It would be defeatist to claim that the 2025/26 season could be wasted for Tottenham Hotspur, but Thomas Frank will know that a lot depends on pulling the right strings during the January transfer window.
This weekend Spurs host Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup. Last time out, Manchester City signing Antoine Semenyo scored the late winner against Bournemouth with his last kick for the club. With this match, Frank’s team remained in 14th place in the Premier League, with just two wins from 12 games.
While this may feel a bit pessimistic and depressing, the harsh reality is that Tottenham are once again well below expected standards. The club’s youthful youth structure promises future success, but we live in the moment and Spurs cannot afford to fall by the wayside domestically again.
The ENIC group needs to add quality experience to their ranks, especially in midfield.
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After the defeat at the Vitality Stadium, Franck admitted that Rodrygo Bentancur had injured his hamstring and that it appeared to be a “much bigger injury”.
A lack of creativity and overall vitality in midfield has been one of Tottenham’s biggest stumbling blocks this season, and the Luiz family will definitely need to enter the transfer market if they are to see an upturn this season.
According to Brazil’s Torcida Flamengo, Flamengo want to lure West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta back to his home country, but Tottenham have since entered the race and lodged a bid worth 30 million euros (approximately 2.6 billion yen).
Paqueta, 28, is tired of the London Stadium, but with Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers facing relegation from the Premier League, it will be difficult to bring him into the N17 this month.
Why Spurs should sign Lucas Paqueta
Paqueta hasn’t been at his best this season, but he’s still done pretty well against a pretty rubbish team in West Ham. His playmaking is top-notch, with reporter Robbie Mustoe in the past calling him a “magician” of midfielders.
The Brazilian’s perfection and energy in the middle of the park makes him different from many others. While this would add depth to the Spurs’ stagnant center and replace Bentancur in the short term, Paqueta could actually threaten James Maddison’s place in the team if he arrives this month.
why? Of course they are very similar. Maddison has had very bad luck with injuries since joining Tottenham, with a knee injury sustained in pre-season threatening to keep him out for most, if not all, of the season.
Maddison is 29 years old and may take some time to come back and get back to his best level. In Paqueta, Spurs have acquired a player with similar experience and skills who is finally ready to get a chance to shine at a higher stage in the Champions League.
Premier League Paqueta vs Maddison | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per match) | Madison (24/25) | Paqueta (25/26) |
Match (start) | 31(21) | 18(18) |
the goal | 9 | 4 |
assist | 7 | 1 |
Number of shots (on target)* | 1.3(0.5) | 1.3 (0.6) |
touch* | 51.1 | 63.4 |
exact path | 32.1 (87%) | 33.8 (77%) |
Key pass* | 1.3 | 1.3 |
A big opportunity has arisen | 6 | 6 |
It was successful. dribble* | 1.1 | 0.9 |
Number of balls collected | 2.5 | 4.4 |
Tackle + Interception* | 1.4 | 2.6 |
Win a duel* | 4.3 | 6.8 |
error | 1 | 2 |
Data via Sofascore | ||
There are quite a few similarities between the two playmakers. Of course, both are creative in nature, but they also offer a combative element that emphasizes the tenacity that partners their talents.
It may feel like a rigged transfer that West Ham will be upset about, but Mohamed Kudus made a controversial move to London last summer, signing for Spurs in a £55m deal.
Paqueta, who earns £150,000-a-week, has the technical command and desire to make a difference at Tottenham, and his similarities to Maddison suggest he could step into the position immediately.
According to data-driven platform FBref, he ranks in the top 7% of positions across Europe for pass attempts, top 10% for progressive passes, top 5% for tackles and top 1% for aerial duels won per 90, giving him the maturity to follow Frank’s philosophy while adding a new flavor.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the completed pass into the opponent’s goal or into the penalty area.
With Maddison out for an extended period of time, Dejan Kulusevski soon to return after his own long setback, and Xavi Simons settling in after his summer move from RB Leipzig, Maddison may find himself coming out of the clinic fresh and finding himself with no openings in Tottenham’s creative department.
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