5 bold predictions for Tottenham’s January transfer window

4. Tottenham will raid Barcelona again

Falling out of the Champions League in an ignominious fashion has put Barcelona under intense financial pressure to offload players in the near future. The Spanish giants might wait until the summer to offload valuable players to meet their fiscal obligations, but the odds favour a few key sales in January.

Specifically, recent rumours indicate that Marc Andre Ter-Stegen, Frenkie de Jong, and Sergino Dest are all on the chopping block. Tottenham will have strong interest in de Jong but he’ll be outside their price range. Ter-Stegen isn’t of interest due to the chokehold Hugo Lloris enjoys between the pipes in North London.

Dest is a player who should really appeal stylistically to Conte and his coaching staff. He has the ability to play either fullback position but would serve as an obvious upgrade over Matt Doherty as Emerson Royale’s partner on the right side. The great irony is that if Tottenham purchase the American this summer then both of their right-backs will have arrived from the same club in the same season.

Dest isn’t the finished article but he’s ideally suited to play as a wing-back in Conte’s system. Don’t be surprised to see Spurs sneak this deal over the line early in the window if Barcelona are indeed willing to part with the young fullback.