Football London

Tottenham have an awful lot of work to do in the transfer market with time quickly starting to run out. Thomas Frank's team are in need of a new centre-back, left winger and No.10 before the window closes for business at 7pm on Monday, September 1.

At a time when clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea did the bulk of their business in good time ahead of the new Premier League season, Spurs are going to be facing another last-minute dash to bring in the players they require. As things stand right now, Tottenham have signed Mohammed Kudus, Kota Takai and Joao Palhinha for the new season, with Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel turning their previous loan moves into permanent transfers, and Luka Vuskovic has finally become a Tottenham player almost two years on from the club striking a deal with Hajduk Split.

The Morgan Gibbs-White transfer saga was a major blow to Tottenham in their search for a new No.10. They were then to be a hit by a further bombshell after a move for Eberechi Eze fell apart after north London rivals Arsenal launched a late move for the England international just as he appeared to be signing on in N17.

The failure to sign Eze has not gone down well with the fanbase and that leaves Daniel Levy and Johan Lange with a huge challenge going into the final days of the window as they attempt to lift the current doom and gloom. As important as it is that Tottenham get players in through the door to solve those three positions they are looking to add to, they need to remember what Ange Postecoglou said in his final press conference as head coach.

"If we do some good business in the transfer market, obviously bring some experience in, I'm not talking about age, I'm talking about players who have played at this level and can help the team, then I've got no doubt we can make the impact we want," he said after the 4-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.

He added: "Yeah, I think not just us but any club that gets into the Champions League, I think understands that. It's the most elite competition in Europe and it's a great demand.

"So yeah, I think every club that gets into the Champions League sees it as an opportunity to strengthen with experience is the right word, but players who have played at that level, who are going to be comfortable at that level, not players who are stepping up to that level. That's the difference."

Tottenham's team is rather youthful with players such as Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall only having one season of Premier League football to their name. Adding that experience to the playing group is going to be vital as the Lilywhites look to climb up the Premier League table and also go far in the cup competitions.

Amid the disappointment of missing out on Eze, Spurs have been linked with a couple of transfer alternatives as they look to bring in a new attacking midfielder. Nico Paz of Como has been mentioned, with football.london reporting earlier in the month that the club do have an interest in the 20-year-old.

The Argentina international is a very promising player but he has only played 44 senior club games in his young career. Whether he could come in and make an immediate impact due to a lack of experience remains to be seen.

Monaco attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche has also found himself in the headlines regarding a move to Tottenham. The Frenchman has made a name for himself for the Ligue 1 side in the past couple of seasons and so far has 97 Monaco appearances to his name.

Ten of those have come in the Champions League, with the 23-year-old scoring in wins over Barcelona and Red Star Belgrade last season. Akliouche is more experienced than Paz and now it is down to Tottenham whether they move for either of the duo or look elsewhere.

Experience is needed in what remains of the transfer market and the answer should not be signing promising youngsters who can develop into major players for the club in the years ahead. Transfers are needed at Tottenham and what comes next is going to be fascinating.

Thomas Frank has explained that Richarlison knocked on his door on the Dane's first day with the Tottenham players in pre-season and told him he wanted to stay at the club.

The Brazilian has started the season in fine form, with impressive performances against both PSG and Burnley in the past couple of weeks, the latter game bringing two goals including an acrobatic scissors kick. However, Richarlison's injury problems over the years have always brought his future at Spurs into question and reports this week claimed that he was included in the negotiations for the failed move for Eberechi Eze.

Frank had earlier stated that he wanted Richarlison to remain at the club and he went further in explaining what the forward did on their first day together at Hotspur Way.

"Day one he came in and knocked on my door and said 'I want to stay'. I said 'good, I like you, I think you’re a good player, perfect, let’s crack on'," said the Tottenham head coach. "He’s been working very hard, very committed, gym, on the pitch, he has trained every session. There was one game we took him out of because of the injury history.

"We know we need to be very aware of that to build him, thin layers, one step at a time, taking good decisions, do our best to try to take good decisions, but I see a very committed player."

The move for Eze ended in failure when Arsenal entered the equation and after the complicated and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White the previous month, it is another high profile transfer miss by the club, something that has dogged them over the years with certain major targets.

When that background was put to Frank, the Spurs boss said: "I would say first I don’t know the history. Of course I’m reading a little bit and I’ve been briefed pretty well about the story that may have been something, but I can’t really look too much into that. What is happening with potential transfers or not potential transfers or rumours or not rumours, that of course either way I will keep for myself.

"What I can see is that we are working very hard. Also what I know is that it's not that easy, in general, when you want to sign a player. I can speak from experience in Brentford, I can speak about that, where we also wanted to sign players. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we didn’t. There’s a lot of moving parts. There’s the players, the families, the agents, there’s the club that wants to sell. So in general terms it makes it complicated."

So did he expect signing players to be an easier ordeal than at Brentford, where the Bees missed out on a number of players to bigger clubs, including some to Tottenham recently like Archie Gray and Brennan Johnson?

"If I'm honest no. It's the same problems, you just have a few more quid to spend. Same problems, same challenges, it's just a different bracket," said the Dane.

"It’s not too different [in the processes]. The big thing I don’t know here and I didn’t know at Brentford what was actually happening when they were negotiating. So that’s the same in both places you don’t know anything about unless you’re sitting in that room.

"I only did that once, a very good story, at Brentford....and that is for another time over a beer when there are no cameras. But it’s very good!

"Both places have good processes. Both places have good recruitment strategies. We all can see what Johan [Lange] and Rob [Mackenzie] have done here at Tottenham. There’s a lot of similarities to what Lee [Dykes] and his team did at Brentford, and then the working process in terms of how we decide players is good. We need there to be cooperation between the key stakeholders and then we need to take good decisions."

Tottenham's failures in the market, with Frank admitting to football.london on Friday that he had a similar squad to the one he started the transfer window with, mean they will have to try to do some big business late in the window when selling clubs are less likely to part with their players for fear of being unable to replace them.

So is there a danger now that Spurs make some wrong decisions through panic in order to try to change the narrative of them being strugglers in the market?

"I think in any transfer we need to do or will do or have done, it's very rare you feel 100 per cent sure, because you're always aiming for that perfect player, there are very few perfect players," said Frank. "In any position, we need to be confident in what we want and you can say when the clock is ticking down there can be a danger, but I think it's as key we can't be sloppy and take a bad decision at the beginning of the transfer window, so I think it's the same focus."

The pressure on Spurs has been ramped up this season by the sacking of Ange Postecoglou soon after the club's first trophy in 17 years and then chairman Daniel Levy saying that Europa League triumph was not enough and that he wanted the club to win the Premier League and Champions League.

"If I'm honest I'm not thinking too much about it," said Frank when asked about the chairman's declaration. "There will be a winner of the Premier League in what nine months. So far away. I'm focusing on one thing, go up to Manchester, do my very best to win and get three points and after that I'll focus on the next game."

The struggles in the transfer market and those high profile misses have changed the mood around the Tottenham fanbase and it's something Frank's predecessor Postecoglou spoke about, how quickly the whole feeling around the north London club can change after a disappointment.

"You’re speaking about the fans, I guess," said Frank when asked about trying to lift the mood. "I don’t read anything of that so I don’t know, but of course you guys are telling me. I guess that’s part of it.

"I think how we can lift the mood is good performances and winning on the pitch. That’s the key thing. Of course we all want as good an achievement and a squad as possible. As I’ve said many times, I think we’ve got a good exciting squad. Let’s see what will happen in the next eight/nine days."

He added: "I think I am too positive a guy. I’m not saying I can’t be, how can you say, either overwhelmed or whatever, but right now we’ve had two good performances. We lost on a penalty shoot-out so we haven’t actually lost a game yet.

"We’ve got two good players in. Kudus has been exceptional. Palhinha will be very good for us. We’re going to Manchester tomorrow. I have a big belief we can do something. Big respect for the best team in England for the last five out of six years or whatever. So I’m quite positive."

Frank does not get carried away by the modern obsession with transfer news and he believes that helps him not sway between the extremes of emotion.

"That’s the good thing about not reading anything. Of course I’m aware if you guys are saying it but if you don’t read it, you don’t get the same feeling," said the Dane. "That’s one thing. Then hopefully we are going to win all of our matches but as I said in the first meeting, we will probably lose some matches and there will be tough days.

"Right now there are more positive things I’m looking into. No matter if we are winning games or losing games, or signing 10 new players or not signing 10 new players, I need to focus on the day-to-day job. I need to make sure we train well, have fantastic meetings, top recoveries and have all the processes in place to do my best so we can help the signings and players. That’s my job and that’s what I’ll try to do."

Morgan Gibbs-White has revealed that complications with his fiancee's pregnancy were a contributing factor behind his decision to reject a move to Tottenham and remain at Nottingham Forest.

Gibbs-White, 25, was at the centre of a tense transfer battle earlier this summer when Tottenham tried to bring him to north London. Thomas Frank's side triggered the £60million release clause in his contract, but Forest took issue and claimed that Spurs made an illegal approach for the England international.

Forest felt that confidential details of the release clause's exact amount were breached and the club's board proceeded to end all communication with Tottenham regarding Gibbs-White.

Gibbs-White continued to train and feature for Forest in pre-season before making a dramatic U-Turn and signing a new bumper three-year contract at The City Ground. His decision to turn down a chance of Champions League football raised plenty of eyebrows, but now he has explained why he made that choice.

Discussing this time, he told talkSPORT: "Every footballer has personal goals and personal ambitions that they want to achieve. Mine is winning trophies, playing in the World Cup, playing in the Euros, playing Champions League football, just to be able to reach the maximum that I'm able to reach.

"Obviously in the summer, everybody's seen what was going on and whatever."

Gibbs-White continued: "But away from that, it was a really difficult period for me and my fiancee. Having my second child, but there were a few complications with all of that.

"I believed in being professional, showing up every day and letting everything else take care of what it needs to do. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I'm delighted with my decision, more than happy. I think my fiancee is even more happy because she didn't get to carry on with all the stress."

Since Gibbs-White's £25million plus add-ons move to Forest in 2022, he has established himself as one of the most sought-after attacking midfielders in the Premier League. Last season, the former Wolves and Sheffield United man scored seven goals and added eight assists in 34 top-flight appearances.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side finished the campaign in seventh - the club's highest in 30 years - and qualified for the Europa League after Crystal Palace were booted out of Europe's second-tier competition for breaching UEFA multi-club ownership rules. The Reds are set to enter at the league phase next month.

"With everything that happened this summer, it was like it hit home a bit," Gibbs-White explained. I've been through a lot with this club these past three years, and to feel like I was going to miss out on what we achieved last season sort of broke me a little bit.

"And I wanted to go through this next stage with Forest and play Europa League football with them, because me and a few others were the ones that, three years ago we came in, this was our goal to stay in the league and try and push up."

Gibbs-White added: "It's a home from home, so I sort of had that broken-hearted feeling, like when you split with your first childhood girlfriend."

Pep Guardiola has provided a fresh verdict on Tottenham transfer target Savinho with Thomas Frank also sending a perfectly clear message to the Manchester City star.

Having brutally lost out on the signing of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, Savinho currently appears to be Spurs' only concrete target with club-to-club talks having taken place and bids submitted, but rejected as City hold out for £70million.

The Brazil international was absent for City's win over Wolves due to injury with Guardiola confirming that issue will also keep him out of facing Spurs on Saturday. The 54-year-old was also specifically asked about the futures of Savinho and Manuel Akanji.

"I don't know about that," he said at his Friday press conference. "They are our players, and we'll see what happens. I think a few things are going to happen, and we'll see."

Transfers were also a big talking point at Frank's latest press conference with the Dane delivering a very different verdict in comparison to the man who will be in the opposite dugout on Saturday.

To make it very, very clear, I don't want any players that don't want to come to the club," he passionately admitted after initially being asked about failed moves for Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White. "Who don't want to come to the club and wear this fantastic badge -- we don't want them here.

"I think that's very clear, and also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same if they don't want to put the fantastic shirt over their head. Play for the badge, play for the club. Really enjoy it. No problem, then we don't them there. I think that's a key message."

In the wake of Spurs losing the race for Eze, it has emerged that a deal with Arsenal was in place as early as last weekend and that Emirates Stadium was always his top choice. Thankfully, that does not look to be an issue regarding Savinho.

Firstly, there is no other club actively pursuing his signature and the latest updates suggests the player is keen on joining Spurs. On Thursday, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed they were still trying to get the green light from Man City for him to join.

A behind-the-scenes battle between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United minority owners Ineos has escalated after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s firm launched a countersuit against legal action Spurs had taken.

Earlier this year, Spurs took action against the global petrochemicals giant after they ended their agreement with the club as official automotive partner two years early. Spurs were seeking £11m in compensation from the deal that ended prematurely in December 2024.

Ineos Automotive, the side of the business that had the deal with Spurs, saw the matter brought before the London Commercial Court as Spurs sought to recover what they believe to be monies owed from the deal.

Ineos Automotive argued that the option to terminate their deal three years into a five-year agreement was within their right.

But now in a new twist to the case, Ratcliffe’s firm has submitted a £1m countersuit with the High Court in London over allegations that Spurs breached the terms of the exclusive deal that was in place by holding talks with German car manufacturer Audi in 2023, a deal that was led, as reported by The Telegraph who first reported Ineos’ plans, by former chief commercial officer Todd Kline, who is now at Chelsea.

The planned deal with Audi, it is claimed in legal submissions made with the High Court, related to the proposed sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, a deal that materialised in the summer of 2023.

Spurs had initially launched legal action back in June claiming Ineos failed to pay a £5m-plus annual instalment that was due on December 1. Ineos, it was claimed, had failed to pay an inflation-related figure of almost £500,000, with Spurs seeking more than £5m in damages in addition.

In a defence and counter-claim submitted to the High Court last week, Ineos said: “The particulars of claim make no mention of a highly significant series of events by which the club, unbeknown to Ineos, started negotiating with a major competitor to Ineos with the intention of granting rights to that competitor which were exclusive to Ineos under the agreement.

“On or around 3 August 2023 (i.e. early in contract year two), Todd Kline of the club indicated to Ashley Reed of Ineos that the club had been in discussions with the German car manufacturer Audi AG in connection with rights which were the same as, or substantially similar to, the rights granted to Ineos under the agreement and/or the club had been negotiating with Audi in respect of rights which were exclusive to Ineos under clause 4 of the agreement. According to Mr Kline, the discussions and/or negotiations related to a proposed transfer of the club’s player Harry Kane to the German club FC Bayern Munich.”

Ineos’s defence went on to state that the sequence of events ‘ultimately resulted in the parties agreeing that Ineos could terminate the agreement with effect from the end of year three of the contract term’.

Ineos Automotive had been the automotive partner of Spurs since 2022, inking a multi-year deal worth tens of millions. But their exit from the club as one of their most prominent commercial partnerships was one of a number of sponsorship deals that they had looked to extricate themselves from, including sponsorship of the New Zealand Rugby All Blacks.

In March, Ineos reached an agreement with New Zealand Rugby after they were threatened with legal action for a similar issue of leaving a partnership early.

On that occasion a settlement was reached, and there remains the possibility that both sides may well find some common ground in the coming days on the matter that is satisfactory to both sides.

Ratcliffe, of course, has a minority stake of 27.1% in Spurs’ Premier League rivals Manchester United, with the deal he struck with the Glazer family back in December of 2023 handing him oversight over football strategy at Old Trafford, as well as the plans to create a new 100,000 seater stadium for a side that has struggled competitively in recent years.

Tottenham travel to Manchester City on Saturday looking to make a huge early statement under Thomas Frank. After beating Burnley 3-0 on the opening day of the Premier League season, Spurs take on Pep Guardiola's side looking to make it two wins from two.

Frank has enjoyed a whole week on the training ground with his squad this week ahead of the trip to the Etihad Stadium. Both teams come into the game on the back of convincing wins last weekend with City thrashing Wolves 4-0.

Spurs come into the clash on the back of another blow in the transfer window. After getting closer to reaching an agreement with Crystal Palace for Eberechi Eze, the north Londoners were forced to miss out after Arsenal swooped in to hijack the deal.

Fortunately, there is still time in the window for Tottenham to add more firepower to Frank's squad. Currently speaking, Spurs are working with a thin group due to injuries taking their toll.

The latest injury news comes in the shape of Destiny Udogie, who has not featured since the pre-season win over Reading. A knee injury has forced him to miss a large portion of pre-season and the win over Burnley.

On Friday, Frank confirmed that the trip to Manchester has come too soon for the Italian. "Destiny is better. He's trained with the team twice, full trainings, and also other trainings," he explained. "Just too short to be involved in City.

"We want him to train tomorrow and have another good week as well, but he's in a good place. Looks very positive about him."

Yves Bissouma also missed last week's game after picking up an injury in training beforehand. "Biss will miss this game as well," Frank confirmed. The Spurs boss also provided an update on Dejan Kulusevski, saying: "Kulusevski's out. I think that's a longer one. I don't want to put a timeframe on it."

Former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou could be back in the Premier League very soon following a brutally honest admission from another ex-Spurs man.

Despite winning the Europa League back in May, the 59-year-old was relieved of his duties in north London after two seasons in charge with the more recent Premier League campaign a particularly disappointing one as Tottenham finished seventeenth.

Daniel Levy opted to bring in Thomas Frank as his replacement and the Dane got off to a strong start last Saturday as Spurs beat newly-promoted Burnley 3-0. Unfortunately, that bright opening has been overshadowed by Arsenal swooping in at the last minute to hijack Spurs' move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

That is the second transfer disaster that Tottenham have had to endure this summer with a deal to sign Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White, who later signed a new contract, called off due to the belief an illegal approach was made. Forest also got off to a positive start last weekend as they beat Brentford 3-1.

However, things are not quite so rosy at the City Ground with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who was in charge of Spurs for a few months back in 2021, admitting that things have changed with the club's owner Evangelos Marinakis.

"I always had a very good relationship with the owner - last season we were very close and spoke on a daily basis," he revealed in a press conference on Friday.

"This season it is not so well [between us] but I always believe that dialogue is important because my concern is the squad and the season we have ahead of us. Our relationship has changed and we are not as close.

"No, it is not good [that the relationship has changed]. I think everybody at the club should be together but this not the reality." With a departure for Nuno now a real possibility, Forest could be in the process of identifying potential replacements.

According to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto, Postecoglou is one of the names under consideration. If Marinakis has a significant say in who will come in, it is not too surprising that Postecoglou is emerging as a contender given the glowing verdict he received from the Forest owner just a few months ago.

“What I want to say about Ange is that he has spoken about Greece many times, he is proud to be Greek and in the great success he had with Tottenham by winning the Europa League, he spoke about Greece," he said via Greek news website Neos Kosmos.

"A man who not only does not hide his origin but is also proud of it. What he achieved, he did with a team that has not won any titles, it has had a very difficult time in recent years. In this huge success that the whole world saw, he promoted Greece.

"We must thank him especially for this and we wish him well, although we are sure that he will do well as he has the ability. Wherever he goes, the successes will come.”

If Postecoglou was to join Forest, he would reunite with his former colleagues in mid-December before returning to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in March 2026.

Thomas Frank had to face plenty of questions at his press conference on Friday afternoon ahead of Tottenham's match at Manchester City in the Premier League.

Spurs make their way to the Etihad Stadium for their match against Pep Guardiola's side on Saturday after an opening game win against Burnley. The City match has taken a back seat this week though in the news to the failed transfer for Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

Tottenham eventually managed to agree a deal with the Eagles for the 27-year-old only for Arsenal to make a late move and sign him. The failed move comes a month after Spurs thought they had a deal done for Morgan Gibbs-White only for that to get complicated and then the midfielder signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest.

At his press conference Frank was asked about the Eze situation as well as the transfer business he wants in the remaining days of the window and also the latest injury news.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Frank. Here's a full transcript containing every word said during the press conference at Hotspur Way.

What's the latest team news and when can you expect Dejan Kulusevski back?

Destiny is better. He's trained with the team twice, full trainings, and also other trainings. Just too short to be involved for City. We want him to train tomorrow and have another good week next week as well, but he's in a good place. Looks very positive about him. Biss will miss this game as well. Kulusevski's out. I think that's a longer one. I don't want to put a timeframe on it.

You've had some public transfer misses with Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, how frustrating is it to miss out on just getting them over the line?

In general, of course, you know I don't speak about specific players unless they are at our fantastic club, and I'm more than happy to speak about all our players. So that's one thing. Secondly, and there's been a lot of rumours linking us with a lot of players. Also players where I think 'Oh, he's been linked with us? Interesting'. But a lot of times where it's definitely nothing in it, that's part of the business we talked about before.

There must be someone out there that thinks it's good fun to put the rumours out there. But anyway, there'll be a lot of links. There has been a lot of links. There'll a lot of links in the future.

And just to generalise that, to make it very, very clear, I don't want any players that don't want to come to the club. Who don't want to come to the club and wear this fantastic badge -- we don't want them here. I think that's very clear, and also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same if they don't want to put the fantastic shirt over their head. Play for the badge, play for the club. Really enjoy it. No problem, then we don't them there. I think that's a key message.

What would be your message to the Tottenham fans?

I think, as I said, there's a couple of things. I said it many times. I'll say it again. The club is working very hard to see if we can strengthen the squad, and we only want to strengthen the squad with players that we think are good enough, who can improve the squad. So that's what they've done from the beginning, and they will continue doing to the end of the window.

What can you say about Richarlison's future?

Right now he's my starting nine. Scored two fantastic goals, he had two top games, he's the Brazilian No9. He is a very good player so I'm very happy with him. Richy wants to stay, I want to keep him, there's been no talks about anything else. He's done well for us.

How do you view the number of creative players in your squad and are club actively looking in that area?

We just played the first game and scored three goals so I think that was pretty promising. I know it's a long season and we need enough players and players with different abilities. I think in some of the players we have, Kudus has got that spark and creativity. Wilson does very well, I think Mathys Tel can play different positions. We've got two good strikers in Dom and Richy and then Brennan the deep runner. I think we've got variation up the pitch. But again we look out there and if there is anything that can strengthen it and that is in all areas then we are open for it.

What's the best approach to getting a result away at City?

I don't think there's a go-to system or go-to approach. There is something we're working hard on with our principles. The main thing is we need to go there and be brave. We need to have enough spells on the ball where we can control phase one and two. That will be a big area. I think it's a team that has been except for last year I think the four or five years before that probably the best team in the world. There is no doubt that they want to bounce back.

They've definitely been active in the transfer window. If I know Pep well enough, he'll do everything to have demands but also to push the players and want to bounce back, and they will come flying out. We definitely need to be good on the defensive side of the game but that is not only low. It is also hopefully being brave on the high pressure. I think it's about brave and aggressive are two key words.

What kind of message would a positive result at Etihad send?

The next game is the most important game and that is against City. One of the three big contenders for the title. We know they are a fantastic team, fantastic manager. To get a result there but also with a good performance, that would just build a bit on the momentum and the bits we have here. We're fully confident, we believe we can get a result there. That's what we're playing for, to be brave but also extremely respectful about Manchester City.

You say you only want players who want to play for the club, so is it a positive then that the player you were chasing, an Arsenal supporter who wanted to go to Arsenal, has gone to Arsenal?

I don't know about whoever the players, whoever they support, I do not actually care too much about it. We all have a past. The main thing is if the player wants to come or doesn't want to come. So if they are from Spain, Denmark, Brazil, it doesn't matter if they want to come. Perfect.

To that end, this summer Spurs, in a high profile manner, were chasing two players, one at Forest and one at Palace, presumably that money is still there for you to spend in the next 10 days in whatever position on the pitch you feel you need to spend it on?

The correct is that we are in the market and we will look to see if we can strengthen the team. That's the main bit and that's what we are focusing on. We need to have some good processes really to work hard to see if we can strengthen it. But again, I've said it before, I think we got a good squad, we've got good players. I just saw 23 committed players working very hard, working very hard on the game plan for Man City tomorrow, and that's what I'm excited about.

So despite the long term injuries you have with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min having left the club, you're confident off the back of that, that if you don't sign anybody between now and the closing of the transfer window, this club is well equipped to be very competitive in the Premier League and the Champions League?

I think it's a good question. Of course we need to do everything we can to make sure we are as competitive as possible. I think we've got six good front players that I think is very competitive, across all the competition we're going into, and then Kulusevski, he will come back in this season. I think that's a big thing. It's probably longer term with Maddison unfortunately, but I am also pretty confident that we will sign a player before the end of the window.

In terms of numbers, you've had two new faces in Kudus and Palhinha come in, but then Son has left and Maddison is out, is the squad really any stronger than the one you inherited when you first came in?

Erm, you can say that's two players in, two players out, so probably pretty similar I would say, but also, as I said, I think in my first press conference, was that I think it's a good squad. I think there's some talented players. I think there's some quality players in there as well so probably the same level, but I think that's good.

Then it's up to me together with the players and the staff to make sure we can compete, and then as I said, we do what we can to strengthen it.

Ideally, every manager would like players in early because you can work with them, but is there any fear that with 10 days left we're at the stage where the club is trying to sign players from clubs that at this point don't want to sell them because it's so late in the window?

I don't know, I think in general I think any club wants to sign as early as possible. I don't think anyone would want to do that differently. If it was that easy, then everyone could do it. I'm a positive guy. I'm not that fearful if that makes sense. I believe that something will happen.

On the tour you mentioned a natural process of the recruitment side getting to know you better and streamlining that process as Brentford's was, where are you with that?

No, I think that is an ongoing process. That is every day, every week and how we do things, how we understand each other, how we understand let’s say the type of football I play, how I see the game, so that will only grow over time. To expect it to be perfect in eight weeks' time is not realistic, but we are definitely getting closer.

On a similar subject, you also said that your Brentford coaching staff meetings were 15 minutes but here were an hour to begin with, have you brought that down yet?

Maybe 57 minutes, so slightly better! No, good processes and I also love to discuss football, love to develop and get better and that we only do by discussing things. We’ve had some fantastic discussions.

The week did start with Cristian Romero signing a new deal so no more questions about his contract situation, how pleased are you with his new deal?

I think very pleased. I think that was a fantastic signal from the club and of course from Cristian Romero as well that he believes in the club, the project and the journey we’re just starting. I was extremely happy with that and I also think I understand the exciting thing is to sign players, but I think it is as exciting or maybe more crucial to sign existing top players. And he is one of our top players and he is our captain, so even that was I think a big statement.

You've made a good start to life at Spurs, but it feels from the outside like you’ve been let down by the club's transfer window, do you feel like you’ve been let down?

No. I think I say to my players if they work very hard, do everything the can, I can’t ask for anymore. I know the club are working extremely hard and it’s unfortunate that you can’t go into Waitrose and buy two good players then walk away five minutes later. It is a little bit more complicated than that. I see the club working hard, I see Daniel working extremely hard, I see Johan, I see Vinai and we are all on board in terms of doing what we can do to improve.

The 3-5-2 worked vs PSG and you have used it in the past against Man City – when you have a system like that, do you go with it despite a lack of surprise element?

I treat every game a little bit different, but it’s definitely in my mind the 3-5-2, it’s definitely in my mind the 4-2-3-1 and I will take a decision on what we do and you’ll see that tomorrow. I am always thinking hmm how can we tweak a little bit inside our principles. Then of course system can give us something, but principles are the most important thing. So, yeah I will be pragmatic, I will use different systems and different ways to win football matches.

Thomas Frank has revealed that Tottenham's match against Manchester City on Saturday has just come too soon for Destiny Udogie to return. The left-back has not featured since Spurs' first pre-season game at Reading due to a knee injury.

Udogie sustained the issue the following week while warming up for the friendly at Luton Town and he was subsequently not included in the squad for the tour of Hong Kong and Singapore. The Italian international will have to wait to make his comeback and the same goes for Yves Bissouma, who missed out last week against Burnley due to an injury sustained in training.

"Destiny is better. He's trained with the team twice, full trainings, and also other trainings. Just too short to be involved for City," outlined the head coach in his pre-match press conference. "We want him to train tomorrow and have another good week next week as well, but he's in a good place. Looks very positive about him.

"Biss will miss this game as well. [Dejan] Kulusevski's out. I think that's a longer one. I don't want to put a timeframe on it."

It appears that Richarlison will once again be leading the line for Tottenham after his excellent double against Burnley. The Brazilian was this week linked with a surprise move to Crystal Palace as part of a deal for Eberechi Eze but Frank has stated that he wants to keep the attacker in N17.

"Right now he's my starting nine," confessed the Dane. "Scored two fantastic goals, he had two top games, he's the Brazilian No.9. He is a very good player so I'm very happy with him.

"Richy wants to stay, I want to keep him, there's been no talks about anything else. He's done well for us."

Amid Tottenham's search for a new No.10, Frank knows he has options and he pointed to the team scoring three goals last weekend.

"We just played the first game and scored three goals so I think that was pretty promising," he said. "I know it's a long season and we need enough players and players with different abilities.

"I think in some of the players we have, [Mohammed] Kudus has got that spark and creativity. Wilson [Odobert] does very well, I think Mathys Tel can play different positions. We've got two good strikers in Dom [Solanke] and Richy and then Brennan [Johnson] the deep runner.

"I think we've got variation up the pitch. But again we look out there and if there is anything that can strengthen it and that is in all areas then we are open for it."

Thomas Frank has stated he does not want players at the club who do not want to join Tottenham in the wake of Eberechi Eze's decision to move to Arsenal. The England international appeared on course to secure a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs made a move for the talented player to solve their current No.10 issue.

However, there was to be a very late twist in the tale with north London rivals Arsenal hijacking the deal. The Gunners immediately moved into action following news of Kai Havertz's injury and that resulted in Eze opting for his boyhood club rather than Spurs.

The 27-year-old's transfer to Arsenal should be finalised very soon after undergoing a medical on Friday morning. football.london understands that Eze will move for a fee in the region of £60million plus £7.5million in add-ons.

The transfer blow has left Tottenham frustrated in the market once again and it remains be seen what their next move will be as they look to bring in a new No.10. Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter against Manchester City, Frank delivered his verdict on the transfer failure and claimed "we don't want them here" when it comes to players who are not committed to joining the club.

"I don't speak about specific players unless they are at our fantastic club," said the Dane. "There have been a lot of rumours including players linked when I think that's interesting because there's nothing in it. There have been a lot of links and lot of links in the future.

"In general, talking generally, I don't want any players that don't want to come to this club and wear this fantastic badge. We don't want them here and I'm sure the fans feel the same."