Tottenham are desperate for an attacking midfielder, following the news that James Maddison will be unavailable for most of next season.
The Lilywhites suffered a huge blow when Maddison was carried out on a stretcher minutes after entering as a substitute against Newcastle United (3 August).
With his head in his hands and clutching his previously injured knee, fans knew that this could be a huge problem. Their fears were confirmed when Tottenham announced that Maddison had sustained an ACL injury and would be out for the majority of the forthcoming season.
Without their midfield maestro, the season could end prematurely for Tottenham. Therefore, that is why they have entered the summer market for a replacement option.
This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.
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Tottenham urged to replace Maddison
It is not as if Tottenham have not tried to find a replacement for Maddison in recent days.
Como’s Nico Paz is one avenue the club could go down. However, reaching a deal with Como will be difficult considering Real Madrid’s buy-back clause.
With Madrid lurking and the Lilywhites running out of time, the London club will need to move on to alternative prospects. However, Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes an attacking midfielder must be signed at all costs.
“I do think we will get an attacking midfielder because Maddison’s injury is so bad that it would be inexcusable not to,” Wenham said.
“But I reckon it’s more likely to be somebody like Harvey Elliott or James McAtee, somebody like that.
“I can’t see Paz joining when Real Madrid have got so much money to be made in that situation for themselves. They’re not going to let someone else make that money.”
Thomas Frank has his Maddison backup
If Tottenham cannot sign an attacking midfielder in time, pre-season has made it evident that Thomas Frank has chosen Pape Matar Sarr to slot in Maddison’s place.
The Senegal international has impressed for Spurs in pre-season, notably scoring a jaw-dropping goal in the 1-0 win against Arsenal in Hong Kong (31 July). However, his worst performance came when Frank tried him as a 10 in the 4-0 defeat against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena (7 August).
While his display will not fill Spurs supporters with hope about what’s to come, it must be remembered that the whole team underperformed. As such, the humiliating defeat can be chalked up as more of a coaching issue than an individual one.
Therefore, given time, Sarr could be best suited to bridge the gap left by Maddison.