Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank could be missing as many as 11 senior players for the trip to face Manchester United on Saturday.

Spurs criticised for lack of top level recruitment

Tottenham legend Chris Waddle told Football FanCast this week that the club should be challenging the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for the highest level players in the transfer market, not struggling to keep hold of their best.

"Tottenham’s a business. Tottenham sometimes look more interested in the NFL, in boxing, music. It’s a business,” he said.

"That stadium is unbelievable. It’s probably the best stadium in the world. They’ve got the best training ground in the world, but they haven’t got the best team in the world. Was Tottenham thinking we want to buy a business all along and get NFL, get rugby, get music?

"It’s a money-business stadium, we know that. But at the end of the day, there’s 60k fans who turn up every week wanting that team to do well. I think they’ve got away from being a football club and I think it’s become a business."

Cristian Romero appeared to slam the hierarchy for their lack of activity in the January transfer window recently, claiming the state of the squad for the Manchester City clash was "disgraceful".

And things could be about to get worse for the Argentinian, who has now been added to the list of doubts to face Manchester United.

Man Utd vs Spurs team news

Tottenham will definitely be without nine senior players at Old Trafford - Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison.

However, there are also now questions about whether Frank will select Romero after his outburst last week.

On top of that, full-back Djed Spence is touch and go, meaning the Lilywhites could be incredibly light in defence.

Manchester United will be missing two defenders of their own, with Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu both out long-term, albeit the Denmark star was thriving in a more advanced role before pulling up in the win over Arsenal.

In an exclusive chat with Football FanCast, Chris Waddle shared insight on the business side of Tottenham Hotspur.

On the pitch, the last 18 months have been saved by the fact that Tottenham ended their trophy drought by winning the Europa League. But even that may not be able to hide their problems in the Premier League if things don't change under Thomas Frank.

Once again, the Lilywhites sit deep in the bottom-half, rooted to mid-table with little end in sight. Frank, who achieved so much at Brentford, has struggled to make the same impact after taking a big leap in the summer, though he hasn't been helped by mounting injury issues.

Away from the pitch, meanwhile, Tottenham have been forced to deal with Cristian Romero's comments after he called the lack of squad depth "disgraceful" following last weekend's 2-2 draw against Man City.

When asked about that comment, Frank told reporters earlier this week: "Sometimes when you are like that, sometimes there can be an outburst, which happened this time. It is something we have dealt with and dealt with internally."

Whilst Frank insisted that Spurs have dealt with it internally, it has begged several questions for the ENIC, who Waddle believes are "more interested in the NFL".

Waddle slams Tottenham: They're "more interested in the NFL"

In a passionate response to Tottenham's current problems, Waddle exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes the club have become a business, rather than a football club since the opening of the new stadium.

"Tottenham’s a business. Tottenham sometimes look more interested in the NFL, in boxing, music. It’s a business.

"That stadium is unbelievable. It’s probably the best stadium in the world. They’ve got the best training ground in the world, but they haven’t got the best team in the world. Was Tottenham thinking we want to buy a business all along and get NFL, get rugby, get music?

"It’s a money-business stadium, we know that. But at the end of the day, there’s 60k fans who turn up every week wanting that team to do well. I think they’ve got away from being a football club and I think it’s become a business."

The home atmosphere has undoubtedly turned toxic in recent months, with fans starved of quality and moments to savour. In fact, in 2025, Spurs lost 11 home games - the most in the club's history. It's no wonder fans are turning.

Other projects are, therefore, not helping. From a business standpoint, welcoming boxing and NFL to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be applauded.

But from the fans' perspective, the fact that they're more likely to see a home victory from a boxer rather than their own players will always be far from ideal.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has paid tribute to Michael Carrick for his great start at Manchester United but insisted comparisons between the two clubs are unfair.

Frank reveals Man Utd advantage over Spurs

Fourth-placed United have been revitalised since former Spurs midfielder Carrick took over last month and claimed maximum points from his three matches in charge, including a 3-2 win at Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Spurs make the trip to Old Trafford in 14th and have so far failed to build on last May’s victory over Man United in the Europa League final. Whilst Frank’s injury-ravaged team are unbeaten in four games, they have won only two of their last 15 league fixtures and are 12 points behind the Red Devils.

“It is maybe a nice little context to say that Man United don’t play European football,” Frank pointed out.

“I think we can all acknowledge there is a little bit (extra). It is an extra challenge, (but) something we embrace and we are happy with.

“I think let’s judge us when we are on the same challenges. The ambition is that we want to do very well and carry on with the good performances and beat Man United.

“I think (Carrick) has had a great start. It seems like there was injected a little bit of energy into the team. I think it looks like some of the players are in a good place.

“We know the threats they pose before from Bryan (Mbeumo) Amad, (Matheus) Cunha and Bruno Fernandes is getting this team ticking. He has done that the last, I don’t know, four or five years. It has been incredible.

“It is a threat, it is a challenge, but we are looking forward to it.”

Spurs are set to be boosted by the availability of Micky van de Ven after a minor issue but all eyes will be on whether Cristian Romero is selected after a latest social media outburst this week.

Chris Waddle: Romero "never really wanted to be at Tottenham"

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Tottenham legend Chris Waddle delivered his verdict after Romero said it was "disgraceful" how few senior players were available for their draw against Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur legend Chris Waddle delivered a damning verdict about one Spurs star who has stolen the headlines lately.

Cristian Romero slams "disgraceful" Tottenham squad depth

Despite coming from behind to salvage a shock 2-2 draw against Manchester City last weekend, the headlines remained negative as far as Tottenham are concerned, courtesy of captain Cristian Romero.

The Argentine didn't hold back on social media at full-time even after the Lilywhites made such a stunning comeback in front of what were disgruntled fans in the first-half. He took to Instagram after the game to slam Spurs' recruitment, or lack of it, on a day that Thomas Frank had limited options available.

"Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were incredible.

"I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn't feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available – unbelievable but true, and disgraceful.

"We'll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that's left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans."

It's not the first time that Romero has spoken out and Frank was forced to respond ahead of Tottenham's game against Manchester United this weekend, claiming that the centre-back is a "very passionate character".

The outburst has certainly raised questions about Romero's future and Waddle has even gone as far as to suggest that the defender "never really wanted to be at Tottenham".

Waddle: Romero "never wanted to be at Tottenham"

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, the Tottenham legend delivered his verdict on Romero: "He likes to say what he thinks about Tottenham at times, but as a captain, you’ve got to be a bit of a diplomat. Captains in the past have tried to play it down a bit and say we’re trying to get there.

"The manager always gets the blame, but there’s not really one player who can really hold his head up high and say ‘well I’ve been playing well’. They’ve all been inconsistent.

"They’re not gonna win the league this year, I’m sure they’re gonna finish a lot higher than where they are at the minute. They’ve got a massive squad when you look at it on paper. Whether it’s good enough is a different reason. In my eyes, it’s not good enough.

"Cristian Romero has always been outspoken. It’s looked to me like he’s never really wanted to be at Tottenham. I was very surprised he signed a four-year contract and they made him captain. I think he thinks he’s better than what he is at times, but that’s the way he is."

As reports persist that Romero could leave Tottenham this summer, Waddle's verdict suggests that the North London club must find a captain who is a "bit of a diplomat".

Replacing the Argentine would be no easy task, but there's no denying that his recent outbursts are not helping Frank to turn his tenure around.

Tottenham have been accused of 'total neglect' by ex-player Ramon Vega after making a 'wrong decision' about in-form talent Luka Vuskovic.

Spurs' defensive crisis has dominated headlines recently with Thomas Frank's side languishing in 14th position after a nightmare first half of the campaign.

The north Londoners tried addressing their backline issues in January, pursuing multiple targets, including Liverpool's Andy Robertson and Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano, with the latter promptly agreeing a contract extension until 2030 instead.

Spurs ended the window having landed Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid and left-back Souza for the senior team, but their defensive recruitment fell woefully short of what's needed.

Meanwhile, one of their most promising young centre-backs continues shining elsewhere on loan, raising serious questions about Tottenham's planning and development pathway.

Vuskovic has been absolutely sensational during his spell at Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

The 18-year-old joined Spurs from Hajduk Split back in September 2023 for around £13 million, but immediately got loaned straight back to the Croatian giants.

After successive loan spells at Polish side Radomiak Radom and Westerlo in Belgium, Vuskovic has now established himself as one of the Bundesliga's standout defensive performers, anchoring Hamburg regularly and showcasing maturity well beyond his years.

The towering centre-back combines excellent technical ability with physical dominance, making him perfect for modern football's demands.

Vuskovic has even attracted real praise from Bayern Munich and Germany legend Lothar Matthäus, who called him a rare talent and 'intelligent' player.

"It's not just about winning headers and tackles or scoring goals: he's somebody who can organise a defence. That's something you find very rarely," Matthäus told Sky Sports Germany.

"He's 18 years old, but he's playing with the cool head of someone who has played at three World Cups and won two Champions League titles.

“Even when I was 30, I didn’t see what he saw at 18. This player is so intelligent.”

Bayern have also been linked with a move for Vuskovic, prompting Vega to fear the worst as he makes a worrying claim.

Ramon Vega convinced Luka Vuskovic is going to quit Tottenham

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the ex-Tottenham defender claims Spurs have made a real howler over Vuskovic by allowing him to shine elsewhere.

The Argentine believes that a Bayern move for the teenage sensation is only a matter of time, blasting Tottenham's decision-making.

Vega didn't hold back when discussing the situation on social media, posting a scathing assessment of Spurs' football department.

The ex-Swiss international declared categorically that Vuskovic will not be returning to North London, labelling him as yet another lost gem where Spurs had a genuine chance but made completely the wrong decision.

Vega described this as a prime example of the problems plaguing Tottenham's football operations, calling it "total neglect".

Vega made 68 appearances for Spurs between 1996 and 2000, winning the League Cup in 1999, so his perspective carries significant weight.

His brutal assessment highlights mounting frustration around Tottenham's transfer strategy and player development.

Cristian Romero has already been linked with a summer exit to La Liga after publicly slamming the club's January business as "disgraceful" following their Man City draw.

Frank also remains odds-on favourite to become the next Premier League manager sacked despite Sunday's spirited comeback against Pep Guardiola's side.

Derek McInnes believes James Wilson would have been better off staying at Hearts than joining Tottenham’s Under-21s.

Tottenham snap up last-gasp deadline day deal

Tottenham spent most of deadline day tussling with Arsenal over a deal for Wilson.

The 18-year-old Scotland cap became the surprise name of the final day of the window after both Arsenal and Spurs battled it out for his signature in the final hours before the 7pm cutoff.

The forward eventually signed for Spurs until the end of the season, with the terms of the loan including an option to buy for the London club.

Wilson has scored eight goals in 45 appearances since making his breakthrough last season but he has struggled for game time this term as the Jambos have surged to the top of the William Hill Premiership.

“James wanted to go, so you don’t want to keep a player who then becomes unhappy,” said manager McInnes, addressing the striker’s move for the first time. “I couldn’t guarantee him minutes, such is the way it’s been.

“I told him and his agent, they knew that our preference was to stay, fight for your place, be part of something, we’ll get you a loan in Scotland if need be, if you need to top your minutes up and we can maybe recall you, so you still get the best of both worlds.

“But his head was turned with the Tottenham thing. First of all it was Arsenal, then Arsenal went quiet and then all of a sudden Tottenham came to the table Monday afternoon.

“I don’t think it’s the right move for him. Ultimately, it’s academy football and I think he’s better than that. But it was something James wanted to do.

“So like I say, we made it clear that our preference was for him to stay and be part of something here. But he made the decision and I hope it goes well for him because he’s a great kid and we’ll see how it plays out.

“But for us, I just need to concentrate on the players who are here and who want to be here and who want to play their part.”

Hearts set to be without Halkett against Hibs

Hearts will be missing Craig Halkett for next Tuesday’s Edinburgh derby at home to Hibernian after the influential centre-back was red-carded in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at St Mirren.

It was the third time in five league games the Jambos have had a man sent off in the first half. While McInnes was heartened by the spirit his league leaders showed with 10 men for over an hour, he was frustrated by their reluctance to play the ball forward when they had a full quota in the early stages.

“There’s no criticising my players once we’ve got 10 men, we were terrific in terms of what I expect from them,” said the manager.

“But we got top of the league by being something, and teams need to know that if they want to come after us, we’re going to put it in behind you, we’re going to run, we’re going to test you and try to put stress on your back line.

“St Mirren’s back line needed to know that if you want to play a high line, then you’ve got to be prepared to run towards your own goal a few times. We didn’t do it enough.”

Tottenham director Johan Lange gave a club interview about what's been happening behind-the-scenes at Spurs in the last month, with the Dane blown away by one emerging 'leader' in the dressing room.

January proved to be another month of disappointment and frustration for Spurs supporters watching their club stumble through yet another transfer window.

The injury ward at Hotspur Way has become absolutely packed with casualties as well.

Transfer business didn't exactly inspire confidence either for most of the window.

Spurs reportedly pulled out of signing Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco despite spending months laying the groundwork, conducting scouting missions, and even explorinh personal terms with the French winger's camp.

The potential £50 million-plus deal was postponed until the summer though, after Tottenham got cold feet amid a belief they could sign Akliouche for a cheaper fee later this year.

Spurs also couldn't sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool, despite agreeing a deal in principle worth £5 million, with both the left-back and his club refusing to give their final green-light.

Frank's side ended January with Brazilian left-back Souza, Hearts youngster James Wilson on loan (an academy deal) and ex-Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher.

The latter is by a mile their most statement winter signing, with Gallagher already impressing in Lilywhite after choosing to join Spurs over Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Lange reckons this move could prove transformative, sharing what he's already seen from the 25-year-old since his switch to N17.

Johan Lange says Conor Gallagher is a new 'leader' at Tottenham

Lange has now opened up about why Spurs pursued Gallagher so aggressively, revealing the club's admiration stretches back several years rather than simply being a January opportunity.

The technical director pointed towards Gallagher's exceptional track record across multiple competitions as evidence of his quality.

His Premier League pedigree, combined with La Liga experience in Madrid, has shaped him into a more complete footballer and person, according to Lange's assessment.

What's more, Lange predicts that Gallagher is about to become a new 'leader' at Tottenham, and an 'important' voice in the dressing room.

“Conor is a player that we have followed for a number of years," Lange said.

"Obviously, he comes with a fantastic pedigree, his experience both with the Premier League, his period in La Liga have definitely also helped him to grow as a human being, as a player. Of course, he has played a number of times for England as well.

"So, he's a player that, of course, can come in and help us on the first day — his energy, his quality in midfield, his work rate, the way he can drive a team forward is something that I'm sure will help us.

"We've already seen that from day one. Then, of course, as a character, he's a fantastic human being. He's a leader. He has been captain earlier in his career, and he's somebody that really will be an important voice in the dressing room this season and in many seasons to come."

The box-to-box star has started all three of his first league games for Spurs, assisting Solanke for his stunning back-heeled equaliser against City last time out.

An "absolute titan" has now emerged as a priority transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur, as they look to bring in a new defender following Cristian Romero's recent comments.

Spurs eyeing new defender after Cristian Romero outburst

Romero was very outspoken about the lack of business Tottenham did during the January transfer window, saying after the 2-2 draw against Manchester City: "Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were all incredible.

"I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially as we had only 11 players available – unbelievable but true and disgraceful."

Thomas Frank was left very light on options against Man City, with central midfielder Joao Palhinha having to slot in at centre-back, but Spurs were able to fight back to secure a 2-2 draw, with Dominic Solanlke bagging a brace in the second half.

Following Romero's recent outburst, South American journalist Gaston Edul has now suggested the captain is set to leave in the next transfer window, which would exacerbate the need to bring in a new centre-back.

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have identified Athletic Club defender Aitor Paredes as one of their priority targets, with Frank an admirer of the centre-back, given his ability to play the ball out from defence.

The Spanish club are hesitant to sanction a departure, meaning they have set an asking price of €40m (£35m), but that should be an affordable fee for the Premier League side.

The need to sign a new defender stems from the uncertainty surrounding Romero's future, while Micky van de Ven is also of interest to some of Europe's top clubs.

Paredes could be solid addition to Spurs' defence

It would be a gamble to let Romero leave this summer, despite his recent comments, given that he is ranked by FotMob as Tottenham's best-performing player in the Premier League this season.

The 27-year-old has also averaged 1.5 interceptions per 90, the highest number in the squad, so Spurs shouldn't take any drastic action, but if he does depart, the Athletic Club star could be a solid replacement.

Journalist Luis Calabor Nunez is certainly an admirer of the Spaniard, describing him as an "absolute titan", and he has been a key player for Athletic Club, starting the last seven La Liga matches, while also making seven appearances in the Champions League.

Having averaged a combined 2.7 tackles and interceptions in La Liga, the third-highest figure in the Athletic Club squad, Paredes is clearly a very solid defender, but Tottenham's number one priority should be to keep hold of Romero, given the level of his performances this season.

Unai Emery really wanted Aston Villa to sign a Tottenham star in January, with the Villans even reaching out to the player directly.

The Midlands club enjoyed a productive month overall, bringing back fan favourites Tammy Abraham and Douglas Luiz to bolster their squad, as well as exciting youngsters Brian Madjo and Alysson.

Abraham arrived from Besiktas for £18 million after netting 13 goals for Besiktas in the Turkish Süper Lig, while Luiz returned on loan from Juventus following his lacklustre spell at Nottingham Forest.

It wasn't all sunshine and roses though, as Villa failed to deal with the Harvey Elliott nightmare that's still set to drag on.

The frozen-out Liverpool loanee remains stuck in limbo after Emery made brutally clear he has no intention of triggering the £35 million purchase clause once Elliott hits 10 appearances.

The midfielder currently sits on seven games and faces months watching from the sidelines despite training with the first team.

But whilst Villa successfully navigated several tricky situations, they came up agonisingly short on what Emery considered a priority signing.

Unai Emery really wanted to sign Conor Gallagher in January

According to The Athletic, Villa seriously chased the signing of Conor Gallagher as a "market opportunity" in January, after learning the then-Atlético Madrid and England midfielder was available.

This wasn't Villa's first rodeo with Gallagher either.

Emery had actively pursued him back in 2024 when the 25-year-old eventually chose to move from Chelsea to Spain instead of Villa Park.

The Villa boss clearly remained convinced about the midfielder's qualities and pushed hard again last month to finally land his man.

Villa's strong relationship with Atletico proved invaluable during negotiations.

They laid crucial groundwork throughout the weeks leading into the winter window, holding productive discussions with both Gallagher himself and his representatives about a potential switch to Birmingham.

Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly until Tottenham suddenly emerged as serious competitors for his signature near the end of the process.

That's when Villa's confidence completely evaporated.

They sensed Gallagher had started deliberately delaying decisions as other clubs attempted to hijack negotiations and spoil Villa's carefully constructed plans.

Until Spurs intervened, Villa had been acting directly on Emery's personal desire to sign the former Chelsea academy graduate and genuinely felt Gallagher was willing to join them.

The Athletic also confirmed this was an Emery-led pursuit from start to finish. Villa sources revealed their offer to involved an initial loan with an obligation to make the transfer permanent for £22 million plus potential add-ons.

Here's where it gets really painful for Villa though — their proposal included a much lower salary package than what Tottenham were offering.

Spurs ultimately won the race by smashing Villa's wage structure, paying £34 million to secure Gallagher's signature and gazumping their league rivals.

Emery must've been absolutely fuming watching one of his primary targets choose Tottenham instead, especially after Villa had invested weeks building relationships and laying groundwork only to see Spurs swoop in with their chequebook.

Another frustrating near-miss for Villa in the transfer market.

It's never quiet at Tottenham Hotspur. The January transfer window was billed as one to get excited about for those of a Spurs persuasion, but fans have perhaps been left wanting.

Thomas Frank's side have been poor in attack this season, to put it simply. The Lilywhites languish in 14th place in the Premier League, and Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace last month. Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison are both injured for the foreseeable future.

Results need to improve quickly if Frank is to save his skin, putting that simply too, and there's a sense Tottenham could have done with more activity in the market, something Cristian Romero pointed toward when he seemingly criticised the board after Sunday's spirited draw with Manchester City.

It's not strictly true to say the north Londoners haven't strengthened their attack.

Why Spurs signed James Wilson

Hearts striker James Wilson, 18, was pinched from Arsenal on deadline day, the promising striker moving to Spurs on an initial loan with the option to make the move permanent come summer.

Wilson joins an array of attacking talent in the Tottenham Academy, with Irish goalscorer Mason Melia, 18, also joining the club last month.

Last week, Dane Scarlett moved to the Scottish Premiership from Hibernian on loan, and Will Lankshear is out with Oxford United for the season.

But in Wilson, who is 18 and already has eight senior goals with Hearts, the board will feel they have signed a surpassing talent, doubly so after bitter rivals Arsenal were beaten to his signature.

Wilson has the potential to be a star at Tottenham, but the young Scotland international may not be the cream of Spurs' youthful crop, with another possessing generational potential as he goes from strength to strength out on loan.

Safe to say the young ranks down at N17 are not bad at all.

Spurs have got the new Luka Modric

Luka Modric is one of the greatest players of his generation, and he built those elite blocks with Tottenham before moving to Real Madrid in 2012.

In Luka Vuskovic, Tottenham may have landed their new version, with the 18-year-old Croatian defender sharing with his countryman a natural ability that is suggestive of greatness.

The Londoners reached an agreement with Hajduk Split in 2023, but the teenager would not become a Tottenham player until 2025, thereafter moving out to the Bundesliga, on loan with Hamburg.

Hamburg are 13th and threatened by the potential of relegation, but Vuskovic has been immense this season, so young and yet so strong, an age-belying leader.

The gains he has made as a professional so far certainly defy his young age, and this suggests he stands a far greater chance of nailing down a position in Tottenham's senior set-up than Wilson, more apt for regular first-team involvement from the get-go.

Look at how he compares to Micky van de Ven. The Dutchman is rightly heralded as one of the most talented centre-backs in the Premier League; an athletic phenomenon, he has been linked with a move to Liverpool of late, and Spurs have responded by pricing him at £100m.

Like Van de Ven, Vuskovic is "turning into a goal machine", according to journalist Antonio Mango, but he's also establishing himself as one of the most robust defenders in Europe, his 8.5 clearances per Bundesliga game an absurd effort.

He is enjoying a stunning season in the German top flight, for sure, and has been hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as a "freak talent" for physical and technical skills that most defenders could only dream about.

While Vuskovic does not share with Modric an aptitude as a midfielder, he's also remarkably talented, creative on the ball and devastating when looking to recover possession.

He is one-of-a-kind and will only get better over the next few years. In this, Tottenham may have landed themselves a prodigy, one with more potential than Wilson and perhaps anyone else looking to break into the big time under Frank's management.