Sheffield United ready to pay £6m for Tottenham ace amid Frank decision
Thomas Frank is likely to instil plenty of changes at Tottenham this summer.
Many people will be expecting big moves from Spurs in the transfer market, but Frank will also be keen to ensure he gets the most out of the players who are already in the building in the early part of his reign.
As with any new manager, the Dane will be keen to assess each and every player he has at his disposal, including the likes of Yves Bissouma, who have previously seemed destined to depart.
That will mean he will likely face a series of decisions that have the potential to alter players’ careers, and could easily see those who had been on the fringes of the squad under Ange Postecoglou be brought back into the fold in pre-season.
Frank wants to include Ash Phillips amid Sheffield United interest
The first-team will be the immediate priority for Frank this summer, but there are also a number of exciting young prospects coming through the ranks in N17.
Mikey Moore’s ascension into the first team last term has shown that there is very much still a pathway for youngsters to break through at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and there will be several who have designs on doing that next season.
One of those will be Ash Phillips, who has now returned from his loan at Stoke City.
Frank is understood to be keen on the idea of including the 20-year-old centre back in his plans, according to the print edition of The Sun on Sunday (29 June, pg. 57).
However, should Spurs change their mind on the youngster, Sheffield United are waiting in the wings to secure a deal. The Blades are ready to pay £6million for Phillips, but have been rebuffed by Tottenham at the moment.
The North London outfit are also thought to have a simialr valuation of Alfie Devine, although no plans are yet made regarding his future.
Phillips could be ready to step up at Spurs
Phillips has enjoyed several loan spells in recent years, and the next logical step for him would be for him to begin to earn opportunities to feature in the first team.
| Season | Club | Apps |
| 2024/25 | Stoke City | 39 |
| 2023/24 | Plymouth Argyle | 20 |
| 2022/23 | Blackburn Rovers | 14 |
The defender has now spent the last three seasons out on loan in the Championship, and his latest stint with Stoke saw him make significant progress. He became a regular feature at the heart of the Potters’ defence, and the 35 starts that he made in the league will be invaluable to his development as a player.
The defence was a key issue for Spurs last season, and with so much scrutiny placed on their often calamitous efforts, it wasn’t really the ideal environment to bring young players through in that area of the pitch.
That could easily change under Frank though, as his style of football shouldn’t leave the backline anywhere near as exposed.
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