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There was once a time that Ivan Rakitic could have been a Tottenham player, but ultimately a deal with Barcelona could not be done at the time in 2020.

The Croatian footballer is a highly respected figure in the world of football, having won numerous La Liga titles and a Champions League with the Spanish club.

He was also part of the famous Croatian national side that finished as runners-up in the 2018 World Cup.

Rakitic would have joined the list of Croatians that have donned the Spurs jersey, which includes the likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic.

But it also includes a current Lilywhite man, Luka Vuskovic, who is currently out on loan, which was a contested decision by the fanbase.

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However, Spurs fans may not like to hear what Rakitic has said about his fellow countryman.

Ivan Rakitic raves about Tottenham’s Luka Vuskovic

Vuskovic was signed as a young talent at Tottenham, but his time at N17 has seen him get zero minutes for Spurs.

After arriving in July 2025, he was sent out on loan, joining Bundesliga side Hamburg just a month later.

While on loan, Vuskovic has been impressing highly, and his performances have been catching the eyes of those in the footballing world.

None less than his fellow Croatian, Rakitic.

Speaking about Vuskovic with Sky Sports Germany, Rakitic said: “All of Europe is talking about him right now.

“Bayern needs to do everything [to sign him]. He has everything it takes to become one of the best centre-backs.”

As he has yet to play a game for the North London side, Spurs fans will no doubt not like the thought of one of the bigger talents at the club leaving without featuring for them.

How is Luka Vuskovic doing this season?

Vuskovic is having a remarkable season for Hamburg this year, and he is a player that Spurs could desperately use right now.

Thomas Frank is undergoing a defensive crisis, and rumours of Cristian Romero leaving are not helping either.

When it comes to the 18-year-old, Vuskovic has been proving himself as a dominant defender in the Bundesliga this campaign, with a staggering 80 per cent aerial duel success, as per Sofascore.

He also seems to be quite active at the back, highlighted by his 8.5 clearances per game and his 4.3 balls recovered per game.

Additionally, his 7.27 rating is higher than any current Tottenham player, with Romero the closest with 7.2.

He is also seemingly a goal threat at the other end of the pitch, too. The central defender has netted four goals in the league, currently matching the totals of Romero and Micky van de Ven in England.

Overall, he is proving to be quite the signing by Tottenham, and perhaps a player they should have kept around for this season.

Thomas Frank still has the potential to succeed at Tottenham.

Frank is under intense pressure at Spurs, and fans still need to see a lot of improvement from a team that had undergone heavy investment over the summer.

Tottenham had a quiet winter transfer window, with Conor Gallagher’s arrival from Atletico Madrid being their marquee signing.

Supporters were expecting at least one more face through the door on deadline day, but it was not to be in a tough-to-take end to proceedings.

However, Frank‘s squad is certainly capable of mounting a late charge for the European places.

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Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke can strike up a brilliant partnership

Spurs sit 14th in the Premier League table, and they have still won just two games at home in the league this season.

Despite enduring a slow start to life in N17, it’s clear that Xavi Simons is slowly adapting to the physical nature of the Premier League.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has an abundance of potential, and Frank is certain that he can grow into a top-class player for Spurs.

According to Sofascore, Simons created two big chances and completed five successful dribbles in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Man City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs are also dealing with a lot of injuries in attack, but Dominic Solanke’s return to the side has been nothing short of excellent.

Solanke’s two goals against Man City were phenomenal, with the first being assisted by Simons’ excellent through ball.

The English striker is already outperforming his xG by 2.19 in all competitions this season, and he’ll be aiming to better his tally of 16 goals in 2024-25.

If both players can develop a strong partnership, then that is certainly achievable, and Solanke will be aiming to add to his four goals this campaign against Man United on Saturday.

The Sofascore graphic above shows that he has what it takes to be a consistent goalscorer under Frank, and it just depends on whether he can maintain his fitness levels for a prolonged period of time.

Tottenham can achieve anything with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in defence

Cristian Romero lashed out at Tottenham’s board once again on Monday, which shows how desperate the captain is for the team to succeed.

Sofascore states that the Argentine centre-back has made 4.2 clearances and 2.6 tackles per Premier League game in 2025-26.

Romero has been a warrior both on and off the pitch, and Frank will take pride in knowing that he has a top-class defender at his disposal.

His partner at the back, Micky van de Ven, isn’t doing too badly either.

The Netherlands international has been superb in both boxes, and he has scored seven goals in all competitions this campaign.

Having played 1970 minutes of Premier League football under Frank, he will certainly be key to Spurs’ European ambitions.

Both players are linked with moves away in the summer, but the pressure is now on them to lead Tottenham out of a worrying situation.

Frank’s success at Brentford shows he is able to work effectively against the odds, and there is still time for him to make up the 11-point gap between Spurs and fifth-placed Chelsea.

And if Tottenham can go on a good run in the knockout stages of the Champions League, then that could potentially save his job and their season.

Tottenham’s winter business is finally done, and Joe Lewis spent more money on new signings than he raised through sales.

Thomas Frank has welcomed new faces to Spurs in the past couple of weeks, while the Lilywhites have sanctioned the exits of multiple players, including youngsters.

Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace for £35million, while Tottenham spent roughly the same amount on bringing in Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid.

Profit and Sustainability Rules are something all Premier League clubs have to abide by, but Spurs fans haven’t yet had too much to worry about in terms of their own club’s financial situation.

So, the Lilywhites’ winter spending was interesting.

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Tottenham among biggest net spenders in the Premier League for winter market

Spurs sanctioned late loan departures for the likes of George Abbott and Alfie Dorrington, while Joel Vidal-Philbert and James Wilson arrived at Hotspur Way.

Though apart from Gallagher, Tottenham’s biggest incoming was new left-back Souza from Santos, who reportedly cost Lewis a fee in the region of £13million.

With Johnson’s N17 exit coming as Spurs’ only big sale, and a loss overall at that, their PSR picture may have ever so slightly changed.

Following the conclusion of the winter market, new data reveals that Tottenham ranked fifth for being the biggest net spenders in the Premier League.

According to data collected by Sky Sports, Tottenham have had a net spend of £12million this window.

What does the £12m net spend mean for Tottenham now?

The business Spurs conducted only proves that the Lilywhites are focused on retaining their current model of buying cheap players and trying to make a profit on them.

Sure, Gallagher was recruited for big money, but only with the cash raised through Johnson’s sale to Palace.

That’s not to say youth talent won’t be given chances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, just not every youngster will make it into the first team.

Lewis has full control of the Lilywhites now, but he seems to have the same values that Daniel Levy did in this case – staying profitable and financially stable.

Spurs are a healthy club, and the £12m net spend will have little effect on the club’s PSR status.

This means that Tottenham should be good to go again in the summer, and possibly come back with an even bigger transfer kitty.

Tottenham will now turn their attention to the summer transfer market following the close of the winter window.

Thomas Frank welcomed a couple of signings to Spurs in recent weeks, with Conor Gallagher the biggest name out of them all.

But several players were linked with an N17 exit in the past couple of weeks, and some who have stayed could yet leave in the summer.

Not only that, but the Lilywhites also have big decisions to make on several players who are out of contract at the end of the season, as Tottenham News picks out the players who are most likely to depart later this year.

The Tottenham players most likely to be sold this summer

Radu Dragusin cost Tottenham around £26million including add-ons, following his permanent switch to N17 from Genoa in the winter window of 2024.

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The centre-back was linked with a move back to Italy in the transfer window, and after his showing against Manchester City last time out, it’s clear to see why clubs didn’t make a firm offer.

Micky van de Ven could leave Spurs in the summer, with Barcelona and Real Madrid two clubs tracking the defender’s performances.

The Dutchman is clearly being held back with the Lilywhites, and suggestions are pointing towards his aspiration to move on to bigger things in a couple of months. Van de Ven has been immense, and would be a monumental loss.

Antonin Kinsky was tipped for a loan move to West Ham in the winter market, but a deal failed to transpire. The goalkeeper will most likely sit out the next couple of months, and there would be no point in keeping him permanently beyond this season.

Cristian Romero has been involved in more controversy after speaking out following the conclusion of Tottenham’s transfer window. The Argentine seems to be unhappy playing under Frank, and his exit could be forced in the summer.

Which Tottenham players are out of contract this year?

Ben Davies recently suffered a horror ankle injury when playing against West Ham in January, and could miss the rest of the season, with his deal expiring in the summer.

It would be a painfully sad end for the Welshman’s time at Spurs, having been such a great servant for them for so long.

Randal Kolo Muani wanted to join Juventus on deadline day, but Frank was adamant that he wanted to keep the PSG loanee.

Considering the Frenchman is set to return to his parent club in the summer, adding to the fact that he wants to rejoin Juventus, it’s highly unlikely that Spurs will try sign the striker on a permanent deal.

Joao Palhinha’s situation is a bit more complicated, with Tottenham having a £26m option to buy the midfielder from Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

However, even though the Portuguese star has played well, there has been no clear indication that the Lilywhites will take up this option to buy, as he could leave upon the expiry of his loan deal.

Yves Bissouma’s contract is up at the end of June, meanwhile, and although Spurs have an option to extend his deal, it looks unlikely that they will considering his injuries and other off-the-field issues.

Tottenham were not as active as expected in the final few days of the transfer window.

Thomas Frank had said that Spurs would be active to try and bring in new players in the closing stages of the market after the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

However, that was not the case, and the Lilywhites did not bring a single new player into the first-team squad before the opportunity to do so had passed.

It leaves the squad in a vulnerable position for the rest of the season, and leaves questions over the decision-making process in North London.

What has been said about Lange and Venkatesham?

John Wenham believes that the lack of senior transfer action is down to the chaos behind the scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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He tore Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham to shreds and questioned why Fabio Paratici was kept on after he announced his decision to leave.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “The blame for that has to go to the sporting director Johan Lange and also Vinai Venkatesham, he is supposed to be running the club and delegating powers down to people to make signings happen, we haven’t seen that.

“What was the point in Paratici hanging on? It was said he was hanging around to help with the rest of the transfer window, what has he actually helped with?

“We haven’t made a first-team signing in those last two weeks, until the window closed, when we kept getting weaker, due to the number of injuries in the squad.”

Frank has been hung out to dry by Tottenham boardroom figures

Frank had sounded positive after the draw with the Citizens, only to have no new additions come through the door by the time that the deadline passed.

That will be a huge blow to the Dane, as he clearly thought that he would have some new incomings to count upon for the second half of the campaign.

He will be forced to utilise what he already has, which given the injuries within the squad, is not enough to achieve his ambitions.

The board, Paratici, Lange and Venkatesham have let their manager down and hung him out to dry, and it will be the ex-Brentford boss who gets it in the neck if results do not go as planned.

Tottenham threatened to have a busy transfer deadline day but it rather fizzled out in the end.

In mid-January, Tottenham secured the statement signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid for £34million.

Santos left-back Souza also joined Tottenham for a more modest fee, but other than that, no new first-team faces came through the door.

Juventus tried to sign Tottenham loanee Randal Kolo Muani but Thomas Frank side’s held firm on the striker, particularly as they didn’t have a replacement lined up.

Now, it has emerged that another Italian side wanted to secure the services of a rising Tottenham star on deadline day.

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Tottenham suitors run out of time on deadline day

Despite having a relatively poor season since swapping Paris Saint-Germain for Tottenham on loan, Kolo Muani was attracting deadline day interest.

The France international spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus, where he scored 10 goals in 22 appearances.

A permanent switch to the Old Lady broke down last summer, and in the end, the 27-year-old linked up with Frank’s team.

This term, he has yet to score in the Premier League in 16 games but has three goals and three assists in all competitions.

According to Italian publication La Stampa, after ruling out a Kolo Muani exit, particularly as fellow forward Richarlison is out injured, Torino looked to Spurs for a deal.

The Serie A side, who sit 13th in the table, reportedly made a deadline day move for Tottenham midfielder Callum Olusesi.

The 18-year-old made his first-team debut for Spurs just over a year ago in the Europa League but hasn’t played since. Despite that, the report states Torino made a “last-minute attempt” to sign Olusesi but ran out of time to file the necessary documents.

Did Tottenham leave themselves short in the transfer market after Cristian Romero’s warning?

Tottenham earned a creditable 2-2 comeback draw with Manchester City on Sunday, despite being without some key personnel.

Indeed, Spurs were without nine players for that clash with Pep Guardiola’s team, including captain Cristian Romero.

He missed the contest through illness, and later went on to say it was “disgraceful” that Tottenham only had 11 senior players available.

He wrote on Instagram on Monday: “Great effort from all my team-mates yesterday, they were incredible. I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available – unbelievable but true and disgraceful.

“We’ll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”

Tottenham are currently without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pedro Porro, and Djed Spence.

Due to that injury list, should 14th-placed Tottenham have signed more players in the winter transfer window? That may be answered soon enough.

Tottenham have now seen the January transfer window slam shut in North London.

Thomas Frank is under pressure to be sacked at Tottenham and needs the winter to go well to help save his skin.

The Dane may benefit after Tottenham came back to draw 2-2 with Manchester City last time out, but trouble could be just around the corner.

That hasn’t been helped by the transfer business in N17, which has left many supporters frustrated at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham News has now rounded up all the done deals for the Lilywhites as things look set to kick off after deadline day in North London.

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Tottenham complete six January signings

There was a need to make business happen for Frank this winter after such a shocking start to the season.

Spurs are sat 14th in the Premier League and have shown no sign of fighting any further up the division, with a relegation battle looking more likely.

Hopes were ignited when Conor Gallagher came in from Atletico Madrid for £34million, even if he wasn’t exactly what the N17 outfit needed.

The Englishman came through the doors to join youngster Mason Melia after his £1.6m move from St Patrick’s Athletic was completed on 1 January.

Things didn’t pick up from there as supporters had to wait over a week for their net signing as young left-back Souza came in from Santos for £13m.

The rest of the window followed a similar path, with three stars coming in who are likely to go straight into the academy setup.

Elisha Sowunmi, Joel Vidal-Philbert and James Wilson joined Tottenham, with the latter choosing the Lilywhites ahead of Arsenal on deadline day.

These were hardly the signings to improve fortunes under Frank, especially with Cristian Romero seemingly wanting out.

Cristian Romero points towards Tottenham exit

There were a number of exits from North London throughout the winter, with Brennan Johnson being the first and most expensive at £35m.

Herbie James also left on a permanent deal to Cardiff City, while Kota Takai, Manor Solomon, Jamie Donley, Oliver Irow, Damola Ajayi and Yusuf Akhamrich completed loan agreements elsewhere.

That long list was eventually joined away from N17 by Dane Scarlett, Alfie Dorrington and George Abbott, who departed in the final stages of the window.

What raised eyebrows most on deadline day was an Instagram post from Romero that points towards a future departure being on the cards.

He said: “Great effort from all my teammates yesterday [vs Manchester City], they were incredible.

“I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available — unbelievable but true and disgraceful.

“We’ll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”

Referring to a club decision as “disgraceful” is unlikely to go down well and could spark a summer departure after a busy winter window came to a close.

Tottenham’s deadline day looked to be quiet, but the club’s move for 18-year-old James Wilson emerged from nowhere.

The Hearts forward looked to be Arsenal-bound before the Lilywhites swooped in, but instead, he is making the switch to the other side of North London.

Wilson has had a decent career so far, and his prominence in the Scottish league earned him a call-up to the national team last March.

The forward has already played 45 games at the first-team level, but so far this campaign, he has not had the same level of trust shown in him.

However, that now looks to be to the benefit of Tottenham as they look to wrap the transfer up.

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Tottenham submit deal sheet for James Wilson transfer

Spurs had been looking to add more firepower up top, but it was expected that they would sign a more experienced option.

However, that has not been the case, and it is Hearts’ 18-year-old striker Wilson that is joining Spurs on deadline day.

The transfer for Wilson is now in a race against time. With the deadline officially closed, Tottenham would have had to submit a deal sheet in order to complete the move past 7pm.

According to Sky Sports, Spurs have submitted the deal sheet, giving them that extra leeway to finalise the transfer.

At 18 years old, it is hard to predict how Wilson fits into this Spurs side straight away. However, even if he starts at the bottom of the pecking order, he has plenty of time on his way to force his way into the team.

What have Wilson’s managers said about him?

Wilson has been highly rated by the coaches he has worked with at Hearts, with former manager Neil Critchley providing a glowing assessment.

Critchley was the man who gave Wilson his debut, and it is safe to say he was very impressed with the talent.

He told Irish News that the player is “Fantastic, but that’s him, he’s a goal scorer, a goal poacher,” while also saying that he is a “Good kid, always smiling, breath of fresh air.”

While Hearts are leading the Scottish Premier League, Spurs have been able to capitalise on Wilson’s lack of minutes at the Edinburgh club.

Derek McInnes has not had the same level of trust that Critchley showed the player, handing the 18-year-old just one league start and 77 minutes overall.

For Tottenham fans, the added bonus of getting one over bitter rivals Arsenal only sweetens the deal.

Tottenham are edging closer to their third signing of the winter transfer window.

Thomas Frank is coming under pressure at Tottenham and is in desperate need of fresh faces to help turn things around.

The Dane has welcomed Souza and Conor Gallagher to Tottenham in January, but has looked keen to add to his squad further in North London.

Maghnes Akliouche has emerged as a target for Tottenham, with a move discussed throughout deadline day as the 7pm cut-off approaches.

A deal for the Frenchman doesn’t appear to be on the cards, but that hasn’t stopped a loan agreement from being sorted elsewhere.

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Tottenham agree loan-to-buy deal for striker

Dominic Solanke scored a brace against Manchester City, but there are still concerns surrounding the forward line in N17.

Randal Kolo Muani has struggled to hit the heights in the Premier League, and now Dane Scarlett has departed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The academy product has moved to Hibernian on loan, and ironically, Spurs have turned to their most bitter rivals for a potential alternative.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that Tottenham now have a deal in place to sign James Wilson from Hearts.

The Lilywhites look set to beat Arsenal to the 18-year-old’s signing after offering a loan deal with an option to buy, as opposed to the Gunners’ trial period.

A move has now been agreed at Tynecastle Park, with a medical now underway for the teenager down Hotspur Way.

James Wilson picks Tottenham over Arsenal

Mikel Arteta may have got one over Frank with the signing of Eberechi Eze in the summer, but the Lilywhites have now clapped back.

The England international hasn’t exactly been a massive success at the Emirates, while Wilson is poised to be a future star in North London.

The Scotland international already has 45 senior appearances for Hearts and has scored eight goals, including five in the Scottish Premiership.

That sort of record is hugely positive for a player of his age and prompted strong interest from the Premier League, but Spurs have won the race.

It will be interesting now to see where Wilson fits into the pecking order under Frank, but it is just great to finally get one over Arsenal in the transfer market.

Tottenham have been in the market for a new forward signing, with attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche on their shortlist.

Spurs have sounded out multiple targets over the last few weeks as Thomas Frank looks to turn around the dismal form in the Premier League.

So far, the club have already brought in Conor Gallagher and Brazilian left-back Souza as they attempt to climb the table.

However, the Dane seemingly wants reinforcements further up the pitch, and whether or not Akliouche could be coming to N17 has now come out.

Tottenham make final decision on move for Maghnes Akliouche

Akliouche would be an excellent addition to Tottenham’s squad and would add strength in depth to Frank’s options.

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Currently, Xavi Simons is the sole number 10 available to the Spurs manager with both James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall out injured.

In a couple of games, Randal Kolo Muani has filled in as part of a two-number-10 setup, but the Frenchman is more suited to centre-forward.

Additionally, Kolo Muani has been linked away from Spurs with Jhon Duran emerging as a potential replacement this transfer window.

This would have made a move for Akliouche an attractive prospect; however, that appears to have been nipped in the bud.

According to journalist Tom Barclay, Spurs will not be making a move for Akliouche in this transfer window. The 23-year-old was seen as a ‘secondary’ option to Xavi Simons.

It could very well end up being a quiet end to the window for Tottenham, who have missed out on numerous targets.

Do Tottenham have their priorities wrong?

Tottenham may need players to help in the final third, but the crisis in defence is much more urgent at the moment.

While most of their injuries at the back look to be short-term, with Micky van de Ven expected to return to face Manchester United and Pedro Porro and Djed Spence expected back by the end of February, it is not a tenable situation.

Frank’s options are incredibly stretched, and that has seen Joao Palhinha be dropped into central defence against Manchester City.

Spurs could still salvage a spot in Europe, with the Lilywhites not far off with plenty of games left to play, but with a lack of fit defensive options, their situation could see them fall away.

Yes, Tottenham could benefit from another forward, but adding another defender is just as important.