(Reuters) – According to the manager Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to bring in new players early in the January transfer window as the team’s injury crisis worsens.
Vice-captain Cristian Romero is the latest addition to the injury list at north London and will be out for at least a month due to a hamstring strain.
The team is now without their top two central defenders, as Micky van de Ven has been sidelined since early November and is not expected back until next month.
In addition to Romero and van de Ven, James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Ashley Phillips are also long-term absentees.
“If we can do business early, it’s great for us. Not just because of losing Romero but there’s a whole month there – why waste it?,” Postecoglou told reporters before Thursday’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
“If you can bring them in early, even if they don’t play, you can bed them into training and our style of football because it’s not like we’re going to sign somebody and they’ll hit the ground running.” Postecoglou added.
That Tottenham will also be without skipper and South Korean forward Son Heung-min when he leaves for the Asian Cup in Qatar from Jan. 12-Feb. 10.
The Premier League transfer market will open on January 1 and wrap up by February 1.
“I’d love to do something early in the window, but even me saying that puts a challenge on us because other clubs know we want to do something early,” the Australian added.
Having started the season in scintillating form before being hobbled by injuries, Spurs are currently fifth in the standings with 36 points from 18 matches, just a point behind Manchester City.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Miral Fahmy)
