Tottenham Hotspur didn't qualify for the Champions League last season but Ange Postecoglou has planted the seed for a prosperous tenure.
There is plenty of promise about this Spurs side but also plenty to address, and transfer activity must be conducted with a flourish this summer to make further improvements next term.
Eberechi Eze has been at the forefront of transfer rumours in recent days but Postecoglou's side would be wise to line up alternatives with Manchester United also on the hunt.
It looks like Daniel Levy and Co have done exactly that.
Spurs transfer news
According to Spanish sources earlier this week – via TEAMtalk – Tottenham are eager to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo and have even made an opening offer to the La Liga side, though it has fallen below the Japanese's €60m (£51m) release clause.
Kubo is a versatile and dynamic wide player who could add to a Tottenham team in need of some added depth, with European football on the cards after spending the 2023/24 campaign confined to domestic duty.
Takefusa Kubo's season in numbers
Kubo signed for Sociedad from Real Madrid on a five-year deal in 2022, having completed a series of loan spells across Spain after joining Los Blancos, never completing an appearance before moving to his current club on a permanent deal.
The 23-year-old might not be the most prolific of wingers – he has only posted 16 goals and 14 assists across 85 outings for Sociedad – but he is electric and enthusiastic and would offer competition for Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski down the Lilywhites' right flank.
Evidencing this: as per FBref, he ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 18% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Matches played
30
Matches started
24
Goals
7
Assists
4
Big chances created
10
Pass completion
81%
Key passes per game
2.0
Dribbles per game
1.8
Ball recoveries per game
3.3
Duels won per game
4.8
Dubbed a "special talent" by journalist John Bunting, Kubo would bring some really impressive qualities to the Tottenham first team, and one can only imagine the partnership that could be forged with James Maddison.
Imagine Kubo & James Maddison
Maddison signed for Spurs from Leicester City in a £40m deal last summer and started life in London with a bang, winning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August and leading journalist Henry Winter to dub him a "nightmare for defenders".
Averaging 2.4 key passes per game in the Premier League last season, the 27-year-old's unfortunate ankle injury suffered in November stifled a blistering start, but with some impactful additions welcomed in the months to come, it could be a positive fresh start.
For a speed demon like Kubo to have such string-pulling expertise beside him will only serve Tottenham well, with Maddison ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes and the top 2% for passes attempted per 90.
Spurs are eager to sign a ball-carrying whiz in Eze, but if they fail in that pursuit, Kubo could be the perfect player to strengthen Tottenham's wings.
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