Tottenham Hotspur fans have endured a turbulent 2025-26 season, and as the January transfer window approaches, all eyes are on north London. After a summer of sweeping changes and dashed hopes, Spurs find themselves at a crossroads: can a flurry of winter signings rescue their campaign, or will the club be forced into yet another managerial reset?
The story begins with the surprise departure of Ange Postecoglou, a manager beloved by the fanbase for delivering the Europa League trophy—the club’s first in 41 years. Yet, a dismal 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season forced the board’s hand, and Postecoglou was let go. Enter Thomas Frank, the Danish tactician who built a reputation as a shrewd operator at Brentford. Hopes were high that Frank could inject some much-needed stability and tactical acumen into the side.
However, as 2025 draws to a close, Spurs’ fortunes have hardly improved. Sitting 13th in the table after 17 games and with just six wins to their name, the club is reeling from back-to-back defeats to Nottingham Forest and Liverpool. Injuries have ravaged the squad, with key players like Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Radu Dragusin missing significant chunks of the season. The result? A team stretched thin, struggling for consistency, and a fanbase growing increasingly restless.
Thomas Frank, under mounting pressure, has not helped his cause with his public demeanor. In recent press conferences, he’s gone so far as to openly insult sections of the Spurs faithful—a move that’s only intensified calls for his dismissal. The situation is so dire that, according to recent reports, the Tottenham hierarchy is already considering alternatives for the 2026-27 season.
One name making the rounds is Oliver Glasner, the current Crystal Palace boss. Renowned for his tactical nous and silverware pedigree—having won the FA Cup with Palace last season and the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt—Glasner is set to become a free agent in 2026. Fabrizio Romano reported on December 25, 2025, that Glasner "plans not to sign new deal at Crystal Palace." His decision comes after a season marked by internal strife, including a dramatic standoff with Palace over the potential sale of Marc Guehi to Liverpool. Glasner reportedly threatened to walk if Guehi was sold, underlining his commitment to his players.
Despite his trophy haul, Glasner’s tenure at Palace has not been without its critics. Some observers worry that his recent results have been mediocre and that his arrival at Tottenham would represent a lateral move rather than a leap forward. Still, compared to the other mid-table managers on the market, Glasner’s European credentials make him an intriguing candidate should Spurs decide to part ways with Frank in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the January transfer window looms large. Frank has confirmed that Spurs will be active, and reports suggest the club has a staggering £150 million war chest to spend. The shopping list is extensive: a left winger, a left-back to cover for the injured Destiny Udogie (which would allow Djed Spence to return to his preferred right-back slot), and at least one new central defender. If a left-back can’t be signed, Micky van der Ven may be shifted out wide—a move that would require further reinforcements in central defense.
Up front, the search for a reliable striker continues. Ivan Toney, who has been prolific for Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia with 12 goals in 18 appearances this season, has been heavily linked with a return to England. The 29-year-old is eyeing a spot in England’s World Cup squad for the 2026 tournament in the US and may be tempted by a Premier League comeback. Toney’s past relationship with Frank at Brentford adds another layer of intrigue to the rumors swirling around north London.
Yet, not everyone is convinced Toney is the answer. Former England international Chris Waddle weighed in, telling BestBettingSites: "I liked him at Brentford. I was surprised he went away, but we know why players go to Saudi Arabia and that’s not a criticism. He’s been away a year or two now, and the big question is whether he would still have that sharpness and whether he could adapt back to the Premier League." Waddle further explained, "Centre-forward is a very difficult position to fill. You’ve got to look at how you play and whether the striker suits that style. Thomas Frank may say he has a certain way of playing, but Tottenham are tactically very different from his Brentford team. That’s partly because the crowd demands attacking football. They want entertainment."
Waddle also questioned the club’s transfer policy, referencing the recent sale of Son Heung-min to the United States: "They even got rid of Son, probably at a time when his legs were just starting to go, and sold him to America for good money. A lot of fans would say, ‘Why get rid of him? You could have had another year out of him.’ But the club see it as an opportunity to make money."
While Toney remains a target, Spurs are also reportedly tracking Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, though competition from Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United could complicate matters. If City succeed in signing Semenyo, Tottenham may pivot to Savinho, a winger they missed out on last summer. Porto’s Samu Aghehowa, valued at £50 million, is another name in the mix, especially as the club looks to bolster its attacking options. Any combination of these signings would still leave funds available for defensive reinforcements, a necessity given the club’s injury woes and defensive frailties.
Despite the transfer speculation, Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola was quick to downplay rumors of Semenyo’s departure, stating on December 23, 2025: "Antoine Semenyo right now is with us. He has trained today with us very well. I understand that there is a lot of noise around Antoine. But my concern is that it doesn't affect him, his performances, and we are seeing that it is not affecting his performances. He is very committed to the team, and I hope we can keep him there."
For Tottenham, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Frank himself admitted, "We will definitely be in the market, no doubt about that. We want them as early as possible, like every other time, and let's see if we can have them before 31 January." The Dane knows that the club needs "three or four established footballers" to turn their season around—a sentiment echoed by pundits and supporters alike.
As the January window opens, Spurs are at a pivotal juncture. Will a bold spending spree and potential managerial shakeup revive their season, or are deeper structural changes needed to restore the club’s former glory? With speculation swirling and big decisions looming, Tottenham fans are bracing for a winter of high drama and, they hope, long-overdue progress.
