Spurs hold talks with dream target Gallagher over £80m upgrade deal

Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped to be busy during the January transfer window, with all eyes on Conor Gallagher, who completed his move on Wednesday, just in time for that.

Tottenham’s midfield has been a pressure point all season. Coach Thomas Frank preferred to use Joao Parinha and Rodrigo Bentancur together, at the expense of progressive play, but Bentancur will be sidelined for the next few months.

Gallagher is not a standout playmaker, but is a dynamic, hard-working midfielder who brings a wealth of Premier League experience and a new addition to his skillset following a stint in Spain with Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.

However, Spurs are hungry for more in the center of the park and contrasting midfield profiles have already been aligned following a £35m move.

Spurs inquire about Premier League midfielder

Gallagher was described by former Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo as playing “like a machine”. He will do well alongside Joao Parinha, adding diligence and energy while showing a more expansive style alongside the anchor Portuguese.

However, Tottenham still need more creativity and forward momentum from their midfield, which is why they already have Premier League stars lined up after signing Gallagher.

According to TEAMtalk, the Spurs could add Adam Wharton to their roster. The Crystal Palace midfielder is one of the Premier League’s most coveted players and is also at the top of Manchester United’s wish list.

Wharton, 21, is the subject of initial inquiries from the north Londoners, who are set to beat out competition from the likes of United to sign the player described as a ‘dream target’.

The deal, worth around £80m, would be a no-brainer for the north Londoner, especially after Gallagher’s promotion, but it is well worth chasing.

How Wharton becomes the Spurs’ main man

Wharton has been instrumental in Crystal Palace’s meteoric rise under Oliver Glassner. This is a club that can be proud of defying the odds and expectations of winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025. They are now fighting on the continent.

Without Wharton, it wouldn’t have happened.

It won’t be long before Wharton, who was described by one analyst as “the best Under-21 player in the Prem” at the start of the season, joins the conversation in higher tiers. Spurs must then make sure to wear the North London whites.

Wharton is not a carbon copy of Gallagher. Far from it. He anchored the midfield and controlled the play, helping his hard-working partner run through the engine room.

One look at the matrix above and you’ll see that Gallagher shares a number of traits with Palace’s midfielder. Both are strong and aggressive duelists, making above-average tackles and covering a lot of ground.

However, Gallagher is more advanced and his passes are simpler, resulting in higher passing accuracy. Looking at the Premier League data, he creates similar chances to Wharton, but given his forward role, he is more likely to connect with the forwards in front of him.

By comparison, Wharton shoots the ball from deeper and ranks in the top 9% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues in shot creation action and in the top 6% in through ball success rate per 90, according to FBref.

These compatriots could coexist in Frank’s midfield, but despite their nuanced differences, it is Wharton who shines more brightly, being, as journalist Henry Winter puts it, a “passing machine” who will guide and direct the core of Tottenham’s system.

This is what Tottenham need more than anything. The demand for deep midfielders who are progressive in nature cannot be underestimated. There will be few players better than Wharton, and he hasn’t reached his peak yet.