Tottenham have ’50/50 chance’ of securing January signing who has worked with Thomas Frank before
Tottenham may find it more difficult than expected to bring in one of their top targets in the January transfer window.
Thomas Frank was appointed by Spurs over the summer, and the former Brentford boss has done an impressive job so far.
Tottenham finished a lowly 17th in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou last season, which resulted in the Australian’s sacking.
However, Frank has hauled the North London side up to third in the table after seven games this term, just two points behind league leaders Arsenal.
Tottenham may miss out on former Premier League striker
Ivan Toney is reportedly one name on Tottenham’s shortlist for the January transfer window, with the former Brentford striker now playing for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that despite Spurs’ interest, and his prior relationship with Frank, Toney may not want to come back to England.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that the Saudi Pro League deserves some respect, and that Tottenham would be arrogant to think they can just ‘cherry-pick’ players from the division.
Wyness added that there is a 50/50 chance that Toney will make the move to North London in the January transfer window.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, obviously the Frank connection does help in that sense, but let’s not get arrogant about this and think that the Premier League clubs can just cherry-pick the Saudi League any time they want to.
“He seems to be enjoying his football from what I understand. He’s making all the right noises, and he’s saying that his club would be in the top four in the Premier League. So there’s a decent league that’s being formed and people aren’t paying enough attention to that right now.
“Now, it is the Thomas Frank factor that would make you think it could happen, but Toney’s got the cards in his hands about wanting to come back.
“Obviously, Thomas Frank knows him inside out. It’d be up to him to make that sort of call. But I don’t think it’s definite that it is going to happen. I think it’s maybe 50/50 at best in terms of him coming back.
“Let’s just wait and see, but it’s not just like Thomas Frank’s going to call up and he’s going to come running, that’s for sure.”
Thomas Frank got the best out of Ivan Toney
In the summer of 2020 while at Brentford, Frank signed Toney from League One side Peterborough United.
While with the West London club, the 29-year-old developed into a top Premier League striker, as well as breaking into the England squad.
Toney scored 20 top-flight goals in the 2022/23 season under the stewardship of Frank, who set up his Brentford side to get the best out of their prolific centre-forward.
If the striker joined back up with his former boss at Tottenham, then he could once again thrive in the Premier League.
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