The final hours of the January transfer window are always a period of intense pressure and strategic maneuvering, and for Tottenham Hotspur, the 2026 winter deadline was no exception. While the activity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might have seemed quieter than some fans had hoped for, the club managed to navigate a complex landscape of injuries and squad management to finalize several key moves.
By the time the clock struck the deadline, manager Thomas Frank saw a mix of tactical exits, a high-profile “hijack” of a rival’s target, and an unexpected financial boost that could define the club’s future spending power.
The most dramatic story of the day involved 18-year-old Hearts striker James Wilson. For much of the weekend, it appeared as though the Scottish teenager was destined for a move to Arsenal. The Gunners had been in deep discussions to bring Wilson into their youth setup, but their proposal was essentially a trial period within their under-21 squad.
Tottenham’s recruitment team saw an opportunity to pounce, offering a more concrete developmental path. Spurs successfully hijacked the move by proposing an immediate loan deal that includes a specific option to buy the forward permanently in the summer.
This commitment to the player’s long-term future was enough to sway Wilson, marking a significant psychological victory over their North London neighbors.
While Wilson arrives with an eye on the future, the club was also busy finding the right environments for its existing young talent. Midfielder George Abbott, who is now 20, had a frustrating first half of the season on loan at Wycombe Wanderers. After struggling to secure consistent minutes in the third tier, he was brought back to North London only to be sent out again, this time to Mansfield Town in League One.
The goal is for Abbott to find the “rhythm of the game” that he lacked earlier in the year. Similarly, defender Alfie Dorrington has moved to Salford City on a temporary basis. After a difficult six-month stint with Aberdeen in Scotland failed to yield the expected results, the hope is that a move to League Two will provide the physical and tactical challenges he needs to mature as a center-back.
These late moves followed a January that saw a significant reshuffling of the deck. On the permanent front, the club invested heavily in Conor Gallagher to provide immediate leadership in the midfield, alongside the acquisition of the talented Brazilian teenager Souza from Santos.
To balance the books, the club sanctioned the £35 million sale of Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace. This departure was met with mixed reviews from the fans, but the hierarchy clearly felt the funds were necessary to address other areas of the “injury-ravaged” squad.
However, perhaps the most intriguing news for Thomas Frank didn’t involve a player wearing a Tottenham shirt at all. Late on Sunday, reports surfaced that Liverpool had agreed to a massive £60 million fee with Rennes for the highly sought-after central defender Jeremy Jacquet.
While Jacquet will join Arne Slot’s side in the summer, the ripple effect of this deal is what matters to Spurs. Chelsea had spent most of the month as the favorites to sign the 20-year-old and had been prepared to spend a similar amount.
With Liverpool winning that race, the competitive landscape for defensive targets has shifted, and it is understood that the movement of such large fees for young defenders has helped “recalibrate” the market value of Tottenham’s own defensive assets. Furthermore, the club’s ability to move players like Johnson for significant sums, combined with the shifting market, provides a much-needed boost to Frank’s potential war chest for the summer of 2026.
| Player Name | Type of Move | Destination / Origin |
| James Wilson | Loan (Option to Buy) | Hearts (to Tottenham) |
| Conor Gallagher | Permanent Transfer | Atletico Madrid (to Tottenham) |
| Brennan Johnson | Permanent Transfer | Tottenham (to Crystal Palace) |
| George Abbott | Loan | Mansfield Town |
| Alfie Dorrington | Loan | Salford City |
| Souza | Permanent Transfer | Santos (to Tottenham) |
As the dust settles on the winter window, the focus now turns back to the pitch. Thomas Frank has been dealing with an unprecedented injury crisis, and while the new signings will help, the real challenge will be integrating these fresh faces while maintaining a push for European football.
The club has managed to clear some of the “dead wood,” secured a promising Scottish international, and seen their long-term financial position improve. It wasn’t the blockbuster deadline day some expected, but it was a calculated effort to stabilize a club in transition.
