As Tottenham Hotspur prepare to launch a £65million bid for an incredible attacking talent in the January transfer window, one former star has made a heady comparison to Gareth Bale, while TEAMtalk explains why it will be a major fail from the club if they don’t get their man.
The winter window could be pivotal to Spurs’ chances of a top-four finish this season, with a number of positions arguably in a need of a significant upgrade.
However, it would be viewed as a complete disaster if Tottenham do not sign another left winger in January, after their failure to replace club legend Son Heung-min over the summer.
That role has been the one glaring issue for Thomas Frank so far this term, although some might argue that the striker position is also a major problem – given the lack of availability and goal output from Spurs’ No.9s.
In terms of that wide left role, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is a player TEAMtalk has continually mentioned as a name Tottenham are pursuing in the new year.
News that the Ghana international has a release clause set at £65million for the winter window has only added fuel to that particular fire, although Liverpool will also be a major player when it comes to trying to land the Cherries star.
With all that being said, former Spurs striker Darren Bent believes his old club could be signing a player with very similar qualities to Bale – if they can win the race for Semenyo‘s signature.
The pundit told talkSPORT: “He [Smeneyo] has exploded out of the traps this season and he just looks really comfortable in himself. Every game you see him do something and you go, ‘Oh my goodness’… he’s one of those rare players, and I call players like this unstoppable. Gareth Bale was like that.
“When I talk about unstoppable, I’m talking about their attributes. When Bale started to move, you just couldn’t stop him, and Semenyo is the same. Once he gets going, he’s going past people, and he’s gliding.
“What’s good about him is that he can go both ways. I think he’s got the full package.”
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Why Tottenham MUST win Semenyo race
Spurs transfer chiefs cannot afford to make it a hat-trick of targets with triggered release clauses that do not end up in north London.
The embarrassment of missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White was one thing, before Eberechi Eze’s U-turn then took it to another level. Yes, they eventually paid up for the so far largely ineffective Xavi Simons, but missing out on Semenyo, if they do indeed trigger his clause, would be a crushing blow to their new proactive way of working.
Under Daniel Levy, it was so often a wait-and-see approach, but with the former chairman now gone and a recent £100m cash injection made by majority owners ENIC, Tottenham are expected to make headlines in January.
What bigger headline than beating Liverpool to one of the best players in the Premier League this season, in what is also a major position of need.
Indeed, if the likes of Fabio Paratici, Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham are not bashing down Bournemouth’s door on January 1, offering to pay that clause, it proves that nothing has really changed.
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Latest Tottenham news: Midfield revamp; top striker target
First up, Tottenham are on the lookout for midfield targets ahead of January as Thomas Frank’s side anticipate the potential exit of Yves Bissouma, TEAMtalk understands.
Elsewhere, Spurs striker Dominic Solanke has broken his silence on his expected return to action amid rumours that he could be sold, while Thomas Frank is facing a full-blown injury crisis ahead of Sunday’s clash with north London rivals Arsenal.