Tottenham Hotspur may be on the verge of completing the signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, but he might not be the last central midfielder to arrive in 2026 with Spurs identifying another they want, according to the Times.
Spurs jumped in with a last-minute hijack on Monday to beat Aston Villa to the signature of Gallagher, with a £35m deal agreed with the La Liga club to bring the 25-year-old back to the Premier League 18 months after he left for Spain.
The addition is a big boost for the north London club who received the news this week that Rodrigo Bentancur is out for three months after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury, while Lucas Bergvall is also struggling with a knock and Pape Matar Sarr is playing for Senegal at AFCON.
Conor Gallagher Perfect for Tottenham
Because of Tottenham's issues in the middle of the park right now, where Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray are the only 100% fit options, Gallagher could be thrust straight into the XI against West Ham United this week if he's registered in time.
According to the Times, Thomas Frank helped convince the long-term Spurs target to choose them over Aston Villa for more regular game time.
Gallagher is perfect for Frank and Tottenham because he brings immediate quality now despite his lack of minutes for Atletico Madrid in recent weeks.
The England international will bring experience, leadership, energy and - hopefully - goals and assists which Spurs are crying out for after four matches without a win.
While Gallagher will solve a lot of issues for Tottenham in the middle of the park, there is a profile of midfielder they are still lacking.
Tottenham Identify 'Midfield Connector' Next
Tottenham are still looking to land a 'midfield connector' in 2026, according to the Times.
The report says that the club's recruitment team have identified the need for a deep-lying creative playmaker to complement the destructive traits of Palhinha.
The north London outfit are still deciding whether this particular signing is possible before the February 2 deadline, or if it needs to wait until the summer so they can land the right target.
The report adds that some of the most wanted players in that position, such as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, won't be available until the summer.
Should Tottenham land this player after Gallagher, it remains to be seen how Frank would line his midfield up with Xavi Simons and James Maddison other options for a more advanced central role.
Tottenham Close to Another January Signing
As well as Gallagher, Tottenham look set to complete a second signing ahead of the Premier League clash against the Hammers.
Brazilian left-back Souza is due to have a medical in the next days after Spurs agreed a deal with Santos to bring the teenager to England.
The 19-year-old is unlikely to be the last addition of what looks set to be a busy January, with a new forward also on the agenda.