Tottenham Hotspur came into the 2025/26 season in need of a deep lying playmaker, and although young Archie Gray has broken out to become a key player and part of the rotation for Spurs, Thomas Frank still does not seem to be fully sold on him.
Plus, the U21 midfielder is still a prospect who needs some seasoning, and Gray alone as the only progressive passer in the midfield unit is wholly insufficient. Spurs have a few good midfielders, including the injured Lucas Bergvall, in their ranks, but they are clearly missing this piece in order to help take their team to another level - a level well beyond the current background threat of relegation.
Tottenham, though, do not appear to be going after the right targets. Following a multi month injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, who tore his hamstring, Spurs spent a whopping 40 million euros on Conor Gallagher, whom neither Chelsea nor Atletico Madrid wanted anything to do with. Gallagher has had a rough start to life at the N17, and his box to box profile clearly does not fit the need for creativity that Tottenham currently have.
Tottenham can't get caught up in 'free'
Now, Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with an even worse option in the box to box mold in Leon Goretzka, whom Spurs have made transfer approaches for. The move for the unwanted Bayern Munich man won't happen in January, though.
That's because according to Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund, via Fabrizio Romano, the Bundesliga giants will offiically let Goretzka leave in free agency at the end of the season, âLeon's time at FC Bayern will be over in the summer. He will go another way after 8 successful years. We'll fight together in coming months to achieve big things."
Bayern had actually been trying to force Goretzka out of the club due to years of poor performances. He has not been effective since winning the treble under Hansi Flick and has been a liability holding back the midfield. But he had been impossible to move due to his wages, so the only choice Bayern had was to phase him out of the lineup for an academy prospect and then remove him once his contract ran out.
Tottenham at least were not foolish enough to pay a transfer fee for an extra six months of legitimately one of the worst midfielders in the Bundesliga. Goretzka is officially available as a Spurs transfer target this summer, but if the club is interested in his massive wages and declining qualities, they are headed for another disastrous signing.