A new report has shed light on whether Tottenham will spend big again in January, with the club badly in need of a top-level striker for Roberto De Zerbi’s side. Dejan Kulusevski’s long-term future is also in the headlines.
Spurs spent more than £300m on new signings over the summer, but it hasn’t paid off yet. They are winless and bottom of the Premier League after five games. Much of the money went on the defence and midfield, with late arrivals Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk expected to give the attack a lift.
So far the forward line has been wasteful. Tottenham scored their first two goals of the season in a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa before the international break. Marmoush has been used both through the middle and out wide, while Dominic Solanke started the last two league games at No.9 without making an impact. With Richarlison banished to the stands by De Zerbi, there has been plenty of talk about another big striker purchase.
Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke says the club have no plans for another extravagant window. Instead, they intend to look for cost-effective targets who offer value for money. The hierarchy reportedly want to fix their summer mistake of not strengthening the squad as a whole, with right-back and striker the biggest priorities, plus possibly another right-sided centre-back for balance.
On that front, TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that Tottenham and Aston Villa are both eyeing Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-Jae. Bayern are happy to move the South Korea international on, as he is no longer part of Vincent Kompany’s plans, despite having two years left on his deal. For full-back cover, Spurs still admire Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams, who is naturally a left-back but can play on the right.
The No.9 role remains the biggest headache. Argentine free agent Mauro Icardi has recently been linked with a move to north London, but Football Insider says any big-money striker deal is likely out of Tottenham’s reach in January, a month in which signing top names is rarely easy anyway.
There is better news on Kulusevski, who is closing in on a return to action more than 500 days after his last appearance. Spurs are reportedly very willing to talk about a new contract if he proves his fitness in the coming months. He hasn’t played since May 2025 because of a serious knee injury, but he has been back in full training for several weeks and could soon be named on the bench.
The Sweden international is contracted until 2028, and Tottenham’s medical staff, who have had a poor reputation for several seasons, know they must manage his comeback carefully to avoid another setback. The former Juventus man has been sorely missed over the past 18 months, having contributed 21 goals and assists in 2024/25. His ability to play on the right or as a No.10 would be a huge help to a Spurs side short on creativity without James Maddison and Xavi Simons.
