Paratici could fund Mega Semenyo move by selling Spurs’ ‘disastrous’ flop

Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 loss to their arch-rivals in the Premier League on Sunday made it clear where manager Thomas Frank’s priorities should be.

You could look at that loss and suggest they need to improve defensively, which would be a fair comment after conceding four goals, but what they really need to improve on is possession.

As you can see from the table above, Spurs are one of the worst teams in the Premier League at progressing play through passing, creating shot chances and creating quality chances.

The Lilywhites finished the match against Arsenal with three shots on goal and 0.07xG according to Sofascore, with the goal coming from Richarlison’s superb long-range lob ahead of David Raya.

Tottenham’s struggles at the top end of the pitch explain why the club are reportedly considering a move for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghanaian international has a £65m release clause in his contract, which can be triggered at the start of the January transfer window, and Spurs are one of the teams vying for his signature.

How Antoine Semenyo can solve Tottenham’s attacking problems

While many of Tottenham’s problems can be traced back to coaching issues, such as how players are asked to play, team selection, and what patterns are coached and uncoached in training, having the best talent in the final third can help offset some of the coaching issues.

Semenyo is the type of forward who can create something for himself with his tremendous speed, power, ball control and ability in front of goal when close to the opposition box.

The former Bristol City striker’s goal against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season was a perfect example of the quality he could bring to north London in the second half of the season.

Tottenham have lacked progressive passing and quality chances this season, so having such a run-and-goal player in his locker will be invaluable to Frank.

That strike against Liverpool was no flash in the pan for the versatile attacker, who can play both wide and centrally, as he has enjoyed impressive results in the Premier League this season.

As you can see from the table above, Semenyo has been one of the most productive wingers in Bournemouth’s division this season, scoring more goals than any other winger in the league.

These statistics, and the nature of his goal in particular against Liverpool, suggest that signing the Cherries star could go a long way in solving some of Frank’s side’s attacking problems.

Spurs should therefore try hard to win the race for him, triggering his release clause at the start of the January transfer window and doing everything in their power to convince him that a move to north London is the best next step in his career.

However, the £65m fee would be a joint record for the club alongside fellow Bournemouth man Dominic Solanke, so he will require a significant financial commitment from the Lilywhites.

To make a move for the 25-year-old star possible, sporting director Fabio Paratici should consider selling some of the club’s current squad to fund Semenyo’s transfer.

One salable asset that Paratici should cash in on to generate the funds to spark a Cherries whirlwind in January is right-back Pedro Polo.

Why Spurs should sell Pedro Polo

Ahead of the summer transfer window, CaughtOffside reported that Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich and Manchester City are interested in the Spain international.

It was claimed Spurs had no interest in selling the full-back back in May, but would have changed their mind if an offer of around £57m was made.

Polo ultimately remained in North London, but reports in the summer suggested that top clubs across Europe would be interested in him if he became available, although it remains to be seen whether any of them would pay £57m.

According to Sofascore, the Spaniard attracted interest from these clubs after his return in 2024/25, appearing in 51 games for Spurs in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing nine assists, but his form this season still leaves room for improvement.

Polish journalist Michał Okonski described his crosses into the box as a “disaster” earlier this month, but given that he has given up the ball 222 times and provided just one assist in 12 Premier League games, according to Sofascore, it’s no wonder he disagrees with that assessment.

As can be seen from the table above, the Spanish national team’s use of the ball has regressed since the end of the 2024/25 season. He’s now giving his team the ball less often, but more often.

Polo was too wasteful putting the ball at Tottenham’s right-back’s feet. That’s clear from his creative decline, but also from the fact that he’s made four errors in the Premier League that resulted in opponents shooting, double the mistakes he made in 33 games last season.

As well as his struggles on the ball, the former Sporting star averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, but has made just 1.7 tackles and interceptions this season, according to Sofascore.

These statistics show that Polo is regressing in and out of possession as a right-back for the Lilywhites, so January could be the best time for Paratici to sign him, with interest from City, Barcelona and Bayern, to avoid Polo’s value dropping if he doesn’t improve.

It remains to be seen how much teams are willing to pay him, but anything in the region of the estimated £57m would go a long way towards funding the signing of Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.