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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.

Tottenham are in disarray under Thomas Frank and the controversy has spilled off the pitch over the past couple of days.

Frank is now under real sack pressure at Tottenham after the Lilywhites were beaten 3-2 by Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Mathys Tel and Joao Palhinha were on the scoresheet for Tottenham, but a late Antoine Semenyo winner meant they took the trip back to North London empty-handed.

However, the real drama came after the game, with club captain Cristian Romero calling out those in the Spurs hierarchy.

Micah Richards slams Cristian Romero for statement

Romero released a statement on Instagram following the defeat to Bournemouth, seeming to criticise those in charge at Tottenham for staying quiet through the bad times.

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He said: “At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don’t — as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well.”

However, former Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards believes that Romero should be looking at himself before blaming the Tottenham hierarchy.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Richards called the statement a “cop out” and added that it is easy to pass the buck when you’re not playing well.

He said: “I feel that [Romero’s statement] is a little bit of a cop out.

“I’ve been through relegation with Villa, I don’t come out and start talking about the board. Ultimately, I wasn’t playing well enough, and Spurs have not been playing well enough for two seasons now. It’s easy to pass the buck.”

Romero needs to let his football do the talking

Romero has been one of Tottenham’s most important players in the last few years, providing consistency from centre-back.

However, with Spurs struggling under Frank, the 27-year-old has seen his own performance levels drop off.

Throughout the entirety of last season, Romero picked up just three yellow cards in the Premier League, but he has already been booked nine times this term, as well as being sent off against Liverpool.

According to FBRef, the defender has completed 1.3 tackles and 4.01 recoveries per 90 in the top flight during the 2025-26 campaign, which is a drop-off from the season before.

Romero has also seen his overall pass accuracy decrease from 89.5 per cent to 86.9 per cent, and he is only completing 3.21 progressive passes per 90 this season, going down from 4.52 last term.

The stats highlight exactly what Richards is talking about, and prove that the Argentina centre-back should be focusing on his own poor performances before criticising the Tottenham hierarchy.

Mauricio Pochettino could be set for a sensational return to Tottenham.

Thomas Frank is under increasing pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after a run of just one win in six matches.

Tottenham capitulated against Bournemouth after taking an early lead through Mathys Tel, and that will only put the Dane under further scrutiny.

Frank was spotted holding an Arsenal cup before Tottenham’s defeat, and it seems like a matter of time before he is sacked, if he cannot turn results around.

Mauricio Pochettino to be on Tottenham’s radar amid Thomas Frank pressure

John Wenham, who runs the prominant Lilywhite Rose account on X, does not believe that Pochettino will end up at United and instead thinks that Tottenham may turn to him, if Frank is dismissed from his post.

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Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “I do think Mauricio Pochettino will be one that Tottenham look at in the summer.

“Another poor result for Thomas Frank [against Bournemouth], and more tellingly, another poor performance as well.

“At half-time, the game should have been done, a really good first-half and once again unable to match that in a second-half, we are unable to play two good halves of football.

“United have acted decisively in getting rid of Ruben Amorim, but I don’t think that will impact on Tottenham’s search, and I don’t think Pochettino will end up there.

“I would say Tottenham is a much more likely destination in the summer.”

Why Pochettino would be the perfect choice for Tottenham

Pochettino is still beloved by the Spurs faithful after his exploits in his first time in charge.

The Argentine took Spurs to the Champions League final, and built arguably the greatest team that supporters have seen with the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen.

If the 53-year-old was backed with the level of funding that Frank has been, he would likely have the side in a much better position at the moment.

A reunion seems inevitable one day, as Wenham states, and perhaps it will happen sooner rather than later, if Frank is given the boot.

Tottenham haven’t exactly kicked on in the manner they thought they would after sacking Ange Postecoglou in the summer.

Spurs lost 3-2 at Bournemouth on Wednesday night, sparking angry scenes in the away end at full-time and leaving the North London club 14th in the Premier League table, with 27 points from 21 matches.

Thomas Frank has come under increased scrutiny after the defeat at the Vitality Stadium, with one major bookmaker slashing the odds on him being the next Premier League manager to leave to 5/2, behind favourite Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham (1/2).

Although Tottenham’s 2024-25 Premier League campaign was their worst ever under Postecoglou, at least the Australian’s supporters can argue that he was focusing on winning silverware, which he did when Spurs lifted the Europa League trophy in May.

However, that clearly wasn’t enough for former chairman Daniel Levy, who sacked Postecoglou in June, with the Aussie boss unfortunately suffering the same fate just months later after an ill-fated, short spell at Nottingham Forest.

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Ange Postecoglou links continue after Australian manager spotted at former club

Postecoglou is still on the market, with the 60-year-old former Tottenham manager keeping quiet about what his immediate career plans are.

It seems as though the ex-Celtic boss is taking a break from management after being mistreated at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and becoming the shortest-reigning Premier League manager of all time at Nottingham Forest.

However, Postecoglou is continually being linked with jobs.

He seems to be back in Australia right now, with Postecoglou being spotted at South Melbourne FC in December.

It’s likely that he’s been enjoying the holidays, away from what’s been a bleak, cold and snowy UK winter.

But there’s every chance that he could return to the miserable British weather later this year, with Postecoglou firmly in the running to be in charge of Celtic at the start of the 2026-27 Scottish season.

Martin O’Neill has returned to Celtic Park as interim manager after Wilfried Nancy was sacked earlier this week.

He’s currently the 5/6 favourite to stay in charge of the Hoops into next season, but Shaun Maloney (7/2) and Postecoglou (8/1) are also contenders for the role.

What are chances of Postecoglou returning as Australia manager?

Australia are heading to the World Cup in North America later this year with Tony Popovic in charge.

It was a nervy qualifying campaign for the Socceroos, who managed to book their spot at the 2026 World Cup in the third round of AFC qualifiers.

They were handed a tough group in that round, finishing behind Japan and ahead of third-placed Saudi Arabia.

But Australia lost to Bahrain and drew with Indonesia in their opening two games, prompting Graham Arnold to resign as manager, before turning things around after Popovic was hired to replace him.

Since taking charge in September 2024, Popovic has done a good job, winning eight of his 14 matches and failing to lose any competitive fixtures.

However, he’s currently on a three-game losing streak with Australia suffering consecutive friendly defeats to the USA, Venezuela and Colombia through October and November.

Postecoglou’s nation has been grouped with the US, Paraguay and a yet-to-be-decided UEFA country, which will be one of Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkey or Romania.

It’s a favourable group for the Aussies, so if Popovic’s side suffer humiliation in those games, there’s every chance a role will open up for Postecoglou to take in the summer.

Thomas Frank is under immense sack pressure in North London, but it is the Tottenham hierarchy now coming in for criticism.

Tottenham were beaten 3-2 by Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium on Wednesday, with a last-minute Antoine Semenyo winner subjecting them to yet another Premier League defeat.

Mathys Tel gave Spurs an early lead, but goals from Evanilson and Junior Kroupi turned the game on its head before the half-time break.

Joao Palhinha looked to have secured a point for Tottenham with a late bicycle kick, but Semenyo’s injury-time strike meant they went back to North London empty-handed.

Cristian Romero calls out Tottenham figures in cryptic message

Following the full-time whistle against Bournemouth, several Tottenham players were seen clashing with supporters, who were making their frustrations clear.

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Micky van de Ven looked particularly upset with the abuse and had to be ushered away by stewards and members of the Spurs coaching team.

Palhinha and Pedro Porro were also seen arguing with supporters, as yet another loss left Frank’s side 14th in the Premier League table.

After the game, Cristian Romero posted a cryptic message to Instagram, seemingly calling out some of the Tottenham hierarchy.

Romero said: “At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don’t — as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well.”

Porro, who had earlier clashed with fans, commented: “Amen. Keep going, brother. We have many battles ahead.”

Richarlison was another to show support for Romero’s statement, leaving the clapping emoji under the controversial post.

Who is Cristian Romero targeting in his statement?

While it is not specifically clear who Romero is talking about in his statement, it seems evident that the Argentine is unhappy with the current Tottenham hierarchy.

The centre-back obviously feels that ENIC and the rest of the Spurs higher-ups should be taking responsibility for the current run of poor results, instead of hiding away until the team are performing well.

Whoever Romero is targeting, it is yet another example of the disconnect at Tottenham and the constant blame game that is being played when things go wrong.

Frank now looks certain to be sacked as the North London side continue to slip down the table, but with the failures of the managers that preceded him still fresh in the memory, those running the club have a lot to answer for.

James Maddison will not forget this year in a hurry at Tottenham.

Of course, it isn’t for the right reasons, with Maddison ruled out with a ruptured ACL from pre-season, with the possibility that he may not be seen at all during this campaign.

Mohammed Kudus has stepped up in his absence since signing from West Ham, but the Ghana international is also now injured.

With attacking options dropping like flies, Thomas Frank needs new signings before 2 February.

So far, it has been reshuffling loans that have taken up the majority of the time during the first week of the window at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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James Maddison waves goodbye as Tottenham exit confirmed

Maddison is the heart and soul of the Tottenham dressing room; that is very clear.

Everyone has positive things to say about the England international, and it is no surprise, given his attitude to every last figure around the North London club.

Yang Min-Hyeok is the latest example of that.

Yang has officially joined Coventry City on loan for the rest of the season, with his initial switch to Portsmouth cut short by all parties.

Upon joining his former club, Maddison sent Yang a message on Instagram.

He wrote: “Let’s go, Yang! What a city and what a club, I told you that in pre-season.

“Good luck, mate.”

James Maddison’s record at Coventry City

Tottenham will be desperate to welcome Maddison back, with Yang also making that quite clear after labelling him a Coventry legend in response.

But, just how did the England star perform there?

Starting his career at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Maddison only played 42 times before his move to Norwich really kick-started his career.

Five goals and five assists later, he then started the journey which would take him to Leicester and eventually to Spurs.

If Yang can get anywhere close to those numbers in his career, he would certainly leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a modern-day legend.

For now, he will concentrate on helping Coventry secure promotion to the Premier League.

Tottenham have kick-started their January transfer window with a reshuffle.

Several loan players have been recalled at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Alfie Dorrington ending his latest spell at Aberdeen this week.

Thomas Frank is desperate for new signings after the latest injury to Mohammed Kudus, but no real movement has been made in the final third after failing with Antoine Semenyo.

Tottenham have bid for Souza, with progress made to sign the Santos left-back already.

Yang Min-hyeok has now been recalled from Portsmouth and will spend the second half of the season with Championship leaders Coventry.

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Frank will now hope to add to the signing of Mason Melia in the coming days.

Yang Min-Hyeok waves goodbye after Tottenham agreement

With Crystal Palace signing Brennan Johnson for £35million before Kudus’ injury, Spurs are really lacking in the final third now.

That, added with a second loan of the season for Yang, now agreed and made official, means incoming business is desperately needed.

The South Korean winger has taken to Instagram to send a message to Pompey fans after his move to Coventry, thanking them for their support.

He wrote: “Thank you to all Pompey fans, all the best.”

Yang made 15 appearances for Pompey, only scoring three goals and delivering a single assist.

Who do Tottenham want to sign in January?

Tottenham want several new signings agreed before the 2 February deadline.

In the final third, Spurs may not be looking further than Manchester City across the next four weeks.

Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb are wanted, but the latter now looks likely to sign for Borussia Dortmund on loan for the rest of the season.

Yang won’t get the chance to shine during these injuries and changes, but he will want to make a name for himself further under Frank Lampard.

Helping Coventry secure promotion to the Premier League is the natural next step for Yang, and he will hopefully use that to propel himself into first-team contention at Spurs next season.

Tottenham could make a move for Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window but there is a stumbling block regarding the deal.

Gallagher was linked with Tottenham in the summer, with Atletico Madrid reportedly willing to listen to offers, but the midfielder ended up staying in Spain.

The 25-year-old joined Diego Simeone’s side ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, leaving Chelsea for a fee in the region of £33million.

However, Gallagher could now be set for a return to London, with Spurs in the race for his signature.

Conor Gallagher open to Premier League move

Gallagher has only started four La Liga games for Atletico Madrid this season, and the Spanish side are once again open to offers for the Englishman in the January window.

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According to Teamtalk, the former Chelsea man would be keen on a move back to the Premier League, with Spurs and Manchester United the favourites to sign him.

Frank is reportedly desperate to reinforce his midfield ranks this month, and a permanent deal to bring in Gallagher remains a possibility.

The England international could also join on loan, although that depends on how much of his wages Atletico are willing to pay.

Tottenham face major Gallagher wage issue

Gallagher’s salary could well become a sticking point in the transfer saga, and is a big stumbling block for Tottenham to overcome.

According to Spurs journalist Paul O’Keefe via X, he is on an “immense” wage at Atletico Madrid, which could become an “issue” for the North London side in their attempts to bring him in.

O’Keefe added that Gallagher is on over £200,000 per week in Spain, and at that salary, he would become Tottenham’s highest-paid player.

As per Capology, Spurs’ current highest earners are Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons, who are both on £195k per week.

James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus are close behind on £170k and £150k respectively.

Given their current wage structure, it seems unlikely that Tottenham will move for Gallagher, unless he lowers his demands or Atleti cover a portion of his salary in a loan deal.

Tottenham have had an active start to the winter transfer window.

After signing Irish wonderkid Mason Melia on 1 January, Spurs sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35million and have sanctioned new loan deals for Kota Takai, Manor Solomon and Jamie Donley.

On Tuesday, Spurs recalled Alfie Dorrington from his loan spell at Aberdeen and also look set to end Yang Min-hyeok’s temporary stay at Portsmouth so that he can spend the second half of the campaign at Championship leaders Coventry.

While Melia’s arrival means Spurs have signed someone this winter, it’s likely the teenager will star in the club’s youth sides instead, leaving Thomas Frank with work to do to improve his options.

And improve them he must, with Frank under increasing pressure due to Tottenham’s poor Premier League results this season.

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Tottenham ready new bid for Santos wonderkid Souza

Tottenham have already had one bid rejected for left-back Souza by Santos this month.

According to The Athletic, Spurs had an offer of £8m batted away by the Brazilian giants, with the 19-year-old possessing a mammoth £87.1m release clause in his contract.

However, the Londoners haven’t given up on signing Souza yet.

An update by Brazilian journalist Eduardo Burgos on Tuesday suggested that Tottenham are lining up a new bid, worth “almost double the first one” that Spurs submitted at the beginning of the winter transfer window.

It is understood that Souza has also accepted Tottenham’s proposal after a project was presented to him bu the Premier League club’s recruitment chiefs.

Burgos adds that Souza “likes the option of playing in the Premier League and living in London“.

Souza made 29 appearances for Santos in the 2025 Brazilian season, scoring one goal and supplying two assists.

Who could make way if Tottenham sign Souza?

As it stands, Spurs’ left-back options are Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence.

Frank has opted to play Spence a lot more this season, handing the former Leeds loanee 26 appearances across all competitions and starting him in 15 out of 20 Premier League fixtures.

Udogie‘s injury issues have meant that he’s only played 15 times in total, starting six times in the league.

Tottenham’s left-back options:

It would be pretty crazy for Spurs to see Souza as a replacement for either of these two left-back options, which suggests that the Brazilian teenager could be either stuck in the Under-21s, or sent out on loan.

Tottenham also have Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies, who can fill in at left-back if needed. However, the latter of those two is expected to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this year.

Mauricio Pochettino could be back in the Premier League shortly, but with Manchester United rather than Tottenham.

United sacked Ruben Amorim just seven months after Tottenham beat the Red Devils in the Europa League final, and are now looking for his replacement.

Ex-Tottenham boss Pochettino has constantly been touted as a potential Old Trafford boss, but so far, he has never been selected to take the role on.

Pochettino is currently preparing the United States for the upcoming World Cup, which aligns with United’s timeline for appointing a new manager in the summer.

How likely is Pochettino to Man United?

John Wenham has ruled out the possibility of the Tottenham icon taking over the reins in Manchester, and believes that a former contender for the Spurs job is the most likely man to get the job.

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Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “On Poch, massive summer to come with the United States, World Cup in America, big pressure will be on him there.

“It will always feel like there is unfinished business with him and Tottenham, rather than another Premier League club.

“I think the early indications are United are going go for Oliver Glasner, who has done brilliantly at Crystal Palace, unbelievable, to take a club like that and win the FA Cup, get them into Europe

“He won the Europa League before with Frankfurt when they hadn’t won anything in years, obviously an outstanding manager.

“I’d say he is far more likely than Mauricio Pochettino.”

Why ex-Tottenham man Pochettino should be at the top of United’s list

While Wenham does not feel like it will happen, United should definitely be looking at the Argentine boss.

What he did with the Lilywhites, taking them to a Champions League final and building one of the best teams that supporters in North London have ever seen, cannot be underestimated.

If Daniel Levy and Co backed him in the summer of 2019, there is no telling what could have been.

He would likely be given significant finances to work with, if he took over from Amorim, and show Spurs fans what they may have missed out on.

Luckily, it does not seem like it is going to happen, based on what Wenham has said.