Tottenham Hotspur have made it their M.O. to sign the world's best young players before they become superstars. Sometimes that means bagging someone while they are an inexpensive prospect like Lucas Bergvall, but other times it means making a slightly bigger splash for a player like Xavi Simons on the hopes that they will blossom into an even bigger star.
Spurs have quite a few areas of need they will need to address in 2026, and it is often quite difficult to take care of those issues in the winter transfer window when teams are less willing to part ways with real difference makers in the middle of the season.
Since Tottenham want to keep going young, here are three players under the age of 23 who could help transform the face of Spurs in 2026.
RB Leipzig LW Yan Diomande
Tottenham already went to the RB Leipzig well this summer transfer window by signing attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, and while the early reviews on the dynamic Dutch international are mixed, there is little doubt from the Spurs supporters themselves that long term, signing Simons was 100 percent the right play.
Now, Tottenham are being linked frequently with a move for Yan Diomande, who will be even more expensive than the 60-70 million euros Spurs spent on Simons, though the talk of a 100 million euro fee is likely more inflated drivel Leipzig are selling to the German media to stoke up the transfer flames.
Juventus LW Kenan Yildiz
Another left wing solution for a Tottenham side begging for difference makers on that flank after watching Son Heung-min exit to MLS, Kenan Yildiz is the ultimate dream transfer target for Spurs in 2026 and will likely have all of the elite clubs in Europe after him if there is any prayer of a move.
Juventus and Yildiz are still negotiating over the future of their No. 10, the heir to Alessandro Del Piero, but since Yildiz already moved from one elite club (Bayern Munich) to join the Bianconeri, there stands a good chance of him leaving again, too. Yildiz is more of a playmaker, but he has proven to be an elite goal scoring option on the wing and has that something special Spurs are desperate for.
Sunderland GK Robin Roefs
Robin Roefs has been one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2025/26 Premier League season with a save percentage above 77. The 22 year old Dutch goalkeeper is already much more reliable than Guglielmo Vicario, and with James Trafford potentially out of reach, Roefs could be a clean sweep from Sunderland to give Tottenham both youth and star power between the sticks in 2026.