The New York Times

Harry Kane says he is less keen on returning to the Premier League than he was when he signed for Bayern Munich.

Kane left Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern in August 2023 and admitted on Monday that he had initially been fully committed to the idea of returning to English football after a spell in Germany. But having flourished at Bayern in the last two years, scoring 103 goals in 106 games, Kane said that his desire to return home has diminished.

The 2025-25 season is the third of a four-year deal that Kane signed at Bayern, and while he denied having any contract discussions with his club so far, he said that he would be open to an “honest conversation” about an extension beyond 2027.

“In terms of staying there longer I could definitely see that,” Kane said at St. George’s Park, England’s midlands training base, on Monday afternoon.

“I spoke openly a couple of weeks ago that I have not had those conversations with Bayern yet, but if they were to arise, I would be willing to talk and have an honest conversation. Obviously, it depends on how the next year goes and what we achieve together. Right now, I would say we are in a fantastic moment. And I am not thinking about anything else.”

It has always been widely assumed that Kane would want to come back to England after his time in Germany and try to break the Premier League goalscoring record. He is in second place with 213 Premier League goals, 47 behind Alan Shearer’s 260.

“In terms of the Premier League, I don’t know,” Kane said. “If you had asked me when I first left to go to Bayern, I would have said for sure I would come back. Now I have been there a couple of years I would probably say that (desire to return) has gone down a little bit. But I wouldn’t say I would never go back.”

Kane said that he is in no rush to decide anything about his future, given he still has almost two years left on his Bayern contract.

“I am calm, I love the manager at Bayern, I think he is fantastic,” the 32-year-old said of Vincent Kompany. “And as always in my career, as long we are improving and I am improving then I am happy to see what we can achieve. I don’t think there is any need to rush anything.

“The way I feel on the pitch, the way I’m moving, the way I’m seeing the game is at the highest level I’ve ever had.”

Kane added that having won his first major trophy with the Bundesliga last season, he is now determined to work even harder. “I pushed myself the other way, in terms of being even better, eating even cleaner, doing more gym,” he said. “Just trying to get the most out of what I’ve got right now. As you get later on in your career, you know you’re not 21, 22 any more. So you have to drain as much as you can from your career.”

(Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Brooklyn Earick has confirmed to the London Stock Exchange that he “does not intend to make a firm offer” to buy Tottenham Hotspur.

Earick’s statement, released on Monday evening, brings an end to 11 days of speculation over a possible move to buy Tottenham.

The former DJ and tech investor had made an “informal expression of interest” in buying Spurs, which was “unequivocally rejected”, according to a club statement released on 26 September.

Earick’s enquiry was dismissed as “unsolicited and unnecessary interest” by a source close to the Lewis family, who reiterated their stance that “the club is not for sale”.

Following that Tottenham announcement – known as a ‘PUSU [Put up or Shut up] statement’ – Earick was obliged by the UK Takeover Panel to clarify his intentions by 24 October as to whether he would make a firm offer to buy the club or not.

He did so on Monday, 18 days before the deadline, ending the speculation over his apparent interest.

Tottenham responded on Monday evening with a fresh statement of their own, acknowledging the “recent announcements” from both Earick’s consortium and Firehawk. (Firehawk had confirmed on 3 October that it was “not intending to make an offer for the Club.”)

“The Board thanks them for the constructive approach taken in the discussions with the Club’s and the Lewis family’s representatives and respecting the clear position of the Lewis family that the Club is not for sale. Following the announcements made by the consortiums, the Club is no longer in an offer period under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.”

There has been increased attention on the majority shareholding Lewis family’s plans for Tottenham Hotspur ever since they dismissed Daniel Levy as executive chairman last month.

The Lewis family have repeatedly insisted since then that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale.

(Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

It has been a difficult few months for Mathys Tel.

Despite earning a permanent transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from Bayern Munich after spending the second half of last season on loan in north London, there’s a pervading feeling that he’s yet to really show his best.

Just a few years ago, when Tel was breaking through at the German side as a 17-year-old, few would have bet against him entering his 20s as one of Europe’s hottest properties. In reality, he left his teenage years in April, having recently featured in a miserable 2-0 away defeat to Fulham, where he took it upon himself to speak to a group of frustrated travelling supporters post-game.

Having been allowed to depart Bayern for a lower than previously negotiated transfer fee of €35million (£30m), Thomas Frank omitted Tel from Tottenham’s Champions League squad in September. In light of the deadline-day loan addition of Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain and the pursuits of various left-wingers, including Manchester City’s Savinho and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, which would, in turn, have pushed the 20-year-old further down the pecking order, Tel and Tottenham appeared an awkward union.

But the Frenchman’s performance in Tottenham’s 2-1 win away to Leeds United served to remind everyone of a Spurs persuasion, including Frank, just what a talent they have on their hands.

With Dominic Solanke and Kolo Muani sidelined through injury, Tel is Frank’s most experienced alternative to Richarlison to lead the line — perhaps both an indictment on the lack of senior options available in attack and credit to Tel, who has impressed enough in training and matches to earn a place in the side.

A bright start for the France Under-21 international, where he was involved in building attacks from a much-improved left side, was capped off with his first goal of the season. After being played down the wing by Mohammed Kudus, Tel unleashed a right-footed strike which Leeds defender Pascal Struijk deflected over goalkeeper Karl Darlow and into the Leeds net. Perhaps the deflection removes some of the shine, but Tel’s ability to find space to shoot and then strike the ball so well will give the Spurs coaching staff encouragement.

“So almost emotional about him,” Frank said in his post-match press conference. “So happy, so happy for him. I think the character he’s shown from a young man, just really impressed me. From day one. But of course, after the setback of not coming in the Champions League squad. Not being an established player, maybe.

“I think he’s taking steps. Also (he) has been picked a little bit for the left. So just keep training well, which he does. He trains well every day. Stayed home when we went to Bodo. Trained well.

“And also, I think, big praise to (coaches) Cameron (Campbell) and Justin (Cochrane) for working with Mathys and the way we worked with him, from a fine game against West Ham as a striker to a better game against Doncaster, where he arrives more in the right areas.

“I know he could have scored two goals, but as I say, he arrives there because we trained and we showed clips, and to the next level today, where I think he worked hard. He scored a good goal, and it was a little deflection, but, you know, the connection was good. He has a header, other good situations.”

Tottenham have yet to establish their attacking dynamic. It may take a star left-wing signing and the return of Solanke, or for Richarlison to re-find his form, to get a better idea of the club’s forward potential under Frank. In light of that, Tel’s emergence as a viable option is proving essential to Frank as injuries have hit Spurs’ front line.

Tel was substituted for Richarlison in the 73rd minute, but not before he dealt with a difficult pass under pressure from Leeds’ defenders to win a much-needed free kick inside Tottenham’s half. For a player who often looked lightweight and naive in his cameos under previous head coach Ange Postecoglou, adding a streetwise element to his game represents another encouraging development.

After all, given Tel has already featured 16 times for France’s Under-21s — a side he captained in a 3-0 win over Serbia Under-21s in September, where he scored a brace — and played 60 league games for Bayern, it’s easy to forget he’s just 20. And within his age range, he’s in rarified air. Since the start of 2022-23, Tel is one of just six players to have scored at least 15 goals in Europe’s top five leagues while aged 20 and under.

It’s fair to say that when Tel was dancing in Tottenham’s dressing room, draped in a Guadeloupe flag (the French colony in the Caribbean where his parents were born) after the Europa League triumph, it’s hard to imagine the thought of playing in the Champions League would not have crossed his mind.

It may, however, work in his favour. With his influence and performances improving and growing, he is becoming an indispensable part of the Premier League unit.

(Top photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur managed a hard-fought win over Leeds United at Elland Road.

The home side had an opportunity six minutes in from a Sean Longstaff free kick, but Joe Rodon could only find the post with his header.

But it was the visitors who took the lead in the 23rd minute. Mathys Tel received the ball on the edge of the area and worked a shooting opportunity to fire at the Leeds goal, with a deflection from Pascal Struijk sending the ball past Karl Darlow. Leeds levelled just over 10 minutes later, with Noah Okafor scoring following an unconvincing save from Guglielmo Vicario.

After chances for both sides in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, Spurs retook the lead in the 57th minute. Mohammed Kudus cut inside onto his left foot to put his team ahead. The ball again hit Struijk before travelling past Darlow.

Beren Cross and Elias Burke were in attendance and analyse the key moments from the game.

Tottenham end international break curse

One of the Premier League’s strangest streaks is finally over.

With Tottenham’s win today, they have ended their unwanted run of seven consecutive defeats directly before an international break. The run started in November 2023 with a 2-1 defeat to Wolves and continued through Ange Postecoglou’s tenure up to the 1-0 loss at home to Bournemouth under Frank last month.

Asked about it in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank said he had informed his squad about the run ahead of time, anticipating the question, and that “I really, really do hope we win tomorrow, so we don’t need to speak too much about it in the future”.

Given the number of internationals in Tottenham’s squad, such a run in the game directly after a break would make sense, with key players travelling from around the world in the days leading up to the return. The fact that it affected matches before the break, however, was more puzzling.

But that’s all in the past now. For the first time in almost two years, Tottenham’s players can leave to represent their nations on a high.

Elias Burke

How close were we to Beachball-gate II?

October. Premier League. A beach ball. A goal. That infamous quartet was almost reunited at Elland Road on Saturday.

As Okafor ghosted in to receive his present from Vicario, a beach ball was inches away from being the story once again in an October top-flight fixture. As Jayden Bogle whipped another excellent cross into Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the white inflatable rolled into view at the far side of the Tottenham penalty area.

Calvert-Lewin did well to guide the ball’s pace into Brenden Aaronson for an effort which Vicario saw late. The Italian could only parry the ball into Okafor’s path for a tap-in, while, mercifully, the beach ball remained out of the way. If it had interfered with play and stopped Vicario from saving the shot, play would have been paused.

It was so close to getting in the way, Vicario took out his frustrations on the inflatable as it rolled to him on the goal line.

The incident was almost reminiscent of Darren Bent’s strike for Sunderland against Liverpool in October 2009.

Bent’s effort looked likely to be saved by Pepe Reina, but it collided with a beach ball — thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan — and went in, wrong-footing the goalkeeper. That goal stood, but officials later admitted it should have been disallowed.

Beren Cross

Is this the most Tottenham’s left side has clicked under Frank?

The early signs of a flourishing partnership between Kudus — who was awarded man of the match today — and Pedro Porro down Tottenham’s right side have been one of the most encouraging points of Frank’s first 10 games as head coach, but it was the left that was more dangerous against Leeds.

Xavi Simons started as a No 10 for the first time in the league, and his tendency to drift towards the left from central positions saw him combine with Wilson Odobert and Destiny Udogie, who replaced Djed Spence as the left-back, to create several opportunities in the first half.

Udogie’s inclusion today was central to the success. Spence is a ‘lockdown defender’ in how he keeps opposition wingers quiet, but is naturally right-footed, so can be limited as a dribbler on the left side. While Udogie’s crossing has not always been consistent in a Spurs shirt, his ability to drive down the wing with his left foot opened a new avenue of attack.

Perhaps the most promising passage was on the 27th minute, shortly after Calvert-Lewin spurned an excellent opportunity for Leeds, with Spurs’ left-sided attackers combining to release Udogie down the left wing.

After breaking into the box, he crossed for Kudus on the opposite side, but the Ghana international’s shot flew high and wide. While it did not result in a goal, it was an encouraging sign that things are starting to improve on Tottenham’s left side.

Elias Burke

Leeds’ unbeaten home run is over. Should they be concerned?

Leeds’ unbeaten league streak at Elland Road ends at 385 days. The home suffered their third loss of the season, but this was not the disastrous, one-sided loss of a team out of their depth.

Leeds were better than Tottenham Hotspur in every metric — except for the one which mattered. Struijk may go to bed feeling the most frustrated of those in white tonight; the centre-back had the misfortune of seeing not one, but two goals deflected in off him.

However, Struijk did his best to stop both shots — as a defender should — only to make life harder for Darlow in the process. After Kudus’ match-winning goal, Struijk was visibly bemoaning his misfortune.

Tottenham ended the game second in the league table, and that should in some ways embolden Leeds. The hosts had more possession, higher expected goals (xG), more shots, more shots on target and more big chances.

Crucially for everyone’s mental state in West Yorkshire, eight points from seven matches keeps United above the one-point-per-match average survival generally requires.

Beren Cross

What did Farke say?

He said: “The first overriding feeling is, of course, we are disappointed because we’re playing for results. There are no pictures in the table. You want to win points, that’s why we play football, and, for that, we are disappointed.

“Apart from this, I have to say just many compliments, congratulations to the lads for this performance because, after this game, I would be normally disappointed, even with a draw, not even to speak about a loss.

“We were the better side today. We were the better side in all aspects. We had more possession, we had more passes, we had more expected goals, we had more shots with more shots on target, we had more big chances created, more big chances missed, we had more corners.

“In each and every aspect we were the better side today, but football is decided by goals.”

What did Frank say?

He said: “(I’m) extremely happy with the win. I think if you want to build any successful team, you need mentality and character and cohesion and togetherness, no matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play. You need that willingness to do everything to win. I think we are building that more and more in the team.

“I actually think that until the 80th Minute, I’m very happy with those 80 minutes. You know, give and take, I felt we looked very solid defensively. I think we gave the goal away, which is like a cross/deflected shot. Of course, I know they hit the post, but I think it looks more dangerous than it is. That’s what we gave away until the 80th minute, but I think we created two goals, and other very good and dangerous situations and chances. So very happy with that, and then we need a little bit of surviving and a couple of good saves from Vicario.

“I think 14 points in seven is two on average, that’s very good. I’m extremely happy that we are now on the road, won three and a draw, which I think that’s part of that; if you want to achieve anything, you need to do that. So overall, a good start. But, yeah, we need to continue.

What next for Leeds?

Saturday, October 18: Burnley (Away), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET

What next for Spurs?

Sunday, October 19: Aston Villa (Home), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou says he does not allow pressure or speculation about his future to “enter my head” and insists his focus is on reviving the fortunes of Nottingham Forest.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager heads to Newcastle United on Sunday still looking for the first win of his tenure after six games in charge at the City Ground.

It represents the worst start of any Forest manager over the past 100 years — and defeat to Danish side Midtjylland in the Europa League last night saw Postecoglou come under fire from his own fans, just 24 days after taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo.

Postecoglou pointed out that he still managed to lead Tottenham to winning the Europa League last season, even when he knew he was going to be dismissed by the north London club.

“I get it. I think it’s a valid assumption in modern football that there’s always a manager under pressure. That’s just part and parcel of what we do,” he told a press conference on Friday.

“I don’t think that way. Put it this way, I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but it didn’t stop me winning something.

“It doesn’t enter my head. My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things.”

Postecoglou says he will ignore any speculation over his future in the same way as he did at Celtic and Tottenham.

“If I start worrying about what’s going to happen next week, then I’m not performing the role I’ve been given. I just don’t think that’s helpful to anyone,” he said. “The things I control are the environment, training and the way we play. I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.”

Postecoglou faced chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from his own fans at the City Ground on Thursday.

“I don’t like sending messages to fans,” he added. “They love their football club and are obviously disappointed with the way things are going at the moment and disappointed with last night.

“The one thing I can do is fulfil the responsibility I have to get the team out there to change our fortunes. If we do that, then I’m sure the fans will be happier with everything.”

(Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

When Tottenham Hotspur announced their starting line-up for last week’s 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup, most observers assumed Archie Gray would partner Kevin Danso in central defence.

Gray, who joined Spurs from Leeds United in July 2024 for around £30million ($40m at current rates), made 46 appearances last season, mainly in different roles across the back four due to a prolonged injury crisis. However, against Doncaster, it was Joao Palhinha who slotted in at centre-back, giving Gray a rare chance in his preferred position of central midfield.

The 19-year-old showed strength and skill on the ball while his driving runs created space for his team-mates. After coming off the bench against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, Gray’s shot forced Jostein Gundersen’s 89th-minute own goal that salvaged a crucial point. Opportunities have been limited under new head coach Thomas Frank but he has shown glimpses of his potential.

This weekend, Gray returns to play at Elland Road, where three generations of his family have represented Leeds, for the first time since he left in the summer of 2024. He will be reunited with Daniel Farke, the head coach who gave him his senior debut at 17. There is a slim chance he might even face his younger brother Harry, who has been named on Leeds’ bench twice this season but is struggling with a hip issue picked up in an under-21s game on Monday.

But Leeds supporters who watched Gray outperform far more experienced opponents when he was a skinny teenager in the Championship will be wondering why he is not yet an integral part of Tottenham’s starting XI.

Early last summer, Brentford thought they were about to complete a club-record deal to sign Gray. He had been impressed by their detailed three-year development plan, and Brentford’s recruitment department thought Gray possessed the qualities to become a world-class deep-lying midfielder. They wanted him to learn from Denmark international Christian Norgaard. Gray would spend his first two seasons as a more advanced midfielder in west London, where he was promised a significant amount of playing time, before succeeding Norgaard, now at Arsenal.

Gray underwent a medical and held conversations about where he would live. Frank was in charge of Brentford and gave the move his blessing, but Spurs swooped in. Members of Gray’s family support Celtic, who won five trophies in two seasons under Ange Postecoglou. The Australian manager joined Tottenham in 2023 and helped convince Gray to join. They only worked together for a year before Postecoglou was sacked, but he had huge faith in Gray.

The building pressure on Postecoglou added to a slightly bizarre debut season for Gray. It ended with a Europa League winner’s medal but Gray regularly found himself playing at centre-back due to the long-term injuries suffered by Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. He started 19 times in the league, recording 1,743 minutes across 28 appearances. He was a young player unfairly exposed in an unfamiliar position surrounded by underperforming team-mates.

Gray was slightly overshadowed by Lucas Bergvall, another teenager who arrived in the summer of 2024. Bergvall’s performances in the second half of last season earned him a place in the starting XI, which he has retained under Frank. The Sweden international never looked back after scoring against Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. It feels like Gray is still waiting for his lift-off moment.

“I haven’t lost sight of the fact that we’ve got two 18-year-olds, one who’s playing at centre back, it’s not even his position,” Postecoglou said after Spurs beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Carabao Cup in January.

“I just don’t think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us. And in a position (Gray’s) never played. Name me another Premier League team that’s got two 18-year-olds and one playing out of position consistently.

“I’m so happy they’re at our football club and in two or three years, I just pray to God I’m the beneficiary of their talent, mate, because if somebody else is getting it, I won’t be happy.”

Gray played in midfield on a couple of occasions towards the end of last season, including in defeats against Fulham and Liverpool, but looked risk-averse in possession. In all the emotion of Son Heung-min’s final game for Spurs over the summer, Gray’s assured performance as a central midfielder in the pre-season friendly against Newcastle United was overlooked. He snapped into challenges and powerfully carried the ball. He was confident and unafraid to battle with Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

After Spurs returned from their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea, they signed Palhinha on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Bayern Munich. The Portugal international represents another obstacle in Gray’s path, but there is a growing debate about whether he should start against teams when Spurs dominate possession.

Gray’s other positional rivals are Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. Bergvall is forging an excellent relationship with Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Porro down the right wing while Sarr quickly established himself as Frank’s favourite.

Bentancur and Bissouma have both entered the final year of their contracts, although The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Bentancur is close to agreeing a long-term deal. Bissouma, meanwhile, was left at home for the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain due to persistent lateness, then suffered an injury in training and was not registered in Spurs’ Champions League squad. He is probably the only senior central midfielder who Gray is above in the pecking order.

Gray started alongside Bergvall and Sarr in Spurs’ 3-0 victory over Burnley on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign but a few weeks later, he was dropped from their squad entirely for the trip to West Ham United. Does he deserve more game time? Or can his peaks and troughs be attributed to the natural path of a young player’s development?

“I like flexible players, every coach likes that,” Frank said before the 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. “It gives more squad depth and different abilities for different games. I see him more as a midfielder or a centre-back, he can play both.”

“Sometimes you need that run of games, like Lucas, and you take the next steps. Archie really impressed me. He played a very good pre-season friendly against Newcastle and he really grew into the game against Burnley. He was not in the squad for West Ham and the next day he trained fantastically.

“He does the bit I like from a midfielder, where he can twist and turn to go forward, he is very mobile and reliable. Unfortunately, you can only play 11. Can we change the rules? Get a few more on the pitch, that would help.”

Gray has made five appearances this season in midfield. Has his progress been helped or harmed by covering multiple positions? The Athletic asked Frank last month if versatile players should eventually focus on one role and the head coach spoke about how “modern football is much more flexible now”.

“When you see players perform at their best, most likely they play in one position,” he said. “Although these days centre-backs also play as full-backs and some midfielders play No 10 (attacking midfield) and sometimes No 6 (deeper). When they go towards their peak, that is when they should settle into a position.”

Recent cameos suggest Gray might be more suited to a box-to-box midfield role. In the second half against Glimt, his runs into the right-hand channel stretched the opposition’s defence. He played an exceptional first-time pass against Brighton that led to Kudus having an opportunity to score in stoppage time.

Gray’s talent is there for everybody to see but working out the best way to harness it is proving to be an awkward challenge. Leeds fans will be hoping that he does not break their hearts and score his first senior goal on Saturday.

(Top photo: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur are confident in reaching an agreement with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur over a new contract.

Bentancur’s existing deal had been due to expire in the summer of 2026.

The Uruguay international, 28, has made nine appearances in all competitions this season, starting eight of his side’s 10 matches under new head coach Thomas Frank.

Bentancur has made 122 appearances for the club since joining from Juventus in January 2022, either side of nine months out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2023.

He would become the latest Spurs player to commit his future to the club after captain Cristian Romero signed a new four-year deal in August.

Bentancur was an important figure in Tottenham’s Europa League success last season as Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy. He played the full 90 minutes in both quarter-final and semi-final legs and in the victory over Manchester United in the final.

In November, he was banned for seven matches by the Football Association (FA) after making a racist comment about team-mate Son Heung-min, for which he later apologised.

Asked about Bentancur’s future during a September press conference, Frank said: “I’m very happy with Rodri. He’s been a very good player for us, a top professional in every aspect. I’m happy with him, he’s happy with being here. I know that for a fact. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the future.”

Spurs strengthened in midfield in the summer with the loan addition of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, with the deal including an option to make the transfer permanent for €30million (£25.9m, $34.2m) at the end of the season.

Fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma is also out of contract in the summer and is yet to feature this season. He was left out of the UEFA Super Cup final squad due to timekeeping issues and has since been sidelined with an injury sustained in training.

‘Bentancur contract reflects midfielder’s growing importance’ – analysis

Bentancur had a disrupted start to last season with Spurs. The Uruguay international suffered two separate concussions and was suspended by the FA for seven games for making a racist comment about Son.

After Christmas, he became then head coach Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice defensive midfielder. Bentancur started all of their games in the knockout stages of the Europa League, apart from the second leg of their last 16 tie against AZ Alkmaar, and played a key role in the final.

Bentancur and Bissouma both entered the final year of their contracts in the summer. Bentancur impressed Frank during the pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea. Bissouma was dropped from the UEFA Super Cup squad for persistent timekeeping issues and has missed all of their games since through injury. It became clear that Frank favoured Bentancur and this new contract will recognise his growing importance.

It is crucial for Spurs that they retain their best players as the squad continues to evolve under Frank. They have a young core but Bentancur and Romero’s contract extensions mean they can rely on two of their most experienced players.

The long-term plan might be for Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to permanently take over from Bentancur and Joao Palhinha but for now the latter are valuable members of the starting XI.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Under normal circumstances, equalising in the 89th minute of an away game in the Champions League would prompt wild celebrations, but Tottenham Hotspur’s players and coaching staff were subdued after their 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening.

Glimt produced a frenetic firework display before kick-off, which was soundtracked by AC/DC’s 1990 hit single Thunderstruck, and it served as a complete contrast to Spurs’ performance.

Five months ago, under then head coach Ange Postecoglou, Spurs beat Glimt 2-0 in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final to secure a 5-1 victory on aggregate. Glimt had 69 per cent possession but, according to data from Fbref, only registered an xG of 0.5. It was a rare, disciplined display from Spurs, who lost 22 games in the Premier League last season and conceded 65 goals.

Spurs have improved defensively under Thomas Frank, who replaced Postecoglou in June, but they were dreadful on their return to Norway. Possession was split fairly evenly, but Glimt recorded 18 shots and an xG of 2.5, according to Fbref. Frank’s side took eight shots and, not for the first time this season, mainly threatened from set-pieces. They escaped with a point thanks to a combination of poor finishing from Glimt’s strikers and a slightly bizarre own goal by Jostein Gundersen.

After a bright start under Frank, Spurs seem to be slowing down. This was the third time in the last four games that they have conceded first and equalised after the 80th minute. You are allowed to be excited and proud on the first occasion that you pull off an unlikely comeback. By the third time, you should be worrying that it is part of an unhealthy and unsustainable pattern.

Tottenham’s best performances under Frank have been the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain and last month’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad. He came up with a specific plan for both opponents, which the players executed superbly. This squad seems to find it a lot more difficult when they are expected to be the protagonists and dominate the ball against lower-quality opposition.

This is partially because they are missing their first-choice centre-forward, Dominic Solanke, along with creative midfielders Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison due to injury. Xavi Simons looks destined to be the long-term solution in the No 10 role, but Frank keeps using him on the left. They should still have had more than enough firepower to beat their Norwegian opponents.

Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Simons dropped to the bench as Brennan Johnson, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert supported Richarlison upfront. Pedro Porro and Johnson wasted possession on the right wing on multiple occasions. In the 26th minute, Odobert dribbled across from the left and linked up nicely with them until Porro’s simple pass for Bergvall went out for a throw-in.

Kevin Danso, who replaced the injured Cristian Romero at centre-back, lost the ball after trying to dribble past Glimt’s forwards, and the move ended with Jens Petter Hauge firing a shot inches past the post. Spurs did not progress the ball with any conviction. They were content to pass it sideways and backwards.

Spurs improved after the introduction of Simons and Kudus in the 60th minute, but this picks at an awkward issue. Frank is excellent at reacting in games and making adjustments to help his side recover. Spurs fans have seen glimpses of this, and it happened during his time in charge of Brentford. For example, when Brentford were losing 2-0 to Leicester City on the opening day of the 2022-23 season, Frank switched to an aggressive 3-4-3 formation and they drew.

But Spurs need to be more proactive and assert their authority. Spurs played the game on Glimt’s terms

Frank admitted that they were slightly surprised by Glimt’s clever midfield rotations, but it was concerning how easily full-back Frederik Andre Bjorkan was allowed to rampage down the left wing. He earned a penalty, which Kasper Hogh missed, by overlapping and being wiped out by Rodrigo Bentancur. Hauge skillfully evaded Porro for both of his goals. Andreas Helmersen hit the bar while Patrick Berg’s stinging effort was saved by Guglielmo Vicario. Spurs did not just play badly against Glimt; they were battered. Micky van de Ven’s reckless tackle on Sondre Aukland straight after Bentancur’s goal had been disallowed hinted at the underlying frustration.

After the game, Frank was asked why Spurs are struggling to control games and have to keep mounting comebacks. “That can be various reasons,” he said. “I think against Wolves we had no problem controlling in the beginning. I think we were by far the best team against Wolves in the first half.

“I think Brighton was a different game. I think also we were by far the best team in the first half. Just conceded one fairly well-played goal, and as we talk about a game, a goal that shouldn’t have been conceded. Today, I felt we struggled in the first half. So I think that’s the only time we struggled in the three games against a very good Bodo team. Up here, a lot of teams will struggle when they play against them here. So it’s just fair play to Bodo.”

Maybe this was an important lesson for Frank about European competition, and Spurs fans should be glad it has happened now. This was his first away game in the Champions League, and he will have a better understanding of the different challenges they can present.

Spurs have still only lost once under their new head coach. They have a newfound resilience and mental fortitude. They have four points from their first two games in the Champions League. The most important outcome is that they grow in confidence and start to click in attack sooner rather than later.

(Top photo: Lise Aserud/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Just when it seemed defeat was looming, an own goal late in the game earned Tottenham a draw against Bodo/Glimt as Thomas Frank’s team came back from two goals down in Norway.

Though the scoreline would suggest this was a close Champions League tie, Glimt impressed and would have been deserved winners against a below-par Spurs had defender Jostein Gundersen, under pressure from Richarlison, not directed the ball over the line at his near post in the 89th minute.

Sloppy in possession and showing little creativity in attack, Tottenham were fortunate to go into the break on level terms. Only Kasper Hogh will know how he managed to miss his 35th-minute penalty so spectacularly. Rodrigo Bentancur had been penalised for a rash tackle on Fredrik Andre Bjorkan but the hosts, who had enjoyed over 60 per cent possession and had 11 shots to Spurs’ three in the first 45 minutes, were unable to take advantage.

It wasn’t long after the break that Glimt were celebrating after Jens Petter Hauge — who had gone close in the first half — curled a lovely shot into the far corner in the 53rd minute. Bentancur thought he had equalised moments later, only for it to be disallowed as Micky van de Ven was deemed to have fouled Odin Bjortuft in the build-up.

The visitors then lost possession in their own half and Glimt clinically took advantage with hometown hero Hague beating Guglielmo Vicario with a rasping effort in the 66th minute. Tottenham responded positively, halving the deficit through Van de Ven’s header two minutes later, and went close again only for Destiny Udogie’s header to hit the crossbar late on.

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris analyse the action.

Why were Tottenham so awful in the first half?

Tottenham allowed Glimt to completely dominate the ball. The first warning sign came in the fourth minute when Pedro Porro took a poor touch and was easily dispossessed by Bjorkan. Glimt’s full-back sidestepped a clumsy tackle from Lucas Bergvall, charged down the left wing and passed it to Patrick Berg, who fired a stinging shot straight at Vicario.

Frank’s side were ponderous in possession. Every time they worked the ball down the right through Bergvall and Brennan Johnson, they ended up passing backwards instead of whipping a cross into the box.

Spurs’ aimlessness was summed up by Glimt’s penalty. Vicario hit a pass long towards Johnson, who ducked out of an aerial challenge with Bjorkan. Glimt attacked down the left wing and Bjorkan charged towards the byline. Bentancur frantically raced across and wiped him out.

Glimt’s fans were buzzing with anticipation, but the pressure clearly overwhelmed Hogh. The striker blazed his spot kick so high over the crossbar it would have flown out of the stadium had it not bounced back off the protective netting.

The visitors did not learn their lesson and a few minutes later, Kevin Danso’s overconfidence led to another good opportunity for Glimt. The Austrian international tried to dribble past multiple players in his own half, lost the ball and left a huge pocket of space. Hauge collected the ball, cut inside on his right foot and fired a shot which just flew past the post.

Spurs lacked creativity, their ball retention was woeful and they were very lucky not to be losing at half-time — but things were about to get worse.

Jay Harris

Do Spurs need more options up front?

Tottenham are relying too much on Richarlison right now.

Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury, which has just been addressed by surgery, means he has not played for more than one month, while Randal Kolo Muani has only been able to make one brief substitute appearance since joining on loan a month ago. This puts too much of a burden on Richarlison, who has now started eight of Spurs’ 10 games this season.

This performance showed how much Richarlison needs some support. He missed a golden chance early on, failing to turn in Bergvall’s cross from close range. He continued to work hard and eventually forced the late equaliser, but Spurs could have done with some different options through the middle here against strong opponents.

Richarlison was brilliant here in May when Spurs sealed their place in the final of the Europa League. He was not at the same level today.

In an ideal world, Frank would be able to rotate between his three number 9s, keeping them all fresh, sharp and hungry. Instead, he is forced to keep playing Richarlison, even when his output is clearly below his best.

He may have to try something different at Leeds United on Saturday, like a turn back to Mathys Tel, who started up front against West Ham and Doncaster Rovers.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

How will this performance be viewed?

Spurs did not learn their lesson during the first half and Frank, surprisingly, refused to make any changes at the break. They were then punished in a chaotic 15-minute spell.

Bjortuft played an incisive pass which cut through Tottenham’s midfield and found Hakon Evjen in space in front of their defence. Evjen passed to Hauge, who tricked Porro far too easily with a simple drop of the shoulder before gliding into the box on his right foot and curling a shot past Vicario.

Spurs thought they had equalised within 60 seconds when Bentancur deflected Johnson’s shot into the net. However, it was ruled out following a VAR review because Van de Ven pulled the shirt of one of Glimt’s defenders from Porro’s initial delivery. Van de Ven was incensed and soon made a reckless tackle on Sondre Auklend, which resulted in a yellow card. The Netherlands international was captain on the night due to Cristian Romero’s absence but it was an erratic response lacking in composure.

Frank sent on Mohammed Kudus and Simons, but the situation did not improve. Simons lost the ball from a free kick and Glimt ripped Spurs open on the counter. Just when the move appeared to have slowed down, a poor pass from Van de Ven to Vicario allowed the home side to reclaim the ball. Hauge found himself one-on-one with Porro again, danced past him, moved the ball onto his left foot and drilled a shot into the bottom corner.

Spurs completely restricted Glimt when these teams faced each other in the Europa League semi-finals in May but it was the opposite story on this occasion. Van de Ven’s consolation barely changed anything in terms of the game. Up until the 89th minute, it looked like Glimt were more likely to score a third than Spurs find an unlikely and undeserved equaliser.

Somehow though, Tottenham pulled it off. Archie Gray strode into the box and his shot deflected off Gundersen into the net. It was such a bizarre goal that VAR took a few minutes to check any potential issues.

Spurs escaped with a point but that will not mask how badly they performed.

Jay Harris

What did Frank say?

The Tottenham head coach said his team showed “big character” to earn a point.

“I think that’s hugely important in any team that they have that and keep running, keep fighting, keep doing the right thing,” he told reporters after the match.

“I felt that we kept doing the right thing, we kept moving the ball, kept reducing the situation from the side and showed great character to come back into the game, which I’m very, very pleased with. But big praise to Bodo. I think until the 2-0 they were the best team. I think after that the game changed a bit and I think we got more on top.

“Of course, I hope we could have done a little bit more first half, got a little bit more into the high pressure in situations. And I would say, especially on the ball, I felt we could and should have kept the ball better in situations.”

What next for Spurs?

Saturday, October 4: Leeds (Away), Premier League, 12.30pm UK, 7.30am ET

(Top photo: Martin Ole Wold/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have ended their relationship with Rothschild & Co, as the Premier League club say they do not need the multinational merchant bank’s financial advice because they are not for sale.

Former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy appointed Rothschild to help find potential external investment in April 2024 and it was still advising Spurs when they were forced to issue a London Stock Exchange statement on September 8 to confirm they had rejected two expressions of interest from Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance and Firehawk Holdings.

In that statement, the club’s board and majority shareholder ENIC said Spurs were “not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the club”.

However, last week, when Spurs had to issue another statement to say they had “unequivocally rejected” a third informal expression of interest from a group led by American crypto investor Brooklyn Earick, Rothschild was no longer listed as an advisor.

When asked by The Athletic if this meant Rothschild had been sacked, a club spokesperson said: “We’re grateful for the support of Rothschild in recent years.

“However, given the club is not for sale, we mutually agreed there is no longer a role for them and have mutually ended the mandate.”

The spokesperson added that British law firm Dickson Minto will continue to provide independent advice while the club is the subject of takeover speculation, which has stepped up since Levy was sacked on September 4. That ended almost a quarter of a century in charge at the north London club, a tenure that started when ENIC became Spurs’ majority owner in 2001. The British investment firm had bought its first shares in in the club in 1991, before steadily increasing its stake over the next decade.

Founded by British businessman Joe Lewis, ENIC now owns almost 87 per cent of Tottenham’s shares. ENIC itself is controlled by the Lewis and Levy family trusts, with the former controlling just over 70 per cent of the business and the latter owning the rest. This means that the Levy family trust owns about 26 per cent of Spurs.

Under Levy, Spurs built a state-of-the-art stadium and training ground, gained a reputation for being a well-run business and consistently qualified for Europe. But they also hired and fired managers regularly, sold their best players and did not win many trophies.

What does this mean for Spurs?

Rumours about a potential takeover at Spurs have regularly surfaced for several years, with the club repeatedly denying it was on the market, but three approaches for the club have reached the public domain in the last month. This is partly because of the uncertainty caused by Levy’s exit and the fact that Lewis, 88, has kept a low profile since pleading guilty to multiple counts of insider trading in the U.S. in early 2024, but it is also because Spurs are still subject to the UK’s Takeover Code.

Tottenham became the first sports team in the world to be floated on a stock market in 1983, spending the next 18 years on the London Stock Exchange. They then moved to the smaller Alternative Investment Market between 2001 and January 2012, when they were de-listed and taken private.

However, 13 per cent of the shares are still held by approximately 30,000 small shareholders, and it is still possible to trade those shares in auctions held every other month by Asset Match, an online platform. The next auction closes on November 27.

To protect the interests of these small shareholders, any takeover at Spurs will have to follow the same rules as a publicly-listed company, with transparent bids and clear deadlines. This is why Staveley’s PCP had to admit that it did not intend to launch a formal bid for the club and can now not come back to the negotiating table for six months. And Earick, a former DJ and ex-NASA employee, now has until October 24 to announce a firm intention to bid or his group will also have to step back.

Since emerging as a potential bidder, the 41-year-old American has put several posts on social media to counter Spurs’ claim that his interest was unsolicited, as he was given a full tour of the club’s facilities in early August.

However, where his money comes from remains unclear beyond media references to a 12-strong group of American sports investors who are willing to pay £3.3billion for the club, with a further £1.2billion available to upgrade the playing squad. In March, an Earick-led bid to buy Maserati’s Formula E team collapsed at the 11th hour despite him announcing himself as “chairman and CEO” on social media a month earlier.

With Spurs not being advised by a major bank, it is hard to dispute their owners’ claims that they are not for sale. But many sports industry insiders remain convinced that the Lewis family will, at the very least, eventually explore their options, with the advice of at least one multinational financial advisory group.

(Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)