Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a move for a Premier League-based forward.

The London side are enduring a season of significant turmoil under head coach Thomas Frank as they struggle to find consistency in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.

The Lilywhites currently sit 14th in the table following a demoralising 2-1 home defeat to West Ham United on Saturday, a result that saw supporters vent their frustration at the former Brentford boss.

Frank has been forced to navigate a relentless injury crisis that has recently hit top scorer Richarlison, who is set for a seven-week layoff with a hamstring problem.

Despite the arrival of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid last week, the recruitment team are believed to be active in the market for attacking reinforcements to salvage their fading European aspirations.

Tottenham face ‘fierce competition’ for Premier League-based target

© Imago / Focus Images

According to CaughtOffside, Spurs are keeping a close watch on Brentford winger Kevin Schade as they seek to add pace and versatility to their forward line.

However, the North London club is set to face a three-way battle for the German international, with Newcastle United and Aston Villa also credited with an interest.

While Igor Thiago has definitely stood out for the Bees this term, Schade has played a decent-to-good role too, recording six goals and three assists in 20 appearances while attracting attention for his explosive speed.

Frank is understood to admire the 24-year-old from their time together in West London, although he is under increasing pressure to retain his job long enough to oversee any potential pursuit.

Brentford ‘hold firm’ on Schade valuation ahead of summer

© Imago / Sportimage

Brentford are understood to be in a strong negotiating position regarding Schade, who is under contract at the Gtech Community Stadium until 2028.

The Bees are reportedly unwilling to entertain official bids during the January window, with the expectation that the winger will remain part of their survival bid for the remainder of the campaign.

Any potential move is more likely to materialise in the summer, where a valuation of between €50m (£43.3m)and €60m (£52m) is expected to set the tone for negotiations.

For Newcastle and Aston Villa, the 24-year-old represents a long-term investment as they look to bolster their own offensive options for the 2026-27 season.

Thomas Frank’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly under intense scrutiny after the club’s latest setback.

The London club fell to a demoralising 2-1 home defeat to cross-town rivals West Ham United in Saturday’s Premier League action, leaving them 14th in the table and frustrating supporters who showed their displeasure at the final whistle against the Hammers.

Spurs’ latest setback means that the Lilywhites have won just one of their last eight matches in all competitions, intensifying the pressure on Frank.

Now, a report from Sky Sports News suggests that the former Brentford boss may soon get the chop in North London.

Spurs ‘weighing up’ Frank sacking after West Ham loss

According to the report, the Tottenham board are seriously considering the dismissal of Frank following the toxic atmosphere at the stadium on Saturday.

The Danish manager was booed off by the home support as chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" rang out after Callum Wilson’s late stoppage-time winner for the Hammers.

While the hierarchy had previously been keen to provide the former Brentford boss with time to oversee a long-term rebuild, eight defeats in 14 matches have reportedly pushed their patience to breaking point.

Frank remained defiant in his post-match press conference, insisting that he retains the trust of the players and is capable of turning around the club.

"Of course, I’ve probably had better times,” admitted the Spurs boss. “It’s probably not the best time of course, but I understand, I’m the man in charge, so the blame will go to me.

“But I can promise that I’m sitting here, giving everything, every single day. I feel the trust from everyone and there’s only one way, we need to keep going.”

However, the lack of an offensive threat and recurring defensive lapses have left the manager in a precarious position after 22 matches played.

Frank’s Spurs future: Glasner and Pochettino linked with role

The uncertainty surrounding Frank's future has inevitably led to speculation regarding potential successors to lead the North London club into the second half of the season.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has emerged as the bookmakers' favourite to take the role, although his current commitments with the Eagles could complicate any mid-season approach.

Former boss Mauricio Pochettino remains a popular choice among the fanbase, though his ongoing role with the United States national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup makes a permanent return unlikely until the summer.

Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola is also reportedly admired by the Spurs leadership for his high-energy style of play and tactical flexibility.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben Davies was stretched off against West Ham United and required oxygen after a collison.

The Londoners were beaten 2-1 by West Ham at home on Saturday, with boss Thomas Frank under more pressure given the club are now 14th in the Premier League.

Though the head coach will be concerned by his side's lacklustre performance, he will also be concerned about the health of defender Davies.

The 32-year-old collied with Jarrod Bowen just after the 15-minute mark, and he appeared to sustain an injury to his left leg.

Davies had his leg in a brace as he left the pitch, and it looks as if he is set for a significant period on the sidelines.

Why Thomas Frank is under pressure

Given the level of opposition in the Premier League, one-dash off defeats can happen to teams up and down the division, but a pattern of losing is more difficult to overlook.

Spurs have lost their last three games in all competitions, and they have only won four of their past 18 matches.

Frank has also been criticised for failing to implement an attacking style of football, with the Londoners having scored one or fewer goals in seven of their eight most recent outings.

Tottenham supporters would be more forgiving of poor results if they saw signs of progress on the pitch, but a lack of clear identity has left fans frustrated, and it is not uncommon to hear boos at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham's upcoming fixtures: Will Thomas Frank survive?

Thomas Frank is in desperate need of positive results as he otherwise risks being dismissed, though the next period of fixtures looks challenging.

Spurs will face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, and a loss would significantly increase their chances of elimination from Europe.

While Tottenham face Burnley on Saturday in their next Premier League game, they will then face Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Arsenal in the league.

It is hard to see Frank's side taking many points in that period, and Tottenham's hierarchy may be forced to review the coach's position.

Thomas Frank's future as Tottenham Hotspur boss is hanging by a thread following a spectacular late defeat to West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.

It appeared that the points would be shared in the London derby, with Cristian Romero cancelling out an opener from Crysencio Summerville to leave the two teams level at 1-1 in the Premier League contest.

However, West Ham came up with a last-gasp winner through Callum Wilson, with the Hammers securing a 2-1 victory to move onto 17 points in the Premier League table.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side sit 18th in the division, four points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, while the result has left Tottenham in 14th, eight points off the top five.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

What a finish.

Not too many would have seen this result coming, but West Ham took advantage of a Tottenham side that are struggling badly at such a vital stage of the campaign.

Both managers entered the match under pressure; Nuno was able to secure a monumental win, but Frank's job at the helm is now in severe doubt.

The 52-year-old's work at Brentford was sensational, but there is no doubt that it has not worked at Tottenham, and the reaction of the supporters on Saturday was telling.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League table, and while they have again been struck by so many injury problems, their campaign has, once again, simply not been good enough.

Some difficult conversations will occur in the days that follow, but on the flip side, this was such a massive result for a West Ham team that were desperately in need of a boost.

TOTTENHAM VS. WEST HAM HIGHLIGHTS

Crysencio Summerville goal vs. Tottenham (15th minute, Tottenham 0-1 West Ham)

Summerville sends West Ham ahead in the London derby, with the attacker's shot from inside the box taking a deflection before ending up in the back of the net.

Silence inside the Tottenham Hotspur stadium!

Cristian Romero goal vs. West Ham (63rd minute, Tottenham 1-1 West Ham)

Tottenham level the scores in the 63rd minute of the match, as Romero heads a brilliant delivery from Wilson Odobert into the back of the net - game on!

Callum Wilson goal vs. Tottenham (93rd minute, Tottenham 1-2 West Ham)

Oh my goodness me! West Ham have surely won it in the final moments, with Wilson firing home from close range after Tottenham fail to deal with a corner. Incredible scenes!

MAN OF THE MATCH - CRYSENCIO SUMMERVILLE

Summerville was the star of the show for West Ham on Saturday afternoon.

The 24-year-old was on the scoresheet for the Hammers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and he continued to cause problems throughout the contest.

Summerville also used the ball impressively, completing 30 of his 32 passes.

TOTTENHAM VS. WEST HAM MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham 62%-38% West Ham

Shots: Tottenham 27-17 West Ham

Shots on target: Tottenham 6-4 West Ham

Corners: Tottenham 11-5 West Ham

Fouls: Tottenham 12-17 West Ham

WHAT NEXT?

West Ham are back on home soil next Saturday, with the Hammers welcoming Sunderland to the London Stadium in the 12.30pm kickoff.

Tottenham, meanwhile, will now switch their attention to the Champions League, preparing to welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night.

Still searching for their first win of the calendar year, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a crucial Champions League encounter.

If the highly anticipated fixture was not exciting enough, both sides enter the game with identical records in the league phase after six European outings.

Here, Sports Mole provides everything you need to know about how to follow the game.

What time does Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund kick off?

Tottenham's clash with Dortmund kicks off at 20:00 on Tuesday evening later this week.

For German viewers, the game will kick-off an hour later at 21:00.

Where is Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund being played?

Spurs' search to return to winning ways will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a fairly new ground that holds just over 62,000 fans.

Whether or not it will be sold out remains to be seen.

The clubs have faced each other several times in Europe, most recently in 2019 when Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham won 1–0 in Dortmund on their way to reaching the Champions League final.

How to watch Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund in the UK

TV channels

As the pick of Tuesday night's Champions League games, Tottenham Hotspur vs. Borussia Dortmund is being shown live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.

Online streaming

Fans will be able to stream their game on laptops, phones and games consoles through their app Discovery+.

A Discovery+ sports subscription costs a mouthwatering £30.99 per month.

Highlights

For viewers unable to watch live or wanting to watch the action again, highlights will be posted on the TNT Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full time.

Short clips from this match and others across the Champions League will also be posted on the TNT Sports X account.

What is at stake for Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund?

As previously mentioned, Tottenham are still chasing their first win of 2026 and will be hoping to end a poor run of form with a fourth Champions League victory of the campaign.

Thomas Frank's side will be without 11 first team players, meaning he may need to use the depths of his reserve and youth squads to make up a match day squad.

He will however be able to call upon new signing Conor Gallagher, who signed from Atletico Madrid earlier this week.

As for the visitors, they have had a good season in the Bundesliga and sit second after 17 league outings, winning ten, drawing six and losing just one of those.

Niko Kovac’s side are unbeaten in their last six and head to London as slight favourites, although they have never won at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both Dortmund and Spurs have played six matches in the Champions League league-phase, winning three, drawing two and losing one, placing them 10th and 11th respectively.

All signs point towards a tightly contested affair on Tuesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly entered talks with Brazilian club Bahia over the sale of attacker Alejo Veliz.

The 22-year-old is currently on loan at Argentinian side Rosario Central, where he spent the early days of his senior career.

As a result, Veliz is not around in North London to help ease the attacking crisis at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With Richarlison sidelined due to a hamstring problem for the next two months, Spurs are scrambling for solutions in the market.

Thomas Frank's side could move for a striker target during the remainder of the January window to ease the burden on the returning Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham 'in talks' over Veliz sale

According to The Athletic, Tottenham are still pushing ahead with planned attacking outgoings despite Richarilson's injury.

The report claims that Spurs are exploring a deal to permanently offload striker Veliz back to South America.

It is believed that Brazilian club Bahia are keen on bringing the 22-year-old back to the continent this month.

The two clubs are yet to agree a deal for Veliz, although the negotiations are supposedly moving in that direction.

Consequently, Rosario Central could lose the loan services of the Argentine in the middle of their campaign.

Is Bahia a good fit for Veliz?

After finishing seventh in the Brazilian Serie A last season, Bahia are preparing for the qualification rounds of Copa Libertadores.

Therefore, Veliz would have the opportunity to test himself in South America's equivalent to the Champions League.

Bahia are owned by the City Football Group, meaning that they are a sister team to Premier League giants Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur welcome relegation-threatened West Ham United to North London for a Premier League contest on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round last weekend, while the Hammers won 2-1 after extra time against QPR, and here, Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest team news for the two clubs.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. WEST HAM UNITED

SPURS

Out: Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring), Richarlison (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON)

Doubtful: Lucas Bergvall (knock), Yves Bissouma (other)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Gallagher, Tel; Kolo Muani

WEST HAM

Out: Konstantinos Mavropanos (neck), Lukasz Fabianski (back), El Hadji Malick Diouf (AFCON)

Doubtful: Lucas Paqueta (back), Mateus Fernandes (unspecified)

It rains and it pours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Thomas Frank's bottom-half battlers have just lost their top scorer for potentially as long as two months due to injury.

Eight-goal attacker Richarlison will miss the rest of January and the entirety of February with the serious hamstring issue he picked up against Aston Villa in the FA Cup, ruling him out of crunch clashes with Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United before the beginning of March.

The under-pressure Frank at least has Dominic Solanke back from a long-term ankle issue to compete with Randal Kolo Muani up front, but Mathys Tel has supposedly become disillusioned with life in North London and could head back to France in search of regular minutes.

Coupled with Brennan Johnson's £35m move to Crystal Palace and Dejan Kulusevski's continued recovery from a knee issue, Spurs fans are crying out for attacking reinforcements, some far-fetched and some whose proposed switches are not beyond the realm of possibility.

Here, Sports Mole looks at four attackers Tottenham could realistically sign to replace Richarlison in the January transfer window.

Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund)

A versatile attacker is an employable attacker in the modern-day game, and Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi certainly fits the bill, having frequently occupied both central and wide roles in the early stages of his career.

Still only 23 years old, the Germany international has registered 54 goal involvements in 131 matches for BVB - 32 of his own and 22 assists - but he is now in the last 18 months of his contract.

Adeyemi has mostly made headlines for the wrong reasons this season, from being fined close to £400,000 for illegal possession of weapons to reacting furiously to being substituted in December's Bundesliga win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

Dortmund have supposedly still not ruled out an extension, but the German giants will surely consider a sale in January if it becomes clear that an agreement cannot be struck, potentially pitting Tottenham against all of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Christos Tzolis (Norwich City)

A man who made a fleeting impression in the Premier League with Norwich City, Christos Tzolis made just 14 appearances in the English top flight for the Canaries in 2021-22, failing to register a single goal or assist.

However, the 23-year-old has been nothing short of a revelation for Belgian outfit Club Brugge, amassing 32 goals and 31 assists in 87 games for the Jupiler Pro League side and making his presence felt against Europe's best this season.

Tzolis has had a direct hand in a whopping 26 goals in 31 matches in 2025-26, including an assist in a thrilling 3-3 Champions League draw with Barcelona, and a strike in a 2-1 loss to Atalanta BC in the same competition.

Spurs are rumoured to have taken an interest in the Greece international, who is under contract until 2029, but Club Brugge have never sold a player for more than £32.5m and would be in no position to turn down a similar amount.

Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Going down the Premier League-proven route, Jorgen Strand Larsen took Molineux by storm with 14 Premier League goals in the 2024-25 season, attracting interest from some of the division's European-chasing outfits.

However, with Wolves' collective fortunes taking a turn for the worse, Strand Larsen has also experienced a dramatic decline on a personal note, managing a mere one goal and one assist in the 2025-26 Premier League in the absence of Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The 25-year-old did come up with a hat-trick and assist in a 6-1 FA Cup pummelling of Shrewsbury Town at the weekend, though, re-lighting the blue-touch paper at the perfect time while Premier League clubs reportedly queue up for his services.

Wolves are supposedly open to a winter sale for the right price - that price being a reported £60m - and Spurs would have an immediate advantage over the likes of West Ham United and Leeds United given their Champions League participation.

The Lilywhites have not got £65m worth of goals out of Solanke yet, though, and fans may have reservations about a similar outlay on another striker, especially one who has not cut the mustard in recent months.

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

Flash back to the winter window of 2022, when Arsenal fans were rolling out the red carpet for Dusan Vlahovic to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, only for the Serbian to snub interest from the current Premier League leaders.

Instead, Fiorentina and Juventus struck a hefty £72.3m agreement for Vlahovic, whose agents were apparently using Arsenal's name to ensure that La Viola could get the best possible deal for the striker four years ago.

Sixty-four goals and 16 assists from 162 games is hardly a disastrous return, but Vlahovic's Juventus career has been plagued by inconsistency, and the consensus is that he has never quite fulfilled his promise in Turin.

Now in the last six months of his contract, Vlahovic can enter talks with foreign clubs before a possible free transfer in the summer, and all the signs are pointing to a departure from the Old Lady in 2026.

Losing a £72.3m investment for nothing would go down as one of Juventus' biggest financial failures - which is saying something - so Spurs could possibly twist the Bianconeri's arm with a £20m-£30m sum for the 25-year-old, who still has a lot to offer.

Thomas Frank has insisted that the culture in the Tottenham Hotspur squad is changing despite negative results.

Spurs were dumped out of the FA Cup last weekend, when they lost 2-1 against Aston Villa, and sections of the home crowd could be heard booing.

Frank has faced significant scrutiny in recent weeks, and there is a feeling that a negative result against West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday could make his position untenable.

Speaking to reporters ahead of that game, Frank expressed his view that he would be given time, and spoke positively about culture change, saying: "I’m very aware of how this football world works, no doubt about that. I know that we haven’t got enough of the result we want.

"I can just see the small step we’re constantly doing. I still refer to the last six games with more positive, consistent performances. Not perfect, but there’s some good signs. The two second halves against Bournemouth and Villa where it is so easy to fall apart.

"They actually step in together, they add more. I think that’s talking about a culture that’s getting a little bit stronger, more ‘come on, let’s do everything we can to turn this little momentum. In football, sometimes momentum changes like that. I can see the small signs of the culture."

Spurs are currently 14th in the Premier League, so it would be understandable if supporters were sceptical about improvements behind the scenes.

Do Tottenham have the right culture to succeed?

Frank was consistently praised for cultivating a positive environment at Brentford, one that allowed new arrivals to thrive despite significant change.

Tottenham's new signings have struggled to settle in London, with Xavi Simons rarely showcasing the creative spark that made him one of Europe's hottest properties.

There also appears to be a a degree of frustration within the squad, exemplified by centre-back Cristian Romero's social media swipe at figures at the club.

Reports have also suggested that the Danish boss has a strained relationship with players such as Yves Bissouma, and while it is impossible to fully understand the dressing room's culture from afar, the outward signs do not seem promising.

Could Tottenham turn a corner after changes to staff?

Tottenham have lost nine, drawn four and won four of their last 17 games in all competitions, and fans have resigned themselves to another poor season.

However, sporting director Fabio Paratici is set to leave the club at the end of the January transfer window, and that move has been widely welcomed due to his underwhelming tenure.

There are hopes that his replacement can have more success in the transfer market, but there have also been changes elsewhere.

Former Liverpool assistant Johnny Heitinga has joined Frank's coaching staff, and he was credited by Arne Slot for his role in overseeing a significant portion of training sessions in 2024-25.

Perhaps Heitinga can help Spurs improve their fluidity in the final third, and if his methods can get more from the likes of Simons, then Tottenham could quickly move up the table.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has delivered a crushing injury update regarding Richarlison, who is set to be out for seven weeks with a hamstring problem.

The Brazilian sustained the issue in the weekend's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup, lasting just 31 minutes before being replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.

Frank could not give a definitive update on Richarlison's concern at the time, but as with any thigh injury, there were immediate fears that the ex-Everton striker could be sidelined for a while.

Addressing the media ahead of Saturday's Premier League showdown with London rivals West Ham United, Frank confirmed that Richarlison's injury was significant and would keep him out for close to two months.

"Richy (Richarlison) unfortunately got a hamstring injury which will keep him out for up to seven weeks," the Dane said at his pre-game press conference.

Spurs games Richarlison could miss with hamstring injury

Richarlison's latest fitness setback deprives Spurs of their top scorer in all competitions this season, one who has found the back of the net eight times in total and on seven occasions in the Premier League.

A seven-week absence from Richarlison's injury date - January 10 - would keep the attacker out for the whole of February, meaning that he should sit out at least eight matches across the Premier League and Champions League.

Tottenham will be missing the 28-year-old for this weekend's game against West Ham, as well as battles with Borussia Dortmund, Burnley and Eintracht Frankfurt before the end of January.

The Lilywhites then face four daunting February fixtures against Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and North London rivals Arsenal, all of which Richarlison should be unavailable for as he continues his recovery.

If Tottenham progress to the Champions League knockout round playoffs, the first legs of those ties will be played on February 17-18 and the second on February 24-25, meaning that Richarlison may miss 10 matches in total.

However, if all goes to plan in the striker's rehabilitation, he should target a comeback for the Premier League London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage on March 1.

Thomas Frank confirms quadruple Spurs boost for West Ham clash

Richarlison joins Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Mohammed Kudus in the Tottenham treatment room, while Pape Sarr's Senegal face Morocco in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations this Sunday.

In brighter news, Frank confirmed that Lucas Bergvall and Yves Bissouma could make the squad this weekend, while Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke are also in contention for minutes.

"Lucas Bergvall could be available, hopefully be available for Saturday. (Yves) Bissouma is back, so he is available as well," Frank added. "Both Destiny (Udogie) and Dom (Dominic Solanke) are close to finishing a good week of training, so they are a bit closer.

"Both will be involved and available (at West Ham) but they are closer to playing even more minutes, so that’s positive. They look good, both of them."