Tottenham's decision to part ways with manager Ange Postecoglou (60) and choose Thomas Frank (52) has been evaluated as a significant acquisition.
British media outlet 'TalkSport' reported on the 13th (Korea time) that Tottenham paid a club record fee of £10 million (approximately 18.5 billion won) to sign Frank to a three-year contract. He is also the 13th official manager that Tottenham has appointed since the regime of Chairman Daniel Levy began in 2001.
Tottenham paid a total of £10 million, including a buyout amount of £9 million (approximately 16.7 billion won), to bring in Frank, who had led Brentford for seven years. This is the highest amount that the club has spent to acquire a manager.
Frank, hailing from Denmark, is a prominent figure who transformed Brentford from a Championship club into a mid-table Premier League team. Since being promoted in 2021, he has ranked in the top 10 twice. This indicates that Brentford did not want to part with Frank.
Brentford Football Director Phil Giles noted of Frank, "His leadership, emotional intelligence, rapport with fans, and ability to build culture were crucial to the growth of the club. We will not forget him, but it's time to prepare for the next step with a new leader."
Frank will be joined by Justin Cochrane (first team coach), Chris Haslam (physical and assistant coach), and Joe Newton (analysis coach), who have worked alongside him at Brentford. Additionally, former Manchester United assistant coach Andreas Georgson is also set to join the team.
The appointment of Frank could be a considerable burden for Tottenham, having made the bold move to part ways with Postecoglou, who brought the UEFA Europa League title to the club, marking its first trophy in 17 years.
Under Postecoglou's regime, Tottenham had a mixed success in the 2024-2025 season. In the league, they finished in 17th, just above the relegation zone, experiencing a record number of defeats (22 losses) and the least points (38). However, they secured a spot in the Champions League for the following season with their Europa League victory.
There are concerns as well. This will be Frank's first time managing a major European tournament. Although he experienced qualifying rounds in the Europa League while managing Brøndby (Denmark), he did not advance to the group stage.
However, Arsenal legend Martin Keown described the combination of Frank and Tottenham as "the perfect choice. He is a manager who brings stability and an intellectual approach," adding, "It will be a good fit for Tottenham."
Fans have become increasingly excited about what Frank will bring to Tottenham in the 2025-2026 season. It will also be crucial to see how he treats captain Son Heung-min as he approaches the final season of his contract.
[OSEN]