Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur are a club who are looking to reach the next level under the guidance of Thomas Frank, with the first-team making huge strides since his appointment.

The Dane has largely worked with the players already at his disposal in North London, but he has also delved into the transfer market to bolster his chances of success in the role.

He spent over £100m on new additions during his first window, with Mohammed Kudus already having a huge impact during his first handful of Premier League outings.

The Ghanaian may have cost £55m in the summer, but he’s been worth every penny, as seen by his tally of one goal and four assists - with the latter the joint-highest of any player in the division.

With the January transfer window rapidly approaching on the horizon, the board and manager will be hoping that any new additions could follow in the same vein in North London.

Spurs’ hunt for added signings in the January window

Over the last couple of weeks, a new striker has been firmly in Spurs’ sights, which has led to numerous names being linked with a winter move to join the Lilywhites.

Dušan Vlahović is just one name on their shortlist, with returning Sporting Director Fabio Paratici no doubt playing a key role given his previous stint at Juventus.

He’s not alone in their sights for a new talisman, as Porto star Samu Aghehowa is also another option, but he could be slightly realistic given the £87m release clause within his current contract.

Other areas of the pitch are also being subject to potential investment, with the winger department also one of interest - leading to Brentford star Kevin Schade being named as one target.

According to CaughtOffside, Paratici is already working on a potential deal for the German, who joined the Bees back in 2023 under Frank’s tenure at the helm.

Another report states that Keith Andrews’ side are reluctant to offload the 23-year-old in the coming months, but could listen to offers in the region of €55m (£48m) for his signature.

Why Spurs’ £48m target could end Johnson’s Spurs career

Brennan Johnson’s time at Spurs has been a rollercoaster to say the least, with the winger often a hugely inconsistent figure within the Spurs first-team.

He joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, but came under huge fire from the fanbase for his lack of impact in the first 12 months in North London.

However, his Europa League-winning goal and total of 18 efforts last year subsequently papered over the cracks of his career with the Lilywhites - as seen during the early stages of 2025/26.

The Welsh international has since dropped down the pecking order after Kudus’ arrival, often showing he can’t be relied upon to provide the goods by Frank.

His latest showing showcased his struggles, as Johnson scored the opener against FC Copenhagen, but was subsequently sent off for a rash tackle in the second half.

The manager will no doubt be disappointed with the winger after his actions in the Champions League, which in turn could only fuel rumours over a winter move to land Schade.

When comparing the German’s stats with those of Johnson from the ongoing campaign, he’s managed to outperform him in key areas, which could push the Welshman further down the pecking order.

Schade, who’s been labelled a “world-beater” by Dietmar Hamann, has already achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Premier League this season.

He’s also placed more of his shots on target so far in 2025/26, arguably making him a more efficient and effective option within in the final third for Frank in North London.

The German’s talents are further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and tally of key passes completed per 90 - subsequently offering the Lilywhites a phenomenal creative outlet.

His creativity, coupled with his goalscoring prowes,s could make Schade an excellent addition, potentially putting an end to Johnson’s spell at the club as a result.

Frank’s previous stint working with the youngster could also hand the manager another reason to prioritise him over Johnson, with the Dane having the keys to unlocking Schade’s success.

At just 23, he has bags of time to improve in the years ahead, potentially replacing Johnson and playing a key role in any success during the Frank reign at Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured an impressive start to life under Thomas Frank over the last couple of months, as seen by the club’s current sixth-place standing in the Premier League.

The Dane took the reins from Ange Postecoglou during the summer and has made an immediate impact in changing the Lilywhites’ fortunes within the final third of the pitch.

His side have already found the back of the net on 17 occasions in the first ten outings of the campaign, with such a tally being the fourth best of any team in the division at present.

The goals have been massively spread out across the first-team squad, with nine players already getting themselves on the scoresheet in England’s top-flight in 2025/26.

Centre-back Micky van de Ven and centre-forward Richarlison are currently sitting at the top of the goalscoring charts on three goals, but the latter has failed to score in any of his last five league outings.

Whilst Frank’s men have impressed during the early stages of the current campaign, their tallies within the final third will no doubt have been massively boosted if they had one player at their disposal.

Bukayo Saka’s record against Spurs & how he compares to other PL wingers

Winger Bukayo Saka has been a player Spurs supporters have no doubt envied over the last few years, with the attacker often providing the goods for bitter North London rivals, Arsenal.

The England international has netted a combined 100 goals and assists in the Premier League throughout his professional career, numerous of which have come against the Lilywhites.

Many of his efforts have directly affected the Spurs faithful, even coming up with goods in the North London Derby and securing countless victories for Mikel Arteta’s side.

After his breakthrough in 2020, the Arsenal star has featured against Spurs on ten separate occasions, subsequently being on the winning side in 60% of the outings.

Saka has also found the back of the net five times against the Lilywhites, with his last strike in such a fixture coming in September 2024, subsequently securing a 1-0 triumph for the Gunners.

In 2025/26, the 24-year-old has only netted twice in the Premier League, but his underlying stats highlight the top-level quality the winger possesses within the final third.

He’s completed 2.4 successful take-ons per 90 to date, a tally that has placed the Englishman in the top 10% of all players in England’s top-flight at present.

Saka has also achieved an average of 31.4 touches in the final third and 3.1 carries into the final third per 90, with both figures ranking him in the top 5% in the Premier League for 2025/26.

Such numbers further reaffirm the 24-year-old’s talent within attacking areas, with Frank no doubt wishing he had his own version of the winger within his own first-team ranks.

The Spurs star who’s similar to Saka & better than Johnson

Brennan Johnson was seen as a huge investment for Spurs in the summer of 2023, after the hierarchy forked out a staggering £47.5m for the attacker’s signature from Nottingham Forest.

Eyebrows were raised at the time, given the nature of the transfer fee, but a couple of years on from his switch to North London, he’s been unable to match the expectations that were placed upon him.

The Welsh international may have scored 18 times in all competitions last campaign, but his performances left a lot to be desired - even being subject to abuse from supporters on social media.

Johnson was responsible for one of the club’s biggest moments in recent history, as he netted the winner against Manchester United in the Europa League final back in May 2025.

Frank’s arrival could have handed the 24-year-old a new lease of life, especially after the Dane previously tried to land his services during his time as Brentford manager.

However, despite netting two goals in each of the first two league games of the season, he’s since dropped down the pecking order, often being unreliable when called upon by the manager.

Such a situation was apparent in the recent clash with FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, where Johnson found the back of the net, but was also sent off after a reckless challenge.

His drop down the pecking order has no doubt been as a result of the summer addition of Mohammed Kudus, with the Ghanaian joining the Lilywhites in a £55m transfer during the off-season.

The 25-year-old has cemented his place on the right-hand side in the starting eleven, already registering one goal and four assists in the Premier League to date.

Kudus, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, netted his first goal against Leeds United, with such a performance seeing the attacker attempt six take-ons - leading to Ben Mattinson claiming he’s “very similar to Saka”.

Given the levels he’s produced in recent weeks, Frank has certainly made the right call in opting to utilise Kudus over Johnson, with the Ghanaian massively outperforming the Welshman this campaign.

Alongside the better tally of combined goals and assists at present, he’s also achieved more progressive passes and carries per 90 - offering Frank’s men a more all-round presence with the ball at his feet.

His chance creation is further highlighted in his higher tally of passes completed and key passes registered per 90 - numbers which have seen him notch the joint-highest assist tally of any player in the division.

Other areas, such as more take-ons and crosses completed, further highlighted his ability to cause carnage to the opposition - similarly to how Saka has for Arsenal in recent years.

After Kudus' immediate impact in North London, there’s no reason why he can’t be the club’s own version of the Englishman - especially after Mattinson’s praise and comparisons.

Should the winger continue on his current trajectory under Frank at Spurs, he certainly could play a huge part in any future success and help the club reach the next level domestically and continentally.

Tottenham are emerging as prime contenders to sign an Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck after West Ham saw a bid rejected for the player last summer, according to a new report.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank is now just under two months away from his January at the club, and the winter is also set to mark Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange's first transfer window as co-sporting directors.

Paratici assisted Lange, Frank, CEO Vinai Venkatesham and ex-chair Daniel Levy during the summer window in an advisory capacity, and worked regularly as an outside consultant for the club since he was forced to resign from his post as managing director in 2023.

The Italian was repeatedly linked with a return to N17 once his worldwide FIFA ban came to an end this year, but Levy's departure briefly threatened Paratici's Tottenham comeback given the chiefs were close allies during their time together at Spurs.

However, Venkatesham and co elected to re-hire Paratici after all, with the 53-year-old set to partner Lange as the Lilywhites officials take on very different sporting director roles.

While Lange will mainly oversee the talent spotting, scouting, academy and data-driven recruitment side of things, Paratici is tasked as Spurs' dealmaker to get high-profile signings over the line — using his renowned negotiating skills and extensive contact list (Sky Sports).

It's poised to be a very intriguing January with this restructured leadership model, and reports suggest that Paratici is already "working behind the scenes" on a few key Tottenham targets like Brentford star Kevin Schade.

It is also believed by some media sources that Spurs are keen to bring in a new centre-back at the turn of the year, having reportedly considered late summer moves for the likes of Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji.

Radu Dragusin could be back in action after the November international break as he nears the end of his recovery from an ACL injury, with the Romanian unable to feature since their Europa League clash against Elfsborg last January.

Kevin Danso has impressed as a reliable deputy for Cristian Romero when needed as well, but it will be a while before Dragusin is a reliable option once again and a serious injury to star man Micky van de Ven would spell disaster.

As such, it is little surprise that the north Londoners are considering their long-term options at centre-half, and Inter's Bisseck is apparently an option for them.

Yann Bisseck increasingly keen to join Tottenham after rejected West Ham bid

The one-cap Germany international, who has been in and out of Cristian Chivu's starting elevens so far this season, was subject to a rejected bid from West Ham in the summer window, but a Premier League move could still be on the cards for him.

That is according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that Bisseck and his camp are growing intrigued by the prospect of joining Tottenham, with Inter pondering the defender's sale as they look to raise transfer funds.

The towering 6 foot 4 centre-half was a regular under Simone Inzaghi last term, making 46 appearances in all competitions — even chipping in going forward with three goals and three assists.

Bisseck has a desire to test himself in England, but he'll have to settle for playing second fiddle to the likes of Romero and van de Ven, who are currently one of the best centre-back partnerships in England.

The former Aarhus sensation has been called a "diamond" by members of the Italian press, with reports in the summer even claiming that the Nerazzurri wanted as much as £44 million to consider a sale.

Even with Tottenham's £100 million of new injected capital via the Lewis family, which could be reinvested into the club's recruitment strategy, it is very debatable whether Spurs would be willing to cough up such a fee on a back-up defender.

Price will be a major factor here, with the player's willingness apparently there.

Liverpool have now reportedly taken their first step in the race to sign Bundesliga defender Konstantinos Koulierakis, who has been compared to Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven.

The Reds have been back to their best in the last week, beating Aston Villa to end a four-game losing run in the Premier League before suffocating Real Madrid at Anfield to stop the rot once and for all. Victory over the Spanish giants certainly came at a good time too, with a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City now awaiting Arne Slot's side this Sunday.

The Dutchman spoke about the Real Madrid win and looked ahead to Liverpool's clash against Man City this weekend, telling reporters: "It was impressive because we played against an incredible side that is in an unbelievable run of form. So to beat them is very positive but we can say we beat them because of a set piece. We have scored four in the Champions League.

"If we had scored as many in the Premier League we would have more points than we have now, but we have scored none and conceded five. If that is your balance you are not going to pick up many points.

“Sunday is another game coming up against a very strong team. We have lost too many points in the Premier League but in the Champions League we are doing well. We need to do better and that is what we are going to try and there’s a lot of games coming up for us to show that.”

Meanwhile, as they return to winning ways on the pitch, those at Anfield have reportedly taken their first step towards what would be quite the win away from the action.

Liverpool take first step in Koulierakis race

As reported by The Boot Room's Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now sent scouts to watch Konstantinos Koulierakis, who has been compared to Spurs' Van de Ven. The latest Wolfsburg defender to impress, Koulierakis is still just 21 years old and standing out despite his side's poor start to the Bundesliga campaign.

The Greek defender wouldn't be the first centre-back to swap Wolfsburg for the Premier League, either. Of course, Van de Ven is now thriving at Spurs and Maxence Lacroix is also a stand-out at Crystal Palace these days. Now, Koulierakis could be the next in line to make the switch and to the biggest club yet in Liverpool.

Described as "powerful" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Koulierakis could end Liverpool's search for a centre-back in 2026 and act as an immediate replacement for Ibrahima Konate if the Frenchman fails to sign a new deal at the club.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is apparently making plans for the possible arrival of Brentford forward Kevin Schade as new co-sporting director Fabio Paratici works on a deal behind-closed-doors.

The 23-year-old, who was signed by Frank in a £22 million deal from SC Freiburg just over two years ago, has gone on to seriously impress at the G-tech Community Stadium.

Schade initially joined on loan in January 2023, but after Brentford made his stay permanent, the German sought to repay their faith.

While he missed almost the entirety of his full debut campaign with a hip adductor injury, Schade fired back to full form and fitness in 2024/2025 — bagging 12 goals and three assists in all competitions under Frank whilst playing in every single Premier League match for them.

The former Bundesliga sensation is already off the mark and running for Keith Andrews' new-look Brentford side this season too, and he's now attracting serious attention from N17.

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg recently, Tottenham are among the teams keeping close tabs on Schade, and the Germany international is "one to watch" this season with his contract expiring in under three years.

Frank's obvious tie with Schade from their time together at Brentford has also led to speculation that Spurs could try their luck at a January deal.

“Kevin Schade is somebody the manager knows inside out,” ex-senior Tottenham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider recently.

“He’s had him before and worked with him closely, so he will know what his strengths and limitations are and how he would fit into this Tottenham team.

“So if he thinks he’s the type of player who would improve them, he’ll be pushing for the club to go out and sign him in January."

This is now backed up by an intriguing update via CaughtOffside and journalist Mark Brus, who shared what Frank has now got in mind for Schade at Tottenham.

What Frank has "already" planned for Schade at Tottenham

Quoting multiple sources of his, Brus claims that Frank has "already planned how he’d slot into the system" for Spurs, with another source reporting "Paratici is working behind the scenes" on a deal.

Another source adds that Tottenham see Schade as the "perfect profile" to come in and bolster Frank's attacking options.

However, this all being said, the Bees are known to be stubborn negotiators and have placed a £48 million price tag on the forward's head as we slowly enter 2026.

Frank, amid his wave of injury problems, still has Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison yet to return, and once they come back, it'll be difficult to see where Schade could fit in given their current wide options.

Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson, Mathys Tel, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus also stand out among their crop right now, with Mikey Moore also to return from his loan spell at Rangers at the end of the season.

Spurs arguably have more pressing matters to deal with, like their potential need for a reliable striker.

Paratici and co-director Johan Lange have been linked with a move for Brentford's Ivan Toney or Juventus star Dušan Vlahović amid the uncertainty surrounding Richarlison's future and Dominic Solanke's fitness woes.

That being said, if Frank is indeed already making plans to slot Schade into his Spurs setup, the Dane appears to be serious.

Tottenham Hotspur recorded possibly their most impressive win of the season on Tuesday night as they beat Copenhagen 4-0 with ten men in the Champions League.

Thomas Frank's side hit a seasonal high of eight 'big chances' created throughout the game, which shows that they were incredibly effective offensively.

Micky van de Ven scored the pick of the goals with his incredible solo run from one box to the other to score his sixth goal of the season, making him the club's top goalscorer in all competitions.

Randal Kolo Muani led the line for Spurs as their number nine and was unable to get on the scoresheet, but he did provide an assist for Wilson Odobert's goal.

The PSG loanee has yet to score in seven appearances for the club, per Sofascore, and has missed three 'big chances' in front of goal in that time.

It, therefore, remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to retain his starting spot once Dominic Solanke is fit and available for action.

Why Dominic Solanke may be on borrowed time at Spurs

The England international has been out of action since August with an ankle injury, and is expected to be back and available for selection by the end of November.

Solanke will have to compete with Richarlison and Kolo Muani for a place in the starting line-up when he is back, and he may need to improve upon his form from his first season with the club.

The Lilywhites made him their club-record signing for a fee of £65m when they signed him from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, but he has yet to justify that outlay.

Solanke scored 16 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which was a decent return. However, his performances in the Premier League left a little bit to be desired.

As you can see in the table above, the English centre-forward underperformed his xG by roughly two goals and missed three more 'big chances' than goals scored.

A goal every 245 minutes for a club-record signing, who should be in the prime of his career at 27, does not suggest that Spurs have had much value for money so far.

Football Insider recently reported that Frank has been disappointed with the striker's performances and injury problems, which does not bode well for his future in North London.

That report and Solanke's underwhelming statistics, given the money paid for him, suggest that he may be on borrowed time with the Lilywhites.

Kolo Muani's start to life in England has been fairly unimpressive, with no goals in seven games, but Spurs do have another striker on the way who could end Solanke's career in North London.

Why Mason Melia could end Dominic Solanke's Spurs career

Frank will have a decision to make on the teenage marksman for the second half of the season, because he will have the option to bring the Irishman into the first-team squad.

Given that the Danish head coach is reportedly unimpressed by Solanke, the January transfer window would also provide Spurs with an opportunity to shuffle the pack by attempting to move their club-record signing on from the club.

With Kolo Muani and Richarlison already at the club, Melia's arrival at the start of 2026 would mean that Frank has enough options in the number nine position to part ways with the English striker.

Whether or not Melia is ready to make the step up to the Premier League with Spurs remains to be seen, but his performances at a young age in Ireland have been impressive.

The 18-year-old marksman, who only turned 18 in September, has scored 25 goals in 98 appearances in all competitions for St. Patrick's Athletic at first-team level to date, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has plenty of senior experience despite his age.

Melia's composure in the clip above for one of his goals against Cork City is evidence that he has maturity and composure that belies his years. This suggests that he may be able to handle the pressure that would come with stepping into the first-team with Spurs next year.

As you can see in the table above, the teenage centre-forward has scored 13 league goals for his club in the 2025 campaign, averaging a goal every 199 minutes, which is more impressive than Solanke's aforementioned minutes per goal rate last season in the Premier League.

Melia, who was described as "relentless" and a "hidden gem" by analyst Ben Mattinson, has yet to prove himself in a major league, like the Premier League, but his goal output and composure at such a young age in Ireland are incredibly promising.

Tottenham clearly saw big potential in him, hence why they agreed to sign the forward in February, and Frank will have the chance to assess him up close in January when he arrives in North London.

If Melia is able to impress the manager and fight for a place in the first-team squad, it could be the end of Solanke's career at North London, for all the reasons mentioned above.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank will have been left delighted by the creativity and bravery that his team showed in their 4-0 win over Copenhagen on Tuesday night.

The Lilywhites were down to ten men for most of the second half after Brennan Johnson was sent off, but managed to score another two goals after that.

They should have had a fifth goal late on when Richarlison stepped up from the penalty spot, only for the Brazil international's effort to come crashing back off the woodwork.

Tottenham created more 'big chances' (eight) than they have in any other match in any competition in the 2025/26 campaign against the Danish side, which is why Frank should be incredibly pleased with his team's display.

The former Brentford head coach will also be delighted with the continued form of central defender Micky van de Ven, who stepped up to score yet again.

No Spurs player has scored more goals than the former Wolfsburg star in all competitions this season (six) per Transfermarkt, which may draw some comparisons to a player from another team in North London.

How Micky van de Ven is becoming Tottenham's most important player

The Netherlands international is quickly becoming Tottenham's most important player because of how crucial he is to the team both defensively and offensively.

Of course, as a centre-back, Van de Ven's primary objective is to prevent the opposition from scoring. Spurs have only conceded eight goals in ten Premier League matches, with the Dutchman starting all ten games.

Per Sofascore, the left-footed defender has won 61% of his ground duels in the division, which speaks to his physical dominance on the deck, and that has played a part in the team's impressive defensive record.

It would be impossible to speak about Van de Ven without mentioning his incredible goalscoring exploits, though, including his stunning goal in the win over Copenhagen.

As aforementioned, the Dutch star is the club's top goalscorer in all competitions, which could draw comparison to Arsenal centre-back Gabriel, who has scored 22 goals for the Gunners in 226 matches, per Transfermarkt.

As you can see in the table above, Van de Ven is the top-scoring central defender in the Premier League so far this season, with two more goals than Gabriel.

These statistics show that he has been influential at both ends of the pitch for Spurs, which is why he is becoming Frank's most important player.

However, whilst Van de Ven does share some similarities with Gabriel, there is another Tottenham central defender who could be Frank's own version of the Arsenal star.

Why Luka Vuskovic can be Tottenham's own Gabriel

Like both Gabriel and Van de Ven, the Croatian youngster has shown that he can provide a threat as a goalscorer, with seven goals at club level in all competitions since the start of last season, per Sofascore.

On top of those competitive goals, the teenage starlet also scored for Spurs in pre-season against Reading earlier this year before his move to Hamburg on loan.

Vuskovic, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed is "turning into a Goal Machine", has the potential to provide a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, as much as a centre-back can, for Tottenham in the future after his loan spell in Germany.

However, it is in his defensive work that he could be most like Gabriel for the Lilywhites, because he has been in phenomenal form as a defensive force for Hamburg in the Bundesliga so far this term.

Vuskovic's performance against Union Berlin at the end of September was particularly eye-catching, as he set a Bundesliga record for aerial duels won in a game over the past decade.

For all of Van de Ven's positive attributes, the Dutchman has lost 54% of his aerial duels and only won 1.3 aerial duels per game in the Premier League this season.

Meanwhile, Gabriel has won 60% of his aerial duels and won 3.3 per game, as a dominant player in the air, for Arsenal, per Sofascore, which suggests that the Brazilian has the beating of him in that area of the game.

As you can see in the table above, Vuskovic has been unbelievably dominant aerially in the Bundesliga in the 2025/26 campaign, and has outperformed Van de Ven in a host of defensive metrics.

This suggests that the Croatian defender has the potential to come in and offer even more to Spurs than the Dutchman as a centre-back, as he can carry as much of a threat offensively whilst being more effective defensively, particularly in the air.

Given how important Van de Ven currently is to Tottenham and Frank, this speaks to just how exciting Vuskovic is as a prospect for the club moving forward, as he has the potential to be their own version of Gabriel.

Tottenham have now been told what it's going to take to strike a January deal for Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, following the player's alleged talks with former boss Thomas Frank.

Spurs' immediate need for a new centre-forward might dwindle in the eyes of some once Dominic Solanke returns to full fitness, with Randal Kolo Muani also steadily getting up to speed after spending most of this season out injured.

Kolo Muani notched an impressive assist against FC Copenhagen in Spurs' last outing, but missed glorious chances to double the home side's lead, much to the bewilderment of Xavi Simons, who put the ball on a plate for the Frenchman twice.

However, while Kolo Muani earned Frank's praise for his overall display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is important to remember that the 27-year-old is only on a dry loan and there is no guarantee he stays beyond 2025/2026.

Meanwhile, Richarlison has been heavily criticised for his form lately, and his abject penalty miss against Copenhagen, immediately after taking the ball off Dane Scarlett, best sums up the Brazilian's woes right now.

According to some reports, with his contract expiring in 2027, Richarlison could well leave Tottenham in January and there are suggestions that he would jump at the chance to re-join Everton.

However, any transfer for the 28-year-old may well hinge on Spurs finding a winter replacement.

Depending on developments surrounding Richarlison and the long-term future of Kolo Muani, Tottenham could suddenly find themselves needing a new number nine after all.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Toney is being linked as one of their many potential options alongside the likes of Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.

Vlahovic's deal expires at the end of this season and Tottenham have reportedly spoken to his representatives about a move, while Frank is believed to have reached out to Toney personally.

The former Brentford star, who scored 20 Premier League goals during his best campaign under Frank, has scored for fun in Saudi Arabia with 41 goals in just 59 total appearances.

However, ever since his switch to the Gulf, Toney has largely been excluded from the Three Lions squad, bar one call-up earlier this year for games against Andorra and Senegal.

The 29-year-old will be eager to challenge for a place in Thomas Tuchel's plans, but he may have to consider a return to England for this to be possible.

Tottenham told Ivan Toney deal conditions after Frank talks

According to TEAMtalk, Frank has indeed held 'direct talks' with Toney about a possible move to Tottenham in the new year.

The Saudi Pro League side, who are still unbeaten this season, lie eight points behind table-toppers Al-Nassr and could be very reluctant to part company with their star striker.

However, they would entertain talks on a few key conditions.

Al-Ahli value Toney at around £30 million for a permanent January deal, but suitors are said to be 'baulking' at this asking price, while the player himself faces a hefty tax bill if he departs Saudi for good just under two years after arriving, meaning a loan to buy is the most likely solution.

Making this option an obligation could apparently sweeten the deal and obtain Al-Ahli's green light, with Tottenham now 'leading the race' to sign Toney ahead of the window's reopening.

The Lilywhites apparently view him as the 'ideal' solution to potentially replace Richarlison, and Frank's strong relationship with Toney hands Tottenham a secret weapon to beat off competition for his signature.

The Spurs boss has made no secret of his admiration for Toney, though, once branding him the 'number two' striker in England.

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways on Tuesday night when they secured an impressive 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League, after their defeat to Chelsea at the weekend.

Thomas Frank's side put in, arguably, their best performance of the 2025/26 campaign as they created a whopping eight 'big chances' to find the back of the net.

That is the most 'big chances' the Lilywhites have created in a single game under the former Brentford head coach, per Sofascore, and they did so despite going down to ten men when Brennan Johnson was sent off.

Spurs are yet to find consistency in their creative play in the Premier League, though, as they rank 12th for 'big chances' created (17) and 15th for xG (10.1), per Sofascore and FBref.

Frank needs to find a way for his team to create chances in the way that they did against Copenhagen on a regular basis in the Premier League to improve those rankings.

The North London outfit rarely used to have a problem with creating chances when they had Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen in their side.

Why Spurs need their next Christian Eriksen

The Lilywhites need their next version of the Denmark international, who is currently at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, because he provided a consistent creative presence in the middle of the park.

Signed from Ajax in 2013, Eriksen hit double figures for assists in four of his seven Premier League campaigns with Spurs, per Transfermarkt, which speaks to his consistency in the final third.

The right-footed playmaker produced 69 goals and 88 assists in 305 matches for the club in total before his departure in the summer of 2020. He offered a goalscoring threat to go along with his impressive creativity.

The former Manchester United central midfielder is, undoubtedly, one of the most creative players to have worn a Spurs shirt in the Premier League era.

Only Heung-min Son (71) has assisted more Premier League goals for Tottenham than Eriksen (63), but he played 107 more matches to assist eight more goals, per Transfermarkt.

Eriksen's eye for a pass and ability to execute all kinds of passes made him a constant threat with the ball at his feet and a joy to play with for any forward with intelligent movement, because they knew that he would be able to find them.

The Danish maestro had the quality to create high-quality chances on a regular basis, as evidenced by his impressive assist haul for the club, and that is what Spurs need in the Premier League in the present day.

Frank, though, does have a player within his Tottenham squad who has the potential to be Eriksen 2.0 for the Lilywhites this season, and beyond.

Dutch attacking midfielder Xavi Simons put in an impressive performance against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and showed that he does have the quality to be the club's next Eriksen if he can add consistency to his performances.

Why Xavi Simons can be Tottenham's new Christian Eriksen

The Netherlands international created three 'big chances' in the first half of the 4-0 win, the most by any Spurs player in a Champions League match for the best part of a decade.

Per Sofascore, the former RB Leipzig star ended the night with four key passes, three 'big chances' created, and one assist in 61 minutes of action, before he was withdrawn after Brennan Johnson's red card.

The Dutchman registered his assist by playing a brilliant through ball for Johnson to race onto and slot into an empty net after dribbling past the goalkeeper.

After the win over Copenhagen, Spurs writer and content creator Mitch Fretton claimed that Xavi is "going to be an elite player for Tottenham", and it is hard to disagree with that assessment, despite his rocky start in the Premier League.

The £52m signing from RB Leipzig has yet to set the world alight since his move from Germany, as he has produced no goals and one assist in the top-flight so far.

As you can see in the table above, Xavi has yet to provide consistent quality in the final third in the Premier League, but his performance against Copenhagen was a glimpse at what he can produce at his best.

The 22-year-old star assisted 11 goals in 48 matches for PSV and racked up 24 assists in 78 appearances for RB Leipzig, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has provided consistent quality as a creator for his previous clubs.

Xavi also scored 22 goals each for PSV and RB Leipzig in that time, before his move to Spurs, and can offer a threat as a scorer as well as being a creator when he is on form.

Frank will now be hoping that his brilliant creative display against Copenhagen will allow him to kick on and make an impact in the final third on a consistent basis.

If the Dutch playmaker can replicate the level of consistency he showed at PSV and Leipzig, Spurs could unlock their next version of Eriksen in the middle of the park.

Tottenham Hotspur produced one of their best performances of the 2025/26 campaign on Tuesday night when they smashed Copenhagen 4-0 in the Champions League.

Thomas Frank's side strolled to a comfortable victory in North London, despite Brennan Johnson's second-half red card, and could have had a fifth when Richarlison missed a penalty late on.

The pick of the goals on the night was, undoubtably, the unbelievable solo run from central defender Micky van de Ven, which will

surely be in contention for the Goal of the Season award next year.

In terms of performances, Dutch attacking midfielder Xavi Simons will be pleased with his personal contribution after an impressive outing.

How Xavi Simons may have kickstarted his season

The £52m summer signing from RB Leipzig ended a run of 11 matches without a goal contribution in all competitions for Spurs with his assist for Johnson's opening goal.

Xavi played a brilliant pass through to the Wales international, which allowed him to slot into an empty net after rounding the goalkeeper, and that was his second assist of the season.

The Netherlands international created three 'big chances' for the team in total, per Sofascore, and was the first Spurs player to create three chances in a Champions League half since the 2016/17 campaign.

Xavi, now, needs to use this impressive performance as a platform to kick on and provide consistency on a regular basis for the Lilywhites.

The Dutchman was not the only star player who could use Tuesday night's match as a platform, though, as Wilson Odobert had his best night for the club.

Why Copenhagen was Wilson Odobert's best performance for Spurs

Since his move to Spurs from Burnley in the summer of 2024, Odobert has only managed two goals and no assists in the Premier League and the Champions League, with the second of those two goals coming against Copenhagen.

The French winger, who earned the same player rating (8/10) as Xavi from GOAL, remained incredibly composed to finish his chance, as shown in the clip above, when it would have been easy to snatch at it or try to smash it towards goal.

On top of scoring, the former Burnley man also completed three dribbles and created one chance, per Sofascore, which speaks to how direct and effective he was with the ball at his feet.

The Athletic's Jay Harris suggested it was his "best performance in a Spurs shirt", and that is hard to argue with, when compared to the only other game in the Premier League or Champions League that he has contributed to a goal in.

As you can see in the table above, Odobert was better in duels, as a dribbler, as a creator, and as a passer against Copenhagen than he was against West Ham when he scored his first league goal for the club.

These statistics suggest that the French sensation, who was as effective as Xavi on Tuesday night, did play his best match for the Lilywhites against the Danish outfit.

Like the Dutchman, Odobert should look to use this performance as a platform to build from for the rest of the season to kick on and become a star for Tottenham.