Tottenham will lilkely be linked with a move for a central midfielder once deals for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin are tied up to bolster the areas Ange Postecoglou needs strengthening
Tottenham are moving quickly in the January transfer window. Ange Postecoglou knows the areas in which he needs to strengthen this month, due to injuries and unavailability, and Spurs are getting the business done. Or so it seems. Timo Werner is expected to sign on the dotted line in the coming hours, completing a loan move from RB Leipzig that has an option to buy at the end of the season for around £15.5million. Then there’s Radu Dragusin, the central defender from Genoa. Bayern Munich are also interested in the 21-tear-old, but Spurs are leading the race for his signature with a deal in the region of £25.5million progressing nicely.
That would solve two of Postecoglou’s biggest issues quickly in the January transfer window. Spurs have lost Son Heung-min to the Asian Cup for the entirety of January and perhaps into February too. At the back, first-choice pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have both been absent, although van de Ven was on the bench for the FA Cup win over Burnley on Friday, with Romero likely a couple of weeks away from returning.
Conor Gallagher has been regularly linked with a move from Chelsea to Spurs, but he would cost around £50million – a fee Spurs are unlikely to stump up mid-season. Spurs will continue to monitor his situation as the Blues wrestle with balancing up their spending in recent seasons to comply with financial fair play regulations. The Lilywhites have also been credited with an interest in singing Royal Antwerp teenager Arthur Vermeeren, with suggestions that the 18-year-old might be loaned back to the Belgian club if an offer was made, similar to the deals for Destiny Udogie and Sarr. This would not solve Postecoglou’s issue now though, so who else could be an option?
One potential could be youngster Ezequiel Fernandez. The 21-year-old is described as being a defensive playmaker in the Argentinian League with Boca Juniors. He has an 86.6% pass success rate this season, demanding possession from his defenders and getting his team on the front foot. He also averages 1.9 tackles per 90 and 0.9 interceptions per 90 – down on Bissouma’s 3.3 tackles per 90 and 1.3 interceptions per 90. He would fit in with Tottenham’s South American core well, however, and could be a cheap but exciting option for Postecoglou, although, having not played for Argentina’s senior team yet, a work permit may prove troublesome.
Fenerbahce’s Ismael Yuksek was briefly linked with a move to N17 in the summer and his profile is slightly more similar to Bissouma’s with 2.8 tackles per 90 and 1.3 interceptions per 90. The Turkish international is 24 years old and has good experience behind him and would also fall into the category of reasonably priced midfielders to sign. Kalvin Phillips is available to sign from Manchester City and has Premier League experience on his side, but would not come cheap, you would think, and does he get into Tottenham’s first team when everyone is fit and back? That will be the question for many linked with a move to north London this month.
One player who definitely would get into the first team and is a rogue, but outstanding option, is Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich. The German international’s contract expires next year and with Eric Dier linked with a move to the German giants, Daniel Levy could ask the question…
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