Tottenham Hotspur cannot afford to continue the disappointing run of form that has threatened Thomas Frank's position in the hot seat.
The Danish coach was appointed last summer after superb work in west London with Brentford, but he's struggled to get a tune out of his players so far, 14th in the Premier League after 22 matches.
Injuries have been unkind to the Lilywhites once again. Look at the left-back position, for example, with Destiny Udogie missing the past month of action, returning against Borussia Dortmund as the experienced Ben Davies suffers an ankle injury, set to sideline him for the foreseeable future.
Spurs injury list
A deal for Brazilian prospect Souza has been agreed, but ENIC Group have identified Liverpool's Andy Robertson as a target to improve Frank's backline, and that one appears to be moving along quickly.
The latest on Andy Robertson to Spurs
Robertson has been described by analyst Raj Chohan as being "a below-average Premier League full-back in 2026", so it's understandable that some might have reservations over a deal.
However, the Scotland skipper will bring a wealth of experience and leadership to a side who have been lacking in those departments. Indeed, Spurs have one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, and that immaturity has been telling.
Premier League 25/26 - Youngest Average Age of Squads
Club
(16) Bournemouth
(17) Brentford
(18) Tottenham
(19) Sunderland
(20) Chelsea
Data via Transfermarkt
With The Athletic's Daie Ornstein confirming that positive talks are ongoing between the Premier League clubs, ENIC Group must be confident that a deal will be reached swiftly.
Robertson, 31, is out of contract at the end of the season, so a fee will need to be paid to bring him to N17 this month.
It is, in all honesty, somewhat puzzling. Souza will provide Spurs with potential down the left flank for years, and Robertson has lost several yards of pace and his trademark intensity over the past few years on Merseyside.
However, he's still one of the most accomplished and technically proficient full-backs in the world.
Even so, his arrival could come to the detriment of one of Spurs' most talented stars.
Spurs star could be finished when Robertson signs
Udogie has indeed endured another injury-affected campaign. The 23-year-old has missed 42 matches due to injury, and this has impeded his development as a powerful and athletic Premier League wide man.
Destiny Udogie for Tottenham
Destiny Udogie for Tottenham
This season, the Italian has only started six times in the Premier League, featuring across ten matches in total. In this limited timeframe, he has flattered to deceive, only completing 27% of his dribbles and losing 54% of his duels.
This is a far cry from the boisterous left-back who burst onto the scene in 2023/24, with journalist Hunter Godson even claiming he would get into "nearly every team in the world already".
Now, Udogie is becoming a passenger in Frank's outfit, criticised for poor defending this season by one UEFA coach, who said he "needs to wake up" when defending.
If Udogie is going to resurrect his lofty standing in the English game, he will need to return to the form that he started with at Tottenham, with the club having rebuffed any offers below €50m (£42m) last summer.
Andy-Robertson-Liverpool-record-timeless
However, Robertson's arrival will make that tricky, even if the former Udinese prospect maintains fitness, something he has struggled to do over the past two-and-a-half years.
While Robertson is not a long-term solution for the Lilywhites, he has the quality to start many matches for Frank's side over the next few years.
Tottenham full-back Destiny Udogie.
Tottenham full-back Destiny Udogie.
As Souza goes from strength to strength in that same timeframe, there's a chance that Udogie may get a bit lost and end up leaving for a new challenge.
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