Football FanCast

It was the end of an era last week when Tottenham Hotspur officially confirmed that Daniel Levy would be stepping down as chairman after more than 24 years at the helm.

The highlight of his tenure at the football club arguably came earlier this year when Ange Postecoglou led the club to the Europa League trophy, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final.

Away from results, as much as supporters may not want to hear about it, Levy also made significant progress on the financial side of the club during his time as chairman.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently claimed that he ran the club "very efficiently" and noted that Spurs make ten times as much in revenue as they did when he arrived in March 2001.

As you can see in the post above, Tottenham were the most profitable 'big six' club in the Premier League over the past 24 to 25 years, and one of only three of those six teams to be profitable at all.

Whilst there may be some criticism over some of the signings made by Levy, including the likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez, the ex-Spurs supremo also made some terrific signings.

Some of Daniel Levy's best Tottenham signings

Gareth Bale is the first name that comes to mind when thinking about his best signings for Tottenham, given what he went on to achieve after joining.

Spurs reportedly paid a fee of £10m to sign the Welsh wizard from Southampton in the summer of 2007, after he registered 11 assists in the Championship for the Saints, per Transfermarkt.

Bale went on to establish himself as a superstar in North London with 30 goals and 17 assists in his last two Premier League seasons, per Transfermarkt, before his world-record £85m move to Real Madrid in 2013.

Heung-min Son, who captained the club to the Europa League trophy earlier this year, is also another one of the most impressive signings Levy made for Spurs.

Tottenham signed the South Korea international from German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 for a fee of £22m, after he had scored 29 goals in 87 appearances for the German side, per Transfermarkt.

As you can see in the table above, the former Spurs captain provided a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch as a goalscorer throughout his ten years in North London.

Son was a brilliant signing, therefore, because he was an incredible servant for the club for a decade, and captained the team to a major trophy this year.

Bale and Son were phenomenal signings for Spurs by Levy for slightly different reasons, as the former earned the club a huge profit and the latter delivered huge success for the team on the pitch by winning a trophy.

Levy's best signing during his time at the club may not be Bale or Son, though, because that award may go to the deal that brought Dele Alli to North London.

Football is an incredibly subjective sport and a lot of supporters like to have their say on who the club should target and sign to bolster the squad based on their own views.

The deal to sign Bale, who had just delivered 11 assists in the second tier for a fairly big club like Southampton, and the deal to sign Son, who had scored 29 goals in Germany already, were ones that fans could have pointed out and asked for.

Why Dele Alli was Daniel Levy's best signing for Tottenham

Dele was an even better signing than Bale and Son for Spurs because of the nature of the deal, given the price tag, where he came from, and what he went on to achieve.

Levy swooped to sign the attacking midfielder from League One side MK Dons for a fee of £5m at the start of 2015. This was a bold move by the Spurs chief because he had only played League One football up to that point.

He also became the first player MK Dons ever sold to a Premier League team for more than £1m, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he was not coming from a team, like Southampton, with a rich history of developing young talent.

The teenage talent had scored 24 goals and provided ten assists in 88 games for the League One team, fewer goals than Son managed for Leverkusen and fewer assists than Bale produced for the Saints, but made the step up to the Premier League in the 2015/16 campaign and hit the ground running.

Alli scored ten goals and provided eight assists in 33 games in the top-flight in the 2015/16 season, which was a remarkable achievement given that he came straight from the third tier.

He won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in both of his first two seasons with Spurs, becoming one of a select few to have won the award twice, and provided consistent quality on the pitch for several years.

As you can see in the table above, Alli provided goals, assists, and positional flexibility for Spurs throughout his time at the club, with 67 goals and 59 assists in total.

Alli, who was described as a "pure wonderkid" by talent scout Jacek Kulig looking back on his form for MK Dons, may not have had a picture book ending to his career at Spurs, signing for Everton on a free transfer in 2022, but there is no doubt that he was an incredible signing for the club.

The England international was Levy's best piece of business during his time at the club because of how obscure the signing was, given the league he was playing in and MK Dons' lacklustre history when it comes to selling young talent.

It was a risky move by the chairman and one that paid off almost immediately on the pitch, as evidenced by his PFA awards, and that is why Levy can look back on that signing as his best piece of work.

Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level talents over recent years, with the hierarchy nailing the club’s recruitment strategy.

Big money has undoubtedly been splashed to improve their squad as of late, but many of their additions have been worthwhile and have improved the options already in North London.

Eyebrows were raised when Brennan Johnson joined the Lilywhites, with the board forking out £47.5m to secure his services from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

His early days were tricky to say the least, leading to abuse from sections of the fanbase, but he’s endured a magnificent rise that saw him end last season as the club’s top-scorer, even netting the winner in the Europa League final.

At just 24, he has bags of time to build on his impressive start to life in North London, potentially following in the footsteps of one of his compatriots at the club.

Gareth Bale’s time at Tottenham Hotspur

Winger Gareth Bale will go down as one of Spurs’ best-ever players after his impact during his time in the first team, starring for the Lilywhites on two separate occasions.

The Welsh international originally featured at left-back, before his hat-trick against Inter Milan in the Champions League catapulted him into a forward role - one that would change his career trajectory massively.

He registered 71 goals during his two stints in North London, with 26 of his efforts coming in the 2012/13 season, leading to his eventual £85m move to European giants Real Madrid.

However, he returned in the 2020/21 campaign on loan from the LaLiga side, scoring 16 times in his 34 appearances - being one of three players to register double figures that campaign.

The Welshman became renowned for his ability to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, often creating a moment of magic that allowed supporters to get off their seats.

Current boss Thomas Frank must wish he had a player of his quality currently at his disposal, potentially having just that had former chairman Daniel Levy kept hold of one talent.

The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s own Bale

As previously mentioned, Spurs have shifted their attention to recruiting younger talents in recent months - a strategy that allows the club to have players to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, the Lilywhites first-team squad currently has an average age of 25.1 - the fourth youngest in the division - with Frank able to develop the players into the side he desires.

Their starting eleven against Bournemouth last weekend contained just one player over the age of 29, which hugely highlights the current recruitment operation in North London.

Such a focus has been evident in the past, when the hierarchy decided to fork out £25m for the signature of 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham back in 2019.

Despite his tender age, he racked up over 100 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 25 times, leading to his big-money move to North London - similar to that of Bale from Southampton in 2007.

Both possessed a similar style of play, subsequently able to operate in any position down the left-hand side or even able to feature in any attacking position on the opposite flank.

Such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but it’s safe to say that the move was slightly unsuccessful, with injuries massively plaguing his time at the club.

Sessegnon, who was labelled an “incredible” talent by Jacek Kulig, only made 57 appearances over a five-year spell at the Lilywhites, with numerous hamstring issues preventing him from making an impact.

The 25-year-old racked up three goals during such a time period, but was let go at the end of his contract in 2024, rejoining former side Fulham on a free transfer last summer.

Whilst there’s no denying he didn’t possess the same talent as Bale, his playstyle was similar to that of the Lilywhites legend - but ultimately struggled to demonstrate that on a regular basis.

It’s a shame such a move failed to work out, but Frank missed out on the opportunity to try and work with the Englishman, with Sessegnon forever remaining a case of what could’ve been in North London.

Tottenham Hotspur’s business within the transfer market this summer has been impressive, to say the least - subsequently handing boss Thomas Frank the tools he needs for success in the role.

Former chairman, Daniel Levy, backed the new manager with the funds to make the desired changes, leading to over £100m being spent on new additions in North London.

Mohammed Kudus was the biggest addition, costing £55m from rivals West Ham United, with Xavi Simons also making the move in a £52m transfer from RB Leipzig.

Such moves have offered the Lilywhites further quality and depth in the final third - strengthening their chances of being competitive in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

However, they’ve already made numerous departures, offloading players who are no longer in the manager’s plans and or below the levels needed for success in the near future.

Spurs’ departures throughout the summer window

Winger Heung-min Son ended his decade-long Spurs career this summer, leaving the club in a £20m deal to join MLS side Los Angeles FC earlier in the window.

The South Korean international racked up over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites, ending his tenure in North London as the club’s fourth-highest goalscorer in their history.

Yves Bissouma is another player who was constantly touted with a move away from the club - after Frank axed him from his squad for multiple disciplinary reasons.

The Malian international has also failed to appear in a single matchday squad since the Dane’s arrival, prompting huge rumours about an exit away from North London.

With the Saudi and Turkish transfer windows still open, the 29-year-old could yet leave the club, ending his three-year spell in the side - after joining from Brighton in a £35m deal back in 2022.

The former Spurs star who’s now worth less than Bissouma

Given his absence from the first-team squad, it would be a surprise to no one to see Bissouma depart Spurs in the coming days - putting a sour end to his time at the club.

However, his spell with the Lilywhites has been littered with various incidents, previously being suspended after being caught inhaling nitrous oxide during the Ange Postecoglou reign.

Despite scoring two goals and often having a positive impact, it’s his off-field antics that have negatively affected his time at the club - with the hierarchy needing to cut loose in the weeks ahead.

The hierarchy could still command a decent fee for the midfielder, similarly to the departure of former attacker Steven Bergwijn, who left the club back in the summer of 2022.

The Dutchman arrived in a £27m deal from PSV back in January 2020, with the attacker making an immediate impact after his big-money transfer to England.

He scored a superb effort in a 2-0 triumph against Manchester City in North London, but it’s safe to say his career at the club never took off after such a spectacular moment.

Bergwijn only managed to score eight goals in his 83 appearances for the Lilywhites, subsequently returning to the Netherlands after just 18 months at the club.

He subsequently rejoined Dutch outfit Ajax in a £28m deal in the summer of 2022, leading to one content creator labelling his spell at the club as “woeful”.

The winger, who now plies his trade for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, is now valued at £9.3m by FootballTransfers - showcasing the decline he’s endured over the last couple of years.

Such a figure is lower than that of Spurs outcast Bissouma, with the Malian still valued at £15.7m despite his recent antics and lack of first-team action in North London.

Given the value of Bergwijn, there’s no denying that the hierarchy made the right call in allowing the attacker to depart the club after his unsuccessful stint in the Premier League.

As for Bissouma, it’s crucial that the board replicate such a deal in allowing him to depart, subsequently avoiding losing him for nothing when his contract expires next summer.

Tottenham's transfer business for 2025 has officially concluded following one of the most dramatic and memorable summer windows on-lookers have ever seen, with Spurs enjoying a solid one themselves.

Despite their failure to bring in a natural left-winger and centre-back for manager Thomas Frank, which were two key items on their to-do list (Sky Sports), a recruitment team stocked with Daniel Levy, CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici did work some magic.

Following their infamously botched deals for Morgan Gibbs-White -who reportedly phoned Frank to apologise for his U-turn over joining Spurs - and Eberechi Eze, Spurs finally managed to get a replacement for the injured James Maddison by signing Xavi Simons in a £52 million deal from RB Leipzig.

It was all happening in N17 during the final days, with an ankle injury to striker Dominic Solanke also partly forcing Frank's side into a late temporary deal for long-time target Randal Kolo Muani.

Tottenham were actively pursuing the PSG-owned forward in January, only to back out and see Juventus win the race for his signature instead.

The France international really impressed for Juve, bagging 10 goals and three assists in all competitions, and while Igor Tudor wanted him back in Serie A, they couldn't agree to re-sign him despite lengthy summer talks.

Instead, Spurs tempted Kolo Muani with a move to the Premier League, and Frank is set to benefit from the introduction of a centre-forward who can play in multiple areas with a proven scoring record. Interestingly, the 26-year-old was also a player who ex-manager Ange Postecoglou pushed for in the winter (Paul O'Keefe), and it's not hard to see why.

His best-ever season to date in 2022/2023 saw the attacker rack up a brilliant 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Kolo Muani also making his mark for France on the international stage.

Semi-final goals against Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and Spain in Euro 2024 showcase partly why Didier Deschamps has kept faith in Kolo Muani, even amidst a lack of game time at PSG, and Tottenham are in dire need of him now that reports suggest Solanke could be out for even longer than anticipated.

Kolo Muani's arrival could end up being crucial with the influx of matches awaiting Spurs after this international break, leaving little wonder Levy and co were clamoring to get him through the door.

Tottenham agreed "un-Spurs like" Randal Kolo Muani deal condition

Giving his take on the deal, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold says that Tottenham agreed an 'un-Spurs like' condition to sign Kolo Muani from PSG.

Namely, Gold states that the lack of any buy option in this move is something quite out of the ordinary for them, and some might suggest that it highlights their "desperation" to bring in another new attacker (football.london).

Without the inclusion of an obligation or option to buy, if Kolo Muani's move proves a success, then Levy will need to return to the negotiating table with PSG - by which point they'd be able to command a loftier price tag.

They'll also face competition from other elite sides on the look-out for a proven striker, so Tottenham face the prospect of this being Kolo Muani's only season in north London, regardless of how well he performs.

It's certainly out of Tottenham's character not to take the future into account, but Frank's need for attacking reinforcements was pressing, and it perhaps indicates Levy's increasing willingness to compete after the Lilywhites tasted Europa League glory in May.

Tottenham Hotspur are now determined to sign a "fantastic" defender in January, with manager Thomas Frank personally keen on the move.

Tottenham decide against summer move for new defender

There were some late suggestions that Tottenham could make a late move for a new centre-back, with Manuel Akanji being named among the potential targets, but they ultimately decided against bringing in a new defender.

Frank has previously made it clear he is happy with the current options at the back, saying: "We have right now three centre backs: Micky, Romero, Danso and Ben (Davies) can play there if necessary,"

"We have Kota the young central defender we bought this summer and is running now and training with the team next week. There’s not many left behind. And then Dragusin is coming back in a couple of months (to playing games) so that should be enough."

Spurs have shipped just one goal in the Premier League up to this point, having looked far more solid defensively than they did under Ange Postecoglou, with newly-appointed captain Cristian Romero continuing to impress despite the defeat to AFC Bournemouth.

That said, according to a report from Caught Offside, Tottenham remain determined to bring in Brentford's Nathan Collins during the January transfer window, and they are hoping to make concrete progress in their pursuit of the defender.

Frank is clearly a fan of his former player, with the report stating the Dane is personally eager to sign Collins, as Spurs are keen to bring in a proven Premier League leader.

However, the Bees are in a strong negotiating position, given that their captain is contracted until the summer of 2029, and it may take an offer of €50m (£43m) to tempt them into a sale.

Collins would provide "fantastic" depth for Tottenham

As previously mentioned, Frank isn't exactly short on options at the back, but it could be worth Tottenham revisiting a move for their summer target in the January window if they suffer a major injury setback before then.

Losing Romero or Micky van de Ven would be a real blow, given the way in which the centre-back duo have started the season, keeping clean sheets in two of the opening three Premier League games.

However, the Irishman has proven he could be capable of stepping in as a replacement, with compatriot John O'Shea lauding him as a "fantastic player" back in March.

Not only that, but Collins would also be a dependable option at the back for Frank, given that he very rarely sustains injuries, appearing in all 38 of Brentford's Premier League games last season.

Thomas Frank is the latest man to be tasked with the responsibility of leading Tottenham Hotspur to potential Premier League glory - taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou during the off-season.

The Dane has already made a superb start to life as the Lilywhites boss, winning two of three league matches - including a sensational victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

He will undoubtedly want to forget about the recent defeat to Bournemouth on home soil, losing his 100% start to life in the role as manager in North London.

The international break may be a blessing in disguise to the new boss, getting an added period to work with some of his players to fully get his ideology across to the squad.

However, there’s no denying the 51-year-old would’ve wanted to rely upon one player who caught the eye under his guidance at his previous job in charge of Brentford.

Bryan Mbeumo’s time under Frank at Brentford

During his seven-year stint in charge of Brentford, Frank managed to develop numerous top-level talents, including winger Bryan Mbeumo, who managed to take his career to the next level under his guidance.

The Cameroonian scored 70 times for the Bees in his 242 appearances for the club, with 20 of which came in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.

Such a year was the best of his professional career, leading to huge rumours about his future during the recent summer transfer window - with the Lilywhites touted as a potential destination.

However, he decided to join Manchester United instead this summer, linking up with Ruben Amorim in a staggering £71m deal - already opening his account for the Red Devils in the recent clash with Burnley.

Frank will undoubtedly have wished that he could’ve secured a reunion with the 26-year-old this summer, but he also could’ve had his next version of the forward had the club kept hold of one talent.

The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s next Mbeumo

Numerous players have caught the eye at Spurs over recent years, with many often cutting inside off either flank and striking dangerous efforts at goal.

Gareth Bale was arguably the best at doing so during his time in North London, often beating the opposition before finding the top corner with his left foot.

Such a skillset led to him scoring 71 times across his two spells as a first-team star - something which led to him leaving for Real Madrid in a £85m deal back in 2013.

However, another player who possessed a singular skill was winger Ivan Perišić, who joined the club in the summer of 2022, arriving on a free transfer under Antonio Conte after his release from Inter Milan at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Croatian made 44 appearances during his first season at the club, notching one goal and 12 assists, but he would be unable to make such an impact during his second season in North London.

He would tear his ACL in the early stages of 2023/24, featuring in just six matches, before moving to Hajduk Split on a free transfer at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024.

Despite his lack of first-team action in North London, he did show glimpses of being able to create danger by cutting off the flank - able to find a teammate or even the back of the net.

The Croatian, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, may now be 36, but he’s continued to thrive in Europe, helping PSV Eindhoven win the Eredivisie last season - notching 16 goals and 10 assists - a tally higher than that of Mbeumo.

His two-footed ability has made him such a threat in the Dutch top-flight, potentially showcasing to the Lilywhites the mistake they made in allowing him to depart.

Perisic has had a superb career at the very top level, with credit needing to be directed his way, especially after recovering from his serious injury and producing some incredible goal contributions.

His unpredictable nature in forward areas is extremely similar to that of Mbeumo, which has seen Frank’s side miss out on possessing either of the talents due to their failures in the market.

Going into the summer transfer market, it was evident that Thomas Frank would be targeting added reinforcements within the final third of the pitch of his Tottenham Hotspur side.

Heung-min Son’s emotional departure after a decade at the club certainly fuelled the need for further additions, especially if the hierarchy wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s 17th-placed Premier League finish.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons were both brought into the club to try and add needed depth and quality to the attacking department.

Such moves set the club back around £107m for the pair, but a deal for the latter is certainly seen as excellent business - potentially making a huge profit on the Dutchman’s signature in the years ahead.

However, despite moves for the aforementioned duo, Frank also decided to make further moves to help bolster his side on deadline day - albeit on a temporary basis.

Spurs’ deadline day move to land Randal Kolo Muani

In an attempt to further bolster the Spurs frontline, Frank and Daniel Levy managed to strike a deal with PSG over a deal to land French striker Randal Kolo Muani on a season-long loan deal.

A €5m (£4.3m) loan fee was agreed between the two sides, with a deal not including an option to buy - which would make the Frenchman the fifth senior addition of the window.

The 26-year-old has rapidly fallen down the pecking order at the Ligue 1 outfit over recent years, subsequently joining Juventus on loan for the second half of 2024/25.

He registered eight goals in his 16 appearances for the Italian outfit, with his impressive form in Serie A undoubtedly playing a part in the Lilywhites’ move to land the talisman on deadline day.

However, despite the move for the Frenchman, Frank could’ve had the original version of the forward if one of the former managers had kept hold of the attacker.

The former Spurs star who was the original Kolo Muani

Over the last few years, Spurs have landed an array of talent to try and improve the frontline, but numerous of their efforts have fallen flat on their face.

Attackers have been landed from countries like Argentina, Portugal and the Netherlands - with the latter being in the form of Steven Bergwijn from PSV back in January 2020.

The deal to land the forward looked to be an incredible piece of business - especially after he scored a beautiful effort on his debut against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

However, he rapidly fell out of favour in North London, subsequently moving back to his homeland in 2022 after scoring just eight goals in his three years at the club.

He’s not the only player to fall below the standards expected of them after their subsequent move to North London - with French striker Clinton N’Jie ultimately unable to make an impact after his own move.

The attacker was brought to the Lilywhites by Mauricio Pochettino back in the summer of 2015, costing a fee in the region of £10m from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.

He arrived with a lot of hype in his homeland, but ultimately fell well short of the expectations he arrived with - only making 14 appearances for the first-team - before returning to France on loan just 12 months later.

N'jie would fail to break back into the senior side in North London, subsequently joining Marseille on a permanent basis after scoring four times in Ligue 1 during his temporary spell the season prior.

Kolo Muani will be the next French forward from the top division of his homeland to move to the Lilywhites and try his luck at providing the goods within the final third.

However, the fanbase will be hoping the PSG loanee can have a bigger impact than N'Jie did at the club, with his career also fading away after departing the side eight years ago.

The 32-year-old, who featured for Romanian top-tier side Rapid București last season, was released at the end of his contract - now currently being a free agent and struggling to land himself a new side for 2025/26.

Given the failures of previous players before him, supporters may be reluctant to get excited about a move for Kolo Muani - but his goalscoring record from last season should give a reason to be positive.

His temporary addition could allow the hierarchy to have a free hit with the Frenchman, with the upside massively outweighing the negatives for Frank and his side.

With the summer transfer window now closed, Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank now knows the players he will be reliant upon for the next stage of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Dane has been handed a little over £100m to splash on new additions, in an attempt to bolster various areas of his first-team squad during his maiden campaign in the role.

Mohammed Kudus was the most expensive addition made by the hierarchy, costing around £55m from Premier League rivals West Ham United - with the player already making an immediate impact in North London.

The Ghanaian international has registered two assists in his first three league outings for the Lilywhites, helping Frank’s side sit fourth going into the international break.

However, the 25-year-old could be aided in his attempts at the club in the coming months, especially after the late business conducted by the hierarchy in the market.

Xavi Simons’ move to join Spurs this summer

Throughout the summer transfer window, Spurs made signing a new attacking midfielder a priority - especially after the long-term injury suffered by James Maddison.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were the two main targets, but the Lilywhites failed to complete deals for the pair - with the latter joining arch rivals, Arsenal.

However, the club managed to complete a £52m deal for the signature of Xavi Simons from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig - securing the player’s services until the summer of 2030 with a two-year option to extend.

Such a move has undoubtedly generated excitement among the fan base and understandably so, given his tally of 11 goals and eight assists in Germany’s top-flight last campaign.

At just 22 years of age, the Dutchman has bags of time to try and build on the impressive start to his career, potentially being Frank’s key man in such a role for the foreseeable future.

The Spurs player who’s worth more than Simons

Despite Spurs’ measly 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, the club’s frontline managed to impress throughout 2024/25 - racking up 64 goals in their 38 outings.

Such a record saw the Lilywhites average 1.7 goals scored per 90, with their tally of goals the seventh highest of all sides within England’s top-flight throughout last campaign.

Winger Brennan Johnson finished the season as their top scorer, netting 11 times in the league, even scoring the winner in the Europa League final against fellow English side Manchester United.

After the recent summer window, the addition of Kudus and Simons has added further depth and quality to the attacking department - helping the likes of Dejan Kulusevski reach the next level.

The Swedish international joined the club originally on loan for an 18-month spell in 2022-2023, racking up 57 appearances in all competitions - before subsequently completing a permanent transfer.

The hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £29m for the 25-year-old’s signature - a fee that now appears to be a bargain given his form over the last couple of years.

He’s racked up 89 appearances across the last two seasons in all competitions - with last year being his best to date, notching 10 goals and 11 assists under Ange Postecoglou’s reign.

Kulusevski, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by Rio Ferdinand, managed a run of five games in a row in which he scored - which has certainly bolstered his price tag in recent months.

As a result of his performances in North London, the Swedish star is now valued at £58.6m by FootballTransfers - a figure that is £6.6m higher than the fee paid for Simons.

Both players have showcased their talents over recent months, potentially having a huge part to play in any of the success endured during the Frank era in North London.

If the duo can operate alongside one another, it’s a prospect for the fanbase to be excited about, with their versatility and consistent quality potentially able to help the side build on their recent European triumph.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank identified a "superstar" as a priority target after Randal Kolo-Muani, with a late approach being made on deadline day.

Spurs tried to sign another forward after Kolo-Muani

In one of the surprise moves of deadline day, Spurs got Kolo-Muani through the door, with the Frenchman joining on a straight loan deal from Paris Saint-Germain.

Frank has since explained why he decided to bring in the PSG forward, who has predominantly featured at striker throughout his career to date, rather than signing a new winger.

The Tottenham manager said: "He's a good age, in the prime of his career, has good qualities that will suit both us and the Premier League,"

"He gives us a different option in the final third, being able to play out wide and through the middle. Randal is a quality player who has proven himself over a number of years, playing for big teams in the Champions League and also with good experience for the France national team."

However, while Frank was clearly delighted to get Kolo-Muani through the door, the Dane identified another forward as a priority target in the final hours of the transfer window.

That is according to a report from GiveMeSport, which states the manager was eyeing Atalanta's Ademola Lookman as his top target, but Tottenham were ultimately unable to come to an agreement with the Italian club.

It is revealed that Spurs wanted to sign Lookman on a straight loan, rather than forking out the £43m it would've taken to get a deal over the line, meaning they have now missed out on his signature.

With the forward's proposed move to Bayern Munich also falling through, he could be set to remain at Atalanta until January, at which point the Lilywhites may have the opportunity to make another approach, given that he is well-known to have fallen out with his club.

"Superstar" Lookman could've been quality signing for Spurs

Tottenham were clearly reluctant to splash the cash on deadline day, having also signed Kolo Muani on a straight loan deal, which includes no option or obligation to buy, and they may have missed out on a top player.

Lauded as a "superstar" by 90min's Sean Walsh, the 27-year-old has taken his career to new heights since arriving in the Serie A, picking up a very impressive 52 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances for the Italian club.

As such, the Nigeria international may now be ready to test himself in the Premier League once again, despite not setting the world alight during previous stints with Fulham, Leicester City and Everton.

Tottenham Hotspur love a deadline day signing under Daniel Levy and, well, they've made another one.

On Monday, Spurs completed the signing of striker Randal Kolo Muani, arriving on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain, costing a €5m (around £4.3m) loan fee, with no option or obligation to buy included.

This certainly gives Thomas Frank plenty of choice when it comes to his centre-forward position, with Richarlison having started all four matches in that position so far, including the UEFA Super Cup, bagging a brace on the opening day of the Premier League season against Burnley.

That's not to mention Dominic Solanke, who joined Spurs as recently as last summer for £65m, but has seen just 49 minutes of action so far this season, spread across three substitute appearances, although he remains a contender for serious minutes.

However, will Tottenham still rue selling one of the highest-scoring players in Europe since the start of last season, one that could have flourished in North London had he not moved on?

What Randal Kolo Muani will bring to Tottenham

Tottenham will become the fifth club Kolo Muani has represented in just six seasons, searching for a more permanent home.

His major breakthrough came at Nantes, scoring 12 Ligue goals in 2021/22 for the Canaries, earning a move to Eintracht Frankfurt, who snapped him up as a free agent.

Well, one season and 23 goals later, Kolo Muani joined Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth, potentially, as much as £78m on deadline day of 2023, but this has not proved to be a shrewd investment from les Rouge-et-Bleu.

Never truly in Luis Enrique's plans, the Frenchman scored just 11 goals in 54 PSG appearances, spending the second half of last season out on loan at Juventus, for whom he bagged a more than respectable ten goals in 22 outings, eight of which came in Serie A. He most recently scored a brace against Al Ain during the Club World Cup.

Now though, having scored goals in Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Serie A, he'll be looking to add the Premier League to this list, hoping to make his Tottenham debut against West Ham after the international break.

Well, perhaps Spurs would never have needed to sign Kolo Muani, had they not sold one of their best academy products of recent times.

Ex-Tottenham striker free-scoring in Europe

Having scored 17 goals in 15 appearances for the U18s, as well as nine goals in nine UEFA Youth League outings, there was plenty of excitement from within the Tottenham fan base about Troy Parrott, even before his senior debut in September 2019.

Nevertheless, despite being free-scoring at youth level, the Irishman made just four senior Spurs appearances, loaned out to Millwall, Ipswich, Milton Keynes and Preston, before exploding in the Netherlands.

During the 2023/24 season, on loan at Excelsior, Parrott scored a total of 17 Eredivisie goals, averaging a goal every 127 minutes, made all the more impressive by the fact that his team finished third-bottom, subsequently netting seven times during the play-offs, including four in the final, but this was in vain as the Rotterdam-based side were relegated, defeated 7-6 on aggregate by NAC Breda.

This though, caught the attention of bigger Dutch clubs, including AZ Alkmaar, who agreed to pay €8m (around £6.7m) to sign him permanently from Tottenham last summer.

Well, the Cheeseheads are certainly glad they made this decision, given that the Republic of Ireland international scored 20 goals last season, four of which came in the Europa League, on target against Elfsborg, Ferencváros, Galatasaray and Roma.

Well, Parrott has started this season absolutely on fire, netting ten times already, including seven in five Conference League qualifying outings, as well as a brace on the opening day of the Eredivisie season against Groningen.

The table below documents how prolific he has been since joining AZ.

As the table documents, Parrott is keeping quite illustrious company when it comes to players who've scored 30 or more goals across all competitions since the start of last season, with the Irishman skyrocketing up that leaderboard following his exploits last month.

For comparison, Kolo Muani has scored 12 goals during the same timeframe.

Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has certainly been impressed by Parrott's form in the Eredivisie, labelling him a "striker who actually has everything", impressed by his "killer instinct" in front of goal.

Thus, the Republic of Ireland international could prove to be the one that got away for Spurs fans, even if they'll be pleased to see him thriving over in the Netherlands.