Spurs open formal bid for £25m star

Tottenham Hotspur have been dangerous in recent seasons, with last year’s impressive victory in the Europa League lost to them in the throes of a relegation battle in the Premier League.

Finished 17th. This is the second year in a row. Hardly anything worth mentioning, right? But this is the reality for Spurs and they will now have to deal with it.

For most Spurs supporters alive, it was the worst season of their lives. Certainly the most draining part was denying West Ham United a jump with 11 hours remaining as the Londoners beat Everton 1-0 on the final day of term.

It’s hard to say that Roberto de Zerbi’s desperate rush during the March international break was an inspired appointment. With ENIC in dire straits, they gambled on Ange Postecoglou being appointed manager for the third time since their promotion from the Europa League.

But he had a vision and saved the day. Now Tottenham must repay the Italian by signing the right player for the job.

Spurs to make bid for EFL superstar

Tottenham moved quickly to sign defenders Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. Both players are expected to wear a Spurs shirt next season, although neither has been finalized.

However, after a difficult campaign in which many see him as Tottenham’s star player, Joao Parinha’s future remains uncertain and there is still much work to be done.

Parinha, 30, is nearing the end of his loan spell in the N17s and efforts are being made to sign the combative Bayern Munich midfielder, but strong interest from his native Portugal threatens to make that happen.

According to the Northern Echo, ENIC could already be tipped to be the perfect replacement for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, who is expected to leave Riverside this summer after the team lost to Hull City in the Championship play-off final.

The 23-year-old, valued at £25 million, is one of England’s most underrated players and Spurs are expected to make a “formal approach” in the coming weeks, but Crystal Palace and Manchester United are also in the race and Manchester United are confident they will win.

Why Hackney could replace Parrigna at Spurs

According to journalist Eric Paylor, Hackney is only 23 years old but has captained his boyhood club and established himself as “the best player in the Championship”.

An elegant, “pure passer” in the words of analyst Raj Chauhan, Hackney is also a leader at the heart of the team, and his arrival on the Tottenham scene will tick a lot of boxes to create a new kind of on-the-ball performance, more fluent and dynamic.

The future England international is not as threatening a midfielder as Parinha, but there is more variation in his game. Indeed, he is good on the ball and will work wonders in Spurs’ build-up structure, protecting the backline and uniting his teammates.

If Tottenham were to lose Palinha this summer, he would certainly need to be replaced with a suitable number six, but Hackney has all the skills to establish himself as the new mainstay in the middle and is someone who can help spark De Zerbi’s set-up.

Parinha is one of the most ball-winning midfielders in Premier League history. He packs quite a punch and takes pleasure in putting away eager opponents.

However, he is now in his 30s and something is definitely missing. Of course, it would be best for the Lilywhites to keep him. Perhaps he could form a decent partnership with Hackney in the middle.

However, if he does end up moving to a La Liga powerhouse, there is a good chance Hackney will step in and establish himself as the missing piece.

Curiously, Parinha proved to be perfect as he has the right skills to fight the grueling aerial duels of a relegation battle. Tottenham don’t want to find themselves in this position again, but Hackney could help pull them up and away.