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Thomas Frank is becoming increasingly desperate to sign a striker this summer.

Frank was initially optimistic about the attacking options available to him at Tottenham following the arrivals of Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus this summer.

The Dane was also expecting to add Morgan Gibbs-White to his ranks before the England international joined the long list of Spurs’ missed targets as he signed a new contract at Nottingham Forest.

However, following two draws against League One opposition in Tottenham’s back-to-back pre-season friendlies against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town on Saturday (26 July), Frank will look to prioritise signing a centre-forward.

Solanke absent as Spurs held to goalless draw at Luton

There was a notable absence in Spurs’s trip to Kenilworth Road as Dominic Solanke picked up an injury and was replaced by Tel in the starting line-up.

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Frank then oversaw a drab performance as Tottenham were held to a goalless draw by Luton, and were arguably lucky not to lose.

Without Solanke leading the line, the Lilywhites looked very blunt in attack, only testing their recently departed goalkeeper Josh Keeley on one occasion.

Tel worked hard, but lacked any presence up front, while Will Lankshear skewed a shot hopelessly wide from a good position when he came on.

Tottenham’s forward line fared no better in their 2-2 draw against Wycombe earlier in the day, with Pape Matar Sarr’s double rescuing Spurs as Richarlison flattered to deceive on his first outing in pre-season.

The Brazilian is proving increasingly unreliable as fitness issues continue to hinder his progress, leading to speculation about a potential move away from North London this summer.

The performances across both games served as a timely reminder that Tottenham are too reliant on Solanke and must target a striker if Frank is to succeed in his goals of competing on multiple fronts next season.

Who Spurs could sign this summer

Tottenham are rapidly running out of viable options in the transfer market as Daniel Levy continues to be far too passive in pursuing targets.

Brentford are unlikely to let go of Yoane Wissa now that Bryan Mbeumo has left Brentford, while Jonathan David joined Juventus after becoming a free agent last month.

Spurs are still linked with Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes, and could now look to accelerate a deal for the 23-year-old, who finished third in Ligue 1’s goalscoring charts.

With the money saved from missing out on Gibbs-White, they could target an ambitious move for Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig or Dusan Vlahovic for Juventus.

However, it will be hard to convince a top striker to join and compete for a starting spot with Solanke, leaving Frank and Spurs with plenty to ponder with the Super Cup just over two weeks away.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to revamp their midfield over the summer.

After missing out on signing Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, Spurs are forced to look for alternatives to provide that creative spark in the centre of the pitch.

Defensive midfielders have also seemingly been a priority in the transfer window, with Yves Bissouma having an uncertain future in this new era under Thomas Frank.

Joao Palhinha has been touted as a potential replacement for Bissouma, and now the Lilywhites could beat Manchester United to the Portuguese midfielder’s signature.

Spurs prepare to get Palhinha on the cheap

Frank’s Tottenham side is seemingly beginning to take shape ahead of the new Premier League campaign, with Burnley defender Maxime Esteve on the verge of signing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Palhinha would be another solid addition for Spurs, with the North London outfit already in contact with Bayern Munich over a potential deal for the 30-year-old, according to reports from O Jogo (pg 25, 27 July)

The midfielder failed to establish himself in the starting XI in Munich last season, with an injury also derailing his season.

Manchester United are also interested in Palhinha; however, the Red Devils will only sign a new holding midfielder if Casemiro leaves in the summer.

This opens the door for Spurs to secure the former Fulham man as Frank looks to reinforce his engine room with defensive-minded midfielders.

The Lilywhites are also set to offer substantially less than the £44.5million the German giants paid for the Portuguese international last summer, given his limited involvement gametime.

Palhinha could be a shrewd signing for Spurs

With Palhinha already being Premier League proven, where he became one of the best defensive midfielders in the league for Fulham, bringing him back to England for a reduced fee would be an incredible piece of business.

It’s not as though the Portuguese midfielder’s days of dominating the middle of the park are a distant memory, and Spurs could be the perfect place for Palhinha to rediscover his best form after a forgettable season in Germany.

With the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr all being young players, Palhinha’s experience could prove to be a vital asset for Frank next season.

Daniel Levy could potentially have a headache at Tottenham with Cristian Romero due to Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

Evangelos Marinakis extended the Englishman’s contract at the City Ground after blocking the North London outfit from triggering his previous release clause.

Spurs now arguably have to consider alternatives for Gibbs-White, as the Argentine defender may require assurances about the ambitions in N17.

Levy must show Tottenham ambition after Gibbs-White transfer collapse for new Romero contract

Romero may need to be convinced to sign a new contract at Tottenham after their failure to sign Gibbs-White, Alasdair Gold says.

The football.london journalist believes the 27-year-old should be rewarded with a new deal at the North London outfit, but Levy must show ambition after being publicly questioned about his lack of investment before.

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Gold feels the Forest midfielder’s snub has compounded issues in N17, with all eyes now on the Spurs chairman to see whether he will back up his words with action.

The journalist wrote in football.london (27 July): “The Argentine is Spurs’ biggest winner, having lifted the World Cup and the Copa America twice, and he was a pivotal figure in their Europa League triumph. He makes others around him better and deserves to be rewarded for his success with a fitting contract as he embarks on his peak years at 27.

“Romero, though, will no doubt look at Tottenham in its current state, and having publicly questioned a lack of investment before, need to be convinced about what lies ahead and whether Levy’s words will be backed up by action, as the Gibbs-White farce only compounded a concerning day on the pitch at the club.”

Atletico Madrid have shown interest in the World Cup winner this summer, but talks of a possible move to Spain have subsided for now.

Tottenham should work on new Romero contract this summer

Spurs should offer Romero a new contract this summer, with his current deal expiring in 2027.

Despite the 27-year-old consistently suffering fitness issues in North London, he’s undoubtedly the best defender at Thomas Frank’s disposal.

The Argentina international was pivotal under Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham won the Europa League, ending their 17-year wait for a trophy.

Romero has formed the backbone of the North London outfit’s defence for several years now and will arguably be a key player for the Danish manager if he stays.

The 27-year-old may want to see some changes at Spurs, though, after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season.

Levy certainly had a part to play in Tottenham’s failures for not reinforcing the team and adding much-needed quality in depth in the previous two transfer windows.

The North Londoners should bounce back quickly from Gibbs-White’s snub and focus on further strengthening their team before the end of August.

Daniel Levy will be disappointed after his latest blow as Tottenham’s owner.

Levy has developed a reputation over the years for his tough stances on managerial changes, transfers, and overall club decisions.

The businessman was brutal during the sacking of Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer, but was equally crucial in the appointment of Thomas Frank.

The Tottenham Chairman has had his fair share of wins this summer, but he has now been trumped by one of his fellow Premier League clubs.

Levy punished by Evangelos Marinakis

Thomas Frank’s side had been hoping to bring Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this month.

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However, the move fell through due to Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ stubbornness, despite the England international wanting to move to North London.

Gibbs-White has now signed a new deal with the East Midlands club, keeping his at the City Ground until 2028.

Forest blocked Spurs’ approach for their midfielder due to an alleged illegal approach.

It had been thought that the move had just been put on hold until the allegations had been quashed from Tottenham’s side.

Levy has now become the latest victim of Marinakis’ tactics, and supporters won’t be happy with their chairman.

Forest’s owner has developed a brutal reputation over recent years.

Last season, he stormed onto the pitch and had an argument with Forest manager and former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santos.

This summer, he has reportedly pushed for Crystal Palace to be kicked out of the Europa League due to a conflict of interest with their ownership.

Levy is losing power in the Premier League

When Tottenham used to come knocking, players would jump at the opportunity to join one of the biggest clubs in the top flight.

Now, Spurs face a battle to sign players on their wishlist.

Levy’s only notable signing this summer has been the £55million signing of Mohammed Kudus, and supporters of the Lilywhites are beginning to grow frustrated as they struggle to recruit further.

Should the Spurs chairman fail to bring in anymore top-class players in the coming weeks, backlash from supporters could intensify.

Daniel Levy is reverting to type despite promising to back Thomas Frank at Tottenham.

The Spurs chairman appeared to be on a new path as Spurs looked set to complete an exciting double deal of Mohammed Kudus and Morgan Gibbs-White within days of each other.

However, Levy was left embarrassed by Evangelos Marinakis as the England international eventually signed a new contract with the East Midlands side, effectively ending the Lilywhites’ pursuit.

It’s an all-too-familiar tale for Spurs, who have grown accustomed to missing out on key targets in years gone by, with this summer proving no exception as Tottenham News rounds up Spurs’ missed targets.

Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest

Over two weeks ago, news broke that Tottenham had triggered Gibbs-White’s £60million release clause, and that the 25-year-old was set for a medical at Hotspur Way within days.

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The development was met by stiff opposition from Forest, who moved to block the deal and claimed that Spurs’ approach was unlawful, threatening them with legal action.

Nevertheless, the North Londoners remained confident of pushing the deal through until Forest announced on Saturday (26 July) that their star midfielder had signed a new record contract.

Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo was among the first names linked with Spurs as Thomas Frank made signing a wide forward a priotity in N17, and targeted a reunion with the Cameroon international.

The 24-year-old had just registered his best goalscoring return with the Bees and was thought to be available for around £60million at the start of the summer.

However, Mbeumo’s head was turned by Manchester United, whom he supported as a child, and he eventually opted to join the Red Devils instead.

Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth

With Son Heung-min’s future in doubt since the end of last season, Spurs were also exploring left-sided forwards and identified Antoine Semenyo as a viable option.

The Bournemouth star was key to his side’s unlikely push for European football last season and fit the profile of a dangerous wide player with Premier League experience.

Once the Cherries had caught wind of Tottenham’s interest, they quickly tied Semenyo to an improved deal, extending his stay on the South Coast until 2030.

Yoane Wissa – Brentford

Frank was linked with another former player, Yoane Wissa, as he sought to bolster his striking options to cover for Richarlison’s potential departure and provide Dominic Solanke with competition up front.

Much like his former colleague Mbeumo, the 28-year-old had just come off the back of his best season in front of goal, and had entered the final year of his contract.

However, Brentford refused to sell both of their forwards in the same window, and are now locked in a vicious battle to keep Wissa on the South Coast as Newcastle continue to push for a move.

Eberechi Eze – Crystal Palace

Perhaps the only player on the list who still could make the switch to Hotspur Way, Eberechi Eze has been linked with Tottenham for a long time.

The Crystal Palace playermaker had another fantastic season with the Eagles, topped by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final to earn his club their first major trophy.

Spurs could yet make a move for the England international, but are facing stiff competition from bitter rivals Arsenal, who have seemingly stolen ahead in the race to sign the talented playmaker.

Marinakis intervenes on Tottenham deal for Gibbs-White, deal now agreed

Tottenham Hotspur have not been shy in showing their admiration for Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White.

Forest’s playmaker was the subject of a £60million bid from Spurs that activated the midfielder’s release clause.

Forest, however, claimed the approach made for Gibbs-White was an illegal one, and looked to have derailed any potential move for the 25-year-old.

With a new deal now being agreed for Gibbs-White, it appears that the Lilywhites may have to turn their attention to other targets.

Gibbs-White agrees new deal at Forest after Marinakis’ intervention

The prospect of the Forest midfielder being a part of the Spurs rebuild under Thomas Frank was an exciting one, especially with talented players like Mohammed Kudus already arriving in N17.

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Cold water has since been poured on this possibility now, with Gibbs-White penning a new three-year deal at Forest.

According to reports from The Sun (26 July), Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, flew to the club’s training camp in Portugal for face-to-face talks with the midfielder.

After a passionate speech from the Greek billionaire about how essential Gibbs-White was to the Reds and their ambitious plans for the future, the England international signed a new deal that does not include a release clause.

This is a major blow for Daniel Levy, who looked set to secure one of the best players in the Premier League in his position.

Given the current market, £60million for Gibbs-White would have been a very shrewd piece of business, but it will likely take a lot more than that now to get him to leave the City Ground.

Spurs must show the same ambition in finding an alternative

This is where the recruitment team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium now earn their money.

After missing out on their primary target in bizarre fashion, they must now look to bring in an alternative with similar quality.

Just because Levy couldn’t get the Gibbs-White deal over the line, it does not mean any new midfielder they sign should be a cheap stop-gap solution.

With the Lilywhites also pursuing an ambitious deal for Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi, this window has the potential to be one that gets the Spurs faithful excited for this new era under Frank.

The best way of putting the Gibbs-White saga in the rear-view mirror would be to secure the signature of another quality midfielder in Adam Wharton, for example.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

Son Heung-min’s future has been one of the main talking points of the summer at Tottenham.

The South Korean star has been a vital player for the Lilywhites for several years, but there is plenty of speculation that he may have already played his final game for the N17 outfit.

Spurs have been facing interest in Son from MLS side LAFC, after the interest from Saudi Arabia from earlier in the transfer window has seemingly now waned.

The 33-year-old didn’t look his usual self at times last season, and there have been suggestions that it could now be time for him to move on after he helped end the club’s lengthy trophy drought.

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Son in line for new deal at Spurs after Frank decision

Son is set for crunch talks with Thomas Frank about his future imminently, but it is understood that if he is to depart, then Tottenham won’t allow his exit until after their pre-season tour of Asia.

The North Londoners are believed to have a contractual obligation to play the attacker during the tour, or they risk losing out on up to 75 per cent of their potential revenue from the matches.

The veteran star’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season, but the possibility of him staying put certainly hasn’t been ruled out as of yet.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Son will be offered a new contract by Spurs, as a result of Frank’s influence.

“After Harry Kane, the most popular player within the last few years at Spurs is Son,” King said.

“If I were Tottenham, I would keep him for this season and then offer him another year next summer. Because then, if he does go to another club, there’s got to be a fee involved because Spurs have made an offer.

“If I were Frank, I think I’d need all the help I could get in my first season, and having Son on my side could only help.

“As the club captain and probably the most popular player at the football club, I would want him to stay.”

Son deserves to see out his contract at Tottenham

Son has been an excellent servant to Tottenham over the years, and he deserves to depart in the most dignified manner possible whenever that moment comes.

He has clocked up over 450 appearances and notched over 170 goals for the Lilywhites across a decade in their colours, and he deserves to be allowed to see out his contract at the very least.

Daniel Levy would not be able to get a big fee for him now that he’s 33, and he is still capable of playing a decent role in the side.

It is a testament to the South Korean’s remarkably high standards that a season of seven Premier League goals and nine assists was seen as a poor one last time out.

Son will know that his time to move on is approaching at some point soon, but he should be allowed one last season before that moment comes.

Tottenham will not need to look much further for their Son Heung-min successor after an eventful draw against Wycombe.

Spurs’ second pre-season fixture against Wycombe ended in a 2-2 draw following a hard-fought battle at Hotspur Way (26 July).

The game was jam-packed from beginning to end, but Son was invisible during most of the action. Indeed, the Tottenham captain struggled to make an impact other than one spectacular bit of skill five minutes into the second half.

But where Son cowered, others stepped into the limelight, ready to seize the chance to impress Thomas Frank.

Tynan Thompson shines against Wycombe

Tynan Thompson was Spurs’ saving grace when he was substituted on against Wycombe 15 minutes into the second half.

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The Lilywhites were in desperate need of an equaliser, after Armando Junior Quitirna fired Wycombe in front five minutes after halftime. Thompson made an instant impact, executing the perfect one-two with Pape Matar Sarr before sending in a precise cutback for the midfielder to score his second.

While his assist for Spurs’ equaliser was magnificent, the 17-year-old was a bright spark throughout the duration of the half. A few minutes later, he guided past his marker on the left wing to set up Son, who had shifted into the vacant centre-forward position.

It was a shame that the Tottenham captain failed to convert the chance because the goal would have been special.

Indeed, with every touch of the ball, Thompson demonstrated that he deserves a spot in this Spurs team. An assist to Son would have represented a true passing of the guard between the two players.

The image of Tottenham’s future setting up their past would have been a powerful one to witness. However, even without the visualisation, it is clear that Spurs may have found their long-term Son successor.

Thompson has everything to prove

During his short time on the pitch, Thompson demonstrated more hunger in his movements than Son has in months.

It makes sense. The South Korean is 33 years old now, and unfortunately, youth does not last forever.

But more importantly, Thompson’s attitude was that of a player who knows he has everything to prove. This is something Frank should take full advantage of, as the teenager could be a useful tool to use against tired legs next season

Thomas Frank oversaw back-to-back draws in Tottenham’s pre-season fixtures against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town.

Spurs drew 2-2 with Wycombe at home on Saturday morning (26 July) before travelling to Kenilworth Road to play out a goalless draw against Luton in the afternoon.

The day did not get off to an ideal start as Rodrigo Bentancur was replaced just before kick-off due to an illness, before Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie were ruled out with minor injuries.

Both games were fairly unspectacular as Frank fielded two different starting XI’s, but they did give an insight into where the team stands as Tottenham News picks out two winners and losers from the double-header.

Pape Matar Sarr scores a brace

Pape Matar Sarr kicked off the scoring against Wycombe by reacting quickly to a rebound off Wilson Odobert’s shot before coming up trumps again with an assured finish to equalise the game late on.

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It was unclear how Frank would use Sarr this season, and he opted to start the 22-year-old behind Richarlison in a hybrid attacking midfield/second striker role.

The Senegal international justified the decision with the brace, and really came to the fore in the second half with his constant running when others seemed to tire, giving his manager plenty of positives to think about.

Son Heung-min continues to show his age

Son Heung-min followed up his wayward performance at Reading with another underwhelming display against League One opposition.

The South Korean did almost produce a moment of magic in the second half, but was largely a passenger in the game and once again struggled to beat his man.

Son could be set to leave Spurs this summer, and at 33 years old, it may be the right call, as the Tottenham legend is showing that age is starting to catch up with him.

Antonin Kinksy rescues a point for Spurs

Kinsky came on in the second half against Luton and made two excellent saves to keep a clean sheet as the Hatters pushed for a winner.

The 22-year-old shotstopper displayed his excellent passing range from the back, but impressed most with his commanding presence in the box, especially after Frank changed nine outfield players towards the end.

Guglielmo Vicario did nothing wrong with his first-half performance, but he will feel that Kinsky’s case to challenge for the starting spot is growing.

Djed Spence flatters to deceive at right-back

Djed Spence looked unsettled for most of the game, and almost handed Luton a big chance with a misplaced pass to George Saville before resorting to bringing the player down.

The full-back gave away a few more sloppy free-kicks throughout the game, and hardly contributed to Spurs going forward in an overall disappointing display.

Spence had the misfortune of playing straight after Pedro Porro put in a brilliant performance against Wycombe, which only further emphasised his poor showing and will not have helped his chances of starting in the Super Cup next month.

Dominic Solanke was absent for both friendly games against Wycombe and Luton on Saturday.

Tottenham kicked off the day with a 2-2 draw against Wycombe Wanderers at Hotspur Way (26 July) before setting off on a 30-mile trip across to Kenilworth Road to face Luton.

Frank was expected to give all his senior players minutes, but Rodrigo Bentancur was pulled out of the first game at the last minute due to illness and was duly replaced by George Abbott.

As team news rolled in for Luton, another notable absentee was revealed in Solanke, who was not named in either squad.

The reason for the striker’s absence has now been explained.

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Solanke misses out due to minor ankle injury

When Tottenham released the team news for Luton, fans became alarmed upon quickly noticing Solanke’s absence.

Richarlison was given expected match minutes in the first game, and with no prior announcement regarding the England international, the Lilywhites were fully expecting him to lead the line against the Hatters.

However, Tottenham officially posted an explanation on X shortly after announcing the team news, stating that Solanke was left out of both fixtures as a precaution due to a minor ankle injury.

Mathys Tel, who was named in the starting XI, will likely replace the 27-year-old up front, with Mohammed Kudus set to play behind him as a second striker.

Solanke injury sends warning to Spurs

While Tottenham were quick to point out that Solanke’s absence is just precautionary, it still serves as a timely warning to the Lilywhites that they should be looking to sign a striker this summer.

Spurs were far too reliant on the former Bournemouth man last season, and there was a notable drop-off in performances when he was absent.

Richarlison suffered his own fitness issues, making just four Premier League starts in the previous campaign, while Tel and Son Heung-min struggled to adapt to the centre-forward role.

Therefore, it would be wise to bring in another player, such as Armaud Kaliumendo or Yoane Wissa, to offer both competition and, more importantly, adequate cover for Solanke.