The January transfer window opens in three days, and while most years Tottenham have taken a low-key approach to midseason additions, this year the needs are stark and glaring. There are expectations that Spurs will add players in the winter window, with Frank confirming that the club plans to reinforce the squad for the second half of the Premier League season. We may now have a decent idea of what areas on the pitch they’re targeting.
Alasdair Gold, writing for Football.London today, states that the club are putting their focus on adding a left sided attacking midfielder in January, and will also look to bolster the left back position either next month or next summer. Other positions will be targeted as there is need and opportunity, including central midfield, striker, and possibly central defense.
The left-sided attacker position has been something of a revolving door since Son Heung-Min left the club this summer for LAFC. Tottenham currently have a rotating cast of players that can slot (and have slotted) into that position including Richarlison, Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani, and Wilson Odobert. Odobert is considered a strong future contender for the role, and Spurs also hope that Mikey Moore will return from his loan at Rangers next season ready to push for starting minutes. Tottenham made Manchester City left winger Savinho a key target this past summer, and though they were unable to land him with the player instead signing a new contract, they may make another attempt. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo was another high profile target but politely told Spurs very recently that he’s not interested in coming to North London.
A left back is also a high priority, as Destiny Udogie is currently injured and has no natural backup to his position apart from Ben Davies, if you cock your head and squint. Right now, two of Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, and Davies are required to play in every match, with players like Micky van de Ven and Archie Gray available as break-glass-in-case-of-emergencies replacements. Bringing in a player who can naturally rotate with Udogie and fill in when he’s hurt would be a huge improvement to the squad.
Elsewhere, Spurs have been linked to Porto striker Samu Agehowa and have a longstanding interest in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, though the latter appears significantly less likely now than perhaps last summer. Radu Dragusin tallied his first match minutes in nearly a year in Spurs’ 1-0 win at Palace on Sunday, but his agent is already making noises about getting his client more minutes and there are suggestions he could leave on loan or permanently if Spurs get a good enough deal. Gold writes that if Dragusin does leave the club could move for another CB, which would be a little strange considering Kota Takai exists and Spurs presumably will have Luka Vuskovic back from a highly successful loan in the Bundesliga next season. There aren’t specifics about the central midfield position, but the implication is that they will move if they target the right player at the right price; there have been reports linking Spurs to interest in 30-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, for example.
Gold is the Tottenham beat writer currently working who presumably has the strongest ties to club sources, so if he’s writing all of the above it suggests this is a brief from the club. Fans can agree or disagree with the targeting — that is the remit of fans — but this is at minimum what the club is willing to signal to journalists. The club generally doesn’t deceive in briefings like this one, so this feels like a pretty solid clue as to which direction the club is leaning.
Targeting a left winger is… well, let’s call it “interesting.” Some fans will be irked that by bringing in another left winger the club could be stifling the development of players like Odobert and Moore, but it would make sense if you consider that the players currently operating on the left are either on loan or don’t naturally play in that position, and if you think Odobert and Moore need another year or so to grow into the role. It’s not personally where I would focus my recruitment energies if I’m Johan Lange (the club has a longstanding need for a central midfielder who can pick out a pass) but I’m also not the one in charge.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see which direction the club is leaning. Spurs play three games in seven days at the beginning of January — away to Brentford on New Year’s Day, home to surprising Sunderland on Sun. January 4, and away to Bournemouth on Wed. January 7 before hosting Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sat. January 10. The club still has key players out injured and reinforcements are needed. Hopefully they come soon.