Tottenham Hotspur may find themselves in a relegation battle, but that's not stopping them from pursuing a shock move to sign a Premier League rival.
Tottenham plot shock move to sign England international
The Lilywhites travel to Fulham this weekend knowing that securing three points is a must. Without them, Igor Tudor's side could sit just one point above the dropzone with 10 games to go by the end of the weekend.
It would simply represent a catastrophic start to the Croatian's interim reign after a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal last time out. The manager, himself, knows exactly what's at stake and made it clear to reporters earlier this week that this is the biggest rescue job of his career.
He said, when asked whether it is his toughest job: "Probably, if I see, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably, yes. It’s even a bigger challenge, even a bigger motivation to do this and we do it."
No one at the North London club was expecting a relegation battle at this stage of the season. The target, like always, was top four and Champions League qualification. The reality, however, is that Tottenham are quickly becoming a bottom half side.
That must change in the summer. If they avoid the drop, then the focus should be on reinforcements and welcoming a long-term manager.
To that end, several candidates have already threatened to steal the headlines. Reports have name-dropped the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, who would certainly receive a hero's welcome, and former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, who wouldn't exactly receive the same ovation.
Meanwhile, when it comes to reinforcements on the pitch, the Lilywhites are looking to land a shock blow. According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now plotting a move to sign Jarrod Bowen, whose future is now open amid West Ham United's relegation concerns.
Experienced Bowen would be Tottenham's best attacker
Having already enquired about Bowen's availability in previous windows, it's clear that there's a lot of admiration in the England international from Tottenham.
At 28 years old, the West Ham captain is at the peak of his powers and represents the type of player that the Lilywhites so desperately need. Whether he would betray the Hammers by making such a move to a direct rival this summer remains to be seen, however.
Once dubbed "unbelievable" by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, it's easy to see why Spurs are interested in a player of Bowen's calibre and clear leadership.
Bowen would arguably be Tottenham's best attacker and could even get Xavi Simons firing on all cylinders. Chance creation has not been a problem for the Dutchman, but those chances have not been converted. Bowen, who knows the likes of Conor Gallagher well from his 20 England caps, would change that.