Tottenham Hotspur’s business in the transfer market over the last couple of years has been seriously impressive, helping the club end the 17-year wait for any form of silverware.
Attention has been turned to investing in younger talents, buying them at bargain prices and allowing them to develop and improve to reach their full potential in North London.
The likes of Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are just two examples, with the pair featuring in a combined tally of 100 outings between them despite their tender ages.
Both have shown the rewards their current recruitment focus could yield if done correctly, with Thomas Frank needing to continue such a trend ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, they’ve also spent big in the past, as seen by Mohammed Kudus’ £55m transfer from West Ham United this window, with other big-money additions also being lined up.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for Morgan Gibbs-White
Two weeks ago, Spurs triggered the £60m release clause in Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract at Nottingham Forest, with a deal expected to progress after such a move.
However, that switch swiftly ground to a halt after Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis raised an issue with the transfer, claiming that the Lilywhites made an illegal approach for his signature.
No one even knew that the England international had an option in his current deal, entering talks with the player and his agent without the approval of his current employers.
It had subsequently been reported that the 25-year-old remained keen on a move to North London this summer, although the latest developments appear to suggest otherwise.
Having travelled with the Forest squad on their pre-season tour of Portugal, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man has since quashed any speculation after penning a new deal with the Tricky Trees.
The playmaker has committed his future to City Ground until 2028, with journalist Fabrizio Romano outlining that a move to Spurs is now "off".
The Spurs player who’s already worth more than Gibbs-White
With Gibbs-White undoubtedly one of the hierarchy’s main targets this summer, other options will likely be drawn up as a result of his decision to stay put in Nottingham.
However, trust should be placed in the recruitment team to make the right call, something which they’ve done as seen by their recent success rate in the market.
As previously mentioned, with the likes of Bergvall and Sarr, the club have got it right in previous times, just like they have with winger Brennan Johnson, who’s excelled at the club in recent months.
The Welsh international arrived in a £47.5m deal from Forest back in the summer of 2023, with such a price tag appearing a huge chunk given he’d only had one prior year of top-flight experience.
However, a couple of years on from his transfer, it appears to be a shrewd piece of business, racking up a total of 23 goals within his 85 appearances for the club.
The 24-year-old is also responsible for one of the biggest moments in the club’s recent history, scoring the winner in the Europa League final - topping off a dream campaign for the youngster.
As a result of his rise in the last few months, Johnson, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by international teammate Aaron Ramsey, is now valued at a staggering €75m (£66m) by CIES Football Observatory.
His subsequent value is higher than that of Gibbs-White, who’s deemed to be worth £60m due to his release clause, showcasing the phenomenal rise he’s endured during his time at the Lilywhites.
If he can continue his incredible form into the 2025/26 campaign, he will be a key player in Frank’s quest to lead the side up the Premier League table.
The prospect of Johnson linking up with Gibbs-White once again after their time at the City Ground was certainly an exciting one, although the former teammates will remain foes against next season.