In the Premier League, every season is important, but for Tottenham Hotspur, that feels especially true for 2024/25.
The Lilywhites enjoyed a relatively successful campaign under Ange Postecoglou last year, which ended in Europa League qualification, but this year, the objective has to be Champions League football.
The Australian won't get the same pass he did last year if there is another end-of-season collapse, although with the right signings, that can hopefully be avoided.
Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co are hard at work as, based on recent reports, the latest player touted for a move to N17 would be perfect for Postecoglou and be unreal alongside James Maddison.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.
The report claims that the Lilywhites are expected to make an offer for the Englishman soon, although the Blues are in talks with Atlético Madrid about a possible move to the La Liga giants.
The good news for the North Londoners is that a separate report from talkSPORT has claimed the West Londoners are looking for a fee north of £50m, while the Spanish side are not looking to spend more than £40m, leaving room for Levy and Co to get ahead of them.
If Spurs are to sign Gallagher in the coming weeks, it won't be a cheap deal, but given his form last season and the potential partnership he could form with Maddison, it would be worth it.
Why Gallagher would be a great teammate for Maddison
Now, there are two main reasons why Gallagher would be such a great teammate for Maddison, and they are also some of the reasons he'd be great for Postecoglou.
The first is that in midfield, his boundless energy and ability to play a more defensive, if not disruptive, style of football would allow the former Foxes star to focus his attention on what's happening at the sharp end of the pitch.
For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Englishman sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders - where he made 21 starts last year - or wingers for interceptions, the top 4% for tackles, the top 8% for clearances and the top 11% for blocks, all per 90.
However, while the Epsom-born "machine," as teammate Moises Caicedo dubbed him, is a fantastically hard worker in midfield, he can also help with attacking phases of play, sometimes taking some of the attention of the Coventry-born ace.
For example, in 50 appearances last season, the 24-year-old scored seven goals and provided nine assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.12 games, and while that's not earth-shatteringly good, it's a rate of return that would be tremendously helpful to have in the side.
Ultimately, while the fee is high, and he might not be the most glamorous of names, Gallagher would be a great signing for Spurs, and thanks to his relentless running and underrated attacking ability, he'd be unreal alongside Maddison.