5 Potential signings for Tottenham Hotspur this summer | Premier League 2019-20

Following their draw with Manchester United on Friday, it seems like the possibility of Tottenham Hotspur making next season’s Champions League is finally beginning to fade away. Jose Mourinho’s men currently sit in eighth place, nine points adrift of the top four.

It’s clear that the Portuguese will have somewhat of a rebuild to do in North London, but it’s also clear that there won’t be much money for him to spend.

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tottenham weren’t exactly known for their big spending. But following the financial hit caused by the pandemic, it’s even more unlikely that there will be any major signings heading to the club.

So who could Mourinho bring in, given that Tottenham could have a low budget and may be absent from the Champions League?

The following five players could be smart – and realistic – signings for the Portuguese boss.

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#1 Max Aarons

Could Norwich's Max Aarons fill the hole at right-back for Tottenham?

One area that Tottenham have struggled in this season is at right-back. After selling Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid in the summer, the hope was that either Kyle Walker-Peters or Juan Foyth could step into the role.

However, Foyth has suffered from injuries throughout the season, while Walker-Peters has moved to Southampton on loan after failing to convince.

This has left Serge Aurier as the club’s only true right-back. And while the Ivorian can be effective, he’s also massively inconsistent and is prone to errors.

That means that Mourinho will likely be in the market for a new player in that position, and one option could be Norwich City youngster Max Aarons.

Aarons has impressed during the 2019-20 campaign despite the Canaries struggling, and while he might not be the finished article yet, at 20 years old he’s still got plenty of time to develop. And under a strong defensive boss like Mourinho, he’d be almost guaranteed to improve.

Right now the youngster has similar statistics to Aurier, but it’s notable that he scores slightly higher when it comes to giving away needless fouls. That’s an area that the Ivorian has been notably weak in during the current season.

Would Tottenham be priced out when it comes to a sale? Norwich would likely have demanded a hefty fee for him, but after the COVID-19 pandemic and a likely relegation, that price tag may go down.

And if that’s the case, then this talented youngster makes perfect sense as a Tottenham signing this summer.

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#2 Thiago Silva

Could Tottenham bring Brazilian veteran Thiago Silva to North London?

While he’s reportedly signed a short-term contract extension until the end of the season, it appears that Tottenham will have to adjust to life without veteran centre-back Jan Vertonghen very soon. The Belgian has been in North London since 2012 but looks likely to depart the club at the end of the current campaign.

Assuming he does leave, Mourinho will suddenly be short in central defence. He does have Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez, but a more experienced head to replace Vertonghen would certainly be welcome.

That’s why Brazilian veteran Thiago Silva could prove to be an excellent signing.

Silva is currently at Paris St-Germain, but the 35-year old is all set to leave the Parc des Princes when his contract expires this summer. That means that he’ll be available on a free transfer – which could be music to the ears of a club short on funds like Tottenham.

Admittedly, Silva is slightly past his prime now, but the Brazilian would still bring plenty of invaluable experience to North London. And it’s been proven by other older defenders such as Gary Cahill in the Premier League that experience can be absolutely invaluable when it comes to facing dangerous attackers.

Not only would Silva bring a great deal of experience to the table, but he’s almost unsurpassed in terms of passing ability from defence. This season alone his pass success rate stands at 95.5%. That means that if Tottenham were looking to play out from the back some more, he’d be the perfect signing.

The one issue could be the Brazilian’s wage demands. Reportedly, Silva is on around £1.3m per month at PSG. But it has been suggested that he’d be willing to take a pay cut in order to come to the Premier League.

If that’s the case, he could be a great short-term solution for Mourinho.

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#3 Kurt Zouma

Could Kurt Zouma switch Chelsea for Tottenham this summer?

Another option for Mourinho should he choose to look for a younger centre-back could be Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma. The French international has made 22 Premier League appearances for the Blues this season after returning there last summer. But there are still some question marks over his future.

With Frank Lampard also being able to call upon the services of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori, Chelsea may well be willing to let the Frenchman go should the right offer come in. And it’s also been reported that Zouma himself would consider a move.

Could Tottenham be the correct destination for him? It’s definitely possible. He’s worked with Jose Mourinho before. Zouma made a number of appearances under the Portuguese at Stamford Bridge in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

And there have also been suggestions that the two have stayed in touch since.

Overall, Zouma’s statistics are similar to those of Tottenham’s other central defenders this season. And his physical style would definitely suit Mourinho in terms of finding a replacement for Jan Vertonghen.

There could be a handful of stumbling blocks, though. The Frenchman is under contract at Chelsea until 2023. And even if Lampard were willing to sell, the club could try to price London rivals Spurs out of any kind of move.

However, if Mourinho were to raise some funds by selling other players, this transfer could well be possible for the summer.

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#4 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Reports linking Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with Tottenham seemingly won't go away

With the likes of Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Tanguy Ndombele, and Giovani Lo Celso on their books, it’s debatable whether Tottenham need any new midfielders this summer. But one link that simply won’t go away is the one suggesting that they could be looking at signing Southampton’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Danish international’s current deal at St. Mary’s ends in the summer of 2021. And the club have stripped him of the captaincy due to the fact that he’s refused any offers of a new deal with the Saints thus far.

Current reports suggest that Spurs are willing to offer a player-plus-cash deal to Southampton in order to sign Hojbjerg. Although which Tottenham players these would remain a mystery.

At 24 years old, Hojbjerg is likely heading into the prime of his career. And while he doesn’t offer much in the way of a goal threat, he’s definitely got talent.

The Danish international’s main strength is his versatility. He can play as both a defensive and a more attacking midfielder, and can even cover at left-back if needed.

Would he offer an upgrade on any of Tottenham’s current midfielders? In all honesty, it’s doubtful, but he’s young enough to improve. And if Mourinho were to offload Ndombele as has been suggested, Hojbjerg could be a cheaper purchase that might leave cash to strengthen in other positions.

Overall this wouldn’t be a groundbreaking signing, but it might be one that makes some sense depending on a handful of variables.

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#5 Josh King

Could Josh King provide Tottenham with the depth they need in terms of strikers?

When Tottenham failed to land a striker in the January 2020 transfer window, most Spurs fans felt very frustrated.

The club were linked with Krzysztof Piatek, Olivier Giroud, and Willian Jose, but didn’t move for any of them. And the decision came back to haunt the club when they were left striker-less due to injuries before the season was suspended in March.

While Mourinho now has his full quota of attackers available to him, the fact still remains that Harry Kane is Tottenham’s only true central striker. That means that a backup is definitely needed sooner rather than later, and one possible signing could be Bournemouth’s Josh King.

The Norwegian international has been at the Vitality Stadium for five seasons. And over that time he’s been a reliable goalscorer – chipping in with 12 strikes last season and going as high as 16 goals in 2016-17.

More interestingly, while he’s more than capable of playing as a central striker, he’s also seen success in playing as a secondary striker alongside Callum Wilson. It would, therefore, be interesting to see him take up the same role alongside Kane.

King is currently contracted at Bournemouth until the summer of 2021. But despite the club demanding a hefty fee for him when Manchester United showed interest in January if they were to be relegated – which could well happen – the price tag could definitely go down.

If that’s the case, then the Norwegian would definitely be a smart signing for Mourinho to bring to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.