Thomas Frank has made it clear that he still values Brennan Johnson, even if the talented Welsh forward has slipped out of Tottenham’s regular starting eleven this season.
The Spurs boss stressed that he remains “very aware” of what Johnson brings to the squad, but the reality is that competition for places in the attacking positions has become tougher than ever under the Dane.
Johnson was a key figure for Tottenham last season, featuring 51 times and scoring an impressive 18 goals. He consistently delivered when it mattered most, including the unforgettable winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao.
His energy, pace, and end product were huge factors in Spurs’ strong attacking displays last campaign. It is no surprise that Frank once tried to sign him while managing Brentford, having always admired his speed and instinct in front of goal.
However, things have changed this season. Since Frank arrived in north London, Johnson has found himself starting far fewer matches. Before his suspension for the Champions League defeat to PSG, he had been named in the starting lineup for only five of Tottenham’s twelve Premier League games.
Even in Europe, he has mostly been used as a late substitute, coming on in the final minutes to try to make an impact. For a player who was almost always part of the first XI last season, it has been a significant drop.
Yet, Johnson has still produced moments of quality when given the chance. He has scored four goals in just 788 minutes of football this season, and he recently reminded everyone of his ability by scoring a brilliant solo goal for Wales during the international break. Even with reduced game time, he continues to show he can influence matches.
To understand how things stand, it helps to compare Johnson’s minutes with other players in the squad.
Teenager Lucas Bergvall has played more minutes this season despite missing time with a concussion, and summer signing Xavi Simons has also been ahead of Johnson in playing time despite his own struggles to secure regular starts. The biggest change, however, has come with the arrival of Mohammed Kudus.
Tottenham paid £55 million to bring Kudus in from West Ham, and the Ghanaian has mostly been used on the right side Johnson’s preferred position. Kudus has already played 1,274 minutes this season, and while his goal tally sits at just one, he has contributed with five assists and has been heavily involved in Spurs’ build-up play.
With Kudus seen as a long-term key figure and Simons also pushing for minutes, Johnson has found himself fighting for any opportunity to get onto the pitch.
Frank explained that the issue is not Johnson’s talent but rather the challenge of building a team that works in every area. He spoke openly about the difficulty of deciding who plays where and how to get the best out of a squad filled with attacking options.
He insisted that Johnson’s strengths his goals, his running in behind, his movement in the box are still highly valued, but selection depends on balance, freshness, and the constant demand for rotation with matches coming every few days.
Spurs are entering a difficult stretch, having won only three of their last twelve matches. With the schedule not easing up and results needing to improve, Frank will have to rely on more of his squad.
Johnson will surely be hoping this opens the door for more regular minutes, especially with the team searching for consistency and greater attacking spark.
For now, his future at Tottenham is not in danger, but he does need to make the most of every appearance. Frank has not forgotten him far from it. But with so much competition around him, Johnson must prove again that he can be one of the players Spurs build their attack around.
As the season intensifies, his chance will likely come, and it will be up to him to show that he still deserves a place at the heart of Tottenham’s forward line.
