While January may not be one of the busiest transfer windows of the year, Tottenham still need to make significant additions to their squad in the new year. The Lilywhites made significant changes to their squad during the summer following the appointment of Ange postecoglou as their head coach, but they still have plenty of room to improve as they look to challenge for a top-four spot.

With eight games to go in the season and Tottenham leading the Premier League by a point, the hope is that they will remain at the top in January. Winter signings will be essential, especially as a few players are likely to be out of action for a while and three are set to depart for international duty in January.

With Johan Lange confirmed as the new technical director of the club on November 1, the Dane will be eager to make an impact on the transfer market right away. Here are three positions he will need to address for postecoglou in January:

New centre-back

In January, Tottenham Hotspur must prioritize their defensive play in order to address their lack of options at the centre of defence. The Lilywhites needed to strengthen their backline during the summer, but were unable to secure a third signing of a centre-back before the close of the transfer window. This leaves them with a lack of options in the middle of the park, and they must make sure to address this issue before the new year. This is a priority for Spurs in January, and the club must decide whether to pursue further moves for Premier League defenders, or to look elsewhere.

In the summer, Tottenham had to deal with the resignations of two centre-backs, Micky Van de Ven and Ashley Phillips, as well as the departure of Davinson Sanchez. This leaves Tottenham with only one centre-back in the squad, Cristian Romero, who has formed a fantastic partnership with Van de Ven.

The Lilywhites must now decide if they will pursue further moves for a centre-back in January, or if they should look elsewhere.

New midfielder

Tottenham will definitely need a new midfielder at the start of the new season. They are already well-stocked in the centre of the park at the moment, but they will miss out on the African Cup of Nations with the departure of Paparoma ‘Sarr’ and Yves ‘Bissouma’.

There is some good news for Spurs, though, as Rodrigo ‘Bentancur’ Bentancur looks set to return to full fitness and could be a vital player for them by the time they do.

Spurs will likely have to make a move for Pierre ‘Hojbjerg’ in January, as he has been largely absent from first-team action this season. The Dane was linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, as well as Manchester United, in the summer, but a possible exit never materialised.

Regardless of whether or not he sticks around, Tottenham will need to add another playmaker to their midfield, as they can’t afford to miss out on either Sarr or Sarr, who is representing Mali and Senegalese.

New attacker

In the wake of Ivan Perisic’s and Manor Solomon’s recent injuries, Tottenham Hotspur will be in need of an attacker in January. Perisic has already played his final game for the club following a complex ACL injury sustained in non-contact pre-season, while Solomon is expected to be out for three to four months with a knee injury. Spurs have been aided by Bryan Gil’s return to fitness, providing the Spaniard with the ideal opportunity to present himself to manager Paul Lambert.

 

However, regardless of whether the winger is given the opportunity or not, Spurs must further strengthen their attack in the wake of Solomon’s injury and the AFC Asian Cup participation of Son Heung-min. A versatile forward would be a great asset for Lambert, as he would have an extra option to play both wide and through the middle if necessary.