To support Tottenham Hotspur is to be a willing casualty of chaos. Like a wave buoy in the North Sea, one must embrace the constant threat of imminent disaster, Carabao Cup fourth round exits, structural damage to state-of-the-art “resources”, failed search and rescue missions, and annual batterings by forces near and far.
Twice a year, however—every January and June—the cloud cover breaks, the winds ease and the horizon stretches out in a dreamscape of hope and promise. Omens of delicious dealmaking are delivered via Twitter, ITKs fly banners across the skies offering insight into secret negotiations occurring at Hotspur Way, and Fabrizio Romano gloriously appears in the bright blue cloudless firmament with another link to Connor Gallagher…
That heady, soul crushing time is upon us once again. Like functional storm detection technology, let’s ride the still gray waves of winter and assess Spurs’ squad ahead of Thomas Frank’s first January transfer window.
We’ve broken down the squad positionally according to need, potential departures, available players who Tottenham have reasonable chance of signing, and pathways for emerging talents like Mikey Moore, Luca Williams-Barnett, Luka Vuskovic and Junai Byfield.
Absolute Priorities
Left/Right Back
With Destiny Udogie unavailable due to injury, Thomas Frank finds himself without proper cover at left and right back, depending on which you consider to be Djed Spence’s best position. The club could look to sign 22-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown, and move Djed Spence to the right side of the defense. However, a winter deal could hinge on whether Frankfurt qualifies for the Champions League play-off in late January.
Perhaps more likely, Spurs could try to pry USMNT stalwart Antonee Robinson away from Fulham. He possesses the quality, pace and crossing ability to operate on the left of a back four or five. Spurs could also consider re-signing former academy graduate Dennis Cirkin, who missed the first half of Sunderland’s season with a broken thumb.
Left-Sided Central Defender
Long-term vision will dictate Spurs’ approach. Kevin Danso has proven himself to be a quality back-up for both Cristian Romero and Mickey van de Ven. Radu Drǎguşin is also back with the first-team, and could conceivably be played on the left. But both would be playing out of position.
Whether Spurs recruitment team envisions Luka Vuskovic playing behind the Dutchman next season or if they see Kota Takai as a serviceable left center back is moot. It’s a glaring hole that should have been addressed over the summer.
Mercifully, there are options. Among them are RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, Wolfburg’s Konstantinos Koulierakis, and Inter’s Yann Bisseck, with whom Thomas Frank will be familiar from his youth days at Danish side Aarhus. Spurs may also feel Juventus’ injury-ravaged Gleison Bremer is worth a gamble. But it beggars to think Jan Paul van Hecke would opt to leave Brighton to sit on the bench behind his fellow countryman at 11th place Tottenham.
Left Winger
Regardless of whether Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel are viewed as long-term solutions, Spurs need to sign a genuine can’t-miss starter to succeed Son Heung-min. Antoine Semenyo can be crossed off the list, but there remains a specter of hope the club could tempt Vasco de Gama’s Rayan, RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande or Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz to continue their development in North London.
If we’re being honest, none of those deals feel realistic. The club has already invested £60 million on Tel and Odobert, and the hierarchy may want to clear a pathway for Mikey Moore to make the position his own in a year or two. My preference would be for Spurs to go all-in on Maghnes Akliouche, a young French starlet the club failed to sign over the summer—even though he is more naturally suited to the right or central areas.
Defensive Midfielder
It’s fair to assume Yves Bissouma’s Tottenham career is over. That leaves Spurs with an aging, if indestructible, loanee in João Palhinha and a mercurial Rodrigo Bentancur, whose contact is running down. While both are serviceable in the short term, neither player can be considered integral to Tottenham's future.
The rumors of Leon Goretzka leaving Bayern Munich for Tottenham have been quashed by German transfer guru Florian Plettenberg. It's not surprising, given that Johan Lange and Co. seem determined to secure younger talent. Club Brugge’s Alexander Stanković is likely to be near the top of Spurs list, despite Inter holding a buy-back clause for the 20-year-old Serbian international. AZ Alkmaar's 19-year-old wunderkind Kees Smit has also been mentioned in recent days.
The Dutch defensive midfielder is being touted as the next Pedri. Paired with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, Spurs would have one of the most exciting young midfields in world football. However, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is reported to be Spurs' dream target. The club would need to make the left-footed magician their record signing, and fend off advances from top English clubs and European giants. Spurs have also been peripherally linked to Carlos Baleba. But he won't come cheap. Brighton will demand a colossal fee for the Cameroonian star, even though he has failed to replicate his form during his first two seasons on the south coast. There's always Conor Gallagher....
Midsummer Night’s Dreams
Right Winger
Ben Jacobs has reported Spurs have agreed to a £35 million deal with Crystal Palace for Brennan Johnson. But the deal has not been finalized. Bournemouth and Aston Villa are also said to be in the mix for the Welshman. If the Europa League hero decides to move to on in search of more playing time, Spurs will be left with a huge hole on the right wing. The club could decide to test fate and rely on a swift return to form by Dejan Kulusevski.
But if the club has doubts about the Swede's ability to play every week in January, Johan Lange could redouble efforts to sign Maghnes Akliouche or Rayan Vitor. Either addition would force Thomas Frank to either shift Mohammed Kudus to the left, or to create a more fluid system across the frontline. There are a number of permutations to consider, particularly with talents like Mikey Moore and Luca Williams-Barnett waiting in the wings.
Striker
Before any additions are made, Spurs needs to decide the futures of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani. Should they make Kolo Muani’s deal permanent, he’ll be expected to compete with Dominic Solanke to lead the line during the 2026-27 season. If both were to depart the club this summer, Spurs would have a several options to consider.
Porto’s Samu Aghehowa tops the list, though the club could be forgiven for having doubts about signing a promising striker from the Portuguese league. Omar Marmoush’s name has also been floated in recent weeks, but reports suggest City has no interest in selling the talented French forward. Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Igor Thiago, Dušan Vlahovic, and Ivan Toney have also been mentioned, yet concerning about age, quality, fit and wage demands push each closer to the bottom of the shortlist.
Goalkeeper
The narrative around Guglielmo Vicarious is firmly etched into Premier League stone. He is alternatively portrayed as a glaring liability with the ball at his feet and defending crosses, and as a world-class shot-stopper. Spurs have a capable back-up in Antonín Kinský, but it would be preposterous to view him as an upgrade on Vicario at this stage.
Links to Manchester City’s James Trafford, Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen and Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen persist. There’s a reason Pep decided to sign Donnarumma after the start of the season, and his first name is James. Verbruggen may excel in some areas where Vicario struggles, but the Italian outperforms him in nearlyAnd it’s doubtful that Brighton would even sanction the deal. Ter-Stegen, meanwhile, feels like a non-starter. He is nearly 34 years old, injury prone, and untested against the physical demands of the Premier League.
Bigger Fish to Fry
Right-Sided Central Defender
Spurs made Cristian Romero the club’s highest paid player and Thomas Frank named him captain, cementing future in North London, at least in the short-term. Kevin Danso has been excellent when deputized for the Argentine, while Radu Drǎguşin recently returned from ACL surgery. Then there’s Kota Takai, one of the more bizarre signings in recent years, unless the plan is for the young Japanese center back to raise his profile at the World Cup before being sold for a profit.
Beyond those options, Spurs already appear to have their long-term right-sided center back in Luka Vuskovic, who seems unlikely Spurs to be recalled from his loan at Hamburg mid-season. Junai Byfield also deserves a mention, having received his first professional contract and earning wide praise from within the club. However you cut it, Spurs are well-covered for both now and the future.
Central Midfielder
Spurs possess two of the most coveted young midfielders in world football in Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. Frank has Pape Matar Sarr as cover, and he could deploy Xavi Simons in a deeper role in certain formations. While the midfield remains a work in progress, the potential is astronomic. And if Spurs are determined to add a more combative presence in the middle of the park, Sarr could be sacrificed in favor of a Bruno Guimaraes-type playmaker in the future.
Attacking Midfielder
Xavi Simons has already been labelled as a flop, a deliriously short-sighted assessment given Spurs’ broader attacking dysfunction. The Dutchman stands to benefit enormously from Kulusevski’s return in a few weeks, and he could form a devastating partnership with James Maddison once the latter regains fitness. Of course, there is a scenario in which neither Kulusevski or Maddison reaches the heights they did at the beginning of Ange Postecoglou’s tenure. But that’s a bridge the club won’t need to cross until at least a year from now.