Tottenham have splashed out well over £350m on new signings since appointing Ange Postecoglou as manager 15 months ago. As such, expectations of the silverware that has eluded the North London giants for so long are high.
Spurs have endured a bumpy start to the 2024/25 campaign, though, winning only one of their opening four games – 4-0 against bottom-of-the-table Everton – and losing their last two. Sunday's 1-0 derby defeat at home to Arsenal will have been a particularly bitter pill to swallow.
Right now, there is clearly a fair bit of work to do to get this team challenging for trophies. Will Postecoglou be given the time to get Tottenham into that position, though?
No matter who's in charge of Spurs come the end of the season, the club appear have made pretty advanced transfer plans. TEAMtalk have provided an update on one player heavily linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
They claim that Tottenham could be pipped to the signing of Real Betis defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso by Milan. The Telegraph reported earlier this month that Spurs had secured a priority option to buy the USA international for £21m next summer – as part of their deal to sell Giovani Lo Celso back to Betis last month – albeit with a somewhat curious caveat: they would only have a two-week window in which to sign him.
As such, Milan – or any other club potentially interested in Cardoso – might try to steal the march in January. Tottenham, though are said to be at the front of the queue.
So, what does FourFourTwo think? Is this a bit of a transfer-market masterstroke from Spurs?
Well, on the face of it, it shows great forward-thinking, but it does also seem like a slightly risky approach. Or maybe Tottenham just aren't that keen on Cardoso...
Cardoso is worth €25m, according to Transfermarkt. His contract expires in 2029.
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Spurs have made their stance on Ange Postecgolou's position clear following Sunday's North London derby loss.
It comes after a former Tottenham star tipped the club to make a surprise managerial appointment.