Tottenham Hotspur knew they had to improve in the Premier League after the 2024/25 campaign. Regression would have led to relegation, with Ange Postecoglou's side labouring to a lowly 17th-place finish.
In the years to come, the Ange era will be remembered fondly, a time of free-flowing, entertaining football that culminated in silverware, ending an interminable wait for a trophy.
But rose-tinted glasses obscure the startling defensive issues that the Londoners were plagued with, and there were many problems that prompted the Australian tactician's dismissal.
Now, Thomas Frank is trying to put Spurs' issues to rights, but it's clear that he needs some help from afar to restore the Londoners' one-time defensive steeliness.
Spurs' plans to improve their defence
Tottenham are ready to spend this winter. ENIC Group are backing the struggling manager, who has said that his side "will definitely be in the market" over the next six weeks.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are two of the most talented centre-halves in Europe, but there's no question Spurs's defensive system isn't working, with errors commonplace and connectivity at a low ebb.
Van de Ven, for example, has only won 47% of his duels in the Premier League this term, as per Sofascore, which simply isn't good enough. Ben Davies and Kevin Danso both leave something to be desired, and an elite defender would go down a treat.
Well, according to Spanish sources, Tottenham are ready to rival Chelsea and Barcelona for Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni, who has established himself as one of Europe's standout defenders in recent years. Spurs director Fabio Paratici is said to be driving the Lilywhite bid.
The Italian won't come cheap. In fact, Inter are desperate to hold onto their prized player, pricing him at a lofty £87m.
Why Bastoni would be an upgrade at Spurs
Bastoni, 26, would be a startingly good signing for a Tottenham side lacking several key cogs to slot into the system. A stern and commanding defender, he is also one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the business, capable of a "masterclass" in passing forward, as per reporter Carlo Garganese.
Indeed, this is one of the finest centre-backs in the world, and he has even been hailed as being "as good as Virgil van Dijk and William Saliba" by football pundit Nieve Petruzziello. The left-footed defender is pacy and athletic, and he has been utilised in a hybrid role that sees him darting up the channel, perhaps underscoring a Van de Ven-esque quality that could see him rival the Dutchman for a berth in Frank's set-up.
Sofascore record that he has also averaged 5.2 successful duels and 2.2 tackles per Serie A match this season, combative and aggressive.
In this, he could emulate Romero, perhaps even proving himself to be the best since the Argentine was added to the ranks from Atalanta in 2021.
As you can see from the table above, Bastoni operates with far more mobility and dynamism than Tottenham's skipper, who is among the most monstrous and athletic defenders in the game.
This underscores the kind of player Spurs would add to their mix, not only bringing in an elite goal protector but someone who can create and progress play. There's no question that Frank's system has struggled in the build-up, and Bastoni could help change the narrative.
If Tottenham can add to their ranks a defender who can not only emulate Romero but rival the likes of Arsenal star Saliba for a reputation as the standout defender in the Premier League, it could be the perfect to lift this new era off the ground.
Tottenham plan to spend in January, and it's hard to imagine there's a better use of £87m than snapping up a superstar in Bastoni.