Tottenham Hotspur fans have entered the 2025/26 campaign with huge expectations, especially after the Europa League triumph against Manchester United at the end of May.
The Lilywhites ended their 17-year wait for a trophy in Bilbao, which has no doubt cranked the pressure up on Thomas Frank after he took the reins from Ange Postecoglou during the off-season.
He completed four deals of his own during his maiden summer in North London, with his arrivals racking up over £100m spent to help improve the options at the Dane’s disposal.
The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons made the move to join the Lilywhites, with the pair helping the side sit in fifth-place in the Premier League at present.
However, Frank will no doubt want to further bolster his squad in the upcoming January transfer window to improve the club’s chances of finishing in the Champions League places once again.
Numerous players have been strongly touted with a switch to North London, but one name has been continuously been mentioned over the last couple of weeks.
The latest on Semenyo's move to Spurs in January
Over the last couple of days, Spurs have been named as one of numerous Premier League clubs in the hunt to land a deal for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo in January.
The 25-year-old has been one of the division’s biggest talents in the 2025/26 campaign, with the Ghanian already scoring six times and registering three assists in his 11 appearances.
Such a tally of nine combined goals and assists is the second-highest of any player in the division, with only Erling Haaland notching more at this stage of the season.
Over the last couple of days, it’s become apparent that the winger could be available in the upcoming transfer window, with the Cherries potentially powerless to losing their starman.
It’s been reported that Semenyo has a £65m release clause which becomes active in the winter market, with Spurs just one side currently interested in a move for his signature.
The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool also remain keen on a deal for the attacker, but it’s unclear who is leading the race for his signature.
However, it would be yet another huge investment by Frank, especially after splashing upwards of £50m on two different additions during the recent summer window.
A deal for Semenyo would also be a joint-club record, with such a fee matching the price paid for Dominic Solanke after his own switch to North London from Bournemouth back in 2024.
If the club are to afford such a deal in the coming months, the club will likely have to offload numerous first-team players to help balance the books in the process.
How Spurs can fund the Semenyo move
Over the years, Spurs have spent big on numerous players across various areas of the pitch in an attempt to try and battle for Premier League supremacy.
The hierarchy have spent upwards of £400m in the last couple of years to back various managers, but their investment has often been wasted on numerous players who have failed to match the demands in North London.
Tanguy Ndombele is arguably the biggest example, after the hierarchy forked out a reported £63m for the Frenchman’s signature back in the summer of 2019.
He only made a total of 91 appearances for the Lilywhites over a five-year spell, before being released and returning to his homeland to join Nice back in the summer of 2024.
Frank’s current squad also does boast numerous big-money additions, with the centre-back partnership of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero costing nearly £100m combined.
However, the pair have been worth every penny in North London, with the partnership helping the Dane’s side keep the fourth-best defensive record in the division at present.
However, not all the club’s big-money investments have paid off in recent years, with Richarlison one player who has massively struggled to match expectations at the club.
The Brazilian joined the Lilywhites for a reported £60m back in the summer of 2022, with such a move raising the eyebrows of many supporters given the nature of the transfer fee.
In the three and a half years since such a move, the 28-year-old has racked up a total of 108 appearances for the first-team, only finding the back of the net on 24 occasions.
This season alone, Richarlison has massively struggled to match the levels many expect of him, with the club desperately needing to move the former Everton man on in the near future.
He’s often been ineffective in numerous matches, as seen by his average of 22.3 touches per 90 this season, with the Brazilian only notching 10 touches in 90 mins against Bodo Glimt in the Champions League.
Other figures, such as a 50% dribble success rate and just 42% aerials won in the Premier League to date, showcase his poor all-round quality at the top end of the pitch.
As a result of his disappointing displays in recent months, Gabriel Agbonlahor stated that he believes the Brazilian is “one of the worst signings in Premier League history”.
Games played
11
Goals scored
4
Pass accuracy
63%
Dribble success
50%
Aerials won
42%
Big chances missed
5
Fouls committed
1.5
Touches per 90
22
The manager will no doubt want added quality in the final third, as seen by their move for Semenyo, but they will likely need to move Richarlison on to generate the funds needed to land the Ghanaian.
However, Richarlison has been subject to interest in recent months, with MLS outfit Orlando City FC already registering interest in a potential transfer for the striker.
Frank and the hierarchy will certainly need to jump at the rumoured interest, with this window one of the last opportunities to get some of their £60m investment back.
If the club want to land Semenyo, a sale of the Brazilian is desperately needed, with all parties needing a fresh start, which could help secure a move for the Bournemouth star in the process.
Spurs already have their answer to Semenyo out on loan & he's "like Son"
Spurs could save themselves from having to dip into the transfer market for Antoine Semenyo…
ByRobbie Walls