FootballFanCast

Tottenham Hotspur dropped points for just the second time this season on home soil last night, with their meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers ending 1-1.

Santiago Bueno looked as though he had secured Vitor Pereira’s side their first league win of the Premier League campaign, but Thomas Frank’s side managed to stage a late fightback.

Joao Palhinha’s effort deep into stoppage time saw the Lilywhites claim a late point, extending the side’s unbeaten run to five games across all competitions.

It certainly wasn’t a vintage showing in North London, but it’s certainly a sign of a good side if they can avoid defeat even when not producing one of their best displays.

However, if Frank’s side are to be a success in the near future, the Dane desperately needs to address one issue that arose in the meeting with the West Midlands outfit.

Spurs’ biggest issue against Wolves last night

In front of goal this season, Spurs have been largely impressive, scoring 11 times in their six league outings - averaging nearly two goals per game in 2025/26.

However, their showing against Pereira’s side last night was a somewhat toothless one, subsequently being unable to break down the opposition, who have failed to win a single top-flight outing.

Whilst the Lilywhites had 51% of the play, completing 111 passes into the final third, but could only muster a total of three shots on target during the 90 minutes.

Even when managing to get a shot off, Frank’s men struggled with their accuracy, only managing to get 30% of their shots on target - undoubtedly leading to their inability to secure all three points.

Their subsequent chances only accrued an xG of just 0.87, with the visitors achieving a higher total of 1.15 - subsequently doing so despite managing fewer efforts on goal.

The Lilywhites’ attack was made up of over £150m worth of talent last night, but numerous of such players failed to make the desired impact in forward areas.

The Spurs player who needs to be dropped after Wolves

Xavi Simons joined Spurs in a £52m transfer from RB Leipzig late in the summer window, but as of yet, the Dutchman has struggled to hit the ground running in North London.

The 22-year-old has made five appearances in all competitions, but has only registered one goal contribution, with his assist for Pape Sarr against West Ham United his only tangible reward.

In his showing against Wolves yesterday, Simons only managed a 25% dribble success rate, whilst only completing 27% of the crosses he attempted - highlighting his lack of impact in North London.

In the majority of his matches to date, the youngster has operated in an unnatural role off the left-hand side, which has no doubt contributed to his lack of success since his big-money move.

However, the same can’t be said for Richarlison, with the Brazilian striker being Frank’s first choice number nine in the absence of Dominic Solanke since the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whilst the 28-year-old started the season in superb fashion, netting two goals in the opening day triumph over Burnley, he’s ultimately struggled to hit such heights in recent weeks.

He’s now only managed to find the back of the net once in his last seven outings across all competitions, hitting a blank against Wolves once again last night.

Despite not scoring, Richarlison may have been able to save himself with his all-round showing, but it was an evening to forget for the talisman in North London as he looked way off the pace throughout the draw.

His lack of impact was highlighted by his tally of just 20 touches, a figure lower than that of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 29 throughout the contest.

Richarlison’s dismal showing was further reflected in his tally of just five passes completed, at a success rate of just 56%, whilst also losing possession eight times - losing the ball 40% of the time he touched it.

His further tallies of 0% dribbles completed and 33% duel success rate also indicate how alien he was during the meeting with Pereira’s men, often being dominated by the opposition backline.

As a result of his showing, the £50m forward was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold - topping off what was a disappointing performance from the Brazilian.

After such a showing, boss Frank has no choice but to make a change at the top end of the pitch, with such a position becoming an issue given the lack of tangible rewards produced in recent games.

The Champions League clash at Bodo Glimt could present an excellent opportunity to try something slightly left field in an attempt to try and rectify the problem currently apparent at the top end of the pitch.

Thomas Frank praised Tottenham’s mentality after Joao Palhinha’s stoppage-time leveller rescued a “huge” point at home to Wolves.

Palhinha struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time to deny the visitors a shock victory after Santiago Bueno tapped in a 54th-minute opener for bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

Frank shares what he liked from his Tottenham side in Wolves draw

Wolves arrived in north London after five consecutive Premier League losses and three points for Tottenham would have sent them second within two points of leaders Liverpool, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances until Palhinha’s fine curled finish late on.

“I like the effort and mentality and I think it is huge actually and I mean that to get a point on a night where it is not perfect, especially not in the second half,” Frank said a week on from a 2-2 draw at Brighton.

“Now that is two times in a row we come back. I think that tells a lot about the players. Yes we want more and we did not hit our highest performance level today, but when you are down at 90 plus and you get a point, I think that’s positive.”

Frank elected to play Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur together in midfield again, which was also the case in the 1-0 home loss to Bournemouth in August.

The experienced duo have impressed this season and bring a level of defensive steel, but little creativity.

Frank praises Bentancur and Bergvall alongside Palhinha

Asked about his midfield selection, Frank said: “I will always look back at it but a good, old coach told me once that the line-up you picked, you did that for a reason and you don’t know what would happen if you pick the other one. Maybe you would have lost 2-0.

“So, I need to go with what I believe in of course. That is not to say I am not watching the game back and not reflecting and thinking. I actually think first half was quite good and we created enough.

“We would like to create a bit more, yes but actually after I took Rodri out, you could say it didn’t work because we lost the structure, so who knows? One thing is for sure, we need to do a little bit better in the second half.

“Of course I try to look into what is the best midfield. I think it is fair to say both Rodri and Joao have been very good for us so far this season and Lucas (Bergvall) has been fantastic, so you like to keep your players a little bit in flow.”

Pereira reacts to late Spurs equaliser

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira praised the fight of his players, but conceded letting victory slip at the death was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after no points from their first five Premier League matches.

“One I am proud of my players and happy with the spirit they show in the game and the ambition they show in the game, but frustrated because when we have three points and we lose two in the last minute, it is difficult,” Pereira said.

“The question is did we win one point or lose two? My answer is we lost two points because the team showed that we came here to win the game, especially in the second half.”

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a point against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, but here are more dropped points, and there was a chance to close the gap at the top of the table.

Much has been made of the positive steps Spurs have taken since Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou this summer, but this felt a regressive result, one which highlighted the inconsistencies still laced through this Tottenham team.

While defeat was avoided in the dying embers, Wolves were well worth their money, and the hosts struggled to create against a steely defence.

However, Joao Palhinha, on loan from Bayern Munich, came up trumps with an emphatic late goal.

Joao Palhinha stars for Spurs again

Tottenham underwent a series of changes this summer, namely parting with their long-serving superstar Heung-min Son after Postecoglou's fate was sealed.

A number of signings were welcomed, and the loan move to sign Joao Palhinha was among them, minnowed perhaps by flashier deals for Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons. However, it's the tough-tackling Portuguese who has been the pick of the bunch thus far.

Rifling home in stoppage time, the 30-year-old saved a point for the Lilywhites, but that wasn't the sum of his contribution, with Sofascore recording that he also won all seven of his ground duels and made a total of five tackles, making good on previous praise from data analyst Marcus Bring that he's a "defensive monster".

The complete package, he's proving a real steal for Frank's side, sure to continue plying an important role over the coming months. Maybe years.

While Simons and Richarlison failed to inspire from an attacking standpoint, they weren't the only culprits, with Frank's side lacking an overall degree of fluency that would be expected against a side entering the match having lost all five league fixtures so far.

And among those to flatter to deceive was Djed Spence, who must now be dropped ahead of an important week across European and domestic fronts.

Frank must drop Djed Spence

Spence has enjoyed quite the revival at Tottenham, but there's a growing sense that his ceiling may hang lower than that of his counterparts.

Against Wolves, he certainly didn't produce a performance that counters that argument. Awarded a 6/10 match rating by football.london, it was noted that his delivery left something to be desired and that he lacked rhythm.

There's no question that the 25-year-old is a stern defender, but he lacks something going forward, with Sofascore recording that he created only one chance and failed to even attempt a dribble before being hooked right after the hour mark.

Losing possession 12 times, Spence also won only three of six contested duels across the evening, and perhaps highlighted why Frank has another, more established right-back at his disposal.

Frank completely rewrote the coding of his right flank with half an hour still on the clock, but it did little of note for a side lacking coherence and spark in attack.

However, we all know of Porro's attacking qualities and proven experience in the Premier League, and with Destiny Udogie getting stronger by the game after a testing 2024/25 campaign, it may well be that there isn't space for Spence in the starting line-up going forward.

The newly blooded England international has enjoyed quite the resurgence down N17, but he is limited offensively and lacks the culture of Udogie and Porro when both are on their A-game.

He must now be benched.

Tottenham Hotspur were the subject of serious takeover interest from a 12-man US consortium led by tech entrepreneur, Brooklyn Earick, earlier this week — who made a record-breaking £4.5 billion offer to buy the club.

ENIC responds to Earick's £4.5 billion Tottenham takeover bid

The news was first reported by chief sports correspondent Martin Lipton, with former DJ Earick registering his firm interest in acquiring Tottenham's majority shares currently held by ENIC.

This development comes as the latest Spurs ownership twist following the major news that ex-chair Daniel Levy stepped down from his post after nearly 25 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era beyond the Lilywhites' divisive former chief.

CEO Vinai Vinkatesham and members of the Lewis family have taken a more prominent role in the running of Tottenham since Levy's exit, but outside investors have seen this board reshuffle as an opportunity to upset the applecart.

ENIC, following two previous takeover approaches from Amanda Staveley's PCP International Finance Limited and Firehawk Holdings Limited, made clear that they had no interest in selling Tottenham on September 8 (BBC).

Now, following the approach from Earick, ENIC have moved to "reconfirm" that the club is indeed not for sale.

“The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Limited is aware of recent media speculation and confirms that its majority shareholder, ENIC Sports & Developments Holdings Ltd has received, and unequivocally rejected, an informal expression of interest in relation to a proposal to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of the Club from a consortium led by Mr Brooklyn Earick," read the statement, via football.london.

“The board of the Club and ENIC reconfirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC is not looking to sell its stake in the club.”

Despite the alleged money on offer from Earick, reliable reports suggest that ENIC have big plans for Tottenham, and could pump more money into the club.

This cash may well be reinvested in transfers or bringing Spurs in line with the Premier League's best wage-payers (Kaveh Solhekol), with a report from TEAMtalk now revealing their recruitment strategy for the winter amid Thomas Frank's exceptional start to 2025/2026.

Tottenham expected to seal two January signings for Thomas Frank

According to the outlet and journalist Dean Jones, Tottenham are expected to seal two signings in January.

The defensive area will likely be reinforced, specifically centre-back, with Radu Dragusin still recovering from a lengthy injury lay-off. Injuries to Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, who have both been a key part of Frank's brilliant tenure so far, would be disastrous.

Kevin Danso was brought in as a back-up option, but there is a case to be made they need another body in that area. This was made all the more prevalent by Joao Palhinha playing at centre-back against Doncaster Rovers in midweek, with Tottenham making a summer approach for Manuel Akanji that ultimately didn't go anywhere.

Spurs also had two bids rejected for Savinho, who is closing in on a new deal with Man City, so a move for the Brazilian now appears off for the foreseeable future.

In any case, Frank's side are tipped to go back into the winger market mid-season, and supporters are waiting for ENIC's first transfer window post-Levy with serious anticipation.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a strong start to the Thomas Frank era, and a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday would consolidate the feel-good feeling down N17.

However, Bournemouth claimed themselves three points when visiting north London earlier this year, and Spurs failed to make their dominance count in a 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex last week, albeit pulling back from a two-goal deficit.

No such stumbles can be afforded in this one, though Wolves languish in the division's bottom spot and without a point on the board.

And, moreover, the in-form Richarlison is up against one of his favourite opponents once again.

Richarlison could be key vs Wolves

Dominic Solanke has scarcely had a sniff throughout the opening weeks of the Premier League season, with his injury issues compounded by Richarlison's resounding form.

The Brazilian, 28, was rumoured to be on the move after lifting the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, but here he remains, and he's repaying the faith, with three goals and one assist from four appearances in the top flight so far.

Pundit Alan Shearer has praised the one-time Everton striker for his "phenomenal" start to the campaign, having struggled for form and with injuries over the previous two years in white.

And it would hardly be a surprise to see him continue his purple patch against the Old Gold.

Supplementing Richarlison, Xavi Simons might be gunning for a starting berth on the left flank after a promising start to life in London, the 22-year-old playmaker joining from RB Leipzig for £51m in the summer.

However, Frank should unleash Brennan Johnson if he wants to ensure victory against a Wolves backline that is currently there for the taking.

Why Frank should unleash Brennan Johnson

It was Johnson, 24, who bundled in the winning goal as Tottenham defeated Manchester United to lift the Europa League, and after scoring in successive league matches to start the Premier League season, it looked like he might be taking his game to the next level.

However, he was hooked before the hour mark against the Cherries, having made some poor decisions and drifted through a painful defeat. The Welshman is yet to return to the starting line-up.

However, he scored 18 times across all competitions last year and has a natural instinct for goal to combine with his "frightening" pace, as noted by content creator HLTCO, who also described the versatile winger as a "nightmare to defend against".

With Richarlison seemingly determined to star as Tottenham's chief goal-getter this term, Johnson could add an impactful dimension by taking his place back on the left flank, ranked as he is among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

And that's not to say that Simons cannot enter the fray and make an impression, perhaps operating from deep, pulling strings and opening up passing lanes for the goalscoring duo if the Lilywhites need to press for a late winner.

In any case, Tottenham have plenty of tools to secure all three points against struggling Wolves.

Often in football, there is a flashpoint in the build-up to a managerial sacking, the culmination of a long sequence of poor results.

For Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur, winning the Europa League proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back. The Australian coach had ended Spurs' endless search for silverware, but he also laboured to a 17th-place Premier League finish.

Daniel Levy, now gone himself, felt the manager's position was untenable and that a fresh start was needed. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, there's no denying the rationale of the thought process, with Thomas Frank making a promising start to his tenure.

The signings made in recent months carry with them the promise of sustainable and positive football. Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons are testaments to that, with both wide attackers settling nicely down N17.

Kudus & Simons are standouts for Spurs

Tottenham signed Kudus from West Ham United for £55m in June. Some signing, prising him from rivals just like that. And the Ghanaian winger is repaying the faith on the field, having enjoyed a rip-roaring start to life under Frank's wing.

His final product leaves something to be desired, but the 24-year-old's pace and energy and directness do not. A maverick, Sofascore record that he has averaged 2.2 key passes and won 7.8 duels per game in the Premier League this season, playing down the right. Kudus has yet to score, but he has three assists.

Likewise, Simons, 22, is yet to break his duck, but then the Dutchman is only four games into his Lilywhites career and has started once in the Premier League. More of a ball-playing creator than his peer, Simons has been described as a "game-changer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Looking at his past two terms in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, it's rather clear Frank has unearthed a gem, landing him for £51m despite the vested attention of Chelsea.

These rising stars are shaping Tottenham's future, but they have yet to hit their stride. This bodes well, but it's also curious to note that a former Spurs flop is outperforming the pair of them.

Indeed, Ivan Perisic is still producing creative performances.

Ivan Perisic's season in numbers

Tottenham signed Perisic on a free transfer after the 2021/22 season, with the Croatian's contract with Inter Milan having expired. He was 33 and viewed as a utility buy, a squad deepener.

One goal was all he had to show for that maiden year in the English game, but Perisic proved himself to be a creative force of sublime quality, racking up 12 assists.

Antonio Valle of ESPN marvelled at the quiet jackpot addition, saying, "Perisic, that extremely constant player who is not talked about enough."

Certainly, the veteran provided a steady supply line through to the forwards, only starting 23 times in the top flight that year but creating 11 big chances and averaging 1.4 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the versatile star, with journalist James Maw claiming before the player's ACL that he would be "remembered as a massive waste of money".

Indeed, it's worth noting that he took home quite the pretty penny in north London, earning a living of £195k per week.

However, he played an important part and started strongly in 2023/24 under Postecoglou's guidance, before suffering that devastating knee injury and before being loaned to Hadjuk Split in January, where he recuperated before his contract expired at the end of the campaign.

Whether it was a mistake to release a player well into their 30s while recovering from a brutal knee injury is open to debate, but there's no question that Perisic's Tottenham career is a rueful one, with it all potentially turning out differently had he avoided that disaster.

After all, Perisic has bounced back despite now at the ripe old footballing age of 36. In the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven, he has already scored a goal and placed six assists this season, thus proving his potency is very much intact and ahead of Simons', albeit with the two in different spheres.

In fact, given that Postecoglou's Spurs ship sank after an emphatic start, it's not out of the question to think that Perisic's leadership and experience could have helped things along, had he only been fit.

Simons operates with a similar skill on the ball and a wand of a delivery that is akin to the experienced star. At least now, Spurs have a similar player who can step up and deliver.

Perisic's time at Tottenham was turbulent, but we can't forget the quality of his playmaking during that first term. Had injury not struck him down, it all could have been so different.

Tottenham legend Harry Kane could well make a stunning return to Spurs next year, following news of a £54 million release clause in his Bayern Munich contract.

Thomas Frank opens door for Harry Kane to re-join Tottenham

Since bidding an emotional farewell to North London over two years ago, agreeing to join Bayern in an £86 million deal, the 32-year-old has spearheaded Vincent Kompany's side to a Bundesliga title and German Super Cup, scoring 98 goals across all competitions in the process.

Kane is tantalisingly close to reaching a landmark 100 goals for Bayern, and could well do so against Werder Bremen this evening.

England and Tottenham's all-time record goalscorer has been a revelation for the Germans, but with just under two years remaining on his contract, and Kane himself not getting any younger, the prospect of him leaving in 2026 is a real one.

Interested sides have the option of triggering his clause once it becomes active, potentially in January (BILD), but reports have since suggested that a summer move is far more likely.

Tottenham have 'first refusal' rights on any deal for Kane, putting them ahead of other suitors, but it is conditional on both Bayern and the centre-forward agreeing to the move (The Telegraph).

When asked about Kane's release clause earlier this week, Spurs boss Thomas Frank made his thoughts crystal clear.

"He is an unbelievable player who did fantastic for Spurs and is doing fantastic for Bayern. Top player. I think there’s a lot of Tottenham fans, including myself, who would like to see Kane back," Frank said.

“Personally, I don’t think he will do it right now if I’m honest. He’ll probably stay in Bayern and continue performing well. He was top scorer last year, won the championship and he’s doing fantastic now. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more?

“But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome!”

Tottenham are reportedly ready to move for Kane, if they are given encouragement that he'd be open to re-signing.

Taking this into account, a new update from journalist Ben Jacobs may come as some very good news for Frank's side.

Harry Kane's stance on leaving Bayern Munich next summer

The reporter told GiveMeSport that Kane may consider an exit from Bayern after the 2026 World Cup, and if he is to go anywhere, then it is back to the Premier League.

"He doesn't see appeal in going to MLS yet. Saudi Pro League clubs have tried in the past and never had any encouragement so, if Kane is to leave Bayern, it would almost certainly be to go back to the Premier League," said Jacobs.

"Then we have to understand if that's a return to Tottenham — and Thomas Frank has said he would be very welcome — or whether he would be prepared to put on the shirt of another club and rival to Spurs.

"I think suitors are aware of this €65million release clause, which becomes active next summer, and also understand that Kane may consider leaving Bayern after the World Cup. That's going to be one to watch next summer."

Out of any English destination, Tottenham is surely the standout appeal to Kane. His history at the club and love for Spurs cannot be discounted, and the perfect way to sign off on what has been a glittering career would be to win silverware there.

Man City were once chasing Kane before they opted for Erling Haaland, and Pep Guardiola personally wanted him (Fabrizio Romano). However, the prospect of a move to Eastlands or Liverpool is now off the table, with the latter just completing a British-record deal for Alexander Isak.

Arsenal have just signed Viktor Gyokeres as well, and Chelsea are famed for targeting much younger players as part of their recruitment strategy.

Taking this into account, Spurs is really the only viable destination, and the prospect of a reunion is hugely exciting.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has won plenty of admirers after overseeing an excellent start to the season, but he could have a key decision to make regarding one of his senior squad members.

Tottenham preparing for Premier League clash against Wolves

Spurs have won five out of their first eight matches under Frank in all competitions, including excellent victories against Premier League title-chasing Man City and London rivals West Ham.

Already, the Lilywhites have showcased the needed resilience which was almost entirely absent during Ange Postecoglou's final season in charge.

Tottenham boast one of the finest top flight defensive records thus far, apart from Arsenal and Crystal Palace — the only teams to have conceded fewer goals than Frank's side — and displayed serious professionalism during their last Premier League outing at Brighton.

The Amex Stadium has been a sorry hunting ground for Spurs in recent years, and that threatened to be the case again when Fabian Hurzeler's men found themselves 2-0 up.

However, the north Londoners didn't let that deficit ruin them — fighting back to earn a deserved 2-2 draw and having more chances to get on the scoresheet.

Now, Tottenham prepare to host a struggling Wolves side at 20:00 on Saturday evening, and all signs point towards this being a routine three points.

Lucas Bergvall has been one of Tottenham's players of the season and will likely be given the nod against Vitor Pereira's visitors, while Micky van de Ven is attracting interest from Real Madrid as he continues to showcase his defensive prowess in Lilywhite.

Pape Sarr is also attracting praise for his brilliant midfield displays, and striker Richarlison has looked transformed since Frank's arrival at N17.

The list goes on and on. However, one player has struggled under Frank - £100,000-per-week midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Reports earlier this month suggested that Tottenham were prepared to listen to offers for the Mali international, back when the Turkish, Saudi, Greek and Portuguese transfer windows remained open after the UK deadline.

Frank omitted Bissouma from his 22-man Champions League squad and publicly criticised him for showing up late to training, but since then, the Dane has stated that there is still a place for the 29-year-old in his first team.

"That I actually don't know," Frank said last week, after he was asked when Bissouma would return.

"The players available now are the players I have available. Of course I know (about his recovery) but that is further down the line.

"To be fair he has just started to run outside, so he is not part of the group but everything I have seen when I've said hello to him and every day with the players, he seems good.

"There are no hard feelings at all. Not before, not now, not at all. Train well and everyone has an opportunity."

He is currently on the comeback trail from injury and yet to make a single competitive appearance since Frank took charge, but the Tottenham manager has now been told to U-turn on his promise and make a bold Bissouma move.

Tottenham told to axe Yves Bissouma and drop him to Under-21s

Speaking to Tottenham News, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King tipped Frank to drop Bissouma to the club's Under-21s, before he sells the Brighton star at the nearest opportunity.

"That’s the kind of disruptive influence that you don’t want at your football club,” King said.

“If one person is late for everything, then other people could start to fall into that trap. I think Spurs have got enough midfielders to send him to train with the U21s.

“Then, when January comes along, he’ll be a lot keener to get away. If you do that, he’d end up being happy to accept a move anywhere.

“If I was Frank, I’d make it as uncomfortable for him as he wants to make it uncomfortable for me. I think Frank will be looking to get him out of the club as quickly as possible.”

Bissouma played a key role in Tottenham's run to the Europa League final last season, and has displayed flashes of real quality throughout his stay at the club.

Tottenham loanee Joao Palhinha is winning plenty of admirers since joining Thomas Frank on a temporary basis, and parent club Bayern Munich are watching his progress with keen eyes.

Joao Palhinha shining on loan at Tottenham

Spurs' productive business relationship with Bayern in recent years has yielded another success story thus far in Palhinha, amid reports that Lilywhites legend Harry Kane's contract includes a £54 million release clause.

Amid mounting speculation that Kane could re-join Tottenham after leaving North London for Bavaria in 2023, especially amid Frank's public 'welcome back anytime' message to the Englishman, Palhinha is already at N17 and seriously enjoying life.

The 30-year-old scored an acrobatic overhead kick to open the scoring in Spurs' 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday, adding to his ever-growing collection of excellent performances after a 2024/2025 to forget at the Allianz Arena.

Palhinha, after pining for a move to Bayern over what seemed like years, endured a nightmare debut season under Vincent Kompany.

His campaign was marred by fitness issues, illness, suspension and a lack of opportunities — resulting in the Portugal international making just 25 appearances in all competitions with no goals, assists or contributions of note.

Since making the move to Spurs, Palhinha has stood out as, arguably, their best signing of the summer so far.

Frank has started the ex-Sporting Lisbon star in all but two of Tottenham's eight matches in all competitions, with Palhinha dominating midfield and getting on the scoresheet in his full start away to Man City.

Spurs ran out 2-0 victors at Eastlands, largely thanks to Palhinha's imperious display, and the midfielder currently ranks fourth in the Premier League for most tackles made per 90 on average, according to WhoScored.

Palhinha has added both steel and dynamism to Frank's midfield, with ex-chairman Daniel Levy managing to negotiate a £27 million buy option in his loan from Bayern.

Bayern Munich make Joao Palhinha stance clear amid electric Tottenham start

According to journalist Ben Jacobs earlier this week, Palhinha is keen to seal a permanent Tottenham move next year, and was personally insistent on the option to buy.

"The original agreement had an option to buy, which is set at £27million. That was something that both Tottenham and the player were very keen on factoring in as part of the deal," Jacobs told GiveMeSport.

"Palhinha, in particular, viewed the loan as being contingent, in many ways, on having that option to buy because he would like to be permanently back in the Premier League."

Now, as per German news outlet BILD, Bayern have made their stance crystal clear on Palhinha amid his electric start to life at Spurs.

The website reports that, despite his excellent form right now, Kompany's side won't lose any sleep over Palhinha leaving, and are actually hopeful that Tottenham will sign him permanently next year.

The Portuguese is not in Kompany's long-term plans, with Bayern preferring he seals an indefinite move away to get him off the wage bill and bring in some much-needed funds.

Palhinha is rolling back the years under Frank right now, with his current form reminiscent to that of his time at Craven Cottage.

Tottenham Hotspur have a huge season ahead of them in 2025/26, as the club look to build on their incredible Europa League triumph at the end of last season.

Despite the success achieved in Europe, Ange Postecoglou was given the boot and subsequently replaced by Thomas Frank - with the Dane making an immediate impression in North London.

He’s already secured the Lilywhites’ first Champions League win of the campaign, beating Villarreal 1-0 on home soil back on Tuesday evening.

Part of their success has been down to the tremendous work conducted by staff behind the scenes, making top-level additions that have pushed the club in the right direction.

One of the new additions has already made an immediate impact in the Premier League after his big-money transfer to join Frank’s side back in July.

Mohammed Kudus’ impressive start to life at Spurs

In an attempt to bolster the options at his disposal, Spurs boss Frank decided to make a move to land winger Mohammed Kudus - with the forward joining in a £55m transfer from West Ham United.

The Ghanaian international certainly ruffled a few feathers of the Hammers faithful with his transfer, especially after saying he only wanted to join the Lilywhites upon his announcement.

However, he’s already captured the hearts of the fanbase, with his performances on the pitch way beyond the fee they forked out for his signature a couple of months ago.

The 25-year-old registered two assists on his debut against Burnley, becoming the first player to do so since James Maddison back in the 2023/24 campaign.

Kudus also managed to do the same against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, setting up Richarlison before having his cross directed home by Jan Paul van Hecke for an own goal.

Such moments have seen the forward be responsible for nearly 50% of the club’s goals in the first five outings of the Frank reign in North London.

However, despite his big-money fee and recent form, he’s still valued lower than one player who has also managed to catch the eye since the Dane took charge this summer.

The Spurs star who’s valued higher than Kudus

Despite discontent from the hierarchy over the last couple of years, Spurs have actually splashed a decent amount of money on new additions over the last couple of seasons.

Xavi Simons was another player who joined for over £50m during the summer transfer window, hopefully striking up a deadly partnership with Kudus in the years ahead.

The Dutch international will likely provide added competition in the number ten and wide left areas - two positions which have caused the Lilywhites no end of trouble over the past couple of years.

However, he could also star alongside Brennan Johnson, with the Welsh international starting to show glimpses of why the hierarchy paid a huge sum for his signature in 2023.

The Lilywhites hierarchy forked out a mammoth £45m for his signature from Nottingham Forest a couple of years ago, with such a fee now appearing to be a bargain, especially considering his form over recent months.

Whilst he came under fire from supporters for his lack of impact during his debut year, his talent was on show for everyone to see in 2024/25 - often popping up with valuable goals in key moments.

Johnson, who’s been dubbed “phenomenal” by one analyst, ended last season on 18 goals across all competitions - the most of any player in the squad - even bagging the winner in the Europa League final.

The Welshman has also scored three times in his seven appearances across all competitions in 2025/26, with the 24-year-old still showcasing his talent despite Kudus’ arrival in the same area of the pitch.

As a result of his showings, Johnson has seen his market value soar, with the attacker now valued at a staggering £53m by FootballTransfers - a near £10m increase of the fee paid for his signature two years ago.

Such a value is also higher than that of Kudus, who’s only valued at £45.3m by the same site after his own big-money transfer to the Lilywhites during the summer.

Both players are evidently top-level talents, with Frank having incredible options at his disposal in his quest for further glory during his spell in charge of the Lilywhites.

Johnson may have been unfairly dropped over recent games, but he’s still showcasing excellent form, which could force the manager to once again bring him back into the starting eleven.