Tottenham have never been a club afraid to enter into the transfer market. 

Even with their recent reticence to spend heavily, Spurs have brought in at least five first-team players in each of the last five summers. 

Having qualified for the Champions League with a talented but not especially deep squad, it is inevitable that Tottenham will be busy once again this year. 

With the additional wrinkle of the Premier League’s surging broadcast deals, Spurs are a rich target for transfer rumours. 

Despite the deluge of newspaper talk, Tottenham are unlikely to make any serious moves before the summer’s two major tournaments are concluded. 

With that in mind, we have time for a little fun, so we’re going to select a full team of players already linked with the club. 

Goalkeeper

Hugo Lloris is unquestionably secure as Spurs’ No. 1, so there are relatively few articles linking new custodians to White Hart Lane. 

England Under-21 goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is an exception. The Sunderland academy graduate has been widely tipped to win senior honours in the future and would be an excellent back-up for Lloris. What he lacks in current reserve Michel Vorm’s experience, he makes up for in potential. 

According to the Sunderland Echo, via the Daily Star, Spurs will battle Manchester United for Pickford’s signature over the summer. 

Left-back

Hull City‘s academy player of the year Josh Tyman has been linked with both Tottenham and Arsenal, per Peter O’Rourke of ESPN. 

Yet to make a Football League appearance, the England under-17 international has been playing with the club’s under-21s and is expected to break out next season. 

This could be a realistic move for Spurs to make, likely with a loan back to Hull for 2016/17. 

Defence 

Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Tottenham are keeping watch on Lyon’s Samuel Umtiti and, according to Sport, via IBTimes.co.uk, he could be available for £15.5 million. 

Umtiti scored an astonishing goal for Lyon against Spurs in a Europa League match in 2013, but the Cameroon-born youngster’s qualities at the other end of the pitch have sparked widespread European interest. 

According to Ed Malyon of the Mirror, Lyon would prefer to sell Umtiti abroad rather than strengthen PSG, who are also interested. However, that would mean Daniel Levy and Jean-Michel Aulas entering into negotiations for the first time since Spurs’ acrimonious acquisition of Hugo Lloris. 

According to Bild (h/t Sport Witness, via Here Is The City), Werder Bremen‘s gigantic defender Jannik Vestergaard has been identified as an option for Tottenham. 

The gargantuan Dane would give Spurs a very different option in a back line that, while very strong, lacks height. His physicality would complement the more athletic Umtiti.  

The combination of the left-footed Umtiti and right-sided Vestergaard also gives our Transfer XI happy balance. 

Right-back

Spurs have two quality options at right-back in Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier. This means rumours linking them to new players in that position have been thin on the ground. 

With that in mind, Bolton’s England under-21 centre back Rob Holding will be selected out of position. 

Holding was a rare bright spot for the Trotters this season and, according to the Daily Star, is one of the best players in England outside the top division. 

The Sun, via SBNation, says Arsenal are Holding’s preferred destination, but Spurs have also been linked to his signature (h/t Here Is The City).

Bolton are so keen to sell that, according to Liam Corless of the Mirror, they dropped Holding on the final day of the Championship season to avoid potential injury.

Midfield 

Villarreal’s star midfielder Denis Suarez is set to return to Barcelona this summer as the Blaugrana exercise a buy-back clause, but he is likely to move swiftly on, and Tottenham have reportedly joined the race to sign him, via James Cambridge of the Express.

Suarez was a revelation alongside former Spurs forward Roberto Soldado and will give our Transfer XI the creative spark in the middle. 

Another creative option for this team is Dinamo Zagreb’s diminutive playmaker Ante Coric. The Croatian has been recently scouted by Spurs, according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, and comparisons with David Silva have understandably piqued their interest. 

Given that Spurs’ Transfer XI is a fantasy team, they’ll be playing fantasy football with Inter Milan‘s Marcelo Brozovic completing the midfield three.  

Tutto Mercato Web, via Here is the City, says the creative Croatian is of interest to numerous Premier League clubs, but Spurs lead the chase. 

Attack 

Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe is pacy, skillful and young enough to develop beyond his current limited level. 

Having stagnated on Merseyside, the Charlton youth product could be interested in a return to London. 

According to the Liverpool Echo, via the Express, Liverpool are willing to sell Ibe this summer, and Spurs are among the interested clubs. 

Barcelona’s release of La Masia graduate Sandro Ramirez has sparked speculation that Tottenham will return for their apparent winter target. He was reportedly set to cost the club £3 million in January, but that deal never materialised. 

Sandro and Ibe can swap wings as they play in support of our Transfer XI striker. 

In a Tottenham Transfer XI, there can only be two options at centre forward: Michy Batshuayi and Saido Berahino, two of the most heavily-linked players in the club’s history. 

Simon Jones of the Daily Mail says Pochettino remains interested in both, but there can only be one in our lineup. 

Berahino‘s value has plummeted following his failed summer move to Spurs, and he could reportedly be available for as little as £7 million, per David Kent of the Daily Mail. Alternatively, Batshuayi has enjoyed a stellar season and could cost as much as £38 million, according to Jack Atchinson of Sky Sports. 

While Batshuayi is definitely the preferred option among Tottenham fans, this XI will go for the Premier League-proven Berahino. 

The Burundi-born England youth international has 23 goals in England’s top flight at just 22 years old. He caps off a fine Tottenham Transfer XI. 

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