Thomas Frank has made an impressive start to life as Tottenham Hotspur manager, suffering only one defeat within his first nine matches since his appointment in the summer.
The Dane’s only defeat came against Bournemouth in the Premier League on gameweek three and are now currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
However, it’s not all been straight-forward for the 51-year-old, with the Lilywhites having to come from two goals down to draw with Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
His side have scored 17 goals across all competitions in 2025/26, averaging nearly two goals a game to date, highlighting the impressive form of the side in the final third.
Such a record could’ve certainly been bolstered further had the hierarchy kept hold of one player who was sold during Frank’s first window in charge this summer.
Heung-min Son’s successful spell at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2015, few Spurs fans would’ve predicted the superb spell forward Heung-min Son would have at the club after joining from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
The South Korean spent a decade in North London, often being a first-team regular, subsequently racking up incredible figures which made him a huge fan favourite.
The winger racked up over 450 appearances between 2015 and 2025, scoring 173 times, which ranks him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.
Despite not starting the Europa League final, he lifted the trophy as captain and helped end the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy in his final outing for the football club.
Son would leave the side this summer in a £20m deal, subsequently joining MLS outfit LAFC, leaving new boss Frank with the near-impossible task of landing a replacement.
Mohammed Kudus was brought into the club during the off-season, but his addition was undoubtedly made to strengthen the options on the opposite flank.
However, the Dane may already have his own version of Son in the near future, with such a talent already on their books in North London – potentially saving the club millions in the process.
The Spurs star who could be Frank’s heir to Son
Spurs have a number of impressive young talents within their ranks at present, highlighting the impressive work of their academy and their recruitment team over recent days.
Graduate Mikey Moore is just one of the players who has made the rise through the youth levels, making 19 senior appearances for the Lilywhites last season despite being just 17.
The injury crisis last season gave him the chance to stake his claim, but he’s been sent on a season-long loan to Scottish side Rangers in an attempt to gain consistent game time to aid his progression.
However, he’s only featured for a total of 215 minutes across all competitions for Russell Martin’s side, with just three of his appearances coming from a starting position.
He’s not alone in being sent out on loan to try and gain valuable experience, with South Korean forward Min-hyeok Yang also spending the 2025/26 out on loan.
The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.
Such a deal was undoubtedly an exciting one, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.
Yang would spend the second half of last season on loan at QPR, scoring twice and registering one assist in his 14 Championship outings at Loftus Road.
However, he was once again shipped out to England’s second tier, this time joining Portsmouth on a season-long loan, even netting his first goal for the club against Watford on Wednesday night.
Given his recent spells away from North London, he’s yet to make a single senior appearance for the club, but that could certainly change in the years ahead, given his tender age.
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Yang Min-hyeok – stats for Portsmouth |
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|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
Tally |
|
Games played |
3 |
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Goals & assists |
1 |
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Pass accuracy |
75% |
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Touches in opposition box |
5.6 |
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Fouls won |
2.8 |
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Recoveries made |
4.5 |
|
Shots on target |
1.7 |
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Chances created |
1.1 |
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Stats via FotMob |
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At just 19, Yang has plenty of time to live up to the potential he’s arrived with, potentially being the perfect option for the first-team off the left-hand side for many years to come.
Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot at Spurs, it would be yet another phenomenal piece of business and one that could save them millions if he turns into a potential world-beater.
