What Thomas Frank said on Bryan Mbeumo transfer as Tottenham fight Manchester United for £70m deal | OneFootball

New Spurs boss gave a telling update on Brentford’s position before leaving the club to succeed Ange Postecoglou

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United have been pursuing a deal for Mbeumo after clinching the £62.5million arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolves and missing out on Liam Delap to Chelsea, seeing an opening offer worth £45m plus a further £10m in add-ons rebuffed earlier this month.

The Red Devils have been mulling over an improved bid for the Cameroon international, though now face a battle with Spurs to land his signature.

Standard Sport understands that Tottenham have expressed their interest in a deal for Mbeumo to Brentford after paying £10m in compensation to appoint Bees boss Frank as their managerial replacement for the sacked Ange Postecoglou on Thursday.

It remains to be seen if Frank’s move to north London will change the player’s mind over preferring a switch to Old Trafford, with reports from the Daily Mirror now stating that Spurs have offered a deal worth £65m plus a further £5m in add-ons.

Frank had been quizzed plenty on Mbeumo’s future towards the end of his final season in charge at Brentford in which the latter scored 20 goals and registered nine assists in 42 appearances across all competitions to help secure a 10th-place Premier League finish, insisting that a sale was possible but that it would not come cheap.

"It is clear that if he is to be sold, it must be for a nice, nice amount," Frank said of Mbeumo - also linked with the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle - to Viaplay back in May. "It is a lot. Mucho. Really a lot.

"Then it is clear that it is impossible to replace him one for one. It cannot be done. There is a reason why he costs x number of million pounds, and we do not have x number of million pounds to buy for.

"I would say that I would be surprised if a lot of big clubs don’t look at him. I would be surprised with what he has to offer.

“How many wingers score 20 goals for a mid-table club? And then with seven assists plus his work ethic. And his character. All these things mean that he has a lot, so he is a good player."

Frank had also previously reiterated Brentford’s status as a “selling club”, but insisted that he believed Mbeumo was happy at the Gtech Community Stadium.

“I’m the head coach, I want my best players to stay forever,” Frank told Sky Sports News last month.

“I know that Bryan is very happy being here at Brentford, he’s thriving, doing well and playing fantastic. What happens in the future? I don’t know.

“I’ve said many times: we are a selling club. But at the same time we have to reinforce that there are 10 clubs in the world who aren’t selling clubs.

“So, of course, if the right price - and that’s going to be expensive - is coming, then I’m sure the club will be open for it.

“But I’m very happy he’s here, and I’m convinced that Bryan will still be happy playing football here.”