Bentancur on brink of new Spurs deal as Frank locks down his engine room

Tottenham look set to reward Rodrigo Bentancur with a new long-term contract, a move that feels as sensible as it is overdue. The 28-year-old Uruguayan’s current deal runs out next summer, but an extension is expected to be wrapped up before the month is out. Under new head coach Thomas Frank, Bentancur has been the metronome and the muscle, starting eight of the first ten matches of the campaign.

For those keeping an eye on the odds at best betting sites, this development matters: Spurs are close to agreeing a long-term extension with Bentancur, a player currently earning around £75,000 per week before bonuses. Talks accelerated once the summer window slammed shut and, by all accounts, have been smooth sailing.

Frank’s trusted starter

Frank has built his early Spurs blueprint on control and energy, and Bentancur ticks both boxes. Eight starts in ten under the new boss tells you plenty about trust. He sets the tempo, shuts down counters, and gives the attacking three a platform to get on with the fun stuff. It’s the sort of consistency that managers cling to when shaping a new era in north London.

Big-game pedigree under Ange

This isn’t a flash in the pan, either. Last season, under Ange Postecoglou, Bentancur was a fixture in the Europa League triumph—starting and finishing the quarter-final, both legs of the semi, and the final against Manchester United. When the stakes rose, he didn’t flinch.

Numbers that back it up

Earlier this week, in the Champions League draw with Bodo/Glimt, Bentancur won seven ground duels—a neat snapshot of his edge in midfield battles. All statistics courtesy of Sofascore, correct as of 02/10/2025.

Paulinha partnership points to a plan

Spurs also moved for another number six in Joao Paulinha over the summer and already like what they see. There’s a €30m option to buy from Bayern Munich at the end of his loan; they could trigger it or haggle the price down, but Frank wants him to stay and Paulinha’s keen on sticking around. Crucially, the Bentancur–Paulinha pairing in a 4-2-3-1 looks balanced: bite, brains, and a tidy first pass. It’s precisely why the club are so eager to tie Bentancur down.

Spine of the side getting sorted

The deal would make Bentancur the second senior player to commit in recent months, following new captain Cristian Romero’s four-year contract in August. Locking in leaders through the spine is exactly how you build staying power, and Spurs are finally behaving like a side with a medium-term plan.

Bottom line: the trajectory is right. Bentancur’s contract situation looks set to be resolved swiftly, he’s central to Frank’s system, and the double pivot with Paulinha gives Spurs a platform to grow. Tie this up, weigh up that Bayern clause sensibly, and the project starts to look very joined-up indeed.