Every time Tottenham Hotspur fans see the transfer rumor mill ahead of the opening of the January 2026 window in a matter of days, all the news does is remind them that the club are no better than they were months ago or even before Thomas Frank arrived to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs signed a couple of marquee players in the last summer window, namely Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, but they are literally performing as poorly in the Premier League in 2025/26 as they were in 2024/25.
And now, it looks increasingly like Spurs are not going to meaningfully upgrade the flawed squad that Frank is doing an even more disappointing job of getting the most out of. Antoine Semenyo is impossible at this stage, while top alternatives Savinho, Iliman Ndiaye, and Omar Marmoush also look like dead tracks for Spurs to follow.
Tottenham might already be out of it
Tottenham are mostly going to go after forwards in the January transfer window - and in the following summer stanza, too - but they also need more midfield quality, particularly in terms of deep lying playmaking to help the young Archie Gray out.
Kees Smit, wanted by the top clubs in England and a major dream option for the No. 6 needy Real Madrid, has been floated around by many astute fans as a great option for Spurs. But the teenage AZ Alkmaar breakout star is starting to look unachievable, too.
In his latest transfer rumor update, Fabrizio Romano reports that Smit is "one to watch" for a potential transfer in the year 2026, stating that "all" the best clubs in European football are watching his track closely. However, Fab says that because Alkmaar know the big clubs are interested, Smit is "expected to cost more" than the initially rumored 40-45 million euro transfer fees. Worse yet, clubs have reportedly already been rejected by Alkmaar for offers above this amount.
The rumored totals of potentially 60 million euros may even be selling it short right now. Smit is putting up amazing numbers as a deep lying playmaker, and with teams with big pockets and a big need for a position and a profile that is increasingly coveted in world football, a price point pushing 80 million euros is not impossible.