Tottenham were interested in signing ‘this’ Liverpool midfielder during the January transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur are expected to undergo a mass exodus when the summer transfer window comes around. We have already seen a few Spurs players linked with an exit from N17.
Conor Gallagher is one of those. The central midfielder joined Tottenham in a £34m deal from Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window. Spurs had lost Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur to injuries, forcing them to dip into the transfer market for midfield reinforcements. Gallagher emerged as a priority option, with the North London club having been an admirer of his talents for many years. And when the opportunity arose, they grabbed it.
However, just three months in, Gallagher has been linked with a move to Everton. Surprisingly, Tottenham are ready to cut their losses on the England international. New head coach Roberto De Zerbi demands very specific profiles, and the ex-Chelsea man seemingly doesn’t fit into his system.
Back in the January transfer window, the Lilywhites were keen on signing Liverpool star Curtis Jones before switching their attention towards Gallagher. Curtis Jones had emerged on Tottenham’s radar after it felt that the central midfielder wanted to leave his boyhood club for regular game time. Eventually, a move didn’t materialise, and he stayed put at Anfield.
Reason revealed why Tottenham pulled out of signing Curtis Jones from Liverpool
Now, the reason behind Tottenham abandoning their pursuit of one-club man Curtis Jones has emerged. According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs never actually lodged an official bid for the Liverpool midfielder, instead opting to sign Gallagher.
The 25-year-old is a versatile player and can operate in several midfield positions. And skill-set wise, the England international is more than capable of moving the ball up the field, recycling possession and dictating the tempo of a game. He is certainly more technically and tactically sound than Gallagher, flourishing in ball retention in tight spaces.
Both Jones and Gallagher are more of a No.8 profile, but on the pitch, they offer very different qualities on and off the ball. Former boss Thomas Frank preferred Gallagher over Jones due to his tenacity, pressing and work rate. While De Zerbi also likes a combative presence in the middle of the park, he favours a technically secure No.8 profile who can bait the press and play through the opposition lines.
This makes the Liverpool talent a tactically smart fit for De Zerbi’s style of play. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham reignite their interest in Jones, who will enter the final year of his contract at Liverpool in June.