Tottenham Hotspur suffered from a lack of creativity during Saturday’s defeat against Bournemouth on home turf, losing 1-0 after such good work in claiming six points from six to get the Thomas Frank era off to a flyer in the Premier League.
The hunt for a playmaker worth their salt has dominated much of the Lilywhites’ transfer window, with Xavi Simons signed on but only after botched efforts for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, who left Crystal Palace and joined Arsenal.
But the defeat against the Cherries, requiring more than an hour of action for a first shot on target, and Simons alone won’t provide the answer across the wide span of the campaign.
Mohammed Kudus has racked up a few assists already at this early point in his Tottenham career, but it’s not enough, and Daniel Levy looks ready to attack the market one last time and land a player with properties better suited to fixing this chink in the armour.
Spurs lining up D-day signing
Tottenham have what it takes to come on leaps and bounds this season, but much will depend on the coherence threaded through the first-team squad.
And without enough creative ammunition, Frank’s lofty ambitions might prove hard to hit. To put it another way, he could do with another impactful addition in the coming hours.
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, that man could be Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, with Tottenham having made an enquiry to ascertain the potential of a last-gasp bid for the England international.
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The chances of the energetic attacking midfielder leaving are admittedly slim, but Tottenham may well pull it off if they offer a sum in the ballpark of £80m, the figure quoted as other clubs – including Liverpool – circle.
What Rogers would bring to Spurs
Aston Villa only signed Rogers from Middlesbrough in the Championship for £15m in January 2024, and already, the 23-year-old has established himself as one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League.
After all, he notched 30 goal involvements across all competitions last term, blending his prolific touch with such power and confidence when carrying the ball forward.
Might Spurs be set to land a stunning repeat of their one-time masterclass in winning the race for Dele Alli, who also had strong interest from Liverpool before leaving MK Dons in League One and joining Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham in a £5m package, aged 18.
The rest is history. While Dele’s career has sadly swerved down a dark path, he will always be remembered fondly down N17 for his incredible and prodigious emergence, with Pochettino actually saying back in 2017: “If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive.”
Rogers doesn’t quite carry the same weight, but he’s still showcased immense potential under Unai Emery’s wing at Aston Villa.
25/26 (Villa)
3
–
–
24/25 (Villa)
54
14
16
23/24 (Villa)
16
3
1
23/24 (Boro)
33
7
9
Not just a prolific midfielder, Rogers is something of “a machine” when on the ball, as has been noted by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell. He won 4.7 duels per league match last year, as per Sofascore, and shifted from the centre to a more attacking berth with such gusto.
While he can play out on the flank, Rogers shares a further likeness with his countryman in that he is best utilised from the centre, with journalist Carl Anka actually remarking that he has a “Dele-esque” way about him in that regard.
Adding him to the ranks would strengthen Tottenham’s creative potential, to be sure, adding something that Kudus, for all his ability, doesn’t quite inject with the needed skill at this present moment. Indeed, last term, Kudus chalked up just nine goals and assists for the Hammers in all competitions, far fewer than Rogers’ haul of 30.
Kudus is a direct and dangerous winger, but he’s not the most effective of playmakers, and with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both sidelined, adding a player of Rogers’ profile to the mix could go a long way toward weaving together the kind of tactical harmony needed for Spurs to hit their targets and exceed them.