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Injury expert hails ‘sensible’ Tottenham decision as Radu Dragusin edges towards imminent return

Radu Dragusin is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel with his recovery from injury at Tottenham.

The 23-year-old hasn’t played a single minute for the Lilywhites since 30 January, when he was forced off during the 3-0 Europa League win over Elfsborg.

Dragusin suffered an ACL injury at Tottenham, and as a result, it has taken all of nine months for him to be in a position where he is now on the verge of a return to action.

However, the timeline for his potential return is now becoming clearer, with Thomas Frank and Co. set to receive a huge boost when he returns to the fold.

Tottenham ‘sensible’ to block Romania call-up for Radu Dragusin

Tottenham stood in the way of Dragusin’s international call-up last week, in what was a somewhat unusual decision for them to take.

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Romania manager Mircea Lucescu was left frustrated by the North Londoners’ decision, and noted that the centre-back would be playing again in a month.

It isn’t entirely common for clubs to prevent their players from heading off to represent their country, but injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar has praised the N17 outfit for their call to keep Dragusin under their wing until he is fully recovered.

“I absolutely believe Spurs have done the right thing,” Brar exclusively told Tottenham News.

“The final portion of a return to sport can be the most demanding and challenging, so keeping a very close eye on him with the physios and fitness coaches who have been with him this entire time is the most sensible decision.”

Spurs can ease Radu Dragusin back into action

Tottenham are blessed with quality options at centre-back, with the duo of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven arguably both among the best players in the league in their position.

With that in mind, Frank is perfectly capable of easing Dragusin back into action with occasional substitute minutes once he is fit enough.

The boss should be able to keep the workload light on the returnee in the early stages, as Romero and Van de Ven are likely to start the majority of games regardless.

Nevertheless, a trip to join up with his country ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifiers this week would clearly have been a step too far from Spurs’ perspective.

They can have far more control over the final weeks of his recovery by keeping him firmly in their sight at all times.

Richarlison’s form has been a disappointment since his first few games of the season for Tottenham.

Richarlison had a strong start to the season at Tottenham, which led fans, players and the media to believe he was finally back.

A double during Spurs’ win over Burnley and an admirable performance against Manchester City at the Etihad seemed to have sealed the deal.

However, a month later and there are questions on whether Thomas Frank should omit him from the starting line-up for good.

Dominic Solanke named as ‘better’ Richarlison alternative

Richarlison started from the bench in Spurs’ win over Leeds United, with Mathys Tel netting the opener for Tottenham.

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Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke has been sidelined at Spurs since their win over Man City, with Frank confirming Solanke had undergone minor ankle surgery.

The Lilywhites’ attack looked better with Solanke at the helm, who often created space, which allowed his fellow attackers into the game.

His injury comes as a huge blow for Spurs, with Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – convinced that the Englishman should start over the Brazilian when fit.

“Solanke, it’s confirmed he had surgery, which is massively frustrating because Solanke took a lot of criticism last year,” Wenham said.

“But for me, he was a significantly better starter, and he’s better than Richarlison. So I would like Solanke to be back in the team as soon as possible.”

If Richarlison keeps up his current form, it would not be difficult for Solanke to displace him upon his return, despite his clear struggles.

Richarlison outperforms Dominic Solanke on the pitch

At first glance, it is easy to judge Richarlison’s season as he continues to drop off from his mid-August form.

But if comparing Richarlison’s current and Solanke’s 2024/25 season per 90, the Brazilian is more complete in almost every facet of the game.

Richarlison’s current season is superior in every metric but off duels won, to which Solanke excels.

This is noticeable when on the pitch. The former Everton star’s all-round game is more pronounced than Solanke, who is more of a pure striker.

Both offer different things while on the pitch, but perhaps the future will look kindly on Frank for sticking with Richarlison a little while longer.

Guglielmo Vicario has struggled to reach the same level displayed during his Tottenham debut season.

Vicario was linked with a departure from Tottenham over the summer, after a difficult second season under Ange Postecoglou.

Other than his heroics to help Spurs lift the UEFA Europa League, the keeper’s performances were subpar.

This poor run of form has carried into the Thomas Frank era, with Jamie O’Hara recently left furious with Vicario for his role in Leeds United’s goal at Elland Road.

The running motif in North London has been change and Vicario could be the latest on the Joe Lewis family’s list.

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Tottenham enquire about Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Tottenham have launched an enquiry into Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the winter window, according to Spanish outlet Sport on 4 October.

The German keeper is currently sidelined with a ruptured patellar tendon at Barcelona, but is not expected to replace Joan Garcia upon his return.

Fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Manchester United are also interested, and it is understood that most parties would be open to a loan with purchase option.

The 33-year-old has built quite a lavish reputation during his extensive career, which has earned him praise from even his fiercest rivals on the pitch.

Back in 2018, former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos paid tribute to his then international teammate’s superb qualities.

In quotes provided via AS on 23 March 2018, he said: “I like Ter Stegen a lot.

“Marc is one of the best in the world, and without doubt he is the perfect keeper…for Barcelona.”

Given his current situation at Barcelona, ter Stegen will likely not come to Spurs to play second fiddle. As a result, Vicario may need to accept a peripheral role if a deal materialises.

Tottenham should stick with Guglielmo Vicario

Despite his faults, Vicario is a keeper with time on his side and a lot more to give this developing Tottenham side.

At 28 years of age, Vicario is younger, fitter and can contribute a lot more on and off the pitch.

Not to mention, he was named as part of Frank’s Tottenham leadership group this month, which shows the Dane has a long-term plan for him.

Therefore, Spurs supporters will need to stick behind Vicario for a little while longer, no matter how difficult that seems at the moment.

Expert shares how star Jose Mourinho once called ‘phenomenal’ can resurrect his Tottenham career

Tottenham have struggled to get the best out of highly anticipated players in recent years, but there’s a feeling that could all change.

There was outrage when Ange Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham and Frank was installed at the helm.

However, the Dane is doing a grand job with Spurs’ most recent win over Leeds United, lifting them to third in the Premier League table.

But like all managers, Frank has his favourites, and some players may need to work that little bit harder to feature in his plans.

Dane Scarlett tipped for January loan

Dane Scarlett was teased with an exit from Tottenham over the summer, but one failed to materialise.

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Since the young forward has remained an unused substitute for Frank, including Spurs’ shocking draw to Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League.

There was a time when he was hailed as the next big star in the top flight, with Jose Mourinho singing his praises.

Writing for The Times on 14 July 2021, he said: “Tottenham Hotspur have a striker in Dane Scarlett, who, if everything goes well, is going to be phenomenal.”

While most Tottenham fans have given up on Scarlett after disappointing loan spells at Ipswich and Oxford, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes there is still a player in there who needs the right loan to resurrect his career.

“Age is on his side,” Wenham said.

“I’ve seen Scarlett over several years and been highly impressed by him whenever I’ve seen him. There’s no youth player to date who could head a ball as well as he can that I’ve seen.

“He just desperately needs the right loan. So I hope that in January a loan can be found for him, where he can be the main man or wherever the club he’s going to can provide him with a lot of service, because if you supply him with service, he will score a lot of goals.”

With a player as naturally gifted as Scarlett, there is no reason to believe that the right loan move won’t kickstart his Spurs career.

Thomas Frank should give Dane Scarlett more minutes

At this point, what does Frank have to lose by giving Scarlett more minutes at Tottenham?

Richarlison had a strong start to the season, which convinced Tottenham fans he was back, but his form has since fallen off a cliff.

Frank confirmed that Dominic Solanke has undergone ankle surgery, Randal Kolo Muani is still recovering from a dead leg, and Mathys Tel is inconsistent at best.

Meanwhile, Scarlett is a talent who could explode under the right manager.

The Lilywhites need goals, and as Postecoglou was shown last season, sometimes there is no harm in trusting your youth.

Tottenham to see sharp turn for Mikey Moore after huge Rangers developments

Mikey Moore has endured a difficult few weeks away from Tottenham while on loan at Rangers.

Moore established himself in North London under Ange Postecoglou, going on to lift the UEFA Europa League with Tottenham in his first full season with the senior team.

Tottenham then loaned Moore to Rangers as part of his development plan, with hopes of him growing in both performance and experience.

However, it has been difficult for the left winger to adapt to the demands of the Scottish Premiership under such unique circumstances.

Russell Martin sacked at Rangers

Moore has had a disappointing start to his season at Ibrox, failing to score in the league for his temporary club.

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Tottenham were no doubt attentive to Russell Martin’s potential departure from Rangers and its implications for Moore.

Plans to sack Martin accelerated after the Gers’ 1-1 draw to Falkirk, which Moore started, with Rangers confirming the decision on 5 October.

This could be the saving grace for Moore to get back on track at Ibrox, with Rangers already hunting alternatives for their future coach.

Adapting to a new league, teammates, and club is difficult for even the best of players. Now doing all of that at 18 years old in a struggling side is near impossible.

The energetic winger has been deprived of consistency, decent minutes and workable tactics during his short time in the Premiership.

With the Gers eighth in the Scottish Premiership, there is no doubt their senior figures will be looking to appoint someone capable of clawing their way back to the top.

As a result, Tottenham fans can expect Moore’s loan move to take a sharp turn for the better now that Martin has been dismissed.

Tottenham must not make the same mistake with Mikey Moore

Tottenham have been on the receiving end of several disappointing loans for their youngsters.

Alfie Dorrington is the latest Spurs hopeful whose loan could come back to bite the Lilywhites.

Meanwhile, after difficult loan spells at Ipswich Town and Oxford United, Dane Scarlett is still trying to resurrect his career in North London.

With Moore being one of Spurs’ more promising youngsters, the Lilywhites must remain attentive to the situation and be ready to pull the plug in January if needed.

The Joe Lewis family could finally leave Tottenham after a quarter of a century at the helm.

There were suggestions that Daniel Levy stepping down as Tottenham chairman could catalyse a sale.

But such notions were quickly shot down by the Lewis family, who are instead focusing on Spurs’ sporting success.

However, things change quickly in football, and in the blink of an eye, the Lilywhites could be welcoming their new owners.

Amanda Staveley spotted at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Amanda Staveley was a “surprise” VIP guest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the NFL clash between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns, according to Alan Nixton via his Patreon on 5 October.

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ENIC have already rejected an expression of interest from Staveley and her PCP International group.

The Lewis family have claimed that they will not sell at the moment, but that has not stopped interest behind the scenes.

While she faces a three-month waiting period before she can act, Staveley’s acquisition of Tottenham has not been completely ruled out.

Staveley and her backers, a consortium with American and Qatari interests, are not the only ones linked to the sale of the North London club.

Former DJ Brooklyn Earick could pay a £5.5billion fee for Tottenham, despite the Lewis family’s reluctance to sell.

With several reported interested parties, the face of Spurs could look very different once the season ends.

The Joe Lewis family are the best option for Tottenham

A potential takeover at Tottenham seems to be a textbook example of when the idea sounds better than reality.

The Lewis family have taken active steps to improve Spurs’ sporting context, overseeing the best summer transfer window in recent years.

Frank was brought in to improve the Lilywhites’ Premier League performances, with the club currently third on the table.

Meanwhile, marquee signings Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus have already shown their class on the domestic stage.

As a result, the Lewis family seems to be building a sustainable and winning project at Tottenham and is no doubt the current best option to continue the club’s recent success.

The Joe Lewis family started to deliver on their promise to propel Tottenham’s sporting success over the summer.

Spurs’ monstrous summer transfer window is part of the reason why it has been suggested that Daniel Levy stepping down as Tottenham chairman was planned.

Tottenham signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig as their marquee signing, although it seems that mantle had already been seized by Mohammed Kudus.

Meanwhile, it is believed that the Lilywhites could already be thinking about the winter transfer window.

But as Spurs move deeper into the competitive season, their hierarchy continues to deliver the goods from elsewhere.

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Tottenham sign Jacob Collins-Fay from Leyton Orient

Tottenham have completed the signing of Jacob Collins-Fay from Leyton Orient, according to Lilywhite Rose via X on 5 October.

This comes after Spurs signed midfielder Austen Ball in a double-academy swoop for the Lilywhites.

It is no secret that the North London side are keen to invest in their youth.

Mikey Moore lifted the UEFA Europa League in his first official season with the senior team, while Luca Williams-Barnett has signed his first professional contract at Tottenham after earning his senior debut against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

Both Collins-Frank and Ball are seen as some of the most promising youngsters in their generation.

As such, there will be an expectation that both flourish while in North London.

When could Tottenham fans see some of their youngsters in action?

There is a lot of belief among Tottenham fans in their young core, with hopes to see a couple more in action this season.

However, this will be difficult for a number of reasons.

The Carabao Cup has always been a way to give youngsters some minutes with the first team. But its current format means that Spurs are likely to face Premier League teams here on out, with Newcastle United their next challenge.

The Lilywhites also have a difficult league schedule after the international break.

These are hardly fixtures that Frank will want to trust his young players with.

However, depending on how these games go, Spurs supporters could see some of their youngsters take to the pitch during league games when the schedule becomes tighter and Champions League football enters its peak, providing Spurs qualify for the knockout rounds.

Tottenham Hotspur were jubilant after their victory at Elland Road but Pedro Porro struggled to gain any momentum from the game.

Porro played the full 90 minutes for Thomas Frank‘s side, but he did not impress as Tottenham beat Leeds 2-1 at Elland Road.

Leeds went close to scoring multiple times as Spurs lived a little dangerously at times defensively.

Porro has started all but one of Spurs‘ seven league games this season and has made over 100 appearances for his club since arriving from Sporting CP in 2023.

Pedro Porro was the weak link in Spurs’ defence against Leeds

The Spaniard has been one of Tottenham’s key men in defence this season and is one of only six players in their squad to have clocked over 500 minutes in their opening Premier League matches.

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Porro was not the only player to face criticism at Elland Road, but he was handed a rating of 5.7 by Sofascore after their win in West Yorkshire, as the right back – whose 76 touches represented the most of any Spurs player – was one of the key reasons why Leeds were able to equalise.

After Mathys Tel opened affairs in the 23rd minute, the hosts struck back just over 10 minutes later thanks to Noah Okafor.

In the build-up to the equaliser, Jayden Bogle received the ball on the right flank and crossed it in to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who laid the ball off to Brenden Aaronson.

Before the cross, Porro lost the run of Aaronson, who slipped behind the full-back and managed to direct a shot on target, which in turn forced Guglielmo Vicario to parry the ball into the path of Okafor, who slotted the ball home.

In an overall firm defensive display from Frank’s side, the Spanish international was sloppy in his outing and proved to be a player Leeds could exploit in their quest to gain a favourable result against Spurs.

As the right back recorded a 5.7 rating, the defender who held the second-lowest rating in the Tottenham lineup was Kevin Danso, who achieved a rating of 6.6.

Poor defensive trends from Pedro Porro

The Lilywhites have started the season well with four wins, two draws, and just a solitary defeat in the league, as well as an unbeaten start in their Champions League campaign.

They have kept five clean sheets in all competitions this season, and on the whole have not shown glaringly worrying signs among their back line.

But based on Porro’s performance yesterday, he has highlighted areas the-full back needs to improve.

The Spaniard has several areas in which he needs to develop, but his performance at Elland Road spotlighted this and can give opposition teams an indicator of what weaknesses they should target when facing Spurs.

Although his side were weak in defence, Frank still hailed the character shown from his side to secure all three points.

A blip for Pedro Porro but he remains crucial for Spurs

A positive that Porro can act on is the fact that the downsides to his game aren’t greatly harming Spurs, so he has the luxury of playing himself out of his bad habits.

The full-back has played over 30 league games in each of his last two full seasons in North London and has become a player they can rely on when considering his fitness.

Porro’s attacking contribution in recent years has been crucial for Tottenham, and at just 26 years old, he has the potential to maintain these levels for years to come.

In essence, the full-back has time on his side to refine the defensive aspects of his game, while still offering an attacking output for Frank’s side.

Porro registered an assist against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, which acted as a reminder of the tremendous work he puts in when pushing the Spurs team into the attacking third.

As Newcastle United, Chelsea, and an away trip to AS Monaco await the Lilywhites in the coming weeks, this will provide Porro with the perfect opportunity to bounce back after a poor performance in West Yorkshire.

Mohammed Kudus has made headlines once again after making a real impact for Tottenham against Leeds United.

Wayne Rooney praised Kudus for his performance against Leeds in the final gameweek before the international break.

It was a great day for several individuals in North London. Thomas Frank ended his winless streak against Daniel Farke, while Mathys Tel proved to Frank why he deserves more minutes at Spurs.

Xavi Simons even started over Lucas Bergvall in the 10, which has been a point of contention in recent weeks.

Tottenham fans were over the moon with the team’s and, more importantly, Kudus’ performance, which has been the main talking point of the game.

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Leeds United fans criticised for Mohammed Kudus goal reaction

Kudus netted his first goal for Tottenham in their win over Leeds United in splendid fashion that Spurs fans have been waiting for.

Indeed, the winger had previously lacked in the goalscoring department before the confrontation, despite being the Lilywhites’ best asset in attack.

His first goal in a Spurs shirt was an absolute beauty, picking up the ball in the right half space capitalising on a Leeds mistake, before gliding across the edge of the area, creating the perfect opening to smash it into the bottom right corner.

In true Kudus fashion, he found the nearest chair to celebrate, which happened to be positioned in front of several disgruntled home fans who threw objects into the field of play mid-celebration.

While going behind at home is reason to be upset, former FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes the fans had no right to react in such a poor manner.

“In the excitement of scoring a goal, a player has every right to celebrate,” Hackett said.

“That player should celebrate within the confines of the playing area. The throwing of objects towards the field of play is completely unacceptable.”

The hope now will be that his first goal will inspire a tally close to or one that will even exceed the eight Premier League goals scored for West Ham during his first season.

Mohammed Kudus is one of the best performers in the Premier League

Kudus is carrying the weight of Tottenham on his shoulders, but also the entertainment factor of the Premier League on his back.

Indeed, the right-winger is a born entertainer, completing six out of six dribbles against Leeds according to Sofascore.

This performance is reflective of his wider Premier League campaign, topping dribbling and creative metrics.

While there have been concerns of Tottenham’s over-reliance on the former West Ham star, with Simons at the 10 and Wilson Odobert on the left flank, Frank may have finally found his winning formula.

The Joe Lewis family have once again strengthened Tottenham’s core with an incredible talent from Luton Town.

It was widely reported that the Lewis family are keen on investing in Spurs’ sporting success, and so far it’s a promise well kept.

The Lilywhites had one of their most successful summers in recent history, with Mohammed Kudus joining from West Ham and Tottenham securing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

But for all those involved at the North London club, it seems that the summer was just the beginning.

Tottenham sign Austen Ball from Luton Town

Tottenham have completed the signing of “highly-rated youngster” Austen Ball from Luton Town, according to Lilywhite Rose via X on 3 October.

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This follows Conall Glancy, who recently joined Spurs from Celtic and is also seen as one to watch over the next couple of seasons.

In fact, Tottenham’s Academy is home to several talented youngsters who have a shot at becoming consistent starters for the first team.

Luca Williams-Barnett recently signed his first professional contract at Tottenham after making his official senior debut in Spurs’ win over Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup third round.

Meanwhile, Mikey Moore, who is currently on loan at Rangers, lifted the UEFA Europa League in his first full season with the first team.

There is no doubt that 15-year-old midfielder Ball will be looking at those two for inspiration while in North London with the hope of achieving great things while at Tottenham.

Thomas Frank will be looked at to integrate Tottenham’s youngsters

While first-team football may be a little premature for ball, there is a greater desire from fans to see their young stars integrated with the senior players.

Thomas Frank faced calls to play Williams-Barnett weeks before he made his debut for the Lilywhites, and will no doubt look to give a few more youth players minutes over the coming months.

Williams-Barnett, Tynan Thompson and Jun’ai Byfield are often referred to as Spurs’ core young trio, with the latter on the bench during Tottenham’s opening win over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League.

But Oliver Boast, who Spurs signed from Leeds United over the summer and who has already netted four goals in the Under-18s Premier League this season, will be one to keep an eye on.

Either way, especially if Tottenham continues to perform well in all competitions, Frank will be looked at to platform some of the club’s most promising young stars.