The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at Tottenham Hotspur’s sensational performance in the winter transfer window.
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur have done some serious business in the winter transfer window. They were one of the most active teams in the window and have managed to add a lot of quality to their ranks.
Their Australian boss wanted them to make a move at the very start of the window, and that is exactly what the North London club did. They went early and signed two of their most important targets.
On the majority of the occasions, their key signings have come on the deadline day. But, this time, they were quite quick as they managed to add two players to their squad for their first fixture of the New Year.
Spurs got off to a flying start to the new season under the leadership of their new manager. Despite parting ways with star striker Harry Kane, they started in fine fashion but eventually crumbled because of the lack of depth.
Tottenham decided to make moves in the winter to add more quality to their ranks and have managed to sign a defender as well as a forward. They have also struck a deal for a teenage sensation who will join them in the summer.
They were linked with quite a few other stars. But unfortunately, those moves did not take centre stage. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at their overall performance in the winter transfer window.
The Arrivals
Despite getting the desired start, Postecoglou’s team eventually struggled because of the lack of depth and injuries. And, with a few players leaving for international duty during the winter break and the possibility of them being away for a month, the Australian manager was keen on making moves as soon as possible.
Spurs responded to his wishes and managed to land Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner before their first match of the new year.
Radu Dragusin
The North London club had to battle it out with Bayern Munich for the signatures of the 22-year-old defender. Reinforcing their defence was one of the priorities for Spurs heading into this window.
Summer signing Micky van de Ven has done wonders for them, and they are quite happy with his performances. The Dutchman has formed a great partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of the defence. While the duo is quite reliable, Postecoglou feels the need for another centre-back he can depend on.
The Tottenham boss was keen on his signatures and so were Bayern Munich. The German giants are admirers of Dragusin, and they felt he could have been a great acquisition for the long term. Bayern were plotting a hijack, but that did not go according to plan.
Spurs made the Romanian international their priority and managed to beat Bayern Munich in the race for his services. They struck a deal worth £25.8 million to land the 22-year-old at the club. But, this was not the only time they managed to win a battle against a European giant in the winter, they did it again late in the window.
Timo Werner
When Tottenham parted ways with Harry Kane in the summer, they decided against signing a like-for-like replacement at that time. Ange Postecoglou was quite confident in his forwards, and they did manage to get the job done on most days.
But, eventually, the Tottenham boss realised that they would need another forward to ensure they were in the race for a top-four place right until the end. While they are only seven points behind league leaders and are in the race for the title, their priority is to ensure their quality for the UEFA Champions League.
The North Londoners wanted to sign a quality forward but were not willing to fork out a significant sum to do so. As a result, they decided to push for Werner’s signature. The former Chelsea forward did not receive enough game time at RB Leipzig.
He was surplus to their requirements, and as a result, Leipzig agreed to sanction his departure. Spurs managed to sign him on loan until the end of the season. The deal also has an option to buy that they could trigger depending on his performances. Since making the move, he already has two assists in his three league outings for the North London club.
Lucas Bergvall
Spurs have managed to defeat Barcelona in the race to sign Lucas Bergvall. The Swedish international, who has just turned 18, was the talk of the town throughout the winter transfer window.
He was closing in on a move to Barcelona when Tottenham decided to step up their interest. The North London club went all out and have managed to strike a deal for the teenage sensation, who has the potential to be a special player.
Bergvall will move to England in the summer. After defeating Bayern Munich in the race for Dragusin’s signature, this was another big move for Tottenham. The teenager was all set to join the Catalan giants, they were clear front runners.
But, Spurs came in late, convinced his family and paid his agents a significant amount to ensure they could overturn his decision. They succeeded in doing so at the very end of the transfer window to round off what had been an interesting window for them.
The North London club will pay £8.5 million to Djurgardens to sign the teenage sensation who could be the mainstay of their midfield for years to come.
Inevitable Departure
Apart from pulling off two incredible transfers by fending off Bayern Munich and Barcelona and adding Timo Werner to their ranks, Spurs parted ways with as many as eight players. Most of them were loan deals, while their permanent departures were those of Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier.
Hugo Lloris
Lloris was a great servant for the North London club. The former French international was their mainstay in goal for over a decade. He played a significant part in their success over the years but of late, he had gone done the pecking order.
The club had decided to move on from him, and he was well aware of the situation. While a move away in the summer would have been an ideal situation, it did not happen. His departure in the winter was inevitable as he was no longer in their plans. He terminated his contract with Tottenham and ended up joining Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.
A Player They Should Have Signed
Spurs were after the signatures of quite a few players during the winter. Apart from the players they did sign, Tottenham were interested in Antonio Nusa, Conor Gallagher and Jacob Ramsey.
Nusa as well as Ramsey’s arrival would have bolstered their attack further. But in reality, they needed a midfielder who could help them control the tempo of the game. And, that is why Gallagher is someone they should have gone all out for.
Conor Gallagher
Tottenham had every intention of signing a new midfielder late into the window. They were ready to make a last-ditch move for the Chelsea midfielder. But, unfortunately, that has not gone according to plan.
The 23-year-old was on the verge of leaving Chelsea last summer, but he ended up staying and slowly worked his way into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. Gallagher has been doing well for the Blues. But his future is uncertain as he has not penned down a new deal, and Chelsea have been in talks of offloading a few of their academy graduates to improve their FFP situation.
Spurs wanted reinforcement in the centre of the park and made moves but failed to land him. However, they might have failed this time but are expected to return in the summer.
Transfer Rating: 8/10
Tottenham have done some incredible business in the winter transfer window. They needed depth in their ranks and managed to add two quality players at the very start. Werner is a versatile forward who can feature out wide as well as a number nine. He will bolster their attack and has already showcased his quality with two assists.
Dragusin is a quality centre-back who will give Ange Postecoglou enough options at the back. And, in the long run, he could be a mainstay for them in the heart of the defence. Managing to beat Barcelona in the race to sign Lucas Bergvall is another sensational move by the English club.
While the 18-year-old will join them in the summer, he is a great acquisition for Postecoglou’s plans moving ahead. They needed a new central midfielder, and had they managed to strike a deal for Gallagher, it could have been a 10/10 winter transfer window for Spurs. However, they have still done wonders when we compare their performance with their other rivals.
