Tottenham are reported to have set aside a £150 million transfer budget for the January window, but turning that financial power into signings may prove difficult for Thomas Frank and the club’s hierarchy.
Convincing key targets to join Spurs is already a challenge, and the situation could be further complicated by the possible exit of sporting director Fabio Paratici to Fiorentina just days before the window opens — a disruption Frank can ill afford.
Spurs are said to be urgently seeking a left winger after failing in their summer pursuit of Manchester City’s Savinho. Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo sits at the top of their shortlist, but competition is fierce, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United all tracking the Ghana international.
As a result, a move to North London is considered unlikely.
If City were to secure Semenyo, it could reopen the door for Tottenham to reignite their interest in Savinho. However, some Spurs supporters remain unconvinced, pointing to the Brazilian’s modest output at the Etihad. The 21-year-old has managed just one Premier League goal in 42 appearances for City, including 25 starts, and five goals in 69 games across all competitions.
Frank’s plans this season have also been hampered by the long-term absence of first-choice striker Dominic Solanke, whose ankle injury proved far more serious than initially feared. Although the England forward has now returned to training, Spurs have long been linked with Porto’s Spanish striker Samu Aghehowa, 21, who is expected to cost at least £50 million.
In defence, Destiny Udogie’s recurring injury problems have made signing a natural left-back a key priority. Udogie has already missed 11 matches this season and is sidelined until at least next month with a hamstring issue, following two earlier knee injuries.
With 32-year-old Ben Davies only recently returning to first-team contention, Frank has often deployed right-footer Djed Spence on the left, a move that has left Tottenham looking unbalanced. One alternative could be recruiting a left-sided centre-back, allowing Micky van de Ven to operate on the left, as he does for the Netherlands.
Paratici, meanwhile, only resumed an official role at Spurs in October after completing a 30-month ban linked to Juventus’ financial irregularities. Despite the controversy surrounding his return, he is now reportedly weighing up a five-year offer from Fiorentina, adding further uncertainty to Tottenham’s January plans.
