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Tottenham Hotspur's season has been a bit of a disaster this year, but there are reasons to be hopeful for the future.

Daniel Levy and Co may not have bought enough ready-made players for Ange Postecoglou over the summer, but they did sign a number of up-and-coming prospects.

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and their very own Mikey Moore look like they could develop into sensational players together at Spurs.

Fortunately, recent reports have now linked a slightly older but still developing talent for a move to the club this month, a tremendously exciting attacker who shares a lot of similarities with Dele Alli.

Tottenham target incredible phenom

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of multiple clubs 'monitoring Rayan Cherki’s situation at Lyon.'

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta are all interested in the sensational French talent. Spurs are perhaps one of the most interested parties with GIVEMESPORT further reporting that they are 'tempted' to make an offer to get him out of France.

However, while the competition could be a challenge for Spurs to overcome, the price might not be as, according to the story, the Ligue 1 side are only after about €22m for the 21-year-old, which is about £18m and has been described as an "absolute bargain" by "many executives," per Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

It looks like it could be an incredibly complicated deal to get over the line given the amount of competition, but with how unbelievably talented Cherki is, it's a deal Spurs must fight for, especially as there are some similarities between him and Dele.

How Cherki compares to Dele and why Spurs should sign him

Okay, so before we go into some of the reasons why Spurs should be doing all they can to sign Cherki this month, let's examine some of the ways in which he's similar to the player Dele was in his pomp.

The first and most significant is that, like the former England star was when he was a youngster, the Lyon ace has been winning rave reviews for his sublime skills for years now.

For example, just a couple of years ago, The Athletic's Alex Barker described the Frenchman as "a future Ballon d'Or winner," while talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him a "world-class talent."

On top of that, Ted Knutson, the founder of Statsbomb, described the Lyon phenom as "a masterful dribbler and string-puller" just a couple of weeks ago, and while Dele wasn't necessarily the exact same type of player, he too won a mountain of plaudits when he was coming through.

For example, even as his powers started to fade in 2019, then-Spurs boss José Mourinho answered that "he can do anything he wants" to a reporter's question on his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or in the future.

Moreover, when he was scoring for fun and running games as a youngster, the Milton Keynes-born superstar was included among the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Neymar Jr and others in a BBC article about players who could become contenders for the prestigious award once Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stopped winning it.

With all that said, another significant indicator the Lilywhites should be doing all they can to sign the Pusignan-born gem this month is his outrageous underlying numbers.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, the 21-year-old sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for expected assisted goals, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and successful take-ons, the top 2% for actual assists, the top 4% for attempted passes, the top 7% for touches in the opposition's penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Spurs are looking to build a team of young talents who can grow together and challenge for major honours a few years from now, then we aren't sure there are many better options on the market than Cherki.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do all they can to bring him to N17 as soon as possible, as they would have another Dele-level talent on their hands for a relatively small fee.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has attracted serious criticism for failing to back manager Ange Postecoglou in the January transfer market so far, but the Lilywhites chief may have a very good opportunity to do so after news this week.

Ange Postecoglou sends transfer warning to Tottenham

Postecoglou, who is under mounting pressure after guiding his injury-ridden team to 13 Premier League defeats already, has sent a warning to the N17 chiefs in regard to their lack of activity this window.

Tottenham sealed a £12.5 million deal for highly-rated young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky at the very start of January, with the Czech going on to make one of the best Spurs debuts in recent memory against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

However, barring that move for the 21-year-old, technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team haven't exactly been pulling up trees in terms of concrete movement.

Postecoglou sent a subtle warning to the club's hierarchy that Spurs are "playing with fire" if they don't finish this transfer window with at least one other major incoming through the door before deadline day on February 3rd.

"I have daily communication with Johan in particular, and he's trying everything he possibly can to get the help we need," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's January plans.

"I don't think I'm stating anything other than the obvious and for me to come here and say something else would be disingenuous. This playing group needs help, there's no doubt about that.

"We're sort of playing with fire by not bringing anyone in, but the flip side of that is the club is trying to change that situation."

January is always a tricky window to navigate for sides, mainly due to inflated price tags and the fact clubs are reluctant to part company with their star players midway through a campaign.

Tottenham "being offered" January deal for Lyon star Rayan Cherki

Reports earlier in the window suggested that Tottenham are one of the possible destinations for Lyon forward Rayan Cherki, who could be available for a cut-price fee due to the club's provisional relegation to Ligue 2 and financial problems.

The Frenchman, called "absolutely unbelievable" by members of the media, stands out as Lyon's star attacking player - averaging a higher match rating than any other player in their squad whilst completing their highest rate of key passes per 90 (WhoScored).

According to journalist Dean Jones, speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast (via TBR), Tottenham are being offered Cherki right now, alongside Newcastle United, with the 21-year-old also said to be available for the "very, very low fee" of £20 million.

However, there are concerns surrounding his attitude, which Jones hints could be the reason why Spurs haven't decided to bite yet.

“I want to talk about Rayan Cherki at Lyon. This guy is being touted around everywhere,” Jones said. “20 million pounds seems like a very, very low fee for a player who has been this creative this season.

“Yeah, I think there’s a reason that nobody’s bitten on it yet. There’s been a lot of talk about his personality fit for a lot of teams, potentially whether he has the right attitude and application to make the step. I’m not sure that Lyon are in as desperate of a financial situation now as people were expecting them. But I think it’s from a Cherki’s representative’s perspective that we’re seeing this one pushed at the moment.

“Spurs and Newcastle are two of the clubs that are being offered him. I’m not convinced that either of them are sure about this one."

It feels like everything that could have gone wrong for Tottenham Hotspur this season has gone wrong.

Ange Postecoglou's side have been utterly devastated by injuries this year, with practically the entire backline missing much of the campaign and several key attackers also having to spend some time on the sidelines.

However, while these injuries have undoubtedly played a large part in the team's dire form, it cannot be entirely put down to that, as some of the team's supposed leaders, such as Son Heung-min, have been undeniably poor.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted a Premier League winger for a move to N17 this month, a winger who could be just the player to replace Son.

Tottenham Hotspur target Premier League star

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in signing Marcus Rashford this month.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that West Ham United, Juventus, Napoli and Galatasaray are keen to land the Englishman on loan for the remainder of the season.

However, there remain two potential issues: the first is that he'd prefer a move to Barcelona, and the second is his enormous £375k-per-week wage.

With that said, if Spurs can secure the 27-year-old's services on a short-term loan this month, it would surely add another dimension to their flagging attack, and he'd be an ideal replacement Son to boot.

Why Rashford would be an ideal replacement for Son

So, the first thing to say is that Son is undoubtedly a Spurs and Premier League great - he has scored 172 goals and provided 91 assists for them after all - but he's set to turn 33 this summer, and as most fans will likely attest, he's no longer the player he once was.

It is not a failing on his part, though, as research carried out by The Athletic shows wide players in the Premier League tend to hit their peak at age 26 and see their take-on numbers dramatically come down once they hit 31, so the South Korean superstar is simply a victim of time.

So, while he has been able to produce a reasonably impressive tally of ten goals and seven assists this season, it would be fair to say the club need to sign another dynamic left-winger to come in for him this season, which is where Rashford could come in.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, there is no denying that the last season and a half has been incredibly underwhelming for the Englishman, but he's still only 27, and while Ruben Amorim doesn't rate him, prior campaigns tell us there is still a player in there.

For example, in the 22/23 season, he was simply unplayable, racking up a sensational haul of 30 goals and providing nine assists in 56 appearances, totalling 4304 minutes.

That means the "unstoppable" winger, as dubbed by Erik ten Hag, averaged a goal involvement every 1.43 games, or every 110.35 minutes, and if he was able to do that under the management of the recently fired Dutchman, then just think how effective he could be under the incredibly attacking Postecoglou.

Moreover, while he hasn't been brilliant in the last season and a half, he's still managed to rack up seven goals and three assists in 24 games this season, only 19 of which have been starts, so he's not been quite as poor as some may believe.

Ultimately, this season has made it abundantly clear that Son's time as a starter for Tottenham is rapidly coming to an end, and while there are questions over his commitment, Rashford has shown he has the raw ability to be the "difference-maker" analyst Ben Mattinson purports him to be.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ready to try and tempt a young "phenomenon" with a move to north London as we reach the latter stage of this January window, and he's very highly-rated by those within the game.

Ange Postecoglou eyes young new forwards for Spurs

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou is yet to be backed with the addition of an outfield signing this month, and with just days remaining of the winter window, this could spell real trouble for the Australian.

The under-fire Lilywhites boss candidly admitted to reporters earlier this week that his side are playing with fire if they don't make any more new players before deadline day on February 3rd, saying he is in "daily" talks with recruitment chief Johan Lange.

"I'm not out there trying to find opportunities for the club, that's not my role at this time. There isn't time to do it," said Postecoglou on his role in January transfers.

"I have daily communication with Johan in particular, and he's trying everything he possibly can to get the help we need. I don't think I'm stating anything other than the obvious and for me to come here and say something else would be disingenuous. This playing group needs help, there's no doubt about that.

"We're sort of playing with fire by not bringing anyone in, but the flip side of that is the club is trying to change that situation."

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas explained recently that Tottenham are putting all of their focus into signing a new forward in particular, despite Postecoglou's shortage of left-sided centre-back options.

Spurs have been in talks with Tyler Dibling recently, while a report from Spain this week even claimed that Tottenham are prepared to pay Nico Williams' £49 million release clause, as the club eye youthful attacking options.

According to journalist Pete O'Rourke, another target is emerging in the form of FC Lorient wonderkid Eli Junior Kroupi.

Tottenham planning late January move for Eli Junior Kroupi

The reporter, writing for Football Insider, claims that Tottenham are planning a late January move for Kroupi - who is viewed by recruitment chiefs as a player who could become "world-class".

The 18-year-old is currently on fire for Lorient, scoring nine goals in 18 appearances across all competitions, and this has caught the eye of both Postecoglou's side and London rivals Chelsea - who are "ready to try and lure" Kroupi to the English capital.

Transfermarkt value him at around £8 million, and that is a pretty affordable figure from the perspective of an elite Premier League club.

When it comes to Tottenham Hotspur stars of the last 15 years or so, people will understandably name the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the utterly sensational partnership under Mauricio Pochettino and beyond.

However, while they're both undoubtedly legends of the club and icons of the league, it could be argued that neither one was quite as magnificent as Gareth Bale in his absolute prime.

The Welsh international took a little while to make his mark on the club, but in the few years prior to his world-record transfer to Real Madrid, he was without question one of the very best players in world football.

In fact, his final campaign for the club, in the 12/13 season, could be put forward as one of the best any player has ever had in English football, as he racked up a bonkers haul of 26 goals and ten assists while playing primarily in left-midfield, and some of the goals were utterly sublime to boot.

It would be fair to say that the Cardiff-born legend was a once-in-a-lifetime type of player, and while the Lilywhites might never have a winger quite as devastating as him, recent reports have linked the club with a youngster who could be something close to their next Bale.

Tottenham targeting their next Gareth Bale

According to a recent report from the Telegraph, Tottenham are incredibly interested in Southampton star Tyler Dibling.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have already held talks over the teenage sensation and would ideally like to sign him this month, but are also discussing an agreement to bring him to the club in the summer.

A potential price the Lilywhites would have to pay for the exciting talent isn't mentioned in the story, but other reports from earlier this month claim that the Saints value him at a whopping £55m and that several other sides like Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leipzig are also all keen on the player.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Dibling's immense ability and massive potential, it's undoubtedly one worth fighting for, especially as there are some similarities between him and Bale.

Why Dibling could be Spurs' next Bale

So, there are a few reasons why Dibling could be Spurs' next Bale and the first is the simple fact that, like the Welsh icon, he'd be joining the club from Southampton as an exciting teenage prospect.

The Lilywhites signed the future Champions League winner from the Saints when he was just 17 years old, and like the talent they are chasing today, they paid what was seen as slightly over the odds at the time, a fee of £5m rising to £10m.

Moreover, similar to the South Coast side's current young star, the Cardiff-born dynamo was a highly sought-after prospect, with Arsenal and Manchester United both credited with an interest in him prior to his move to N17.

Now, in terms of their similarity on the pitch, it's a little complicated.

At the time of his transfer, and for some years after, Bale was primarily used as an attacking full-back, but thanks to the genius of Harry Redknapp, he was eventually moved up to wide midfield and the wing, where he'd go on to terrorise opposition defenders with his direct style of play, brutal shot power and underrated range of passes.

The Saints' current teenage sensation has thankfully been playing in his best role for much of his short senior career already, albeit on the opposite flank, and while it would be absurd to expect a similar level of output out of him as the man whose footsteps he could follow in, he's already proving to be a handful for defenders.

For example, in just 24 appearances, totalling 1505 minutes, the "special" prospect, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Danny Murphy, has scored four goals and provided two assists.

That means he is averaging a goal involvement every four games, or every 250.83 minutes, which is only made all the more impressive by his age and the fact he is doing so in a team that could go down as the worst in Premier League history.

Ultimately, Dibling looks like he will develop into a superstar a few years from now, and even though he'll cost a lot of money, Spurs should do all they can to sign him, as he might just be their next Bale.

Despite a lack of recent success, Tottenham Hotspur have splashed the cash in recent years under Daniel Levy, bringing in a number of players for £30m or more.

Ange Postecoglou has been backed in the transfer market, with a plethora of stars being attracted to the project on offer in north London. But who is Spurs' record arrival? We've taken a look at Tottenham's 10 most expensive signings.

Here’s a detailed look at Tottenham’s 10 most expensive signings…

£40m from Leicester City

Starting off the countdown is attacking midfielder James Maddison, who swapped Leicester City for Spurs following the Foxes’ relegation in 2023.

Maddison has featured heavily for Tottenham since signing his five-year contract, with Spurs pipping Newcastle United to a deal.

£40m from Sporting CP

Another £40m signing is Pedro Porro, who was previously on the books with Manchester City and returned to England in January 2023 with Tottenham.

He arrived on loan with an obligation to make a deal permanent in the summer from Sporting CP, and that was worth around £40m.

£40m from Leeds United

Archie Gray appears to be a star in the making which resulted in Ange Postecoglou and Spurs spending big on his services from Leeds United in 2024.

As part of a deal for the youngster, Leeds signed Joe Rodon, but it looks as if a total package for Gray cost up to £40m.

£42m from Ajax

Centre-back Davinson Sanchez was a club-record signing when he arrived from Ajax for £42m in 2017.

Mauricio Pochettino was the man in charge when Sanchez moved to England and the Colombia international made more than 200 appearances for the club before leaving for Galatasaray in 2023.

£42.5m from Atalanta

Another defender who cost Spurs big money is Cristian Romero, who arrived from Atalanta in 2021.

The Argentinian has shone for club and country, winning the Copa America and being voted Serie A's best defender, which prompted Tottenham to spend £42.5m.

Daniel Levy may well have overseen things, but it was perhaps the best thing Nuno Espirito Santo did for the club during his short spell in charge.

£43m from Wolfsburg

Centre-back Micky van de Ven, who made the move to north London in 2023, signed from Wolfsburg for just under an initial £35m, with the total fee potentially rising to £43m.

He quickly impressed in the Premier League with his pace and power at the back, and all going well, Van de Ven will at least be with Spurs until 2029.

£47.5m from Nottingham Forest

A deadline day signing in September 2023, Brennan Johnson cost Tottenham £47.5m from Nottingham Forest.

The Wales international, capable of playing anywhere across the front three, signed a contract through to 2028 and will be hoping to repay that fee over the coming years.

£60m from Everton

After eye-catching spells in England with Watford and Everton, Tottenham decided to spend an initial £50m on Richarlison in 2022, with his transfer potentially totalling £60m including add-ons.

The Brazilian’s first season was a struggle, scoring just once in 27 Premier League games. However, he has shown glimpses of brilliance in north London and is under contract until 2027.

£62.8m from Lyon

Midfielder Tanguy Ndombele became Tottenham's record signing when he joined in 2019, but his move from Lyon didn't work out.

Signed by Mauricio Pochettino just months before the Argentinian manager was sacked, it proved to be a poor misjudgement from the Spurs boss.

The Frenchman signed a six-year contract and cost a whopping £55m, while his deal could have reached £62.8m with add-ons. However, after making 91 appearances and struggling in England, Ndombele had his contract terminated in 2024.

£65m from Bournemouth

Tottenham’s record signing is striker Dominic Solanke, who arrived from Bournemouth in the summer.

The transfer window is rapidly reaching its conclusion and, as most fans will attest, it feels as if Tottenham Hotspur haven't done enough.

The only player to join the club so far this month has been 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonín Kinský, who completed his £12.5m move from Slavia Prague on January 5th, but since then, there has been a whole lot of rumours and nothing else.

What's worse is that other teams in the Premier League are strengthening their squad, most notably Manchester City, who have been on quite a spending spree this month, with the £59m purchase of Eintracht Frankfurt goal machine Omar Marmoush the pick of the bunch.

However, there is still time for Daniel Levy and Co to make a splash in the market, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club might just be going after a Premier League star who could be their answer to City's new Egyptian superstar.

Tottenham target Premier League sensation

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are now one of multiple clubs chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest are all keen on the Brazilian ace, who has yet to sign a new contract at Molineux.

However, as well as getting ahead of some tough competition, Spurs will have to stump up a hefty fee to get their man, with the report claiming that it will take at least £70m to convince the Old Gold to sell.

It will be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given how well Cunha has played this season and Postecoglou's need for signings, it's one worth fighting for, especially as he's been compared to the brilliant Marmoush.

How Cunha compares to Marmoush and why Spurs should sign him

So, before we get into some of the other reasons Spurs should be looking to sign Cunha this month, let's examine this comparison to City's new signing and where it comes from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that Marmoush is the ninth most similar forward to the Brazilian star.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, expected assists, through balls, crosses, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

However, while sharing a considerable number of statistical similarities with the champions' marquee signing is certainly encouraging, it's not the sole reason the North Londoners should be going after the Wolves ace.

One of the other most significant reasons for breaking the bank on the João Pessoa-born this month is his sensational form in front of goal this season.

For example, in just 23 appearances for the relegation-threatened Old Gold, the "unbelievable" 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Alex Richards, has found the back of the net on ten occasions and provided four assists, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games.

That is the sort of game-changing firepower that Postecoglou could really use to pull his side out of the slump they are currently in.

Therefore, while it will be an incredibly expensive transfer, Spurs should do all they can to sign Cunha, as he could be a season-defining addition and their answer to Marmoush.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been handed a potentially encouraging bit of transfer news from a reliable media source, with Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou in urgent need of an outfield signing given the plethora of injuries which have swept through his squad.

Tottenham are working on two more major signings for Postecoglou

It is a sorry state of affairs at N17, with the Lilywhites languishing closer to relegation than a European qualification place. Postecoglou is under mounting pressure in the Spurs dugout as a result, and the Australian is badly in need of financial backing from the board.

Solanke's absence is another huge blow for Tottenham, with the England international expected to miss six weeks of action after twisting his knee in training. Postecoglou is relying on Richarlison to get back up to speed quickly, but it is believed that Spurs are looking to sign a new forward to complement the Brazilian.

Following their £12.5 million deal for goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky right at the start of the window, Fabrizio Romano recently stated that Spurs still hope to get two more acquisitions through the door before deadline day on February 3rd.

“They’re working on it, Tottenham need players," said Romano to GiveMeSport this week. "After Kinsky, they wanted to bring in (Randal) Kolo Muani, but as we know, he’s going to Juventus, so that was not possible. The idea remains to bring in at least two players from now to the end of the window.”

One target who's been talked about as an option for the Lilywhites is Southampton winger Tyler Dibling, who stands out as one of the Saints' star players despite being just 18-years-old.

The homegrown ace ticks many boxes for Postecoglou and the club in general, with Spurs potentially looking to snatch his signature in the coming days.

Tottenham in "very concrete" talks with Tyler Dibling's camp

As per Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Dibling remains high on Postecoglou's agenda.

The reliable reporter previously claimed that Tottenham are the biggest competitors for Dibling's signature, and Plettenberg has follows that up with news on their pursuit of the £55 million winger.

The Sky journalist says that Tottenham are in "very concrete" talks with Dibling's camp, but they are by no means his only suitors, with RB Leipzig still very much in the frame and pretty keen to acquire his services.

The last couple of years have been a real roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have seen Ange Postecoglou take the reins and turn the club from one of the more boring teams to watch in the Premier League to arguably the most entertaining, and as things stand, they're the third-highest scoring team in the competition this year.

What makes that fact even more remarkable is that they are so dangerous in attack despite being down in 15th place and are in the midst of an injury crisis that has seen them lose their starting number nine and second top-scorer in Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth star doesn't have much competition for a starting place in the squad, as while Richarlison is back fit, his overall record of 18 goals and nine assists in 77 games is simply not good enough.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted a forward who'd be the perfect rival for the Englishman for a move to N17 this month, a forward who has previously been compared to Harry Kane of all people.

Tottenham target Premier League striker

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are one of multiple clubs interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson this month.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Bournemouth, Everton, Fulham, Celtic and West Ham have all asked about signing the Irish ace on loan. The Hammers are said to hold an advantage thanks to Graham Potter managing the youngster during his time on the south coast.

While this level of competition is far from ideal, the good news, for Daniel Levy and Co at least, is that the Seagulls are reportedly happy to let the exciting striker leave the club on loan, meaning that there is minimal financial downside to securing his services for the North Londoners.

It looks like it could be a challenging deal to get over the line, but given Ferguson's raw ability and sky-high potential, it's one worth fighting for, especially as he'd be an ideal rival for Solanke and has been compared to Kane in the past.

Why Ferguson would be a dream Solanke rival

Okay, so there are several reasons why having Ferguson in the squad would be good for the team as well as Solanke, and the first is that it would give Postecoglou the chance to rest the latter.

So far this season, the former Bournemouth star has played 29 games for the Australian, 24 of which have been starts, and while he hasn't traditionally suffered from too many major injuries in the past, he's also not got the cleanest of records, with nine injuries keeping him out of 40 games since the start of the 18/19 campaign.

So, if the manager knows that he has a young hungry striker who was previously tipped to reach the very top in his squad, then he can start him in some of the less important matches and allow his star poacher to rest more often, which in turn should hopefully minimise the chance of him being forced to sit out.

The second reason the Irish international would be a great rival is that he's still the same player who was blowing people away a couple of seasons ago, and in the right environment, with the right coaching, there is no reason to suspect he couldn't get back to that sort of form.

For example, it was only in March 2023 that former Liverpool and Ireland striker John Aldridge described the then 18-year-old centre-forward as "an Irish version of Harry Kane" and then just four months later, former Spurs star Gary Lineker mooted the idea that the club should sign the young phenom "as Kane's replacement."

Now, that all might sound a little hyperbolic today, but at the time, it really did look like the Bettystown-born gem was going to be the next superstar striker, as in just 25 first-team appearances across the 22/23 season, totalling 1345 minutes, the "phenomenal" striker, as dubbed by teammate James Milner, scored ten goals and provided three assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.92 games, or every 103.46 minutes as an 18-year-old, which is unbelievably impressive, and were it not for a number of unfortunate injuries, then he might well have carried that form into the following seasons.

Ultimately, Spurs need another centre-forward to genuinely rival Solanke once he's back from his injury, and while there is an element of risk around how good Ferguson still is, it's a risk well worth taking, as if he can recreate anything close to his form of a couple of years ago, then Postecoglou will have another extraordinary striker in his squad.

There is a possibility Tottenham Hotspur could sign a highly-rated forward on loan before the end of this January window, following reliably reported "concrete" talks with the player's representatives.

Tottenham chasing first outfield signing of January window

Weeks after their £12.5 million deal for young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, which was confirmed at the start of January, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is still yet to see a new outfield player come through the door.

The Australian has publicly stated their need for help in the form of transfers, but Tottenham's hierarchy are yet to land a fresh squad upgrade for the under-fire manager despite attempts.

Tottenham did try to sign Randal Kolo Muani from PSG midway through the month, according to reliable media sources, with Juventus eventually beating them in the race for his signature on a season-long loan deal.

Despite their shortage of left-sided centre-back options, even when Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are both fit, Postecoglou's side are believed to be prioritising a new attacker before deadline day on February 3rd.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas says "all the focus" at Spurs is on bringing in a new forward, leading to their widely reported interest in Southampton starlet Tyler Dibling.

The versatile 18-year-old has racked up four goals and two assists in all competitions this season, over an impressive 24 appearances, and it is safe to say he is Southampton's standout rising star right now.

Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg claimed last week that Tottenham are the "biggest competitor" for Dibling's signature, even if RB Leipzig really want to make a deal happen.

Plettenberg then later stated on X that Spurs are in "very concrete" talks with Dibling's agents as well, and journalist Graeme Bailey's got another update on their pursuit of the teenager.

Tottenham could sign Tyler Dibling on loan in January

Bailey, writing for The Boot Room, says that Tottenham could now secure a January loan deal for Dibling, on the condition it includes an obligation to buy at the end of the season.

The Englishman has apparently told St. Mary's officials that he's got no intention of signing a new deal, putting his long-term future into question, but the Saints are set to demand around £50 million for Dibling to fully leave.

While Spurs cannot afford such a fee this window, they may well look to bring in the England Under-21 international on an initial temporary deal and pay the fee later this year.

£50m could be deemed an extortionate price tag for Dibling, but his quality and serious potential may also make it a solid investment for the future.

"It is the quality he has got," said BBC pundit Danny Murphy on Dibling this season.

"The belief in himself and the physical power. He just goes past people with ease. He has got a lovely left foot. He is very brave on the ball and his decision-making is good.

"It is difficult to get too over the top with these young players, because he has just come on to the scene, but he is going to be something special. It is great for him getting all these minutes at Southampton. They are giving him the freedom to play and giving him time to learn the game."