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Tottenham agreement in doubt due to clause as Thomas Frank discovers £30m medical

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Tottenham have been one of the busiest clubs in the January transfer window – and there could still be more incomings and outgoings before next Monday's deadline

Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of signing Andy Robertson suffered a setback over the weekend after Liverpool pulled the plug on a deal. Talks had taken place between both clubs last week as Thomas Frank sought to add some much-needed experience to his squad.

Robertson has started only four Premier League matches this season, having lost his place to Milos Kerkez. His contract is also set to expire at the end of the season but the former Hull City man now looks set to remain at Anfield until the end of the campaign.

But with just a week to go until the window closes, and Frank still under pressure following Saturday's 2-2 draw with Burnley, Tottenham continue to be the subject of transfer news and gossip.

Veliz deal in danger of collapsing

Tottenham remain open to selling Alejo Veliz to Bahia - but a deal is in danger of collapsing. The striker is currently on loan at Rosario Central, any hopes Spurs had of recalling him have now ended.

That is because the recall clause in the deal is no longer valid as Veliz has played 1,430 minutes so far this season. As a result, Spurs will need the 22-year-old and Rosario Central’s approval to terminate his loan deal.

But Bahia, according to journalist German Garcia Grova, took matters into their own hands and made a formal offer to Rosario Central to terminate the loan agreement immediately. However, and this is the important part, the offer they have made expires today, meaning all parties face a race against time to get a deal completed.

Rayan medical

Conor Gallagher and Souza have already joined Spurs, this month, but now look set to miss out on a deal for Rayan. A report from Brazil claimed last summer that talks with Vasco da Gama over a deal for the forward had taken place.

However, it is now being reported by multiple outlets that Rayan has agreed personal terms with Bournemouth ahead of a proposed £30m transfer. The teenager is set to undergo a medical today (Monday).

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Spurs join Svilar transfer race

Given Tottenham have conceded 31 goals this season, more than most top half teams, it is little surprise to hear they have joined the race to sign AS Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Spurs, Chelsea and Bournemouth are thought to be keen, as well as Bayern Munich are keen on signing the 26-year-old. The report claims that the Serie A side, as of the middle January, valued the Belgium international at €70m.

Why Liverpool pulled plug on Andy Robertson transfer as Tottenham stance emerges

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Andy Robertson first emerged as a potential target for Tottenham Hotspur late last week, with Thomas Frank desperate to turn things around in north London

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a major blow to their hopes of signing Andy Robertson. The 31-year-old defender was heavily linked with a move to the Lilywhites over the weekend, but Liverpool appear to have pulled the plug on any potential deal.

football.london understands that Thomas Frank wanted to bolster his squad with more experience and leadership, hence the arrival of Conor Gallagher earlier in the transfer window. Last week, Spurs agreed a deal in principle with the Reds to sign Robertson following the conclusion of the UEFA Champions League 'league phase' on Wednesday night.

However, the deal hinged on whether Liverpool could recall Kostas Tsimikas from his season-long loan at Roma. As it stands, the reigning Premier League champions haven't been able to do so.

It's understood that the Italian giants are trying to find a replacement for the 29-year-old defender, so the deal could still happen. But, with the transfer window set to slam shut at 7pm on Monday, February 2, time is running out.

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It's also understood that Robertson, whom Liverpool signed from Hull City for just £10m in July 20217, hasn’t pushed for a move this month.

Speaking to reporters following the Reds' defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening, Virgil van Dijk insisted that he wants Robertson to stay at the club. The Liverpool skipper said: "He's my vice-captain.

"Robbo is a very important member of our team, and I want him to stay, but whatever happens, let's see."

Robertson has struggled to force himself into Arne Slot’s side this season, starting just four times in the Premier League this season. The Scot came off the bench at half-time on the south coast.

When asked whether he expects Robertson to be at Anfield for Wednesday night’s clash against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League, Van Dijk said: “That's not on me, is it?"

The Netherland international was then asked about his memories of Robertson, but he kept his cards close to his chest and insisted that he would only ‘speak about that’ if the move materialised.

Meanwhile, Slot refused to comment on Robertson’s future at the club. The Liverpool boss said: “What do you think my answer is going to be?

“Have I ever said anything about transfers in front of these microphones. My answer is always the same, and it's quite boring to always give the same answer - we don't talk about transfers in public."

Andy Robertson to Tottenham transfer truth as Liverpool make U-turn with deal 'agreed'

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Liverpool have reportedly rejected the chance to sell left-back Andy Robertson to Tottenham Hotspur despite talks between the two clubs in the January transfer window

Liverpool have blocked Andy Robertson's potential transfer to Tottenham Hotspur despite discussions taking place between the two clubs, according to reports.

The Scotland international appeared poised for a switch to North London, but the Reds are reported to have halted any negotiations and will not entertain his departure.

It has been suggested that Spurs were prepared to offer approximately £5m for the defender, with manager Thomas Frank eager to bring additional experience into his squad. Talks progressed well, with discussions at an advanced stage and a deal agreed in principle.

However, after weighing up the proposal, Liverpool have opted to block the move and keep Robertson at Anfield, whilst the defender himself has not pushed for a move away.

Following his side's narrow loss at Bournemouth, Arne Slot made clear his intentions to retain Robertson at the club.

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He said: “I think I need all my players. Robbo had to come in at half-time, in my opinion.

"I always knew that for Milos (Kerkez), another 90 minutes against a very intense Bournemouth side was not a possibility for him, so I knew I would have to bring (Robertson) in.

“I had already had one substitution in the first-half, then you only have two moments left, so I thought ‘let’s bring Robbo in at half-time to make sure Milos stays available for the rest of the season’.

“There’s a lot of games to be played with the players available. I have to manage that as well. The last thing we could need right now is another injury.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk has expressed his wish for the club to keep Robertson.

He stated: "He's my vice-captain. Robbo is a very important member of our team and I want him to stay but whatever happens, let's see."

Robertson's future at Liverpool still remains uncertain, with the defender being out of contract at Anfield in the summer where he would leave as a free agent.

The update also comes at a time when the Reds are reported to have begun talks with Roma about potentially recalling left-back Kostas Tsimikas from his loan spell with the Serie A club.

The 31-year-old moved to Liverpool from Hull City in 2017 and has since made 364 appearances at Anfield. During his time at the club, the Reds have clinched two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.

It now remains to be seen what plans Tottenham will have for the rest of the transfer window, with Spurs having until February 2 to strengthen their ranks with more new signings.

Spurs have already signed Souza from Santos earlier this month and it's unclear if that will now remain the only incoming business completed by the club.

Virgil van Dijk makes Andy Robertson Tottenham transfer feelings clear as talks continue

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has made clear he wants Andy Robertson to stay despite talks over a potential transfer to Tottenham Hotspur before the January window closes

Virgil van Dijk has expressed his desire for Andy Robertson to remain at Liverpool despite ongoing discussions with Tottenham Hotspur regarding a potential transfer before the January window closes.

Robertson had been in talks with Liverpool about a new contract beyond the end of the season prior to Spurs' unexpected approach earlier this week. The two clubs are currently engaged in negotiations, with no decision reached so far.

Liverpool appreciates the significant contributions their vice-captain has made over the past eight-and-a-half years, though this season he has found his game time limited following the signing of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.

Naturally, Robertson wishes to secure regular first-team football ahead of captaining Scotland at their first World Cup finals since 1998 later this year, and Spurs have their accelerated plans to the current transfer window.

Speaking to football.london's sister site, the Liverpool ECHO, after Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday evening, club captain Van Dijk revealed that he has discussed the situation with his deputy and hopes that the long-serving left-back will stay on Merseyside for the rest of the season at least.

"Of course I speak to him," said Van Dijk. "I speak to him every day, he's my vice-captain. Robbo is a very important member of our team and I want him to stay but whatever happens, let's see.

"Do I expect him to be here on Wednesday [for the Qarabag game]? That's not on me, is it? Let's speak about [my best memories of him] when [a move] happens."

Liverpool's 13-match unbeaten run was halted in their loss at Bournemouth, with Robertson entering the fray in place of Kerkez with the scoreline 2-1 to the hosts at half-time.

On his decision to use Robertson as a substitute whilst transfer talks with Tottenham take place, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot told Sky Sports: "I think I need all of my players.

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"I thought, let's bring Robbo in at half-time to make sure Milos [Kerkez] stays available for the rest of the season, because there are a lot of games to be played with the players that are available.

"I have to manage that, as well, because the last thing we need right now is another injury."

Meanwhile Spurs were winding down from their 2-2 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor earlier the same day. After that result, Thomas Frank was asked directly whether Robertson would have contributed defensively for his side in the game.

Tottenham's next five fixtures spell disaster as Thomas Frank battles to save his job

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Thomas Frank must turn things around after Tottenham Hotspur drew 2-2 with Burnley but the upcoming fixture list does not bode well

It was a Saturday to forget for Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur, who were forced to rescue a point in the dying minutes against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Spurs were in the ascendency when Micky van de Ven fired them in front during the first half, though Scott Parker's side hit back either side of the break to take a lead almost through to the final whistle. It was only the intervention of Cristian Romero that prevented Burnley from winning, as the visiting captain powered a header on target in stoppage time.

What's more, results elsewhere ensured Spurs would be falling down the Premier League table rather than climbing it this weekend.

They now sit 14th, stranded eight points off what is required to enter the top-four, with more losses than victories in the league this term.

It is a dire situation for Frank, who arrived in north London last summer with an inspirational record at Brentford. A matter of months later, supporters turned on him at Turf Moor with chants of 'We want Frank out'.

And it is not set to get any easier for the Dane. football.london analyse Spurs' upcoming run of fixtures with some troubling tasks ahead.

Jan 28: Eintracht Frankfurt (A) - Champions League

Next up after Burnley is a trip to Germany, where Spurs will meet Eintracht Frankfurt in the final round of the Champions League's league phase fixtures. They have already done much hard work to climb into the automatic qualification places for the round of 16, but that could all come crashing down at the final hurdle.

Simply put, Spurs must win otherwise they will likely drop into the play-off bracket of Europe's top club competition. This would mean playing a two-legged contest sandwiched between a run of fixtures which is already difficult as is.

Their only solace is that Frankfurt are already condemned to elimination so have nothing to play for other than pride, though for some opponents that is enough.

Feb 1: Manchester City (H) - Premier League

Four days later Spurs host the Premier League's second-placed side, Manchester City, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The hosts have built up a great home record against Pep Guardiola's side since moving to their new home in 2019, but that counts for nothing in the present day. A 2-0 win over Wolves last time out will give City confidence they can maintain a winning streak and keep the pressure on Arsenal in the title race.

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Feb 7: Manchester United (A) - Premier League

Manchester United looked as if they had been cut free from their bonds when interim manager Michael Carrick oversaw a 2-0 Manchester derby victory over City last weekend at Old Trafford.

Spurs are set to visit the North West in a matter of weeks and will need to be at the top of their game to not fall against an opponent with renewed hope of qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Feb 10: Newcastle United (H) - Premier League

Like Spurs, Newcastle United have struggled over the course of the 2025/26 campaign. The only difference is they have managed to string together enough results to climb back into the top half of the Premier League table and keep the pressure on those chasing European football.

This is also a fixture in which Spurs have had the worse of recent history. Eddie Howe's team have won four of the last five meetings, and the only time they did not win was the 2-2 draw at St. James' Park earlier this season.

Feb 22: Arsenal (H) - Premier League

Frank's daunting run of fixtures comes to an end when Spurs host bitter rivals Arsenal.

The head coach can take comfort in the fact he will have 12 days to prepare for the fixture as his side will skip a weekend of action having already been knocked out of the FA Cup. Well, that actually depends on what happens in Europe this week.

Should Spurs require a Champions League play-off, the first and second legs will be contested in the midweeks either side of this fixture.

This will add a new level of pressure to Spurs and their head coach, who will want to navigate their way to the round of 16 whilst also not handing their north London rivals a leg-up in the Premier League title race.

Alan Shearer delivers brutal Tottenham verdict with 'heavy' run to come

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Tottenham have a tough run of fixtures in the next few weeks, which could prove a significant period in determining the future of head coach Thomas Frank at the club.

Alan Shearer says Tottenham Hotspur's woes stem from years of 'poor' recruitment – and he's warned that their upcoming fixtures won't make things any easier. Head coach Thomas Frank is already under increasing pressure, with Spurs having registered only two wins in their last 14 games.

On Saturday, Spurs had to settle for a point at Burnley, with Micky van de Ven opening the scoring. Burnley hit back through Axel Tuanzebe on the brink of half‑time before Lyle Foster added a second.

Cristian Romero rescued a point in the 90th minute, but Spurs remain 14th in the Premier League – just eight points above West Ham in the bottom three.

Up next is a trip to Germany to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, following the 2–0 win over Borussia Dortmund earlier this week.

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After that fixture, things will really start to ramp up, with games against Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle and Arsenal to come.

Speaking about their season thus far, Shearer said on Match of the Day: "Truth be known, they're not a good team. They're miles off it - not good enough.

"Five without a win in the Premier League, two wins in 14 and when you look at their coming fixtures – Frankfurt on Wednesday in the Champions League, which they are doing well in.

"But then you look at the Premier League games - Man City, Man United, Newcastle and Arsenal. That is a really, really tough run. That's not a good position to be in.

"Of course the fans are making their feelings known also with what they're chanting towards end of the game.

"I just think Tottenham are suffering from poor recruitment over the years and truth be known, they're not a good team."

Frank told Tottenham fans he was “working very, very hard” to turn the club’s fortunes after the game at Turf Moor.

He said:“We just need to keep going. We do so many things right, but there’s no doubt it’s not dropping so easy for us.

He then added: "I think the message to the fans, as I’ve said all the time, is that we’re working very hard to make sure everything is going (in) the right direction and that we’ll keep doing that."

Ex-Spurs star says club should sack Thomas Frank for 78-year-old who hasn't coached since 2017

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Tottenham fans have seemingly lost patience with head coach Thomas Frank, with one former player calling for a return of a manager who hasn't been involved in coaching since 2017.

Time is ticking for Thomas Frank to turn things around at Tottenham, as the team suffered another frustrating result in the Premier League. A point against Burnley was salvaged by a late Cristian Romero goal to make it 2-2 at Turf Moor, but that wasn't enough to stop the wrath of the away end.

A chorus of boos rang out from the travelling support, along with chants of "We want Frank out", clearly nailing their colours to the mast on the managerial situation. As the board and owners face increasing scrutiny over the hiring of the head coach, time is running out to turn it all around again.

With that in mind, former Tottenham player Jamie O'Hara has given his thoughts on the situation, calling for the radical rehiring of Harry Redknapp as interim manager. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "Look, Harry’s been out of the game for a while, but he still watches football.

"He's got an affiliation to the football club, a love there. The fans loved him. I would take Harry Redknapp, I would. For an interim manager until the end of the season.

"Give him some backroom staff, people that can coach, take the sessions for him, he manages the team. He’s been my manager, Harry Redknapp. He'll get his arm around you, he'll give you some confidence and he'll say, 'Go and play and express yourselves.'

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"And I think that's what the players need. I don't know if Thomas Frank has just got these players with the handbrake on. I think Harry Redknapp would take the handbrake off these players and say, 'Go and enjoy your football.'"

It would be a bold move to hire the 78-year-old, even on an interim basis, given that he hasn't been involved in football for nearly a decade. Redknapp's last job as a head coach was back in 2017, taking over Birmingham City for a few months to help escape the threat of relegation to push on in the Championship.

His eventual exit in September of that year came with confirmation of his retirement from that side of the game after 34 years in the dugout, with his time at Tottenham being one of the highlights of his career. Given how much change there has been in the Premier League since that spell, and how open the division appears to be, that could prove to be a risky decision.

While those types of discussions are being had among the Tottenham fans and pundits, Frank has backed his side to "keep going" in the face of their challenges. He told the press after the draw to Burnley: "First and foremost, I want to thank them [the fans] for travelling and supporting the team throughout the game, which they do.

"I'm sure they can recognise and acknowledge especially the first half, and the improvement we've done there, and could and should have put it out of sight. But also acknowledge the will-power and character of the team that keeps running, keep fighting, to the end.

"We just need to keep going. We do so many things right. But there's no doubt, that when it's not dropping so easy for us, the consistent performances we've done, which I think I said that many times, they actually are in an OK level.

"But apparently because of where we are now, we need to do more, to make sure we get the wins over the line. Especially in the Premier League. And one of the bits is to play every third or fourth day, to perform, that demands a lot of mentality.

"We have a few injuries, that doesn't help, but that's part of it. Never any complaints from me, that's reality. But that's where we need to be strong enough as a team to keep performing every third or fourth day."

As it stands, Frank is still in charge of the side, but it's unclear if that could be a stay of execution, given the difficult run ahead for Tottenham. Eintracht Frankfurt are the next opponent in the Champions League in midweek, which could bring some joy with a top-eight finish in the competition, though missing out would result in an extra two games to the already congested fixture list.

Then there are games against Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle, all before the big North London Derby against Arsenal. They could be the type of fixtures that Frank thrives in, given the way he masterminded wins over those clubs in his time at Brentford.

However, it could equally end with some tough results, further introspection, and questions over the direction of Spurs moving forward.

Andy Robertson to Tottenham transfer update as Arne Slot breaks Liverpool silence

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Andy Robertson has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur from Liverpool before the January transfer window closes.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has hinted he would prefer to keep Andy Robertson at the club amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The left-back is a player of interest to Spurs while the January transfer window nears its conclusion.

Tottenham have until February 2 to complete their transfer business for the window, and it remains to be seen if Robertson will make the move to north London before the deadline.

Reports emerged on Friday claiming Tottenham have an interest in signing Robertson from Liverpool

Robertson was named on the bench by Slot for Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday evening - but did replace Milos Kerkez at the half-time break and played the entirety of the second half.

Slot was asked about Robertson's future at Liverpool amid interest from Tottenham, with the Reds' head coach hinting that he wants to keep the left-back at Anfield moving forward.

"I think I need all of my players," Slot told Sky Sports.

"I thought, let's bring Robbo in at half-time to make sure Milos [Kerkez] stays available for the rest of the season, because there are a lot of games to be played with the players that are available.

"I have to manage that as well because the last thing we need right now is another injury."

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Slot went on to be quizzed about Liverpool's potential transfer business before the deadline - with the manager going on to deliver a clear message.

"No updates in terms of transfers," Slot said. "I never speak in public about transfers. There's nothing to say on my side."

Thomas Frank was also asked about Tottenham’s chances of signing Robertson after their 2-2 draw with Burnley, with the Spurs boss specifically asked if the left-back could have made a difference in the game.

"Just on that one, in general as you don't know me that well, I don't speak about players that are not in the club - except [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi," Frank said.

He went on: "So, that's no comment."

Tottenham will be in Champions League action in their next match on Wednesday night as they travel to take on Eintracht Frankfurt in their final league phase fixture.

Thomas Frank's future, Cristian Romero's power inside Tottenham and decisions to be made

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Here are our Tottenham talking points after the 2-2 draw at Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon

The chants from the travelling fans towards Thomas Frank were constant throughout much of this latest disappointing Tottenham result.

They began in the first half with the popular recent ditty "sideways and backwards, everywhere we go". Then after Micky van de Ven blasted Spurs into the lead in the 38th minute the fans belted out "we are staying up, we are staying up".

Then Tottenham somehow managed to make defending look difficult with five defenders on the pitch. First they allowed former Spurs man Kyle Walker all the time in the world to pick out the completely unmarked Axel Tuanzebe to fire home his first ever Premier League goal.

Then the away defence parted down the middle to allow Lyle Foster to roll a shot over the line as Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie contrived to combine to help it on its way.

The chants then came thick and fast. "We want Frank out, we want Frank out" was swiftly followed by "You're getting sacked in the morning, sacked in the morning".

There was also the colourful "Thomas Frank, your football is..." Well you can guess the next word.

The travelling fans also sang for former loves. The first half brought the Dele Alli chant but the second half delivered a more damaging one for Frank as that old favourite "Mauricio Pochettino, he's magic you know" resounded from the away stand.

Even Cristian Romero's 90th minute goal, which broke Burnley hearts, did not save Frank from the fans' wrath.

If anything, the vitriol towards the Dane has shielded the players who once again were applauded, the captain in particular, who had booted an advertising hoarding after powering home his header.

He had to come off soon after. Frank told football.london that it was cramp after the game. It would surely have been too on brand for Tottenham's captain to reinjure his old problematic toe by kicking something in a rage-fuelled celebration.

Frank, to his credit, still applauded the supporters as he walked off while hearing what was coming back in his direction.

His relationship with the fans seems irretrievable and if that's the case, it's difficult to see how much longer Tottenham can continue along his path.

"First and foremost, I want to thank them for travelling and supporting the team throughout the game, which they do. I'm sure they can recognise and acknowledge especially the first half, and the improvement we've done there, and could and should have put it out of sight," Frank told football.london.

"But also acknowledge the will power and character of the team that keeps running, keep fighting, to the end. We just need to keep going. We do so many things right. But there's no doubt, that when it's not dropping so easy for us, the consistent performances we've done, which I think I said that many times, they actually are in an OK level.

"But apparently because of where we are now, we need to do more, to make sure we get the wins over the line. Especially in the Premier League. And one of the bits is to play every third or fourth day, to perform, that demands a lot of mentality.

"We have a few injuries, that doesn't help, but that's part of it. Never any complaints from me, that's reality. But that's where we need to be strong enough as a team to keep performing every third or fourth day."

The Tottenham fans don't want to hear that performances have been consistent when the team has picked up just two wins from their past 14 Premier League matches and they have taken only three points from their recent five league games against Brentford, Sunderland, Bournemouth, West Ham and Burnley.

Some of those teams have been woefully out of form but Spurs have been the ones who looked nervy and crumbled. That's a huge mentality issue both on and off the pitch.

If that's how they play against the strugglers, then what hope do they have of taking anything from the next four Premier League games against Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle and Arsenal?

Frank was asked about that after the game but refused to look further ahead than the trip to Frankfurt next week as Tottenham look to secure their spot in the Champions League last 16. The question is whether he will get the chance to look beyond that match in Germany or even to it.

The irony is that Tottenham created enough on Saturday to have easily won this match and if they had then the noise would have simmered rather than boiled this week.

Martin Dubravka made nine saves, one of them a remarkable flying stop from Mathys Tel's effort. Xavi Simons cannoned an effort off the crossbar and in all Spurs had 18 shots at goal with 11 on target. Burnley had four shots on target and scored twice.

It's not like Spurs struggled to open the door, it's more that the attackers were incapable of walking through it. Dominic Solanke's hold-up play was good but he's rusty in front of goal, as shown by his header at Dubravka from a couple of yards out when sending it anywhere else would have put them into the lead.

Wilson Odobert grabbed another assist and looked threatening when he ran with the ball, but he is not a goalscorer. Xavi's shooting is as inconsistent as his passing. The Dutchman is as capable of dropping the ball on a sixpence for another player as he is to hit it nowhere near them and his shooting is similarly wild.

"Dubravka was man of the match, he was that for a reason. That means we did a lot of things right offensively," Frank told football.london. "I think we came here, took some of the confidence from the game against Dortmund into this.

"I think first half we were good. I think actually we were very good, dominating the game, on top of the game, scoring 1-0 goal, creating a lot of chances, opportunities, could have done the 2-0, more or less if not out of sight, then definitely in a very good way to try to win a football match.

"And we concede a chance... we give nothing away first half, except a goal at the end of the first half, that we can never, ever, ever concede that goal. Because it just changed a little bit the momentum going into half-time.

"Then the second half, we're coming out, we're not as dominant. But I still think we are ok on top. We've got a big chance to Dominic Solanke to go 2-1 up. And then we concede another goal that we can never, ever, ever concede.

"That makes it difficult for us, but big praise to the players for showing the character and running power and will-power to keep going. We created big chances to match, to Xavi and I think there was one more. And then the goal. So did more than enough to get the equaliser. And over the game I think did more than enough to win it, but unfortunately not."

On Saturday it was left to two defenders once again to score the goals for Spurs as Van de Ven and Romero stepped up again.

football.london put it to Frank that while it's good that the two centre-backs contribute at the other end, it's telling that only the currently injured Richarlison has scored more than Romero and Van de Ven this season.

"Yeah, it's fantastic, two defenders scoring again. That is very positive, but of course you need more from your offensive players," he said. "They know it. They work very hard on it. It's not that they don't want it, but of course we need that. The day we add that together, plus defending a tiny bit better, then we will win."

The question for many is when exactly is that day because the fans would rather spend their money on that game?

The players have certainly not downed tools but it's tough to find evidence of Frank picking them up and motivating them during games. Inferior second half performances are commonplace which does not bode well for whatever is being relayed at half-time.

Saturday brought a late leveller but that again had little to do with tactical changes and more Romero once again deciding to play as a centre forward.

There has been little so far to suggest that Frank has worked out how to tackle the step up and what is required to coach Tottenham rather than Brentford with the vastly increased standards, expectations and scrutiny.

Other than Micky van de Ven's availability and goal tally, it's difficult to pick out much that has improved about Frank's Spurs at this point.

Tottenham have been trying to take a long-term view in a club notorious for doing anything but when it comes to managers. There's little question that had Daniel Levy still been in place as chairman, Frank would likely not still be in situ.

It's admirable to want to do something different at a club that has failed for years by constantly chopping and changing, but there needs to be green shoots that the fans can see could grow into something worthy of their time and money.

It's difficult to think of any manager who has enraged this fanbase quite as much as the mild-mannered Frank.

Every time he looks for the positives in defeats or disappointing draws, so he angers them further. In truth, what else can he say? He needs to mount a public defence of his work, not point to the drawer where the P45s are kept. Also, if he criticises his players then he loses them completely as well as the fans.

"I think the message to the fans, as I've said the whole time, is that we're working very hard to make sure everything is going in the right direction and we'll keep doing that," he said.

That direction looks downwards right now. Fail to take points from the nightmarish quartet of matches ahead and Spurs will be in a perilous place in the Premier League table.

Ange Postecoglou felt he could divert his best efforts to the Europa League last season because the club were never in any danger of the drop. This time around, with West Ham having won back-to-back matches and the gap currently only eight points, a disastrous points haul from the next four matches could see that vanish even if Nuno Espirito Santo's side have a mixed bag of fixtures.

The question continues to remain though, if not Frank then who right now? The summer is a different beast with a variety of managers likely to be on the market, but what about the coming months?

That's the question that will be in the back, and perhaps forefront, of the minds of the Tottenham hierarchy. There needs to be a plan in place if the fans were to get their way when it comes to Frank.

Many of the interim options barely raise much hope of a quick turnaround, or if they do then they all carry plenty of risks of their own.

Even with the longer term options there are risks. For example, there is an admiration from some within Tottenham for Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, with similarities seen with Mauricio Pochettino's all-action, aggressive style.

Bournemouth are certainly one of the more entertaining sides in the Premier League but their recent 11-game winless run - ended of course by Tottenham - and defensive struggles do not count in his favour and the Cherries are only two points better off than Spurs.

The Spaniard could point towards having to completely rebuild his defence this season and now losing Antoine Semenyo from his attack, yet still improving results in recent weeks including Saturday's last-gasp victory against Liverpool.

But will Frank's struggles thus far in stepping up from a smaller club cause Tottenham to fear that approach again, with a wariness of the players needing a big personality to grab their attention and respect?

Take Romero for instance. Under Antonio Conte the Argentine was a quieter, more withdrawn member of the squad, his friend Giovani Lo Celso the more dominant compatriot.

In recent years, Romero has grown hugely behind the scenes and is now seen as a powerful figure within the club's walls. That has been reflected in him getting the captain's armband this season even if he is not a vocal leader in the traditional sense.

Watch the team talks on the pitch before matches and Romero only takes them some of the time. Others like Vicario and Van de Ven will take their turns in speaking to the group.

One strand of keeping the Tottenham players onside though is to keep Romero onside and that is something Postecoglou did well, although a few inside the club feel the player was and continues to occasionally be given too much leeway behind the scenes. Do that too much and others will expect it to be the case for them as well.

The World Cup winner was there for Tottenham and Frank though again on Saturday. Frank will hope that the Argentine's late goal will help him remain the best plan for the present for long enough to turn things around, but that's an increasingly difficult sell to those supporters coming through the turnstiles.

The Dane will point to the improvement in possession and chances created, mainly achieved through having both Xavi and Solanke in the team, and he will point to the need for help in a once-again injury-ravaged Tottenham squad that Postecoglou did not get a year ago.

Frank and the club want to inject experience and a stronger mentality into the club, hence the move for Gallagher and also Andy Robertson. Arne Slot made it clear publicly on Saturday that he wants the Scottish left-back to remain at Liverpool until the end of the season and any chance of a move would need a strong case to be made by Robertson and Tottenham.

Frank needs more than an experienced left-back though if he is to turn around this Tottenham super tanker as he called it. The club needs goals, they need a cutting edge and they need to bring a ready-made attacker or two through the door to provide that.

This is not just a Frank problem, although he must take a healthy portion of the blame. It is a club problem. There's a completely different look to the top of the Spurs power pyramid and thus far few of their decisions concerning on-pitch matters have panned out.

The argument will be that large scale change does not produce instant success and must be built for the longer term. The problem is that Tottenham fans have been sold their long term for a long time and right now it's looking as far in the distance as it ever has.

Thomas Frank explains fresh Cristian Romero injury concern after Tottenham heroics at Burnley

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Thomas Frank explains fresh Cristian Romero injury concern after Tottenham heroics at Burnley - Football London
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Latest Tottenham Hotspur injury news as Thomas Frank answers Cristian Romero injury concerns after draw against Burnley at Turf Moor

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank says Cristian Romero was merely suffering from cramp after being replaced with what looked like an injury in the 2-2 draw with Burnley.

Spurs had gone ahead at Turf Moor when Micky van de Ven struck during the first-half, however the Clarets hit back and managed to turn things around when Lyle Foster put the hosts 2-1 in front with 14 minutes of normal time remaining.

The visitors pressed for an equaliser and it appeared as though the opportunity to equalise would go begging in injury time when Xavi Simons hit the crossbar.

However, that was not the end of it and captain Romero scored with a bullet header, rifled into the roof of Martin Dubravka's goal, rescuing a point for Frank's side.

The goal prompted wild celebrations from Romero himself. In the madness, the goalscorer kicked the electronic advertising boards in front of the travelling Spurs supporters.

Though the exact origin of the issue was unclear, Romero was seen clutching the back of his left leg afterwards and Frank was forced to bring Radu Dragusin on in his place for the remainder of stoppage time.

"Romero was cramping in the end," the Spurs boss told football.london at full-time.

After half-time Pedro Porro had also been removed with Destiny Udogie called upon. Frank added: "Pedro was physical, played a lot of minutes, we had more running power with Djed to the right and then Destiny in."

Losing Romero to injury after his contribution this weekend would come as a significant blow to Spurs, who have a nightmare run of fixtures approaching.

First, Frank's men travel to Eintracht Frankfurt in a crunch Champions League clash which will decide whether they qualify automatically for the tournament's round of 16.

Then Spurs go on a run of Premier League fixtures facing Manchester City (H), Manchester United (A), Newcastle United (H) and Arsenal (H) throughout February.

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Were results in Europe to go against them on Wednesday night, they would be required to contest a two-legged Champions League play-off to reach the round of 16. Those extra matches would be sandwiched inside that difficult run of domestic games.

After Saturday's draw, Frank commented it was "fantastic" to see his two central defenders get on the scoresheet though demanded more from his attackers.

"That is very positive. But of course you need more from your offensive players," he began. "They know it. They work very hard on it. It's not that they don't want. But of course we need that.

"The day we add that together, plus defending a tiny bit better, then we will win."