Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Son Heung-min has been one of Tottenham’s best players so far this term, with his speed and directness proving important assets for Mauricio Pochettino. The former Southampton manager may be keen to source another provider of those attributes in January, since previous acquisitions – namely Georges-Kevin N’Koudou and Clinton N'Jie – fitted the bill on paper but not the pitch.
Zaha has been in superb form in the first half of 2017/18, scoring four goals and often single-handedly winning points for Palace. Quick, tricky and exceptionally dangerous in one-on-one situations, the Ivory Coast international would help make Spurs more unpredictable in the final third.
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter)
This has been a frustrating campaign for Brozovic, who has been afforded just seven Serie A starts by Inter honcho Luciano Spalletti. The 25-year-old’s bench-warming has alerted suitors to his potential availability this month; Spurs, while not exactly crying out for a new midfielder, would be wise to consider a bid.
A box-to-box player who counts Frank Lampard among his idols, Croatia international Brozovic is adept at making late runs into the opponent’s area and linking play outside it. He’s reasonably quick too, which would no doubt appeal to a coach like Pochettino who preaches the importance of pressing.
Alban Lafont (Toulouse)
Hugo Lloris is Tottenham’s undisputed No.1, but Pochettino must consider who the Frenchman’s deputy will be next season. Current back-up Michel Vorm is out of contract in the summer, and question marks over Paulo Gazzaniga’s suitability persist despite his man-of-the-match display against Crystal Palace in November.
Toulouse glovesman Lafont may only be 18 years old, but he already has a wealth of experience under his belt having made almost 100 senior appearances. The race for his signature will hot up in the next couple of years, so Spurs should seek to steal a march on their rivals by agreeing to sign the 6ft 4in custodian before immediately loaning him back to the Ligue 1 outfit.
Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)
Sessegnon has been linked with Tottenham and other Premier League clubs for 18 months now, but this could be the window in which the teenager seeks pastures new. Still only 17, the cousin of former West Brom midfielder Stephane Sessegnon has made the left-back spot his own at Craven Cottage, impressing with his pace and attacking thrust. He's already racked up 58 appearances for Fulham – 46 of those starts – and scored 14 times too.
The truce between Spurs boss Pochettino and Danny Rose seems to be an uneasy one following the latter’s outburst in August, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the England international was playing his football elsewhere next season. Snapping up Sessegnon now would make the task of replacing Rose a great deal less urgent in the summer.
Max Meyer (Schalke)
One of the most talented youngsters in Germany, Meyer looks set to depart Schalke at some point in 2018, with his contract up at the end of June. The Royal Blues are therefore likely to strongly consider any offers submitted this month, and given the 22-year-old’s displays so far this term, the fax machine at the Veltins-Arena could go into overdrive in the next few weeks.
A former attacking midfielder who has been redeployed in a deep-lying playmaker role this campaign, Meyer excels at long-range passing and evading the opposition press. He’s also made great strides defensively, averaging 2.7 interceptions per game in the Bundesliga in 2017/18.
Kasper Dolberg (Ajax)
The one and only downside to having a striker as good as Harry Kane is the difficulty it causes when trying to find a suitable deputy. Fernando Llorente was signed last summer but has yet to make much of an impact despite his recent goal against Swansea. That’s partly due to a lack of opportunities but also because of the incongruence between his own characteristics and the team’s approach.
Spurs have already shopped in the Netherlands for a back-up to Kane, with ex-AZ frontman Vincent Janssen managing just two goals in 25 Premier League appearances last season. That shouldn’t necessarily put Tottenham off Dolberg, however; the 20-year-old Denmark international is a more complete centre-forward than Janssen and would allow Pochettino to rest Kane more often.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
Shaw may have returned to Manchester United’s starting XI in the last few weeks, but it’s still not clear whether his long-term future lies at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho has openly criticised the left-back on several occasions in the last 18 months, and the chance to link up with his former Southampton boss Pochettino again would no doubt appeal to the 22-year-old.
Shaw thrived under the Argentine's guidance at St Mary’s and, still some way off his peak years, would be a sensible investment for Spurs. United would probably insist on securing a replacement before agreeing to sell the seven-time England international, but an early offer could hurry them along.
Malcom (Bordeaux)
One of the hottest young talents around right now, Malcom has been linked with a host of European heavyweights since the season began. The Brazilian has been a rare bright spot in an underwhelming campaign for Bordeaux, catching the eye with his speed, footwork and long-range shooting.
Seven goals and four assists evidence his productivity in the final third, with the 20-year-old adept at starting on the right flank and cutting infield onto his stronger left foot. Tottenham would no doubt face fierce competition for his signature, but they – unlike a global superclub such as Real Madrid and Barcelona – would be in a position to guarantee a certain amount of first-team minutes, which could work in their favour.
Ross Barkley (Everton)
Barkley almost joined Chelsea in the final few hours of the summer transfer window, before curiously pulling the plug on the deal at the last minute. A hamstring injury has prevented him from appearing for boyhood club Everton in 2017/18, but a return to full fitness is imminent and that could help the 24-year-old seal a move away in January.
Out of contract in the summer, Barkley would likely be available for a knock-down fee in the next few weeks. With Mousa Dembele having struggled with his own fitness in recent times, the Everton midfielder – whose ability to carry the ball through the centre of the pitch is reminiscent of the Belgian – could be a target for the north Londoners.
