Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly moved a step closer to the signing of Santos youngster Souza.

Spurs are in the midst of a crisis under the tutelage of Thomas Frank, who is losing the favour of the players in the first-team ranks.

Whilst the rest of the so-called Big Six fight it out for European berths and titles, the Lilywhites are marooned in midtable.

Frank and company suffered their latest Premier League blow on Wednesday night, when they lost late on at Bournemouth.

With the game level at 2-2 heading into the final moments, Antoine Semenyo bagged a last-second winner with his final Cherries contribution before moving to Manchester City.

Spurs closing in on Souza signature?

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham are heading towards the capture of a young defender in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Europa League holders are closing in on a completed deal for Santos left-back Souza.

It is understood that Spurs have reached an agreement for personal terms with the 19-year-old and his agent.

The Premier League side have also supposedly settled on paying just over £13m for the talents of the Brazilian.

There is said to be one final step in the process, though, with the payment terms yet to be finalised by the two clubs.

Spurs' left-back issues

Tottenham are currently battling on without the services of their first-choice left-back in the form of Destiny Udogie.

The 23-year-old is a key player for Spurs but consistently struggles to stay out of the treatment room, where he resides at present due to a hamstring problem.

Not only a solution for the long term, Souza would be able to provide much-needed cover and competition at left-back in North London this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed personal terms with Santos FC left-back Joao Victor de Souza Menezes (Souza), the latest report has claimed.

Spurs will hope they can bounce back from defeat when they take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Saturday, with the club having lost against Bournemouth on Wednesday.

Boss Thomas Frank is sure to make numerous changes to the team that faces Villa due to injuries in his squad.

Spurs would be better positioned in the second half of the campaign if they were to make additions, especially as nine players are at risk of missing the weekend's FA Cup game.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Tottenham have agreed personal terms with Brazilian left-back Souza, while claiming that a bid to Santos FC for the defender is expected soon.

Souza in profile: Do Spurs need Santos FC defender?

Many fans have urged the club to make offensive reinforcements, though the attacking nature of Souza could improve the team in the final third.

The Brazilian scored one goal and provided two assists in the 2025 Brasileiro, but it should be noted that he only started 19 times in the league, and it is no surprise that he has attracted interest from Europe.

Souza is expected to miss Santos' match against Novorizontino on Saturday as talks progress, and a deal could soon be wrapped up.

The 19-year-old would likely come in as a deputy to Destiny Udogie, who is currently out injured due to a hamstring issue, and his arrival would allow Djed Spence to start more often as a right-back.

Thomas Frank future: Should Tottenham trust boss this January?

While Spurs would undoubtedly benefit from strengthening in the January transfer window, there are question marks about whether they should give Frank more additions.

The former Brentford boss has failed to impress in the dugout, with the Londoners currently 14th in the Premier League.

Spurs have scored one or fewer goals in 10 of their 21 top-flight fixtures, and the Dane has not yet built a strong connection to the fanbase.

Before sanctioning further spending on Frank, Spurs' hierarchy must ensure they believe that the head coach is the right man for the job, as they otherwise risk introducing a new manager to an ill-fitting squad.

Under-fire Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will consider making a number of changes to his starting lineup for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa in North London.

Midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur were both forced off in Spurs’ 3-2 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday. While the former is a doubt with a muscle problem, the latter is expected to miss out with a hamstring issue.

Mohammed Kudus is ruled out until after March’s international break with a thigh injury and he is joined in the treatment room by Destiny Udogie (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and James Maddison (ACL).

Backup goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky will be hoping to earn a rare start between the stick at the expense of Guglielmo Vicario, while Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin are both in contention to replace Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven at centre-back.

A recall for Ben Davies at left-back could see Djed Spence move over to right-back and Pedro Porro drop down to the substitutes’ bench, while Archie Gray is the most likely candidate to replace Bentancur in midfield and play alongside Joao Palhinha.

Tottenham do not have a natural right-wing option fit and available for this weekend, so Frank could turn to either Wilson Odobert or Randal Kolo Muani to operate on that side, while Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel and Richarlison complete the frontline.

An all-Premier League tie in the third round of the FA Cup takes centre stage in North London on Saturday evening, as Tottenham Hotspur play host to Aston Villa.

Unai Emery’s men make the trip to Spurs just under three months after they claimed a 2-1 away victory over Thomas Frank’s side in the Premier League.

Match preview

After finishing down in 17th place in the Premier League last season under Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham have shown little signs of improvement this term under new boss Thomas Frank, who oversaw his eighth top-flight defeat of the season away against Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Antoine Semenyo’s dramatic 95th-minute winner condemned Spurs to a 3-2 loss which leaves the languishing 14th in the table with just 27 points from 21 matches, 13 clear of the relegation zone but a whopping 21 worse off than leaders and bitter rivals Arsenal.

The post-match scenes were ugly from a Spurs perspective as supporters vented their frustration at the players, with many having now turned on under-fire Frank, who infuriated disgruntled away fans further when he was pictured drinking from a coffee cup with an Arsenal logo at the Vitality Stadium.

Securing a much-needed first win of 2026 this weekend would calm the storm at Spurs, though success against Villa is certainly not a given, as they have lost two of their last three FA Cup ties against the Birmingham-based outfit, losing 2-1 at Villa Park in the fourth round last season.

Nevertheless, eight-time winners Tottenham can at least take some comfort from the fact that they have advanced from 18 of their last 19 FA Cup third-round ties, doing so in each of the last 11 campaigns since a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal in 2013-14.

Aston Villa missed the opportunity to close the gap to title rivals Arsenal at the Premier League summit, as they were held to a goalless stalemate by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Wednesday - their first draw in any competition since the end of September.

Emery’s side were seeking to claim their 10th victory in 11 top-flight matches , but they were unable to break down Palace’s backline and failed in their attempt to reach the 45-point mark after 21 games for the first time in their history.

Although Emery was satisfied with his team’s performance after getting a "fantastic" point against the Eagles, Villa in third and Man City in second - both level on points - could find themselves sitting eight points behind leaders Arenal if they beat Liverpool on Thursday night.

PL encounters with Everton, Newcastle and Brentford are on the horizon for Villa, as well as Europa League games against Fenerbahce and Red Bull Salzburg, but they must first turn their attention to the FA Cup, a competition they have won seven times and last lifted the prestigious trophy back in 1957.

Villa have won their last two FA Cup third-round ties, having been knocked out at this stage in each of the seven campaigns prior to this, while they have won each of their last three meetings with Spurs in all competitions, including the aforementioned 2-1 top-flight away win in October - the last team they beat twice on the road in a single campaign was Norwich City in 2012-13.

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

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Aston Villa form (all competitions):

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Team News

Tottenham midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur were both forced off in the midweek loss to Bournemouth. While the former is a doubt with a muscle problem, the latter is expected to miss out with a hamstring issue.

Mohammed Kudus is ruled out until after March’s international break with a thigh injury and he is joined in the treatment room by Destiny Udogie (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and James Maddison (ACL).

Backup goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky will be hoping to earn a rare start between the sticks at the expense of Guglielmo Vicario, while Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison will all be looking to force their way back into the first XI.

As for Aston Villa, Amadou Onana (thigh) and Ross Barkley (knee) both remain sidelined with injuries, while Evann Guessand is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast.

Pau Torres returned to the matchday squad in midweek after recovering from a calf injury and he could be in contention to feature from the start on Saturday. Fellow centre-back Tyrone Mings (thigh) will also be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Morgan Rogers has been involved in five goals in four appearances against Spurs across all competitions (three goals, two assists), scoring and assisting in Villa’s 2-1 FA Cup win against them last season, and he is likely to start in attack with either Ollie Watkins or Donyell Malen leading the line.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Palhinha, Gray; Kolo Muani, Simons, Tel; Richarlison

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Garcia, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Bogarde, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Malen

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Aston Villa

Expected changes made by both sides could make Saturday’s clash a more open contest in North London, with both Frank and Emery confident that the side they select will be capable of securing their spot in the fourth round.

Aston Villa will be regarded as slight favourites, though, considering their recent form and we are backing the visitors to take advantage of a leaky Spurs backline once again.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has delivered the latest update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa in North London.

Spurs have failed to win any of their opening three games in 2026 and most recently conceded a 95th-minute goal as they fell to a 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Midfielders Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur were both forced off in the second half, with the former walking off with an unspecified muscle problem and the latter pulling his hamstring.

Frank issued a concerning prognosis on Bergvall after the match, saying that the Swede’s injury seemed ‘not top’, while he was unable to provide a clear update on Bentancur.

On Thursday, Frank sat down for his pre-match press conference ahead of their all-Premier League FA Cup tie with Villa and has confirmed that both players will be assessed, with Bentancur unlikely to be involved.

"Lucas Bergvall is being assessed today,” said the Dane. “We will know more later today with him.

"Same with Rodrigo Bentancur. Rodri has a hamstring injury - looks like a bigger one, unfortunately. We don’t know the timeframe. That we will know later.”

Frank confirms Kudus injury blow, discusses January transfer business

Tottenham could have benefited from the presence of injured attacker Mohammed Kudus on Wednesday, as they found it difficult to break down Bournemouth’s defence.

The £55m summer signing from West Ham is nursing a thigh problem sustained in the first half of a 1-1 draw with Sunderland last weekend and Frank has confirmed that the Ghanaian will be out for a couple of months.

"Mohammed Kudus unfortunately is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad. That is one where we expect him back after the March international break,” said Frank.

Tottenham do not currently have a recognised right-sided attacker fit and available for selection, while they sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace at the beginning of January.

Asked if Spurs will look to bring in new players this month, Frank said: "We're working very, very, very hard to see if we can improve the squad. Everyone in the club, in the recruitment department, is doing that.

"January is a very, very, very difficult window. [It is] very important to get short-term success and long-term success. Everything is linked. So players we are bringing in, it's because we think they can improve the squad and the team."

Fresh Kulusevski, Solanke, Udogie update provided by Frank

Elsewhere, Frank has provided a fresh update on the fitness of Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie, who has all been in the treatment room with injuries.

Kulusevski is yet to make a single appearance this season as the versatile playmaker continues to recover from a long-term knee problem.

"The latest on Dejan Kulusevski. We know it is a complicated injury,” said Frank. “If there is one person who can accelerate that (recovery) it is Dejan, who is a top pro and has a top mentality.

“The most important thing is to remove the pain in the knee. He had an injection to help that 10 days ago. We will know in three to four weeks if that has settled, and when it has settled, hopefully, he will be on the grass and from there, we will see what is happening.

On Solanke and Udogie, who are recovering from respective ankle and thigh injuries, Frank added: "Both of them are training. Both of them are getting closer, definitely.

"Destiny is a bit closer than Dom, obviously, because he's only been out for five weeks-ish. So that's, of course, less than six months, but both of them are positive and improving."

Still searching for their first win in 2026, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Aston Villa to North London for an all-Premier League tie in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Following back-to-back draws with Brentford and Sunderland, Spurs conceded a 95th-minute goal as they fell to a 3-2 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday night, leaving them 14th in the table and seven points behind the top four.

Head coach Thomas Frank has come under increased pressure and as fixtures continue to come thick and fast, Spurs are still having to cope without a number of first-team players.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest against Unai Emery's men.

Lucas Bergvall

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Muscle

Possible return date: January 10 (vs. Aston Villa)

Lucas Bergvall was forced off with a muscle issue in the defeat at Bournemouth and Frank stated after the match that the midfielder seemed ‘not top’. The Dane then stated at his pre-match press conference that he will be assessed further ahead of kickoff this weekend.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Rodrigo Bentancur also came off against Bournemouth with a hamstring injury and Frank has suggested that the midfielder is unlikely to be involved this weekend as he is nursing a "bigger" problem than Bergvall.

Mohammed Kudus

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: March 14 (vs. Liverpool)

Mohammed Kudus was forced off in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland last weekend with a thigh issue and Frank has revealed that the attacker is expected to return after March's international break.

Destiny Udogie

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 28 (vs. Eintracht Frankfurt)

Udogie picked up a hamstring injury towards the end of Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle on December 2, but the defender is now training and is in contention to return before the end of the month.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: Unknown

James Maddison has been sidelined since sustaining an ACL injury in August and the Englishman is targeting a return to action during pre-season ahead of the next campaign.

Dominic Solanke

Status: Out​

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: January 28 (vs. Eintracht Frankfurt)

Dominic Solanke underwent ankle surgery at the end of September and he remains unavailable for selection, but the striker has recently returned to first-team training and could return by the end of the month.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: February 22 (vs. Arsenal)

Dejan Kulusevski is still recovering from a long-term knee injury that he picked up towards the end of last season and Frank has said that the Swede could be back on the grass in the next three to four weeks if is knee "has settled" following an recent injection to relieve the pain.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Antoine Semenyo signed off at Bournemouth with a late winner, as Andoni Iraola's side beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in a Premier League cracker on Wednesday night.

Mathys Tel sent Spurs into an early lead at the Vitality Stadium before Bournemouth turned the match around to lead 2-1 courtesy of goals from Evanilson and Eli Junior Kroupi.

Joao Palhinha looked to have snatched a draw for Tottenham with an excellent overhead kick, but Semenyo's late strike secured all three points for the Cherries.

The result has left Bournemouth in 15th spot in the Premier League table, one point behind 14th-placed Tottenham, who have lost for the eighth time in England's top flight this term.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Goodness me - what a finish.

Semenyo is expected to undergo a medical with Manchester City on Thursday ahead of a £65m switch to the Citizens, and this was some way to sign off at Bournemouth.

The Cherries will find it incredibly difficult to replace Semenyo, who has nine Premier League goals this season, but the 26-year-old was at least able to help his side secure a vital win.

The success is Bournemouth's first in the Premier League since the end of October, and it came against a Tottenham side that continue to look unconvincing under Thomas Frank.

Spurs have now only managed to win one of their last six in the Premier League, and this will be a tough result to accept considering that it came so, so late.

BOURNEMOUTH VS. TOTTENHAM HIGHLIGHTS

Mathys Tel goal vs. Bournemouth (5th minute, Bournemouth 0-1 Tottenham)

Tottenham make the breakthrough in the fifth minute of the match, as Tel works his way into the Bournemouth penalty box before managing to find the bottom corner despite the fact that it looked very difficult to do so from that angle!

Evanilson goal vs. Tottenham (22nd minute, Bournemouth 1-1 Tottenham)

Bournemouth level the scores in the 22nd minute, and it is Evanilson on the scoresheet, with the striker heading a cross from Marcus Tavernier into the back of the net.

Eli Junior Kroupi goal vs. Tottenham (37th minute, Bournemouth 2-1 Tottenham)

Bournemouth take the lead in the 37th minute of the match, as Junior Kroupi turns a cross from Marcos Senesi into the back of the net from close range.

Joao Palhinha goal vs. Bournemouth (78th minute, Bournemouth 2-2 Tottenham)

Antoine Semenyo goal vs. Tottenham (95th minute, Bournemouth 3-2 Tottenham)

You couldn't write it! In what is almost certainly his final match for Bournemouth, Semenyo scores a late third for the Cherries, finding the bottom corner from outside the box.

That has surely won the match for Bournemouth.

MAN OF THE MATCH - ANTOINE SEMENYO

It has to be Semenyo.

The attacker showed why Man City are signing him with a brilliant late goal, and he was a constant threat to Tottenham with his direct running and movement - Bournemouth will miss him badly.

BEST STAT

BOURMEMOUTH VS. TOTTENHAM MATCH STATS

Possession: Bournemouth 42%-58% Tottenham

Shots: Bournemouth 11-16 Tottenham

Shots on target: Bournemouth 3-4 Tottenham

Corners: Bournemouth 3-7 Tottenham

Fouls: Bournemouth 19-10 Tottenham

WHAT NEXT?

Bournemouth's attention will now switch to the FA Cup, preparing to tackle fellow Premier League side Newcastle United in the third round on Saturday.

Tottenham, meanwhile, will be in action in the same competition on the same afternoon, with Spurs facing Aston Villa in what is shaping up to be a fascinating battle.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly reconsidering their plans to sign Joao Palhinha permanently from Bayern Munich in the summer window.

Spurs signed Palhinha in the summer on loan from Bayern, and they have an option to buy him permanently for £26m after the end of the season.

After spending two fantastic seasons at Fulham, Palhinha moved to Bayern in the summer of 2024 for a fee just shy of £50m, but it did not work out as expected.

The 37-times capped Portuguese international made only 25 appearances under Vincent Kompany, and it became clear that he was like a square peg in a round hole in his system.

Bayern did not hesitate to send him on loan when Tottenham approached in the summer, and they may have to find a new club for him if he returns to Munich after the end of the season.

Tottenham plans for Palhinha revealed

According to a report from talkSPORT, Spurs are considering whether to sign Palhinha permanently after he lost his place in Thomas Frank's starting line-up.

The 30-year-old has made 19 Premier League appearances this season, scoring two goals and registering two assists, and has also made six Champions League appearances, contributing two goals.

Palhinha was impressive for the north London club early in the season, and it felt like Spurs must sign him permanently.

However, Tottenham are having second thoughts over signing him next summer, and as things stand, he could be heading back to Bayern.

No future at Bayern for Palhinha

If Palhinha returns to Bayern, there is a high chance he will be offloaded again, as the midfielder does not feature in Kompany's plans due to his playing style.

Kompany has Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Tom Bischof and Leon Goretzka as four major options in central midfield, and even if the latter departs for free next summer, it looks really difficult for Palhinha to fill the gap.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks with Santos over signing Brazilian left-back Souza in the January transfer window.

The 19-year-old made 24 appearances last term as Santos avoided relegation to the second division.

The Brazilian left-back, who has earned comparisons with Real Madrid legend Marcelo because of a similar playing style, is reportedly wanted by a host of clubs, including Spurs.

The north London club have submitted an initial bid of around £8.7m, which was immediately rejected, and they could face competition from Chelsea and AC Milan for his signature.

Spurs in talks to sign Souza?

© Iconsport / SUSA

According to a report from The Standard, Spurs are still in talks with the Brazilian club to sign the young defender, who is keen to join them.

Souza has a release clause worth €100m (£87.1m) for overseas clubs, but it is highly unlikely any potential club would be willing to pay that amount.

Rather, it has been reported that Santos are demanding close to €20m (£17.3m) for Souza, and it remains to be seen whether Spurs come close with their next offer.

Spurs want a new left-back to provide competition for Destiny Udogie, who has recently returned to training after a hamstring injury.

Tottenham could be busy in January window

© Iconsport / PA Images

Thomas Frank has used right-back Djed Spence in Udogie's absence, while Ben Davies has filled in during Tottenham's 1-1 draw vs Sunderland.

Spurs, therefore, is looking for a natural left-back, and Souza has the potential to become a regular starter for the club if he continues to progress.

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Aston Villa to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for an all-Premier League third round clash in the FA Cup.

While Spurs have won only one of their last five matches, the Villans have won 12 and lost only one of their last 13 games across all competitions.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into Saturday's fixture.

What time does Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa kick off?

The FA Cup clash will kick off at 17:45pm UK time on Saturday afternoon.

Where is Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa being played?

The match will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which can hold a capacity of up to 62,850 supporters.

The Villans have enjoyed their recent trips to Tottenham's home ground, winning in three of their last four visits.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa in the UK

TV channels

The match will not be broadcast live on BBC One and TNT Sports One.

Online streaming

The contest can be streamed online via BBC Sport Online or Discovery+.

Highlights

Highlights from the third round of the FA Cup will be shown on BBC One's Match of the Day show, which is due to begin at 10.40pm on Saturday night.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa: What's the story?

Tottenham's debut campaign under Thomas Frank has been far from plain sailing, with Spurs currently placed 13th in the Premier League with only 27 points from seven wins, six draws and seven defeats.

One of those losses came at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Saturday's opponents, with Aston Villa securing a comeback 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia.

While Spurs are, therefore, aiming for revenge and a much-needed victory, as they head into this game with only one win in their last five outings, the Villans are coming into this one as the significant favourites.

Unai Emery's side are third in the league with 42 points from 13 wins, three draws and only four defeats, and they have suffered just one loss in their last 13 games, alongside a fantastic 12 triumphs.

Aiming to maintain their momentum, Aston Villa will be aiming to secure their fourth victory in five visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and secure their spot in the fourth round of the 2025-26 FA Cup.