Spurs still have a lot of work to do in the forward line but recent reports suggest that a dream forward line could be seen.
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Normally when a club wins a major trophy and a new manager takes charge it is because the previously successful one has been poached, not so in the case of Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur.
The Spurs squad that he has inherited needs a lot of work with a mixture of young and promising players being guided by several senior players who are outstanding, but also injury prone, then there is the departure of club legend Son Heung-min, who will be a nightmare to replace, even if his considerable powers have been on the wane. A possible long-term injury to James Maddison only makes things worse even if recent transfer rumours are encouraging.
Not only would signing two players who have been linked with Arsenal give something for fans to cheer about, they would immediately be an upgrade on what Frank has at his disposal just now in what could be an exciting looking Spurs forward line. If Daniel Levy loosens the purse strings, these are the players that could be lining up in white this season.
In terms of a no.9, Frank has a decision to make. Peak Richarlison is a handful for any defence, however, that player hasn’t been seen for some time and it is a similar story for Dominic Solanke. Good player? Yes. But nine goals in 27 Premier League appearances is far from prolific, as is his overall rate of 38 in 161 when he has played in England’s top flight. Soon to turn 28, this sort of return isn’t going to change anytime soon. Mathys Tel, whose loan deal has been made permanent, has been signed for a reason and deserves his chance.
How could Spurs’ forward line look next season if they make dream signings?
On the left, the blockbuster signing of the summer could be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. A known quantity, the only risk is how much a deal might cost to sign a 24-year old who already has an enviable trophy cabinet. What the Brazil international would guarantee, is a similar sort of return to Son at his peak and would be one of the first names on the team-sheet, if not the first.
Close behind him, if Spurs hijacked Arsenal’s move for Eberechi Eze, could be one of the Premier League’s most consistent and in-demand playmakers with almost every club of the “top six” having been credited with an interest. The mercurial Crystal Palace creator is certain to leave Selhurst Park this summer and he could be the perfect replacement for Maddison in the no.10 position.
The right-hand side has already been locked up with the addition of Mohammed Kudus, who looks like being a shrewd acquisition. Not only will the 25-year old already be settled in London, but he knows the league, has been to every away ground and can provide the sort of consistency that has been missing since the days of Mauricio Pochettino and his famous four forward line.
How close Spurs came to missing out on signing legend
Son is going to be hard to replace, however, speaking on The Athletic’s The View From the Lane, James Maw recalled how close Spurs came to missing out on the South Korean superstar:
“Jeremy Peace, who was then the West Brom chairman, really dug in his heels and it got a bit public. Jeremy Peace kept coming out and saying, we're not going to sell him (Said Berahino), we're not going to sell him and so on. But Spurs' recruitment was being done by Paul Mitchell, who I've spoken to for this story, who had just left Newcastle United.
“Back then, he was Spurs' head of recruitment, having previously worked with Saints. The interesting thing is that when Mitchell had been at Saints, obviously working with (Mauricio) Pochettino, they'd identified Sonny when Sonny was at Hamburg, and they tried really, really hard to sign Son from Hamburg for Southampton. And then Son actually went to buy Leverkusen.
“And then two years later, when Mitchell and Pochettino were working together at Tottenham, they then think, well, we need more speed, we need more goals in the squad. Who's on there on the market? Who we can get? “
“Remember Son, who we tried to get from Hamburg for Southampton? Well, now, let's try and get him from Bayer Leverkusen for Tottenham.”