Tottenham keep summer options open despite quiet deadline
Tottenham Hotspur will not complete a late move for a Ligue 1 attacker before the window closes, but sources maintain that a deal remains possible later in the year. The original report from TeamTalk indicates that Spurs have stepped back from deadline activity, even as they continue to assess summer targets.
Deadline day caution amid injury strain
This final day has felt underwhelming for Tottenham Hotspur, particularly given a stretched squad and a demanding fixture list. Despite owners ENIC adding £100m to bolster options for Thomas Frank, no further major incomings or outgoings are expected before the 7pm cut off. Only Conor Gallagher and Souza have arrived, while plans for a new left winger and striker never progressed.
Akliouche linked but timing proves decisive
One name repeatedly discussed was Maghnes Akliouche of AS Monaco. Reports suggested a deal could be struck late, but Monaco’s stance made that unlikely. Miguel Delaney noted that Monaco would not consider a sale without securing a replacement first. Tom Barclay then ruled out a deadline move, writing on X: “Understand Tottenham will not be signing Magnes Akliouche. From what I’m led to believe, he was viewed as a secondary No 10 option to Xavi Simons in the summer. Yes, Spurs have been playing with two No 10s of late but I’m told they won’t be signing MA.”
Photo IMAGO
Summer picture shapes priorities
Akliouche remains a player admired internally and a summer approach has not been dismissed. Yet context matters. By then, Maddison, Kulusevski, Bergvall and Kudus are expected back, creating potential congestion in attacking areas. Akliouche’s tendency to operate on the right or centrally may also clash with the club’s longer term need for a left sided option. For now, Spurs have paused, not abandoned, their thinking.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
Spurs fans can see the logic in not forcing a premium January deal, especially with Monaco holding firm, but that does little to ease concerns when the squad is thin and results matter now.
There is also a wider trust issue. Supporters hear about £100m added to the coffers and expect visible action. When plans for a winger and striker barely start, it raises questions about execution rather than ambition. Akliouche sounds like a smart profile, technical, versatile and young, yet the positional fit remains debatable once everyone returns.
Looking ahead, many fans would accept patience if the summer brings clarity and decisiveness. What worries them is drift, targets admired but not secured, windows explained away rather than seized. Spurs fans want to believe that this pause is part of a plan, not another chapter of hesitation, and that when summer comes, the club will move early and with conviction rather than waiting for the final hours again.