Daily Mail

Cristian Romero has avoided any disciplinary action from Tottenham despite a social media post accusing unnamed figures in the club's hierarchy of telling lies.

He will not be stripped of the captaincy nor will he be fined, according to boss Thomas Frank, who said he and Johan Lange, one of the club's two sporting directors, had discussed the matter with captain Romero and considered the matter closed.

'He is our captain, he has not been fined,' said Frank. 'There's a lot of ways to deal with different situations. We've chosen to have a good conversation with him, understand where he stands, handle it internally.

'Johan and I spoke together. Johan and I had a conversation with Cuti. Done.'

Romero posted on his Instagram account after defeat at Bournemouth, on Wednesday, a night when his defensive partner and vice-captain Micky van de Ven also became embroiled in angry post-match verbal exchange with fans in the away end.

Romero's message started with an apology to supporters and a promise to keep trying to improve results, but then he added: 'At times like this it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't – as has been happening for several years now.

'They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies. We'll stay here, working, sticking together and giving our all to turn things around.'

Several teammates including Xavi Simons and Richarlison 'liked' the post and Pedro Porro responded to say: 'Amen,' and then, in Spanish, added: 'Keep going brother. We have many battles ahead of us.'

Romero later edited his post to remove the 'lies'.

The 27-year-old Argentine, affectionately known as Cuti, has been at Spurs since 2021 and signed a new four-year contract in the summer after Frank selected him as captain after Son Heung-min's exit.

He speaks rarely in public but is prone to such cryptic social media posts. One towards the end of last season offered effusive praise to the Argentina medics for helping him back from nagging injury problems while failing to remark on the club's medical staff.

There have been a cluster of frustrated outbursts from players this season often connected to poor home form and disciplinary problems featuring Yves Bissouma, who was dropped for persistent lateness and then pictured for a second time in his Spurs career inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon.

Romero's social media comments can be interpreted as a swipe at perceived ambition in the transfer market, puts a strain on Frank's repeated insistence that everyone at the club is fully aligned under the new regime of the Lewis family and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.

'It is very important to stress that even though there's noise, the club is very aligned,' said the Spurs boss. 'Johan, Vinai and I are very aligned. Ownership is very aligned. We know it's a tough spell that we need to get through.'

Spurs have slipped to 14th with only two wins in 12 Premier League games since the end of October.

The defeat at Bournemouth was emotional because Frank's team fought back from 2-1 down to draw level and were close to finding a winner in the closing stages before the sucker punch, a goal scored by departing hero Antoine Semenyo the 95th minute.

There was added farce with Frank parading around on the pitch pre-match drinking coffee from an Arsenal-branded cup. And more injuries.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a hamstring injury, which Frank admits is 'a bigger one' than they feared. Lucas Bergvall picked up a thigh muscle injury at Bournemouth which needs to be assessed.

Mohamed Kudus, injured against Sunderland on Sunday, is not expected back until after the March internationals, which effectively rules him out until April.

Dejan Kulusevski, who damaged a kneecap in May and was initially on course to return in December, has been feeling pain in his recovery training and undergone a course of injections.

Former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur star Christian Ziege has returned to football for the first time since the death of his wife last year.

Ziege, 53, has undertaken a coaching role at Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach, where he retired as a player in 2005.

The German, who played for Liverpool in 2000-01 before representing Tottenham between 2001 and 2004, has joined as an assistant coach for the German club's U17 side and led his first training session on Wednesday evening alongside head coach Denis Hauswald.

Ziege took an extended break from football after his wife Pia passed away last year, having already not worked in a coaching role since 2022 when he left Austrian club FC Pinzgau Saalfelden.

He has now decided he is ready to return to the game, which lost its importance following the difficult period emotionally.

'After the death of my wife Pia, whom I had previously cared for around the clock, it took me a while until football regained the same importance for me as before,' he explained to German outlet Bild.

'I simply thought I'd approach the club and say that I would very much like to work again in the area I know best.'

'I'm really looking forward to it,' Ziege added. 'What connects me most to Borussia is that I was given the opportunity to start my second career here.'

Ziege's coaching career began at Borussia Monchengladbach following his early retirement at the age of 33.

He operated in multiple roles from interim manager to director of football between 2006 and 2010, before taking on a brief managerial stint at Arminia Bielefield.

Between 2011 and 2014, he was a head coach for various youth teams in the German national set-up and later worked as a manager in Spain, Thailand and Austria.

Ziege announced in November 2024 that his wife Pia had died following a long battle with 'a serious illness'.

The ex-Tottenham, Liverpool and Middlesbrough player paid tribute to her three months later by sharing a heartbreaking post on Instagram, which included a black and white photo of his wife and a caption: 'Still don’t get it.'

Ziege announced Pia's death back that month, writing: 'Our world has stood still since November 4th. Pia has closed her eyes forever after a long and serious illness.

'We would like to thank everyone who has walked this long and difficult path with us, as well as for the great sympathy and compassion. Pia, you will live on forever in our hearts.'

'And there are always traces of your life, thoughts, pictures, moments. They will remind us of you, make us happy and sad and never let us forget you.'

The former football star and Pia had been married since 1997. They have two children, Alessandro and Maria. Pia also had another daughter, Katharina, from a previous marriage.

Ziege had previously revealed that his wife helped save his life by persuading him to go to hospital quickly for emergency surgery after he suffered a blot clot in his leg when playing for Spurs in 2002.

Unlock more from our team inside the Spurs camp with a DailyMail+ subscription - brilliant exclusives, in-depth insight, analysis and more

As ponderously dull as Tottenham Hotspur have been this season, some credit must go to Cristian Romero for proving not all components of Thomas Frank’s side have forgotten how to attack.

It is open to question whether there is any great wisdom to be found in employees who target their higher-ups via social media. If Romero was reckless, it wouldn’t be the first time.

But there can be no doubt that he was aiming in the right direction, which is to say Spurs are rotting from the head down, as they have been for years. The only difference now, in the months since Daniel Levy departed, is that it is harder to pin a face on it.

There was always a naivety attached to believing his removal would address traits that went beyond the business preferences of one man, because what about those like-minds who empowered him? Those who were happy enough with the financial returns gleaned by on-pitch mediocrity and, presumably, complied without force?

Levy was a master of their language, but he did not invent it. If the Lewis family who own the club truly wanted to compete in ways that matter, they wouldn’t have waited a quarter of a century before deciding that Levy’s method wasn’t for them.

Did an epiphany fall on them after that night in Bilbao? Was there a sudden reversal of the institutional cowardice that has been written into the wage bills? Evidence to make that claim is awfully thin for now and looking thinner with each passing day of this transfer window. Eight days in and nothing. Serious clubs act decisively, and don't wait for the window to open to get their plans in place.

Antoine Semenyo scored Bournemouth’s 95th-minute winner against Spurs on Wednesday and by Thursday was having his medical at Manchester City. Crystal Palace wanted Brennan Johnson and he was out of Tottenham by January 2.

Where is Frank’s help coming from? He needs a few, especially in forward areas, but the nearest point of reinforcement is a teenage left back from Brazil. He’s apparently a good player, Souza, but extra competition for Destiny Udogie isn’t what the mutineers were protesting from the away corner at Bournemouth. It’s not what they were booing about against Sunderland or Brentford.

Frank is getting the brunt of it and little of his football so far would make for a good counter argument. Spurs have been stodgy and ineffective on the ball, prone to defensive errors that mimic themselves by the week, and poor discipline. He is a renowned, organised, flexible coach and yet, on his watch, bad patterns are repeating.

But there should be considerable sympathy for him that goes past the ‘nice guy’ reflex - Frank has been left to cover the creative shortfall with a fig leaf by the recruitment system.

James Maddison’s knee was injured in August, Dejan Kulusevski’s gave way before that, and Dominic Solanke hasn’t been seen since August 23 – the recruiters had time to read the land and source alternatives. Spurs now have three-and-a-half weeks to prove it wasn’t spent fingerpainting.

If they botch it, as they have so many windows, the failure ought to fall hard on the Lewis family and the personnel hiding behind the manager’s blast shield. They include Fabio Paratici, who was reappointed as sporting director in October and has possibly had his head turned by interest from Fiorentina. Without Levy in place, they are all out in the open, their free-passes are no longer valid.

At 14th in the table, not far north of where Ange Postecoglou left them, the situation is urgent. If Aston Villa knock Tottenham out of the FA Cup on Saturday - which isn’t a reach given Villa’s form, how dire Spurs have been at home and that it happened last season too - then it could be the end for Frank. It would be Champions League or bust. Bust probably wins that one.

But there are two conversations to be had there. Is Frank getting the best from what he has available? Since the win over City in August, when everything chimed so brilliantly, it is a hard no. Has he got a strong squad? That is a harder no and blame falls elsewhere.

Because when was the last time Tottenham bought a serious upgrade for their squad? And who in Frank’s best XI would be considered a top-four or top-six player?

Micky van de Ven and Romero have great strengths, but each has clear vulnerabilities, too. Romero’s thought processes in giving away a goal and collecting two brainless yellow cards against Liverpool last month tell us enough about his.

But he was right with his social media post. For all the chaos at Tottenham and the anger of their fans, there is a cast of suits in the expensive seats to whom much of the mess can be traced.

Whether it is through incompetence or indifference, they are culpable for a club that has lost a lightning rod since Levy left and apparently gained nothing.

Tottenham descended into chaos on Wednesday evening after slipping to defeat against Bournemouth, with Micky van de Ven and his team-mates embroiled in a full-time spat with their own fans, and captain Cristian Romero posting - and then editing - an incendiary statement on social media seemingly hitting out at the club hierarchy.

The north London side are enduring a turgid winter that has seen them claim just one win over the packed festive period.

Fans have found themselves increasingly at odds with manager Thomas Frank, with last Thursday's goalless draw against Brentford a high watermark for discontent as the away fans attempted to distract themselves from actions on the pitch by singing songs mocking the team's playing style.

But emotions hit a fever pitch on Wednesday evening, as Spurs let a crucial point slide in the dying minutes at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of Antoine Semenyo's winner five minutes into added time.

As players stayed out in the immediate aftermath to thank their travelling fans, footage captured van de Ven wandering over to a section of Spurs supporters, seemingly incensed.

The Netherlands international appeared to call out fans in the front row, gesturing at them with his hand to come on to the pitch in an invitation to physically confront him.

Van de Ven got close enough to the stands that a number of stewards intervened, circling the defender to ensure that neither he nor fans crossed the divide.

The longer the player stayed talking to the supporters at the front, the more those standing behind them became involved in the explosive situation, with a member of Spurs staff eventually coming over to lead van de Ven away.

The next figure to wander over to the stands applauding the fans was Frank himself, who was roundly booed.

Pedro Porro initially had a better effect on the supporters, who clapped his arrival, before he went straight for the fans at the front of the stands in anger, having to be held back by concerned stewards.

Porro argued with the supporters, before team-mates Guglielmo Vicario and Ben Davies came to lead him back on to the pitch, with Joao Palhinha staying back in a bid to calm tensions.

Palhinha listened to fan concerns for some time.

Romero, known for being a forthright presence for his side with his captain's armband on, let his words do the talking in a post shared on Instagram which appeared to lob thinly veiled criticism in the director of club bosses.

'Apologies to all fans of you who follow us everywhere, who are always there and will continue to be,' he began. 'We are responsible, there's no doubt about that. I am the first (to admit that).

'But we will keep facing up to it and trying to turn the situation around, for ourselves and for the club.

'At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.

'We'll stay here, working, sticking together and giving our all to turn things around. Especially at times like this, keeping quiet, working harder and moving forward all together, is part of football. All together, it will be easier @spursofficial (white heart emoji).'

In a telling gesture, Romero later edited the post to remove the phrase 'to tell a few lies'.

Spurs are in the midst of a shake-up behind the scenes this season, with long-time chairman Daniel Levy exiting the club in September.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici restarted work with the side following the conclusion of his 30-month ban in October, but has since been courted by Serie A side Fiorentina over an immediate move away, sowing concern at the start of the January transfer window.

Earlier on in the evening, Frank further blotted his copybook with the Spurs faithful when he was pictured sipping from a cup emblazoned with Arsenal's crest.

Tottenham's loathed north London rivals were the last visitors to the Vitality Stadium, and the manager was keen to stress that he hadn't noticed the incendiary symbol at all.

'I definitely did not notice it,' said Frank after the final whistle. 'It would be completely stupid of me to take it if I knew.

'It's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked about it. I would never do something that stupid.

'I think we're definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club.'

Two brilliant goals encapsulate Martin Chivers as a Tottenham legend. One, a towering, elegant header. The other, a blistering shot on the run arrowed into the top corner. Both crashed into the Wolverhampton Wanderers net in the UEFA Cup final.

The thunderbolt from distance is one of the most famous goals in the club’s history. Well worth its place on any showreel of hits from the illustrious Glory Glory Hallelujah era.

Chivers, who died suddenly on Wednesday at the age of 80, belongs in the very top tier of the Spurs greats. Only three players have scored more for the club than his 174 goals in 367 games but those against Wolves in 1972 will live long and the grainy footage will be replayed many times.

‘You won’t see two better goals,’ said former Spurs goalkeeper Pat Jennings, a great friend and colleague of Chivers since they came together at White Hart Lane.

‘Great strength, shooting power, running power. He had control. Really quick. He could do everything. Bill Nick wanted him to be like Bobby Smith, putting himself about and knocking into people but he wasn’t like that. He was a classy sort of player. You need all sorts in football, don’t you?’

Alan Mullery, former Spurs captain, recalls Chivers’ habit of picking up opponents when he knocked them over on the pitch and apologising.

‘He was a wonderful footballer and a goalscorer,’ said Mullery. ‘So big and strong. You couldn’t knock him about. It was a delight to play alongside him and I persuaded him to come and play for me towards the end of his career when I was manager at Brighton.

‘He said, “But look at me, I’m playing on one leg” and I said to him, “Don’t worry, you only need one leg, just come and score me a couple of goals.” And he did.’

Jennings and Mullery agreed he was one of the loveliest men you could meet. ‘An absolute gentleman,’ said Jennings, who was with him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. ‘I am devastated to see him go so quickly.’

Chivers was signed by Bill Nicholson for £125,000 in January 1968 after scoring 106 goals in 190 games for Southampton, his hometown club where he made his debut at the age of 17 and forged a prolific partnership with Terry Paine and was 33-goal top scorer when Saints were promoted to the top flight in 1966.

At Spurs, where he became affectionately known as Big Chiv, he found the net on his debut and hardly stopped, combining effectively with Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean, and shouldering the goal burden when Greaves left for West Ham in 1970.

His record of 22 European goals was broken by Jermain Defoe in 2013. And he was for many years the last Spurs player to break 20 league goals in successive seasons (1970-71 and 1971-72) until Harry Kane started rewriting the club’s record books a decade ago.

In typically self-effacing fashion, Chivers adored Kane. Once, when he spotted him post-match in one of the corporate suites at White Hart Lane, he made a beeline to request an autograph he had promised for his grandson, weaving between the tables with a piece of paper and a pen.

Kane greeted him with a beaming smile and said: “Hello Chiv, how’s it going?”

Chivers started his international career in style, with seven goals in his first eight games. His last appearance came in the infamous World Cup qualifier at Wembley against Poland in October 1973, when a 1-1 draw denied England a place at the World Cup in West Germany. He finished with 24 caps and 13 goals.

After eight and a half years he left White Hart Lane for Servette in Switzerland in 1976 before returning to English football for spells with Norwich and Brighton. He also played in non-League.

Chivers returned to work for many years on match days, a tall and striking figure among the ranks of the club’s ambassadors.

He was on duty for Sunday’s game against Sunderland and news of his death broke was announced as Thomas Frank’s squad arrived ahead of the game at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium.

‘One of our true legends, winning three big titles, one of our top scorers,’ said Spurs boss Frank. ‘Top Tottenham legend.’

More tributes followed from those who admired him as a footballer and a man and sent their condolences to his family.

Among them former Spurs and Scotland striker Steve Archibald, who said: ‘He was like a Rolls Royce, so smooth in his movement, excellent in the air and a great finisher but on top of all that he was a really nice guy.’

And Osvaldo Ardiles, who said: ‘Outstanding player, one of the very best in the world at the time. Was very privileged to know him very well through the years. A great guy. We will miss him very much.’

The now familiar chorus of boos washed down from the stands and echoed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Thomas Frank’s team extended their disappointing home form into another year.

Hopes that a fresh start might sweep into N17 with 2026 was shot down by Sunderland’s impressive fightback as tempers frayed in an irritable second half.

Spurs overcame the blow of an injury for Mohammed Kudus to lead at the interval and Frank bemoaned their inability to find a second when on top but they failed to keep the Wearsiders at bay.

The boos might have been harsh on the day but can be explained by such a miserable sequence of home form over time and a general lack of goalmouth action.

Another two points dropped leaves Spurs languishing in 13th and albeit only four points from fifth, they seem unable to seize the chance to climb back up the table.

Daily Mail Sport's Matt Barlow was in north London to witness all the action...

An unlikely goal hero

Ben Davies scored his first goal for more than two years on his first start of the season. Davies came in to supply solidity behind Mathys Tel on the left and hit Richarlison with long passes with his left foot.

There were early signs that his inclusion might free Pedro Porro to get forward on the opposite flank and maximise Porro’s excellent delivery, but it was a surprise when the Welshman emerged with fist raised in triumph, scorer of the opening goal.

It came from a corner poorly defended by Sunderland. Cristian Romero had time to bring it down on his chest and pick out Micky van de Ven, whose low shot was diverted into the net by Davies.

Only his eighth Premier League goal in 11-and-a-half years at Spurs, and the 10th of this Premier League campaign from a set piece for Frank’s team. Both Davies and Tel faded as the game went one, however, as might have been expected.

Sunderland were most effective from that side of the pitch as they fought back.

Hindsight a beautiful thing…

If there was one player Frank did not want to see limp off injured after selling Johnson to Crystal Palace it would have been Kudus.

The summer arrival of Kudus for £55million from West Ham effectively ended Johnson’s Spurs career, and it made sense for him to move on, but this game was just 18 minutes old when Kudus sank onto the turf.

The medics came on and prodded at the thigh muscle of his left leg before they walked him off.

'Hopefully the decisions make more sense further down the line,' said Frank. 'Now was the opportunity to sell a player, something the club hasn’t been that good at in the past.

'Sometimes that window can be small. Sometimes it can look like perfect timing. Sometimes not perfect. Sometimes you can’t delay them.'

MATCH FACTS

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Vicario 6; Porro 7, Romero 6, Van de Ven 7.5, Davies 7 (Spence 88); Gray 5.5 (Palhinha 72, 6.5), Bentancur 6; Kudus 5 (Kolo Muani 19, 6), Odobert 6 (Bergvall 72, 5), Tel 6 (Scarlett 88); Richarlison 6.

Subs: Kinsky, Dragusin, Danso, Williams-Barnett

Goals: Davies 30

Bookings: Bentancur, Palhinha

Manager: Thomas Frank 6

Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs 6; Geertruida 6.5, Mukiele 7, Alderete 7.5, Cirkin 5.5 (Mundle 59, 6); Xhaka 7; Le Fee 8; Hume 7.5, Mayenda 6.5 (Rigg 82), Adringra 6 (Ballard 66, 6); Brobbey 7.

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Rigg, O’Nien, Hjelde, Jones, Tutierov

Goals: Brobbey 80

Bookings: Cirkin, Alderete, Le Fee

Manager: Regis Le Bris 6.5

Ref: Stuart Attwell 6

Att: 60,877

Rare chance for Tel

This was a rare chance for Tel for to make his case on a first start since October. Playing off the left with Wilson Odobert at number 10 role behind Richarlison, Tel had plenty of early touches, forced a save and curled a shot narrowly wide.

But after the Kudus injury, it left Spurs playing with a trio of forwards with only two Premier League goals between them this season, in support of the centre forward Richarilson.

Perhaps it should be no surprise they were not clinical enough to convert the second despite several promising opportunities on the break. Tel and Odobert both became less influential when Sunderland came out in physical mood for the second half.

Frank’s dearth of attacking alternatives were laid bare at the end when he sent on the lesser spotted Dane Scarlett, 21, and finished the game with centre half Romero roaming up front, once again.

Regis Le Draw

Sunderland were passive in the first half. They barely had a touch in the Spurs penalty box, before something fired them up in the second half.

They fought their way into the game, unafraid to leave some physical contact on various opponents and Rodrigo Bentancur was drawn into a running squabble with Lutsharel Geertruida, which flared up again after the final whistle.

It made for a better contest. Spurs resisted and flickered on the break, but the visitors summoned an unstoppable wave of momentum.

Guglielmo Vicario saved from Eliezer Mayenda and was grateful to Davies for a clearance after the ‘keeper misjudged a cross. Brobbey slammed a shot into the side netting after a carelessness by Romero and Enzo Le Fee headed against the post.

Ultimately, Spurs could not cling on for their third clean sheet in eight days. Sunderland were worth the equaliser, fired by Brobbey from a sweet pass by Le Fee in the 80th minute.

A goal to secure their fourth successive draw and keep them above Newcastle in eighth. On 30 points they are probably close to safety. 'We need 10 more,' said Le Bris. 'Time to move on and ride the wave.'

Thomas Frank responded to a chorus of boos from Tottenham supporters after a goalless draw at Brentford with a promise to make his team more fluent and more prolific.

The Spurs boss accepted the dissent from the away end after the final whistle and asked them to appreciate the value of a clean sheet against the Bees, who have taken points from Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle at the Gtech Community Stadium and scored four on their previous outing against Bournemouth.

Frank said: 'They were not too satisfied and it's fair when we don't hit that top performance overall, but I think it's double-sided because we need to acknowledge the defensive side of the game, which we've done excellent today against a team that scored three against Liverpool and Man United.

'If you as a team are not strong defensively it's just impossible to compete over a long season. Impossible if you want to end in the nice position you would like to end in.

'But of course the offensive part needs to be better. There's no two ways about that. I'm very aware that we are not where I want us to be. Very aware.

'It's not that we don't want to play offensive or attacking football. We work very, very hard on that, but while you work hard on that you can't, if you struggle scoring goals or creating enough chances, you can't open up too much because then you need to score too many goals. It's a fine balance.'

Frank added: 'I would prefer if everyone was happy and we are winning 3-0. I am confident we will make it fluent and better and scoring enough goals.'

He pointed to the limited time to work on offensive structure and missing key creative players, including Xavi Simons who is serving a three-match ban and Lucas Bergvall who was injured on Sunday at Crystal Palace.

Brennan Johnson was also missing having agreed a £35million move to Palace.

Frank said: 'It's fair to say Lucas and Xavi will hopefully soon be back and also (Dominic) Solanke at some stage. He is out on the pitch and part-training with the group. There's a possibility he could be back this month. And we are in the market, looking to improve the squad but the January window is difficult and we need to be calm.'

Brentford boss Keith Andrews thought his team deserved to win and thought Spurs captain Cristian Romero should have been sent off for a last-man tackle on Igor Thiago.

Andrews said: 'I've had a very clear look at it. I thought it was a red card. What makes it even more frustrating is he should have had a red card in the first game, 26 days ago, when he scissored Thiago from behind, which was a dangerous tackle. I felt Spurs were very lucky with that today.'

Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Sunderland host Manchester City at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League plus Brentford vs Tottenham, with Craig Hope and Matt Barlow reporting from the grounds.

Brennan Johnson will undergo the first part of his medical tonight ahead of agreeing to join Crystal Palace from Tottenham in a deal worth £35million.

The Wales international held positive talks with Palace manager Oliver Glasner on Thursday after being given permission by Tottenham and was convinced of the project despite an initial reservation about the move.

Palace hope his transfer can be registered upon completion of his medical on Friday in time for him to face Newcastle on Sunday.

Daily Mail Sport revealed on Monday how Palace had accelerated talks and agreed a £35m fee with Tottenham having made the 24-year-old the club’s priority target for the window.

Palace moved after learning that Tottenham were surprisingly open to selling Johnson, who was their leading scorer last season with 18 goals.

Johnson scored the winning goal for Spurs in their Europa League final triumph over Manchester United in Bilbao in May.

He signed for Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for £47.5m in September 2023.

Tottenham are exploring a number of deals for forwards and have asked about Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig who is being monitored by Manchester United also.

Roma are the latest Serie A club to show interest in Radu Dragusin and the fit-again Romania centre-half is planning talks with Tottenham to clarify his future.

The 23-year-old made his Spurs return as a late substitute at Crystal Palace on Sunday, after building up fitness with the Under-21s before his return from 11 months out with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

In his absence, Dragusin has slipped behind Kevin Danso as well as first-choice central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in Thomas Frank’s plans.

Croatian teenager Luka Vuskovic, meanwhile, continues to impress on loan at Hamburg in the German Bundesliga.

Dragusin is concerned that if he stays on the sidelines for the rest of the season, he will start next season in competition with these four players, having played very little football in 20 months.

He wants to play regularly but his agent Florin Manea has told Romanian media outlets Spurs have made it clear they do not want him to go out on loan but that there will be a conversation about the best way forward.

Dragusin joined Spurs for £27million from Genoa in January 2024 and is still very highly rated in Italy.

Marco Ottolini, the Genoa sporting director who signed Dragusin from Juventus for £7m and sold him to Spurs for a £20m profit, is now moving to the same role at Juventus.

Inter Milan, managed by Romanian Cristian Chivu, have been linked and reports in Italy claim Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini is considering Dragusin and Axel Disasi of Chelsea among the options for defensive reinforcements.

Spurs might not be keen to loan him out but could be tempted by a permanent deal as they look to reshape and rebalance the squad.

Meanwhile, Spurs have accepted an offer of £35million with Palace for winger Brennan Johnson if he agrees to a move.

They accept they must be better at selling those who might not be part of their plans at a time when their value is strong, and Frank said: 'I think that’s key. It’s not only doing one thing right, playing a specific way or getting the culture right or whatever, there’s a lot of elements that we need to do well to be able to compete at the highest level.

'Part of it is being able to sell. You see the other top clubs, they are quite good at selling. That’s something we need to be improving. That’s something I know the guys above me are working very hard on. Everything’s linked.'