Report: Tottenham’s Shortlist of Targets After Eberechi Eze Snub

The summer transfer deadline is edging ever nearer, yet Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank still doesn’t have a recognised No. 10 available for selection.

Spurs have been struck by a couple of hammer injury blows over the summer, with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski poised for prolonged periods on the sidelines.

Kulusevski’s patella issue sustained in May is far more severe than initially perceived, and the Swede could be out until the new year. Maddison, meanwhile, ruptured his ACL in a preseason friendly against Newcastle United in Seoul. He’ll miss the majority of the 2025–26 campaign.

The club have attempted to supply mitigation, but both the Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze sagas resulted in neither player arriving in N17. Gibbs-White curiously signed a contract extension, while Eze waited for Arsenal to swoop.

The Gunners’ hijacking leaves the Lilywhites scrambling around, and, according to The Telegraph, these are the alternatives they’re currently considering.

Maghnes Akliouche

The Monaco star was listed as a potential Savinho alternative before the Eze deal broke down, but Spurs are seemingly still after the Manchester City winger. Akliouche profiles more like an Eze pivot, so their continued interest in the 23-year-old makes sense.

Akliouche enjoyed a breakout campaign in Ligue 1 last season, having teased his talent in 2023–24. He ended with 15 goal contributions in the league, including ten assists. The playmaker also started Monaco’s first Ligue 1 outing of the 2025–26 campaign, and completed their victory over Le Havre with a tap-in at the back post.

The silky playmaker may require physical improvement if he’s to shine in the Premier League, but he’s technically supreme; excellent in tight spaces and decisive when he aims to unlock a stubborn defensive line. He typically starts out wide, but always wants to drift infield. Still, his addition could facilitate Mohammed Kudus’ move to a central position.

Bayer Leverkusen are also in the race, and while Monaco are reluctant to sell, they will part ways for the right price.

Nico Paz

Tottenham’s interest in Paz emerged in the wake of the Gibbs-White debacle, and there’s been a resurgence of intrigue in recent days.

Many have accepted that this would be a difficult deal to pull off, with an ambitious Como intent on retaining the reigning Serie A Young Player of the Year for another season.

Paz notched 14 goal contributions for Cesc Fabregas’ side in the league last term, having joined from Real Madrid the previous summer. The Spanish giants do have a buy-back clause, but they now won’t be able to activate it until 2026. Thus, Como could cash-in if Spurs arrive with a big offer, although the burgeoning Italian club are far from cash-stricken.

The 20-year-old is a player with major upside, but the desperate Lilywhites would be taking a sizeable risk by spending big.

Tyler Dibling

Tottenham were reportedly keen on signing the teenager in January, but Southampton’s seismic asking price meant any potential deal failed to get off the ground.

Dibling’s stock dwindled somewhat at the end of the season, with Russell Martin’s successors less keen on trusting the low sock-donning playmaker. Still, the Saints starlet has garnered plenty of Premier League interest this summer, with Crystal Palace and Everton among those interested.

Spurs are also back in the mix, although many supporters would be rather unenthused if Dibling was the alternative chose. While undeniably talented, he’d be viewed as the classic Daniel Levy pivot: a project signing on low wages.