Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has seen a new era begin at the football club, with the Dane tasked with taking the side to the next level under his guidance.
The 52-year-old has already formed numerous impressive partnerships across the first-team squad, with centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero nailing their places down as regular starters.
The duo have started all but three league games together in 2025/26, with the pair no doubt playing a crucial role in the Lilywhites’ away record - which is the joint-best in the division at present.
Spurs’ latest fixture against PSG saw Frank unleash a midfield duo of Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, an opportunity which both players took full advantage of, potentially making them the manager’s long-term pairing at the heart of the side.
However, the Dane will no doubt be wishing that he could rely upon a couple of players who set the Premier League alight during their period together in North London.
The success of Kane & Son’s partnership at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs completed the £23m signature of winger Heung-min Son from Bayer Leverkusen - subsequently arriving as an unknown quantity to many supporters.
Such a move came at around the same time as academy striker Harry Kane was making his mark in the first-team ranks after various loan spells across the Football League.
However, not many people could have foreseen the impact they would have alongside one another, with such a partnership being one of, if not, the best, in England’s top-flight.
The pair linked up for 47 goals between one another - the most of any duo in the division’s history - with many of which handing the fans memories to last a lifetime.
A two-year spell between 2020 and 2022 was by far and away their most successful, as the duo linked up on 21 separate occasions for goals - a simply staggering feat.
One game will no doubt stand out, as Kane registered all four assists for Son in the 5-2 demolition of Southampton back in 2020/21 - with such a record putting the Englishman joint-top for most assists in a single English league game.
However, in 2025, Frank is unable to rely upon either of the aforementioned talents, with both moving on to pastures new over the last two years - undoubtedly leaving a huge hole in the Lilywhites' attack.
The Spurs duo who are becoming Frank’s own Son & Kane
During his time as a manager, Frank has not been alien to iconic duos at the top end of the pitch, with the Dane fortunate to work with multiple elite attackers at Brentford.
In the Championship years and the first few seasons in the Premier League, he was able to rely upon the likes of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo at the GTEC.
The pair scored 29 combined goals back in 2022/23, 11 goals shy of the tally produced by Kane and Son, but still managed to cement themselves as one of the division’s most threatening pairs.
In the present day, the Spurs boss has none of those players at his disposal in North London, but the Lilywhites hierarchy have handed him the opportunity to improve the options in his current squad.
He took full advantage during the summer window, splashing a reported £55m on the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from fellow Premier League side West Ham United.
Such a fee will have raised eyebrows, but the Ghanaian international has already made an immediate impact in North London after his controversial transfer.
He’s already managed to register four assists in the Premier League to date, with such a tally putting him joint-top in the division alongside the likes of Jack Grealish and Yankuba Minteh.
The numbers produced by Kudus are similar to Son's, leading to similarities being drawn due to their ability to create endless opportunities for their teammates in North London.
Their playstyles are also extremely similar, with both talents loving to take on their opponents, before cutting off their respective flanks and getting shots off on goal.
The other half of Frank’s duo at the top end of the pitch is made up by loanee Randal Kolo Muani, who joined the Lilywhites on a season-long loan from PSG.
The striker has often had to bide his time to regular minutes since his switch, as Richarlison has often been ahead of him in the pecking order, or he’s been sidelined with fitness issues.
However, his showing against his parent side on Wednesday night highlighted his impressive ability within the final third when given an opportunity to thrive.
The 26-year-old netted twice and registered an assist in the 5-3 defeat in the Champions League, but his clinical finishes certainly did show glimpses of what Kane produced in North London.
The pair, who earn a combined £300k-per-week at Spurs, will need time to gel and form a deadly partnership, but the early signs appear positive for the individuals.
If they can click together in the near future, there’s no reason why they can’t star together in the remainder of 2025/26 and potentially lead Frank to a successful first season at the helm.