Thomas Frank held secret talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in a London garage last spring, before Manchester United parted company with Erik ten Hag. The Danish tactician, then of Brentford, claimed to have met with both the Red Devils and Chelsea in May 2024, as the Premier League giants explored potential managerial changes.

Frank’s morning meeting with INEOS supremo Ratcliffe took place in a London garage, before he travelled to the prestigious Mayfair Hotel overlooking Hyde Park for discussions with Chelsea. Ultimately, Frank decided to remain at Brentford for another campaign, with United eventually appointing Ruben Amorim following Ten Hag’s November sacking, whilst Chelsea placed their trust in Enzo Maresca.

Speaking to TV2, Frank admitted he was overwhelmed by the opportunity to speak with two footballing powerhouses.

He explained: “I know I didn’t get either job, but it was still huge.

“I remember walking through Battersea Park between the two interviews and thinking, ‘Thomas Frank from f***ing Frederiksvaerk – am I really experiencing this?'”

Following a modest playing stint with Frederiksvaerk from 1995 to 2004, Frank moved into coaching in 2008, beginning with Denmark’s U16 side.

He progressed through the youth ranks to the U17 and U19 teams, before leaving international football to take charge of Brondby in 2013.

Frank’s tenure with the club lasted a mere three years before he stepped down following revelations that the club’s chairman, Jan Bech Andersen, had been anonymously criticising him on a fan forum.

This led to a two-year hiatus from football, before he secured a position with Brentford.

At the time a Championship team, Frank guided the squad to Premier League status in 2021 by clinching the play-off final with an impressive 2-0 victory over Swansea City.

While many newly-promoted teams have faced relegation the year after achieving promotion due to struggles adapting to top-tier football, Frank not only maintained Brentford’s Premier League status in the subsequent years but transformed the team into genuine mainstays, finishing 10th last season.