Football London

Paris Saint-Germain will be without a key player for their UEFA Super Cup clash against Tottenham on Wednesday evening with some important suspension rules now clarified.

For the opening clash of their respective 2025/26 seasons, the Europa League winners are set to meet Luis Enrique's side in Italy. The Champions League holders have endured a very different pre-season to Spurs with this being their first game since mid-July due to their participation in the Club World Cup.

PSG were denied a second trophy in as many months by Chelsea with some unsavoury scenes late into the game taking the headlines. Enrique was captured pushing Joao Pedro in the face after Joao Neves was shown a straight red card for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair.

The consequences of that dismissal were unclear with the next edition of the tournament not due to take place for another four years. Their next fixture being on the European stage saw questions asked over whether or not the Portugal international would be able to feature.

With just a few days until the showpiece final takes place, an answer has finally arrived. According to RMC Sport, Neves is suspended for the clash against Spurs and the Parisians Ligue 1 opener away to Nantes.

While that is far from ideal for Enrique, he has a number of options who can replace Neves. Spurs boss Thomas Frank is facing a dilemma of his own in midfield with Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison both unavailable through injury.

Pape Sarr has performed well in the No.10 role during pre-season while Lucas Bergvall has also thrown his hat in the ring to solve Spurs' creativity problems. Frank is dealing with other injury concerns across the pitch but his latest update suggests at least some positive news should arrive soon.

"I think it's three different cases. I think Dom (Solanke) is quite soon that he'll be available," he admitted following the 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich earlier this week.

"Destiny we'll know more about in the next couple of days. in terms of how it looks in detail and Kulusevski is out for a long time, which I spoke about before."

Spurs will also be without Son Heung-min following his transfer to LAFC and though Frank has confirmed a replacement and new attacking midfielder are being considered, it is unlikely either arrive before the PSG clash.

"We are definitely in the market in general," he said. "Of course, when players get a long-term injury we need to look into that, but generally we are in the market, yes.

"Nobody feels close or far away. I'm not saying anything before there's anything that is completely 100%." On potentially replacing Son, Frank added: "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."

PSG, meanwhile, have wrapped up two big deals in the last week with goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier joining from Lille and an agreement finally reached for Bournemouth's Illia Zabarnyi.

Tottenham target Harvey Elliot has agreed personal terms to join RB Leipzig from Liverpool as the German club target a Xavi Simons replacement, it has been claimed.

The Netherlands international has been in talks to join Chelsea for the last few weeks with some delay around the deal arriving as his club' focus was on Benjamin Sesko's future with him joining Manchester United. The Blues also pursuing Alejandro Garnacho may have impacted negotiations as well.

Nonetheless, both are expected to seal a Stamford Bridge switch with Leipzig wasting no time in identifying Elliot as their top target to replace Simons.

The 22-year-old is in search of more regular senior minutes and now certainly seems to be best time for him to depart with Arne Slot in the process of completing a huge rebuild and his performances as captain in England under-21s European championships victory increasing his asking price.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Liverpool want £50 million to sanction a departure with further talks between both parties now likely after the attacking midfielder agreed terms on a four-year deal to join Ole Werner's side.

Tottenham are on the hunt for a new No.10 that can also play out wide with Elliot not pursued after initial talks, as per The Times.

Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss has also been monitored with Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace and AS Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche firmly on the club's radar.

Bringing in another creative option was not seen as an obvious priority until James Maddison picked up a serious knee injury during pre-season with Thomas Frank admitting as such after the heavy defeat to Bayern Munich earlier this week.

"We are definitely in the market in general," he said during a press conference. "Of course, when players get a long-term injury we need to look into that, but generally we are in the market, yes.

"Nobody feels close or far away. I'm not saying anything before there's anything that is completely 100%."

Spurs' season kicks off a few days before the majority of other Premier League teams as their Europa League triumph back in May sees them face European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday in Italy.

A new signing arriving before then currently looks extremely unlikely with their Premier League campaign getting underway at home to Burnley just a few days later.

We are now only three days away from Tottenham Hotspur playing their first competitive game of the 2025/26 season. After some mixed results in pre-season, including a 1-0 win over Arsenal and 4-0 defeat at Bayern Munich, Spurs will be looking to win the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain in Udine, Italy on Wednesday evening.

After their showdown against the Champions League holders, Thomas Frank's side begin the new Premier League campaign at home to Burnley on Saturday afternoon. Spurs fans have made it clear throughout pre-season that the club have so much more to do in the transfer market to ensure they are ready for a big year after finishing 17th in 2024/25.

So, with the new season just days away, we have taken a look at the transfers - both incomings and outgoings - Johan Lange and Tottenham need to finalise before the transfer window closes on Monday, September 1.

New No.10

A new No.10 is on Tottenham's shopping list for the 2025/26 season. There are a real lack of options in that area of the pitch right now with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both in the treatment room and the club's move for Morgan Gibbs-White falling apart.

At present, Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr could be set to play more advanced unless one of Mohammed Kudus or Wilson Odobert is moved into the middle. A new attacking midfielder is a priority for Spurs, with Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace the player all fans want.

New centre-back

football.london also revealed earlier in the week that Frank wants a new senior centre-back to add to his numbers for the season. It perhaps isn't a surprise given how much football first-choice duo Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven missed last campaign.

Tottenham are well stocked there at the minute but one more addition could prove vital considering the amount of games they are going to have on the agenda across four competitions.

Son replacement

Son Heung-min is no longer a Tottenham player after this week completing a move to MLS side LAFC. The club have one huge task on their hands trying to replace the South Korean considering the amount of goals, assists and big performances he delivered regularly.

Speaking after the 4-0 humbling against Bayern Munich, Frank admitted that Tottenham will attempt to sign another winger if the right opportunity arises 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 Frank. "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."

Scarlett loan

Dane Scarlett was one of three youngsters left out of Tottenham's squad for their pre-season tour of Asia to explore a loan move elsewhere. The striker has yet to get his temporary move away from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the hope will be that he can secure a loan switch ASAP.

The striker's previous loan moves have not gone to plan and the academy ace really needs to hit the goal trail this term if he is to have a long-term future in N17.

Vuskovic loan

Luka Vuskovic is now officially a Tottenham player but he looks set to be playing his football elsewhere this season. The Croat has really made an impression with Radomiak Radom and Westerlo previously and a third loan move is on the cards to help aid his development even further.

football.london reported last week that the teenager has been made available for loan.

Gil exit

Bryan Gil is working his way back to fitness at present after suffering a knee injury during his loan spell with Girona. The Spaniard clearly has no future at Tottenham and the club must find a permanent transfer for him before the summer market draws to a conclusion.

The 24-year-old's contract ends next summer and Spurs will not want to lose him for nothing.

Solomon decision

A seventh Tottenham transfer before the summer deadline could involve Manor Solomon. The winger was in sensational form for Leeds United in the Championship last season but he has not played for Spurs so far this summer due to injury.

Time may be running out for the Israel international to make his case to Frank as Spurs' pre-season games are over and their competitive fixtures start on Wednesday when they play Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final.

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min made an immediate impact for LAFC on his debut for the MLS side

The 33-year-old completed a move to LAFC on Wednesday, with the South Korea international penning an emotional goodbye message to Spurs supporters. It's believed the fee paid to Tottenham is more than £20million, which is an MLS record.

Son made his highly anticipated debut for his new side as the club drew 2-2 with the Chicago Fire on Saturday. Just three days after being announced as the club’s latest signing he made his debut in Illinois, entering the game in the 61st minute as a late substitute.

The scores were level at 1-1 when the 33-year-old entered, but Chicago soon pulled ahead through Jonathan Bamba. Son helped the visitors hit back, drawing a penalty from Chicago defender Carlos Teran, which Denis Bouanga converted for the 81st-minute equaliser.

The forward then nearly stole the win for LAFC in stoppage time, only to be denied by a last-ditch sliding block. “I really enjoyed it,” Son said after making his LA debut, as per mlssoccer.com.

“I’ve never had this welcoming at an away game. It was nice to see that people are celebrating and people are enjoying the football. I love to be here.”

While Son has only been at the club for a matter of days, he has already made an impression on his new teammates. “His following is worldwide, and there’s a reason for it; he’s phenomenal,” defender Ryan Hollingshead added.

“You saw him come in for 20, 30 minutes and change the game for us, and offer something different than what we had. And that’s why we brought him in, because he’s still performing at a high level.”

Son could next be in action on Saturday when LAFC face New England Revolution.

Tottenham Hotspur have plenty of work still to do in the summer transfer window.

Mohammed Kudus is so far the big-name, big-money signing, having arrived from West Ham United for £55million. Mathys Tel made his loan move from Bayern Munich permanent, while Joao Palhinha has also come in from the German champions, initially on loan for the 2025/26 season.

Then there's Kota Takai, a Japanese centre-back who is highly-rated and has arrived in N17 from J.League side Kawasaki Frontale in a £5million.

Supporters are getting antsy, particularly after a thumping 4-0 defeat to Bayern in their final pre-season friendly on Thursday night, with the feeling that Thomas Frank 's squad is incomplete and not yet ready for the rigours of the Premier League and Champions League.

Frank wants another centre-back and is also keen to enlist another player to take on the No.10 role, with Dejan Kulusevski still a long way from returning from a knee injury and James Maddison likely out for most of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Spurs boss also admitted he could add strength in depth to the wide position, now Son Heung-min has called time on his ten-year Tottenham career.

Bringing in three players in those positions will not come cheap, but Spurs do not have to look for bargain transfers.

According to football.london's financial correspondent Dave Powell, Spurs have plenty of money to play with when it comes to Financial Fair Play rules and the Premier League's Profit & Sustainability Rules.

Powell said : "For the cycle up to 2024/25, which will be assessed by the Premier League before the end of the year, the £61million loss from 2021/22 drops off and, assuming the same amount of allowable deductions at £93million, Spurs will have absolutely no issues with PSR. In fact, the club's PSR position will become even healthier if they come under the £61million loss threshold, which they will likely do.

"The headroom the club has could well push past the £350million mark for the current cycle and, while that suggests that it should be 'open wallet time' at Tottenham, the big thing is making sure that the club can cashflow new additions, and improving their player trading in terms of outgoings, with it being one of the areas where many of their rivals outperform them."

Chairman Daniel Levy is not just going to drop £350million in one go on new signings for Frank, but just imagine if he did. How could Spurs transform their squad for Thomas Frank?

We have already reported at football.london that Tottenham could solve two of their transfer problems by going to Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze. Guehi will cost around £50million, with Eze having a £67.5million release clause. That's a £117.5million splurge straight away.

If Tottenham want to sign another winger they should look no further than Real Madrid's Rodrygo, who has been linked with a move to north London regularly this summer. He would likely cost around £80million.

Filling three holes for £197.5million, Frank would still have more than £150million to spend.

Nicolas Jackson has been linked with a move across London if Richarlison were to leave, but he would cost around £70million to £80million too. Tottenham might be better served going all out to hijack Liverpool's move to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United instead.

The Magpies want £150million and rejected a bid of around £110million from Liverpool for the Swede, who could join compatriots Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall at Spurs. A bid of around £125million would surely get the deal done, without having to reach the £150million mark and still leave Spurs with £27.5million in the bank.

That money could be spent on a new full-back - with Djed Spence the only recognised cover for Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro. ben Davies can obviously play there as can Archie Gray, but £27.5million might tempt Fulham into selling Antonee Robinson.

A sum of £350million does not go very far, does it?

Tottenham are looking to sign a new attacking midfielder this summer following the severe knee injury picked up by James Maddison. The 28-year-old suffered the issue late into the pre-season draw against Newcastle and a club statement has since confirmed he will undergo surgery to fix a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

With Son Heung-min's transfer to LAFC also announced in recent days, that is two key components of Spurs' attack from last season that are unavailable.

No Dejan Kulusevski for the first part of the season because of a knee injury means that Thomas Frank is in desperate need of some creativity coming into the squad with the Dane admitting to that following a heavy defeat to Bayern Munich.

"We are definitely in the market in general," he said during a press conference. "Of course, when players get a long-term injury we need to look into that, but generally we are in the market, yes.

"Nobody feels close or far away. I'm not saying anything before there's anything that is completely 100%." The Lilywhites have since been linked to Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss, Liverpool star Harvey Elliott and Enzo Millot of Stuttgart, though the latter has joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

Eberechi Eze could also be an option for Spurs again, with there an expectation at Crystal Palace that an approach will arrive, as Arsenal appear to be focused on sealing exits.

That could allow for the Lilywhites to have a free run at Eze, but they will likely be met by a firm asking price especially after his release clause, which was below £70million, expired last weekend.

An alternative to the England international that has just emerged as a concrete option is AS Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche. According to French journalist Sebastien Vidal, Spurs are monitoring the Frenchman and though no official bid has arrived yet, he is firmly on the club's radar.

The 23-year-old could be perfect for Frank with his versatility to also play out wide making him a very attractive option. Akliouche contributed to 15 goals in Ligue 1 last season - and a further four in the Champions League - with Monaco going on to finish third in the table.

And his knack for goals has continued in pre-season as he scored a thunderous effort from outside the box just two minutes into Monaco's latest friendly against Inter. The French outfit went on to lose 2-1 but Akliouche impressed as he created three chances and also hit the woodwork.

Reports suggest it would likely take bids in the region of £60million for Monaco to consider selling and while that is a sizeable fee, it was exactly what Spurs made available in their failed attempt to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a boost over a possible replacement for the injured James Maddison.

Spurs confirmed this week that the midfielder is set to undergo surgery on a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) . He suffered the injury during the pre-season clash with Newcastle United.

Recovery is set to see Maddison miss the majority of the upcoming campaign in what is a big blow to the player and to Spurs and new head coach Thomas Frank.

There has already been talk over Spurs going into the transfer market for a possible replacement , with the club having just a few weeks left to complete their transfer business.

But there could be a replacement right under their nose. While he has played out wide more often, Manor Solomon can also play in a more central position behind the striker.

The plan was for the 26-year-old to be involved in pre-season with Spurs with the aim of impressing Frank and breaking into the first team. Solomon spent last season on loan with Championship side Leeds United, helping them to lift the second tier title.

Mainly playing on the left, he scored 10 times and provided 12 assists in 41 appearances in all competitions for Daniel Farke’s side.

He returned to Tottenham this summer, but his pre-season has been impacted by injury . Solomon himself has now given an update, hinting that a return may not be too far away.

On his Instagram story, the winger has posted a picture of him doing work in the gym. He captioned it with Jewish phrase: “Shabbat Shalom” and included a white heart and football emoji.

If Solomon is able to regain fitness in time for the start of the season, then it could be a big boost to Tottenham. His availability could put less pressure on trying to find a replacement for Maddison with him able to step into the role and possibly saving the club millions on transfer fees.

Despite reported intertest from Leeds in making the move permanent, the fact that no deal has been done and Spurs have decided to wait could turn out to now be a brilliant decision by the club.

Spurs are back in action on Wednesday night when they take on Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup. They they return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host newly-promoted Burnley.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Nico Paz but may have to pay up to £60million for the Argentinian wonderkid.

Paz joined Serie A side Como from Real Madrid last summer and impressed under manager Cesc Fabregas. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder scored six goals and provided nine assists in 35 league games, helping the newly-promoted club achieve a 10th-placed finish.

Spurs were already looking for a new No.10 before James Maddison suffered an ACL injury, which will see him miss most of the upcoming season. However, Spurs will have to pay more than Paz's current release clause to seal a deal for the Como star.

The Express reports that Como are hoping for a fee in the region of £60million for Paz. That would represent nearly £55m more than the £5.2m that Como signed him for last summer.

It was rumoured within Italian media that Spurs had seen a £35m offer rejected. However, the Athletic has reported that the club denies making a bid, while Como are said to be reluctant to sell.

Spurs face another obstacle in the form of Real Madrid, who have a buy-back clause in Paz’s contract. Xabi Alonso’s side chose not to activate their £6.9m (€8m) clause this summer, but the price will only increase to £7.8m (€9m) next summer and rise to £8.6m (€10m) in 2027.

Moreover, the Spanish giants reportedly hold a 50 per cent sell-on fee, pushing Como to increase Paz’s valuation. Madrid are also claimed to have the right to match any bid for their former academy prospect, which could hinder Spurs’ hopes of completing a move this summer.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank will be keen to add attacking reinforcements after seeing Son Heung-min complete his move to LAFC, losing Maddison to injury and also having Dejan Kulusevski on the sidelines. Spurs have been linked with several No.10s this summer, including their failed pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.

However, Paz has received a glowing endorsement from Lionel Messi, despite only being in the first few years of his professional career. On his international debut, Paz provided an assist for Messi during Argentina’s 6-0 win over Bolivia.

"Nico Paz has an incredible mindset, and that's why he's where he is," Messi said. "Nico has a lot of quality and understands the game perfectly. He has an incredible mindset, and he's with Cesc Fabregas as coach, who is my friend and will help him grow a lot.”

football.london understands that Spurs are priortising moves for an attacking midfielder and another centre-back. The club have signed Mohammed Kudus from West Ham and sealed a loan deal for Bayern Munich midfielder this summer. Spurs have also signed Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanently.

The team signed off their pre-season schedule with a 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich ahead of facing PSG in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. In terms of adding to his attacking options, Frank admitted that the club would consider bringing in a forward to replace Son following his move to LAFC.

"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," Frank explained. "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."

Tottenham start their 2025/26 season with the Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain and it's fair to say that Thomas Frank's side appear unprepared.

Pre-season performances have been relatively positive, with Spurs beating north London rivals Arsenal, but they were given a harsh reminder of the work that still needs to be done as they were beaten 4-0 by Bayern Munich on Thursday evening at the Allianz Stadium.

Adding to the bad news, the club confirmed earlier in the day that James Maddison would be undergoing surgery after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Newcastle United.

Another two fresh injury problems have also emerged over the last few weeks with Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie both playing just 45 minutes under Frank while Dejan Kulusevski is also a long-term absentee. And the latest update from the Spurs boss suggests that only one could be back soon.

"I think it's three different cases," he admitted after the defeat to Bayern. "I think Dom is quite soon that he'll be available. Destiny we'll know more about in the next couple of days. in terms of how it looks in detail and Kulusevski is out for a long time, which I spoke about before.

While not exactly a positive update, Udogie has not been completely ruled out of returning and as such Frank will be hopeful that the Italy international and Solanke can feature against PSG even if it is only on the bench.

As the Lilywhites' Premier League opener follows just three days later, Frank faces a number of decisions with it unlikely the same two starting XI's are put out. 21 players travelled to Germany for the Bayern friendly but there is a spot for another two players in their Super Cup squad.

Given the spots available, it is likely all of Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky and Brandon Austin will be included. With Luka Vuskovic among the eight young players made available for loan, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven will be supported by Kevin Danso and Ben Davies.

Pedro Porro and Djed Spence will be the full-backs and if Udogie is fit enough, a place on the bench awaits. Frank seems to prefer Archie Gray further forward and thus the teenager and new signing Joao Palhinha are the defensive midfield options.

Just ahead of that, Tottenham have an abundance of box-to-box midfielders with Lucas Bergvall, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr on their books. Several have been trialled in a No.10 role but none have really impressed and as such, at least one attacking midfielder is needed through the door imminently.

Xavi Simons and Eberechi Eze have been strongly linked with exits from RB Leipzig and Crystal Palace, respectively, with the latter of interest to Arsenal. Chelsea are in talks for Simons but are also pursuing Alejandro Garnacho and thus hijacking either deal is possible.

Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss has also been linked with the 21-year-old, who is also of firm interest to Leeds United, potentially available at a low price considering their relegation.

Frank will then choose between Brennan Johnson, Mohammed Kudus, Solanke, Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert for the front three of his chosen team now that Son Heung-min's departure has been confirmed.

Goalkeepers: Vicario, Kinsky, Austin

Defenders: Porro, Van de Ven, Romero, Danso, Davies, Spence, Udogie.

Midfielders: Palhinha, Gray, Bergvall, Bissouma, Bentancur, Eze/Simons/El Khannouss, Sarr.

Thomas Frank is keen to further improve his Tottenham Hotspur squad before the Premier League season gets under way next weekend.

Three players have joined the club permanently this summer, with Mathys Tel's loan move being turned into a full-time deal and Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus arriving in N17. Joao Palhinha has also arrived on a season-long loan deal from Bayern Munich.

But after Spurs were soundly beaten 4-0 by Bayern in their last pre-season fixture on Thursday night, there is a feeling that more work needs to be done in the transfer window to transform Frank's squad.

The new Spurs head coach has already admitted to football.london that he wants to sign at least two new players, with a new centre-back and new No.10 the priority signings.

James Maddison's ACL injury only heightened the need for a new No.10, while Frank feels he needs reinforcements at the back given Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven only managed 46 games between them out of the 120 they could have played last season.

Reports have emerged linking Spurs with a move for Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, should Richarlison leave the club, while Frank also hinted at a move for another wide player now Son Heung-min has departed the club.

With little over a week to go until the new Premier League season starts, and with Spurs' 2025/26 campaign getting under way earlier than that with the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, Tottenham have work to do.

Frank and the Spurs supporters would love to see a new defender and new attacking midfielder added to the ranks prior to the Burnley clash on Saturday, August 16.

football.london reported earlier this week that Spurs could go to one club to pick up both players - Crystal Palace - with previous links to Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze . Both would also count as homegrown on the Premier League list, albeit not helping Spurs with their lack of club-trained players for the UEFA Champions League squad. Eze would count as being a signing for both the No.10 and the winger roles too, given his versatility.

James McAtee and Jack Grealish have been linked from Manchester City, with Jacob Ramsey also an option from Aston Villa given previous links with Spurs.

Alejandro Garnacho has been linked with north London this summer, although Chelsea look to have stolen a march to sign the wantaway Manchester United star.

Reports of a bid for Como ace Nico Paz are understood to be wide of the mark, while there are new reports emerging that Tottenham could ignite interest in Rafael Leao from AC Milan.

It is clear that a defender, an attacking midfielder and a winger would be perfect additions for Frank before the new Premier League season gets under way. Whether he gets them or not is another matter.