How Spurs could sign “one of the best players in the world”

It’s what happens on the pitch that matters this season, but there’s already a different feel to Tottenham Hotspur, a sense they could be a force to be reckoned with again under Roberto De Zerbi.

The £185m spent on Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes suggests that Spurs aren’t hanging around this summer, following a string of setbacks a year ago.

Indeed, in 2025, for instance, a deal for Morgan Gibbs-White went up in smoke, while the north Londoners were also beaten to the punch by Manchester United and Arsenal in the race for Bryan Mbeumo and Eberechi Eze, respectively.

There were whispers too that the Lilywhites were lining up a deal for Morgan Rogers at the time, although the Englishman could well prove another case of one that got away.

The situation surrounding Spurs’ interest in Rogers last summer

With attacking recruits yet to arrive at N17 this summer, there had been talk that Spurs would be willing to rival Arsenal for Rogers’ signature, with moves set to be ramped up following the end of the World Cup.

The north London pair have since been gazumped by rivals Chelsea, however, the Blues forking out an eye-watering £117m in order to prise the 23-year-old from Villa Park.

That surprise switch comes a year on from talk that Tottenham had made the ex-Middlesbrough man their ‘dream target’, with there even claims that a deal could be struck heading into deadline day.

That was a view corroborated by transfer insider, Fabrizio Romano, the Italian outlining that Rogers was certainly on the agenda last year, albeit with Villa never looking like willing sellers.

Instead, Unai Emery convinced the powerhouse forward to stay for one more year, a decision that proved fruitful as Rogers powered the Midlands side to Europa League glory and a top-five finish, ensuring he’ll leave behind Champions League football for a team who won’t be competing in Europe at all next season.

Whether such a move pays for both the player and Chelsea remains to be seen, although either way, that marquee deal has perhaps trimmed Spurs’ own shortlist of attacking targets.

Thankfully, there is one man on the list who might well even prove an upgrade on the £117m-rated Rogers.

How Spurs could sign an upgrade on Morgan Rogers

Rogers’ move to Stamford Bridge, alongside Elliot Anderson’s £116m switch to Manchester City, speaks to just what an inflated summer this is in terms of transfer fees, with it certainly difficult to find value in the market.

Indeed, reports have indicated that it could take north of £90m for Spurs to sign Bournemouth sensation, Eli Junior Kroupi, despite the Frenchman having enjoyed just a solitary season in the Premier League.

ENIC might well be better served turning their attention elsewhere, with the i Paper outlining that Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford remains a long-standing target.

The suggestion is that Spurs were willing and ready to make a £40m move for the 28-year-old, before that release clause expired, with both Arsenal and Chelsea also keeping tabs on his situation.

The belief earlier this summer was that the Lilywhites would make a ‘big play’ for the Englishman, while they are said to be willing to pay a fee, rather than attempting to bring Rashford in on loan.

A potential bid for the returning United man could well see ENIC secure a real coup, with there still doubts over whether Rashford will be reintegrated into the fold under Michael Carrick, after 18 months out on loan.

He’s been in Old Trafford exile, but the forward’s talent is plain to see, as he showed in flashes alongside Rogers and co at the World Cup, memorably sealing the win against Croatia in the group stage opener.

That early impact came after a fine season at Barcelona, with there some surprise that the Catalan giants opted to invest in Anthony Gordon instead, considering Rashford’s displays across 2025/26.

While not always a consistent starter under Hansi Flick, the Mancunian ended the campaign with 28 goals and assists to his name in all competitions, ahead of Rogers’ own return of 26 goal involvements at Villa Park.

Rashford is five years older than his compatriot, but his wealth of experience is hard not to be impressed by, boasting a tally of 89 goals in 297 Premier League games, with Rogers scoring just 21 times in 85 games in the competition.

In Europe too, Rashford has scored and assisted 29 goals in 48 Champions League games, as well as racking up 23 goals and assists in just 42 Europa League outings. For context, Rogers has played just 27 times combined in the two competitions, scoring and assisting 15 goals.

Rogers is certainly on the right trajectory, but it was as recently as January 2024 that he was still operating in the Championship, having been allowed to leave Manchester City for just £1m six months earlier.

In Rashford’s case, he was a true teen wonderkid after bursting onto the scene in February 2016, a player who now has a decade of stellar experience for both club and country. In the view of the aforementioned Gordon, he’s arguably “one of the best players in the world“.

He’s a man with 19 goals in 78 games for England, alongside 138 in 426 for Man United. Of course, it hasn’t been a smooth ride in recent years, but Rashford has shown himself to be a true superstar in the past. As for Rogers, meanwhile, his time at the elite level is only truly just beginning.