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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly suffered a blow in their efforts to sign Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.

The North London outfit can claim to have enjoyed a productive summer transfer window, Thomas Frank's squad populated to the extent where he was not able to include Mathys Tel in his Champions League squad.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani was signed on loan on deadline day to compete with Richarlison and Dominic Solanke down the middle of the attack.

As such, there is no shortage of options in that area of the pitch, yet Spurs allegedly held an interest in acquiring Mateta's services during the closing days of the summer window.

With Mateta having less than two years remaining on his contract, there is potential for Spurs reigniting their admiration of the 28-year-old.

What is Palace's Mateta stance?

According to Football Insider, Palace are not prepared to consider any offers for their leading marksman during the winter transfer window.

The report alleges that there is "no chance" of Eagles officials being prepared to cash in on one of their most prized assets due to the difficulty of finding a suitable alternative.

Since the start of 2023-24, Mateta has netted 31 goals in the Premier League to establish himself as one of the club's best-ever top-flight frontmen.

Newcastle United and Leeds United have also been credited with an interest in the player, yet they will now realistically end any pursuit of the Frenchman.

The only choice Palace can make

With focus likely to fall on the future of Marc Guehi over the coming months, Palace can and will not consider parting ways with any other key players.

A top-10 finish in the Premier League and winning the Conference League will be the minimum goals of Oliver Glasner this season, and he needs Mateta at Selhurst Park.

Christantus Uche was brought to the club on deadline day and Eddie Nketiah remains an option when he has recovered from injury.

That said, Mateta is the focal point of this team and will be kept at all costs.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major injury boost ahead of their return to domestic football, as one of Thomas Frank's knee victims has returned to team training.

The Lilywhites have five days left to plan for their fourth Premier League fixture of the season away to West Ham United on Saturday evening, which kicks off a hectic end to the month for the Europa League winners.

Frank's side then begin their Champions League campaign at home to Villarreal on September 16, before meetings with Brighton & Hove Albion (September 20), Doncaster Rovers (September 24), Wolverhampton Wanderers (September 27) and Bodo/Glimt (September 30).

Injuries have not been kind to Tottenham already this term, but one of their long-term absentees has now taken a huge step forward in his recovery from a devastating issue.

Footage uploaded to X by the official Tottenham account on Monday showed Romanian defender Radu Dragusin working with other players on the training pitches as he steps up his rehabilitation from an ACL injury.

Dragusin back in Spurs training as Frank receives new injury boost

The centre-back has been sidelined for over seven months with the issue, which he sustained in a Europa League victory over Elfsborg on January 30, forcing him to miss the final success over Manchester United a few months later.

Dragusin underwent surgery to rectify the issue, and he was seen undertaking various exercises as part of team training on Monday, including sprints and ball work.

Frank told reporters on August 29 that he was optimistic of having Dragusin back in team training within a week, and the 23-year-old's recuperation therefore appears to be going according to plan.

It will still be some weeks before Dragusin can be considered for a return to competitive football, and he may build his fitness back up with the Under-21s first, but the Romania international is expected to be back on the pitch before the end of the calendar year.

Dragusin has made 37 appearances for Tottenham since joining from Genoa midway through the 2023-24 season, including 14 Premier League starts in the 2024-25 campaign thanks to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero's own injury woes.

When could Tottenham's other injury victims return?

Dragusin is one of six Spurs players currently in the care of the doctors, but at least one of them - Dominic Solanke - should be back at Frank's disposal for the trip to the London Stadium this weekend.

The England international missed his side's 1-0 defeat to former club Bournemouth two weekends ago due to an ankle problem, but Frank expressed his belief that he would return shortly after the two-week hiatus.

Meanwhile, Yves Bissouma was also absent from the loss to the Cherries due to an unspecified issue, one which Frank described as minor, but he is still being linked with a move away from the club to the Turkish Super Lig.

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mathys Tel has said that he was 'hurt' by Thomas Frank's decision to leave him out of the Spurs squad for the league phase of the Champions League.

Tel, who joined Spurs on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich over the summer, was a notable absentee when Tottenham head coach Frank confirmed his 22-man squad for the league phase of the tournament.

Tottenham's well-documented issues when it comes to either signing or promoting homegrown players led to some difficult decisions needing to be made, and fellow new signing Kota Takai was also not selected.

Injured duo James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski were also left out alongside Radu Dragusin and Yves Bissouma.

Tel, speaking on international duty with France Under-21s, admitted that he was 'hurt' by the decision, but he has vowed to continue working hard in order to prove himself to his manager.

New Tottenham forward Tel 'hurt' by Champions League snub

"Quite simply, with respect. He called me, he simply told me his choice and then you could see the list appear on the networks," he told reporters.

"It's clear that when you're not on a list, it definitely hurts, but I'm someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I've worked a lot on the mental aspect, so today it's definitely a disappointment.

"I would have liked to be there. But the coach's choice is the coach's choice, we can only respect it and we're going to work to come back in the best possible way.

"No matter, even if I was on the list, I would have had this desire, to be revengeful, to be able to be effective this season, to be able to start my season in the Premier League, because now, it's a first long season that begins because last year it was in the form of a six-month loan.

"A desire elsewhere? I am under contract with Tottenham [until 2031], so I am a Tottenham player and I will do my best to be able to play quite simply.

"Knowing what I'm capable of, knowing all the abilities I have, I think I could have done better. In any case, we can all do better, but I would say that it's an encouraging setup.

"Why? Because it forces me to know the weak points, the things to improve, so there's always room for improvement that we have to aim for. Whether in life in London or on the pitch, I think it can be better, everything can be better, absolutely everything.

"I learned that no matter the situation, no matter why you're called to a club, you have to be patient because there are times when it happens, times when it doesn't. That's life. Sometimes there are things we deserve, that we don't receive.

"But in life, do we get everything we deserve? Not often. I've grown in maturity, in experience, and I think that today it has shaped my personality and, I would say, my character especially."

Tel struggled at Spurs in the second half of last season

Tel spent the second half of last season on loan at Spurs from Bayern, only managing three goals in 20 appearances, and he was an unused substitute in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Tottenham paid £30m to sign him over the summer, but he has played just 19 minutes of Premier League football in the team's opening three matches of the 2025-26 campaign, and his absence from the Champions League squad suggests that he will not be considered to be a regular by Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as serious contenders for Aston Villa attacker Morgan Rogers, the latest report has claimed.

The Londoners' perfect start to the Premier League season ended on August 30, when they lost 1-0 against Bournemouth in their third game of the league season.

Head coach Thomas Frank will hope that he can help his side iron out their inconsistencies the longer he is in post, though more additions will have to be made in the coming seasons if he has ambitions of competing for major silverware.

Spurs spent just over £170m in the summer transfer window, and while their outlay was by no means insignificant, their expenditure fell short of many of their rivals.

TEAMtalk claim that Spurs could be ready for a new era of spending following the exit of long-serving chairman Daniel Levy, with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers touted as a serious target despite his £100m price tag.

Should Tottenham sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa?

Rogers has had a slow start to the 2025-26 Premier League season, with the attacker failing to score or register an assist in his side's first three games.

The Englishman did score eight times and produce 10 assists in the league in 2024-25, and the 23-year-old has shown great promise in multiple positions, with the forward able to operate as either a left-winger or as a number 10.

It should be noted that while he specialises as a ball carrier, Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus already excels in that regard, so the need for Rogers in the XI is arguably not clear at this stage.

Xavi Simons was signed from RB Leipzig this summer, and the Dutchman's ability to create dangerous opportunities in the final third means he will almost certainly be used as his side's attacking midfielder.

There may be a spot on the left flank, though Rogers is not as adept in the penalty area as Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson.

How can Thomas Frank close the gap to Arsenal and Liverpool?

During his time as Brentford boss, Frank was able to consistently get the best out of his squad despite the Bees boasting a modest transfer budget.

In his final season in 2024-25, forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scored 20 and 19 Premier League goals respectively, and the Danish coach has proven he has the ability to maximise the talent at his disposal.

Spurs are unlikely to be able to compete in the same market as the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal considering they are yet to establish themselves as one of the division's best teams.

Perhaps the most sensible approach from Tottenham would be to sign players on the precipice of making the next step in their careers, with Kudus representing a good example of the type of stars they should target.

Kudus already had two seasons of Premier League football under his belt when Tottenham signed him in the summer of 2025, meaning he did not have to adapt to the demands of the English top flight, but he still has room for growth considering he only turned 25 in August.

Manchester United will reportedly face competition from Tottenham Hotspur when it comes to a deal for Conor Gallagher, with the midfielder expected to leave Atletico Madrid in 2026.

Gallagher is believed to have been the subject of a loan enquiry from Man United in the latter stages of the summer transfer window, but Atletico signalled that they were only interested in a permanent exit.

Man United are allegedly preparing to reignite their interest in the England international in January, with a long-term move on the cards if the numbers make sense for all involved.

However, according to Fichajes, the 20-time English champions are expected to face strong competition from Tottenham, with the North London club also keen to bring him back to the Premier League.

Spurs head coach Thomas Frank is said to be a huge admirer of Gallagher, who has scored four goals and registered six assists in 53 appearances for Atletico since arriving from Chelsea last summer.

Tottenham 'to rival Man United' for Gallagher move

Tottenham are said to be planning to make an offer for Gallagher in January, with the capital outfit determined to beat Man United to his signature.

The 25-year-old has featured in each of Atletico's three La Liga matches this season, but he has only played 85 minutes of football across those fixtures, coming off the bench in the last two.

Atletico are believed to be open to letting Gallagher leave in 2026, and they are in a strong position when it comes to negotiations, as his contract is due to run until June 2029.

Gallagher scored 10 goals and registered 10 assists in 95 appearances for Chelsea ahead of his move to Spain, while he has also had spells on loan at Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Charlton Athletic and Swansea City.

Who will win the race to sign Gallagher?

Not too many players in the history of football have turned down Man United to move to Tottenham, and the Red Devils would be confident of coming out on top in a battle with the North London outfit.

That said, much will depend on how both clubs perform in the coming months; should Man United struggle, then Gallagher may decide to move to Spurs, but Frank's team could also have some difficult weeks ahead.

It does appear likely that Gallagher will be back in the Premier League sooner rather than later, and a mid-season switch could potentially help him secure a return to the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly received a boost in their quest to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

Spurs recruited three central defenders in the summer transfer window, including the arrival of Kevin Danso on a permanent deal following last season's loan stint in North London.

Tottenham also signed highly-rated youngsters Kota Takai and Luka Vuskovic, although the latter has since joined Hamburg on a season-long loan deal.Â

While they have strengthened their backline, Tottenham still appear keen to recruit another centre-back who has the quality to provide competition and cover for the club's first-choice central defensive pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

Spurs receive Van Hecke transfer boost

According to GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are weighing up a January move for Van Hecke after deciding against pursuing a deal for the Brighton defender in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Thomas Frank's side have been given some encouragement in their efforts to prise Van Hecke away from the Amex Stadium.Â

The Dutchman has put off signing a new contract with the Seagulls because he wants to see whether he receives any viable offers in the January transfer market.Â

Van Hecke has entered the final two years of his current contract, which will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.Â

Brighton set Van Hecke's asking price at around £44m in the summer, but they will be wary that his valuation could drop if they are unable to agree a new deal.

Is it time for Van Hecke to take the next step?

Van Hecke joined the south coast side from NAC Breda in 2020, before he was loaned out to Heerenveen and Blackburn Rovers for the first two seasons of his Brighton career.Â

The centre-back has since gone on to establish himself as a key part of the Brighton backline, having made 94 appearances across all competitons.Â

As a result of his impressive performances for Brighton, Van Hecke has forced his way into Ronald Koeman's Netherlands squad in the past year, enabling him to make six appearances for his country.

Having progressed over the last few years, Van Hecke could feel that it is the right time to make the next step to a club that regularly plays European football.

With that said, Van Hecke will be wary of leaving guaranteed playing time at Brighton to risk playing a backup role at Tottenham in the second half of the campaign, especially as he will want to secure a spot in the Netherlands World Cup squad.Â

As a result, the defender may be best served by playing another full season at Brighton before assessing his options next summer.Â

Tottenham Hotspur Women will start the new Women's Super League season with a clash against London rivals West Ham United Women on Sunday.

Spurs underperformed in the 2024-25 campaign with an 11th-place finish, while the Hammers finished three points better off in ninth position.Â

Match preview

Tottenham will enter the new season with a new manager after they decided to relieve Robert Vilahamn of his duties at the end of last season.

Spurs ultimately felt it was the right time for a change following a disappointing season, which saw them finish in 11th position after winning five, drawing five and losing 12 of their 22 league games.

Martin Ho has taken over the reins ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, leaving his role as Brann boss to return to the WSL for the first time since leaving his position as Manchester United assistant manager in 2023.

The 35-year-old will be determined to succeed in his first role as a WSL head coach, and he will hope to have the players deliver despite a relatively quiet transfer window for the North London club.

Spurs recruited defender Toko Koga and forward Cathinka Tandberg from Feyenoord and Hammarby respectively, while Rosella Ayane, Hayley Raso and Becky Spencer all left on permanent deals.Â

Tottenham may fancy their chances of making a positive start to the season, having picked up victories in their last two home league games against West Ham, including a narrow 2-1 win in November 2024.

West Ham would have been fairly satisfied with their efforts last season, collecting 23 points from 22 matches to finish in ninth position, bettering their 11th-place finish from the 2023-24 campaign.Â

The Hammers ended the season as the WSL's fifth-highest scorers with 36 goals, but their weakness was at the opposite end of the pitch, conceding 41 goals to finish with the joint-fourth worst defensive record.Â

Rehanne Skinner will be hoping her team can continue to improve in her third season in the West Ham dugout, and she will be able to call upon the services of five new additions following the transfer window.Â

West Ham have signed Leila Wandeler, Sarah Brasero, Ffion Morgan and Yu Endo on permanent deals, while they have also brought Anna Csiki in on loan from Sunday's opponents.

Skinner will be fully focused on the league opener against her former employers, with the Hammers looking to claim their third victory over Tottenham in 2025.

West Ham came from behind to pick up a 2-1 victory in January's League Cup quarter-final, before they ran out 2-0 winners in March's WSL home meeting.Â

Team News

Tottenham are unable to call upon the defensive duo of Ella Morris and Luana Buhler, who are both recovering from long-term injuries.

Molly Bartrip has missed Tottenham's last two friendlies with a knock, and she remains a doubt for Sunday's WSL opener against West Ham.Â

It remains to be seen whether Tandberg will feature in the matchday squad after joining Spurs on transfer deadline day.Â

As for the Hammers, Skinner has declared that all of her squad is fully fit for the clash at Brisbane Road, although Csiki is unable to play against her former club.Â

The West Ham boss could select Eva Nystrom and Shelina Zadorsky as her centre-back pairing, while Endo and Verena Hanshaw are set to operate as the two full-backs.Â

At the opposite end of the pitch, Shekiera Martinez will be looking to enjoy another productive campaign in front of goal after netting 10 times in 12 WSL appearances in the second half of last term.Â

Tottenham Hotspur Women possible starting lineup:

Kop; Hunt, Rybrink, Koga, Nilden; Oroz, Spence; Naz, Thomas, Holdt; England

West Ham United Women possible starting lineup:

Szemik; Endo, Nystrom, Zadorsky, Hanshaw; Siren, Gorry; Asseyi, Ueki, Piubel; Martinez

We say: Tottenham Hotspur Women 1-2 West Ham United Women

West Ham have already beaten Tottenham on two separate occasions in 2025, and with that in mind, we think they could enjoy more success against Spurs on Sunday, although we expect the game to be decided by a narrow margin.Â

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

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Tottenham Hotspur reportedly expressed an interest in signing Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta on deadline day.

Spurs went into the final hours of the summer transfer window eager to add at least one new fresh face to their attack.

Paris Saint-Germain frontman Randal Kolo Muani ultimately arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a season-long loan deal.

As such, Spurs fans have been left satisfied with the make-up of their attack, there being enough options to the extent where Mathys Tel has not been included in the club's Champions League squad.

However, as per Sky Sports News journalist Kaveh Solhekol, Spurs had alternatives in mind before they settled on the France international.

Spurs made Mateta move

Solhekol claims that Spurs made a "late enquiry" regarding the availability of Mateta on Monday.

Palace had no interest in entertaining any interest in the 28-year-old, who has established himself as one of the best forwards in the Premier League over the past two years.

A total of 31 goals have been scored in the division since the start of 2023-24, Mateta also now viewed as one of Palace's best strikers in recent memory having chipped in with 49 goals and 11 assists from 158 appearances for the club.

Although two years remain on his contract, the Eagles could not realistically accept any level of bid for Mateta when they were battling hard to retain the services of Marc Guehi.

Head coach Oliver Glasner allegedly threatened to leave Selhurst Park if Guehi was sold to Liverpool, and it is plausible to have expected a similar reaction if Palace sold his most trusted source of goals on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Mateta left with one more year at Palace?

Despite Mateta remain at Palace for 2025-26, it is realistic to expect that he will move elsewhere next summer unless he extends his contract.

Palace already face the likelihood of Guehi departing on a free transfer and chairman Steve Parish would be fiercely against risking the same outcome with Mateta.

That said, Mateta has stayed committed to life at Palace and could theoretically be tempted to stay if the London outfit can win this season's Conference League and subsequently qualify for the Europa League.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed a 22-man squad for their upcoming Champions League league phase campaign, and Thomas Frank has been forced to omit two summer signings from the squad.

The Lilywhites are back at Europe's top table on account of their Europa League final triumph over Manchester United last term, returning to the UCL for the first time since the 2022-23 season under Antonio Conte.

Spurs will begin their continental campaign against Villarreal on September 16, before also facing Bodo/Glimt (September 30), Monaco (October 22), Copenhagen (November 4), Paris Saint-Germain (November 26), Slavia Prague (December 9), Borussia Dortmund (January 20) and Eintracht Frankfurt (January 28) later in the league phase.

Teams can name 25-strong List A squads for the league phase, but in order to select the maximum allocated number of players, at least eight must be home-grown (or locally-trained) as per UEFA's rules.

This octet can be made up of club-trained players - who have spent three years at Spurs from the ages of 15 to 21 - and association-trained players - who have represented any English club for three years from 15 to 21 - but Tottenham have had well-documented issues when it comes to either signing or promoting enough home-grown players.

Yves Bissouma and Mathys Tel omitted from Spurs' UCL squad

As a result, new signings Mathys Tel and Kota Takai are among those to have failed to make Tottenham's squad for the league phase, although the latter has been sidelined with a foot injury and is yet to make his competitive Tottenham debut.

In addition, experienced midfielder Yves Bissouma will play no part in the early rounds; the Mali international was heavily linked with an exit from the club during the January transfer window and is out of contract in 2026.

Bissouma did not join another Premier League club before the market closed on Monday, but the ex-Brighton & Hove Albion man could still join a team in the Turkish Super Lig, where the transfer window remains open until September 12.

Frank has also unsurprisingly left out the injured trio of Radu Dragusin, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, all of whom are at varying stages of their recoveries from knee injuries.

Maddison's ACL issue is likely to keep him sidelined for the entire campaign, while Dragusin and Kulusevski are not anticipated to return until the latter stages of 2025.

Which players have made Tottenham's Champions League squad?

While Takai and Tel will have to wait a little while longer for Champions League action, Xavi Simons and deadline-day signing Randal Kolo Muani are unsurprisingly part of the selection.

Joao Palhinha, Kevin Danso and Mohammed Kudus will also soon make their UCL debuts for the Lilywhites, whose record signing Dominic Solanke is also in amid his recovery from an ankle injury.

Clubs can name up to three goalkeepers in their A lists, and Frank has understandably selected Brandon Austin over the likes of Bissouma and Tel due to his home-grown status.

Tottenham Champions League squad in full:

Goalkeepers:Â Vicario, Kinsky, Austin

Defenders:Â Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies, Spence, Danso, Udogie

Midfielders:Â Bentancur, Palhinha, Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Simons, Kudus, Johnson, Odobert

Tottenham Hotspur were reportedly among six clubs that targeted Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo on deadline day.

Mainoo was asked to leave Man United on loan before the end of the summer transfer window after being left frustrated by his lack of playing time at the start of the season.Â

The 20-year-old was an unused substitute for the first two games of the season, before he played the full duration of Man United's EFL Cup tie against Grimsby Town, which ended in an embarrassing penalty shootout defeat.

Mainoo then had to settle for a role as a half-time subsitute in Saturday's 3-2 Premier League win over Burnley at Old Trafford. Â

While Mainoo is not a regular starter at the moment, Man United made it clear that they had no plans to sanction his departure before Monday's deadline.

Spurs were among six clubs interested in Mainoo deal

As a result, Mainoo has ultimately remained part of Ruben Amorim's squad, but not before six clubs showed an interest in signing him on transfer deadline day.

According to the Daily Mail, via The Mirror, six clubs made enquiries to prise the midfielder away from Old Trafford before the market closed for business.

Tottenham were among three Premier League teams who made contact over a potential move for the 10-time England international.

Aston Villa and Everton were the two other English sides interested in a deadline-day deal, while Mainoo also had suitors in France and Italy.Â

Marseille, Roma and Napoli were keen to recruit Mainoo on a loan deal, with the latter eyeing a move for him to play alongside former Man United man Scott McTominay.Â

What next for Mainoo?

Mainoo is currently behind Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro in the pecking order in Ruben Amorim's squad, while he also faces competition from Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte.

The Englishman will try his utmost to force his way into Amorim's first-choice lineup, otherwise, he will have to settle for a squad role until the January window.