Tottenham are ready to smash their transfer record to sign attacking midfielder

Tottenham didn’t spend a single pound in the summer, but they’re reportedly ready to smash their transfer record in January to sign Cengiz Under.

It’s painfully obvious that Tottenham made a mistake by failing to strengthen their squad in the summer. Don’t expect Spurs to repeat their failure in January. Instead, it’s widely believed that Mauricio Pochettino will push the board to make significant investments during the winter transfer window.

Expect Tottenham’s transfer policy to centre more on quality than quantity. There aren’t a ton of gaping holes in the squad. Instead, Pochettino needs more high-end talent that he can rely on in any competition. One obvious place Spurs can use another high-quality player is in the attacking midfield.

That’s why it shouldn’t come as a total surprise to see the club linked with a massive move for Roma midfielder Cengiz Under. Remember, Spurs were interested in him several years ago before he made the move to the Serie A giants. He’ll be a much more expensive transaction now. Reports from Turkey claim Tottenham have already lodged a £52 million bid for the stylish attacker.

This is just the sort of signing Spurs should be looking to make. At just 21 years of age, Under isn’t the finished article, but he’s already shown plenty of potential for Roma. He’s been especially good for the club in Champions League play this season. He’s scored two goals and notched one assist in three games on Europe’s biggest stage.

If Tottenham are able to pry him away from Roma in January, he’s the sort of player who can make an immediate impact under Pochettino. He’d go right into the attacking midfield rotation that currently includes Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura and Heung-Min Son. His ability to play on both the right and left flank would make him particularly valuable.

The only thing Under would need to work on is his defensive contributions. He isn’t asked to do much of that for Roma. Pochettino would absolutely require an increase in work rate from the young Turk. That might limit his playing time initially, but it’s something he’s more than capable of fixing in short order.

Ultimately, Under isn’t the only attacking midfielder that would be a good fit for Tottenham in January, but he’s certainly one of the club’s most promising targets. The only real question is whether or not Spurs are willing to pay up for the talented young starlet.