Tottenham Hotspur drew against Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out in the Premier League but Ange Postecoglou remarked that his side "deserved to win" after a spirited effort despite a host of absences.
After 21 matches in the division, Spurs are level on points with fourth-placed rivals Arsenal – who do have a game in hand – and have made promising gains since last year's malaise, only really inhibited this season by a lack of options – the lapse in form before the festive period was a by-product of this.
And while key players are now returning from injuries, midfielders Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma and talisman Heung-min Son are unavailable for the foreseeable as they compete at AFCON and the Asia Cup respectively.
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Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner have already joined the fold this month and while Postecoglou might add a midfielder to close the play this month, plans are already being mapped out for the summer.
Spurs' striker search
According to Football Insider, Tottenham will wage transfer battle against Arsenal and Fulham to complete the transfer of Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez after the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, with the Eredivisie champions willing to discuss terms for around £30m.
West Ham United are interested in signing the player this month and have been tracking him ahead of a potential bid, but Feyenoord remain confident that they can ward off advances until the summer.
And this suits Spurs, who could now move for a midfielder to complete the winter spending before returning with full focus on securing the services of a shiny new talisman.
Santiago Gimenez's style of play
£30m is no small sum but would mark a stellar piece of business if Tottenham were indeed successful in beating off the competition to sign the Mexico international this year, with Gimenez posting 44 goals and eight assists from just 68 appearances since leaving homeland side Cruz Azul in July 2022.
Hailed for this "insane" prolificness by scout Antonio Mango, the 22-year-old was the focal frontman to fire his side into title success last season, and while PSV Eindhoven have established themselves as runaway table-toppers this term, Gimenez's return of 19 goals and four assists from 17 Eredivisie contests is quite something to behold.
To highlight his level as a high-class centre-forward, as per FBref, the 6 foot star ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Dutch top-flight over the past year for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 2% for total shots taken and the top 22% for progressive carries per 90.
His aptitude as an out-and-out scorer is something that Spurs don't really have, with Son dynamic as they come and providing a variegated approach to his offensive craft, clinical and creative, while Richarlison has fired himself into some excellent goalscoring form of late – with six goals from as many outings – but he is probably not the first-rate striker to lead the line for years to come.
And with the return of continental competition expected after the summer, strengthening the frontline with a player such as Gimenez is only a prudent move, enhancing and solidifying the squad's attacking impetus across multiple fronts.
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While the likes of Son and playmaker James Maddison will be his creative kernels from behind, new addition Werner could also find himself reaching new heights when competing alongside the £19k-per-week gem.
Imagine Santiago Gimenez & Timo Werner
Dubbed the "Mexican machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, there's no question that Gimenez boasts a clinical quality that places him alongside the finest finishers on the continent. But, of course, Premier League football demands much more than innate ability.
Werner's style of play could be perfect in ensuring the Feyenoord forward has the tools to provide him with a steady flow of opportunity, having been praised for his "lightning-quick" pace by pundit Paul Merson.
Indeed, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and the top 7% for passes attempted per 90, which highlights the qualities that would be well suited to supplementing a free-shooting phenom in Gimenez.
But only returning to London on an initial loan this month, with an option to buy for around £15m, the German international will need to build on a debut performance against the Red Devils that showcased his tenacious energy and wayward finishing it all its colour.
Premier League
56
10
13
0.41
Champions League
17
8
4
0.71
FA Cup
9
3
4
0.78
Carabao Cup
5
2
0
0.40
Club World Cup
1
0
0
0.00
UEFA Super Cup
1
0
0
0.00
Total
89
23
21
0.49
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
As the table portrays, Werner did not actually depart Stamford Bridge with a half-bad return, though ten goals from 56 appearances is not exactly the kind of return to evoke confidence in a player's capability to lead the line in the Premier League.
And having started just twice in the German Bundesliga this season before his return to England due to injury issues, an inevitable patina of rust enveloping his person on the pitch.
But his talent is still discernible and if he can add confidence and a cutting edge to his pace-endowed style, then Gimenez really could find the perfect partner in the future under Postecoglou's leadership.
As highlighted earlier through his FBref metrics, Gimenez's effectiveness in front of goal is built through his ability to unleash rifled efforts with frightening regularity – what he needs at Tottenham is reliable and consistent support, and Werner can offer this, a foil of sorts in the frontline.
Werner did bag an important assist on his Premier League debut for Spurs but will need to make improvements over the coming fixtures to ensure that he plays a prominent role as the season is pulled inexorably toward the business end.
Should he succeed in this endeavour and convince Postecoglou and club chairman Daniel Levy to wrap up a permanent transfer, then his protean threat could provide Gimenez with the constancy he requires to wreak havoc on English shores.