Mikkel Damsgaard reunion: Three midfielders Tottenham could sign after Nico Paz rejection
Thomas Frank is expecting a new creative midfielder to arrive at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this week.
The Dane is in desperate need of invention in the middle of the pitch, after James Maddison’s absence was compounded by the news that Dejan Kulusevski will not return before the end of the year.
Spurs had looked set to sign Eberechi Eze, before late intervention from Arsenal saw the midfielder move to The Emirates Stadium instead.
Enquiries have been made about Morgan Rogers and Nico Paz, who wants to stay at Como after Spurs failed with an opening £60million bid.
Here, Tottenham News suggests three potential alternatives decision-makers could turn to in the final week of the window.
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Charles De Ketelaere – Atalanta
There was huge excitement surrounding Charles De Ketelaere before his £31m move to AC Milan in 2022.
The midfielder had torn up the Belgian first division, but failed to make much of an impression in his first season in Italy.
As a result, Milan sent the Belgian on loan to Atalanta in the following summer, giving their Serie A rivals a £22.5m option to make the move permanent at the end of the season – a move they would prove to regret massively.
In his two seasons at Atalanta, De Ketelaere has registered 33 direct goal contributions in the league, adding another 16 in other competitions during that time – including nine in the Champions League last season.
The 24-year-old would come at a significant cost, but could well be the difference-maker needed in North London.
Mikkel Damsgaard – Brentford
Mikkel Damsgaard appeared to only truly arrive at Brentford last season, despite arriving in 2022 from Atalanta.
The midfielder had struggled to adapt to the Premier League in his first seasons, but came alive in a central role for Frank last season, providing 11 assists.
Mikkel Damsgaard:
Damsgaard is technique personified; the Dane is an elite passer of the ball and possesses a great shot when given the chance, too.
Brentford will be keen to retain their key men, having already lost Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard this summer, but Spurs would be amiss not to test the waters for the chance of reuniting Frank with a player he knows very well.
Bilal El Khannouss – Leicester City
Given how the Eze saga played out, some Tottenham frustrations will be placed at the door of Crystal Palace, as well as Arsenal.
The Eagles appeared to drag out negotiations before quickly agreeing on a deal with Arsenal, always being aware of the player’s preference.
Spurs could enact some revenge by hijacking Palace’s move for Bilal El Khannouss, with Leicester City yet to sanction the midfielder’s departure.
The Morocco international stood out in a poor team last season, and would be one slightly more for the future, rather than now.