Richarlison out for seven weeks in yet another blow for Tottenham

Over the next seven weeks, Tottenham will play ten times, including two Champions League matches and Premier League games against both Manchester clubs and Arsenal. They host West Ham United, who have not won in ten league games, in a critical meeting for two out-of-sorts clubs on Saturday.

In more heartening news for Frank, the head coach said Lucas Bergvall “could be available” after missing the Villa game, while Dominic Solanke is set for more minutes after returning from an ankle injury against Villa. Destiny Udogie could make his first appearance since early December and Yves Bissouma has returned from Afcon duty with Mali.

The widespread injuries increase the need for January signings, but Frank emphasised that Tottenham should not look for quick fixes in the transfer window.

“We are in the market to see if we can improve the squad, but it needs to improve the squad short and long-term,” Frank said. “It can’t only be for the next four months.”

Tottenham did add to their non-playing personnel on Thursday. John Heitinga, who was part of Arne Slot’s title-winning staff at Liverpool last season, has joined as assistant coach to Frank. Heitinga — a former Everton, Fulham and Netherlands defender — has been out of work since he was sacked by Ajax in November.

“All the character references we took [revealed] just a top guy, top integrity, top football person,” Frank said of Heitinga, 42.

Meanwhile, Carlos Raphael Moersen has been appointed Tottenham’s director of football operations, a newly created role. Moersen spent more than ten years at the City Football Group, most recently as their director of football transactions. He will join before the summer and lead football administration, player care and training-ground operations.

Moersen is believed not to be a direct replacement for Fabio Paratici, who will leave his position as co-sporting director at the end of January having only returned to Tottenham in October.

Tottenham also signed Conor Gallagher, the England midfielder, on Wednesday. The 25-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid for £35million after Tottenham hijacked Aston Villa’s move for the player.

Frank praised Gallagher’s pressing and goalscoring abilities, and believes opponents found him “unplayable” in his final year at Chelsea before he moved to Atletico in 2024. The head coach helped to convince Gallagher to join Tottenham in a phone conversation.

“I told him about the project and plan with him and the club,” Frank said. “He suited us and we suited him.”

Frank has endured a difficult season since taking charge of Tottenham last summer, with poor form and an uninspiring style of play leading to much of the fanbase losing faith. Defeat by 18th-placed West Ham would put him under even more pressure, while Paratici’s departure is another suggestion of instability.

However, Frank feels this week’s arrivals are evidence that Tottenham are trending upwards, even if he was not quite familiar with Moersen’s position.

“Signing Conor, John Heitinga as an assistant coach is an excellent signing. Rafi as a football operation officer, I think is the correct title, a key member in how we want to do things,” he said. “Everything is going forward. We just need to add a top performance and win on Saturday.”

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