Tottenham manager Thomas Frank/XINHUAI seem to be writing a lot about Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. But with a new coach and experimenting with pre-season team line-ups, it seems a good place to start.
In a game against Reading, Thomas Frank played two teams, changing at half-time. Here is an assessment of the new players and Frank’s style of management.
Cristiano Romero, more about him later in a separate item, led the first half team with Rodrigo Bentacur, Pedro Porro, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson all trying but failing to break through Reading’s defence.
Captain Son Heung-min led the team out for the second half, and within four minutes, Spurs were in the lead. The new signings and one academy graduate showed what they can do.
Mohammed Kudus took a corner and placed it away from the goalkeeper. Luka Vuskovic headed the ball on and Will Lankshear nodded in the goal. Nice work from the trio.
Kudus and Vuskovic linked up again
when the midfielder pushed the ball onto the advancing Vuskovic, who slotted a
perfect low shot into the corner of the net.
Frank was pleased with his team’s first performance
under his guidance and greeted his players when they came off with his usual
big smile and charismatic father-like arm around shoulders. He has already won
the respect and approval of his players.
Vuskovic looked nervous as he started his Tottenham career, but grew into the game and the coach was clapping his skills. His goal and an assist are a good way to impress the new boss.
Kudus is going to be a big hit with the Tottenham faithful. He beat opponents with ease and frequently created an assortment of excellent touches.
The Ghana international was playing against lower-division opposition, but he made some exciting runs down the wing, and Frank is delighted with his new signing, who will undoubtedly give Tottenham plenty of quality advancing upfield.
Isak trains alone, wants options
Several readers of this column have asked me why Newcastle’s Alexander Isak has been training alone this week.
Relax Magpie supporters, it isn’t because the Swedish international has been demanding a wage rise to £300k a week, which would bust Newcastle’s pay structure and nor is it because his head has been turned by interest from Liverpool and the Saudi Pro League, although he is considering what options are open to him.
Isak hurt his thigh in training after suffering with groin stress at the end of last season and it was painful enough for the club to send him for a scan, which fortunately did not reveal anything serious.
Coach Eddie Howe decided that to protect his valuable striker, he would not train with the other players, which could have put him at risk until the thigh is healed. Indulging in rondos and tackling can get quite competitive in training and the coach works his players hard.
On the question of Isak leaving, Howe was quick to point out, “Alexander isn’t going anywhere, he is a very important and valuable member of our squad and he is not for sale.”
Isak has told Newcastle that he would like to explore other options and is due to meet with Eddie Howe, however, the coach is determined to hold on to his prize asset.
United getting their transfer window in order
The transfer merry-go-round continues without a pause. Manchester
United will line up at the start of the season with Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
Fortunately for the Red Devils, AC Milan have reported their interest in
United’s striker Rasmus Hojlund and with Viktor Gyokores moving to the Emirates
with Arsenal, Benjamin Sesko and Nicolas Jackson are being carefully looked at
by United’s recruitment department.
As I reported to you, Chelsea have signed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, who have already made their presence felt for the Blues. Jackson is now a third-choice striker but coach Enzo Maresca believes he can still turn him into the £100m player Chelsea thought they were buying.
A move away with either
a sale or loan is still possible and a bid by United would be seriously
considered, but I think Nicolas could remain at Stamford Bridge, from what I have
been told.
Mbuemo will have a contract with United until June 2031, which includes a year’s extension option. United have a tough opening Premier League match on August 17 at home to Arsenal, which is a sell-out.
Nottingham
Forest are about to help out United by moving for Jadon Sancho, who has no future
at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim. Owner Evangelos Marinakis has agreed to provide the money to take Jadon to the City Ground, having lost Anthony Elanga
to Newcastle.
United’s former coach Erik Ten Hag has continued his horrendous Old Trafford results failure in his new job at Bayer Leverkusen.
After succeeding Xabi Alonso, following his move to Real Madrid,
Ten Hag has won only three of nine and suffered an embarrassing 5-1
loss to Flamengo’s U20s.
Arsenal’s ace card if they go for Leipzig’s Simons
It almost seems strange to be talking so much about Arsenal and their transfer ambitions because, usually, they are quiet until making a sudden move to secure someone they have long been tracking.
The latest name on
the Emirates rumour machine is RB Leipzig’s forward Xavi Simons, but they might
be too late because Chelsea claim they have got him through the door at
Stamford Bridge. Leipzig missed out on Champions League football for next
season and face losing some of their best players.
Chelsea say they have signed him and he will likely be
joined by Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, but they need to comply with their UEFA
fine on spending going forward to play in the Champions League
competition. That means selling.
Chelsea were fined £17million for failing to break even financially and a further £9.5million for spending more than 80 per cent of their revenue on transfers and wages. The situation is complicated and
it will take a few days before everything becomes clear.
The link between Arsenal and Leipzig is strong
and it might be possible to sign the striker, who previously played
alongside new signing Noni Madueke and the two have kept in touch. Noni has
spoken to Simons about coming to the Emirates but as things stand, he is going to Chelsea.
This is all in spite of Simons signing a contract in January. The 22-year-old joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 before joining Leipzig on loan. The loan was made permanent for £41.9million. The Bundesliga club would want that much if they sell, but for Arsenal, it would be less than Crystal Palace attacking midfielder and winger Eberechi Eze at £68million.
Liverpool look very strong next season
Liverpool have confirmed to me that they expect to complete coach Arne Slot’s wish to bring 23-year-old Hugo Ekitike to Anfield for £79million after agreeing to a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt.
His transfer fee
will bring Liverpool’s summer spending to £270million, but the Reds are still actively
pursuing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, who they want to partner Virgil van
Dijk in the heart of the defence.
Whilst writing this, Ekitike will arrive at Anfield for a
medical for his six-year deal. The final giveaway sign that the Frenchman would
be coming to Liverpool was Eintracht boss Dino Toppmoller leaving him out of last Saturday’s defeat to FSV Frankfurt. Topmoller said, “He will be a
bitter loss to this team.”
Ekitike hit 22 goals in
48 games last season and helped Frankfurt qualify for the Champions League.
Liverpool had originally hoped to lure Alexander Isak away from Newcastle but
that was always wishful thinking. Eddie Howe blocked the move.
Liverpool hope to recoup some of their spending with the
sale of Luis Diaz, who is determined to leave Anfield. Bayern Munich are putting
together a £60m bid after their initial offer was rejected. The Colombian's representatives are talking to a few other clubs, but Bayern are in the driving
seat.
Darwin Nunez is wanted by Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal but he will be sold to whichever club bids the most. Other names I am told could be sold to balance the financial books are Harvey Elliott, Kostas Tsimikas or Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Federico Chiesa.
Frank bombarded with questions at his introduction
Thomas Frank said in an honest interview that he knows his proud record of never having been sacked is at risk now that he has joined Tottenham Hotspur.
Working for chairman Daniel Levy brings with it all sorts of demands for the coach. Frank became the 14th manager at the north London club since Levy’s reign, which spans a quarter of a century.
Previous coach, Ange Postecoglou, will testify to the “tough” challenge
at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He finished his first season high up the Premier
League table and won Tottenham’s first trophy for decades when they beat
Manchester United in the final of the Europa League but he was then fired after
a disappointing season which saw them finish 17th.
At his long-awaited introduction to the press and supporters, Frank was bombarded with questions about the team, his ambition and how he will get the best out of the squad.
“What
is happening to captain Son Heung-min? (Frank said his future will be decided
by the club and not the player himself). What is the latest on vice-captain
Cristian Romero and what is the progress in signing Nottingham Forest’s Morgan
Gibbs-White?” He was clearly swamped but remained silent on several issues
which he said he could not comment on but were “good questions.”
One point did make me laugh…when it was pointed out that
Levy had fired five managers during Frank’s time as Brentford manager. He replied,
“Only five!” The man clearly has a sense of humour.
Levy has said he wants the club to win the Premier League
and Champions League, which puts enormous stress on Frank, but he said, “I share
his big ambitions for the club…A club of this size should have those ambitions, and how far away we are is very difficult to say. But we should throw it forward
and go for it. No doubt that needs to be the aim for the future.”
Frank still has several players working their way back
to fitness but revealed that James Maddison is recovering from injury very well
and should make the start of the season against West Ham on August 17.
Grealish trains alone until deal is done
Jack Grealish’s representatives are working hard behind the
scenes to arrange a transfer for the Manchester City forward. Grealish has been
allowed to train alone at the Etihad facilities. He was left out of the City
squad when they played in the Club World Cup and had little
contact with either Pep Guardiola or his teammates during the past month.
City are prepared to take a substantial loss on the
£100million they originally paid for him in the summer of 2021. Several
enquiries have been made by Premier League clubs and a couple from Europe but
all those have been for a loan arrangement, and City would prefer a sale.
His current salary of £300k-a-week is a stumbling block. Only a few clubs could afford that while a loan deal, with City footing a share of his wages, looks probable.
Grealish is known in the dressing room as a “rest station.” His
teammates opt to give him knowing he will keep possession or win a
free kick (I have lost count of the times I have seen him do that) and
therefore they can all take a few seconds' breather! That might be good for them, but it does not impress Guardiola.
Where should he move next? He came from Aston Villa, but coach Unai Emery doesn’t seem like the ideal boss to make the most of his talents. West Ham would make him welcome, but for my money, Everton. They have been revitalised under David Moyes, although his brand of football is not particularly of the Grealish showman type, but they do have that added incentive of a new stadium, and the backing of the Premier League’s loudest supporters would be immense.
Welcome back to the Premier League, Sunderland
It is wonderful to see Sunderland back in the big time. A
club that, throughout the history of football, have played a huge part in our
favourite game.
The Black Cats started impressively with a 1-1
pre-season friendly draw at Spanish club Sevilla, who finished only
17th in La Liga last season but are still a formidable
opponent.
Regrettably, their speedy midfielder, Romaine Mundle, was
injured in pre-match training and had to undergo an operation at the weekend.
Sunderland coach Regis Le Bris would not elaborate on Mundle’s injury but
said it is hoped the 22-year-old would be training for the start of the season.
Attacking forward Armand Lauriente travelled by private jet to meet his new teammates after Sunderland arranged a deal with Sassuolo for £17.5million.
He watched the draw with Sevilla after completing his medical, but
then the deal collapsed when personal terms could not be agreed. Sunderland are
continuing their search to strengthen their attacking positions.
I am hearing whispers linking ex-Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka to the Stadium of Light but Bayer Leverkusen are determined to keep him and this transfer will prove difficult. Regis Le Bris is now concentrating on strengthening his backline and bringing in a new centre-back is a priority.
Eintracht Frankfurt meet Man City’s McAtee
Eintracht Frankfurt have refused to pay a club record fee for Manchester City’s 22-year-old England Under-21 captain James McAtee.
He
flew to Germany on Monday for discussions with the Bundesliga club and was
taken on a tour of the stadium and training facilities.
City have placed a £25million asking price on McAtee but Frankfurt have rejected that and although they are still in touch with his representatives, they are now looking at Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan although the City man is still their preference if they can get the price reduced.
Thank you from injured Bellingham
Jude Bellingham has undergone an operation on his arm and he
left the hospital in London last week with it in a sling. He will be unlikely to
return to the Real Madrid squad for three months but sent out an Instagram
message, “Thank you, everyone at Fortius Clinic, for the hospitality and to
everyone else for all the well wishes and messages of love.”
