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Tottenham star stuns fans with lengthy message to Ange Postecoglou after Thomas Frank appointment

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Tottenham star stuns fans with lengthy message to Ange Postecoglou after Thomas Frank appointment - SPORTbible
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Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has left fans stunned after sending a lengthy farewell message to previous manager Ange Postecoglou - at almost the same time as Thomas Frank was announced as his replacement.

Frank has signed a three-year contract until 2028 to become the Spurs manager, and departs fellow Premier League side Brentford after over seven years at the helm.

The Dane is regarded as one of the most tactically astute managers in England, and will look to build on Spurs' Europa League success last term.

Postecoglou's sacking earlier this month was met with criticism by many Spurs fans given that success, with many believing that he deserved another season in charge despite his side finishing 17th in the Premier League.

Spurs players rushed to social media to pay tribute to the Australian, with midfielder Yves Bissouma even sharing details of a text message that Postecoglou sent to him following his departure.

Noticeably, Argentina defender Romero was one of the few players not to pen a farewell message to his former manager.

He has now done so - but the timing of his social media post, as well as what he said, has certainly caught fans off guard.

Taking to Twitter, Romero wrote: "Ange, thank you for these two incredible seasons.

"You're a fantastic coach, but above all, a great person who deserves the best.

"From day one you paved the way despite the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist.

"Beyond everything, we won a trophy and went down in the history of this beautiful club, which is the only thing that matters.

"I wish you the best because you deserve the best, and thank you for everything."

Spurs announced Frank's appointment as manager at 8:16pm, with Romero's message being posted under a hour later.

Fans also think part of Romero's post was a direct dig at Spurs' ownership and chairman Daniel Levy.

One wrote: "Sat there with this in drafts waiting until Tottenham announced Thomas Frank ... a post which has a dig at the club again."

A second said: "Daniel Levy, you're the obstacles he's talking about."

And a third stated: "Mr Levy won't be liking this but fair play for saying it."

According to TBR Football, Tottenham want to enter talks with Romero over a lucrative new contract.

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Tottenham qualify for little-known UEFA tournament only one team has ever won after Europa League final win

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Tottenham qualify for little-known UEFA tournament only one team has ever won after Europa League final win - SPORTbible
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Tottenham Hotspur have booked their place in an exclusive UEFA competition after winning the Europa League final.

After a lacklustre season in the Premier League, Spurs redeemed their 2024/25 season as they beat English rivals Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final last month.

Winning the European final means that, despite finishing the season 17th in the Premier League, the London club booked their spot in next season's Champions League.

But the Champions League isn't the only UEFA competition that Spurs qualified for after beating Manchester United, as they will face European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup in August.

And it doesn't stop there for Spurs, as the Europa League win also means that they are eligible to compete in another exclusive UEFA competition.

In ending their 17-year trophy drought, Spurs qualified for the UEFA–Conmebol Club Challenge, a match that sees the Europa League winners go up against the champions South America's Copa Sudamericana.

First launched two years ago as a revamped version of the Supercopa Euroamericana, the competition saw 2023 Europa League winners Sevilla lift the inaugural trophy.

The La Liga side welcomed Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, winning the match in a penalty shootout.

Italian club Atalanta and Ecuadorian side Liga de Quito were due to face off in last year's competition, but the match didn't take place as the two clubs could not arrange a date for the fixture to be played.

In this year's match, Spurs are due to play Argentine side Racing Club, with Club president and former Inter Milan star Diego Milito keen to organise the fixture.

However, there are already fears that the game could suffer a similar fate to the 2024 match, as according to Football.London, UEFA chiefs believe that it may be difficult to find a suitable time to play the game.

Spurs are currently scheduled to play three friendly matches in three different countries over the summer, facing Arsenal and Newcastle United in Hong Kong and Seoul before returning to Europe to face club legend Harry Kane in a match against Bayern Munich.

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How Spurs could line up under Thomas Frank next season with four signings to rocket them back up the table

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How Spurs could line up under Thomas Frank next season with four signings to rocket them back up the table - SPORTbible
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Thomas Frank is linked with the Spurs job, and he will, no doubt, look to improve on a torrid 2024/25 Premier League campaign for the Europa League winners by bringing several quality players to the club.

Spurs won their first trophy in 17 years with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final in May.

And despite Ange Postecoglou achieving something the likes of Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Mauricio Pochettino could not by bringing silverware to north London, he was still sacked last week.

Several Premier League managers have since been linked with the vacancy, including Fulham’s Marco Silva, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, but the favourite is Brentford head coach Frank.

Thomas Frank is linked with Spurs (Credit:Getty)

So, if he does undertake the head coach’s role, who will Spurs sign and how could they line up next season?

Bryan Mbeumo

Despite heavy interest from Man Utd, according to GiveMeSport, Spurs are still keen on potentially bringing Mbeumo to the club, and their position may be strengthened with the seemingly imminent arrival of Frank due to the pair working together at Brentford over the past six years. The forward returned a career-best season in 2024/25, netting 20 goals in 38 Premier League appearances as well as producing seven assists.

Eberechi Eze

Spurs are also reportedly interested in bringing Crystal Palace and England star Eze to the club, with TBR reporting that he has a release clause of £60 million plus an extra £8 million in add-ons.

However, the attacking midfielder is contracted to Palace until the summer of 2027 and could prove tough to get.

Kim Min-jae

The Korean defender could be set to move on from Bayern Munich this summer due to the arrival of Jonathan Tah.

As reported by TBR, Kim has been ‘offered’ to Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle, but Spurs could boast an advantage as his international teammate Son Heung-min has shared a dressing room with him and played alongside Kim on 57 occasion.

Speaking to Sports Chosun last summer, Son said: “As I say every time, Min-jae Kim is a really good defender. It’s a defence that I really like. From a global perspective, I think he is a player who can learn many things from now on.”

Yann Aurel Bisseck

As reported by Calcio Mercato, Spurs are "pressing hard" to sign the German Inter Milan defender and could even use Radu Drăgușin as part of a potential deal.

The 24-year-old defender is also thought to be attracting interest of several other Premier League clubs with Aston Villa, West Ham and Manchester United in the running. Bisseck is reportedly valued at around £35m by Inter.

Spurs starting XI predictions:

Frank has employed a 4-3-3 for most of his time at Brentford, and would likely do the same at Spurs.

Guglielmo Vicario will likely remain the first-choice goalkeeper while Pedro Porro, Mickey van de Ven and Destiny Udogie will play if they remain fit.

As for Cristian Romero, he would, no doubt, be part of Frank’s plans, but has been linked with a potential move away, which could provide an opening for Kim to come in at centre-back.

Moving into midfield, Pape Matar Sarr would work well alongside the potential addition of Eze and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Then a forward three of Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Mbeumo could give some defences sleepless nights when they are on song.

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Spurs rejected by one of their top targets to replace Ange Postecoglou in nightmare scenario for the club

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Spurs rejected by one of their top targets to replace Ange Postecoglou in nightmare scenario for the club - SPORTbible
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Tottenham are on the lookout for a new manager after they made the somewhat unpopular decision to sack Ange Postecoglou, although one of their top candidates has already rejected an approach from the club.

Postecoglou was sacked on Friday afternoon, just 16 days after leading them to victory in the Europa League final.

It was a bold decision from chairman Daniel Levy. In fact, Levy is facing the threat of a player revolt, according to The Telegraph, who claim some players want to leave and that Postecoglou's successor will face 'a huge task to repair the dressing-room damage'.

Spurs, meanwhile, have stated that a replacement for the Australian coach will be announced in due course.

Having established Brentford as a Premier League club in recent seasons, Thomas Frank is said to be the leading contender, while Fulham's Marco Silva and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola are also in the running to succeed Postecoglou.

Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi, on the other hand, has turned down an approach from Spurs.

After leading the club to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, the Italian is keen to continue his journey at the Stade Velodrome as they prepare to take part in the Champions League in 2025/26.

"Tottenham are prepared to advance in talks with leading candidate Thomas Frank in the next days," said Romano. "Spurs also approached Roberto De Zerbi in the recent days, but the Italian head coach rejected as he wants to stay at Olympique Marseille."

Ange Postecoglou's emotional message to Tottenham fans and players following his sacking

After being dismissed from his role at the club, Postecoglou released a powerful statement.

"When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride," he said.

"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget,

"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

"We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

"And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special.

"We are forever connected. Audere est Facere. Ange."

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Ange Postecoglou tipped for shock move to Spurs' Premier League rivals after being sacked by Europa League winners

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Ange Postecoglou has been tipped to manage in the Premier League again after being sacked by Spurs just weeks after ending their 17-year trophy drought.

The Australian led Spurs to a narrow 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao, a result which confirmed qualification for next season's Champions League.

But despite his prediction of winning in his second season coming true, Postecoglou will not be afforded the chance to manage Spurs in his third season.

On Friday it was confirmed that after a week of deliberating, Daniel Levy and Spurs elected to relieve Postecoglou of his duties following a 17th placed finish in the Premier League.

A club statement announced Postecoglou's sacking after "a review of performances and after significant reflection".

The 59-year-old is reportedly due a fee of £6 million - made up of £4 million in compensation and an additional £2 million for winning the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou tipped for Premier League return after Spurs sacking

But a former Premier League winner is already predicting a swift return for Postecoglou.

Lee Sharpe, who won the the top flight three times with United and later played for Leeds and Bradford, believes he is "perfectly suited" to managing in the Premier League as he defended his style of play.

“I can see Ange Postecoglou managing another Premier League club,” Sharpe said, speaking to Coin Poker.

“I think he’s a great fit for England’s top division – his personality and fast-tempo football are perfectly suited to the league.

“He’s been very honest and basic in his approach; he has a clear picture of what he wants his players and team to do.

“When Spurs are fully fit, I think they’re a really strong match for anyone. They can be deadly around the opposition’s box when they’re firing on all cylinders. They’ve struggled defensively at times, but I think that’s down to their two main centre-halves being injured for so long.

“Some argue that Ange only has one game plan: to play full throttle for 90 minutes – and we have seen them get caught out in the process – but I like to watch his team; they’re always quick and energetic.”

Ange Postecoglou breaks silence on Spurs sacking

Postecoglou led Spurs to fifth in the Premier League in his first season before ending their long trophy drought but the 22 domestic defeats led to his dismissal.

In a lengthy statement published by his agency CAA on Instagram, Postecoglou thanked the fans and players for the support they provided in his two-year tenure in charge.

"The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime," Postecoglou reflected.

"Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

"That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

"We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

"I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

"And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special."

Brentford boss Thomas Frank appears to be Spurs' preferred choice to replace Postecoglou after the excellent job he has done in west London.

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Tottenham SACK Ange Postecoglou despite Europa League triumph as clear favourite to replace him emerges

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Tottenham SACK Ange Postecoglou despite Europa League triumph as clear favourite to replace him emerges - SPORTbible
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Tottenham have decided to part ways with manager Ange Postecoglou and a clear favourite has already emerged to replace him.

Spurs endured a miserable domestic campaign last season as they finished in 17th place, with a measly 38 points after winning just 11 league games.

But the club somewhat salvaged their 2024/25 campaign by winning the Europa League, resulting in Champions League qualification.

Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in last month's final in Bilbao.

Despite leading the North London outfit to their first piece of silverware in 17 years, Postecoglou has been sacked.

Spurs confirmed his dismissal following a slew of reports as they released a statement on social media.

It read: "Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties."

It comes after a week of deliberation by Daniel Levy.

The decision comes amid a series of changes at executive level, with long-serving executive director Donna-Maria Cullen announcing on Monday that she will be stepping down from her position, while Vinai Venkatesham was announced as the club’s new CEO earlier this year.

And it appears Spurs have already lined up their replacement.

They are eyeing a move for Brentford's Thomas Frank, who has already held talks with the club to discuss a potential switch.

Spurs are believed to be giving serious thought to the 51-year-old.

Sky Sports claim Brentford will not stand in Frank's way if he wishes to join a bigger club.

Brentford appointed Frank in December 2016, having initially joined as the club's assistant head coach.

He eventually landed the main job when he replaced Dean Smith in October 2018.

The Dane has done a stellar job at Brentford, establishing the Bees as a Premier League outfit, having guided them to promotion in the 2020/21 season following their Championship play-off final victory over Swansea City.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, leaves Spurs having spent two seasons at the club.

He guided the club to a fifth place finish in his debut season following his arrival from Celtic, where he won five major trophies, including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles.

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Ex Man Utd player rejects Spurs to make huge statement following PSG's Champions League win

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A former Manchester United player has reportedly turned down Tottenham Hotspur in a bold decision that adds extra weight to the value gained from Paris Saint Germain's Champions League triumph.

Ligue 1 has long been labelled a 'farmers league', due to its perceived lack of quality. But after French giants PSG demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final to become European champions for the first time, those opinions may be changing.

And it appears that Angel Gomes, a Manchester United academy product, has since rejected Tottenham to join Olympique Marseille, in the latest boost to France's domestic league.

Last summer, Mason Greenwood also joined Marseille, when he left Manchester United for £26.6million. And now another former United youngster looks set to make the move to the south of France, according to Alex Crook.

He wrote: "Angel Gomes has rejected #THFC to join Marseille. Also held talks with #WHUFC."

The update followed a report by Fabrice Hawkins, who said that the 24-year-old had agreed to join Marseille.

"EXCL Agreement in principle between Angel Gomes and Olympique de Marseille for a three-year contract," he posted.

"The English international is a free agent and OM aim to finalise his arrival this week. Also tracked by Tottenham and West Ham, Gomes prefers Marseille.

"The performances of the Phocéen team managed by De Zerbi, along with their qualification for the Champions League, have won over Angel Gomes.

Why is Gomes joining a team in the 'farmers league'?

Gomes is already familiar with the French league, as he currently plays for Lille.

He joined the French side in 2020 when he left Manchester United following the expiry of his contract, having made 10 appearances for the first team.

The England international was immediately loaned out to Portuguese side Boavista, before he returned to become a regular in Lille's midfield.

And he has likely been encouraged to join Marseille by the form of his former United teammate, Greenwood.

The 23-year-old scored 21 goals and registered five assists last season - the same number of goals and just one assist behind Ousmane Dembele, who is the strong favourite to win the Ballon d'Or.

Just how strong is Ligue 1?

On their way to winning the Champions League, PSG knocked out English champions Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal.

After their 3-1 aggregate win over Arsenal in the semi-finals Arsenal, PSG's manager Luis Enrique laughed off the 'farmers league' label.

"We are the league of farmers," he joked.

"But sometimes, yeah it's nice. I think now we are enjoying not only the result but also the compliments of everybody speaking about our team."

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Jose Mourinho tells all Premier League clubs exactly what they're getting in £1.2m Championship bargain

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Jose Mourinho had told Premier League clubs what to expect from a potential £1.2 million Championship bargain.

Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga has a £1.2 million release clause in his contract, which is believed to only be available to Premier League clubs, according to reports.

Tanganga, who made 50 senior appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, initially joined Millwall on loan in January 2024.

He moved to The Den on a permanent basis the following summer and went on to make 40 appearances during the 2024-25 season, helping Millwall to an eight-place finish, narrowly missing out on the play-offs.

After an impressive campaign, the 26-year-old was named Millwall Supporters' Club 2024-25 Player of the Season. And with such a low release clause it is no surprise that Premier League are expected to come for his signature.

What did Mourinho say about Tanganga?

Mourinho handed the Englishman his Premier League debut in January 2020 as Spurs lost 1-0 to Liverpool

The Portuguese boss said: “Can we say Tanganga is a new player? He had never played a match for Tottenham in the Premier League. Today he played and today he proved that he can play for us

“It’s a pity that he’s not a striker! It’s a pity that he’s not a midfield player, but he is one more player that we have.

“I think Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, they know who Tanganga is now. They didn’t know before the game. I think when they saw the list, they thought, ‘Oh, what position does this guy play?’

“I think now they know. The kid was really good."

Tanganga's attitude praised

Tanganga made 13 appearances during the 2019/20 season and replicated that tally in the following campaign.

In April 2021, ahead of Tottenham's Premier League clash with Newcastle, Mourinho once again praised the Spurs academy graduate

“When we need he is there and when we need sometimes he is a right-back, as a left-back, other times in a centre-back in a defence of three," he said.

“I don’t think it is a bad thing, especially for a young player, because what a young player needs is minutes and as a player I had many years ago, from right-back to left wing, ‘I am ready for you’ and as an emergency as a goalkeeper, so Japhet is a little bit like this.

“In spite of him being good in the air and he has a good positional education as a centre-back, I think probably his best position in the future is right-back. As you know he is not a giant, he needs to improve, his crossing needs to improve, the timings to arrive in attacking positions, but he is comfortable with the ball, he doesn’t make many mistakes, he is solid, reads the game well and is a player we can trust.

“You can see his debut was against Liverpool and then the matches he played are normally matches of responsibility and quality of the opponent.

"He is a player we trust. He is developing quite well, good kid. Humble kid, so all good.”

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Son Heung-min's astronomical Saudi Pro League contract offer revealed with player 'set to leave Spurs'

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Son Heung-min is set to end his 10-year association with Tottenham Hotspur, according to a new report, as the South Korean forward continues to attract interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

With one year left on his contract at Spurs, the 32-year-old could be on his way out of the North London club this summer.

That's according to The Telegraph, who claim there is 'an opportunity' for the club to generate a fee for Son as they prepare to reshape their squad ahead of a campaign that features a much-anticipated Champions League return.

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There will no doubt be plenty of interest in Son. Two years ago, it was widely reported that Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad were prepared to offer the forward a four-year deal worth £25 million-a-year.

At the time, Son put an end to the speculation while on international duty. "I have many things to do in the Premier League," he said. "Money doesn’t matter to me now, and the pride of playing football, to play in my favourite league is important."

But as he prepares to say goodbye to Spurs after a memorable spell, the money on offer may be too good to turn down.

As per Korean outlet Chosun Biz, Saudi Arabia are willing to go above and beyond to sign the South Korean.

Saudi previously offered Son an annual salary of £25.3 million, which is more than double the £9.88 million he currently earns at Spurs. More importantly, the report adds: "The upcoming offer is likely to be at that level or higher."

Saudi Pro League's highest earners

If the previously mentioned figure of £25.3 million is correct, then Son would become one of the league's highest paid players.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is said to earn €200 million-a-year at Al Nassr, according to Capology, which makes him by far the highest paid player in Saudi Arabia. Karim Benzema, meanwhile, is the second highest paid on €100,000-a-year, followed by Al Ahli's Riyad Mahrez [€52.2m-a-year].

Al Nassr forward Sadio Mane is said to pick up €40 million and just below him is former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who is said to earn €25.5 million-a-year at Al Ahli, which is just above the amount Al Ittihad offered Son in 2023.

Thoughts on Son's future? Let us know in the comments.

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Tottenham make 'direct contact' with manager amid huge update on Ange Postecoglou's future in shock report

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Tottenham make 'direct contact' with manager amid huge update on Ange Postecoglou's future in shock report - SPORTbible
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Tottenham have made 'direct contact' with a manager about replacing Ange Postecoglou as a bombshell report has emerged.

Spurs endured a miserable domestic campaign last season as Postecoglou's side finished in 17th place in the Premier League table.

They won just 11 league games, recording a measly 38 points.

But Spurs somewhat salvaged their season with a major trophy following their Europa League triumph.

They beat Manchester United 1-0 in the final to end their 17-year trophy drought.

Speaking after inspiring Spurs to their first piece of silverware since 2008, Postecoglou said there were no talks scheduled with the club over his future.

"I understand why it would be difficult for a club like this to buy into one person's vision," he said in his post-match press conference.

"I remember even when I signed, the club and even Daniel said, 'we went after winners, it didn't work and now we've got Ange'. But mate, I'm a winner.

"Obviously the way things have gone in the league, people are right to be concerned about, but I don't think that's a true reflection of where we are at."

However, it appears Postecoglou's future appears to lie away from Spurs.

A report claims Daniel Levy is set to part ways with the Australian gaffer, who was appointed in the summer of 2023.

Sources have told Footballer Insider that the Spurs hierarchy have decided to sack Postecoglou just over a week after he delivered their first trophy in 17 years.

What's more, it seems the club have set their sights on a replacement and their search hasn't left London.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Spurs have made 'direct contact' with Brentford head coach Thomas Frank.

Per the report, Frank spoke with Spurs about their project and summer transfer plans.

The Dane is not the only manager on their shortlist if Postecoglou were to be sacked but he is thought to be one of the favourites.

The 51-year-old has been at Brentford since December 2016, having initially joined as the club's assistant head coach.

In October 2018, Frank replaced Dean Smith as head coach.

He has done a stellar job at Brentford, establishing the Bees as a Premier League outfit, having guided them to promotion in the 2020/21 season following their Championship play-off final victory over Swansea City.

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