Tottenham Hotspur have been offered the chance to sign a “class” young international in January, but Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou is refusing to give his approval to seal the deal as things stand.
Ange Postecoglou teases potential January signing at Tottenham
Winter’s transfer window opens for business in just eight days, representing a significant opportunity for chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and the Lilywhites recruitment team to bolster Postecoglou’s paper-thin options.
Tottenham in pole position to sign "complete" £25m centre-back in January
Ange Postecoglou is in the market for another body in that area.
1 ByEmilio Galantini
Spurs are currently without a host of first-team players, especially at the back, with Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies all on the treatment table, while both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert aren’t expected back until 2025 (Premier Injuries).
Rodrigo Bentancur is set to return from his domestic ban on Boxing Day against Nottingham Forest, in some much-needed good news for Postecoglou, but the north Londoners are still looking very light in terms of squad depth.
Nottingham Forest (away)
December 26
Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)
December 29
Newcastle United (home)
January 4
Arsenal (away)
January 15
Everton (away)
January 19
This succession of injuries and suspensions has exposed Tottenham’s lack of astute back-ups, with Postecoglou forced to rely on teenage schoolkids from the academy to fill his bench slots on numerous occasions in both the Europa League and Premier League.
When asked if Spurs will look to January for answers and possible fresh additions, Postecoglou refused to rule out the possibility of new signings when the window reopens next month.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said Postecoglou in a pre-match press conference ahead of Nottingham Forest.
“Some of them will be internal. We’re at different stages of getting players back from injury. We’ve got a couple of long term ones in Vicario and Wilson, but the rest hopefully at some point in January they’ll come back. That will help us in terms of just getting numbers back and dealing with the schedule, because the schedule is not going to change. We’re in the Carabao Cup semi-final, we’re still in Europe and the FA Cup starts. We’re still in all the competitions, so it’s not going to get any easier. We’re going to need some of those players hopefully to come back and contribute.”
When asked again if January signings were a possibility, Postecoglou replied:
“Yeah, I guess if the right players are there. Again it’s about making sure it’s something that’s going to help us continue to build on what we’re doing.”
Tottenham offered Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli for January
According to GiveMeSport, £25 million Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli is a serious option for the club if they wish to pursue the Italian.
As per their information, Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign Fagioli next month by intermediaries – who are currently floating him around the Premier League to various sides as they attempt to find the 23-year-old a new landing spot for the second half of 24/25.
However, while Spurs are “gifted the opportunity” to tempt Fagioli with a switch to the English capital, something he is apparently very open to, Postecoglou himself is currently stalling on any potential deal. The 59-year-old and other high-profile club figures are electing not to progress a move for the Serie A gem, refusing to give the go-ahead to “wrap up” Fagioli’s signing regardless of his availability to them.
Spurs are actually in the market for a midfielder of Fagioli’s ilk, write GMS, but Postecoglou has chosen not to finalise a switch, as the club continue to mull over winter window plans and won’t be rushed into a panic buy.
It is worth noting that while the player is currently not prominent in Thiago Motta’s first-team thinking and looking for a way out, Fagioli does have a glowing reputation among some sectors.
“I never had any doubts about his class, but last year I also got to know a boy with the desire to learn and this is fundamental. If you combine talent with right mentality, then you can think of affirming yourself at the top,” said former AC Milan transfer chief Ariedo Braida about Fagioli.
“His evolution closely resembles that of (Andrea) Pirlo, who went from number 10 to a low playmaker. Probably the best shows him in front of the defence in a two-man midfield.”