TBR Football

Savinho has returned to Manchester City training, days after the club blocked a transfer exit to Tottenham.

Tottenham made an approach to sign Savinho in the final weeks of the summer transfer window, appearing to annoy Pep Guardiola who wanted the winger to stay at City.

Ultimately, City blocked the transfer after failing to sign a replacement, with Real Madrid winger Rodrygo linked. TBR Football understand Savinho was keen to join Tottenham, and there remains a chance that Spurs return to transfer talks in January.

Savinho has been left out of the Brazil squad due to the injury problem – and now he is back in training after missing the first three games of the season through injury.

Savinho breaks silence on failed Tottenham transfer move as he returns to Manchester City training

Taking to Instagram, Savinho posted pictures of him in training after his injury at the City Football Academy.

Savinho added a sky blue love heart to the pictures and a lightning bolt, suggesting that he is committed to winning back his place at City after the transfer speculation in August.

City have also moved to show a unified relationship between Savinho and Pep Guardiola, posting an image of the pair hugging in training on their Brazilian language X account. The image appeared to be from last season.

City will hope that Savinho could be available for the Premier League clash with Manchester United next week in their first fixture back after the international break.

Savinho boost comes as seven players are injury concerns for Manchester United fixture

Savinho’s return to training comes at a positive time for Pep Guardiola, who has already seen three of his players withdraw from international duty with minor fitness issues.

Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis, and Nico O’Reilly have all pulled out of their respective international commitments this week, while Phil Foden was not selected for England amid ongoing fitness issues.

Rayan Cherki will be out for two months after picking up an injury, while Josko Gvardiol is yet to feature this season with his own problems.

Mateo Kovacic underwent surgery at the start of the summer, missing the Club World Cup as a result, and he has returned to individual training as he steps up his recovery.

TBR Football understands that Mathys Tel is understandably disappointed by Thomas Frank’s decision to leave him out of Tottenham’s Champions League squad.

Fans were left baffled by Frank’s decision to omit Tel from Tottenham’s Champions League squad, given the North London club had just paid £30m to sign him.

Kota Takai, Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Tel were the six senior players left out of Spurs’ squad for the group stages.

Dragusin, Maddison and Kulusevski are all recovering from injuries, and Bissouma is set to be sold, but for Tel and Takai, there is simply no room for either of them in the squad.

Exclusive: Mathys Tel

Thomas Frank has assured Mathys Tel that his omission from the squad is not a reflection of him as a player, but rather due to logistics, sources have told TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey.

The North London club’s lack of homegrown and club-trained players meant that their squad for the competition was reduced from 25 to just 22 players.

The 20-year-old hasn’t played a great deal of football under Frank yet, playing a total of just 30 minutes in four matches.

Speaking about the situation, Bailey told TBR Football: “In terms of Tel, I am told that he was informed by Frank and was assured it was purely because of the logistics and Spurs losing the three places because of the lack of homegrown players.

“They fully sympathised with him and assured him that it was not a reflection on him, as such, just an issue with them only being able to register less than 20 outfield players.

The Frenchman could be picked for the knockout stages should Spurs make it through the group, but Dejan Kulusevski is likely to be first in line.

“The player is understandably disappointed, but the squad can and will be assessed again heading into the next round, so there is hope for him that he will be involved.”

Jamie O’Hara called Tel a ‘terrible signing’ is harsh, but question marks will be raised as to why Spurs spent £30m on him over the summer.

Savinho named in Man City’s Champions League squad

Tottenham transfer target Savinho has been named in Man City’s Champions League squad, which will be a blow for their hopes of signing him in January.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham plan to return for Savinho in the next window, but the Brazilian back in City’s European squad could complicate a deal further.

Spurs tried hard to convince the former Premier League champions to sell the winger, however, Pep Guardiola blocked Savinho from leaving.

The potential arrival of Savinho would further complicate plans to bring Tel back into the fold, and this would need to be considered when making transfers in the winter window.

Tottenham Hotspur have had to say a few painful goodbyes in recent times.

Indeed, Heung-Min Son has just left Spurs, while, in recent years, there has been an exodus of the entire spine of that great Mauricio Pochettino team.

Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen have all left the club in recent years.

However, perhaps the most painful departure at Tottenham in recent times was Harry Kane.

Kane left Spurs to join Bayern Munich back in 2023, and that departure sent shockwaves across north London.

Kane remains a Spurs supporter, but he left the club in order to pursue silverware.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, Michael Owen has been discussing Kane’s move to Germany, and he maintains that the striker was crazy to leave Spurs when he did.

Harry Kane was ‘nuts’ to leave Tottenham

Owen spoke about Kane and his decision to leave Tottenham.

Kane is a ‘world-class’ player, but Owen thinks he was nuts to leave Spurs when he was so close to breaking the all-time Premier League scoring record.

“Well, I mean, Harry Kane, I think, is just lethal. I think he’s a brilliant finisher, a brilliant finisher. I disagreed with him going to Germany,” Owen said.

“I was outspoken about that. I still think he was nuts.

“You’re on the verge of being the all-time Premier League goal scorer. You’ve got kids that are all in school.

“I mean, I just couldn’t see it. I don’t see it. If you’re that desperate to win something, then, you know, do another year and then go”

How close was Harry Kane to breaking Alan Shearer’s record

Owen says Kane was nuts to leave Tottenham when he was so close to breaking Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record.

However, the reality is that Kane wasn’t that close to breaking this record.

Having scored 213 Premier League goals, Kane is the second-best goalscorer in the history of the Premier League.

However, he’s still 47 goals short of Alan Shearer’s tally of 260.

It could potentially take two seasons for Kane to hit 47 league goals, and at the age of 30 at the time he left Tottenham, he didn’t have that time to waste as he looked to win trophies.

Of course, Spurs did win a trophy last season, so Kane may have some regrets, but, after 17 years without a trophy, it’s easy to understand why Kane didn’t think he had much of a chance of winning anything at Spurs.

Johan Lange has been discussing the signing of Randal Kolo Muani, who Tottenham Hotspur signed on loan for the season.

The North London club pulled off a shock move on deadline day, as Tottenham signed Kolo Muani from Juventus on loan.

Tottenham tried to sign Kolo Muani back in January, but the 26-year-old instead opted for a move to Turin, where he had great success.

Johan Lange has now been assessing the signing of the Frenchman and explained how he sees him fitting into Thomas Frank’s team.

Johan Lange impressed by Randal Kolo Muani’s versatility

Lange has said that Randal Kolo Muani’s versatility was a key reason why Tottenham Hotspur were so keen to sign him.

The Frenchman offers Frank options all across the front line, but he is most likely to be used in the number nine role.

Dominic Solanke’s worrying injury update meant that Spurs had to act quickly in the transfer window and complete the signing of Kolo Muani on loan.

Spurs’ technical director has hailed the club’s staff for acting so quickly to sign the striker when the opportunity arose in the final stages of the window.

Lange told Tottenham’s YouTube channel: “I think with Randal, first of all, I’m extremely pleased that we managed to get it over the line. Credit to everybody at the club for acting quickly when a player of that level becomes available.

“Randal is versatile, so he can play across the front line. He gives Thomas and his staff so many options across the front line, where most of our players can play more than one position.

“Again with Randal, coming in here, he’s a player we’ve followed a long, long time, very successful in the French national team a few years ago.

“He’s made his move to Paris, then in the last six months, he also played with success at Juve. He’s played at the World Cup, played Champions League and played for big clubs, so we are very, very pleased and excited that he’s here. He will be another great addition to the squad for the season.”

Randal Kolo Muani could actually replace Dominic Solanke and Richarlison

Kolo Muani could actually be coming to Tottenham to replace both Solanke and Richarlison as the first-choice number nine.

Despite Richarlison’s strong start under Frank, the Brazilian could quickly see his spot in the team taken by Spurs’ latest arrival.

The Frenchman looked revitalised following his move to Juventus and really flourished in Serie A. He will now be looking to continue his form in North London.

The 26-year-old should be highly motivated to succeed at Spurs ahead of next summer’s World Cup and to get his place back in the French national team.

Tottenham Hotspur have landed a new playmaker in Xavi Simons, but Dejan Kulusevski should not be forgotten.

The final days of the transfer window proved to be successful for Tottenham Hotspur.

Xavi Simons joined Tottenham on Friday, completing an exciting permanent move from RB Leipzig.

Deadline day then saw Randal Kolo Muani join Spurs on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, handing Thomas Frank a versatile attacking threat.

Tottenham fans are certainly excited by Simons, with the Dutchman considered to be one of the top young playmakers in Europe.

Injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski meant Spurs needed to find another creative force, and Simons will look to take on that responsibility.

Sweden players blown away by Dejan Kulusevski

Maddison’s injury was a serious blow in pre-season, especially with confusion over Kulusevski’s issues.

Kulusevski underwent surgery in May, with Ange Postecoglou claiming that he would be out for ‘a few months’.

Four months on, Kulusevski has not returned to action for Tottenham, and there has been no clear timescale for his return.

Kulusevski will hope to return to action soon, but has taken an interesting step during this international break.

Despite not being available to play for Sweden, Kulusevski has joined up with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s squad for games against Slovenia and Kosovo.

Kulusevski will not be able to play or train, but he will be around the squad to offer support during World Cup qualifying action.

This decision has stunned Kulusevski’s Sweden teammates, with players praising the Spurs star while speaking to SVT.

“All of us players appreciate it enormously,” said Burnley defender Hjalmar Ekdal.

“He is injured and could have just as easily sat at home and been upset about missing out. But the fact that he calls Jon and wants to be here and support the team, I think that is really, really, good and it shows what a leader he is,” added Celtic star Benjamin Nygren.

Pafos ace Ken Sema even added that it’s ‘crazy’ to see Kulusevski around the squad, praising him for showing up even while injured.

Do not forget about Dejan Kulusevski

Simons could be a superstar for Spurs, and he certainly has the potential to become Tottenham’s number 10 for years to come.

Kulusevski should not be ruled out of contention, though, and he can still make a huge impact when he returns from injury.

It’s easy to forget that Kulusevski sliced through Manchester United almost single-handedly last year, racking up nine created chances in a 3-0 win.

Kulusevski may not be the quickest player in the final third, but he has guile and a real ability to fashion opportunities for his teammates.

Kulusevski’s future may be as a number 10 rather than as a winger, but he could offer serious competition for Simons – if he comes back from injury with no lasting problems.

Tottenham Hotspur have landed two important attacking additions in recent days, bringing in both Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.

Thomas Frank wanted new attacking signings at Tottenham Hotspur, and an exciting double move for Eberechi Eze and Savinho appeared to be on the cards.

Arsenal hijacked Tottenham’s move for Eze, and Manchester City stood firm on Savinho, meaning Spurs missed out on both players.

With the deadline fast approaching, Tottenham snapped up Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig on Friday, swooping in to beat Chelsea to his signature.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani then joined Tottenham on deadline day, handing Frank two important signings in the final third.

Xavi Simons explains Tottenham Hotspur transfer

The signing of Simons is particularly exciting.

Missing out on Eze was a major blow, and Tottenham had to quickly pivot to another number 10.

Simons looked set for Chelsea throughout the summer, but Tottenham were able to pounce and secure a deal in rapid fashion.

Simons now takes the number seven shirt at Tottenham, following in the footsteps of a club hero in Son Heung-min.

The Dutchman will make his debut after the international break and has spoken about his Tottenham move while away with the Netherlands.

Speaking to De Telegraaf and as quoted by Voetbal Primeur, Simons admitted that one person really inspired his decision to join Spurs – his sister!

Simons noted that his family travelled to look at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the deal was done, and his sister’s reaction was ‘amazing’.

Simons noted that his sister ‘made the decision, to a certain extent’, suggesting that he simply had to join Spurs after his sister was left so convinced.

“Before I made my decision for Tottenham, my family went to see the stadium,” said Simons.

“My sister’s reaction was amazing. When she says that… She also made the decision, to a certain extent.

“She’s not really into football, but she’s very happy for me and very supportive. I’m very happy that my family is happy for me too,” he added.

Xavi Simons set for two important international games

Tottenham fans must wait until after the international break to see Simons in action for Spurs, with his debut potentially coming against West Ham United.

Simons will be in international action in the coming days, though, starting with a game against Poland on Thursday night.

Simons often starts on the right flank for the Netherlands, with Liverpool star Cody Gakpo expected to feature on the left.

The new Spurs star will hope to start against Poland and then Lithuania on Sunday, with the Netherlands chasing qualification for the World Cup.

Thomas Frank will be paying close attention to Simons’ displays in the coming days and surely can’t wait to unleash him as a Tottenham player.

Tottenham Hotspur had an incredibly frantic transfer window in which they signed five new players, and Johan Lange has been discussing each addition.

Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Randal Kolo Muani and Kota Takai were the five new players who arrived through the door at Hotspur Way.

Thomas Frank will be delighted with the additions Spurs have made to his squad over the summer, particularly in the attacking areas.

Following the close of the summer transfer window, Johan Lange has reviewed the North London club’s business and was especially pleased with one of their additions.

Johan Lange is confident Xavi Simons will be ‘fantastic’ for Tottenham

Lange is confident that Xavi Simons will be a ‘fantastic’ signing for Tottenham Hotspur and really believes in his quality as a player.

Tottenham missed out on Eberechi Eze, but ended up falling back into a deal for Simons, worth £52 million from RB Leipzig.

Officials at Tottenham believe Simons actually represents better value than Eze, with the club’s technical director suggesting the same.

Lange told Tottenham’s YouTube channel: “I think sometimes if you have bumps along the way, things can turn out for the better… We had a conversation with Xavi, and we saw his desire and determination to join our football club. It was fantastic for us.

“What he has shown so far in his career, from a very, very young age, played together with some of the best players in the world when you really dig into his story.

“The impact he had at Eindhoven, the impact he had at Leipzig in the Bundesliga, and he’s still so young, so when you perform at this level and that age.

“So to bring him to our football club, to bring him into the Premier League, to bring him into a club which has a rich history of producing and seeing players with creativity and flair.

“I’m confident that he will be a great addition to the team and hopefully create a lot of fantastic moments for the fans and for all of us.”

Johan Lange explains what he’s heard about Xavi Simons

Lange has also explained how he received glowing reports on Simons from his former coaches and teammates.

Micky van de Ven is more than likely one of the players who will have spoken highly of the winger, having played with him for the Netherlands.

“The important thing is when you sit with him and you talk about the project, and you see his eyes and desire to be the best version of himself, when we speak about reference from teammates and coaches from clubs, they’re just echoing that he’s a very serious athlete, who wants to train well and try to maximise his potential – that’s the most important thing,” added Lange.

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know him, and we’re looking forward to seeing his determination on a day-to-day basis.”

Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up for Champions League action, but Mathys Tel seemingly won’t be involved under Thomas Frank.

Premier League action is taking a back seat right now, with the first international break of the season now upon us.

Tottenham Hotspur have gone into the break off the back of a defeat, after losing 1-0 at home to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Thomas Frank’s strong start has suffered its first major setback, but the deadline brought a new face to North London.

Randal Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, adding another attacking option to Frank’s ranks.

Tottenham Hotspur fans on Mathys Tel decision

Kolo Muani could make his debut against West Ham United after the international break, and then it’s straight into Champions League action.

Spurs kick off their Champions League campaign against Villarreal on 16 September, as the Spanish side head to North London.

Frank has now named his squad for the Champions League, as seen on Tottenham’s official website.

Kolo Muani and fellow new Tottenham signing Xavi Simons are both included, but Mathys Tel is nowhere to be seen.

Spurs only signed Tel permanently this summer, having taken him on loan from Bayern Munich in January.

The Frenchman showed some promise, but he has played just 19 minutes in two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

Spurs have now omitted Tel from the Champions League squad, leaving fans completely baffled.

Many supporters ‘feel bad’ for Tel, and believe that his confidence could sink even lower after a difficult start to the campaign.

Some believe that this is a ‘horrible decision’, and believe that new boss Frank may not be too keen on Tel as a player.

Others are questioning the logic in even signing Tel on a permanent basis, believing that Spurs have no coherent strategy in the transfer market.

UEFA B list explained amid Mathys Tel questions

Tel has been left out of Tottenham’s squad, but some fans wondered whether he would be available to be registered for the B list.

Official UEFA rules state that players born after 1 January 2004 can be registered outside of the main squad – if they have been registered for two years uninterrupted.

“A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year. Players aged 16 may be submitted if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years without interruption.

Tel ticks the first box, having been born in 2005, but he has only been a Tottenham player in 2025.

That means Tel cannot be registered and will not kick a ball for Tottenham in the Champions League league phase.

Tel must now look to impress in the Premier League and EFL Cup in order to catch Frank’s eye, as well as kicking on in training to force his way into Frank’s plans.

Tottenham Hotspur managed to land one of the most impressive signings of the summer transfer window as they captured Xavi Simons.

Simons looked set to join Chelsea all summer long; however, the Blues failed to follow up on their initial interest, opening the door for Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur took the opportunity with both hands and quickly wrapped up the deal, having seen moves for both Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze collapse.

The former PSG and Barcelona youth star is now expected to make his debut for the North London club in ten days away at West Ham United.

Thomas Frank’s key role in Xavi Simons’ move to Tottenham

Thomas Frank played a key role in convincing Xavi Simons to join Tottenham by telling him what he needed to improve, according to Alasdair Gold.

The new Spurs boss is believed to take a very direct approach during his talks with potential new signings by breaking down their strengths and weaknesses.

During an interview back in the Netherlands, the Dutch international said that Frank told him things he’s never heard from other coaches.

Gold told his YouTube channel: “He was sold on the project. Thomas Frank played a massive part in terms of presenting everything really well.

“He spoke to us about how these meetings with players, we know what Postecoglou’s were like, everyone raved about the storytelling he would do and the way he charmed them.

“Thomas Frank is a different kind of speaker; he is very honest and direct, he will not only tell you what you’re good at and where you can fit in his team, but also what you need to improve on and what he is going to improve about you, and that is what sold Xavi Simons.”

Just before he signed, TBR Football revealed that Simons had been impressed by Frank and that is why he was ready to make the switch to North London.

Also, during his interview back in Holland, Simons said he wants to play in the number ten role, and he is likely to be granted his wish.

With both Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison sidelined with injuries, the 22-year-old is set to replace the pair, playing in a central role.

Kulusevski is now set to be out until December, which is a huge blow for Frank’s team and puts extra pressure on Simons to hit the ground running.

Xavi Simons on taking the number seven shirt from Son Heung-min

Simons has admitted that it is a “big responsibility” to take Son Heung-min’s number seven shirt, but he is ready to make his own story with the number.

The Dutch international believes that “everyone loves Son” at the club, and he is now ready to wear the iconic number.

Simons told SpursOfficial: “He made his own story with this number, I think he deserved it as well, the way people treat him at the club and the fans. Everyone loves Son.

“Hopefully, I can make my own story with it. I know it’s a big responsibility, but I’m ready to take it and make my own story.

Tottenham Hotspur have made an impressive start to life under Thomas Frank, with Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus the two standout performers.

Kudus is proving to be an astute signing for the North London club, having paid £55 million to sign him from West Ham United over the summer.

Meanwhile, Richarlison has also impressed this season, producing two goals and one assist in his first three league matches.

However, there is one player whose performances are going under the radar so far, and he has actually been key in their strong start to the season.

Guglielmo Vicario has the most saves and prevented goals in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has the most saves and prevented goals in the Premier League this season.

The Italian goalkeeper has made a total of 13 saves and has amassed a goal prevention rate of 2.2, which is the highest this season.

Vicario, who cost Tottenham £17m, kept clean sheets against both Burnley and Manchester City before Bournemouth’s Evanilson scored against him for the first time this campaign.

Frank’s side were fortunate not to have lost more than 1-0 against Bournemouth, with the goalkeeper making five saves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

French media ranked Vicario as Tottenham’s worst player against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup final, but he has quickly turned form around in the Premier League.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham officials were concerned about Vicario heading into the new season and were assessing potential replacements.

But following a strong start to the campaign, Vicario is quickly proving that he is still a top goalkeeper and a player Frank can trust for the season.

Mohammed Kudus has won the most ground duels so far this season

Kudus has been a real revelation so far for Tottenham on the right side of their attack, and is the only Premier League player to have won over 20 duels.

The Ghanaian international has proven himself to be a player with speed, flair and impressive dribbling ability, making him so hard to dispossess.

Jamie O’Hara slammed West Ham for selling Kudus, and the Hammers’ decision to offload the 24-year-old is proving rather costly so far.

The winger will return to the London Stadium after the international break as Tottenham travel across London to face West Ham.