This transfer window has been function over flair…bring on the striker scramble | OneFootball

Thank God for Tottenham Hotspur. And, for once, we mean that quite sincerely.

For Spurs might finally be about to inject some real excitement into the transfer window. Sure, it’s been a blast so far but, in the main, the big deals have been about function over flair.

If we choose to ignore the biggest Premier League deal of all, which we are because it is more convenient to this particular agenda, summer 2026 so far has been about winning the midfield battle.

Which has seen the market for midfielders lose its freaking mind. Every window, there is a vogue position or specialty and this year, it’s the turn of the men in the middle. Not the 10s; it’s those amid the muck and bullets most in demand.

Man Utd look set to finish with three midfielders; Arsenal took Newcastle’s best; Spurs went early to spend £185million on two; Man City will almost certainly outdo them; Chelsea signed one old, one young; Liverpool… well, Liverpool have other things to worry about, but don’t bet against them going big on a midfielder between now and September 1.

We must be nearly done. Nearly, but not quite. Still, with 12 days to go, surely it’s time now the big clubs consider how they are going to make all this midfield dominance pay.

It’s hardly as though everyone is sorted for goalscorers. But in this weird, uncertain period before the Premier League kicks off this weekend, so few clubs – especially the big hitters – have sought to strengthen their attack.

When agonising over the Premier League predictions that we’re sure to make a b*llocks of, the Golden Boot category took less thought than any other. It was an Erling Haaland landslide despite, for the first time we can recall, no one tipping Manchester City to win the title as they stumble into the post-Pep era.

Looking at the Golden Boot contenders, you’d be forgiven for wondering if the last year was an illusion. There is no new signing in the top 20.

Mercifully, there is time to remedy that and also, at Tottenham Hotspur more than anywhere else, the intent.

Spurs are working on a double deal to sign Omar Marmoush and Savinho, while Cody Gakpo is also in their crosshairs.

City, apparently, will then seek to replace both Marmoush and Savinho, while Liverpool’s main motivation for selling Gakpo is to raise some funds, most probably to throw at PSG for at least one wide forward, maybe two.

Around strikers, Arsenal and United seem to be lurking without real intent. Ideally both would like another centre-forward and left-winger, the Gunners’ need arguably slightly greater. Which is why we envisage the champions being the more likely to have something up their sleeve before the deadline.

Chelsea, weirdly, were smart in signing Danny Welbeck to strengthen their forward line while also increasing the ratio of adults to children in the dressing room that obviously scared the bejesus out of Xabi Alonso in his first few weeks at the club.

But Alonso likes to work with three centre-forwards, though neither Nicolas Jackson nor Liam Delap appear to make the cut. Which, wonderfully, means we can’t rule out Chelsea doing something fun too.

The midfield scramble has been fun, the insanity of some of the fees adding an almost psychedelic aspect to it all. But with so many big clubs, here and in Europe, in need of some firepower to complement the fight and functionality, brace for a thrilling ride all the way to September 1. Hopefully.