The Spurs trend that casts doubt over £70m transfer snub after Brighton draw

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There has not been much for Thomas Frank to complain about since he was appointed Spurs head coach but from the outside looking in, there still appears to be one missing piece of his Spurs jigsaw. When beloved skipper Son Heung-min departed for pastures new in the MLS with LAFC, it was clear he would need to be replaced.

Yet how do you go about replacing a player who is virtually irreplaceable at Tottenham? It's no secret Spurs were striving to land two attackers in the final week of the summer transfer window and they got precisely that in Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani. Perhaps it was a surprise, however, that another striker - as opposed to left winger - arrived in the form of PSG outcast Kolo Muani in what was undeniably an opportunistic loan swoop that helped bolster Spurs' depth at the top end of the pitch.

While Simons can operate from the left flank, he is primarily a No.10, even if he likes to drift into a wide left role and come inside onto his stronger right foot. That is what happened when he made a notably explosive impact from the bench in the second half at Brighton but it's clear he was predominantly signed to create from central areas.

Wilson Odobert flattered to deceive on his first Premier League start at the Amex while Brennan Johnson is currently facing an uphill battle to pin down a starting berth under Frank. Mohammed Kudus has already locked down the right wing role and Johnson's minutes have fluctuated since the beginning of the season despite netting in consecutive matches at the start of the campaign.

While the rest of Frank's side looks near complete, the left flank has become somewhat of a problem position despite the vast amount of options at Spurs' disposal because no player looks a nailed on, natural fit. Back in June, Tottenham made an enquiry for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. The response from the Cherries was firm; they had no intention of selling and it would take an offer in the region of £70million to alter that stance.

Spurs decided to look elsewhere but on the basis of his recent form, he would certainly have been worth a punt. Tottenham had cash at their disposal, for several weeks they flirted with a big-money move for Manchester City's Savinho but Pep Guardiola's side were reluctant to do business with the Europa League winners.

At 25 years old, Semenyo is now rapidly approaching his prime and it would not be a shock to see him at the centre of a transfer scramble in 2026 - despite signing a new deal with the Cherries this summer. He already has five Premier League goal involvements to his name - three goals and two assists - and he would have added some much needed speed, skill and firepower to Frank's forward line.

Manchester United were also interested but neither United nor Tottenham had any intention of getting close to Bournemouth's sky-high valuation of the Ghana international. Transfer fees, particularly in the Premier League, have become more inflated than ever. Some may feel it would be frowned upon or risky to blow £70m on a player like Semenyo, who in the past has shown patchy form, but on the flip side, the results could have been frightening.

Frank has developed a proven track record for developing talent and while the likes of Mathys Tel and Odobert still have huge scope to develop, there are no guarantees they will fulfil their untapped potential in N17. The signing of Semenyo would have represented a statement of intent and after his opening-day brace at Anfield, Spurs could have been forgiven for wondering if in fact, he was worth the cash.

For now, Simons is likely to receive further opportunities from the left because Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall have all started the season in impressive form. When Dejan Kulusevski returns to fitness, there will also be increased competition for places in central areas.

However, Semenyo's 1v1 and ball-carrying ability would have provided Frank with something different and it's clear to see he is one of the Premier League's - if not the - most improved players in recent seasons. It really feels as though he would have been a great, natural fit for Frank's daring attacking football.

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