OPINION
With the transfer window fast drawing to a close, Tottenham Hotspur must examine the deals they have on the table and decide which ones to pursue with more gusto than others.
The most obvious candidate for primacy is their long-mooted move for Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish. The young midfielder has been on Tottenham’s radar all summer, but the two clubs have been unable to agree a deal thus far.
And while Grealish would be an excellent addition for Spurs, it is another young Englishman whom they should prioritise before the window shuts.
Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook was linked with a move to the new White Hart Lane earlier this month, with Mauricio Pochettino said to be readying a £30million bid for the midfielder’s services.
Cook arrived at the Vitality Stadium for just £7million from Leeds United two years ago, and has been a big hit on the South Coast. He has flourished in Eddie Howe’s football-centric side, benefiting from the leadership of one of English football’s brightest young managers.
His next move could see him link up with another one of the country’s foremost coaches. Pochettino is the ideal man for the next stage of Cook’s development, while a move to North London could see the 21-year-old graduate to the senior England squad in short order.
For Spurs, this move makes more sense than the Grealish deal because it fills a more obvious hole. The club has been searching for a long-term replacement for 31-year-old Moussa Dembele all summer, with the Belgian expected to depart next year when his contract runs out.
Cook could form a terrific English midfield trio with Eric Dier and Harry Winks in the future, while also possessing the versatility to play further up the pitch as well. The former Leeds man is capable of fulfilling a number of roles in central midfield, and his passing ability makes him a natural fit for Pochettino’s side.
Tottenham have plenty of attacking talent at the club, with Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min, Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura all capable of playing behind Harry Kane in some variety or another. Their central midfield options, while similarly numerous, are not as full of quality as the above names.
Moussa Sissoko, while valued by his manager, is still a figure of ridicule for some fans, and Victor Wanyama has struggled with injury problems in recent times. Dembele, as mentioned above, isn’t expected to be at the club for much longer.
Cook is one of the new breed of technically excellent English footballers, comfortable with tactical variation and willing to put a shift in for his team. His signing could help secure the White Hart Lane midfield for the next decade, alongside Dier and Winks.
Grealish is the obvious target for Tottenham in the final days of this transfer window, but perhaps it’s Bournemouth midfielder Cook who should be the priority instead.