The Nuno Espirito Santo era is taking place at Tottenham, and the new manager wants to build a working team out of the uneven shaking that tried their best to miss the Europa Conference League last season.
The new boss needs signings all over the pitch, but a new midfielder or two is high on the priority list … especially if Nuno wants to play three of them while he did at Wolves.
As is the norm in the transfer window, Spurs have been linked to different names of broad abilities, and some of them look much more realistic than others. So we have aimed through the rumor mill and judged each of them on how likely they will be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.
Remember that it is likely and not ability before someone starts …
Boly is really a player who has been linked with Tottenham / Malcolm Couzens / Getty Images
Do not get me wrong now, Daniel Levy likes an overwhelming signing. But would he really go that far?
The 30-year-old Boly is a decent Premier League center-half, but he is too limited to be anything more than that. Throw in the fact that he was not even a regular under Santo during his last season at Wolves (hampered by injuries, granted), and yes, this one does not quite add up.
Kounde would be a great signing from Spurs … but it’s unlikely to happen / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
From one extreme to another, Sevilla star Kounde is exactly the kind of signing that Tottenham should go to this summer.
And that’s exactly why it’s probably not going to happen.
It would be a side move at best for Kounde, and from Spurs’ perspective he would cost a lot of money. More than they can reasonably afford.
Lenglet sticks his head where it hurts / Marcio Machado / Getty Images
Barcelona is a bit of a waste fire. No, scratch it, Barcelona is an eternally burning landfill.
Their desperate financial situation means that they are selling assets like a thrift store that is going out of business, and in addition to a handful of motionless first team stars, virtually their entire group is available for transfer.
This includes the French defender Lenglet, who has mostly put his injury problems behind him to become a regular for club and country the last two seasons.
But would he like to go to Spurs and play in the Europa Conference League? It remains to be seen.
Maksimovic is available for free after leaving Napoli / Giuseppe Bellini / Getty Images
Benefits: Versatile, handsome, good for headlines, available for freeCons: Almost everything else
Lacroix would be an ambitious signing for Tottenham / Cathrin Mueller / Getty Images
The 21-year-old Lacroix has been hailed as a long-term replacement for Sergio Ramos at PSG, and after a pretty fantastic season for Wolfsburg last semester, it’s easy to see why.
Spurs need to show a real intention to get this over the line given the competition from elsewhere in Europe, but that is not out of the question.
Joachim Andersen’s first Fulham goal – what an important goal it may turn out to be! ? pic.twitter.com/DPMG7xPg1T
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 19 March 2021
You can already see the Sky Sports News headlines that a loan with an obligation to buy is completed with seconds left on the Deadline Day ticker, right?
Andersen had a strong season with Fulham last semester despite Cottage’s relegation, and he would not be the worst signing for Spurs. But there is only one scent of the overwhelming about it.
Conor Coady – always an important member of the locker room! ? pic.twitter.com/vDqN3yR5Wr
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) July 10, 2021
Coady made about 500 appearances in four years during Santo at Wolves. The Portuguese really love him.
And while they are desperate not to lose their longtime captain at the same time as their manager, it may just be the perfect time for Coady to leave and hook up with his former boss at a major club.
Romero is one of the latest goals / Marco Canoniero / Getty Images
Yes, this one makes sense, right?
Reports that recently emerged claiming that Fabio Paratici is in “advanced talks” with Atalanta to sign the 23-year-old. Confusingly, however, he is still a Juventus player – so Atalanta must first trigger a £ 14m option to buy and then immediately sell him to Spurs for a huge markup.
He is more or less the right profile for Tottenham. At 23, his best year is still ahead of him, but he has a decent amount of top-level experience under his belt and would be ready for the first team right away.
The question is again whether he would leave one of the best sides in Serie A for a Premier League side stuck in the transfer, but the ambition of Santo and Paratici can convince him.
Covered 23 times by Japan, would 22-year-old Takehiro Tomiyasu solve Tottenham’s defensive misery? ?
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 27 June 2021
Tomiyasu was one of the first center-backs to emerge after Santos’ arrival, and it’s pretty obvious that a deal is nearing completion.
Spurs have identified the Japanese star, who can also play right-back, as the ideal defensive signing, and a valuation of around £ 20 million means they can sign him and still keep enough in the bank for another defender.
They want to get the deal done during the Olympics, where he will represent Japan at home. They start against Mexico on Sunday, July 25.
