The end for Bentancur: £26m “monster” is now keen on joining Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur should use the January transfer window, which opened for business on Thursday, to make key additions to their squad for the second half of the campaign.
The Lilywhites are currently 12th in the Premier League table after a dull 0-0 draw with Thomas Frank’s former side Brentford away from home on Thursday night.
Tottenham’s head coach was reportedly booed by his own supporters after he went over to applaud their support after that disappointing draw, which speaks to the growing frustration around the situation in North London.
Spurs among frontrunners to sign LaLiga star
Frank and the club could look to get fans back onside and pulling in the same direction by using the window to add quality and exciting players to the group in the coming weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign Atletico Madrid central midfielder Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window.
The report claims that the Lilywhites want to sign the England international to bolster Frank’s options in the middle of the park, but Manchester United are also keen on the former Chelsea ace, with both Spurs and the Red Devils said to be leading other English sides for his signature.
It adds that Spurs view Gallagher as an ideal addition to their midfield ranks this month, and that the 25-year-old midfielder would be ‘enthusiastic’ about a move to North London, because of his London roots.
TEAMtalk reveals that Atletico Madrid are open to allowing the Englishman to move on in January, but they want a permanent transfer and would like a fee of around £26m for his services.
Why this is bad news for Rodrigo Bentancur
Tottenham’s interest in a deal for Gallagher is bad news for Rodrigo Bentancur because it could spell the beginning of the end of his career with the Lilywhites.
The Uruguay international currently fills the role of being the more experienced operator in midfield, alongside much younger talents like Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and, when he is back from international duty, Pape Matar Sarr.
However, his fairly underwhelming performances on the pitch this season suggest that the signing of another experienced midfielder could see him lose his place in the side.
25/26 Premier League
Rodrigo Bentancur
Appearances
18
Goals
1
Key passes per game
0.5
Assists
1
Duel success rate
52%
Aerial duel success rate
45%
Tackles and interceptions per game
2.7
Stats via Sofascore
Bentancur, as illustrated in the statistics above, has not been a standout performer in the Premier League this season, as he has been average in his duels and offered very little in possession at the top end of the pitch.
Gallagher, meanwhile, is a central midfielder who can offer a similar defensive presence, when it comes to making tackles and interceptions, whilst providing more quality with his all-round game.
The chart above shows their respective statistics over the past 365 days for Spurs and Atletico Madrid, and the England international comes out on top in most metrics.
Gallagher’s significantly more impressive work in possession really stands out in that chart, as it suggests that he would offer far more to Spurs as an attacking force on the ball, which could help to prevent any more dull affairs like the 0-0 draw with Brentford.
The former Chelsea man has delivered seven goals and seven assists in all competitions for Atletico since the start of last season, per Sofascore, including a goal and an assist in his last two games.
Subscribe to the newsletter for Spurs transfer analysis Get deeper context on Tottenham’s chase for Conor Gallagher by subscribing to the newsletter, with expert breakdowns of transfer targets, squad impacts, and what signings mean for players like Rodrigo Bentancur — perfect for fans seeking focused transfer coverage.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Gallagher, who was once hailed as a “monster” by Tom Dutton, also provides quality out of possession. He ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in the Big 5 Leagues over the past 365 days for interceptions per 90 (1.73) and the top 24% for tackles per 90 (2.45).
These statistics suggest that he has the defensive qualities to replace what Bentancur offers at the heart of the midfield, whilst also possessing the technical attributes to make a greater impact in matches on the ball.
Bentancur has only produced three goals and two assists in all competitions since the start of last season, per Sofascore, which proves that he is not a reliable contributor in the final third, unlike Gallagher.
Spurs flop proved vs Brentford why he must be sold after Brennan Johnson
This Tottenham Hotspur flop should be the next player to be sold in January after Brennan Johnson.
ByDan Emery
Therefore, Tottenham’s interest in the England international could spell bad news for the Uruguayan star, because Gallagher could be Frank’s experienced midfield linchpin around the younger talent, leaving Bentancur to consider his future as a bench warmer.