Tottenham analysis: Who did Spurs sign this summer? Every Thomas Frank signing ranked
With the summer transfer window now firmly shut, there are some massive deals to look back on in the Premier League.
From Alexander Isak’s Deadline Day move to Liverpool or Manchester United’s hunt for a new goalkeeper, there is plenty to digest.
One side that has gone firmly under the radar, though, is Tottenham Hotspur.
It has been a case of quality over quantity for Thomas Frank, with seven new faces in North London.
Here, Transfer News Blitz’s Louie Rudge-Ferro examines what has been a busy summer at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Improvements made in North London
It is hard to judge how good Spurs’ business has been before seeing how the players perform in the shirt.
In past seasons, lesser-known signings such as Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie have proven to be master strokes in hindsight.
However, this summer, the quality of players brought in has definitely increased from previous campaigns.
On the face of it, Tottenham have somehow rescued a chaotic and disorganised window with signings that improve on those already at the club.
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Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel
Two players who signed permanently in North London this summer were Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, who were on loan last season.
The duo have come in from FC Bayern and RC Lens, respectively.
Danso completed a pre-agreed move from the French side, whose loan contained an obligation to buy for a rumoured £21million.
The Austrian will slot in behind van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the pecking order at centre-back.
However, Frank has already shown a willingness to play the 26-year-old in a back three.
On the other hand, Tel put pen to paper on a six-year deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The French starlet scored three goals in 19 games for Spurs last season, but has yet to really impress in Lilywhite.
It certainly feels like it is a big season for the 20-year-old, who should really have a free run at starting down the left following Son Heung-Min’s departure.
Kota Takai
Tottenham’s first new NEW signing of the summer was Japanese central defender Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale.
The 20-year-old set Spurs back £5million, but suffered an injury in pre-season and has yet to play in N17.
You would not imagine that Takai will play a large role this season, but he certainly looks to be a promising talent.
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Mohammed Kudus
Mohammed Kudus is a player who instantly improves Frank’s starting lineup.
The Ghanaian international signed from West Ham United for £55million and has already shown supporters exactly what he is about.
Notably, the 25-year-old impressed on debut at home against Burnley, registering two assists.
Not only that, but the forward’s hard work and relentless pressing will be among the traits that will suit Frank going forward.
Kudus will likely be deployed out wide on the right, where he can drive forward and unsettle defences.
I imagine that Kudus will also be used more centrally at some point across the season, too, as he is more than capable of playing across the midfield.
Joao Palhinha
Spurs addressed their lack of an out-and-out defensive midfielder through the signing of Joao Palhina, who could prove to be the club’s signing of the summer.
The Portuguese international could prove fundamental to Frank’s slide this season, shielding the backline by making important tackles and blocks.
Palhinha’s performance against Manchester City on Matchday Two earned him the Premier League player of the week.
The 30-year-old could be likened to Arsenal’s Declan Rice or Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, in how he can protect the Tottenham defence from conceding the unacceptable amount of goals they did last year.
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Xavi Simons
The arrival of Xavi Simons at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium definitely dampened the blow from missing out on Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White.
The 22-year-old joined Spurs for over £56million from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, and is in line to make his debut away at West Ham United after the international break.
The Dutchman is arguably the closest player Tottenham have to a superstar name in the squad and will surely offer some much-needed creative quality.
I think Frank will be delighted with the signing of Simons, who scored 43 goals in his last three campaigns.
Under the blueprint of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa at Brentford, Simons could be a player who is significantly developed under Frank.
The key will be the Dutch international’s adaptation to the Premier League, as there is certainly a trend of Bundesliga players needing time to match the physicality of the league.
Randal Kolo Muani
The final player to arrive at Hotspur Way was Randal Kolo Munani, who joined on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
The French international comes in most likely to replace the injured Dominic Solanke, but can also be played on the left and right.
It was only in 2023 that he was valued by PSG at €90million, and has still shown his quality at times, especially while on loan at Juventus last season.
Kolo Muani will definitely make a case to start up top for Spurs, with a fantastic European pedigree.
If the 26-year-old can get into a rhythm at Spurs, you have to think his impact will be massive.
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Who has left Tottenham Hotspur this summer?
In terms of outgoings, it was quite quiet at N17 this summer.
The only exception was the transfer of club captain and legend Son Heung-Min to LAFC for £20million.
Not only will his quality be a massive miss for Frank, but his character in the dressing room as well.
The South Korean leaves Spurs as a hero, having won the Europa League at the end of last season, ending Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s loan to Marseille has finally turned permanent after two seasons with the French side, netting the Lilywhites around £13.5million.
Bryan Gil also got his long-awaited North London exit, signing for Girona for €10million, in what must be said is a good deal for Daniel Levy.
Israeli winger Manor Solomon also moved to Spain, signing for Villarreal on a season-long loan.
Youngsters Mikey Moore and Luka Vuskovic also departed on loan, for Rangers and Hamburger SV, respectively.
How does Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rate?
Overall, I would rate Tottenham Hotspur’s summer transfer window 8/10.
The appointment of Frank is mainly why I rate Spurs’ business so highly.
The Dane brings back the tactical flexibility of Mauricio Pochettino, while his focus is also on developing young players.
You can clearly see that players of a higher calibre, like Simons, are attracted to come to Tottenham due to Frank’s excellent track record of maximising his teams.
Looking at the players brought in, they are much closer to the quality needed to compete in the Champions League and Premier League.
That being said, I would have liked Spurs to bring in another left winger, and while Simons can play there, Son has not exactly been replaced.
Although the embarrassing transfer sagas of Eze and Gibbs-White tainted what, in hindsight, has been a great window for Tottenham.
You can definitely sense a change in transfer strategy, moving away from looking at squad players and purely focusing on bringing in high-quality talent.
While the squad is still not perfect, it gives Frank a core group to give him quality options to mix things up this season.
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