Tottenham have fought off competition from Aston Villa to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in a permanent deal worth £34.6million.
Spurs have needed midfield reinforcements, with Yves Bissouma out of favour and Rodrigo Bentancur now expected to be out for at least three months with a hamstring injury.
Gallagher will bring plenty of Premier League experience to Thomas Frank’s midfield, having played for Chelsea, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion.
The 25-year-old England international is also very versatile and able to fill a number of different roles in midfield.
“I always try and run as far as I can for the team,” he said while at Chelsea in 2024. “I’ve played in a number of positions this season – more so holding midfield at the start of the season and box to box, in the No.10, even up front for a few games.
“But I’m happy to play anywhere for the manager, and I’m happy wherever I play. No problem.”
We’ve taken a look at four ways Tottenham could build their midfield with Gallagher.
Option 1: Palhinha and Gallagher pivot
Frank has predominantly used a 4-2-3-1 formation at Tottenham this season, and Gallagher is expected to replace Bentancur as the partner for Joao Palhina in the midfield pivot.
Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich in the summer and has since made the most tackles of any player in the Premier League, averaging 5.1 per 90 minutes.
Gallagher plays in a box-to-box role at Atletico Madrid and is also renowned for his out-of-possession work, averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes in LaLiga this season.
The duo would bring much-needed energy and tenacity to the middle of the park, making life difficult for the opposition midfielders and breaking up play.
Admittedly, they aren’t the best at recycling possession and getting the ball upfield quickly, but in this set-up, their job is to do the defensive work.
The creative burden would fall on the shoulders of Xavi Simons, who was signed from RB Leipzig in a £51.8million deal in the summer transfer window.
He’s had a difficult start to the 2025/26 season but has often played out on the wing rather than in his preferred No.10 role as Frank focuses on defensive solidity.
With Palhinha and Gallagher doing the defensive work behind him, the Netherlands international should now be able to play as a No.10, where he can provide a creative spark with his vision and technical quality.
Option 2: Gray and Gallagher pivot
While a midfield duo of Palhinha and Gallagher would undoubtedly cover a lot of ground, Tottenham are still crying out for a deep-lying playmaker who can pull the strings and dictate play.
Gallagher is averaging only 10.9 forward passes per 90 in LaLiga this season, and Palhinha has a pass success rate of just 81.9% in the Premier League.
Fulham are keeping a close eye on Palhinha’s situation at Tottenham amid claims the Lilywhites could abort their planned deal to make his loan permanent.
Spurs should look to sign another midfielder before the transfer window shuts but from their current options, Archie Gray might just be the best partner for Gallagher.
The 19-year-old played in defence under Ange Postecoglou, but can become a top-class deep-lying midfielder and his on-the-ball qualities would complement the combative traits of Gallagher.
Simons would still play as the No.10 in this line-up, and this midfield duo may help him receive the ball more often.
Option 3: 3-5-2 with Gray, Bergvall and Gallagher
There are going to be games where Frank shifts to a 3-5-2 formation, as he did against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup and Arsenal in the Premier League.
The midfield three could suit Gallagher, who likes to push high up the pitch and previously played as the most advanced midfielder in a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 system at Crystal Palace under Patrick Vieira.
“He’s given me the licence to run forward as much as I can and make the box to score goals,” Gallagher said. “I’ve got the legs to run up and down the pitch and that’s what I want to be doing.”
The midfielder won the Palace Player of the Season award in 2021/22 after scoring eight goals and registering five assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.
Kevin De Bruyne, James Maddison, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Emile Smith Rowe and Phil Foden were the only midfielders to score more Premier League goals than him in 2021/22.
Spurs need to add more goals to their team and Gallagher could play in that role under Frank, with Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski currently out injured.
Gray and Lucas Bergvall would then play alongside him in a balanced and mobile midfield three.
Option 4: 4-2-3-1 with Palhinha, Sarr and #10 Gallagher
Mauricio Pochettino worked with Gallagher at Chelsea in the 2023/24 season and was a huge fan of the midfielder, making him one of the first names on his teamsheet.
The 25-year-old was often used in an attacking midfield role in a 4-2-3-1 shape, where he pressed from the front and ranked first in the Chelsea squad for duels won (212), tackles won (52), interceptions (43) and possession won (221) in the Premier League.
Alongside that defensive work, he also enjoyed his most productive season in a Chelsea shirt with seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances in all competitions.
His 53 key passes and 11 big chances created in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season made him Chelsea’s second-most creative player after Cole Palmer.
“He is a player with a great commitment to the team,” Pochettino said. “He is always trying to compensate in every situation, in offensive and defensive situations. It’s priceless to have a player like him.”
The no.10 position allows the England international to showcase both sides of his game, providing a goal threat while also helping to sustain pressure in the final third.
Gallagher could play in front of a midfield two of Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr and this set-up would suit fixtures against big six rivals or Champions League knockout games as they all work relentlessly hard off the ball.