Sports Mole

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified Borussia Dortmund playmaker Julian Brandt as a potential winter transfer target.

Thomas Frank has enjoyed a strong start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, recording four wins, two draws and one defeat from his seven games in charge.

Spurs sit in third place in the Premier League table after five games and have prevailed in their opening Champions League fixture of the season.

As such, the North Londoners are in a positive mindframe going forward, while Frank has also publicly hinted that trying to secure a reunion with Harry Kane in the future is not out of the question.

Nevertheless, as per Fichajes, Spurs are giving consideration to trying to negotiate a deal for another Bundesliga player with a big reputation in 2026.

Spurs interested in Brandt deal

The report alleges that Spurs are one of three clubs that are toying with making an approach for long-serving Dortmund star Brandt.

Since 2019, the Germany international has contributed 47 goals and 66 assists from 271 appearances in all competitions.

Brandt has also made five outings this campaign, yet the 29-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his contract.

Therefore, Spurs, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are all considering trying to tempt Dortmund into a sale for a cut-price fee at the turn of the year.

Should Brandt not leave the Westfalenstadion in January, he will be able to entertain pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs.

Which Premier League team needs Brandt the most?

With Spurs having been unable to include a player such as Mathys Tel in their Champions League squad, it is clear that they are not short of suitable options in the final third.

That is something that may come into Brandt's thinking when considering his next move, with only 193 minutes racked up across five games in all competitions during 2025-26.

He may not be viewed as first choice at Newcastle either, but Villa boss Unai Emery would likely jump at the chance to include a player of his proven quality into his goal-shy team.

Other European teams will inevitably enter the race if it becomes apparent that he is not penning fresh terms with Dortmund.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed his stance over a possible blockbuster return for Bayern Munich's Harry Kane as speculation over his future hots up.

The England captain ended his lengthy association with Spurs in 2023 in pursuit of silverware, a mission he has now succeeded in thanks to Bayern's 2024-25 Bundesliga triumph.

Now that Kane has fulfilled his desire for a top-level team honour, talk of a return to the Premier League has heightened in recent weeks, especially following the revelation of a supposed secret exit clause in his Bayern contract.

If the 32-year-old informs the German champions of his desire to leave before the January transfer window - giving the Bavarians plentiful time to secure a replacement - he will supposedly be allowed to depart for €65m (£56.7m).

Kane is unsurprisingly being tipped to return to England in order to chase down Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League goalscoring record; the Three Lions skipper sits on 213 goals in the competition, 47 fewer than the Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers legend.

Frank: 'Kane would be welcome back at Tottenham'

Ahead of Spurs' EFL Cup third-round clash with Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday, Frank was asked about Kane's alleged secret clause and whether the door is still open for the striker to return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the near future.

"I didn’t know there was a clause," Frank responded. "He is an unbelievable player who did fantastic for Spurs and is doing fantastic for Bayern. Top player. I think there’s a lot of Tottenham fans, including myself, who would like to see Kane back.

"Personally, I don’t think he will do it right now if I’m honest. He’ll probably stay in Bayern and continue performing well. He was top scorer last year, won the championship and he’s doing fantastic now.

"I don’t know what he’s thinking. Myself, I’m a traveller, I like to travel, I like to explore things as well. He’s been here for many years so why not enjoy the time at Bayern a little bit more? But he’s welcome. If he wants to join us, he’s more than welcome!"

Kane has made a blistering start to the 2025-26 campaign with 13 goals and three assists from seven appearances in all competitions, including two Bundesliga hat-tricks against RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim.

In total, the England captain has been directly involved in a staggering 127 goals in 103 matches for Vincent Kompany's side in all tournaments - 98 of his own and 29 assists.

Which other clubs are interested in Kane?

In spite of Kane's deep emotional connection to Tottenham, the reigning Europa League champions will face stiff competition to bring him back to North London, both from rival Premier League clubs and abroad.

Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for the 32-year-old as they plan for a future without Robert Lewandowski, who is five years older than Kane and is out of contract at the end of the season.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and even Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in Kane, although a move to the latter is surely out of the question lest he risk burning bridges with the entire Tottenham fanbase.

Kane scored an unparalleled 280 goals in 435 appearances for the Lilywhites after coming through the academy network, but the 32-year-old was never able to fire Tottenham to a major team trophy.

Joao Palhinha reportedly wants to stay with Tottenham Hotspur after the end of the season rather than returning to Bayern Munich.Â

The Portuguese midfielder moved to Spurs on loan from Bayern during the summer window, with the north London club having the option to sign him permanently for £27m.Â

Palhinha has made a strong impact already since returning to the Premier League, and Spurs are reportedly expected to open talks over his permanent signing in the summer transfer window.Â

Transfer expert Ben Jacobs has suggested that the former Fulham midfielder is keen to remain in the Premier League, and he would be very happy if Spurs decide to take up the option of signing him permanently.Â

Palhinha's time at Bayern is as good as overÂ

After emerging as a standout performer for the Cottagers, Bayern signed him in 2024 for a fee of £43.1m, following an initial attempt to secure his services a year earlier.Â

Palhinha featured 17 times in the Bundesliga for Bayern, making only five starts. Clearly, the move did not work out for him, as Vincent Kompany preferred the technical qualities of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic over the former Sporting CP midfielder.Â

Injuries prevented him from becoming a regular, but most importantly, Kompany was not impressed by his perceived lack of invention and quality on the ball.Â

The 30-year-old was voted the league’s most disappointing player by 216 of his Bundesliga peers, and by sanctioning a loan deal to Spurs, the Bavarian giants made their intention very clear -- his time at the Allianz Arena is as good as over.Â

Tottenham must sign Palhinha permanently next summerÂ

Palhinha probably would not have survived had Ange Postecoglou remained in charge because of his cavalier approach. However, he has proved to be a perfect fit in Thomas Frank's system, where defensive structure is prioritised.Â

The midfielder produced one of his best performances of his career against Manchester City away from home, and it became very clear that he would be a key player for Spurs this season.Â

Frank may not need him during some of the home games against relatively weaker opposition, but he would definitely be required in all those matches where Spurs need to control possession and build attacks with patience.

There is plenty of football left in Palhinha's legs, and paying £27m to retain his services is an absolute no-brainer.Â

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has provided the latest update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Wednesday’s EFL Cup third-round tie at home against Doncaster Rovers.

Spurs are in the thick of a busy fixture schedule across multiple competitions and have put together a three-match unbeaten run, winning twice and drawing once over a seven-day period.

After securing back-to-back wins without reply against West Ham United and Villarreal, beating the latter in the Champions League, Spurs were held to a 2-2 draw at Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Frank had to cope without eight players for the trip to the Amex Stadium and four of those who remain sidelined long-term are Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, James Maddison (all knee) and Yves Bissouma (knock).

Providing an update on Kulusevski's recovery, Frank told reporters on Tuesday: "Of course, Kulusevski is a top player. I have always liked him when I saw him from afar. He is a key player for us and a key player for me.

“Instead of putting an exact month, I just want him back as soon as possible. It's not tomorrow, but hopefully it's not too far away."

Kolo Muani, Davies ruled out as Frank issues positive Solanke, Takai update

Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies also missed the draw with Brighton and Frank has confirmed that Wednesday’s contest will come too soon for the pair as they continue to recover from respective knee and dead leg issues.

"Everyone last time (who was involved against Brighton) is available again,” said Frank. “Ben and Randal will not be available for selection tomorrow. It's a minor injury for both of them, but it's just too short a turn around."

Frank had also provided a fresh update on the fitness of defender Kota Takai and striker Dominic Solanke, adding: "They are both progressing - both trained today with the team, so that's good."

While Takai has been sidelined since pre-season with a plantar fascia issue, Solanke is nursing an ankle problem and has not played for Spurs since making a substitute appearance in the 2-0 win at Manchester City on August 23.

One player who ‘will start’ in Wednesday’s cup tie against Doncaster is goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who is in line to replace first-choice shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario.

Kinsky “will start” for Spurs against Doncaster, says Frank

"Antonin will start tomorrow,” said Frank. “I'm very happy with him as a goalkeeper. I think he's a very good goalkeeper with very good potential.

"For any player not starting, they're not happy. Some probably understand it a bit more. How can I say... outfielders, sometimes, you're young, you're trying to get your way into it, but at some stage you always want to play. Same for goalkeepers.

“The easy thing for Antonin would have been to stay at his former club. Now it's a bigger stage, a bigger challenge. He has a great future here at Tottenham, I like what I see from him, he just has to keep training well and doing well."

Kinsky made his debut for Spurs in last season’s EFL Cup, just five days after joining from Slavia Prague for a reported £12.5m, and he impressed between the sticks as he kept a clean sheet in a narrow 1-0 home win over Liverpool in the first leg of a semi-final tie.

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly looking to submit a bid for Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez in the January transfer window.Â

Spurs have made a strong start in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign under Thomas Frank, sitting third in the table with 10 points from five games.Â

The north London club bolstered their attacking midfield areas during the summer by signing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, but they need more options in that department following the ACL injury to James Maddison.Â

With Simons being mainly used as a left-winger by Frank, there could be room for another versatile attacking midfielder, and probably that is why Spurs have reportedly set their sight on the Galician forward.Â

Spurs ready to submit lucrative offer for Mendez?Â

According to a report from Fichajes, Spurs are looking to open talks on a deal for the 28-year-old former Celta Vigo midfielder, who has become a key player for Sergio Francisco's side.Â

The interest in the midfielder appears concrete, and such is their determination, the north London club are ready to bid around €40m (£35m), with the Spanish club being willing to listen to offers.Â

The report claims that negotiations are expected to intensify in the coming months, and Real Sociedad are worried about losing one of their key players as early as the January window.Â

While the midfielder has found his stability at the Galician club, he could be tempted by the glamour of playing in the Premier League. Moreover, Spurs can also offer him Champions League football if they reach the knockout stages.Â

Should Spurs look for other options?Â

Mendez has developed an uncanny ability to score from outside the box, and he can play in multiple positions, which makes him an exciting candidate for Tottenham's attacking midfield role.Â

Last season, he scored eight goals and provided five assists across all competitions, and could be a valuable option for Frank, who prefers a dynamic brand of football.Â

At the same time, Mendez will turn 29 in January, and Spurs need to consider whether it makes sense to spend more than £30m on someone who will have very little to no resale value.Â

Tottenham believe that a player of his calibre would help them secure Champions League football next season, and they will probably have no problems meeting his asking price. However, the money could be better used elsewhere, and Frank should consider signing young talent instead. Â

Seeking another seismic shock in the 2025-26 EFL Cup, League One promotion-chasers Doncaster Rovers tackle Premier League powerhouses Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday's third-round tie.

Grant McCann's team upset Middlesbrough 4-0 in the first round before claiming a 2-0 victory over Accrington Stanley next up, but they have since lost back-to-back league games against Wigan Athletic and AFC Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, Spurs bypassed the first two rounds as a result of their European participation, and Thomas Frank's men recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday's top-flight contest.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings:Â 9

Tottenham Hotspur wins:Â 6

Draws:Â 2

Doncaster Rovers wins:Â 1

Given the long-running disparity between Tottenham Hotspur and Doncaster Rovers quality-wise, it should come as no surprise to learn that the two teams have only crossed paths on nine occasions in all competitions down the years.

The Lilywhites have triumphed in six of those meetings, while playing out two draws and suffering one defeat, which came in their inaugural battle in the 1935-36 Second Division campaign.

Doncaster edged out Spurs 2-1 that day, but the Lilywhites have since navigated each of their last eight head-to-heads with Doncaster without suffering defeat, while also winning every home game to boot.

Doncaster did hold Tottenham to 1-1 draws at home in April 1937 and February 1948 - again in Division Two - and the two clubs have not contested a league match since the latter date 77 years ago.

Therefore, Rovers and Spurs have only done battle in cup competitions over the past seven decades, firstly an FA Cup fifth-round showdown in the 1955-56 season, which Tottenham won 2-0 before losing to Manchester City in the semi-finals.

The merciless Lilywhites then put seven past Doncaster in the fifth round of the 1975-76 EFL Cup, before also teaching their lower-league visitors a goalscoring lesson in the second phase of the 2009-10 tournament.

With Harry Redknapp at the helm, Spurs trounced Doncaster 5-1 at the Keepmoat Stadium, where Tom Huddlestone, Jamie O'Hara, Peter Crouch, David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko all found the net.

Last nine meetings

Aug 26, 2009:Â Doncaster 1-5 Tottenham (EFL Cup)

Dec 03, 1975:Â Tottenham 7-2 Doncaster (EFL Cup)

Feb 18, 1956:Â Doncaster 0-2 Tottenham (FA Cup)

Feb 14, 1948:Â Doncaster 1-1 Tottenham (Division Two)

Sep 17, 1947:Â Tottenham 2-0 Doncaster (Division Two)

Apr 17, 1937:Â Doncaster 1-1 Tottenham (Division Two)

Dec 12, 1936:Â Tottenham 2-0 Doncaster (Division Two)

Apr 25, 1936:Â Tottenham 3-1 Doncaster (Division Two)

Dec 21, 1935:Â Doncaster 2-1 Tottenham (Division Two)

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Ten changes from Thomas? Predicted Spurs XI vs. Doncaster

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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be expected to ring the changes for Wednesday's EFL Cup third-round clash with Doncaster Rovers in North London.

The Lilywhites are still missing James Maddison (ACL), Radu Dragusin (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Kota Takai (foot), Yves Bissouma (knock) and Dominic Solanke (ankle), but Frank is hopeful of having Randal Kolo Muani (dead leg) and Ben Davies (knee) back in contention for this one.

Neither man was involved in the 2-2 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, but if Davies is cleared to play, the Welshman will surely be considered for a start in the Lilywhites' backline.

Davies and Kevin Danso could form the protective barrier in front of Antonin Kinsky, while Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie are the most likely candidates to start in the full-back areas.

The versatile Archie Gray is a viable option at right-back too, but Frank could instead deploy the teenager as his midfield anchor, with Pape Sarr and Xavi Simons either side of him in the triumvirate.

The Spurs boss is not short of options for change up front either, and it would not be a total shock to see Dane Scarlett earn a start, but the 21-year-old may only play 45 minutes of the match given his lack of football over the past year.

Scarlett and Kolo Muani could both enjoy one half each in the striker's spot, while Brennan Johnson and Mathys Tel should be given a chance to strut their stuff in the wide positions.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Gray, Simons; Johnson, Scarlett, Tel

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Premier League meets League One in Wednesday's EFL Cup third-round showdown, as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Doncaster Rovers to their North London home.

The Lilywhites bypassed the first two rounds thanks to their European participation, while their third-tier visitors have already taken down Middlesbrough and Accrington Stanley away from home.

Match preview

Starved of domestic success since a Jonathan Woodgate-inspired triumph in this competition in 2008, Tottenham are long overdue another slice of English football stardom, even if they did conquer the continent in the secondary term last season.

The reigning Europa League champions have contested three EFL Cup finals since last lifting the trophy aloft 17 years ago, but they settled for runners-up medals in 2009, 2015 and 2021 and were agonisingly bested by Liverpool in the semi-finals of the 2024-25 edition.

Third-round exits are also not uncommon for Tottenham, who lost at this stage as recently as the 2022-23 season to Nottingham Forest, while lower-league Colchester United stunned Spurs on penalties in the third round of the 2019-20 EFL Cup.

However, it is difficult to envisage a seismic shock taking place on Wednesday evening, especially with Spurs able to reflect on far more positives than negatives during the earliest days of Thomas Frank's tenure, including four wins from their last six in all competitions.

The hosts had yet to show a resilient edge before the weekend's Premier League trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, but they harnessed their fightback powers to draw 2-2 after falling 2-0 down at the Amex Stadium, whereas their visitors were on the other side of the comeback coin.

A goal to the good against AFC Wimbledon in their most recent League One encounter, Doncaster Rovers succumbed to second-half strikes from Ryan Johnson and Myles Hippolyte in a 2-1 loss to Johnnie Jackson's men, as their painful plight continued.

Between August 23 and September 6, Grant McCann had masterminded five straight victories across all competitions, including a 2-0 beating of Accrington Stanley in the second round of the EFL Cup after an astounding 4-0 battering of Middlesbrough first up.

However, Wednesday's visitors have now lost back-to-back fixtures to Wigan Athletic and most recently Wimbledon, bumping them out of the playoff places in the League One table at this embryonic stage, although they only trail Barnsley and Huddersfield Town on goal difference.

Defensive concerns have been building for the past few weeks for Doncaster, who have shipped seven goals in their past four games after keeping three successive clean sheets in their three prior fixtures, hardly reassuring reading before a visit to Premier League territory.

Rovers have also lost each of their last four EFL Cup third-round matches since progressing to the quarter-finals of the 2005-06 edition, and their run in the 2009-10 tournament was ended by Tottenham, who pummelled their upcoming foes 5-1 in that second-round clash.

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Doncaster Rovers EFL Cup form:

Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

Team News

It is as you were in terms of Tottenham's injury situation, as James Maddison (ACL), Radu Dragusin (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Kota Takai (foot), Yves Bissouma (knock) and Dominic Solanke (ankle) are still sidelined, but Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies should be back from a dead leg and knee twist respectively.

Frank still has plentiful options for change and will no doubt shuffle the pack considerably for Wednesday's game, where Antonin Kinsky, Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel and maybe even Dane Scarlett should be among the starters.

Tottenham either loaned out or sold a plethora of their promising academy products this summer, but the likes of Callum Olusesi and 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett could push for involvement; the latter scored a hat-trick for the Under-21s in a 6-3 win over Leicester City in the Premier League 2 on Friday.

Among the surfeit of youngsters Tottenham sent elsewhere was Damola Ajayi, the 19-year-old winger who is currently representing Doncaster, but he will be ineligible to face his parent club on Wednesday night.

Ajayi was only a substitute in the weekend's loss to Wimbledon anyway; instead, Luke Molyneux and Jordan Gibson should line up in support of 39-year-old marksman Billy Sharp.

On the injury front, midfielder Harry Clifton recently sustained a hamstring tear in Rovers' loss to Wigan, and McCann expects the 27-year-old to miss around six weeks of action.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Spence, Danso, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Gray, Simons; Johnson, Scarlett, Tel

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lawlor; Sterry, McGrath, Pearson, Maxwell; Bailey, Close; Molyneux, Crew, Gibson; Sharp

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Doncaster Rovers

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Owing to lack of academy products knocking on the first-team door, Frank will have no choice but to send out a largely experienced XI, one that should get the job done with minimal fuss.

Doncaster have won their first two EFL Cup games of the season by an aggregate score of 6-0, but McCann's men are now looking more vulnerable defensively and will surely bow out in North London.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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Thomas Frank's Tottenham Hotspur are set to welcome Doncaster Rovers to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday as their EFL Cup campaign gets underway.

The Premier League side have enjoyed a strong start to 2025-26 under their new manager, winning four, drawing one and losing just one of their games across all competitions so far, and they will be dreaming of adding to their trophy haul after ending a 17-year silverware drought last season.

As for their League One opponents, Grant McCann's men are currently level on points with Barnsley and Huddersfield Town in the playoff spots, and they have beaten Accrington Stanley and Middlesbrough to reach this stage.

Here, Sports Mole provides all the details on how to watch this EFL Cup third round clash.

What time does Tottenham Hotspur vs. Doncaster Rovers kick off?

Spurs will kick off their league cup campaign at 7:45pm on Wednesday for viewers in the UK.

Where is Tottenham Hotspur vs. Doncaster Rovers being played?

Rovers will travel to London to take on the Lilywhites at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a £1bn, 62,850 capacity arena that was opened in 2019.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Doncaster Rovers in the UK

TV channels

This match will be broadcast on the Sky Sports+ channel, where more than 1000 EFL, Carabao Cup and Vertu Trophy games will be shown throughout the season.

Online streaming

Fans can also stream the clash on the Sky Sports app, which is available at no additional cost for Sky Sports subscribers.

Highlights

Key moments such as goals or red cards will be posted on the Sky Sports X (formerly Twitter) account, and highlights will be available on the Sky Sports app after the final whistle.

A variety of highlight reels as well as a full match replay will also be accessible on SPURSPLAY, Tottenham's club-specific service.

Who will win Tottenham Hotspur vs. Doncaster Rovers?

Spurs are undoubtedly the favourites to progress to the fourth round given that they ply their trade two divisions above Doncaster, and considering that anything other than victory on Wednesday will be seen as an embarrassment, the hosts will be expecting to win relatively comfortably.

However, Manchester United were eliminated by League Two Grimsby Town last month, and even Premier League champions Liverpool were felled by lower-tier opposition in cup competition in 2024-25, so the Lilywhites will need to be wary of taking the challenge too lightly.

Alongside losing just once in 2025-26, Frank's side have also kept four clean sheets from their opening six games, and this newfound defensive resilience could see them block out Rovers in midweek.

As for the visitors, they won five matches on the bounce between late August and early September, but have since lost consecutive clashes ahead of this cup tie, and they may be low on confidence as a result.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to open talks over the permanent signing of a £27m midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

The Europa League winners have kept a largely settled engine room from the 2024-25 season, along with the addition of Portugal international Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich.

The former Fulham lynchpin immediately slotted into Thomas Frank's system and quickly endeared himself to the Spurs faithful, finding the net in their shock 2-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

Spurs have an option to make Palhinha's move permanent at the end of the season, and triggering that clause would pocket Bayern around £27m if reports are to be believed.

However, the Lilywhites seemingly do not want to wait so long to confirm Palhinha's permanent stay, as TBR Football - via GIVEMESPORT - claims that Tottenham plan to open talks over a deal in the January transfer window.

Tottenham to open permanent Palhinha talks in January?

Bayern would likely be receptive to early offers for the Portugal international, who struggled to settle at the Allianz Arena following his arrival from Fulham in the summer of 2024.

Palhinha joined Vincent Kompany's side after registering more tackles than any other player in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Premier League seasons, convincing Bayern to pay £44.5m for his services.

However, the former Sporting Lisbon enforcer was restricted to just 25 appearances in his first season with FC Hollywood, failing to register a single goal or assist and only starting eight games across the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Injuries did not help Palhinha in his first season at Bayern Munich, but intense competition from Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic also restricted the Portuguese's opportunities in the first XI.

However, Palhinha has already started five game for Tottenham since returning to the English capital, playing the full 90 in their 2-2 top-flight draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Why permanent Palhinha deal is no-brainer for Tottenham

There is perhaps an unfair consensus that players are either expendable or on the decline as soon as they hit 30, but there is plenty of football left in Palhinha's legs, and Spurs keeping him around is an absolute no-brainer.

The Portugal international took no time at all to adapt to Premier League football upon his arrival at Fulham, and the statistics tell the story of a player who is unmatched when it comes to tackling.

Even in spite of his lack of game time for Bayern, Palhinha has still averaged just over four tackles per game over the past 365 days, putting him in the top 1% of all midfielders in the big five European leagues.