Ange Postecoglou's priority on the transfer front appears to be the successful acquisition of young, exciting talents at Tottenham Hotspur, with this expected to take precedence over the coming weeks as the January market whirs into life.
The London club enjoyed a busy summer window after falling by the wayside last term, with Postecoglou's appointment from Celtic preceding a hive of activity that combated the August sale of talisman Harry Kane.
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In truth, Spurs' first port of call next month will likely centre around the bolstering of the backline; recent events have underscored the glaring need for reinforcements in central defence, with influential summer signing Micky van de Ven sidelined with a hamstring injury and Cristian Romero only returning from a three-match suspension to aid his team in returning to the win column after a testing period.
While a centre-back will probably be signed, the Premier League club must not neglect other areas of concern, with midfield stars Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr both off to the African Cup of Nations in January.
Spurs transfer news – Arthur Vermeeren
Staying in line with that earlier notion of signing young players, it might be wise for the Lilywhites to make good on rumours suggesting they are suitors to sign touted midfield talent Arthur Vermeeren, who has been causing a storm with his performances this season.
Earlier in December, 90min reported that Vermeeren had attracted the attention of Arsenal and Tottenham after his precocious displays for Royal Antwerp, with both having sent scouts to observe the teenager in action.
With top European teams such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Manchester City all registering an interest, it's paramount that Spurs act incisively to convince the Belgian to join the ranks down the N17.
Claims from the 18-year-old's homeland suggest that it would take at least €35m (£30m) to convince Antwerp to part with their prized asset, though such an offer would surely entice them to sell.
Arthur Vermeeren's career so far
Earlier this month, Antwerp capped off their Champions League group stage campaign with a home tie against Barcelona, LaLiga champions and one of the most prestigious institutions worldwide.
The Belgian Pro League side had lost all five of their matches before the encounter, yet succeeded in sending the home support into rapture with an unforgettable 3-2 victory over Xavi's players.
Naturally, Vermeeren was the centrepiece, opening the scoring after just one minute, winning four duels, completing all three of his attempted dribbles and making one tackle, clearance and blocked shot, as per Sofascore.
Europe had been introduced to a world-class star in the making, and Vermeeren was the artiste, dazzling with his all-encompassing display and defying the odds with the command and control of his craft. Quite simply, this is a man who performs with all the experience and virtuoso of a seasoned, successful veteran.
And all this having only entered adulthood in February, with just 63 senior appearances to his name, posting three goals and seven assists.
Having earned two caps for Belgium, the “superstar” – as was said by journalist Graeme Bailey – has chalked up 29 displays across all competitions this term and has started all 18 of Antwerp's fixtures in the Belgian top-flight, already entrusted with a starring role in the engine room.
Arthur Vermeeren's style of play
Having been labelled the 'next Andreas Iniesta', Vermeeren appears to have the world at his feet and is making good on his potential, with Belgium U17 coach David Penneman spellbound by the player's prodigious potential, discernible right from the off.
Penneman said: “Let a hundred people look at Arthur and perhaps not everyone will single him out as a phenomenal talent. But it was his inconspicuousness that caught my attention. Arthur solved problems before they could be imagined, by constantly scanning the environment and playing football efficiently. He thought two steps faster than the rest.”
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Belgium Pro League for progressive passes, the top 20% for clearances, the top 23% for tackles and the top 22% for interceptions per 90.
Hailed as "one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Vermeeren would be a sensational capture for Postecoglou at Tottenham, joining a fluid squad that could make good use of his multi-functionality, perhaps even shaping him into the next version of Mousa Dembele.
Mousa Dembele's style of play
Former Belgium international Dembele – who was interestingly born in Antwerp – was an incredible midfielder for Tottenham during the halcyon days of Mauricio Pochettino's reign, possessing remarkable ball retention skills and an expert dribbling ability.
Once proclaimed to be the "best in the world" by compatriot Kevin De Bruyne, Dembele amassed 249 displays for Spurs and was the unsung star, a machine in the middle, keeping things ticking and outworking the opponents around him.
The 2015/16 Premier League season was arguably when Dembele hit his apex, scoring three goals and supplying one assist across 29 appearances, completing 90% of his passes, averaging 1.0 key passes and 3.6 tackles per game and incredibly succeeding with 92% (2.9) dribbles and 63% (7.5) ground duels per match, as per Sofascore.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Passing
Finishing
Tackling
Dribbling
Defensive contribution
*Sourced via WhoScored
Whether Vermeeren succeeds in emulating his countryman remains to be seen at this stage, but given the success that Dembele found with Tottenham, it might be a prudent move for him to kickstart his exciting career with a move to the club.
While he might dream of moving to the Real Madrid's and Barcelona's of the world, for the next several years the teenager needs to work on honing his craft and rising to the fore, and Spurs could offer him the perfect launchpad for an illustrious future.
