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Tottenham have been forewarned before making a potential swoop for Marc-Andre ter Stegen in January.

Ter Stegen has emerged as a potential target for Tottenham after a difficult season to this point under Thomas Frank.

The Dane has come under pressure, as has Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario, after multiple errors this season have cost his side dearly.

Vicario is struggling for form and confidence at Tottenham and could ultimately be replaced at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this winter.

The Lilywhites have been linked with a potential move for Ter Stegen, but have been emphatically warned against a move ahead of the January window.

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Bryan King rages at Tottenham link to Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Ter Stegen was linked to Tottenham many months ago, but the upcoming window will provide a first opportunity to land his signature.

The German looks destined to leave Barcelona after falling out of favour under Hansi Flick, despite being the club captain at Camp Nou.

Spurs are said to be one of the only sides who can afford the 33-year-old’s wages, with reports emerging from Catalan outlet Sport.

Former scout Bryan King has sent a stark warning to the North Londoners against signing ter Stegen once the winter market opens.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “No chance. I don’t rate him.

“He’s the luckiest man alive to be a goalkeeper playing for a decent team.

“I wouldn’t bring him to England, I don’t rate him. I think that’s an ‘according to reports’ story, because I certainly wouldn’t go after him if I were Tottenham.

“I’ve never liked him, even when watching him in Germany.

“He got the luckiest move ever, going to Barcelona.“

Tottenham can’t risk ter Stegen signing in January

After such a distinct warning from King, the signing of ter Stegen in January could prove to be the final nail in Frank’s coffin in N17.

The Barca keeper certainly has qualities, but it is clear that he brings plenty of baggage and would come on hefty wages from LaLiga.

If he were to come in and perform at a similar level to Vicario, there would be little way to explain why money was wasted on someone who isn’t an obvious improvement on the squad.

Spurs need to be wise with their money and may see more benefit from trusting in the Italian rather than bringing in a 33-year-old for a sizable cost.

Fabio Paratici looks set to leave Tottenham just two months after rejoining as sporting director.

Paratici was initially at Spurs between 2021 and 2023 as their managing director of football, before returning to the club in October.

The 53-year-old was set to play a big role in the January transfer window, with Tottenham interested in the likes of Antoine Semenyo as they looked to add quality to their squad.

However, Paratici now looks set for a swift exit and return to his native Italy, which will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the hierarchy in North London.

Fabio Paratici set for Fiorentina move

Paratici was responsible for bringing the likes of Antonio Conte, Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero to Tottenham during his first spell at the club.

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There was understandable excitment when he rejoined, with some supporters believing that Spurs’ recruitment would improve as a result.

With just over a week until the January transfer window, Paratici is reportedly nearing a move to Fiorentina in Serie A.

The Italian is set for crunch talks with the Tottenham hierarchy this week, which could see his time in North London brought to an end.

If Paratici does end up leaving, it will be a big blow for Spurs, especially considering the way the Lilywhites have stood by him in recent years.

Fabio Paratici owes Tottenham after ban

Paratici originally left Tottenham back in April 2023 after being hit with a 30-month ban by FIFA for financial irregularities.

The charges stem from the 53-year-old’s time at Juventus, who were found guilty of false accounting between 2019 and 2021.

However, once Paratici’s ban had expired back in October, he was immediately welcomed back by Tottenham into the role of sporting director.

The North London side showed remarkable loyalty to the Italian, but it seems that he is throwing that straight back in their faces.

Instead of thanking Spurs for their continued support with multiple years of service, Paratici looks set to jump ship at the first opportunity.

If he does end up leaving Tottenham, then he has failed to repay those who stood by him during what could’ve been a career-ending scandal.

Tim Sherwood has laughed off suggestions that Thomas Frank will be sacked by Tottenham.

Frank was appointed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, after Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties, but he has had an underwhelming start.

The Dane is under increasing pressure after Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Liverpool on 20 December, which left the North London club sitting 13th in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s dismal home record is under the microscope, with the Lilywhites winning just four of their home league matches in 2025.

Sherwood thinks Tottenham must back Frank before sack

Tottenham’s frugality in the transfer market has been a long-debated issue, but they finally loosened the purse strings this summer.

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However, Tim Sherwood believes that more of the same must be in order, before they make any decision on Frank’s future.

Speaking on Sky Sports on 22 December, he said: “I think he needs to be given a chance.

“Any manager needs time and hopefully they give it to him.

“He needs help in the transfer market.

“They have a lot of players who are similar, but hopefully they make the right calls in the next couple of windows to let Thomas build something there at Tottenham.”

Why Frank is not to blame for Liverpool defeat

Frank cannot be blamed for the narrow defeat to Arne Slot’s side, as there were several unfortunate events that went against him.

He was hamstrung from the 33rd-minute onwards, when Xavi Simons was sent off for a ridiculous challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

Any chance that Spurs had of coming back was eradicated by Cristian Romero being unable to control his temper and kicking out at Ibrahima Konate, as they were chasing and looking likely to get an equaliser.

Frank may have made mistakes since joining the N17 outfit, but if those individual errors had not happened, he may well have pulled off a good result against the Reds.

On a different day, his side may have come away with all three points, and the talk of the sack would not have been as heavy.

Sherwood is right, they need to give the ex-Brentford boss backing in the market, to see how he can take this team, rather than making any knee-jerk decisions.

Micky van de Ven had a day to forget during Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday.

Liverpool’s win over Tottenham has left Spurs 13th in the table, and fans are starting to turn on Thomas Frank as results continue to worsen.

After Xavi Simons’ red card, goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike gave the Reds a 2-0 lead before Richarlison scored a consolation goal, and Cristian Romero was sent off in what was a chaotic end to the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite the underperformance of many players under Frank, Van de Ven has been Tottenham’s best player this season and has remained blameless for the majority of their defeats.

However, after injuring Isak in the aftermath of his goal, the extent of his injury has now been made clear, and former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has called for the Dutch defender to be punished.

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Micky van de Ven lucky to go unpunished for breaking Alexander Isak’s leg

Sky Sports reported on Monday that Isak had suffered a broken leg after Van de Ven unsuccessfully slid in to try to block his shot that flew past Guglielmo Vicario.

Speaking on ESPN on 22 December, Leboeuf believes Van de Ven should have faced repercussions for the challenge.

He said: “I love the way Van de Ven is behaving and the way he plays football, and I love the player, but he has to be punished.

“I’m sorry, you cannot get out of that when you broke the leg of somebody. You take a chance, you’re a defender. I was a defender and never injured any player.

“You can tackle, you can be hard, but you have to know and be in control of what you do. And, I’m sorry, in that manner, and the result says a lot, Van de Ven was not in control.

“For me, that’s maybe unfortunate, but something has to come out. He cannot go unpunished again after that tackle.”

Van de Ven’s importance in defence cannot be understated, although he was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch, which would have caused even more problems for Tottenham.

Micky van de Ven desperately needs help from his fellow defenders

The difference in performance levels between the 24-year-old and his fellow defenders has been staggering at times.

Vicario has been shaky in goal, while Pedro Porro has been questioned for his defensive abilities at right-back.

It was Romero who was particularly bad against Liverpool, but it highlights a bigger issue that Spurs simply aren’t addressing.

The lack of cohesion in defence is astounding at times, and with 23 goals being conceded in the opening 17 matches, something desperately needs to change.

Otherwise, Tottenham’s season will soon be over, and Frank will find himself out of a job.

Alan Pardew expects ‘good news’ for Tottenham transfer window after what agents told him about Daniel Levy exit

Alan Pardew has heard that previous blocks to Tottenham transfer success have been removed with the club looking to buy in January.

Thomas Frank’s job is under scrutiny at Tottenham after the latest defeat in front of the home fans – a 2-1 loss to Liverpool as Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero were sent off on Saturday.

The Dane’s attack has been a particular concern this campaign and the club are expected to looking to strengthen in the New Year, with Tottenham interested in Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

However, Man City are the latest major rival in the pursuit of the Ghanaian attacker, although does Pardew expect “good news” at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the winter market.

Daniel Levy exit to remove Tottenham transfer barriers

Daniel Levy was suddenly removed from his role as Tottenham executive chairman in September after years of mounting fan-frustration, partly relating to his infamous reputation as a hard man to negotiate with, and according to Pardew the set up that has replaced him could be set to make things easier.

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Speaking about Semenyo live on talkSPORT the ex-Newcastle boss said: “Yeah all the big clubs are in, there’s no doubt about that, and I can guarantee that for you. The financials for the player are going to be met, no problem. It’s just about where the player would like to play his football. Where his heart is gonna lie.

“Does he want to be the main man at Spurs and be a really big fish in a, let’s be honest, a mid-sized pool? Or does he want to go into a really, really big pool of great players like Man City and fight for his place?

“When you look at his development and the ages that he’s at I hope that he goes to somewhere where he’s gonna definitely play. I think Spurs would be a good venue for him.

“And I understand, I don’t understand what their offer is to Semenyo, but I do know from a couple of agents that I spoke to that Spurs are looking to buy, and they’ve moved some restrictions that they’ve had in the past, they’ve gone away.

“I wouldn’t say Daniel Levy, I’m saying a couple of sort of sticking points with Daniel in terms of getting the deal over the line, and they’ve gone out the window now, agent payments and structuring here, there and everywhere.

“So I think there’s some good news to come for Spurs in this window with this new regime.”

What is the latest on Semenyo Tottenham?

If there is to be good news for Tottenham it appears it will be elsewhere as David Ornstein has reported that Semenyo is “politely” indicating to Spurs he wants to go elsewhere, with Man City and Man United leading the race.

The Athletic journalist told NBC Sports this weekend that Spurs were willing to pay the Cherries star a “significant” salary, which suggests what Pardew has heard might be accurate.

But if the post-Levy landscape freed the club up to put a huge contract on the table and they are still set to miss out on a key target it doesn’t bode well for Frank.

The fact that Semenyo has a relatively-reasonable £65 million release clause makes it impossible to outbid rivals, but greater financial freedom presumably should allow for greater capability to hijack other deals if needed.

However that is no guarantee of success on the pitch, after Tottenham hijacked Chelsea for Simons in the summer with Levy still in place and that has so far proven to be a major swing and a miss with the Dutchman.

Xavi Simons was sent off for Tottenham after a foul on Virgil van Dijk that he “actually meant to do”, according to Perry Groves.

Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 in North London on Saturday in a chaotic game where the hosts finished with nine men.

Simons was shown red by John Brooks just after the half-hour for a late, studs-up challenge on the Liverpool centre-back, and his international captain for the Netherlands, before Cristian Romero was also sent off in added time.

Despite Simons protesting his innocence via social media after the game ex-Arsenal attacker Groves has dismissed his apparent upset as “crocodile tears” and says the mechanics of the challenge mean it can only have been deliberate.

Perry Groves slams Xavi Simons’ for Virgil van Dijk foul

Speaking live on talkSPORT “You look at the Simons challenge on Virgil van Dijk. That’s premeditated, he actually meant to do that.

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“People say ‘he’s not that sort of player’. I don’t buy into that. You know what you’re doing.”

In response to host Sam Matterface citing Simons’ Instagram post saying it was an accident Groves added: “He’s gonna say that, that’s my point, it’s his national team captain so he’s gonna say ‘I’m so sorry’.”

Alex Crook argued Simons was virtually in tears over it but Groves was unmoved: “Don’t do it. Did you see where the ball was? When Virgil van Dijk had the ball, it was on his right foot and he’s playing it. [Simons] actually treads on his standing foot which is a yard away from where the ball is.

“And he puts his studs up and rakes him down the back of his calf muscle, and he looks away to pretend he’s not doing it. He does that and it’s premeditated and done on purpose. Crocodile tears. Do one.”

How long will Xavi Simons miss?

Deliberate or not the red card is just about the worst thing outside of a serious injury that Simons could have got from the Liverpool defeat given how it stalls any progress badly.

His big-money move from RB Leipzig heralded Tottenham finally coming out on the right side of a high-profile hijack after Chelsea were beaten to the deal.

And with the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski out injured long-term it should have helped cover in attack.

But with Thomas Frank struggling increasingly to get a tune out of these players or look like he has them under control the Simons difficulties are sticking out as a major problem.

The Dutchman is young and in a new league, while the chaos around him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is hardly conducive to a seamless transition.

But just as he looked to have turned a corner after his match-winning performance as Spurs beat Brentford 2-1, he has now taken a huge step back as he will now be suspended for three Premier League games since his red card was for “serious foul play”.

Tottenham’s chaotic 2-1 loss to Liverpool saw many players perform poorly at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Xavi Simons’ first-half red card for Spurs gave Thomas Frank’s side a mountain to climb, and Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike put the reigning champions 2-0 up.

Richarlison’s consolation goal wasn’t enough to prevent Spurs from losing yet another league game at home.

Further drama ensued when Cristian Romero was given his marching orders after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate in stoppage time.

Gary Neville agreed with both of referee John Brooks’ decisions and slammed the Argentinian centre-back for his dreadful display.

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Cristian Romero is becoming a liability for Tottenham

Romero’s excellent performance against Newcastle on Saturday has now been overshadowed by his disastrous evening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He gave the ball away for Isak’s opener before being out-jumped by Ekitike for the second goal, and his misery was compounded when he was sent off for his petulant kick out at Konate.

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast on Sunday, the ex-Man United defender was critical of Romero’s performance.

He said: “Simons’ red card may have helped Tottenham and galvanised the crowd against the referee.

“I don’t think the referee was amazing, but I don’t think he impacted the game as much as the ill-discipline of the Tottenham players.

“Romero, he’s captain chaos, and the minute he gave that goal away, he was a walking time bomb around the pitch.”

The 27-year-old is known for his hot-headed nature, and he has been on the receiving end of cards throughout his career.

Romero’s disciplinary record is shockingly bad

Tottenham are struggling in the Premier League, and Romero’s ill-discipline means he’ll banned for the trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Spurs have lost 11 Premier League home games in 2025, and the mood among fans is at an all-time low towards both Frank and the players.

As the captain, Romero can’t continue to lose his head, or Tottenham will never be able to bridge the gap between themselves and the top teams in the league.

This season alone, he has been shown a card in eight of his 19 matches, and it has cost Tottenham on multiple occasions.

Given the fact that he also won only 50 per cent of his aerial duels and registered a pass accuracy of 82 per cent, it’s safe to say that he had a game to forget in what was his last match of 2025.

Tottenham now face a key problem to solve ahead of Thomas Frank’s first January transfer window for the Lilywhites.

Daniel Levy stepped down as Tottenham chairman in September, not long after making one of the biggest calls in recent history for the Lilywhites.

After Spurs’ Europa League triumph, Levy decided to axe Ange Postecoglou before hiring Frank, causing unrest among the Tottenham fanbase.

But Frank wasn’t the only hire the former Spurs chairman made this year, as one man he brought back to N17 is now nearing an exit.

Fabio Paratici close to joining Fiorentina

Levy decided to bring Fabio Paratici back to Tottenham as sporting director this year after the Italian left in April 2023 following his first two-year stint with the Lilywhites.

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Paratici re-joined Tottenham after serving out a football suspension due to controversial financial irregularities that Levy clearly wasn’t worried by.

Tottenham have outlined their vision for the January transfer market, with Paratici said to play a key role in incomings and outgoings.

However, the Lilywhites now look set to lose the Italian.

Italian journalist Matteo Moretto reported via X on Sunday that Paratici is “nearing a definitive yes” to join Fiorentina back in his homeland of Italy.

It’s reported that he will have face-to-face talks with internal figures at Spurs this week, which could see his impending departure confirmed.

The news may have just come at the worst possible time for Frank and Tottenham, as Levy will surely be grinning from ear to ear.

Daniel Levy will be laughing at Tottenham now

Levy’s Tottenham exit was unexpected, but welcomed by most.

The 63-year-old was at the centre of controversy for many years as Spurs’ executive chairman over his nearly 25-year ownership of the club.

But the timing of Paratici’s potential exit will have Levy laughing at his choice to leave Tottenham.

He departed shortly after the Lilywhites broke their trophy curse and handed control over to Joe Lewis and his family, who now have to clean up this mess.

It’s terrible timing for the Lilywhites, and Paratici’s replacement needs to come in soon.

Tottenham’s home form has been a huge problem this season, and that continued against Liverpool on Saturday.

Tottenham fell to a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, with goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike proving enough to render Richarlison’s late strike a consolation.

While it is important to note that they had two red cards, the fact that it took until then for them to start playing should be a concern.

Thomas Frank is under pressure to turn things around, especially at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as it should be a fortress for Spurs.

Tottenham’s home form presents a dismal reality after Liverpool loss

Tottenham have won just four of their home Premier League matches in 2025, drawing three and losing 11.

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John Wenham believes that it is simply not good enough, and hit out at the way that they played against the Reds.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “You can split the game into 90 per cent and 10 per cent, for 90 per cent of the game, Tottenham’s performance again was quite poor, at home you have got to show initiative.

“We didn’t seemingly do that until we were down to nine men, which was very strange, we started the game okay, but still not as the home team, attacking a Liverpool team that hasn’t been this Liverpool team that we have seen over the past eight years.

“It was only after the Romero red card that we galvanised, Richarlison had a huge impact on the game, his behaviour and his antics levelled up the game, it felt like nine against nine when he was on the pitch, and I think if that game had gone on for 10 more minutes, Spurs may have gotten an equaliser as well.

“Fans, which Hugo Ekitike picked up on, drove Tottenham on, we have had criticism of the fans in recent weeks from Thomas Frank, and we have seen how important the fans can be, and a rival player has even picked that up.

“Disappointing, another home defeat for Tottenham, really disappointing year at home, four home wins in total, absolutely not acceptable for a club of Tottenham’s standing, with the players that they have got, utterly pathetic.

“The last 10-15 minutes of the game, you wonder why Tottenham can’t start games like that, especially at home.”

Tottenham have to improve at home, they cannot afford not to

Spurs supporters pay some of the highest prices in the division for their tickets, they should be watching a team that dominates, especially in their own stadium.

Given that fans are already disillusioned with ticket prices, they should not have to settle for a team that cannot win on its own patch regularly.

If Frank and Co do not ensure a rapid turnaround, then they will have no chance of achieving their ambitions this season.

Cristian Romero was shown a red card in Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Romero furthered Tottenham’s misery as they were reduced to nine men, with Xavi Simons already sent off.

The defender kicked out at Ibrahima Konate when he was already on a caution and made it impossible for Thomas Frank‘s men to come back.

It was a major disappointment from one of Tottenham’s most senior players, and Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville did not hold back.

What did Neville and Redknapp say about Romero after Tottenham vs Liverpool controversy?

Romero was appointed as Tottenham captain after Son Heung-min’s departure in the summer, so he should lead by example.

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Neville made his opinion clear on the live broadcast on 20 December, saying: “What is Romero doing? Who is he shouting at now? Get in the dressing room! It is absolute madness from him.”

Redknapp also criticised the Spurs star in his post-match analysis, saying: “What Romero did is what Romero does. To get involved right in front of the referee and kick out at someone right in front of the referee.

“If my four-year-old did that, I would say, ‘What are you doing?'”

Romero should not be blasted for Konate incident

John Wenham believes that the criticism of Romero went too far, after what happened against Arne Slot’s side.

He acknowledged that while it was a silly error, it is part of what makes the Argentina star the player that he is.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “With Romero, he plays on the edge, that is what makes him such a good player, he is passionate, he will always charge into people, let them know he is there.

“I know some in the media like to criticise him, I noticed on Sky, yesterday evening, Neville, Redknapp and others were quick to criticise Romero.

“But he will turn around and have a trophy cabinet that either of those will envy, we are talking about someone who has played in the World Cup final, played a massive part in Tottenham winning a major European trophy last year, he has won trophies everywhere he has been.

“He can be petulant at times, but his overall contribution for Tottenham far outweighs any moments of hotheadedness that he has, he is just a born winner, and he puts it on the line when he plays for the club.

“That is his character, you take the risk of that, with those overall performances for Tottenham, he is one of our best players.

“It is unfortunate that sometimes his discipline gets the better of him.”