- Spurs sacked Postecoglou just 16 days after he won their first trophy in 17 years
- Thomas Frank has a hefty release clause that Tottenham are prepared to meet
- LISTEN: Was ‘Fergie Time’ real? Veteran Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg reveals all on the first episode of the Mail’s brand-new football podcast Whistleblowers
Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
Mail Sport understands that Spurs have made a formal approach for the Dane – and that an unveiling could take place in the coming days.
Frank has a release clause thought to be around £10m, but those with knowledge of the situation believe it is heading towards a positive conclusion and that Frank will soon be announced as successor to Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked on Friday.
Negotiations have now started, with chairman Daniel Levy representing Tottenham and Phil Giles, Brentford’s director of football, in talks. Aside from the release fee, discussions are also likely to focus on Frank’s backroom staff, and the level of compensation needed to allow them to follow him from west to north London.
The Bees will demand suitable recompense for a manager whom has been with the club for close to a decade and who has overseen a period of remarkable success.
Frank arrived at the club in 2016 as assistant head coach and was appointed manager in 2018. In his first full season in charge he led them to the play-off final and followed it up with promotion to the Premier League. Over the past four years he has firmly established Brentford as a top-flight club.
Thomas Frank is soon to be announced as Tottenham head coach following positive talks
Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties at Tottenham boss by Daniel Levy on Friday
Postecoglou was sacked despite winning Spurs’ first trophy in 17 years through the Europa League
Frank guided the Bees to tenth place last season and has a long-standing relationship with Spurs’ technical director Johan Lange, with whom he once shared an office at Danish club Lyngby. Lange is leading the search for Postecoglou’s successor.
A large number of assistants – including Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo – exited on the back of the Australian’s departure, paving the way for Frank to bring in his own backroom team.
Meanwhile, Spurs are unlikely to enter the race for Brentford forward Bryan Mbuemo, who has been closely linked to a move to Manchester United. Reports had claimed Tottenham were looking to hi-jack the deal, but sources have disclosed such a prospect is ‘highly unlikely’.
