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James Maddison is continuing to be an active presence at Tottenham despite his current lengthy injury lay-off.

The England international has been out of action for the Lilywhites since he was stretchered off in the pre-season clash with Newcastle, and he has since undergone surgery on his ACL.

Maddison has been named as part of Tottenham’s new leadership group, with several senior players selected to assist the club captain Cristian Romero.

The attacking midfielder’s influence in the dressing room is clear to see from that decision, and he has now sent a public message of support to one of his teammates.

James Maddison’s message to Ben Davies after 100th Wales cap

Maddison is an infectious character at Tottenham, and it is clear that he is a lively personality to have around the dressing room and the training ground.

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The 28-year-old is keeping himself firmly involved behind the scenes in N17, despite his return to action not likely to be on the horizon any time soon.

Maddison’s new leadership presence within the group should see him take an even more active role when it comes to the dynamics and human elements within the squad.

The former Leicester City man has always been an active presence on social media, and he has recently taken to Instagram to issue a heartwarming message of support to Ben Davies.

The Spurs defender earned his 100th senior cap for Wales in their 4-2 defeat to Belgium on Monday, and his achievement prompted Maddison to share his thoughts on his teammate’s milestone.

He posted the following message on his Instagram story: “Congrats brother! Some bloke for one bloke you are son! 100 up, amazing achievement.”

Ben Davies has been an excellent servant to Tottenham and Wales

Davies has been a vital player for Tottenham over the years, and although his exit now feels imminent, he will always be remembered as a player who gave his all for the shirt.

The defender is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, and with him yet to feature in competitive action under Thomas Frank, it is highly unlikely that he will be offered renewed terms.

He has now been a reliable option for the Lilywhites for over a decade, but with Davies now 32, it feels like the natural moment for the two to part ways.

The former Swansea City man has been an excellent servant for Tottenham over the years, and is fully deserving of such an impressive honour at international level.

Spurs have already had plenty of injury problems to worry about this season.

Tottenham had 16 players on international duty in October as the World Cup qualifying campaign is slowly coming to a close.

Thomas Frank will have been praying for each player to return to N17 fully fit as Tottenham look to continue their promising start to the Premier League season.

However, Yves Bissouma suffered another shock injury on Sunday and recently took to Instagram to post an update about his current state.

Yves Bissouma suffers injury during Mali vs Madagascar

Bissouma is yet to feature for Spurs in 2025-26 after suffering a serious knee injury in August; however, he just regained full fitness in time for the international break.

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Bissouma was close to leaving Spurs in the summer transfer window, yet the knee injury he previously sustained prevented him from leaving.

During Mali’s 4-1 win over Madagascar, Bissouma was stretchered off in the closing moments of the match after feeling the force of a challenge on his ankle, only minutes after coming on.

He sent a message to Tottenham fans on Tuesday detailing how he felt, whilst also showing images of him on crutches with a protective brace around his ankle.

He said: “Zero regrets. I once again thoroughly enjoyed representing my country, and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it for the love of my country.

“I fell, but I will know how to get back up. Every challenge is a lesson, every fall a reminder of my faith and my strength.

“This is not the end, just the beginning of a new chapter, stronger, more determined. See you soon…”

Whilst the extent of the injury is unclear, the severity of the message suggests Bissouma could be set for yet another lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Yves Bissouma may never play for Spurs again

Bissouma is already out of favour with Frank, yet this setback could have bigger ramifications for his future at Tottenham.

Disciplinary issues have been a problem for the 29-year-old, and this has been something that Frank has not tolerated at all.

Bissouma was left out of the UEFA Super Cup final squad against Paris Saint-Germain, and this new injury could spell even more trouble for him.

The midfielder has already been susceptible to injury woes in the past at Tottenham, yet under Ange Postecoglou last season, he was a crucial part of the team that went on to win the Europa League.

With Joao Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr flourishing under Frank, the future continues to look bleak for Bissouma.

Tottenham have been in the headlines quite a lot recently as Brooklyn Earick talked about potentially taking over from the Lewis family.

The American entrepreneur made a lot of claims about wanting to buy the North London outfit, but it turned out to be nothing significant.

Earick took to social media to confirm he had dropped out of buying Spurs, with the current ownership seemingly adamant about keeping a hold of the club.

While a change in management didn’t occur, what may have emerged is Tottenham’s potential valuation of £4.5billion being attractive to Joe Lewis, although fans in N17 will soon know what the future holds.

Tottenham transfers to show Lewis family plans

Spurs fans may get an idea of the Lewis family’s ambitions with the upcoming transfer windows, as Earick’s takeover was never going to happen, John Wenham says.

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The Lilywhite Rose owner has slammed the American for using the North London outfit to garner clout and using his social media to post confidential information.

What the Lewis family need to do now is show that they won’t be making the same mistakes Daniel Levy made in N17 that led to a lot of frustration among supporters.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham said: “I think we can get an idea of their ambitions during the January transfer window, and then in the summer. But as I said, that Earick guy was never going to happen.”

Read More: Harry Kane spotted with Tottenham rising star as exciting news emerges

He added: “I had to try to have a look at him and see the sort of character, and the fact that he posted all the confidential information on his Instagram, and it was never going to ever going to happen.

“It’s already been ruled out. But I see he likes the fame that came from it, and he liked the clout that was gained. But, obviously, it was never going to happen.”

Spurs summer transfers an indication of what’s to come

ENIC are willing to spend another £100million at Spurs in the winter transfer window after doing impressive business in the summer.

Levy’s decision to sack Mourinho at Tottenham before the Carabao Cup final is one of the many examples of his mismanagement over the years.

The former Spurs chairman was also accused of being stingy with his purse strings in N17, but that wasn’t the case in the previous transfer window, which could potentially have been down to the fact that the Lewis family were planning his departure all along.

Exciting times could be ahead for the Lilywhites, and current owners should look to invest heavily as ambitions are high among supporters.

Thomas Tuchel’s England qualified for the 2026 World Cup after beating Latvia on Tuesday night.

Goals from Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze, and Latvia defender Maksims Tonisevs into his own net handed the Three Lions a comprehensive 5-0 victory in Riga, on what was yet another superb attacking display under the German.

Djed Spence was praised by Roy Keane before the Latvia match, and the full-back lived up to the former Manchester United man’s comments with a composed display.

Tottenham will take on Aston Villa on Sunday, but the full-back will likely be allowed to celebrate his second consecutive England start after a brilliant week for the 25-year-old.

Here, Tottenham News outlines the Spurs players in contention for next year’s England World Cup squad.

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Djed Spence

There is no guarantee of a World Cup call-up for Spence, but his recent performances are sure to have caught Tuchel‘s eye.

Against Wales, the defender was composed and resolute, holding off and dribbling out of everything that was thrown his way.

Spence fired a joke at Spurs teammate Brennan Johnson after the game, with the Wales international unable to beat the defender.

And against Latvia, the 25-year-old continued to impress, with the right-back providing the cross that led to England’s fourth goal.

A World Cup call-up is certainly not guaranteed. Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to return to the squad after recovering from injury, and the likes of Ben White and Reece James will be in and around.

But Spence has the advantage of being able to impress Tuchel within the England camp, and the full-back is surely doing that.

James Maddison

After suffering an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season, James Maddison does not have more than an outside chance of making the World Cup squad.

The midfielder is expected to be missing until the final months of the season, by which time Tuchel’s squad will be all but picked.

The likes of Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, and Cole Palmer stand in the way of Maddison, although the Englishman will retain a sliver of hope.

It is worth reminding ourselves just how good Maddison is on his day. As per FBref, he ranks in the top one percentile for players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.47).

He is also in the top one per cent for assists per 90 (0.33), albeit those figures over the past 12 months are skewed by how little he has played.

Situations can make anything possible in football, and should England experience several injuries within their midfield, and Maddison hit the ground running on his return, Tuchel may revisit the Tottenham man.

Dominic Solanke

There is a clear position available in the England squad for Dominic Solanke, should he take the initiative to grab it.

While Kane will be selected through the middle for most, if not all, of the Three Lions’ World Cup fixtures, there is few options after him.

Ollie Watkins would appear to be the obvious choice, but the striker has been in woeful form for Aston Villa this season so far, and his selection is by no means a guarantee.

Ivan Toney travelled to the Euros, but has fallen out of favour following his move to Saudi Arabia, and Liam Delap is injured.

Solanke, too, is injured, but the striker is expected to return before the end of the year and has a real chance to put himself into contention if he can muster up some strong form.

The 28-year-old has the ability – he scored 19 Premier League goals for Bournemouth during the 2023-24 season, and 16 across all competitions for Tottenham last season.

But now is the time to show it, and prove that his £64million price tag was indeed warranted.

Tottenham have been on a mission to disprove the critics who rightly gathered after their Premier League performance last season.

Thomas Frank was hired by Spurs in June, and the manager has sought to complete a rebuild at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A strong start to the season has built on a positive summer, in which the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus were acquired to bolster the Dane’s options.

Tottenham beat Leeds United 2-1 before the international break, leaving them third in the Premier League table.

And one player in particular has caught the eye of Roy Keane in recent months.

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Roy Keane hails Djed Spence’s turnaround at Tottenham

Djed Spence’s good form earned him a second successive England call-up for this international break, and the defender has earned it.

The 25-year-old has taken an interesting path to the first team at Spurs, following his move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022.

Loans to Stade Rennais, Leeds United and Genoa allowed the defender to gain experience away from the Premier League, before injuries allowed him to finally grab his chance towards the end of last season.

Now, Spence looks to be a key player for Frank, who has deployed the England international from the start in 9 of his 11 matches in charge.

Speaking before England’s match against Latvia on Tuesday, Keane told ITV 1: “I wasn’t sure about him a year or two ago, and I still worry about his defensive side, but he’s maturing and taking these opportunities.“

The stats behind Spence’s Spurs performances

Spence has been dribbled past just twice this season, and is rapidly earning a reputation for his ability to see off his man in a one-versus-one duel.

And on the ball, the England international is equally capable. The defender has completed five dribbles this season so far, and holds an impressively high pass accuracy of 81.2 per cent.

Staggeringly, in Spence’s first-ever England start, against Wales, the defender boasted a 98 per cent pass accuracy from 57 passes.

With 16 duels won and 15 recoveries, Spence is a consistently reliable option for Frank out wide, and holds the unique asset of excelling on both sides.

Due to an injury to Destiny Udogie, the 25-year-old has spent much of the season playing at left-back, but moved over to right-back to cover for Pedro Porro against Wolves.

In some respects, Spence’s career still feels as if it is just starting. The defender is becoming key for both Spurs and England, and his prospects are only looking better and better.

Tottenham will hope to make it consecutive Premier League victories when they welcome Aston Villa to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Several Tottenham stars have been on international duty over the break, but Thomas Frank will hope a healthy squad return for club action.

Mohammed Kudus is among the players to enjoy strong performances for their nations in recent days, with the winger continuing to be in sensational form.

The Ghana international scored as Tottenham beat Leeds United 2-1 before the break, but Sunday should provide a more difficult test.

Frank has never beaten Villa manager Unai Emery, with the five previous meetings between the managers ending in three wins for the Spaniard and two draws.

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Simon Hooper appointed for Tottenham vs Aston Villa

The Premier League have announced that Simon Hooper will take charge of Sunday’s match, with Paul Tierney set to serve as the video assistant referee.

Among the league’s most experienced referees, Hooper has had his fair share of controversial moments over the years.

Most notably, the referee was on the pitch during the hugely controversial denial of Luis Diaz’s goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2023.

The winger raced through on goal and slotted into the bottom corner, but was flagged offside. The video assistant referee, believing the goal had been given, confirmed the decision, despite revealing that Diaz had been onside.

Of course, Hooper was none the wiser to what had happened, but the referee can take more responsibility for another controversial moment that happened just two months later.

With the scores locked at 3-3 in the final moments between Spurs and Manchester City, Erling Haaland retrieved the ball and shook off a late sliding tackle from Emerson Royal.

Hooper initially played the advantage, but inexplicably blew his whistle after the Norwegian had played Jack Grealish through on goal.

The Manchester City players surrounded the referee, but to no avail. The scores would end level.

Tottenham have struggled under Hooper in recent years

Hooper has often been accused of bias towards Spurs, led by both key moments, but the North London club have actually struggled under the referee in recent seasons.

In each of the last three occasions in which the official has overseen Spurs games, the Lilywhites have ended up on the losing side.

This season’s loss to Bournemouth was the latest, with losses also coming against the Cherries last season, and Arsenal.

In fact, Spurs have won just five of the 12 games they have played when officiated by Hooper, suggesting that the decisions may not necessarily go their way on Sunday.

Mikey Moore is a player that is highly regarded by everyone at Tottenham, but the youngster’s time at Rangers has not gone quite to plan.

Moore joined Rangers on loan for the 2025-26 season, but his debut was delayed until he turned 18 on 11 August.

Rangers sacked Russell Martin nine days ago and have yet to bring in a replacement, leaving Moore somewhat in limbo as his Ibrox career has yet to truly get going.

There has even been talk of Tottenham recalling Moore from his Rangers loan spell in January and sending him elsewhere.

Mikey Moore set for second chance at Rangers after Russell Martin sack

Moore has played 10 times for Rangers across all competitions, starting seven of those matches.

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The youngster has yet to get on the scoresheet, though he did assist a goal in a recent Viaplay Cup clash.

While Moore’s situation is not ideal, with Kevin Muscat looking the most likely to succeed Martin at Ibrox, John Wenham insists it is not as bad as it seems.

Lilywhite Rose owner Wenham, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, expects Spurs to hold talks with their Rangers counterparts when a new boss is in place.

“He’s in a difficult environment, make no mistake about that at the moment, but he has still made 10 appearances,” Wenham said.

“He’s still got an assist. You don’t see many 18 year olds playing every week for Rangers. Yes, their fans might be giving him a hard time, but Tottenham will be seeing this all as development of Moore’s character.

“Challenges that come with football are not always plain sailing. It’s not always easy. Many of our own players have had difficult times and then come out of it stronger and better at the other end.

“For now, I’m sure it’ll be business as usual, and they’ll wait to have those conversations with whoever the new manager is.”

Rangers are back in Scottish Premiership action on Saturday at home to Dundee United.

Moore learning all the time at Rangers

Tottenham cannot afford to panic over Moore’s situation at Rangers. As Wenham says, not many 18 year olds play regularly for a club of Rangers’ stature.

Make no mistake about it, the Gers are a massive club and also present Moore with a chance to play European football, albeit in the Europa League and not Champions League.

Rangers fans have not been won over by Moore, but that is all part of the learning experience. The hope is that, under a new manager, Moore can soon find his feet and bang in the goals.

Nobody is expecting Moore to become a world-beater during this year away from North London, but hopefully he shows just why he is so highly regarded between now and May.

Thomas Frank has decisions to make ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Aston Villa.

Tottenham have learned their early team news ahead of the Villa game on Sunday, with Randal Kolo Muani back in contention to play.

Frank may opt for the same Tottenham team that beat Leeds 2-1 in the Lilywhites’ last Premier League game, as Mohammed Kudus establishes himself as a key player.

But with Tottenham and Kudus starting the season so well, Brennan Johnson has found minutes hard to come by this campaign, and his international performances won’t have done him any favours.

Brennan Johnson did nothing for Wales

Johnson came under fire while under Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, and midway through last season, he appeared to deactivate his Instagram account.

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The decision appeared to pay dividends for Johnson as he couldn’t stop scoring afterwards.

Johnson started the season well under Frank, scoring two goals in the opening two Premier League games of the season, but now cannot find his way back into the Spurs starting line-up.

The winger did nothing for his country and their hopes of World Cup qualification, as he lacked quality and conviction while away from Tottenham.

Johnson’s lack of pace hasn’t seemed to help him, and with him struggling for Wales, how on earth is he going to impress at Tottenham again?

Tottenham may sell Brennan Johnson in January

Joe Lewis’ £100m cash boost will be huge for Tottenham, as Frank will surely have more money to play with in January.

Johnson is naturally a right-winger, and with Kudus performing so well, it’s hard to see him getting a consistent spot in the starting side anytime soon.

Kudus, for example, is a player whom Frank worked with Tottenham in identifying as part of his plans; he had no choice with Johnson.

It may be that Frank just doesn’t feel like Johnson suits his system, and if so, he should be moved on in January.

Tottenham are set to face off against Aston Villa on Sunday as they look to continue their fine start to the Premier League season.

With the international break now set to come to an end, plenty of Spurs players have enjoyed a successful two weeks away from the North London club.

Mohammed Kudus has been heavily praised for his performances for Ghana.

On top of this, Lucas Bergvall has impressed despite Sweden’s misfortunes.

Now, with a struggling Aston Villa on the horizon, Thomas Frank is looking to pick up a valuable three points.

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Thomas Frank looking to pick up first victory against Unai Emery

Frank’s arrival at Spurs has been a revelation.

While the sacking of Ange Postecoglou was controversial at Tottenham, it has no doubt proven to the right decision so far.

Apart from a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs have mainly been impressive, and could arguably be on more points.

Now, Frank will be looking to end a terrible record against Unai Emery on Sunday, when the two managers meet.

In five matches against the Spaniard, the Dane is yet to pick up a win, drawing twice and losing three times.

In fact, Emery is one of two managers that Frank has never beaten, having faced them five times or more, with Brendan Rodgers being the other.

Tottenham’s head-to-head record against Aston Villa

While Frank might not have the best record against Emery, Tottenham do not have a great recent record against Villa either.

In their last seven meetings, Villa have come out on top five times, with Spurs winning the other two.

This includes Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup last season, in what was a poor display.

As a result, Frank will be determined to pick up a vital win on Sunday and end these terrible streaks.

Tottenham go extra mile to have Christian Romero vs Aston Villa as added costs emerge

Tottenham will be desperate to have Christian Romero against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Surprisingly, Tottenham are underdogs against Villa, as a win could take the Lilywhites to the summit of the Premier League.

Thomas Frank has impressed for Tottenham, and will be hoping his stars make it back from their international travels in one piece.

Thankfully for him, his Tottenham players have been performing well, with Xavi Simons being hailed for the Netherlands.

However, emerging updates have revealed what Spurs have done to ensure Romero’s availability for Sunday, as Joe Lewis has had to dip his hands in his pockets for the Argentine star.

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Tottenham pay for Christian Romero charter flight ahead of Aston Villa clash

Romero has been a rock at the back again for Spurs this season, and boasts a solid rate of winning 67 per cent of his ground duels.

That also includes the defender winning 2.1 tackles per game and completing 3.6 clearances on average.

During last year’s September international break, Tottenham refused to pay for Romero to return on a charter flight ahead of the North London Derby, which resulted in a dispute.

Romero felt that the Lilywhites were at a disadvantage due to Arsenal players arriving back at base earlier than some Tottenham players.

Now, according to The Telegraph, Tottenham have gone the extra mile to avoid the same situation this time.

“Spurs have paid for Romero to return on a charter flight this time around, which means the club cannot be accused of handing Villa an advantage before Sunday’s match,” they wrote.

“The move also means Romero cannot be left annoyed by his travel itinerary, having been made Tottenham’s captain and the club’s highest earner after signing a new contract during the summer.”

This time, Tottenham seems fully prepared for an important clash against an Aston Villa side that are on top form.

Romero is pivotal to Thomas Frank

Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs were very leaky at the back, but since Frank‘s arrival, Romero has been at the heart of a solid defence.

Romero has featured regularly as part of a double centre-back pairing with Micky van de Ven, only conceding five goals in their seven games.

Only Arsenal can better that record, so far.

There are times when Romero loses his head, but the majority of his performances make up for his flaws.

If Tottenham are to have any success this season with Frank, it starts with a formidable defence, as captain Romero will inevitably play a huge role against Villa on Sunday.