Tottenham Hotspur have entered a new phase in recent months after Thomas Frank took the reins following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Aussie ended his spell in North London on a high after winning the Europa League, but it was their lowly Premier League finish which brought his time at the club to an end.
Such a responsibility now falls to the Dane, with the 51-year-old tasked with building on their recent European success and making the side a force to be reckoned with.
The board handed the new boss over £100m to make the additions he craved during the summer, subsequently strengthening various areas of his first-team squad.
However, one summer signing in the form of Mathys Tel could also be heading for the exit door - after the latest development coming out of the Lilywhites camp.
Mathys Tel’s current situation at Spurs
After spending the second half of last season on loan at Spurs, the hierarchy decided to make Tel's transfer permanent - costing around £30m from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
At just 20 years of age, the Frenchman was undoubtedly brought in as an immediate and long-term option for Frank in the club’s attempt for future success.
However, it’s unclear how much of a part he will play during the 51-year-old’s tenure after the winger was left out of the club’s 25-man squad for this season’s Champions League.
Upon his move to join the Lilywhites, not many people would’ve anticipated that he would be left out of the squad - especially considering his record of two goals in such a competition for Bayern.
The likes of Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and new addition Mohammed Kudus were all selected ahead of him - prompting questions to be asked around his long-term future under Frank.
Tel himself spoke to the media in recent days, subsequently downplaying a move away, but there is no doubt he there will be a strong sense of disappointment felt by the youngster in the months ahead.
However, he may not be the only player to leave North London in the near future, with another first-team member also failing to make the desired impact since Frank’s appointment.
The Spurs player who could be finished alongside Tel
During the first three Premier League outings of the Frank reign, it’s clear to see the manager is capable of switching up his system - either able to use a back four or back five when needed.
The Lilywhites have won two of their first three outings, beating Burnley and Manchester City, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on home soil before the international break.
His appointment has allowed Richarlison to flourish, with the Brazilian netting two goals and an assist in his three starts - resurrecting his career at the club after falling down Postecoglou’s pecking order during the Aussie's two years at the helm.
The same can’t be said for centre-back Ben Davies, with the Welshman being an unused substitute in all the league games to date, along with the Super Cup final defeat to Champions League winners PSG.
The 32-year-old made 28 appearances across all competitions throughout 2024/25, but it’s clear that minutes will be harder to come by in the near future.
Cristian Romero is already ahead of the former Swansea City star in the pecking order, forming an excellent partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of the backline.
The former of the duo was also named as the club’s new captain, further reducing the amount of game time Davies may receive during Frank’s spell at the club.
When called upon in recent times, his performances have also left a lot to be desired, leading to John Wenham labelling the centre-back as “terrible” in the defeat against Wolves a couple of years ago.
Given his age, he’s certainly ending the back end of his professional career, handing another reason for the hierarchy to cut loose and allow young talents to stake their claim.
Davies also earns a pretty penny, currently pocketing a steep £80k-per-week in North London - potentially saving a whopping £4.2m a year if he were to depart the Lilywhites.
There’s no denying the Welshman has been a tremendous servant, making over 350 appearances for the club after joining from Swansea back in the summer of 2014.
It may be a harsh decision to move Davies on, but ultimately, if Frank is to make the side into serial winners, brutal decisions will need to be made to enable further progression on the pitch.