Thomas Frank has shone at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dugout so far, how will he attack the January transfer window?
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Expecting Tottenham Hotspur to be third in the Premier League after two months would’ve been reserved for the most optimistic fans ahead of the season, yet after all the summer upheaval and pessimism Thomas Frank’s success has been one of the stories of the season.
While Arsenal topping the tree may take a little shine away from Spurs fans looking at the Premier League table, there’s no denying it’s been a remarkable start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Frank who was only a 94th-minute Goncalo Ramos equaliser away from already having some silverware to show off, lest we forget.
Yet although Frank will hope to avoid the crippling injury crises suffered by his predecessor, Tottenham’s squad still looks susceptible to drops in form and fitness while unlike Arsenal or Chelsea, they lack the depth to successfully fight on four fronts.
There are still areas to improve in the starting lineup too but the good news is that Frank has already showed he’s retained the ability to both develop existing talent and quickly and effectively integrate promising new signings that made him such a success at Brentford.
As long as their January additions meet a baseline for age and talent, it’s hard to see where Tottenham go too wrong with their winter transfer business, so who might they target?
Bargain Borussia Dortmund star too good to miss
Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson have flashed at times this season, but Tottenham could certainly benefit from having a more established presence on the left flank to compliment an otherwise purring forward line.
As Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke inch back towards fitness, Mohammed Kudus has been one of Spurs’ standout players this season and the obvious area for improvement is on the left flank after Spurs’ failed pursuit of Savinho in the summer.
Savinho has been linked with a move to north London again this transfer window but it’d be a surprise if that door was still open mid-season and the Brazilian has struggled for game time so far this campaign.
Instead, Tottenham could strike a smart deal for Julian Brandt, whose contract at Borussia Dortmund runs out next summer. The skipper appears unlikely to stay at Signal Iduna Park and particularly if Dortmund’s league and European campaigns are faltering (they’ve scored eight goals in two European games but have only taken four points), the German club may look to cash in for £10m-15m.
Brandt would bring leadership, versatility and the capacity for the extraordinary to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it’d be a surprise if any serious is warded off by Borussia Dortmund who’ve not been such a good selling club of late.
Tottenham can offer Gallagher perfect stage for Premier League return
Rodrigo Bentancur endured a dreadful campaign last season, so though he's bounced back strongly this campaign and secured a long-term contract extension set to take him into his 30s, Tottenham could certainly benefit from signing another ready-made starter in central midfield.
One of those players who seems older than his years simply by virtue of being a mainstay on the biggest stage for so long, Conor Gallagher has now played almost 200 top flight games and brings a defensive grit that’s perfect for a Thomas Frank team.
Gallagher will have only been in the Spanish capital for 18 months come January, yet Atletico are reportedly already fielding offers with Manchester United told they will need to pay at least €60m (£52.4m) to bring him back to the Premier League.
Gallagher isn’t the player to turn around the Red Devils - he’s not incisive enough for a two-man midfield - but in a three at Tottenham he could be perfect.
Tottenham to return for Ake?
Central defence is somewhere Tottenham simply must strengthen this January - no one wants to see Archie Gray thrown into that fire again - and that reinforcement looks set to come in the form of accomplished yet discarded veterans.
Tottenham have been linked with bringing another former Stamford Bridge star back to the Premier League in the form of Andreas Christensen, as his time at Barcelona appears to be coming to an end.
But unlike on the wing, this time they might be best off chasing a summer target from Manchester City as despite only playing 120 minutes in the Champions League and top flight so far this campaign, the 30-year-old Dutchman valued at around £20m could provide a solid rotation option to ease the pressure on Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Tottenham 2026 starting XI if predictions come true: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gallagher, Palhinha; Kudus, Simons, Brandt, Solanke.