Tottenham favourites to sign £44m ex-Chelsea captain who can play as a 10

[ad_1] Tottenham are in obvious want of a brand new quantity 10 and a substitute for James Maddison after the Englishman's contemporary harm nightmare, and Thomas Frank shall be ruing their missed alternatives to convey one on this summer season.

Spurs' emotional Seoul farewell to membership legend Son Heung‑min soured final Sunday when Maddison was pressured off on a stretcher late into their 1-1 pre-season draw with Newcastle.

Tottenham's best-performing regulars within the Premier League - 2024/2025

Common match ranking

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

by way of WhoScored

The previous Leicester Metropolis star - having simply recovered from a knee harm which sidelined him on the finish of 2024/2025 - got here on within the seventy fifth minute and lasted barely ten minutes earlier than collapsing in agony, clutching that very same knee. Frank didn’t sugarcoat it.

The Dane confirmed it was "unhealthy" and the identical knee that sidelined Maddison in Might, ruling him out of Europa League remaining glory, with the 28-year-old now anticipated to face one more prolonged lay-off in a serious headache for Frank.

Maddison was poised to be the artistic heartbeat of Frank's new-look Spurs aspect this season - particularly with Son waving goodbye to the membership after 10 years and fellow chief creator, Dejan Kulusevski, additionally out injured.

Daniel Levy has already splashed £117 million on the signings of Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai, Kevin Danso and a mortgage deal for Joao Palhinha, however shedding Maddison leaves the assault dangerously skinny.

Tottenham have been on the verge of signing Morgan Gibbs-White this time final month, which might've solved this downside.

They even scheduled a medical for the 25-year-old forward of a £60 million transfer (BBC), however Nottingham Forest blocked the switch, wrote a letter to Spurs threatening authorized motion and, to rub salt within the wound, tied Gibbs-White down with a club-record new deal.

Spurs are nonetheless in scorching pursuit of a brand new playmaker, itemizing it as one in all their chief priorities earlier than deadline day on September 1 (Alasdair Gold), and there are just a few Gibbs-White alternate options to maintain conscious of.

Regardless of RB Leipzig's method for Liverpool star Harvey Elliott, talkSPORT's Alex Criminal means that the England Below-21 sensation might emerge as a goal for Spurs, whereas Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze has additionally been linked with a transfer to N17.

Tottenham favourites to signal Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid One other outside-the-box choice could possibly be former Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher.

Whereas extra historically used as a defensive anchor, the Englishman can play additional ahead in a conventional centre-midfield function and, extra importantly, as a CAM.

Based on Soccer Espana, Tottenham are seen because the most definitely vacation spot for Gallagher this summer season, following studies that Atlético Madrid will let him go for a payment of as much as £44 million.

FE report that Levy is contemplating a bid for the 25-year-old, so this could possibly be one to observe as Spurs ponder providing Gallagher a route again to London after simply over 12 months within the Spanish capital.

"Conor Gallagher is a hardworking participant, with high quality, a great presence, recovers balls, and at all times provides his most in each state of affairs,” stated Atlético boss Diego Simeone.

“He got here with quite a lot of enthusiasm, and we want that form of participant within the midfield as a result of he makes us higher.”

Throughout his remaining season at Stamford Bridge, Gallagher averaged their second-highest common of key passes per 90 within the prime flight behind Cole Palmer (WhoScored) - bagging 9 assists in all competitions in addition.

Mauricio Pochettino used him in an attacking midfield function often throughout that point too, and Gallagher would additionally assist to fill Spurs' 'regionally educated' Champions League quota.