Football London

Ex-Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who was shown the door less than a month ago, may not be out of work for long as interest from Major League Soccer emerges. Despite being linked with positions in the Saudi Pro League, it's looking increasingly likely that an American adventure could beckon.

Postecoglou guided Spurs to a commendable fifth-place Premier League finish in his inaugural season and went on to claim the Europa League trophy the next year. However, this impressive stint wasn't enough to cement his place at the helm, leading to Thomas Frank taking up the reins as they eye Champions League action.

BBC Sport reveals that LAFC are mulling over the idea of bringing in the seasoned manager to succeed Steve Cherundolo. Cherundolo has not had the smoothest of rides lately, notably struggling to make an impact at the Club World Cup where LAFC managed only a solitary point against powerhouses like Chelsea, Esperance, and Flamengo.

The American ex-international Cherundolo has been part of the LAFC set-up for four years, topping the Western Conference standings just last season. This campaign hasn't been as rosy with his squad trailing conference frontrunners San Diego by 10 points, despite having games in hand.

Cherundolo had already earmarked the conclusion of the current season as his exit point, planning a return to Germany, his home throughout his playing career primarily with Hannover. Citing familial reasons, he states that moving back to Europe is "in the best interest of my family", reports the Mirror.

If Postecoglou secures a move to Los Angeles, it will see him link up again with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who he cast aside at Tottenham in favour of summer signing Guglielmo Vicario. The veteran Frenchman's quest for an extended career led him to LA, where he currently plays.

The MLS outfit boasts an impressive array of former Premier League talent, including ex-Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, as well as Tottenham great Gareth Bale, who completed a brief stint at the club in 2022 before hanging up his boots.

Speaking to the media following the managerial change at Tottenham, Lloris commented: "No, nothing surprises me in football," Lloris said. "But at the same time, it is hard to say something because I am on the other side. I don't know what happened inside the club so it's really hard for me to judge.

"If they made this decision it is because they believe there is another option which is better for the future of the club. What Ange Postecoglou did was just remarkable. He brought this Europa League trophy, he brought a lot of joy to the Spurs community, a lot of pride as well and we all have to be thankful for that."

Tottenham need more departures this summer to fix a bloated squad while also bringing in some quality players to take on the challenge of Champions League football.

But what of those who left Spurs in the past 12 months? With a new head coach walking through the doors in the shape of Thomas Frank some might naturally wonder how those departed players of all ages might have performed under a different manager with different ideas and techniques.

It's time to take a look at how those 15 players who left the club in the past year have got on after heading out of the Hotspur Way exit. Many were big name stars, some among the most expensive Tottenham have ever bought, while others were long-serving stars and others academy prospects that just could not break through properly.

Let's start with the most expensive of them all and a player who divided opinion until the end.

Tanguy Ndombele

Tanguy Ndombele left his mark on Tottenham but not really in the way he would have liked, as the club's biggest ever flop after arriving from the now-relegated Lyon for a club record fee worth more than £60million in all. The Frenchman, who had all the talent in the world but not the other components to be a Premier League success, played just 91 times over half a decade at the north London outfit before having his contract mutually terminated last summer.

Nice signed him on a two-year contract and it was all going reasonably well in the first half of his season back in France with 25 appearances, scoring twice and laying on two assists across 1,407 minutes of football.

Even during that time, as was the case for Ndombele at Spurs, little injuries caused him problems and he was constantly playing through muscle and hip problems and then in March came a nightmare sports hernia issue that ended his season prematurely. Now 28, Ndombele has just been pictured back in early pre-season training with Nice, who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season and will now take their place in the Champions League qualifiers in early August.

Ndombele will be hoping to finally get his career back on track after showing some glimpses of that in the first half of last season back in his home country.

Giovani Lo Celso

Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso did their utmost seemingly last season to prove that muscle problems were not just exclusive to those playing at Tottenham.

After returning to Real Betis, the Argentine enjoyed a great start to the season with goals in four consecutive La Liga games - five scored in total across those games. Then he missed much of October with a hamstring problem and then after a couple of months back in the team, including scoring in back-to-back La Liga games against Barcelona and Villarreal, Lo Celso, now 29-years-old, suffered an adductor injury.

Then another muscle injury, announced as "a moderate-grade injury to the middle third of the soleus muscle in his right leg" ensured he did not return to action until the final game in March.

Unlike Ndombele, Lo Celso did contribute in the final months of the season and helped Betis reach the final of the Europa Conference League but another muscle injury suffered the previous week restricted him to just the final five minutes of the 4-1 defeat, having missed the final La Liga game of the season.

In all, Lo Celso started just 15 La Liga games this season, playing 34 times across all competitions with nine goals and three assists and is yet to be name in an Argentina squad for their World Cup qualifiers this year due to those problems.

Emerson Royal

Keeping on the injury train and Emerson Royal is another who has had a season marred by a long-term injury as a calf problem kept him out at AC Milan from the end of January until May, when he was greeted by a line of team-mates slapping him on the back as he returned to training.

The Brazilian right-back had made the move from N17 last summer in a deal worth £12.6million plus add-ons but Emerson, now 26, struggled to impress either the supporters or the media and that injury reportedly scuppered attempts to sell him immediately in the January window after Milan signed Kyle Walker.

The England right-back has since gone back to Manchester City and Emerson returned for the final three games of the season, remaining on the bench for them all as Milan lost in the Italian Cup final to Bologna. He had won the Italian Super Cup midway through the season though so it was not a fruitless season despite that injury which restricted him to 26 appearances.

Troy Parrott

Troy Parrott was one of the biggest successes among the Tottenham departures last season after he joined AZ Alkmaar in a £6.7million deal with a 20% sell-on clause for the north London side.

The 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international hit 20 goals for the Dutch side last season across 47 matches and came up against his old team Spurs three times in the Europa League, causing them plenty of problems.

In that European competition Parrott racked up six goal involvements in 12 games and in the Eredivisie managed 16 goal involvements in 28 games. Parrott ended up as the joint third top scorer in the Dutch flight across the season.

"For me it just didn't happen [with Spurs]. I'm OK with that," Parrott said ahead of the quarter-final against his old side. "I look back with a smile. It's a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young, so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that. It helped me become the person and player I am now, so I can only look back on that with good memories."

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is in this list even though he's on loan at Marseille and still registered to Spurs for another couple of days because he technically joined the Ligue 1 outfit with an obligation to buy.

The Dane, who will turn 30 this summer, played 32 times for Marseille, scoring three times and laying on four assists in a campaign in which the Ligue 1 side finished second behind PSG, albeit 19 points behind the Champions League winners. That still means Hojbjerg will be playing in that competition next season and could come up against his old side.

It was a campaign in which Hojbjerg captained Marseille on occasions and was also named the new skipper of his country. It's been a good year for the experienced midfielder and some might just wonder what might have happened if he did not have a permanent move lined up because the new Spurs boss Frank worked with Hojbjerg at youth level in the Danish international set-up and might just have had a place for him in his squad.

Oliver Skipp

One midfielder who did not enjoy such a happy season is Oliver Skipp. The 24-year-old only just managed to surpass the 24 matches he played for Spurs last season with 28 across all competitions for Leicester in his first year there, with just 10 Premier League starts.

Skipp left Spurs last summer after 18 years at the north London club and more than 100 first team appearances to join up with fellow academy product Harry Winks in a transfer that could eventually bring Tottenham more than £20million plus a sell-on clause.

The problem for Skipp was that while the manager who signed him, Steve Cooper, was keen on the midfielder, Ruud van Nistelrooy seemed less so across the campaign, preferring more physical midfielders as Leicester struggled for wins and were relegated from the Premier League.

That in itself could provide a restart for Skipp as he was excellent in the Championship in his last season in it with Norwich, playing an integral part of their title win that year so this coming campaign, five years on, could be the making of him at the Foxes.

Ryan Sessegnon

Everyone just wanted to see Ryan Sessegnon playing football again after years of hamstring injury hell and he pretty much managed that with 22 appearances, netting four times and providing two assists in his 16 Premier League games for Fulham.

One of those goals came against Tottenham in the defeat at Craven Cottage with a well-taken right-footed curling effort that brought no celebration.

"I spent five years at Spurs and I'm grateful for my time there. So that's why I didn't celebrate," the 24-year-old said after Sunday's game. "I'm feeling good, sharp and strong. I just want to play a little bit more. When I get the chances I want to prove I can play at this level."

When Tottenham decided not to take up the option of the additional year on his contract last summer, Sessegnon's return to Fulham meant that all of the club's arrivals in that now infamous 2019 window, including Ndombele, Lo Celso and even Jack Clarke went back to their previous side at some point after joining Spurs.

The most important thing for Sessegnon was that he had no injury woes to speak of and was either playing or on the bench for most of the season.

Joe Rodon

Joe Rodon had a year to remember for Leeds, helping them to the Championship title and missing only four minutes of football in the entire season in that competition.

After joining permanently as part of the deal that brought Archie Gray in the opposite direction to north London last summer, the Wales international played all 46 matches for the Elland Road outfit in the league and now he will return to the Premier League to show that's where he always believed he belonged.

The 27-year-old played a remarkable 4,136 minutes in the Championship last season, with just five yellow cards to his name despite being a tough-tackling centre-back.

Japhet Tanganga

For Japhet Tanganga, as it was with Sessegnon, there was a need to continue to show that he was free of the injuries that dogged his years at Tottenham.

Thankfully that was pretty much the case as Tanganga, now 26, played 43 times for Millwall last season, scoring twice, and helped them rise up the table as the season wore on to an eight-place finish.

As with Sessegnon, Spurs did not take up the option last summer to extend Japhet Tanganga's contract by its final year. Instead he signed on a free transfer for Millwall after impressing for the Championship side on loan last season.

It proved to be the right move with 3,823 minutes of football at a club where he looked very much at home. However, there has been plenty of interest in Tanganga from Premier League clubs and those abroad, so he could be on the move this summer.

Ivan Perisic

Ivan Perisic technically stopped being a Tottenham employee last summer, even if he had already joined Hajduk Split the previous January on loan until the end of his contract.

The Croatian's time at Spurs ended with that torn cruciate ligament and then his return to Croatia with Hajduk went in the wrong direction with the arrival of Gennaro Gattuso as the now 36-year-old's contract was mutually terminated.

That brought a move to add another new league in his remarkable career with a switch to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven and Perisic has not looked back with a brilliant second half to the season. He bagged 16 goals and 11 assists in 35 matches, including three goals in four Champions League knockout matches, including a goal at the Emirates Stadium.

From the mid-March until the end of the season there were only three games the experienced attacker didn't score in in the Eredivisie.

Eric Dier

Similar to Perisic, Eric Dier has been gone from Spurs for longer than a year but only officially left last summer after the option in his loan move to Bayern Munich was triggered in the second half of that season.

He wasn't always the first choice at the Bavarian giants in the first half of the season, but still played 28 times, with 21 of those in the Bundesliga as Bayern won the title and him a winner's medal, as he scored two twice and provided one assist.

The 31-year-old played all but four minutes of Bayern's Bundesliga matches from mid-February onwards and started in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Inter, scoring in the game in the San Siro.

In all Dier played 48 matches at Bayern and will now leave as a title winner for a new chapter at Monaco, where he has signed a three-year contract.

Jude Soonsup-Bell

Jude Soonsup-Bell struggled for game time after moving to Spanish second division side Cordoba in a deal that came with no fee but a 40% sell-on clause for Spurs instead.

The 21-year-old was handed a loan move to the Spanish third tier and Atletico Sanluqueno where he got more game time, with 13 appearances and one goal.

It remains to be seen what this summer holds for Soonsup-Bell, who will be remembered at Spurs after helping the development squad to the Premier League 2 title and play-off trophy in his final season.

Yago Santiago

Everything was going well in the Spanish second tier for Yago Santiago, another of the Premier League 2 title-winning squad, with the now 22-year-old enjoying a promising season at Elche with 20 appearances, scoring twice and registering three assists.

However, the winger then suffered a cruciate ligament injury in January and will be out for a considerable chunk of this year. He stopped by Hotspur Way during his recovery and spoke to the Tottenham staff, his old team-mates and current academy players.

Nile John

Another Premier League 2 title winner, Nile John made two appearances for Spurs after coming through the academy before leaving for Portugal with second tier side Feirense after spending eight years at Tottenham.

The 22-year-old midfielder was a regular performer in the league for his new side, playing 18 matches in Liga Portugal 2, scoring four times. However, he picked up a red card 11 minutes into added time in a 2-1 win in February at Pacos Ferreira, where ironically he made one of his two senior appearances for Tottenham.

John received a two-match ban for the incident, played in the following two games but then was suspended for the next eight games from March onwards which ended his season prematurely.

Charlie Sayers

Sayers departed Tottenham last summer after arriving from Southend in 2021. The centre-back was involved in the first team pre-season tour to South Korea three years ago before an eye injury and further injuries interrupted his progress and he was eventually released by the club.

Now 21, Sayers was signed up by Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle on a three-year deal. However, he only made eight appearances for his new Scottish side and parted ways with the club by mutual consent in January.

The defender returned to England and spent the final few months of last season in the National League with Woking, playing only the first 45 minutes of a match against Rochdale.

Bryan Mbeumo looks set to sign for Manchester United in the next week, football.london understands.

Mbeumo enjoyed his best goalscoring season in the Premier League in 2024/25 with 20 goals - a total that was only beaten by Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.

After six seasons with Brentford, the Cameroon international is now looking to make the next step in his career and has been heavily linked with a move away from west London during the summer transfer window.

Mbeumo has been tipped to join Manchester United almost since the season ended, but Thomas Frank's move from Brentford to Tottenham Hotspur set a cat amongst the pigeons when it came to his future.

United made a bid of around £55million that was initially rejected by the Bees, with Spurs then linked with upping that offer to try and hijack the deal.

Frank has had a huge impact on Mbeumo's career in England and the opportunity to stay in London with his former boss was seen as a positive.

But Mbeumo has always seemingly had his heart set on a move to Old Trafford and football.london understands that the transfer is all-but done with a medical set to take place in the coming days.

United may well wait until July 1 to announce the deal for Profit and Sustainability Rules purposes. Our friends at the Manchester Evening News reported on Thursday that the Red Devils were closing in on a deal to sign the 25-year-old.

Mbeumo will join Matheus Cunha as new Manchester United signings this summer, while Spurs will likely turn their attention back to Eberechi Eze, who was always seen as the first choice signing this summer, although they do now face competition from north London rivals Arsenal for his signature.

Tottenham and Son Heung-min seem to be coming to a crossroads. While the South Korean star became the first Spurs captain since Ledley King to lift silverware at the end of last season, he could be set to leave before the next campaign begins.

The 32-year-old has been in north London for a decade now, and rumours have been rife that he could leave. However, things are still up in the air after Ange Postecoglou's exit.

Despite inspiring his team to lift the Europa League in Bilbao, the Australian boss was replaced this summer by former Brentford head-coach Thomas Frank, and it's clear that the new man will need to have conversations with key personnel before any decisions are made.

One thing that seems certain is that Son will be present on the club's pre-season tour, which stops in South Korea. Due to sponsor commitments, Spurs are incredibly unlikely to sanction a sale before that tour is completed.

Rumours have linked the attacker with a transfer to Saudi Arabia, and with just a year remaining on his contract it could be the perfect time for him to leave the club after a year crowned by the Europa League success.

So, should he stay or should he go? Our football.london writers give their verdict below...

Sam Truelove

For me, it all depends on Son Heung-min. The Tottenham captain deserves to choose whether he remains with the club for a further year or departs after ten years service. In my opinion, the South Korean should stick around for one more year.

With Spurs in the Champions League, surely a season in Europe's elite competition appeals to the 32-year-old? If Tottenham want to get a fee for their captain, they could offer him a new one-year deal so he still has one year remaining come next summer. Then everyone wins.

His leadership in the dressing room should not be underestimated and with Ange Postecoglou no longer around and Thomas Frank the new head coach, Son's experience will be invaluable.

Tom Coley

A fresh start for Tottenham under Thomas Frank feels like a good time to move on from Son. If he is thinking about an exit then maybe it is right for all parties.

There is definite value to keeping him but financially, this is the last chance to get any sort of real fee for him. Surely someone will pay at least £30million for someone of his quality, even at his age?

It really is a tough one. Postecoglou had started to favour others at Spurs and it's clear to see why. He isn't the same force of a few years ago and Frank will demand energy and intensity in the press from his players.

It would be hard to say goodbye to Son, but it is better to be honest in these conversations than blinded.

Joe Doyle

There are pros and cons to each option. For me, it could be the ideal time to say goodbye. Or at least, it would have been, had the skipper been able to bid farewell to fans at the trophy parade after lifting the Europa League title.

Ultimately, I don't think you can argue that he has been as effective in attack in the last couple of season as he was previously, whether that be due to injuries or his general output declining. But at the same time, he offers so much to the club in terms of leadership and setting standards on and off the pitch.

For me, the issue in him leaving would be that, following a terrible season in the Premier League last year, the squad looked very light on experienced professionals who could carry the burden of leading the team. And there's no way that improves if Son is sold.

Ultimately, it should come down to whether Son wants to stay or not. He's put his time in and deserves the right to make up his own mind on whether he stays or moves on to a new project. But I have a feeling he leaves.

Matthew Abbott

Son staying a Spurs next season would be more valuable than any transfer fee they receive for their captain this summer. Coming off the worst individual season of his career, it is a surprise that there remains interest from elsewhere.

As such, it wouldn't be a case of cashing in and would be worth the gamble of keeping Son to see if the South Korea international can rediscover his form. Such a scenario could then see the forward sign a new contract, as Mohamed Salah has recently.

In a summer of transition from Spurs and some ill-will still existing from the coaching change, they could do worse than keeping Son around rather than opening up another leadership void in the team. It took him stepping up to fill that in the first place, and especially with any departure not happening until after pre-season, it is debatable whether there are characters already at the club who could command that respect.

Kieran King

As much as it would be a difficult decision to make, I think Tottenham might be better off selling Son and reinvesting the cash on a new left winger. Son, who is set to turn 33 in July, has been at Spurs for 10 years now and it might prove to be the right time to offload him.

Tottenham could do with a refresh in the squad and Son, despite the fact he managed 11 goals and 12 assists in 46 matches, would be one of the players that should be sold. Son's performance levels dropped throughout 2024/25 and I feel as though they would be better off signing a younger alternative.

Someone I would look at is Alejandro Garnacho. He is 12 years younger than Son and has the potential to replicate, or even better, what the South Korean has achieved during his career. Garnacho could be tempted to move to north London due to Champions League football and is expected to leave Manchester United.

Tottenham seem to be getting all their ducks in a row for next season. The club decided to part ways with manager Ange Postecoglou despite winning the Europa League at the climax of last season, with Thomas Frank now in place as his replacement.

Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have had their loan moves from last season made permanent this summer, while a £5million deal has been agreed to sign Japanese star Kota Takai from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale.

There have been links elsewhere as well, with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo of interest to the Tottenham hierarchy, while long-standing interest in Eze's Crystal Palace teammate Marc Guehi could be looked at again should Cristian Romero decided to depart north London - though there have been strong links to Liverpool for the Palace captain..

Meanwhile, there are other potential exits, with club captain Son Heung-min's future up in the air. Spurs may be looking at an incoming attacking player already, but what if the iconic Spurs hero decides to depart?

Below, football.london writers give their view on who the next man through doors should be at Hotspur Way.

Joe Doyle

I'm a big fan of Eberechi Eze, and I think he could improve pretty much every team in the Premier League, and Spurs are no outliers in that.

If he does have a £68million release clause, it would represent a big outlay for Spurs; but they have the Champions League boost to their coffers this season. At 26, he's a decent age and his game isn't one dictated too much by pace so he should retain a lot of value in his later years.

While he's perhaps not a priority, more of a luxury given the team's current attacking options, if Son is considering leaving then the club should be doing everything to get a deal in place for the Palace man.

Sam Truelove

For me, the next couple of weeks should be about Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old is a class act and would be an upgrade on Tottenham's current options, should he arrive in north London this summer.

The Englishman is said to have a £68million release clause in his contract at Crystal Palace so Daniel Levy knows exactly how much the former QPR man will cost. Capable of playing in attacking midfield and on the left wing, Eze would give new boss Thomas Frank real added quality for the 2025/26 season.

Eze scored 14 goals and assisted 11 more in 43 appearances last season. In a decent but not spectacular Palace side, those are good numbers. With Spurs in the Champions League and hoping to push on after winning the Europa League, signing Eze could really help those ambitions.

Tom Coley

It's a south London takeover for Tottenham... That's how Crystal Palace supporters described their FA Cup matches at Wembley Stadium earlier this year and might end up being the culmination of this team.

It makes perfect sense for both Eze and Guehi to be standout targets for Spurs. Guehi is a defensive leader with experience at major tournaments. He can pass with both feet and is well settled in the capital.

As for Eze, he just makes things click. He can be a deluxe James Maddison if he was signed this summer. For Frank, both players fit the bill perfectly and would be an immediate upgrade in quality and depth.

Given how shaky the defence has been, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Frank try to improve that first, so Guehi should be a priority, especially with other clubs sniffing about.

Tottenham have released their new 2025/26 away kit, made by Nike. At the centre of the promotion for the black shirt is club captain Son Heung-min.

Despite Son having an uncertain future in north London, he is among the primary players to sport the latest kit, which features a grid-like design. Dominic Solanke, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, and Guglielmo Vicario are all involved as well.

Son, though, is not certain to be at the club next season to wear this kit in a competitive setting. football.london understands that he is as open as ever to departing.

Speaking last month before the Europa League final he admitted, "For now, I think it’s right to wait rather than say anything here since my contract remains" Son's deal expires in just over 12 months at the end of June 2026.

"Many people, including reporters and fans, are very curious," he continued. "Rather than thinking about the future, I think it’s better to wait and see what happens in my current position. No matter where I am, I'm still a player who has always done my best and worked hard, so I think I should do well."

Son is still among the main players being shown off the new kit, which can be customised with the Europa League winners badge. A men's stadium shirt is available online for £85.

Included in the unveiling of the kit as women's stars, Ella Morris and Jess Naz. With the tag line 'In Darkness We Dare' - a spin on the famous motto, 'To dare is to do' - Tottenham explain that the kit "is a dramatic, all-black design forming a razor-sharp silhouette fit, engineered for speed and built for stealth."

It adds that the black kit is "a bold look to mark the return of Champions League away nights for the forthcoming season." A video of the players donning the slick white home kit at the training ground quickly 'glitches' to them at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in stormy weather with the fresh black shirt on show instead.

YouTuber and Tottenham supporter Danny Aarons is among those to have a cameo, with Son also involved, albeit much more briefly in the video. The South Korean is set for a big few weeks ahead with Thomas Frank arriving as head coach.

Frank, like Ange Postecoglou before him, may well have to manage the transition away from Tottenham's captain if Son is to leave. There is interest in him from the Saudi Pro League.

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.