Tottenham Hotspur go into this January transfer window under more pressure than ever before.
It has been a difficult start for Thomas Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou in June. His team have struggled to convince fans, and have looked worryingly short of attacking quality. None of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke have started a competitive game for Frank yet.
There is pressure on the club hierarchy, too. This is the first window since Daniel Levy was removed as chairman in September, and fans will want to see something concrete this window, to show that the majority-shareholding Lewis family share the fans’ ambitions for the club.
Anyone who has watched Spurs this season knows that they need improvements, especially in midfield and up front. The question is whether, in the first window of this new era, they will be able to deliver.
The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Sources with knowledge of transfer dealings, who asked to be kept anonymous to protect relationships, have been spoken to before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment.
What is the manager’s priority?
Thomas Frank has made very clear in public already that Spurs will be trying to bring in players during the January window.
“We will definitely be in the market, no doubt about that,” he said at a pre-match press conference on December 12. “We want them as early as possible, like every other time and let’s see if we can have them before January 31.”
And it has been very clear from watching Spurs this season — especially with Solanke, Kulusevski and Maddison out with long-term injuries — that this is a squad short on players who can make the difference.
Away from the window, Spurs want to tie Micky van de Ven to a new, improved long-term deal at the club, which, if they could do, would be more important than any new transfer.
What positions will they be looking at in January?
Frank has not openly disclosed precisely what sort of player he wants in the window. But most Spurs fans would say that they need another midfielder who can move the ball forward in the middle of the pitch.
Their play has been too stodgy too often this season, especially with Maddison and Kulusevski yet to play a single minute so far.
Then there is probably a need for another goal-scorer. Richarlison is their top scorer so far with seven in the league. Next is Micky van de Ven with just three. They have not truly replaced Son Heung-min and need someone else who can chip in with goals.
Which players do they want?
The precise identities of their January targets may change depending on what happens with Fabio Paratici. At the time of writing, Paratici, who only rejoined Spurs as a sporting director in October, is subject to an offer from Fiorentina to make a surprise return to Italy.
In theory, Paratici and his fellow sporting director Johan Lange are meant to work together on potential targets ahead of the window, but if Paratici does leave before the window opens, then it could mean a change of plans.
Tottenham did make a move for Antoine Semenyo, proposing a highly competitive salary, but he politely declined.
Who will they be looking to sell?
Yves Bissouma has not played one single minute for Thomas Frank’s side yet this season.
He was dropped at the start of the season for lateness, and Frank admitted earlier in December that the club was looking into reports of Bissouma inhaling nitrous oxide, something that Bissouma has been caught doing before. He nearly joined Fenerbahce at the end of last summer, and it would not be a surprise if Tottenham were open to offers for him again in January.
Brennan Johnson has been linked with a move away, and Frank said earlier in December that he was “happy” with Johnson, who is a “big part” of the squad.
Will anyone move out on loan?
Spurs already have some of their best young players out on loan this season, and so there are not too many opportunities within the current squad. But there could be opportunities for other youngsters to go and play.
Dane Scarlett, for example, has only made one 10-minute substitute appearance for the first team so far.
Mason Melia is due to join from St Patrick’s Athletic in January, and the 18-year-old Irish striker could be another player lined up for a potential loan if the club thought that was best for his development.
Do they need to sell to buy?
Not necessarily.
Everyone is waiting patiently to see what the budget will be in the January window, but it is unlikely that there will be big, lucrative sales to set up any buying they might want to do. Not least because their most sellable assets right now are not players they would want to part with.
What is their PSR position?
Spurs have traditionally had a strong PSR position. Their revenues are high, thanks in large part to their stadium, which opened in 2019 and brings in some of the biggest matchday revenues in the country.
Equally, the wage bill has always been very strictly controlled, which, in combination with the revenues, gave Spurs plenty of PSR headroom.
What sort of budget do they have?
This is the big question that so many Spurs fans have. This will be the first window of the post-Daniel Levy era, following his removal as chairman in September.
That means there is a new pressure on the majority-shareholding Lewis family to show that they can deliver the investment that the club so clearly needs. Fans will want to see more money committed to transfer fees and wages than Spurs have done in the recent past.
If they don’t make any signings, will they be able to achieve their goals this season?
The evidence of the first half of this season has not been promising.
Spurs’ results have been OK, but the performances have been unconvincing. The team has not shown much progress, leaving fans wondering if they are heading in the right direction. If the injured players can come back and make an impact — especially Kulusevski and Solanke — then there could be a quick uplift.
Otherwise, though, Spurs do not look like they have the quality and depth required to have a strong second half of the season.