Football London

Thomas Frank has confirmed that Yves Bissouma's absence for Tottenham's UEFA Super Cup final against PSG "for disciplinary reasons" is because of the player's poor timekeeping. When providing an update on the injury front for Wednesday's European final in Udine, Italy, the new Spurs boss also revealed that Bissouma was not part of the travelling squad.

"Dom [Solanke] is the positive one. He is available for selection tomorrow," said Frank. "Destiny [Udogie] is closer and getting closer to train with the group. Bissouma has not travelled with the team because of disciplinary reasons."

When pushed on the reason for the midfielder's absence, Frank explained: "He's been late several times and now this time the latest time was one too many. With everything you need to give your players a lot of love. There need to be demands and consequences and this time there was a consequence."

There are currently question marks over Bissouma's long-term future at Tottenham as his current deal expires at the end of the 2025/26 season. Tottenham have strengthened in midfield already this summer and the addition of Joao Palhinha has knocked the Mali international down a place in the pecking order.

Bissouma has plenty of competition for a berth in midfield as it stands as Tottenham have Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr all competing for a spot in the team. One year ago, Bissouma missed out on Tottenham's opening game of the season away at Leicester City as the club suspended him for one match after footage appeared to show the midfielder inhaling laughing gas.

He was to return in the team's following game against Everton as he scored in a 4-0 win. Tottenham start the 2025/26 Premier League season with a home encounter against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Thomas Frank has revealed that Dominic Solanke is available for selection for Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup final against PSG but Destiny Udogie will once again play no part. The new Spurs boss did also reveal that Yves Bissouma is not with the squad in Italy "because of disciplinary reasons".

Solanke has not featured for Tottenham in pre-season since their opening friendly against Reading due to an ankle injury. The striker was present for the club's summer tour of Asia but he did not take to the pitch in either the Arsenal or Newcastle United games.

Udogie, on the other hand, has been missing because of a knee injury. The left-back was omitted from the squad for the friendly against Luton Town after he "felt something in the warm-up".

Ahead of the Super Cup final match against PSG, Frank provided a fresh update on the injury front when speaking at his pre-match press conference at Stadio Fruili in Udine, Italy.

"Dom [Solanke] is the positive one. He is available for selection tomorrow," said Frank. "Destiny [Udogie] is closer and getting closer to train with the group. Bissouma has not travelled with the team because of disciplinary reasons."

Thomas Frank and two of his Tottenham Hotspur players Guglielmo Vicario and Ben Davies are speaking to the media in Italy ahead of the UEFA Super Cup clash against PSG.

The Dane has the chance to win a trophy in his first competitive match in charge of Spurs but to do so his team will have to overcome the considerable obstacle that is Champions League winners Paris Saint-German. Luis Enrique's side were Europe's best team by a distance last season and reached the Club World Cup final last month in the USA where they lost to Chelsea in a surprise defeat.

This will be the Parisian side's first match since that day in New York and while Spurs will be hoping for some rustiness, they also know that PSG have as much quality to call upon as Bayern Munich did on Thursday when they hit four past Frank's men in Germany.

The Tottenham head coach as well as Udine-native Vicario and the experienced Ben Davies are speaking to the media out in Udine in a press conference ahead of open training in Udinese's Bluenergy Stadium.

Frank will likely be asked about transfers, including the approaches for Manchester City's Savinho and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. He will also provide the latest update on the injuries to Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie and whether either player can take part in the game in Italy after being included in the squad.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to Frank and the players ahead of the big game. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference in Udine.

Tottenham's 2025/26 season officially gets underway on Wednesday evening when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final. It is the first of two big games for Thomas Frank's side this week as they host Burnley in their Premier League opener three days later.

Spurs go into their final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain smarting from a 4-0 friendly defeat against Bayern Munich last Thursday and they need to deliver a big performance if they are to get their hands on a second piece of silverware in the space of three months. As important as matters on the field are over the coming days, Tottenham also have plenty of work to do off it as they look to give Frank the best possible squad to attack the new season.

The Lilywhites are in need of further additions in the transfer market, with a new centre-back and No.10 on their shopping list. Frank revealed after the Bayern defeat that they would look to sign a replacement for Son Heung-min if the right option is there for them.

Son may in fact be replaced by Manchester City ace Savinho if Tottenham can strike a deal for his services with talks having already opened. The Manchester Evening News report that a bid in excess of £50million is required for Pep Guardiola's team to even consider a transfer.

The Brazilian may prefer operating from the right wing but he has a lot of experience playing from the left, most notably his standout season at Girona in 2023/24 that paved the way for his Manchester City transfer. Tottenham will not be the only club looking to bring new signings in this week ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.

As is always the case in the Premier League, clubs must register a new player before midday on the last working day before they play a match to be eligible to feature. In Tottenham's case, that would be midday on Friday for a new signing to be available to play against Burnley on Saturday.

The second deadline relating to Tottenham this week is in regards to participation in their UEFA Super Cup final match against Paris Saint-Germain in Udine, Italy. UEFA's usual squad regulations apply for the game at Stadio Friuli, meaning clubs are permitted to name no more than 25 players on List A and eight of those 25 spots are reserved for locally-trained players.

As per Article 20:09 in the regulations of the UEFA Super Cup, List A had to be submitted online by 5 August 2025 (24:00 CET(11pm UK)). However, this list can be amended at any time until 24:00 CET (11pm UK) the day before the match, provided that the club’s association confirms in writing that the new players are eligible to play at domestic level by the date of the competition.

Johan Lange and Tottenham would have to conclude a deal for Savinho rather sharpish if Spurs want him to be in a position to be involved against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening. Even if Savinho is registered in time for the game and is available, Spurs would have to jiggle things about in terms of their squad numbers to comply with UEFA's rules.

The club have named a total of 22 players - 16 of those who are non-homegrown - on their official squad list for Wednesday night but they are one over the limit of four association trained players. Any association-trained players over those four spots would need to be crowbarred into the main group.

As a result, Spurs are already at their squad limit as they only have one club-trained player rather than four that UEFA want, meaning they can only name a squad of 22 players rather than 25 as those three available spots for club-trained players have to remain vacant. So, in essence, Tottenham would have to take a player out of their non-homegrown numbers to accommodate Savinho, providing of course that a deal is finalised ahead of 11pm on Tuesday evening and Frank wants him to be involved against Paris Saint-Germain.

There is not long to go until the Premier League returns for the 2025/26 season, with Tottenham Hotspur looking for a better league season than last time out.

Spurs finished the 2024/25 campaign in 17th place in the Premier League table. But a win over Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final means that Champions League football will be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming season.

Spurs open their Premier League campaign on Saturday afternoon when they take on newly-promoted Burnley at home (3pm kick-off). That game is likely to see some new faces making their league debuts for the club.

So far, new head coach Thomas Frank has made five summer signings, with the permanent transfers of Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai. Spurs have also completed a loan move for defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich.

There could be more movement, both in and out of the club between now and the end of the window. Clubs playing on Saturday, Sunday or Monday this weekend have up until 12pm on Friday to complete deals for the player to be able to feature in this weekend’s games.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the possible deals that Spurs could do over the next few days.

Incomings

It has been reported that Spurs are in talks with Manchester City over a deal for winger Savinho. The Brazilian arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Troyes last summer in a deal worth £30.8 million.

It is claimed that negotiations have taken place over a package worth around £43.3 million. While City are not actively looking to sell the player, the club will not stand in the winger’s way if he wants to leave.

With negotiations ongoing, a quick breakthrough could mean a deal being done this week in time for Savinho to make his debut at the weekend.

Spurs are also targeting both a number 10 and a centre-back before the end of the window, but any move for a player doesn’t yet seem close. The need for an attacking midfielder only increased due to James Maddison’s injury during pre-season.

Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss have been mentioned as possible targets, but Spurs will face competition for both players this summer.

Outgoings

Youngsters Dane Scarlett and Luka Vuskovic have both been made available on loan by Spurs in the transfer window and are reported to be gaining a lot of interest. If the right destination is found for either or both, then a deal could potentially be done very quickly.

Another potential outgoing is winger Bryan Gil. The Spaniard spent last season on loan with Spanish side Girona, but returned to Tottenham this summer.

Tottenham have been handed a huge boost ahead of the UEFA Super Cup with the news that Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is not with the squad.

Donnarumma played a key role in PSG's route to winning the Champions League last season, making saves in big moments against the likes of Arsenal and Aston Villa when his side were on the ropes.

The 26-year-old faces an uncertain future in Paris, with just one year remaining on his current contract and rumours linking him with a move away as talks have stalled on a new deal. An offer was reportedly made which lowered his base salary but offered improved terms based on bonuses - which the Italian star is said to have rejected.

The Ligue 1 side will reportedly not be allowing the keeper to leave on a free transfer as Kylian Mbappe did when moving to Real Madrid, and will instead be looking to sell him this summer.

Manchester United, who Spurs beat in the Europa League final back in May, are one of the clubs strongly linked with a move for Donnarumma with Andre Onana failing to inspire confidence since arriving at Old Trafford in 2023.

PSG already look to have made a move to solve the issue surrounding Donnarumma's future by signing Lille star Lucas Chevalier last week. The 23-year-old arrived after the clubs agreed a €40million (£34.6million) fee, signing a five-year contract in the French capital. Chevalier is expected to make his first appearance for PSG against Tottenham.

Manchester City star Savinho has emerged as a summer transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.

With Son Heung-min leaving Spurs to join MLS side LAFC in a deal worth more than £20million last week, Thomas Frank is on the lookout for an additional forward ahead of the 2025/26 season. It was reported on Monday that Tottenham have held talks with Premier League rivals Man City over a potential deal for Savinho, although it's said talks are at an early stage.

The 21-year-old only joined Pep Guardiola's side last summer from French club Troyes for an initial £21million in a deal that could rise to £33million. The Brazilian made 48 appearances for City in all competitions last campaign and contributed with three goals and 13 assists.

Capable of playing on the left and right, the player would certainly give Frank another attacking option and his versatility could be a huge help. So, should Tottenham looks to sign Savinho? Is he the ideal man to replace Son? football.london's writers have their say below...

Sam Truelove

The big thing for me is the price. According to the Manchester Evening News, it would take more than £50million for City to even consider a deal with Spurs or any other interested clubs.

If Savinho pushes for the move that could come down slightly, though, with Pep Guardiola notoriously not keen for wantaway players to be a part of his squad. The tricky winger does have a full season of playing Premier League and Champions League football under his belt, as well as a year with Girona in La Liga, so he does have plenty of experience of playing at the highest level.

At the age of 21, too, he will only improve and Frank certainly has a good track record of improving players and getting the best out of them. I do like Eberechi Eze, though, as he can play both in the No.10 and on the left wing and a move for Savinho would probably mean the Eze deal is off. It's certainly a tough decision but Savinho certainly wouldn't be a bad buy whatsoever.

Joe Doyle

Savinho looked bright and exciting during his first season in the Premier League, and it was no surprise to see comparisons to Riyad Mahrez at Man City - it was almost too obvious after he took the same shirt number following Mahrez's exit.

But he wasn't the most consistent of performers, and that's probably to be expected when adapting to a new country and a new style of play under Guardiola.

The are two issues I see with the move currently. One is the price, which is a big jump from what City paid for him to what they're now asking after a season which wasn't exactly a breakout. And the second is where he fits in at Spurs.

The club have already spent big on Mohammed Kudus this summer to presumably take a starting role on the right flank, and have both Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski who are established talents in that area.

If they are to spend £50million on another attacker, I think it has to be someone for the left side following Son Heung-min's departure. And I'm not sure Savinho would be the most comfortable at attacking wide from the left.

Amie Wilson

Savinho's versatility in being able to play on either flank and in behind the striker will be a real plus for Spurs and Thomas Frank if a deal goes ahead, especially with the injury ruling James Maddison out for the majority of the season.

I was impressed by him when he first arrived at City at the start of last season, as mentioned there were obvious comparisons to Riyad Mahrez.

While he didn't kick on probably as much as expected, 13 assists and three goals in his first season in England at his age is not a bad return.

The reported £50million asking price does seem a bit steep, but if Spurs can get that reduced, then I think it's something that the club should go for. At just 21 and having a year in the Premier League now under his belt, he should only improve, and that will be good news for Tottenham if they are able to complete a transfer.

Tom Coley

This might just be a deal that makes sense for everyone. Savinho is certainly a talented player but might benefit from being a star at Tottenham as opposed to part of the system at City.

For the right price, this could be a smart but surprise piece of business. There has been a lot of dribbling without much end product, but that is to be expected of young players.

His output is far from prolific, but after a year in the Premier League he may well be ready to boom. As an exciting dribbler, Savinho is much more a creator than someone like Brennan Johnson. The real issue is, if he cannot play as a No.10, which really isn't his game, then why are Tottenham looking at him?

Rob Guest

Savinho enjoyed a decent first season in the Premier League with Manchester City and there is certainly a lot more to come from him. Thomas Frank has an excellent track record of extracting the very best out of players and he could be the man to take the Brazilian to a whole new level.

Savinho does prefer to play from the right wing but his standout season at Girona highlights that he can be a huge threat from the left as that's where he was utilised by the Spanish club. He can be a very good signing for Tottenham providing that the price is right and they don't pay over the odds.

Manchester City may want in excess of £50million for their player but Spurs need to try and drive that price down as much as they can given Pep Guardiola's men signed him for £30.8million 12 months ago. Tottenham need to strike the best deal possible for Savinho because money is needed for a new No.10 and a centre-back before the summer window draws to a close.

Tottenham icon Gareth Bale has secured a new role as a leading football pundit for TNT Sports in the upcoming season.

The ex-Real Madrid and Spurs star has inked a deal with the broadcaster to be a key figure in its Premier League and Champions League coverage throughout the 2025/26 season, as reported by The Guardian.

Bale steps into the shoes of Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, who departed from TNT after a 12-year stint, choosing not to renew his contract at the end of the previous season.

The 36-year-old has previously lent his expertise to TNT's European football broadcasts, reportedly impressing the network's executives with his insightful analysis of Spurs' Europa League final victory over United in May.

He will join Peter Crouch and Joe Cole on TNT's live Premier League coverage on Saturday lunchtimes, while Owen Hargreaves, Steve McManaman, Ally McCoist and Karen Carney are also part of TNT's punditry team for domestic and European matches.

This marks another significant step for Bale, who hung up his boots at the age of 33 following Wales' underwhelming performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - their first World Cup appearance in 64 years.His illustrious career saw him earn 111 caps for Wales, netting a record 41 goals for his country and guiding them to three major tournaments.

On the club front, he kick-started his career at Southampton before rising to prominence at Tottenham Hotspur and subsequently securing a then-world record £85 million transfer to Real Madrid. After clinching five Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns in Spain, Bale hung up his boots with an MLS Cup triumph at Los Angeles FC, retiring as one of football's most decorated players with a staggering 18 trophies.

Bale's transition to a role with TNT follows his disclosure of ambitions to acquire Cardiff City, his boyhood club. The ex-Wales captain was part of a consortium that expressed interest in the League One side by submitting a formal letter of intent to Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan.

Despite reports suggesting a £40million bid had been lodged, sources within the club refuted such claims. Nonetheless, last month Bale announced that a "brand new offer" had been presented.

In conversation with Front Office Sports Today, the former striker shared his belief that a "more than fair offer" has been made, indicating he was awaiting the club's decision.

"It's exciting news," he revealed. "We have a brand new offer on the table, it's recently just gone in. We think it's a great offer, one that we're very happy with.

"We think it's very fair, if not more than fair, and it's something we hope the current owners will take serious. We'd love them to accept so we can take full control and get on with what we want to do and create Cardiff into a club that we know it can be."

He later disclosed to ESPN: "We are interested in trying to take over Cardiff. We have actually put in a great new offer that we hope we can get feedback (from). We think it's a very good offer for where the club is at.

"It's kind of out of our hands now and we are looking forward to seeing what develops with that."

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Tottenham could be set to add to their squad with the capture of Savinho from Manchester City. Thomas Frank is in need of some additions ahead of the new season and the potential arrival of the Brazilian would hand Spurs a big boost in the final third.

Talks are at an early stage and the hope will be that Tottenham can get a deal over the line for the 21-year-old. City completed the signing of the winger from French club Troyes on a five-year deal last summer and he finished his debut season at the Etihad Stadium with three goals and 13 assists in his game time for Pep Guardiola's team.

The player didn't have a bit-part role either as he started 36 of his 48 appearances for Manchester City. Mainly operating from the right flank, Savinho did also play from the left 12 times and he was also utilised as an attacking midfielder on occasions.

In terms of his playing career to date, it is an even split in regards to his position on the pitch as he has been played as a left winger on 58 occasions and as a right winger 57 times. The Sao-Mateus born player would certainly give Frank options and his versatility could prove key.

Last week, football.london reported that Tottenham want to sign a new No.10 and a senior centre-back ahead of the new season. Frank did also admit after the Bayern Munich defeat on Thursday evening that they could look to replace the departed Son Heung-min if the right opportunity is there in the transfer market.

"Sonny was a key player for 10 seasons. He has left the club. We have both good young players in Mathys [Tel] and Wilson [Odobert] and they are really promising and can perform," said the Dane. "Brennan [Johnson] can also play that side. As I said, we are in the market. If we think we can find the right one, one who can improve the team, then he will be signed. If we can't, then not."

Savinho revealed following his move to Manchester City last summer that he does prefer to play on the right, with the player also mentioning that he really likes playing from either wing and that he can also play in the middle. Tottenham are well stocked on the right side of the pitch with Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert all options.

Odobert, Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil are then the choices on the left as things stand right now. Savinho, if signed, would add to those numbers and potentially be the starting player unless one of Odobert or Tel make the position their own.

Savinho may prefer to play from the right but his standout season at Girona in 2023/24 that resulted in his £30.8million transfer to Manchester City saw him dazzle on the left. In his 41 games in all competitions for the La Liga side, the Brazilian international hit double figures for goals and assists as he contributed 11 goals and ten assists in 41 games.

The addition of the ex-Atletico Mineiro man could see Frank name a brand new Tottenham front four for the new season. With Dominic Solanke leading the line for Spurs, Savinho would play from the left, Kudus from the right and a new No.10, if signed, would play between them.

Tottenham are extremely short in the No.10 position right now due to James Maddison's ACL injury and Kulusevski "out for a long time". Savinho's experience there may be limited compared to playing from out wide but he can be an option centrally for Frank.

Here is the front four Frank could use at Tottenham this season if Savinho signs:

Manchester City have entered discussions with Tottenham after being approached regarding a potential deal for Savinho. The Brazilian winger, who only joined the Blues last season, could be on the move again with Spurs showing interest.

According to the Manchester Evening News City are reluctant to part ways with Savinho, having acquired him from Troyes, a fellow City Football Group club, last season for an initial £21million in a deal that could rise to £33million. He was immediately integrated into the first team and frequently received praise from Pep Guardiola for his adaptation to the side, although he was advised there was room for improvement in his end product.

Signs of progress were evident at the Club World Cup, and Savinho provided an assist for Tijjani Reijnders in the 3-0 victory over Palermo on Saturday in City's final pre-season friendly. However, if Tottenham can negotiate a successful deal, it could have been the 21-year-old's final game for the club.

Despite City's hesitance to sell, Guardiola is not keen on retaining unhappy players and has generally expressed the need to reduce the squad size. If Savinho wishes to pursue a transfer, the club will not stand in his way.

However, they would demand a substantial fee for a player who still possesses immense potential and was one of La Liga's standout performers two years ago. It would require more than £50million for City to even contemplate a deal with Spurs or any other interested parties, the MEN reports.

Guardiola reiterated over the weekend that the Blues are unlikely to bring in new signings in the closing weeks of the window, with the focus instead shifting to departures. "A lot of players should leave. New players, I don't think so," he said.

"We need a little bit less. I don't like (lots) of players. One reason we sent Vitor Reis to Girona is for that. I love Vitor a lot and he has an incredible future but I don't want him staying at home every weekend. The transfer window is moving a lot and many things are going to happen. We'll see what happens and how we will handle it. We'll handle it as best as possible."