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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is expected to continue his squad rebuild into the winter transfer window, and having made a number of offensive additions in the summer, he could look to revamp his midfield department next.

With James Maddison injured and generally displaying a concerning fitness record, Yves Bissouma expected to leave as a free agent next summer and Pape Mata Sarr set for AFCON duty in January, Spurs do require some more depth in the engine room.

Caught Offside has reported that they are now plotting a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Luka Sucic – who has a £22 million release clause in his contract with the La Liga outfit.

Sucic a great addition but January move improbable

Luke Sucic would be a terrific addition to the Tottenham Hotspur midfield. The Croatian international boasts superb passing, the ability to control the tempo of the game from a deeper position and physical strength to win the ball back as well.

If Tottenham are prepared to pay his release clause, there is little that Real Sociedad can do to block his exit, however, given how vital he is for the team and his reputation among the fans, Sucic is unlikely to consider leaving midway through the season.

Real Sociedad are currently 19th in La Liga, and have a mountain to climb to get anywhere close to a European finish come the end of the season, so Sucic’s form and presence in their midfield will be vital, and a scenario the player will also account for.

Moreover, the summer would be a better time for him to consider all his options as Manchester United also could reignite their interest 23-year-old with Ruben Amorim also meaning to sign a deep-lying midfielder sooner rather than later.

As far as Spurs are concerned, it is likely that they have to look for alternatives in the transfer market or take a gamble by trusting some of their academy graduates in the first team during the busy run of fixtures over the winter.

Real Madrid forward Arda Guler has been in exceptional form for club and country this season, contribution to 11 goals and assists already across all competitions, having risen in prominence under Xabi Alonso since the start of the La Liga campaign.

His solid performances have not gone under the radar with Spanish source Grada 3 reporting that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to sign the Turkish international from Real Madrid next year.

Guler won the Champions League with Madrid in his first season at the club in 2023/24, but has only played regular game time since Carlo Ancelotti’s exit at the end of last season, although his stock has tremendously upped thereafter.

Transfermarkt values the 20-year-old at £52 million but Real Madrid are already planning to hold contract renewal talks with him to extend his deal until 2031 with a higher salary, and might potentially include a massive release clause too.

Guler’s future might be an open proposition soon

Arda Guler has started all but one match for Real Madrid in all competitions this season, and has played all games for Turkey in the international breaks in September and October, so a lack of game time at the moment would not be a reason for his exit.

It may be a situation that changes soon, however, as Jude Bellingham nears full fitness after undergoing shoulder surgery in July and could be picked by Xabi Alonso ahead of Guler in Madrid’s midfield in spite of the Turk’s impeccable goal contributions.

Should Guler’s consistent run of minutes be significantly impacted between now and the end of the season, he might well consider departing the Spanish capital next summer and the Premier League could be a very attractive destination for him.

With that said, Arsenal might not be all too keen on breaking the bank on him thanks to having Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard on the right wing and number 10, respectively, although Tottenham Hotspur may approach the situation differently.

Potentially with a change in ownership incoming soon, they might look to sign a few marquee players in the near future and Arda Guler might lead their project, whereas with James Maddison’s fitness a concern, he would be a solid long-term replacement too.

Nonetheless, the player’s future for the shorter term seems to be firmly at Real Madrid but it will be interesting to see how competition with Jude Bellingham impacts his role in the team, and possibly has a say in his future as well.

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up an ambitious move for Porto striker Samu Aghehowa amid Dominic Solanke’s injury troubles this campaign, according to Teamtalk.

The north London giants signed Randal Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain this summer to compete with Solanke, but the Frenchman has yet to make his league debut amid his own injury issues.

In the absence of Solanke and Kolo Muani, Richarlison and Mathys Tels have shared the duties, but it appears the London giants could back manager Thomas Tuchel with a new centre-forward next year.

Teamtalk claim that the club have been monitoring Aghehowa for some period of time, but it won’t be easy to secure his services as Porto could hold out for his £86 million release clause to sanction his exit.

Good potential

Aghehowa signed for the Portuguese giants from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2024, and made an instant impact for them with 27 goals in all competitions. The Spaniard has added another 5 goals to his tally this campaign.

The 21-year-old has the traits to suit the Premier League. He is good with his hold-up play and can win aerial duels with his obvious height advantage (193cm). Aghehowa has also caught the eye with his intelligent positioning in the final third.

Despite this, Spurs are unlikely to pay over the odds for his signature. The hierarchy may want to add another striking option in the January transfer window in order to boost their top-four prospects and win silverware.

However, any move for Aghehowa could be halted until next summer. He has a Transfermarkt value of £43.5 million, and Spurs could be willing to pay a similar amount to prise him away from Porto in the near future.

A mid-season deal could be difficult to pull off. Porto may not be willing to negotiate at the halfway stage. They are bidding to win the Primeira Liga after a three-year wait and would not want to weaken themselves in January.

Aghehowa may also snub the opportunity to pursue a new challenge this winter. With the World Cup coming up next summer, the striker may not want to hamper his Spain selection prospects with a move to a new club.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Brentford German forward Kevin Schade next summer, according to Florian Plettenberg.

Spurs’ summer business reflected a clear intent to inject greater attacking dynamism into their squad. Once Thomas Frank took charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the club immediately turned its attention to bringing in Mbeumo — though that particular pursuit failed to materialise.

Still, the North London side did manage to bolster their frontline with the arrival of Mohammed Kudus, the permanent capture of Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons and the later addition of Randal Kolo Muani on loan before the window shut.

However, recruitment plans have already shifted toward the future, with Schade reportedly emerging as a significant target for next summer’s transfer campaign.

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has placed his trust in the young German forward, who has swiftly become central to his plans following the summer departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, and his performances have now caught the attention of several clubs, including Spurs.

According to Plettenberg, Tottenham have joined the race in signing Schade and are now ‘closely monitoring’ his development in West London.

The report adds that Spurs have now expressed interest in the potential transfer of the Germany international to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next summer.

Frank eyes Schade reunion

Having previously managed the 23-year-old during his time at Brentford, Frank is fully aware of Schade’s abilities.

Speaking after his side’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Manchester United in May — a match in which the winger struck twice — the Danish manager lauded Schade’s display and expressed optimism about his continued development.

He said: ‘Scoring 10 goals – not many players have scored 10 goals in the Premier League in their career – and he’ll most likely become even better next year. That’s the plan’

He went on to add that, “With his pace going in behind, his aerial threat — two brilliant headers [against United], the first was an unbelievable finish and the second pure quality — plus his ability to win flick-ons and his hard work on set pieces at both ends, he’s a real asset.’

Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic is one of the club’s standout players this season with four goals and an assist in all competitions, but is expected to be on the way out of Turin once the campaign ends.

His wage demands have not aligned with Juve’s budget, thus opening the door to his departure as a free agent next summer, with a transfer to the Premier League currently believed to be his likeliest next step.

According to TBR Football, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have already held talks with Vlahovic’s agents over a prospective transfer with the Londoners set to face competition from Manchester United as well.

Spurs may trump Chelsea to Vlahovic

Though Dusan Vlahovic’s agent has held talks with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur might hold the upper hand to sign the Serbian international owing to the Blues already having Liam Delap and Joao Pedro on their roster since the start of 2025/26.

Spurs striker Dominic Solanke’s fitness has not been very consistent since his arrival from Bournemouth last year, whereas Randal Kolo Muani has also struggled to make an impact after joining the club on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

With that in mind, Tottenham Hotspur could see the opportunity to sign Dusan Vlahovic on a free transfer too good to give up on, even if it means having to better the £200,000 per week wage which he has been earning at Juventus since a few years.

Vlahovic is valued at £30 million on Transfermarkt, so it will also be interesting to see if Juventus offer him to his interested parties in January itself in order to mitigate the risk of losing him for free six months later, once his contract expires.

Chelsea, however, might not be all too keen on the former Fiorentina marksman, thereby giving Tottenham Hotspur a fairly straightforward path in securing a transfer for him at some point next year.

Manchester United are reportedly battling with Tottenham Hotspur over a deal to sign Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.

Since moving to the Jose Alvalade Stadium from Lecce a couple of years ago, the Dane has enjoyed great success, winning two league titles and a domestic cup competition.

Moreover, the 26-year-old has even established himself as a key player in the Denmark national team’s starting line-up. So, it appears Hjulmand’s recent eye-catching displays haven’t gone unnoticed, as he has been attracting a lot of attention in recent months.

Fichajes state that Man Utd have earmarked the former Lecce star as a serious option to strengthen the engine room and are preparing to launch a formal proposal worth around £52m to sign him.

Hjulmand has a £70m release clause in his current contract and has a contract until 2028 with Sporting. So, they aren’t in any rush to let him leave just yet, but the Portuguese giants are a selling club and are ready to cash-in on him for less than the release clause fee.

Purchasing Hjulmand won’t be straightforward for United, as Juventus are also keen on him and have already started working to finalise the move. Moreover, Tottenham are plotting a swoop to secure his services.

Battle

The report claim that Ruben Amorim could play a key role in helping Man Utd win the race as Hjulmand flourished in his career at Sporting under the Portuguese boss before his switch to Old Trafford last year.

Man Utd have struggled with midfield problems in recent years as Casemiro has been displaying inconsistent performances. Manuel Ugarte was purchased from PSG last year to reinforce the engine room, but he has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League.

On the other hand, although Tottenham reinforced the midfield department by signing João Palhinha this summer, they are seemingly planning to sign a new midfielder next year.

Hjulmand is a talented player and is currently at the prime stage of his career. So, he would be a great coup for Tottenham or Man Utd should either club purchase him.

However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club or the Old Trafford club eventually manage to secure his services in January or next summer.

Liverpool are ‘determined’ to complete the signing of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, according to Fichajes.

Bournemouth’s impressive start to the new campaign sees them sitting fourth in the table — a remarkable feat considering they lost three of their first-choice defenders over the summer, with Dean Huijsen joining Real Madrid, Iliya Zabarnyi moving to Paris Saint-Germain, and Milos Kerkez signing for Liverpool.

The driving force behind the Cherries’ early-season success has been the outstanding form of Antoine Semenyo. The Ghanaian forward has already netted six league goals, emerging as one of the most in-form attackers in the league this season and inevitably drawing the attention of several top clubs, particularly in the Premier League.

As per Fichajes, Premier League champions Liverpool are ‘exploring’ the possibility of signing Semenyo as an attacking option for next season alongside Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

The Reds’ sporting director, Richard Hughes, is pushing the idea of making a swoop for the 25-year-old to provide versatility to Arne Slot’s attack while also becoming an immediate replacement should Mohamed Salah depart the club, as per the report.

Man Utd and Tottenham are also showing a keen interest in Semenyo, but the Spanish outlet adds that Liverpool are ‘determined’ to secure the signature of the London-born Ghanaian international ahead of their rivals.

Prolific forward

The report adds that the former Bristol City and Sunderland forward is highly regarded at Bournemouth, who will do everything to keep him at the South Coast unless a firm offer of around £75m is submitted.

The 25-year-old has been in scintillating form for Bournemouth this season, lighting up the Premier League with a string of standout performances. His campaign began with a brace at Anfield in a thrilling 4-2 defeat to Liverpool on the opening weekend, setting the tone for what has been a remarkable individual run.

Most recently, Semenyo was instrumental in the Cherries’ comeback 3-1 win over Fulham at the Vitality Stadium, netting twice and providing an assist — taking his tally to nine goal contributions in just seven league games.

Competition for his signature is expected to skyrocket next summer, and it’s no surprise that Bournemouth have placed a £75m valuation to allow him to leave.

However, having spent over £400m in the summer, the Reds have shown they are not afraid to splash the cash to strengthen their squad — and the same is expected to be the case next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have reportedly held talks over a deal to sign Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, as per transfer journalist Graeme Bailey.

Following Harry Kane’s departure, the Lilywhites decided to reinforce the frontline by purchasing Dominic Solanke from AFC Bournemouth for a club record fee last year.

The Englishman displayed average performances last term, scoring only nine goals in 27 Premier League appearances. This season, he has been out injured thus far, and Richarlison has been playing in the CF position mainly.

Thomas Frank has used Mathys Tel to support the Brazilian. However, the former Bayern Munich star is still young and isn’t ready to play at the highest level regularly.

On the other hand, Richarlison has had fitness problems over the last few years. So, perhaps, Spurs are contemplating purchasing a new striker next year.

On TBR Football, Bailey says that Vlahovic is planning to leave Juventus as a free agent next year, and his preferred destination is the Premier League. The Bianconeri were willing to keep hold of him but were asking him to take a pay cut, and he didn’t accept the request.

Battle

Spurs have been offered the chance to sign the Serbian through intermediaries. However, apart from the North London club, Chelsea have also been made aware of the forward’s situation.

Moreover, the report say that Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are also interested in signing him by taking advantage of his current situation. So, the forward isn’t short of potential suitors at the moment.

Having struggled with striker problems over the last few years, the Blues decided to buy Liam Delap and João Pedro this summer. However, the former Ipswich Town star has sustained a hamstring injury. So, Enzo Maresca has been using Tyrique George in the CF position to support Pedro.

Vlahovic, valued at around £30m by Transfermarkt, was considered a hot prospect during his time with Fiorentina, but he hasn’t been able to flourish in his career at Juventus. Still, he is only 25 and has time to turn his fortune around.

It is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club or the West London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure the Serbia international’s service next year.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on Manchester United midfielder Kobie Mainoo regarding his potential transfer in 2026, according to TEAMtalk.

Mainoo has featured 78 times for Manchester United since making his senior debut in the 2022–23 campaign and has earned 10 England caps, including an appearance at Euro 2024.

The midfielder had been keen to leave Old Trafford on loan ahead of the 2025–26 season but was denied a move. His frustration stems from the limited opportunities he has had under Ruben Amorim, having started only 12 of the Portuguese manager’s 34 Premier League matches in charge.

With his development seemingly stalling, Mainoo is now expected to push for a temporary switch in January to secure more game time and revive his chances of earning a World Cup call-up.

He was notably omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s most recent England squad due to his lack of minutes at club level — a situation unlikely to change soon, given Amorim’s preference for using him solely as backup to Bruno Fernandes, who remains undroppable.

According to TEAMtalk, Mainoo is of keen interest to Chelsea, as he suits the profile of young, promising, emerging talents without enough playing time across Europe.

While Maresca’s midfield is already well stocked, the Blues remain keen on the youngster and remain interested in a possible swoop to sign the England international, according to the report.

However, they face stern competition for the 20-year-old’s signature, as the report adds that Tottenham are closely monitoring his situation at the Theatre of Dreams.

Battle

While Mainoo remains highly rated at United, TEAMtalk reports that Spurs remain keen admirers of the youngster, with a possible move in mind for next year.

At present, Enzo Maresca leads a crowded and talented midfield group. The Blues currently use a robust core that includes Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Romeo Lavia, Andrey Santos, and Dario Essugo.

These options provide depth, creativity and defensive balance. Given all that, one might assume the club would deprioritise any further additions in the engine room.

Tottenham, on the other hand, may be looking for an immediate replacement for Yves Bissouma, who has been frozen out of the squad, and the English midfielder could be brought in to form a strong midfield quartet with Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, as per transfer expert Mike Brown.

Although the Lilywhites won the Europa League title last term, they decided to part ways with Ange Postecoglou due to awful performances in the Premier League, finishing one place above the relegation zone.

Thomas Frank has been appointed as the new manager this summer, and Spurs have enjoyed a bright start to this season, accumulating 14 points from seven games and sitting only two points behind league leader Arsenal.

Tottenham decided to reinforce the midfield department by signing João Palhinha on a loan deal this summer, and it has been suggested that they are planning to buy him permanently, having been impressed by his performances.

Still, it appears Frank is keen on adding a new midfielder next year. On Football Insider, Brown says that Tottenham have been keeping a close eye on Hackney’s development and have been impressed by him. So, they could make a move to sign him in January or next summer.

The former scout further claims that the Middlesbrough star has the qualities to strengthen the North London club’s squad and can move straight into their starting XI should they purchase him.

Brown said:

“I’m told Tottenham have been watching him[Hackney] and I expect they’ve been impressed by his performances, so they could be the ones to make a move. I still think he has room to improve, but I think he’d be able to go to a team like Tottenham and strengthen their squad and work his way into the starting XI.”

Hackney to Tottenham

The 23-year-old is valued at around £17m by Transfermarkt and has entered the final two years of his current contract. So, the Championship side might be open to cashing-in on him next year to make the most profit out of his departure.

Hackney likes to play in a double midfield pivot role but is also comfortable in the box-to-box role. He has helped Middlesbrough place themselves second in the Championship at the moment this season.

The midfielder is a highly talented player and possesses the potential to reach the top. Therefore, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Tottenham should they purchase him.

However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually manage to get the deal done in January or next summer.