cycle at Tottenham. Someone has to."

MattSpurs79: "Any more word on whether Paratici is returning formally when his ban expires or not? Or just continuing as a consultant?"

Alasdair says: "The consultancy element is certainly continuing for now. He's involved in that trial in Italy which is currently ongoing and I'd be surprised if Spurs don't wait until the outcome of that is clearer before committing to anything more formal again, but you never know. Levy has a lot of time for Paratici and many within the club are expecting the Italian's eventual return. It wouldn't be a great move for Johan Lange certainly."

mir00: " How likely do you think it is that Son will leave this summer?"

Alasdair says: "Ultimately Son's future should be decided by Son. He's earned that right as a trophy-winning legend of the club with 10 years of service under his belt. I would say there's more chance of him leaving this summer than ever before, but he and Frank need to have a conversation first to decide what the Dane's plans for him are as well, if that hasn't already happened."

Craigyb35: "As soon as Spurs hit a bad patch how big do you think the protests against Levy will get compared to last season?"

Alasdair says: "I think Levy has only increased the scrutiny in this coming season with the decision to sack the first trophy winner the club has had in 17 years and also the chairman's comments about that trophy not being enough as he wants to win the Premier League and Champions League. He and the club hierarchy need to be able to show that they did everything possible to help Frank succeed because the supporters are going to be watching closer than ever."

skolcoys: "How are we going to fix the homegrown problem headed to the champions League?

Alasdair says: "Only time can fix that really with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall available for the B list in the 26/27 season after two years at the club. The other option is to sign former academy players to fill the three vacant club-trained spots and Kyle Walker-Peters is certainly someone the club have considered as a versatile free agent this summer who would be club trained and doesn't take up anyone else's spot in the Champions League squad."

There's a tongue-in-cheek saying which goes something like this: 'How do you become a millionaire? Be a billionaire and then buy a football club.' Well, that old adage seems to have been written for Vincent Tan, the Cardiff City owner, who has seen his fortunes dwindle in the harsh world of football finance.

The Malaysian businessman has invested over £250m into the Bluebirds over the past decade or so, yet finds himself at the helm of a League One outfit rather than a Premier League powerhouse.

It's crunch time for Tan at Cardiff City, with questions looming over whether he possesses the zeal to drive the club through two promotions back to the English top-flight – a clear ambition of his ownership.

Recent years haven't been kind to Cardiff City, with the club veering off course and now facing a hefty debt pile and the impending legal proceedings in France concerning the tragic Emiliano Sala case.

Despite the turmoil, the Cardiff City chairman, Mehmet Dalman, claimed that Tan acknowledges 'everything is for sale at the right price'. In the meantime, the Malaysian businessman remains dedicated to the Bluebirds' quest for Championship football.

As quoted by the Wales Online, Dalman said: "He has injected a substantial amount of funds in the club. In his statement, it was clear to me he wants to bounce back. On the other hand, he has always said, 'Everything is for sale at the right price - except for family.'

"As far as I am concerned, and I am having this discussion after a dialogue with him, I don't see anything else but his commitment to make sure we bounce back."

Dalman's words were shared amid news that a consortium linked to Gareth Bale had made an offer for Cardiff City. According to Wales Online, the group had been in touch with Tan directly in May regarding a major stake acquisition, but their proposal was knocked back.

Whether Bale and his associates will mount another takeover bid for the League One outfit remains to be seen, although the timing of these revelations, one month after the initial approach, could hint at ongoing interest.

Cardiff City's stature means they routinely field queries about ownership and valuation; this instance gained prominence due largely to Bale's status, sparking considerable chatter among supporters. The Spurs legend, who reportedly earned £600,000-a-week during his spell at Real Madrid, boasts a net worth estimated at a whopping £120m.

Off the pitch, the Welshman has ventured into various businesses, launching two bars in his hometown and another in Bristol. He's also a minority shareholder in Penderyn Distillery, and he's invested in Tiger Woods and McIlroy's TGL golf league.

Of course, the Malaysian tycoon's wealth far surpasses that, with Forbes estimating his net worth to be around £580m. However, this figure represents a significant decrease from his previously listed £1.19bn in 2010 – a drop of over £600m in 14 years.

I refer you back to the joke at the start of this article. While Tan's fortune blows Bale's out of the water, Wales Online have reported that the Tottenham legend's involvement would be similar to Luka Modric at Swansea and Tom Brady at Birmingham City, where the majority of the funding would come from other consortium members.

The real advantage of having Bale involved, naturally, would be his ability to offer guidance on player recruitment and commercial development, as well as leveraging his global reach to potentially boost the club's profile worldwide.

As for the club's valuation? It's nearly impossible to put a price tag on it, should Tan decide to sell. Five years ago, Wales Online claim that a valuation of £75m was suggested for Cardiff City, but today that figure is likely to be somewhere between £50m and £75m.

This estimate aligns with Championship clubs who typically value themselves at approximately two or three times their annual revenue – last year Cardiff reported a turnover of £23.2m. However, the old saying rings true – a club's worth is ultimately determined by what a buyer is prepared to pay.

The Bluebirds' recent relegation also plays a significant role in this valuation. According to Transfermarkt, Cardiff City's squad is estimated to be worth around £41.8m, but with players valued at a combined £11.75m either on loan or out of contract in June, this figure immediately drops to £30m.

Player values can plummet by 20 to 40 per cent following relegation. The significant decrease in television revenue, coupled with a drop in player market values and potential loss of commercial and matchday income, could see the club's valuation fall dramatically – potentially by as much as 30 or 40 per cent.

However, there are silver linings. The new training ground currently under construction and the impressive new academy site in Llanrumney are, or will be, valuable assets.

Cardiff is also a capital city with enormous potential and a large, untapped fan base. While it may sound clichéd, it doesn't make it any less accurate.

The club has a high ceiling and is commercially well-managed compared to other clubs of its size. Additionally, there is a core group of young players whose values, the club hopes, will only skyrocket in the coming years, thereby increasing the club's overall value.

One suspects that the new manager, Brian Barry-Murphy, might aim to add value by targeting younger signings this summer and beyond.