Better than Maddison & Paz
Tottenham Hotspur fell by the wayside in the Premier League last season, but they picked themselves back up and won the Europa League as part of Ange Postecoglou’s last hurrah.
The Australian coach’s will to win and promise kept have immortalised his name and legacy down N17, but chairman Daniel Levy made the tough call to axe his hero after abject league form and consistent inconsistency.
The decision polarised the fanbase and the wider football community, no doubt, but Levy will feel somewhat vindicated after some impressive early-season form from Spurs, now led by new manager Thomas Frank, winning 3-0 at home to Burnley before confidently dispatching Manchester City at the Etihad.
Mohammed Kudus is off to a flyer after his summer switch from West Ham United, while Joao Palhinha got on the scoresheet against Pep Guardiola’s side. It’s coming together.
However, Tottenham need more before the window slams shut, with sights set on bringing in a new attacking midfielder.
Spurs’ search for an attacking midfielder
During a pre-season match against Newcastle United, James Maddison pulled up after going in for a challenge. It was innocuous, but it was clear from the outset that something wasn’t right.
The England international will miss much of the campaign with an ACL injury, and with Dejan Kulusevski currently out of action too, the need for a number ten is clear.
Many efforts have been exhausted this summer, missing out on both Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Crystal Palace superstar Eberechi Eze, who has joined Arsenal after a late hijack.
Attention has since been turned to Como’s Nico Paz, but the former Real Madrid prospect, 20, wishes to remain in Italy in hope of a future return to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Paz would be a fantastic addition, but he is young and raw and would likely need a bedding-in period on English shores, and Frank’s side need to make real, instant headway in the Premier League this season.
Spurs showing late interest in Premier League star
According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are gearing up for a late-window move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, who has been priced at £80m as Unai Emery’s side look to ward off suitors.
Chelsea are ready to tussle with their London neighbours, with both sides showing ‘strong interest’, though it’s worth stressing that the Blues remain focused on signing RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, their top target.
And Tottenham? Well, having struggled to land a new midfield playmaker after Maddison’s injury, it’s been suggested by sources that he is viewed as the perfect profile to complete Frank’s squad.
What Morgan Rogers would bring to Spurs
Once a speck in Manchester City’s youth academy, Rogers bit the bullet and joined Middlesbrough in the Championship as he sought to make a name for himself.
