Tottenham Hotspur will need to spend big on two new attacking players in the January transfer window if they are to have serious aspirations about challenging for major honours under Thomas Frank, after major issues were flagged up again in the gutsy 2-2 draw at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
Spurs came from two goals down after largely being outplayed in Norway, as strikes from skipper for the night, Micky van de Ven, and a late own goal from Jostein Gundersen rescued a point for Frank’s men.
While Frank will certainly take plenty of heart from the character his side showed, the result once again highlighted the major flaws in the Tottenham squad when it comes to coping with the demands of domestic and elite-level European football.
Yes, the Spurs boss did not field his strongest side as he felt the need to rotate due to the busy schedule, but he still had last season’s top scorer Brennan Johnson and his current first choice No.9 Richarlison up front – although you would not have known it in a woeful first-half display.
Indeed, it wasn’t until the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus came on that the away side actually started to look a threat, while Archie Gray’s energy from midfield also gave Tottenham something they had lacked severely.
It must be pointed out that Frank’s hands are tied when it comes to his striking options, with Dominic Solanke and loan signing Randal Kolo Muani both on the sidelines. And, while it remains to be seen if the latter can be the prolific goalscoring No.9 the club are craving, Kolo Muani is only a temporary fix with no option or obligation to buy.
To that end, Tottenham need to seriously think about giving Frank a central striker who is a genuine threat in behind and can cause panic among opposition defences.
One such player is prolific Porto attacker Samu Aghehowa, who TEAMtalk can reveal is a major target for the club in 2026.
The Spanish forward has scored 32 goals in 52 games in Portugal and TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones has detailed the assets Aghehowa has that could make him a big hit in north London.
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Left-wing issues continue to trouble Frank
Another glaring issue to come out of the game, among quite a few it must be said, is the continuing lack of production from the left side of the front three since Son Heung-min’s departure.
Even in a final season in which the club’s legendary former star was far from his best, he would still have offered more than what is currently on display.
Wilson Odobert was once again given the chance to fill that Son void but, bar a header that hit the woodwork in the second half, did next to nothing – while Brennan Johnson was arguably worse on his preferred right side before being replaced by Kudus.
Frank has to find more thrust and end product from that side of his attack, but with Simons better operating centrally, that will not come from the players currently at his disposal – meaning another January raid is critical to Tottenham having a productive second half of the season.
Fresh reports on Tuesday are once again linking Spurs with a £70m swoop for Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo, a player who has so many of the attributes that Frank wants from his wingers.
Imagine a Tottenham side with Semenyo on the left, Kudus on the right and an actual goalscoring No.9 through the middle – now that would cause panic among opposition defences.
To do that, Spurs must make good on the noise that has been coming out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since Daniel Levy’s sudden exit and back Frank to the hilt over the next two windows – starting in January.