Nathan Collins, a Stoke City academy graduate, could follow his Brentford boss Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur.
Thomas Frank’s expected appointment as Tottenham Hotspur manager will also increase the pressure on Brentford defender Nathan Collins.
According to reports, Frank would like to bring the Stoke City youth graduate to Spurs, along with his Manchester United-linked teammate Bryan Mbeumo, in a lucrative deal. Collins, 24, has four years left on his Brentford contract, with a club option for another two years.
According to the London newspaper, Brentford would “demand a significant return” on the club record £22 million they paid to sign Collins from Wolves two years ago – and Wolves’ ears will have perked up because they agreed to a sell-on clause as part of that transaction. Stoke received a similar profit when Burnley transferred him to the Wolves in 2022.
Collins has established himself as a Premier League and Republic of Ireland regular, appearing in every minute of Brentford’s league campaign under Frank in 2024/25, topping the top flight statistics for most blocks by a centre-back (57), coming second (220) to Nottingham Forest’s Murillo (242) for most clearances, and joint-second with Virgil van Dijk (119) behind Dan Burn (148) for most aerials won.
The coaches who nurtured him through Stoke’s levels will be disappointed that he isn’t putting up those figures in the proper red and white colours, but he is still representing the academy.
Freddie Anderson revealed earlier this season that after leaving Manchester City, he was persuaded that Stoke was the appropriate choice for him after seeing how Collins developed at Clayton Wood and Harry Souttar.
It is work that has helped Stoke create a little conveyor belt of highly potential young centre-backs, including Jaden Dixon, Jake Griffin, Pijus Otegbayo, and Owen Powell.
Collins has not forgotten the groundwork either. He joined Stoke at the age of 15 from Cherry Orchard, and his sell-on clause was activated when he later joined Burnley for an initial £12 million fee.
Ipswich had expressed great interest, however he played for Stoke’s under-16s against Liverpool in January 2016. He went on to play above his age bracket. He captained the under-18s and under-23s, as well as playing in the Checkatrade Trophy match between Stoke under-21s and Port Vale at Vale Park.
Around that time, academy director Gareth Owen stated, “It’s not just his football skill, but also his self-confidence, sacrifice, and how he lives his life, how he is a leader, a communicator, and how other players respect him.
“These are all old-school virtues that are easily lost, but they are what define a player. He is doing everything he can to improve himself, and that, combined with his incredible football skill, gives him a great chance.”
At 17 in April 2019, he made his first team debut when Stoke had two men sent off at Swansea, and his first start came ten days later at Middlesbrough. At the age of 18 years and 105 days, he became Stoke City’s youngest captain when Nathan Jones handed him the armband for a Carabao Cup match against Wigan in 2019. He has consistently been recognised as a club and country leader.
He stated earlier this year, “I always try to pick things from the various captains I’ve had in my life.” I’ve had some incredible captains. I believe it is different for everyone because we are all in various positions.
I had Ryan Shawcross at Stoke, and Ben Mee is a great. These are the traits that have made him a vital figure for Frank, and they explain the present links – even if, this week, the rhetoric from the Brentford end has remained been about trying to keep Frank, not the player.
But, as Collins himself stated, there will be a backup plan. Collins told the Irish media: “Every time I turn to the TV, I see (Frank-Spurs conjecture). Unfortunately, I cannot get away from it.
“But I have my own problems with (international fixtures), staying fit, and taking care of myself.” I haven’t taken much of an interest.” He continued, “Brentford is a good club, so whatever happens, they will have a plan.”
There are wonderful individuals in the back room making plans, so there will be one. If he stays, all the better. “We can only see what happens.”
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