TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur have just two days left to sign new players, with the transfer window reaching its climax following their defeat to Bournemouth.

Xavi Simons was a huge coup for Thomas Frank’s team, but it’s evident that more signings are required before the close of the window.

Tottenham Hotspur were shocking against Bournemouth as they were beaten 1-0 at home, mustering just five shots to the Cherries’ 17.

After the defeat in North London, Spurs’ new boss has been discussing his transfer plans for what remains in the summer window.

Thomas Frank rules out signing another striker

Frank has ruled out signing another striker this summer and admitted that he is happy with both Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

Richarlison’s performance was slammed by Tottenham fans during their 1-0 defeat, and there was a real sense that Solanke could have been useful off the bench.

The England international missed the match with an ankle injury, but Frank is hoping that the issue is only minor and he will be back soon.

The Danish head coach admitted that he could not add a third striker to his squad as it would ’cause a problem’ in terms of keeping everyone happy.

When asked after the game whether Tottenham would sign another striker, Frank told the media: “No. I would say not particularly.

“To have the three strikers in the squad can also cause a problem, as you can only play one at a time. It’s a fine balance. I’m not saying we will never go for another striker at another time, but I’m happy with Dom and Richarlison.”

Solanke and Richarlison have both proven themselves to be top strikers at their best, but there is a glaring issue which makes sticking by them a big risk.

Dominic Solanke and Richarlison’s injury records should be a concern for Thomas Frank

Tottenham could encounter big issues this season if they are relying on one of Solanke or Richarlison to stay fit, given their recent concerns.

Solanke had a pretty strong injury record at Bournemouth, suffering just small issues since the start of the decade. But since coming to Tottenham, he’s already had four spells on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Richarlison’s inability to stay fit is another cause for concern, and if they were to lose him in addition to Solanke, Frank’s number nine options would become very limited.

Frank shouldn’t be ruling out the chance to sign another number nine, or maybe he should look to sign an attacker who can cover the striker role.

Tottenham have been offered Ademola Lookman, TBR Football understands, and perhaps he could be the perfect fit for Frank’s team.

The Nigerian winger is predominantly a left winger, but he has also played up top for Atalanta and has transformed into an elite goal scorer.

Dominic Solanke missed the clash against his former club due to an injury, and his absence proved a significant blow to Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Frank’s side slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to AFC Bournemouth, as Evanilson netted the only goal of the game.

It was a formidable display from Andoni Iraola’s side, who managed 19 efforts at goal, whereas Spurs mustered just five.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first defeat under their new manager and were totally outclassed by the club from the South Coast.

The 1-0 defeat will have been a real wake-up call for everyone at the North London club, highlighting the issues they have up front.

Tottenham fans miss Dominic Solanke after Richarlison’s ‘shocker’ versus Bournemouth

Tottenham Hotspur fans were left disappointed by Richarlison’s performance against Bournemouth as the striker struggled.

Richarlison has been much improved under Frank, but against the Cherries, it was a different story as the 28-year-old dropped a rather poor showing.

The Brazilian failed to produce a single shot at goal in the 90 minutes he spent on the pitch, much to the frustration of the home support.

Spurs were without Dominic Solanke against his former club, as the England international missed out with a minor ankle injury.

Not having him available from the bench was a massive blow for Spurs, especially with Richarlison playing so poorly.

Spurs fans believe that they could have done with Solanke off the bench against the South Coast club and took to X to voice their thoughts on their two strikers.

One fan said: “This Richy performance is exactly why we need Solanke back.”

“The week Richy drops an all-time shocker of a centre forward performance, Solanke is injured – you couldn’t make it up,” added another.

There were further concerns raised over being without Solanke: “Need a striker. When Richy isn’t bothered, he is shocking, and with Solanke out again, we have nothing.”

Finally, another claimed: “LW and ST should absolutely be the TOP priority, Richy and Solanke are injury-prone.”

Frank is a big fan of Richarlison, but against the Cherries, he proved why there are still frustrations over his inability to stay fit and always at the top of his game.

Richarlison’s lack of consistency has been slammed despite his improvements under the new Spurs boss.

Frank is hoping to have Solanke back from a minor ankle injury after the international break, which will be a big relief for the club.

The striker missed some of pre-season with the niggling issue and the new Spurs manager hopes the issue is not too bad.

Ahead of the game, Frank told the media: “He’s got a minor issue with his ankle, which has been grumbling a bit, also in pre-season.

“It is just too much for this game. Now we have the international break, so hopefully he can be back after that.”

Tottenham Hotspur produced a shocking display against Bournemouth, with Evanilson scoring the only goal of the game in North London.

The North London club looked devoid of creativity and any threat in attack, with Bournemouth dealing Thomas Frank his first Premier League defeat as Spurs manager.

Brennan Johnson was particularly poor against the Cherries, and Spurs fans have issued a clear transfer message to Daniel Levy.

The Spurs chairman has just two days left to add to Frank’s squad, which clearly needs players in attack.

Tottenham fans are desperate for Ademola Lookman after Brennan Johnson struggles

Tottenham Hotspur fans have called for the North London club to make their move for Ademola Lookman after watching Johnson struggle in the first half.

The Lilywhites failed to muster even a single effort at goal in the first 45 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it’s clear that further attacking reinforcement is required.

Xavi Simons was introduced to the home supporters before the match, and it’s clear that Frank’s team need a midfielder like him in the side.

It was an especially tough afternoon in North London for the Welsh international, who managed to lose possession on eight occasions.

The 24-year-old also completed just five passes and failed to make a single successful take-on, which saw him criticised by fans.

During the match at home, Spurs supporters took to X to share their thoughts on the winger and to slam his poor first-half showing.

One fan said: “This game would have been perfect for a player like Lookman.”

“I genuinely hope Savinho or Lookman are inbound – Johnson offers nothing at all,” added another supporter.

There were further calls for Lookman to be signed: “Are people still telling me Lookman isn’t an improvement on what we have in this squad?”

Finally, another fan added: “We badly need Ademola Lookman in this club.”

Tottenham have just two days to add more players to their squad, and it’s evident that attackers are needed, with Lookman being a great option.

Dominic Solanke’s injury also left Spurs short in attack, and Richarlison’s poor first half was a reason why the Lilywhites looked so poor.

Tottenham need to consider Ademola Lookman offer

TBR Football revealed earlier this month that Lookman told Tottenham he’s back on the market after his move to Inter Milan collapsed.

Inter refused to pay Atalanta’s request over £43 million for the Nigerian international, which has opened the door to Premier League clubs.

Lookman is currently training alone and looks to have been made available for transfer this summer by Atalanta.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa were the other clubs that were also made aware that the 27-year-old could be signed.

It’s been a big summer of change at Tottenham Hotspur.

Indeed, Tottenham have a new manager in the shape of Thomas Frank, they have a new Chief Executive in the shape of Vinai Venkatesham, and they have a number of exciting new signings too.

Joao Palhinha looks like a great signing, while Xavi Simons is a very exciting addition too.

However, perhaps the biggest change at Spurs this summer has been an outgoing transfer.

Heung-Min Son was a brilliant player for Tottenham, but he’s swapped north London for Los Angeles as he made a £20m transfer to LAFC earlier this year.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Ben Davies has been discussing Son’s departure, and he says it’s actually very strange that he’s not at Spurs anymore.

Ben Davies says it’s strange Heung-Min Son has left Tottenham

Davies spoke about the fact Son has left Spurs and how he feels about this departure.

The defender says that he finds it strange that Son is no longer a Tottenham player, but he’s ultimately happy for his friend because he’s enjoying this new chapter.

Davies and Son are very close friends, and that was very clear during this interview.

“Yeah, he was a good guy, my son’s godfather, it’s strange without him here. We had 10 years seeing him here every day in this building. It’s a weird one, but he’s happy, I speak to him regularly, he seems to be enjoying it so far,” Davies said.

Longest serving players at Tottenham

Davies says that it’s weird that Son isn’t a Spurs player anymore, and he’s not wrong.

Indeed, Son had been at Tottenham for 10 years, he was a constant in north London and a true fan favourite.

Now, all of a sudden, that era is over, and Davies now stands alone as Tottenham’s longest-serving player by some distance.

Davies’ Spurs career is also winding down as he enters the final year of his contract, and it wouldn’t be a shock if this was the Welshman’s last year at Spurs too.

Tottenham are certainly entering a new era.

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Thomas Frank played a big part in convincing Xavi Simons to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs have had a very difficult summer transfer window.

Their first-choice target, Morgan Gibbs-White, ended up staying at Nottingham Forest, while Eberechi Eze snubbed Tottenham and chose Arsenal instead.

Spurs fans were not happy when that happened, but they are now delighted to see Simons join their club.

The role Thomas Frank played in Xavi Simons’ move to Tottenham

TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey, understands that Xavi Simons’ mind was made up after speaking to Tottenham boss Thomas Frank.

The Dutch international decided at the end of last season that he wanted to leave RB Leipzig.

Chelsea were keen to sign Simons, and the player was open to a move to Stamford Bridge as well earlier in this window.

However, TBR Football first revealed that Simons was ready to join Tottenham after growing tired of waiting for Chelsea to make their move.

Now, we can reveal that Frank played a key part.

Simons held talks with the Spurs boss about his role in the side and the project. After listening to him, the Dutchman was immediately convinced, and the move to Tottenham became a no-brainer.

Bailey told TBR: “Like with a number of Spurs’ arrivals, Thomas Frank has played a big part in this.

“I am told Spurs appealed to him, but Frank had a chat with him. Following that, it was a no-brainer. Simons was hugely impressed!”

Xavi Simons names the three things he will bring to Tottenham

Simons is a tremendous talent, and that has been the case for a few years now.

A product of Barcelona’s prestigious La Masia academy, the Dutchman has played over 150 senior games for club and country and has made a brilliant name for himself.

Speaking after signing for Spurs, Simons explained what he will bring to Frank’s side.

He told Tottenham’s official website: “I will bring flair to the team but also hard work and discipline.

“I want to do everything I can to win, for the team and also for the fans.”

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is still weighing up the players he has inherited at the North London club, with some thriving under the Dane and others banished to the fringes.

Spurs have started the new Premier League season well and there is a sense of optimism around the club, especially with some players like Pape Matar Sarr excelling under the new head coach.

Tottenham have looked much more solid and compact under Frank, with a better balance in midfield this season than under Ange Postecoglou.

However, the managerial change means that some Spurs players have struggled for gametime, with potential for exits ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday night.

Yves Bissouma set for Tottenham departure

One player that looks to have no future at Tottenham is Yves Bissouma, who has not played under Frank this season.

BBC Sport state the African midfielder is set to join Galatasaray on loan, with playing opportunities set to be more forthcoming in Istanbul than they would be in London.

Tottenham are well stocked in central midfield areas and the former Brighton man has been linked with a number of other clubs in recent months.

Bissouma needs to leave Spurs – but not for free

Spurs will want Bissouma off this season’s wage bill and he is clearly surplus to requirements, especially after Tottenham signed Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich.

Frank also left the former Brighton midfielder out of the squad to face Paris Saint-Germain in the European Super Cup, citing repeated lateness on the player’s behalf as a reason.

Bissouma has on occasion during his time at Tottenham been an inspired character, able to bring the ball out of deep-lying areas and possessing the technical abilities to dominate a game.

However, his inconsistency and disciplinary issues – on and off the pitch – have blighted his time at Spurs, and Frank has better options at his disposal.

That said, Tottenham stand to lose Bissouma for nothing in 12 months’ time, as his contract expires in the summer of 2026.

As such, Spurs must look to sell Bissouma this summer – even if it is for a fraction of the £25 million they spent to buy him in 2022.

Loaning the 28-year-old to Galatasaray makes little sense as a result – and should be something Tottenham look to rectify before the transfer window closes.

Tottenham Hotspur have started the new 2025-26 season in impressive fashion, with Thomas Frank’s men recording two wins from two so far.

Tottenham have beaten both Burnley and Manchester City in the Premier League, with the North London club hosting Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs have scored five goals in their opening two fixtures, with Frank’s options in attack seeming to have hit the ground running this season.

Tottenham have Richarlison and Dominic Solanke as options in the number nine role, with no plans to add another central striker to the club’s squad.

However, a 23-year-old that has just joined a Serie A side on loan could have been a Tottenham player if the club had got its way two years ago.

Gift Orban joins Hellas Verona on loan

Tottenham wanted to sign Gift Orban from Gent in 2023, with the Premier League side reportedly ready to spend £30 million on the Nigerian forward.

Orban had caught the attention of clubs across Europe after scoring 18 goals for the Belgian side in 2023-24 and ended up moving to Lyon.

However, despite only signing for German club Hoffenheim in January, the centre forward has now moved again – with Hellas Verona confirming Orban had signed for them on loan for the 2025-26 season.

Given that the African forward was so highly rated two years ago, he will hope to reignite his faltering career in Serie A.

Tottenham dodge a bullet in Orban

At the time when Tottenham were heavily linked with Orban, many fans were supportive of a move for the powerful and fast centre forward.

Orban’s direct style of play and eye for goal was impressive in Belgium, with Spurs at the time looking for a successor to Harry Kane.

However, given that the Nigerian has not been able to make an impact in France or Germany, Tottenham will now be glad they didn’t spend a significant transfer fee to sign him.

It also shows that the step up from a modest European league such as the Belgian top flight, to one of the major divisions, is substantial and there is a risk in signing players unproven at the top level.

Tottenham have a rejuvenated Richarlison leading their line at the moment and with Solanke waiting in the wings, the club have two excellent options in the centre forward position.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have been involved in a lot of headlines recently.

The two sides faced each other in the Premier League last weekend. Some fans dubbed the game the Savinho derby because of Spurs’ interest in the Brazilian.

Thomas Frank outclassed Pep Guardiola and won the game at the Etihad, but in the days that followed, the North Londoners received some bad news.

Manchester City made it clear to Tottenham that they will not sell Savinho in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Then, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Spurs would like to sign Manuel Akanji from the Cityzens, but he isn’t the only player from the Etihad they like.

Tottenham enquire about signing Nathan Ake from Manchester City

Nathan Ake has been at Manchester City for five years now.

The Dutchman has played 146 games for the Sky Blues in that period and has won almost everything at the Etihad Stadium.

Ake was an unused substitute in City’s Premier League opener this season, and he only came on after Rayan Ait-Nouri’s injury against Tottenham.

Now, GiveMeSport have revealed that Spurs used the game at the Etihad to enquire about the possibility of signing Ake after their moves for Savinho were turned down.

It has been claimed that Frank is a big admirer of the Manchester City defender, who can play as a centre-back as well as at left-back if required.

The plan for Ake, should the deal happen, would be for him to compete with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in the heart of the defence.

Ake has entered the final two years of his contract at City, but it is unclear if he is open to a move away from the Etihad before Monday’s deadline.

What Pep Guardiola has said about Nathan Ake

Tottenham seem to be building something special under Frank.

Yes, it has only been two games and it’s not the time to get carried away, but Spurs look so much better defensively than they did in the past.

Adding someone like Ake to the side would make them even stronger because he is not just versatile and experienced, but he is great off the pitch as well – just ask Pep Guardiola.

The Manchester City boss said, as per the club’s official website in April 2022: “He is so reliable! Especially when you behave in your life like he does, always you will play good.

“In the bad phases, he is always helping. When he doesn’t get the minutes he deserves and then gets the minutes, he’s thinking about the other ones and has done well. He is an exceptional person.”

Tottenham Hotspur have had a brilliant start to the season.

Indeed, Spurs have taken six points from their first two games, all while conceding a grand total of zero goals.

Tottenham’s transfer window hasn’t quite gone to plan, but things are now starting to come together.

Morgan Gibbs-White didn’t join Tottenham, while Eberechi Eze headed to Arsenal rather than Spurs, but Tottenham are now set to sign Xavi Simons, which isn’t a bad consolation prize at all.

Meanwhile, Joao Palhinha has signed for Tottenham on loan and he’s already earned plaudits after his fantastic performance against Manchester City at the weekend.

Speaking on The Rest is Football, Micah Richards has been discussing Palhinha’s move to Tottenham, and he says that he can’t believe Bayern actually allowed Palhinha to go to Spurs.

Micah Richards can’t believe Bayern Munich let Palhinha join Tottenham

Richards was discussing who has been the signing of the season alongside Gary Lineker.

Lineker suggested that Palhinha may well have been the best buy of the summer, while Richards says he can’t believe Bayern Munich let him go to Tottenham.

“I’ll throw one at you. It hasn’t cost them any money at the moment. Palhinha, just what they needed,” Lineker said.

“I can’t believe Bayern let him go, to be honest. They’ve got a young boy at Bayern called Pavlovic at Bayern. So I understand why a really good player plays a similar position, could play a bit further forward as well,” Richards added.

“But it didn’t work for him at Bayern Munich.”

Joao Palhinha’s stats for Bayern Munich

Richards is shocked that Palhinha has been allowed to leave Bayern Munich to join Spurs on loan, but when you look into it, this deal isn’t all that much of a shock.

Indeed, Palhinha barely got a sniff at Bayern Munich last season.

Palhinha joined a Bayern Munich team that really didn’t suit him.

Two years ago, Palhinha was set to join the German giants under Thomas Tuchel, but a deal collapsed at the last minute.

A departure this summer made a lot of sense, and while it’s hard to fathom the fact that Spurs have got such a good deal for such a good player, on paper, this is one that does make plenty of sense.

Tottenham are finally closing in on one of their preferred targets as Xavi Simons moves one step closer to a move to North London.

Thomas Frank has struggled in the transfer market throughout the summer as several top targets have opted against signing for Spurs.

Following Morgan Gibbs-White’s decision to remain at Nottingham Forest, Eberechi Eze signed for North London rivals Arsenal despite agreeing terms with the Lilywhites.

Tottenham have been eager to recruit another attacker following James Maddison’s ACL injury, and now, after weeks of searching, Frank is closing in on his man.

According to David Ornstein, Simons has completed his medical ahead of a £52 million transfer from RB Leipzig, and while there will undoubtedly be celebrations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one player will now be concerned about his minutes moving forward.

Xavi Simons is likely to replace Brennan Johnson at Tottenham

Simons’ impending move to Tottenham is a sensational coup for the club. At one stage, it looked like the Dutchman was heading for Chelsea.

The Blues hit a roadblock in negotiations with Leipzig while focusing on alternative targets, allowing Spurs the perfect opportunity to swoop in and hijack the deal.

However, Brennan Johnson has enjoyed a stellar start to the season on the left flank, continuing from his impressive efforts last term – Johnson elevated Ange Postecoglou’s side.

While Simons can operate anywhere across the attacking positions, he primarily operates on the left side of the attack, and the Spurs faithful will expect him to immediately start games in the Premier League once his transfer is finalised.

Johnson has cut a frustrating figure at times, but he enjoyed his most productive campaign in a Spurs shirt last season, culminating in scoring the winning goal in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

And his efforts caught the attention of Theo Walcott, who branded Johnson as “inspiring” as he played a pivotal role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“It’s actually quite inspiring because you know, these wingers these days like to be inverted wingers. He’s actually like, no, I’m a bit old-school. I’ll stay on the right-hand side, I know what I’m gifted at, I won’t mess around with it, I won’t try and slow down defenders, if I got space, I’ll cross it.”

If you give me space, I’ll run past you and shoot and that’s what he’s getting rewarded because defenders are now expecting all these wingers to come inside at times but he is using his strengths and just thinking, ‘You’re going to stand off me.”

How do Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons compare?

The 24-year-old will undoubtedly be eager to continue his rich vein of form throughout this season, but the arrival of Simons does mean his starting berth is under threat.

Although Simons will arrive as the latest big-money acquisition for Spurs, his efforts last term flutter in comparison to Johnson.

The Welsh international played considerably more games than his soon-to-be teammate but managed three more goal contributions across all competitions.

Indeed, the statistics suggest that Simons would have outperformed Johnson had he played more matches, but the fact of the matter is that Johnson had a more impressive campaign.