Tottenham are preparing for a potentially busy January transfer window, with several transfers scheduled over the next month. Among the players who could leave north London is Brennan Johnson, who is finding it difficult to get game minutes under manager Thomas Frank.
BBC Sport reported that Spurs are not actively seeking to sell the Wales international, but would consider leaving if a suitable offer was made. The report suggests Crystal Palace are one of the clubs showing the most serious interest in the 24-year-old, which could lead to a move in January.
The development comes just over two years after Tottenham signed Johnson from Nottingham Forest for £47.5 million, and he quickly became an integral part of manager Ange Postecoglou’s side. The winger had the talent of being in the right place at the right time and scored a number of decisive goals, but perhaps none as important as the goal he scored for Spurs against Manchester United in the Europa League final.
He ended the club’s long trophy drought, but it hasn’t been easy for the star since then. Postecoglou’s departure meant Johnson struggled to regain his place in the team.
Thomas Frank has started just six games in the Premier League so far this season and other players in the squad are being prioritized over him. As a result, Johnson could be considered for a departure depending on the type of offers Tottenham have in the market.
Regarding Johnson’s struggles this season, Frank said: “I’m very aware that Brennan has very good qualities. One of them is scoring goals, running in behind and getting into the box. I really like everything about him. He’s scored goals again this year, I think it’s been four in total, so I know them well.”
“So it’s all about how you build your team, where you perform, how you get the best players and where they play. Is it Mo (Kudus) on the right or Brennan? Who’s going to play No. 10? What kind of players do we play in different positions to click?”
“And to keep it fresh and energetic, we play every three or four days, so we need a little bit of depth as well. That’s the challenge.”
While Johnson’s immediate future remains uncertain, Tottenham themselves face some hurdles in the transfer market. The winger’s market value has plummeted to unprecedented lows since joining the club, dropping to 35 million euros (approximately 3 billion yen), according to Transfermarkt’s value tool.
This poses a considerable hurdle for the 24-year-old to secure a contract. If he were to leave, Tottenham would face serious problems regarding the depth of their attacking options.
The team has failed to produce many convincing offensive performances so far during Frank’s tenure, a situation made worse by a critical talent shortage within the team. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke have all been sidelined all season, marking a major setback in the forward ranks.
Without those stars, and Johnson’s lack of impact thus far, it remains to be seen how well the Spurs will be able to perform offensively under Frank. The pressure on Frank is mounting over his job. The Danish manager begged for more time following his team’s recent defeat to Nottingham Forest.
“Obviously, if no one has time, no one can change time. This is not a quick fix,” he said.
