Double Blow For Tottenham Hotspur

Things just got a lot more difficult for new Tottenham Hotspur Manager Thomas Frank. The former Brentford manager has inherited a tricky situation in north London. Much has been made about the club’s Europa League trophy, a significant achievement for a silverware starved club. However, that title was won over a tournament field weakened by an expanded Champions League. A flawed Spurs club recognized the opportunity presented by a diluted field and put all its focus on being the tallest of midgets in a second-rate competition.

Thomas Frank

The strategy succeeded when Tottenham Hotspur were able to dispatch Manchester United 1-0 in a sad tournament final in which the title winners had only one shot on target and 26% of possession. Spurs fans were understandably thrilled with their first silverware in 17 years, but the truth of the matter was that the 17th place Premier League side merely upset a historically bad Manchester United side which was 15th in the Premier League table. Thomas Frank takes over a title winner but also is now in charge of a club who, at the same time, lost more Premier League matches last season than any club but for those relegated from the league. Spurs Premier League season was historically embarrassing for the Europa winners. No club ever before has lost 22 times in a 38 match Premier League season and not been relegated.

Premier League infamy outweighed the European success in the mind of Spurs Chaiman Daniel Levy who made Ange Postecoglou the 15th Tottenham Hotspur manager to be sacked by Levy. Thomas Frank was hired as the new man on the touchline. The Danish Manager, who maser minded Brentford’s promotion to the Premier League six years ago, led the Bees to a top half finish in 2024/25, 18 points above his new and more storied club. Despite his success at Brentford, Frank recognized at the time of his appointment that “There’s much more pressure at Tottenham Hotspur than at Brentford.” Testament to that is the fact that none of Spurs’ last three permanent managers have lasted more than two seasons at the helm.

Now, before this new season even starts, Frank’s chances for success have received two hammer blows. Club icon Son Heung-min is taking his talents to Los Angeles FC in America’s MLS league. The Korean international battled injuries last season when he failed to score in double digits for the first time since his initial Premier League season ten years ago. Son leaves the club with the most appearances in club history and 173 goals across all competitions. An indispensable wing man to Harry Kane for many of his years at Spurs, Son enjoyed a breakout 2021/22 season when he scored 23 Premier League goals, joining Mohamed Salh as joint Premier Lague Golden Boot winner. The 33-year-old Korean international will now embark on a retirement tour from a Los Angles base that includes the most South Korean residents of any city outside of South Korea itself. The announcement of Son’s departure coincided with Spurs’ Asian preseason tour, facilitating an emotional celebration in Seoul.

The newly arrived Frank, however, soon had even less to celebrate when James Maddison went down with what is believed to be a serious knee injury in that same game in Seoul versus Newcastle. Last week’s non-contact injury is to the same knee which ended Maddison’s 2024/25 season. His appearance versus Newcastle was his first since that May injury and it now appears that Manager Frank will be starting the season without the midfielder who scored nine goals and provided seven assists last season. Without Maddison, Spurs lacks creativity in its midfield with attacking options also limited by the continuing absence of Dejan Kulusevski who is still recovering from his own May knee injury.

The failed attempt to acquire Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest earlier this transfer window thus looms larger for Tottenham Hotspur. Of partial consolation is the July purchase of Mohammed Kusus from West Ham. The Ghanian attacking midfielder is recognized as an elite dribbler whose decision making and inconsistency can hopefully improve under Thomas Frank’s tutelage.

Meanwhile, another incoming transfer this window has seen Tottenham Hotspur at least partially address another gaping problem from last season. Only Wolverhampton conceded more goals than Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs that return to the Premier League this season. A big part of that issue was the absence of a defensive midfield presence; a flaw being addressed by a loan deal for Joao Palhinha. The former Fulham defensive midfielder had a difficult transition to Bayern Munch last season and now returns to the Premier League on loan to Spurs. The hope is that Palhinha can anchor things in back and help Frank install more discipline to a club which was often wide-open playing “Ange Ball” the last two seasons. The loss of Son and Maddison from the lineup only heightens the need for that defensive improvement.