Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma has broken his silence on a recent incident in which he was filmed seemingly inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon.

Two weeks ago, a video emerged of the 29-year-old - who is yet to make an appearance for the Lilywhites - ostensibly using the illegal drug for a second time in two years.

Bissouma was first sanctioned for a similar incident last summer involving laughing gas, which carries a maximum two-year prison sentence for repeat serious users and 14 years for dealers in the UK.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank confirmed that an internal investigation into the incident was underway, but Bissouma has now spoken with The Sun, apologising for his actions and opening up on a troubled period of his life.

"I am sorry. This incident broke something in me I didn’t even know I could break," Bissouma told the outlet. "I apologise to the fans. The trauma added to my life — fear, panic, depression and paranoia.

“I feel really bad about it. I have to apologise. When the picture came out it affected me and everyone, especially my family. I know it’s not good for me, for my image, because I’m a professional football player."

Tottenham's Yves Bissouma apologises for balloon incident and reveals mental health problems

Bissouma has landed himself in hot water with Spurs on a few occasions, including this summer, when he was left out of Frank's squad for their UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain for persistent lateness.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has since been recovering from a pair of serious injuries - including a recent ankle operation - although he has been named in the Mali squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament will offer Bissouma an escape from a worrying time in his home life, as he also revealed that he was "too scared" to sleep in his own house due to a series of burglaries and saw a mental health therapist for depression.

"My mental health has been bad at times," he added. "It is not an excuse for what happened, but I hope people can maybe understand me a bit more because of this. Sometimes, I was too scared to sleep at home so I slept in the training ground.

“For like three, four, sometimes five days, I was sleeping there because I did not want to be at home. Even talking about this is hard. All these things were going on in my head, worrying about my dad who is not well, and sometimes I think as a human, it’s a bit hard.

“You’re trying to stay strong. On my face I was trying to show love but my insides were burning. I spoke with a mental health therapist sometimes five times a week.

“It’s depression, yes. Was I crying to die? No. Sometimes in life you feel a bit down, but have to try to refresh your mind and stay strong."

What does the future hold for Tottenham's Yves Bissouma?

Bissouma is now awaiting what sanctions - if any - Tottenham will impose onto him for this repeat offence, but the Lilywhites are likely to factor in the midfielder's psychological struggles during their internal investigation.

The midfielder will also work to return to fitness in time to help Mali during the AFCON, but he will also enter the last six months of his contract with Tottenham while the competition is ongoing.

Bissouma was persistently linked with a Spurs exit in the summer but stayed put, although an extension is incredibly unlikely, so a parting of the ways in 2026 on a free transfer appears likely.

The 29-year-old has come up with two goals in 100 appearances for Tottenham since joining in a £25.6m deal from Brighton in 2022.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed that Dominik Szoboszlai suffered an ankle injury that looks worrying, while Joe Gomez picked up a muscle problem on Saturday.

The Merseysiders' afternoon at Anfield saw them claim three points in the Premier League against Brighton & Hove Albion, winning 2-0 thanks to a brace from number nine Hugo Ekitike.

While Slot will be delighted that the immediate pressure on his job has eased, his team did not leave the stadium unscathed.

Gomez was subbed off for Mohamed Salah in the 26th minute, while Szoboszlai was brought off seven minutes from time.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com after the match, Slot did not reveal a return timeline for either player, but he hoped for positive news, saying: "If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that's normally not a positive thing.

"I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur], but sometimes you get a positive surprise.

"[With] Dom, it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him, but he has unbelievable mentality so let's hope for the best."

Gomez started as a right-back on Saturday before Szoboszlai moved into that spot from midfield, and their injuries could cause significant selection problems ahead of the team's game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

How many games could Dominik Szoboszlai miss for Liverpool?

Fans will hope that Szoboszlai's ankle injury was not a serious one, and a Grade 1 issue would only necessitate one to two weeks on the treatment table, and he may even be part of the team to face Tottenham.

A Grade 2 injury could involve a partial ligament tear, which would require three to six weeks of rest, recovery and rehabilitation.

Anything more serious could see Szoboszlai miss months of action, but while a Grade 3 could lead to two to three months of inaction, complications because of a complete ligament tear or rupture could force the Hungarian to be sidelined for even longer.

Considering the 25-year-old has undoubtedly been Liverpool's best player this term, an extended absence would likely be hugely damaging.

How could Liverpool lineup against Tottenham Hotspur?

Slot is fortunate that Conor Bradley is available for selection having recently returned from injury, and he is certain to be selected on the right side of defence against Tottenham Hotspur in Gomez's absence.

The Northern Irishman has experienced numerous difficulties this campaign and has struggled defensively, though Slot is unlikely to move Curtis Jones into the backline given he has performed excellently in midfield.

Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz may join Jones in the middle of the pitch behind a front two consisting of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly prepared to shatter their wage structure to sign AFC Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window.

The Ghana international was linked with a move away from the Vitality Stadium in the summer before signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2030.

The 25-year-old has scored six goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances for the Cherries in the Premier League this season, and several top clubs are vying for his signature.

Due to a release clause inserted in his contract, the attacker will be available for £65m in the winter transfer window, and there is no shortage of admirers.

Spurs transfer plans for Semenyo revealed

According to a report from TeamTalk, Tottenham are ready to make a serious move to challenge Man City and Liverpool to sign the versatile winger.

Spurs are reportedly ready to break their wage structure, offering Semenyo one of the club’s top salaries to lure him to north London.

Thomas Frank will be provided with funds to make necessary additions to the squad after the Lewis family’s recent £100m equity injection into ENIC.

Spurs want to make Semenyo's signing a statement of intent on the wages front to challenge successful big six sides.

The player's camp holds all the aces, but recent reports suggest that all interested parties could suffer a blow as Bournemouth are looking to retain his services until the end of the campaign.

Liverpool and Man City keen on Semenyo

The Reds reportedly have already held talks with Semenyo, as they view him as a perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, who will be away for AFCON duties later this month.

Irrespective of what the future holds for Salah following his latest outburst, and the same can be said about Federico Chiesa, Liverpool need more depth in the wide areas, and Semenyo can definitely provide a quality option.

City are also ready to meet his release clause, and Pep Guardiola views Semenyo’s lethal finishing with either foot as an ideal player for his fluid system.

Two teams intertwined by Ange Postecoglou do battle at the City Ground in Sunday's Premier League battle, as Nottingham Forest welcome Tottenham Hotspur to their headquarters.

The Garibaldi emerged as 2-1 winners over FC Utrecht in Thursday's Europa League game, not long after Spurs eased past Slavia Prague 3-0 in the Champions League, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs. TOTTENHAM

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Out: Ryan Yates (thigh), Ola Aina (thigh), Chris Wood (knee), Angus Gunn (knee)

Doubtful: Taiwo Awoniyi (unspecified), Matz Sels (groin)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Jesus

TOTTENHAM

Out: Yves Bissouma (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Dominic Solanke (ankle)

Doubtful: Brennan Johnson (knock), Kota Takai (thigh), Radu Dragusin (fitness)

Tottenham Hotspur could boost their chances of signing Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo by selling Brennan Johnson to a Premier League rival during the January transfer window.

The Lilywhites are expected to be one of three main contenders for Semenyo during the January transfer window, joining Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign the £65m attacker.

Due to a release clause in Semenyo's Bournemouth contract, the Cherries will be powerless to prevent the ex-Bristol City man leaving next month if an interested party shows a willingness to fork out that fee.

Tottenham are understood to already have one secret weapon over Man Utd and Liverpool in the race for Semenyo, and the Lilywhites may now have a second ace up their sleeve in the three-way transfer fight.

According to Sky Sports News, Crystal Palace have taken an interest in signing Wales international attacker Brennan Johnson as they scope out replacements for the Africa Cup of Nations-bound Ismaila Sarr.

Spurs set for possible Antoine Semenyo boost amid Brennan Johnson interest

Johnson, 24, has struggled to establish himself under Thomas Frank in the current season, making just six starts in the Premier League and two in the Champions League.

The former Nottingham Forest attacker has come up with a respectable four goals in 19 games across all tournaments this season, but he is down the pecking order when it comes to Spurs' attackers.

Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison are all preferred to Johnson in the final third, and Palace are now said to be considering an approach for the Wales international next month.

Tottenham paid £47.5m to sign Johnson from Nottingham Forest in 2023, and the 24-year-old went on to score one of the most significant goals in Spurs' history - the winner in last season's Europa League final triumph over Manchester United.

Johnson has registered a total of 27 goals and 18 assists in 104 appearances for Tottenham across all competitions, and he still has two-and-a-half years left to run on his contract in North London.

Should Tottenham worry about Antoine Semenyo's form decline?

Spurs may not be able to demand a profit on Johnson, but money is not an issue for the Lilywhites, who recently received a £100m cash injection from the Lewis family trust.

Any funds raised through Johnson's prospective sale would simply be a bonus for Spurs - in terms of a transfer fee or wage packet - for Semenyo, although the Ghana international has experienced a dramatic decline in form of late.

Semenyo registered a terrific six goals and three assists in his first seven games of the Premier League season, but he has since failed to directly contribute to a goal in any of his last seven top-flight matches.

The ongoing speculation surrounding Semenyo's future may have played a part in his drop-off, though, and he has enough credit in the bank to generate significant interest despite his current lack of output.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has revealed that the club will be active in the January transfer window amid injury concerns in the forward line.

Spurs will return to Premier League action on Sunday, when they travel to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest, and they could head into that game six points from the top four.

The saving grace for Frank in the race for Champions League football has been the inconsistent form of the teams around them, and even middling results until the January window would likely keep them within striking distance of the Champions League spots.

Fans have clamoured for reinforcements in the winter in order to take advantage of their rivals' inconsistencies, and the Tottenham boss revealed that the club intend to make additions.

Speaking to reporters before his side's match against Forest, Frank said he was already talking to Tottenham's hierarchy, saying: "After the window shut in September, we had the first formal meeting and it is an ongoing process.

"One thing is the daily interaction and I have also seen a lot of games live, watched them back and you see all the small good habits and bad habits from the players. What can you affect? Or [what] will be tricky? Or how the relationship is?

"Of course we will definitely be in the market. No doubt about that. We want them as early as possible, like every other time and let’s see if we can have them before the 31st of January."

Spurs spent £171.9m in the summer transfer window, and they ended the window having a negative net spend of £159.5m.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer targets: Who should Frank target?

Spurs' main area of concern will likely be their forward line considering they have been without key stars such as James Maddison, Dejan Kuluevski and Dominic Solanke for almost the entirety of the season.

The former two are arguably the team's best creative talents, and it is not surprising that they have at times struggled in their absence.

Though it is not clear if Solanke would be Frank's first-choice striker once returning from injury, his presence would at least add considerable depth to his options up front, which currently consist of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani.

Samu Omorodion of Porto and Ivan Toney of Al-Ahli have been linked, though the former has only played 35 top-flight games in one of Europe's top five leagues, whereas the latter has been playing in a less competitive division - the Saudi Pro League - since 2024-25.

Why is Tottenham's attack struggling in the Premier League?

Tottenham signed attackers like Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus in the summer, and while the latter has performed well at times, the former has struggled to adapt to the demands of English football.

Simons was renowned as one of Europe's top creators during his time at RB Leipzig, but Frank has been unable to platform him in the Premier League.

The Dutch playmaker has experienced a degree of success in the Champions League, though his improved displays can be partly attributed to the less physical nature of the team's opponents in Europe compared to the Premier League.

Frank has been criticised for deploying an overly defensive style in England, something that may have hindered Simons, but he cannot be blamed for the teething issues Simons has experienced since making the switch from the Bundesliga.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has poured cold water on hopes that Dominic Solanke is close to a comeback.

The 28-year-old has not played for Spurs since making a late substitute appearance in a 2-0 win over Manchester City in August.

Solanke sustained an ankle problem in August and then underwent surgery in October, putting him on the sidelines for an extended period.

The strike was recently removed from Tottenham's Champions League squad and subsequently replaced by Mathys Tel, suggesting that a return is still a long way off.

Frank delivers Solanke injury update

However, Solanke dropped a hint on social media on Friday that he could return to action earlier than expected.

The former Bournemouth man posted a photo of himself from a previous Spurs game on his Instagram story, captioned with two hourglasses.

Unfortunately for Spurs fans, Frank damped the excitement created by Solanke's social media activity when he spoke to reporters later on Friday.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash with Nottingham Forest, Frank said: "When he is training fully with the team, that is when I will say something... he is training by himself [on the grass]."

"I guess it is good news when he posts that. As I said, with Dom, because it is an injury that he picked up in July, it’s dragged on for a while.

“When he is training fully, I’ll have news, I am happy to answer all these questions, but just a little bored of them."

Spurs receive Johnson boost ahead of Forest meeting

In his pre-match media duties, Frank also revealed that Brennan Johnson should be available to face his former club on Sunday.

The ex-Forest attacker is expected to shake off a "minor injury" he picked up in training during the week.

However, Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring problem he sustained in last weekend's draw with Newcastle United, while Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain unavailable due to injury.

Rangers are reportedly set to find it difficult to refuse any Tottenham Hotspur offers for midfielder Nicolas Raksin in January.

After a much-needed Champions League success over Sparta Prague, the Lilywhites are back in Premier League action this weekend, facing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Both of the teams have been under the 2025 stewardship of Ange Postecoglou, who lifted the Europa League with Spurs.

Fighting for continental glory of a higher stature this time around, Thomas Frank has divided opinion amongst the Tottenham faithful.

Spurs will surely improve on their 17th-placed standing in the Premier League last term, but they are miles away from competing for the title.

Tottenham receive Rangers Raskin boost?

According to Football Insider, Tottenham have received a major boost in their search for midfield reinforcements during the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Lilywhites have held an interest in Rangers star Raskin since the beginning of October.

It is understood that the Scottish Premiership side would find it difficult to reject a suitable offer for the 24-year-old in the New Year.

That being said, Raskin's contract at Ibrox expires in 2028, meaning that Rangers could drive somewhat of a hard bargain for the player.

Spurs already have a number of talented youngsters in their engine room, including Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

Raskin's change of fortunes

During the opening weeks of the 2025-26 campaign, Raskin found himself out of favour under former boss Russell Martin.

However, since the mid-season appointment of Danny Rohl, the 24-year-old has started all of his side's competitive matches.

Raskin has supposedly impressed Spurs on both club and international duty, with the midfielder looking to make Belgium's World Cup squad in 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank should consider a couple of alterations for Sunday's Premier League battle with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The Lilywhites are on the hunt for a third straight win in all tournaments this weekend, having battled past Brentford and Slavia Prague while keeping two clean sheets along the way.

Frank might have Brennan Johnson back from a knock in time for gameweek 16, but Yves Bissouma (ankle), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Destiny Udogie (thigh) and Dominic Solanke (ankle) are all sidelined.

Johnson would be an alternative to Wilson Odobert on the left, but Randal Kolo Muani was bright off the bench against Slavia Prague and could regain his place in the attacking quartet.

The influential Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus would welcome Kolo Muani back in that scenario, as well as Richarlison, who has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 24 Premier League starts.

Archie Gray has been a key component of Tottenham's recent revival and ought to be retained in the middle, likely alongside Rodrigo Bentancur as Joao Palhinha makes way.

Frank should also see no need to alter his defensive line, which will once again feature Djed Spence at left-back while Udogie recuperates for the next few weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Gray; Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison

Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche is expected to make a multitude of changes for Sunday's Premier League visit of Tottenham Hotspur to the City Ground.

The Tricky Trees left it late to secure a 2-1 win over FC Utrecht in Thursday's Europa League clash, a few days on from being humbled 3-0 by Everton in the Premier League.

Dyche went with a second-string XI for the clash in the Netherlands, but the Englishman ought to revert to a more familiar setup here, in spite of last weekend's setback.

Assuming Matz Sels can battle back from a groin concern, the Belgian will displace John Victor in goal, while Murillo should be the only member of the defensive pack to hold his spot.

Indeed, Neco Williams, Nicolo Savona and Nikola Milenkovic should all be restored, and the same goes for Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare in midfield, where Ryan Yates will not feature owing to a thigh injury.

Omari Hutchinson - omitted from Forest's Europa League squad - and Morgan Gibbs-White - who was at the centre of a Spurs summer transfer saga - are primed to return too, but Dan Ndoye should be the only other player from Thursday's XI to hold his spot.

Arnaud Kalimuendo and Igor Jesus are butting heads for the right to start up front in Chris Wood's absence, and both were on target on Thursday night, but the latter is higher up in the Premier League pecking order at present.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Jesus