Spurs move towards signing £25m star player

Tottenham Hotspur have survived, but how can Vinay Venkatesham and Johan Lange avoid a repeat of this disastrous campaign?

Their victory over Everton on the final day marked their first win on their home turf in the Premier League in five months, and secured them a spot in next year’s top flight, but fans will likely fear further struggles after two consecutive seasons of poor performance.

However, Roberto de Zerbi proved to be the best appointment, taking Spurs out of the relegation zone and restoring their confidence and direction. The team had something like that reaped.

Those in power need to take responsibility for recent failures. Furthermore, with the pre-transfer process already underway, he will need to prove he can do better.

Spurs begin efforts to sign midfield players

Joao Parinha scored the goal that sealed Tottenham’s place in the 2026/27 Premier League, but there is no question that they need more dynamism in the center of the park.

Asked if he would like to keep the Portuguese player next year, De Zerbi replied: “Yes, 100% I want to keep him.”

There has been so much uncertainty regarding N17 in recent months that it has been difficult to predict a transfer strategy, but now things are clearing up, with TEAMtalk confirming that Tottenham are interested in signing Middlesbrough captain Hayden Hackney, who is expected to leave Teeside this summer after failing to climb out of the Championship.

The progressive midfielder, who is worth £25 million, has impressed over recent years and with one year remaining on his contract, now is the right time for the club to make a deal.

However, that being said, Hackney is also attracting interest from a number of Spurs’ Premier League rivals, with Nottingham Forest already preparing to make an offer. It is said that the Lilywhites have already begun scouting and analysis work on the player.

Hackney is the real deal and his stylish performance in the heart of Boro Park has even been compared to Luka Modric.

Why Hackney could be Spurs’ new Luka Modric

Hackney was named Championship Player of the Season for his exemplary performance in the middle of the park, despite missing the majority of the closing stages through injury.

It is certainly a sign of the quality of England’s up-and-comer, and the 23-year-old now has the chance to establish himself in the Premier League and start proving his worth as one of the country’s most underrated midfielders.

Described by analyst Raj Chauhan as a “pure passer”, Hackney excelled throughout the Championship regular season by moving the ball forward and creating many chances. He is creating an average of 2.2 chances from deep per game and is very likely to revitalize Tottenham’s build-up structure.

Accustomed to initiating attacks and creating play from a central hub, Hackney has a bit of a Modric about him, which may seem questionable, but he has been hailed as having ‘transformed into Modric’ in the second division, collecting the ball from deep, turning with the agility of a deer and darting into space, placing a surgical pass there to cut through the defensive line and send his team-mates on their way.

Of course, this is not to say that he is at the level of the world-famous Croatian. Former Tottenham player Modric long ago left London for Real Madrid and went on to win the Ballon d’Or and cement his legacy at the highest level.

However, Hackney has a natural-like way of playing that is elegant, efficient, and intelligent. He’s the real deal and there’s a reason why so many Premier League clubs are lining up to secure him this summer.

Tottenham have energy and grit in the middle of the park, but Hackney would add a new dimension and inject creativity in a different way to, say, James Maddison or the injured Xavi Simmons. They’re usually out-and-out playmakers higher up the field.

This is exactly the kind of signing Tottenham need, and one that ENIC can perfect to show they have learned the error of their ways.