TBR Football

Daniel Levy has been speaking about the appointment of Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur and exactly why he sacked Ange Postecoglou.

The Tottenham Hotspur chairman has revealed that there were three key reasons why he chose to appoint Thomas Frank over other candidates.

Daniel Levy admitted that he was so impressed by the Danish manager and felt that the qualities he showed made him the standout candidate.

Tottenham paid Frank’s £10m release clause at Brentford, highlighting just how much the club wanted the 51-year-old at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Daniel Levy excited about Thomas Frank’s arrival at Tottenham

Levy has explained how Frank’s intelligence, communication and personality made him feel as though he was the Danish coach he was the right man for the job.

The 63-year-old admitted that the Lilywhites were keen to build on winning the Europa League last season and Frank was the manager who would help them do that.

Levy told Spurs Official: “Whenever you have a new coach, it’s always a fresh start, you always have different ideas, but we want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season.

“What really stood out to me with Thomas (Frank) is that he was highly intelligent, a great communicator and a super human being, plus all the other technical aspects, but they really stood out to me those three points.”

The former Brentford boss received a lot of praise in West London for building a great connection between the players, staff and the supporters.

Frank was very well-liked by his players at the Bees, and it’s clear to see why Levy and the Tottenham board were delighted to make him their new head coach.

Why Daniel Levy sacked Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham manager

Two weeks on and Levy has admitted it was tough sacking Ange Postecoglou, but ultimately, the right decision as the club needs to be competing on multiple fronts.

Last season, Spurs finished 17th and despite winning the Europa League, that was deemed as unacceptable and the Australian manager was moved on.

Levy added: “I’m very grateful to Ange, I don’t regret appointing Ange in his first season we finished fifth, in our second season we were over the moon to win a trophy. But we need to compete in all competitions and we felt we needed to change. We have an excellent relationship.

“I told him he’s always going to be part of our history and he and his family are always welcome back. It was a collective decision, it wasn’t my decision. We do everything together. Emotionally, it was difficult, but we believe we’ve made the right decision for the club.”

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur squad is in need of reinforcement and one of Newcastle United’s top targets could be perfect for them.

Tottenham Hotspur and Thomas Frank are expected to sit down this week and discuss potential transfer targets as they prepare for next season.

Following what was a dismal Premier League campaign as the Lilywhites ended up 17th, the North London club will need to make some big additions, especially with Champions League football back in N17.

Tottenham are open to selling Guglielmo Vicario

As reported by TBR Football on Monday, Tottenham are open to selling Guglielmo Vicario this summer.

The Italian is top of AC Milan’s list of targets as they look to sort a replacement for Mike Maignan.

Maignan is wanted by Chelsea and despite the West London club failing to sign him before the Club World Cup, they still hope to land him.

Vicario is a player whom they really appreciate and could now make their move to sign, with Spurs’ stance rather relaxed over the 28-year-old. However, Spurs fans don’t want Vicario sold as they believe he is still a top goalkeeper.

The Lilywhites paid £17 million back in the summer of 2023 to bring him to the Premier League and would surely look to double their money to sell him.

Frank might be ready to replace the Italian international in order to bring in a new shot-stopper who is more comfortable in possession.

Tottenham should steal Newcastle’s deal for James Trafford

James Trafford is the player who could be perfect for Frank’s system, given how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet. The 22-year-old would provide an immediate upgrade in that department compared to Vicario.

The issue is, Newcastle have started talks to sign Trafford and the North London club would need to go head-to-head with Eddie Howe’s side to get him.

However, TBR Football understands that Burnley’s £40m asking price for Trafford is currently putting them off from getting the deal done.

If Spurs were to get around £30m for Vicario, they could be in a strong position to match that fee for the young England goalkeeper.

Tottenham should also target Lucas Chevalier to replace Guglielmo Vicario

As reported by TBR Football, Tottenham have watched Lucas Chevalier this season and he could be another great replacement for Vicario.

The 23-year-old is one of Europe’s most promising goalkeepers, having impressed once again at Lille last season.

Chevalier is also wanted by Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle United, with all three clubs having also been to watch him.

The Lille goalkeeper produced an incredible display against Real Madrid last term as he helped Lille to beat the Spanish giants 1-0 in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs linked with a move for Manchester City forward Jack Grealish.

The North London club are searching for new attacking options, and the Manchester City star is a player who has been suggested could become a target.

Pep Guardiola is expected to allow the 29-year-old to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer and several Premier League clubs are keen on him.

According to reports, Tottenham were contenders for Grealish, but now their true stance over moving for the Champions League-winner has been revealed.

Tottenham will not enter the race for Jack Grealish

Tottenham Hotspur will not be entering the race to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City this summer, according to the Telegraph.

As revealed by TBR Football, Tottenham were aware of Grealish’s situation, and they now appear to have made the decision not to pursue him.

The major stumbling block in any deal for the forward is his £300k-per-week wages, which is also putting off Napoli from doing a deal.

Spurs would need to make him their highest earner by over £100k-per-week if they wanted to bring him in and he were not to take a salary reduction.

The newly crowned Italian champions, under Antonio Conte, have been considering a move for the winger, but are unwilling to match his wages.

TBR Football has already suggested that Tottenham signing Grealish would be a mistake and fortunately, Johan Lange looks to have taken his attention elsewhere.

Back in 2018, Tottenham made a £25m bid for Grealish on transfer deadline day, with Mauricio Pochettino hoping to bring the forward to North London from Aston Villa.

Four attackers Tottenham are looking at after turning back on Jack Grealish pursuit

Instead of Grealish, Tottenham are looking at four other attackers who could prove to be much more realistic and more effective.

Eberechi Eze is a player Tottenham like and have had an interest in for many years. TBR Football understands that Eze has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave the South London club this summer.

The 26-year-old has a release clause worth up to £68 million, and Spurs should be all over that given the forward’s unbelievable quality.

TBR Football has revealed that Bournemouth want over £60m for Antoine Semenyo, and whilst Spurs really like the attacker, they are unwilling to match the Cherries’ asking price.

Tottenham Hotspur remain one of the most unpredictable clubs in world football.

Indeed, there may not be another team on the planet who could feasibly finish 17th and win a European trophy in the same season, nor is there another team who could sack their manager after winning their first trophy in 17 years.

Tottenham sacked Ange Postecoglou last week after a string of poor performances in the league, and Thomas Frank has been hired as his successor.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hugo Lloris has shared his reaction to Postecoglou’s sacking, and he says that he was surprised by the decision Daniel Levy made here.

Lloris says that nothing in football surprises him anymore, but he was shocked by this announcement.

Hugo Lloris shocked by Ange Postecoglou sacking

Hugo Lloris has been one of Daniel Levy’s biggest backers over the years, but even he was shocked by this decision.

Indeed, Lloris says he was surprised that Postecoglou was sacked, noting that the Australian deserves a lot of credit for everything he’s achieved at Tottenham in recent times.

“Are you surprised that Ange left?” Lloris was asked.

“Yes, but in football nothing can surprise you anymore. I think he deserves a lot of credit for what he achieved as a coach and we have to be thankful and grateful for what he brought, especially with this trophy,” Lloris said.

Hugo Lloris record under Tottenham managers

Lloris was shocked by Postecoglou’s sacking, but perhaps he should’ve seen this one coming.

Indeed, Lloris knows better than anyone how quickly Spurs can burn through managers having played under several gaffers during his time in north London.

Lloris played under no fewer than eight different managers at Tottenham in total, caretakers included, and he saw first-hand just how trigger-happy Daniel Levy can be.

Thomas Frank is the new man in at Tottenham, and this represents the first new manager arrival at Spurs since Lloris’ departure.

Tottenham are now heading into a new era, and Levy needs to make sure he backs Frank with everything he can.

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans are finally starting to accelerate with Thomas Frank now in place as manager.

Thomas Frank has already completed his first signing at Tottenham Hotspur, with Mathys Tel being signed permanently for £30m from Bayern Munich.

The North London club remain keen to add to their attacking options and have set their sights on another young French talent.

Tottenham ready to start talks for Rennes’ Arnaud Kalimuendo

Tottenham want to start talks for Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to reports in France. Spurs are keen to assess how much the Frenchman would cost before progressing with a deal.

Following the French U23 international’s impressive campaign in Ligue 1, in which he scored 17 times and got three assists, Spurs are ready to accelerate plans to land him.

The North London club could be on the hunt for a backup option to Dominic Solanke, with Everton targeting Richarlison.

Tottenham fans compare Arnaud Kalimuendo to Jermain Defoe

Tottenham fans are excited by the prospect of Kalimuendo joining them this summer and he has even been compared to legendary striker Jermain Defoe.

Other supporters claim that the young Frenchman could be a great fit under Frank and would make for an ideal option to rotate with Solanke.

The North London club are back in the Champions League and will need a large squad to make sure they can compete on multiple fronts next term.

Newcastle also want Kalimuendo, but now the Lilywhites could challenge them for his signature, and that is something which is exciting their supporters.

One fan said: “Kalimuendo is a really intelligent, well-rounded forward. What impresses most is how comfortable he is with his back to goal, he’s strong, holds off defenders well, and uses tight control to keep possession in crowded areas.”

Another stated: “From what I remember, he’s powerful, smart in the box, pretty fast, good in behind/transition, PSG youth, Rennes rarely miss, 27 goals from 25.1 xG over the past two seasons.”

There was yet further excitement about Spurs targeting Kalimuendo: “Lange and Frank are building a PSG-alike position-less frontline – a less technical but stronger and faster version. Imagine Tel, Semenyo, Kalimuendo, Son, Brennan Johnson, Odobert, Maddison, Kulusevski and Moore all moving freely to attack and score from everywhere up front.”

Finally, another fan claimed: “Kalimuendo’s movement looks really intelligent, considering he’s going to be about £20m, it’s not a bad deal, and I trust Frank.”

How does Arnaud Kalimuendo compare to Dominic Solanke

Kalimuendo really did enjoy a great season in Ligue 1 last term and tops Solanke in every key department as a striker.

The 23-year-old has eight more league goals and created more chances, meanwhile, he also takes more shots and has been more accurate than Spurs’ number 19.

Kalimuendo certainly looks like a serious talent and another player who Frank could do a lot with given his track record for developing attackers.

Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Yoane Wissa and now Kevin Schade are all forwards who have benefited greatly from working under the Dane.

A fair amount of frustration has emerged from Tottenham Hotspur supporters following the news that Thomas Frank is open to selling one of their ‘top’ players.

Thomas Frank is set to assess his new Tottenham Hotspur squad this summer during pre-season, but he appears to have already done his own research on the squad.

That is why a player like Mathys Tel was signed permanently. Frank was impressed by Tel after closely following him and suggested he would be a good signing.

Now, the Danish manager already knows one player in the squad which he feels might need upgrading and he is ready to let him leave.

Tottenham fans unhappy that the club could sell Guglielmo Vicario

Tottenham supporters are not best pleased after learning that Guglielmo Vicario could be sold by the North London club this summer.

As revealed by TBR Football, Tottenham are open to selling Vicario, with AC Milan showing a strong interest in the Italian shot-stopper.

Some fans fear that Spurs could lose three of their four vice-captains all in the same summer, with Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero both also linked with moves away.

AC Milan might need a new goalkeeper this summer as Chelsea still want Mike Maignan, despite being unable to get a deal done before the Club World Cup.

Spurs fans are now hoping that the club won’t cash in on the 28-year-old should the Italian giants enter the race to sign their current number one.

One fan said: “Absolutely love him, hopefully he doesn’t go. I know he’s not the ideal keeper for Thomas Frank, but he’s so good.”

Another added: “Frank talks a lot about the culture he wants to create at a club. There’s no way he sanctions Romero, Son and Vic to leave (three out of four of our leadership group) in the same window.”

There was further criticism over the idea of selling Vicario: “Not sure how I feel about this. I did say I think Kinsky is the better player with his feet (exactly what Frank wants), but Vicario is apparently very strong in the dressing room.”

Finally, another fan added: “Anyone who wants Vic to leave doesn’t get that his errors are pretty fixable (and have improved greatly since last year) and he’s an unbelievable shot-stopper.”

Could Antonin Kinksy actually be perfect for Thomas Frank?

Antonin Kinsky could replace Vicario and the Czech Republic goalkeeper may have already proved why he could be a great fit under Frank.

During his short stint at the club, Kinsky has shown himself to be an excellent goalkeeper with the ball at his feet, which is something Vicario has struggled with at times.

Frank likes his goalkeeper to be comfortable in possession and, therefore, the 22-year-old’s chances of replacing Vicario may significantly increase.

Tottenham Hotspur have never been an easy club to negotiate with.

Daniel Levy is a nightmare during transfer talks, and many players who have wanted to leave the club in the past have learnt that the hard way.

Luka Modric once said he ‘resented’ Levy for how difficult he made his move to Real Madrid over a decade ago.

Now, Bryan Gil has shared what happened when he had one foot out the Tottenham door.

Bryan Gil says Tottenham blocked his move to Valencia ‘at the last minute’

Tottenham signed Gil from Sevilla in a deal where they paid £22 million and also sent Erik Lamela the other way (Goal).

The Spaniard was viewed as a big talent at the time, and many people felt that Spurs had landed a gem for the future.

However, Gil’s time at Tottenham hasn’t been great at all.

Gil has been sent out on loan on three occasions by Spurs, the first of which was to Valencia in Spain in January 2022.

The attacker has now revealed that he had ‘packed his bags’ and was ready to return to Valencia in the following summer, and the deal was ’99 per cent done’.

But, Tottenham blocked the move in the end.

He said, as per Super Deporte: “I didn’t decide to stay. In fact, I was going to go to Valencia again for the whole year.

“During the negotiations, they told me it was practically a done deal. Tottenham needed a few days to finalise it, but it was 99 per cent done; they had already spoken with the sporting director.

“But at the last minute, they told me no, that I had to stay. It wasn’t my intention to stay; I wanted to leave, and they didn’t let me. I had my bags packed, 99 per cent sure I was going to leave.”

Bryan Gil’s stats from his last loan spell prove one thing

After blocking his move to Valencia in the summer of 2022, Tottenham sent Gil on loan to Sevilla just six months later, in January 2023.

After half a season there, the attacker joined Girona on loan for the whole of the 2024/25 season, but his numbers there don’t look great at all.

Just seven direct goal contributions in a season, even though he showed flashes of magic at times, is not a great return at all.

Tottenham Hotspur might have the opportunity to sell Guglielmo Vicario this summer immediately after Thomas Frank’s arrival.

Guglielmo Vicario arrived at Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou’s watch, a signing that was reportedly recommended to the club by Fabricio Paratici.

Initially, Vicario was a very welcome addition in N17, he looked well-positioned to replace Hugo Lloris and he immediately made a good impression at Spurs.

But his strong leadership was suddenly undermined by mistakes in north London, Vicario was struggling at set-pieces in particular and he often lost Tottenham points.

And despite Spurs’ success in the Europa League final, they were ultimately nearly cost late on by a typical Vicario error — a goalkeeper who is excellent in some areas, but flawed in others.

That being said, TBR Football recently shared that AC Milan want to buy Vicario, and Tottenham should jump at that chance.

Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic is the smart replacement for Guglielmo Vicario at Spurs

Of course, in the event that Spurs sold Vicario back to Italy, many Tottenham fans might assume that Antonin Kinsky would merely make the step up.

However, there’s an outside of the box solution that Spurs should definitely be considering — Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic.

In the past, Petrovic failed to win the number one spot at Chelsea, hence the club’s decision to loan him to BlueCo’s French side RC Strasbourg.

And in the 2024/25 season, there were very few goalkeepers better than Petrovic in European football, a 25-year-old who could have a point to prove back in England.

According to reports, Petrovic had told Chelsea that he wanted to be number one this season upon return — something that’s unlikely to happen given that he’s been put up for sale.

And TBR Football understands that Petrovic would probably cost around €25m (£21m) for interested clubs this summer, a player Chelsea are happy to part ways with.

Petrovic can make up for Vicario’s biggest weakness at Spurs

From watching Vicario in the Premier League, many would conclude that his failure to command his box at set-pieces was his biggest weakness.

However, judging by FB Ref’s data, it’s also Vicario’s shot stopping that needs work.

Based on Petrovic’s progress last season, he is a much more consistent performer than Vicario, who clearly is making too many errors in a Tottenham shirt.

And whilst Petrovic might not be the big name that some Spurs fans would want, especially given that he’s underwhelmed at Chelsea somewhat, he could be a really smart addition.

Moreover, Petrovic’s frustrations in west London might only make him even more motivated to succeed in N17 were Tottenham to make a move.

Either way, it’s clear that Spurs should cash in on Vicario this summer, whether it’s for Petrovic or someone else.

For all Daniel Levy’s talents as an administrator, Tottenham are regressing under his leadership and the ongoing system reset after a truly bizarre 2024-25 campaign must touch almost every area of the club.

May’s Europa League triumph, which proved to be Ange Postecoglou’s final hurrah as Spurs boss, has given the club a lifeline as they embark on another rebuild: cold, hard Champions League cash.

With Thomas Frank now installed as manager and a new-look board having been assembled behind the scenes, Tottenham can count on around £60m of income from UEFA before a ball is kicked next season.

That has given ENIC some flexibility when setting the budget for this summer’s transfer market.

If they had no European football in 2025-26, the owners would likely have had to put money into the club. Historically, they have been reluctant to do so, instead asking the club to subsist on its own revenue.

With Champions League income guaranteed, Spurs are courting Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and have confirmed the permanent capture of Matthys Tel from Bayern Munich after he spent the second half of 2024-25 on loan in North London.

If they do successfully hijack Manchester United’s move for Mbuemo, he and Tel will probably set Spurs back the best part of £90m. Again, that’s with ENIC putting no money into the club and with two-and-a-half months of the transfer window remaining.

Granted, their expenditure will be subsidised by some departures, with Cristian Romero now fully expected to leave Tottenham this summer. However, offsetting that, you have the club’s transfer debt, which was one of the highest in the Premier League at the last count at £337m.

That they are able to balance those commitments with considerable expenditure is thanks to their commercial operation, which is Daniel Levy’s magnum opus in N5.

Tottenham’s annual income from sponsorship, merchandise and events has tripled since their last season at White Hart Lane from £76m to £255m in 2023-24. Significantly, the growth has been largely decoupled from performances on the pitch.

And while Spurs fans understandably roll their eyes at some of the club’s more nakedly commercial moves, it’s that revenue resilience which means they can be competitive in the transfer and wage market even in a fallow year. The problem isn’t how much Spurs have spent, it’s how they’ve spent it.

It’s through a commercial lens that Levy sees everything. The problem is that too often comes at the expense of Spurs on the pitch and the interests of fans, with resources and brain power misallocated.

And news from the football finance sphere provides the latest example.

Daniel Levy wants fewer matches, reducing size of Premier League on the table

Player welfare and workload has long been as much as a divisive issue in Premier League boardrooms as it is among players and fans. Given their abysmal injury record last season, Spurs have often been front and centre of the debate, held up as an example of the dangers of burnout.

Often, the assumption is that more matches equates to more revenue, so shareholders like Levy must be in favour, right? Well, there is in fact a growing push in the other direction.

At Spurs’ annual fan forum last September, Levy said: “We would like to see less games but higher-quality games. So if that means we have to see some changes in some of our competitions, then so be it. I think in the end that’s in the long-term interest of the players.”

On face value, what Levy’s stance chimes with concerns raised by players’ union FIFPro, who late last week released a 12-point plan designed by medical and performance experts to safeguard players.

As quoted by The Mirror, the 12-point plan’s proposals are:

Off season break – minimum of four weeks’ rest between seasons

Black out – break must include two weeks with no contact with club or national team

Pre-season – minimum of four weeks’ training

Monitoring – clubs must give players option of wellness program in break

Rest and recovery – minimum of two days between games

Injury recovery – players must be cleared by doctor before resuming training

Day off – players must have mandatory one day off each week

Mid-season break – one week off mid-season each year

Travel – must be taken into account when scheduling fixtures

Travel rules – recovery after long haul flights

Young player safeguards – workload restrictions on under-18s

Safeguards on under-21 players

But why, when fewer matches equals fewer revenue opportunities, is Levy in favour?

“Daniel Levy would love a smaller Premier League,” says University of Liverpool football finance and Price of Football podcast host Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to TBR Football.

“Although, that might have seen them relegated in 2024-25 if there was an 18-team division.

“They want a smaller Premier League because it increases the opportunities for pre and post-season tours. Spurs are a global brand and they don’t want to be wasting their time playing small clubs when there are more lucrative opportunities.

“We’re moving to an expanded Club World Cup and potentially an even bigger format in the Champions League, wherein rather than having four home and away matches, you could have six very easily.

“It’s all about yield per fan, per match. It’s not about who the opponents are. If the opponents are more glamorous then Bournemouth or Crystal Palace, that’s more money to be made as far as Daniel Levy is concerned.”

Tottenham to push for expanded Club World Cup?

As Maguire mentions, we’re currently in the midst of the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup.

Aside from concerns about the new FIFA competition being a blatant cash grab, the event poses further concerns about player welfare, with participating European clubs’ squads stretched paper-thin.

However, several Premier League clubs are actively lobbying FIFA to expand the event to 48 teams and, in particular, raise the limit of two clubs per nation allowed to compete.

Tottenham are one of the side for whom this would make commercial sense.

If the winner of the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup is from Europe (the distribution mechanism is weighted towards them), they will earn a maximum of £97m, making it the most lucrative event per match in football history.

If, say, four English clubs were allowed to compete in the tournament, it would give Spurs a good chance of qualification in each four-year cycle.

Currently, they are the sixth-highest English club in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, which is how FIFA determine which clubs will qualify for the next tournament in 2029.

Tottenham are looking to add another attacker to the squad for Thomas Frank.

Spurs have already signed Mathys Tel in a £30m move from Bayern Munich, after the France U21 international did enough to impress during his loan spell in the second half of last season.

However, Tottenham are still looking to bolster the attacking department further for Thomas Frank after the Dane replaced Ange Postecoglou, and talks are now set to commence with Rennes over the signing of Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Tottenham Hotspur to open Arnaud Kalimuendo talks after Newcastle held discussions

L’Equipe now claim that Tottenham are ready to start speaking to Rennes about a deal for the France U23 international.

The French news outlet state that Newcastle have already held talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a deal for Kalimuendo – who Leeds also want to sign – and Bayer Leverkusen have been in negotiations too.

However, Tottenham have now decided to ‘accelerate’ their pursuit of the 23-year-old in the last few hours, and are set to get in touch with Rennes to discuss how much it would take to sign the striker.

Kalimuendo scored 18 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions last season – also providing four assists – as Rennes finished 12th in Ligue 1.

Arnaud Kalimuendo might be the Yoane Wissa alternative for Thomas Frank

Tottenham want to sign Bryan Mbeumo to bolster the wide attacking areas, but Frank is also keen on bringing Yoane Wissa to Spurs with him from Brentford as well.

It will surely be difficult to sign one of Wissa or Mbeumo – who scored 19 and 20 Premier League goals respectively last season – let alone both, although the data suggests Kalimuendo could be an alternative to Wissa, at least.

Statistics site FBREF show that the DR Congo international is a similar player to the Rennes No.9 in terms of data, with both thriving when it comes to non-penalty goals, progressive carries up the pitch and take ons.

Therefore, it is entirely possible that Spurs have received a negative response from Brentford regarding Wissa, and have consequently decided to step up interest in Kalimuendo.