Brentford boss targeted by Premier League rivals as interest in Gareth Southgate cools

The Premier League side are set for a busy summer transfer window following recent investment
Susanna Sealy
By Susanna Sealy
Published 26th Mar 2024, 10:29 BST
Thomas Frank has been attracting interest from Brentford's Premier League rivals ahead of summer transfer window.Thomas Frank has been attracting interest from Brentford's Premier League rivals ahead of summer transfer window.
Thomas Frank has been attracting interest from Brentford's Premier League rivals ahead of summer transfer window.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is reportedly being targeted by their Premier League competitors Manchester United. According to the recent report from Football Transfers, the Old Trafford interest in England boss Gareth Southgate has subsided with the Bees boss now taking his place at the top of Manchester United's interest list.

There has been intense speculation over who could replace the ex-Ajax boss Erik ten Hag with his position under increased scrutiny following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's recent purchase of a 27.5 percent stake in the club and the Three Lions boss had supposedly been the primary target.

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Southgate has been long admired by Sir Dave Brailsford, a close partner to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the 53-year-old has not been a unanimous choice among the Old Trafford board and is not likely to be taken as a serious candidate for the role. Supposedly, Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti would be the perfect man for the Red Devils with Brailsford being a huge fan, but it is understood that the Italian man is an unrealistic option.

Frank, 50, has now been earmarked as the next target. He has enjoyed an impressive six-year spell in the Bees dugout leading them to promotion in 2021. The Danish boss first moved to the EFL in 2016 as an assistant role with the Gtech Community stadium side. He was then promoted to head coach in October 2018 following the departure of Dean Smith.

Frank became only the second Brentford head coach to win promotion to the Premier League when the Bees won their play-offs final over Swansea City in 2021 and in 2022, he achieved another feat of winning more of his first 200 matches with Brentford than any other Bees coach or manager.

The former Danish youth manager is currently under contract with the Bees until 2027 but Manchester United have been particularly attracted to Frank's ability to identify and nurture young talent which is the direction the new Red Devils' bosses have indicated they wish to go to in the upcoming transfer season.

Related topics:Thomas FrankPremier LeagueGareth SouthgateManchester United