Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level talents over recent years, with the hierarchy nailing the club’s recruitment strategy.
Big money has undoubtedly been splashed to improve their squad as of late, but many of their additions have been worthwhile and have improved the options already in North London.
Eyebrows were raised when Brennan Johnson joined the Lilywhites, with the board forking out £47.5m to secure his services from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
His early days were tricky to say the least, leading to abuse from sections of the fanbase, but he’s endured a magnificent rise that saw him end last season as the club’s top-scorer, even netting the winner in the Europa League final.
At just 24, he has bags of time to build on his impressive start to life in North London, potentially following in the footsteps of one of his compatriots at the club.
Gareth Bale’s time at Tottenham Hotspur
Winger Gareth Bale will go down as one of Spurs’ best-ever players after his impact during his time in the first team, starring for the Lilywhites on two separate occasions.
The Welsh international originally featured at left-back, before his hat-trick against Inter Milan in the Champions League catapulted him into a forward role - one that would change his career trajectory massively.
He registered 71 goals during his two stints in North London, with 26 of his efforts coming in the 2012/13 season, leading to his eventual £85m move to European giants Real Madrid.
However, he returned in the 2020/21 campaign on loan from the LaLiga side, scoring 16 times in his 34 appearances - being one of three players to register double figures that campaign.
The Welshman became renowned for his ability to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, often creating a moment of magic that allowed supporters to get off their seats.
Current boss Thomas Frank must wish he had a player of his quality currently at his disposal, potentially having just that had former chairman Daniel Levy kept hold of one talent.
The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s own Bale
As previously mentioned, Spurs have shifted their attention to recruiting younger talents in recent months - a strategy that allows the club to have players to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London.
Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, the Lilywhites first-team squad currently has an average age of 25.1 - the fourth youngest in the division - with Frank able to develop the players into the side he desires.
Their starting eleven against Bournemouth last weekend contained just one player over the age of 29, which hugely highlights the current recruitment operation in North London.
Such a focus has been evident in the past, when the hierarchy decided to fork out £25m for the signature of 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham back in 2019.
Despite his tender age, he racked up over 100 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 25 times, leading to his big-money move to North London - similar to that of Bale from Southampton in 2007.
Both possessed a similar style of play, subsequently able to operate in any position down the left-hand side or even able to feature in any attacking position on the opposite flank.
Such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but it’s safe to say that the move was slightly unsuccessful, with injuries massively plaguing his time at the club.
Sessegnon, who was labelled an “incredible” talent by Jacek Kulig, only made 57 appearances over a five-year spell at the Lilywhites, with numerous hamstring issues preventing him from making an impact.
The 25-year-old racked up three goals during such a time period, but was let go at the end of his contract in 2024, rejoining former side Fulham on a free transfer last summer.
Whilst there’s no denying he didn’t possess the same talent as Bale, his playstyle was similar to that of the Lilywhites legend - but ultimately struggled to demonstrate that on a regular basis.
It’s a shame such a move failed to work out, but Frank missed out on the opportunity to try and work with the Englishman, with Sessegnon forever remaining a case of what could’ve been in North London.