Spurs make move to sign “one of the best playmakers in Europe”, he’s a lot like Dembele -opinion
Tottenham Hotspur’s Transfer Window: A Balancing Act Between Setbacks and Opportunity
Tottenham Hotspur’s summer transfer business has not reached the level of frustration endured by Newcastle United, who have faced rejection after rejection in their pursuit of reinforcements, but it has hardly been a smooth ride for new manager Thomas Frank. The Dane’s first few months in the job have been a mixture of encouragement on the pitch and obstacles off it, leaving Spurs in a position where the final week of the window could define their season.
On the field, Frank’s tenure has started brightly. Most notably, Spurs’ hard-fought victory over Manchester City last weekend sent a strong message that his team can compete with the very best in the league. Yet beneath that high sits a series of headaches, particularly concerning squad depth and transfer failures.
The injury to James Maddison has been a hammer blow. The England international, so often Spurs’ creative heartbeat, is now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. His absence has left a gaping hole in midfield, and the club’s attempts to fill it have not gone according to plan. Approaches for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze – two playmakers seen as game-changing additions – ultimately collapsed. Missing out on Eze, who chose Arsenal instead, was especially painful for supporters hoping to see a marquee arrival.
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The Final Week of the Transfer Window
Despite those setbacks, Spurs remain active. Their strong response on the pitch – taking down City with discipline and grit – has shown that Frank can rally his side even amidst transfer frustrations. However, the club’s ability to sustain a push for the top four across a grueling campaign will almost certainly hinge on whether reinforcements arrive before deadline day.
The standout name remains Savinho, the 20-year-old Brazilian winger currently on Manchester City’s books but impressing on loan in Spain. Reports suggest Tottenham are preparing what could be a club-record offer in a bid to secure his services, underlining just how desperate they are for a spark in the final third.
Another target is Nico Paz, the 22-year-old midfielder playing under Cesc Fàbregas at Como. According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have tabled a £60 million bid for the Spanish prospect, though negotiations are complicated. Como are understandably reluctant to part with a player who has become central to their rise, and Paz himself is reportedly eager to continue his development under Fàbregas for the time being. To add another layer of difficulty, Real Madrid – Paz’s former club – retain a buy-back clause and are expected to match any formal offer.
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Searching for the Next Mousa Dembélé
For years, Tottenham fans have longed for a midfielder in the mould of Mousa Dembélé, whose departure in 2019 left a void that has never truly been filled. Dembélé’s unique blend of defensive tenacity, ball-carrying ability, and press resistance made him a one-man engine room. He could glide past markers, dominate duels, and dictate tempo in a way few midfielders in Premier League history have matched.
His teammates and rivals often described him in near-mythical terms. Kyle Walker once called him “probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football,” while Eric Dier described him as “a freak of nature.” The numbers back it up: in his standout 2015/16 campaign, Dembélé averaged nearly three successful dribbles per game while also winning over three tackles per match – proof of his all-action influence.
This is where Nico Paz draws comparisons. The Como midfielder has shown glimpses of being the kind of multi-phase operator Spurs have been craving. Earlier this year against Atalanta, Paz produced a Dembélé-esque display: four successful dribbles, ten duels won, and a goal to cap it off. His ability to both carry the ball under pressure and make decisive contributions in the final third has drawn praise from scouts across Europe. Analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as a player capable of “crashing the box” while also threading “killer final balls,” a combination of attributes that would give Tottenham an entirely new dimension.
Statistics back up the hype. Over the past year, Paz has ranked among the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s top leagues for progressive carries and inside the top 7% for tackles, according to FBref. In contrast to Dembélé, Paz appears more attack-minded, with greater involvement in chance creation and scoring opportunities, but both share the rare ability to dominate games through their ball progression.
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What It Means for Spurs
Tottenham’s transfer priorities are now crystal clear. They need an injection of creativity and drive in midfield to offset Maddison’s absence, and they cannot afford to miss out again. Whether it is through Savinho’s flair on the wing or Paz’s Dembélé-like versatility in midfield, the Lilywhites must deliver in the final days of the window if they are to transform early-season promise into a sustained campaign.
For Thomas Frank, the first few months at the helm have underlined both the promise and the challenges of his Spurs project. He has shown that he can set his team up to compete with the best, but unless Daniel Levy and the recruitment team come through with reinforcements, the new manager may be forced to navigate the season with a squad still lacking the extra layer of quality required for a true top-four push.