Tottenham should return to Juventus to fix key midfield position

The typically demanding Antonio Conte was desperate for reinforcements towards the back-end of the 2022 January transfer window.

Having taken the job just two months before, the 'here for a good time, not a long time'-inspired Italian was keen to enjoy immediate success in north London. In our situation then, that meant a top-four finish and Champions League football for 2022/23.

It was a hectic period rife with links, but it looked for a while as if Conte would enter February unsatisfied. However, a trusted ally came to the rescue in Fabio Paratici, who exploited his Juventus connections to bring in a pair of out-of-favour Bianconeri stars: Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski.

Admittedly, neither move was met with overwhelming fanfare, and many were quick to decry the latter a waste of money after his debut performance off the bench in a FA Cup victory over Brighton. Naysayers weren't enamoured with his turn of pace, or lack thereof, on the breakaway. Genuinely.

However, the two Juve cast-offs quickly blossomed into stars under Conte, playing key roles as we edged out our north London rivals for fourth spot. Gosh, I still remember the excitement of that summer and the title projections that followed. It finally seemed as if we were ready to join the elite.

You don't need reminding of what happened next, but Bentancur and Kulusevski, despite both battling injuries, have remained protagonists in north London. The former was written off after a couple of lengthy setbacks and a poor start to 2024/25, but he rallied late and performed brilliantly down the stretch. Kulusevski, meanwhile, was the undoubted star of Ange Postecoglou's second season before he suffered an ankle injury.

The Swede is set to miss the start of Thomas Frank's reign with a significant knee issue, but many project him to be a major part of the Dane's plans. Some have been more sceptical over Bentancur's outlook under the new manager, but Frank name-checked the Uruguayan as one of the experienced operators he'll lean on at the start of his tenure.

Bianconeri ignorance has thus served Spurs well in the recent past, and I can't help but think we should return to Turin to bolster our engine room this summer.

Tottenham must take advantage of Juventus' willingness to sell Douglas Luiz

Our midfield was a mess for much of 2024/25, and Bentancur, in particular, caught plenty of flak despite the overriding structural issues. Stability was established later on in the campaign in Europe, aiding the Uruguayan, who benefited from playing alongside Yves Bissouma as opposed to performing as a lone No. 6.

The flexible Frank will adjust and adapt, but he's more of a double pivot guy. Last season, especially, he preferred a solid base of two holders while Mikkel Damsgaard roamed in a more advanced role.

Bentancur is set to sign a new contract, and there's an expectation that Bissouma will leave the club if a fair offer comes in. While Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray are capable of performing in deeper midfield roles, it's an area Spurs could do with upgrading.

Given the profiles of our current engine room, it's clear that we need a 'destroyer' type who also excels as a passer from deep. If Cristian Romero goes, the holding midfielder must take on a greater burden in the build-up phase to help us get up the pitch. That's why I like Douglas Luiz, who Juventus, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Forza Juventus on X), are willing to let go for a meagre €25m after the Club World Cup.

Juventus spent €50m to bring him to Turin last summer off the back of a prolific season with Aston Villa. Luiz recorded 14 Premier League goal contributions in 2023/24 to help the Villans qualify for the Champions League. Admittedly, he thrived in a less restricted function under Unai Emery, and Frank could utilise the Brazilian how he pleases.

His final year at Villa was undeniably Luiz at his best, where he manifested the traits of a controller (over 54 passes completed per 90 minutes in the Premier League), ball progressor (over 5.00 'progressive passes' p90) and final third contributor (over 3.50 shot-creating actions p90). He really did do it all. Emery cites "freedom" as the key to Luiz's success in the west Midlands, suggesting that a positionally rigid function at the base of midfield will fail to bring the best out of him. In a double pivot, there's certainly more scope for Luiz to get up and down the pitch: to shine as a 'destroyer' and a playmaker.

We barely got to see him in Serie A last season, with injuries playing a major role in his struggles.

His partner may well end up determining how successful he could be in these parts, with anchor Boubacar Kamara allowing him to flourish at Villa. The Brazilian, however, also had success alongside the likes of Youri Tielemans and John McGinn.

Luiz might not be the 'holding midfielder' some suggest Spurs need, but his profile is one we require in the middle of the park. It's time for Don Fabio to emerge from the shadows.