Whether Tottenham Hotspur beat the drop or not come May, new boss Roberto De Zerbi will need to oversee something of a rebuild at N17 this summer.
While the likes of Ange Postecoglou before him may have pleaded for ready-made, proven signings, the overhaul has already begun to some degree in recent years, with the Lilywhites adopting a largely youth-centric transfer policy.
Last summer, the north Londoners notably splashed £52m on 22-year-old sensation, Xavi Simons, while the year prior, the midfield pairing of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall had both been added to Postecoglou's ranks.
Those deals may have taken time to truly pay off, yet with the senior stars wilting, it is Gray and co who are coming to the fore, with similar, high-potential signings set to be on the agenda ahead of next season.
£30m English star wants to join De Zerbi at Spurs this summer
For all the turmoil this term, there are reasons to be positive looking ahead to 2026/27, with De Zerbi's squad set to be bolstered by a string of returning loanees, be it Mikey Moore or Luka Vuskovic.
Whether that pairing remain on board, amid notable interest in them, may well be decided by the club's relegation fate over the next seven games, however, with Spurs' current plight likely to be an issue when it comes to planning ahead for potential new additions.
That said, there are those who would be willing to make the move regardless of whether the north Londoners stay up or not, with TEAMtalk reporting that Manchester City's James Trafford is open to the move even in the event of relegation.
That willingness to make the switch epitomises the 23-year-old's desire for game time after having found himself behind Gigi Donnarumma at the Etihad this season, with the England international keen to be the undisputed number one at his next club.
City, for their part, are said to be open to a sale, despite only re-signing their former academy graduate on a £27m deal from Burnley last summer, with reports elsewhere suggesting a fee of around £30m could be enough for any potential suitor.
As per this latest piece of news, it is said that Trafford is a 'key target' for De Zerbi and co, with Tottenham now 'pushing to sign' him, amid talk of a return to Italy for current number one, Guglielmo Vicario.
Why Trafford could be Archie Gray 2.0 at Spurs
A £30m fee for a player who has largely watched on from the bench this season at the Etihad may appear steep, although the Lilywhites would be investing for the long-term, just as they have done in the case of Gray.
An England youth international, like Trafford, the ex-Leeds United man was snapped up on a £40m deal almost two years ago, having previously flourished in the second tier during the 2023/24 campaign, in what was a breakthrough year under Daniel Farke.
It is in the Championship where Trafford's best work has come to date, but as has been seen in Gray's rise since, that shouldn't be a reason for concern, with the 6 foot 6 'keeper having been immense during Burnley's promotion push last term.
After losing his place in 2023/24 as the Clarets suffered relegation, the youngster recovered to cement a starting berth again under Scott Parker in 2024/25, ultimately conceding just 16 goals in 46 games - a truly staggering record.
That included a run of 12 successive clean sheets, having prevented 12.82 goals in the entire season. For comparison, the aforementioned Vicario has a goals prevented tally of -5.22 this term, having also made two errors leading directly to a goal.
To say the goalkeeping department has been a problem area at Spurs of late would be an understatement, with Vicario's woes coming amid that desperate night for back-up stopper, Antonin Kinsky, away at Atletico Madrid, resulting in his 16th-minute withdrawal.
For a goalkeeper to recover from such a high-profile disaster, particularly so earlier on in his career, is a difficult ask, ensuring Trafford could be the man to finally calm proceedings in the sticks.
A settled, solid first-choice has been needed since Hugo Lloris' exit, with Trafford, at just 23, seemingly the long-term solution. That certainly mirrors the midfield ranks, with the club enduring real turbulence in the post-Mousa Dembele world, albeit with Gray now looking set to put that right.
De Zerbi, for all his tactical genius, won't get anywhere without a stable presence in the sticks, ensuring young Trafford could represent a dream first signing of the Italian's regime at N17.