Thomas Frank is thought to be a big fan of a Tottenham youngster, who has spent the last two seasons out on loan, with the Dane having told the club to abandon their plans of offloading him.
While there is a lot of excitement among Spurs fans about how Luka Vuskovic will do in North London during the upcoming season, another young centre-back appears to have been forgotten by the fan base.
Ashley Phillips, who was one of Ange Postecoglou’s first signings, was considered to be one of the best young talents in the Championship when he made the big move in 2023.
However, the 19-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for the Lilywhites, and he did not set the world alight at Stoke City last season, although he did get regular game time under his belt.
According to reports, Sheffield United have expressed an interest in signing Phillips on loan for the upcoming season, but Frank is expected to block the move.
Thomas Frank is a big fan of Tottenham’s Ashley Phillips
Journalist Alan Nixon has now revealed on his Patreon that the teenage centre-back will not be allowed to leave Spurs for the moment, either temporarily or permanently.
This is because Frank has asked the Tottenham board to reject any offers for the youngster, amidst interest from both the Blades and the Potters.
The new Spurs head coach rates Phillips very highly and has made him part of his plans during his first season at the club.
The Danish coach wants a big squad going into next season to cope with the demands of Champions League football, and he believes that the young defender can have a role to play.
Frank is also ready to hand opportunities to two other youngsters
Phillips is not the only youngster that the new Spurs boss is thought to be a fan of, with reports indicating that Frank could welcome Jamie Donley into the first-team.
Some outlets have claimed that Frank also wants to take a closer look at Luka Vuskovic before deciding whether to keep him or loan him out.
It could thus be a crucial summer for many of Tottenham’s young guns, who will be desperate to catch the eye of the new head coach and his staff in pre-season.