With the rumours circulating that Pierre-Emile Højbjerg could be on his way to Atletico Madrid via a permanent transfer (DailyMail), who could replace the Dane in the Spurs midfield?
Here are some top options Tottenham should consider as a replacement for the 2022 Danish Player of the Year should he secure a move away from North London.
No. 5 – Gabri Veiga
Veiga has been floated as a potential replacement for Højbjerg (Le10 Sport), but the potential of a move seems perhaps the most unlikely, or at least it should be.
At just 21 years of age, the Spaniard certainly has potential and would be a perfect signing for a likely Spurs rebuild.
In his first full campaign with La Liga club Celta Vigo, Veiga tallied 11 goals and four assists in 36 league appearances.
However, he is at the bottom of this list because according to the Spanish publication AS, Veiga prefers a move to Arsenal over one to Tottenham.
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No. 4 – Hakan Calhanoglu
The Inter Milan midfielder has been touted as a potential Højbjerg replacement (InterLive.it), and for good reason.
Calhanoglu can play multiple midfield positions and made a major impact at Inter last season. He notched four goals and eight assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, helping lead the club to a pair of trophies and a runner-up finish in the Champions League.
Calhanoglu also has international experience, having been capped 78 times and scoring 17 goals for Turkey (Transfermarkt).
Perhaps the only downside of a move for Calhanoglu is his age. At 29, he is already two years older than Højbjerg, and his prime seasons may be behind him.
No. 3 – Conor Gallagher
Tottenham may not have to look far for a replacement if Højbjerg goes, with none other than rival Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in the picture (The Telegraph).
Although it has been mentioned that Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is fond of the English player, the team may have to part ways with him due to their ongoing efforts to balance their finances.
After a strong season on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021-22, Gallagher did take somewhat of a step back while playing fewer minutes for Chelsea last season.
He is however just 23 years of age and would likely play more for a Spurs side that will also be without Rodrigo Bentancur until potentially 2024.
No. 2 – Franck Kessie
Spurs had been linked with Kessie recently in the January transfer window, and the club has been linked yet again with the Barcelona midfielder this summer, according to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti (Twitter).
Following a stellar run six-year run at AC Milan, Kessie signed with the Catalan giants in 2022.
While he helped the team claim the La Liga title and Supercopa de Espana this past season, Kessie only started in seven of his 43 appearances.
Xavi has a multitude of options in midfield – Pedri and Gavi come to mind – and it appears Kessie could be on the move after just one season.
At just 26, the former Serie A star and current Ivory Coast international has years of first-team football remaining, and he would likely play his prime seasons at Tottenham could they swing a deal with Barcelona.
No. 1 – Douglas Luiz
The 2022-23 Aston Villa Player of the Season, Luiz registered seven goals and six assists in 40 appearances across all competitions (Transfermarkt).
Not only did he have a great individual campaign, but the Brazilian also guided Villa to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League table and secured the club’s first European qualification since 2010-11.
At 25 years old, Luiz would fit perfectly into a rebuilding timeline for Spurs, and he has seemingly shone the most promise and appears to be a player headed for even greater heights.
Arsenal has also been heavily linked to Luiz for some time, so the hope would be for Tottenham to quickly get a deal over the line before the Gunners come in and steal a potentially great signing for new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglu (Daily Mail).
If Højbjerg goes, who would you like to see Spurs sign?
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