Tottenham Hotspur have entered a period of uncertainty. Not only are they rudderless and scrambling for a new figure in the dugout, but the north Londoners are wrestling with the fact that they have been sucked into a relegation battle.
Of course, enough of the campaign remains for Spurs to piece together a purple patch that would put paid to relegation worries, but Thomas Frank's dismal tenure has proved a continuation of last season's Premier League misfortune under Ange Postecoglou, finishing 17th.
Ange, of course, put all his eggs in the European basket, but lowly league finishes are threatening to become the new norm for Tottenham, and if ENIC Group want to change the narrative, they will need to put things to rights in the summer transfer market.
Tottenham have been poor in attack this season, and with such a shortage of fit wingers down N17 right now, that's where the transfer focus must be pinned come summer.
Spurs leading race for new winger
When it rains, it pours. And it's pouring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, alright, with Wilson Odobert rupturing his ACL against Newcastle in mid-week. The flashy young winger will not feature again this season, and faces a race to return before the end of the calendar year.
Add him to an infirmary already housing Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison, as well as playmakers Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, neither of whom has featured at all this season.
Brennan Johnson was also sold to Crystal Palace for £35m in January, so the need for new wide attacking recruits has really been heightened.
Well, according to TEAMtalk, AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic has emerged as a top target ahead of the summer transfer window, and what's more, Spurs are understood to be leading the race for the USMNT captain.
That's despite interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, with each suitor having held talks with intermediaries to determine the plausibility of a transfer this summer.
Recent reports suggest Pulisic will be available for around €55m (equating to £48m).
It might feel like something of a contentious move for a former Chelsea player, but you need only flick back one month and note Conor Gallagher's £35m move to London from Atletico Madrid to see that that bridge can be crossed.
Why Christian Pulisic could succeed at Spurs
Pulisic, it has to be said, has enjoyed himself since moving to Italy in 2023. Long regarded as one of the most talented wingers in the world, he flattered to deceive with Chelsea but has built himself back up in Italy.
Once hailed as a "magician" of a winger by sports writer Al Butler for his trickery and skills on the ball, the 27-year-old has been resurgent at the Milan club, where he has posted 42 goals and 25 assists across 120 matches.
This season, he has scored eight times in Serie A despite only starting eight times. He has also created five big chances and is averaging 1.5 key passes per game.
A key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot at the opponent's goal.
Given that Pulisic is currently gearing up for a World Cup campaign in North America under the wing of Pochettino, he could be the perfect man to sign at Tottenham, given ENIC Group have appointed Igor Tudor only on an interim basis until the end of the 2025/26 season.
There are a number of different reasons that this could be, and one of which is that Pochettino is determined to remain in his international post until the summer, after the culmination of the World Cup.
Might Poch and Pulisic meet up at Spurs? The American winger's pace and talismanic personality certainly suggest that he could be a well-worked signing for Tottenham, someone who would swiftly adopt the Argentine's tactics.
Pochettino's desire to balance high-intensity pressing with calculated build-up play tailors toward Pulisic's athleticism and his skill and directness on the ball.
It's exactly the kind of signing the Londoners need to make, landing a winger who will not just make up the numbers but drive this side back into the ascendancy.