Tottenham’s most important week of transfer period is on tap

As we enter another week of rumours, speculation, and potential deals, Tottenham has tons of pressing business to attend to before departing for Australia on Friday, July 14.

Last week, after a frenzied fortnight in which Tottenham made its mark on the summer transfer period, the club’s activities stagnated, at least in the public eye, entering a tortuous holding pattern.

The ostensible inactivity from last week has bundled pressure on the club to find solutions on various fronts.

After a muted week of waiting, Manor Solomon’s transfer was confirmed for the third time. Despite Shakhtar Donetsk’s public consternation, Solomon will be a Tottenham player. His medical takes place today, finalizing the drawn-out process.

That astute bit of business leads into the rest of what should be an intense, nerve-racking, and vitally important week for Tottenham.

On July 12, the club’s international players report for pre-season camp. Among the list of returnees are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero, Pierre Hojbjerg, Son Heung-min, and, most controversially, Harry Kane.

Kane-to-Bayern hysteria takes centre stage

As everyone knows by now, including people living in caves, Bayern Munich submitted an €80 million follow-up bid for Kane, who is yet again stuck between a boulder and Daniel Levy’s stubbornness.

It’s not a matter of if but when Tottenham will reject Bayern’s latest offer, another lowball bid that verges on insulting.

While I hoped the summer of 2021 would never repeat, here we are, caught in a similar tornado. However, this time things are slightly different.

Kane will almost certainly report to camp on time. He has to. There’s too much on the line for him to pull another no-show.

Kane is less than two Premier League seasons away from breaking Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goalscoring record. Ange has already scheduled an introductory conversation with Kane upon his return to Hotspur Way, which Nuno Espirito Santo neglected to do two years ago.

Spurs depart for Australia on Friday, and Kane will be on that plane, come hell or high water.

Tottenham hasn’t resolved transfer priority heading into a pivotal week

While Spurs top brass deserves credit for finding a replacement for Hugo Lloris, who is expected to depart the club before the 2023-24 season commences, and bolstering its attacking prowess by securing James Maddison’s services, they have yet to resolve their transfer priority.

Tottenham was on the verge of signing Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven before the prospective deal stagnated. Spurs prefer the more expensive Edmond Tapsoba, but negotiations to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s first-choice centre-back have also stalled, at least publicly.

Time is of the essence for Spurs to improve the spine of their side. The pending decision could prove decisive in Tottenham’s pursuit to return to the Champions League. 

It’s the most important bit of business the club will do before the 2023-24 season kicks off. While not catastrophic if the deal isn’t done, getting the new centre-back, whoever it will be, before traveling to Australia is crucial.

Whoever is signed needs time to assimilate and train with his new teammates. He also requires time to understand Ange’s tactics, formation, and overarching expectations.

Here’s the full story on Spurs’ current centre-back conundrum.

A bunch of loose ends as Tottenham leaves for Australia on July 14

Time is ticking on Spurs’ remaining transfer business. That includes a bunch of misfits whose futures at the club are uncertain. Most of Tottenham’s expected outgoings are still at the club, including Giovani Lo Celso, Japhet Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Ivan Perisic, Lloris, and others.

Only Harry Winks has officially departed the club after signing for Leicester in the £10 million deal. Nobody knows whether Pierre Hojbjerg will stay or go, as discussions about the Dane’s future are ongoing between Tottenham and Atletico.

Five days remain before Spurs leave for scalding-hot Perth. Hopefully, by the time the flight departs on Friday, Tottenham has landed a centre-back and tied up a few of their several loose ends.