Tottenham 'receive encouragement' in £60m transfer mission as Thomas Frank plots Man United hijack

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly received encouragement in their pursuit of Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo, who is now more 'intrigued' about the possibility of a move to North London following the appointment of Thomas Frank.

Spurs confirmed that they had hired Frank as their new head coach on a three-year deal on Thursday evening, and the Dane brought three members of his backroom Brentford team with him.

Now that Tottenham have swiftly appointed Ange Postecoglou's successor, the hierarchy can get to work identifying transfer targets capable of making Spurs a force to reckon with in the Champions League.

Prolific attacker Mbeumo is believed to be among Spurs' options for the second summer transfer window, although they will face stiff competition from Manchester United.

However, Sky Sports News claims that Tottenham have been handed a significant boost in their efforts to win the race for the Cameroonian, who is increasingly fascinated at the prospect of joining Spurs.

Mbeumo 'intrigued' by Spurs move amid Man Utd links

The Europa League winners are believed to have held exploratory talks with Brentford regarding a move for Mbeumo, who is one of two chief attacking targets on their radar along with Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo.

Man United have also been in hot pursuit of Mbeumo's signature, but the Red Devils have already failed with one £55m proposal made up of a £45m fixed fee and £10m in add-ons.

The Bees are said to have slapped a £60 valuation on the head of the 25-year-old, whom Man United are expected to lodge another bid for after apparently receiving the green light from the player.

However, Frank's move to Tottenham could throw a spanner in the works, and Brentford will not stand in Mbeumo's way of a summer transfer if an interested party stumps up the right price.

The Cameroon international managed an eye-catching 20 goals and eight assists in 38 Premier League matches last term and has totalled 70 goals and 51 assists in 242 appearances for the Bees since his 2019 arrival from Troyes.

Will Man United or Spurs have the edge in Mbeumo race?

While Tottenham may have the Champions League factor on their side, Man United have already proved this summer that they are still a highly attractive proposition for established talents; just ask Matheus Cunha.

Regardless of whether there is European football on offer or not, a team's project and pathway for a player can prove equally critical in their decision, as Mbeumo will expect to become a marquee player at either club.

The attacker could easily function as one of the number 10s in Ruben Amorim's system, although Cunha and Bruno Fernandes should be the first choices in those roles, unless the latter is moved to a deeper midfield slot to accommodate another new attacking option.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski capable of doing a job on the right, although Frank would almost certainly promote his Brentford favourite straight to the first XI.

The money on offer at Man United may be tempting, but with Frank at the helm and a ticket to the UCL, Spurs can be considered the number one contenders.

Written by
Ben Knapton