Marc Guehi signs, £45m transfer agreed - Tottenham dream XI vs Burnley for Premier League opener

Tottenham Hotspur still have over three weeks to make changes to their squad for the start of the Premier League season, which begins on Saturday, August 16 at home to newly-promoted Burnley.

The biggest alteration of all came before pre-season began as Spurs opted to sack Ange Postecoglou and make their latest managerial change. Thomas Frank arrived in his place, famed for his ushering of Brentford from the Championship to top-flight security.

The new manager's first signings have been £55m attacker Mohammed Kudus from rivals West Ham United and Kota Takai, a £5m defensive prospect from Kawasaki Frontale.

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Attacker Mathys Tel and defender Kevin Danso have also signed permanently following their winter 2024 loans from Bayern Munich and RC Lens respectively, as has 18-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic following a 2023 agreement made with Hajduk Split.

Frank would also have liked Morgan Gibbs-White - a star he has long admired - to join his ranks, except the attacking midfielder has now committed himself to Nottingham Forest by signing a new contract following a tense saga. This had been the only hint thus far towards an area of the team Frank is hoping to strengthen.

"That is something I would like to keep very private of course," the new manager answered a question about Spurs' intentions in the market on Tuesday. "We of course are out there in the market and we're aware where we maybe want to strengthen the squad in general.

"I'm happy with the squad and we've already done a top signing in Mohammed Kudus that is coming in and showing us his quality already. We've got a squad where there is a lot of talent in and quality but of course we're looking."

But Spurs need not let the failed attempt to sign Gibbs-White define their summer. Kudus' recent arrival the club means they have a plethora of attacking talent.

Admittedly, there is not as much pressure to make a signing in time for the opening day of the Premier League as perhaps first thought, and instead the club can focus on quality additions before the end of the summer window on September 1.

In football.london's dream line-up, Brennan Johnson and James Maddison join Kudus in forming a three-pronged support of singular striker Dominic Solanke as part of a 4-2-3-1 formation, which Frank has utilised in all his friendlies so far.

Maddison and Solanke will hopefully have the opportunity to build up fitness in the final summer match vs Bayern Munich plus the UEFA Super Cup showdown vs Paris Saint-Germain, as both have been out of the Asian tour through injury.

The money not immediately spent to sign an attacking midfielder could instead by placed into one of a more defensive mindset to compliment the box-to-box Archie Gray.

Palhinha, the Portuguese internationally formerly of Fulham and currently with Bayern Munich, is the latest to be linked with a move to Spurs in that role. In his brief Premier League stint he earned plenty of plaudits but in Germany has been judged critically.

At 30 years of age, many may feel Palhinha should only be signed for a certain level of finance, but if Spurs have learned any lessons from their rivals it is that a team can't function without a defensive midfielder. Ryan Gravenberch for Liverpool, Rodri for Manchester City and Moises Caicedo for Chelsea - three players who have elevated their respective clubs to silverware and top-four finishes.

Spurs are reportedly willing to pay a fee in the region of £45m according to journalist Sebastien Vidal. To end, football.london's dream opening day XI can add one more new arrival to truly operate at full strength.

Frank's side are reportedly weighing up a return to January target Marc Guehi as the Crystal Palace central defender now has less than 12 months on his current contract. On winter deadline day Spurs saw a £70m offer turned away.

The Eagles may have made it clear they do not wish to lose such an integral figure, however Guehi's contract us set to expire in 2026, as things stand at least, meaning there is the chance of a cut-price deal tempting them into selling in the upcoming weeks.

The England international would slot perfectly into a back four partnering captain Cristian Romero in the centre and with Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven operating in wide positions. In net, Guglielmo Vicario keeps his place as Frank's first-choice.

Spurs Dream XI for Premier League opener vs Burnley

Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Marc Guehi, Micky van de Ven; Archie Gray, Palhinha; Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson; Dominic Solanke