Paratici already handed Frank the next Mbeumo in “incredible” Spurs star

Going into the transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur had one clear objective under new boss Thomas Frank – improve the quality and depth across all areas of the pitch.

That was certainly achieved during the £100m+ spending spree, with the hierarchy completing a deal in the region of £55m for winger Mohammed Kudus.

Much was made around his transfer after joining from rivals West Ham United, but it’s safe to say the Ghanaian has already adhered himself to the supporters in North London.

The 25-year-old has already opened his account for the Lilywhites, scoring the winner in the last outing against Leeds United – subsequently adding to his tally of four assists in the Premier League.

However, Frank’s side could have looked a lot different had they completed a move for one of their other targets instead of landing Kudus during the off-season.

How close Spurs were to signing Mbeumo this summer

After appointing Frank from Brentford over the summer, there were always going to be rumours over which players he would bring with him – but one stuck out more than the rest in the form of Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian international scored 20 times in the Premier League last campaign, with such form making him one of the hottest properties during the recent transfer window.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Lilywhites had a genuine chance of landing the 26-year-old, even reportedly making an offer for his services after the Dane’s appointment.

The player himself spoke about the 51-year-old’s appointment, wishing him the best in North London, which only fuelled speculation over a potential switch to follow his former manager across the capital.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as Manchester United completed a £71m transfer for Mbeumo, a figure that was way over the original offer that was supposedly made by the Lilywhites.

After joining the Red Devils, the Cameroonian claimed that he only had his heart set on a move to United during the summer – subsequently dismissing any interest in following Frank.

Missing out on his signature will no doubt have been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they shouldn’t have to worry, with one player already in their ranks already similar to Mbeumo.

The Spurs star who is Frank’s next Mbeumo

The return of Fabio Paratici this week will give the fanbase an added reason to be positive after their impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign under Frank’s guidance.

He spent a couple of years in the role between 2021 and 2023 before stepping down, but he’s now been brought back into the club to fill the Sporting Director role once again.

It will no doubt hand him the responsibility of recruiting new players to add to the Dane’s early success, whilst overseeing those who could be offloaded.

However, he’s already showcased his tremendous work within the transfer market, conducting phenomenal business to land Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus for just £25m.

The Swede would have been an unknown quantity to many in North London, but he’s made himself a fan-favourite with his incredible performances prior to his recent injury setback.

He registered 10 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last campaign – the best return of his career – and certainly playing a huge role in the club’s Europa League success.

Such is the level of his quality, he was labelled as a similar player to Mbeumo by FBref – a huge statement given the performances of the former Brentford star in 2024/25.

When comparing their respective stats during the same time period, the Lilywhites gem managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, with Kulusevski highlighting the quality he possesses when fit.

The former Juve star, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Jay Harris, completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.7), subsequently registering more key passes per 90 (2.5).

Such figures highlight the creative nature the Swede possesses, with such a feature massively adding to Frank’s side when he returns from his latest injury.

He also completed more take-ons per 90 (1.4), whilst notching more carries into the final third per 90 (2.5) – highlighting his desire to transfer the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

There’s no denying that a deal for Mbeumo would have further strengthened the Spurs first-team squad, but ultimately it would have been a huge risk paying such a fee after one impressive season.

With Kulusevski, the club have one of the most underrated players in the division, with the forward able to take his career to the next level under Frank in the years ahead.