Tottenham are still able to sign free agents despite the transfer window closing – although one option has now moved elsewhere.
Johan Lange – Director of Football at Spurs – did explore the free agent market during the summer, while also bringing Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert to N17, with Tottenham even holding talks about signing one freebie.
Now – however – the player in question is no longer obtainable for Tottenham…
Mats Hummels chooses Roma after Tottenham talks
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Mats Hummels will be joining Roma on a free transfer.
The German has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Italian giants, worth a salary of €2m (£1.7m) in total.
It comes after Graeme Bailey revealed that Tottenham held talks with Hummels after his departure from Borussia Dortmund at the end of last season – as Ange Postecoglou aimed to bolster his defence.
The 35-year-old will bring a wealth of experience with him to Rome, having made 701 appearances at club level throughout his career, while also earning 78 caps for Germany – winning the World Cup in 2014.
Interestingly, West Ham also showed a desire to sign Hummels – after Julen Lopetegui allowed Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd to depart – but the Hammers will now miss out along with Spurs.
Other free agents Spurs can sign immediately
While Hummels – who has been called a “world class” footballer – was arguably the best freebie on the market, there are some other top players Tottenham can sign for nothing outside of the transfer window.
The likes of Adrien Rabiot – another World Cup winner – is available after leaving Juventus, with Anthony Martial also up for grabs following his departure from Manchester United.
Furthermore, Memphis Depay, Andre Gomes, Wissam Ben Yedder and Joel Matip find themselves without a club too, so there are plenty of quality options for Tottenham to explore despite missing out on Hummels.