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Tottenham Hotspur transfer news as Thomas Frank, Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange get to work in the January window

Tottenham have already been very busy in the January transfer window, despite it being open for a matter of days.

Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange have been hard at work behind the scenes with a number of outgoings already confirmed. Brennan Johnson has completed his permanent exit to Crystal Palace and three fringe stars have been sent out on loan until the end of the season.

Thomas Frank wants incomings at Tottenham Hotspur this month, too, with the Dane making his wishes known via the media. "We will be in the market," Frank said. "We are definitely interested in, if we can, strengthening the squad. We will do that. I've said it a few times before that things are important.

"Of course, different types you can add to a squad, but the main bit is the ones we add need to be ones that we really think can improve the team. And then, like normal, there can be outgoings if you want to try to make a share of the squad."

With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Tottenham so far this January.

Tottenham transfers (in)

None

Tottenham transfers (out)

Brennan Johnson (Crystal Palace) - £35million

Jamie Donley (Oxford United) - loan

Manor Solomon (Fiorentina) - loan

Kota Takai (Borussia Monchengladbach) - loan

A handful of Tottenham players have also sent messages to the now Crystal Palace winger

Brennan Johnson has sent Tottenham a five-word goodbye message after completing his January move to Crystal Palace.

The 24-year-old put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half year deal at Selhurst Park on Friday, with the Eagles paying £35million for the Welshman's services. The former Nottingham Forest man was Tottenham's top scorer last season and produced the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United to end Tottenham’s 17-year wait for silverware.

However, he has largely been a back-up to summer recruit Mohammed Kudus since Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou. After completing the move to south London, Johnson took to Instagram to share an emotional video of his best Spurs highlights.

The winger also posted a message alongside the video, which reads: "Been a ride. Thank you @spursofficial." A number of his now former Tottenham teammates have commented on the post, such as Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.

Johnson is set to make his debut for Palace in their Premier League match against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday. “I’m really excited and I’m really happy,” he said.

“Crystal Palace are such a great club, one that I’ve always admired. It’s a great time for me to be here and join the journey that this club is on.”

Palace manager Oliver Glasner said: “I’m really delighted that Brennan has joined the club. He arrives very early in the window, so credit to the club for making this happen so quickly.

“Brennan will give us options in our attacking play with his pace and goalscoring ability and with all the upcoming games he will be a valuable addition to the squad.”

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach has been speaking about transfers and life at the rebuilding north London club right now

Thomas Frank feels like The Running Man right now as he admits it's difficult to enjoy life at Tottenham amid the struggles of rebuilding the club.

The 52-year-old enjoys early morning runs around London's Richmond Park and believes the ups and downs at Spurs require him to power through the problems that are mounting. Frank found himself booed by the travelling Tottenham supporters on New Year's Day as he approached them to applaud their efforts after the drab goalless draw at his old club Brentford.

The fans had sung 'boring, boring Tottenham' and chanted for former players and managers during another performance lacking in creativity and cohesion from the Dane's side. The north London outfit lie 12th in the Premier League table and are going through a huge rebuilding process which has brought 13 new heads of department within the club, including Frank and CEO Vinai Venkatesham.

Ahead of Tottenham's first home game of 2026, against Sunderland on Sunday, when asked whether he was actually enjoying the challenge of stepping out of his comfort zone after nine years at Brentford, Frank could only laugh.

"That’s a good question! I like that question. Let me put it this way. When you need to put in a big, big shift and it’s not smooth and it’s tough, it’s probably difficult to enjoy it," he said.

"If I run hard, I don’t enjoy that moment, but I know I need to keep my head down and run hard to get through it to get my fitness up, or win a race. We are in a situation where you need to run hard, to stay in it, to get through it.

"On the other side, when we look back on this spell or maybe this first year when it was tough, you’ll think what a learning experience, it made us so much better for the future. So the short answer is, no, but the reality is you can't."

He added: "When I take myself out of it and look down, I think what a privilege to be in charge of this fantastic club in a period where it’s a big transition. The transformation of 2025 has never happened as much in 140 years. There’s a lot of changes but the potential is huge."

More changes are coming in the transfer window, with Brennan Johnson having already departed for Crystal Palace in a £35million deal, and Frank wants the club to push hard for signings that improve his starting line-up.

"We are there in the market and will do everything we can to improve the squad, but we should be so aware that short-term impact can’t limit long-term success" he said. "But on the flip-side, can we do something that will really improve us? I think we should go very hard for that."

He added: "It always needs to be both players that can impact the team now, that’s the main priority but at the same time it’s not that we just stop signing teenagers because you need to have players with impact now and players for the long term.

"Sometimes you sign a young player who is good enough to play now, sometimes you sign a young player who comes in and you send him on loan and they are part of the long-term thinking so it will still be a mix of both."

Frank believes it's key the club does not drop too far down their list of favoured targets next month.

"We have lists of players and we have priority numbers one, two, three, four, five and six in every position. And if we go to number six…. it’s probably not as good as you want. Is number six good enough for us to get to where we want to be in the future? Probably not. But it’s a fine balance," he admitted.

"Sometimes you need to take some steps forward before we can get the perfect solution. So, that’s why I’ve said every decision we make needs to be for long-term success but [be] very aware of how impactful it can be now, as well. So that could end with that [no signings]. But of course I hope that we are [active].

"I know that Johan [Lange], Fabio [Paratici], Vinai are working day and night to do everything, together with the recruitment team, the [Lewis] family is backing us with everything. But I think the best clubs take good, sensible decisions."

Joint sporting director Paratici has been tipped to leave Spurs for a Head of Football role at Fiorentina so eyebrows were raised when the struggling Serie A side took Manor Solomon from Tottenham on loan on Friday.

All Frank would say on that move was: "I just think that every transfer is something we agree on as the right decision. So in that case it’s the same."

When asked who Paratici works for right now, the Dane first joked: "Good question, maybe you know." He then quickly said: "Fabio is Tottenham sporting director. I spoke to him twice yesterday. He is working very hard for Tottenham.

"I just know when I speak to Fabio and Johan, who I spoke to this morning, the two of them are working very, very hard."

With Johnson heading out of the door to Palace, a player who contributed 25 goal involvements last season, where will the goals come from this season? Frank is confident that a number of his current squad will step up.

"There’s a lot with potential in that aspect. Richy has done well compared to a lot of other seasons. He is fit and available and still playing without key creators behind him," he said. "I’ve always liked Solanke. I’m convinced he will score a lot of goals for us when he’s fit and available. Wilson and Mathys have very good potential. Mo needs to score more goals and will score more goals."

Tottenham Hotspur have announced the departure of Brennan Johnson. The 24-year-old forward, whom the Lilywhites signed from Nottingham Forest in September 2023 for £47.5m, has joined Crystal Palace in a club-record deal.

Johnson featured 106 times for Spurs, scoring 27 goals and providing 18 assists. The Wales international helped Tottenham win the UEFA Europa League in May 2025, finding the net from close range in the final at the San Mames Stadium.

During Ange Postecoglou's spell in charge, Johnson played a key role in the side. Despite his impressive performances, recording at least 15 direct goal contributions in each of his previous two Premier League campaigns, the Welshman struggled to force himself into Thomas Frank's starting lineup.

While Johnson appeared 22 times for the Dane, he only played about 900 minutes. Frank preferred Mohammed Kudus, whom Tottenham signed from West Ham for an initial £50m in July 2025.

football.london understands Johnson was informed by the hierarchy that he was surplus to requirements on New Year's Eve. The Welshman attracted interest from the likes of Bournemouth, Everton, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United before the Eagles swooped in and secured his signature.

It's understood that Crystal Palace forked out £35m for Johnson, who Steve Parish has described as an 'exciting young talent'. Speaking to club media, the Eagles chairman said: "I’m delighted that Brennan has joined us at Crystal Palace.

"An exciting young talent with an excellent recent record in domestic, continental and international football. We feel we are the perfect place for Brennan to continue his already impressive journey, and his arrival bolsters our attacking options in what is proving our busiest season to date, competing on numerous fronts including, for the first time, in Europe."

Oliver Glasner has claimed Johnson will be a 'valuable addition'. The Palace head coach said: "I’m really delighted that Brennan has joined the club. He arrives very early in the window, so credit to the club for making this happen so quickly.

"Brennan will give us options in our attacking play with his pace and goalscoring ability and with all the upcoming games he will be a valuable addition to the squad."

Meanwhile, Johnson added: "I'm really excited and I'm really happy. Crystal Palace are such a great club, one that I've always admired. It's a great time for me to be here and join the journey that this club is on – I'm super excited."

Crystal Palace have confirmed that the former Tottenham winger, who has signed a four-and-a-half year deal, will be available for selection for Sunday afternoon's clash against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. Johnson will wear the number-11 shirt.

Shortly before the two clubs announced the move, Frank was asked to comment on Johnson's future. The Dane, who kept his cards close to his chest, said: "I think there are different scenarios.

"There are players that want to leave, there are players that are a little bit like, hmm, do they want to stay or do they want to leave? And then there are players that don't want to leave.

"And that is the three different cases you need to solve between the sports directors, head coach, player and agent. And hopefully in the most cases, everyone is happy in the end of the situation."

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said on Friday ahead of the Premier League match against Sunderland

Thomas Frank faced a grilling at his press conference on Friday ahead of Tottenham's Premier League match against Sunderland on Sunday.

The Spurs boss oversaw a dull 0-0 draw at his old side Brentford on Thursday night, which ended with him being booed by the travelling Tottenham supporters as he approached them after the game. Those fans had also sung throughout the night about 'boring, boring Tottenham' as well as chants for Brennan Johnson, with last season's top scorer tying up a £35million move to Crystal Palace after being told he was surplus to requirements.

Frank was asked in his latest press conference about both topics, as well as the January transfer window and the latest injury news on Lucas Bergvall and Dominic Solanke.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to Frank at Hotspur Way. Here's the full transcript from the press conference.

You can go ahead and announce Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace now....

Nice opening, there is probably something about the rumours, but that is the only thing I can say right now.

There are rumours he could be involved for Palace against Newcastle this weekend?

That I know nothing about and basically don't care about. So, like with everything, I'm very happy to speak about everything when everything is announced or published. If that is we sign a player, we sell a player or staff member in or out or whatever it is. But for now, yeah, it is what it is.

Is he in the Spurs squad to face Sunderland?

He was not in the squad yesterday, and you will see that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

You tried to sign Johnson at Brentford, what has changed that means you now might sell him?

I would say, I'll repeat my answer as I just said. If that's the case, I would love to answer that question when and if it happens.

How do 'boring, boring Tottenham' chants make you feel?

I definitely got some reminders about it, including one today. So thank you for that. It's not perfect. We want us to be free flowing. I think a couple of things I want to reinforce positively is the last two away performances. To stand on the foundation we were building was very strong against Crystal Palace and Brentford. I think we were very good defensively, actually fantastic defensively last night. Gave them more or less nothing. I think that's hugely important. I think we understood how to close down their transitions.

Then we're working very hard and understand the frustration, I share them too, very hard on the offensive part of the game. There's a few things in that we need to do our best to improve. One of them is, for example, yesterday we lost the ball unforced errors 25 times. I showed those 25 clips to the players today. Just short, a reminder that that's focus, that's concentration, all that. Of course, football is a game of mistakes. You lose the ball, so that can happen because of bad decisions, bad touch, whatever, or concentration. So, could just half of them be better? That will provide us more attacks. And there was definitely maybe five at least good counter-attacks, where a better touch, then we are suddenly 3v3. Then it looks a little bit more lively, a little bit more open, a little bit better. So that's the one level we need to do. Then the next bit is the patterns and the structure and getting in the right positions. We didn't get that right last night. I showed that again to the players today. That is my responsibility, together with the coaches. I always take that. And then the third thing. I think it's also okay to mention that we still lack some very important offensive players that’s been out for a while.

I don't want to mention it again. I'm getting a little bit bored, very bored, and sick and tired of naming them. And on top of that, we didn't have Xavi Simons for various reasons, or Lucas Bergvall. So, the ones on the pitch, always trust them, always believe in them. I think Wilson (Odobert), I've said it many times, is a very promising player that I believe a lot in. He looked so lively against Crystal Palace, but also natural with a young player, (that) he was a little bit up and down yesterday. I'm convinced he'll be very good for us. And then on top of that, you play every game, every third and fourth game. And when you do that, the ability with the concentration level and the physical level to be on the top, to keep producing, is what, how can you say, splits the good players from the very best to do that. And sometimes you can be a good player to go to the very best, but you also learn along the way. So that's where we are right now. It's unfortunately very boring, but that's the fact.

We need to do everything we can to put an attacking, intense, front-footed performance out against Sunderland in two days' time. I'll do everything I can to make sure we do that. And if we do that and get three points, it's seven from three, which would be a very good output. So that's the aim. By the way, against a Sunderland team that’s done unbelievably well. And I know for a fact, because when I say attitude, I'm confident in my own skill set. I'm also very humble about who I am, where we are, and what we need to do. And I know what we're facing tomorrow against Sunderland, because I've been there myself. That's going to be tough, but we need to be on it. That was a long answer, actually.

Is it also a long answer because you were hurt?

No, No. It's a long answer because I'm explaining the situation where we are.

To dare is to do, do you need to be more daring?

I think I'm very daring. I'm sitting here.

Enzo Maresca is the latest managerial casualty, you said you were at an interview for that very job. Was that a close shave, a lucky escape for you?

I think we don't know what happened behind the scenes. At Chelsea, it's your guys' job to be clever there and come with good suggestions to why he's not there anymore. So, yeah, we don't know that. I think there can be very good reasons for it. There can be bad reasons. Who knows?

And basically, I don't care. I have other things to worry about. The one thing I would say is it's difficult to build something sustainable, successful, if you don't keep key persons in the job for a long time. I've said that many times. All the top examples of clubs being successful year in, year out, they had the head coach, the CEO, the sports directors, the key members, coaching staff in the club for a long time.

How do you give your players confidence, to not be afraid, not be hesitant to take the game to Sunderland at on Sunday?

We, of course, keep reinforcing the messages, keep trying to do the right thing, keep trying to be brave, try to go forward. I think that's the key thing. And then understand that this Premier League is unbelievably tight. And when it's tight, it's not like it's that easy, but the main thing is that we keep being brave.

The fact Sunderland have signed so many players, they had an overhaul, how difficult will it be?

I think [Regis Le Bris] has done fantastically. Very, very impressive. The first season in the Premier League, and also, as you say, with changing a lot of players. It's been very clear what they want to do. They understand that when you go up in the Premier League, you need to defend very well. They're very good on set-pieces. They're very good.

They fight, they run, and now they've got the confidence and done very well against a lot of teams, but also away from home. So it's going to be a tough test.

With Dominic Solanke, are we looking at mid-January or late January?

The thing I need to open up about, of course, is when he's out there on the pitch with pictures, then that's positive, of course. But to say mid-Jan or end of Jan or 25th of Jan, I will not do that. I will very much look forward to name the date when he's involved in the squad.

Any other players coming back?

Lucas Bergvall is a doubt. We hope he'll be ready.

In the transfer window, how difficult is it for a manager to tell a player that's heading out the door and they have to go to a new club?

I think there are different scenarios. There are players that want to leave, there are players that are a little bit like, hmm, do they want to stay or do they want to leave? And then there are players that don't want to leave. And that is the three different cases you need to solve between the sports directors, head coach, player and agent. And hopefully in the most cases, everyone is happy in the end of the situation.

We spoke a little bit about the bench last night, two goalkeepers, not a lot of options, does that show how difficult it is for you right now with the unavailable players but also how this transfer window has to be done right to get in players that can improve things?

Yeah, I think again, it's my job, my responsibility to find solutions when there's tough times. I will never run away from that. But of course, it's easier to have a fully fit squad and you just know, OK, I have these five tools, I can do this in the midfield, I can do that on the wing, I can do that on the striker, maybe whatever, change the full-back, whatever it is. And yes, we were limited last night, but that's part of it.

There are some games you will have like that in a season and you need to do those spells, and I think that's another thing, those spells, I know it's not popular to talk about, but those spells, if you then don't lose and you get a point and you're very solid defensively, that's a good thing. That can be a very good point in the end of the season.

Do we want to play better? Yes. But that's unfortunately the situation right now.

What made you pick two goalkeepers on the bench rather than maybe another young player like Callum Olusesi?

That could also have been the case. It wasn't last night.

On Wilson Odobert, there's so much raw potential and talent in there, but then there'll be moments in games where maybe he's not as strong, like last night we saw 35-year-old Jordan Henderson outpacing him, which shouldn't probably happen...

With all due respect to Jordan, yeah.

Of course, but he shouldn't be outpacing Wilson. What does he have to work on and develop to become the player that he can be?

I think take the positive away from the Crystal Palace substitution role, where he was so lively and they couldn't catch him and should have scored at least a goal. And then last night, I think there was still some very positive glimpses. And I think he is in the situation where he takes a little bit better decision when there's, let's say, three times the touch, because even if he's taken it, that will just get him in a top position as soon as it's turned and we're three vs three, instead of it's a bad touch and then we go the other way, for example.

So just keep learning that. That's just a normal part of football. Unfortunately, there's a little bit of extra focus in the Premier League, but hey, that's part of it.

Can you be successful at Tottenham without the fans behind you?

Erm, I will try to maybe turn that question around to say that if you are successful, the Tottenham fans will be behind you. So, the fans will get behind us and I am pretty sure that yes I am booed last night but I am pretty sure there is a lot of fans behind us.

When you think you’ve had two London derbies away, got four points, two clean sheets, on paper that looks like progress but at the end they are booing you and chanting boring, boring Tottenham, is there a misalignment here with what you see as success in terms of results and the style of football the fans need to see but they’re not seeing yet?

Yeah, but I think expectation is good and I also think we are probably in a bit of a transition. Not that we don’t want to play a lot better but the club, the squad, the injuries, all that taken into consideration is part of that. And in a transition period when not everything is perfect and you don’t get the won or we don’t play as good as we want or I want… I’m very aware that Crystal Palace win and happy with it because it’s very important to have the ability to do that, but also very aware that we didn’t play as good as I want in that aspect. Also I acknowledge where we are, so it's just that understanding of that. It is fair that I understand it a little bit better and the fans want more.

Fans are struggling with what the plan is under yourself and long-term. I know you said to compete in all competitions, but what would be success this season and next season and so on?

What I'm 100 per cent sure will happen is that I know we will be able to score a lot of goals and I know we will be much more dominant in a lot of games, but with the current situation with too many of the top players out, playing a lot of games, that just make it more tricky, also with no time to train, it’s just reality. I think there's not one coach that will not say that and then we need to manage everything between that.

That is just small steps in the right direction every day and keep walking forward, keep improving and then things will take care of itself. Probably answer a few more questions in press conference like this, improve a little bit, get the wins and then it will be forgotten because it goes like this (click). Right now it's the talk of the town, fair enough. Tomorrow will be forgotten, it will be a new thing and we just behind the scenes need to be calm and work on the things very hard and keep improving.

Would top-half be a success, would 12th or do you have to be in Europe?

“I think for me to name a position where we should end or want to end, I think there's so many things you don't control in that aspect. I promise that we are very ambitious, we know exactly where we want to go, but I think it's about improving next step in front of me, make sure that we come up flying Sunday against Sunderland, look more in-sync. I think reality is it will not be perfect, but can we see good glimpses of more offensive attacking threat and get the win, that would be a step forward.

Tottenham forward Manor Solomon is set to join Serie A strugglers Fiorentina on loan for the remainder of the season with an option to buy

Tottenham attacker Manor Solomon has been pictured in new colours ahead of completing his loan switch to Fiorentina

The Israel international spent the first half of the campaign on loan in Spain with Villarreal.

However, the 26-year-old only made six La Liga appearances for the Yellow Submarine, scoring one goal and that prompted the parties to discuss an early termination of the loan.

Solomon only joined Villarreal in the final hours of the summer window after he was told he was surplus to requirements at Tottenham.

Intriguingly, he has now joined Fiorentina, who have been strongly linked with a swoop for Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici.

La Viola, currently two points adrift at the bottom of Serie A, are desperate to fight their way out of trouble as they continue to flirt with the prospect of relegation to Serie B.

Fiorentina have also been linked with a loan for Spurs' Romanian defender Radu Dragusin.

Solomon has now completed his medical tests and looks poised to join La Viola imminently. The deal is an initial loan which will also include an £8.72million buy-option.

The former Fulham starlet joined the north London club in July 2023 on a free transfer from Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.

He has made just six appearances for Spurs, however, as his fine start to the 2023-24 campaign under Ange Postecoglou was cut short by a serious knee injury.

Solomon was forced to undergo surgery on his meniscus and later came close to joining Crystal Palace last summer, only for the transfer to collapse.

The Israeli will not be the only forward to depart Spurs at the start of the January window with Brennan Johnson set to join Palace for £35million.

The Welshman is understood to have met with Eagles boss Oliver Glasner on Thursday ahead of making a final decision on a transfer.

Bournemouth, Everton and Sunderland had also shown an interest but Johnson is set to join the Eagles imminently.

Tottenham paid £47.5million to land the 24-year-old back in September 2023. He finished up as their top-goalscorer in all competitions last term with 18 - including the precious winner in the Europa League final.

There has also been loan interest in winger Mathys Tel with Roma said to be among the Frenchman's admirers.

Meanwhile, centre-back Kota Takai has sealed a season-long loan switch to Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Kota Takai has signed for Borussia Monchengladbach on loan until the end of the season.

The Japan international is yet to make a first-team appearance since signing for Spurs in the summer. His £5million move from Kawasaki Frontale was a record sale for the J-League.

After suffering with injuries, including a thigh problem, Takai returned to action last month in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient for the Under-21s. Now, he will play the second half of the season in the Bundesliga.

"Kota is a tall, physically strong centre-half who also has good pace," Borussia's Head of Sports Rouven Schroder said. "He's got what it takes to help us in the immediate future. We’re delighted to welcome our new number 14."

The defender has joined up with the Monchengladbach's warm weather winter training camp in Turkey. The German side are currently 12th in the Bundesliga table, just five points above the relegation zone.

Their next game is on January 11 against Augsburg and Takai could make his debut. They then take on Hoffenheim and Hamburger SV in quick succession.

The defender made his competitive debut in 2022 as a 17-year-old before becoming a regular for Kawasaki Frontale. After winning the 2023 Emporer's Cup and 2024 Japanese Super Cup, he made his international debut in September 2024 and has made a further three appearances.

Takai's temporary exit is Spurs' first exit this transfer window, though Brennan Johnson is anticipated to join Crystal Palace. The forward is set to join Crystal Palace after being told by Thomas Frank and sporting director Fabio Paratici that he was not part of the club's plans moving forward, football.london understands.

Johnson was Tottenham's top scorer last season with 18 goals, including the one that won the club the Europa League against Manchester United, ending a 17-year-old wait for a trophy.

The Wales international is understood to have undergone his medical on Thursday ahead of his £35million exit. He joined the North Londoners in the summer of 2023 for £47.5m from Nottingham Forest, who will reportedly receive their share of a 10 per cent sell-on clause.

Frank confirmed that Johnson's absence from the squad at Brentford was to do with the rumours around his future. Asked about the forward, he said: "Obviously there are some rumours out there and it's probably close to some of the rumours."

Thomas Frank is holding his press conference on Friday ahead of Tottenham's Premier League match against Sunderland.

The Spurs boss was only speaking last night after the dull 0-0 draw at his old side Brentford, which ended with him being booed by the travelling Tottenham supporters as he approached them after the game. Those fans had also sung throughout the night about Brennan Johnson, with last season's top scorer absent as he was tying up a £35million move to Crystal Palace after being told he was surplus to requirements.

Frank will be asked in his latest press conference about both topics, as well as the January transfer window and the latest injury news on Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski among others.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to Frank at his latest press conference. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference.

Here are our Tottenham talking points after their drab goalless draw at Brentford kicked off their Premier League fixtures in 2026

Thomas Frank ended his press conference back at his old stamping ground with a trademark glare and just two words - "Very confident".

The question had been whether those above him at Tottenham Hotspur understood his sentiments after another Spurs snooze fest had prompted him to say: "I know we'll get to where we want to go. Maybe not exactly where everyone wanted to be right now, but we'll get there."

The Dane's homecoming to the Gtech Community Stadium did not go as he had no doubt dreamed. Even when he initially came out to applaud his former supporters before the game, he emerged into the dark, in the middle of Brentford's pre-match video montage of their players.

Frank started to walk out on to the pitch and clap but realised nobody could see him in the darkness. So he had to head back to the dugout and then repeated the process when the lights came back on. He received warm applause and that was as good as it got for the 52-year-old on the night.

The Tottenham supporters need to see some light in the darkness. There's precious little to actually write about the match itself as 12th-placed Spurs visited Brentford in ninth, because so little happened.

It was one of the worst adverts for Premier League football in 2026 you could possibly find. The ball spent most of the 90-plus minutes either in the air, booted long for attackers to chase in vain or simply being given away from one side to the other.

When Guglielmo Vicario received a yellow card for time-wasting with half an hour to go and the score at 0-0, it summed up the intentions of the night.

The only moments of note were a couple of blocked Archie Gray chances - the teenager forced into a number 10 role due to Spurs' injuries and absences - as well as back-to-back VAR moments involving Cristian Romero clumsily wiping out Igor Thiago at one end before Gray was brought down in the Brentford box in a sandwich of defenders moments later.

Keith Andrews believed Romero should have been sent off, while Frank said: "I think a 50/50 with Cristian Romero on Thiago and then there was the 50/50 penalty on Archie Gray. I think if that was given, it would not be overturned."

Neither goalkeeper had much to do and on a cold night in Brentford, most of the action took place off the pitch as the travelling 1,723 Spurs fans looked to keep themselves entertained.

Within two minutes of kick-off they sang "Johnson again, ole, ole, ole" in support of last season's top scorer who is on his way to Crystal Palace on Friday in a £35million deal. The fans sang it twice more on a night when Tottenham were desperate for a goal but had a bench containing two goalkeepers and very little to change the game.

When football.london asked Frank about the absence of Brennan Johnson and his inability to really change the drab game with attacking options from a depleted bench, he simply said: "No, that's true. Yeah, that's true."

football.london reported on Thursday that Johnson had been informed on New Year's Eve by both Frank and joint sporting director Fabio Paratici that the club was going in a different direction and he was surplus to requirements as they looked to start selling players when their value was high.

There is a certain irony of course in Paratici, heavily reported to want to leave the club for a more powerful role as head of football at Fiorentina, telling anyone that they had to depart Spurs.

The decision to sell Johnson, the man who won it in Bilbao, has not gone down particularly well in a dressing room in which he was popular, particularly at a time when goals are a rare commodity for this Tottenham team.

The man Frank chose to replace Johnson - Mohammed Kudus - has bundles of talent but has scored just three goals this season from 1,812 minutes of football. Johnson has four from half that amount of pitch time.

This was another match in which Kudus lacked directness to his play, running into tangles of Brentford legs without looking up for options to pass to, if there were any.

Replacing Johnson's 25 goal involvements from last season is going to be some task for Frank but he claimed all would be fine.

"I think it's fair to say that Lucas and Xavi are hopefully soon back with the team, they are attacking options," he said. "So that's some element. Hopefully Solanke at one stage also will come back and help the team and then that should be fine.

"And then as I said, we are in the market and we are looking for everything we can to see if we can improve the squad. But it's a difficult January window and we need to be calm and take the right decisions."

Johnson will represent Spurs' third-biggest sale in the past decade, although they are still getting a fee of around £15million less than the £47.5million figure they agreed with Nottingham Forest for the 24-year-old just two-and-a-half years ago, once the reported 10 per cent sell-on clause is taken off.

As with most clubs, Tottenham may well have only paid a certain amount of that figure so far, but it's still about whether it's the right deal at the right time.

Johnson should do well at Palace although he will have had some doubts about what comes next there if Oliver Glasner does depart in the summer as many expect.

For Tottenham, the key is what they do in this transfer window. It's widely known and constantly said that January is the toughest window, with clubs reluctant to sell, but Spurs cannot come out of this period in a weaker state than they were before it.

football.london reported at the weekend that Tottenham are looking to fix the entire left-hand side of their team across the next two windows, with a left winger a priority next month as well as potentially adding a midfielder and a centre-back, if one departs.

Frank finally admitted that he hopes Dominic Solanke will return this month as he "is out there on the pitch, and part of training with the group". Perhaps it was merely an oversight, but it was noticeable that the Dane did not mention Dejan Kulusevski in his list of returning attacking players.

The Swede will provide another option down the right with Kudus when he returns as well as being able to play centrally as a 10.

Spurs will look to spend in the transfer market but their nerve and backing of Frank will be testing by the growing apathy towards him from the fanbase, which spilled over into displeasure on New Year's Day.

The travelling fans hoping for a 'new year, new Tottenham', soon realised this match was going to bring more of the turgid football of recent weeks, particularly with a midfield of the defensive pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur with teenager Archie Gray desperately trying to make something happen out of his normal position.

There's of course the irony that had Johnson been available then Kudus could have moved inside - the Ghanaian enjoys playing as a 10 - and both could have been fitted into the team. It's been tried once before but never really given a chance to settle.

On Thursday night, the Tottenham fans began to make it clear how they felt about this current iteration of their team.

They began singing "boring, boring Tottenham" before bursting out into chants for numerous nostalgic figures from the past in Dele Alli, former manager Martin Jol, Ledley King, Mousa Dembele, Aaron Lennon and even former centre-back Eric Dier got a chorus among others.

The message was clear and they again sang "boring, boring Tottenham" even louder as the game reached its final stages.

Then came Frank's difficult moment with them after the final whistle. The Spurs players had gone over to the travelling faithful without getting too close, only for the Dane to then come over and walk past them, followed by a Sky cameraman, applauding the away support.

The reaction was instantaneous as the bulk of those 1,700 away fans booed the Tottenham head coach loudly. After a moment and a stern look, he turned and walked back across the same pitch where he was mostly adored for nine years.

It was a tough moment for Frank and further evidence that the Tottenham fans just have not taken to him yet, if they will at all. He remains steadfast in his belief that the club must stick to a long-term plan for once and fix the mess created by constantly chopping and changing.

Johnson himself is a victim of that, a big money signing already deemed surplus to requirements because of the biennial change of manager and style at Spurs.

So there's logic in the long-term message from Frank but the Dane must do more to connect with the supporters to ensure the powers-that-be at Tottenham can remain confident that they are spending money based on the right man's decisions this month.

That connection must come first on the pitch, for like his predecessor Ange Postecoglou, Frank will not be allowed excuses for bad football because of a lack of available players. The Australian was initially given that leeway by the club last season until he decided to prioritise one competition over another and if you'll pardon the expression, dared and did.

Frank also needs to connect more with his messages to the fans. He's following a man who was able to keep a modicum of support at all times, even after daft moments like cupping his ears at the travelling supporters, because of his ability to communicate.

Frank is a likeable character but when the cameras are on, he has a more direct, Scandinavian way of speaking, giving the reality without any sugar-coating and combined with a contrasting and somewhat enforced way of speaking about long-term injuries because of the difficulties of respecting patient confidentiality. Overall it's not what Tottenham fans want to hear, especially if they're not seeing signs of progress.

football.london asked Frank what he made of being booed by the fans at the end of the game.

"I think they seemed like they were not too satisfied and it's fair when we don't hit that top performance overall, but I think it's double-sided because what we need to understand is the acknowledgement of the defensive side of the game, which we've done excellent today against a team that just scored three against Liverpool, three against Man Utd, so on and so on," he said.

"But of course the offensive part needs to be better. There's no two ways about that."

He added: "Of course we need to play, it's not that we don't want to play offensive or attacking football. I just think when we're not, how can you say, on the top of the game we would like to be, we work very, very hard on that, but while you work hard on that you can't, if you struggle scoring goals, let's say that, or create enough chances, you can't open up too much because then you need to score too many goals. So it's a fine balance.

"You'd prefer everyone is happy and we're winning 3-0. I think the understanding of where we are right now, as a team, and as a club, that's the transparent view of it.

"We have to play with Archie as a 10 - or I decided to do that - we did a little bit different at the end of the game. That's just step by step, we do those things. I'm very confident we will make it fluent and better and scoring enough goals. But with the amount of games and limited training times and the right offensive players available, that's part of it, it's no problem."

He was asked whether he believes the supporters need to be more understanding.

"That question is very difficult for me to answer, going off a few boos after the game, and as I say, I'm not really reading anything on social media, or articles or all that," he said. "I watch the team. I'm very aware that we are not where I want us to be. Very aware.

"This league is so tight. Just look at the results today and two days ago. So tight, so even. Small margins that change games. We put a lot of foundation work into those two performances and competitiveness you need to have in the team. Then we need to add the next layers. It's not that we're not working on it. It is what it is. I know we'll get to where we want to go. Maybe not exactly where everyone wanted to be right now. But we'll get there."

Then came the question about whether he was confident the people above him understood that as well.

With those two words "very confident" he summed up what is believed to be the mood inside the club.

The powers-that-be will have to trust the process they took after sacking Postecoglou. Spurs used data modelling to identify 50 coaches that would suit what they were looking for and drew up a list of 10 criteria for prospective candidates, including a track record of playing attractive football, developing young players and good communication skills with the media as just three of them.

The supporters will point out that other than finally using Archie Gray in the midfield, none of those three criteria have been realised as of yet under Frank.

He was chosen from a shortlist of four candidates and Tottenham will have to back their own judgement despite the disgruntlement of the supporters otherwise the whole process cannot be trusted.

There is noise outside the club but less so inside it. However, that noise outside is going to continue to get louder if the attacking edge to performances does not improve rapidly.

Sunday brings promoted Sunderland to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, punching above their weight despite a whole host of missing players. If the away fans turn then you can only imagine the noise to come if Spurs do not look to create and score goals against the Black Cats.

Frank's men remain top of the away form table at this point while lying 17th in the home one. 2026 began with the Dane rightly praising his defence for another clean sheet, but there was nothing happening beyond them.

The fans need something to hold on to, something tangible to show why this latest version of Tottenham Hotspur should be the one to build upon. It needs to come soon for the noise can only be shut out for so long.

Tottenham retain an interest in signing Manchester City winger Savinho, who was forced off during the 0-0 draw at Sunderland on New Year's Day

Tottenham's hopes of signing Savinho this month have been dented after Pep Guardiola hinted the Brazilian could be set for a spell on the sidelines.

The 21-year-old made only his fifth Premier League start of the season on Thursday as Manchester City were held to a goalless draw at Sunderland.

However, Savinho was unable to finish the match and was forced off in the second half due to an injury issue.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola said: "With Savinho, it doesn't look good I would say."

With Omar Marmoush currently at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, it seems unlikely City will consider significantly weakening their squad during this month's transfer window.

The key stipulation is that Antoine Semenyo is still expected to arrive from Bournemouth for £65million and that could mean there is scope to let one winger leave.

Oscar Bobb, however, is currently considered the favourite to depart as there have already been discussions with Borussia Dortmund.

During the summer, Savinho is believed to have been open to a move to Spurs but City blocked a deal.

While Savinho has remained on the fringes of Guardiola's starting XI, the club still have huge faith in his quality and believe he will become a world-beater in the future.

Tottenham were ready to pay big cash to land the ex-Girona attacker but even now, there is lingering doubt as to whether City would sanction a sale even if Spurs returned to the table.

With Brennan Johnson set to join Crystal Palace for £35million, Thomas Frank's side will definitely be in the market for wide reinforcements.

It seems improbable they would have pushed so hard to sell Johnson if they did not plan on bringing in another player.

The Welshman finished up as the club's top-goalscorer last season, netting 18 in all competitions but has persistently been overlooked by under-fire boss Frank.

Speaking after the 0-0 draw at his former club Brentford, Frank was asked whether he was comfortable with the attacking options within his squad, to which he replied: "I think it's fair to say that Lucas [Bergvall] and Xavi [Simons] are hopefully soon back with the team, that are attacking options. So that's some element.

"Hopefully [Dominic] Solanke at one stage also will come back and help the team and then that should be fine. And then as I said, we are in the market and we are looking for everything we can to see if we can improve the squad. But it's a difficult January window and we need to be calm and make the right decisions."