Transfermarkt

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham Hotspur confirmed their latest summer transfer on Tuesday, when the North London club announced that they had completed the signing of Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai. In a deal worth a reported €5.8 million, the 20-year-old talent makes the move to Spurs after signing a five-year deal with the club. Such a transfer fee make Takai he sixht most expensive sale in the history of the J.League. So who is the young defender and how good could Tottenham’s new signing be?

How good is Kota Takai?

After coming through Kawasaki Frontale’s youth academy as an exciting talent, Takai made his senior debut for the club in an AFC Champions League clash with Guangzhou on April 18, 2022, aged just 17 years and seven months old. That made the central defender the club’s youngest ever debutant. However, he would have to wait almost exactly one year before he made his J-League debut at the age of 18 and seven months old, which made him the club’s sixth youngest league debutant of all time. And since then he’s really gone from strength to strength for the “Azzurro Nero”.

"Despite being only in his second year of high school at the time, he signed a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to do so," noted Transfermarkt's data scout for Japan, Yuta Izawa, when asked about Takai's journey as a young player. "Expectations for him were high from the start, especially considering that Kawasaki Frontale has produced talents like Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Reo Hatate (Celtic). In the summer of 2022, while still part of the U18 team, he played in a preseason match against PSG."

After making a total of 28 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, Takai had established himself as a first-choice central defender for his club and, following impressive performances at the Olympic Games for the Japanese Olympic Team, he then made his debut for the Japan national team in a 7-0 win over China in the Asian World Cup qualifying rounds last September. "His name became widely known across Japan after his performances in international matches," noted Izawa. "At club level, he became a regular last season and was named the J.League’s Best Young Player."

Most recently, Takai was a crucial part of his team's push to the final of the AFC Champions League Elite, where he played every minute of the club's knock-out rounds. Rather notably, Takai was crucial in his side overcoming Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with notable strikers Jhon Durán and Cristiano Ronaldo failing to score a single goal over the course of the game as Takai & Co. did just enough to get through to the final with a 3-2 win. Although the J-League side lost the final to Al-Ahli in a 2-0 defeat, it was a competition that clearly elevated the young defender's standing in the global game and showcased what he's capable of against top opposition.

So what is Takai's main attributes? According to Izawa, he has all the right skills to succeed in a league that makes huge physical demands like the Premier League. "He’s tall and dominant in the air, with excellent heading ability," noted the J.League expert. "He is physically strong and is fast, so he doesn’t get outmuscled easily. He’s also very good at building up play from the back. But his biggest strength is his composure in big games — he always stays calm under pressure."

Why are Tottenham signing Kota Takai?

Standing tall at 6ft 4ins and with an excellent tendency to dribble and pass with the ball with relative ease, Tottenham clearly feel as though Takai is ready to make the significant step up from J.League to Premier League. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be slotting straight into Thomas Frank’s first-team plans or may find himself loaned out in the coming season. And a quick glance at Tottenham’s squad for next season only underlines the serious competition Takai will face for a starting spot in the team in the years ahead.

Player Comparison

Kota Takai

Luka Vuskovic

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

€2.50m

Market Value

€12.00m

Age

Centre-Back

Position

Centre-Back

Jun 30, 2030

Contract until

Jun 30, 2030

Full Player Comparison

For example, alongside first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Frank will also have Radu Drăgușin and Ben Davies in back-up. Alongside that, the club will also welcome back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan at Stoke City this season and have recently signed Kevin Danso on a permanent deal. And as if that wasn’t enough competition for Takai to contend with, he’ll also need to find a way to outshine new signing Luka Vuskovic, who has joined the club from Hajduk Split for €11m, after making waves in Belgian football at Westerlo last season. Even if Tottenham were to sell one or two of the aforementioned names this summer, it still means Takai has four or five senior players to compete with.

However, when asked about his prospects in England, Izawa believes Takai is ready to make the step up at Tottenham. "Yes, I think he’s ready," said the Japanese football expert. "His biggest strength is that he stays composed even on the international stage. In the Champions League semi-final, he played a key role in the win against Al-Nassr by keeping Ronaldo and Durán quiet. To be honest, it’s hard to say exactly how well he’ll do in the Premier League, but he definitely has the potential to compete at that level."

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham Hotspur confirmed their latest summer transfer on Tuesday, when the North London club announced that they had completed the signing of Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai. In a deal worth a reported €5.8 million, the 20-year-old talent makes the move to Spurs after signing a five-year deal with the club. Such a transfer fee make Takai he sixht most expensive sale in the history of the J.League. So who is the young defender and how good could Tottenham’s new signing be?

How good is Kota Takai?

After coming through Kawasaki Frontale’s youth academy as an exciting talent, Takai made his senior debut for the club in an AFC Champions League clash with Guangzhou on April 18, 2022, aged just 17 years and seven months old. That made the central defender the club’s youngest ever debutant. However, he would have to wait almost exactly one year before he made his J-League debut at the age of 18 and seven months old, which made him the club’s sixth youngest league debutant of all time. And since then he’s really gone from strength to strength for the “Azzurro Nero”.

"Despite being only in his second year of high school at the time, he signed a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to do so," noted Transfermarkt's data scout for Japan, Yuta Izawa, when asked about Takai's journey as a young player. "Expectations for him were high from the start, especially considering that Kawasaki Frontale has produced talents like Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Reo Hatate (Celtic). In the summer of 2022, while still part of the U18 team, he played in a preseason match against PSG."

After making a total of 28 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, Takai had established himself as a first-choice central defender for his club and, following impressive performances at the Olympic Games for the Japanese Olympic Team, he then made his debut for the Japan national team in a 7-0 win over China in the Asian World Cup qualifying rounds last September. "His name became widely known across Japan after his performances in international matches," noted Izawa. "At club level, he became a regular last season and was named the J.League’s Best Young Player."

Most recently, Takai was a crucial part of his team's push to the final of the AFC Champions League Elite, where he played every minute of the club's knock-out rounds. Rather notably, Takai was crucial in his side overcoming Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with notable strikers Jhon Durán and Cristiano Ronaldo failing to score a single goal over the course of the game as Takai & Co. did just enough to get through to the final with a 3-2 win. Although the J-League side lost the final to Al-Ahli in a 2-0 defeat, it was a competition that clearly elevated the young defender's standing in the global game and showcased what he's capable of against top opposition.

So what is Takai's main attributes? According to Izawa, he has all the right skills to succeed in a league that makes huge physical demands like the Premier League. "He’s tall and dominant in the air, with excellent heading ability," noted the J.League expert. "He is physically strong and is fast, so he doesn’t get outmuscled easily. He’s also very good at building up play from the back. But his biggest strength is his composure in big games — he always stays calm under pressure."

Why are Tottenham signing Kota Takai?

Standing tall at 6ft 4ins and with an excellent tendency to dribble and pass with the ball with relative ease, Tottenham clearly feel as though Takai is ready to make the significant step up from J.League to Premier League. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be slotting straight into Thomas Frank’s first-team plans or may find himself loaned out in the coming season. And a quick glance at Tottenham’s squad for next season only underlines the serious competition Takai will face for a starting spot in the team in the years ahead.

Player Comparison

Kota Takai

Luka Vuskovic

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

€2.50m

Market Value

€12.00m

Age

Centre-Back

Position

Centre-Back

Jun 30, 2030

Contract until

Jun 30, 2030

Full Player Comparison

For example, alongside first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Frank will also have Radu Drăgușin and Ben Davies in back-up. Alongside that, the club will also welcome back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan at Stoke City this season and have recently signed Kevin Danso on a permanent deal. And as if that wasn’t enough competition for Takai to contend with, he’ll also need to find a way to outshine new signing Luka Vuskovic, who has joined the club from Hajduk Split for €11m, after making waves in Belgian football at Westerlo last season. Even if Tottenham were to sell one or two of the aforementioned names this summer, it still means Takai has four or five senior players to compete with.

However, when asked about his prospects in England, Izawa believes Takai is ready to make the step up at Tottenham. "Yes, I think he’s ready," said the Japanese football expert. "His biggest strength is that he stays composed even on the international stage. In the Champions League semi-final, he played a key role in the win against Al-Nassr by keeping Ronaldo and Durán quiet. To be honest, it’s hard to say exactly how well he’ll do in the Premier League, but he definitely has the potential to compete at that level."

One of the most engrossing transfer stories this summer looks set to evolve around the future of Crystal Palace and England star Eberechi Eze. According to The Athletic, the 27-year-old is high among a number of options being considered by Arsenal this summer. Direct contact between the clubs is not yet thought to have been made, but serious consideration is being given to the idea. The attacking midfielder has a release clause in his contract rumoured to be worth around €78.7 million, but Arsenal are trying to strike a deal below that price. It is unclear whether a sale might be needed to facilitate this move, but this situation is believed to be separate to the Gunner's pursuit of a striker and a left-winger. Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City have also all been linked with Eze.

Following Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph in May, Eze said, "I want to win everything. Everything there is to win, for me to win, I want to win it. That's the mentality... it's always been the goal from the start." Although Palace's achievement was superb in lifting that trophy, it's the only major trophy the club has won in their entire history, and to be a serial winner, Eze will likely have to move on from the south London club. So why is the Palace midfielder wanted by so many top teams, and what could he add to a side like Arsenal?

Why Eberechi Eze is hot property

After making the move to Selhurst Park from QPR in 2020 for €17.8m, Eze has gradually asserted himself as one of the Premier League's best attacking midfielders. Injury issues have slightly halted his progress at times, but when fit, his ability to beat players and both score and create in the final third can't be matched by many other players in his position. Since Eze joined Palace in 2020, only six midfielders have provided more Premier League goal contributions than his total of 57. Not only have all of those above him played more games than Eze's 146, minus the exceptions of Kevin De Bruyne (133) and Cole Palmer (89), they have all been playing for teams that have scored more goals and mostly finished higher in the table.

Last term he had his most productive Premier League season with 16 goal contributions in 34 matches. Eze has also proven he is a man for the big occasion. He scored Palace's winning goal in the FA Cup final against Man City, and has also been on the scoresheet against Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool in the league in the last two seasons. The 27-year-old is a player who gets supporters out of their seats, and has a rare ability to find space in the tightest of areas. But where could he fit into this current Arsenal team should he move to the Emirates?

What could Eberechi Eze add to Arsenal?

The Gunners look set to have a busy window, having already put the steps in place to sign midfielders Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. They are also rumoured to be close to reaching an agreement for Valencia defender Christhian Mosquera, and are expected to sign both a striker and a winger this summer. So with all of these additions, plus the talent already at the north London club, just where might Eze fit in? His versatility could be the key to that enigma. Eze could feasibly play off the left-wing for Arsenal, as well as the no.8 or no.10 position. He could also provide cover for Bukayo Saka off of the right-wing. During his club career, he has played over 20 games in all of the following positions: left-winger, attacking-midfield, central-midfield, and left-midfield. Eze could just provide the depth to finally get Arsenal over the line to winning a trophy.

After his fruitless loan to Tottenham Hotspur, former German national team player Timo Werner is set to head to Major League Soccer. Transfermarkt can confirm an initial report by the Leipziger Volkszeitung that the 29-year-old forward is set to leave RB Leipzig and join sister club New York Red Bulls. With a market value of €7m, Werner is set to become the most valuable player at the New York Red Bulls.

Still under contract until the summer of 2026 in Leipzig, Werner spent the last 18 months on loan at Premier League club Tottenham. At Tottenham. Werner managed just 41 appearances, scoring three goals. Werner was also excluded from the Europa League squad and, therefore, had to watch on from the sidelines as his club won the title against Manchester United in the spring. Not surprisingly, Tottenham opted not to sign Werner to a permanent deal.

In New York, Werner, who played 57 games for Germany, would be reunited with his former teammate Emil Forsberg and former Bundesliga coach Sandro Schwarz. The squad also includes former Mainz defender Alexander Hack and Bayern Munich striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting. The latter is currently third in MLS goalscoring with 11 goals in 18 games and is expected to form a dangerous attacking line with Werner.

Restart in MLS – What can Timo Werner add to the New York Red Bulls?

Werner reached his peak in 2020 when he joined Chelsea for €53m from RB Leipzig. With Chelsea, Werner would win the Champions League one year later. But the 29-year-old never fully settled at the Blues and opted to return to Leipzig in a deal worth €20m in the summer of 2022. In retrospect, the Bundesliga return ended up being a massive mistake as Werner never regained his goalscoring form from his first stint at Leipzig and was shipped off to Tottenham.

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make an unorthodox move as they close in on their second signing of the summer transfer window. According to numerous reports, the North London club are set to complete the signing of Kawasaki Frontale star Kota Takai. The 20-year-old defender is expected to make the move to the Premier League in the coming days for a reported fee of around €5.8 million - which will make Takai the J-League’s sixth most expensive sale in the history of the Japanese top-flight. So who is the young defender and how good could Tottenham’s new signing be?

How good is Kota Takai?

After coming through Kawasaki Frontale’s youth academy as an exciting talent, Takai made his senior debut for the club in an AFC Champions League clash with Guangzhou on April 18, 2022, aged just 17 years and seven months old. That made the central defender the club’s youngest ever debutant. However, he would have to wait almost exactly one year before he made his J-League debut at the age of 18 and seven months old, which made him the club’s sixth youngest league debutant of all time. And since then he’s really gone from strength to strength for the “Azzurro Nero”.

"Despite being only in his second year of high school at the time, he signed a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to do so," noted Transfermarkt's data scout for Japan, Yuta Izawa, when asked about Takai's journey as a young player. "Expectations for him were high from the start, especially considering that Kawasaki Frontale has produced talents like Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Reo Hatate (Celtic). In the summer of 2022, while still part of the U18 team, he played in a preseason match against PSG."

After making a total of 28 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, Takai had established himself as a first-choice central defender for his club and, following impressive performances at the Olympic Games for the Japanese Olympic Team, he then made his debut for the Japan national team in a 7-0 win over China in the Asian World Cup qualifying rounds last September. "His name became widely known across Japan after his performances in international matches," noted Izawa. "At club level, he became a regular last season and was named the J.League’s Best Young Player."

Most recently, Takai was a crucial part of his team's push to the final of the AFC Champions League Elite, where he played every minute of the club's knock-out rounds. Rather notably, Takai was crucial in his side overcoming Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with notable strikers Jhon Durán and Cristiano Ronaldo failing to score a single goal over the course of the game as Takai & Co. did just enough to get through to the final with a 3-2 win. Although the J-League side lost the final to Al-Ahli in a 2-0 defeat, it was a competition that clearly elevated the young defender's standing in the global game and showcased what he's capable of against top opposition.

So what is Takai's main attributes? According to Izawa, he has all the right skills to succeed in a league that makes huge physical demands like the Premier League. "He’s tall and dominant in the air, with excellent heading ability," noted the J-League expert. "He is physically strong and is fast, so he doesn’t get outmuscled easily. He’s also very good at building up play from the back. But his biggest strength is his composure in big games — he always stays calm under pressure."

Why are Tottenham signing Kota Takai?

Standing tall at 6ft 4ins and with an excellent tendency to dribble and pass with the ball with relative ease, Tottenham clearly feel as though Takai is ready to make the significant step up from J-League to Premier League. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be slotting straight into Thomas Frank’s first-team plans or may find himself loaned out in the coming season. And a quick glance at Tottenham’s squad for next season only underlines the serious competition Takai will face for a starting spot in the team in the years ahead.

Player Comparison

Kota Takai

Luka Vuskovic

Kawasaki Frontale

KVC Westerlo

€2.50m

Market Value

€12.00m

Age

Centre-Back

Position

Centre-Back

Jan 31, 2026

Contract until

Jun 30, 2025

Full Player Comparison

For example, alongside first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Frank will also have Radu Drăgușin and Ben Davies in back-up. Alongside that, the club will also welcome back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan at Stoke City this season. And as if that wasn’t enough competition for Takai to contend with, he’ll also need to find a way to outshine new signing Luka Vuskovic, who will join the club from Hajduk Split for €11m, after making waves in Belgian football at Westerlo last season. Even if Tottenham were to sell one or two of the aforementioned names this summer, it still means Takai has three or four senior players to compete with.

However, when asked about his prospects in England, Izawa believes Takai is ready to make the step up at Tottenham. "Yes, I think he’s ready," said the Japanese football expert. "His biggest strength is that he stays composed even on the international stage. In the Champions League semi-final, he played a key role in the win against Al-Nassr by keeping Ronaldo and Durán quiet. To be honest, it’s hard to say exactly how well he’ll do in the Premier League, but he definitely has the potential to compete at that level."

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make an unorthodox move as they close in on their second signing of the summer transfer window. According to numerous reports, the North London club are set to complete the signing of Kawasaki Frontale star Kota Takai. The 20-year-old defender is expected to make the move to the Premier League in the coming days for a reported fee of around €5.8 million - which will make Takai the J-League’s sixth most expensive sale in the history of the Japanese top-flight. So who is the young defender and how good could Tottenham’s new signing be?

How good is Kota Takai?

After coming through Kawasaki Frontale’s youth academy as an exciting talent, Takai made his senior debut for the club in an AFC Champions League clash with Guangzhou on April 18, 2022, aged just 17 years and seven months old. That made the central defender the club’s youngest ever debutant. However, he would have to wait almost exactly one year before he made his J-League debut at the age of 18 and seven months old, which made him the club’s sixth youngest league debutant of all time. And since then he’s really gone from strength to strength for the “Azzurro Nero”.

"Despite being only in his second year of high school at the time, he signed a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to do so," noted Transfermarkt's data scout for Japan, Yuta Izawa, when asked about Takai's journey as a young player. "Expectations for him were high from the start, especially considering that Kawasaki Frontale has produced talents like Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Reo Hatate (Celtic). In the summer of 2022, while still part of the U18 team, he played in a preseason match against PSG."

After making a total of 28 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, Takai had established himself as a first-choice central defender for his club and, following impressive performances at the Olympic Games for the Japanese Olympic Team, he then made his debut for the Japan national team in a 7-0 win over China in the Asian World Cup qualifying rounds last September. "His name became widely known across Japan after his performances in international matches," noted Izawa. "At club level, he became a regular last season and was named the J.League’s Best Young Player."

Most recently, Takai was a crucial part of his team's push to the final of the AFC Champions League Elite, where he played every minute of the club's knock-out rounds. Rather notably, Takai was crucial in his side overcoming Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with notable strikers Jhon Durán and Cristiano Ronaldo failing to score a single goal over the course of the game as Takai & Co. did just enough to get through to the final with a 3-2 win. Although the J-League side lost the final to Al-Ahli in a 2-0 defeat, it was a competition that clearly elevated the young defender's standing in the global game and showcased what he's capable of against top opposition.

So what is Takai's main attributes? According to Izawa, he has all the right skills to succeed in a league that makes huge physical demands like the Premier League. "He’s tall and dominant in the air, with excellent heading ability," noted the J-League expert. "He is physically strong and is fast, so he doesn’t get outmuscled easily. He’s also very good at building up play from the back. But his biggest strength is his composure in big games — he always stays calm under pressure."

Why are Tottenham signing Kota Takai?

Standing tall at 6ft 4ins and with an excellent tendency to dribble and pass with the ball with relative ease, Tottenham clearly feel as though Takai is ready to make the significant step up from J-League to Premier League. However, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be slotting straight into Thomas Frank’s first-team plans or may find himself loaned out in the coming season. And a quick glance at Tottenham’s squad for next season only underlines the serious competition Takai will face for a starting spot in the team in the years ahead.

Player Comparison

Kota Takai

Luka Vuskovic

Kawasaki Frontale

KVC Westerlo

€2.50m

Market Value

€12.00m

Age

Centre-Back

Position

Centre-Back

Jan 31, 2026

Contract until

Jun 30, 2025

Full Player Comparison

For example, alongside first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Frank will also have Radu Drăgușin and Ben Davies in back-up. Alongside that, the club will also welcome back Ashley Phillips, who was on loan at Stoke City this season. And as if that wasn’t enough competition for Takai to contend with, he’ll also need to find a way to outshine new signing Luka Vuskovic, who will join the club from Hajduk Split for €11m, after making waves in Belgian football at Westerlo last season. Even if Tottenham were to sell one or two of the aforementioned names this summer, it still means Takai has three or four senior players to compete with.

However, when asked about his prospects in England, Izawa believes Takai is ready to make the step up at Tottenham. "Yes, I think he’s ready," said the Japanese football expert. "His biggest strength is that he stays composed even on the international stage. In the Champions League semi-final, he played a key role in the win against Al-Nassr by keeping Ronaldo and Durán quiet. To be honest, it’s hard to say exactly how well he’ll do in the Premier League, but he definitely has the potential to compete at that level."

©TM/IMAGO

The transfer window officially re-opened this Monday, with clubs now set to have the next two and a half months to get their summer transfer business over the line. Where possible, teams will want to wrap up deals early to get their new signings in for pre-season and training with the squad. One of the most enthralling transfer sagas in the Premier League could revolve around the future of Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo. The Cameroonian international scored 20 Premier League goals last season, and looks likely to follow departing manager Thomas Frank out of the exit door this summer. Frank has agreed to become the new Tottenham boss, and rumours suggest that Spurs remain in the race for Mbeumo, although Manchester United are still the favourites for his signature.

Rumour B. Mbeumo Right Winger

Brentford ? Man Utd Premier League Premier League

According to The Athletic, the Red Devils have already had a bid rejected in the region of €65 million including add-ons for Mbeumo. However, United are expected to come back in for the winger, and a fee closer to the €74.2m already paid for Matheus Cunha this summer is thought to be enough to get a deal done with the Bees. If such a figure is met, it will make Mbeumo one of the most expensive African signings in Premier League history, but which other stars feature in that list? Here at Transfermarkt, we have compiled a list of the most expensive African signings since the Premier League’s inception in the 1992/93 season.

The most expensive African players in Premier League history

Leading the way is none other than Ivorian Nicolas Pépé, who joined Arsenal from Lille for €80m back in 2019, but never managed to showcase his potential in the Premier League. He actually left the Gunners on a free transfer four years later. In second place is Manchester City's €75m acquisition of Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush last January from Frankfurt. The 26-year-old has already scored seven goals in 16 Premier League games for the Sky Blues. Third place goes to another Man City signing in Riyad Mahrez - the Algerian was signed from Leicester for €68m. In fourth position is striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the Gabonese talent joining Arsenal for €64m from Borussia Dortmund.

In fifth is Liverpool's €60m signing of Guinean midfielder Naby Keïta, who failed to have a major impact at Anfield. Sixth goes to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's €55m move to Man United - the full-back recently committed his international allegiance to DR Congo. In seventh spot is the first goalkeeper on the list in Cameroonian André Onana, who signed for the Red Devils for €50m. In eighth place is Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who joined the Gunners for €50m. Striker Sébastien Haller is then ninth having joined West Ham for €50m, whilst Mohammed Kudus completes the top 10 after his €43m move to the Hammers. It's likely that Mbeumo will at the very least be in the top five of this list by the end of the summer should he complete his move away from the Gtech Community Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur have wasted little time in their quest to hire a new manager. Last week the club announced that they would be parting ways with Ange Postecoglou, just a few weeks after the Australian head coach had won the Europa League - the North London club’s first major trophy in 16 years. Such a drastic move suggested that Tottenham’s decision makers had someone else in mind and it now seems as though they have had their heart set on another manager for quite some time signing Thomas Frank from Brentford on Thursday.

"We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach on a contract that runs until 2028," a statement on Tottenham's official site read. The 51-year-old tactician quickly emerged as the leading contender to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham next season, but could cost his new club no less than €12 million in compensation to release him from his contract that runs until 2027. So why were Tottenham so keen to part ways with Postecoglou in an attempt to hire Frank as their new manager? Let’s take a look.

One of the league’s most successful head coaches

Perhaps the most important aspect of Frank’s record that Tottenham fans will want to know all about is whether or not he can win games in the Premier League. And while the Brentford boss can’t lay claim to being the most successful manager in the Premier League in absolute terms, there’s no denying that he’s punched above his weight since guiding the club to the English top-flight in 2021. As we can see in the table above, only four head coaches have picked up more points than Frank in the last four seasons and while his average of 1.32 isn’t exactly ground-breaking, it’s worth noting that almost all the other nine head coaches in the table alongside him have been in charge of much richer clubs with stronger squads.

Getting more out of less at Brentford

Indeed, Frank’s strongest selling point as Brentford manager has undoubtedly been his ability to do more with less. A perfect example of that is the manner in which the club have routinely had one of the lowest cost-per-point figures in the Premier League. This season’s figure (i.e the cost of the entire squad in transfer fees divided by the points won) stands at just €4.97m, which was the 17th lowest in the entire league. As we can see in the graph above, Brentford have operated well below the Premier League average and over the course of the last four seasons have never gone higher than 13th among all clubs in the division for the highest cost-per-point average.

Out-performing richer clubs and stronger squads

Another way of looking at Brentford’s remarkable success under Frank is by comparing their comparative riches to the rest of the league. The Danish manager made the move to England in 2018 and since then Brentford’s net spend in the transfer market stands at €112m. That may seem relatively high, but compared to every other club in English football it actually ranks them 19th. And, as we can see in the table above, it hints at a club that have spent less than the likes of Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Southampton, but been far more successful on the pitch. And that is undoubtedly due to Frank and his ability to get the best out of his players.

A good developer of talent

One way to judge how much players have improved over a given period of time is by looking at their market values and when it comes to increasing player market values few clubs in England are as good at it as Frank’s Brentford. When we consider the market value of every player in Brentford’s squad when they joined the club and their market value now, that combined increase among the entire squad stands at an impressive €136m or a sizable 32.8% increase. That, unsurprisingly, is even more impressive among the wider context of the Premier League, with only three clubs being able to lay claim to higher percentage increases. Which certainly points to a manager that knows how to develop players and improve them dramatically within his system and tactics.

Proven track record with old and young players

Tottenham Hotspur have wasted little time in their quest to hire a new manager. Last week the club announced that they would be parting ways with Ange Postecoglou, just a few weeks after the Australian head coach had won the Europa League - the North London club’s first major trophy in 16 years. Such a drastic move suggested that Tottenham’s decision makers had someone else in mind and it now seems as though they have had their heart set on another manager for quite some time signing Thomas Frank from Brentford on Thursday.

"We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach on a contract that runs until 2028," a statement on Tottenham's official site read. The 51-year-old tactician quickly emerged as the leading contender to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham next season, but could cost his new club no less than €12 million in compensation to release him from his contract that runs until 2027. So why were Tottenham so keen to part ways with Postecoglou in an attempt to hire Frank as their new manager? Let’s take a look.

One of the league’s most successful head coaches

Perhaps the most important aspect of Frank’s record that Tottenham fans will want to know all about is whether or not he can win games in the Premier League. And while the Brentford boss can’t lay claim to being the most successful manager in the Premier League in absolute terms, there’s no denying that he’s punched above his weight since guiding the club to the English top-flight in 2021. As we can see in the table above, only four head coaches have picked up more points than Frank in the last four seasons and while his average of 1.32 isn’t exactly ground-breaking, it’s worth noting that almost all the other nine head coaches in the table alongside him have been in charge of much richer clubs with stronger squads.

Getting more out of less at Brentford

Indeed, Frank’s strongest selling point as Brentford manager has undoubtedly been his ability to do more with less. A perfect example of that is the manner in which the club have routinely had one of the lowest cost-per-point figures in the Premier League. This season’s figure (i.e the cost of the entire squad in transfer fees divided by the points won) stands at just €4.97m, which was the 17th lowest in the entire league. As we can see in the graph above, Brentford have operated well below the Premier League average and over the course of the last four seasons have never gone higher than 13th among all clubs in the division for the highest cost-per-point average.

Out-performing richer clubs and stronger squads

Another way of looking at Brentford’s remarkable success under Frank is by comparing their comparative riches to the rest of the league. The Danish manager made the move to England in 2018 and since then Brentford’s net spend in the transfer market stands at €112m. That may seem relatively high, but compared to every other club in English football it actually ranks them 19th. And, as we can see in the table above, it hints at a club that have spent less than the likes of Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Southampton, but been far more successful on the pitch. And that is undoubtedly due to Frank and his ability to get the best out of his players.

A good developer of talent

One way to judge how much players have improved over a given period of time is by looking at their market values and when it comes to increasing player market values few clubs in England are as good at it as Frank’s Brentford. When we consider the market value of every player in Brentford’s squad when they joined the club and their market value now, that combined increase among the entire squad stands at an impressive €136m or a sizable 32.8% increase. That, unsurprisingly, is even more impressive among the wider context of the Premier League, with only three clubs being able to lay claim to higher percentage increases. Which certainly points to a manager that knows how to develop players and improve them dramatically within his system and tactics.

Proven track record with old and young players

Tottenham Hotspur have wasted little time in their quest to hire a new manager. On Friday the club announced that they would be parting ways with Ange Postecoglou, just a few weeks after the Australian head coach had won the Europa League - the North London club’s first major trophy in 16 years. Such a drastic move suggested that Tottenham’s decision makers had someone else in mind and it now seems as though they have had their heart set on another manager for quite some time.

According to the BBC and multiple outlets in England, Tottenham have now opened discussions with Brentford to sign their head coach Thomas Frank. The 51-year-old tactician has emerged as the leading contender to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham next season, but could cost his new club no less than €12 million in compensation to release him from his contract that runs until 2027. So why were Tottenham so keen to part ways with Postecoglou in an attempt to hire Frank as their new manager? Let’s take a look.

One of the league’s most successful head coaches

Perhaps the most important aspect of Frank’s record that Tottenham fans will want to know all about is whether or not he can win games in the Premier League. And while the Brentford boss can’t lay claim to being the most successful manager in the Premier League in absolute terms, there’s no denying that he’s punched above his weight since guiding the club to the English top-flight in 2021. As we can see in the table above, only four head coaches have picked up more points than Frank in the last four seasons and while his average of 1.32 isn’t exactly ground-breaking, it’s worth noting that almost all the other nine head coaches in the table alongside him have been in charge of much richer clubs with stronger squads.

Getting more out of less at Brentford

Indeed, Frank’s strongest selling point as Brentford manager has undoubtedly been his ability to do more with less. A perfect example of that is the manner in which the club have routinely had one of the lowest cost-per-point figures in the Premier League. This season’s figure (i.e the cost of the entire squad in transfer fees divided by the points won) stands at just €4.97m, which was the 17th lowest in the entire league. As we can see in the graph above, Brentford have operated well below the Premier League average and over the course of the last four seasons have never gone higher than 13th among all clubs in the division for the highest cost-per-point average.

Out-performing richer clubs and stronger squads

Another way of looking at Brentford’s remarkable success under Frank is by comparing their comparative riches to the rest of the league. The Danish manager made the move to England in 2018 and since then Brentford’s net spend in the transfer market stands at €112m. That may seem relatively high, but compared to every other club in English football it actually ranks them 19th. And, as we can see in the table above, it hints at a club that have spent less than the likes of Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Southampton, but been far more successful on the pitch. And that is undoubtedly due to Frank and his ability to get the best out of his players.

A good developer of talent

One way to judge how much players have improved over a given period of time is by looking at their market values and when it comes to increasing player market values few clubs in England are as good at it as Frank’s Brentford. When we consider the market value of every player in Brentford’s squad when they joined the club and their market value now, that combined increase among the entire squad stands at an impressive €136m or a sizable 32.8% increase. That, unsurprisingly, is even more impressive among the wider context of the Premier League, with only three clubs being able to lay claim to higher percentage increases. Which certainly points to a manager that knows how to develop players and improve them dramatically within his system and tactics.

Proven track record with old and young players