Tottenham could have been in line for a transfer windfall in the January window, but an outrageous demand from another club may have cost them that opportunity. It comes as Spurs are looking ahead to the winter market as an opportunity to bolster their ranks with fresh faces.
The Lilywhites have had a mixed start to life under Thomas Frank, who was brought in to find some more consistency after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season with Ange Postecoglou. Plenty of change has occurred for the north London club beyond the managerial hotseat. Daniel Levy's exit has brought in a reshuffle within the hierarchy, as the Lewis Family look to take the club to the next level.
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While the dust settles in the boardroom, the action on the pitch currently has them ninth in the Premier League, while they still have ambitions of a top-eight finish in the Champions League. The January transfer window could be crucial to that, with injuries impacting the Spurs squad, while questions remain over the quality that remains at Frank's disposal.
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It remains to be seen how much Frank could be offered in the way of transfer funds, with the potential need for some outgoings before some signings. With that in mind, Tottenham were in line for a potential windfall that could have offered them some much-needed income, thanks to a masterstroke.
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That was in the form of a sell-on clause that the club had included in a deal for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, when he left to join Marseille in the summer. Spurs picked up roughly £17m for the Danish midfielder when his loan move was made permanent. Just a few months on from that move, it seems as though there has been some interest in the 30-year-old.
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A report from Italian outlet Sportmediaset claims that Juventus are keen on landing Hojbjerg in January, in an attempt to bolster their options. However, Marseille are believed to have set a price tag of £52m for his services. The Serie A side are said to be outraged at the demands, claiming the fee set is "prohibitive".
Juventus have seemingly dropped their interest for now, blocking Tottenham from landing any kind of windfall from the move.
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Frank's success at Tottenham could be defined by the options he has at his disposal. The long-term future of the head coach will need to see a squad that grows along with him, something that has been the case with their closest rivals, Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta.
The north London derby thrashing proved just how far there is to go, both on and off the pitch, as pressure is put on Spurs to reach higher levels. Speaking before the encounter, Frank was asked about the prospect of his squad changing in a similar way to Arsenal's.
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He said: "I think it's natural. If I'm here in six years' time, it will be a completely different squad. It's just natural. Some will be sold, some will develop, some will maybe not develop as much as you want to. So, I think that's a natural thing. It's not like I'm going to say and take my decision on him and him needing to leave now, but of course, during the Spring we'll look into that, which is natural in terms of developing a squad.”
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