After a third straight game without a win - and no, Doncaster in the League Cup doesn't count - Tottenham Hotspur are searching for ways to assert their dominance in the Premier League and Champions League against teams they should be beating.
The latest disappointing result was a 2-2 draw with Bodo Glimt in the Champions League - a side Spurs beat quite handily in the Europa League semifinals last year. Spurs created very few organic chances both in this game and in the preceding 1-1 draw with Wolves in the Premier League, which was an even more disappointing result.
Spurs are realizing that no matter which combinations they use, they are finding it difficult to generate enough goals from the attack. Richarlison's early season form has quickly run cold, while the revolving door of Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert on the left wing clearly isn't ready for big-time Premier League goal-scoring, especially in the face of unreliable output from the No. 9 position.
But between the left wing and striker positions, the bigger transfer priority has to be the left wing. Because at least at striker, Tottenham won the Europa League with Dominic Solanke as a primary starter, and both he and Richarlison have been successful in the Premier League in the past.
Tottenham won't find a better striker in January anyway
Furthermore, Randal Kolo Muani, the summer acquisition on loan from PSG, has yet to take the field, and he looked quite good for Juventus last season - the Bianconeri actually tried to keep him for another year, too. So until Spurs see what they have in RKM and a healthy Solanke this season under Thomas Frank, they can't write the position off completely.
It's also unlikely Spurs are going to find a better veteran striker on the January transfer window than Kolo Muani, Solanke, or even Richarlison. On the other hand, it shouldn't be hard to find a quality left winger with more experience than Odobert or Tel, and someone with experience and the upside to score 10-ish Premier League goals across 30-40 games would be an immediate, six-month upgrade for Spurs.
Left wing, specifically someone with a track record of scoring goals, remains the biggest area of need and the main transfer priority for Spurs to keep an eye out for when January rolls around. Son Heung-min's steadying veteran presence and proven track record in front of goal have been sorely missed, even the 2024/25 version of Sonny.