The Boy Hotspur

Thomas Frank’s rotated side, with seven changes from the Brighton draw, showed depth and control, advancing to the fourth round.

Kinsky 7 – Made a strong save in the first half; however, he was rarely troubled despite Doncaster’s increased attacking intent after the break. Showed quality by turning a Bailey volley onto the post.

Spence 6 – Unremarkable performance, in what was frequently a very scrappy game.

Palhinha 8 – What a truly inspirational goal, but elsewhere his 90% passing accuracy and calm head were a delight. ‘Can we play you every week?”

Porro 6 I see fans cooing over Pedro, but he lost possession 15 times, was booked for a shocking simulation and barely scraped together a 75% passing accuracy.

Danso 7 – Lost possession far too frequently, but otherwise provided stability, and his long throws are a menace against any side.

Gray 8 – Who knew he was actually a midfielder? A really accomplished and frequently accomplished performance.

Bentancur 7 – In a word, busy.

Xavi 7 – Another classy performance from a player who can become a household name at Tottenham.

Oderbert 5 – Another ‘so what?’ showing and a prime example of how nobody misses Daniel Levy, now he’s gone.

Tel 3 – Harsh? Have a look at who we were playing, and specifically, the Sofascore ratings—one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen.

Ruben Neves is keen on a return to the Premier League during the January transfer window, and Tottenham have been mentioned as a potential destination.

According to TBR Football, Tottenham were keen on the player during the summer window, and they are now being kept informed of the midfielder’s situation.

Ruben Neves keen on Premier League return

The 28-year-old wants to play in the Premier League once again, and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal are likely to sanction his departure.

His contract expires in the summer of 2026, and they will not want to lose him on a free transfer. This is their final opportunity to fetch a reasonable price for the player.

He has been described as a “fabulous” player in the past, and there is no doubt that he has the quality to improve Spurs. It remains to be seen whether they can sign the player. They will face competition from Manchester United as well.

Neves has shown his quality in the Premier League in the past, and he could prove to be an excellent addition for a reasonable amount of money. He has the quality and the experience to make an instant impact.

Can Spurs sign Neves?

Tottenham have seen the benefit of signing a Premier League-proven player this summer. Joao Palhinha has joined the club on loan, and he has been outstanding for the north London outfit. Neves could make a similar impact. They need someone who can control the tempo of the game from the deep, and the Portuguese International fits the profile. He could form a solid partnership with Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr next season.

Spurs have an option to sign Palhinha permanently, and it is fair to assume that they will take up the option eventually. It will be interesting to see if they can sign Neves as well.

Bayern Munich are looking to get rid of Joao Palhinha permanently at the end of the season, and they are hoping to sell him to Tottenham.

The North London outfit have an option to make the move permanent in the summer. The Portuguese International has impressed at the London club so far, and he will look to establish himself as a player for them.

Bayern want Spurs to sign Joao Palhinha permanently

Tottenham will need to pay around £27 million in order to make the move permanent. According to BILD, the player does not have a future at the German club, and they are hoping that Tottenham will seize the opportunity to sign him permanently.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops. There is no doubt that the Portuguese international is a quality player, and he has made an instant impact in the Premier League.

It is fair to assume that Tottenham are likely to trigger the option to sign him permanently. The midfielder is at the peak of his career, and he has been performing at a high level. He has impressed manager Thomas Frank, who labelled him as a “very good” player after his League Cup performance last night.

Spurs need to keep Palhinha

Tottenham need a combative presence like him in the middle of the park, and they should look to keep him. The reported asking price is quite reasonable for a player of his quality and experience. He could justify the investment in the coming seasons.

The Portuguese international will look to sort out his future as well. He will not want to return to the German club after struggling for game time with them last season. He is enjoying his football at Tottenham, and he will hope to make the move permanent as well.

This was never a big test on paper and so far it’s turned out to be the same on grass. Spurs face Doncaster Rovers tonight in the third round of the Carabao Cup on September 24, 2025, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the match kicking off at 7:45pm.

Tottenham took a 2-0 lead within the first 20 minutes, with João Palhinha scoring an acrobatic bicycle kick from a corner and an own goal by Doncaster’s Jay McGrath off a Wilson Odobert cross. Doncaster started brightly, with Ajayi nearly scoring against his parent club, but Spurs quickly asserted dominance.

🚨🚨| GOAL: PALHINHA GIVES SPURS THE LEAD!!

Tottenham hotspur 1-0 Doncaster Roverspic.twitter.com/ORRxhHpOiX

— Goals Side (@goalsside) September 24, 2025

Jarrad Branthwaite is one of the brightest defensive talents at Everton and continues to attract serious interest from Premier League big boys. The English centre-back has impressed this season with consistent performances, catching the eye of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Liverpool. Despite the growing attention, Everton are standing firm for now, labelling the player as “not for sale.” Still, that stance could shift once the winter window opens.

Chelsea are also in the mix, looking to upgrade their backline after underwhelming spells from Benoît Badiashile and Axel Disasi. At Tottenham, Branthwaite is seen as a solid option to add depth alongside Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Liverpool are interested too, but Everton are expected to block any move from their city rivals. Beyond the Merseyside rivalry, the club simply don’t want to lose a top prospect to a direct competitor. Financially, Everton are in a strong position, which gives the Toffees leverage at the negotiation table.

Branthwaite is under contract until 2030, and Everton would prefer to continue developing him at Goodison Park. But with top-level centre-backs in short supply, holding onto a player of his calibre won’t be easy. If big offers arrive in January, the club may be forced to reconsider their position.

Tottenham Hotspur signed Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window.

The Portuguese international has made an instant impact, and he has been a key player for the London club so far. He has started the season really well, and Tottenham have an agreement to sign him permanently for a fee of £27 million.

According to Ben Jacobs, the player is keen on making the move permanent, and he would be happy if Tottenham decided to pay up. It is fair to assume that the north London club will look to sign him permanently at the end of the season. He is a quality player, and he has established himself as an indispensable asset for the club already.

Joao Palhinha wants to join Spurs permanently

Jacobs said on GMS: “I think the Joao Palhinha signing has been excellent for Tottenham. The original agreement had an option to buy, which is set at £27million. That was something that both Tottenham and the player were very keen on factoring in as part of the deal.

“Palhinha, in particular, viewed the loan as being contingent, in many ways, on having that option to buy because he would like to be permanently back in the Premier League.

Signing him for £27 million would represent a major bargain for the London club. They cannot afford to let someone like him slip through their grasp. They needed a combative midfielder like him, and the Portuguese international has proven to be the ideal signing.

Tottenham will be hoping to fight for major trophies in the coming season, and they need quality players like him. Signing him for £27 million would represent an excellent investment. They should look to bring in a quality partner for him as well. Signing a hard-working box-to-box midfielder to complement him would improve immensely. They have been linked with Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in recent weeks, and he could be the ideal fit.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Mikey Moore‘s loan at Rangers Football Club feels like it is going to be as much fun as pushing water uphill.

At Rangers, Moore joined on a season-long loan on August 1, 2025, to gain first-team experience, with no option or obligation to buy. He made his debut in the Premier Sports Cup against Alloa Athletic, assisting in a 4–2 victory, and signed a new long-term contract with Tottenham on his 18th birthday, August 11, 2025.

Challenging times for Rangers

However, his time at Rangers has been challenging. He has struggled for consistent game time, with only three appearances and 134 minutes across Rangers’ first eight matches, partly due to competition in wide positions and a UEFA clearance delay that prevented him from playing in a Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen.

His first league start came in a 0–0 draw against Celtic in the Old Firm derby, where he played 72 minutes but received criticism from some Rangers fans for his lack of impact, with one calling him “not ready” for the club’s demands.

Rangers’ heavy 9–1 aggregate loss to Club Brugge in the Champions League play-offs, where Moore was an unused substitute, led some Tottenham fans to call for his loan to be recalled, citing limited playing time and concerns over Rangers’ manager Russell Martin, who is under pressure after failing to win any of his first five league matches.

The loan move was viewed favourably

Moore’s loan move was influenced by talks with Rangers’ head coach Russell Martin and advice from former Spurs and Rangers striker Jermain Defoe, who praised the club. Tottenham’s Son Heung-min also called Moore an “amazing” talent with a strong work ethic.

However, with Rangers’ inconsistent start and competition from players like Djeidi Gassama, Moore’s immediate impact has been limited, and his future at Ibrox may depend on Martin’s tenure and the club’s attacking dynamics.

The BBC’s Chris Sutton reflected on the negative atmosphere around the club, and inevitably, Moore himself.

“Another player whose gone to Rangers from down south, who I was really excited about, to see how he’d do, Mikey Moore, the young Tottenham Hotspur talent. I think from the cameos we’ve seen of him, you’re thinking ‘blimey’.

I really feel sorry for the young players because they are carrying such a burden on their shoulders, and these are young players; it’s affecting their careers. It will be interesting to see whether they can come back from that.”

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk.

According to a report from Team Talk, Thomas Frank is keen on a reunion with the 21-year-old. The Ukrainian International has done quite well for Brentford, and he has the qualities to pay for a bigger club.

Spurs could use Yehor Yarmolyuk

Spurs will need more quality and depth in the middle of the park, and the 21-year-old could be the ideal acquisition. The hard-working midfielder will add drive, physicality, and defensive cover to the Tottenham midfield.

The player could be available for a fee of around £30 million, and Spurs certainly have the resources to get the deal done.

It will be interesting to see if Brentford are willing to let the player leave. They will not want to lose another key player. They have already lost Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard in the summer.

Meanwhile, Tottenham will look to keep improving the squad in the coming months. They will be hoping to fight for major trophies in the near future.

Yarmolyuk could fancy a Spurs move

The opportunity to join the London club will be quite exciting for the Ukrainian international. It would be a step up for him. He would get to play for a big club with an exciting project under his former manager.

The 21-year-old is quite young, and he will only improve with coaching and experience. He could develop into a future star for the north London club. The £30 million investment could look like a huge bargain for Tottenham if they manage to get the deal done.

Tottenham have done well to bring in Joao Palhinha this summer, and adding more depth to the midfield would be ideal. It will be interesting to see how they convince their Premier League rivals to sell in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez.

According to the Fichajes, they would be willing to offer around €40 million (£35m) in order to get the deal done. The versatile midfielder could be the ideal acquisition for them.

Spurs could use Mendez

They need more goals and creativity from the middle of the park, and the 28-year-old could be the ideal fit for them. He has the technical attributes to do well in the Premier League, and he has shown his quality in La Liga consistently. He produced eight goals and five assists in all competitions last season.

The move to the Premier League could be ideal for him at this stage of his career. He will look to test himself at the highest level, and he’s at the peak of his career right now.

Tottenham certainly have the finances to get the deal across the line, and it will be interesting to see if the La Liga outfit are prepared to sanction his departure. Convincing the midfielder to join the club should not be too difficult. The move to Tottenham will be a huge opportunity for him, and he is likely to be attracted.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops.

Brais Mendez would improve Spurs

The midfielder is capable of operating in central midfield, as an attacking midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, and a box-to-box midfielder. His versatility could make him an invaluable asset for the club.

The player has the experience and the quality to make his mark in the Premier League, and this could be the right time for him to take on a new challenge. He could make an instant impact.

Spurs have an ambitious project and a quality team. They could help him fight for trophies. The move could be ideal for all parties. The reported €40 million investment could prove to be a reasonable outlay as well.

Sevilla attacker Ruben Vargas has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Swiss International, but a move in January seems unlikely. They might not be able to offer him regular gametime if he joins the club. They have adequate depth on the flanks right now, and the Sevilla star will not want to join a club where he will not be a guaranteed starter.

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham decide to make a move for him in the coming months. They could use more cutting-edge in the attack, but it would be wise of them to invest in a striker instead.

January move for Ruben Vargas unlikely

Pete O’Rourke said on Football Insider: “Vargas is a player who’s done really well for Sevilla, Swiss international as well. So he’s obviously, I think, attracting interest from a number of clubs, not just Tottenham.

“Spurs are quite well-stocked out wide after they got a deal done for Simons, who plays in the same position as Vargas.

“Vargas is a good player, he’s under contract at Sevilla until 2029, so they’re going to demand a decent fee as well for the winger.

“So as I said, I don’t think it’s a priority for Tottenham in the January window, so while Vargas has emerged on their radar, it’s not a move Spurs will be pushing for in January.”

Can Spurs improve their squad?

Tottenham have started the season well, and they should look to invest in the squad during the January transfer window. It could help them improve further and do well this season.

They managed to win a European trophy last season, and they will hope to build on that. They should look to push for a trophy this season as well. Signing the right players in January could help them succeed.