Thomas Frank risks wrath of Tottenham fans with comment on bitter rivals Arsenal

Thomas Frank has risked angering the Tottenham fanbase by delivering a huge compliment to the club's bitter north London rivals, Arsenal. Frank is gearing up for his first campaign in charge of Spurs, and part of his preparation will include a derby clash in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Tottenham finished a whopping 36 points behind Arsenal in the Premier League last season, with their 17th-place finish enough to get Ange Postecoglou the sack despite the fact he led the team to a Europa League triumph. The Gunners had their own disappointment to deal with as they finished runners-up in the title race for a third consecutive campaign, but the gulf between the two sides is not lost on Frank.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of their 'friendly' showdown on Asian soil, the Dane said: "I think it's a great challenge. Besides being our biggest rivals and the first north London derby outside the UK, it's also right now [a match against] one of the best teams, I must say, unfortunately, in the world. We also need to be honest.

"In that way it's a big test. But it's more than a test. Against Arsenal, of course, it's not only a friendly, it's a game we will do everything we can to win."

Tottenham kicked off their pre-season with underwhelming draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town. Frank will be keen to see a step up in intensity against high-calibre opposition in Arsenal, Newcastle and Bayern Munich before the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain on August 13 and the club's Premier League opener against Burnley three days later.

Aside from loans being made permanent and future prospects, £55million Mohammed Kudus is the only out-and-out first-team signing Tottenham have made this summer.

Arsenal are among a group of Spurs' Premier League rivals who have been considerably busier in the transfer market. And although Frank is keeping his cards close to his chest, he wants to see more activity from the Tottenham board while they still have the opportunity to strike.

"[Exactly where I would like to strengthen] is something I would like to keep private, of course," he explained. "We are aware where we maybe want to strengthen the squad in general. Kudus has come in and shown his quality already. Of course, we are looking."