Spence signs new long-term dealpublished at 11:37 BST 18 August
11:37 BST 18 August
Image source, Getty Images
Tottenham defender Djed Spence has signed a new long-term deal with the club.
The 25-year-old, who arrived from Middlesbrough in 2022, endured a difficult start to his Spurs career and spent loan spells at Rennes, Leeds and Genoa.
Last season he emerged as an important player for Ange Postecoglou and to date he has made 42 appearances, scoring twice.
Spence's existing deal was not set to expire until 2028.
Gossip: Spurs consider Kubo movepublished at 07:10 BST 18 August
07:10 BST 18 August
Tottenham are thinking about moving for 24-year-old Real Sociedad and Japan winger Takefusa Kubo as Thomas Frank looks to bolster his attacking options. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external
Tottenham 3-0 Burnley - the fans' verdictpublished at 18:15 BST 17 August
18:15 BST 17 August
Media caption,
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Tottenham and Burnley.
Here are some of your comments:
Tottenham fans
David: Amazing game - it was really nice to see the ball run so smoothly. I never really thought much of Richarlison, but now it looks like he is bound to have an amazing season. Go Thomas the Frank Engine! Choo choo!
John: Good win and nice to get three goals - even better not to concede any. The team looks like a unit that knows what its doing, playing like a proper team. Frank knows what he's doing.
Neil: A good start - three points and three goals plus a double for Richie - who, if he stays mentally and physically fit, will be a bonus. A lot still to work on for Frank, but after losing all those games last season, it was nice not to be worried all match.
Iain: Great win, but don't get too excited because there's another 37 league games to go. Frank's trust in Richarlison paid off and was, by a long way, the outstanding player, with Mohammed Kudus deserving applause for his performance too. Manchester City away next week will be a better test for Spurs' players. But football is a funny old game, so who knows!
Brian: Still a small sample size, but it is interesting to see how more or less the same squad as last year can look so robust, as if they are now playing with their whole bodies rather than just their feet. The best of the Ange era was still on display with Johnson's goal, but that was the icing, not the cake. Great start!
Phil: While it was a good start to the league, we were very lucky again. Just like the Europa League final. Attack was good but, yet again, very shoddy in defence - hence good luck needed.
Burnley fans
Chris: No surprises, but no worries - it's the Premier League isn't it. Just keep focused and don't panic. Great manager and keen squad to succeed. It will take time.
Jonathon: We weren't as bad as the scoreline shows but this is the Premier League. We can't afford to leave players free in the box when we have five at the back. We need attackers with actual quality as well. I feel like it's going to be worse than the Kompany season. Maybe I'm overreacting...
Alan: Crushed. I hoped Burnley would get a positive result, but it is the manner of the loss that is so disheartening. Defensive set-up beaten after 12 minutes and no way back. Another long season with nothing but disappointment to look forward to.
Paul: Judging from that, it's going to be a very long season. We simply do not have a credible goal threat. That will make attacking us easy for other teams. If we do not beat Sunderland at home next week we will find ourselves stranded at the foot of the table. And that will be that.
Tad: Last year, it took us until Christmas for the new players to gel together and understand the the manager's style. Thereafter, we looked unstoppable. And the starting XI did at least look like they'd played together before. The difference between the Championship and the Premier League is that you at least pick up points in the former while you're gelling. Whereas here...
Frank and players silence the critics and protestorspublished at 14:20 BST 17 August
14:20 BST 17 August
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Although Tottenham's 2024-25 season ended in glory with their first trophy in 17 years and their first European silverware since 1984, their woeful league performances left them 17th, in their worst position in English football since one campaign in the old Second Division in the late 1970s.
Fan protests were a regular part of last season, although a planned protest on Saturday failed to materialise, apart from a handful of fans outside the stadium holding one banner criticising chairman Daniel Levy, which read: Built a business, killed a football club.
Some supporters have expressed their disappointment at the club's business in the transfer window as Mohammed Kudus, along with midfielder Joao Palhinha who has joined on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, have been the only major additions.
Hugely popular club captain Son Heung-min was sold to Los Angeles FC for £18m, while Spurs failed in an attempt to sign England's Morgan Gibbs-White with the midfielder since agreeing a new deal with Nottingham Forest.
But the club are making progress to sign Crystal Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze with talks expected to progress in the next 48 hours, while Manchester City winger Savinho remains a target.
The best way for Tottenham and Frank to stop fans protesting is with their performances.
This result against Burnley, and their showing in the Uefa Super Cup on Wednesday - when they gave European champions Paris St-Germain a huge fright before conceding a 94th-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 and then lose on penalties - has been a good start.
Tottenham have remained as entertaining as they were under Postecoglou, but the early signs under Thomas Frank are that the team will be able to do that without the all-out attack and defensively vulnerable nature often displayed under the Australian.
Frank summed it up by saying: "It was a perfect start, our dream start, but we all know we need to follow on it.
"But today I will just enjoy it, and I hope the players, the club and the fans enjoyed it."
Kudus will quickly become a Spurs favouritepublished at 12:03 BST 17 August
12:03 BST 17 August
Chris Wise Final Score reporter
Image source, Getty Images
To even attempt to steal the headlines from Richarlison after Spurs' win over Burnley, you would have to have had a brilliant game. But Mohammed Kudus more than deserves some attention.
He provided both of the Brazilian's goals, but there was far more to Kudus' game that will have piqued the interest of Tottenham Hotspur fans. He was bright, tricky, and showed a strong willingness to work back for his team too.
There has been talk around the training ground that Thomas Frank has made getting the ball to Kudus one of Spurs' primary concerns when they are in possession, as he recognises he can hurt opponents like few others.
Clearly, it is only one game. But this performance was far more aligned to the Kudus we saw when he first came to the Premier League, rather than the player who drifted in and out of games with West Ham last season.
More of what we saw on Saturday, and Kudus will quickly become a Spurs favourite.
Watch Premier League highlights and analysispublished at 11:31 BST 17 August
11:31 BST 17 August
Pundits Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's opening Premier League fixtures.
Tottenham 3-0 Burnley: Did you know?published at 17:54 BST 16 August
17:54 BST 16 August
Image source, Getty Images
Richarlison has scored 13 goals in his last 16 Premier League starts for Tottenham, including nine goals in his last nine starts at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Perfect Premier League start for new Spurs boss Frankpublished at 17:17 BST 16 August
17:17 BST 16 August
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Tottenham had performed well on Wednesday in Thomas Frank's first competitive game in charge as they gave Champions League holders Paris St-Germain a fright in the Uefa Super Cup in Udine, Italy.
Spurs had led 2-0 after 84 minutes only to concede twice late on, including a 94th-minute equaliser, before losing 4-3 on penalties.
But they bounced back from that disappointment against Burnley on Saturday as Lucas Bergvall, impressing in an attacking midfield role, nearly scored within the opening 30 seconds only to be denied by away goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
The Spurs fans helped create a fantastic atmosphere as they chanted how they were "champions of Europe, we know what we are".
The positivity continued when Ghana forward Mohammed Kudus, who has looked an excellent addition, did superbly to cross from the right wing with Richarlison doing the rest with a composed finish.
The Brazilian, who only scored five goals in all competitions for Tottenham in 2024-25, started in the number nine role against PSG and was used in the same position against the Clarets - with Kudus wide right and Brennan Johnson wide left - while Dominic Solanke was among the substitutes.
With attacking midfielder James Maddison out for the majority of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season and forward Dejan Kulusevski also recovering from a serious knee injury, Richarlison will be vital for Spurs' hopes this season.
It is only the first weekend of the season, but you will struggle to see a better goal throughout the campaign than Richarlison's scissor kick - on a perfect day and a perfect start to the job for Frank.
Tottenham were clearly the better team and, after finishing 17th last season, with fan demonstrations a regular occurrence, this was a great way for Frank and Tottenham to start their league campaign.
Tottenham v Burnley: Team newspublished at 14:13 BST 16 August
14:13 BST 16 August
Mohammed Kudus makes his first Premier League appearance for Tottenham from the start. Fellow new boys Joao Palhinha and Luka Vuskovic are on the bench. Richarlison gets the nod instead of Dominic Solanke up front.
Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus, Sarr, Johnson, Richarlison.
Sutton's predictions: Tottenham v Burnleypublished at 11:03 BST 16 August
11:03 BST 16 August
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy says he is not expecting Thomas Frank to win the Premier League in his first season, which is nice of him, but I wonder exactly when he is expecting it to happen then?
I'm a fan of Frank, who is so versatile with his formations and, despite whoever else Spurs sign this summer, they already have some very good players.
They will be pushing for fifth place, but I'm afraid I don't see anything but a relegation struggle for Burnley.
I have a lot of respect for Clarets boss Scott Parker and what he achieved winning promotion last season. Their record of 30 clean sheets in 46 league games was just phenomenal.
They are in with the big boys again now though and, while it is one thing keeping the likes of Plymouth and Oxford out, doing the same at this level is a completely different proposition.
This is a gimme for Spurs - the perfect fixture for them to get over the way they lost the Super Cup in midweek and for Frank to get off the mark.
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 17:14 BST 15 August
17:14 BST 15 August
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
Spurs are required to put Wednesday's Super Cup disappointment behind them as they start their Premier League campaign against Scott Parker's Burnley.
BBC Sport looks at some key themes ahead of this intriguing clash.
It appears that trophies aren't quite like London buses for Tottenham Hotspur.
The club ended a 17-year wait for silverware by clinching the Europa League in May and 85 days later they almost secured another title. But Thomas Frank's new-look Spurs let the Uefa Super Cup slip from their grasp after surrendering a two-goal lead to a Paris Saint-Germain before an eventual defeat on penalties.
Frank was quite rightly "very, very proud" of his side.
"I think the players gave everything against one of the best teams in the world, maybe the best," said Frank. "I think for 75 to 80 minutes we were perfect."
Attention now turns to Saturday's Premier League opener and fast start feels necessary.
Spurs ended last season in 17th with 22 defeats and 38 points – their lowest finish since 1977. They also took just three points from a possible nine against newly promoted sides at home, with victory over a desperately poor Southampton following defeats to Ipswich and Leicester.
Only the three relegated teams conceded a higher tally of expected goals against than Spurs last season, while the Lilywhites also ranked fourth overall for errors leading to shots with 41.
Traditionally, 40 points was thought to be enough for Premier League survival. But in the last 10 years, the average points collected by the team in 18th – which is a total that would need to be bettered in order to stay up – is exactly 32.
New boys Burnley collected 24 points during their last top-flight foray under Vincent Kompany in 2023-24, a campaign which ended in relegation. They also shipped 78 goals, but promise to be far more pragmatic this time around under former Spurs midfielder Scott Parker.
Unlike Spurs last season, Parker's side were a well-oiled defensive machine and conceded only 16 times in 46 Championship games as they stormed to 100 points and automatic promotion. However, the sale of star goalkeeper James Trafford to Manchester City feels a significant loss.
Trafford kept a Championship-record 12 consecutive shut outs between December and February and he has been replaced by former Newcastle stopper Martin Dubravka, who is 14 years his senior.
The experienced Slovakian is reportedly nursing a shoulder injury but whoever wears the gloves for Burnley this weekend is likely to be busy.
Can Spurs drag more minutes from key faces?published at 15:58 BST 15 August
15:58 BST 15 August
Image source, Getty Images
We have looked into the age profile of Tottenham's players for the 2025-26 season and recorded what percentage of minutes each of them played last campaign.
For the purpose of this exercise, we have deemed those under 24 as youth, between 24 and 30 as in their peak years and anyone over 30 to be a veteran.
The green represents new signings, who naturally did not play, red are those that have since left the club and yellow are all those that remain.
Spurs have lost elder statesmen, notably in Son Heung-min and added a younger touch. The vast number of players who didn't make 50% of the club's minutes last season points to the poor injury record the club suffered. Thomas Frank will hope far more of his names can contribute more minutes and that alone should dramatically help their league cause.
Frank on supporting Tel, 'phenomenal' Richarlison and first home gamepublished at 10:50 BST 15 August
10:50 BST 15 August
Katie Stafford BBC Sport journalist
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League opening game at home against newly promoted Burnley (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Left-back Destiny Udogie is "progressing" in his recovery but is not yet available.
Midfielder Yves Bissouma will return to the squad after being left out of the Super Cup squad for persistent lateness. He added: "I have certain standards and demands and consequences if demands are not met."
He said the racist abuse Mathys Tel was subjected to after the Super Cup final "is terrible" and "no real Tottenham supporter" would do that.
More on Tel: "We're doing everything to support him in this situation. He's a strong person. We'll see the real Tottenham supporters at the stadium tomorrow backing him. In tough times we step up together. I expect really big cheers for him tomorrow."
Frank has been impressed by his players "very strong mentality" and their "ability to take on messages and gameplans" since taking over the role in June.
On whether he will have butterflies for the first home game in charge: "I will have tomorrow. If I'm honest, now I'm in work mode. I know when I wake up tomorrow and when I step into the stadium I will feel it."
Frank thought Richarlison was "really phenomenal" against Paris St-Germain because his "hold-up play, his intensity and his arriving in the box was top".
He said his players "have recovered well" from Wednesday's game but he can "freshen up" the squad if he chooses to.
The recruitment team "are working" to bring in more players before the transfer window closes and "will do something" if "they fit" into Frank's plans.
On the young players - like Mikey Moore, who has gone on loan to Rangers - and where they stand this season: "There is a fine balance. To train with professional, higher-level players and their intensity is very good, but the most important thing for any player is playing minutes. If I think it's the right time to get them out then I will."
Gossip: Tottenham hopeful for Eze dealpublished at 07:30 BST 15 August
07:30 BST 15 August
Tottenham are confident they have put together a deal for Eberechi Eze, 27, that will satisfy Crystal Palace, who value their England midfielder at £68m. (Teamtalk), external
Kick it Out condemns Tel abusepublished at 13:40 BST 14 August
13:40 BST 14 August
Image source, Getty Images
Kick it Out say they stand with Tottenham forward Mathys Tel after he received racial abuse following the defeat by Paris St-Germain in the Uefa Super Cup.
Tel came on as a substitute in the 79th minute and was one of two Spurs players who failed to convert from the spot in the penalty shootout.
"If you're a black player, it would be totally understandable to think, 'Why would I want to take a penalty?' That's the state of the game right now, and the sad fact is, it's nothing new," anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said.
Kick it Out said accountability from both the offenders and social media companies is "not being met".
"Football bodies, authorities, and the regulator Ofcom, must come together to accelerate a plan that better protects players," the charity added.
"Their welfare should always be paramount, and we stand with Mathys Tel and all those who have suffered this continuing, racist abuse."
Tottenham said in a statement: "Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards - hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views."
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were subjected to racist abuse in July 2021 in the aftermath of the Euro 2020 final, after all three missed penalties as England lost to Italy.
Where will Tottenham finish this season? published at 12:01 BST 14 August
12:01 BST 14 August
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has offered up his annual predictions:
8) Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: 17th
A seismic summer at Spurs as Ange Postecoglou was sacked after winning the Europa League - their first trophy in 17 years - and replaced by Brentford's Thomas Frank.
It also featured the departure of one of the club's modern-day greats as Son Heung-Min joined Los Angeles FC - so there is very much a sense of (another) fresh start at Spurs.
Frank is a big, charismatic personality who will relish the task after doing a magnificent job at Brentford, though there will also be greater scrutiny on his work, and not just from hard-to-please chairman Daniel Levy.
Still, expect this to be a season of improvement in the Premier League. It could not get worse than last season - or Spurs would find themselves in the Championship - and they should again be contenders for a cup.
The collapsed move for Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White was a setback, while the long-term injury to James Maddison hits hard, but Joao Palhinha - signed on loan from Bayern Munich - proved his Premier League quality at Fulham and Mohammed Kudus could provide a new 'X-factor' in attack.
Spurs will not stop there, either, with Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze in their sights, along with Manchester City winger Savinho.
Image source, Getty Images
