Ange Postecoglou will have two new faces to work with when Tottenham’s pre-season begins this weekend as well as a returning one but there is plenty more to do in the transfer window.
Spurs have brought Archie Gray in from Leeds United for a £40million package, which includes just over £25million plus Joe Rodon heading in the other direction. The Championship Young Player of the Year will join another highly-rated 18-year-old wonderkid in the shape of Lucas Bergvall, following his £8.5million switch from Djurgarden in February.
There is also a returning older face in Timo Werner, who had his loan spell from RB Leipzig extended by another season in May, to add another option to Postecoglou’s squad for a busy season ahead with the return of continental football with the Europa League back on the menu.
There are still almost two months remaining of the summer transfer window but Postecoglou told football.london that he wants new faces in for pre-season so the club cannot afford to hang around. Here are five things that still need to be decided after Gray’s move from Leeds.
How does Gray impact other moves?
Spurs were delighted to capture Archie Gray with plenty of interest in him among the Premier League and Europe’s top sides. To capture his signature after Brentford’s attempts collapsed, Tottenham would have had to offer a clearer pathway to Postecoglou’s first team in the near future than their rivals.
That then begs the question whether the versatile England U21 international, who is naturally a central midfielder who many believe will end up as a number six but played much of last season at right-back, will have altered Spurs’ plans for this window? The Premier League will be another step up for Gray but he did play 52 times for Leeds last season in a physical Championship so is no green rookie despite his age.
Some have compared his readiness for the top flight to be like Gareth Bale, who played regularly in the Championship for Southampton for a season before arriving at Spurs at 17-years-old. It was only an ankle injury that really prevented the Welshman from continuing his run of early starts in his first season at the club.
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So could Gray’s ability to play at right-back as a midfielder lend itself to Postecoglou’s inverted full-back role and withdraw the need to look for another right-back should Emerson Royal leave for AC Milan this summer? Or could the club decide against signing another number six this summer to allow the teenager to grow into that role as an alternative to Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur?
Postecoglou and technical director Johan Lange will have to make decisions on all of that after the opportunity to bring in a star in the making in Gray arose.
Which attackers come in?
Postecoglou admitted to football.london that bringing in new attacking players is a priority for him this summer. Werner signing on again for another season is one option who fits the Australian’s system but more attacking players will arrive during this window.
football.london reported last month that Rennes’ Desire Doue is one of those on Tottenham’s attacking midfield shortlist, able to play out wide on either flank and through the middle. That strong interest in the 19-year-old has not diminished and with the Frenchman linked with many top clubs in Europe, including Bayern and PSG, any chase for him would be highly competitive. Spurs do have a strong relationship with Rennes, having loaned them Rodon and Djed Spence in the past.
Doue fits the transfer profile of a club like Tottenham as a moderately expensive player who can become a star in the years ahead while impressing now and one they can have a fairer fight for, without Champions League football on the table.
For instance, the north London club love Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams but so do most of the biggest clubs in the world and the 21-year-old’s performances for Spain at Euro 2024 have only increased that. The problem doesn’t stop there either as despite a reported £49million up front release clause, the player also already earns £170,000 a week at Athletic Bilbao so the competition will drive that far higher for any potential suitor. So where Tottenham would sit in the food chain even if they did try to make a move for the Euros star remains to be seen.
Postecoglou also wants another option up front, with Lille’s Canada international Jonathan David among the list of names the club have looked at in the position.
The Australian wants more firepower up front and the attacking spots are ones he will want filled sooner rather than later before looking at any extra defensive additions.
Does he need experience?
Postecoglou likes to develop top young players and Spurs prefer that profile of signing but the Australian will also need some experienced newcomers if he is to realise his expectations of getting the club challenging at the top of the Premier League next season while competing across all competitions.
Spurs like Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and the England international is certainly ready-mate but his club currently seem confident of keeping the midfielder this summer. Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey falls into the young but also Premier League experienced category as does Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.
Continuing the English theme and Spurs have been among the many clubs linked with Brentford striker Ivan Toney. The north London side have distanced themselves from such reports for much of this window so far but you can’t help but wonder whether if his price drops as the weeks pass and the competition is not there for his services, whether Tottenham have another think about the England man before the window closes.
Postecoglou certainly needs some more older heads to help guide his young team.
Who leaves?
Bids aplenty will start to trickle in for Tottenham’s players now the financial books have opened for next season to ease fears for the time being over the profit and sustainability rules. Spurs have so many players they are happy to move on this summer with many in the final 12 months of their contract, including Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon, while Djed Spence is also not in Postecoglou’s plans with Genoa keen to keep him for the right price.
Bryan Gil will also be available for the right price tag, along with Emerson, while AZ Alkmaar remain the favourites to sign Troy Parrott this summer although they have so far been unable to agree a fee with Tottenham. Oliver Skipp wants regular football next season but is a rare senior club-trained homegrown player for the Europa League for Tottenham.
Other bids will come in for players that Postecoglou is happy to keep in the coming season, which in itself could lead to some rethinking of plans, with Richarlison the subject of continued interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
Which youngsters stay and which go on loan?
Postecoglou must also make a decision on which of the club’s young stars remain in and around his squad for the coming season to get minutes in the Premier League and Europe League as well as domestic cup competitions and which head out on loan for a full season of senior experience.
Mikey Moore is expected to be heavily involved in pre-season after the 16-year-old spent much of the end of the previous campaign with the first team and got two Premier League appearances under his belt. Borussia Dortmund are sniffing around the player who technically has agreed his first professional deal with Spurs but will not sign it until 17th birthday on August 11 so isn’t entirely locked down just yet.
Postecoglou has plenty of belief in Moore, who is currently believe to be happy at Spurs, and the youngster will get minutes this summer in pre-season and then across the campaign, which the club hope is enough to prevent any envious eyes from outside becoming anything more than that.
Tyrese Hall is also expected to be involved with the first team while decisions will be made on the other members of Tottenham’s successful but currently huge U21s squad.
football.london understands Luton Town are extremely keen on taking Jamie Donley on loan to the Championship, as are Oxford United, with former Spurs assistant boss Chris Davies at Birmingham City also looking at the 19-year-old, who made four first team appearances last season under Postecoglou.
There have been inquiries aplenty about Will Lankshear after the striker’s 32 goals for the U21s last season, but question marks remain over whether he must remain at Tottenham for the next campaign to ensure he is considered club trained and homegrown for the seasons ahead.
The next steps also have to be decided with Dane Scarlett, Alejo Veliz, Alfie Devine and Ashley Phillips among others, with Matthew Craig expected to head out on loan again after his successful spell at Doncaster Rovers.
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