Spurs Web

Thomas Frank has met his Tottenham squad and has now shared his thoughts on pre-season training on the grass and what he expects from each player.

It is straight down to business at Hotspur Way, as Thomas Frank and his coaching staff begin pre-season training ahead of what is set to be a rigorous 25/26 campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur endured a horrid season last term in the Premier League, as Ange Postecoglou led the Lilywhites to what is their worst ever top-flight campaign statistically, but still somehow managed to make Spurs European champions.

While the European silverware serves as a bit of positive for Thomas Frank and his staff, there is no doubt that there is still much work to be done, as Tottenham look to improve on their 17th place finish in the league and also compete in Europe’s premier competition – the Champions League.

Thomas Frank meets Tottenham players and reacts to first training session

We reported a few days back that some of Tottenham Hotspur’s first-team stars have returned to pre-season training.

In fact, 19 players have begun to be put through their paces ahead of the upcoming season and the five pre-season friendlies that have been scheduled between now and August.

With new head coach Thomas Frank having now met with some of his Tottenham players, he has revealed what his first impression of the opening training session was.

MORE SPURS STORIES

According to the 51-year-old, the first session on the grass was fun and positive. He also stated that he has been very happy.

Thomas Frank told the official Tottenham channel: “Yeah, it has been good. We had the first session on the grass today. There were a lot of tests on Saturday. It has been good to have them out there.

“That is the fun bit. That is where we try to affect things. Good effort, good mentality. Yeah, happy.”

Frank outlines vision as Spurs await full squad return

Of course, with about 19 players in training, several others are missing. It has been reported that 16 other Spurs stars are yet to return to pre-season training, and that is because of their involvement with their national teams during the off-season.

Interestingly, Dominic Solanke sent a rather funny message to Wilson Odobert, who is yet to return to training, urging the youngster who featured in France’s under-21 European Championship run to the semi-final to return to training.

While Thomas Frank waits to meet up with his entire Tottenham squad, he has also revealed what he expects from his group, stating that he wants each member of the team to work together.

He said: “It needs to be people who understand that we are a unit and we need to work hard together. And yes, I know half of the coaching group, the other half I don’t know, but we need to work on that relationship. That’s an ongoing process.

“So hopefully, when we know each other well, we know how we work together, how we are aligned, and then we can up to a very well-run engine that just delivers every day.”

Fabrizio Romano’s latest update will assuage Tottenham fans’ fears of losing Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid, with the Italian transfer expert making it clear that the Lilywhites’ hardline stance on their vice-captain has not changed.

Various Spanish outlets have reported over recent weeks that Atletico Madrid are continuing to push to land Romero, with the centre-back remaining at the top of Diego Simeone’s summer wishlist.

According to various sources, Daniel Levy is prepared to make Romero the highest-paid player at Tottenham to make him stay, but that may not be enough.

The World Cup winner has allegedly made up his mind to move to the Metropolitano Stadium and it has been alleged that Romero will inform Levy that he wants to join Atletico when he returns for pre-season.

Tottenham maintain that Cristian Romero is not for sale

Fabrizio Romano has now taken to social media to state that the Lilywhites have not opened the door for the centre-back’s departure yet.

Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to maintain that they see the former Juventus man as a key player and their talks with Simeone’s men have not been advanced.

In fact, Romano adds that so far, Atletico are yet to launch any official offer for Cristian Romero, nor have they agreed on personal terms with the Argentine.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Why Romero’s fate could become clear over the coming days

Romero returned to Hotspur Way for Tottenham pre-season training on Wednesday and has now met Thomas Frank for the first time.

There is no doubt that the Spurs head coach will try and convince the centre-back to stay, with reports indicating that Frank wants Romero to become a lynchpin of his Tottenham side.

Tottenham could be forced to break their transfer record this summer as they plot a big-money move for a Premier League star who lit up the league last season.

It was reported before the opening of the summer window that Tottenham were looking to bring in a marquee signing this summer.

So far, those reports look to be true, as Mohammed Kudus is set to join Tottenham for £55 million on a six-year deal, and now it is claimed that Tottenham are eyeing the signing of another Premier League star, Morgan Gibbs White.

The Nottingham Forest man impressed last season, grabbing 17 goal contributions with seven goals and ten assists in 34 Premier League appearances, making him one of the most sought-after players in a Forest side that performed beyond expectations, finishing seventh and earning a spot in the Conference League.

Tottenham could break transfer record for Morgan Gibbs White

It is understood that Thomas Frank is a big admirer of Morgan Gibbs White, and that Tottenham have begun talks with Nottingham Forest over a move for the 25-year-old.

The Telegraph have now reported exactly how much Tottenham would be expected to pay if they are to sign the Englishman this summer.

It is claimed that after losing Anthony Elanga to Newcastle United this summer for £55 million, Nottingham Forest would be looking to demand a fee of over £60 million for Gibbs White.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Spurs face competition for Morgan Gibbs White

The midfielder, capable of playing on the wings, has two years left on his current deal, but it is claimed that Forest are looking to offer Gibbs White a new contract.

The publication also states that while Manchester City’s interest in Gibbs White has cooled off, following the signing of Rayan Cherki, Spurs still have some competition, as a few Premier League sides are interested in landing the Forest man.

Tottenham’s rebuild under Thomas Frank could be set for another twist, with the club now showing strong interest in Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.

Tottenham Hotspur are finally active in the summer window, which of course, has left many fans excited, as they have watched their side complete three signings under Thomas Frank so far.

The signing of Mohammed Kudus is undoubtedly the most exciting thus far this window, as reports claim that Spurs and West Ham United have agreed a £55million deal for the Ghana international.

It is understood that Tottenham’s transfer dealings are not stopping there, with reports claiming that Yoane Wissa remains firmly on Spurs’ radar even after the signing of Mohammed Kudus.

Tottenham turn attention to Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White

Spurs are yet to announce the arrival of the West Ham man, but it is understood that an official unveiling of Kudus could come at any moment this week.

While Tottenham fans are still digesting the £55million statement signing from West Ham, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has now dropped another interesting transfer update.

It is understood that Spurs are now turning their attention to Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Reports indicate that new head coach Thomas Frank is a long-term admirer of the 25-year-old, and that Spurs will attempt to convince the England international to make the switch, should they manage to strike an agreement with Forest.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s numbers make strong case for Spurs move

Gibbs-White certainly impressed last season, as he was a key figure for Forest, who managed a top seven finish, securing a spot in the UEFA Conference League.

The Englishman racked up an impressive 17 goal contributions, scoring seven times and providing ten assists in 34 Premier League appearances.

Gibbs-White also attracted the attention of former Premier League champions Manchester City, who were reportedly considering him as a potential Kevin De Bruyne replacement.

The Citizens, however, have opted against signing the Englishman, instead going for French international Rayan Cherki.

With the midfielder’s contract set to run until the summer of 2027, it remains to be seen what sort of fee Nottingham Forest would demand from Spurs to part ways with one of their top performers.

Mohammed Kudus looks set to join Tottenham for £55m, but where does he rank among Spurs’ most expensive signings? Let’s find out.

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be showing signs of ambition in this summer transfer window, as was suggested back in June.

At the time, reports claimed Daniel Levy was targeting a few marquee additions while also working behind the scenes to retain some of the club’s most valuable assets.

So far, despite a relatively slow start to the summer window, Tottenham have already completed three signings – Mathys Tel for £29.5 million, Kota Takai for £5 million, and now Mohammed Kudus in a £55 million move from West Ham United.

Though Spurs are now reigning Europa League champions, their league form last season was disastrous, with the team finishing 17th – their worst ever in the Premier League era.

Of course, there is a need to strengthen this Tottenham squad ahead of the upcoming campaign. So, where exactly does new signing Kudus rank among Tottenham’s ten most expensive signings of all time?

Mohammed Kudus becomes Tottenham’s fourth most expensive signing ever

Tottenham Hotspur have never had a reputation for lavish spending in the transfer market, a constant criticism aimed at Daniel Levy over his 24 years in charge of the club.

MORE SPURS STORIES

If you were to add up Tottenham’s ten most expensive signings, the total comes to around £474 million – a figure that pales in comparison to what other top Premier League clubs have spent during the same period.

The record fee remains the £65 million spent on Dominic Solanke in the summer of 2024, a deal funded in part by the £80 million-plus sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich. This summer, Spurs have made yet another statement signing in Mohammed Kudus, who arrives on a six-year deal for £55 million.

That puts Kudus ahead of several high-profile names – more expensive than Brennan Johnson (£47.5 million), Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez (both £42 million), and even James Maddison, who was brought in for £40 million.

Kudus now ranks as Tottenham’s fourth most expensive signing, behind only Richarlison (£60 million), Tanguy Ndombele (£63 million), and Solanke (£65 million).

Spurs still expected to be active after Kudus deal

With the Kudus deal now officially wrapped up, Tottenham are still expected to remain active throughout the rest of the summer transfer window.

A new striker is reportedly high on the agenda, with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa now emerging as Spurs’ top target, particularly in light of Richarlison’s underwhelming form since joining from Everton back in 2023.

There is also a strong possibility that Spurs may look to sign another pivot midfielder. Yves Bissouma continues to attract interest from clubs across Europe, most notably Juventus, despite enduring an inconsistent campaign last season.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham will dip back into the market with another big-money move, potentially surpassing the £65 million they spent on Solanke just last year.

Tottenham Hotspur have made their first statement signing of the summer by securing Mohammed Kudus from their London rivals, and the 24-year-old is adamant about his best position, which may make things a little awkward for Thomas Frank.

It has been widely reported over recent weeks that Frank is prioritising signing a top-class winger at Tottenham ahead of his first season in charge.

That is perhaps why Spurs decided to pay £55m to land Kudus from West Ham, with the Ghanaian arguably doing his best work at the London Stadium on the right wing.

In fact, some even feel that the reason he misfired last season was down to Graham Potter playing him out of position, but the soon-to-be Tottenham Hotspur attacker feels that his best role is not on the flanks at all.

Mohammed Kudus knows where he wants to play at Tottenham

The former Ajax man has made it clear on a few occasions that his preference is to play centrally, either as a number eight or a ten, rather than on either flank.

However, at the same time, Kudus is evidently a team man as he made it clear that he is happy to play where the manager wants him to.

In his first interview with West Ham’s official website after signing for the club two years ago, Kudus said: “We all know my versatility for the past years, but I think the position I’ve played most spots from my actions are from the central areas.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“But it’s the team that’s above everyone else so the position the coach feels is best for me to help the team, of course, I will give my 100 per cent best. Everything that I’ve played in did my best is from like, an attacking position, from the midfield.”

Kudus then expressed a very similar sentiment again last year, stating to Sky Sports last summer: “[My best position is] like a No.10, attacking midfielder. That’s where I’ve played all my years since I was a kid. Recently, I’ve played on the wings or even as a striker sometimes but I’ve always been a midfielder.”

Where will Thomas Frank use Kudus at Spurs?

There is no doubt that Frank would have spoken to the winger ahead of his move to Spurs and explained the role he envisions for him.

It was widely reported that moving to Tottenham was Kudus’ top choice, which indicates that he liked the vision that the Spurs head coach proposed for him.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly secured the signing of Mohammed Kudus for what seems a bargain fee, and a new report has suggested that the Ghana international helped Spurs’ cause by turning up the pressure on the East London club.

Tottenham have reportedly struck a £55m deal to sign Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, with the winger soon expected to undergo a medical at Hotspur Way before signing a six-year contract.

Their fee left many people surprised, given that reports indicated that West Ham wanted at least £60m for Kudus and some sources even suggested that the Hammers would add a Tottenham tax to the Kudus deal.

It turns out that the reason the Lilywhites got a favourable deal could be partly down to the actions of the Ghanaian over the last few days.

How Mohammed Kudus may have forced West Ham’s hand

A new report in The Guardian puts the fee at £54.5m and reveals that the payment from Spurs will be spread over three years.

Interestingly, the outlet says that Kudus turned up the pressure on his club by reporting late for training on two separate occasions this week.

While that is unlikely to have pleased Graham Potter, it is revealed that the former Ajax man also put in a transfer request to the West Ham hierarchy, making his desire to leave the club very clear.

MORE SPURS STORIES

While we may never know how much impact his actions had on the Hammers accepting Tottenham Hotspur’s bid, it is clear that the winger’s antics aided the Lilywhites’ efforts.

It had previously been reported by Fabrizio Romano that Kudus was not even willing to speak to any other club apart from Spurs.

West Ham were also under PSR pressure

The Guardian also point out that another factor which played a role in the transfer is the fact that the East London club were desperate to revamp their squad but could not do so without breaching the PSR rules.

They were thus in a hurry to raise cash, with West Ham having to sell before they could buy, and Kudus was seen as their most sellable asset.

Tottenham’s internationals have reported for first-team pre-season training over the last two days at Hotspur Way, with Cristian Romero and 11 other returning stars spotted in the latest training video released by the club.

The Thomas Frank era at Tottenham Hotspur is now officially up and running, with pre-season training beginning last weekend.

Another 16 Spurs players were due to return, with many of them being involved in international action after the end of last season, and we now have confirmation that 12 of those players have reported for pre-season training.

The club released a video on Wednesday showing the internationals being put through gym work and various tests on their first day back in training.

James Maddison, Kevin Danso, Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Micky Van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, Manor Solomon, and Ben Davies were spotted in the video.

That means that Frank now has almost a full Spurs squad to work with, and he and his coaching staff will be keen to get their tactical ideas across to the players.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Tottenham are now just nine days away from their first pre-season friendly against Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on July 19.

Six Spurs players were not spotted in training

Unsurprisingly, Mathys Tel, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert were not spotted in the video after they participated in the Under-21 European Championship. The French pair made it until the semifinal while Gray won the trophy with England.

Mikey Moore, who was also in tournament action with England’s Under-19s over the summer, is also not in the video.

Paris Saint-Germain showed once again on Wednesday what a dominant side they are by thrashing Real Madrid 4-0, but the result has a silver lining for Tottenham ahead of the UEFA Super Cup clash.

Spurs fans were already not too optimistic about their side’s chances against PSG, given how the Parisians dominated in the Champions League long-term.

They will now be even more disheartened by how Luis Enrique’s men have dispatched all comers in the Club World Cup.

Real Madrid were the latest side to suffer a humiliating loss at the hands of PSG as the La Liga giants were thrashed 4-0 in the final. However, believe it or not, the result may be good news for Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the UEFA Super Cup.

Why PSG will be undercooked for the UEFA Super Cup clash

As Spurs Web has previously covered, a FIFA rule could mean that PSG end up being understrength against Tottenham in the Super Cup clash, which will be played in Stadio Friuli on August 13.

FIFA stipulates that players must be given at least three weeks off after any major tournament, which means that the start of PSG’s pre-season has now been delayed even further.

Enrique’s men will take on Chelsea in the Club World Cup final this Sunday, 13 July and their players may thus not return for pre-season until August 4.

MORE SPURS STORIES

That leaves them just nine days before the UEFA Super Cup clash against Tottenham in Udine.

In sharp contrast, the majority of the Spurs squad has already had a week of pre-season training under their belt and would have had a little over a month to get up to speed before the Super Cup clash.

Why PSG’s short turnaround might not be a huge advantage for Tottenham

On paper, this seems like a big advantage for Thomas Frank’s men, considering they would have three or four weeks of additional pre-season training under their belt than PSG.

However, at the same time, the fact that PSG have been in competitive action all summer means that their players would return to pre-season training relatively match-fit as opposed to the Tottenham squad, who have had a longer break.

There is thus no doubt that the Ligue 1 giants will go into the Super Cup clash as massive favourites.

West Ham United fans are up in arms after Tottenham Hotspur sealed a £55 million deal for Mohammed Kudus – a figure many believe falls well short of the winger’s true value.

The Mohammed Kudus transfer saga is now over, as Fabrizio Romano has appended his famous “here we go” to Tottenham’s new £55 million offer for Kudus.

In fact, it was a double blow for West Ham United fans, as yet another respectable transfer expert, David Ornstein, added further details to the deal, stating that Kudus is expected to sign a six-year contract at Tottenham, and that his medicals have been scheduled for Thursday.

The Ghana international had an £85 million release clause active this summer for Premier League clubs, but Tottenham have managed to secure the services of the 24-year-old winger for significantly less than that figure.

West Ham fans blast Tottenham deal for Mohammed Kudus

This latest development has left West Ham United fans deeply frustrated with the club’s director of football, as many of them cannot come to terms with their side selling one of their best players to a direct London rival.

Many supporters believe the agreed fee is simply not good enough, with one fan stating: “We just never get a great amount for anyone other than Rice, criminal.”

Another added: “Although he was not very good last season, it is still bad business – he will inevitably leave Spurs in 2-3 years for £80 million plus. Knowing West Ham, we have not included a sell-on clause.”

MORE SPURS STORIES

A third fan aimed criticism at the club’s owners and poured cold water on Kudus’ impact at the London Stadium: “Complete shambles from our owners yet again on the cost. First season was good in a Moyes team that capitalised on open space, second season showed his flaws technically. One good game in eight. Has no legacy.”

Dissatisfaction around the price continued, with another fan saying: “If Elanga is £55 million, Kudus should have been £70 million – especially for them.”

One supporter summed up the mood with a scathing remark: “New director of football is needed ASAP.”

Spurs fans shrug off West Ham complaints

Of course, Tottenham Hotspur fans would not care much about the frustrations of West Ham United supporters, as many continue to take digs at the Hammers, with claims of “we are not rivals” being floated around on social media.

A transfer involving these two clubs has been rare in recent years, as one would have to go back well over a decade to find a player who moved directly from West Ham United to Tottenham.

The last player to make such a move was Scott Parker in 2011. This transfer, though, will sting far more, as reports claimed that Kudus’ priority was solely on joining Tottenham.