Tottenham need to get their act together.
12 days into January, and the only concrete link is a move for Brazilian teenager Souza. The 19-year-old arrives from Santos with a reputation for being one of the most exciting young talents to come through the club’s academy in recent years. Yet a young left-back won’t rectify their ongoing issues.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Fact is – Spurs need a new attacker and strengthening in central midfield. The north London side sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace earlier this month. Then Mohammed Kudus sustained a thigh problem in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison have since fallen foul to the club’s injury curse.
Rodrigo Bentancur is another set for an extended spell on the sidelines. The Uruguayan suffered a hamstring injury late in the 3-2 loss at Bournemouth last week. It’s since come to light that Bentancur will undergo surgery that’ll rule him out much of the remainder of the campaign. Having started all but four of Spurs’ 21 league games this season, his absence is a blow for Thomas Frank. When it rains, it pours.
With Pape Sarr on AFCON duty and Yves Bissouma cast aside, Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray are Frank’s only senior central midfield options at present. It’s a sub-par situation for a manager already under mounting pressure. While Spurs need a progressive passer, adding bodies in a key area is of paramount importance at this stage.
And links with a move for Conor Gallagher should be welcomed by fans. Is he the answer to the club’s midfield woes? No, but he’s an energetic, experienced midfielder that’ll swell the ranks in the middle of the park.
Defensive
Using Squawka’s Comparison Matrix, we’ll first compare Gallagher’s defensive qualities with Spurs’ current central midfield options. In terms of tackles per 90, this is a metric that Palhinha (5.2) unsurprisingly dominates. The Portugal international is a ball-winning monster, after all.
However, compared to Spurs’ current crop, Gallagher ranks joint-second for tackles per 90 (2.4). Additionally, the England international ranks top for interceptions per 90 (1.5), second for ground duels contested per 90 (10.3) and third for ball recoveries per 90 (4.8). Off the ball at least, he is able to compete with Spurs’ current crop.
The out-of-possession work isn’t where Spurs are really found wanting, however. Yes, it’s an area that does need refinement. The north London side have kept just five clean sheets in 16 matches since the start of November. Rather, the fans are pining to see the club sign a progressor from deep.
Distribution
We’ve all seen the damning stat. Spurs have attempted just 11(!) through balls in the Premier League this season. Nine players have attempted more in England’s top tier this term. Herein lies the issue for Spurs. They just do not have a player to advance play through the middle of the park.
And this issue is that Gallagher isn’t the midfielder to perform this duty. Indeed, he’s averaging just 0.2 through balls per 90, the same as Sarr, Gray and Bentancur. 10.9 forward passes per 90 is behind both Bentancur (12.3) and Palhinha (12.4). Only the Uruguayan is making more sideways passes per 90 (27.2) than the Atletico man (26.2).
What’s more, Gallagher is creating just 0.6 chances per 90 in La Liga this season. Spurs need a creator in the middle of the park, and Gallagher just isn’t the answer to this distribution shortcomings through central areas.
Offensive
Furthermore, Spurs lack penetrative runners from deep. Only Manchester City (10.9) are completing more take ons per 90 than Spurs (9.2) in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign. However, a bulk of those were through Kudus.
In terms of central midfielders, Bentancur tops both completed take ons per 90 (0.9) and take on success rate (59.09%). By comparison, Gallagher boasts a 18.75% success rate from 0.5 completed take ons per 90.
While Gallagher is a handy ball winner, and effective when it comes to recycling possession, he’s not going to be the answer to Spurs’ midfield issues.
Conclusion
The January market isn’t great for making moves for long-term targets, that much is true. That’s not to say teams haven’t struck gold in the winter window. Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk in 2018, while Manchester United brought in Bruno Fernandes in January 2020. Bruno Guimaraes, Morgan Rogers and Adam Wharton are among those to have completed winter moves in the past.
The profile of midfielder Spurs need is clear as day. Gallagher doesn’t fit that profile by any stretch. However, with Spurs down to the bare bones in a key area, interest in the Atletico man isn’t a shock. He’ll provide a much-needed injection of energy in the middle of the park and add some top-quality depth to the midfield.
If Spurs can get a deal for Gallagher done, then they should grab the chance with both hands. If they are to progress – quite literally – then Gallagher can’t be the only central midfielder arrival this month, however.
