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Tottenham have been rebuffing advances for now from clubs looking to take Jamie Donley and Will Lankshear on loan but will allow George Abbott to head out while Luka Vuskovic is awaiting news on what comes next for him under Thomas Frank.

Spurs' club-trained squad issues in the Champions League next season will require them to keep some of their homegrown players as squad options, particularly in the wake of the injury crisis that ripped apart the squad during the last fixture-packed campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

Now Frank must make decisions on various young Tottenham players over whether they are good enough in his eyes to play a role in the busy season to come at the north London club or whether they are better served by going out on loan to continue their football education.

Among those is Jamie Donley, who took League One by storm with Leyton Orient last season with 19 goal involvements in 48 matches as well as a remarkable strike from the halfway line that forced a Stefan Ortega own goal in the FA Cup tie against Manchester City and had Pep Guardiola praising the versatile 20-year-old.

football.london understands that Spurs are currently rebuffing loan advances for Donley, who has four years left on his contract and can play in midfield or attack, and will reassess his situation later in the summer after Frank has worked with him on the training pitches in pre-season.

It is a similar situation for Will Lankshear who scored his first goal for Tottenham in the Europa League defeat at Galatasaray, which was swiftly followed by his first red card, before a loan to West Brom.

The 20-year-old striker has a long contract like Donley until 2029 and football.london understands the Baggies are interested in taking Lankshear back on loan again this season, with Ryan Mason now in charge, while other clubs in the Championship and abroad are also showing interest.

However, Frank is believed to want to take a look at Lankshear closely this summer first as he is well aware of the striker after Brentford had a bid accepted for him before he left Sheffield United to join Spurs' academy in 2022.

One player who is being allowed to head out on loan again is George Abbott. The 19-year-old shone in Notts County's run to the League Two play-offs with 13 goal involvements in 44 appearances in the County midfield and he scored some spectacular goals from distance including a powerful volley that won the League Two Goal of the Season award.

football.london understands that Abbott will be allowed to go out on loan if a suitable bid arrives for his services.

There are also believed to be a a string of clubs across Europe waiting to try to take Luka Vuskovic on loan if he becomes available this summer.

The 18-year-old, who was handed his senior debut for Croatia at the end of last season, will finally arrive at Hotspur Way next month to join in pre-season training and allow his head coach Frank to have a good look at him in action alongside his new team-mates.

However, there is also set to be a new £5million defensive arrival next month at Spurs in the shape of Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale. The 20-year-old Japan international is expected to be part of Frank's squad for the coming season, although he will also be looked at during this summer's training sessions at Hotspur Way and on tour in Hong Kong and South Korea.

With many centre-backs at his disposal and those difficulties in registering more than 17 foreign players in the European squad, Frank has plenty of decisions to make this summer.

Every pre-season at Tottenham there is at least one academy starlet who grabs an opportunity for the year ahead.

Never more so is that the case that when a fresh pair of eyes arrives in the head coach role, with a new boss who might see something that others have not. Often the new man wants to lay claim to having given someone in the academy a chance, a project of sorts.

Under Mauricio Pochettino it was Harry Winks who got his opportunity while Jose Mourinho took a shine to Oliver Skipp. Recent managers have given Spurs youngsters their breakthrough after impressing in pre-season, Will Lankshear getting some early opportunities under Ange Postecoglou last season amid the injury chaos.

This summer brings another fresh slate for those young players looking to impress Thomas Frank and the club's European squad problems with a complete lack of outfield club-trained senior stars means that some will be needed for the season ahead in the Champions League to bolster the squad.

Here are nine Tottenham academy products that Frank will want to take a close look at next month. We're not including Ashley Phillips, Yang Min-hyeok or the incoming Luka Vuskovic here because they're not academy products.

Mikey Moore

This could be an important season in Mikey Moore's development. He is approaching his 18th birthday in August and with Spurs looking at further attacking transfers this summer, it would make some sense to let the teenager go out and experience a full season of regular football.

However, those pesky homegrown issues are likely to make Tottenham think twice about letting the gifted young attacker out of those Hotspur Way doors. The Frank factor, with his past in developing teenagers within the Danish FA set-up as well as at Brondby and Brentford, will also play a part as they will want him to continue Moore's development.

For Moore is one of the club's most prized young talents and has just finished his time with England at the European U19 Championships, which included an ankle sprain that he returned to the bench from in the final game. He had impressed up until that point in the tournament and the team missed him as they exited in the group stages.

The 17-year-old needs to continue to develop physically as he grows, as he was outmuscled at times in the Premier League in what was a breakthrough season with 19 appearances for Spurs around a virus that knocked him for six late last year. However, he showed enough glimpses of the talent he can become and he is likely to be handed a new contract with that new birthday as youth players often do.

Jamie Donley

It was a season to remember for Jamie Donley as the 20-year-old took League One by storm with Leyton Orient. He overcame an awkward start when boss Richie Wellens didn't seem to quite know what he had at his disposal until he finally did realise as Donley knuckled down and showed him.

The result was 19 goal involvements in 48 matches which doesn't include that remarkable shot from the halfway line that forced an own goal in the FA Cup tie against Manchester City which had Pep Guardiola praising Donley. In the end there was play-off heartbreak for Orient but the versatile Donley came out of the season with a lot of credit.

football.london understands that Spurs are currently rebuffing loan advances for Donley, who has four years left on his contract, and will reassess his situation later in the summer after Frank has got a chance to work with him on the training pitches in pre-season.

Donley has got a wand of a left foot and can play in multiple positions across the midfield and attack so will take any opportunity to play for his boyhood club.

Dane Scarlett

It seems crazy to say for a 21-year-old but this feels like a make-or-break season for Dane Scarlett in terms of what comes next for him at Tottenham.

The striker has been the next big thing at Spurs for years now and has been heralded by a string of managers without quite igniting either for the club or out on loan. He now has just two years left on his contract although as with most youth contracts at the club it might contain an option for a further 12 months.

Last season did bring that first goal for the north London outfit in the Europa League win against Elfsborg and Scarlett also managed two assists in his four other games for Spurs after returning from Oxford, where he scored four times in 20 Championship appearances.

Within Tottenham people rave about Scarlett's finishing and his hold-up play has improved and the delight for him among the players when he finally netted that first goal was there for all to see. The need for a homegrown forward kept around the club is likely to see either him or Will Lankshear stick around for the first half of the season and whichever path Scarlett takes after Frank's decision, he needs to grab the opportunity.

Will Lankshear

Will Lankshear is a year behind Scarlett and has only just experienced his first loan spell, spending half the season at West Brom but has also already netted his first goal for Tottenham in the Europa League defeat at Galatasaray, which was swiftly followed by his first red card.

The 20-year-old finisher has a long deal like Donley until 2029 and there is time for him to continue to develop as he is a raw product right now. football.london understands West Brom are interested in taking Lankshear back again this season, with Ryan Mason now in charge, while other clubs in the Championship and abroad are also showing interest.

However, Frank is believed to want to take a look at Lankshear closely this summer first as he is well aware of the striker after Brentford had a bid accepted for the youngster before he left Sheffield United to join Spurs. Lankshear impressed last year in pre-season and has developed physically a lot since then through his prolonged exposure to first team football.

Alfie Devine

We could have included another Alfie in Alfie Dorrington in this list but there are just too many centre-backs now it seems for the 20-year-old academy defender to break through after his Scottish Cup-winning loan at Aberdeen.

As with Scarlett, it feels like this could be a make or break season for Alfie Devine, who turns 21 this summer, after a string of loan moves without really getting a chance at Tottenham.

Frank will make the final decision on what happens next for the midfielder, who has one year plus a option for another 12 months on his contract.

It's worth noting that Frank's assistant Justin Cochrane, who has returned to Tottenham after working in the academy years ago, also worked with Devine in the England set-up for two years and was known to be a fan. He could make Frank aware of the talent the young midfielder possesses.

Josh Keeley

Tottenham have a set trio of goalkeepers it seems in Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky and Brandon Austin which is a huge shame for Josh Keeley.

He had a massive season at Orient with 16 clean sheets, scoring a dramatic goal in the FA Cup, was also praised by Guardiola and earned a senior call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

The 22-year-old will likely get rewarded with a new contract as he's going to be a wanted man this summer but it will be interesting to see if Frank wants to take a closer look at him himself this summer before sanctioning a third loan move for the talented young keeper.

George Abbott

George Abbott perhaps got less attention last season because he was operating in League Two but keep an eye on the 19-year-old who starred in Notts County's run to the play-offs.

It was the versatile midfielder's first loan but he starred with 13 goal involvements in 44 appearances as a vital cog in the County midfield and he scored some spectacular goals from distance that did the rounds on social media in the weeks afterwards, one looping effort from distance in the FA Cup and another scorching volley that won the League Two Goal of the Season award.

football.london understands that Abbott is allowed to go out on loan if a suitable bid arrives but if he's involved in first team training this summer don't bet against the teenager catching Frank's eye after a big season of development in the Football League.

Callum Olusesi

Callum Olusesi made his debut for the club last season in the Europa League win at Hoffenheim and the 18-year-old midfielder was on the bench for the semi-final in Bodo as well as in four other group stage games.

The teenager, who signed a new four-year deal in April, was named on the bench a remarkable 14 times in the Premier League last season, once in the FA Cup and three times in the Carabao Cup after becoming a real driving force for the U21s, often as captain, with six goals from midfield across 13 appearances in the Premier League 2 and FA Youth Cup.

Either a first loan move or some more bench time as a European homegrown option awaits for Olusesi as he continues his upward development.

Luca Williams-Barnett

It seems mad to include a 16-year-old in this list but Luca Williams-Barnett is such a talent and enjoyed a remarkable season at Tottenham. He was dominant for the U18s last season with 32 goal involvements in 23 games in the league and FA Youth Cup, netting 20 goals and laying on 12 assists often from an attacking midfield role, and occasionally up front.

He netted a couple of incredible goals from the halfway line and those figures don't include his eye-catching hat-trick as Tottenham blasted past Charlton in the U17 Premier League Cup final with a 5-2 win oozing with style at Stevenage's Lamex Stadium.

Williams-Barnett is a prized asset and it says everything about the belief in him that at his age he was named on the bench in the Premier League draw against Fulham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and in three consecutive group stage matches in the Europa League.

There's a touch of the Hoddle and Gascoigne about the way the teenager plays and if he can reach even a quarter of the level those two managed then he'll have an amazing career.

"He loves football. He's such an exciting, creative player," said his U18s coach Stuart Lewis. "I spoke in the week about Tottenham players and having that creativity and that go-for-it mindset. We've loved Ginola over the years, we've loved Berbatov, those players. Luca's still got a lot of work to do. He's an under-16 player but throughout the season there's been some unbelievable moments."

The youngster found the tempo and the intensity of first team training tough to adjust to at first but it is something he believes he will master.

"I'm enjoying my football so much right now," he said. "I can't wait until I'm in the Premier League, scoring for Tottenham, making the fans happy. I just can't wait."

He will certainly be someone Frank wants to take a look at this season and it might even come this summer if he catches the eye in pre-season training.

Notable mentions

There are others who Frank will get to look at in the coming months. Tyrese Hall and Rio Kyerematen have both trained with the first team in recent seasons, while Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny has made an impact since joining Spurs' development squad last season and he was with Moore in the England U19 squad at the Euros.

Dante Cassanova has also just signed a new contract and is a versatile defender, although that's a packed area of the first team right now. The same will be the case for Malachi Hardy and Junai Byfield in the defensive ranks while George Feeney is looking to make a name for himself up front.

Mason Melia is set to join Tottenham in January from St Patrick's Athletic once he has turned 18 and the Irish striker will be another one to look out for.

The Tottenham Hotspur players will be looking to get to work to impress new head coach Thomas Frank as quickly as possible in pre-season.

The Spurs squad are expected to return to Hotspur Way at the beginning of July, following a summer break, with a packed pre-season schedule already in the calendar.

And everyone will be eager to impress the new boss before he choose his travelling squad to go on the club's pre-season tour of Asia, with games against Arsenal and Newcastle in Hong Kong and South Korea.

But Frank will be without three players for the very start of pre-season training because of international commitments.

FIFA guidelines state that all players should have at least three weeks off together following the end of domestic and international commitments at the end of a season.

And Spurs have three players still out on duty in Slovakia for the UEFA Euro U21 Championships.

The semi-finals of the competition take place on Wednesday evening, with England taking on the Netherlands and France taking on Germany. The final will be held on Saturday.

Archie Gray is part of the England U21 squad, while Spurs teammates Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert are in the France squad for the tournament.

Even if the two countries are knocked out tonight, the trio are likely to go on holiday and are unlikely to return to Spurs until the third week of July at the earliest. That would be just before the squad travel out to the Far East for the pre-season tour.

Frank green-lit the deal to bring Tel back to the club permanently after his loan spell last season, so it is clear he has high hopes for the Frenchman, while Gray and Odobert were big money signings last summer that have a bright future at the club.

Arsenal remain in the hunt for a new central midfielder, despite Martin Zubimendi's impending arrival from Real Sociedad. The Spaniard has, seemingly, been signed as the replacement for Jorginho, but it now looks as though another will be needed for Thomas Partey.

In just under one week, the 32-year-old's contract will expire and with extension talks not advancing, he is set to become a free agent on July 1. As such, potential signings for the Gunners' engine room are being explored - with Brentford's Christian Norgaard seemingly top of that list.

Having appointed Thomas Frank as their new head coach, while also being on the hunt for a new defensive midfielder, Tottenham have also been linked with a move for the Denmark international. Mikel Arteta has previously spoken about Norgaard and, while it was far from words of praise, context is quite important in that situation.

With all of that being said, football.london has taken a look at the latest rumours and updates surrounding Norgaard and a potential switch across London;

Arsenal offer made

David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed Arsenal have submitted an offer in the region of £9.4million (€11m) for Norgaard. The Gunners are now waiting for a response from Brentford - but it looks as though they have one from Norgaard himself with the 31-year-old thought to be "keen" on moving to the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta stance and long-term interest

football.london understands that he has been tracked by Arsenal for at least two years with Arteta wanting an experienced addition when it comes to replacing Partey

The Gunners boss has discussed Norgaard before, but that came after he was left furious on the touchline by his foul on Gabriel Martinelli during the 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Brentford.

Asked about the incident during his post-game press conference, he simply said: "[Claps] I think my reaction tells everything."

Tottenham move

Norgaard is the latest midfielder being linked with a move to Tottenham as the club push for reinforcements in that position.

football.london's Tottenham Hotspur correspondent - Alasdair Gold - held a Q&A recently where he was asked about Spurs' plans to sign a new No.6 and it was suggested Norgaard could be a player of interest.

He said: "The problem with that role in particular is the arrival of Thomas Frank brings a reset of sorts in that the number six has to be someone who fits his system compared to Ange Postecoglou's.

"Spurs were already looking for a number six but some on the list may well have changed in recent days as Frank and Johan Lange decide in their key recruitment chats that would have taken place at Hotspur Way last week, as well as subsequent and previous conversations about the best fitting names for his system that are gettable.

"It's a shame [for Frank anyway] that Norgaard signed a new deal towards the end of last season, because I would not have been shocked if Spurs had made a move for him as he was one of the more underrated midfielders in the Premier League last season."

Brentford valuation

Arsenal are some way off Brentford's reported valuation for Norgaard with The Evening Standard claiming they want £45million to sell their club captain.

Despite his age, it is no surprise such a fee is being demanded - especially as he only recently signed a new deal. Losing their manager, best player and captain in the span of a few months would also be quite the blow which is likely why they want those additional funds.

Clubs across Europe are waiting to pounce for Luka Vuskovic on loan if Thomas Frank decides the teenage Tottenham talent can leave in the wake of Kota Takai's transfer, football.london understands.

Vuskovic has been one of the most sought after young defenders in Europe and Spurs saw off competition from Manchester City among others to sign the Croatian from Hajduk Split in 2023 while he was still just 16. The centre-back was not able to officially make the move until he turned 18 and Tottenham set up loans for him, first at Radomiak in Poland and then at Westerlo in Belgium last season, alongside young Spurs midfielder Alfie Devine. Those moves had the intended effect as Vuskovic has now played 61 games despite his age.

The 6ft 3ins defender has also scored a remarkable 11 goals and laid on four assists in those matches thanks to his ability to pop up in the right areas in the opposition box, allied with impressive technique which allows him to dribble and finish moves. One spectacular bicycle kick goal for Westerlo last season earned him plenty of plaudits.

Vuskovic, who was handed his senior debut for Croatia at the end of last season, will finally arrive at Hotspur Way next month to join in pre-season training and allow his head coach Frank to have a good look at him in action alongside his new team-mates.

However, there is also set to be a new £5million defensive arrival next month at Spurs in the shape of Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale. The 20-year-old Japan international is expected to be part of Frank's squad for the coming season, although he will also be looked at during this summer's training sessions at Hotspur Way and on tour in Hong Kong and South Korea.

Takai, who turns 21 in September, is older than Vuskovic and has slightly more experience, having played 78 senior club games and appeared in four World Cup qualifying matches in the past nine months.

The Japanese centre-back has also played 13 times in the AFC Champions League against the best teams in Asia and helped Kawasaki reach the final this year after being named the J.League Young Player of the Year in 2024.

With a currently packed centre-back department, Frank must make a decision on whether both young new arrivals remain with the squad until January at least or whether the teenage Vuskovic needs another full season of regular minutes to continue his development. Tottenham will also be aware of the defensive injuries that cost them last season and required young midfielder Archie Gray to play as a centre-back for a large part of the campaign.

football.london understands that a string of clubs across Europe are waiting to try to take Vuskovic on loan if he becomes available this summer.

Another problem for both Vuskovic and Takai lies in Spurs' club-trained issues with their European squad, which means currently Frank must fit 31 players into 22 spots in his Champions League squad for the season ahead, not counting any further new signings.

While Takai is too old to qualify as club-trained, Vuskovic will be able to qualify after three years at the club and could also eventually be able to qualify for Tottenham's UEFA B list for younger players, even with one loan included.

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg once gave Jordan Henderson his backing as the England star reportedly circles a move to French side Marseille.

Hojbjerg left Spurs to join the Ligue 1 side last summer on loan. However that move has now been made permanent with Spurs believed to have pocketed around £17million for the midfielder.

Rumours are now abound that Ajax star Henderson could be headed to the French outfit too, due to a clause in his contract with the Dutch side.

The clause reportedly states he can move on a free transfer this summer if he wishes to activate it, with Marseille thought to be keen on recruiting the 35-year-old.

Should the ex-Liverpool captain make the move to Marseille, the potential switch already has the blessing of Hojbjerg. Speaking ahead of Denmark's Euro 2020 semi-final with England, played in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dane voiced his feelings on Henderson.

"I think England's squad overall are fantastic, their midfield as well," he said. "And the guys who aren't playing from the start. When you're able to bring on a Jordan Henderson, it's a big example of quality."

Henderson won the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool, captaining the club to both historic victories. However he left in the summer of 2023 for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, after a lack of assurances over first team opportunities at Anfield.

Just six months later, he called time on his Saudi Arabian stint and made the move to Amsterdam. Henderson found himself in a key role in Francesco Farioli’s Ajax side last season as they agonisingly missed out on the Eredivisie title by just one point on the final day.

Despite his standing in Amsterdam, with the World Cup coming up in less than a year it's thought that Henderson has yet to decide whether its Ajax, or Marseille, which can offer him the best chance of showcasing his talents on the European stage.

Henderson has been drafted in to Thomas Tuchel’s recent England squads, but his inclusion was met with some derision as England underperformed in their World Cup qualifiers.

The ex-Sunderland man could now be set to join such players as Mason Greenwood and Adrien Rabiot at Marseille, where under former Brighton boss Robert de Zerbi, the club finished runners up behind Paris Saint-Germain last season. Henderson's willingness to move has also alerted Nottingham Forest, who are also believed to be looking at bringing the midfielder in.

Meanwhile, Hojbjerg started 30 of Marseille's 34 matches this season and played the full 90 minutes in all but two of the games. He scored three goals and made four assists.

Tottenham first signed Hojbjerg from Southampton in 2020 in a £15m deal. He went on to make 184 appearances for the club, scoring ten goals.

Tottenham will have another new face this summer in Japan international Kota Takai but he is likely to hand Thomas Frank a dilemma.

Spurs are set to sign the 20-year-old centre-back for £5million from Kawasaki Frontale, a fee that is a J.League record one for a Japanese player. Takai is expected to be part of the first team squad under Tottenham's new head coach Frank this season after the Dane gave the green light to his move.

One problem will face the new Spurs boss though when it comes to the newcomer and it is a issue that will also apply to another new arrival in 18-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic. The dilemma is which players Frank can name in his Champions League squad next season.

Due to the club's struggles with a lack of club-trained senior players, Frank currently has 31 players to fit into 22 European squad spots and that is before any more new signings arrive this summer. Of course, the Dane must also decide who leaves Spurs this summer but it is still likely that he will be required to leave a player or two out of his Champions League squad as all of his predecessors have had to do in European competition.

With so many centre-backs at the north London outfit currently that might mean that either Takai or Vuskovic, or potentially both, miss out on playing in the world's biggest club competition.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold and head of football.london Lee Wilmot discuss the above and plenty more about Takai and what the young Japanese defender will bring to the club and what Tottenham must do in the transfer window in the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham.

Kota Takai might just have his eye on a certain shirt number at Tottenham Hotspur and whether he gets it will show just how much Thomas Frank expects to use him in his first season.

Spurs have moved to sign the 20-year-old centre-back for £5million from Kawasaki Frontale, a J.League record fee for a Japanese player and Takai is expected to be part of the first team squad under new head coach Frank rather than coming in as a development player likely to head out again on loan.

That is mostly because of his experience already in the game. Takai, who turns 21 in September, is not arriving as a teenager taking his first steps in senior football. The 6ft 3ins centre-back has already got four international caps for Japan, turning out in their World Cup qualifiers and is seen as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the country.

Takai has clocked up 78 appearances already for Kawasaki and played a key role in them winning the Japanese Super Cup in 2024 on his way to being named the J.League's Young Player of the Year. The young defender has already played 13 times in the AFC Champions League as a key part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month, including a big performance in the semi-final win away against an Al-Nassr team boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran.

Takai will arrive at Tottenham next month and will turn up at a time when his favoured No.2 shirt for the past couple of years is available at the club. It has been available since 2023 when Matt Doherty left and it remains to be seen whether anyone else would want it. For Japan, Takai wears the number three and that is also available at Spurs in the wake of Sergio Reguilon's departure.

Young players arriving at Tottenham often take numbers higher up the list, although Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall did get 14 and 15 last summer. In being given either number two or three, Tottenham would certainly be showing Takai their faith in him and that he will be up the pecking order to challenge for a regular spot if he shows what they expect in training over the coming months.

Thomas Frank is a huge admirer of Christian Norgaard with the Brentford captain linked with a move to Tottenham this summer.

The Denmark international has impressed for the Bees since signing for the club in May 2019. The 31-year-old signed from Fiorentina but really earned his reputation at Brondby, where he also played under Frank.

Known for his strong tackling and tactical awareness, the midfielder also possesses extreme technical ability and has more than shown his range of passing in the Premier League in recent seasons. With Tottenham interested in signing a new midfielder this summer, Norgaard has emerged as a target, although the Dane is also said to be of interest to north London rivals Arsenal.

Norgaard did sign a contract extension at Brentford in March, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027, but Spurs may be tempted to test the west London side's resolve with an offer. Frank is a huge admirer of the defensive midfielder's talents and waxed lyrical about his compatriot when news of his contract extension was published.

“This new contract was a no-brainer for us and Christian,” said Frank at the time. “Christian has been an integral part of the fantastic journey we have been on these past six years. He is our club captain and one of our most important players.

“His ability to sense danger and make interceptions is at an extraordinarily high level, as is his ability to play forward on the first or second touch. And he has picked up his goal threat this season! The first time I coached Christian, he was a No.10; now he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. I’m very happy. Hopefully we can continue to be successful together with Christian leading the team.”

With Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma both entering the final year of their contracts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Norgaard is a realistic option given his top flight experience and understanding of working with Frank. The new Tottenham boss' feelings on the midfielder are clear and that may well mean a move is on the cards.

Kota Takai will arrive at Tottenham next month after completing a £5million deal from Kawasaki Frontale and he will join a centre-back department stacked with options.

After making Mathys Tel's loan a permanent £30million move to kick off the Thomas Frank era, Spurs have moved to sign up 20-year-old Takai for what is a J.League record fee for a Japanese player. Despite arriving on a relatively low price tag in Premier League terms, Takai, who turns 21 in September, comes in with far more experience than most of the north London club's younger signings of recent years.

The 6ft 3ins centre-back has 78 appearances under his belt already for Kawasaki and played a big role in them winning the Japanese Super Cup in 2024, on his way to being named the J.League's Young Player of the Year. Takai has also played 13 times in the AFC Champions League as a key part of the Kawasaki side that reached the final last month. He won plaudits for his performance in the 3-2 semi-final victory away against an Al-Nassr team featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran.

Takai has also played for Japan in four World Cup qualifiers so far - it would have been more but for an adductor injury suffered in October last year - and the youngster is being chosen in a squad containing mainly international team-mates currently playing away in Europe.

So while the price tag might be low, Takai has plenty of experience to back up his potential and is expected to become part of Frank's first team squad this season with the Dane and his coaching staff set to get a closer look at him next month in pre-season training after green-lighting the deal.

But what does the youngster's arrival mean for the others in a stacked centre-back department? In terms of senior players there is currently Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, the injured Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies. As a back-up, there is also technically Archie Gray, who had to learn quickly how to become a centre-back last season.

Then there is the highly-rated Luka Vuskovic, who is set to finally arrive at Spurs after turning 18 following loan spells from Hajduk Split in Poland and Belgium. The teenager, also 6ft 3ins, has also been racking up the experience with 61 senior appearances, including a remarkable 11 goals and four assists as a centre-back, and he made his senior Croatia debut this month.

After turning down Manchester City to make the move to Tottenham, the north London club are going to have to be wary of shipping Vuskovic straight out on loan and the message that sends him.

Then there is Ashley Phillips, who turns 20 this Thursday. He was signed from Blackburn in 2023 and has impressed on loan at Plymouth and then Stoke in the Championship, but has not yet looked like breaking into the first team set-up. The same could be said for 20-year-old academy product Alfie Dorrington, who at least got his Premier League debut last season against Southampton before heading off on loan to Aberdeen, where he won the Scottish FA Cup.

Then there are others in the academy looking to progress such as the versatile 21-year-old Dante Cassanova, who signed a new two-year deal last week, and young talents like 17-year-old Malachi Hardy and 16-year-old Junai Byfield.

The centre-back area is currently packed with players for the now and the near future. Some could leave with World Cup winner Cristian Romero linked with a move to La Liga but with uncertainty over whether anyone would pay the required price tag for the Europa League Player of the Season.

Spurs took up the option in Ben Davies' contract to extend it by another year but that does not rule out a move for the long-serving Welshman if something he wants arises, especially as Takai can also operate on the left on a centre-back pairing.

If Romero were to leave, Tottenham would likely bring in a big name replacement to ensure they have the required quality to compete in the Champions League.

That's because there are also injuries to take into account over the course of the campaign and Spurs certainly were not prepared for that last season. They lost so many centre-backs that 18-year-old midfielder Gray ended up being drafted into the middle of the defence for three full months of games every three days.

Tottenham will not want to allow a situation like that again and that could mean both Takai and Vuskovic being in and around the first team squad until at least January, particularly with Dragusin expected to be treated cautiously on his eventual return from a cruciate ligament injury.

For Phillips and Dorrington, barring a stunning pre-season that turns Frank's head, their futures look to lie elsewhere next season with contracts long enough that another loan could lurk on the horizon.

When it comes to Europe there are going to be some disappointed centre-backs as not all of them can fit into what would be a 22-man squad due to Spurs' club-trained issues.

Frank is going to start pre-season with a big squad while wanting new signings. He will need to make decisions aplenty on where it needs to be trimmed and strengthened and the centre-back department just got a whole lot busier.