Report: Spurs expected to be ‘active’ in January transfer window to fix injury depleted squad

Tottenham Hotspur navigate noise and necessity

There is a particular churn to Tottenham Hotspur right now, a sense of motion without clarity, of decisions taken quickly because circumstances demand it. According to reporting from The Athletic, this has been a week of exits, returns and one sale that has divided opinion more sharply than most.

Several loan players have come back only to depart again. Jamie Donley has joined Oxford United, Manor Solomon has headed to Fiorentina, and Kota Takai, yet to make his Spurs debut after arriving from Kawasaki Frontale, has moved to Borussia Monchengladbach for the rest of the season. These are functional moves, tidying the edges of a squad, but they are not the ones that shape mood.

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That honour belongs to Brennan Johnson. Just months after scoring the winning goal in the Europa League final, he has joined Crystal Palace for a fee approaching £35million. It is a transaction that feels both rational and emotionally jarring, a reminder of how quickly sentiment fades in elite football.

Urgency defines January priorities

The question of how crucial additions are this window barely needs asking. Very. Thomas Frank has already stated Tottenham will be active, and the logic is obvious. Johnson’s departure, layered onto a squad already thinned by injuries, leaves Spurs short on quality and numbers across multiple positions.

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This is not about opportunistic upgrades but structural need. January may be an imperfect market, yet Spurs cannot afford passivity. The challenge lies in acting decisively without repeating mistakes that have haunted previous windows.

Targets reflect gaps rather than glamour

The profiles Spurs are looking at underline that reality. An £8m bid has been rejected for 19 year old Santos left back Souza, a player who has impressed in Brazil’s top flight. Santos, armed with an €100m release clause for foreign clubs, are under no pressure to sell, and Tottenham are unlikely to meet that valuation. Still, the interest signals a desire to reinforce defensively with youth rather than reputation.

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Further forward, Tottenham have held interest in Antoine Semenyo, now bound for Manchester City. Combined with Mohammed Kudus being unavailable for the trip to Bournemouth and Johnson’s sale, it sharpens the focus on wide attacking options. A winger is no longer a luxury, it is a priority.

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Departures shaped by circumstance

Outgoings remain fluid. Mathys Tel, linked with several European clubs on loan, appears set to stay for now. Injuries in wide areas and his strong display against Sunderland have prompted Frank to suggest he will be given more minutes, reducing the likelihood of an immediate exit.

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Academy graduate Alfie Dorrington may yet move again after returning from Aberdeen, potentially securing another short term loan in the EFL. These are pragmatic decisions, made to balance development with immediate need.

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Selling Johnson for £35m makes sense on paper, especially if it helps fund multiple reinforcements, but it still stings for Spurs supporters. He delivered a European trophy moment that will live long in the memory, and those players are rare.

What worries fans most is not the sale itself but what comes next. January windows have a habit of drifting, of targets admired but never secured. With injuries biting and depth clearly lacking, hesitation feels dangerous. Thomas Frank’s promise to be active needs to translate quickly.

There is also a quiet acceptance that Spurs are again reshaping, again recalibrating. Youth signings like Souza make sense long term, but supporters crave balance, players who can help now as well as later. This feels like a window that will define how seriously Spurs push this season. Get it right, and momentum can return. Get it wrong, and the noise around the club will only grow.