Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou will continue to strengthen his restored squad in 2024, with sights not set on cementing this newfound position of power at the forefront of the Premier League.
After falling by the wayside last year, Postecoglou's summer appointment has proved to be a masterstroke, and optimism is now awash down the N17, and with eight victories and two draws from the opening ten matches of the league term, Spurs are perched in first place.
It is a startling revival that has shocked the lion's share of the club's rivals, with Tottenham lumbering to an eighth-placed finish last term and enduring a catastrophic defensive collapse – shipping 63 goals; only the relegated trio and newly-promoted Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth conceded more.
Micky van de Ven's £43m addition from German side Wolfsburg has been a large part behind the fresh vigour at the back, forming a sturdy partnership with Cristian Romero, with the dynamic duo now charging the team from the back.
Guglielmo Vicario's introduction between the stick has been equally impressive – the Italian ranks among the top 4% of goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for save percentage, as per FBref.
More work is needed though, especially considering the current trajectory bespeaks of Spurs' prospects of European football next season, and, as such, Postecoglou must prioritise deepening the ranks.
Tottenham transfer news – Lloyd Kelly
According to 90min, Tottenham are indeed going to focus on fortifying the defensive ranks this winter, with Bournemouth central defender Lloyd Kelly still believed to be of interest.
This comes alongside revelations from transfer goliath Fabrizio Romano that Serie A outfits AC Milan and Juventus have asked for conditions for a transfer this January, with Kelly out of contract on the south coast at the end of the season.
Tottenham, however, will feel that they can entice the player with a role in London at an ambitious and burgeoning side, with Postecoglou's team certainly requiring from new defensive mettle.
Spurs failed with a £20m bid for the 25-year-old late in the summer transfer window, and that perseverance could persuade the player to join the project.
Lloyd Kelly's style of play
A ball-playing defender, Kelly's playing style aligns with the way that Postecoglou wants his team to play, with the Lilywhites ranking third in the Premier League for passes and first for shots taken this term.
Competent both in the centre and as a left-back, Kelly's protean ability would set him up for success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having been hailed for his "incredible" qualities by former manager Gary O'Neil.
Indeed, as per FBref, the £30k-per-week titan ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for clearances and the top 13% for aerial wins per 90.
This evidences the 5 foot 10 ace's robustness, mobility and superiority in aerial battles, which are traits that Postecoglou is evidently enamoured with.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Holding onto the ball
Crossing
Concentration
Pass accuracy
Interceptions
Blocking
*Sourced via WhoScored
Frankly, Spurs have done their homework on a player who has impressed at the Vitality Stadium over the past several years; since signing from Bristol City for £13m in 2019, he has completed 123 appearances for the Cherries, scoring twice and registering seven assists.
Whilst Kelly is not the most precise of passers in all instances, but that is not to negate his ball-playing skill, with his inclination to spray long passes up the pitch a testament to his creative spark and willingness to progress the play.
Left-footed and still developing, Tottenham could secure their belated, dream, heir to Jan Vertonghen's position in the squad with Kelly's signing, and the London side must now forge ahead to shrug off rival suitors and secure his signature.
Why Tottenham need Lloyd Kelly
Vertonghen proved to be a first-class defender at Tottenham after joining from Eredivisie giants Ajax in a £10m transfer in 2012, beating Newcastle United to his signature.
The 152-cap Belgium international, now aged 36, forged 313 displays with Spurs, posting 14 goals and seven assists, and while he did not glean silverware during his time on English shores, he is fondly remembered as a lynchpin of the success under Mauricio Pochettino.
Hailed as a "Tottenham legend" by journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke, Vertonghen was one of the Premier League's finest left-sided centre-halfs and married defensive ability with a crisp, natural ball-playing ease.
Across the duration of his career, as per WhoScored, Vertonghen has completed 86.5% of his passes and averaged four long balls per game, highlighting his skill in distribution as he was a reliable passer who could regularly switch the play to set off attacks.
His leadership and charisma at the back paid dividends, and while Van de Ven is the left-footed defender that the club have been yearning for, should injury beset him then there are a questionable lack of reliable replacements.
Kelly could emulate this, completing 81% of his passes in the Premier League last term while attempting 2.7 long balls and making 4.3 clearances per match, as per Sofascore.
The fact that the dynamo also won 60% of his contested duels is a further illustration of the rounded game that will bolster a Tottenham team targetting sustained success at the top of the game.
Much like Vertonghen, Kelly offers dynamism and versatility to provide depth for the crucial and touted return to European competition next season.
And with Eric Dier ostensibly headed for the exit in 2024 and defensive teammate Ben Davies, who has not been able to break into the team regularly, not really making his mark, Kelly could provide the upgrade that would allow Postecoglou to issue rotation with greater belief in his squad's ability.
Whether Kelly would cement a starting berth on every occasion remains to be seen, but undoubtedly, Tottenham are a little thin at the moment and Postecoglou will need to expand his squad to ensure his squad can compete across multiple fronts.
August's Carabao Cup defeat to Fulham on penalties underscored this weakness in numbers; while not the most esteemed of tournaments on offer, it presented a golden opportunity to end an interminable trophy drought.
Nonetheless, Spurs are thriving under their Australian boss, and strengthening with signings such as Kelly will only prove to solidify their chances at achieving prominence on the European stage.
