Our expert reveals which positions Spurs will look to strengthen next month
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There may be no Premier League team more in need of new recruits this month than Tottenham, who have been blighted by injuries particularly in defence.
Ange Postecoglou promised silverware in his second season just as he usually brings to a club, and while they have made a cup semi-final for the first time in three years, the Australian may need some reinforcements to go any further - not least as their last-four opponents are Liverpool.
There's also a Europa League campaign to stock up for with Spurs just outside the top eight of the league table, a place in which would guarantee them safe passage to the last 16, and an FA Cup journey that begins at non-League Tamworth next week.
So who might arrive and where to bolster Spurs' ranks? And will their biggest addition be the massed ranks occupying the treatment room?
Here, as part of our series looking at Premier League clubs' January transfer plans, our Spurs expert Matt Barlow answers the five big questions.
Most urgently, they could do with some more firepower up front and a defender. They might also look at short term cover at goalkeeper and centre half.
Although much will depend on the recovery assessments of their injuries in the next few weeks. Postecoglou talks like someone hedging his bets because he hopes players such as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Richarlison will be fit again soon.
But then can he rely on them all staying fit until the end of the season? Probably not with Tottenham's current injury record.
Postecoglou wants more depth in the squad. Cover and options from the bench, which is likely to mean creative loan deals and/or continued investment in young talent to develop in the mould of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert, rather than big money splurges to improve the first team.
There are no great PSR concerns at Tottenham but the watchword regarding transfers through recent press conferences with Postecoglou has been 'discipline'.
There have also been warnings about it being trickier than usual this year because of the new format in Europe and with two ties to play in the Champions League and Europa League there are clubs holding players when they might have been prepared to sell or loan had they been out of European competition.
Beyond this, with no summer international tournament there is not the same pressure from individual players to make moves to win places in the squads.
I'd expect Spurs to perform as they have in the last couple windows, looking primarily at young players and short-terms solutions with bigger investments and any potential improvements on the first team more likely to wait until the summer 2025.
With Spurs, it's easier to talk about those who they already have on the way, having wrapped up a pair of signings that will give them a boost in 2025.
Yang Min-Hyeok is one player who will arrive and be added to the squad.
Yang is an 18-year-old winger, who scored a dozen goals and won the Young Player of the Year award in South Korea's K-League last season. Tottenham signed him from Gangwon in July but agreed to let him complete the K-League season before making the switch to London in mid-December, and he will register in the New Year.
Luka Vuskovic is a 17-year-old central defender signed from Hadjuk Split in 2023. Vuskovic is 6ft 4in tall and on loan in Belgium at Westerlo, for whom he has been ever-present and scored six goals.
He is due to join Spurs next summer and the club's raft of emerging talent is one of the reasons they will not commit to a rash of signings of experienced players on long expensive contracts in the same positions.
Sergio Reguilon is out of contract at the end of the season and will be sold if they can find a buyer. Even a massive injury crisis has not resurrected his Tottenham career.
It was his first Spurs appearance for two years and eight months when he came off the bench in the 89th minute of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United in December.
Richarlison if they could raise a decent fee but that will be harder than ever after his absence through the first half of the season. He rejected a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
Timo Werner is another option, if they can negotiate out of the loan deal with RB Leipzig and bring in a replacement.
A shrewd move for that old favourite Internal Solutions. Mikey Moore is a precocious talent on the wing at 17, but almost as soon as he burst onto the scene this season he picked up a virus and has not been seen since the end of October.
He should return imminently and will be a vital injection of energy and speed to a squad that has been out on its feet while ailments have prevented Postecoglou from rotating just when the fixture calendar got its most congested.
Other young academy products Will Lankshear and Alfie Dorrington will likely get their chances if the injury crisis persists, though they are not as highly thought of.
Odobert, the £25m summer signing, should finally be able to make his mark soon when he returns from a hamstring injury that has kept him out even longer than Moore.
Tamworth have been criticised for their staggering ticket prices for their FA Cup third round tie at home to Tottenham.
The National League side will host Ange Postecoglou's team at The Lamb Ground on January 12 in one of the most intriguing ties of the round, with the game to be shown live on ITV 1.
However, many fans are unhappy with Tamworth's ticket pricing for the fixture and have accused the club of trying to cash in on the occasion.
The Lamb Ground has a capacity of 4,963, which includes just 518 seats. Tamworth announced that it will cost £42 for an adult to sit in the main stand, while it will cost £38 for an adult to stand on the terraces.
Supporters aged over 66 will have to pay £37 for a seat in the main stand, with a standing ticket costing £33.
Under-17s, meanwhile, will be charged £34 for a seat or £30 to stand. Under-10s will have to pay £29 for a seat and £25 to stand.
Tamworth's ticket pricing has provoked a backlash on social media.
One user stated that they not won't be attending the game due to the extortionate prices.
They wrote: 'I was going to go to that and root for Tamworth as I've seen them a couple of times but there's no way I'm being ripped off.'
Meanwhile, another user described Tamworth's approach as 'abysmal'.
They wrote: 'That’s abysmal by the club tbh, a chance to get ppl in that may then want to become regulars & boost attendances yet they’ve priced a lot of ppl out of it now & this is more likely to cost them fans than gain them!'.
A further user branded the ticket prices 'disgraceful'. They wrote: 'Absolutely disgraceful prices. Should be ashamed of yourselves.'
Another user stated that the prices are 'shameful'. They wrote: 'Shameful and nothing to do with the scrapping of replays (which is a disgrace, though)'.
A further comment read: 'That pricing is an absolute disgrace. You should seriously reconsider what you’re doing. What a joke.'
There was more criticism of Tamworth as they were accused of being unfair to their supporters with their pricing.
They wrote: 'I get it, this is an opportunity for you to make some money as it’s a huge fixture for the club, but these prices aren’t fan friendly at all.'
One user wrote: 'Wow, just wow. What scandalous prices. That will certainly dampen the mood and what happened to the once proud family club.'
Another user claimed that Tamworth should be ashamed of themselves. They wrote: 'Should be ashamed of yourselfs hope no one turns up at them prices! Feel for the regular fans having to pay that to see you get hammered'.
Ange Postecoglou maintains the backing of Tottenham’s board but the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool is emerging as key to the Australian’s prospects.
Spurs face Wolves on Sunday off the back of a poor run of form that has seen them lose four of their previous five Premier League games - their only victory coming against bottom of the table Southampton.
The sequence leaves them languishing in the bottom half of the table already nine points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.
Nevertheless, Mail Sport understands Postecoglou’s position remains safe for now, though there is an acknowledgment that results need to improve.
Crucially, that Spurs are still in the Europa League and are two matches from Wembley in the Carabao Cup is understood to be working in Postecoglou’s favour.
Tottenham have not won a trophy since 2008 and the prospect of lifting silverware for the first time in 17 years would be viewed as major success.
However, defeat to Liverpool in the forthcoming two-legged semi-final is set to be a factor towards how the club view Postecoglou’s future, particularly if the team’s league form shows no sign of consistent improvement.
The first leg of the clash against Arne Slot’s league leaders is scheduled for January 8, with the second to be played at Anfield on February 6.
Spurs still have two Europa League group games to play - versus Hoffenheim and IF Elfsborg as they look to secure a place in the last 16.
Postecoglou has a history of winning trophies during his second season at clubs.
He won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and the Japanese championship with Yokohama F Marinos - all in his second season or second full season in charge.
Postecoglou also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia boss - and the Scottish title in both seasons with Celtic.
Tottenham have lost four of the last five in the Premier League and sit 12th
Ben Davies has suffered a setback while Radu Dragusin is struggling to be fit
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Ange Postecoglou has promised to hold his nerve through Tottenham's latest sequence of misfortune and misfiring form.
He dismissed the idea pressure must be building and anxiety seeping in, instead insisting his players are behind him, fully on board with his adventurous playing style and that the club's recruitment department are trying to ease what he considers the worst injury crisis of his coaching career.
'I get where people kind of look at my situation and think "Jeez, he needs to do something or else he is in trouble" but I don't think that way,' said Postecoglou. 'It's not how I am wired.
'My motivation is try to create teams who win things and have success. That doesn't really change. I will keep doing what I am doing. It doesn't add any pressure or I don't feel any extra anxiety about anything. I firmly believe we will get through this and come out stronger and create the team we want to be.'
Spurs have lost four of the last five in the Premier League and suffered another untimely blow yesterday(FRI) with Ben Davies ruled out for at least two more weeks after suffering a setback on his return to training after three weeks out with a hamstring problem.
Djed Spence misses Sunday's game against Wolves, banned after a red card in the Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest. Radu Dragusin is struggling to be fit with an ankle injury from the same game.
With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven still out, it leaves Postecoglou desperately short in central defence. Yves Bissouma and Alfie Dorrington will lead the contenders to partner Archie Gray if Dragusin is out.
Even so, Postecoglou tried to remain positive. 'We're not that far off,' he said. 'A week ago, I was sitting here after winning a Carabao Cup quarter final and having beaten Southampton 5-0. And we're in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and still in great position in Europe and there's the FA Cup.
'Our league position is not great but it's super tight. If you look at some of the teams four or five points above us, I don't think that's going to stretch by any great lengths over the next period because all teams you see are suffering at some point. Ours is probably a bit more extreme than others but I'm confident we'll work through that.
'There's still everything for us to play for this year to make it a season where we can have success.'
Reinforcements, though, would certainly help. 'The players need some help, more importantly, and the club is working really hard to try make that happen,' said Postecoglou, but the January market can be difficult, and Tottenham intend to hold their discipline in line with recent windows.
Richarlison and Mikey Moore are expected back in training next week, before the Premier League game against Newcastle, and Yang Min-Hyeok, an 18-year-old South Korean winger, can be registered in the New Year.
Yang signed from Gangwon in July but completed the K-League season before making the switch to London.
Postecoglou insisted the players were still firmly behind his methods. 'They are still trying so hard,' said Postecoglou. 'That's the first thing you look at as a manager, are the players still responding or are they out there looking to an alternative?
'It's human nature to think we need to do something different or we're obviously undermanned, let's change something. I haven't sensed that. The players still want to tackle this the way we are tackling it. It's a credit to them.
'But it's up to me to guide them through that and show them all these things are temporary, and that you will get through it. If we do get through them in a positive way, the bonus and the benefit is that makes you stronger.
'There's always people in life who people look at a bit curiously because they do things a bit differently and they're a bit of a joke until they get it right then all of a sudden they're a genius. That's probably relevant to us right now.'
Teenage talent Luka Vuskovic cannot join struggling Tottenham soon enough as the incoming defender continues to impress in Belgium, scoring a mesmerising bicycle kick.
Spurs confirmed the signing of the highly-rated 17-year-old from Hajduk Split in September 2023 but the signing came with a caveat - he was to stay at the Croatian outfit until 2025.
Vuskovic spent the second half of last season on loan at Polish side Rodamiak and this campaign at Belgian team K.V.C. Westerlo.
The defender caught the attention of top British clubs including Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool after helping Hajduk win the Croatian Cup in 2023.
He also made his debut for the club aged 15 and became their youngest-ever goalscorer after finding the net just days after his 16th birthday.
Tottenham might not have expected to regret the delayed arrival too much but a recent defensive crisis has made Vuskovic's electric form all the more painful for Ange Postecoglou.
He struck his sixth league goal of the season for mid-table Westerlo against Club Brugge on Boxing Day and it was one to remember.
A ball comes looping in from the left flank and finds Australian wide man Jordan Bos at the back post, who heads it back into the heart of the box.
From nowhere, 6ft 5in Vuskovic throws his long legs into the air and unleashes a bicycle kick which fires the ball past former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
The wonderstrike completed a comeback at Brugge from two goals down, but Westerlo ended up slipping to a 4-3 defeat which leaves them in 11th on 23 points from 20 matches.
Fellow Spurs loanee Alfie Devine also scored in the loss, giving Postecoglou further cause to regret shipping the youngsters out as the club's injury crisis deepens by the day.
Ben Davies, out since damaging a hamstring at Bournemouth at the start of December, returned to training this week with a view to returning against Wolves on Sunday.
But Postecoglou has ruled him out for another 'couple of weeks' after a setback in training.
The setback comes after Radu Dragusin limped off in the final minutes of a Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest with an ankle complaint.
And Djed Spence will be banned against Wolves after a red card in stoppage time at the City Ground.
Central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario are all out with injuries.
'It's a bit early to tell,' said Postecoglou when asked about the extent of Dragusin's injury. 'He tweaked an ankle and felt like couldn't continue, we'll have to wait and see.'
Spurs finished the game at Forest with 18-year-old Archie Gray and midfielder Yves Bissouma in central defence.
'We've not many options,' said Postecoglou. 'We're in a tough spot and have been for a while.
'We've been getting through and keeping our fingers crossed but the nature of football and fixture scheduling means it's always a fine line of getting through. This is another test and what have to deal with we will deal with.
'I've never known it go one for this level and this period of time. We've had close to 10 first team players not available for a significant run of games. It's definitely a first for me.'
Tottenham are already without defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven
Radu Dragusin then limped off during their 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest
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Ange Postecoglou has suffered another blow with a fresh setback for Ben Davies deepening Tottenham's defensive injury crisis.
Davies, out since damaging a hamstring at Bournemouth at the start of December, returned to training this week with a view to returning against Wolves on Sunday.
But Postecoglou has ruled him out for another 'couple of weeks' after a setback in training.
The setback comes after Radu Dragusin limped off in the final minutes of a Boxing Day defeat at Nottingham Forest with an ankle complaint.
And Djed Spence will be banned against Wolves after a red card in stoppage time at the City Ground.
Central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario are all out with injuries.
'It's a bit early to tell,' said Postecoglou when asked about the extent of Dragusin's injury. 'He tweaked an ankle and felt like couldn't continue, we'll have to wait and see.'
Spurs finished the game at Forest with 18-year-old Archie Gray and midfielder Yves Bissouma in central defence.
'We've not many options,' said Postecoglou. 'We're in a tough spot and have been for a while.
'We've been getting through and keeping our fingers crossed but the nature of football and fixture scheduling means it's always a fine line of getting through. This is another test and what have to deal with we will deal with.
'I've never known it go one for this level and this period of time. We've had close to 10 first team players not available for a significant run of games. It's definitely a first for me.'
Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest scores, team news and updates from Boxing Day 3pm matches including Chelsea vs Fulham, Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace, Southampton vs West Ham, Newcastle vs Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest vs Spurs.
Sergio Reguilon and social media star, Marta Diaz, broke up last year
Tottenham full-back spent Christmas with new partner Clara Ranz Rodríguez.
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Fans have noticed that Sergio Reguilon has made the decision to delete all of his Instagram posts that included his ex-girlfriend Marta Diaz.
Tottenham left-back Reguilon, 28, and social media star Diaz, 24, ended their long-term relationship last September just as Diaz was filming for the successful Spanish programme 'El Desafio'.
During the show, Diaz was seen breaking down in tears and admitting that she was thinking about 'something else'.
The removal of Diaz from his social media profile comes as he shared a Christmas snap with his new partner Clara Ranz Rodríguez.
The pair were seen posing in front of a Christmas tree with their arms around their pet dog.
Rodriguez recently made her love for Reguilon clear in a post of her own on his 28th birthday.
'Happy birthday my life @sergioregui I take advantage of this special day to reiterate how lucky I feel to have you in my life, you are a wonderful and incredibly strong person,' she wrote.
'I am very proud of you!! Lucky to be able to spend this day by your side for another year. I love you my love, happy birthday and happy life!!'
Little is known about Rodriguez other than she has 124,000 Instagram followers and is the co-founder of a jewelry company.
Reguilon has been on Tottenham's books for four years but has spent loans spells with three clubs during that time.
He appeared to share a sarcastic message about his Spurs exile after Ange Postecoglou gave him his first seven minutes of football this season in the Carabao Cup win over Manchester United.
The Spanish outcast was brought on in the 91st minute of the 4-3 win over United, who were one of the clubs he spent time with on loan.
The full-back is clearly considered surplus to requirements and has only made the bench five times this campaign.
The game was, in fact, his first appearance for Spurs since April 2022 after loans at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford.
His contract is up at the end of the season and Mail Sport reported in the summer how he wants to join a club playing European football.
After the United game, he posted on Instagram: 'look mum, I played a football game yesterday'.
The 28-year-old did receive interest over the summer but opted to reject the proposals which came his way.
In January, Manchester United cut Reguilon's loan short after he failed to impress at Old Trafford.
He spent the back end of last season on loan at Brentford, where he made 16 appearances, including 14 starts.
Spurs signed him for £30million on a five-year deal in 2020 and he made a solid start for them but has clearly fallen out of favour.
Opportunities could open up as Tottenham venture deeper into the season and Postecoglou admitted that fellow left-back Destiny Udogie has been fatigued.
There were very few voices of dissent when Nuno Espirito Santo's short reign as Tottenham boss came to an end.
It was November 2021 and more than the fact they were eighth in the Premier League with a disappointing record of eight wins from 17 games it was a matter of style.
'Clearly not the right fit,' was the verdict from those at the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust.
These reflections, three years on, offer an intriguing perspective as Spurs travel to Nottingham Forest, flying high in fourth under Nuno, difficult to play against, threatening on the break and fuelled by the goals of Chris Wood.
Nobody at the City Ground is complaining about the way they are going about it while Spurs fans are locking into another existential crisis about what it is they really want and expect from their team.
Ange Postecoglou has revived an identity for flamboyance and flair after four years under Jose Mourinho, Nuno and Antonio Conte. Goals are guaranteed. So too, thrills with results teetering in the balance even when one side is three up.
Yet they wallow below midway in the table, besieged for weeks by injuries and eight points adrift of Forest after Sunday's demoralising 6-3 thrashing at home against Liverpool.
'I am responsible for it,' said Postecoglou. 'I am the one choosing the path we're on. It's difficult, I don't like seeing our supporters having to experience a game like that.
'I don't like the players giving everything and feeling the way they do. And all the staff, because everyone works hard and they're all doing a great job. But ultimately, on a day like that, everyone leaves fairly deflated and disappointed and unfairly judged.
'That's my responsibility. Of course it weighs on me very heavily. But my biggest responsibility is to try and change the course of this club and bring success. And as much as I take it pretty hard, I still feel like my role is to make sure that we stay the course.'
He is criticised by experts for failing to rethink his cavalier style just as Nuno was bemoaned and ultimately fired by Spurs because his football was dry and lacking adventure.
'In today's world we search for perfection and it doesn't exist,' said Postecoglou. 'Whatever road you go down there's going to be some pain and challenges.
'People say I should be more defensive minded so that means I need to temper my attacking approach. Make it more defensive to achieve what? Achieve perfection. And if you're too defensive, people say you should be a little bit more attacking, for what purpose? To be perfect. None of that exists.
'Some people will always just look in the black-and-white terms of just results. If I'm winning, then I'm great. My system is great, my beliefs are great, my philosophy is great and if I'm losing everything isn't.'
Tottenham's crisis is eased with Rodrigo Bentancur back after a seven-match ban and Ben Davies vying to return after injury.
The transfer market opens next week, but Postecoglou fears it could be more difficult than ever to sign players in midseason because of changes to European competitions.
The Spurs boss said: 'Sometimes in January you would find a couple of clubs thinking, 'we're not in the Champions League so maybe just release a couple from our roster' and that doesn't exist now.
'European competitions are still in the balance. So that probably adds another layer of difficulty to it. But we'll endeavour because there's definitely a need for us to reinforce.
'We'll just see how successful we are in that. Improving the team may be a bit challenging, but improving the depth of our squad, I think there's always possibilities out there.'