Thomas Frank is only a couple of signings away from completing the jigsaw at Tottenham.
Frank was particularly keen on adding firepower to Spurs’ frontline since he joined Spurs, and finally got his wish in the form of Mohammed Kudus.
Tottenham are also still hopeful of adding Morgan Gibbs-White to their ranks, despite the complications posed by Nottingham Forest’s legal threats.
This would see Frank get much closer to his desired final squad at Spurs, though their strong links with Yoane Wissa suggest a striker remains on the cards.
The Dane is also likely to target a midfielder to act as a defensive pivot, especially with Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both in the final year of their contracts.
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Spurs have made contact to sign João Palhinha
Frank has a lot of faith in Archie Gray, having been close to signing the versatile teenager last summer before Tottenham swooped in to hijack the deal.
He is expected to lay claim to the number six role, which was shared between Bissouma and Bentancur last season to varying degrees of success.
The Uruguayan is more suited to a traditional midfield role, whereas Bissouma could leave Spurs this summer after an overall underwhelming showing since his arrival from Brighton in June 2022.
However, with Gray being just 19 years old, Spurs could look for a more experienced alternative, and have made contact with Bayern Munich’s João Palhinha, as reported by Givemesport (12 July).
The Portugal international struggled to make an impression on Vincent Kompany, limiting him to just nine starts across all competitions for the Bavarian club last season.
He was signed for a fee above £40million from Fulham just over 12 months ago, where he consistently topped the charts for most tackles made in the Premier League.
The 30-year-old would not come cheap for Spurs, but after winning the UEFA Europa League, the Lilywhites have much more pulling power, allowing Frank to call the shots in terms of targeting high-calibre players.
Palhinha would be a very sensible signing for Spurs
For all the talent that Frank has at his disposal at Spurs, he lacks a reliable defensive presence in the heart of the midfield.
This was often Tottenham‘s downfall under the 51-year-old’s predecessor, especially in transition, where the North Londoners were carved open time and again.
Palhinha would go a long way in halting that issue, as he specialises in shielding the defence, while being very adept at receiving the ball under pressure to start attacks.
He would also bring a wealth of experience to the young Spurs squad, making him a very sensible signing if Bayern are willing to let him leave for a reasonable fee.