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Cristian Romero has come under fire after Tottenham drew away to Brentford on Thursday.

Spurs could only draw with Brentford in their first outing of 2026 as pressure continues to build surrounding Thomas Frank.

A goalless draw was arguably fair in the end as Tottenham failed to match their 2-0 win against Brentford from earlier in the campaign.

The January window is now open at Tottenham, and changes are needed after a dull affair at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Lilywhites could count themselves lucky in the end after Romero so nearly let his side down once again.

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Cristian Romero controversy assessed vs Brentford

Romero was sent off against Liverpool for a moment of madness that was totally unnecessary at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A trip to face the Bees was his first since that day against the Premier League champions, and he so nearly replicated his previous failings.

The Argentina international could have seen red against Keith Andrews’ side for a last-man challenge on Igor Thiago in the second half.

Referee Andy Madley didn’t even award a foul on the night, but that was controversial on its own without the prospect of a red card.

Former Manchester City Women’s star Steph Houghton agreed with the end decision in Hounslow, but was far from impressed by Romero’s challenge, regardless.

She said: “I do think he’s lucky, but I don’t think it was enough to be a red card. At this moment in time, he’s trying to clear the ball, and it’s very clumsy.

“I think this is a trait of Cristian Romero that we’ve seen over the last few seasons, that when he gets into this position, he’s very clumsy with his tackles, and yes, he misses the ball and fouls Thiago, but I don’t think there was a denial of a goalscoring opportunity as obvious as most people think.“

Thomas Frank must have words with Romero at Tottenham

The Danish head coach is coming under increased scrutiny in North London and seriously needs results and performances to improve.

Frank won’t be helped by his best players doing so poorly, especially one like Romero, who continues to get himself involved in such poor moments.

He could only rack up a ground duel win rate of 44 per cent at the Gtech while also committing four fouls, which is far from good enough.

The Argentine has somehow avoided a red card in both games against Brentford this season, with both challenges coming against Thiago.

A conversation needs to be had down Hotspur Way between the head coach and the skipper to understand why these sorts of things continue to happen.

Romero has been sent off five times in North London and that arguably could have been six against the Bees, represting a sizable risk for for Frank’s side.

If they don’t sit down for that sort of chat, the Lilywhites could be set for even more frustration moving forward this campaign.

Tottenham drew 0-0 against Brentford on Thursday in a tight affair.

Thomas Frank was hoping to kickstart Tottenham’s New Year against his former employers at the G-Tech Community Stadium.

Frank has been under pressure lately at Tottenham, with some questioning his future in North London after a poor run of form.

However, he could not build on the win against Crystal Palace, as his side were held by Keith Andrews’ team.

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Joao Palhinha superb in Tottenham draw

Joao Palhinha returned to the Tottenham team after being benched against Crystal Palace last time out, and he made sure Frank knew what he offered.

The Portuguese midfielder created one chance for his teammates, and played five passes into the final third as he tried to make the difference in attack, per Sofascore.

Defensively, Palhinha showed why he is a reliable presence for Spurs, with three tackles, a clearance, two recoveries and an interception.

In terms of duels, he won the most in the contest, with seven overall, five on the ground and two in the air.

It was an impressive performance from the 30-year-old as he sent a warning to Frank about leaving him out in future.

Mohammed Kudus underwhelms in Tottenham draw

Mohammed Kudus was signed by Tottenham in the summer, but he has not had the start to his career in North London that he would have wanted.

The Ghanaian has notched two goals and five assists, which is a solid return, but he has been found lacking far too often.

This was the case against the Bees, as he created no chances, had just two touches in the opposition area and made one pass into the final third.

He was dispossessed four times, and completed just two of the five dribbles that he attempted, for a 40 per cent success rate.

Defensively, he won just three of 11 attempted ground duels, for a 27 per cent success rate, which did not help his team.

He somehow survived the first change from Frank, with Wilson Odobert replaced instead, despite his anonymous showing.

How Tottenham stars rated vs Brentford

Guglielmo Vicario – 5

Pedro Porro – 6

Cristian Romero – 6

Micky van de Ven – 6

Djed Spence – 6

Joao Palhinha – 7 (off for Tel, 80)

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6

Mohammed Kudus – 4

Archie Gray – 5

Wilson Odobert – 5 (off for Kolo Muani, 67)

Richarlison – 5

Substitutes:

Randal Kolo Muani – 5

Mathys Tel – 5

Thomas Frank has a decision to make regarding the future of Tottenham youngster Jamie Donley.

Tottenham must address several problems in the January transfer window, currently sitting 13th in the Premier League after an underwhelming start to the season.

Frank remains under sack pressure in North London, with sections of the fanbase firmly against the Dane and adamant that he needs to be dismissed.

The Spurs boss now has a new issue to address, as he fights to keep his job moving into the second half of the campaign.

Tottenham recall Jamie Donley from Stoke

Donley joined Stoke City on loan during the summer transfer window, with Tottenham feeling that a move to the Championship would aid his development.

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The 20-year-old spent the entirety of last season with League One outfit Leyton Orient, scoring eight goals and picking up 10 assists.

However, Donley has struggled for game time at Stoke, making just four league appearances so far this term, and Spurs have now recalled him.

Donley was clearly not getting enough game time under Mark Robins, and Tottenham have made the decision to bring him back to North London in order to reconsider his future.

The attacker may be sent back out on loan at some point in the January window, but some Spurs fans think he should be included in the first team by Frank.

Tottenham fans call for Jamie Donley to be given a chance

Donley joined Tottenham back in 2013 at the age of eight and moved through the ranks at the North London side.

He made his first-team debut back in December 2023 under Ange Postecoglou, coming on as a substitute in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Donley made a further two Premier League appearances for Spurs across the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign, and has been on loan ever since.

Tottenham have struggled to create chances this term under Frank, and some supporters think that Donley should be given another chance in the first team, more than 18 months after his last appearance for the North London side.

One fans believes that Donley could “surprise” a few if given an opportunity by Frank.

Other Tottenham supporters agree that the versatile midfielder deserves minutes in the Premier League, given the quality of their current attacking players.

However, others believe that he should be sent back to Leyton Orient in League One, where he performed so well last season.

Whether he stays at Tottenham, or goes back out on loan, Donley must get consistent minutes under his belt in order to reach his potential.

Ange Postecoglou is a man who is still seemingly in demand as he seeks a return to management.

Athens-born Postecoglou led Tottenham to Europa League glory in May but was sacked by Daniel Levy just a month later after Spurs toiled to a 17th-placed finish.

Postecoglou was then embarrassingly sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days in charge, and he has been out of work since.

With 2025 being a decidedly mixed year for the Australian, Postecoglou has yet to indicate when he will be looking to throw himself back into the public eye.

But it seems as though he could still be in the thoughts of a club desperately looking to get themselves out of a crisis in the coming weeks.

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Ange Postecoglou odds shared for management return

While things didn’t work out in North London for Postecoglou, he will always be remembered for ending a 17-year trophy drought with that Europa League win over Manchester United.

The 60-year-old, of course, still remains a favourite at former club Celtic, with whom he won five major honours before departing for Tottenham in July 2023.

Indeed, Postecoglou’s name continues to be linked with Celtic, who have endured a nightmare start to life under Wilfried Nancy, who has won just two of seven matches since replacing interim boss Martin O’Neill.

With Nancy under increased pressure following a 2-0 defeat to Motherwell on Tuesday, website Sports Casting has now shared the odds for the most likely candidates to replace the under-fire Celtic boss should the club’s hierarchy wield the axe.

Postecoglou is currently rated as a 7/1 shot to return to Celtic, with O’Neill the 5/4 favourite to have another spell at Celtic Park.

Who else is in contention at Celtic other than Ange Postecoglou?

As things stand, Postecoglou is still ranked as an outside shot to return Celtic – at least immediately, according to Sports Casting’s odds.

Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen is ranked as a 5/1 shot, with the 57-year-old having led his side to four top-flight titles in Norway.

Former Tottenham and Celtic favourite Robbie Keane, currently in charge of Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros, is just ahead of Postecoglou with odds of 11/2.

After Postecoglou, Shaun Maloney – who formed part of O’Neill’s temporary staff – is given odds of 9/1, while the likes of Gary O’Neil (10/1), Damien Duff (12/1), and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (12/1) all feature as potentially prominent opposition for Postecoglou.

For now, though, it all remains hypothetical as Nancy still remains in his position at Celtic Park.

Every Tottenham player who faces an exit under Thomas Frank in the January transfer window

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham have been a confusing and inconsistent outfit through the first half of the season and a January reshuffle could be key to getting them in order.

Tottenham’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace at the weekend was a welcome end to a chaotic 2025 and left the side 13th in the Premier League ahead of the New Year’s Day trip to Brentford, but just five points off Chelsea in fifth.

There was major upheaval in the summer with Frank replacing Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou, the exit of club legend Son Heung-min, as well as significant recruitment headed by Xavi Simons, who has so far been underwhelming.

Now at the start of 2026, Tottenham News looks at who could be on the way out in the midseason market.

Brennan Johnson headlines struggling senior stars

Brennan Johnson

He may have scored the historic only goal as Spurs overcame Man United Bilbao but Brennan Johnson looks set to leave Tottenham imminently.

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Crystal Palace have already had a £35million bid accepted for Johnson, who has fallen out of favour under Frank, and Bournemouth were also expected to come in for him as a replacement for Antoine Semenyo.

The 24-year-old Welsh forward has four goals in 21 appearances across all competitions this term and only arrived from Nottingham Forest for close to £50m two-and-a-half seasons ago, but now is on his way.

Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin made his first appearance in nearly a year when he came off the bench late at Palace but the Romanian defender looks set to depart soon anyway now that he’s recovered from an ACL injury.

Dragusin has interest from Roma and potentially Fiorentina and appears to be available for a return to Serie A.

The 23-year-old only arrived mid-season two years ago and had been given a sustained run in the side as a starter under Postecoglou prior to his injury last term, but looks to have been left behind while unavailable for so long.

Guglielmo Vicario

One of the most significant departures of the month could be starting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with his position looking increasingly untenable long-term at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Italian has been the number one for the past two-and-a-half seasons and is about to reach three figures in appearances, but high-profile errors have plagued his game and were central to a fallout between Frank, the squad, and the fans after he gifted Harry Wilson a goal in the loss to Fulham.

Vicario has interest back in Italy and Marc-Andre ter Stegen has emerged as a possible replacement from Barcelona.

Richarlison

Injury to Dominic Solanke and inconsistency from Randal Kolo Muani has left Richarlison as the regular first choice up front this season.

He has responded by scoring eight times to lead the club’s scoring charts, including seven in the league, but the Brazilian seems to be endlessly unlucky – he had two more ruled out by tight VAR reviews for offside at Palace – and never truly manages to convince.

Spurs have been linked to further striker additions and the 28-year-old was linked with an exit in the summer. It has since emerged Richarlison’s agents met Orlando City representatives in October so a move to MLS is a possibility.

Yves Bissouma

After getting off on the wrong foot under Frank by being left out of the Super Cup squad for being late things haven’t really got better from there for Yves Bissouma.

The ex-Brighton midfielder is almost certainly on the way out sooner or later as his contract ticks down towards expiring in the summer, so an early exit for a fee would make a lot of sense all round.

Having been suspended last term and apologising after alleged use of nitrous oxide he appears to have fallen into the same trap again this term, with an injury picked up on international duty thrown in to boot, and hasn’t played at all under the current manager.

Tottenham are determined not to lose him for free and are willing to trigger their 12-month option in the summer, so a January move to avoid all that would seemingly be in everyone’s interest.

Manor Solomon

Israeli winger Manor Solomon is already out on loan at Villarreal but isn’t enjoying himself half as much as he did while a key player in Daniel Farke’s promotion campaign at Leeds last term.

An early termination of Solomon’s loan to send him back to Spurs has already been mooted after just just a handfull of brief appearances for the Yellow Submarine.

If he arrives back in North London this month Tottenham seem to have already shown that he doesn’t have a shot in the senior side so another exit, potentially permanently, and quite possibly back to Elland Road, would likely be on the cards.

Youngster departures could shock at Spurs in January

Mathys Tel

It was fairly surprising that Spurs made Mathys Tel‘s loan from Bayern Munich permanent for £30m in the summer, having already paid a loan fee, after a so-so time under Postecoglou last term.

The 20-year-old forward has only scored twice this season and when he does get on the pitch under Frank it tends to be off the bench late on, so with Roma eyeing a loan for Tel he could be on the move again soon.

Lucas Bergvall

It is unlikely that any of the potential departures above would cause a great deal of uproar amongst the fanbase if they go through, provided adequate replacements are available.

But one that surely would is a shock exit for teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who has been surprisingly linked to a big-money Liverpool move.

The now-19-year-old made 45 appearances last term in his debut campaign in English football, and has been something of a regular under Frank, so the expectation is that Bergvall, along with Archie Gray, are two of the building blocks for the future.

But a change in the dug-out could derail his progress and if a £50m-plus bid from Anfield arrives a move couldn’t be ruled out, although it would surely be deeply unpopular.

Yang Min-hyeok

It’s not especially hard to see why Liverpool might want Bergvall but it is slightly harder to understand reported interest from Real Madrid in Yang Min-hyeok.

The South Korean teenager is currently on loan at Portsmouth after spending the second half of last season with QPR.

Yang has scored twice for either side in the Championship in the past year, from 14 appearances in each of his two half-campaigns in the second tier respectively, but the Spanish giants apparently want to add him to their development squad.

It would probably be too big an opportunity to turn down for the youngster, although it would be among the more unexpected Spurs-to-Madrid switches after stars like Gareth Bale and Luka Modric.

Brennan Johnson may not be on his way out of Tottenham in the January transfer window after all.

Johnson had widely been expected to depart Tottenham for Crystal Palace, with Spurs reportedly tracking Manchester City ace Oscar Bobb as a potential replacement.

A £35million fee has reportedly been agreed between the clubs, with ex-Spurs scout Bryan King suggesting Tottenham will have added in a series of clauses to sell Johnson to Palace.

With Tottenham also linked to Koln winger Said El Mala, and previously Bournemouth ace Antoine Semenyo before Manchester City became his desired destination, the writing was seemingly on the wall for Wales forward Johnson.

But a new twist in his potential sale means that his exit from Tottenham could now hit the skids altogether.

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Brennan Johnson in demand but Tottenham exit not inevitable

Palace may be the most advanced in terms of negotiations with Spurs when it comes to Johnson, but the 24-year-old is a man heavily in demand.

According to the print edition of the Daily Mail, Bournemouth, Everton, Sunderland, and Aston Villa remain interested in striking a deal for the former Nottingham Forest forward.

However, the report also notes one interesting caveat, which is that Johnson is unsure about leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at all.

If he were to stay put then it could throw a spanner in the works for Thomas Frank‘s January plans, especially given Spurs have been linked to a plethora of forwards.

Who do Tottenham want to sign to replace Brennan Johnson?

Frank will be itching for the Johnson transfer saga to reach a quick conclusion as the implications of his decision could have wider-reaching ramifications.

As well as the aforementioned interest in Bobb and El Mala, Spurs have once more been linked with a move for Manchester City ace Savinho, though the Mail suggests a move for the Brazil international is likely to “prove futile”.

RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Levante’s Etta Eyong are also named as potential options for Spurs, who are 13th in the Premier League and keen for reinforcements to help climb the table.

But, right now, it appears as though any move for new faces is intrinsically linked to Johnson’s future, and right now it’s not particularly clear cut that he will be departing North London.

Every player Tottenham have been linked with signing as January transfer window opens

Tottenham have a busy month ahead as the January transfer window has officially opened.

Thomas Frank is under scrutiny as Spurs sit 11th in the Premier League table after 18 matches, and some summer signings continue to underperform.

Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday has lifted optimism around N17, but Frank will be desperately searching for new players to improve his starting lineup.

English teams will have 32 days to conduct their business as the second half of the campaign gets underway, and Spurs won’t want to waste any time during one of the most hectic periods of the season.

Tottenham News brings you every player that has been linked with the club and could make the move to N17 in January.

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Two goalkeepers could replace Guglielmo Vicario

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has been linked with a move to Tottenham as speculation over Guglielmo Vicario’s future in N17 continues to escalate.

Vicario has been scrutinised for making a series of high-profile mistakes, and fans have had enough of his inability to play out from the back.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen is an alternative option for Tottenham after falling out of favour at Barcelona, although signing a goalkeeper who isn’t playing regularly won’t be something Frank is too keen on.

Verbruggen remains the priority, and if Brighton can secure Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser as his replacement, then that would pave the way for his move to Tottenham.

In Ter Stegen‘s case, Spurs will only pursue him if they have no other option, even if the German international is keen on the move himself.

Man City trio linked with Tottenham amid Antoine Semenyo transfer saga

Tottenham were initially rumoured to be in with a chance of signing Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, although Man City are expected to land his signature in the coming days.

In addition to this, breaking reports emerged on 30 December that Brennan Johnson is set to sign for Crystal Palace after they agreed a £35million fee with Spurs.

A silver lining of the Semenyo deal is that Tottenham have had a long-standing interest in Brazilian winger Savinho, although a deal couldn’t be agreed with the Citizens in the summer.

Omar Marmoush has emerged as a leading candidate to join Spurs, with the Egyptian falling down the pecking order this season.

Since moving to Manchester from Frankfurt in January 2024, he has shown signs of promise, but has ultimately been left out of the starting lineup due to Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden’s excellent run of form.

According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham have also been tracking the potential signing of Man City’s Oscar Bobb and “admire” the forward.

With Man City having too many wingers on their hands, and Spurs potentially in need of one if Johnson were to leave, fans shouldn’t be surprised if one of Man City’s trio of wide players were to make the move to North London.

Tottenham could turn to Inter Milan duo Alessandro Bastoni and Davide Frattesi

Tottenham have a lot of depth in defence, but Frank may look to make a signing to improve the quality of the back line.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Fabio Paratici has recommended the signing of Alessandro Bastoni to Spurs.

Bastoni has been one of the best centre-backs in Europe over the past five years, and the ball-playing defender would be an incredible coup for Frank.

Although an addition in defence may not be an immediate priority for Spurs, it would be impossible to turn down a player of his quality.

Bastoni’s teammate Davide Frattesi could also join Tottenham, as Inter Live suggested on 5 December that Spurs could be offered the midfielder in exchange for goalkeeper Vicario, whom Inter holds in high regard.

Frattesi is a seasoned Italian international and has featured 15 times for the Italian giants this season.

Anderlecht midfielder Nathan De Cat has emerged as a realistic option

A name that may be going under the radar is Nathan De Cat, who is currently one of the brightest prospects in Europe.

Tottenham are interested in De Cat, with sporting director Johan Lange spearheading the charge to sign the 17-year-old, according to CaughtOffside on 30 November.

A £30million package with performance-related add-ons could convince Anderlecht to let go of their young star in January, with the club insisting the midfielder won’t leave until the summer of 2027 unless a big offer comes in.

Spurs have a good track record when it comes to shopping for players with a lot of potential, and the Belgian wonderkid would be a fantastic addition for the future.

Tottenham look set to part ways with a player brought to the club in 2023.

Given the pressure that Thomas Frank is under at Tottenham, everything they do in the January transfer window is going to be placed under a microscope.

Whether that be incomings, of which a handful are expected, or outgoings, Spurs cannot afford errors from a recruitment perspective.

However, in regard to the latter, one is edging ever closer to completion, after the latest reports from North London.

Brennan Johnson medical update as Tottenham exit close

Brennan Johnson has been a bit-part player under Frank this season, despite the fact that his goals arguably saved Spurs from relegation in the previous campaign.

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The 24-year-old Wales international scored 18 goals and registered four assists last season, but has managed just four goal contributions so far this.

As a result, Tottenham opened the door for Johnson to leave in January, and that deal is now progressing rapidly.

A report from The Telegraph states that Crystal Palace appear to have won the race, with a medical expected to take place in the next 24 hours.

Tottenham will receive around £35million for his exit, which is £12m less than they paid for him back in 2023 when they signed him from Nottingham Forest.

Who could replace Johnson at Tottenham?

With Antoine Semenyo poised for a move to Man City, the Cherries star is certainly off the table, though that itself could open a door.

Tottenham had been linked with Omar Marmoush, and while City seem recltant to part ways with the Egyptian international, they may be tempted if an offer is made.

Oscar Bobb has also been mooted for a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Dortmund also said to be keen on the young talent, who will see his gametime restricted by Smeenyo’s move to the Etihad.

Either of the two would be good additions for Spurs, who will have to replace the goals that they miss out on from Johnson’s pending exit to Crystal Palace.

Brennan Johnson is set to leave Tottenham and join Crystal Palace in the January transfer window.

Tottenham have accepted a £35million from Palace for Johnson, but the winger is yet to make a final decision on his next destination.

Both Everton and Bournemouth have also been credited with an interest in the Welsh international, who is out of favour under Thomas Frank.

It seems inevitable that Johnson will depart Tottenham in January, and the North London club could eventually earn more than the initial £35m fee from his sale.

Tottenham will have included sell-on clause in Johnson deal

Tottenham signed Johnson from Nottingham Forest back in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £47.5m.

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However, according to former Spurs scout Bryan King, the North London club have only got the minimum amount back for the 24-year-old.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “They’re going to lose money on him because he cost over £40m.

“The minimum I expected them to get is the fee they paid for him, but Palace have made an offer for a player who isn’t in Frank’s plans, and it’s a way to move him on and then bring another player in.

“There has been talk about Semenyo from Bournemouth, but he’d cost more than £35m. Johnson wants regular football; he’s more focused on that than cash.

“There will be sell-on clauses in the deal and stuff like that for a fee that big. He’s got to pick his game up. He’s proven that he can be inconsistent, so he’s got to prove himself at Palace.”

Tottenham could face major problem after Johnson exit

Across the last two campaigns, Johnson has picked up 29 goal involvements for Tottenham in the Premier League.

Last season, he was Spurs’ top scorer in the top flight, and also found the net five times in their run to the Europa League title, including his goal in the final.

Even if Johnson hasn’t been at his best so far this term, his departure leaves a real void in Frank’s squad, and one that needs filling immediately.

Tottenham look to have missed out on the signing of Semenyo, who would’ve been the ideal replacement, and there doesn’t appear to be an obvious alternative in the current market.

Frank will be desperately hoping that the Spurs recruitment team can work some magic over the next month to strengthen his attacking ranks.

Thomas Frank will be hoping that his Tottenham squad is strengthened during the January transfer window.

Frank is currently under pressure at Tottenham following a slow start to the season, with his side sitting 13th in the Premier League after 18 games.

Several of Spurs’ summer signings have failed to hit the ground running in North London, and the Dane will be eager to ensure that the same mistakes aren’t made in the January window.

Ahead of a busy month of transfer activity, Frank has set a clear challenge for the Tottenham hierarchy, detailing exactly how the recruitment can improve.

Tottenham agree Brennan Johnson sale

Tottenham are set to lose last season’s top scorer Brennan Johnson during the January window, after they agreed a £35million fee with Crystal Palace for the Welsh international.

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Johnson will now discuss personal terms with the Eagles, but Everton and Bournemouth are also linked with the winger.

Frank declined to comment on the rumours regarding the 24-year-old’s future during his pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Brentford in the Premier League.

However, the Spurs boss did have a message for the hierarchy in North London, highlighting the importance of being a good selling club.

Asked if Tottenham need to capitalise more on the big fees they bring in for players, Frank said: “I think that is key.

“It’s not only doing one thing right, playing a specific way or getting the culture right or whatever, there is a lot of elements that we need to do well to be able to compete at the highest level.

“Part of it is being able to sell. You see the other top clubs, they are quite good at selling. That’s something we need to be improving. That’s something I know the guys above me are working very hard on. Everything’s linked.”

Thomas Frank warns Tottenham bosses about Johnson replacement

From his comments, it’s clear Frank is warning the Tottenham hierarchy that Johnson’s replacement must be an upgrade on the Welsh international.

Johnson scored 11 Premier League goals last season, as well as five in the Europa League, and has been a constant threat in and around the box for Spurs since his move from Nottingham Forest.

There is no point in selling the winger if they are not going to replace him with a better player or someone with more potential.

Tottenham have to take the £35m they will receive for Johnson and use it to improve Frank’s squad, to give the Dane the best chance of success in North London.