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Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker in total agreement over one Tottenham star vs Brighton

Tottenham have already shown immense character this season under Thomas Frank.

Last term, the Lilywhites crumbled at the Amex Stadium under Ange Postecoglou, surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2.

However, Spurs fought valiantly to secure a point against Brighton on Saturday, rescuing a 2-2 draw despite going two goals down.

While there were several encouraging performances on the South Coast, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker agreed over one player’s showing.

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker heap praise on Mohammed Kudus

Tottenham avoided a third straight away defeat to Brighton, a fixture that has been a problem over the last few years.

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One man who stood out against the Seagulls was Kudus, who was involved in both of the Lilywhites’ goals on the South Coast.

The Ghana international’s blocked shot was turned in by Richarlison before his cross was turned in by Jan Paul van Hecke.

Fabian Hurzeler’s men gave Kudus far too much freedom on the right throughout the game; hence, he had such an influence on the result.

Indeed, Shearer and Lineker were in awe of the winger when discussing the result on The Rest Is Football.

“Kudus done really well again, I thought,” Shearer said on 22 September.

Lineker replied: “Looked really good, didn’t he?”

Shearer: “I thought he was a real threat. He was a real threat, wasn’t he? Yeah, 2-0 down, you’re always going to take 2-2, aren’t you? But I thought they were worthy of a point, and Thomas Frank’s made a really good start, hasn’t he?”

Mohammed shows that class is permanent for Tottenham

Kudus may have yet to score a Spurs goal, but he has already demonstrated that he is worth the £55million outlay from West Ham.

During his first season at the London Stadium, the 25-year-old was irresistible and was rightly lauded for his performances.

However, last term, the Ghanaian failed to deliver the same impact, with many concerned that he could not sustain his high levels.

In truth, the winger was probably unsettled in East London and desperate to move, given his team’s plight and the mounting interest in his services.

While it is early days, Kudus has been consistent and influential for Tottenham, already bagging four assists in the Premier League.

Come the end of the campaign, the 25-year-old could be a contender for signing of the season.

Tottenham were plagued by injuries in the latter stages of Ange Postecoglou’s reign.

The Lilywhites’ dismal Premier League campaign last time out can be partially attributed to an unprecedented injury crisis, which saw numerous key first-team stars ruled out for lengthy periods.

Spurs and Thomas Frank have been fortunate to avoid a similar fate so far in the early stages of the new campaign, and keeping a clean bill of health will be key to their fortunes moving forward.

The Lilywhites have shown plenty of encouraging signs in the early stages of the season, and the last thing that they will want is for injuries to begin to set in.

Luka Vuskovic suffers possible broken finger in Hamburg loan spell

Tottenham will be keeping a close eye on Luka Vuskovic during his loan spell with Hamburg, given that they have the option to recall him in January if necessary.

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The Croatian defender has made the step up to play in one of Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues for the first time in his career, and he recently made his Bundesliga debut for his loan club.

That came in a 5-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but Vuskovic’s second outing brought significantly better results, as he scored in Hamburg’s 2-1 win over Heidenheim on Saturday.

However, it was not an entirely positive afternoon for the 18-year-old, who appears to have suffered an injury to his hand during the game, after he struck the post following a missed opportunity in the first half.

“I probably broke my finger,” he said after the game, his quotes relayed by Hamburger Morgenpost.

“It’s an old injury, a few months ago I broke my finger. But I was so angry that I missed such a big chance that I hit the post with my hand.”

Tottenham may be open to Luka Vuskovic recall

Vuskovic was tipped to stay at Tottenham in the summer and form part of Frank’s first-team squad.

While the decision was ultimately taken to loan him out again, it feels like this is the last step before he makes the jump to be a regular feature in N17.

The Lilywhites’ option to recall him is dependent on an injury to another player within their ranks, but if the opportunity presents itself, they surely wouldn’t hesitate to bring the starlet back and hand him an opportunity.

The Bundesliga is a very strong level of football, and if he continues to perform for Hamburg, Tottenham should have no qualms about throwing him in at the deep end in the future.

Thomas Frank has what looks to be a world-class talent at his disposal at Tottenham.

Tottenham overcame a two-goal deficit against Brighton to salvage a point at the American Express Stadium last time out on Saturday.

Mohammed Kudus was a shining light for Spurs, while Richarlison only has himself to blame for Tottenham’s 2-2 draw despite netting their first goal.

But Frank will already be thinking about the next game and how he can get the best out of one of Tottenham’s rising stars.

This article includes exclusive comment from ex-Premier League midfielder Martin Allen.

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Lucas Bergvall valued at £110million

Lucas Bergvall was the stand-out performer for Tottenham in their win over West Ham after the international break.

The midfielder went on to deliver a Man of the Match performance during Spurs’ win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League.

Following his solid performances, former Brentford manager Allen – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News– believes he is better and should sell for more than Declan Rice did when he signed for Arsenal.

“At the age that he’s at, you’ve got to remember what Declan Rice and many, many years at West Ham, he went for £105m a couple of years ago,” Martin said.

“With him, there’s no way I’d sell him for less than £110m, no way. For me, he’s a better player than Rice, because he scores goals, and Declan’s not great at scoring goals.

“Top, top quality player. Yeah, and I will put him around about that £110m bracket, he’s that good, in my opinion.”

How do Declan Rice and Lucas Bergvall compare?

Based on the data alone, there are more similarities between Rice and Bergvall than one would believe.

Comparing their seasons so far, the difference between their possession won stats is minimal. There is a 1.8 per 90 gap between the two.

Meanwhile, Bergvall bests Rice on ball carries and key passes. However, there is a huge difference between their forward and progressive passes, with Rice significantly outperforming Bergvall.

But with a better defensive rate and chance creation, there is no doubt that Bergvall has what it takes to compete with one of the best in the Premier League.

‘Superb’ Tottenham youth talent set for spot in Thomas Frank’s squad vs Doncaster

Thomas Frank will already be thinking about what players to field for Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham have already played in their fair share of competitions other than the Premier League this season.

The first came during Spurs’ defeat to PSG in the UEFA Super Cup. While the bitter taste of defeat was difficult to swallow, the game renewed faith in Frank as a leader.

The most recent was Tottenham’s narrow 1-0 win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League. After the Lilywhites’ performance received quite a bit of criticism, devoid of end-to-end action, with a Luiz Junior own goal separating the two sides.

Frank could now be looking towards competition number three as he continues to strive towards success this season.

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This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

Luca Williams-Barnett, Tynan Thompson and Jun’ai Byfield could feature in Carabao Cup

It was previously suggested that Luca Williams-Barnett could feature for Tottenham in their Carabao Cup game against Doncaster Rovers.

The youngster impressed for the Under-18s last season and has had a solid start with the Under-21s this period.

However, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes fellow Academy stars Tynan Thompson and Jun’ai Byfield could be called up alongside him.

“I think Tottenham will feel a lot more relaxed in the situation as it’s a home tie,” Wenham said.

“So I think we could also see Thompson come on, and I think Thompson should be spoken about in the same regard as Williams-Barnett. Every time I see him play, he’s superb from the left wing.

“We did see him against Wycombe in that preseason friendly. I could see him potentially being on the bench as well as Williams-Barnett.

“Byfield, obviously, we’ve seen on the bench a couple of times. There will be a nine-man bench, so there’ll be a mixture of youth, and there’ll be some first-team players in case it’s not panning out as we want on the pitch.”

Why Thomas Frank should give Tynan Thompson a chance

It was suggested that Thompson could replace Son Heung-min at Tottenham after a sensational cameo against Wycombe Wanderers during pre-season.

However, the young winger has yet to take to the pitch for the senior team since his impressive display.

There is currently a left-wing problem at Tottenham with Xavi Simons and Djed Spence less than convincing going forward. This, coupled with Frank’s hesitancy to start Wilson Odobert and adding another left winger to the mix, makes sense.

As a result, Frank should give Thompson a chance to play regularly for Spurs this season, given the current state of his attack.

Tottenham have been fraught with speculation since the departure of Daniel Levy was confirmed.

The 63-year-old finally called time on his involvement with the Lilywhites in September, after a 25-year stint as executive chairman of the Premier League giants.

Levy’s exit will bring a major change at Tottenham, and it has even served to cast the ownership and stance of ENIC into doubt.

With that in mind, Tottenham News takes a look at every member of the board, which has changed drastically in recent months.

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Peter Charrington – Non-Executive Chairman

Peter Charrington has effectively taken on Levy’s role at Tottenham since his departure.

He is the director of the ENIC company who own Spurs, and previously spent over 26 years as the Chief Executive Officer of private banking firm Citigroup.

Charrington is also part of the boards of companies Amey, Acteon and Amaloq AG.

He joined the backroom team in N17 as a non-executive director in March 2025, but assumed what is a close resemblance of Levy’s role following his departure in September 2025.

Vinai Vinkatesham OBE – Chief Executive Officer

Vinai Venkatesham joined Tottenham as their new CEO in the summer of 2025, having previously had success in a similar role on the other side of the North London divide.

He has also sat on the boards of the Wembley Stadium Advisory board and the British Olympic Association, so he has plenty of experience when it comes to the crossover between business and sport.

Venkatesham was awarded an OBE in 2024, and joined the Lilywhites in April 2025, less than a year after leaving his post at Arsenal.

He had previously held the CEO position at the Gunners for six years.

Matthew Collecott – Operations and Finance Director

Matthew Collecott is Tottenham’s Operations and Finance Director, and he also holds an identical role within ENIC.

He has been part of the company since 1998, and has overseen involvement with the likes of Slavia Prague and AEK Athens as part of his duties with the group.

Collecott dovetails his role on the board in N17, with a secondary position as a Trustee of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

Jonathan Turner – Lead Independent Director

Jonathan Turner is the final member of the quartet that make up the board at Tottenham.

He is an Oxford University graduate, having earned a first-class degree in philosophy, politics and economics back in 1994.

Turner has over 24 years of experience in investment banking, which includes a stint as President of Qatalyst Partners, which he also co-founded.

Thomas Frank has taken a refreshingly open approach since taking over as Tottenham head coach.

While there has been the odd dent, the Dane can be encouraged by his side’s general results and performances.

Spurs came from behind to secure a point with Brighton, thanks to Richarlison and an own goal from summer target Jan Paul van Hecke.

After securing a 2-2 draw, Frank reflected on his performance, with the performance of Guglielmo Viacrio coming into question.

Thomas Frank says Guglielmo Viacrio must improve for Tottenham

Spurs did admirably to stop another away defeat to Brighton, having lost their previous two at the Amex Stadium.

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It was always going to be a tricky afternoon, given how well Fabian Hurzeler’s side have performed during the early season.

Frank’s men got off to the worst possible start, with Yankubah Minteh going round Vicario to score a superb solo goal.

Then, Yasin Ayari caught the Italian off guard with a speculative long-distance effort to put the Seagulls two goals up.

Clinton Morrison slammed Viacrio, stating that the 28-year-old should have done better to prevent the goal.

Indeed, Frank backed up Morrison when reflecting on the Italy international’s performance after the game.

“And then great goal, but Vic can do better,” Spurs’ head coach said via Football.London on 21 September.

“Very happy with him, spoke to him, so I think he had a great season for us, and it happens. But we keep going, we stay in the game, stick to the game plan, and I thought we looked physically strong.”

Spurs could replace Guglielmo Viacrio if poor form continues

Vicario’s performance against Bournemouth was a throwback to his early performances in a Tottenham shirt.

In his debut Premier League season, the 28-year-old looked to be a steal, having signed from Empoli for a fee of around £17.2million.

However, last term, the Italian showed his vulnerability from crosses, with his performances coming in for scrutiny.

While he has shown glimpses, it appears that he could be more of a liability this campaign and could cost Frank valuable points.

Spurs are already looking like an improved side under Frank, but a quality goalkeeper would take them to another level.

Indeed, if Vicario continues to make mistakes, then it could force the North London club into the market in January.

Tottenham get their Carabao Cup campaign underway on Wednesday night when they welcome Doncaster Rovers to N17.

The South Yorkshire outfit have had a bright start to the season in League One, and will be hopeful of springing an upset on their Premier League hosts.

Tottenham battled back well to draw with Brighton on Saturday, and it is expected that the cup clash will be used to predominantly hand minutes to squad players and young talents.

Thomas Frank’s team could look very different from what we have come to expect on Wednesday, but that could mean it becomes a very special evening for one particular rising star.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

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Luca Williams-Barnett set to make senior Tottenham debut vs Doncaster

Luca Williams-Barnett is one of the brightest prospects at Tottenham and is already starring in Premier League 2 at the age of 16.

The attacking midfielder notched a goal and an assist in his Spurs U19s’ victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Youth League last week, and followed that up with a hat-trick against Leicester on Friday.

He is continuing to build a reputation as one of the Lilywhites’ brightest academy talents at the moment, and that will surely see him come onto Frank’s first-team radar in the near future.

Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Williams-Barnett will make his senior debut in the cup clash with Doncaster on Wednesday.

“He was outstanding in the Youth Champions League,” Wenham said.

“When you’ve got the opportunity to watch him in person and see how he picks up the ball in the midfield and drives past two or three players in a single move, it’s special. You can see straight away that he’s an outstanding player.

“He scored one of the goals, was heavily involved in an own goal before then and got an assist as well. So it was just a 10/10 performance from him. I do expect he will make his debut against Doncaster Rovers, coming from the bench.”

Luca Williams-Barnett is deserving of first-team chance

Williams-Barnett has been earmarked for big things at Tottenham for a long time now, and despite his tender age, this could be the perfect opportunity to throw him in for his debut.

The youngster has already come up against senior men’s opportunity in the Vertu Trophy this season, and notched a goal and an assist as Spurs’ academy side were beaten on penalties by Bristol Rovers.

He has produced scarcely believable numbers in youth football in the last few months, and he is certainly ready to be thrown in at the deep end.

Xavi Simons came on as a substitute during Tottenham’s draw to Brighton in the Premier League.

Spectators were impressed by Simons’ debut for Tottenham against West Ham, with many fans hoping that he’d go from strength to strength moving forward.

However, the Dutchman disappointed during Tottenham’s win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League.

As a result, Simons started from the bench to face Brighton. But just over 60 minutes into normal time, he took to the pitch and put on a display that has beckoned supporters to his corner once more.

Xavi Simons sends positive message after Brighton clash

Simons has faced criticism at Tottenham after failing to net a decisive goal at the American Express Stadium.

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But on the whole, his performance was positive.

Following the game, Simons took to Instagram on 20 September with a positive message Tottenham fans will love.

He captioned the post: “Proud of the team spirit.”

How did Tottenham perform vs Brighton?

Tottenham overcame a two-goal deficit against Brighton to salvage a point away from home.

The Lilywhites built and sustained momentum after the second goal was conceded, going on to net two of their own.

However, further statistics from the confrontation indicate that Spurs struggled to create quality chances despite dominating possession.

Tottenham netted two goals from 1.22 expected goals recorded. Meanwhile, the Seagulls scored the same number of goals from 1.32 in expected goals.

While there is not much in it, this suggests that the Lilywhites found it difficult to feed their attackers in good goalscoring positions. This should set off alarm bells for Thomas Frank, as there is no use dominating possession if a team does little with it.

Therefore, Spurs showed some positive signs against Brighton and seemed to have shifted a gear in mentality from the days of Ange Postecoglou. But Frank’s next objective should be to look at the types of chances his team creates for his forwards.

Tottenham had several candidates in the running to replace Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs’ decision to dismiss Postecoglou came as a huge shock at the time. He had just guided Tottenham to UEFA Europa League victory and was loved by both the players and fans.

But finishing 17th in the Premier League with 22 games lost – the most defeats without relegation – was not good enough for the Lilywhites.

As a result, Thomas Frank succeeded Postecoglou who replaced former Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo at Nottingham Forest.

Andoni Iraola tipped for a Big Six job

Tottenham identified Andoni Iraola as an ideal candidate to replace Postecoglou, but it was not meant to be.

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However, 43-year-old’s genius cannot be understated. Tottenham were defeated by Bournemouth in the Premier League after back-to-back wins, while the Cherries are currently fifth on the table with a game in hand.

Chief Sports Writer Dave Kid for The Sun via The Sun on Sunday (21 September, page 55), that he could be next in line for a Big Six job.

He states that when Spurs were looking for their next manager, “Iraola felt like the outstanding choice. The next time a Big Six club are in the market, he may well get his big break.”

Thomas Frank vs Andoni Iraola manager record

Iraola and Frank are two managers who have been consistently praised for making use of what they have in the Premier League. But how do their records compare in the top flight?

Brentford were promoted to the top division under the Dane in 2021 and have been competing amongst elite company ever since. Meanwhile, the Spanish manager was appointed Bournemouth coach in 2023 and has been leading the charge since.

Frank spent 2,449 days in charge at Brentford. In that time, he won 136 games, was defeated on 110 occasions and drew 71 matches. On the other hand, Iraola has managed Bournemouth for 813 days, winning 38 games, losing on 34 occasions and drawing 20 matches.

While the Dane has overseen just seven games for Spurs, winning four, losing two, and drawing once.

With both managers on top of the world at the moment, it will be interesting to see where the two finish in the league once the season wraps up.

Wilson Odobert could be about to head for the exit at Tottenham in the January transfer window.

The Frenchman is now into his second season with the Lilywhites after he signed from Burnley last summer, but his time in N17 hasn’t gone as he would have hoped so far.

Odobert has shown flashes of his ability at Tottenham since his move to the capital, but he has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot for large parts of the last year.

The winger would have hoped to have received more football under Thomas Frank, but that hasn’t been the case for him as yet.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

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Wilson Odobert in discussions with Tottenham about a loan

Odobert has hardly played for Tottenham so far this season, having only started his first competitive game under Frank in the recent draw with Brighton.

The wideman was substituted after 72 minutes on the South Coast, but that outing still sees his total league minutes for the season sat at a lowly 141 with five games on the board.

The 20-year-old is a player with bags of potential, but he is unlikely to reach that potential without playing regular football.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Odobert and his agent will already be in discussions with the Lilywhites hierarchy regarding a potential loan move in January.

“I would imagine they’ll be talking about a loan move,” King said.

“Certainly Odobert and his agent will be wanting to know how he’s going to get games under his belt.

“For me, I don’t think he’s ever going to be first choice at Spurs, and definitely not at this stage of his career.

“He’s going to be wanting to play games, and that isn’t going to happen at Tottenham at the moment. A loan would be the best option for him really.”

Premier League loan would be perfect for Wilson Odobert

Odobert has a big future at Tottenham, but for the time being, it will be hard for him to force his way into Frank’s plans on a regular basis, given the depth that the boss has at his disposal.

With that in mind, if the N17 outfit could secure a loan move for the youngster elsewhere in the Premier League, that would be an ideal outcome for all parties.

Odobert needs more football, and continued exposure to the top flight would be invaluable for his development.

A team in the lower reaches of the table would likely utilise him as one of their key players, and that is exactly what he needs at this stage of his career.