The January transfer window will creep around in no time, and there's an expectation that Tottenham will be active this winter.
The club sought impact in the summer but weren't able to fill every squad hole, so further additions are required in January to prepare Thomas Frank for the second-half slog.
The Dane could do with more quality in the front three, as well as depth on the left side of his defence, but many have bemoaned the absence of a "proper passer" in Spurs' midfield engine room. While Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton is the dream, the Englishman won't be leaving our London rivals for anything but a premium fee anytime soon.
The ENIC cash injection may lead you to believe that there's suddenly an abundance of cash at our disposal, but I don't think we should expect mammoth fees to be splurged this winter. There's scope for Spurs to buy potential, especially in midfield, and links are starting to surface regarding our interest in a low-key rising star.
Aleksandar Stanković on Tottenham's radar after superb start to Club Brugge career
Nicky Hayen's Club Brugge may be underwhelming domestically, but they've been a cracking watch in the Champions League. They first caught my eye at the Etihad last season, when they took a 1-0 lead but ultimately succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Brugge still qualified for the knockout stages, and subsequently stunned Europa League holders Atalanta in the play-off round. Their journey was brought to a halt by Aston Villa in the round of 16, but Brugge had an opportunity in the first leg to take control of the tie before conceding twice late.
Hayen's side impressed as a collective, but there were standout individuals on display, too. Ferran Jutglà (Celta Vigo), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton), Ardon Jashari (Milan) and Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland) all earned moves away in the summer, and it looks like Hayen will have to reshape his squad next year, too.
Among those garnering the most interest is holding midfielder Aleksandar Stanković, the 20-year-old son of Serbian legend Dejan. He joined the club as a Jashari replacement in the summer from Inter, almost immediately establishing himself as a regular in Belgium.
🚨🥇| #Tottenham are one of the clubs watching Club Brugge defensive midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic@MatteMoretto pic.twitter.com/dhVpvQjaqB
— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) November 12, 2025
His performances have seemingly intrigued a variety of Premier League clubs, with Matteo Maretto (via The Spurs Express on X) reporting that Spurs are among those interested. Newcastle and Brentford are also keen, while Inter supposedly have a buy-back clause after letting him go in the summer.
Frank has a wealth of midfield options at his disposal, and there's a healthy balance of youth and experience. He does need a passer, though; someone who can unlock Xavi Simons and efficiently link defence and attack. Stanković, while a promising No. 6, doesn't quite look like the ideal profile. The Serbian Football Scout describes the 20-year-old as "an anchor", but also notes that he "can be a lot more adventurous" in possession but often chooses to "play within his role".
Compared to midfielders in Europe's next best 14 leagues after the top five, Stanković ranks in the 77th percentile with an average of 5.59 progressive passes per 90 minutes. He's also completing 86.7% of his passes, good enough to make the top 23%.
The obsession with obtaining an Andrea Pirlo-like profile may deter supporters from genuinely outstanding midfield prospects, and Stanković has the potential to be a brilliant holding midfielder, given what we've seen of him at the senior level. However, I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up returning to Inter.