Thomas Frank has a seismic job on his hands to rebuild Tottenham and lead the freshly-crowned European champions into a new era.
Spurs come into the summer off the back of success in the Europa League final - a first trophy in 17 years, delivered by Ange Postecoglou.
However, silverware was not enough to save the Aussie’s job after what was otherwise a catastrophic campaign, with Tottenham finishing 17th in the Premier League on just 38 points.
Frank was sounded out as Daniel Levy’s first choice to replace Postecoglou in the dugout, with the Dane winning his fair share of admirers over a seven-year spell at the Brentford helm.
He oversaw a remarkable rise in the Bees’ fortunes, guiding them to promotion to the top flight in 2021, and has since established Brentford as a top-flight side, but has now moved to one of the Premier League’s “big six” in a bid to restore Spurs’ status as a contender at the upper end of the table.
First on the docket for Frank is to bolster Spurs’ problem-laden squad over the coming weeks, building a team capable of surging back up the table, and the capture of West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus for £55m is the first step in doing that.
Here’s everything you need to know about Tottenham’s summer transfer plans.
Areas to improve
Tottenham might be boasting European champion status, but their team is hardly reflective of such an achievement. At the heart of their issues is depth, something that was brutally exposed last term in the midst of their unrelenting injury crisis.
Future injuries in defence cannot lead to Archie Gray being plonked at centre-back. As such, Spurs will be desperate for cover in those defensive positions, especially given the amount of time Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero spent in the treatment table last season.
They’ll also be targeting a top quality defensive midfielder to elevate the team, given the issues experienced in that position. Spurs have a few top-drawer midfielders, with the likes of James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall impressing, but with Yves Bissouma’s future up in the air, a new No 6 is a priority.
Meanwhile, going forward, Spurs need reinforcements. Mathys Tel’s loan move has already been made permanent, and alongside the arrival of Kudus these signings act to partly address issues in depth on the wing and up top. However, Spurs could really do with another striker option and ideally an extra body on the wing, though their much-publicised pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White has been derailed after the Englishman signed a new contract at the City Ground.
Done deals
Ins: Mohammed Kudus (West Ham, £55m), Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich, £30m), Kevin Danso (Lens, £21m), Luka Vuskovic (Hadjuk Split, £9.4m), Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale, £5m)
Outs: Pierre-Emile Hojberg (Marseille, £17m), Alejo Veliz (Rosario Central, loan), Fraser Forster (released), Sergio Reguilon (released), Alfie Whiteman (released)
Potential targets
Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest
Spurs triggered Morgan Gibbs-White’s release clause of £60m and the midfielder was set to have his medical, but the move now appears to have fallen apart. Forest considered legal action over what they believe to be an illegal approach, causing proceedings to stall, before the Englishman put pen to paper over a surprise new contract.
Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s FA Cup hero Eberechi Eze could be in line for a switch to a big six side this summer, with Tottenham seemingly sounding him out as a top target. The 26-year-old enjoyed a stellar campaign last season but Oliver Glasner will no doubt do all he can to keep hold of the England international ahead of their European tour next term. In addition, Spurs are expected to face competition from Arsenal and maybe Chelsea.
Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace
Another Palace standout, Eagles skipper Marc Guehi has been near the top of Tottenham’s wish list for a while now. They had a late move for the defender rejected in the winter window but could go back in for him in the coming weeks, with his contract at Selhurst Park expiring in 2026.
Yoane Wissa, Brentford
Spurs are interested in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, though it is Nottingham Forest who are leading the race for the Congo international after seeing a £20m bid rejected.
Wissa is Brentford’s leading scorer in the Premier League with 45 goals. Spurs originally held an interest in the striker in January, and have been quoted a price of £50m for his signature.
Joao Palhinha, Bayern Munich
Tottenham are said to be considering an approach for former Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, with Bayern Munich apparently ready to sell the Portuguese.
Palhinha has only been in the Bundesliga for one season after completing a £47m deal, though he has found playing time hard to come by in Bavaria.