Under-pressure Tottenham boss Thomas Frank would be wise to avoid an unnecessary £70m during the January window – as he must fix two areas first
Tottenham Hotspur's inconsistent start to the season continued on Sunday afternoon when they were beaten by Nottingham Forest. As a result of the 3-0 defeat at the City Ground, Thomas Frank's future has been thrust back into the spotlight once again.
However, there is no sense that the Dane's future is under any immediate threat. And Frank has recently been linked with a reunion with Igor Thiago.
The forward has been in inspired form for Brentford this season. He has scored 12 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions.
Only Manchester City's Erling Haaland has outscored Thiago in the Premier League this season. Given his outstanding form, it's hardly surprising that he is already being linked with a move away from the Gtech Community Stadium.
But according to a report from ESPN Brazil, the Bees will demand a transfer fee of £70m for the forward. The report claims that although Brentford have little desire to part with Thiago, they are said to be conscious that bids could materialise over the coming transfer windows, possibly even as soon as January.
And while it is easy to understand why Spurs are being linked with the forward, you can't help but think that they would be better served investing a sum like £70m into other areas of their squad.
Firstly, in the shape of Dominic Solanke, they already have a proven Premier League centre-forward. Granted, the former Bournemouth man is currently out injured; when he does return, he will offer Frank and his side something they don't currently have.
Also, it is clear that Guglielmo Vicario is fast becoming a problem. The goalkeeper was at fault for two of the goals his side conceded against Forest.
A costly mistake playing out from the back was punished by Callum Hudson-Odoi, who then scored with an overhit cross as Vicario was caught out of position. It isn’t the first time this season that Vicario has cost his side.
The 29-year-old was booed during the 2-1 defeat to Brentford following a comical error. How many more days to forget can the Italian endure before Frank considers a change?
But what if Spurs were to splash out £70m on Thiago next month? Who is going to create chances for him?
Against Sean Dyche's Forest side, Spurs managed just one shot on target. And it wasn't the first time this season that Frank’s side have struggled to carve out openings.
With James Maddison expected to miss most if not all of this season, Tottenham would be better served securing a creative playmaker next month. To put it simply, there is little point in bringing in a centre-forward if there is no one on hand to create opportunities for them.
So, while it is understandable that Spurs are being linked with Thiago, Frank has much more pressing concerns to address and problems to solve rather than splashing out £70m on a centre-forward.