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The January transfer window is always a nail-biting time for football fans, but for Spurs supporters, it’s even more so this year. With the squad in a rebuild and strict squad regulations in both the Premier League and European competitions, the club has to tread carefully. Will Ange Postecoglou be able to bring in the reinforcements he needs while navigating the complexities of homegrown player rules? Let’s delve into the numbers and see what our options are.

Decoding the Squad Rules

Both the Premier League and European competitions have specific rules dictating squad composition, and these limitations directly impact our transfer strategy. Let’s break them down:

European Squad Rules:

● Non-Homegrown Players: A maximum of 17 non-homegrown players are permitted in the squad.

● Homegrown Players: 8 spots are reserved for locally trained players, divided into:

○ Club-trained: 4 players who have been with the club for three seasons before their 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which they turn 21).

○ Association-trained: 4 players who have been registered with any club affiliated with The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for three seasons before turning 21 (or the end of the season during which they turn 21).

● Under-21 Players: Unlimited under-21 players are allowed, but they must have been at the club for two years to be eligible.

Premier League Squad Rules:

● Non-Homegrown Players: The Premier League allows 17 non-homegrown players in a 25-man squad.

● Homegrown Players: 8 spots are allocated for homegrown players, with the same definition as association trained players in European competitions.

● Under-21 Players: The number of under-21 players is unrestricted.

This season, for the Premier League and European competitions, under-21 players will have been born on or after 1 January 2003.

Tottenham’s Current Squad: A Numbers Game

European Squad

Analysing Tottenham’s current European squad reveals a tight situation. Even with possible departures like Timo Werner, Fraser Forster or Richarlison the room for new signings is limited.

The homegrown player allocation for Europe poses a further challenge. Tottenham currently has two more association-trained players than permitted, which means both will be classified as non-homegrown. Consequently, we are already over our squad size restriction and were unable to register Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon in the first half of the season. 

The injury to Destiny Udogie means that we will probably want to register Djed Spence for the second half of the season. Yang Min-hyeok joined the club officially in January, if we wanted to register him, he would count as a non-homegrown player, despite being 18, because he hasn’t been at the club for the 2 years needed to be counted as an under-21 player (B List).

We are allowed to make a maximum of 3 changes to our European squad between the league and knockout phases of the competition.

At Ange’s press conference ahead of the Newcastle game, he gave the following expected return dates for the injured players; Richarlison  and Mikey Moore – early January, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies late January, Guglielmo Vicario late February.

We are at a 1 in, 1 out situation with our European squad. If Djed Spence is being added, we need to unregister someone to create the space and that leaves us with space for 2 further changes. Who do we drop to make space?

Premier League Squad

In the Premier League things are a tad easier with 3 free squad spaces, but would new players be willing to join us and only be included in the squad for domestic competitions?

In the Premier League Yang Min-hyeok qualifies as an under-21 player, so won’t need to take up a senior squad space.

Addressing the Needs, Navigating the Constraints

We have several areas requiring reinforcements: a goalkeeper, left-sided centreback, leftback cover, a defensive midfielder, a right-winger, and potentially a striker. However, the limited squad space necessitates a strategic and measured approach in the transfer market.

Looking Ahead: A Balancing Act

The January transfer window presents us with a challenge: balancing the need for immediate reinforcements with the long-term vision of squad building. Each signing must be carefully considered, taking into account both the immediate needs of the team and the limitations imposed by squad regulations. The current window will be less about a shopping spree and more about a calculated and precise approach to squad management.