Sources: Thomas Frank ‘regretting’ Tottenham decision after hijack
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
(Credit: Imago)
Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent
Fri 5 September 2025 11:16, UK
Tottenham Hotspur’s failure to sign a replacement for James Maddison has left Thomas Frank with a decision to make in their new-look frontline, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what sources have told him about Spurs’ disappointing end to the transfer window.
Nottingham Forest blocked Tottenham’s move for Morgan Gibbs-White after Evangelos Marinakis intervened to halt his number 10’s exit, and Spurs also missed out on Eberechi Eze to their arch-rivals.
Maddison‘s ACL injury in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle resulted in Tottenham stepping up their interest in Eze, only for Arsenal to swoop in at the eleventh hour and beat them to his signature.
Spurs did bounce back from these blows to assemble a new-look frontline with Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani, but Frank is “regretting” not signing a clear replacement for Maddison.
Sources have told Football Insider that with Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski absent from Tottenham‘s current midfield options, Frank is disappointed that he wasn’t able to bring in an out-and-out number 10.
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Football Insider revealed on 29 August that Tottenham had lined up a “huge” bid for Morgan Rogers late in the transfer window to fill their number 10 void, but Aston Villa were able to retain their star playmaker.
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke stated that with Simons, Kudus and Kolo Muani to choose from this season, it remains to be seen how Frank opts to ‘replace’ Maddison and Kulusevski.
“It’s been a positive window for Tottenham, although they did miss out on a few players”, he told Football Insider.
“Gibbs-White was a player that they were really hoping to get done and were confident of getting over the line, and they were interested in Eze, but were hijacked by Arsenal in that one.
“You look at that Spurs, the frontline they’ve got now; Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani – that’s an exciting forward line for Tottenham.
“They’ll be regretting not getting that number 10 in because of James Maddison’s injury, and Dejan Kulusevski’s out injured as well, but it’s been a good window for Spurs.
“They’ve reshaped the forward line, and apart from that defeat to Bournemouth, it’s been a positive start to the season for Tottenham.”
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
When fit, Maddison and Kulusevski were two of Tottenham’s star performers in a disappointing campaign overall last season, and Frank has still brought in plenty of competition for their places this time around.
Although Spurs missed out on Gibbs-White and Eze, the arrivals of Kudus, Simons and Mathys Tel on a permanent deal provide Frank with options aplenty, particularly when Maddison returns in the new year.
Any side would be improved by Eze or Gibbs-White in the number 10 role, but Simons, Maddison, Kudus, Kulusevski and arguably Lucas Bergvall are all capable of making that position their own this season.