Arsenal are set to encounter a new face in the North London Derby next season, with Thomas Frank expected to be appointed as Ange Postecoglou’s successor at Tottenham in the coming days.
Spurs sacked Postecoglou, despite the Australian delivering the North London club their first piece of silverware in 17 years last season.
The dismissal was driven by the Lillywhites’ shocking domestic campaign, which saw them finish 17th in the Premier League.
Arsenal face Tottenham in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong in June, and Mikel Arteta will likely come up against Frank in the opposite dugout in that game.
The Dane may pose a more immediate threat to the Gunners, as he looks to rival Andrea Berta in the race for certain players available in the transfer market.
With that said, here are three players Frank wants to prevent from signing for Arsenal and sign for Spurs instead.
Bryan Mbeumo
Arsenal have been linked with Bryan Mbeumo for a while now, with the Cameroonian seen as a potential back-up option to Bukayo Saka.
However, reports emerged earlier this month indicating that the Brentford star is eager to join Manchester United this summer.
This saga may yet take another twist, as Tottenham are now unsurprisingly looking to hijack United’s move for Mbeumo.
Given the winger has worked with Frank for several years at Brentford, it’s likely that he’d favour a move to the Lilywhites over the Gunners, particularly with Spurs not possessing a winger of Saka’s calibre with whom he’d have to compete with.
With United and Tottenham in the mix, this likely puts an end to Arsenal’s pursuit of Mbeumo.
Antoine Semenyo
Thierry Henry waxed lyrical about Antoine Semenyo back in April, and it’s no surprise given the Ghanaian enjoyed an excellent season at Bournemouth.
Netting 13 goals and providing six assists across all competitions, Semenyo has attracted interest from a host of top Premier League clubs.
Arsenal are among those monitoring his situation, although Tottenham are now said to be advancing in a move for the two-footed wide man.
Frank wants more offensive firepower in wide areas, given the lack of quality the Spurs squad currently boasts in these positions, and Semenyo fits the bill.
Nathan Collins
Arsenal Insider revealed back in April that Arsenal are interested in signing Brentford’s Nathan Collins as a back-up for the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
After missing out on Dean Huijsen, Collins was identified as a viable alternative.
However, with Frank now going to Tottenham, the 51-year-old wants to bring the Irishman with him to North London.
Collins played every single minute in the Premier League for the Bees last season, demonstrating how highly Frank rates him, and this may ultimately dictate the player’s decision if it comes down to picking between the two rivals.
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