TBR Football

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur are ready to re-open contract talks with Cristian Romero.

The Argentine defender’s current deal has just two years remaining, meanwhile, he is a key transfer target for Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in helping Spurs win the Europa League and clinch their first piece of major silverware since 2008.

Tottenham are desperate to keep Romero, and as TBR Football revealed back in February, they are willing to make him their highest earner. That remains the case; however, convincing him to sign could be tricky.

Cristian Romero open to Tottenham’s contract offer

Cristian Romero will listen to Tottenham Hotspur’s contract offer, but he has his heart set on a move to Atletico Madrid, sources have told TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.

The Lilywhites are hoping that now they have secured Champions League football, they can persuade him to stay, although it will still take some convincing for him not to leave.

Earlier this year, Daniel Levy was offering him a new deal which would have made him the highest-paid player at the club, but those talks were shelved due to the Europa League campaign and the uncertainty surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s future.

The issue is that Romero, who’s been called ‘incredible’, has already spoken with Diego Simeone, who has been part of the process, and the player’s head appears to have been turned.

Atleti have a strong Argentine contingent in the Spanish capital and that could prove to be a key factor in the World Cup-winner’s decision.

There is some belief at the club that Kevin Danso could be Romero’s replacement, but Spurs would likely dip into the transfer market to sign another central defender if he were to leave.

Tottenham have been offered Min-jae Kim, he could be one of the names they consider signing.

TBR Football understands that Thomas Frank has agreed personal terms with Tottenham, and one of his immediate tasks will be trying to convince the Argentine international to remain in North London.

Who are Tottenham’s current highest earners?

Romero is already the third highest-paid player in N17, behind James Maddison and Son Heung-min.

The Lilywhites would likely need to move the defender on to £200,000-per-week to stand a chance of him committing his future to Spurs.

The North London club are renowned for having a strict wage structure, but they need to make a significant effort to keep Romero at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank has already made a key demand to Daniel Levy during his negotiations to take the Tottenham job, a manager with a glowing reputation in the Premier League.

In this scenario, Brentford’s loss really is Tottenham’s gain, and although many will still be upset that Postecoglou was let go, there is plenty of reason to be excited about his Danish replacement.

Thomas Frank’s Brentford side have been superbly consistent in the Premier League following their unexpected promotion in 2021.

And now Spurs will hope to see some of that consistency at N17 next term — Frank certainly can’t do too much worse than the league campaign that came before him.

Thomas Frank admitted that he needed to ‘learn’ from Arsenal

That being said, Tottenham fans might not be too pleased with what Frank said about their north London rivals Arsenal at the start of the year.

Following Brentford’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on New Year’s Day, Frank admitted that he needed to ‘learn’ from Mikel Arteta’s side — something he would never say as Spurs boss.

Frank was particularly impressed by Arsenal’s set-pieces, something that has sometimes been highlighted as one of Spurs’ weaknesses, perhaps owing to Guglielmo Vicario’s difficulty at corners.

Speaking about Arsenal at his Brentford press conference, Frank said: “Second one, set-pieces, we know they’re good at that. We actually only gave three corners away, which is the fewest corners we gave away in three years in the Premier League against Arsenal so there is a paradox in that.

“And I need to look more into detail, I need to look back at it but I need to look more into detail into what we could have done better but they are also, I need to acknowledge, they are very good at it, we need to learn from the best.”

Ange Postecoglou never won a North London derby at Tottenham

Of course, one of Frank’s immediate missions will be to improve Spurs’ record against their north London rivals.

Postecoglou failed to beat Arsenal as manager of Tottenham and Spurs have only won once in the last nine North London derbies.

Frank to Spurs is not a done deal just yet, and perhaps some Tottenham fans will be nervous about an Arne Slot repeat — they once thought the now Liverpool manager was coming to N17.

But Frank must be excited to work with specific Tottenham players once a deal is agreed, a club he will have analysed extensively whilst managing Brentford.

And whilst a manager from overseas might need a fair bit of time to adapt, Frank should already have a pretty good idea of what is immediately needed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans can now start to accelerate with Thomas Frank close to being appointed as the new manager.

Johan Lange looks to have finally secured the manager he wanted with Thomas Frank on the verge of becoming the man to replace Ange Postecoglou.

The Tottenham Hotspur sporting director has previously worked with his fellow countryman in Denmark, and now the pair will be reunited in North London.

Ahead of a busy season back in the Champions League, new arrivals will be crucial for the Lilywhites, however, there is one target the Danish director must steer clear of.

Tottenham must avoid taking a punt on Jack Grealish

Tottenham must avoid being the club that takes a punt on signing Jack Grealish from Manchester City this summer.

As TBR Football revealed on Sunday, Tottenham are aware of Grealish’s situation, with the winger now available for sale at the Etihad Stadium.

Everton have held talks over signing Grealish on loan, something which the North London club need to steer clear of doing themselves.

Last season, the 29-year-old made just 16 starts in all competitions for the former Premier League champions, scoring three and assisting five.

Darren Ambrose tipped Grealish to join Tottenham after City’s defeat in the FA Cup final as the winger watched on from the sidelines.

Now, along with Everton, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Aston Villa, the Lilywhites have asked about his situation.

But given his lack of football and having fallen out with Pep Guardiola, Spurs are better off steering clear of the former Villa player.

How close was Jack Grealish to signing for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham?

In the summer of 2018, Mauricio Pochettino made Jack Grealish his number one summer transfer target, according to the Telegraph.

However, the deal for the then 22-year-old fell through as Daniel Levy baulked at Aston Villa’s £40m asking price.

Tottenham made a £25m bid for Grealish on transfer deadline day, which the Midlands club rejected. Spurs are also believed to have made an offer of £3m plus Josh Onomah.

Three years later and the England international ended up moving to Manchester City for £100m, making the North London club’s decision not to sign him look rather foolish.

Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace both find themselves in difficult situations in terms of recruitment.

Spurs are currently without a manager, which makes it hard for any player to commit themselves to the north Londoners without knowing who’ll be in charge – although Tottenham are close to hiring Thomas Frank as a replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

In regards to the south Londoners, Crystal Palace are awaiting a decision from UEFA on whether they can partake in the Europa League next season, due to concerns over multi-club ownership involving John Textor.

Despite this uncertainty, Crystal Palace and Tottenham are still working to improve their respective squads, with the latter now joining the race to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough.

Tottenham ‘line up’ Hayden Hackney deal

The Sun now state that Spurs are considering a £20m swoop for the 22-year-old despite not having a manager in place.

Hackney is set to play for the England U21 side at the UEFA European U21 Championship this summer, and it is said that those on the recruitment team at Tottenham are likely to push for his signature if he impresses.

The Middlesbrough No.7 earned his place in the squad under Lee Carsley after scoring five goals and providing three assists in 43 Championship appearances.

Talk of Tottenham being interested comes after TBR Football claimed that Crystal Palace are keen on Hackney, and view the man born in Redcar as an ideal long-term replacement for Will Hughes.

Spurs have been scouting Hayden Hackney for many months

Tottenham have been watching the Middlesbrough academy graduate – who Football Transfers compare to Jordan Henderson – for quite some time now.

TBR Football first revealed back in August that Tottenham were sending scouts to watch Hackney, and he has impressed enough for those same scouts to still be paying attention ahead of the UEFA European U21 Championship this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Frank will support the push to sign Hackney once he is officially appointed, but those already at Tottenham seem to be huge admirers of the energetic central midfielder.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford are currently locked in talks over Thomas Frank’s release clause.

Back in January, TBR Football revealed that Frank had a release clause worth over £9 million, and Spurs are now set to pay that to bring the Dane across London.

Club-to-club talks between the Lilywhites and Brentford follow the 51-year-old informing the latter that he wanted to join the North London club.

Daniel Levy has played a crucial role in the arrival of Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as talks with the Spurs chairman convinced him to make the switch.

Tottenham accept Thomas Frank’s request

Thomas Frank has agreed personal terms with Tottenham Hotspur, but more importantly, he wanted guarantees about how the club would operate with him in charge, sources have told TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.

The former Brentford boss will not have the final say on every deal, but he does want to be part of the process, and Spurs have agreed to this.

In terms of the timeline, TBR Football has been told that Frank informed Brentford over the weekend that he wanted to leave for Tottenham, which has seen talks accelerate this week.

Brentford still hoped to tie him down to a new deal, however, a crucial meeting took place at Levy’s house in North London two weeks ago.

Levy and Frank had spoken prior to this meeting, but this round of talks is believed to have been key in swaying the Dane’s decision to accept the job.

Speaking exclusively to TBR Football about the deal, Bailey revealed: “Daniel Levy has been set on Thomas Frank for weeks – he has done a lot of work on several options, from bringing Pochettino back, to Marco Silva, to Roberto De Zerbi, but the Brentford boss has been so impressive, in the end, it has not been close.

“I am told there has been little doubt in Levy’s mind that Frank is the right man for quite a while and his talks with him only confirmed his opinion.”

What Thomas Frank said about leaving Brentford is now quite interesting

Back in August 2024, Frank revealed that he believed he had ‘one of the best jobs in the world’ as manager of Brentford.

The Danish coach stressed that the work environment at the West London club was ‘good’, something which many may question is not quite the case at Tottenham.

Spurs will need to stick to their word of allowing Frank the chance to build the team in his image alongside Lange.

Frank said: “I may have one of the best football jobs in the world. I mean that because the work environment is so good. It’s such a good owner, it’s such a good club, everything is top.

“Do you want to try something different in the future? Maybe, but it’s not like I need to try something.”

Thomas Frank is close to making the move across London from Brentford to Tottenham and there is one player in particular he should be looking to bring with him.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to appoint Thomas Frank as their new manager this week, with the final details of the deal being resolved.

TBR Football revealed Frank’s £9m release clause back in January, and that looks to be the final detail to bring the Danish manager to N17.

Now, Frank will be looking to get to work on Spurs’ squad in the transfer window, and there is one former player of his he should also move across the capital.

Thomas Frank should bring Keane Lewis-Potter to Tottenham

Frank should strongly consider bringing Brentford winger Keane Lewis-Potter to Tottenham this summer, following the success the 24-year-old enjoyed under his tutelage.

Tottenham are targeting Bryan Mbeumo, with the 51-year-old coach reportedly requesting the Cameroon international to be signed.

If they could steal Manchester United’s deal for Mbeumo, that would undoubtedly be a top signing, however, Lewis-Potter could prove to be an astute signing.

Last season, the winger transitioned into a full-back as he continued to demonstrate an ability to play several roles. Frank praised Lewis-Potter’s ‘versatility’ after he renewed his contract with Brentford.

Last season, he played 26 times as a left-back but also featured in a more attacking role on 15 occasions.

With Spurs set to feature in four competitions next season, Lewis-Potter’s ability to play across the attack and as a left-back could make him a brilliant squad option, coupled with the fact that he counts as homegrown.

How does Keane Lewis-Potter compare to Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence?

Lewis-Potter could be a great alternative to Destiny Udogie at left-back and would allow Djed Spence to cover Pedro Porro on the right.

The 24-year-old was excellent last season in the Premier League, featuring in every game for the Bees, with his availability being another interesting trait.

Udogie and Spence both struggled to remain fit last season and therefore, Spurs were often left short in the full-back positions.

Signing a reliable option who will also allow their current starters the chance to rest should be a priority for the Lilywhites this summer.

Tottenham are close to hiring Thomas Frank as a replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

The Dane has overseen a hugely successful project at Brentford ever since his arrival from Brøndby back in December 2016 – where he initially worked as an assistant to Dean Smith – winning promotion to the Premier League in 2021 and keeping the Bees up without even a hint of a relegation battle ever since.

Frank even used to joke about joining Tottenham with his colleagues – in a good way – a point of humour which is now about to become his reality.

However, Thomas Frank might already be a tad frustrated about a deal Tottenham sanctioned involving Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg based on what he told the Telegraph in July 2021.

Thomas Frank felt Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could become “world class”

The Denmark international has only just left Tottenham on a permanent basis.

Hojbjerg was loaned to Marseille back in July 2024, although Spurs negotiated a £17m purchase obligation with the French giants, and the deal recently became official on 31st May.

Had the 51-year-old been appointed to replace Postecoglou sooner, his fellow countryman might have had a chance of resurrecting his Tottenham career based on what was said in July 2021.

Frank hailed Hojbjerg, saying: “I coached Hojbjerg for three years in the Danish youth teams. I said to him, when he was in the U17 national team, that he could be a world class holding midfielder.

“On the ball his technical ability is extremely strong. He has a great first touch and a wide passing range. He is a very good passer, and he protects the ball well. He also has physicality and pace. He has the potential to be one of the best sitting midfielders in the Premier League.”

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old failed to make Postecoglou think likewise to Frank, as he was shipped to Marseille before his fellow Dane could coach him in N17.

Thomas Frank will, however, get to work with Pedro Porro and Richarlison

Aside from Hojbjerg, Frank has previously praised Pedro Porro, who looks likely to stay in north London and be an option for the man born in Frederiksværk next season.

A comparison to Trent Alexander-Arnold was even made, as he said: “Porro is fantastic as a right-back, he has Trent-ish offensive qualities.”

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make an exciting transfer move this week, with an England international being targeted.

Spurs’ transfer business could finally get kick-started this week as they close in on the appointment of Thomas Frank.

Frank has spoken to Tottenham about replacing Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked last week, and a deal for the Danish manager is close to being finalised.

The 51-year-old’s first move could be to sign one of the Premier League’s top defenders as the North London club look set to ramp up their interest.

Tottenham fans think Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite could be a ‘smart’ signing

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to formalise their interest in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite this week, according to the Daily Mail.

Wrexham are targeting Ben Davies, who has just signed a new contract, and now, Spurs are ready to move for the 22-year-old in a bid to replace him.

Last week, it emerged that Tottenham were keen on Branthwaite, with the England international being added to their list of transfer targets.

Doubts also remain over Cristian Romero’s future at Tottenham as the Argentine defender has been linked with a move to Spain.

Now, the North London club look set to step up their efforts to land the youngster, in a move which could also help their homegrown issue in the Champions League. Fans have taken to X to share their thoughts on Spurs’ potential move for the defender.

One fan said: “Now we’re talking. Addresses a big gap and he helps with the Champions League squad issues.”

Another stated: “You have no idea how much Branthwaite moves me. Fantastic left centre-back cover, and can play right centre-back when we’re in a pinch. He’s one of my favourite defenders on the market.”

There were further shouts for it being good business: “A cheeky Richarlison swap. It would help with our homegrown issue, and could get another striker like Guessand or Mikautadze.”

Finally, another supporter claimed: “If we can keep Romero and considering the way Frank plays against bigger teams, a backline of Udogie, Van de Ven, Branthwaite, Romero and Porro would be incredible.”

Spurs could seemingly appease plenty of supporters by bringing the talented, young defender to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Previously, Everton have requested £80m for Branthwaite, but that is unlikely to remain the case and the Lilywhites could even knock that fee down by offering players in exchange.

Tottenham could offer Everton Yves Bissouma and Richarlison

Tottenham could offer Everton Richarlison in exchange for Branthwaite, but Yves Bissouma is another player who could be used in the deal.

Everton could move for Bissouma this summer, and a potential swap deal involving the midfielder could well interest the Toffees.

The Malian international impressed during the latter stages of the season, however, he has struggled for consistency during his three-year stint in N17.

Bissouma could yet be handed a lifeline at Hotspur Way by the arrival of Frank who has spoken highly of him in the past.

Speaking after Brentford’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham back in February, Frank admitted: “Their midfield, Kulusevski, Bentancur and Bissouma, that’s a very, very, very good Premier League midfield.”

Victor Osimhen, who spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, is attracting strong interest from several clubs during the summer transfer window.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal were one of the most determined suitors for the Nigerian striker, looking to secure his signature ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup.

However, TBR Football has reported that Osimhen has turned down an offer from Al-Hilal as he remains keen on joining the Premier League.

Man United are still keen on Osimhen despite having signed Matheus Cunha and close to signing Bryan Mbeumo.

Liverpool are also interested in Osimhen, with reports suggesting that the club sees him as an alternative if they fail to sign Alexander Isak.

But Osimhen rejecting Saudis is not only a boost for Liverpool and Man United but also a boost for Tottenham.

Saudis could turn to Richarlison after Victor Osimhen snub

According to talkSPORT, Al-Hilal could reignite their interest in Richarlison after the snub by Osimhen.

Saudis have been long interested in Richarlison, most recently being in the January transfer window.

However, Richarlison shut down a transfer to Saudi back then, committing himself to an injury-ridden Tottenham side at that time.

Saudis reigniting their interest in the Brazilian would come as a big boost for Tottenham, who are looking to sell Richarlison.

The Saudis would be willing to make a substantial offer to secure his services, which Spurs would be keen on as they will aim to use the money to bolster their squad going into the new season.

Everton are another option for the 28-year-old, with David Moyes keen on bringing Richarlison back to Goodison.

Richarlison’s time at Tottenham

Richarlison joined Spurs from Everton in 2022 in a £60m deal but has struggled to justify the hefty price tag.

His debut season was marred by injuries and poor form, scoring just one league goal and three goals in all competitions.

While he showed improvement in his second campaign with 11 league goals in 28 appearances, this past season saw another dip in form, managing just four goals in 15 league games.

With his value still relatively intact, Tottenham will be hoping to cash in this summer and recoup a significant portion of their investment before his stock potentially declines further.

Thomas Frank has previously praised several Tottenham Hotspur players, but there is one star in particular he’s been very complimentary about.

Frank has spoken to Tottenham about becoming the man to replace Ange Postecoglou following the Australian’s dismissal last week.

Tottenham need to pay Frank’s release clause of £10 million before they can finalise his appointment but everything is heading in the right direction.

The Danish manager will now be tasked with getting the most out of Spurs’ squad, and there will be one player he will be particularly keen to work with in North London.

When Thomas Frank compared Pedro Porro to Trent Alexander-Arnold

Thomas Frank has previously compared Pedro Porro to new Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 51-year-old was full of praise for the Spanish defender back in February after his Brentford side lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Frank was so impressed by Porro’s ability to create chances and labelled the 25-year-old as ‘fantastic’.

Speaking to the media back in February, Frank claimed: “Porro is fantastic as a right-back, he has Trent-ish offensive qualities.”

Porro produced a thoroughly impressive display against the Bees last season as he managed to impress in both the attacking and defensive thirds.

He made the most tackles, most interceptions and the second highest number of clearances against Frank’s team, whilst also having the fourth highest number of touches.

The Brentford boss’s comparison of Porro to Trent is pretty accurate when you compare their stats from last season.

Thomas Frank must do one thing with Pedro Porro at Tottenham

Porro’s message to Postecoglou highlighted just how highly the Spaniard viewed the former Spurs boss, and Frank must now convince him that he can have a similar impact on his career.

Last season, Porro spoke about Real Madrid’s interest in him, and he is sure to have other clubs who would be eager to sign him.

The next Tottenham manager will need to ensure that Porro is happy, as he has proved on so many occasions what an important player he can be.

But Frank could well be the man to convince him to stay at Spurs given his brilliant coaching abilities and ability to communicate.