Tottenham Hotspur have plenty of work to do in the summer transfer market - and there’s an impending free agent who could be just what they need.
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Tottenham Hotspur’s lack of transfer activity over the winter was rather baffling, given their struggles this season and the litany of injuries which have bedevilled Thomas Frank’s squad. There were any number of holes that could have been filled effectively. Instead, Spurs stood pat. Cristian Romero certainly wasn’t happy with their inaction.
That’s unlikely to be the case come the summer, of course, when they will need to address several glaring issues with the side if they want to contend for the European places once more – and one of those problems, their wayward attacking unit, could be fixed in part by a free transfer.
The free transfer Spurs could – and should – sign this summer
Spurs invested heavily in their attacking unit over the summer, but much of the work that was done hasn’t panned out. Mohammed Kudus is injured. Xavi Simons has drifted in and out of the side and failed to find his best form. Mathys Tel has unbridled potential but seems unable to realise it.
Any of those players could end up being key components in a successful side in the future, while James Maddison will be back after the summer and, with any luck, will be able to get back to his creative best quickly enough. If there is a valid defence to Spurs’ lack of signings up front this winter, it’s that it isn’t necessarily easy to know exactly which players need replacing just yet.
Further data will be provided over the second half of the season, but while Spurs scout potential purchases they are also in a position to start tapping into the free transfer market – they can approach players out of contract with a view to agreeing a pre-contract now, and get their business done in advance. And there’s one high-quality player who is not only a fine attacking asset but has the versatility to be the answer to almost any question that could be asked over the coming months.
Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt is currently inside the last six months of his contract and doesn’t seem to be any closer to putting pen to paper on a new deal, negotiations over which began in November but have yet to reach any kind of conclusion. Spurs can already enter talks with the 29-year-old, and have every reason to do so.
Brandt has played on both wingers and as a number 10 over the course of his career, is comfortable with both feet and exceptionally versatile. It’s hard to imagine that any manager could come up with a tactical system into which he couldn’t fit quite easily. Whether Frank remains Spurs manager in six months’ time or not, there’s little chance that bringing Brandt in would turn out to be a mistake from a strategic standpoint. This is a player who offers much of what Spurs need.
Why Julian Brandt would be the perfect player for Tottenham Hotspur
Brandt hasn’t always been considered the most consistent player in Europe, but the consistency of his production has been impressive – his position has changed and his role adjusted, but he has passed 15 combined goals and assists in the Bundesliga for each of the last four seasons.
He’s a fine technician who has both an eye for a killer pass and the ball-carrying skills to beat defenders one-on-one. Whether he operates high up, out wide, in the channels or in deeper pockets outside the penalty area, his broad skill set has made him relentless effective.
Now in his prime and not long removed from a run of five goals in six games between December and January, the only real drawback to Brandt’s game is that he has never been especially capable off the ball, lacking the pressing instincts and defensive awareness to break up counter-attacks or win the ball back high up.
Should Spurs end up with a high-pressing game plan next season – whether that’s under Frank or any number of potential replacements – then signing Brandt could just about end up being a mistake of sorts. But that’s the only scenario in which a deal would be a bad idea on paper.
Spurs are also in an enviable financial position and would likely be able to fork out for the kind of salary demands that Dortmund don’t seem to be able to meet. With no transfer fee to pay, a deal for Brandt would leave Spurs with plenty of budget to spare to patch up all of the other issues which need addressing, too.
The North London club have been loosely linked with Brandt on a number of occasions in the recent past, and even if their alleged interest hasn’t developed into a formal offer as yet, there is some evidence to suggest that they recognise the Germany international as a potential solution to at least some of their problems. They probably shouldn’t wait too long to have a conversation with his representatives. They will find few players with such quality at such a low cost come the summer.