Tottenham Predicted XI & Formation: How Spurs Line Up for 2025/26 Premier League
Tottenham have been a discussion point early in the season for Thomas Frank's first season in charge. New additions combined with formation questions have led to two different starting XIs to open the campaign against two vastly different sides in PSG and Burnley.
Formation Breakdown 5-3-2 vs. 4-3-3
Similar to Frank's Brentford days, it's likely he'll swap between two and three center-backs, depending on matchup. Spurs used an extra center-back (Kevin Danso) in the Super Cup match against PSG before utilizing Brennan Johnson in the attack at home against Burnley.
While at Brentford, Frank swapped formations depending on level of opponent, often opting for three center-backs against the best clubs in the league, something that seems likely again at Spurs.
Kew Players & New Signings
The addition of Mohammed Kudus and possibly Eberechi Eze makes it seem more likely that Frank will opt for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 more often. For starters, this group of players is better than anything Brentford ever had, so it doesn't make sense to employ three center-backs in half of Tottenham's matches.
Even after the James Maddison injury, Spurs will return Dejan Kulusevski from injury in the next couple months to go with Kudus, Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and even Pape Sarr who has been playing further forward.
Champions League and Beyond
Once Champions League begins and the roster takes full shape, more info will be known on how Frank wants to attack things. The upcoming match at Manchester City will also provide more light on the situation. If Frank opts for another 4-3-3 look in Manchester, that likely means the three center-back formation could be an extreme rarity.
While Solanke is freshly returned from an ankle injury, the opening brace from Richarlison and positive comments from Frank suggest the latter has the leg up on the starting XI. However, once the goals stop coming and Solanke gets back to full fitness, it's assumed Solanke will be the one starting the majority of matches.
Starting XI Locks
Players like Pedro Porro, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie could have their stats boosted in matchups where they plays as wing-backs, which is one of the big differences in a 5-3-2 look. Without any new additions (yet), it seems like those three will be starting the majority of matches again this season.
Meanwhile, Kudus could be in for the heaviest workload in this system, able to feature on the wing or as a forward in the 5-3-2. The bigger question will be on the left wing where Johnson started in the win against Burnley, while Odobert and Tel figure to see a lot of time from the bench.
Sarr's role may be a little more unknown because while he started the first two official matches, the addition of someone new may move him out of the XI completely. The original thought was that Eze would join the team, but now that the move seems dead, it'll be the next man up for Spurs.
While everyone is healthy, it seems like the midfield will rotate fairly frequently. There's no reason to play someone like Rodrigo Bentancur or Joao Palhinha every minute when Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Yves Bissouma are all available.
