The Boy Hotspur

This was a game in which Frank failed to deliver the second-half sucker punches that were needed to kill off the visitors. That said, Tottenham’s in-game management delivered the right result, in the end. All in all, we were fortunate that Villareal didn’t have more about them.

Our victory was gifted via an early own goal by Villarreal’s goalkeeper Luiz Júnior, who fumbled Bergvall’s cross.

Tottenham are back in the Champions League with a bang, well, sort of. Bergvall’s pass was brilliantly weighted, and Richarlison made enough of a nuisance of himself to cause chaos.

The keeper managed to give the ball pace by forcing his hands down on it, and into the back of our guest’s net.

Spurs look to have the better of this.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton.

However, the Toffees are unwilling to sell the 23-year-old defender any time soon. As per Fichajes, Manchester United and Chelsea are keen on the player as well. It will be interesting to see if they decide to test their luck with an offer in the coming months.

Tottenham have been linked with the defender for months.

Tottenham want Jarrad Branthwaite

Branthwaite is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and he would be an excellent long-term investment for the North London club. Everton are looking to put together a team capable of competing at a high level, and they do not want to sell their best players. The young defender has been marked as indispensable.

It will be interesting to see if clubs like Tottenham can come forward with lucrative proposals to convince the Toffees.

Spurs will be hoping to fight for major trophies, and they need more quality in the squad. Adding more depth through the defensive unit would be a wise decision. Signing one of the best young defenders in European football could prove to be a masterstroke for them. The 23-year-old would help them improve at the back.

Branthwaite could fancy a big move

Meanwhile, the opportunity to join a big club will be quite exciting for the defender as well. It would be the ideal step up for him. He has proven himself at Everton, and he has outgrown them. He needs to join a club where he will be able to win major trophies.

The move to Tottenham, Chelsea or Manchester United could be ideal. It will be interesting to see if the player decides to force an exit in the coming months.

Even though Everton do not want to lose him, they could be under pressure to sell if the player decides to force a transfer.

Tottenham Hotspur signed French International striker Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG during the summer transfer window.

The 26-year-old striker has not had any minutes for his new club so far. Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that they are looking to build up his fitness levels before giving him an opportunity.

He said on GMS: “Yes. They are just building his fitness as he has been out of the PSG squad for a long time.”

Randal Kolo Muani will look to make his mark

The 26-year-old will look to prove his quality in the Premier League and establish himself as an important player for Tottenham. The North London outfit needed another quality striker after Dominic Solanke failed to score consistently last season. They will be expecting the French international to make an immediate impact. It will be interesting to see if he can adapt to the Premier League quickly.

His lack of gametime will certainly be worrying so far, but it is understandable why Spurs are being cautious with him. They need to get him up to speed before unleashing him in English football. The intensity of the Premier League can lead to injuries if a player is not fully fit.

Kolo Muani could be a useful option

Kolo Muani has shown his quality in Germany, France and Italy in the past. He possesses the technical attributes to excel in English football as well. He will add goals and creativity to the side if he manages to perform at a high level.

The player does not have a future at PSG, and he will look to see a permanent exit away from the French club in future. Impressing at Tottenham could help him secure a big move.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have done quite well in the Premier League so far, and they will look to build on their impressive start to the season. It will be interesting to see if their new signs can help them fight for trophies this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have expressed a strong interest in signing Ruben Vargas from Sevilla.

According to a report from Fichajes, they will face competition from Aston Villa for the 27-year-old Swiss international. The report claims that Tottenham are now intensifying their efforts to get the deal done in the coming months.

Ruben Vargas would be a handy option

Vargas has three assists in three matches across all competitions this season, and he has impressed since joining the Spanish club. There is no doubt that he has the technical attributes to do well in the Premier League, and he could be an important signing for Tottenham.

They could certainly use more depth in the attacking unit if they want to fight for major trophies in the near future. Vargas is capable of operating on either flank, and he will add unpredictability to the attacking unit.

The opportunity to join a Premier League club will be quite exciting for the attacker. It would be a step up in his career, and he would get to fight for trophies with Tottenham. Furthermore, Spurs have more financial resources compared to Aston Villa, and they should be able to beat the West Midlands club to his signature.

Can Spurs get the Vargas deal done?

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. Tottenham are yet to follow up on their interest with an official proposal for the player.

Tottenham have done quite well this season, and they will look to improve further in the coming months. Thomas Frank has managed to get the best out of his players, and improving the team in the upcoming windows will help them push for trophies.

Convincing the player to join the club will not be too difficult for Tottenham. It remains to be seen whether they can secure an agreement with his club.

European giants are chasing Ecuadorian wonder kid Deinner Ordoñez.

This buzz stems from his breakout performances in Ecuadorian youth football and international tournaments. Independiente del Valle (IDV), his club, is keen to retain a 20% stake in any future sale and has set a high asking price of approximately $17 million for 80% of his rights (around £15-20 million total).

Clubs from Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League are lining up for 15-year-old centre-back Deinner Ordoñez. Chelsea are leading the race, with Inter Milan, Barcelona, Sevilla, Tottenham, Brighton and Liverpool all closely monitoring the Ecuadorian talent.

Ordoñez has impressed with his physicality and game intelligence at Independiente del Valle, standing out at the U20 South American Championship despite being just 15.

Sources say Independiente del Valle are asking for a fee between £15–20 million. Chelsea are pushing for an early deal, similar to the Kendry Páez model—securing the player now, with a move planned post-18 under FIFA rules.

Brighton and Tottenham are focused on his long-term development, while Liverpool scouts described him as “a future leader at the back” in post-tournament reports.

Key details from recent reports:

concerns over Ibrahima Konaté’s future. Brighton has also been mentioned in some updates.

Barcelona and Benfica in the Mix: There’s additional interest from FC Barcelona, with club representatives visiting Independiente del Valle’s facilities for formal discussions. Benfica previously showed interest but were deterred by the asking price.

Valuation and Deal Structure: Independiente del Valle values Ordóñez at approximately £15-20 million (around $17-20M USD) for 80% of his rights, with the club aiming to retain 20% for a future sale. Earlier estimates pegged him at £14M, and one report mentioned a $7M valuation that paused Benfica’s pursuit.

Matt Law quoted Tottenham CEO Venkatesham last week:

“But we need to make sure we are aware of the financial rules and that means we need to continue to grow our revenues and continue to grow our players from the Academy and the young players that we buy. And we need to make sure we are selling players at the right time.

We also need to make sure every time we are recruiting a player, we are making smart decisions both from a sporting perspective and a financial perspective.”

The buzz around Ordóñez has intensified in early September 2025, following his standout performances in youth internationals. No deal has been finalised, and any move would likely involve him joining a club’s academy initially due to his age and FIFA regulations on youth transfers.

Ordóñez is part of a wave of talented Ecuadorian defenders making waves in Europe, following in the footsteps of players like Piero Hincapié (Arsenal), Willian Pacho, and Joel Ordóñez. His rapid rise has caught the eye of scouts, but Tottenham’s involvement suggests they see him as a long-term investment for their backline.

All the talk about being in the Champions League is suddenly in the face of a fan base that, in the main, chose to overlook the bleak quality of our opponents in the Europa League, under the previous coaching genius.

Spurs face several injuries and squad selection challenges

Record summer signing Dominic Solanke remains a major doubt with an ankle injury sustained pre-season and is unlikely to start, potentially limited to the bench if fit.

Confirmed absentees include Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, and James Maddison—all sidelined by injuries and ineligible for the Champions League squad due to registration rules.

Mathys Tel (recently from Bayern Munich) also misses out for home-grown player quota reasons. Frank is expected to stick close to his winning West Ham line-up, with youth product Lucas Bergvall pushing for starts.

Key differences between Frank and Postecoglou

There are a number of factors worth considering with respect to the two coaching styles.

Thomas Frank operates a very inclusive system, and specifically against West Ham, he could be seen busily making notes and consulting with his coaches, and Matt Wells was actively having his own dialogue with players during the game from the technical area.

The absence of ‘coach-inflicted injuries’, as well as the upbeat mood of winning games, was assisted further by the wisdom to use substitutes wisely. This allows Frank to approach Tuesday’s European game without having to make too many compromises.

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-3-3): Vicario; Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Porro; Sarr, Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Richarlison, Simons.

Predicted Villarreal XI (4-3-3): Luiz Júnior; Mouriño, Veiga, Foyth, Cardona; Buchanan, Parejo, Partey; Moleiro, Pépé, Mikautadze.

Prediction and general insights

Tottenham enters this game as favourites at around 1.90 (implying a 52.6% win probability), with Villarreal at 3.60 for a draw.

Experts largely back Spurs to start their campaign with a win, citing their defensive solidity (three clean sheets) and Villarreal’s poor record against English teams.

A narrow victory for the hosts seems likely, potentially with both teams scoring, given Villarreal’s attacking talent (33% of their matches feature BTTS) but Tottenham’s ability under Thomas Frank to shut out opponents.

Richarlison fell flat against Bolivia, but he’s looked sharper for Spurs under Frank and was almost certainly rested against The Hammers due to the nature of his international duties. One might expect him to start on Tuesday night.

Remember the name, Andreas Georgson.

The Ange Postecoglou era brought with it a much-needed European trophy, and perhaps, if we’re honest with ourselves, ended the reign of Daniel Levy and Donna Cullen, which regular readers know I would have swapped a kidney for at any point over that last 25 years or so.

The opening fixtures this weekend reminded us of the downside of the Australian. Arsenal battered Nottingham Forest, and the post-match press conference was hardly uplifting. Spurs fans had heard it all before, 22 times, in fact.

Pape Matar Sarr delighted

Speaking to the club website, Pape told fans:

“It’s (the pointing celebration) for the coach – he’s there! He’s there!” beamed Pape. “He spoke about it at half-time. He just told me when the ball arrives there, you will score. It was good timing. I scored – and it’s for the coach.”

“We worked on it two days ago,” added Pape. “I told Xavi yesterday, ‘if you have the ball, put the ball in and I will score’. In the first half, we spoke together. I told him to cross the ball, and it was good timing. When the ball arrived, I headed it in. It was a nice goal, always nice to score in a derby.”

The coaching was beginning to make a difference, and in this instance, the man behind the move was First Team Assistant Coach and set-piece expert, Andreas Georgson.

When Ange was confronted with questions about set-pieces at Tottenham. He looked bemused.

Frank and Georgson’s tactical impact is real

Against West Ham, we were a constant threat from set plays and crosses. Indeed, half-time stats showed West Ham had made 27 clearances in the first half alone – and that went up to 42 by the end of the game.

Frank praised Potter post-match but emphasised his own man-to-man press and wide overloads as decisive.

In 2025, Frank guided Tottenham to a strong start, using this to secure a 10th-place finish with Brentford in 2024/25 before his move.

Against West Ham specifically, he’s predicted Potter’s flexibility (e.g., 5-3-2 out of possession) and countered with fluid attacks.

More, please.

Tottenham have received a boost in their pursuit of Aston Villa mainstay Morgan Rogers.

Despite having added a lot of firepower to their attack during the summer transfer window, Spurs are still on the lookout for more quality in the final third. While they did add Xavi Simons to their squad on deadline day, Thomas Frank was frustrated as they failed to sign a direct replacement for the injured James Maddison.

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is one of the names on their wishlist for the future, and according to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, the North London club have received a massive boost in their pursuit of the English international as he could be tempted to leave Villa in search of Champions League football.

Tottenham boost in Morgan Rogers pursuit

While speaking on the Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke said: “It’s not just Tottenham, I think there will be a lot of clubs looking at Morgan Rogers.

“He’s a top player and showed that for Villa last season, and he’s played well for England is going to be looking to push to be in the World Cup squad.

“Aston Villa did everything they could to make sure he didn’t have to be sold in the summer and the price tag and everything else ensured there was no deal to be done in the summer, and nothing will happen in January.

“It’ll be interesting to see come next summer where Villa are at and what type of season they’ve had.

“Rogers himself, now he’s had a taste of Champions League football last year, he’s now in that England squad, he wants to continue playing at the highest level.

“I’m sure it’d be more than just Tottenham who’d be interested in Rogers, think you’d have the likes of Chelsea and others who would be interested if he did become available in the market.”

Rogers would improve Spurs

Rogers had an impressive season at Villa last time out as he contributed towards 30 goals in his 54 outings. The 23-year-old has broken into the English national team on the back of his consistent performances, and he will now be eager to continue playing at the highest level.

Given the kind of start Villa have had, securing Champions League football will certainly be difficult, and it could make it very difficult for them to hold onto the English attacking midfielder. He could be tempted to leave the club in search of UCL football.

More importantly, the Birmingham-based club might be forced to sanction his departure if they fail to resolve their ongoing concerns surrounding profit and sustainability rules. While a move in the winter is very unlikely, clubs will continue to keep an eye on his situation ahead of next summer.

Spurs are massive admirers of the 23-year-old, and they would pounce on any opportunity to sign him. He will strengthen their squad in the short and long run. Given his massive potential and recent performances, he could become one of the cornerstones of their project under Thomas Frank.

While he prefers playing as a number ten, he can feature anywhere in attack. Not only will he compete with Maddison for a place in the starting XI, but he could also provide cover in other positions.

Tottenham are plotting a surprise move for their former academy star Dennis Cirkin.

The North London club made significant additions to their squad in the recently concluded transfer window. However, Thomas Frank is not completely satisfied with the team at his disposal. The former Brentford boss seeks more quality and depth at the back.

According to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, Spurs are considering bringing Dennis Cirkin back to the club in 2026. They lack depth at left-back and consider their former academy star an ideal fit for their project under Frank.

Spurs keen on Dennis Cirkin

The transfer expert said: “Yeah, it a bit of a surprise link this one as well, with Sunderland’s Cirkin. He came through the ranks at Tottenham before going away to Sunderland and making a name for himself.

“He’s a good player, there’s no getting away from that, but whether he’d be a regular starter if Tottenham were to move for him, I’m not too sure.

“He would provide a boost to their homegrown quota, and they have had a few issues with that homegrown quota for their Champions League squad this year.

“So the deal could make sense if they want to bring him in to boost that.

“He definitely would provide cover for left-back if Tottenham were to make a move for him.”

Cirkin would be a handy option

The 23-year-old came up the ranks at Tottenham before leaving the club in 2021 to join Sunderland in search of a more prominent role. He has only gone from strength to strength since joining the Black Cats and has established himself as a key figure in the team.

Cirkin had an impressive season in the English second division last time out. He was involved in 36 league games and contributed to five goals. Spurs were quite impressed with his performances and now want to bring him back to the club to provide more competition to the likes of Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie.

While the 23-year-old was an integral part of Sunderland’s team last time out, he seems to have gone down the pecking order following the arrival of Reinildo and Arthur Masuaku in the summer. Spurs are keeping a close eye on his situation and could make a move for him in January.

The player seems open to a return to the club, and since he has entered the final year of his deal at the Championship club, they could snap him up for a bargain fee. While he is unlikely to be a regular starter, he can certainly help them resolve concerns about their homegrown quota in Europe.