Tottenham are hoping to bring in an additional midfielder before the January transfer ends.
Tottenham have endured a difficult first half of their Premier League campaign under Thomas Frank this season. The Lilywhites are currently hovering in the bottom half of the table in 14th place, having secured just seven wins from their opening 22 matches in the competition. There is a growing belief that Frank may not remain in charge at N17 if results continue to fall below expectations in the coming weeks.
As a result, the Danish tactician is keen for the club to bring in further reinforcements in a bid to save himself from the sack at N17. The North Londoners did manage to secure Conor Gallagher and Souza on permanent deals this month, but those additions are not viewed as sufficient, particularly if Frank is hoping to turn Spurs’ Premier League fortunes around and push for European qualification.
The ongoing injury crisis at the club is also working against Thomas Frank. The Lilywhites currently have several key players unavailable for selection in the upcoming fixtures. Spurs are without Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, and James Maddison, highlighting the urgent need for midfield reinforcements in the coming days.
Tottenham might miss out on Al-Hilal star Ruben Neves in the winter
There is a growing belief that Tottenham are actively searching for a new midfielder to strengthen the squad for the second half of the campaign. Recent reports have linked £300,000-a-week Al-Hilal star Ruben Neves with a move to N17 as the Lilywhites look to revamp their midfield under Frank. The Portuguese international is keen on a return to Europe and has rejected a new contract offer from the Saudi club. Al-Hilal are also prepared to cash in on the midfielder to avoid losing him on a free transfer when his contract expires in six months’ time.
However, Spurs now appear set to miss out on the former Wolves captain despite offering him the opportunity to play regular first-team football at N17 for the remainder of the season. As per Anton Meana (via AS),
“Rúben Neves wants to sign for Real Madrid in this winter market. Technicians from the football department believe that the team needs to reinforce the midfield, but the board has doubts about his performance and that his contract ends in June makes them not need to pay a transfer for him in January. The player has a very juicy renewal offer from Al Hilal, but he wants to play in the white team.”
The journalist claims that Neves is keen on joining Real Madrid this season as Los Blancos look to bolster their midfield options for the second half of the campaign. The La Liga giants are still weighing up whether to sign the Portuguese international in January for a transfer fee, given that he could be available on a free transfer in the summer. Neves, however, remains determined to complete a move to the Bernabeu before the transfer window closes in the coming days.
Spurs may therefore have to explore alternative options in the market if Neves makes it clear that he has no interest in returning to England. The Lilywhites continue to be linked with Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton as they seek to add depth to their midfield. The England international is facing an uncertain future at Selhurst Park and could be open to a move to N17 should the right opportunity arise.
Will the Lilywhites show real intent in the transfer market and bring in an additional midfielder, or will Thomas Frank be forced to make do with his current options as he attempts to weather the storm at N17? Only time will tell.