Friday 17 April 2020 10:02, UK
Tottenham Hotspur entered the international break on a five-game winning streak, culminating in a 2-0 dismantling of title favourites, Manchester City.
With their end-of-season title implosion last season still fresh in the minds, Tottenham, under the hugely impressive Mauricio Pochettino, look to be mounting another assault on the Premier League title.
Having already signed Moussa Sissoko, Georges-Kevin N'Koudou, Vincent Janssen, Pau Lopez and Victor Wanyama in the summer, should Spurs still be in title contention in January, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see Pochettino use the window as a means of bringing in reinforcements.
With the help of our friends at Football Whispers, whose unique algorithm tracks the likelihood of deals being done, here are a few of the names who are likely to be linked with a move to White Hart Lane...
Current Club: Real Madrid
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Linked By: Marca
Current Football Whispers Rating: 3.5
Highest Football Whispers Rating: 3.6 (September 1, 2016)
Real Madrid midfielder Isco is regarded as one of the most talented players in his generation of Spanish stars. But in recent months the 24-year-old has found first-team game time hard to come by at the Santiago Bernabeu, and reports in Spain are linking him with a move away from the European champions when the transfer window re-opens in January.
Tottenham are said to be leading the chase for the former Malaga man, with Spanish newspaper Marca recently running a headline which read, 'Tottenham are crazy for Isco'. Isco signed for Real Madrid from Malaga in a 30m euros deal in the summer of 2013.
Los Blancos fended off strong interest from Manchester City to capture the sought-after creative midfielder and his maiden season in Madrid saw him feature in 31 La Liga games, scoring six times and registering eight assists.
In the following campaign, Isco made 34 league appearances, with his growing influence evidenced by his minutes on the pitch rising from 1,991 to 2,338. And despite his goals tally for the 2014-15 season falling to four, Isco's creativity was becoming more vital to his team as he laid on nine assists.
But, last season, Isco's involvement started to slide. He still made 32 total La Liga appearances, but played only 1,822 minutes. His shot accuracy fell dramatically to 41 per cent from 57 per cent. Despite this criticism, Isco's all-round displays were far from disastrous as he still racked up seven assists and three goals, with a slight improvement in his pass completion rate which rose to 89 per cent from 88 per cent in each of the previous two seasons.
Isco hasn't completed 90 minutes for club or country since April, and recently spoke about the possibility of seeking first-team opportunities away from the Spanish capital.
"I have been two months, practically, without playing," he told Marca. "It's difficult when you're training well and the boss does not put you in. But in the end it's my own fault. In the end it is me who is responsible. I want to see where I can improve to get in there….I am not going to give in easily. I know I will be a success. I don't know if that will be with Madrid - I hope so. But if not, I will be a success somewhere else."
If Isco were to move to White Hart Lane in January, he'd still face stiff competition for places, as Pochettino boasts a wealth of midfield options in Mousa Dembele, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli. However, the Spaniard will not be up against such world-renowned names as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale when fighting for a starting berth as he is in Madrid.
Furthermore, his ability to play on either flank, centrally as a number 10 or even in a deeper midfield role, will be perfectly suited for Tottenham's 4-2-3-1 system. The Football Whispers Index is currently ranking the whisper a 3.5 out of 5, which suggests there is some substance to the rumours and is something definitely worth following as January approaches.
Current Club: Lazio
Position: Left-back
Linked By: StarSports
Current Football Whispers Rating: 1.3/5
Highest Football Whispers Rating: 2.3/5 (11th May 2016)
In addition to Isco, Spurs are also being linked with a move for Lazio left-back Jordan Lukaku - the younger brother of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku.
The 22-year-old only signed for the Lazio in July, moving from Anderlecht in a 5m euros deal, so a sudden switch to Spurs may seem unlikely.
If the Belgium international were to join Pochettino's men, he would almost certainly serve primarily as back-up to Danny Rose, who has recently signed a new deal at the club.
With the index score ranking only a 1.3 out of 5, the chances of Tottenham signing him appear relatively slim. However, should Tottenham continue to mount a title challenge, then Lukaku may be relied upon for some defensive depth.
