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Thomas Frank will be desperate to bring new players to N17 immediately.

Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup has left fans even more frustrated with what’s happening, and they need players who are ready to go straight into action as soon as possible.

Tottenham have only brought in Mason Melia for a fee of £1.6m, although a £13m deal for Santos left-back Souza has also been accepted.

Interest in Conor Gallagher has emerged, while Spurs appear to have made their move for Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz, but whether Xabi Alonso lets him leave is another question.

Real Madrid won’t sell Brahim Diaz unless an extraordinary offer is made

Alonso has previously spoken about how much he values Diaz, but Tottenham’s interest has thrown his future into contention.

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Spanish media outlet Fichajes reports that Spurs have put a £52million offer on the table for the Moroccan forward, who is currently playing a starring role for his country at AFCON.

Real Madrid’s stance is firm, and Diaz is not for sale unless an exceptionally high offer is made.

Internally, they have a clear figure that they wouldn’t even consider offers below £35m for the 26-year-old.

Tottenham have gone well above that with their first offer, and negotiations may progress despite Madrid’s initial stance.

The Spanish giants may find it hard to turn down that fee for a player who doesn’t even start for them, and they could use that money to reinvest in their ageing defence.

The stats that show why signing Brahim Diaz would be a major coup for Tottenham

Diaz made history on Friday as he became the first Moroccan player ever to score in five consecutive AFCON matches in a single edition, with his side booking a semi-final spot with victory over Cameroon.

He joined Real Madrid for £15m in June 2019 and has played a total of 129 times, scoring 21 goals and assisting a further 23.

He’s also spent three seasons at AC Milan on loan, making 124 appearances in total while scoring 18 and assisting 15, and notably forming a part of the club’s last title-winning team in 2021-22.

Diaz could immediately play on the right wing to replace Mohammed Kudus, and given the fact that Tottenham also sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35m, they are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.

Frank is currently in a precarious position, and he needs to be given all the financial support necessary to finalise the deal for Diaz.

Rodrigo Bentancur faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during Tottenham’s defeat away at Bournemouth.

Joao Palhinha scored an overhead kick on Wednesday, but Antoine Semenyo’s last-minute winner ensured the visitors went home empty-handed in a 3-2 loss.

To make matters worse for Thomas Frank, Bentancur was taken off in the 86th minute at Vitality Stadium, sparking concerns about his fitness.

It has now been revealed that the Uruguayan international will be forced to undergo surgery and subsequently miss a big chunk of the season.

Rodrigo Bentancur out for at least three months

Bentancur has not been at his best this term, but he has still been an ever-present for Frank in the centre of the Tottenham midfield.

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The 28-year-old has started 17 Premier League games in the 2025-26 campaign, and has appeared in every top-flight match since the middle of September.

However, that run is now coming to an end, as according to TyC Sports, Bentancur suffered a hamstring tear during the defeat to Bournemouth and will now undergo surgery.

The Uruguayan international is expected to be out of action for at least three months, meaning he won’t be available until the middle of April at the very earliest.

Given Tottenham’s current rehabilitation record, Bentancur could be missing for even longer.

Thomas Frank has clear problem at Tottenham

Frank is under huge sack pressure at Tottenham, with the North London side sitting 14th in the Premier League.

However, the Dane is not entirely at fault for Spurs’ horrific season so far, as he has been consistently battling with player availability.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke have all been confined to the treatment room, with Mohammed Kudus now also out until April.

Add Bentancur to that list, and Frank is arguably missing almost half of his best starting line-up, although Solanke did make his first appearance since August against Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

The former Brentford manager clearly has his faults, but the severe injury crisis has done little to help.

Thomas Frank is running out of lives as Tottenham manager.

Tottenham lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, leaving Frank‘s side winless in four games in all competitions.

Not only was it another highly disappointing afternoon in regards to the result, but Tottenham also look to have lost Richarlison to injury, with the striker pulling up 30 minutes into the game with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.

Frank is now facing the Tottenham sack, with Enzo Maresca being touted as a potential option for Spurs if the former Brentford boss is axed.

Tottenham to stand by Thomas Frank for now

Tottenham must put their FA Cup exit behind them, as they prepare for a huge London derby clash with West Ham next Saturday.

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With Spurs starting to fall away in the race for European football, and with Nuno Espirito Santo also potentially one more bad result away from being sacked, Saturday’s meeting could have huge implications in both dugouts.

Tottenham and football fans in general have been questioning whether the defeat to Aston Villa would spring the board into action regarding Frank, but it looks as though the Dane has been given a stay of execution at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

That’s because a report from Football.London has claimed that Frank currently still holds the backing of some key figures at Tottenham, including sporting director Johan Lange, and that he will be given four ‘make-or-break’ games to save his Spurs job, starting with West Ham.

Tottenham’s recent head-to-head record vs West Ham

Whilst it appears Frank has a handful of games to secure his Tottenham position, a loss against West Ham on 17 January, on home soil no less, would surely be incredibly tough for him to survive from.

Luckily for Frank, Spurs have a good record against the Hammers in recent times, with the Lilywhites unbeaten against them in their last four meetings in all competitions, with two wins and two draws in that time period.

The aggregate score between the two sides over their last four meetings is 9-3 in favour of Tottenham, with Spurs beating West Ham 3-0 in the reverse fixture this season back in September.

Thomas Frank is looking to strengthen his Tottenham squad in the January transfer window rather than letting players leave.

The Dane is under huge sack pressure after Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Saturday evening.

Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers fired Villa into a two-goal lead at the break, and despite Wilson Odobert halving the deficit early in the second half, Frank’s side could not find the leveller.

Attention has now turned back to the transfer market as Spurs have received a bid for one member of their first-team squad.

Tottenham reject approach for Radu Dragusin

Brennan Johnson has already completed a move to Crystal Palace for a reported £35million, leaving Frank short on options in attacking areas.

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Johnson was down the pecking order at Tottenham, but with Mohammed Kudus now ruled out until April, allowing the winger to depart is looking like a big mistake.

According to Alasdair Gold, Spurs have now rejected an approach from Roma for defender Radu Dragusin.

The Italian side wanted to take the centre-back on loan until the end of the season, but the North London outfit have refused the request.

Roma are owned by The Friedkin Group, who have also held a controlling stake in Everton since December 2024.

Dragusin spent the first half of the season out injured before returning at the end of December, coming off the bench in the closing stages as Tottenham beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The 23-year-old has been an unused substitute in each of Spurs’ last four games.

Who are Tottenham going to sign in January?

As well as holding onto the players they already have, Tottenham are desperate to make some additions in the January window.

Frank’s side currently sit 14th in the Premier League, and a host of injuries has left the former Brentford manager with a depleted squad.

Tottenham are set to complete the signing of Souza from Santos, after having a £13million bid accepted for the left-back.

Spurs are also looking to bring in a new left winger and central midfielder this month, to help address the lack of creativity in the side.

However, it remains to be seen whether the North London outfit can get any further deals over the line.

Jack Grealish could be on the move again this summer, with Tottenham ready to swoop.

Tottenham are in the midst of another difficult Premier League campaign, this time under the stewardship of Thomas Frank.

Home form has been abhorrent, with several players failing to live up to the standards that are expected of them in North London.

Nearly halfway through the January transfer window, Spurs are yet to address that from a recruitment perspective, and may already have their eyes on the summer for a big overhaul.

If so, it will be a huge task, but one that could see Tottenham make a move to sign Grealish.

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Timeline for Grealish transfer emerges as Tottenham enter fray

Grealish has been linked with a move to Tottenham in the past, but it is on Merseyside where he is currently playing his football on loan from Man City.

The 30-year-old has been instrumental for Everton this season, with two goals and six assists in his 17 Premier League starts.

However, that form has caught the eye of Tottenham, who, according to the Sunday Mirror, are interested in a potential transfer.

It’s claimed that Grealish is set to quit Man City for a fee in the region of £30million, which, for a player of his experience and quality, is a bargain.

Everton are leading the race for his permanent arrival, though his future is likely to be resolved in the summer transfer window.

Grealish has already spoken out on failed Tottenham move

Prior to his move to Man City, which was ultimately the one that started to derail his career somewhat, Grealish was the star of Aston Villa.

Everything went through him, and the Villans found a lot of success as a result.

However, between his time at Villa Park and his move to Man City, he was heavily linked with a transfer to Tottenham.

Spurs were said to have made a £25million bid for him back in 2018, and Grealish opened up about the disappointment of missing out on the move.

“Of course, there’s going to be disappointment there,” Grealish said on his failed move.

“They’ve beaten Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, and they’re playing Barcelona in the Champions League next week.

“I felt that if I’d gone there, I could have maybe been in the England squad by the end of the year.”

Dominic Solanke has hardly featured for Tottenham this season.

Thomas Frank has not been able to call upon his star striker for the majority of the campaign, as he has been on the sidelines.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium outfit are desperate to have the 28-year-old back in action, as they are lacking goals at the moment.

A return does not look to be on the cards for Solanke, with no timeframe on when he will be back on the pitch.

Dominic Solanke sends message as Premier League star set for surgery

Justin Kluivert has been a target for Tottenham in the past, but he is set for a spell on the sidelines himself, after suffering a new injury blow.

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The 26-year-old picked up a knee issue in Bournemouth’s 3-2 loss to Arsenal on 3 January, and missed their win over Spurs.

The Cherries star has confirmed that he has undergone surgery on the problem, taking to Instagram on 9 January, saying: “Surgery done. Thank you all for the support.”

Solanke sent a three-word message, simply commenting “Rest up bro” with a prayer and a white heart emoji.

What has Thomas Frank said about Solanke injury?

Solanke can resonate with Kluivert, as he has his fair share of injury issues, and Frank has shared an update on his fitness.

He has been out since the 2-0 win over Manchester City in August, but he is understood to be getting closer to first-team action.

Speaking ahead of the FA Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa, he spoke about Solanke and Destiny Udogie’s potential returns.

The Dane said: “Yeah, both of them are trained, both of them are getting closer, definitely.

“Destiny is a bit closer than Dom, obviously, because he’s only been out for five weeks-ish. So that’s, of course, less than six months, but both of them are positive and improving.”

It will be a relief to Spurs fans that their star man is on the way back, but Frank refrained from giving an exact timescale on that, which suggests he still has a bit of time away.

The Lilywhites need the forward to come back fit and firing to improve their league position and give them the best possible chance in the Champions League, so rushing him back into action makes little sense.

Solanke will be keen to perform and put himself in the frame for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad once he is back, but it seems too late for that.

Micky van de Ven could be the latest player to leave Tottenham this year.

Thomas Frank is showing little sign of improvement at Spurs, and it’s starting to affect squad morale.

Van de Ven is not prepared to sign a new contract for the Lilywhites, given the current circumstances and wants to see change before committing to his long-term future.

Brennan Johnson joined Crystal Palace on a permanent deal on the back of scoring the most important goal in Tottenham‘s history last season, with more sales potentially coming in the next few weeks.

Barcelona appeals to Micky van de Ven

Van de Ven has been one of Frank’s top performers so far this season, and without him, the Lilywhites would be suffering a lot closer to the relegation zone.

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Real Madrid are said to be interested in the defender, and it’s clear to see why following his recent exploits at N17.

According to Spanish outlet SPORT on Friday, the Dutch international has a “firm” stance on leaving Tottenham, and his preference is to join Barcelona.

The Catalonian giants are interested in the Spurs man, who they see as a solution to their defensive problems and need for a left-footed centre-back.

However, van de Ven reportedly wants to finish this current season with Spurs before making a switch to the Culers in the summer.

Thomas Frank is pushing Tottenham’s best players away

Tottenham fans are having to suffer from poor results and performances this season, and now they may be watching their best player leave in van de Ven.

The main reason for that is Frank and van de Ven’s preference speaks volumes, considering he is currently in the best goal-scoring form of his career.

Frank has contributed to the current disconnection between the Spurs faithful and their club, and as things stand, it’s only going to get more toxic.

If Spurs were to sell the 24-year-old, then Joe Lewis would bank a hefty profit. However, sometimes money isn’t everything in football, as van de Ven’s exit would be detrimental.

Who else is going to want out of Tottenham while Frank’s here?

Mathys Tel could seek a Tottenham exit in the January transfer market.

Tel joined Tottenham permanently in the summer, after spending the second half of the campaign on loan in North London.

However, he struggled to hit the ground running, and he could be the next attacker to leave Tottenham after Brennan Johnson already left for Crystal Palace.

Fabrice Hawkins claimed on 9 January that the French attacker is unhappy with his situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and could seek a departure.

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Why Thomas Frank is key to Mathys Tel’s potential exit

Tel scored in his last match for Tottenham, the 3-2 loss to Bournemouth, but he may seek pastures new in the winter window.

Thomas Frank has only started him in five Premier League matches, and he was initially left out of the Champions League squad, before he replaced the injured Dominic Solanke.

Tel has featured for a total of just 465 minutes in the Premier League, and has notched three goals in those appearances.

The report claims that the former Bayern Munich man wants regular playing time, in order to increase his chances of making France’s World Cup squad, clearly unhappy with how Frank has treated him.

It states that Spurs are not keen on sanctioning a departure, whether that be permanent or on loan.

Why Tottenham cannot afford to lose Tel

Spurs need top-quality attackers, and Tel has proven that he can be one, when he is on form.

He scored 16 goals and notched seven assists for the German outfit in 83 appearances, before making the move to North London.

He needs to be given more opportunities in the starting line-up to make sure that he does not demand an exit, either now or in the summer.

Frank needs more quality forwards at his disposal, rather than letting them leave and weakening his squad even further, if he is to take the Lilywhites to where they want to go, to the upper echelons of the game

Tel has the potential to be top-class, but he needs to be given the chance to show it, rather than rotting away on the bench, getting more aggrieved with his situation.

Tottenham have already conducted substantial business in the January transfer window.

Thomas Frank is looking to add quality his team as he strives to put a halt to the team’s woeful form in the Premier League.

With the Lilywhites sitting 14th in the table, they desperately need to bring in new players, and certain members of the squad will have to make way as a result.

Brennan Johnson moved to Crystal Palace for £35million at the start of the window, while Tottenham have only brought in Mason Melia for a fee of £1.6m.

A lot of change is needed at Spurs, and Radu Dragusin could be set for a move to Roma, who have the same owners as Everton.

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Roma prepare loan-to-buy offer for Radu Dragusin

Dragusin sustained an ACL injury in January 2025 and only just returned to first-team training in December.

Having joined Tottenham from Genoa at the start of 2024, the 23-year-old is now fourth in the pecking order behind Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Kevin Danso.

Everton and Roma share The Friedkin Group as their owners, and the Italian outfit is ramping up its interest in the Romanian centre-back.

Sky Italy has reported that Roma have made initial contact with Spurs over signing Dragusin.

The Italian side are likely to propose a loan with an option to buy, and Tottenham would need a replacement if the deal were to go through.

A penalty fee could also be included in the deal if Roma do not make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Spurs have not made a decision yet about letting Dragusin leave on loan this month, but Luka Vuskovic and Ashley Phillips are among the centre-backs that Tottenham could recall from their respective loan spells at Hamburg and Stoke City.

What has Thomas Frank said since Radu Dragusin’s return from injury?

After such a severe injury, it’s perhaps best for him to get regular game time after a prolonged spell on the sidelines.

On 31 December, Frank was ecstatic to have Dragusin back in the squad, but did not allude to the outcome of his future in N17.

He said: “Right now, just so happy to see him come on the pitch having been out for nine or 10 months. For him, it’s a massive step. That’s the most important thing.”

Dragusin may need to return to Italy in order to gain some momentum and confidence, and playing for high-flying Roma, who sit fifth in Serie A, could be the ideal scenario.

Micky van de Ven has become increasingly frustrated in a Tottenham shirt.

After Tottenham lost 3-2 to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday, Van de Ven went over to confront the away fans in what were unsavoury scenes.

Antoine Semenyo’s 95th-minute winner condemned Spurs to their eighth league defeat of the season, and an eight-point gap has emerged between themselves and the top four.

Thomas Frank is under intense scrutiny as Tottenham sit 14th in the table, and the relationship between the fans and the team is completely fractured.

Van de Ven is Tottenham’s most valuable asset, but reports have emerged that he is not prepared to sign a new contract with the club due to the worrying run of form.

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Micky van de Ven not prepared to sign new Tottenham contract

Despite the poor performances under Frank, Van de Ven has been Tottenham’s best player this season.

The Telegraph‘s Matt Law reported that Tottenham have been keen to offer Van de Ven a new contract, with his current deal lasting until 2029.

But some sources believe the defender is frustrated with the current situation at the club, and that he needs to see some ambition from the board before he thinks about signing a new contract.

The 24-year-old has scored six goals in all competitions under Frank, and wore the captain’s armband in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on 28 December.

He is one of the leaders in the dressing room, but after ignoring a handshake from Frank in the 1-0 loss to Chelsea on 1 November, the confrontation with supporters on Wednesday isn’t promising for his long-term future.

The Danish manager has to galvanise his team instantly, and more poor results will not only lead to his sacking but it would condemn Tottenham to another season of bitter disappointment.

If Van de Ven refuses to sign a new deal, Spurs would demand a substantial fee for any club that wishes to sign him, and the power ultimately lies with them.

Van de Ven’s comments about Tottenham’s ambitions aren’t realistic under Thomas Frank

Spurs winning the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou qualified them for this season’s Champions League, despite finishing 17th in the top flight.

However, it looks incredibly unlikely that they’ll retain their place in Europe’s elite competition in 2026-27, and it could lead to the departure of Van de Ven and several other players.

Speaking on The Overlap podcast on 16 December, the Dutch defender outlined Spurs’ ambitions for the season.

He said: “Our aim for this season is to make sure that we’re playing Champions League football again. Top four or five is what we want.”

However, it now seems likely that he’ll push to leave Tottenham at the end of the season, as they are beginning to embrace mediocrity under Frank.