Jens Petter Hauge transfer admission made after Tottenham masterclass - 'It was close'

Thomas Frank has revealed he tried to sign Bodo/Glimt star Jens Petter Hauge during his time in charge of Brentford — and has not ruled out a future move for the winger at Tottenham Hotspur.

Hauge scored twice for the Norwegian side in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Spurs, putting the hosts 2-0 up before goals from Micky van de Ven and Richarlison salvaged a point for the visitors.

Speaking after the game, Frank told TV2 (via Sport Witness ) that Hauge has long been on his radar.

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“He was fantastic,” said the Tottenham head coach. “I actually tried to sign him for Brentford a long time ago. It was good to see him again. I knew he was good and today he was exceptional.”

On the possibility of pursuing the 25-year-old for Spurs, Frank added: “You never know what the future holds.”

Hauge moved from Bodø/Glimt to AC Milan in 2020 but struggled to make an impact during his two years at the San Siro. A stint with Eintracht Frankfurt followed before he returned to Norway on loan in 2024.

Bodø/Glimt took up the option to buy him permanently, and he has since impressed — recording 19 goal contributions last season.

Hauge confirmed that talks with Frank had taken place earlier in his career.

“I had a Zoom meeting with him. We were close a few years ago,” he said after the game. “We had a good talk out on the field. He’s a fantastic coach who has done incredibly well. It was close once, but it never quite worked out.”

Spurs strengthened their attack in the summer with the arrivals of Randal Kolo Muani, Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, but remain short of natural left-wing options following the summer departure of Son Heung-min.