Tottenham Hotspur's inconsistency prevented a top-four finish in Ange Postecoglou's first campaign at the helm. However, the Australian has rooted his tenure in firm soil and if further advancements can be made next season then this is shaping up to be an exciting era.
Injuries were at the forefront but an underlying theme of the 2023/24 campaign, where Spurs finished fifth in the Premier League, but it's true that Postecoglou's attempt to make his vision work with some of the players available was like putting square pegs in round holes.
Tottenham are looking for a centre-midfielder – Conor Gallagher is still being courted – but landing a new forward is also a must to belatedly succeed Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich in an initial £82m deal last summer. Now, that pursuit is taking precedence.
Spurs ready to bid for Kane successor
According to Football Transfers, Tottenham are now ready to bid for Brentford striker Ivan Toney and are preparing to present an official £40m offer.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were all put off from signing the England international in January after Thomas Frank's side slapped a £100m price tag on their talisman, though Toney has since confirmed he wants to leave and it's likely he will be granted his wish in the coming months.
Now though, Spurs appear to have slipped into the driving seat and will hope that their vacant position at the spearhead of Postecoglou's system will convince Toney to make the cross-London switch.
Imagine Ivan Toney & James Maddison
Welcoming Toney to Tottenham immediately highlights one theme: the 28-year-old could be the man to bring James Maddison back to the form that left Lilywhites giddy with glee throughout the opening months of the 2023/24 campaign.
Signed from Leicester City for £40m last summer, Maddison was crowned the Premier League's Player of the Month for August, placing two assists against Brentford in his opening match and serving as a conduit between midfield and the frontline.
But, as well all know, as Maddison knows, having been dropped from Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for the 2024 European Championship, a ruinous ankle injury suffered in November has knocked him off-kilter ever since.
Still, he's an elite playmaker, ranking among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 1% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
Apps
Goals
Assists
G/A Rate
Pre-injury
11
3
5
0.73
Post-injury
17
1
4
0.29
Just imagine the partnership that could be born from installing Toney as the focal frontman. Heung-min Son is an almighty finisher and one of the Premier League's finest forwards but he's not an out-and-out striker in the traditional sense. He's not Harry Kane.
Toney, however, is a more orthodox option – with the added bonus of a modern skill set that incorporates creativity and link-up prowess alongside a mentality that led Toney to be hailed for having "the mindset of a lion" by Frank.
The Bees striker returned from an eight-month suspension in January to score four times from his first five Premier League games of the term, though he ebbed away into greyness and has since failed to find the back of the net across 12 matches, assisting twice.
Still, he's an elite finisher – scoring 20 goals from 33 top-flight fixtures last season – and in a more creative environment at Tottenham, he might just rediscover his shooting boots and, in turn, bring Maddison back to the fore.
Premier League star interested in joining Tottenham as Spurs eye £40m deal
The north Londoners are convinced they can get him for less than his asking price.
ByEmilio GalantiniJun 7, 2024