Player wants to leave Tottenham in January just months after signing eight-figure deal
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is now having to deal with unsettled players as he also prepares for a vital North London derby this weekend, according to a new report.
Spurs, under the new leadership team of co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange, are bracing for a significant January transfer window where several fringe players could well depart N17.
The most high-profile of them appears inevitable for Yves Bissouma, whose spell at Spurs appears to be nearing a conclusion. The 28-year-old Mali international’s contract expires in June 2026, positioning him for a potential free transfer next year amid ongoing interest from Galatasaray after they failed to sign him in the summer.
Frank has already criticised Bissouma for his punctuality and discipline, explaining at the start of 2025/2026 that the midfielder “has been late several times and the latest time was one too many”.
The midfielder is currently absent with an ankle problem and hasn’t featured in a competitive game all season, but The Mail report Bissouma’s contract includes a one-year extension option — meaning they might not lose him for free next year after all.
Dejan Kulusevski
Knee
29/11/2025
James Maddison
ACL
01/06/2026
Radu Dragusin
Knee
22/11/2025
Ben Davies
Thigh
23/11/2025
Kota Takai
Ankle/Foot
23/11/2025
Mohammed Kudus
Knock
23/11/2025
Randal Kolo Muani
Jaw
23/11/2025
Yves Bissouma
Ankle/Foot
23/11/2025
Lucas Bergvall
Concussion
23/11/2025
Dominic Solanke
Ankle
23/11/2025
Archie Gray
Calf/Shin/Heel
23/11/2025
via Premier Injuries
In any case, they’d also only trigger it if they can’t sell him in the winter, and Bissouma isn’t the only player who could leave in under two months time.
Indeed, Richarlison’s future also hangs in the balance.
The forward’s own contract runs out in 2027, and he’s struggled for consistency not just this season, but ever since his £60 million move from Everton in 2022. Richarlison is believed to be attracting interest from his former club and Frank reportedly views the 28-year-old as ‘expendable’, meaning a January exit for the Brazil international isn’t ruled out despite Dominic Solanke’s injury woes.
On-lookers wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of the aforementioned pair left Spurs in the winter, provided they can sign a replacement for Richarlison, but a much more surprising name has now been touted for the exit door as well.
Mathys Tel keen to leave Tottenham in January and 'unhappy' in London
Just months after his £30 million permanent move from Bayern Munich, Roma have now emerged as potential January suitors for striker Mathys Tel.
Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the 20-year-old is unhappy in London and keen on departing Tottenham when the winter window opens, which comes as a shock given he’s basically only just arrived and performed fairly well when called upon.
Tel scored Tottenham’s equaliser against Man United last time out with an excellent finish on the turn, and opened the scoring in Spurs’ 2-1 win away to Leeds just before the October international break.
However, he was also controversially excluded from Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad by Frank, owing to the limited numbers they could select due to homegrown quota issues.
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has identified Tel as his primary target, viewing the youngster as someone with significant room for development who possesses the ideal profile to strengthen Roma’s attacking options.
La Gazzetta even suggests that Spurs could green-light a loan deal as opposed to an outright sale, but given both Randal Kolo Muani and Solanke’s struggles to stay fit, this would be rather unwise.
Given Frank’s limited attacking options, Roma’s apparent optimism about securing a deal may prove very premature. Tottenham need more options up top, not less, and Tel is someone who’s still raw but could pay dividends in the future as he continues to adjust to life in England.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann once backed Tel to become a ’40 goal a season’ striker, and while he’s still some way off that, letting him leave certainly doesn’t benefit the Lilywhites in any way.
