Tottenham Hotspur could be set to make a surprise signing this summer, it has been claimed, as Ange Postecoglou looks to bolster his squad ahead of the new season.

Top four not Ange's priority at Spurs

Spurs boss Postecoglou has already told the Tottenham faithful in no uncertain terms that he did not come to north London to finish fourth.

"I don't see fourth as the prize. I don't want to finish fourth if we haven't grown and developed as a team", he explained last month.

"Fourth would be great if I feel like we're growing as a team, and we're creating something that is going to bring us success next year. But fourth is not our goal… If we finish fifth, and if I think we've got a team to challenge next year, then I won't be disappointed."

Fortunately, he won't have to worry about that, with his side now fifth in the Premier League and unlikely to overturn the six-point gap on Aston Villa despite having two games in hand, with the Lilywhites having to play all of the top three in their final six games of the season.

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Tottenham would close the gap on those at the top of the Premier League by securing this signing.

ByAngus Sinclair

It means that they could be playing Europa League football next season, which remains a step up from the lack of European football on offer this season, and for that, Postecoglou may need a bigger squad.

Spurs could make surprise midfield signing

Midfield in particular is an area in which they have struggled this season. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could leave this summer, while Yves Bissouma's form has tailed off in the second half of the season and Rodrigo Bentancur is still struggling to get back to his pre-injury levels in north London.

Elsewhere, Oliver Skipp has started just four games this season and hasn't played a minute of Premier League action since the first week of February. Clearly not fancied by Postecoglou, the writing could be on the wall for him in Tottenham colours too.

Tottenham's current midfield options

Player

Premier League starts

Yves Bissouma

23

Pape Sarr

22

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

6

Rodrigo Bentancur

9

Oliver Skipp

4

The Lilywhites have long been linked with Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with Spurs looking to carry on their impressive record for shopping in the Serie A in recent seasons. However, new reports claim that it could be a left-field signing that ends up at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium this summer.

This comes courtesy of reliable Spurs journalist Alasdair Gold, who told the Gold and Guest Talk Tottenham podcast, relayed by To the Lane and Back, that Spurs could make a surprise midfield signing based on data. "I feel like maybe that number six role will be more of a data-based one that people are surprised by and it comes from left field, we will see."

The news may have Tottenham fans excited about who such a signing could be, with links to Ederson alternatives currently few and far between. However, given the success that the recent squad planning has proved to be, following the same pattern could be another recipe for success.