Sports Mole

Seeking to stretch their away unbeaten run to six matches in all tournaments, Tottenham Hotspur head to the Principality to tackle Monaco in Wednesday's Champions League league-phase tussle.

Thomas Frank's men have claimed a respectable four points from their opening two European clashes of the season, edging out Villarreal 1-0 before a 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt on matchday two.

However, the Lilywhites were stunned 2-1 by Aston Villa on home soil in the Premier League on Sunday, but their cause was not helped by two fresh defensive blows.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their meeting with Monaco, who held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw last time out in the Champions League.

Cristian Romero

Status:Â Major doubt

Type of injury:Â Adductor

Possible return date:Â October 22 (vs. Monaco)

Spurs were forced into a late lineup change against Aston Villa due to Cristian Romero sustaining an adductor issue in the warm-up, and Frank does not yet know whether the Argentine will be able to face Monaco.

Destiny Udogie

Status:Â Major doubt

Type of injury:Â Knee

Possible return date:Â October 22 (vs. Monaco)

Spurs' second fresh blow at the back, Destiny Udogie returned from international duty with minor knee irritation, but he has not yet been ruled out of the trip to Monaco.

Mathys Tel

Status:Â Out

Type of injury:Â Calf

Possible return date:Â October 26 (vs. Everton)

Mathys Tel was spotted with ice on his calf after being taken off on Sunday, and he will be given a complete rest here given that he was not selected for Tottenham's league-phase squad.

Ben Davies

Status:Â Out

Type of injury:Â Muscle

Possible return date:Â Unknown

Ben Davies sustained a muscular problem while representing Wales during the recent international break, and the experienced defender is not expected to take part in Wednesday's game.

Yves Bissouma

Status:Â Out

Type of injury:Â Ankle

Possible return date:Â November 23 (vs. Arsenal)

Yves Bissouma had just returned from one injury before sustaining an ankle issue while on duty for Mali this month, and it would be a surprise to see him return this side of the next international break.

Kota Takai

Status:Â Out

Type of injury:Â Foot

Possible return date:Â October 26 (vs. Everton)

Kota Takai is believed to be nearing a return from a foot problem, but as he was not selected for Tottenham's UCL league-phase squad, he will not be making his competitive debut for the club here.

Radu Dragusin

Status: Out

Type of injury:Â Knee

Possible return date:Â November 23 (vs. Arsenal)

Likewise, Radu Dragusin could soon make his long-awaited comeback from an ACL injury, but the Romania international was unsurprisingly omitted from Frank's squad for the opening rounds of the Champions League.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury:Â Knee

Possible return date:Â November 23 (vs. Arsenal)

Creative hub Dejan Kulusevski has endured a lengthier recovery than expected from a knee injury, and it will be a few weeks at the very least before the Swede is back involved.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury:Â Knee

Possible return date:Â Unknown

James Maddison is on the extremely long road to recovery from the ACL tear he suffered in pre-season, and there are no guarantees that he will return before the campaign is over.

Dominic Solanke

Status:Â Out

Type of injury:Â Ankle

Possible return date:Â November 8 (vs. Manchester United)

Dominic Solanke is already making steady progress in his recuperation from an ankle procedure, and the England striker could potentially be fit to return within a couple of weeks.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for this match, but Micky van de Ven is one booking away from a European ban.

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Tottenham Hotspur will hope to put their defeat on Sunday behind them when the take on hosts Monaco at Stade Louis-II on Wednesday in the Champions League.

Spurs were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at home on the weekend, whereas Monaco were held to a 1-1 draw by Angers on Saturday.

The hosts come into their clash against Tottenham in 30th place in the league phase table with one point, while the Londoners are ninth with four points.

Here, Sports Mole provides all the details you need to know about how to watch Wednesday's Champions League action.

What time does Monaco vs. Tottenham Hotspur kick off?

The match will kick off against at 8:00pm on Wednesday evening in the UK.

Where is Monaco vs. Tottenham Hotspur being played?

This clash is set to be hosted at Stade Louis-II in Monaco, a stadium with a capacity of 16,360.

How to watch Monaco vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the UK

TV channels

Fans can catch the action live on the TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports Ultimate TV channels.

Streaming

Viewers can stream the game if they have purchased the Discovery+ subscription package that includes TNT Sports, an option that is also available via the Amazon Prime Video app.

Highlights

Key match events will be posted on the FootballOnTNT X (formerly Twitter) account, and highlights will be posted on the TNT Sports Football YouTube channel after full time.

Who will win Monaco vs. Tottenham Hotspur?

Tottenham should be seen as favourites given the quality at the disposal of boss Thomas Frank, but the club's games have not always been straightforward this season.

Spurs struggled to play out against Aston Villa, and their football has at times not been the most pleasing to watch, though they are undoubtedly more resilient than they were under Ange Postecoglou.

Monaco are currently seventh in Ligue 1 with 14 points, the same total that sixth-placed Tottenham have in the Premier League.

Wednesday's match could be a close affair that is ultimately decided by a moment of magic from the likes of Mohammed Kudus.

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Thomas Frank has confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has picked up a minor adductor injury.Â

The Argentine defender was initially named in Tottenham's starting line-up against Aston Villa on Sunday in the Premier League clash after the international break.Â

The defender then picked up an injury in the warm-up and was removed from the squad just before the game, which Spurs lost 2-1.Â

The north London club confirmed ahead of the game that Kevin Danso would replace Romero, and Micky van de Ven would take the captain's armband.Â

Frank delivers Romero injury updateÂ

Romero was heavily linked with a move away from the club during the summer window, but he chose to stay put and took the captaincy following the departure of Son Heung-Min.Â

The Argentine has been an epitome of consistency for Spurs over the years, but he has often struggled with fitness issues, and missed a huge chunk of games last season.Â

The 27-year-old has made seven starts in the Premier League this season, but it remains unclear how long he will be out of action after the latest injury blow.Â

Frank confirmed that Romero has picked up a minor adductor injury and hinted that he should return to action soon.Â

"Minor abductor injury. He felt a little bit the past few days. We expected him to be fine but he wasn't. I don't think it is too big," said the Spurs boss, as quoted by the Spurs Web.Â

Tottenham suffer second Premier League defeatÂ

Spurs made a bright start to the game and took the lead inside the opening five minutes through Rodrigo Bentancur, but Villa came back strongly and scored goals through Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia.Â

It was their second defeat of the 2025-26 season, and while the north London club have made a decent start to the campaign, they have now managed only one win in their last four league games.Â

Tottenham will look to bounce back to winning ways when they face Monaco in the Champions League in midweek away from home, but they could be without their skipper in France.Â

Tottenham Hotspur may have suffered a blow in their race to sign Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin in the January transfer window.Â

The 23-year-old joined the Gers in the January transfer window of 2023 from Standard Liege and soon established himself as a key player for the Scottish giants.Â

In 2024-25, he made 48 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals and forging a strong partnership in midfield alongside Connor Barron, but he lost his place under Russell Martin.Â

The Belgium international was involved in a very public spat with Martin back in August, and he was removed from the first-team picture and was forced to sit in the stands for the derby clash against Celtic.Â

Raskin has admitted that he wants to feel the love again from the Rangers fans following the sacking of Martin, and he hopes that he will get regular opportunities again under the new manager, whoever he may be.Â

Tottenham suffer blow in race to sign Raskin?Â

According to a report from Football Insider, Rangers plan to keep Raskin amid interest from Tottenham, as they want to turn their situation around after a dismal start to the season.Â

Tottenham have a wealth of midfield options at their disposal, and may look to sign Joao Palhinha permanently next summer from Bayern Munich, but Thomas Frank could still look to bring more quality in that department.Â

Yves Bissouma was heavily linked with a move away from the club in the summer window, but he still stays on. Nevertheless, the midfielder has no future under Frank and could be sold in the January window.Â

In that case, Spurs could take a punt at Raskin, who has a contract at Ibrox until 2027, but the Bears are unlikely to sanction his exit.Â

Raskin expected to leave Ibrox in the futureÂ

The midfielder is still expected to leave Rangers at some point in 2026, with several clubs vying for his signature.Â

Leeds United were linked with a move for the Belgian, but the transfer did not materialise in the end. European clubs Porto and Napoli were also thought to be keen on him, and should they reignite interest, his head could be turned.Â

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham make any concrete approach for Raskin, either in January or next summer, but it will most likely depend upon how he plays for the rest of the season.Â

Aston Villa picked up where they left off prior to the international break with a 2-1 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Frank's side raced into an early lead courtesy of a finely worked move that culminated in Joao Palhinha heading the ball down for Rodrigo Bentancur to open the scoring with a half-volley five minutes into the encounter.

Spurs thought that they had doubled their lead just moments later when Mohammed Kudus finished past Emiliano Martinez, but it was ruled out for an offside.

However, that seemed to be a wake up call for Unai Emery's men, given that the Londoners failed to create any significant chances in the aftermath, and they were pegged back to 1-1 by Morgan Rogers, whose thunderous strike from outside the box left Guglielmo Vicario no hope.

In the second half, the hosts produced a number of opportunities leading up to the hour mark, when the visitors made attacking changes, bringing on Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia.

It was the latter who made the biggest impact on the clash, when he curled a low, precise strike into the bottom-left corner to complete his side's comeback and secure all three points.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Spurs captain Cristian Romero was injured during the warmup, and was replaced by Kevin Danso at the last moment, leaving Micky van de Ven to take the armband.

The Londoners may have lost in his absence, but the defence surrendered few chances in the game, and were undone by two great strikes from Villa's only two shots on target.

In any case, Frank's side will be hoping that the Argentine centre-half is not out for an extended period given that they are now sixth in the table having won just one of their last four top-flight matches.

As for Villa, they started the season poorly, but came into this clash on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak that featured a run of four consecutive victories ahead of kick off.

Emery's men extended that run to five victories, and though his team were by no means dominant, the manager will be pleased that they were clinical, finding the back of the net twice from an expected goals tally of 0.37.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS. ASTON VILLA HIGHLIGHTS

Rodrigo Bentancur goal vs. Aston Villa (5th min, Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Aston Villa)

Kudus whips a deep cross towards the back post from the left flank, and Palhinha nods the ball back across the box for Bentancur to volley home from seven yards out.

Spurs take an early lead!

Morgan Rogers goal vs. Tottenham Hotspur (37th min, Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Aston Villa)

Rogers tries to play Matty Cash through, and though his pass is blocked by Xavi Simons, it bounces back to him 25 yards from goal, where he skips past the former RB Leipzig man and fires a powerful strike across Vicario from right to left, giving the goalkeeper no chance.

Emiliano Buendia goal vs. Tottenham Hotspur (77th min, Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Aston Villa)

Cash fires an excellent volleyed diagonal pass from the halfway line to Lucas Digne in a right-wing position, where the left-back produces an equally impressive touch to pluck the ball out of the sky before laying it off to Buendia.

The attacking midfielder then cuts inside and curls a precise low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom-left corner!

MAN OF THE MATCH - BOUBACAR KAMARA

Boubacar Kamara may not have been directly involved in the goals on Sunday, but he won the most duels of any player on the pitch (14) and was vital to the visitors' victory.

There has never been any doubt about the injury-prone midfielder's talent, and fans will be hoping that he can stay fit to deliver more performances like this in the future as one of Villa's most important players.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS. ASTON VILLA MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham Hotspur 53%-47% Aston Villa

Shots: Tottenham Hotspur 9-8 Aston Villa

Shots on target: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Aston Villa

Corners:Â Tottenham Hotspur 6-6 Aston Villa

Fouls: Tottenham Hotspur 11-7 Aston Villa

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Up next for Spurs is a trip to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Villa will pay a visit to Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League on Thursday.No Data Analysis info

Tottenham Hotspur were hit with a double defensive injury blow ahead of their Premier League battle with Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Frank's men welcomed Unai Emery's crop to North London revelling in a seven-game unbeaten run in all tournaments, having edged out Leeds United 2-1 just before the international break.

The Lilywhites will temporarily rise as high as second in the Premier League table with all three points against the Lions, before reigning champions Liverpool attempt to respond against Manchester United in the later kickoff.

Even with a Champions League game against Monaco to come on Wednesday night, Frank unsurprisingly went with a strong starting XI against Villa, including the recognisable central pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

However, the latter then suffered an unspecified injury in the warm-up ahead of kickoff, forcing Frank to replace him with Kevin Danso shortly before kickoff.

Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie injured before Tottenham vs. Aston Villa

The exact nature of Romero's concern is still unknown, but Frank will no doubt be asked about his captain's condition in his post-game press conference after he headed down the tunnel before kickoff.

With Romero out of contention, Van de Ven took the captain's armband alongside Danso in defence, and the Argentina international can also be considered an early doubt for the clash with Monaco in midweek.

Spurs had already been dealt one new concern before Romero's withdrawal, as left-back Destiny Udogie was nowhere to be seen in the matchday squad for the visit of Villa.

Djed Spence lined up at left-back in place of the Italy international, whom Frank revealed had sustained a knee injury, but nothing that is expected to sideline him for long.

Asked about Udogie's absence by Sky Sports News, Frank responded: "Came back from international duties and minor irritation on the knee. Nothing major."

Who else is out injured for Tottenham?

It was not all doom and gloom on the injury front for Tottenham before kickoff on Sunday, as attacker Randal Kolo Muani was back among the substitutes after making a full recovery from a thigh problem.

However, Udogie and Romero's concerns means that the Spurs doctors are now taking care of nine stricken players, including long-term absentees Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Dominic Solanke is also facing a few weeks out after a minor operation on his ankle, while Yves Bissouma and Kota Takai are suffering from similar issues, but the latter is expected to return imminently.

Finally, Ben Davies sustained a muscular problem while representing Wales during the most recent international break, and it is unclear how many matches the long-serving defender will miss.

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly leading the race to sign Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window.Â

After enjoying a fantastic spell with Fiorentina, the 25-year-old moved to Juventus in the January window of 2022, and he quickly became one of their key players.Â

The Serbia international scored 17 goals in all competitions last season, and managed 62 goals in total for the club, but he could be on the move in 2026 with his contract expiring at the end of the season.Â

There has not been any real progress in Vlahovic's contract situation, and Juventus might be tempted to cash in on him in the January window.Â

Spurs leading the race to sign Vlahovic?Â

Chelsea and Manchester United have reportedly been linked with a move for the former Partizan striker, while German giants Bayern Munich have been keeping a close eye on him as well.Â

The Blues signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro in the summer window, and they have a wealth of attacking options. However, they could still look to bring in a new striker if they can sell Nicolas Jackson, who is currently on loan at Bayern.Â

Likewise, Man Utd could also be looking for a new striker despite signing Benjamin Sesko in the summer on a big-money move.Â

Joshua Zirkzee has struggled for regular game time after failing to make an impact, and if he leaves, the Red Devils might look to sign Vlahovic to add more competition for Sesko in the forward department.Â

However, according to Football Insider, Tottenham are leading the race to sign the striker, and the player is also leaning towards joining them.Â

Will Vlahovic be a good signing for Spurs?Â

Tottenham have been left worried by the injury problems of Dominic Solanke, while Richarlison has been hindered by fitness issues and poor form as well.

Thomas Frank should be looking to bring in a new striker, and Vlahovic would be a terrific addition to the side, given his wealth of experience.Â

It makes sense for Spurs to move quickly in January to avoid competition for the Serbian next summer, and they can get him at a resonable price.Â

Los Angeles FC attacker Son Heung-Min could reportedly return to the Premier League on loan during the MLS off-season due to a clause in his contract.Â

The 33-year-old moved to MLS for a fee of around £20m this summer after spending a glittering decade-long career with Tottenham Hotspur, ignoring lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs.Â

The Spurs legend has settled in nicely at his new club and has made a strong start to his MLS career, managing eight goals and three assists in just nine appearances.Â

Son penned a deal at LA until 2028 with an option to extend for one more year, but he could potentially move back to the Premier League if he wants to.Â

Clause in Son's contract 'revealed' before possible Premier League returnÂ

According to a report from The Sun, the South Korean has a clause in his contract that allows him to play for a European club during the MLS off-season.Â

Son would not be the first MLS star to take advantage of this clause, if he takes it at all, as former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger David Beckham spent a spell on loan at AC Milan during his time with LA Galaxy.Â

Also, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry returned to the Emirates on loan while he was contracted to New York Red Bulls, and therefore, it should not come as a big surprise if Son decides to move as well.Â

There is just one normal matchday of the season remaining in MLS, before the close-season final series to decide the eventual champion, and Son could utilise three or four months playing elsewhere.Â

Should Spurs tempt Son to return on a loan deal?Â

It will be interesting to see what approach Son takes to use his off-season, especially with the 2026 World Cup in mind, where he may need a long rest to give his best effort.Â

On the other hand, playing in the Premier League would keep him fit and sharp and could help him continue the form he is in at the moment.Â

Thomas Frank has a wealth of options in the attacking department, but he should welcome Son back if there is an opportunity to sign him on a temporary deal.Â

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed one boost and one blow for his side on the injury front ahead of Sunday's Premier League battle with Aston Villa.

The Lilywhites will aim to keep pace with league-leading Arsenal at the top of the standings when they host the Lions, who are on the hunt for a fifth successive win across all tournaments.

Frank will be without a handful of known absentees for Sunday's game, as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Radu Dragusin are still on the mend from knee injuries, while Dominic Solanke recently underwent ankle surgery.

On the brighter side, Randal Kolo Muani completed 45 minutes of a friendly against Watford during the international break, as the Paris Saint-Germain loanee closes in on his anticipated recovery from a thigh problem.

Speaking to journalists in his pre-game press conference, Frank confirmed that Kolo Muani would be in contention to make the matchday squad on Sunday, where the France international will battle Mathys Tel and Richarlison for the number nine spot.

Tottenham injury news: Randal Kolo Muani, Yves Bissouma updates delivered

"Yeah, all fine compared to last time. Kolo Muani has trained now for two weeks with the team, so that's good," football.london quotes Frank as saying.

"He looks better and better, he'll be in contention for the squad for tomorrow, so that's positive. He still needed a bit to go up to the higher level, but it's not to say that he can't be involved tomorrow and maybe can play minutes. I think it's fair to say he needs a little bit of time to get up to fully firing."

However, Spurs suffered a serious blow over the international break when Yves Bissouma was stretchered off in Mali's World Cup Qualifying win over Madagascar, having only just made his return from a previous fitness concern.

Frank confirmed that the midfielder had suffered an ankle injury which would sideline him for "weeks", although he could not put a definitive date on his comeback.

"Biss unfortunately had a situation with the national team, I think everyone saw that unfortunately, so he got a ligament injury to his ankle, they'll keep him out for weeks," Frank added.

Which Tottenham games could Yves Bissouma miss with ankle injury?

While no timeframe has been placed on Bissouma's recovery, Frank's "weeks" admission suggests that the Mali international will at least be absent until after the next international break in November.

Bissouma is therefore likely to sit out at least seven matches between now and the next pause, including high-profile games against Monaco (October 22), Newcastle United (October 29), Chelsea (November 1) and Manchester United (November 8).

However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is arguably surplus to requirements in North London and is looking increasingly likely to leave at the end of the season, having entered the final year of his contract.

Frank is still blessed with high-calibre midfield options in Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Joao Palhinha, the latter of whom has excelled since his loan arrival from Bayern Munich.

Spurs can sign Palhinha permanently for around £26m next year, and the Portugal international's stance over a long-term Tottenham stay has apparently been made clear.

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Ange Postecoglou was allegedly not Nottingham Forest's first choice to succeed Nuno Espirito Santo as head coach.

Last month, the Portuguese was removed from his position in the dugout after the breakdown of his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Postecoglou was swiftly appointed as the club's new boss, but the Greek-Australian is in a fight to retain his job on the back of seven matches without success.

At a pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixture against Chelsea, the 60-year-old vehemently defended his position and credentials.

Nevertheless, as per ESPN Brasil, the former Tottenham Hotspur boss was only handed the reins at the City Ground on the back of another candidate rejecting an approach.

Ferreira rejected Nottingham Forest approach

The report alleges that Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira rejected what is described as a 'concrete approach' from the Premier League team.

Ferreira is said to be focused on his work with the Brasileiro title contenders, who still three points clear at the top of the standings.

With 11 matches remaining, the 46-year-old is expected to remain at the helm in the short term, although it is suggested that he is in no rush to extend his contract at the present time.

As such, Ferreira is likely to remain as a target for more clubs than just Forest after his hugely successful five-year stint at Allianz Parque.

He can count two league titles and two Copa Libertadores trophies among the silverware that he has won across an 383-match stint.

How will Postecoglou react?

Speculation suggesting that Postecoglou was not Forest's first-choice pick will only add fuel to the fire when he speaks with the media.

Postecoglou reiterated his belief on Friday that he 'always wins a trophy' if he is provided with the necessary time to achieve success.

Whether he gets that time at Forest remains to be seen, but there is an obvious desire to prove people wrong, starting with the showdown with Chelsea on Saturday.

Prior to the international break, some Forest fans were calling for Postecoglou to be sacked, and there will be plenty of curiosity over the reaction that he will receive this weekend.