Tottenham may have little choice but to fill their squad with young up and coming players in the summer transfer window if they are relegated from the Premier League.
A 1-1 draw with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night, left them just two points above the relegation zone with two games to play. It is going to be a nail-biting last couple of weeks between Spurs and West Ham for that final relegation spot.
Roberto De Zerbi will want to put his stamp on the Tottenham squad, having only arrived as Spurs' third manager of the 2025/26 season at the end of March.
Summer transfer plans at Spurs will change if they are relegated
But the Italian may be hamstrung when it comes to finances if Tottenham are no longer a Premier League club come the summer.
Spurs already have to agreements in place, to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, but only if they maintain their top-flight status. Neither player wants to play in the Championship.
And that may be the case when Spurs go chasing other targets when the summer transfer window opens next month.
That is why Spurs could tap into the younger market, although chances are the club would be scouring the world for the best youth players to bring into the club anyway.
One such player being linked is Brazilian wonderkid Lucas Ronier. Tottenham are tracking the Coritiba right winger ahead of a potential summer move.
SportWitness report that Spurs, alongside Fulham, have been scouting the 21-year-old, who has three goals and three assists to his name for the Brazilian outfit this season.
The SportWitness report states: "The Brazilian fits a profile Premier League recruitment teams love right now. He is left-footed, technically sharp and very comfortable in one-against-one situations. His low stature and quick changes of direction make him difficult to stop in tight spaces."
Bid rejected already for Ronier transfer
Coritiba have already rejected an offer for the young forward, although not from Spurs or Fulham. The offer came from emerging Saudi Pro League side Neom, who tabled a £9.4million bid to sign Ronier two summers ago.
Coritiba are aware that Ronier's preference is to make the move to Europe and there is a feeling that they can demand more than that £9.4million figure to sell him this summer.
Ronier is understood to have a fiery personality and former Athletico Paranaense coach Odair Hellman described him as a show-off, but also praised his ability.
He said: "He thinks too much of himself. If he lowers the ball, he is a good player with quality. If he doesn't, he will be just another promise that gets left behind."