Tottenham Hotspur emerged from the winter transfer window in an unconvincing state, with January ultimately proving to be a frustrating and potentially costly period for the club. Although Spurs completed the £34 million signing of Conor Gallagher, their overall activity failed to tackle several obvious weaknesses in Thomas Frank’s squad, particularly in positions where depth and quality were badly needed.
The situation was worsened by a number of departures and poorly timed injuries. Brennan Johnson’s move to Crystal Palace further reduced Tottenham’s attacking options, before both Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison were ruled out for at least two months. Despite these blows, the club did not recruit a replacement forward, leaving Frank short of attacking firepower at a crucial point in the campaign. As things stand, the Dane has limited choices in the final third, with Dejan Kulusevski’s expected return offering only minor relief rather than a complete fix.
Spurs have also been stretched defensively. Ben Davies is sidelined until April after breaking his ankle, further thinning the options at the back. Radu Dragusin’s return to fitness provides some cover, even as speculation persists about a potential move back to Italy. However, the most significant aspect of the window was what failed to happen. Tottenham held on to their first-choice centre-back pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero despite interest in both, though that sense of stability may not last.
Van de Ven and Romero are widely regarded as defenders capable of competing at the highest level and challenging for major honours. If Tottenham fail to show clear progress or present a convincing long-term vision, both players could begin to reassess their futures in north London. As a result, the upcoming summer window could be decisive, with Spurs under real pressure to retain their defensive leaders.
Romero appears the most likely to move on first. According to South American journalist Gaston Edul, the Argentina international is expected to leave Tottenham this summer. He is reportedly attracting strong interest from La Liga, with one unnamed club believed to be close to making a formal approach, while there is also said to be concrete interest from another major European league.
Such links are unsurprising given Romero’s past comments. The World Cup winner has previously admitted that playing in Spain is an ambition of his, saying: “La Liga is left for me to play in. I would love to, to tell you the truth. I’d love to play there because it’s the league I’m missing.” Those remarks have only fuelled speculation that a move could finally happen this summer.
The rumours have been further intensified by Romero’s outspoken criticism of Tottenham’s squad management this season. Earlier in the campaign, he expressed his frustration after a match in which injuries left Spurs with severely limited options. “Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were incredible,” Romero said. “I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available – unbelievable but true and disgraceful.”
He went on to underline the squad’s commitment despite the circumstances, adding: “We’ll keep turning up and taking responsibility to change this, working hard and staying united. All that’s left is to thank the fans for always being there and supporting us.”
Taken together, those comments and Tottenham’s underwhelming January business have heightened the feeling that a decisive summer is approaching. Unless Spurs fully back Thomas Frank and demonstrate genuine ambition in the transfer market, they may struggle to persuade their key players that their long-term future lies in north London.
