Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin's future in North London remains uncertain.

Despite promising so much after his €25m (£21.5m) transfer from Genoa two years ago, the Romanian's impact has been mixed, with an ACL injury suffered a year ago sidelining him until October 2025.

Regardless of his layoff, Dragusin received a Europa League winner's medal after Spurs defeated Manchester United in the competition's final, guaranteeing Champions League football for the 2025-26 season.

The defender has played only once under Thomas Frank since returning from his knee injury, bringing him to 38 appearances altogether for the London club, and reports now suggest he may have made his final appearance for Spurs.

Serie A club 'accelerate' negotiations for Dragusin

According to a report from Sportmediaset via Get Football Italy, Roma are making significant progress in their attempt to sign Radu Dragusin from Spurs.

The Giallorossi have reportedly accelerated negotiations over the last few hours and have already reached an agreement on personal terms with the 23-year-old.

The Romanian international has reportedly given his full approval to the move as he seeks more consistent playing time following a recovery from his long-term injury.

Discussions between the two clubs are now focused on finalising a loan formula, with only minor details understood to remain before the deal reaches a definitive conclusion.

Dragusin 'identified' as ideal defensive reinforcement

The pursuit of the former Genoa man is understood to be driven by Gian Piero Gasperini, who views Dragusin as the ideal profile to strengthen his defensive rotation.

The manager is said to value the defender's physical presence and proven track record in Serie A, where he established a reputation as one of the division's most promising young stoppers.

For Dragusin, a return to Italy this month offers a chance to revitalise his career after a stop-start period in North London under first Ange Postecoglou and now Frank.

Roma already have the joint-best defence in Serie A, conceding 12 goals after 19 matches, and the Romanian's potential addition to the fold could bolster the capital club in the second half of the season as the title outsiders hope to get back into contention for the Scudetto.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed their first signing of the January transfer window, striking a fee with Santos for teenage left-back Souza.

The 2006-born defender was hitherto linked with Chelsea and AC Milan, but Spurs quickly forced their way to the head of the queue for his signature.

Earlier on Friday, it was reported that the Lilywhites were just one step away from completing a deal for Souza, a former Brazil Under-17 international who won the Under-17 South American Championship at that level.

Now, Fabrizio Romano has given Souza to Spurs his trademark 'here we go', revealing that the left-back will join the Europa League winners for £13m after the two clubs struck a verbal agreement over a fee.

The teenager is expected to travel for his medical on Sunday before signing a five-year contract with Tottenham, who will exchange documents with their Brazilian counterparts over the weekend.

Shirt numbers available to Souza at Tottenham ahead of £13m transfer

Souza will leave Santos having registered one goal and four assists in 38 matches for the South American side in all tournaments, including one goal and two helpers from 24 games in the 2025 Brasileiro campaign.

The 19-year-old has sported a variety of numbers for Santos but currently holds their '33' jersey, although that number is currently in Ben Davies's possession at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Souza could very well become a long-term successor to fellow left-back Davies - who is expected to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season - but he will seemingly have to give up the 33 for now.

Spurs are without a number five following Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's permanent exit, but it would be a shock to see Souza bestowed with that jersey, but the '12' last worn by Emerson Royal is a viable option.

Tottenham's 16 and 18 shirts are currently vacant thanks to Luka Vuskovic and Yang Min-hyeok's loan exits, while the 22 is also awaiting its next taker after Brennan Johnson's £35m switch to Crystal Palace.

What other transfer business could Spurs do after Souza?

Souza is seen as both a signing for the future and a signing for the present for Tottenham, although the 19-year-old cannot be expected to play a major role for Frank's side in the second half of the season.

In order to claw their way up the Premier League rankings, Spurs will almost certainly have to reinforce their attacking ranks, especially after Mohammed Kudus joined Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison in the treatment room with a serious thigh problem.

Brentford's Kevin Schade and Club Brugge's Christos Tzolis have both been mentioned as potential wide targets for the Lilywhites, as have Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche and RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande, but the latter is not expected to depart in January.

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mathys Tel is reportedly ready to listen to offers from other clubs amid concerns about regular playing time.

Spurs initially signed Tel from Bayern Munich in the 2025 January transfer window and made 20 appearances for the north London club, scoring three goals.

The Lilywhites had the option to buy the forward for £45m, but they managed to renegotiate the deal, lowering the fee to £30m and securing his signature on a six-year deal.

The French attacker has been restricted to five Premier League starts this season with a further nine appearances from the bench, scoring three goals.

Tel was initially left out of the Champions League squad and was later included after Dominic Solanke was injured, but he has made only one substitute appearance in the European competition.

Mathys Tel looking to move elsewhere?

The situation is far from ideal for the former Rennes attacker, and he is clearly out of favour with Thomas Frank.

According to a report from RMC Sport, Tel is ambitious and he is eyeing a move away from the club to get regular playing time in the winter transfer window.

The 20-year-old had set his sights on the World Cup and hoped to be part of the French squad, but that dream is as good as over.

Tel's only respite came while playing for the French U21 team, where the striker is valued, and he regained some confidence while on international duty.

Should Spurs look to sell Tel in winter?

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League table with only 27 points on board from 21 games, and Frank has admitted the need to bolster the squad in January.

Having already sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace this month, it would be a mistake to offload Tel as well, as it would weaken the squad depth.

On the other hand, Tel has failed to make an impact under Frank, and the north London club can look to let him go, even if on loan, if he is not in the immediate plans of the Spurs boss.

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Aston Villa to North London for an all-Premier League clash in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday evening.

While Spurs suffered a 3-2 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday night, Villa were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace on the same day, and here, Sports Mole rounds up all of the latest team news for the two clubs.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. ASTON VILLA

SPURS

Out: Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring)

Doubtful: Lucas Bergvall (muscle)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Palhinha, Gray; Kolo Muani, Simons, Tel; Richarlison

ASTON VILLA

Out: Emiliano Martinez (calf), Amadou Onana (thigh), Ross Barkley (knee), Evann Guessand (AFCON)

Doubtful: Tyrone Mings (thigh)

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has discovered the outcome of his FA charge following his dismissal against Liverpool in December.

The Argentina international was sent off in the dying embers of that 2-1 loss to the reigning Premier League champions, having incurred a second yellow card for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate after an aerial challenge.

Romero was incensed at John Brooks's decision and aggressively confronted the official before heading down the tunnel, after which he was charged with improper conduct by the FA.

The World Cup winner previously served a suspension in the 1-0 London derby victory over Crystal Palace and has since played the full 90 in each of Spurs' subsequent three Premier League games, during which Thomas Frank's men have failed to collect a single win.

However, the FA announced on Friday afternoon that Romero has now been slapped with another one-match ban - as well as a £50,000 fine - after admitting improper conduct.

Spurs' Cristian Romero banned and fined £50,000 for Liverpool incident

A statement from FA Spokesperson on social media read: "Cristian Romero has been sanctioned in relation to the Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on Saturday 20 December 2025.

"It was alleged that he acted improperly around the 93rd minute by failing to leave the field of play promptly and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the referee.

"The defender subsequently admitted the charge, and an independent Regulatory Commission has now imposed a one-match suspension and £50,000 fine after a hearing.

"The Regulatory Commission's written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course."

Romero will serve his one-game ban in Saturday's FA Cup third-round showdown against Aston Villa, before returning to action for next weekend's Premier League London derby at home to West Ham United.

The knockout contest with Villa will represent the South American's third banned game already this season, having also missed November's 2-1 home defeat to Fulham due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

How Tottenham can replace Cristian Romero as suspension confirmed

Romero could be one of 10 Tottenham absentees for the cup clash with Villa, as Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur are all injured, while Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr are competing at the Africa Cup of Nations.

However, the former Atalanta BC and Juventus man will be the only central defender missing for the contest with the Lions, against whom Frank can simply slot Kevin Danso into his place.

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):

L L W D D L

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

W W W L W D

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."