Tottenham Hotspur may have endured a successful start to life under Thomas Frank in the Premier League, winning his first game against Burnley last weekend.
However, the start in North London hasn’t all been plain sailing, with the Lilywhites’ activity in the transfer market falling way below the expectations of the fanbase.
Daniel Levy has shown glimpses of splashing the cash this summer, already spending £85m on the signatures of Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel from West Ham United and Bayern Munich, respectively.
The pair should’ve been joined by Morgan Gibbs-White, but the owner failed to complete a deal for his signature after triggering the £60m release clause in his contract at Nottingham Forest.
He’s not the only player who should be plying his trade in Frank’s side, with questions certainly starting to be asked about the owner, given the recent antics in the market.
Spurs’ failed pursuit to land Eze this summer
Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has been a huge target for Spurs over the last couple of months, with constant talks being held between the two sides over a £60m transfer.
After missing out on Gibbs-White’s signature, the 27-year-old became their main target for the role, leading to advanced talks taking place, even reaching an agreement with the player himself.
However, the deal has since fallen apart, with North London rivals Arsenal taking advantage of the Lilywhites’ failure to complete the deal despite constant deliberation in recent weeks.
It was reported last night that Mikel Arteta’s side had hijacked the move, swooping in at the 11th hour, subsequently agreeing a deal with Oliver Glasner’s men and with the attacking midfielder.
Eze now looks set to join the Gunners, inflicting yet more pain on the Spurs fanbase, with other targets desperately needing to be identified before the September 1st deadline.
Spurs’ hunt for an Eze alternative this summer
As a result of missing out on Eze, other targets may be revisited, including Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss, with the Moroccan set to depart the Foxes this window.
However, like the England international, they could also be set to miss out on his signature, after Palace submitted an offer to land the 21-year-old as a replacement for the outgoing talent.
Despite the interest in the youngster, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with West Ham star Lucas Paqueta the latest player the club are considering, according to CaughtOffside’s latest report.
The report claims that the Lilywhites are closely monitoring a deal for the Brazilian international, potentially seeing the 27-year-old as the perfect alternative to Eze.
It also states that the Hammers have slashed his current asking price by 50%, now only demanding £40m for his signature despite wanting £80m to offload him 12 months ago.
Why Spurs’ £40m target would be the perfect Eze alternative
Missing out on Eze will certainly be a huge disappointment for the fanbase, with anger undoubtedly going to be directed to the hierarchy – especially if they don’t land an alternative before the window slams shut.
The situation has undoubtedly been made worse by James Maddison’s ACL injury, leaving Frank with no recognised attacking midfielder currently within his Spurs first-team squad.
Pape Sarr was forced to operate in such a role against Scott Parker’s men last weekend, highlighting the need for investment from the board as soon as possible.
However, given the lack of time in the current window, they will have to act quickly to avoid embarrassment and further backlash from the supporters.
Paqueta could certainly provide just that with a potential move to North London, offering a bargain solution given the Hammers’ current £40m asking price.
When comparing his stats to those of Eze from the 2024/25 campaign, the Brazilian has managed to outperform the Englishman in numerous key areas – arguably being a better addition for Frank’s side.
Paqueta, who’s been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst, has certainly showcased that when compared with Eze. Indeed, for starters, he posted a better goal per shot on target rate, subsequently handing Frank a more clinical option when in front of goal.
Games played
33
34
Goals & assists
4
16
Goals per shot on target
0.7
0.2
Pass accuracy
77%
74%
Passes into final third
5.1
1.7
Passes into the opposition box
1.7
1.3
Take-on success
49%
48%
Aerials won
46%
15%
Fouls won
2.4
1.7
However, he was just impressive in setting up his teammates, often the main creator in the West Ham side, as seen by his tally of passes into the final third and opposition box.
The 27-year-old achieved 5.1 passes into the final third, a tally three times higher than that of Eze, with more of his efforts going into the 18-yard box, handing the Lilywhites the needed threat they’ve craved in the number ten position.
Paqueta’s dominance in possession is also highlighted in his higher tally of take-ons completed, leading to him winning more fouls – highlighting that he’s a tougher player to dispossess.
£40m for a player of the Brazilian’s quality is a deal Levy and Co simply can’t look past, potentially landing themselves a bargain given the reported £60m deal for Eze.
If he moved across the capital to join Frank’s side, they would be landing a talent who has the potential to nail down the number ten position, helping the side in their quest for further success in the near future.
As talented as Eze: Spurs make 1st approach to sign "spectacular" £25m star
Tottenham Hotspur have made an attempt to land a star who could have thrived alongside Eberechi Eze.
1 ByEthan Lamb