Tottenham Hotspur have tried changing their manager, chairman and stadium in a bid to earn their place amongst the Premier League's elite, as well as spending the best part of €216 million in the summer. While Ange Postecoglou ended their long 17-year wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League last season before he was sacked, their inconsistent domestic form remains an issue for Thomas Frank, who has already found himself under intense scrutiny just six months into his reign in the capital.
The 52-year-old managed to relieve some of the pressure after watching his side beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park on Sunday, with Archie Gray scoring his first senior goal in his 112th career appearance to grab the winner. The performance was a slight improvement on their recent form which has seen the team plummet to 13th in the table, and their young squad have struggled to piece together any sort of momentum. It has led some to question if Spurs need to spend even more money in January, having watched their summer signings largely fail to perform to the required standard so far. Transfermarkt looks at three potential signings in January to explore.
Leon Goretzka to Spurs?
The elephant in the room for Spurs is that Rodrigo Bentancur, a loyal servant since arriving from Juventus in 2021, has struggled to rediscover his best form following a spate of injuries. Yves Bissouma is also out of favour and is likely to be heading out the door in January, either on loan or permanently. Replacing one or two of them with some fresh blood in midfield might just be what Spurs need.
Of course, they are well-stocked in that area with Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and James Maddison. But they could also do with an expert passer, one who can dictate the play and control games. Frank had Christian Norgaard at Brentford, and it does feel like he is missing that midfield general to boss the central areas. Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka has been linked, although it is not yet known if the Germany international would be interested in a move to the Premier League. But a physical presence is required to add some steel to this Spurs team if they are to secure European football this season.
Vicario interest may trigger domino effect
Reports suggest that Guglielmo Vicario could be on his way out of Tottenham in the January transfer window, with Inter Milan interested in the goalkeeper. If the Nerazzurri follow up on their interest, it could tempt Frank to engineer something of a defensive reset. Vicario has produced some disappointing performances of late, with the 29-year-old perhaps guilty of not possessing the strength required to bully opposition attackers inside his 18-yard box. Spurs have also conceded 23 goals this season, which is more than double the number let in by rivals Arsenal.
If Vicario is tempted to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to return to Italy, it would take a monumental effort to find a goalkeeper who can improve upon the Italian's ability. Top goalkeepers are a rarity in the modern market, yet despite that, only four shot-stoppers have been signed for over €50m. Marc-André ter Stegen is one name that has been put forward as a potential replacement, and the German's situation in Barcelona is far from certain, which could give Spurs some encouragement.
Dragusin out, Lazio star in
The reliance on Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven has led the pair to put their bodies through the pain barrier one too many occasions. Van de Ven, in particular, is fairly susceptible to injury and it's high time Spurs invested in that area more than they have done over the past two years. Aside from Radu Drăgușin and Kevin Danso, the north London side haven't provided the depth required to cope with the rigours of the modern game and congested schedule.