Tottenham Hotspur’s top five targets during the January transfer window.
5. Alan Dzagoev – CSKA Moscow
A player that Spurs were extensively linked with during the summer, a move didn’t materialise, but Dzagoev is still being tipped with making to switch to the Premier League and he will hope to test himself at the top level sooner rather than later. Spurs would be more than willing to give him his opportunity too.
Could likely fill the boots that will be left by Moussa Dembele, who has been mooted to make his own exit.
4. Fabio Coentrao – Real Madrid
With Jan Vertonghen having to fill in at left-back (and subsequently moaning about it) it is likely that a replacement for Benoit Assou-Ekotto will finally need to be brought in during the January window. Coentrao was heavily linked with a switch to White Heart Lane over the summer, and as his own playing situation is yet to improve in Spain he could probably have his arm twisted at taking another look at AVB’s men.
Injury problems with both Vertonghen and Danny Rose have meant that a new left-back will almost certainly be high on the manager’s agenda, and Coentrao is still the most viable option on the market.
3. Miralem Pjanic – Roma
The Bosnian has seen himself become one of Europe’s most highly rated attackers this season as Roma continue to dominate at the top of the Serie A standings, and though his signature won’t be easy to come by, if he should decide on making the move to the Premier League then Spurs will be in pole position to snap him up.
He will add a creative spark to the Spurs attack that has strangely been missing this term even though the club brought in a number of top quality forwards over the summer.
2. Christian Benteke – Aston Villa
The powerful Belgian is still Villa’s top scorer this term despite injury and a slight loss of form. He has already been proven at Premier League level and would take no time to settle into life in the capital. Spurs had tried to sign him over the summer but to no avail and if they were to try their luck again they would need to dig deep in order to convince Paul Lambert to part with his star man.
Spurs need goals, and though Benteke is displaying some lean form at the moment, the creative options at Villa aren’t what they are at Spurs, and he could benefit from the work of the players just behind him.
1. Andrea Pirlo – Juventus
He may be the wrong side of 30, but the boy can still play and there is absolutely no doubt that he would be a hit during his short time in England. Still able to command a game with a simple flick of the boot, he would add an abundance of class to Tottenham’s whole complexion and give them a dimension that they’ve never had before.