Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on signings across different areas of the pitch to strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s squad and increase the chances of draping the curtain on the 2023/24 campaign with an air of accomplishment.
Before the transfer window opened up for business, the Premier League side were expected to be among the busiest in the division after a blistering start was stifled by a glut of injuries and absences to key players.
And while returning duo Micky van de Ven and James Maddison are to play central roles once again in the weeks and months ahead, Postecoglou has tasted Spurs’ squad when threadbare and he can hardly be blamed for striving to leave such issues in the past.
Athletic forward Timo Werner is closing in on an initial loan deal while talks approach the final stages for the transfer of Genoa centre-half Radu Dragusin, but Spurs still need to sign a midfielder.
Spurs transfer news – midfielders
There has been talk regarding the transfer of Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, and while such an acquisition is unlikely for Spurs, they remain suitors and have not been dissuaded by Stamford Bridge’s £50m valuation.
But, perhaps bolstering the ranks with a player of lesser standing at this stage, with Blackburn Rovers’ Adam Wharton, aged 19, on the radar.
According to Football Insider, Spurs technical director Johan Lange is stepping up the London club’s interest in Wharton and a bid is being prepared, though Everton are also named as suitors and it is unlikely that anything drastic will happen this month.
Tottenham signed Ashley Phillips from Blackburn for £3m in the summer and the strong relationship between the respective outfits could work in Postecoglou’s favour here.
Adam Wharton’s style of play
Wharton has not been a regular competitor at senior level for long and has left manager Jon Dahl Tomasson saying: “Adam, on the ball, he has a Champions League level. I’ve been a Champions League player myself, I’ve coached in the Champions League so I know what you need.”
Last season, the teenager completed 18 appearances in the Championship as he started to receive opportunities within the senior set-up, and having impressed within this peripheral role has now been entrusted with a regular starting berth as his side look to end their interminable spell in the second tier.
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This year, he has played 27 times across all competitions and has triumphed in establishing himself as a key member of the Blackburn squad, starting 20 matches so far.
To highlight just how good this rounded midfielder already is, he ranks among the top 24% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Championship, the top 19% for progressive passes, the top 15% for interceptions and the top 22% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
Indeed, Wharton is proving with each passing match week that he has the skills to succeed at the highest level, offering a balanced style that would allow him to enter the fray at Tottenham and provide his manager with different tools to effectively contribute to the effort in the engine room.
With Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg touted for an exit in 2024 and Juventus at the forefront of the contenders, Wharton could be the perfect player to strengthen the ranks, markedly talented and young enough to complement the Lilywhites’ existing options without rocking the boat, so to speak.
How Adam Wharton compares to Declan Rice
The aforementioned Gallagher is impressive and multi-functional and ostensibly available but signing an important member of Chelsea’s squad would be no easy feat for Tottenham, and given that the 23-year-old is listed as Rodrigo Bentancur’s most comparable Premier League player on Football Transfers, would a deal be worth it?
Wharton could offer similar qualities for a portion of the price, and without the demands of an instantaneous role of prominence that would possibly unsettle some of the other options, namely Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma.
The left-footed midfielder is indefatigable and implements control and command in the centre of the park, blending defensive application with progression and technical quality to corroborate those claims that he is shaping into a ‘complete’ player.
And with this in mind, he could end up becoming Tottenham’s very own version of Declan Rice, with the England international signing for Spurs rivals Arsenal from Spurs rivals West Ham United in a £105m deal in the summer.
Rice has long been regarded as one of English football’s most talented midfielders but cemented his stature as a first-class phenom with a talismanic, season-long 2022/23 performance that led the Hammers to the Europa Conference League trophy, winning the club’s Player of the Season.
Having now moved to north London, the 24-year-old has been crucial in the middle of the pitch and has scored three goals and provided one assist across 20 Premier League appearances for the Gunners, completing 92% of his passes, averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 5.1 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 62% of his dribbles and 58% of his ground duels. How does that compare to Wharton? Well, very closely indeed, particularly when it comes to the defensive side of the game.
Adam Wharton: Championship Stats 23/24
Metric
Stat (per 90)
Matches played
24
Starts
20
Goals
1
Assists
3
Pass completion
84%
Key passes
1.4
Tackles
2.3
Interceptions
1.3
Ball recoveries
5.5
Successful dribbles
0.7 (67%)
Ground duels won
4.3 (52%)
*Sourced via Sofascore
Clearly, Wharton is not at Rice’s level yet but he is on the way to securing a spot in the Premier League and emulating the England international’s style.
Gallagher, who keeps drifting back into the conversation here, would be a neat addition and would no doubt enrich the Tottenham midfield, but why not move for the most astute addition, one who could blossom into a truly formidable force in the years to come.