Football FanCast

Ange Postecoglou cemented his legacy at Tottenham Hotspur when he led his side to glory in the Europa League last season, ending 17 years of searching for silverware down N17.

However, Spurs' 17th-place finish in the Premier League pass judgment on Postecoglou's tenure, ending his time in the dugout after two campaigns that were fraught with setbacks but charged by excitement.

Now, with Thomas Frank at the helm, Tottenham will hope to build on last year's success and establish themselves as one of the most dangerous clubs in England once again, having sealed their place in the Champions League too.

Daniel Levy will no doubt be doing some soul-searching after making the contentious call, but in Frank, the Londoners have bagged a manager capable of shaping talented players into shining stars.

The Danish tactician will relish the chance to work with Tottenham's crew, but he will need to be backed this summer, strengthening the squad with one or two attacking additions.

Spurs lining up attacking signings

Sure, Tottenham need reinforcements across the park, but with Heung-min Son entering the autumn of his career and attracting interest from suitors in the Middle East, fresh recruits are needed.

The 20-year-old Mathys Tel's loan move has been wrapped up for £30m, which could prove a shrewd deal indeed, but there's little question that more is needed, both out wide and as support for striker Dominic Solanke.

Looking at the flanks, West Ham United's Mohammed Kudus is available after a difficult campaign in east London, while L'Equipe have recently reported Lilywhites interest in AS Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, who is valued at around €60m (£51m).

Bryan Mbeumo has also been at the centre of talks, and Frank would love nothing more than a reunion with his Brentford talisman. However, the prolific Cameroon international's preference is to sign for Man United this summer.

No matter, Tottenham appear to have found their dream alternative.

The Athletic's David Ornstein has confirmed that Tottenham have made an official enquiry for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. However, Daniel Levy has no intention of meeting the £70m asking price.

Man United are also keen but are in the same camp as Spurs, albeit they are leaning toward Mbeumo. With Semenyo thought to be keen on the move to north London, though, this one's hardly dead in the water.

Saying that, the Cherries are under no pressure to sell after offloading Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez.

Why Spurs should sign Antoine Semenyo

Bournemouth signed Semenyo from Bristol City for a smart £10.5m fee in January 2023, and has since gone from strong to stronger under the wing of Andoni Iraola.

Indeed, across the past two Premier League campaigns, the versatile winger has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists, underlaying his output with sharp, dynamic movements and a tenacious defensive attitude.

His completeness suggests Semenyo could even prove an upgrade on Brennan Johnson, 24, who is one of Tottenham's most prolific players but is guilty of drifting in and out of games, waning at points.

Two seasons into his career down N17, the Welshman posted 18 goals and seven assists last term, the most notable of which was the bundled-in winner to seal the Europa League title.

But he needs to do more across the wider game. As per Sofascore, Johnson averaged just 0.6 dribbles, 2.8 successful duels, and 0.6 key passes over last year's top-flight season, also creating just four big chances across his 33 appearances (24 of which were starts).

Semenyo, however, is far more complete. Not only did he score 11 goals and add five assists in the league (Johnson's haul was as follows: 11 goals, three assists), but the forward also averaged 1.9 dribbles, 6.1 duels, and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.

This suggests that the Cherries sensation could offer more to the team with his all-round game on the flank in comparison to Johnson's limited performances.

Described as a "duel monster" and a "workhorse off the ball" by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Bournemouth man is perfectly aligned with Frank's vision, especially when considering he plays in a similar fashion to Mbeumo.

Indeed, FBref record the Englishman to be of a statistical likeness to the Bees star, ranked as he was among the top 5% of the Premier League's attacking midfielders and wingers last year for shots taken, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 8% for aerials won per 90.

Semenyo's versatility has seen him provide a potent output both on the left and the right wing for Bournemouth, with his teammate Lewis Cook hailing his "aggressive" and "clinical" qualities.

Such praise underlines the Ghana international's suitability for a place in a Tottenham team hoping to cement themselves among Europe's elite for years to come while challenging for major honours with a newfound taste for triumph.

Of course, Johnson is hardly allergic to playing a definitive role in sealing silverware - just hark back to the Europa League final - but across the wider span of the campaign, Tottenham supporters cannot contest the fact that there was a consistent lack of consistency and fluency that led to the lowly Premier League finish.

Semenyo would change that, dovetailing into Frank's new Spurs system and rising to become the astute manager's new version of Mbeumo.

This wouldn't necessarily relegate Johnson to the backbenches, for the transfer target is competent across both wings, but there's no doubt that he would add a dimension which his counterpart has yet to unlock in its entirety.

Much depends on whether Levy can whittle down Bournemouth's hefty £70m fee. If the shrewd businessman can do so, he would strengthen the new Tottenham project and then some.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and his recruitment team are attempting to navigate a competitive summer transfer market, with a few key items on the agenda for new manager Thomas Frank ahead of a vital 2025/2026 campaign.

Their qualification for next season's Champions League comes as an almighty boost for the Lilywhites when it comes to bringing in fresh squad upgrades.

Spurs are set for a significant financial windfall after booking their place in Europe's most prestigious competition, and they've already put some of it to good use by sealing a cut-price £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel.

Tel won't be their only forward signing either, with Tottenham on the lookout for fresh wingers who could replace current club captain Son Heung-min, who may well have already played his last competitive game for them.

"Son could very well have played his last game for Tottenham, and well, if it was the Europa League final, it would be fitting," said journalist Graeme Bailey to TBR Football recently.

“I am told he still believes he is more than capable of recapturing his best form – but Spurs are ready to make moves this summer and Son leaving could materialise.”

West Ham's Mohammed Kudus, Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, Southampton's Tyler Dibling and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked with moves to north London in the past week, as Levy and technical director Johan Lange assess which deal is best suited to the club.

One area of the squad you'd think would be far down their priority list, in terms of strengthening, is at full-back.

Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Ben Davies and Archie Gray - who can play right-back - are all available for Frank to utilise on the flanks, but Spurs are aware of their need for more locally trained players.to comply with Champions League squad rules.

They currently have just one club-trained player in goalkeeper Brandon Austin when they need to register four players who suit that criteria, otherwise their 25-man Champions League squad is in danger of becoming a 22-man one (Alasdair Gold).

Tottenham could make "clever" signing in former defender Kyle Walker-Peters

Bearing this in mind, Levy and co are contemplating a "clever" move to re-sign former defender and soon-to-be free agent, Kyle Walker-Peters, to fill one of the club-trained player spots.

The Englishman would count as a club-trained player as he came through the Hotspur Way academy, and according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, Walker-Peters himself is pretty keen on a move back to Tottenham.

“The one I do believe they have considered for this summer is Kyle Walker-Peters,” he said on the Gold and Guest talk Tottenham podcast.

“He’s had a terrific career, over 200 appearances for Southampton, a Premier League regular for a lot of that. I think he has a couple of England caps as well.

“On one side, the full-back spots are pretty busy right now, there are a lot of full-backs there, but as the window goes on, if he’s not been snapped up yet, I can see it as a clever solution, he’s club-trained, he can play on both sides, and from my understanding I think he would love to come back to Spurs as well, they’re his boyhood club.”

The 28-year-old would be an experienced option at zero cost with his deal expiring in just nine days, but it would surely require one of the other full-backs to head out on loan or depart the club permanently.

With Spence able to play at left-back when required, perhaps the best solution would be to part company with Davies for a small fee. The Welshman has proved a reliable squad member and faithful servant over the course of his long stay at Tottenham, but with the 96-cap international's contract expiring next summer, it could be a smart business decision.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in the Champions League next season and riding high off their Europa League triumph in Bilbao last month, with new head coach Thomas Frank now preparing to build upon their fantastic end to 2024/2025.

The Dane is tasked with picking up where Ange Postecoglou left off, and he stands to inherit an awkward dressing room atmosphere considering just how popular his predecessor was with the Spurs squad.

James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray were among the players who spoke out in support of Postecoglou, but that wasn't enough to convince chairman Daniel Levy not to part ways with the 59-year-old who ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy.

The Lilywhites cited their torrid domestic form as the main reason behind Postecoglou's dismissal, and it is hard to argue with a record-breaking 22 Premier League defeats which handed them a lowly 17th-placed finish in the table.

Frank must now win over the members of his new team in quick fashion, and it is very likely that the former Brentford favourite will bring in new players of his own.

Right now, Spurs are being repeatedly linked with a vast array of wingers, including the likes of West Ham's Mohammed Kudus, Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, Southampton's Tyler Dibling and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.

However, while the signing of another wide forward could be imperative, especially given Son Heung-min's potential exit to Saudi Arabia, it is also believed that the north Londoners are keen to strengthen at centre-half again.

Tottenham were seriously hamstrung by repeated injuries to their backline last term, with Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin, Kevin Danso and Cristian Romero all sidelined for extended periods, which even required teenage midfielder Gray to provide cover at one point.

The 19-year-old filled in excellently, and you'd think the arrival of Danso in January would negate the need for another body in that area. However, Romero could well leave Spurs for Atletico Madrid, so Frank would need a replacement for the Argentine.

Tottenham preparing bid for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni

As per CaughtOffside, towering Parma defender Giovanni Leoni is now on their radar as a possible new defensive addition.

The Italian has been called a "rising star" by sources within the industry, as quoted by this report, and the young 6-foot-5 colossus is a man in demand. Antonio Conte's Serie A champions Napoli, Inter Milan and AC Milan are all expressing Serie A interest, while Bournemouth and Wolves are believed to be keen on tempting Leoni with a move to England.

Tottenham are even understood to be preparing a £21m bid for Leoni, but this won't be enough as Parma demand closer to £30 million at least. The teenager was a regular in the top flight last season, and Parma are aware that they have a real talent on their hands, even if the right offer could put them under some pressure to sell.

Serie A has been a fruitful pool of talent for Levy in recent years, so this could be one to watch over the coming weeks, if Spurs decide to go in with a bigger bid.

It's all going on at Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The North Londoners moved quickly to fire Ange Postecoglou earlier this month and then, in a relatively quick fashion, appointed Thomas Frank to lead the club into the next season.

However, that's only the start of the business the North Londoners will be doing this season, as recent weeks have seen them linked to a plethora of talented players, from Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo to RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons.

Yet, perhaps the most interesting and exciting link has been to Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, even though his valuation is currently lower than that of a current Spurs star.

Why Spurs want Mbeumo

As things stand, it would appear as if Spurs and Manchester United are the two teams most interested in signing Mbeumo this summer, and while the fee required to do so is still in the air, Football Transfers has valued the Cameroon international at around €58m, which comes out to £49m.

Now, that is still a lot of money, but it would be hard to make a genuine argument against him being worth that and more.

For example, in 42 appearances for the Bees this season, totalling 3577 minutes, the former Troyes gem scored 20 goals and provided nine assists.

That means the 25-year-old phenomenon managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes, which is undeniably sensational and the sort of output that would seriously help the North Londoners next year.

Furthermore, the Avallon-born monster is reasonably versatile, as while his primary and best position is off the right, he has spent a not-insignificant period playing up top and as a second striker during his time in the capital.

Finally, while there might be cheaper and more exciting options elsewhere in Europe, the 22-capped international is Premier League-proven and, therefore, should easily slot into the Tottenham squad next season.

However, he will have to hit the ground running to see his valuation surpass one of his potential new teammates.

The Spurs star worth more than Mbeumo

So, even though Spurs endured a diabolically poor domestic campaign this season, the club is still blessed with an abundance of talented players, like James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Micky Van de Ven.

However, in this context, the player in question is fellow right-winger Brennan Johnson, who, according to Football Transfers, is currently worth €66.5m, which converts to about £57m, or £8m more than Mbeumo's valuation.

Now, that might sound like a lot to some of you, but the Welshman actually enjoyed a pretty impressive season with the North Londoners this year.

For example, he ended the campaign as the club's top scorer, with 18 goals and seven assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3316 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 132.64 minutes, which isn't much worse than the Brentford star.

Moreover, he scored arguably the most important Tottenham goal in a generation in the Europa League Final last month.

On top of that, he stacks up reasonably well against the Cameroonian superstar when we take a look at their underlying numbers from this season.

For example, the 25-year-old comes out ahead in some metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, shots on target and shot and goal-creating actions per 90.

However, the "frightening" former Nottingham Forest gem, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, comes out ahead in just as many other areas, including expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots, goals per shot and shot on target, tackles and tackles won, blocks and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Mbeumo might be the more exciting player at the moment, but Johnson fully deserves the valuation he has, and should the North Londoners get their hands on the Brentford star, there could be a fierce battle for that right-wing position next season.

Tottenham Hotspur need to add more experienced players to Thomas Frank's squad ahead of their campaign back in the Champions League, with chairman Daniel Levy sensing a rather left-field potential bargain opportunity.

Spurs had a real issue last season in terms of squad balance when it comes to age, and their lack of sufficient depth prompted former manager Ange Postecoglou to utilise teenagers on a far more regular basis than he'd initially desired.

Youngster Archie Gray was especially thrown right in the deep end, playing at centre-half regularly in the absence of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero before Kevin Danso joined the Lilywhites in January.

The 19-year-old did very well to cope with the unbelievable responsibility on his shoulders during that injury-ridden period for Spurs' squad, but Frank will be keen to ensure he isn't left as short as his predecessor in terms of proven back-ups.

Signing players with more know-how and years under their belt is seen as one of Tottenham's priorities for the summer window, according to the BBC recently, and their qualification for the Champions League should allow them extra funds to do this.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Levy will start splashing the cash on 30-plus-year-olds either, as you can rack up many games at the top level starting from a very young age.

"Brings some experience in, I'm not talking about age, I'm talking about players who have played at this level and can help the team, then I've got no doubt we can make the impact we want," said Postecoglou, prior to his Tottenham sacking.

"Not just us but any club that gets into the Champions League, I think understands that. It's the most elite competition in Europe and it's a great demand.

"So I think every club that gets into the Champions League sees it as an opportunity to strengthen with experience is the right word, but players who have played at that level, who are going to be comfortable at that level, not players who are stepping up to that level. That's the difference.”

Tottenham are targeting Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, and the Cameroonian is a prime example of this, having amassed 136 Premier League appearances and 22 international caps at just 25.

Tottenham targeting Sporting Charleroi midfielder Adem Zorgane

According to DZ Foot, Sporting Charleroi midfielder Adem Zorgane has emerged as a target for Spurs.

The 25-year-old is described as a "complete, young, and experienced player", and he could be available for as little as £9 million. This meagre price tag has turned heads in north London, with Tottenham taking a close look at Zorgane ahead of a potential move.

The 15-cap Algeria international was made captain of his side thanks to his consistent and reliable displays, making 41 appearances in all competitions last term as a mainstay of Rik De Mil's starting eleven.

However, Zorgane has admitted he could move on to pastures new, which opens the door for Frank's side to offer him an opportunity in the Premier League.

"I've been here for four years," said Zorgane. "It's difficult to stay at a club for that long when you want to go further."

The African's contract also expires in just two years, so Spurs would have all the power in negotiations.

This summer feels like a pivotal one for the Tottenham Hotspur project.

Daniel Levy and Co made the bold and somewhat unpopular decision to sack Ange Postecoglou due to his Premier League record and replace him with Thomas Frank, who has no experience managing a major club.

Moreover, the Danish coach might have to do with club captain and fan favourite Son Heung-min, with reports now suggesting he might've played his final game for the North Londoners.

So, along with bringing in a swathe of other players, the club might need to find an heir for the South Korean superstar, although, based on recent reports, they might've already done that.

Tottenham transfer focus

Recent windows have seen Spurs go big on young talents like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, so when it comes to finding a long-term heir for Son, it would make sense to see the club continue with the trend.

For example, there have been links to the £67m Xavi Simons of RB Leipzig and even Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund at one point.

However, with not much seemingly happening concerning the former and the increasing likelihood that the latter joins Chelsea, another name has popped up: Alejandro Garnacho.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Spurs are one of several teams interested in the Manchester United star.

In fact, the report claims that the North Londoners are expected to soon find themselves in a bidding war for the young Argentine, alongside the likes of Aston Villa, Napoli, Atlético Madrid and the Blues.

The bidding is expected to start at close to £50m, meaning there is a chance the price could quickly balloon.

It would be a complicated, costly, and perhaps not massively popular transfer, but given Garnacho's ability and potential, it might just be one worth pursuing for Spurs, especially with the idea of him replacing Son in the long term.

Why Garnacho would be a good signing

Now, the first thing to say is that we do not think nor expect Garnacho to be able to reach the levels of a peak Son within the next season or two.

Still, there is no reason to think he couldn't one day get there, especially as he's already performing at a good level in a terrible Manchester United side and at such a young age.

For example, despite being just 19 years old in the 23/24 season, the Madrid-born phenom was able to rack up a pretty impressive tally of ten goals and seven assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3574 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.94 games, or every 210.23 minutes.

Then, as the team around him got even worse this season, the 20-year-old dynamo was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes, which again, for someone so young is undeniably brilliant.

Moreover, to go along with his promising levels of output, the eight-capped "generational" international, as dubbed by Statman Dave, also has some pretty strong and encouraging underlying numbers to his name at the moment.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe's top five leagues for total shots, the top 5% for progressive carries and touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 7% for progressive passes received and carries into the penalty area, the top 11% for shot-creating actions stemming from shots and more, all per 90.

Finally, on top of his output and underlying numbers, the 20-year-old phenom is also positionally versatile, so while he could ultimately settle off the left, his presence in the squad would give Frank more options to set up his attack just how he would like it.

Ultimately, this might not be a transfer that excites fans, to begin with, but Garnacho has the raw ability and potential to be something special and Son's long-term heir, so Spurs should do what they can to sign him this summer.

It is non-negotiable that Tottenham Hotspur need to recruit new signings this summer ahead of Thomas Frank's first full campaign in charge, with the Dane looking to build on Ange Postecoglou's historic Europa League triumph.

Spurs' memorable night in Bilbao at the end of last month ended their 17-year-long wait for a piece of major silverware whilst simultaneously gifting them a spot in next season's Champions League draw.

Their place in Europe's most prestigious competition has been described as "huge" in terms of their recruitment plans, and it means that chairman Daniel Levy no longer has to adopt a 'sell to buy' policy (Sky Sports).

The Lilywhites have already put their European financial windfall to good use, striking a permanent deal for Mathys Tel last weekend for a cut-price £30 million fee, and he's unlikely to be their last winger signing.

Tottenham have apparently approached West Ham over signing Mohammed Kudus, who they're prepared to pay £50 million for, whilst the likes of Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, Southampton's Tyler Dibling and Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked this week.

Grealish's £300,000-per-week wages are a stumbling block in potential Spurs talks for the England international, while West Ham are thought to want around £65 million for Kudus as well.

Even the teenage Dibling could cost as much as £51 million to prise away from St. Mary's, so quality wingers with Premier League experience are likely to come at a premium.

The need for another wide player is exacerbated by reports that Son could leave Tottenham this summer, and Mbeumo in particular is believed to be a "priority" target for Frank.

Tottenham have "firm offer on the table" for Bryan Mbeumo

That is according to inews, who also report that Mbeumo has a "firm offer on the table" to join Spurs before deadline day on September 1.

While Man United remain in pole position to sign the Cameroonian as things stand, the Red Devils still need to "significantly" increase their opening bid of £55 million, which has been called nowhere near Brentford's valuation of their top scorer last season.

inews echo a recent report by Fabrizio Romano that Spurs made Mbeumo's signing a priority as soon as Frank came through the door, and the 25-year-old is still tempted by the prospect of a reunion with his former manager amid United's pursuit.

Mbeumo's 20-goal haul in all competitions last term makes him a very attractive potential signing for Levy, especially considering Son's links with a move to Saudi Arabia, but other reports claim the Bees value their star man at around £70 million.

“The big praise goes to Bryan," said Frank during their time together at the Gtech Community Stadium, via The Athletic.

"He has grown more and more to be a key player for us. He works so hard, he’s a fantastic pressing player and can score goals and get assists, but maybe lacked enough goals. He works very hard on his finishing.”

To put it lightly, it's been a tumultuous few months or so for Tottenham Hotspur.

For example, Ange Postecoglou led the club to their first trophy in 17 years, only to be replaced by Thomas Frank a couple of weeks later.

The former Brentford manager will have his work cut out to try and get the club back towards the top of the Premier League next season, but Daniel Levy and Co can give him a helping hand by bringing in some major talent this summer.

Fortunately, that seems to be the plan, as reports have now linked Spurs with a forward who has won comparisons to the sensational Alexander Isak.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

Even though Spurs' defence was a bigger problem this season, their attack wasn't exactly fluid either, with six teams scoring more than them in the Premier League.

So, it's not been much of a surprise to see the club linked with a host of frontline talent in recent weeks, like Bryan Mbeumo and Bradley Barcola.

However, with the former looking more and more likely to join Manchester United and the latter supposedly worth at least £101m, the Lilywhites might need to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements.

Fortunately, another name has now entered the mix, someone with experience in the Premier League: Diogo Jota.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Matt Thielen, Spurs are one of several sides interested in the Liverpool star.

In fact, the reporter claims that the North Londoners have already made contact with the player over a potential move.

However, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and other teams outside the country have also made contact, and per reports from late April, Liverpool would want up to €55m for the player, which is about £47m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Jota's ability and experience, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he's won comparisons to Isak.

How Jota compares to Isak

Okay, so before we look at some of the other reasons why Spurs might want to go out and sign Jota this summer, we need to examine this comparison to Isak and where it has come from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, before creating a list of the then most comparable players for each one.

In this case, it was concluded that the Newcastle star has been the eighth most similar forward to the Liverpool star across the last 35 days.

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, expected assists, clearances, blocks, progressive carries and more, all per 90.

However, while being compared to arguably the most sought-after and exciting striker in football today is certainly encouraging and an indication of the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star's quality, it's not the sole reason the Lilywhites should sign him.

In fact, the main reason that Levy and Co should be after him is his consistent output over the last few seasons.

For example, since the start of the 21/22 campaign, the 28-year-old "monster," as dubbed by Liverpool blogger Si Steers, has scored 52 goals and provided 25 assists in 152 appearances, totalling 8,512 minutes.

That means the Porto-born dynamo has averaged a goal involvement every 1.97 games, or even more impressively, every 110.54 minutes, and that is the sort of output Frank could do with him in North London next season.

Ultimately, not only is Jota statistically similar to one of the best strikers in the world, but also someone with an excellent rate of output himself, and therefore, Spurs should do all they can to sign him this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to back new manager Thomas Frank in the summer transfer market, as the Lilywhites scour for more new forward options after sealing a £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel.

Tel showcased flashes of his ability during his initial loan, which has now been made permanent for £15 million less than the originally agreed £45 million buy-option with Bayern Munich, and Frank has expressed his serious excitement over this move by chairman Daniel Levy.

"Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal," said Frank.

"I think he's a very talented player that can play across the front four positions. He's a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I'm looking forward to it."

The Frenchman will help to replace Timo Werner, who's returned to parent club RB Leipzig after a lacklustre one-and-a-half-year temporary stint in N17, but Spurs may soon find themselves needing another wide player.

Son Heung-min's exit from Tottenham is seen as a real possibility this summer, with the 32-year-old about to enter the final 12 months of his contract. Levy just has this window to make any significant cash back off his sale, and he's apparently placed a £50 million price tag on his head, according to reports in Asia.

Frank's need for a potential Son replacement has prompted links to a few intriguing targets this week, including Man City's Jack Grealish, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, West Ham's Mohammed Kudus and Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

The latter bagged 20 goals in all competitions under Frank last season, and Tottenham are believed to have held initial talks over signing Mbeumo, even if Man United have been tipped as his preferred destination (Sky Sports).

Fabrizio Romano also claims that Tottenham began internal conversations over a move for the Cameroonian as soon as Frank signed his Spurs contract, so he appears to be a serious option if United cannot meet Brentford's valuation.

Good chance that Bryan Mbeumo chooses to join Tottenham

According to journalist Duncan Castles on The Transfers Podcast this week, there is a "good chance" that Mbeumo chooses to join Tottenham, contrary to reports of his United preference, but Levy needs to meet his £70 million asking price.

“The indication from Manchester United was Mbeumo had chosen to move there and verbally told them that his preference was to move there,” Castles said.

“But I'm not hearing exactly the same on that. I think there is a good chance that Mbeumo, should Tottenham get to the price that Brentford are asking, that he might choose Spurs ahead of Manchester United.

“There are a couple of obvious reasons for that. One is that it allows him to stay in London, and secondly, it allows him to carry on playing for Thomas Frank, who has joined Tottenham as the replacement for Ange Postecoglou.”

The versatile African would be a quality heir to Son on the right-hand side, and he's adept at playing as a centre-forward too, meaning both Mbeumo and new signing Tel could help to ease the goalscoring burden on club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for another proven winger to complement Thomas Frank's current squad, following Timo Werner's return to parent club RB Leipzig and reports that Son Heung-min may have played his last competitive game for Spurs.

Despite a fairly promising first six months in north London, Werner ultimately proved to be a flop after chairman Daniel Levy decided to extend his loan spell by a further season, with former boss Ange Postecoglou publicly criticising the German for lacklustre displays.

"He wasn't playing anywhere near the level he should," said Postecoglou after Spurs' draw with Rangers in the Europa League.

"When you've got 18-year-olds [playing], it's not acceptable to me and I said that to Timo. He's a senior German international.

"The moment we're in right now, it's not like we've got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable."

With the ex-Chelsea forward ending his brief Spurs stay, Frank could be left even more short in the wide area if Son does leave N17 after 10 years.

Saudi sides are expressing a keen interest in the South Korean star, and the Lilywhites may well decide that now is the right time to cash-in on him, taking into account his age and the fact he's about to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

Spurs did seal a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, who put pen to paper on a £30 million move from Bayern Munich, but the club cannot afford to leave their new manager short of attacking options given their status as a Champions League club next term.

They've been linked with a host of big-name forwards in the last week, including Man City's Jack Grealish, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo and Frank's former star at Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo.

All of these players are likely to command a marquee price tag, alongside fellow reported target Mohammed Kudus.

The West Ham winger has an £85 million release clause in his contract, which becomes active in July, but Graham Potter's side could sell for around £65 million.

Tottenham initiate talks to sign West Ham star Mohammed Kudus

That is according to GOAL, who also report that Tottenham have "initiated" talks with West Ham over signing Kudus.

Frank's side have apparently told the Hammers that they're keen on striking a deal for the Ghanaian, but both clubs haven't dealt with eachother when it comes to transfers since Scott Parker's move to Spurs in 2011.

Both clubs most commonly refuse to do business, and for this reason, it is believed that West Ham would much rather Kudus join Chelsea instead, who are also keen on the African winger.

There is also some negotiating left to do, as Daniel Levy only wants to pay £50 million for Kudus as things stand, so they're some way short of West Ham's current asking price.

Only Man City's Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League than Kudus last season, highlighting his devastating dribbling ability, with the former Ajax star also attempting more shots at goal than Dominic Solanke on average (WhoScored).

He would be a truly excellent addition, but Levy will still need to invest significantly here.