Tottenham HotspurTeam·Tottenham Hotspur concluded the 2025/26 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season in a disappointing 17th position, narrowly avoiding relegation by just two points. This marks the second consecutive season the club has finished 17th in the top flight, a stark contrast to their ambitions. The challenging campaign saw early exits from all cup competitions, including a Round of 16 loss to Atlético Madrid in the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League, confirming no UEFA-sanctioned competition for the upcoming 2026/27 season.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi has openly expressed his desire to strengthen the squad, particularly in attacking areas, to prevent a repeat of the recent struggles. "We are Tottenham, and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up," De Zerbi stated, emphasizing the need for quality additions rather than a complete overhaul. He indicated that the squad needs to be completed with "first-level players."
Among the primary targets is Jean-Matteo BahoyaPlayer·Jean-Matteo Bahoya, a 21-year-old French-Cameroonian left winger from Eintracht FrankfurtTeam·Eintracht Frankfurt. Tottenham is reportedly seeking to inject explosive pace, unpredictability, and crucial goal contributions into their attack, an area where they averaged only 1.3 goals per game in the last Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season. Bahoya contributed eight goals and assists this season and demonstrated significant speed, clocked at a top speed of 37.1 km/h. Eintracht FrankfurtTeam·Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly values Bahoya at approximately €70 million, a figure Tottenham is reportedly prepared to invest, making him an offensive priority. However, the high asking price for a relatively young player could present a significant hurdle, especially given his contract with Frankfurt extends until June 2029.
Another prominent name linked with a move to North London is Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United forward Marcus RashfordPlayer·Marcus Rashford. Rashford spent the 2025/26 season on loan at BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, where he enjoyed a productive spell, recording 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 games across all competitions, contributing to BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona's La LigaCompetition·La Liga title victory. BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona holds a £26 million option to buy him permanently, but reports suggest they are reluctant to trigger it, preferring another loan arrangement. This uncertainty has alerted several Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, Aston VillaTeam·Aston Villa, and ArsenalTeam·Arsenal.
Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United is reportedly keen to offload Rashford to alleviate his substantial £325,000-a-week wages. However, reports indicate that Rashford's preference is to remain at BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, with a return to the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League considered only if a permanent move to Spain does not materialize. Tottenham's top scorer in the 2025/26 season was RicharlisonPlayer·Richarlison with 12 goals, underscoring the club's urgent need for additional attacking firepower that a player of Rashford's calibre could potentially provide. The pursuit of both Bahoya and Rashford highlights Tottenham's strategic focus on revitalizing their offensive capabilities ahead of the new season.
Jean-Matteo Bahoya, a potential Tottenham target, playing for Eintracht Frankfurt. Jan Huebner/IMAGO
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