Thomas Frank 'confident' Tottenham will win battle for £50m transfer despite major threat

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is reportedly confident that he will win the battle to sign one of his former players. Spurs are among a host of Premier League sides showing interest in Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, but each one of them may be forced to go without due to a threat which is completely out of their hands.

The Bees have already suffered the departures of long-serving manager Frank and captain Christian Norgaard this summer, while they look set to lose their top scorer from last season, Bryan Mbeumo, to Manchester United. Letting go of Wissa, who formed a deadly partnership with Mbeumo last term, would surely be too great a risk for new Brentford boss Keith Andrews.

But the clubs that have taken a liking to Wissa are not ready to down tools just yet. Nottingham Forest hold a long-standing interest in the DR Congo international, while Newcastle United want to sign him as an alternative to Hugo Ekitike after seeing their move for the Frenchman hijacked by Liverpool.

The Tricky Trees and the Magpies can both offer European football after finishing seventh and fifth in the Premier League last term. Despite finishing a dreadful 17th, Tottenham also bagged themselves European pulling power after winning the Europa League.

And according to TBR Football, Frank is confident that, if it came down to a straight shootout between Spurs, Newcastle and Forest, Wissa would opt for north London.

The report adds that Wissa and his representatives are in discussions with 'four or five different clubs' as they weigh up their next move. The 28-year-old has scored 49 goals in 149 Brentford matches since completing an £8.5million switch from Lorient in 2021.

Now, despite Wissa only having a year left on his contract (plus the club's one-year option), Brentford are believed to value the forward at £50m.

With none of his 19 goals last season coming from the spot, Mohamed Salah was the only player in the Premier League to rack up more non-penalty goals than Wissa, and the Egyptian was only ahead by one.

After making loan moves for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanent, and welcoming teenager Luka Vuskovic following a deal that was agreed in 2023, Spurs have started the summer by signing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham and Japanese defender Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale.