The Lilywhites could be searching for a cheap way to bolster their midfield ranks…

Another Premier League season has come to an end, and Tottenham Hotspur’s attention will now shift to what might be another frenetic summer of recruitment.

While former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has left his role at rivals Chelsea after a disappointing debut season at Stamford Bridge, Ange Postecoglou hopes that this is only the beginning of a good association.

After leading the team to fifth place in his first full season in command, the ex-Celtic manager will be looking for more reinforcements ahead of next season, with speculation already rife as to who will be headed down to N17 in the coming months.

Spurs look for a midfielder.

According to TEAMtalk, the Lilywhites are reportedly ready to make a bid to sign Blues captain Conor Gallagher from their west London opponents, with the Englishman frequently linked with a move away from his current club with only a year left on his contract.

According to the article, the 24-year-old is not the only English-based midfield talent that Tottenham is interested in, as Postecoglou and his team are also rumoured to be interested in signing Stoke City player Wouter Burger.

According to reports, the Dutchman, who joined the Potters for £4.3 million from Basel last year, might be available for approximately £12 million, making him an ideal cheap signing for any top-flight club.

Why Tottenham should move for Wouter Burger.

Stoke manager Steven Schumacher hailed the 23-year-old as a “leader” after he arrived in England last summer, scoring three goals and contributing four assists in 39 Championship appearances.

Stoke podcaster Ben Rowley predicts the former Netherlands U21 international will “certainly be a Premier League player” in the near future, while talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously compared him to a certain Mousa Dembele.

That resemblance to the former Spurs star, whom Pochettino praised as a “genius” during his time in charge in north London, can be seen in the fact that they are not only predominantly left-footed, but they also have a towering and imposing frame, Dembele standing at 6 foot 1 and Burger at 6 foot 3.

The pair also appear to have a similar playing style, as they are able to combine tough-tackling, strong play with grace and composure in possession.

That is evident above, with Dembele’s heroics in the 2016/17 season, when the Spurs finished second in the league, resulting in his averaging 2.1 tackles per game and 0.8 important passes per game, while Burger is barely ahead in 23/24 with 2.6 and 0.9 for the same two metrics, respectively.

If the former Feyenoord star can emulate the great Belgian’s influence in north London, Postecoglou will be pleased, with the possibility of pairing Burger with the more attack-minded Gallagher.

The latter might provide a stronger “box-to-box” presence, as highlighted by writer Zach Lowy, with Burger’s steadiness behind him, the former Crystal Palace loanee capable of impacting proceedings in the final third, having registered 16 goals and assists in all competitions this season.

Burger’s creative prowess may also help to identify Gallagher in important offensive positions, as proven by the in-demand talent’s seven ‘big chances’ generated in the second tier in 2023-24.

Of course, Spurs fans may be hoping to sign more high-profile players this summer ahead of their return to European competition, but the idea of signing the ‘next Dembele’ to partner Gallagher could be too enticing to pass up.