The Boy Hotspur

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.

Manor Solomon’s Tottenham Hotspur career is more or less over after his deadline day exit.

The Israeli international joined Spurs in the summer of 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk on a free transfer. While the North London club felt they had snapped up a top talent on a bargain, the move hasn’t worked out.

No way back for Manor Solomon

The 26-year-old joined Villarreal on a season-long loan deal on deadline day. He is set to return to his parent club next summer, but according to a report from GiveMeSport, Solomon’s Spurs career is already over. He is unlikely to have another opportunity to break into the first team.

Solomon suffered a serious injury a few weeks into his debut campaign. He was forced to sit on the sidelines for the rest of the season and ended up getting loaned out to Leeds United last season.

The Israeli international did manage to revive his career with an impressive loan spell, as he contributed towards 22 goals in 39 league games. The 26-year-old played a massive role in their promotion to the top flight.

While Leeds were keen on signing him permanently, things didn’t go according to plan for them. Meanwhile, Thomas Frank decided to hand him an opportunity to cement his spot in their first team. Solomon was a part of their pre-season squad as the new manager wanted to have a close look at him.

Solomon needs a permanent exit

He was given a chance to impress the boss, but certainly didn’t succeed, which is why he has been sent out on loan. On top of that, Spurs added a lot of quality to their attack this summer. As a result, even if he had stayed, Solomon was unlikely to get much game time.

The North London club signed Mathys Tel permanently, and they also added Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons to their squad. All three of them can feature on the flank, and they already have Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert in their ranks.

Given the number of options Frank has for the wide areas, Solomon might not get to play for Spurs ever again. The late loan move, in a way, confirms his time at Tottenham is over.

Thomas Frank essentially delivered a carbon copy of the Man City game. The first half was largely about gauging the opposition, and then from a few minutes into the second half, Spurs started to go through the gears.

Randal Kolo Muani could play in a variety of roles for Tottenham under Thomas Frank.

The North London club secured the services of the French international on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day. While multiple top clubs were after his signature, Spurs managed to beat the competition to his signature.

His arrival certainly bolsters their attack, and he could have a massive impact on their season. The 26-year-old prefers playing as a number nine, but according to Graeme Bailey via GiveMeSport, Kolo Muani could feature all across the front line, as Thomas Frank is quite open-minded concerning his role at the club.

Where Randal Kolo Muani could fit in?

While speaking about his role at Tottenham, Bailey said: “I am told that he arrived with Frank fairly open-minded.

“I think he likes the fact that Richarlison, Johnson, Kolo Muani, even Tel, can mix and match, so you could see Richarlison and Kolo Muani out wide, with Johnson centrally – for sure. I personally believe we see Kolo Muani playing multiple roles.”

While things didn’t go according to plan for the French striker at PSG, he did revive his career with an impressive loan spell at Juventus in the second half of last season. The Old Lady were interested in re-signing him, but eventually decided against him.

Kolo Muani could be a handy option

With Dominic Solanke picking up an ankle injury, Spurs entered the race and managed to strike a deal with the Ligue 1 giants for the 26-year-old. While he will certainly compete with Solanke for the number nine role, Kolo Muani is also expected to feature out wide on either flank. He certainly has the quality to have an impact from the flanks.

Frank is delighted to have another versatile forward at his disposal. The former Brentford manager believes Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, and Mathys Tel could all contribute in a variety of roles, which will certainly give them an edge going forward. Apart from his versatility, the French striker will also add a lot of goals and could help them cope with the absence of Son Heung-min.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed how Tottenham made the most out of the transfer window, especially with the signings of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.

The North London club had made significant additions to their squad heading into the transfer deadline day. But they were still looking for opportunities to further bolster their squad, and a few did come their way.

Spurs ended up signing Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani on the final day of the window. While the Dutch international was close to joining Chelsea, the French striker was in talks about securing a return to Juventus. However, both ended up joining the North London club, and Fabrizio Romano revealed how Spurs made a breakthrough on both deals during unsociable hours.

Impressive Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani moves

The Italian transfer expert, during his appearance on GiveMeSport’s Market Madness podcast, said: “I think the two Tottenham stories, for me, were really, really funny and good to cover. With Xavi Simons, it was in the middle of the night when the deal had this big change, and the player decided to say yes to Tottenham and to complete his move.

“When it’s during the night, it is always exciting for me because it’s something that doesn’t happen that often anymore in the market. That one was a great story. Also, Chelsea had been in control of this deal for a long time and then decided to move on to different plans, so seeing Tottenham sign the player was quite surprising.

“Randal Kolo Muani was another one that started to happen late in the night. Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain were in negotiations around midnight on September 1, and then everything collapsed in the following hours. Tottenham had the opportunity to then go for Kolo Muani.

“It is always fascinating to me when you have these kinds of crazy deals happening overnight. I love that one.”

Tottenham sealed late moves for Simons and Kolo Muani

Chelsea were in complete control of the Xavi Simons deal. The Blues were on the verge of securing his services, but there was a massive change in the deal in the middle of the night. Enzo Maresca’s team walked away from the deal, handing Tottenham the opportunity to secure his services.

Spurs were already looking for more creativity in the centre of the park, and they managed to get their hands on a top talent for £51 million. Something similar happened with the Kolo Muani transfer. PSG were in talks with Juventus regarding a potential transfer, but the deal collapsed around midnight on September 1. The North London club identified the opportunity and secured his services on a straightforward loan deal.

In recent years, not much has happened in the transfer market during the late hours, but Spurs certainly made the most of the unsociable timing.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham are keen on signing Brighton defensive mainstay Jan Paul van Hecke.

The 25-year-old has established himself as a key figure in the Seagulls’ first team, and his consistent performances have helped him break into the Dutch national team. On the back of his impressive rise, multiple top clubs are now keen on signing him.

Tottenham keen on Jan Paul van Hecke

According to a report from CaughtOffside, Tottenham have their eyes set on the Dutch centre-back. The North London club already have Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as their preferred defensive pairing, but the club are looking for more quality and depth as they look to compete on all fronts.

Liverpool and Newcastle United are interested in the Netherlands International as well.

Van Hecke has all the qualities needed to succeed at Spurs. He is great in the air, has a strong physical presence and is quite comfortable on the ball. On top of that, his ability to pick out passes from the back can give Tottenham an extra edge. Since he is already a Premier League-proven star, he will hardly take any time to adjust to life at the North London club. He has been labelled as “incredible” in the past.

Van Hecke could be signed for a bargain

The 25-year-old has entered the final two years of his contract at Brighton, and with a renewal nowhere in sight, a potential move to a bigger club in 2026 looks very likely. The Seagulls do not want to lose out on one of their best players and have already put forward a lucrative contract offer. They are ready to make Van Hecke one of the highest-paid players in their history.

However, the Dutch international doesn’t seem keen on extending his stay. He wants to play at the highest level, and Champions League football seems to be on his agenda. Spurs can certainly try to lure him to the club next year.

The Seagulls value him at £44 million, which is a fair reflection of his abilities. However, the North London club could secure his signature for a lower fee, with his contract running out.

There’s an interesting and paywalled piece in the Telegraph from Matt Law, which went out last night, and you can read it for free here, but I’ll summarise the salient points here for us.

The background to Levy’s departure was not so much that he had his hand in the cookie jar, but rather it was becoming obvious to Lewis’ that he was planning to sell the entire jar, cookies and all, to benefit himself personally.

Peter Charrington executed the internal review, ejecting Cullen and Levy within a matter of months.

Wage bill

‘It is estimated that Spurs have the sixth-highest wage bill in the top flight, behind all of their traditional rivals. In 2024, Tottenham’s wage to revenue ratio fell to just 42 per cent which was the lowest of the top 20 highest-earning clubs in the world.

It is understood the Lewis family want to focus on how and where money is spent in future and surely more needs to be put towards the wage bill to give Spurs a fighting chance.’

The trimming of the wage bill was all part of preparing to trim the goose before selling it.

It had nothing to do with benefitting the club.

Investment

T’elegraph Sport last week revealed that Levy’s exit is due to coincide with significant fresh investment into the club worth over £100m. Sources close to the Lewis family insist the new approach will not be about debt and there will be “proper” support for the club to give it the best possible chance of sustained sporting success.’

A £100 million cash injection is probably subject to innumerable terms and conditions; however, it does appear to be almost like an apology, given the timing.

‘We’re sorry about Baldy misleading all of us. Have some player vouchers on us.’

The knock-on effect is that Frank sounds cautiously optimistic.

“I’ve spoken to a few from the Lewis family and Peter Charrington, the new non-exec chairman,” said Frank. “I also spoke to him before, of course he was already on the board. So there’s been good, constructive conversations and I feel the backing and they’re happy.

Selling

‘Venkatesham this week acknowledged that Tottenham “need to make sure that we’re selling players at the right time” and sales are just as important as signings these days.’

Daniel loved scraping the maximum return on players he sells, but he all too often failed to sell players on time or, even at all.

The list of players who were eventually ejected from the Luxury Spa facilities, after contributing little to nothing, is endless.

Asked about Bissouma’s immediate future, Frank said: “I will be surprised if anyone is leaving us now so, yes, he’s part of the squad.”

Well done, Daniel, we always knew you would reveal yourself.

For me, it was the ‘miss me when I’ve gone’ line, which had an air of menace about it, as if he was going to accidentally on purpose sell us to people even less interested in football than he was.