How Thomas Frank could line up for Tottenham’s pre-season opener against Reading

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Thomas Frank is set to take charge of his first Tottenham Hotspur pre-season match against Reading later this month, and while several key players remain unavailable, we have now attempted to predict what his first Spurs lineup could look like on 19 July.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to begin pre-season training in the coming weeks as the north London side prepares for the upcoming season under new management.

The 2025/26 campaign will be Thomas Frank’s first at the helm, and with expectations already starting to build, preparations will be key.

Spurs have arranged five pre-season friendlies, as Frank and his coaching staff look to embed their methods and tactical philosophy within the squad. While most senior players will be involved across the summer schedule, several academy products and younger talents are also expected to get minutes during this period.

Thomas Frank is expected to return to Hotspur Way this week, with several first-team players also reporting for duty. The pre-season schedule offers the Dane a chance to assess his options early on, with a mix of experienced heads and youthful prospects available for the opening fixtures.

How Thomas Frank could lineup in first game in charge of Spurs

We reported yesterday that Pedro Porro has already returned to training despite playing over fifty games for the club last season, as the full-back looks to begin pre-season preparations early under the club’s new management.

Tottenham are set to face Reading on the 19th of July, a fixture that will mark Frank’s first game in charge as manager, and one that provides the 51-year-old with a first opportunity to see his new side in action, albeit with several absentees due to international duty.

While most players will return to training this week, a number are still expected to be unavailable due to their involvement in the U19 and U21 European Championships.

This leaves Frank with a mixed squad of seasoned professionals and emerging youngsters to select from for the Reading clash. Here is how we expect Thomas Frank’s first lineup to look:

Antonin Kinsky is expected to start in goal for that match, with Guglielmo Vicario still recovering from an injury sustained during the last international break.

In defence, a back four comprising Djed Spence, Ashley Phillips, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie could be deployed, as Frank could hand out a starting place to one of his returning loan stars, Phillips.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall to feature in Tottenham’s pre-season opener

In midfield, Thomas Frank is likely to stick with his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall are expected to start in the double pivot, with the latter one of five players we expect to look to impress the new Spurs boss in the first few weeks of training.

With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still unavailable, Jamie Donley is expected to operate in the number ten role. It represents a key opportunity for the academy graduate to show his ability and stake a claim ahead of the new campaign.

Up top, a front three of Yang Min-hyeok, Will Lankshear and Alfie Devine could lead the line. The likes of Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and Mathys Tel remain unavailable due to their international commitments, while Heung-min Son and Dominic Solanke should be named on the bench as experienced options to call upon if required.

Final predicted XI: Antonin Kinsky; Djed Spence, Ashley Phillips, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Jamie Donley; Yang Min-hyeok, Will Lankshear, Alfie Devine.