A busy Tottenham Hotspur transfer window awaits, with boss Antonio Conte considering his targets to improve his squad.
This is according to the latest reports from the Telegraph, who suggest Spurs are looking to strengthen multiple areas. Read on to find out more about these rumours.
Busy Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Window Due as Conte Looks to Take Spurs to Next Level
Taking Spurs One Step Further Needs More Personnel
The areas that Conte wants to strengthen include a new centre-back, right wing-back, two midfielders, a forward and a reserve goalkeeper. So in total that makes at least six new signings.
Tottenham were busy in January. Dele Alli left for Everton. Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso left on loan and Tanguy Ndombele was offloaded to Lyon. This series of transfers were described as “strange moves” according to Conte.
While Gil and Lo Celso may still return to have a place in the squad, there is still a gap to be filled by Dele and potentially also Ndombele’s permanent departure.
Two such midfielders rumoured to be potentially making a Spurs return include Brentford’s Christian Eriksen. He could return on a free. What a move that could be. Eriksen would really help to fill a creative void that no one has filled since he left the club. Oh and the ability to score a freekick. The other name mentioned was Youri Tielemans, but there are reportedly “reservations from inside the club”.
Defensive Back-up
There have already been rumours about the centre-back shortlist that Tottenham are drawing up. New rumours now suggest the club are in for a right wing-back. Nottingham Forest right-back Djed Spence is one name on the cards. Spence would count as a club trained player by UEFA standards. More on this later on.
A convenient pairing in Gleison Bremer and Wilfried Singo would give Spurs both a centre-back and a right-wing back from Torino, as rumoured by the Telegraph.
Home Grown Player Issue
Spurs need to tinker with their squad to comply with European football regulations. Unfortunately, under UEFA rules, Eric Dier, Matt Doherty, Joe Rodon and Ben Davies count as overseas players. The issue comes as Tottenham currently have 16 players who count as ‘foreign’ by UEFA’s squad rules. If Gil, Lo Celso and Ndombele return, that would overstep the limit by two.
This explains why the Telegraph have picked up on the rumour that Spurs want to sign a new backup keeper. Matt Law picked out West Bromwich Albion’s Sam Johnstone as a potential target.
It is becoming a bit of a headache for Conte if he wants to bring in another forward. Providing reinforcements for Harry Kane could be tricky since they would likely have to get rid of either Steven Bergwijn or Lucas Moura to fit the UEFA quota. Bergwijn has been on fire for club and country. Moura has, if anything, been the one Spurs forward to get less limelight. But his pace and tenacity off the bench are invaluable. It is likely Conte wants someone to lead the line in a way that Kane does.
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