Tottenham Hotspur entered the 2026/27 season with plenty of hope and optimism after a big transfer window following their relegation scare last season.
The club saved themselves from the drop on the final day of the season, securing a second consecutive 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, with new manager Roberto De Zerbi making it clear that he was looking to turn things around for the better this season.
Spurs spent almost £400m on ten new players, while the Italian manager also sanctioned the exit of a number of relatively young players as he prioritised experience and winning now instead of a long-term project.
But the season hasn't started well, with just one point from the opening three games and no goals scored, and that means De Zerbi needs to start looking at changing things up to get results quickly.
The manager has been using a 4-2-3-1 system for the most part, with Omar Marmoush starting as the centre-forward but being given the freedom to float around the pitch and link up with his fellow forwards and midfielders. That has seen De Zerbi opt for a box-crashing 10 rather than a more traditional playmaker, and Conor Gallagher has been given the nod in two of the three games in the Premier League from the start.
But the former England international, who joined the club in a £35m deal from Atletico Madrid in January, is continuing to prove why there were major question marks over the deal to begin with.
The profile that Gallagher brings isn't unique. He runs a lot, as do all of the Spurs midfielders. But aside from that, the rest of his attributes are pretty average. He's not a particularly good passer, he's not defensive-minded to be a sitter, and he doesn't possess enough of a goal threat to be relied upon for those big moments.
Since joining the club, Gallagher has scored one goal in all competitions for the north London side. That's less than Cristian Romero, Joao Palhinha, Pedro Porro, and the same amount as Archie Gray and Micky Van de Ven.
Considering De Zerbi has the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Savio, Marmoush, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Mathys Tel, Mykhailo Mudryk and Dejan Kulusevski as options in the attacking roles, there is simply no need for Gallagher to be in those positions.
Gallagher Should Leave in January
Tottenham went big on midfield in the summer window with the arrivals of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, while De Zerbi also convinced Lucas Bergvall to stick around, and Archie Gray has been part of the leadership group at the club.
With Rodrigo Bentancur also proving to be an important member of the squad, and Spurs having just one game per week for the majority of the campaign, it's clear that Gallagher simply isn't needed, and his performances do not make him indispensable.
The summer transfer window may have just closed, but the January window should be something that Spurs are already focusing on. De Zerbi must be ruthless if Spurs are to start climbing the table once again, and Gallagher is one of the first who should be a victim of that ruthlessness.