Fresh off an impressive fifth place finish in Ange Postecoglou’s first season as manager, Tottenham Hotspur looked set to make a fresh start in 2024 with the Australian breathing new life into the north London outfit.
However, as was often the case during the Daniel Levy era, just when the club looked ready to get going, the necessary reinforcements were not made, and Dominic Solanke, then the club’s record scorer, became the only real immediate addition that summer.
In midfield, for example, the Lilywhites bet on Archie Gray and Lukas Bergvall, two young players who are undoubtedly talented but inexperienced. These two are players who have not been given regular starting positions over the past two seasons and currently face uncertain futures in N17.
Thankfully, Levy’s stranglehold is over and the signings of Sandro Tonali and Matheus Fernandes represent what managers have been craving in recent years: proven Premier League experience.
Spurs midfielder – 25/26 | ||
|---|---|---|
player | game | Goal (assist) |
straw | 45 | 7(3) |
simmons | 41 | 5(6) |
Searle | 37 | twenty four) |
gray | 35 | 2(3) |
Bentancourt | 34 | 1(1) |
mountain wall | 33 | 1 (5) |
gallagher | 18 | 1(1) |
Bisouuma | 11 | 0 (0) |
madison | 3 | 0 (0) |
younger sister | 2 | 0 (0) |
A new squad is being built under manager Roberto De Zerbi and all signs point to further reinforcements before the deadline expires.
Spurs could sign a third midfielder after Tonali and Fernandes
With the signings of Tonali and Fernandes for a combined £185m and four signings already under their belt, the north Londoner would be expected to start winding down in terms of reinforcements.
But no matter how you look at it, they may just be getting started, with further midfield additions not ruled out after it was confirmed that Joao Parinha will not be returning after a definite loan spell.
Yves Bissouma has already left, Bergvall is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest and Gray is a target for Tonali’s former club Newcastle United, so their possible departures will increase the need for further reinforcements.
Now, according to Caught Offside, one name that could be on the table is Brighton & Hove Albion star Yassin Ayari, with Spurs joining Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle in the race to sign him.
The Seagulls are keen to sign the Sweden international to a new deal, but his existing contract expires in 2027, and the Premier League’s elite players are starting to flock to the club.
The 22-year-old moved to the Amex in January 2023 and made his debut under manager De Zerbi just a few months later.
Why Ayari could be De Zerbi’s new Mac Allister
De Zerbi is credited with helping oversee the rise of Moises Caicedo, but was also central to furthering the career of Alexis Mac Allister, although they only worked together in the 2022/23 season.
Mac Allister really came into his own this season, scoring and assisting 12 Premier League goals for the south coast side and also winning the World Cup with Argentina.
Placed in a more advanced midfield role, the South American had a huge impact that season, and it’s no wonder he praised De Zerbi as “the best manager” he had ever worked with.
Spurs’ new manager could turn to Brighton again to find his next midfield project, and a reunion with Ayali could prove fruitful.
In fact, it was actually Mac Allister who replaced the Swede on the bench to make his Seagulls debut in March 2023, although he spent the following season on loan at Coventry City.
Now back at Brighton, the diminutive playmaker has come into his own recently, mirroring Mac Allister as another truly influential talent with a keen eye for goal.
For example, in the 2025-26 season, the 5ft 8in starlet scored six goals and provided an assist, and Scout Lab points out that the player most similar to him in Europe’s top five leagues last season was actually Liverpool’s number 10.
Since then, Ayali has made headlines on the international stage, scoring twice for his country against Tunisia at the World Cup, both of which were impressive results.
It was in Qatar in 2022 that really boosted Mac Allister’s career and sealed his move to Liverpool. If De Zerbi’s wish comes true, perhaps the same will be true for Ayari.
Indeed, despite normally operating as a number 10 for Brighton, there is a real poise and control to their game, with Ayali boasting an 86% passing accuracy last season, just below Mac Allister’s average of 87% in 2022/23.
The Swede also lost the ball just 8.3 times per game, just below Mac Allister’s average of 10.4, underscoring again why he is a good fit for De Zerbi’s possession-oriented approach.
Spurs already have the makings of an excellent midfield pairing in Tonali and Fernandes, but questions remain as to who will play in front of them, especially with James Maddison’s injury problems remaining a concern.
Bringing the versatile Ayali into the team would be a dream and could potentially be a bargain option. De Zerbi has already shown what he can do with both Caicedo and Mac Allister, budding stars in midfield.
Fabrizio Romano: Spurs consider £60m move to pull off a bigger coup than Tonali
Could Tottenham Hotspur attract more attention than Sandro Tonali?
