Tottenham are laying the groundwork for a potentially busy January transfer window, and are reportedly set on making a move for RB Leipzig's Yan Diomandé.
While the vast majority of supporters are desperate for the club to prioritise a move for a midfielder who can pass the ball forward and a left-sided defender, adding more firepower to Thomas Frank's attack appears to be first on the agenda this winter.
Spurs have undoubtedly suffered in the absence of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke so far this season, while James Maddison has, obviously, been a huge miss. Frank has relied heavily on Mohammed Kudus down the right, and switched between multiple options up top and down the left.
The manager certainly doesn't know what his preferred front three is, with his constant tinkering preventing his players from establishing the "connections" he once regarded as so important.
Still, goalscoring hasn't exactly been an issue this season. According to Understat, Spurs rank fifth in the Premier League with 23 goals scored but have mustered the fifth-lowest expected goals in the division (14.88). Their overperformance of 8.12 is, by some way, the largest in the league.
Getting up the pitch has been their primary issue under this manager, and one that won't be solved if they erroneously prioritise this winter.
Tottenham plotting move for potential Mohammed Kudus understudy
Frank is certainly trying to weaponise Kudus' outstanding ability to resist pressure from behind and turn upfield. Often in games, punting the ball in the Ghanaian's general direction is Spurs' only plan for ball progression.
It's certainly a relief that Ghana didn't qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations starting later this month, and one team that may suffer in one of Europe's top five leagues is RB Leipzig.
The east Germans have seemingly unearthed another gem in Yan Diomandé, who joined Leipzig in a €20m deal from Spanish side Leganés in the summer. The Ivorian has notched 12 appearances and eight Bundesliga starts, notching five goal contributions.
Diomandé's start to the campaign has been incredibly exciting for a Leipzig side attempting to bounce back from a tough 2024/25. The 18-year-old has aided their resurgence, with his trickery and unpredictability down the right flank seeing him emerge as a proficient playmaker.
Compared to positional peers in Europe's top-five leagues, Diomandé ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90 minutes (6.66) and successful take-ons per 90 (4.01). He's an outstanding dribbler who's caught the eye of Spurs.
Sacha Taviolieri reports that the Lilywhites have been in "advanced talks" with Diomandé's entourage but have yet to discuss a move with Leipzig. Liverpool are also said to be interested, and they'll certainly sign a Mohamed Salah successor at some point in 2026.
Thus, it's too early to get excited over a potential Diomandé move, especially with Leipzig unlikely to part ways after just six months. But there is a relationship with the German club after Xavi Simons signed in the summer, and while the Dutchman, mostly through no fault of his own, has struggled to find his feet, Son Heung-min and Roberto Firmino are examples that dispel the myth that you shouldn't buy from the Bundesliga.