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Tottenham Hotspur are searching for a new manager to replace Thomas Frank - and Roberto De Zerbi is among the favourites.

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Tottenham Hotspur find themselves at a crossroads once again following their decision to sack manager Thomas Frank after just eight months in the dugout.

Frank signed a three-year contract with the North London club to end a seven-year association with Brentford where had led the club to the top-flight for the first time since 1935 while consolidating the Bees’ position as a competitive outfit.

Many saw him as the ideal successor to Ange Postecoglou after a difficult season which saw the club finish thrive on the continent by winning the Europa League while plummeting to 17th position in the league. However, Frank was unable to get Spurs anywhere near the race for European qualification, and left with the club in 16th position and just five points above the drop zone.

Tottenham despite progressing to the round-of-16 in the Champions League are in serious danger of being one of the biggest shock relegations in English football history if things don’t improve quickly. And they are going to have to find a route out of danger with a limited number of players at their disposal due a growing injury list. But who can they appoint to turn their fortunes around?

Why Tottenham should resist the temptation to appoint Roberto De Zerbi

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi resigned from his role as manager of Marseille just hours before Frank’s dismissal was confirmed, leading to immediate speculation linking him with the Tottenham job.

The well-travelled Italian has already taken charge of eight different clubs in his managerial career, but is perhaps best known for his work at Brighton where he helped the Seagulls finish sixth in 2022/23, marking the side’s highest ever top-flight finish.

In his first full season, he also led the club to the knockout stages of the Europa League, but failed to build on his initial success as the club dropped to 11th. He joined Marseille in 2024 and enjoyed a strong first season by leading the club to second and a return to the Champions League. However, he’s struggled to replicate those standards this term despite an impressive start to the season, with the club failing to qualify for the Champions League play-offs while dipping to fourth in the table.

De Zerbi has a good enough CV to secure a return to the Premier League, but whether he’d be the right for for Tottenham is a different argument entirely. For example throughout his managerial career, he’s often gone public about his dissatisfaction with the hierarchy. At Brighton he was critical of the club’s recruitment strategy and their philosophy of buying young prospects and selling them on for a profit in their mid-20s, something which chairman Tony Bloom didn’t like being played out in public.

While at Marseille, he threatened to walk on several occasions, and according to The Athletic in a heated row with his players told them: ‘You have no balls, you humiliated me tonight, you humiliated your club’.”

De Zerbi is a talented manager and a great tactician but perhaps not the man that Tottenham need in a difficult moment, particularly with his history of speaking out against the board which never helped the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte in the past.

Mauricio Pochettino would be the ideal candidate for Tottenham

According to Miguel Delaney, Maurico Pochettino is the Tottenham board’s ideal candidate for the position.

The Argentine is the club’s most successful manager of the Premier League era and the last person to win universal support from every section of the Spurs fanbase. He spent five years at the club from 2014 to 2019 and is credited with leading them into the Champions League in four of his five full seasons in the dugout. Pochettino developed the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen among others, turning them into superstars over the course of half a decade.

He helped Spurs record their best ever points tally in a top-flight season in 2016/17, finishing second overall in the table while boasting both the most goals scored and the best defensive record. He finished the entirety of the final season at White Hart Lane - marking the club’s first unbeaten home record since 1965 - a stark contrast to where the club are currently at.

Pochettino regularly exceeded expectations while playing a front-foot, high-pressing, energetic brand of football which was both hugely entertaining and effective defensively. He even reached the Champions League final in his last campaign for the only time in the club’s history.

Bringing in the Argentine in the summer would provide a huge lift for supporters of the football club and potentially get the team moving in the right direction.

There’s a strong chance that he’ll be available after the World Cup this summer. However, his commitments to the USA mean in the interim the club may need to find a suitable short-term option to keep the team in the league and give the Argentine a platform to move forward.

Tottenham Hotspur are searching for a new manager to replace Thomas Frank, following an eight-match winless run in the Premier League.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 defeat at home to an out-of-form Newcastle United side proved to be the final nail in the coffin of Thomas Frank’s eight-month stint in charge of the Lilywhites.

The 52-year-old signed a three-year contract when he replaced Ange Postecoglou at the end of last season, following his impressive seven-year-spell at Brentford, but has struggled to pick up results in his new game particularly when playing at home.

They have just two home league wins all season, with the loss against the Magpies marking their seventh home league defeat of the campaign. The atmosphere around the ground in recent weeks has been particularly vitriolic, with fans once again aiming chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards their manager as the prospect of a relegation battle begins to become a reality.

Frank leaves Spurs in 14th position following an eight-match winless run in the Premier League, which stretches all the way back to December last year. They are just five points away from West Ham in 18th position and face the prospect of a North London derby against Arsenal and an away trip to Fulham in their next two matches.

Tottenham are already working on contingency plans to find a successor to Frank as the club continue to try and juggle the demands of a European campaign with a relegation battle. Here we take a look at the leading candidates to replace Frank as things stand.

Roberto De Zerbi emerges as frontrunner for Tottenham job

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckgzqdzz1zdo

Roberto De Zerbi’s decision to resign from Marseille in the wake of their 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain came just hours before Tottenham’s decision to sack Frank leading to speculation that a return to the Premier League could be on the cards.

The former Brighton boss joined Marseille as head coach in 2024 after two seasons at the Amex, including a sixth placed finish in 2022/23 which remains the best ever season in the club’s history. He led Marseille to a second placed finish in his first term in charge and restored the club back into the Champions League. His team started this campaign brightly but have experienced a challenging period in his final months in charge after falling short in Europe and dropping down to fourth in the Ligue 1 standings.

The timing of his departure from Marseille and the widespread admiration for his work in Premier League circles has made him an obvious early favourite - with some bookmakers providing odds as short as 5/4 that he takes the job.

Mauricio Pochettino comeback could be in the works

Former Spurs boss Pochettino is arguably the only manager in the last decade that’s unlocked the true potential of the football club, leading them to their highest ever points tally in 2016/17 and a Champions League final in 2018/19 in what would prove to be his final season in charge.

Pochettino has done well at most of the clubs he’s been at since - leading PSG to a domestic treble in his one term in charge and helping Chelsea to a sixth placed finish and a League Cup final in one season at Stamford Bridge - marking a major improvement from the 12th placed finish the year before his arrival.

The Argentine, however, isn’t likely to be a feasible option until the summer due to his role as USA national team boss as he prepares to lead the host nation into a World Cup campaign. Should Spurs opt for an interim manager with a permanent replacement in the summer, however, he becomes a feasible candidate. Odds of 5/1 have been offered.

Oliver Glasner could consider a new challenge - but former Liverpool man could be a wildcard

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has already confirmed that he’ll be leaving Selhurst Park when his contract expires in the summer.

The Austrian, who led Frankfurt to Europa League glory before relocating to London, led the Eagles to their first ever major trophy by winning the FA Cup last season. He’s Premier League proven, has a history of improving stars like Marc Guehi, Jean-Phillipe Mateta and Daniel Munoz - and could potentially be a great fit. 12/1 are the best early odds - curiously, longer than the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Marco Silva, another rival coach who could be in the running if he decides to leave Fulham.

Former Tottenham and Liverpool striker Robbie Keane is also one of the top names with the bookmakers. The ex- Republic of Ireland frontman played 306 times for the Lilywhites across two spells, scoring 122 goals, while winning the League Cup in 2008.

He’s currently the manager of Hungarian champions Ferencváros, who won the league last season. Keane also previously won the league and cup double with Maccabi Tel Aviv and has held coaching roles with Leeds and Republic of Ireland. Odds vary wildly on Keane’s appointment - between 3/1 and 10/1 at the time of publishing.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly rejuvenated their interest in a striker they nearly signed four years ago.

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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly emerged as one of the leading contenders to sign highly-rated striker Dusan Vlahovic in the summer transfer window.

Vlahovic was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the past. In January 2022, during his time at Fiorentina, he became one of Mikel Arteta’s main striker targets for Arsenal and was also considered as an option for former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte before making a blockbuster £66.6m move to Juventus.

The 26-year-old Juventus frontman is out-of-contract in the summer and is understood to be considering a fresh challenge after spending the last four-and-a-half seasons of his career in Turin. Could he end up in North London?

Dusan Vlahovic transfer latest amid Spurs, Chelsea & Newcastle links

Carlo Pellegatti, a well-renowned football journalist in Italy, says Tottenham are among the clubs in pole position to land Vlahovic on a free transfer when his contract expires. He told IlMilanista that “Chelsea and Tottenham, and therefore England, could be in pole position for Dusan Vlahovic’s future,” tallying with a handful of recent reports.

Vlahovic has scored a combined total of 90 goals in Serie A throughout his career, making him one of the most lethal finishers in the division in recent years. Naturally signing him for free would be a huge coup for any interested clubs, but it’s worth noting that it’s likely to cost them a lot in terms of wages and signing-on fees, which he feels will stop AC Milan and his former boss Massimo Allegri from entering the race.

Pellegatti added: “I’m not surprised, because his agent’s commission demands are very high. He himself wants a signing bonus. The financial negotiations are very complicated and, in my opinion, excessive for Milan at this time.”

Why Vlahovic could be an excellent signing for Spurs

Spurs are currently enduring a challenging season, with the uncertainty surrounding the future of manager Thomas Frank dominating the headlines.

They’ve struggled with squad depth, injuries and the demands of European football. They’ve notably struggled to score goals on a regular basis due to the disappointing goal record of Randal Kolo Muani, who’s struggled since his loan move from PSG.

Dominic Solanke has shown some signs of promise since returning from a five-month lay off, but there’s also uncertainty surrounding Richarlison’s long-term role with the club with next season marking the final year of his deal. It therefore would make sense for them to sign a player of Vlahovic’s ilk. The Serbian is renowned for his immense physicality at 6ft3, is technically gifted and has proven consistently that he can score goals.

He’s had a subdued season under new manager Luciano Spalletti following the club’s decision to put their trust in new striker Jonathan David and the Serbian’s recent abductor injury which has kept him out since early December.

Vlahovic has only scored six times in 17 matches this term, including only three in 13 Serie A matches. However, it’s worth noting that for most of his career up until recently he’s been one of Italy’s top goalscorers - winning the Striker of the Year award in 2023/24 and making the Team of the Season two seasons earlier.

He has all the makings of a striker that could thrive in the Premier League and should get more gametime at Tottenham than he would at Chelsea, who already have Joao Pedro and Liam Delap along with Nicolas Jackson, who could return to the team’s plans under Liam Rosenior following his loan move from Bayern Munich.

Newcastle have also been mentioned as an alternative contender but it likely depends on whether they choose to keep the faith with players like club-record signing Nick Woltemade and No.9 Yoane Wissa after their recent slump in form.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to strengthen in the summer after another underwhelming season - and could be targeting one of American football’s biggest stars.

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly weighing up a stunning summer move for former Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic as they aim to assemble a team that can once again compete in the upper echelons of English football.

The Lillywhites are currently experiencing a challenging campaign under manager Thomas Frank, with rampant speculation about the Danes future dominating the headlines in recent months. Frank hasn’t hit the ground running in North London and his team are languishing in 15th position - and are at risk of being sucked into a relegation battle if results and performances don’t improve in the near future.

Christian Pulisic could return to the Premier League this summer

Italian outlet Calciomercato reports that Spurs, Manchester United and Arsenal are all battling it out to sign American star Pulisic, who has established himself as arguably one of the best wingers in Serie A for AC Milan.

Tottenham feel they need greater creativity out wide after struggling this season due to notable injuries to Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and most recently Mohamed Kudus - while recent signings such as Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel have failed to settle in and start living up to their lofty billings.

Frank’s side have only scored 35 times in 25 matches this season while they sit 14th in the Premier League table in terms of XG, with supporters often criticising the team’s brand of football which has failed to capture the imagination of supporters in the same way that Ange Postecoglou (when he first joined) or Mauricio Pochettino managed to do in North London.

Would Pulisic be a good fit for Tottenham?

Should Frank remain at the club - amid reports of a shock return for Pochettino - then it would make sense for the club to try and target someone of Pulisic’s ilk.

The 27-year-old is at the peak of his career and is a much more well rounded footballer than the one fans became accustomed to during his time in England with Chelsea. Pulisic, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2019, spent four years of his career in West London, making a combined total of 145 appearances while registering 26 goals and 21 assists.

He had some great moments including scoring against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League semi-final and even appearing as a substitute in the final win against Manchester City. The 82-time international also got nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award in his debut season. However, he lacked consistency, struggled with injuries and never fully lived up to the hype of being the next Eden Hazard.

He certainly wasn’t a flop, but it’d also be a little bit of an exaggeration to label him a complete success but that wasn’t entirely his fault due to the turbulent nature of the club at the time with a takeover and numerous managerial changes. However, he’s taken his game to new heights in Italy, scoring 42 and assisting 25 in 120 games, including eight goals in 16 matches this term.

He’s a fan favourite at the San Siro, can play on both wings and through the middle as a central attacking midfielder, and would instantly improve Tottenham if he joined. TEAMtalk adds that Pochettino, who’s mooted for a possible return to Tottenham, is a big admirer of Pulisic having managed him at international level.

He said recently: “Christian is a great player. We can say he is the most important player for the national team. He has to compete each week at Milan. We are so happy when he provides goals and assists.”

Tottenham injury news and return dates ahead of their home clash with Newcastle United

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Two of the Premier League’s most out-of-form sides collide this weekend as Tottenham Hotspur prepare to host Newcastle United in North London.

Tottenham are still waiting for their first league win of 2026 in a run which stretches back seven matches, with the team’s last three points coming in an away game at Crystal Palace on 28th December.

However, the Lillywhites have to go back even further to 2nd December for their last home victory. That was a 2-0 win over Brentford and only the club’s second win in front of their own supporters since Thomas Frank’s arrival.

Overall, Tottenham have the worst home record of any team outside the bottom three, but it’s worth noting that their opponents Newcastle have also struggled with travel sickness away from the North East - winning just two of their 12 games on the road this term.

Both teams have struggled with the demanding fixture schedule that comes with Champions League football, and for Tottenham in particular injuries as was the case last season, have been a huge hurdle to try and overcome.

Here’s how many players Tottenham are likely to be without against Newcastle, and when they are scheduled to return to action.

Pedro Porro and Djed Spence injury latest

Tottenham are extremely short on options at full-back. Pedro Porro is nursing a thigh injury, which has ruled him out for the last two league matches. He’s expected to miss a fair few matches but could return for the North London derby at the end of February.

Djed Spence is slightly closer to full fitness in his journey back from a calf problem. He’s targeting a return against Newcastle United tomorrow and is likely to make the matchday squad.

Destiny Udogie, however, won’t be available. The Italian defender picked up a thigh injury against Manchester United. The full extent of the issue remains unclear at this point and it’s likely that Frank will have an update later in the week.

Kevin Danso has also been ruled out with a foot injury. He has missed the last two league matches, while fans continue to wait for an update on how long he’ll be out for.

Ben Davies won’t be involved either due to an ankle injury which is likely to require surgery. He’s expected to be back involved by April in what could be his final months as a Tottenham player.

All of this makes Cristian Romero's red card against Manchester United even more frustrating for Frank and his team, as they try to assemble a backline that can keep Newcastle at bay and prevent the £125m pair of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa causing them problems despite their poor recent form.

Richarlison and Mohamed Kudus latest

Richarlison, who has dreams of playing for Brazil in the World Cup, has been absent with a hamstring injury for the last four league matches. He’ll miss a fair few matches in February but is targeting a return for the Arsenal match later this month.

Mohammed Kudus is further back in his rehabilitation journey after sustaining a thigh issue which is likely to rule him out until April. Lucas Bergvall also has a similar timeline on his recovery from an ankle issue while Rodrigo Bentancur is unlikely to be back from his thigh issue until May.

Timelines on Dejan Kulusevski’s return still haven’t been revealed while James Maddison looks set to miss the remainder of the season with an ACL problem.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours, including updates from Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham

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After a fairly quiet January transfer window, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are both thought to be actively working on ways to improve their squads for next season.

Newcastle failed to make a single signing in the window despite seeming to have money at their disposal after the high-profile sale of Alexander Isak. Instead they’ve opted to gamble with the squad they have despite their underwhelming start and growing injury list.

Tottenham did delve into the market to land Conor Gallagher and Souza in the window, but were still publicly criticised by their captain Cristian Romero for a lack of activity.

Both clubs have been fairly vocal about their desire to challenge for the best honours and may look to use the summer window as a way of bridging the gap.

Football Insider understands Newcastle United are looking at Dusan Vlahovic as a potential target amid uncertainty surrounding his future at Juventus. While reports from the same outlet have also earmarked Tottenham as rival contenders.

What next for Dusan Vlahovic?

Serbian forward Vlahovic, a one-time target for Arsenal in January 2022 before a blockbuster move to Juventus, has long been regarded as one of the best goal scorers in Italian football.

He’s got an overall record of 90 goals in 215 Serie A matches across spells with Fiorentina and Juventus but in recent months has struggled for first team opportunities in Turin.

The 26-year-old, who is set to become a free agent in the summer, has fallen behind Jonathan David in the pecking order, and has played just 17 matches all season, scoring six goals.

He’s appeared in the majority of those as a substitute and is currently nursing an abductor injury. Vlahovic is likely to be on the move this summer.

The 3AM verdict: Football Insider reports that Newcastle and Tottenham are both in contention to sign Vlahovic but the problem both clubs face is that the player reportedly wants guaranteed Champions League football which neither club looks likely to achieve.

At Newcastle they already have Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade although neither have been convincing recently whereas Tottenham have Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

For either club to sign the striker they’d likely need to let at least one go and drastically improve their league form to convince the player that it’s the right move to join. Chelsea could also reportedly enter the mix.

Fulham re-open talks to land £28m striker

Fulham haven’t given up plans to sign Ricardo Pepi despite seeing a deal to sign the PSV striker collapse in January, according to TEAMtalk.

The capital side were reportedly willing to pay around £28m to sign the USA international but failed to get the deal over the line due to them having limited time to find a replacement.

Pepi is out with a broken arm meaning he wouldn’t have been able to contribute much to Fulham at the moment anyway until March if he had joined.

However, a deal in the summer could still be on the cards, giving PSV more time to find a replacement, while Fulham would also be able to integrate the player into the setup over pre-season.

The 3AM verdict: Raul Jimenez has been a reliable goalscorer for Fulham in recent months, but at 34-years-of-age is likely to be playing his final season with the club next term, while Rodrigo Muniz has struggled to build on his hot streak of two seasons ago due to injuries.

Fulham need another striker moving forward and on paper Pepi seems a good target. He’s scored 27 goals across all competitions since the start of last season, boasts a solid record of 13 goals in 34 caps for USA at international level, and aged 23, should still have his best years ahead of him.

Thomas Frank is under extreme pressure at Spurs after a challenging start to life in North London - and a familiar face could replace him.

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Thomas Frank’s future as Tottenham Hotspur boss has been the subject of immense media debate in recent months, with his side still searching for their first league win of 2026.

Frank arrived in North London over the summer with tremendous pedigree after seven impressive years in charge at Brentford after being promoted to the managerial hotseat after 18 months working as Dean Smith’s assistant before that.

During his time at Brentford, he achieved things nobody would have imagined. He spearheaded the club to promotion to the top-flight for the first time in 1953, never looked in danger of relegation once reaching the top-flight and consistently improved the team despite having to deal with a series of high-profile departures year on year. His Bees team recruited well, played exciting attacking football, while consistently turning over a profit. His CV and most notably his adaptability made him on paper the perfect replacement for the stubborn yet popular Ange Postecoglou after the way things unravelled last season in the league despite the club’s Europa League triumphs.

However, things haven’t gone to plan for Tottenham, with the club languishing in 14th position and around 12 points off the top four heading into their showdown at Old Trafford with Manchester United - and change could be on the way.

Will Tottenham Hotspur sack Thomas Frank?

Frank has, for a while now, been among the favourites to be the Premier League’s next managerial departure. It’s hardly surprising given the team has lost more games than they’ve won in the Premier League despite progressing to the knockout stages in Europe.

Injuries have been a problem again as has the team’s defensive frailties. However, one thing in particular that’s haunted Frank is the fact that his team hasn’t been the most entertaining, and similarly his marquee signings such as Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons haven’t really hit the ground running.

After a 2-1 loss to West Ham earlier in the month fans were calling for him to be sacked, and there’s only so long that sort of toxicity can continue. Frank has proven he’s a good manager and it’s very feasible that he could still turn things around. However, TEAMtalk, along with a number of outlets report that his sacking continues to loom if things don’t change quickly in terms of results.

Mauricio Pochettino rumours surface as Spurs sack edges closer

According to TEAMtalk, Mauricio Pochettino is high on the club’s radar as they weigh up potential managerial options for next season.

It’s worth noting that the Argentine is currently the manager of the USA national team and will therefore be unavailable until the hosts are eliminated from the competition on home soil. Pochettino, who managed Southampton before enjoying five excellent years at Tottenham, is also thought to be on Manchester United’s radar amid their search for a long-term Ruben Amorim successor, but it's reported his affection for Spurs is unshakeable.

The 53-year-old is arguably Tottenham’s most popular manager of the Premier League era and by some distance the longest-serving since the competition's inaugural season of 1992/93. He may not have won a trophy like George Graham, Juande Ramos and Postecoglou, but it must be said that he did just about everything else - leading the club to their highest ever points tally (86) in 2016/17 overseeing the club’s best league finish in a campaign since 1963 and becoming the first manager in 52 years to go an entire campaign without losing a home game.

Pochettino also reached a League Cup final in 2015 and is the only Tottenham boss on record to ever reach the final of the Champions League - toppling the likes of Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax to achieve the feat before falling short against Liverpool.

The decision to sack Pochettino despite the team’s poor start to 2019/20 remains questionable, and it’s fair to say the Argentine since then has proven he’s still got what it takes after leading PSG to three major trophies in his single season in the capital whilst also playing a role in restoring Chelsea back into the upper echelons of English football by guiding them to a sixth place finish after the club plummeted to 12th the year before his arrival.

Pochettino plays high intensity attacking football, is adored by the Spurs supporters, and is believed to have unfinished business with the club. Fans would have to be patient for his arrival due to his international allegiances at this time, but if they were to sack Frank he’d undeniably be one of the best available candidates.

Team news before Tottenham travel to Manchester United in one of the weekend’s standout fixtures.

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Under-pressure Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is in desperate need of a win as he leads his side into a battle with a rejuvenated Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Frank’s men are winless in the league in 2026 after a run of four draws and two defeats, leaving them languishing in 14th position and 12 points behind this weekend’s opponent. Spurs desperately need to improve if they are to return to Europe next season, and Frank now needs to get a tune out of the tools at his disposal after an underwhelming window which was publicly slated by captain Cristian Romero.

However, last weekend’s 2-2 draw, particularly in the second half suggested there could still be some light at the end of the tunnel as club record signing Dominic Solanke returned to the goals for the first time since his five-month lay off earlier in the season. They’ll hope Solanke stays matchfit after a minor knock at the end of that contest, and could also look to welcome back Micky van de Ven in an attempt to contain a United side that have scored a staggering eight goals in three matches since Michael Carrick’s arrival as interim boss.

We’ve already attempted a predicted Red Devils XI based on the latest team news, now it’s the turn of Tottenham ahead of a highly-anticipated showdown.

Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI vs Man Utd: goalkeeper and defence

GK - Guglielmo Vicario: The Italian hasn’t quite hit the heights of previous seasons but remains the undisputed first choice between the posts. He’s likely to make his 25th league appearance of the campaign.

RB - Archie Gray: Djed Spence is a doubt heading into the game with a calf issue while Pedro Porro is also absent. This means Gray could be used at right-back where he often played for Leeds United before his move 18 months ago.

CB - Micky Van de Ven: The Netherlands international is expected to return from injury to start in the heart of Tottenham’s defence.

CB - Cristian Romero: Argentine defender Romero keeps his place in the backline as Tottenham aim to record their first league win of 2026.

LB - Destiny Udogie: The 23-year-old is likely to keep his place in defence as Tottenham return to a back four after starting with five at the back against Man City.

Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI vs Man Utd: midfield and attack

CM - Pape Matar Sarr: The Senegalese international comes in to replace Yves Bissouma in the starting lineup.

CM - Conor Gallagher: The January signing, who was at times linked with a move to Manchester United, is likely to keep his place in central midfield.

CM - João Palhinha: The tough-tackling Portuguese midfielder is likely to start in central midfield after playing as a makeshift centre back last time out.

LW - Xavi Simons: Netherlands international Simons claimed an assist against Manchester City and is currently seen as one of the team’s more creative players despite a subdued start.

RW - Randal Kolo Muani: The 2022 World Cup finalist hasn’t hit the ground running at all since his summer move but remains a player that Frank values. He’ll likely feature ahead of Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert.

ST - Dominic Solanke: Tottenham boss Frank is sweating over the fitness of Solanke, but if he’s anywhere near matchfit he’ll likely lead the line after a sensational second half display against Manchester City.

The latest team news Manchester United welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford in one of this weekend’s standout fixtures.

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Manchester United are aiming to maintain their flawless start to life under Michael Carrick in this weekend’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils started Carrick’s interim stint with a superb 2-0 home win over rivals Manchester City before coming from behind to stun leaders Arsenal with a 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium. United then stormed into a two goal lead against Fulham at Craven Cottage but needed a last-minute winner by Benjamin Sesko to secure a 3-2 victory.

This improved form has catapulted Carrick and his team into fourth position and puts them very much in the Champions League discussion. Meanwhile, their opponents Tottenham Hotspur are 14 points behind the Red Devils in the bottom half of the table. They are winless in all six league matches in 2026, with manager Thomas Frank coming under extreme scrutiny.

United will be the favourites to continue their good run but will be wary of the threat posed by a team that were able to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second half to pick up a point against Manchester City. Ahead of kick-off, we take a look at the latest Manchester United team news and our predicted line-up.

Manchester United predicted line-up vs. Spurs: goalkeeper and defence

GK - Senne Lammens: The young Belgian goalkeeper is likely to make his 19th league appearance of the season. He’s shown signs of promise in his first campaign and looks a safer pair of hands than Andre Onana based on the season so far.

RB - Diogo Dalot: The Portuguese international keeps his place at right-back. He’s featured regularly under Carrick and has shown signs of improvement in a more natural position.

CB - Harry Maguire: The experienced England international is likely to keep his place in central defence as he resumes his partnership with Lisandro Martinez which worked well in 2022/23. He’ll have a challenging test containing Dominic Solanke after last weekend’s heroics.

CB - Lisandro Martinez: The Argentine is still getting up to speed after missing nearly all of 2025 with an ACL injury. However, his return has coincided with an upturn in fortunes and it’s clear he’s still one of the best defenders on the books at Old Trafford.

LB - Luke Shaw: The England international looks more comfortable on the left-side of defence after being used as a central defender by Amorim towards the end. He’s in pole position to start after Patrick Dorgu’s injury.

Manchester United predicted line-up vs. Spurs: midfield and attack

CM - Casemiro: The Brazilian has been sensational for Carrick in recent weeks, leading to Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports punditry making a U Turn on the verdict that the ‘football had left him’. He’ll hope to continue that form against the Lillywhites.

CM - Kobbie Mainoo: The Euro 2024 finalist has looked like a man reborn under Carrick and is starting to enjoy his football once again after struggling for gametime. He’ll likely start ahead of Manuel Ugarte. His form has even seen him return to our Wonderkid Power Rankings - a big moment in anyone's career, surely...

RM - Bryan Mbeumo: Big summer signing Mbeumo has impressed as a centre forward in recent weeks but could be shifted over to the right-wing to replace Amad Diallo.

CAM - Bruno Fernandes: The Portuguese international has returned to a more advanced position under Carrick and is starting to look like a greater threat in the final third of the pitch.

LM - Matheus Cunha: The Brazilian keeps his place on the left wing where he’ll hope to cause problems for a Spurs defence with a weak defensive record.

ST - Benjamin Sesko: Former RB Leipzig frontman Sesko comes in to lead the line in the only change we expect from last weekend. The €85m (£74m) striker netted the winner against Fulham in fine fashion and will hope that can be the start of things to come after a subdued start to life in English football.

Tottenham Hotspur have plenty of work to do in the summer transfer market - and there’s an impending free agent who could be just what they need.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s lack of transfer activity over the winter was rather baffling, given their struggles this season and the litany of injuries which have bedevilled Thomas Frank’s squad. There were any number of holes that could have been filled effectively. Instead, Spurs stood pat. Cristian Romero certainly wasn’t happy with their inaction.

That’s unlikely to be the case come the summer, of course, when they will need to address several glaring issues with the side if they want to contend for the European places once more – and one of those problems, their wayward attacking unit, could be fixed in part by a free transfer.

The free transfer Spurs could – and should – sign this summer

Spurs invested heavily in their attacking unit over the summer, but much of the work that was done hasn’t panned out. Mohammed Kudus is injured. Xavi Simons has drifted in and out of the side and failed to find his best form. Mathys Tel has unbridled potential but seems unable to realise it.

Any of those players could end up being key components in a successful side in the future, while James Maddison will be back after the summer and, with any luck, will be able to get back to his creative best quickly enough. If there is a valid defence to Spurs’ lack of signings up front this winter, it’s that it isn’t necessarily easy to know exactly which players need replacing just yet.

Further data will be provided over the second half of the season, but while Spurs scout potential purchases they are also in a position to start tapping into the free transfer market – they can approach players out of contract with a view to agreeing a pre-contract now, and get their business done in advance. And there’s one high-quality player who is not only a fine attacking asset but has the versatility to be the answer to almost any question that could be asked over the coming months.

Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt is currently inside the last six months of his contract and doesn’t seem to be any closer to putting pen to paper on a new deal, negotiations over which began in November but have yet to reach any kind of conclusion. Spurs can already enter talks with the 29-year-old, and have every reason to do so.

Brandt has played on both wingers and as a number 10 over the course of his career, is comfortable with both feet and exceptionally versatile. It’s hard to imagine that any manager could come up with a tactical system into which he couldn’t fit quite easily. Whether Frank remains Spurs manager in six months’ time or not, there’s little chance that bringing Brandt in would turn out to be a mistake from a strategic standpoint. This is a player who offers much of what Spurs need.

Why Julian Brandt would be the perfect player for Tottenham Hotspur

Brandt hasn’t always been considered the most consistent player in Europe, but the consistency of his production has been impressive – his position has changed and his role adjusted, but he has passed 15 combined goals and assists in the Bundesliga for each of the last four seasons.

He’s a fine technician who has both an eye for a killer pass and the ball-carrying skills to beat defenders one-on-one. Whether he operates high up, out wide, in the channels or in deeper pockets outside the penalty area, his broad skill set has made him relentless effective.

Now in his prime and not long removed from a run of five goals in six games between December and January, the only real drawback to Brandt’s game is that he has never been especially capable off the ball, lacking the pressing instincts and defensive awareness to break up counter-attacks or win the ball back high up.

Should Spurs end up with a high-pressing game plan next season – whether that’s under Frank or any number of potential replacements – then signing Brandt could just about end up being a mistake of sorts. But that’s the only scenario in which a deal would be a bad idea on paper.

Spurs are also in an enviable financial position and would likely be able to fork out for the kind of salary demands that Dortmund don’t seem to be able to meet. With no transfer fee to pay, a deal for Brandt would leave Spurs with plenty of budget to spare to patch up all of the other issues which need addressing, too.

The North London club have been loosely linked with Brandt on a number of occasions in the recent past, and even if their alleged interest hasn’t developed into a formal offer as yet, there is some evidence to suggest that they recognise the Germany international as a potential solution to at least some of their problems. They probably shouldn’t wait too long to have a conversation with his representatives. They will find few players with such quality at such a low cost come the summer.